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Citizens of the Year revealed Features, Page 1
Volume 138, Number 51 — Locally owned since 1884
The hometown paper of Brenda Hanson
Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, January 19, 2022
Crystal Apilado/Winters Express
Crystal Apilado/Winters Express
Left: Lester Farms Bakery has served as a local staple for over 30 years delighting the community and visitors with freshly-baked pastries, doughnuts, cookies and more. Above: When the COVID pandemic made outdoor seating an essential feature, the Lesters created outside seating using wood from crates from Lester Farms ranch. The backs of the tables featured signage from the ranch.
Lester Farms Bakery closing doors on Friday By Rick von Geldern Express staff writer Loyal customers travel from far and near for Lester Farms Bakery items, including apple fritters, fresh-baked pies and its renowned maple bacon bar. Last week, owners Stan and Sheri Lester announced in a social media post that after more than 30 years in business they are stepping away from the bakery. “It is time for the donut fryer machine to take a much needed rest. Making hundreds of donuts daily gets tiring after a while,” the post said.
Lester Farms Bakery is the original farm-to-fork bakery in Yolo County. For three decades it have been the go-to bakery for freshly baked pies, doughnuts, cookies and all sorts of speciality bakery goods. The Lesters’ announcement on their Facebook page rapidly collected memories from faithful friends and loyal longtime customers. Employees were thanked by name and their contributions were credited by the Lesters for making Lester Farms Bakery “more than just a donut shop.” A long list of customer memories have been
shared on social media. Quite a few recalled growing up on Lester Farm doughnuts and pastries while others shared stories about buying wedding cakes from the bakery. One common theme in the posts is that the community is going to miss the bakery. One post aptly captured the range of life and loyalty to the bakery, “Truly never been more heartbroken about a business closing! From wedding cake to donut addiction during pregnancy - you’ve been most wonderful! You will be missed.” Stan Lester said it was a bittersweet decision to
Yolo Supervisors approve moving Winters municipal election date By Rick von Geldern Express staff writer
EXPRESS
County officials approved a request to move the date for the Winters general municipal elections. On Dec. 21, the Winters City Council adopted Ordinance 2021-05 amending the Winters Municipal Code and changing the date of the general municipal election from the March/June statewide primary date to the November statewide gener-
al election date. City Manager Kathleen Salguero Trepa gave two reasons for the proposed change: November elections have higher turnout and consolidation reduces expense. After the City Council adopted the ordinance, it was sent to the Yolo Elections Office and then to the Board of Supervisor for final approval. The Winters ordinance required approval by the Yolo County Board of Supervisors to be effective. At the Jan. 11 Yolo Board of Supervisors meeting, supervisors unanimously approved the request
Index Features ........................ B-1
from the City of Winters to move the date of their general municipal elections. In prior years, Winters local elections have taken place alongside primaries held in March and June. Now, beginning with November 2022 election, the general and statewide elections will be consolidated. This action shifts the date for the Winters City Council election from March to November. Consequently, the terms of three sitting council members, Mayor Wade Cowan, Councilmember Pierre Neu and
See MOVE, Page 5
We at he r Date Rain High Low Jan. 12
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61˚ 36˚
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Community .................. A-2
Jan. 15
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Opinion ......................... B-5
Jan. 17
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Jan. 18
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Classifieds ................... B-4
Real Estate ................... B-2 Sports ........................... A-3
Rain for week: 0.00 in. Season’s total: 17.09 in. Last sn. to date: 2.35 in. Winters rainfall season began 7/1/21. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m.
close the bakery, but operating a seven day a week bakery business and their family farm was just becoming a bit too much. Although the Lesters are retiring from the bakery business, they will continue to operate their farm. Stan said they’ll now have more time to spend with their two grandchildren. “Thirty years of making sweet deliciousness has taught us some important life lessons. The most important lesson in life is that life is better with sprinkles,” the post said. The bakery’s last day of business will be Friday, Jan. 21, so there are still a
few days remaining to say goodbye and share some tasty memories. Due to staffing challenges, they have posted modified hours for the remainder of the week. They’ll open their doors at 6 a.m. and will close down at 12 p.m. Jessica Carrion, the bakery manager, said they are not currently taking orders. She suggested those who want to get their hands on doughnuts arrive as close to opening as possible. Carrion said she have been selling out of doughnuts quickly.
Senior commissioners looking to educate about SNAP program By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief Senior commissioners discussed the importance of educating the Winters older adult community about the importance and value in the Winters Police Department SNAP program at their meeting last Wednesday. Under subcommittee updates, the Winters Senior Commission of Aging talked about ways to share information with community members and
how to help assist in getting older adults to fill out the program form. The City of Winters SNAP (Special Needs Alert Program) program assists first responders (both Winters PD and Winters Fire Department) by informing them of any special communication or medical attention needs when they are responding to emergencies that involve residents who are signed up with the program. SNAP helps first responders on
buckhornsteakhouse.com
By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief Amid a rise of COVID cases last week, the community testing opportunity was faced with staffing challenges and shuttered multiple locations. In a new partnership with Covid Clinic, the Winters Joint Unified School District began offering rapid antigen testing to students, families, staff and community members in Winters on Jan. 5. However, they
had to close down the individual school site locations, as well as the Winters Community Library location. In a message to the community on Jan. 14, Superintendent Diana Jiménez shared the original testing schedule, indicating it would be resuming following the threeday weekend on Tuesday. Testing for students and staff is available at each of the school sites on: Mondays: Waggoner Elemen-
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tary School from 8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Winters Middle School from 12:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Wednesdays: Shirley Rominger Intermediate School from 8:45 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Winters High School from 12:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Student and staff testing is also available at the Winters JUSD office building on Monday through Friday from
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