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Winters Express: January 15, 2025

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Progress for Stevenson Bridge rehabilitation project News, Page 2

Support for beekeepers heads south Features, Page 1

Volume 141, Number 50 — Locally-owned since 1884

The hometown paper of Roy Irwin

Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Mariani Nut Company named 2024 Business of the Year By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief In a celebration of community spirit and exceptional business leadership, the Winters District Chamber of Commerce has honored Mariani Nut Company as the 2024 Business of the Year. This prestigious local award recognizes a business that exemplifies leadership, unselfish contributions to the Winters community and serves as a role model in strengthening the bonds between businesses, nonprofits, and residents. The Business of the Year is one of the Chambers’ four Toast of Winters community awards.

A legacy of giving, leadership Mariani Nut Company has been a cornerstone of Winters for over 50 years, earning praise for its unwavering commitment to supporting the local community. Nominations for the award highlighted the company’s extensive contributions, including scholarships for Winters High School graduating seniors,

many of whom return to Winters to raise their families. “Over the years, their support must now be in the thousands of dollars,” noted one nomination, underscoring the company’s profound impact on the vitality of the community. Beyond education, Mariani Nut Company’s philanthropy extends to local youth sports programs, with team sponsorships and donations of equipment such as scoreboards. Civic projects have also benefited from their generosity, with contributions to causes such as the refurbishing of the iconic gazebo at Rotary Park. One of Mariani Nut Company’s virtues is its dedication to fostering a culture of respect and dignity amongst its employees. “The Marianis built their business by appreciating and honoring the growers and employees who have contributed to their success,” a nomination said. “This ethos is evident in the loyalty they inspire among their workforce, with over 49 employees having served for more

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express

Mariani family members Marty, Jack, Matt and Gus Mariani at the Winters Participation Gallery’s mural ribbon cutting event outside of the Mariani Nut Company warehouse. than 25 years.” Gus Mariani, Director of Operations, emphasized the importance of relationships and partnerships in their business model. “Our loyal and hardworking employees are the foundation of our success. Many have been with us for over

40 years,” Mariani said. “We’ve grown alongside families spanning multiple generations who have become integral to our business.” The company’s involvement with the recent summer mural project through the Winters Participation

Gallery exemplifies its family-oriented culture, celebrating employees who have worked for the company across generations. “Strong company culture is the foundation for long-term success,”said

See MARIANI, Page 3

Solano County redefines ‘farm stand,’ what can be sold in one By Todd R. Hansen McNaughton Media

EXPRESS

On Tuesday, the Solano County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance intended to simplify what it takes to operate a farm stand in the county. However, the only easy part of the day’s action was changing the name from road stands to farm stands. Prohibiting the sale of alcohol — even unopened bottles of wine and other products made in Solano County — also was clear due to the state-involved regulations. What followed was an often convoluted

discussion on what products would be allowed, where they come from, what percentage of the goods in a given stand has to be ag-related and/ or on-site or locally produced and other similar details. The end result, the staff-recommended ordinance was passed on a 4–1 vote, with Supervisor Wanda Williams dissenting. However, the staff will return at some point to address the many questions, concerns and issues raised during the discussion. Those included a host of often technical items raised by farmers who attended the meeting. William Brazelton, a fruit grower, questioned allowing outside nursery stock into a farm stand, and with it, unwanted

invasive pests. The issue was not specifically addressed during the meeting. Alexis Koefoed, of Soul Food Farm in Pleasants Valley, emphasized the need to keep small farmers in mind when setting fees and other costs. She said a large permit fee could be the difference between having a farm stand and whether to buy the equipment she needs to farm. The county did change the requirement of a use permit to a minor use permit for a larger stand, and with it, reduced the permit cost from $4,600 to $2,500. Anything 1,000 square feet or smaller would not require a permit. Building permits and other related expenses still apply.

See STANDS, Page 5

Index Features ........................ B-1

We at he r Date

Rain

High

Low

Jan. 08

.00

67˚

50˚

Jan. 09

.00

71˚

38˚

Jan. 10

.00

74˚

38˚

Jan. 11

.00

65˚

43˚

Eventos hispanos ....... A-3

Jan. 12

.00

65˚

48˚

Jan. 13

.00

62˚

45˚

Opinion ......................... B-3

Jan. 14

.00

64˚

34˚

Real Estate ................... B-2

Rain for week: 0.00 in. Season’s total: 9.55 in. Last sn. to date: 7.51 in.

Classifieds ................... B-4 Community .................. A-2

Sports ........................... B-5

Winters rainfall season began 7/1/24. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m. daily by local weatherman Joe Bristow.

Courtesy graphic

The plan for the Waggoner Elementary School project presented updates and additions that increased the cost of the project budget by $1.4M.

Trustees approve $1.4M increase for Waggoner project budget By Logan Chrisp Express Staff Writer At the Winters Joint Unified School District’s Dec. 19 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved a $1.4 million budget increase for Phase 1 of the Waggoner Elementary transitional kindergarten (TK) project. The revised budget, totaling $9 million, includes expanded parking, infrastructure upgrades, and compliance with regulatory requirements. Originally estimated at $7.6 million, the Phase 1 budget included the construction of four TK classrooms,

campus drainage improvements, and partial parking lot work. However, design refinements and feedback from stakeholders, including city and state agencies, revealed the need to incorporate additional elements, such as: • Full completion of the parking lot that was initially planned for Phase 2. • Upgraded electrical systems and fire alarm panels to support future phases. • Installation of solar panels and EV charging stations as required by California’s Division of State Architecture (DSA).

• Enhanced drop-off and pick-up infrastructure to improve traffic flow and safety. These adjustments align with input from the California Department of Education, the city of Winters, and community members, who emphasized the need for sustainability and long-term cost efficiency. During the meeting, the project team detailed the rationale for the budget increase. Program Manager Jennifer Gibb, of Van Pelt Construction Services, highlighted the cost-saving

See TRUSTEES, Page 5

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Contact David DeLeon at David@WintersExpress.com


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