Years Ago

130 Years Ago

March 4, 1893

W. E. Gammon who recently purchased the Wickers place, has bought sixty acres of the Waughtel place.

A millinery store is soon to be opened in Hemenway’s building, on corner of Main and First streets.

A construction train has been operating up and down the road during the week, laying steel rails in place of the iron ones heretofore in use.

Walter Hemenway has opened his photograph gallery and is ready for business.

A. B. Wilson has been appointed local agent for the Victor bicycle.

If there is one thing that gives the editor of a newspaper more joy than to add a score of new subscribers to his list, it is to whack off one who is narrow and selfish enough to want you to shut off his paper because you have given expression to an opin- ion at variance with his own. When a fellow comes into the office and says with the air of a man who has you completely in his power and was about to crush and ruin you, I want you to stop my paper, we cannot get him off the list quick enough, and when he is off we feel as though a barnacle has been removed from the rudder of the journalistic ship.

95 Years Ago

March 2, 1928

A deal was consummated Saturday whereby the Citizens Bank of Winters joined the long line of California banks which have come under control of the A. P. Giannini institutions. The sale of the Citizens Bank was sanctioned by a vote of the bank’s directorate. About a year ago the First National Bank of Winters was purchased by the Bank of Italy and this deal brings about the consolidation of the two local banks under one head.

Winters High School defeated Rio Vista on the California Aggies Court Tuesday night by the score of 23 to 18 to take the S. C. A. L. championship. The local five will play Sutter Creek, who are the champions of the Mother Lode section.

The championship hopes of the local Legion five were given a severe setback Saturday night when they lost to Knights Landing, 27 to 15. Next Saturday the Oakland Y. M. C. A. team will come to Winters for a game with the local Legion five. The game is being arranged by Harold Overhouse, formerly of Winters, who plays center on the Oakland team. The Y. M. C. A. team are the East Bay champions this year, as yet not having met defeat.

80 Years Ago

March 5, 1943 monoxide alarm, 1000 block of McArthur Av- enue

Pvt. Lee Sadler has been assigned to five months training at the University of Nevada. He is in the Air Corps. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Leggett heard from both their boys this week-George still in Hawall, and LaVerne in Camp McCain, Mississippi.

The High School Student Body will open their second scrap metal drive March 8, and it will continue for three weeks. During the first drive in November over 65 tons of metal were brought in.

The Fortnightly Club will meet Tuesday, March 9, in the Presbyterian annex. Hostesses are Mrs. Ann Gaddini, Mrs. W. A. Brinck and Mrs. Frances Hinck. Miss Clara Salavierra has completed business training in a Berkeley school and has accepted employment in the local P. G. and E. office.

Things just aren’t the way they used to be. Whatever happened to businesses that were eager to please? Well, there is one right here in our town. We offer the same outstanding service offered decades ago. Are we hopelessly out-of-style?

We certainly hope so.

Feb. 14: 8:45 a.m., medical aid, 400 block of Morgan Street

~11:51 a.m., medical aid, 600 block of Ivy Loop

~12:05 p.m., medical aid, 1000 block of Hillview Lane

Feb. 16: 8:09 a.m., medical aid, 400 block of Creekside Way

~9:56 a.m., mutual aid, Winters Road

~3:32 p.m., medical aid, 410 block of Grant Avenue

Police Arrest Log

Feb. 16: Lopez, Ricardo Jr (Age 29);

Charges: Possession of Controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, Winters PD warrant; Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear

~Ochoa, Oscar Armando (Age 37);

Charges: Winters PD warrant, Solano SO warrant; Disposition:

Appearance

Feb. 17: Moffatt, Andrew (Age 40); Charges: Driving under the influence of alcohol, Crossing solid double yellow lines; Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail

Feb. 19: Speaks, Decarann (Age 32);

Charges: Driving with suspended driver’s license, Stop sign violation, Two stop lamps required; Disposition: Released on Notice to Appear

Feb. 21: Speegle, Brandon Alexander (Age 44); Charges: Battery, Elder abuse; Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail

Case Log

Feb. 16: 8:13 a.m., Third Street/Abbey Street, Vehicle Towed

Feb. 17: 9 a.m., 100th block of E. Baker Street, Vehicle Towed

Feb. 20: 10:17 a.m., 800th block of Jefferson Street, Misc. Information Report

Obituary

1932–2023

Verbena Jean McGhee passed away on Feb. 7, 2023 at the young age of 90 years old. She was a current resident at the Wesley Woods memory care facility in Waco, Texas at the time of her death.

She was born Verbena Jean Ferguson in Hickman County, Ky. on July 26, 1932. She grew up in Columbus, Ky. where she met her loving husband Smitty McGhee at the young age of 18 years. They were married for over 43 years.

In 1952, they moved westward to California and lived in Southern California and San Jose, where they raised their three daughters.

In the mid-80s, they moved to Winters where they bought their forever home on Russell Street. The home was restored and remodeled in the style that was to be their little piece of heaven on earth. They lived there happily until her husband Smitty passed away in 1993.

While in Winters, Verbena was always busy lending her hand to any new opportunity that came her way. Cooking was a passion of hers and she honed her skill at the famous Buckhorn restaurant making soups and chili for John Pickerel, who gave her an opportunity to show off her love of cooking. She helped open the Putah Creek Café across the street. She worked there baking, making pies, chili and soups.

Verbena Jean McGhee (also known as Bea or Bena) was preceded in death by her loving husband James Smith McGhee (Smitty) and her sweet grandson Kyle Wayne Lederer. She is survived by her loving daughters LaDonna Pearson (Mark), Carol Holtkamp (Dwight) and Pamela Rudy (Steve). She leaves behind five grandchildren Erin Gill (Rohan), Nikole Craft (Daniel), Clinton Lederer (Tabby), Scott Holtkamp, and Joshua Pearson (Jessica). She is also blessed to have eight great-grandchildren — who fondly called her GiGi or Grandma Great — Mia, Tearyn, Abbigail, Bowen, Colby, Connor, Madison and Noah.

In lieu of flowers, kindly donate to the Memory Care facility of your choosing.

The Winters Senior Center is seeking funding for equipment and programming. Mail checks payable to Winter Senior Center Fund to: Yolo Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1264, Woodland, CA 95776