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Spread Thanksgiving cheer News, Page 3
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Volume 137, Number 43 — Locally owned since 1884
Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, November 18, 2020
The hometown paper of Elsie Huddleston
18K ballots waiting to be counted By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief The Yolo County Elections office announced last Friday another 10,000 ballots had been counted, with 18,448 ballots remaining to be tallied. Local races in Winters remain unchanged, although some Trustee seats are close. Yolo County Elections will provide the next unofficial election results on Friday, Nov. 20 at 4 p.m. The deadline to certify the election and provide official election results is Dec. 3. Yolo County Elections provided the following updates for Winters School Board close contests. For Trustee Area 3, Incumbant Stephanie Chávez and challenger Joedy Michael, there are 748 total processed ballots, 539 counted ballots and 209 remaining total ballots.
Chávez led with 215 votes (50.12 percent) over Michael who had 214 votes (49.88 percent). For Trustee Area 5, Incumbant Rudolph Muldong and challengers Everardo Zaragoza and Lisa Dennis, there are 981 total processed ballots, 904 counted ballots and 77 remaining total ballots. Zaragoza is in the lead with 300 (38.17 percent), Dennis had 251 (31.93 percent) and Muldong had 235 (29.90 percent). Dennis was hired by the Winters Joint Unified School District on Oct. 8. However, it was not before the 5 p.m. deadline on the 88th day prior to the General Elections (Aug. 7) required by the Election Code and she was unable to officially withdraw her declaration of candidacy. In the event Den-
See VOTES, Page 5
Future subscriber: Ransom Bear Trotter*
Courtesy photo
Joe Trotter and Doneice Woody of Winters announce the birth of their son, Ransom Bear Trotter. Ransom arrived at 4:40 p.m. on Nov. 7, 2020 at Sutter Davis Hospital. He weighed 9 pounds, 1 ounce and measured 21.5 inches at birth. Maternal grandparents are Robin and Henry Harlan of Winters, and maternal great-grandparents are Bernell and Sandy Harlan of Woodland. Paternal grandparents are Lee Trotter and Wanda Foster, and paternal great-grandmothers are Jackie Trotter and Martha Robbins, all from Illinois. His parents want to thank everyone for their best wishes and support.
Yolo County moving back to purple tier By Anne Ternus-Bellamy McNaughton Media
Features ........................ B-1 Classifieds ................... B-4 Community .................. A-3
Date
Rain High Low
Nov. 11
.00
65˚ 33˚
Nov. 12
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58˚ 29˚
Nov. 13 TRACE 66˚ 34˚ Nov. 14
.08”
59˚ 39˚
Eventos hispanos ....... A-3
Nov. 15
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62˚ 34˚
Nov. 16
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70˚ 39˚
Opinion ......................... B-3
Nov. 17
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69˚ 41˚
Real Estate ................... B-2 Athlete of the Week..... B-6
Rain for week: 0.08 in. Season’s total: 0.09 in. Last sn. to date: 0.03 in. Winters rainfall season began 7/1/20. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m.
See PURPLE, Page 5
Local restaurants are once again facing restrictions of outdoor dining or takeout services now that Yolo County has been placed back on the purple tier.
Yolo officials discussing fines for not following COVID guidelines By Anne Ternus-Bellamy McNaughton Media A day after surging cases of the novel coronavirus landed Yolo County back in the state’s purple tier, county officials reiterated the dangers facing residents as COVID-19 infections reach unprecedented levels here. Speaking to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday morning, Dr. Aimee Sisson, the county’s health officer, said, “now is one of the highest risk, if not the highest risk time for COVID-19 that we have had in Yolo County since the beginning of this pandemic.” “And if you combine the increasing cases in the community with the upcoming holidays… it’s a particularly risky time,” Sisson said. On Monday Yolo County moved back into the most restrictive purple tier on its COVID-19 blueprint. The impact on all those local businesses, and their ability to survive yet another shutdown,
has many in Yolo County worried and some questioning the state’s approach. “Many residents and businesses have expressed concern that the blueprint unfairly singles out their business for closure, arguing that there haven’t been known cases associated with these businesses,” Sisson noted. And while that blueprint “belongs to the state,” she said, and county health officers are merely the messengers, there are public health reasons involved. “We do know that modeling studies point to gyms and restaurants, for example, as driving disease spread. It makes sense that the venues that encourage mixing among different households and where patrons cannot wear masks would be high risk,” she added. “Finally, even if higher-risk businesses and activities haven’t themselves caused the recent rise in cases, as more people in the
Yolo County Library expanding services Editor-in-Chief
Weather
See COUNTY, Page 5
Crystal Apilado/Winters Express
By Crystal Apilado
I ndex
community become infected and visit these businesses or engage in these activities, the venues provide an opportunity for coronavirus to spread by promoting mixing of different households.” The next two months only heighten the risk. “Winter raises several concerns,” said Sisson. “Colder weather pushes people indoors. Flu season usually picks up speed and major holidays prompt people to gather. “Fortunately,” she said, “we know what we have to do to get through the winter without a large surge in cases or hospitalizations… Unfortunately, these actions mean sacrifice, giving up things we enjoy, closing down businesses. “We won’t have to do it forever,” Sisson said, “there is light at the end of the tunnel. But we are still in a tunnel. County supervisors were in agreement. “The takeaway for
Multiple Yolo County businesses must cease indoor operations effective Tuesday, following action taken by the state Monday aimed at stopping the rapid spread of COVID-19. Yolo County joined most of the rest of the state Monday in being moved back to the most restrictive purple tier on the state’s COVID-19 blueprint. That means restaurants, gyms and fitness centers, movie theaters, museums and places of worship may only operate outdoors while retail businesses must reduce indoor capacity to a maximum of 25 percent. Personal care services, including nail salons, hair salons and barber shops, may remain open indoors. Meanwhile, any schools that have already reopened for in-person or hybrid learning may remain open, but schools that have not yet opened will need to receive a waiver to reopen or wait until Yolo County has moved back into the red tier. Monday’s announcement by Gov. Gavin Newsom followed rapid spread of the coronavirus throughout the state in the last two weeks. “The rate of increase is simply without precedent in California’s pandemic history,” Newsom said. That same increase has been seen in Yolo County. For the week ending Nov. 7, the county’s adjusted new daily case rate hit 17.4 cases per 100,000 residents, up from 6.7 the week before and well
In an effort to continue to provide services to county residents, the Yolo County Library is introducing three new library services. Scott Love, West Yolo Library Regional Manager, said the County Library is looking to see what other services they can expand on while the facilities are closed to the public. While visiting any library location face coverings are required for all in-per-
son services. The interior library spaces have been modified to ensure social distancing and the public will be unable to access all other areas of the library, including restrooms, Love said.
Computer ments
Appoint-
Residents can reserve a one-hour computer appointment by calling 530-666-8005 Monday thru Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Winters Community Library is
offering computer appointments on: Tuesdays from 4-8 p.m., Thursdays from 2-6 p.m., and Fridays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Other participating libraries days and times can be found on the Yolo County Library website. Appointments must be made for one person, per computer and for library patrons 13 years or older. Siblings will each need their own individual appointment and will not be permitted to use the same computer. Love said it does not adhere to the re-
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quired 6-foot social distancing guidelines. When calling to make a reservation, patrons will need to let library staff know which branch and date they would like to reserve. They’ll be given a range of time slots to select from. Time extensions are not permitted for computer appointments. Love said they have a cleaning process in place in between each one-hour appointment, including a time period for cleaning agents to disinfect.
See LIBRARY, Page 5
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