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Winters Express - 2020/12/16

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Volume 137, Number 47 — Locally owned since 1884

Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Winters businesses facing uncertainty under newest restrictions By Edward Booth

The hometown paper of Joe Borchard

County administering first COVID vaccines by end of this week

Express staff writer As of Dec. 10, COVID-19 cases continued to rise throughout California, and the state’s stay-at-home order came into effect that night. Under the state’s order, restaurants are limited to takeout and delivery. Outdoor dining was allowed under a previous county order and in every tier of the state’s color-coded reopening system. But these new restrictions are more reminiscent of the initial stages of the pandemic in March and April, when most businesses shut their doors and state residents sheltered in place. Chris Turkovich, president of the Winters Downtown Business Association, said the state’s move to shut down outdoor dining comes as a blow to many Winters businesses. That blow is intensified because most of a $200,000 CARES Act grant the city received from Yolo County to help local businesses was used to build the outdoor dining area on Main Street. “It’s a struggle,

By Anne Ternus-Bellamy McNaughton Media

Edward Booth/Winters Express

CARES Act funding funded the creation of an outdoor dining area on Main Street. I mean, it’s been a struggle all year,” Turkovich said. “But this is a definite big blow because for months we’ve been told outdoor dining and moving our businesses outdoors is the way to survive.” Turkovich said if local businesses or the city had been made aware months ago that shutting down outdoor dining was a possibility, it would’ve changed how the city spent the CARES Act funds. The city likely would’ve given more direct funding to local businesses to help

them weather the next few months, he said. Though $40,000 went to a grant program meant to help businesses with rent and mortgages, most of the money went toward transforming the downtown business area. The shift to outdoor dining was an attempt to help Winters adapt to a business model that works in the era of COVID-19, to facilitate outdoor dining during the winter months, Turkovich said. Because of the way the CARES Act operates, the city needed

Trustees appoint new Special Education & Student Services Director By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief The Board of Trustees appointed a new Special Education & Student Services Director at a Winters Joint Unified School District special meeting held on Dec. 10. Lisa Dennis, Human Resources Administrator, said 15 applicants were received and three candidates were interviewed by a panel of six Winters JUSD employees. Staff recommended

I ndex Features ........................ B-1 Classifieds ................... B-5

Josh Harris to be approved for the position. Harris has over 20 years of extensive Special Education experience, including experience as a Special Education teacher, Principal, SELPA Director, Superintendent of Schools, and as a Special Education Attorney. “His broad view and deep understanding of special education and student services will be a tremendous asset to the Winters Joint Unified School

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District,” Dennis said. Trustees unanimously approved the appointment. Harris’ first day occurred on Monday, Dec. 14.

CBO search struggles

Dennis also presented Trustees with an opportunity to approve a contract with Government Financial Strategies. Kathy Colagrossi, Chief Business Officer, is set to retire and Winters JUSD has not yet found a qualified candidate to fill the CBO role. “Efforts for recruitment for an interim and permanent CBO have turned out to be rather difficult,” said Dennis who also noted the CBO role was critical to the operation of the school district. Government Financial Strategies was highly recommended by the Yolo County Office of Education and could serve as a support option as the school district continues to work on finding

See DISTRICT, Page 8

to use the funds and install the dining by Dec. 30. The Main Street outdoor dining area isn’t finished yet — a substantial amount of money went to outfitting the area with pergolas and heating — but it’ll be finished soon, and it will sit, unused, for at least a few weeks. “It will be done and ready for use when we come out of the stay-at-home order, so there will be a benefit to us in a few weeks or a few months,” Turkovich said. “But it’s going to

See BUSINESS, Page 3

General acute-care staff at Sutter Davis and Woodland Memorial hospitals will be receiving the county’s first allotment of coronavirus vaccines, likely later this week, followed by longtermcare facility staff and residents, according to county officials. Yolo County’s initial allotment of 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine is expected by Wednesday or Thursday, county health officer Dr. Aimee Sisson said last week, and an initial allocation of 1,500 Moderna vaccine doses is expected closer to Christmas. The federal Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use on Friday while the Moderna vaccine is still under FDA review and could be authorized by the end of the week. “Both of those will be prioritized to general acute care hospital staff, followed by skilled nursing facility staff and skilled nursing facility residents,” Sisson said. Under an agreement with the federal government, CVS and

By Edward Booth Express staff writer Representatives from Valley Clean Energy gave an informational presentation about energy plan options for Winters residents Dec. 9, roughly one month before residents will automatically be enrolled in the VCE green energy program. The mission of VCE is to provide “clean electricity, product choice, and greenhouse gas emission reductions — all within local control at competitive prices,” according to the presentation. VCE will begin producing electricity for Winters in January 2021, using the Pacific Gas and Electric Company power grid to deliver two levels of clean energy service. Come January, all non-solar PG&E customers in Winters will have their energy plan shifted to the VCE Standard Green Plan, which features

matched pricing to PG&E and uses about 45 percent renewable energy and 75 percent carbon free energy. The roughly 30 percent difference between renewable and carbon free energy comes from hydroelectric power, which is considered not renewable by the state. Residents can also choose to opt out at any time and stay with PG&E, which is an option required by law. PG&E offers about 30 percent renewable energy. Rebecca Boyles, Director of Customer Care and Marketing for VCE, said anyone who wishes to opt out can call or email VCE, or take a few minutes to fill out an online form. Residents who wish to use entirely renewable energy can upgrade to the VCE UltraGreen plan by paying an extra 1.5 cents per kilowatt hour. To demonstrate the difference in cost, Boyles presented a

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Walgreens will be responsible for vaccinating residents and staff in longterm care facilities. “That partnership is expected to go live around Christmas,” Sisson said, “so if Yolo County has doses out of our initial 975 (Pfizer vaccines) that are not taken up by the general acute care hospitals, then we would use some of those vaccines in skilled nursing facilities.” The county previously purchased — and received on Wednesday — the ultra-low temperature freezer needed to store the Pfizer vaccine and that’s where the shipment will go when it arrives. The vaccine can be kept at refrigerated temperature for five days after coming out of the freezer, Sisson said, “so it’s not like they have to go straight from the ultra-low temperature freezer into somebody’s arm… the process will involve placing the vaccines in a cooler with a data logger to make sure they maintain the proper temperature and then going to the

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sample rate comparison at the meeting, based on typical usage of a residential customer in their service area — currently including Woodland, Davis and unincorporated Yolo County. At a monthly rate of $129.76, the VCE Standard Green plan and PG&E equal each other in the comparison; the UltraGreen plan, under the same conditions, levels out at a monthly rate of $137.98. Mitch Sears, interim manager of VCE, said at the meeting that VCE currently serves about 65,000 accounts, which he said represents slightly over 100,000 people in its coverage area. Winters will add about 2,500 additional accounts, about a 5 percent increase to the total, he said, and that’s factoring in people who opt out. Sears said over 90 percent of VCE customers have cho-

See ENERGY, Page 3

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News2 A2 — Winters Express, Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Children’s alliance brings holiday joy to local families Express staff More than 750 Yolo County families received holiday meals, children’s jackets, blankets, socks and more thanks to the Community Giveaway Day that took place in West Sacramento on Saturday. The 15th annual event, hosted by the Yolo County Children’s Alliance in partnership with the Yolo Food Bank and Mercy Coalition, served families from West Sacramento and Clarksburg. But this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, families didn’t fill an auditorium to select items; instead, social distancing requirements led to a drive-in event, where volunteers filled the cars of participating families. “We feel extremely fortunate that we were able to continue this event, especially during these trying times,” said Katie Villegas, executive direc-

“We feel extremely fortunate that we were able to continue this event, especially during these trying times.” Katie Villegas executive director

tor of the children’s alliance. “Now more than ever, the families that YCCA serves need our help, and the support of the community, to make it through this challenging period,” said Villegas. “The hard work of our staff and partners made this event a success, with another huge Thank You to our amazing sponsors. Year after year, these organizations and individuals donate not only their time, but supplies and direct funding for this essential event.” This year alone, the Yolo Food Bank donated more than 600 holiday meal kits. Other donors supplied services, masks, time and funding, including the Washington Unified School District, Sacramento Covered, the City of West Sacramento, Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health, Union Pacific, MBK Engineers, Nugget Markets, First 5 Yolo, and Maria Simas and Chris Ledesma.

Project Roomkey leads to permanent housing for 61 county residents Express staff Sixty-one formerly homeless Yolo County residents have found permanent housing thanks to Project Roomkey, a collaborative effort aimed at providing safe shelter during the pandemic. All told, 533 homeless individuals were assisted between March 16 and Nov. 17, the county reported last week, with an average stay in local motels of 92 nights per person. The partnership between the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency; the cities of Davis, West Sacramento and Woodland; as well as other agencies and nonprofits began by providing

motel rooms and case management to medically vulnerable homeless residents in order to protect them from contracting COVID-19. Nine motels throughout the county participated, including several in Davis. “While Project Roomkey was never intended to be a permanent housing solution,” the county said in a press release, “the program’s increased stability and access to case management services has resulted in over 61 permanent housing transitions to date,

with clients moving into both market rate and subsidized apartments, room and boards, and some reuniting permanently with family.” Throughout the program, CommuniCare Health Center provided a mobile medicine team funded through Dignity Health in partnership with Woodland Clinic Medical Group and Sutter Health. The team provided 1,340 unique visits through mid October and conducted multiple COVID-19 tests on site when clients appeared symptomatic. “In the midst of a

pandemic, this project has been a shining example of what can occur when those most in need are supported through a collaborative effort from providers, cities, and the county,” said Yolo County’s Homeless Program Coordinator Nadia Waggener. “Yolo County’s Project Roomkey has become a model to the state, and a success story for community-supported Housing First approaches to homeless services.” Project Roomkey participants have received support from many local service providers along with local restaurants, the Yolo Food Bank, Love Laundry and several

See ROOMKEY, Page 8

Los esfuerzos de la distribución de alimentos locales cambian de planes para Diciembre Por Crystal Apilado Traducido por Carol Alfonso Dos de los esfuerzos de distribución de alimentos de Winters están realizando cambios temporales para cumplir con los desafíos de la temporada navideña durante la actual directriz de permanencia en el hogar del Condado Yolo. Distribución de alimentos del Distrito Escolar de Winters JUSD Cathy Olsen, Directora del Servicio de Alimentos en el Distrito Escolar Unificado de Winters (Winters JUSD), el distrito escolar continuará proporcionando su distribución de alimentos durante las vacaciones programadas desde el 19 de Diciembre hasta el

“El apoyo de la comunidad que hemos recibido ha permitido que Winters Farm to School continúe brindando apoyo durante la pandemia.” Cathy Olsen, Directora del Servicio de Alimentos 3 de Enero del 2021, con la excepción de una semana libre el 28 de Diciembre. La distribución de alimentos se reanudará al horario habitual los Martes y Jueves de 10:45 a.m. a 12:30 p.m. el 5

de Enero del 2021. El 22 de Diciembre proporcionarán una caja especial con un objetivo de 5 comidas por niño, una caja del USDA y una caja de CSEA de Terra Firma Farm. Olsen dijo que la cantidad de comidas por niño depende de si la cantidad total de comida que se ordenó llegó a tiempo. Ella ha enfrentado desafíos durante la pandemia, de artículos alimenticios que no siempre se cumplen por completo. Las cajas de CSEA están siendo financiadas por Winters Farm to School. Olsen dijo que Winters Farm to School ha estado proporcionando los fondos para

See SERVICIO, Page 8

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News3 Winters Express, Wednesday, December 16, 2020 — A3

BUSINESS Continued from Page 1 be a tough December, January and February for a lot of these businesses.” Turkovich said shutting down outdoor dining represents a lack of leadership at the state and county level. He added that no one blamed the state for enacting strict restrictions in March because nobody knew how the pandemic worked then. Putting in place similar restrictions nine months later felt irresponsible, he said. Restaurant owners around the country are echoing a similar argument as Turkovich: that there is no concrete evidence that outdoor dining, when properly performed in accordance with health protocols, spreads COVID-19. Turkovich said he was also handling an

VACCINE Continued from Page 1 skilled nursing facility, observing the vaccination of the staff or residents and then any vaccine that’s left over — hopefully there’s none — would have to be used up in the next four days after that.” The Pfizer vaccine requires a second dose three weeks later, so county officials will have to stay on top of that and ensure everyone gets that second shot — something that will likely be easier in skilled nursing facilities and hospitals than when time comes to vaccinate the general public. “We’re developing a second-dose reminder system for when we get to the general public, Sisson said, “but for these early distributions, where

ENERGY Continued from Page 1 sen to stay with a VCE plan, in large part because of the value VCE provides to local communities. “We offer a higher renewable content for our customers at the same price as PG&E,” Sears said. “Sometimes there’s some confusion over some of the bill information. Some folks don’t believe or don’t quite understand how the different fees work. But overall we match PG&E’s rates, that’s the policy our board has put into place and we work hard to deliver on both cost competitiveness as well as being greener than PG&E.” Boyles said a new line item for VCE will appear on energy bills, but that’s a replacement charge and doesn’t mean res-

instance of unclear direction from the state. He said people have been given the impression by governmental entities and media that breweries and wineries — such as his business, Turkovich Family Wines — are entirely closed. This isn’t true, he said, because wineries and breweries can stay open for retail and take-out. And now they have to bear the brunt of informing their customers that they’re still open. “Small businesses are used to adapting and dealing with it, so that’s what we’re doing, just digging in and trying to do the best we can,” Turkovich said. “It’s tough enough fighting coronavirus, it doesn’t help us when our supposed leaders are not leading correctly.” Meika Ogando, owner of Winters Collective, said in an email that

the store is able to remain open at 20 percent capacity. Because they don’t have an online store, Ogando wrote, the Collective depends on people to shop there in person. The Winters Collective is also allowing private shopping appointments. “It’s not ideal, but we are grateful to be able to stay open, otherwise we would not make it,” Ogando wrote. “We are working on an online store but until that launches, we depend on people to shop in our store.” Gino Mediati, manager of Pacific Ace Hardware, said the store is fortunate not to be affected by many of the restrictions. Limiting occupancy to 20 percent isn’t a problem for the store, as typically many customers aren’t in the store at once, he said. Chuck Pearce, owner of Winters Pizza

Factory, criticized the wide reach of the restrictions, saying he thought they should be determined by each individual city. “They can tell us whatever we have to do,” Pearce said. “We can respect it, but me, personally, I just sit here and shake my head and I do what’s necessary to protect my customers and my employees. I just hope that everyone in our community gets through this and it doesn’t create any more hardship.” Turkovich said that, unlike in March, there is a light at the end of the long pandemic tunnel that’s arriving now with various vaccines. The community will need to make sure the businesses are still surviving by then, he said, and hopefully restrictions will drop off and the Main Street outdoor dining area will be used again.

it’s more of a … very defined population approach, we can pretty much get everyone by scheduling the second pod three weeks after the first.” As for the general public, when they will begin receiving the vaccine will depend on which phase they fall in. “The state has a distribution plan where the first vaccines will go to those who are at highest risk of exposure (to COVID-19),” said Jenny Tan, Yolo County’s public information officer. The first phase — Phase 1 — is split into 1A, 1B and 1C, she said, and within each phase are tiers. “Within Phase 1A, there are prioritized tiers of who will get the vaccine first, such as those who work in acute care or longterm care settings,” said Tan. “This phase will be first in

getting the vaccine and it may take time to get through this first subset of Phase 1A, especially since we are getting the vaccine in small shipments.” Subsequent tiers in Phase 1A include paramedics, home healthcare workers, public health staff, specialty clinics and laboratory workers, Tan said. “Phase 1B includes essential workers such as those in education, food and agriculture, utilities, police, firefighters, correction officers, transportation and others,” said Tan. Phase 1C includes adults with high-risk medical conditions and those 65 and over. “For most of us in the general public who don’t work essential jobs, it may not be until mid-next year that there is an opportunity to get the vaccine because of these

prioritization lists,” said Tan. Health officials will have to make clear to the public not only why those lists were devised the way they were, but also convince vaccine skeptics to get the vaccine. And for those reluctant to get the vaccine, Tan noted that both Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines are mRNA-based vaccines which “do not put a weakened or inactive germ into our bodies. “Instead,” Tan said, “they teach ourselves how to make a protein that triggers an immune response inside of our bodies. So these do not give someone COVID and do not use the live virus that causes COVID-19.” The county has created a vaccine information webpage with additional information. Visit https://www. yolocounty.org/coronavirus-vaccine.

idents are paying extra. “All that really changes from the customer’s side is you’ll see a different line item on your bill,” Boyles said. Only one question was asked at the meeting: whether VCE will follow PG&E’s practice of cutting off power in high fire risk zones, such as Winters. Boyles said VCE has no control over that because they’re using PG&E infrastructure, but they do try to help notify residents if their power is going to be shut off. Sears said VCE is looking to potentially partner with PG&E to identify weak links in the power grid and also for opportuni-

ties to install energy solutions that could mitigate the problem, such as linking rooftop solar power to battery storage and microgrids that could prevent the shutoff of a community. “Microgrids are complicated and perhaps, in many cases, not cost effective, but they can be effective in helping protect critical infrastructure,” Sears said. “So, for example, medical facilities in hospitals and police and fire stations, things of that nature that might be really important to communities if they do suffer power safety shutoffs. Again, we’re not directly involved in that, but we are looking for opportuni-

ties, and being a local voice, and working with PG&E to try to advance some of these issues.” Winters City Council member Jesse Loren, who sits on the Valley Clean Energy Board of Directors along with Mayor Wade Cowan, said at the meeting she’s excited to have the option coming to Winters. Loren specifically praised the local control offered by the board, which consists of two representatives from each city covered by VCE, and two representatives from Yolo County. “It’s going to benefit Winters, we’re going to have our own local control on where our energy comes from,” Loren said.

County Rapid Response Layoff Assistance series extended to Dec. 28 Yolo County Press Release The Layoff Assistance Webinar Series will be extended to Dec. 28 to provide additional opportunities for COVID-19 impacted workers and businesses to receive valuable resources from EDD Workforce Services, YoloWorks and partners. Businesses considering work stoppages, layoffs or furloughs and employees whose employment has been impacted by COVID-19 are encouraged to attend. The next webinar will be offered on Monday, Dec. 28 at 10 a.m. YoloWorks partners will help answer questions and guide participants through Unemployment Insurance, health care

options and other resources available to assist individuals impacted by layoffs through this pandemic. Participants must register for the webinar by visiting: https://bit. ly/34cjjhJ. For more information on the webinar series, please contact Erica Johnson, Rapid Response Coordinator, at erica. johnson@yolocounty.org or 916-3756273. This series is hosted by the Yolo County Workforce Innovation Board (WIB), Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and YoloWorks Rapid Response and is provided by EDD Workforce Services, YoloWorks and other partners.

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News4 A4 — Winters Express, Wednesday, December 16, 2020

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News6 A6 — Winters Express, Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Lake Berryessa water levels down two inches The level of Lake Berryessa is down by 0.16 feet during the past week, with a decrease in storage of 834 acre feet of water, according to Ken Emigh of the Solano Irrigation District. Tuesday morning the lake level was 418.00 feet above sea level, with

storage computed at 1,159,685 acre feet of water. Evaporation on the lake averaged 67 acre feet of water per day. The SID is diverting 40 second feet of water into the Putah South Canal, with 42 second feet flowing at the Diversion Dam.

115

80

YEARS AGO January 5, 1906

At the meeting of the board of trustees Tuesday night, a resolution of intention to construct redwood curbing on Main, First, Second and Abbay Streets was passed. C.E Wyatt and Miss Priscilla Hall were united in marriage Tuesday, January 2, at the parsonage of the Christian Church in Sacramento. A meeting was held Wednesday night by a number of prominent growers who are about to organize a private ditch company to tap the main ditch about three miles north of Winters. The Woman’s Improvement Club will meet at the room in the post office building next Wednesday afternoon. W.E. Meagher of Napa, the popular manager of Samuel Springs, was here last night, going up to Monticello this morning. R.L. Day has moved back the partition at the rear of the store to give more space for business and the room is to be entirely repapered and painted. G.W. Chapman is overhauling his pumping plant, and will install a new boiler to furnish steam, Mann Chapman and Mr. Seely having gone to San Francisco to purchase it. Messers. W.P. Womack and P.H. McGarr are setting the fence back from the north lines of their property on Abbay Street so that the street will now be opened its full width to East Street.

YESTERYEAR Picked by Charley Wallace

YEARS AGO January 3, 1941

Fire of unknown origin New Year’s morning made complete wreckage of the home and most of the furnishings of John Ramos, three miles north of town. Mrs. E.R. Crum will be luncheon hostess this afternoon preceding the meeting of the book section of the Fortnightly club. Philip G. Ritchie and Patrick Mahoney, who enlisted in October and November respectively for U.S.A. service, plan to leave about February 1 for San Luis Obispo. Miss Marie Riesbeck returned the first of the week from a holiday visit with her niece, Mrs. Merrill Gebhart and family in Fresno. Mrs. D.O. Judy returned the last of the week from a week’s holiday outing at the F.E. Judy home in Walnut Grove. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Portnell of Placerville were holiday guests with relatives and have taken up temporary residence here. Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Hartwig, newlyweds who took a honeymoon outing in southern points, saw the game in Pasadena and planned to return home today, The only watch night service in town New Year’s Eve was held at the Railroad Avenue Mission, conducted by the pastor, Rev. E.E. Zimmerman. Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Niemann left Monday for a visit with Leland Niemann and family in Los Angeles. Cameron Girton has spent his holiday vacation ‘with his mother, Mrs. A. Cattermole in Berkeley.

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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

File photo

65

50

YEARS AGO January 5, 1956

YEARS AGO

The Bureau of Reclamation will open bids this morning on the first section, six miles, of the Putah South Canal. The canal will be 38 miles long when completed. A baby daughter, born to Mr. and Mrs. Abe Lopez, of Winters, on January 2, 1956, was the winner of the annual Stork Derby, sponsored by the merchants of Winters. Mr. and Mrs. Eusabio Carrion of Winters are the parents of a son, born at the Yolo General Hospital, Woodland, December 29, 1955. Total rainfall for the season, to date, is 17.49 inches. Mr. and Mrs. Leland L. Stith of Vacaville had a belated, but pleasant Christmas gift when their son, Bill, flew in from a 19-month tour of duty in Africa. He will be stationed at Travis Air Force Base. The occasion of the 12th birthday anniversary of Miss Barbara Frisbee, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R.A. Frisbee, was observed on Monday with a dinner and theater party. At a family Christmas eve dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Martin, the engagement of their son, John R. Martin, was announced to Miss Pat Holman of this city. Members of the congregation of the First Christian Church met after service on Sunday in the social room of the church in an informal reception honoring Mr. and Mrs. Will Young on the occasion of their 48th wedding anniversary and Mr. and Mrs. Lucien Richey, who were married 49 years on Friday, December 23.

December 31, 1970

Napa County supervisors fired an ultimatum at the Bureau of Reclamation last week in a letter which stated that the county might turn over management of recreation at Lake Berryessa to the federal government unless new lease agreements advantageous to concessionaires are forthcoming. The Winters School Board Monday night voted unanimously to extend the contract of Superintendent James Bernardy to June 30, 1975. U.S. Senator Alan Cranston, in a letter to Elliot Richardson, U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, has called for urgent consideration of turning the government land east of Winters to the proposed Indian-Chicano University. Last rites were held Wednesday afternoon at Smith’s Colonial Chapel for Mrs. Ruth Ann Siranian, 71, who died in her home on Second Street Monday morning. Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Clifton, of Winters, were honored earlier this month on completion of 25 years of service with Basic Vegetable Products Company, of Vacaville. The company honored 63 employees at its annual award luncheon held at the Nut Tree. Mr. and Mrs. Ben H. Keith were honored Christmas Day at a combined holiday dinner and Golden Wedding observance. Mrs. Judy Montgomery, Winters dancing teacher, will make her 25th successive appearance at San Quentin’s New Year’s Show in the role of the stage manager.

Please, don’t drink and drive.

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Public Safety Report City of Winters Special to the Express

Fire

Dec. 4: 7:10 a.m., smoke investigation, Putah Creek Road/ Railroad Avenue. ~9:24 a.m., hazmat incident, 110 block of E. Grant Avenue. Dec. 5: 10:16 a.m., medical aid, Russell Boulevard. Dec. 6: 3:56 p.m., medical aid, 500 block of Abbey Street. Dec. 7: 6:29 p.m., outdoor misc. fire, 40 block of Myrtle Drive. Dec. 8: 1:15 a.m., medical aid, 300 block of Edwards Street. ~8:41 a.m., fire alarm, 990 block of E. Grant Avenue. Dec. 9: 10:46 p.m., medical aid, 300 block of East Street. Dec. 10: 3:05 p.m., medical aid, 500 block of Abbey Street. ~6:21 p.m., grass fire, 120 block of E. Grant Avenue. The Winters Fire Department is accepting holiday toys for children

Police Arrest Log None

Case Log

Dec. 2: 10:10 a.m., 200 block of White Oak Lane, Audible Alarm. ~9 a.m., 1000 block of Hemenway Street, Attempted vehicle theft. ~12:27 p.m., 600 block of First Street, Burglary. ~10:37 p.m., 500 block of Main Street, Found Property. Dec. 3: 1:40 a.m., County Road 89/ Niemann Street, Verbal domestic dispute. ~6:15 a.m., Castle View Lane/ Moody Slough Road, Grand theft. ~2:37 p.m., 30 block of Main Street, Petty theft. Dec. 4: 3:22 p.m., 100 block of Main Street, Audible Alarm. Dec. 5: 9:25 a.m., 1000 block of Roosevelt Avenue, Identity Theft. ~3:59 p.m., Moody Slough Road/ County Road 88, Found Property. Dec. 6: 1:27 a.m., Morgan Street/ White Oak Lane, Found Property.

Obituaries Irene George Irene George passed away peacefully in Vacaville, on December 2. She was 85 years old. Irene was born on March 24, 1935 in Vacaville to Frank and Alice Martinez. She graduated from Winters High School in 1953. Irene married Rudy George in 1953. They were married for 31 years and raised their two sons, Tom and Ed on their ranch located two miles east of Winters, known as the Peach Farm. Irene worked for U.C. Davis as a administrative assistant for Ag Extension for several years until she retired. She was a former president of the Engelbert Humperdinck fan club and was a member of the Rebekah Lodge. She enjoyed reading, bowling, playing Bingo, following the S.F. Giants, cooking and traveling with family and friends. Her fa-

vorite places were Hawaii, Florida, Branson and New Orleans. Irene was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Alice Martinez, former husband Rudy George, sister Ann Gertz and brother Frank Martinez, Jr. She is survived by her children Tom and Ed; grandchildren Megon, Ryan, Barrett and Mariah; brother-in-law Bill and many nieces, nephews and cousins. To those who knew Irene, she was a thoughtful, generous and loving person. She will be dearly missed. There are no services planned.

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Award-winning American journalism. Designed in Yolo, manufactured in Solano. Notice: Unless otherwise indicated, all of the stories, articles, pictures, captions and editorials appearing in this edition are © Copyright 2020 The Winters Express, LLC, a limited liability company, all rights reserved.

Winters has been putting up Christmas decorations for decades as shown in this undated photo. Might be taken in the late 1960s or early 70s. Pictured are Fire Chief Pat McGarr, standing on the firetruck; Wilber Riley, on the ladder, and (who is believed to be) Vernon Bruhn sitting on the firetruck.

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Senior Page5 Winters Express, Wednesday, December 16, 2020 — A7

Senior News Communication key to offering support to seniors, caregivers By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-chief Celebrating the holidays are bringing new challenges amid the regional and county stay at home orders. Individuals living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and their caregivers may especially experience heightened frustrations. “Our caregivers are isolated even when there isn’t a pandemic. Now, they are more isolated,” said Alexandra Castillo-Weisgerber, Director of Care and Support for the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California. According to Castillo-Weisgerber, many adult day centers are closed, and some individuals are not accepting outside services for fear of the coronavirus coming into their home. Caregivers and families are having to look at new ways of offering care and support through the pandemic and celebrating the holidays this month. She advised caregivers to reach out to family members to communicate and to start conversations about how they can best support their loved ones, as well as what kind of support they need themselves. “It’s being able to have those conversations,” Castillo-Weisgerber said. “While people mean well, it’s important to familiarize friends and family with the situation.” Letting immediate family and friends know about changes, needs, gift ideas or how they can help to support can help to prepare them for in-person or virtu-

“During this time give yourself permission with the changes that are happening to get the support to talk to someone about it.” Alexandra CastilloWeisgerber, Director of Care and Support for the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California al interactions. She also noted the importance of making sure to include the individual in holiday traditions. Involving individuals living with dementia helps them to feel engaged with the traditions and brings a feeling of purpose. “It’s important to engage them with the traditions that they love and enjoy,” Castillo-Weisgerber said. “It’s most important that they still feel that purpose and meaning, and that they have contributed.” She also stressed the importance of caregivers taking time to care for themselves. This includes asking for someone to help so they can take a shower, accepting help with meals or accepting dropped off meals, or even to get out of the house for an hour. “Get the support. There’s a lot of resources available,” Castillo-Weisgerber said. “During this time give yourself permission with

the changes that are happening to get the support to talk to someone about it.” The Alzheimer’s Association recently shared tips to help families celebrate the holiday season safely.

Tips for in-person holiday celebrations: • Celebrate smart. Celebrate safely. Consider smaller gatherings this year. If possible, opt for large, open settings that allow for social distancing. Encourage attendees to follow safety protocols during the celebration, including hand washing, and the use of hand sanitizer and masks, as appropriate. • Take a person-centered approach. Focus on what is enjoyable for the person living with Alzheimer’s. Take time to experiment with new holiday traditions that might be less stressful or a better fit for your loved ones. If they get overwhelmed in large groups, a small quiet gathering may be preferable. If evening confusion and agitation are a problem, turn your holiday dinner into a holiday lunch or brunch. • Keep it simple. Consider a celebration over a lunch or brunch at home or where the person is most comfortable. Instead of potluck-style gatherings, encourage guests to bring food and drinks for themselves and members of that household only.

Tips for virtual holiday celebrations: • Connect with family members virtually. Schedule a FaceTime, Skype or Zoom call with your loved

The many ways that walking benefits your body Metro Special to the Express Life changed dramatically in 2020. When the World Health Organization declared a COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, hundreds of millions of people across the globe were forced to change how they go about their daily lives, including how they exercise. Health-conscious adults accustomed to exercising at local gyms had to find new ways to exercise in the wake of the pandemic. Many gyms were forced to close in areas hit hard by COVID-19, and that left many people without access to fitness equipment like weights and cardiovascular machines. Resilient men and women soon found ways to exercise, and many of them embraced walking. Though walking might not provide the same level of intensity that fitness enthusiasts are accustomed to, the Arthritis Foundation notes the vari-

ous ways walking benefits the body. • Walking protects against heart disease and stroke. Walking strengthens the heart and protects it against heart disease. The AF also notes that walking lowers blood pressure. • Walking strengthens the bones. New York-based Plancher Orthopedics and Sports Medicine notes that walking can stop the loss of bone mass for people with osteoporosis. • Walking can extend your life. The AF notes that one study linked walking to longer life expectancy, finding that people who exercise regularly in their fifties and sixties were 35 percent less likely to die over the next eight years than people who never walked. • Walking can improve mood. One study from researchers at California State University, Long Beach, found that the more steps people taking during the day, the better their moods were. • Walking can lower risk for cognitive

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decline. Walking also has been linked to a lower risk for age-related cognitive decline. A study from the University of Virginia Health System found that men between the ages of 71 and 93 who walked more than a quarter of a mile per day had half the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease compared to men who walked less. In addition, a study from researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, found that age-related memory decline was lower among women ages 65 and older who walked 2.5 miles per day than it was among women who walked less than half a mile per week. Foot traffic increased as people were forced to find new ways to exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic. Walking is a great way to stay in shape and even provides some lesser known benefits for people who walk each day.

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Involving individuals living with dementia helps them to feel engaged with the traditions and brings a feeling of purpose. MetroCreative/stock photo

ones and invite other family members to participate. Prepare ahead of time to ensure the platform you use is one everyone can access easily. Consider taking the call to the next level by conducting a holiday activity such as baking cookies, exchanging gifts or singing favorite holiday songs. • Prepare a favorite holiday meal or dessert. Make plans to prepare your loved one’s favorite holiday meal or dessert. If you are unable to share the meal in-person, drop it off or have it delivered. • Go for a holiday stroll. Indoor gatherings generally pose more risk than outdoor gatherings. If an extended indoor holiday celebration seems ill-advised, consider bundling up and going on a neighborhood walk with immediate family members.

Support resources Caregivers and seniors are able to reach out for help on the Alzheimer’s Association’s free 24 hour helpline. Castillo-Weisgerber said that while the mission of the Alzheimer’s Association is to serve all cognitive impairments and support for caregivers, individuals can call the helpline if they’re not sure why they need to call, but need to talk to someone. Caregivers can call for any stresses related to being a caregiver, and for support on new situations that they aren’t sure how to handle. Call the free 24 hour helpline at 1-800-272-3900. More information about support and resources for individuals experiencing cognitive impairments or their caregivers can be found online at https://www. alz.org/norcal.

Council appoints members to Senior Commission on Aging By Crystal Apilado Express editor-in-chief The Winters City Council appointed two new members of the Winters Senior Commission on Aging at their Dec. 1 regular City Council meeting. Dawn Van Dyke was appointed as a Commissioner and Valerie Whitworth was appointed as the First Alternate. The two seats were left vacant after former appointees re-

signed for various reasons since it’s inception last year. The Winters Senior Commission on Aging was established in 2019 with seven members and two alternates to offer support and recommendations to the City Council related to the senior community in Winters. The senior community, those 50 years of age and over, represents 64 percent of the population in the

City of Winters. The December 2020 Winters Senior Commission on Aging was cancelled. The next regular scheduled meeting is for Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. Their regular meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Meeting information is available online at http://www. cityofwinters.org/ winters-senior-commission-on-aging/.

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News8 A8 — Winters Express, Wednesday, December 16, 2020

DISTRICT Continued from Page 1 a CBO replacement. The company has been in operation for over 30 years serving public agencies through a comprehensive approach to fiscal management. Bruce Colby, a retired CBO from the Davis Joint Unified School District, would be the main contact supporting the Winters JUSD business department through the critical year end and Q1 budget, audits, labor negotiations, and staff training. “From my phone calls with him, [he is] really a huge wealth of knowledge and would be a benefit to the school district,” Dennis said. The fiscal impact would be

$15,000 per month and is contracted through March 31,2021. Denis said the school district would be prorated for December and in the event a new CBO is identified prior to the March 31 end date. Trustees voted unanimously to approve the contract which was set to begin as of Monday, Dec. 14.

Budgets approval

Colagrossi presented Trustees with the 2020/21 First Interim Report & Standards and Criteria Report and the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) Budget Overview for Parents. Trustee Rob Warren expressed concern on the quick turn around from the day Trustees were given the budget for review to the expected approval date. “I’m not sure how we were ex-

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Raegan Hurst Raegan Hurst, a Rominger fifth grader, is the Pisani’s Athlete of the Week. Hurst has been working with the Dixon Leon Soccer Club. She has been able to focus on her footwork and honing of skills. Coach Ignacio Villasenor said, “Raegan has improved so much. Her understanding of the game has expanded and always listens to what the coach has to say. Her self-determination knows no bounds and always gives 110 percent.”

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pected as board members to go through a 96 page report and give approval about 30 hours after we got it. I’m curious about when this report was finalized with you guys,” Warren said. Colagrossi said she had been expecting the 2020/21 First Interim Report to be approved at the regularly scheduled Dec. 17 meeting, and that the LCFF Budget Overview had prompted the special meeting. “We take a few weeks to get all of our budgets correct. And it does take a while to prepare this whole report,” Colagrossi said. “This is the deadline I was presented with, and this was the board meeting I was told to be bringing this too.” Normally the LCFF Budget Overview, in conjunction with the LCAP, was due by July 1 of each

ROOMKEY Continued from Page 2 city and county departments. Services are tailored to meet the needs of individual clients and include the following: • Aid in applying for Medi-Cal as well as help in understanding qualifications for various benefits such as CalFresh, CalWORK’s, and General Assistance • Assistance applying for unemployment insurance and completing housing applications • Procurement of medical care, mental health screenings or substance use screening appointments • Free COVID-19 testing, as needed While Yolo County has until December 2020 to utilize federal CARES Act funding for Project Roomkey, the cities and county are collaborating on longer term options and next steps.

SERVICIO Continued from Page 2 productos agrícolas locales directos. “El apoyo de la comunidad que hemos recibido ha permitido que Winters Farm to School continúe brindando apoyo durante la pandemia”, dijo Olsen. Gloria López, miembro de la junta de Winters Farm to School, dijo que uno de los principales objetivos de Winters Farm to School es asegurarse de que los estudiantes de Winters reciban alimentos y productos frescos locales. “El año 2020 ha sido un desafío para muchos, pero tenemos un grupo de seguidores dedicados y apasionados que han donado generosamente a pesar del hecho de que no hemos podido tener nuestras recaudaciones de fondos tradicionales”, dijo López al Winters Ex-

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year. However, Senate Bill 98 added EC Section 43509 which changed the adoption date for the Budget Overview for Parents for the 202021 school year to be adopted and submitted on or before Dec. 15. Trustee Carrie Green noted that she had scheduled a meeting with Colagrossi and Superintendent Diana Jiménez earlier in the week to discuss budget information in general, and advised other Trustees to reach out to district staff if they have questions. Both budgets were approved 4-01. Warren noted his Abstention on both action items was due to a lack of time allowed to review. “I don’t believe this came to us in a timely fashion. I had limited time to go through this and had multiple questions,” Warren said.

The city of Davis has launched the Davis Emergency Shelter project which will be utilizing 25 two-bedroom apartments for up to six months. The first clients were moved into the apartments in mid-October and the project will run through April 2021, providing non-congregate shelter for up to 40 individuals at a time. The project’s target population is elderly and medically vulnerable individuals. Case management and other services are provided onsite. The city of Woodland is opening a new permanent shelter at Road 102 and Beamer Street. The facility is a newly constructed 100 bed shelter that is expected to house up to 70 individuals during the COVID-19 response. Laundry, showers, restrooms, food and a host of services will be available to those onsite, including day services to ensure those

staying do not need to leave during the day. Back in April, Yolo County was recognized by Gov. Gavin Newsom for leading the way in providing non-congregate shelter for those experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. The county obtained a $600,000 grant from the County Medical Services Program to cover the initial costs of behavioral health services as well as funding from Dignity Health, in partnership with Woodland Clinic Medical Group and Sutter Health. Additionally the Health and Human Services Agency received a portion of the county’s CARES Act allocation to continue Project Roomkey through December and is working with all involved parties to determine options for sustainable housing and services, including keeping Project Roomkey going past 2020.

press en un correo electrónico. “A su vez, Cathy Olsen y el personal del Servicio de Alimentos en el Distrito Escolar Unificado de Winters (Winters JUSD) han seguido incluyendo alimentos locales para los niños locales y sus familias y, al mismo tiempo, apoyando a los productores locales”. Eat Well Yolo cambió de ubicación La distribución de Eat Well Yolo Winters los Lunes por la noche está cambiando tanto el día como de ubicación. Zane Hatfield, Director de Programas del Banco de Alimentos de Yolo (Yolo Food Bank), dijo que el Lunes 7 de Diciembre fue el último día de la distribución del Lunes por la noche. La nueva distribución comenzará oficialmente el 9 de Diciembre. La nueva distribución de alimentos Eat Well Yolo de los Miércoles comenzará a las 4 p.m. en el estacionamiento de estudiantes de la Escuela Secundaria de Winters (Winters High School) ubicado en Railroad Avenue. Hatfield dijo que reubicaron la distribución debido al crecimiento sin precedentes en el número de participantes. “La ubicación se cambió a la escuela secundaria para adaptarse mejor a la gran cantidad de vehículos y personas

que acceden a los alimentos”, dijo Hatfield. “Desafortunadamente, la ubicación de la HHSA era más pequeña y perfecta para una pequeña distribución, pero como nuestra distribución ha comenzado a atender a unas 150 personas cada semana, la distribución tuvo que trasladarse a un espacio más grande.” Los servicios a pie estarán disponibles en la nueva ubicación en el lado norte del estacionamiento cerca de la salida, pero la distribución está orientada principalmente al servicio de recogida en automóvil. Hatfield dijo que este es un cambio temporal durante la pandemia y mientras la Escuela Secundaria de Winters (WHS) no está en sesión. Yolo Food Bank planea continuar teniendo acceso a alimentos en la ubicación de la HHSA a partir de Febrero, pero aún están trabajando en los detalles de cómo se verá. Los detalles y actualizaciones de la distribución de alimentos Eat Well Yolo están disponibles en la página “Find Food” del Yolo Food Bank, https://yolofoodbank.org/gethelp/ y en su página de Facebook, https:// www.facebook.com/ yolofoodbank.

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FEATURES This calendar sponsored by

News from the Future

‘Tis the season to stay healthy

Slicing parcels no piece of cake

Opinion, Page 2

Wellness, Page 4

Homes, Page 7

Farmers reflect on pandemic year — and the challenges ahead By Katherine Simpson

48 Main St, Winters, CA 95694 (530) 795-4501

Thursday, December 17 Yolo County Housing Authority Food Distribution, third Thursday, 11 a.m.-Noon, 62 Shams Way Winters JUSD School Board Meeting, 6 p.m., School District Office/Zoom Meeting info, check https://bit.ly/ WintersJUSDBoardAgendaCommunitySite

Special to the Express For Paul Underhill, of Terra Firma Farms, the pandemic has been a blessing in disguise. “My overall experience with this whole year is that on the farm everyone has been working really hard,” said Underhill. “We’ve been really busy all year, but everyone is really grateful to be busy.”

“When COVID hit, the whole thing flipped. It was like back to the future.” Paul Underhill, Terra Firma Farms

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 Tuesdays Winters JUSD Food Distribution (Youth 18 and under), 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Waggoner Elementary School Wednesdays Eat Well Yolo Food Distribution, Wednesdays, 4 p.m.-as supplies last, Winters High student parking lot, off Railroad Avenue.

Ongoing

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Workers at Terra Firma Farm pack produce for clients, while following social distance guidelines.

This is not to say that their year has been without hiccups or losses. Over the last 10 years, Terra Firma Farms had transitioned from primarily selling CSA subscriptions to supplying large company kitchens at Bay Area tech businesses like Airbnb. “When COVID hit, the whole thing flipped,” Underhill said. “It was like back to the future.” Within the first two weeks of the pandemic, the number of subscribers to the Farm’s CSA jumped from 600 to 1,000 as orders from the business and restaurant clients dried up entirely. The change in customer base disrupted some of the planning process for the farm, however, as CSA customers require smaller quantities and greater variety of crops than cafeteria kitchens. “When summer came around we had to walk away from some crops that we just couldn’t sell,” said Underhill. “Throughout the summer we were making decisions, like we have to plant this instead of this.” It’s not just Terra Firma’s business that has been fortunate this year, they’ve faced relatively few interruptions to field work due to the pandemic as well. So far, they’ve had no COVID-19 infections in their staff of about 40. “We were fully expecting [it] at some point, and obviously it could still happen,” Underhill said. But so far this year, the biggest impact on their business has been from the fires in August. “We were sending people home at noon some of those days. A couple days we didn’t

See FARMERS, Page 5

The Wreath Project aims to honor more than 26,000 veterans’ graves at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery. Courtesy photo

Wreath Project honors veterans By Susan Hiland McNaughton Media A global pandemic could not keep people from honoring their loved ones Saturday as the holidays approach. They just had to do things differently. The Sacramento Valley National Cemetery each year has hundreds of visitors who come at Christmastime to lay wreaths on the graves of those who served our country. Things changed this year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, but the end goal was the same. Volunteers in support of RememberAVet.net have been laying wreaths on the gravesites of veterans for the past six years with the help of family and community members. The day typically includes a ceremony with thousands of visitors by the fountain,

but not this year. The volunteer workday Saturday featured small, individual groups who scattered to place wreaths on the graves while maintaining distance from one another. People could pick up the wreaths for

the event during the week and come out Saturday or sooner for placement — and hundreds were expected to do just that. The inspiration for the local group to place wreaths came from something seen on TV.

Courtesy photo

Wreath Project volunteers help to unload the boxes of wreaths for veteran’s graves.

“It started when I saw a show on television about Wreaths Across America,” Wreath Project organizer Susie Stocking said. They began laying wreaths at the Dixon cemetery for 325 veterans the first year. It has grown since then to 26,000 gravesites. Organizers expected more than 450 people to help lay wreaths throughout the morning Saturday. The year has presented challenges for achieving the goal of having a wreath on 26,000 veterans’ graves at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery. The annual RememberAVet.net fundraiser was canceled due to the pandemic, which meant the 500 expected guests were not able to help raise money this year for the wreaths. Instead, Stocking

See WREATH, Page 3


Features2 B2 — Winters Express, Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Express Yourself Amaia’s story — Crossing Hwy 128 By Wally Pearce, Winters Elder Day Council Special to the Express Her name is Amaia. With her mother and three younger siblings, not yet of school age, and several months prior to the death of President Roosevelt, Maia traveled to the City of Winters crossing the desert’s heat in her uncle’s old car that kept breaking down. Recently, I watched Amaia’s measured stride, slouched in a bent forward position, as she ambled her aging figure across Highway 128 between a speeding flow of traffic, for her weekly allotment of food. The seniority of the small wired cart she pulled is unknown, but the wear of its small wheels suggests immeasurable journeys. Just as Amaia crossed Highway 128, she collided with a swirling wind surge directed by yet another speeding truck that forced loose debris upward, over her well-groomed clothing, under her glasses, and into her weathered eyes. It didn’t stop her however, and as Amaia told me later, she’s “use to it.” Amaia spoke from a welcoming voice when she said that most of her life was spent in the local fields. Although Amaia claimed that her English is “not so good,” she was able to share her story eloquently that would make a college alumna proud. Like many residents, Amaia walks every-week from her modest subsidized residence to the Yolo County Health and Humans Services (YCHHS) food distribution program, located at 111 East Grant Ave. Although her children are employed in the Sacramento area, one a physical therapist and another a program manager, Amaia is adamant that she doesn’t want to burden them. I witnessed Amaia stand in the slow-moving food line and gradually to a location where she could begin her selection of food. Some people would occasionally bump her to hurry her pace, but Amaia’s sincere empathy came from her comforting manner as she asked

them in Spanish to give her a chance. Amaia’s chronicle is just one narrative of the hundreds of stories from the weekly residents that walk from their homes to YCHHS for their obvious services, which includes an allowance of food. Most of the nutrition comes from the Yolo County Food bank who tells me that because of COVID-19, the current demand for food is off the charts with no end in sight. Ten-years ago, during the winter and spring of 2010, Caltrans District 3, representative from the City of Winters, and Yolo County, with assistance from consultants at MIG, Inc., developed a community based Complete Streets Concept Plan for Grant Avenue/ State Route 128/Russell Boulevard (http://www.cityofwinters. org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ GrantAveCompleteStreets ConceptPlan.pdf). On page 43 of the plan report, under the title Short Term , Caltrans writes: “Caltrans and the City will work together to look at interim traffic calming solutions for improving the safety of the Grant Avenue/Morgan Street intersection, especially for seniors and people with mobility issues. Caltrans and the City will work together to improve the existing two-lane roadway between Railroad Avenue and East Main Street with the identified Complete Streets Concept”. Again, that was 10-years ago, and currently, the only change to Highway 128 is increased traffic flow that places pedestrians at preventable risk of injury and death. Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. Its happiness is because we see joy in people and community. It’s forgetting self and finding time for others. One of the main reasons we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas, is to remind us of the presents given to Jesus by the Wise Men.

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EXCLUSIVE: News from the future

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top secret program has been underway for some time now at the University of Science. They’ve developed a machine which can see six months into the future. This week, a source of mine slipped me an article from the Winters Express, written in June of 2021. This glimpse of the future is well worth sharing.

Winters continues to behave latest new health orders By Express staff (June 1, 2021) — Winters residents continue to blindly obey the ever shifting regulations being issued by the State of California and enforced by local officials. “We’re getting awfully used to this,” declared one local man. “I kinda look forward to it.” Another Winters resident echoed the sentiment. “It’s just easier,” she said. “It means I don’t have to bear responsibility for my own health. I let the government do it.” The latest modification to the shutdown order updates last month’s rule requiring all cars entering from Davis to present a special visitor’s visa. The modification this week would ban Davis residents from entering Winters while wearing sandals. White socks with sandals will be permitted, but only for stays of one hour or less. Under the new regulations, at least two members of the City Council will be stationed at the roundabout to check documents and issue citations if necessary. Aggressive new sterilization regulations will be implemented starting today. On the heels of last month’s order requiring nut packing firms, like Mariani, to wipe each harvested walnut with at least one ounce of hand sanitizer, Winters’ two remaining restaurants must also

comply with the new “Cleaner is Better” protocol. Starting today, customers ordering breakfast at the Putah Creek Cafe will be served individually wrapped pancakes, which they must unwrap using a sanitized implement, such as “tweezers or needle-nosed pliers.” Using one’s teeth to open plastic wrapped food is now a misdemeanor under California law. Across the street, at the Buckhorn, outdoor dining is permitted only if customers agree to wear sterile clothing and headgear, such as CM-7M Military Grade Gas Masks. Service hours will now be limited to between 5 p.m. and 5:10 p.m., after which restaurant lights must be extinguished and outdoor picnic tables removed. Also starting today, all government offices, places of business, and houses of worship will be required to “prominently display” a portrait of Governor Gavin Newsom, no smaller than 8x10 in dimension. The portrait must be “clearly visible to all customers, and may be displayed alongside the portrait of Dr. Anthony Fauci,” which was supplied to all businesses last month. In addition, all Catholic drivers in Winters will be “strongly urged” to replace any St. Christopher medals, believed to protect a vehicle’s occupants, with medals featuring a small image of Yolo County Chief Health Officer Aimee Sisson. “This will remind people that Dr. Aimee is watching over them,” according to a press release from Supervisor Don Saylor.

Starting this week, the current “Stay at Home” order will also be modified. Reclassified as “Stay in Your Room,” the new regulation “forbids movement between bedroom, kitchen and bathroom except for essential reasons.” “I think this is a great regulation,” remarked one Winters resident. “I’ve been raiding the refrigerator too often. This will help with my overall health.” The rules governing hotels and rentals are shifting again, and will be good news for the ailing Hotel Winters. County and State officials will be encouraged to stay overnight, at no charge, and will be permitted to “hold banquets, birthday celebrations, and other indoor gatherings as deemed necessary to their mental and physical well being.” Doors will remain closed to the public. Finally, Winters Police officials have been ordered to “use all means necessary” to enforce the new health laws and to “pursue all legal action against violators.” The Police Chief announced that signs will soon be posted throughout the City, which read: “Obey. It’s for Your Own Good!”

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f the above article from the future seems absurd, think about this: Accepting ever-changing “health” orders without question only means new and more stringent orders will follow. And the more we turn them into habits, the more difficult they will be to undo. What do you think life will be like here in Winters six months from now?

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Features3 Winters Express, Wednesday, December 16, 2020 — B3

Express Yourself Tractors are showing up everywhere

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hat do you do when the annual tractor parade is cancelled? If you are the local Chamber of Commerce, you have the high school cut out a hundred plywood tractors and encourage local merchants and citizens to decorate them and put them on display. A few people pulled out real tractors with all the lights and trimmings that would be in the tractor parade. It is worth driving around town to look at all the traditional lights and added tractors. I was more than happy to help the chamber by buying one of their cutouts, but my artistic gene is missing and I knew I needed help. My first email went to our local art teacher, Ms. Humphrey, asking for an art student who needed a project. Kate had helped with the mural project on the Rogers Building and I was hoping she could give me a name, or two. She didn’t disappoint. The student will remain nameless, to protect her from a flood of people looking for an easy way out of painting their own tractors, but I’ve tagged her email address for future projects. Her/my tractor

I can see a whole series of tractors lined up around town celebrating not just Christmas, but Easter, Thanksgiving, birthdays, births (blue or pink tractors) or anniversaries. is now on display at my front door on Russell Street. I think there is a real opportunity for her to open a painter for hire business and help pay for her own college education. If her father doesn’t want to be her agent, I’ll volunteer. I can see a whole series of tractors lined up around town celebrating not just Christmas, but Easter, Thanksgiving, birthdays, births (blue or pink tractors) or anniversaries. There are endless ideas that I’m sure we all could

come up with, as long as school is out and art students have nothing else to do. Then again, I might be the only one in town that can’t draw, or paint. I remember Ms. Graf trying to teach me to draw in the first grade. She was encouraging, but looking around the class you could tell who the artists were. Looking around town, you can also see who has talent or who knows enough to hire an artist to get the job done. Hanukkah and Christmas season is upon us and looking at bright lights helps brighten my spirits. I hope we can all find something to smile about during this historic year. The wait for a vaccine is over and now we just have to bide our time until it is our turn to roll up our sleeve. A few months ago I was hesitant to get in line for a shot, but now I think I’ll be fighting my way to the front. Try and help those in need, stay safe and enjoy a spread out tractor parade.

WREATH Continued from Page 1 planned a “We’d Love To See You, But Can’t Right Now� fundraising no-event event. Like everything else, it went online. People were able to help by donating what they would have paid for a table at the event — or whatever they could give. To save costs, Stocking opted to place evergreen boughs this year rather than wreaths. Organizers said the change makes the overall goal more attainable, which they said is the most important thing. The boughs are nearly the size of the wreaths and every bit as splendid to behold. “That was a lot cheaper,� she said. “The boughs are about the same size as the wreaths but they just aren’t in a circle.� Stocking said she felt they were lighter than the wreaths but just as beautiful. The boughs seemed to make people happy. Sivilay Thiphakhinkeo came out with her nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters to lay an evergreen bough on the grave of her mother, Saengchanh Thiphakhinkeo. “They are so beautiful,� she said of the boughs. “I am very thankful we could have her here.� Her mother, who died in 2017, was the wife of a veteran, Tech. Sgt. John Paul. Her being buried at the cemetery meant the world to the kids and family. “The family could not have done (this),� Thiphakhinkeo said of the burial and marker her mother received

Courtesy photo

Wreaths are laid at the base of a columbarium to honor the veterans buried there. at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery. “It would have been too expensive.� Exter and Lisa Hardy of Davis met the family at the cemetery. The couple helped to sponsor Saengchanh Thiphakhinkeo when she came to America from Laos in 1986 through the church they attended. “We came out to honor their mother,� Exter Hardy said. “We

KITCHEN & BATH

haven’t seen the children since they were little kids.� They had a happy reunion with the family and enjoyed a chat before continuing to place boughs on the graves. Donations are welcome year-round at www.wreathproject. org. To make a donation by check, send it to RememberAVet. net, P.O. Box 773, Winters, CA 95694.

COUNTERTOPS

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Letters Don’t ask teachers to choose between their lives and their livelihood In Richard Casavecchia’s latest column (Dec.9 edition of the Express) he addressed valid concerns for students’ mental health, but he did a disservice to the teacher who wrote a recent column about her concerns for returning to in person schooling. He implied she didn’t care about her students because she wrote 54 sentences about her health concerns and only two about her students. First of all, that is an intellectually dishonest argument, and all the teachers who put in hours of unpaid overtime for Mr. Casavecchia’s education deserve better. More importantly, the teachers who practice fire, earthquake and active shooter drills know that in dire circumstances they are expected to put their lives on the line for their students. But while they are trained for fire drills we don’t expect them to run back into a burning building to finish their lesson. And as health risks go, these events are statistically very unlikely. They aren’t, for example, the highly contagious virus currently running rampant in Winters. The virus that can cause lasting health effects like lung and brain

damage, has filled all of the ICU beds in Yolo County (everyone make sure not to go into cardiac arrest for the next several weeks), and is especially dangerous for seniors and people with underlying health conditions. Winters has the most coronavirus cases per capita in Yolo County. We all want students back in the classroom, but the only way it’s going to happen is if we stop the spread of the virus that was the reason for their departure. Wear a mask and stay home for everything but essential travel. Shaming teachers for not wanting to choose between their lives and their livelihoods won’t change anything. — Emma Johnson

Our preschool is not the garbage dump As a nonprofit, preschool program, the purpose of the Winters Parent Nursery School is to help provide an early childhood education experience for preschool aged children, and a range of ways for their families to participate in their education

and early childhood encounters. However, some community members have recently decided that WPNS is a waste management drop off site. Recently we were hit with three recycling violation fines because someone threw plastic bags into both of our designated recycling containers. Most recently, two Fridays ago, while I was inside finishing up teacher prep duties, someone dropped off a bag of garbage outside on our curb. This bag of garbage was full of maggots and had a huge hole in the side. We’ve been informed that garbage left on our property is our problem. Our staff has begun to take measures to try and prevent these types of things from happening. Including this big ask to please stop dumping trash outside of our school house, and to please not put plastic bags in our recycling bins. The fines were $50 each. We are a registered 501c3 organization, and due to COVID-19 we have taken a few hits this year. Our

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HealthWellness4 B4 — Winters Express, Wednesday, December 16, 2020

“Many factors affect your exposure and immunity at this time of year, including increased low-pressure storms affecting our physiology. These keep us indoors and less active, which increases closed door contact with others while depressing the immune system with lack of exercise.”

New waiting room designed for kids opens at UC Davis UC Davis Health Press Release The UC Davis pediatric emergency department unveiled a brand new waiting room, specially designed for children on Dec. 1. Boasting bright colors and a child-friendly design, this new 500-square-foot area provides a comfortable space for young patients and their families that is private and separate from the adult emergency waiting area. The space has been under construction for the past four months. It replaces the pediatric emergency waiting room that opened in 2010, located in a different space within the Pediatric Emergency Department. “No one wants to visit the ER, especially during a pandemic,” said Claudio Alvarado, assistant nurse manager of the pediatric emergency department. “We are seeing more families choosing to delay care, even emergency care, during this time. But we want to provide reassurance and comfort to families, when they have to come see us for a trauma or emergency. We want this space to be an inviting place for children during a stressful time.” Today also marks the move of the pediatric emergency department to a new patient-care area or “pod,” which will provide three additional emergency beds, dedicated to children. Other hallmarks of the UC Davis Pediatric Emergency Department:

‘We want this space to be an inviting place for children during a stressful time.’ Claudio Alvarado, assistant nurse manager • Advanced equipment and technologies that are specially designed and appropriately sized for children. • Certified child life specialists who can provide support through play, self-expressive activities and age-appropriate medical preparation and education. • A staff of eight attending physicians who are specially trained in pediatric emergency medicine, and who understand the subtle nuances of caring for critically ill or injured children. • Fourteen dedicated pediatric emergency beds. Twelve of these beds are private with a door for additional security and privacy. These are grouped together in a pediatric emergency “pod,” so children are not placed near adult patients. Two pediatric emergency beds are part of the Resuscitation Bay, separated by a curtain, so the emergency team can work on two children with acute care needs simultaneously. • The Sacramento region’s only level I pediatric trauma center — one of only a handful in California. A Level I

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‘Tis the season to stay healthy By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer

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OVID-19’s arrival doesn’t mean the flu and common cold ceased to exist. That’s right, they’re still here, and so is Dr. James Stirton with his invaluable insight on these seasonal illnesses. There are a variety of factors as to why fall marks the official beginning of flu season. Perhaps the biggest — and most obvious — is the weather. “Many factors affect your exposure and immunity at this time of year, including increased low-pressure storms affecting our physiology,” Stirton said raining down the facts. “These keep us indoors and less active, which increases closed door contact with others while depressing the immune system with lack of exercise.” As we adjust to the sniffle-inducing cold weather, daylight savings time is also a contributing culprit of the flu. “There’s also socio-cultural factors like daylight savings time, which alters our circadian rhythm. That is when and how much we sleep,” Stirton

said about the effects of turning back our internal clocks. “When we alter this rhythm, we lose restful sleep and depress our immunity.” Another big flu-inducing change this time of year is our diets. From Halloween through New Year’s, we’re eating a lot more sugary, delicious, decadent, and — unfortunately — immunity-depressing foods. While these factors appear daunting, they’re only challenges that — with proper knowledge and know-how — can be easily hurdled. “There are things people can do proactively to avoid getting sick,” Stirton said laying out the aforementioned know-how. “Like getting regular, restful sleep and maintaining good eating habits without additional sugar. Indoor exercise is a great way to stimulate good immunity.” From push-ups to sit-ups, stretching to air-squats,

there’s plenty of exercises one can do from home to give their immunity a much-needed boost. According to Stirton, a hearthealthy regimen of 20 minutes exercise daily will work. Not to mention there’s a litany of delicious, seasonal recipes that don’t overload on sugar. One only needs to take a little time to find them online. These remedies — while useful combating the flu — are also excellent, general health practices to deploy against the current pandemic. A good diet combined with regular sleep and exercise transforms one’s immune system into a bastion of health that any germ or virus will reconsider attacking. For any additional questions about flu season, one can reach Stirton through his email jimstirtondc@gmail.com or call Winters Chiropractic at 530795-4500. It’s like the good doctor always says, “If you’re not certain, ask Dr. Stirton.”

Public should maintain dental care appointments California Dental Association Press Release With a new, Regional Stay at Home Order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California Dental Association urges Californians to follow state guidance while taking steps to maintain overall health and prevent COVID-19 infection. In addition to getting flu shots, exercising when safe and wearing masks, CDA encourages the public to keep their health care appointments, including dental visits. “Because oral health care is essential to overall health, it’s important for patients to receive regular dental care by maintaining their dental appointments,” said Dr. Richard Nagy, president of the California Dental Association. “When dental problems are

diagnosed early, they’re easier and often less costly to treat.” During the pandemic, dental practices are safely providing care to patients by adhering to strict infection control guidelines and office protocols established by the California Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patients visiting dental offices will notice changes to protocols, which are designed to protect patients and staff, including: • Staggered appointment times to ensure social distancing. • Pre-screening questions by phone or text before appointments and additionally when you arrive. • Fewer people in the waiting room. • Virtual check-in before

entering the office to reduce traffic flow. • Temperature taken upon arrival. • Masks worn by everyone throughout appointments, including patients (except during treatment). • Dentist and dental team will be wearing more protective clothing and face protection than they previously wore. • Other precautions, such as no magazines or toys in the waiting room and a sneeze guard at the front desk, for example. To keep teeth and gums healthy, CDA urges Californians to brush two minutes, twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, floss regularly (with clean hands), avoid sugary drinks and visit a dentist for regular checkups.


News7 Winters Express, Wednesday, December 16, 2020 — B5

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let people come to work because it was so smoky,â&#x20AC;? he said. Bruce Rominger, who works to run the larger Rominger Brothers Farms, alongside his brother Rick, had a similar pandemic story. He said that although the initial adjustment to the new pandemic reality was â&#x20AC;&#x153;a blur,â&#x20AC;? theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been able to keep operations running fairly smoothly. Out of their total staff, Rominger Brothers has had only two positive cases â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one employee who contracted the virus at home gave it to a second staff member. Other than that, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve implemented a mandatory mask policy alongside temperature checks, but havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t suffered any total shutdowns due to infections. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We certainly had some employee meetings right away in March and talked about washing your hands,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even to this day weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re reminding people, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Get your mask on, get your mask on.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Rominger said that the main cost of the pandemic so far has been in terms of efficiency and lost time from calling employees to informational meetings or requiring a single check-in location so employees can have their temperature taken before heading out to a field somewhere on their 6,500 acre farm. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Basically what we read into [the state COVID regulations] is that it was an additional burden required of us to educate our workers,â&#x20AC;? said Rominger. Underhill and Rominger both expressed concern about the potential of employees traveling for the upcoming holiday. Even with relatively few interruptions to work due to COVID so far, both men recognized that they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t out of the woods yet. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our whole business could get disrupted because we have a lot

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want anybody to think Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy about the pandemic. We feel really lucky to be able to keep doing what we do.â&#x20AC;? Paul Underhill, Terra Firma Farms of extended families working on our farm,â&#x20AC;? said Underhill. Terra Firma Farms cut its annual Christmas vacation down from two weeks to one week, since many employees said they wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be traveling home for Christmas anyway. Both Underhill and Rominger felt uncertain about the future, particularly as vaccine distribution gets underway. Although most of Rominger Brothersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; field workers have returned to Mexico for the winter, according to Rominger the months ahead will be critical. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Starting in April or March we have to have our employees every day or crops die,â&#x20AC;? said Rominger. He said that he hopes agricultural workers will be counted among the â&#x20AC;&#x153;essentialâ&#x20AC;? personnel who receive the vaccine soon after health care workers and employees of residential care facilities. Vaccine or no vaccine, â&#x20AC;&#x153;weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re gonna have to come back to work either way,â&#x20AC;? said Rominger. Similarly, Underhill is uncertain as to how Terra Firma Farms business may or may not evolve as the pandemic winds down. Some of his restaurant clients have gone out of business since March, and he knows that many of the cafeterias who used to buy their produce will be closed at least through the summer of 2021. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want anybody to think Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy about the pandemic,â&#x20AC;? Underhill said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We feel really lucky to be able to keep doing what we do.â&#x20AC;?

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Features6 B6 — Winters Express, Wednesday, December 16, 2020

AMAIA Continued from Page 2 This holiday season, 2020, please bestow on the families of our community a memorable Christmas gift by contacting your publicly elected officials and asking for their help in this critical matter of pedestrian safety on Highway 128 and the YCHHS location. Here are your elected public officials’ that can help, including their contact phone information: Don Saylor, Yolo County District 2 Supervisor: 530-757-5556 or 530-757-5557 City of Winters, City Manager: 530-795-4910 Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry: 530-757-1034 California State Senator Bill Dodd: 916-6514003 Caltrans Director; Toks Omishakin: 916654-5266 We hope that you gift the families of our community this Christmas season so that pedestrians crossing Highway 128 seeking assistance from YCHHS, can securely do so, in dignity, respect, and to be treated equally, in the knowledge that they’re safe from being smashed into by fast-moving vehicles/ drivers.

Legal Advertising NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BULK SALE AND OF INTENTION TO TRANSFER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE (U.C.C. 6101 ET SEQ. AND B & P 24073 et seq.) Escrow No. 27748CC Notice is hereby given that a bulk sale of assets and a transfer of alcoholic beverage license is about to be made: The name and address of the Seller/Licensee is: H.S. CHHOKER, LLC AND JASVIR SINGH CHHOKER, 192 EAST GRANT AVE, WINTERS, CALIFORNIA 95694 The business is known as: WINTERS FOOD MART The names and addresses of the Buyers/Transferees are: PB14.WL LLC, 6319 SURFBIRD LANE, ROCKLIN, CALIFORNIA 95747 As listed by the Seller/Licensee, all other business names and addresses used by the Seller/Licensee within three years before the date such list was sent or delivered to the Buyer/Transferee are: NONE The assets to be sold are described in general as: FIXED ASSETS (FURNITURE, FIXTURES & EQUIPMENT), GOODWILL, TRADE NAME AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE And are located at: 192 E GRANT AVENUE, WINTERS, CA 95694. The kind of license to be transferred is: Type: 21 OFF-SALE GENERAL, #502068, now issued for the premises located at: 192 E GRANT AVENUE, WINTERS, CA 95694 The anticipated date of the sale/transfer is DECEMBER 28, 2020 at : CRESCENT LAND TITLE COMPANY, 890 3RD ST, CRESCENT CITY, CA 95531 The amount of the purchase price or consideration in connection with the transfer of the license and business, including the estimated inventory, is the sum of $460,000.00, which consists of the following: DESCRIPTION, AMOUNT: CASH $460,000.00 It has been agreed between the Seller/Licensee and the intended Buyer/Transferee, as required by Sec. 24073 of the Business and Professions Code that the consideration for the transfer of the business and license is to be released from escrow only after the transfer has been approved by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Dated: NOVEMBER 30, 2020 Buyer: PB14.WL LLC 124808 WINTERS EXPRESS 12/9/2020 Published: December 16, 2020

“Read the legals. They’re good for you.” —Charley

RECORDING REQUESTED BY Premium Title of California AND WHEN RECORDED MAIL TO: Western Progressive, LLC Northpark Town Center 1000 Abernathy Rd NE; Bldg 400, Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30328 ___________________________________________________________________________ T.S. No.: 2018-01808-CA A.P.N.:005-633-018 Property Address: 121 First Street, Woodland, CA 95695 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE

LETTERS Continued from Page 3 normal program has not been able to open, so the school is taking in less tuition than normal, as well as having less help from families maintaining the school, meaning our staff and board have taken these duties on. We have also had to cancel our regular fall Children’s Festival fundraiser which is our biggest fundraiser for the year. We are so thankful and appreciative for all of the generous donations we have already received from our community to help keep our school afloat. However, it is disheartening when we have to pay fines that were accrued by others during a pandemic that prevents us from operating at our normal ability. Please stop dumping trash outside of our school. Please do not put plastic bags in our recycling. Our students deserve better. — Ciara HapworthEldridge, WPNS Teacher/Director

ROOM Continued from Page 4 pediatric trauma center can provide total care for every injury. The trauma center also serves as a referral resource for hospitals throughout Northern California, western Nevada and southern Oregon. “A trip to the emergency department can be a scary time for a child,” said Esther Lee, pediatric core committee chair and registered nurse at the UC Davis Pediatric Emergency Department. “Our goal is to not have our pediatric patients wait to be seen. But if they have to, we want to decrease the stressors by making a child-friendly environment for them. We strive to help improve care for our little friends and decrease their fears while they are being treated at the UC Davis Pediatric Emergency Department.”

PURSUANT TO CIVIL CODE § 2923.3(a) and (d), THE SUMMARY OF INFORMATION REFERRED TO BELOW IS NOT ATTACHED TO THE RECORDED COPY OF THIS DOCUMENT BUT ONLY TO THE COPIES PROVIDED TO THE TRUSTOR. NOTE: THERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT ATTACHED IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED 11/30/2004. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. Trustor: Alan Kelso and Donna Kelso, Husband and Wife, as Joint Tenants Duly Appointed Trustee: Western Progressive, LLC Deed of Trust Recorded 12/09/2004 as Instrument No. 2004-0056327-00 in book ---, page--and of Official Records in the office of the Recorder of Yolo County, California, Date of Sale: 02/08/2021 at 01:00 PM Place of Sale: NORTH ENTRANCE, WEST SACRAMENTO CITY HALL, 1110 W. CAPITOL AVENUE, WEST SACRAMENTO, CA 95691 Estimated amount of unpaid balance, reasonably estimated costs and other charges: $ 143,618.09 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE THE TRUSTEE WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH, CASHIER’S CHECK DRAWN ON A STATE OR NATIONAL BANK, A CHECK DRAWN BY A STATE OR FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, OR A CHECK DRAWN BY A STATE OR FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, A SAVINGS ASSOCIATION OR SAVINGS BANK SPECIFIED IN SECTION 5102 OF THE FINANCIAL CODE AND AUTHORIZED TO DO BUSINESS IN THIS STATE: All right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by the trustee in the hereinafter described property under and pursuant to a Deed of Trust described as: More fully described in said Deed of Trust. Street Address or other common designation of real property: 121 First Street, Woodland, CA 95695 A.P.N.: 005-633-018 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address or other common designation, if any, shown above. The sale will be made, but without covenant or warranty, expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by the Deed of Trust with interest thereon, as provided in said note(s), advances, under the terms of said Deed of Trust, fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is: $ 143,618.09. Note: Because the Beneficiary reserves the right to bid less than the total debt owed, it is possible that at the time of the sale the opening bid may be less than the total debt. If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. The beneficiary of the Deed of Trust has executed and delivered to the undersigned a written request to commence foreclosure, and the undersigned caused a Notice of Default and Election to Sell to be recorded in the county where the real property is located. NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on this property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call (866)-960-8299 or visit this Internet Web site http://www.altisource.com/MortgageServices/DefaultManagement/TrusteeServices.aspx using the file number assigned to this case 2018-01808-CA. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. Western Progressive, LLC, as Trustee for beneficiary C/o 1500 Palma Drive, Suite 237 Ventura, CA 93003 Sale Information Line: (866) 960-8299 http://www.altisource.com/MortgageServices/DefaultManage ment/TrusteeServices.aspx Date: December 2, 2020

________________________________________________ Trustee Sale Assistant

WESTERN PROGRESSIVE, LLC MAY BE ACTING AS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED MAY BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. Published: December 16, 23, 30, 2020

FILED IN YOLO COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE Jesse Salinas, Yolo County Clerk/Recorder F20200910 11/09/2020 dho, Deputy

Business is located in YOLO County Fictitious Business Name: GILL AG INVESTMENTS Physical Address: 25620 County Road 23 Esparto CA 95627 Mailing Address: 25620 County Road Esparto CA 95627 Names of Registrant(s)/Owner(s): 1) Amritpal Singh Gill 25620 County Road 23 Esparto CA 95627 2) Pawanjit Kaur Gill 25620 County Road 23 Esparto CA 95627 Business Classification: General Partnership Starting Date of Business: 04/01/2020 s/Amritpal Singh Gill Official Title: General Partner Corporation Name: N/A I hereby certify that this is a true copy of the original document on file in this office. This certification is true as long as there are no alterations to the document, AND as long as the document is sealed with a red seal. Jesse Salinas, County Clerk/Recorder, dho, Deputy Clerk State of California, County of Yolo Published November 25, December 2, 9, 16, 2020 FILED IN YOLO COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE Jesse Salinas, Yolo County Clerk/Recorder F20200988 12/08/2020 lramirez, Deputy Business is located in YOLO County Fictitious Business Name: PURE POWER PICKS Physical Address: 4 Juniper Ct. Woodland CA 95695 Mailing Address: PO Box 1660 Woodland CA 95776 Names of Registrant(s)/Owner(s): 1) Alex Fortis 4 Juniper Ct Woodland CA 95695 2) Travis Jager 1334 Betty Ave Woodland CA 95776 3) Dominik Ferrendelli 1745 Miramonte Ct Woodland CA 95695 Business Classification: General Partnership Starting Date of Business: 04/20/2020 s/Alex Fortis Official Title: N/A Corporation Name: N/A I hereby certify that this is a true copy of the original document on file in this office. This certification is true as long as there are no alterations to the document, AND as long as the document is sealed with a red seal. Jesse Salinas, County Clerk/Recorder, lramirez, Deputy Clerk State of California, County of Yolo Published December 16, 23, 30, 2020, January 6, 2021

FILED IN YOLO COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE Jesse Salinas, Yolo County Clerk/Recorder F20200934 11/17/2020 lramirez, Deputy

Business is located in Solano County Fictitious Business Name: JOVANI'S PLUMBING Physical Address: 6923 Lewis Rd Vacaville CA 95687 Mailing Address: Names of Registrant(s)/Owner(s): Jovani Figueroa 6923 Lewis Rd Vacaville CA 95687 Business Classification: Individual Starting Date of Business: 11/04/2020 s/Jovani Figueroa Official Title: Corporation Name: I hereby certify that this is a true copy of the original document on file in this office. This certification is true as long as there are no alterations to the document, AND as long as the document is sealed with a red seal. Jesse Salinas, County Clerk/Recorder, lramirez, Deputy Clerk State of California, County of Yolo Published November 25, December 2, 9, 16, 2020

FILED IN YOLO COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE Jesse Salinas, Yolo County Clerk/Recorder F20200974 12/04/2020 lramirez, Deputy Business is located in YOLO County Fictitious Business Name: R AND L LANDSCAPING Physical Address: 408 LUIS PLACE WINTERS CA 95694 Mailing Address: Names of Registrant(s)/Owner(s): 1) RAUL GARCIA 408 LUIS PLACE WINTERS CA 95694 Business Classification: Individual Starting Date of Business: 09/25/20 s/RAUL GARCIA JR Official Title: N/A Corporation Name: N/A I hereby certify that this is a true copy of the original document on file in this office. This certification is true as long as there are no alterations to the document, AND as long as the document is sealed with a red seal. Jesse Salinas, County Clerk/Recorder, lramirez, Deputy Clerk State of California, County of Yolo Published December 16, 23, 30, 2020, January 6, 2021

FILED IN YOLO COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE Jesse Salinas, Yolo County Clerk/Recorder F20200957 11/24/2020 dho, Deputy

Business is located in YOLO County Fictitious Business Name: KARTAR SOLUTIONS Physical Address: 4810 Chiles Road Davis, CA, 95618 Mailing Address: Names of Registrant(s)/Owner(s): 1) Charanjit K. Mundy 1130 Pistachio Court Davis CA 95618 Business Classification: Individual Starting Date of Business: 11/23/20 s/Charanjit K. Mundy Official Title: N/A Corporation Name: N/A I hereby certify that this is a true copy of the original document on file in this office. This certification is true as long as there are no alterations to the document, AND as long as the document is sealed with a red seal. Jesse Salinas, County Clerk/Recorder, dho, Deputy Clerk State of California, County of Yolo Published December 16, 23, 30, 2020, January 6, 2021

FILED IN YOLO COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE Jesse Salinas, Yolo County Clerk/Recorder F20200946 11/20/2020 lramirez, Deputy

Business is located in Yolo County Fictitious Business Name: SOUTHERN TOUCH DESIGNS Physical Address: 914 Kennedy Dr Winters CA 95694 Mailing Address: 914 Kennedy Dr Winters CA 95694 Names of Registrant(s)/Owner(s): Lindsey E Brickey 914 Kennedy Dr Winters CA 95694 Business Classification: Individual Starting Date of Business: 10/21/2020 s/Lindsey Brickey Official Title: Corporation Name: I hereby certify that this is a true copy of the original document on file in this office. This certification is true as long as there are no alterations to the document, AND as long as the document is sealed with a red seal. Jesse Salinas, County Clerk/Recorder, lramirez, Deputy Clerk State of California, County of Yolo Published December 2, 9, 16, 23, 2020


Features7 Winters Express, Wednesday, December 16, 2020 — B7

Express Homes

can find what’s called a “historic parcel” on the property. A historic parcel is a parcel that was mapped back in the days before parcels were formally controlled by the government. That happened a lot in your area. For example, a farmer’s son gets married back in 1904 and the farmer decides to give his son a 1-acre parcel of his property. It might have been described as “along the creek until you get to the old oak tree and then turn left until you hit the road and continue back along the road until you get to the big granite rock, and then back the creek.” Of course, the creek has dried up, the tree has long ago died and nobody knows what

Slicing parcels no piece of cake By Tim Jones AllThingsRealEstate@TJones-Law.com Q: My husband and I own 72 acres near Pleasants Valley Road. I checked with the county and they said I would have to have at least 80 acres in order to subdivide because you can’t have a lot smaller than 40 acres. But I remember hearing of neighbors who have subdivided with less acreage. We would like your opinion with regard to how we could create a new parcel on our property. A: There’s a lot wrapped up in your question. In fact, the area of law we’re talking about is generically called “land use law” and is one of the most complicated areas of real estate law. Especially in California! And since I mentioned it; when you do your Google searching you have to be aware that everything you’re asking about is California law. While Google is a terrific resource, it’s also fraught with

danger by the unwitting. Since your parcel is in California, the laws of the other 49 states need to be disregarded. And believe me, real estate laws can be tremendously different from state to state. So be sure to focus your research on California law only. I obviously don’t have enough specific information about your property, or space in this column, to completely address your situation. But here are a few basics. Modernly, the only way you can sell a defined portion of land is to create a legal parcel. In other words, a parcel that is officially recognized by the county. If the zoning for your parcel requires a minimum parcel size, and your parcel isn’t big enough to accommodate, there are only three ways you can legally make the smaller parcel. The first is to petition the county to change the zoning re-

quirement. While legally permissible, politically that’s simply not going to happen. Zoning is complicated and typically driven by the politics of the city or county elected leaders. Changing zoning, from a practical perspective, involves the infusion of large sums of money into the political process, usually over a long period of time, the tact many large subdivision builders take. The second way is to research title to the property and see if you

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27+ Acres, 2 Miles West of Winters • $1,145,000

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.

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32+ Acres • $1,050,000

SOLD 44498 N. El Macero Drive, El Macero • $1,025,000 D, 2,397 sq. ft. OLgarage 4 beds, 3 baths, S2-car 708 Ivy Court, Winters • $544,000 Dsq. ft. 4 beds,S 3O baths,L 2,406 17801 County Road 85, Esparto • $970,000 D2,885 sq. ft. 3 beds, 3 baths, 2-carL garage, SO 114 Almond Drive, Winters • $469,500 Dsq. ft. 3 beds,S 2O baths,L 1,673 451 Abbey Street, Winters • $395,000 Dsq. ft. 3 beds,S 2O baths,L1,357 205 Baker Street, Winters • $350,000 L1D SO 2 beds with bonus room, bath, 1,500 sq. ft. 1340 Parkgreen Drive, Dixon • $615,000 D 2,667 sq. ft. SO 4 beds, 3 baths, 2-carL garage, 5516 Weber Road, Vacaville • $580,000 Dsq. ft. on 1.4 acres. OL1,782 Sgarage, 3 beds, 4 baths, 2-car

George Kalis is an Equal Housing Lender and is licensed through NMLS #270402.

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.

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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road they were talking about. So it would be up to you to not only prove the parcel existed, but where its boundaries were. People go to the county all the time with applications to recognize a historic parcel. Lastly, if you can acquire a neighboring parcel with enough land to make up for what you’re lacking, you can combine parcels and then subdivide. Similarly, if your neighbor has a parcel that exceeds the minimum you may be able to negotiate a lot-line

adjustment where your neighbor sells you a strip of land bordering your property that can be added to your total acreage to allow the subdivision. That lotline adjustment would also have to be permitted through the county. That’s a very quick fly-over of the process. I’m afraid it’s pretty complicated and full of bureaucracy. Tim Jones is a real estate attorney in Fairfield. Send real estate questions you would like to have answered in this column to AllThingsRealEstate@TJonesLaw.com.

• New Construction • Residential/Commercial

• Remodels/Additions • Repairs

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John M. Carrion, Owner/Broker CA DRE #: 00970701

RECIPIENT OF THE YOLO COUNTY BOARD OF REALTORS 2012, 13, 14, 15, 16 & 2017 MASTERS CLUB AWARD

IN WOODLAND. 3 bed, 1 bath, 1100 sq. ft. Offered at $344,900. 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.

PENDING

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.

PENDING

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.

SOLD

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.

SOLD

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INTERESTED IN SELLING?

127 Carrion Court, Winters

Sandy’s Corner on the Market!

Sandy Vickrey CA DRE #01018341

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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! 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.

NEW DEVELOPMENT: Cottages In Winters

6 new-construction homes coming on the market early spring 2021. Between 2000 sqft and 2200 sqft. Priced in the $475k to $495k range, located off Cottage Cir. Winters. Call Jean Deleonardi for more information at 707-683-9351.

Coming Soon In Winters 4 bedroom, 2 bath, approx 1961 sq ft, single story, built in 2002. Call for more information.

30100 Pleasant Trail Drive, Winters • $1,350,000 Beautifully remodeled two story home on 26 acres with great views.

Call Jean for more information 707-684-9351

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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.

Sale Pending!

PRISTINE, BEAUTIFUL 3/2 IN VACAVILLE WITH MANY UPGRADES. Priced at $495,000. Call for appointment today.

Sold! WILD WINGS. Beautiful 4 bed, 3 bath, 3700 sq. ft. home located in

Wild Wings Subdivision. Home offers stylish, county club living in a gated golf course community. The formal living & entry has vaulted ceilings, gourmet kitchen has granite counter, cherry wood cabinets, 5 burner gas stove, kitchen island with sink, and walk-in pantry, bar off kitchen for eating plus eat in kitchen area. Beautiful tile floors in the kitchen which extends to the adjoining family room, gas fireplace, custom tile around FP, Master suite has a cozy fireplace retreat area & balcony overlooking golf course. Backyard features a spectacular view overlooking the 16th and 17th green of Yolo Flier County Club Golf Course, beautiful stamp oversize patio, covered patio, landscaped front, rear, and side yards, plenty of room for your dream pool or use community private pool, & other amenities, 3 car finished garage. Outside of home recently painted.

HAVE BUYERS LOOKING TO BUY IN WINTERS. GIVE ME A CALL IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SELLING!

FOR RENT! Available now: 2 bedroom, 1 bath upstairs apartment. New paint and carpets. Includes refrigerator, washer and dryer, and one assigned parking space. Walking distance to schools and historic downtown Winters. $1600/ month incl. water/sewer, garbage. Please call (530) 795-4000 for more info. 8 EDWARDS STREET, WINTERS Quaint home in the core area of town that was built in 1988! This custom built home has 3 beds and 2 baths. The over sized master suite will create a wonderful retreat or it could be converted to two bedrooms. The home has handicap access in both the front and the backyard. At one point in time this was a daycare and there is tons of storage throughout the house including a large pantry near the kitchen. The detached garage with lots of storage and there is a long driveway with room for RV parking. A must see! $589,000

I’m never too busy to help your friends and family with all their real estate needs! Property Management Services Available 7 East Main St., Ste. C Winters, CA 95694 530.795.4000 Camelot Winters, Inc.


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