Winters Express Wednesday, April 26, 2023

ANNUAL YOUTH DAY PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Sponsored By Rotary Club of Winters Community Foundation Benefits Community Services Projects, Winters Senior Foundation, and Winters Fire Department Volunteers Saturday,

One-way traffic opens on Hwy 128

By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief

One-way traffic control for State Highway 128 was opened to motorists on Saturday afternoon as Caltrans continued to make repairs to the damaged roadway.

Dennis Keaton, Public Information Office, Caltrans District 3, confirmed Caltrans is utilizing temporary traffic signals to control the one-way traffic to signal which direction on the lane motorists can use. A K-rail is preventing motorists from driving down the other lane under construction.

Multiple storm systems caused the saturated soil to slip from underneath the roadway in the early morning of Saturday,

April 1. The road was initially closed in both eastbound and westbound directions in different locations from Pleasant Valley Road to the Solano County line. Caltrans notified the city of Winters that the erosion damage was more extensive than they initially thought.

City Council approves grant to explore cannabis business licensing program

By Jacob Hoffman

During its April 18 meeting, the Winters City Council approved grant funding to explore commercial cannabis and discussed efforts to update the city’s General Plan.

Caltrans announced the following work updates for the area:

• The Postmile 2.24 washout: On Saturday, temporary sheet piles, temporary lighting signals, and a K-rail were installed. Caltrans also paved and stiped the area for

See UPDATE, Page 3

Winters councilman could face felony weapon charges

By Lauren Keene McNaughton Media

Yolo County prosecutors are seeking to file felony charges against a Winters city councilmember, accusing him of unlawfully possessing two assault rifles.

Richard Thomas Casavecchia initially faced a misdemeanor

charge of possessing an unserialized firearm, which police reported finding in his vehicle during an April 2 traffic stop, the Winters Express previously reported.  Casavecchia, 39, pleaded not guilty to that count at his April 5 arraignment hearing in Yolo Superior Court.

On Friday, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office filed a motion to amend the initial complaint, with accompanying documents that

say officers found the assault rifles in Casavecchia’s home during the course of a domestic-violence investigation.  Casavecchia’s attorney, Michael J. Wise of Sacramento, could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon. He previously told the Winters Express that his client “continues to cooperate with law enforcement, and we will address the merits of the misdemeanor matter in court.”

See CHARGES, Page 3

Senior Planner Kirk Skierski presented on the Local Jurisdiction Retail Access Grant, a grant from a state department that is offering funds to local governments in support of the development of local cannabis retailer licenses.  Providing some

background, Skierski explained that “the California Department of Cannabis Control announced (the) availability of grant funding for local governments” which was “developed as an access grant to provide funding… for development and implementation of a local cannabis retailer licensing program.”

The funding is based on population, and Skierski says that Winters would be eligible for $115,000 in phase One of the program, and Phase 2 offers “an additional

$75,000 per number of retail licenses local government has issued.”  Skierski notes that cannabis has been listed as a priority among past city councils, and that city staff has noticed growing issues in it, telling the council that “it is staff’s opinion that applying for the grant would put the city in the best position to further explore allowing and regulating cannabis-based businesses.”

However, Skierski also acknowledged that exploring does See GRANT, Page 3

Mendoza retires after 33 years of fire service to Winters

By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer

They say if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. If this is the case, Winters Fire Department Fire Captain Art Mendoza managed to clock in zero hours of work in his 33-year firefighting career. Now that he’s recently retired, he reflects on not so much a body of work, but over three decades of passion, devotion and sacrifice dedicated to protect-

ing his community.

A career in firefighting called Mendoza back when he was just a 15-year-old freshman at Winters High School. He joined the Winters FD cadet program, trained with the volunteer firefighters and fell in love with all firefighting encompassed. That’s when Mendoza decided to aim his career crosshairs at the fire service and never looked back.

“I just fell in love with it, and during that

process, I made it a point to do really well in school. My senior year, I went to Solano Community College so I could graduate faster. From there, I was still nothing but love with the fire service,” explained Mendoza. “I started volunteering at the fire station, and in that time I got married, had kids and some years I was more active than others. Finally, in 2003, I got hired full-time

See MENDOZA, Page 3

Courtesy photo

Caltrans set up a temporary traffic signal on State Highway 128 to control one-way traffic during repairs.

Express staff writer

Crystal Apilado/Winters Express

Aaron and Art Mendoza at the 2022 Public Safety Awards celebration event.

Garden Art Show to benefit Humphrey Scholarship

By Denise Cottrell Special to the Express

Everyone has a teacher who made an impact on their life, the teacher you will always remember. Kate Humphrey, a Winters High School art teacher, was that teacher. She was a special educator who touched many in the community with her magnanimous spirit and dedication to art. Humphrey, who passed away in September 2022, was a cheerleader for art, creativity, kindness and learning inside and outside of the classroom.

So how to honor Humphrey’s life as a creative artist, educator, and the person who made acts of kindness ever present?

Do what WHS faculty,

Librarian Olivia Rodriguez and counselor

Marcella Heredia did: create a scholarship for WHS students and hold the first annual “The Garden Art Show” a collaboration of WHS students, the UCCE Yolo Master Gardeners and the Library.

“The Garden Art Show” on May 6, from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. will be held at The Winters Community Library Teaching Garden located at 708 Railroad Ave.

The show, a fundraiser for “The Kate Humphrey Kindness Scholarship Award Program,” will consist of student drawings and ceramic art inspired by the pollinator teaching garden maintained by

the UCCE Yolo Master Gardeners. Donations from the sale of the student works will fund a $500 scholarship to a graduating Winters Joint Unified School District senior attending a 2- or 4-year college program or trade

school.

Led by Holly Smith, WHS art teacher, students have been utilizing the Library Garden as inspiration for their artwork. This inspired artwork will be on display and available to purchase.

Students were asked about their experiences working with Mrs. Humphrey. One finds all their comments echo the same praise, “Mrs. Humphrey lifted up every room she entered.”

Students speak of her passion and excitement for art and how she helped them to gain confidence. She was helpful, and always kind, and no matter what, she would always have ideas on new approaches and help you to accomplish them. In general, the comments can be summed up by this quote from Yarethzy, “Mrs. Humphrey was a wonderful human and I will forever be thank-

ful to have had her as a teacher. Students formed opinions about art through their instruction and experience with Humphrey. They have internalized ideas such as creativity takes courage and represents what one values. As Gabrielle stated, “Making art is important to me because through it I get to showcase what is important to me and of value to me.”

Another student, Daisy, discussed how art expressed emotion, “Making art is important to me because it's how I can express my emotions and life experiences in a way that transcends words.”

A student named Ghost summed up the art projects with, “Making art is a way to communicate in a way without words. Making a project that could influence others to be kind is very exciting because it

Winters High School students work to create their art projects for the upcoming art show in the Winters Community Library Learning Garden.

would show truly how nice it is to be kind to others. By having Mrs. Humphrey as the face of this scholarship, it can help others who have never had her (as a teacher) know the kind of person she was.”

Attend the “The Garden Art Show,” enjoy the beautiful library garden, obtain a new piece of art for your garden or home, and join in to keep the circle of kindness and art alive. As the scholarship application states, “Mrs. Humphrey not only taught art at Winters High School, she also taught our students and staff the value of kindness and how one act of kindness can change someone’s life for the better. This scholarship is a way for friends, family, and the community to carry on her legacy and to continue her chain of kindness.”

Eventos Hispanos

Por Lauren Keene Traducido por Carol Alfonso

Los fiscales del Condado Yolo (Yolo County) buscan presentar cargos por delitos graves contra un concejal de la ciudad de Winters, acusándolo de poseer ilegalmente dos rifles de asalto.

Richard Thomas Casavecchia enfrentó inicialmente un cargo menor de posesión de un arma de fuego no serializada, que la policía informó haber encontrado en su vehículo durante una parada de tráfico el pasado 2 de Abril, informó anteriormente McNaughton Newspapers. Casavecchia, de 39 años, se declaró inocente de ese cargo en su audiencia de lectura de cargos el 5 de Abril en el Tribunal Superior del Condado Yolo.

El pasado Viernes, la Oficina del Fiscal de Distrito del Condado Yolo presentó una moción para enmendar la denuncia inicial, con documentos adjuntos que dicen que los oficiales encontraron los rifles de asalto en la casa de Casavecchia durante el curso de una investigación de violencia doméstica.

El abogado de Casavecchia, Michael J. Wise de Sacramento, no pudo ser contactado para hacer comentarios el pasado Viernes por la tarde. Anteriormente le dijo al Winters Express que su cliente “sigue cooperando con las fuerzas del orden público y abordaremos los méritos del asunto del delito menor en la corte.” De acuerdo con la

moción de enmienda del fiscal del distrito, la esposa de Casavecchia llegó al Departamento de Policía de Winters alrededor de las 12:15 p.m. el día 2 de Abril para denunciar un incidente de violencia doméstica y solicitar una orden de protección de emergencia.

“Luego le dijo a la Policía de Winters que el acusado tiene un permiso de armas ocultas junto con otras armas,” dice el documento. Inicialmente se negó a dar su consentimiento a los oficiales para ingresar a su casa y retirar las armas de fuego, pero luego revocó esa decisión.

La parada de tráfico ocurrió unas dos horas después en las calles Neiman y Main en Winters, donde un oficial le preguntó a Casavecchia si poseía armas de fuego, dice la moción. Casavecchia confirmó que sí, sacando tres pistolas de un estuche en el asiento del pasajero de su camión.

“Una de las pistolas no contenía un número de serie ni ninguna información de identificación,” escribieron los fiscales. “Según el entrenamiento y la experiencia del oficial, opinó que el arma de fuego se fabricó con varias piezas del mercado secundario, ninguna de las cuales contenía un número de serie.”

Los oficiales fueron a la casa de Casavecchia alrededor de las 4:30 p.m. ese mismo día, donde incautaron tres fusiles estilo AR15, dos cargadores de municiones y cuatro cartuchos de municiones, dice la

moción. Posteriormente, la policía determinó que dos de las armas de fuego no estaban registradas a nombre de Casavecchia. Los documentos judiciales describen ambas armas como “rifles semiautomáticos de fuego central que no tenían un cargador fijo. Además, (ellos) tenían una empuñadura de pistola que sobresalía notablemente por debajo de la acción del arma, una culata telescópica, una empuñadura de pistola hacia adelante y un supresor de destello. Ambos rifles cumplen con la definición de un arma de asalto.”

La jueza Sonia Cortés se pronunciará sobre la moción de enmienda en una audiencia el 17 de Mayo. No estaba claro el pasado Viernes si las alegaciones pendientes afectarían la posición de Casavecchia en el Ayuntamiento Municipal de Winters (Winters City Council). Los votantes lo eligieron para un mandato de cuatro años en Noviembre pasado.

El alcalde de Winters, Bill Biasi, emitió un correo electrónico negándose a comentar sobre el tema, al que se refirió como un asunto de aplicación de la ley.

“Bajo la ley, todos son considerados inocentes hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad,” escribió Biasi. “Necesitamos respetar ese hecho durante este proceso. Respetamos el proceso legal y debemos permitir que el departamento de policía y el fiscal de distrito hagan su trabajo.”

Concejal de Winters podría enfrentar cargos por delitos graves con armas

Courtesy photo

and made captain in 2007.”

During his career, Mendoza served as the interim fire chief from Sept. 1 through Dec.

31, 2018, during the transition of the Winters Fire interim chief program after the expiration of a six-year contract with the Dixon Fire Department in November to share fire chiefs. Mendoza served in the rotating interim fire chief role alongside Captain Matt Schechla and then Captain and former Winters Fire Chief Brad L. Lopez as the City of Winters made plans to select a Fire Chief. He resumed his role as Fire Captain after Lopez stepped into the Fire Chief role.

Mendoza’s firefighting ambitions came hand-in-hand with a variety of challenges. Volunteering at the Winters FD, for exam-

GRANT

Continued from Page 1

not need to lead to a “decided outcome,” on the issue and that cannabis “is something that will need to go through a public engagement and community process,” saying that public engagement is a big priority for city staff before moving forward.

Skierski and City Manager Kathleen Salguero Trepa also clarified that staff has already allocated funds to cover the city should it decide to explore the cannabis business but ultimately not change the current status, so the city has some flexibility for exploration.

Skierski asked the Council to allow staff to apply for the grant “with the understanding that the city would only pursue the grant on the direction of the decision-makers

According to the DA’s motion to amend, Casavecchia’s wife arrived at the Winters Police Department at about 12:15 p.m. April

2 to report a domestic violence incident and request an emergency protective order.

“She then told Winters police that defendant has a concealed weapons permit along with other weapons,” the document says. She initially declined to give officers consent to enter her home and remove the firearms, but later reversed that decision.

The traffic stop happened about two hours later at Neiman and Main streets in Winters, where an officer asked Casavecchia whether he possessed any firearms, the motion says. Casavecchia confirmed he did, producing three handguns from a case on his truck’s passenger seat.

“One of the handguns did not contain a serial number or any identifying information,” prosecutors wrote. “Based on the officer’s training and experience, he opined the handgun was manufactured with several after-market parts, none of which contained a serial number.” Officers went to Casavecchia’s home at about 4:30 p.m. that same day, where they

ple, required countless hours of training, steadfast commitment and putting one’s life in danger. Through his own time as a volunteer on top of his 33 years of experience, Mendoza maintains he’d put the Winters FD volunteers and their skills up against any full-time firefighting crew.

“It wasn’t like a job, it was family. You get to know these folks, spend a lot of time with them day in and day out and get to know their families.

A lot of guys who work here have kids who call me ‘uncle.’ It’s like I leave my real family to go to my work family where I live for two or three days at a time,” said Mendoza.

“For me, it’s the best job in the world. I’d do it again after all these injuries and surgeries that I’ve had. If someone asked me if I’d do it all over again, I’d say ‘Absolutely I want to be a firefighter.’” During his 33-year

and community as it relates to allowing cannabis-based businesses.”

Councilmember Carol Scianna noted that this issue will need to be decided on at some point, and that using the grant funding to do so instead of having the city foot the bill could make sense. The remaining councilmembers and members of the public also echoed their support.

The council passed the recommendation 4–1, with Mayor Bill Biasi voting against the decision.

General Plan

Skierski presented the council with the annual General Plan report on behalf of the Community Development Department. The report details the work done in relation to the General Plan last year, and according to the staff report “highlights planning

seized three AR-15 style rifles, two ammunition magazines and four ammunition rounds, the motion says. Police later determined two of the firearms were not registered to Casavecchia.

Court documents describe both of those weapons as “semiautomatic, centerfire rifle(s) that did not have a fixed magazine. Further, (they) had a pistol grip that protruded conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon, a telescoping stock, a forward pistol grip and a flash suppressor. Both rifles meet the definition of an assault weapon.”  Judge Sonia Cortés will rule on the motion to amend at a May 17 hearing.

It was unclear Friday whether the pending allegations would affect Casavecchia’s position on the Winters City Council. Voters elected him to a four-year term last November. Winters City Manager Kath-

career, Mendoza’s medical résumé includes ankle surgery, knee surgery, two shoulder surgeries and a bout with cancer. Although Mendoza’s occupation took a toll on him physically, so, too, did it emotionally at times. “It’s tough on the family, and obviously the No. 1 person I want to mention and appreciate is my wife. She went through a lot. Just me being gone a lot and raising three kids on her own while I was gone usually from May on forward. And those are key times of the year where you have football practice, softball practice and Little League games that I wasn’t there for,” said Mendoza. “Luckily, my son got into firefighting and my oldest daughter is doing EMT stuff working for the ambulance company. I got the luxury of working with both of them and it’s awesome being able to work with my

and development activities, building permit activity, affordable housing, and actions and activities the city carried out as part of General Plan implementation in 2022.”

Skierski described what the report includes and why it is done, noting that it is a requirement under state law that mandates local governments to “report on the implementation and the status of their General Plan” and are “intended to help with state lawmakers identifying statewide trends and planning activities, and how local governments throughout the state are implementing their General Plan to help achieve statewide goals and policy.”

This report also serves to “provide information to the city’s decision-mak-

leen Salguero Trepa confirmed by email that the City does not have a policy regarding action if a councilmember is charged with a felony.

Winters’ mayor, Bill Biasi, issued an email declining to comment on the issue, which he referred to as a law-enforcement matter.

“Under the law, everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty,” Biasi wrote.

“We need to respect that fact during this process. We respect the legal process and need to allow the police department and district attorney to do their job.”

The timeframe on the Winters Express’ request for the Police Report of Casavecchia’s April 2, arrest from Winters Police Department has been extended.

A letter informing the Winters Express of the extension stated, “Staff members have determined that the department will need

kids. But at the end of the day, if it wasn’t for my family’s support, I wouldn’t have lasted 33 years and none of this would have been possible.”

The real pride of his profession are derived from protecting his hometown.

“One of the key things in all of this is working in a place you grew up in. It doesn’t get better than that. Just from the involvement in the community and making friends along the way and helping the people out where I grew up, that can never be replaced. I can’t really explain it, but it’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had,” Mendoza recalled.

One of Mendoza’s mentors, Ron Karlen once told him, ‘When it’s time, you will know.’” And while recovering from a recent shoulder injury — Mendoza knew it was, indeed, his time.

ers along with the public, and get an understanding of…what development and planning activities occurred within the calendar year.”

Skierski provided an overview of the plans and projects that the city undertook in 2022 and a review of permits filed and completed.

Regarding the implementation of the General Plan, Skierski detailed some of the activities and accomplishments done by city staff last year.

The question of updating or making changes to the General Plan arose in relation to traffic and housing, and Skierski noted that it is a “significant task” for city staff to do so and requires time and money that isn’t currently available.

The council passed the recommendation unanimously.

to consult with the Yolo County District Attorney’s office regarding the records request. Under the PRA, a request that creates a need for consultation with another agency having substantial interest in the determination of the request is part of the conditions that create ‘unusual circumstances.’ Under such circumstances, the department may take an extension of the standard 10-day time period provided under the PRA for making its determination on a request for records.”

A determination on the request is expected to be sent to the Express no later than May 5.

Crystal Apilado contributed to this article.

UPDATE Continued from Page 1

one-way traffic.

• The Postmile 2.22 culvert washout: Rock slope protection was placed on April 21.

• The Postmile 1.6

landslide: The remaining portion of excavation and the rock slope protection and under-drain were installed. Work to rebuild the shoulder, and to repave and restripe the road

was set to be completed on April 22.

A project to construct a permanent retaining wall is in the design phase and a timeframe will be determined later. Motorists are encouraged to use caution while driving through the area. The traffic signals will indicate the direction of the traffic flow.

Updates on road conditions can be found online at www. dot.ca.gov/d3.

145 Years Ago

April 27, 1878

(From the files of the Winters Advocate)

There will be mass at the Union School house on Sunday, the 28th inst., at 10 o’clock, after which there will be a meeting of gentlemen to make arrangements for building a church in Winters or vicinity.

Mrs. Wagner and her family left town one day last week to join her husband who has located a ranch in the vicinity of Burgettsville, Shasta county, where Mr. Wm. Wolfskill has also located and is working a farm in the vicinity.

130 Years Ago

April 29, 1893

Mr. J. W. Lamme completed the census for Winters district last Tuesday, and reports 155 boys between 5 and 17 years of age; 151 girls between 5 and 17 years of age; and 71 under five years of age. Lamme finds 800 people living within the town limits, exclusive of Chinese and transients. The Chinese will probably number about fifty, which would make the population 850 — a fair estimate, we think.

A number of gentlemen met in the Opera House last Tuesday afternoon to form a driving club, which will hold two days of racing the last week in June.

G. R. Hurlburt stated that $670 had already been subscribed toward making up the purses for the racing.

E. C. Rust was elected

Years Ago

Dispatches from the Express archives.

temporary chairman and George H. Morris temporary secretary.

Sam Gray, with an eight-horse team, is hauling stone from the Putah Canyon quarry to Woodland. The stone is to be used in the construction of the Michaels Bros. new building.

Maps of the subdivision of the Waughtel tract, 1 1⁄2 miles west of town, have been published.

95 Years Ago

April 27, 1928

Miss Frances Stirn, 2nd year typing student won for her school the possession of the Sacramento Bee trophy for accuracy at the Sacramento Valley typewriting contest held last Saturday in the Sacramento high school auditorium.

Miss Alice Fong was second in first year accuracy honors, and first for accuracy in the unlimited section.

Winters High won its second league game last Friday by defeating the Dixon Dairymen 8 to 1 in a seven inning contest. The features of the game were home runs by Holmes and Perkins. Holmes has been hitting the ball hard this year, having a batting average of .857 in two

games.  In Winters High School the senior standings are as follows: Patty Baker, 89.79; Genevie Dexter, 89.65; Isabel Huntley, 88.01; Freida Sparks, 87.94; Elwin Martin, 87.04; Wilfred Bigelow, 86.80.

80 Years Ago

April 30, 1943

William Bailey Crum has received his rating as a flight officer, and wings of an Air Force glider pilot, from

the Army Air Forces Glider School at Ft. Sumner, New Mexico.

The civilian air observation post went into service Wednesday with the telephone being installed in the tower, with Mrs. Glen Kidder and Mrs. John Clayton being the honored observers to break in the new post.

Arthur Ish, latest army entrant, has written that he is in coast guard service at Camp Hann, near Riverside.

Corporal Albert Ichtertz of Camp Kohler spent part of his Easter furlough with relatives.

The high school scrap drive is progressing rapidly. The freshmen are ahead so far with 12,475 pounds, juniors second with 9,735 pounds, sophomores third with 8,134 pounds and the seniors last with 5,580 pounds.

City of Winters

Fire

April 10: Medical

Aid, 1200 Block of Hamakawa St.

April 11: Medical

Aid, 400 Block of Morgan St.

~Medical Aid, 1000

Block of Hillview Ln.

~Mutual Aid, 9000

Block of Winters Rd.

~Medical, Aid 900

Block of Railroad

Ave.

April 12: Medical

Aid, 400 Block of Main St. ~Medical Aid, 20000 Block of County Rd. 90

~Medical Aid, 100

Block of E. Baker St.

April 13: Medical

Aid, 100 Block of E. Baker St. ~Mutual Aid, Winters Rd./Allendale Rd.

~Smoke investiga-

tion, NB I 505/Putah Creek Rd.

~Medical Aid, 100

Block of E. Grant

Ave.

April 14: Medical

Aid, 100 Block of Lauren Court ~Medical Aid, 30000 Block of County Rd. 31A

April 15: Medical

Aid, 300 Block of White Oak Ln.

April 16: Medical

Aid, 400 Block of Morgan St. ~Lift Assist, 100 Block of E. Baker St. ~Medical Aid, 400

Block of Main St. ~Mutual Aid, 5000 Block of Weber Rd. ~Medical Aid, 400

Block of Morgan St.

April 17: Medical

Aid, 700 Block of Graf Way

Police Arrest Log

April 13: Cervantes

Obituaries

On Feb. 24, 2023, Nancy Lynn Ramirez (Becker) left this world after a recent struggle with pneumonia. Born October 31, 1946, in Utica, N.Y., Nancy and her family followed Peter Kiewit & Son Company across the states living in Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota and finally California. Landing in Winters with the construction of the Monticello Dam. Nancy graduated from Winters High School, moved to Emeryville became a beautician. Eventually, she would move again to Fairfield working for a Bay Area landfill before returning back to Winters and retiring. Nancy loved the ocean and spent many happy times laying out crab pots and claiming at Lawsons. It’s safe to say Nancy also loved her animals. Among her pets were a rat, a parrot, a Shel-

tie, a cat, two great Danes, a Rottweiler, two pit bulls and four Chihuahuas. She was preceded in death by her mother Dorothy Becker. She is survived by her brother Robert and wife Carol Becker, sister Amy and husband Scott Wilson, and her faithful dog Lulu along with numerous nieces and nephews. Scorp will be missed by all who knew her.

Alaniz, Manuel (Age 44); Charges: Driving under the influence, DUI .08 percent or higher BAC, Unlicensed driver; Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail

April 18: Duran, Raul Jose (Age 42); Charges: Public Intoxication, Violation of Probation; Disposition: Transported to Yolo County Jail Report Log

April 12: 8:44 a.m., 30th block of E. Main St., Vandalism ~8:42 p.m., 100th block of Grant Ave., MiscelLn.ous Incident Report

April 13: 9:15 a.m., 400th block of Edwards St., Vehicle Tow ~6:58 a.m., 20000th block of CR 90, Audible Alarm ~5:40 p.m., 1000th block of Railroad Ave., Audible Alarm

April 15: 11:48 a.m., 100th block of Browns Valley, Theft by False Pretenses ~9:40 p.m., 10th block of Main St., Firearm violation

April 16: 2:23 p.m., 700th block of Dutton St., Audible Alarm ~5:07 p.m., 300th block of Baker St., Hit and Run

April 17: 3:33 p.m., 500th block of Niemann St., Vandalism ~6:40 p.m., 700th block of Main St., Found Property

April 18: 3:07 p.m., 10th block of Main St., Domestic violence

For our editorial policy on crime log entries, see winters express.com/unpub lishing-policy.

Hector Alfonso Guerrero — For such a simple man he had so many names. Most people knew him as Hector, La Guava, or Jackson; but for those who knew him the best we called him “Hugo.” He was so many things to so many different people, he was a son, brother, uncle, friend, neighbor, and so much more.

Hector Alfonso Guerrero was the definition of a selfless man. If you knew Hugo you knew that the number one important thing in his life was his family. Of his siblings, he was the eldest boy. He embodied the family’s first foundation that his father and mother, Alfonso and Rosalina Guerrero, laid out for him. Hector Guerrero was the epitome of a strong and righteous man. He fought for what was right, he was a man of his word, and he was the person you could count on for anything.

If you knew Hugo, you know he’s undoubtedly one of the funniest people you’ve

ever met. No matter what kind of day you were having you could always count on him to put a smile on your face. Not only was he a funny man, but he was also a loving man who loved his friends and family more than anything.

Although he is gone the memories, laughs, love, and impact he leaves behind will forever be remembered.

It is never a goodbye, but a see you again someday. In the meantime, rest easy Hugo — We love you and you are extremely missed. A vigil will be held on April 30, 2023, at 6 p.m. at Saint Anthony Catholic Church in Winters.

Buley, Publisher-at-Large

good

personal consideration, understanding, and consistent support – you can expect from us.

Nancy Lynn Ramirez (Becker)

Courtesy photo Nancy Lynn Ramirez (Becker)

Hector Alfonso Guerrero

Courtesy photo Hector Alfonso Guerrero

LCAP update focuses on equity, chronic absenteeism

By Jacob Hoffman Express staff writer

During its April 6 meeting, the Winters Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees reviewed a summary of the 2023–24 Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), the school district’s three-year plan that describes the goals, actions, services and expenditures to support positive student outcomes that address state and local priorities.

Assistant Superintendent Phoebe Girimonte presented an update on the work going into the upcoming school year’s LCAP.

She explained that the process begins with the K-12 financial system called the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), which is a financial system that provides funding to school districts and greater autonomy with that money so long as the districts provide transparent reporting of their progress. Girimonte says the LCFF, “gives us flexibility in how we spend our money to increase student success” and in order to receive the funding “with input from staff, students, and other partners, districts develop a Local Control Accountability Plan that describes how it will implement and monitor increased and improved services to the students.”

LCAPs have three priority functions, which Girimonte describes as “mean-

News briefs

New Commission meeting times

The Winters Hispanic Advisory Committee and Winters Senior Commission on Aging recently changed their regular monthly meeting dates. Effective in May, the Winters Hispanic Advisory Committee will begin meeting on the first Thursday of the month (May 4) at 6:30 p.m. The Winters Senior Commission on

ingful engagement of those within the community who have unique insights about how to best serve our students…the need to strategically plan and allow data to inform future decisions and

noted the importance of this priority function, as it “connects our budgetary decisions to our teaching and learning performance data…through progress monitoring and looking at those

Phoebe

budgeting” and “an accountability mechanism that focuses on student outcomes as demonstrated by a variety of metrics and required compliance with statute.”

Regarding the first priority, Winters JUSD’s LCAP Task Force sought feedback from various advisory groups, including school staff, parents, and students. In December 2022 the school district conducted its annual LCAP survey of staff, students, and families, and reinstituted an LCAP forum process, with the broad goal of “(refocusing) on equity, really in alignment with our Board priorities,” Girimonte described.

Girimonte said more LCAP meetings and forums will be held in the future as well.

With strategic planning, Girimonte

Aging will meet on the third Wednesday of the month, starting on May 17, at 6:30 p.m. Both meetings will occur in the City Hall Large Conference Room (Abbey Street entrance).

Elder Day Save the Date for the 2023 Winters Elder Day Celebration on June 24 from 2–4 p.m. To nominate a local elder or to ask a question, contact Wally Pearce at 707-249-7975

resources in our advisory groups.” The LCAP Task Force has included data from the i-Ready system, and continues to analyze data related to California Dashboard indices.

One of the key difficulties facing Winters JUSD schools is chronic absenteeism, a problem the school district has faced for a number of years following the effects of COVID. But Girimonte noted it affects every district in Yolo County, and the county is looking to address this issue collectively with additional support.

“One of the directions that the county is taking to support us is to build a professional learning network to dig into that problem of practice surrounding chronic absenteeism, and that’s likely to begin late in April,” Girimonte said.

or Ramon Altamirano at 916-600-6707 for more information.

All in for Youth Supervisor Lucas Frerichs is hosting a follow up “All In! for Children and Youth” session on Wednesday, May 3, from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at Winters Community Center. Free dinner and childcare are provided. See more info at: www.ycoe.org/roadmap or register at bit. ly/3A4LSgq.

Lake Berryessa water levels slightly up

“Districts must show that they have complied with various requirements in LCFF. Winters JUSD is preparing a compliant LCAP by following the stipulations of LCFF and establishing goals that aligned the eight state priority areas” which includes goals like “ensuring that our teachers are appropriately assigned credential, (and) implementing the academic performance standards,” Girimonte explained.

“We are utilizing all available data to determine to what degree our planned actions have increased or improved services to students.”

Next steps

The 2023-24 LCAP is the third year in the three-year cycle. Girimonte described some of the school district’s next steps, including the timeline for the implementation of the LCAP.

On May 2, LCAP committees and the

English Learner Advisory Committee will participate in a joint review of the 2023–24 draft plan. Following this, the window for public review will be May 3 through May 12, after which the draft will be submitted to the Yolo County Office of Education for review on May 18. A public hearing will be held on June 8, and the LCAP will be brought to the Board of Trustees on June 22 for adoption.  Another future plan for Winters JUSD is the introduction of a so-called Youth Truth Survey.

“This survey is a validated instrument

that harnesses feedback from students, families, and staff about their perceptions, and then that data is used to guide decision-making and improvement processes,” Girimonte said.

Girimonte expressed high hopes for the survey, saying it “may help us identify really what are some of those barriers to helping students access improved academic performance and wellness outcomes.” Board President Carrie Green said she was looking forward to the Youth Truth Survey.

“We are utilizing all available data to determine to what degree our planned actions have increased or improved services to students.”

Girimonte, Assistant Superintendent

Wednesdays

Eat Well Yolo Drive – Through Food Distribution, Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m. As supplies last, Winters High student parking lot, off Railroad Avenue.

Thursdays

Eat Well Yolo Food Distribution, first and third Thursdays, 10 a.m. As supplies last, RISE, Inc., 417 Haven St., 530-668-0690

Friday, April 28 9th Annual Duck Derby, 5 p.m - Activities and Music, 6 p.m. Ducks jump in the Creek, Behind Winters Community Center

Youth Day Opening Ceremony and Royalty Coronation, Following conclusion of Duck Derby race, Green River Brewing & Taproom Park

Saturday, April 29

Winters Rotary Pancake Breakfast, 7-9:30 a.m., Winters Community Center

Winters Youth Day Parades, 9:45 a.m. - Kiddie Parade, 10 a.m. Main Parade Fourth Street down Main Street

Winters Youth Day Park Activities, 12-4:30 p.m. Kiddie Faire and Park activities, Wooden City Park and Little League Field School of Rock concerts, Following Youth Day Main Parade, Green River Brewing & Taproom Park

WHS Alumni Baseball Game, 1 p.m., Hugh Randolph Baseball Field, Hemenway Street

Upcoming

Tuesday, May 2

Winters City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Council chamber (318 First St.), Zoom Meeting info, check www.cityofwinters.org/ city-council-meetings_/

Thursday, May 4

Winters JUSD School Board Meeting, 6 p.m., School District Office, Zoom Meeting info, check https://bit.ly/ WintersJUSDBoardAgendaCommunitySite

Winters Hispanic Advisory Committee, 6:30 p.m., City Hall Large Conference Room (Abbey Street entrance)

Library Services

Winters Library Open to Public (School in Session), Winters Community Library, Mon/Wed: 8 a.m.–6 p.m., Tue/Thu: 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Fri: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. , Sat: 1–5 p.m.

Teen Tuesday (ages 12-18), Second Tuesdays, 13:30 p.m., Winters Community Library

Bilingual Storytime (ages 0-5), Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m., Winters Community Library

Virtual English Conversation Group Tuesdays, 2-3 p.m., One time registration required: Contact Nancy Pacheco 530-666-8019 or nancy.pacheco@ yolocounty.org

Mangonada Monday (ages 6-12), fourth Monday, 3:30 p.m. Tech Thursdays, Second Thursday, 2-7:30 p.m., call 530-666-8005 to schedule an appointment

Afterschool Adventure (ages 6-12), Third Thursday, 3:30 p.m., Winters Community Library

Saturday Matinee, First Saturday, 2 p.m., Winters Community Library

All You Need is Love Romance Book Club, Second Saturday, 4 p.m., Hooby’s Brewing

Older Adult Programs

Winters Senior Foundation Chair Yoga Class for Seniors, Wednesdays, 9:30-11 a.m., St. Anthony Parish Hall (511 W. Main St.)

Winters Senior Foundation Social Gathering

Thurdays, 1-3:30 p.m., St. Anthony Parish Hall (511 W. Main St.)

Ongoing

Winters Wide World of Sports exhibit Thursday thru Sunday, 1-5 p.m., Winters Museum, 13 Russell St.

Winters Friends of the Library meeting, first Monday, 7 p.m., Winters Community Library, Margaret Parsons Room, wfol.org

Rotary Club of Winters meeting, Thursdays, Noon, The Buckhorn Winters Museum public hours, Thursday thru Sunday, 1-5 p.m., 13 Russell St.

Winters Open Mic, third Saturday of the month, 6 p.m. (sign-ups begin at 5 p.m.), Downtown Main Street. Kiwanis Club of Winters meeting, fourth Thursdays, 6 p.m., Hooby's Brewing

Democracy Winters meeting, third Saturdays, 10 a.m.Noon, Meeting details in newsletter, contact info@ democracywinters.org

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings:

» St. Anthony Parish Hall, 511 Main St. (back entrance) Tuesdays, 7-8 a.m. and Fridays, 7-8 a.m.

» Yolo Housing office building, 62 Shams Way: Thursdays, 7-8 p.m. and Sundays, 9 a.m.

Rate uptick nudges down March sales

HOMES, Page 2

Where Are They Now: Dylan Ney

By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer

Winters Warriors are an ambitious group who go off and blaze their own life/career paths after graduation. Dylan Ney is one such alumnus whose trailblazing led him all the way to a career in keeping blazes at bay.

Ney could easily be described as an athlete in his tenure at Winters High School and headed to Santa Rosa Junior College to play football after he graduated in 2010. Life tends to have a knack for not going according to plan as this path ended up not working out for him.

In his transitional period, Ney moved closer to home and got a job at Raley’s in Vacaville. He attended Solano Community College, where he took criminal justice classes. However, criminal justice just wasn’t tickling Ney’s fancy as he yearned for more fulfillment. That’s when life presented Ney with an opportunity that — if he were working anywhere else but at Raley’s bagging groceries — may never have occurred.

“I met a recruiter at Raley’s for the Army National Guard and thought I’d go for it because I didn’t want to be bagging groceries the rest of my life. From there I took a bunch of tests and firefighting was one of the recommendations for me to get into. So, I signed a contract in April of 2012 and got on a plane three months later to head off to basic training,” said Ney.

Ney did 10 weeks of Army training and then three months of additional training to become a firefighter at Good Fellow Air Force Base in Texas.

“I came back from that with all these certifications and had the mentality of wanting

to jump into a city firefighter role. But, California wouldn’t recognize the certifications of this fire academy,” said Ney.

Because of this, Ney hit a bit of a lull in his career path as he vied to get his certifications transferred over. Compounding that, the National Guard was facing legal issues at the time, so Ney shifted gears and worked for his father while things got sorted out.

Month after month fell off the calendar until one day another opportunity presented itself that would toss Ney out of the frying pan and — quite literally — into the fire.

“All of a sudden, my sergeant at the time said, ‘Hey,

does anyone want to go to this week-long, wildlands firefighting course they’re putting on in Redding?’ We’d get our ‘red card’ doing this which is basically a certification that you get for being able to do wildland firefighting. The red card would also switch over all my certifications to California, so my buddy and I thought to ourselves, ‘This is our shot and the last piece of the puzzle we need,’” explained Ney. “I did the course and freaking fell in love with it. At the end of the course, myself and my buddy got offered jobs. He was a little timid at first, but I just said,

Youth Day Grand Marshal honor explained

By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer

Youth Day is right around the corner and that means a new grand marshal will be chosen. More than just a prestigious title, the Grand Marshal is a key ingredient tossed in the pot that makes Youth Day such a savory town tradition.

The Youth Day grand marshal is more of a citizen of the year-like honor. One might say they’re the face of Youth Day for that year because they’re elected based on the amount of time and effort spent benefiting Winters’ youth.

“The grand marshal is someone we honor from the community and who usually has some ties to the youth here. Last year it was Jenny Ramos, and of course, she does lots of stuff with the high school kids and disabled kids at the school,” said Mike Sebastian, the Youth Day Committee president. “We try to get someone we’d like to honor who’s spent a good amount of time helping the youth of the community. It’s similar to the citizen of the year elections. We get nominations, then the board meets and we’ll select somebody.”

The grand marshal is a position of honor that’s not without its responsibilities. According to Sebastian, the person elected grand marshal must sit in a car — usually a convertible — and wave to the crowd during the main parade. With the burden of that herculean task on their shoulders, the grand marshal re-

ceives a plaque commemorating the honor after the Duck Derby the evening before.

“When it comes to the best parade wave,

you’ve got to remember to wave to both sides of the crowd.

You’re sitting in the car, going down the parade route and have

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people looking at you from both sides,” Sebastian — a former grand marshal and the

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Courtesy photo 2010 WHS graduate Dylan Ney earned his Red Card as a wildland firefighter.

Courtesy photo Peggy Narducci was Honorary Grand Marshal for Youth Day 2009.

— Winters Express, Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Rate uptick nudges down March home sales

California Association of Realtors

Special to the Express

• Existing, single-family home sales totaled 281,050 in March on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, down 1.0 percent from February and down 34.2 percent from March 2022.

• March’s statewide median home price was $791,490, up 7.6 percent from February and down 7.0 percent from March 2022.

• Year-to-date statewide home sales were down 37.8 percent in March.

Moderately higher interest rates held California home sales essentially flat in March, while the statewide median home price recorded a healthy increase on a month-to-month basis for the first time in seven months.

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 281,050 in March, according to information collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local Realtor associations and MLSs statewide. The state-

wide annualized sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2023 if sales maintained the March pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

March’s sales pace was down 1.0 percent

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on a monthly basis from 284,010 in February and down 34.2 percent from a year ago, when a revised 427,040 homes were sold on an annualized basis. Sales of existing single-family homes in California remained below the 300,000-unit pace for the sixth consecutive month.

“Despite a dip in March home sales, the competitiveness

in the housing market continues to heat up, as homes are selling faster, and the salesto-list-price ratio is improving, all the while when the number of homes available for sale continues to tighten,” said C.A.R. President Jennifer Branchini, a Bay Area Realtor. “All signs point to a market with solid demand, which should help bolster

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sales through the homebuying season.”

California’s median home price grew for the first time in seven months in March, increasing 7.6 percent from February’s $735,480 to $791,490. March’s price also was lower on a year-overyear basis for the fifth consecutive month, declining 7.0 percent from the revised $851,130 recorded last March. With home prices rising more sharply than the normal seasonal pattern last year, the market could see larger yearover-year price drops as it moves through

the spring home-buying season.

“While home sales continue to hover below the 300,000-unit annualized pace, the market seems to have weathered more aggressive rate hikes and banking failures quite well in the last few weeks,” said C.A.R. Vice President and Chief Economist Jordan Levine. “If interest rates stabilize or even improve in the next couple of months, home sales should rise during the spring home-buying season, but tight inventory will prevent a rapid rebound.”

Adobe/Stock photo

“All signs point to a market with solid demand, which should help bolster sales through the homebuying season,” stated California Association of Realtors president Jennifer Branchini.

Express travels:

Courtesy photo

Thanks to Pisani’s superb workmanship, Monique Borgerhoff Mulder and Tim Caro, former residents of Winters, drove Charley Wallace’s mother’s old Volvo from Winters to Charlottesville, Virginia, on a meandering course of 7,500 kilometers, without a single car problem. Note the melted tail light and novel antenna resulting from the LNU wildfire.

Express Yourself

Letters

Lack of proof reading

I am totally amazed by the errors I find each week in the Winters Express!

12 April 2023 edition: “Years Ago” 1943 was NOT 35 years ago....plus, “Yolo Food Bank Survey Gauge NOT Guage!

19 April 2023 edition: “Years Ago” 1928 was 95 years ago NOT 50 plus 1943 was 80 years ago NOT 35.

It seems like you don’t have a sense of pride in the publication. Certainly, I could cancel my subscription based on the glaring errors however, I do “read between the lines” for information about my “hometown.”

KAREN CHRISTIE

Publisher’s note: Thank you for taking the time out of your day to not just read the paper, but also to write in about our opportunities for improvement.

Have we become a destination city?

My sister, Lois, and her husband, Gordon, stopped by last Saturday on their way to Aptos, by Santa Cruz. We decided to have takeout and eat on our back patio. The wine is cheaper at my house, especially if Gordon brought it.

A couple of things happened. When we asked where they were staying, Davis seemed like a surprising answer, considering that we now have two hotels. Lois explained that Hotel Winters was full, or, they require a twonight minimum on the weekends. She didn’t know about the new Fairfield Inn out by the freeway.

She planned on seeing our niece and her family in Davis, so staying in Davis was also convenient. Lois lives in Issaquah, outside of Seattle, so we only see her about once a year.

After catching up on her family, Gordon mentioned that he is thinking about retirement. I think Lois has adopted what has become common in young people, quiet quitting, where you just cut back on your workload until no one knows you quit, or, retired.

Gordon is one of those brother-in-laws you brag about. A successful Yale engineer who went on to medical school so he would know what kind of medical equipment to invent. He started several biotech companies and ended up working for Paul Allen’s research group in Washington. Did I mention that he con-

sults on the side? And, he is a nice guy who brings wine when he visits. I can’t see him retired.

When Lois and I went downtown to pick up our orders, I mentioned that most of the people were from out of town. Main Street was busy, but looking around, I didn’t see a familiar face. This is a good thing. Either we are attracting outof-town tourists, or our new neighbors are supporting our merchants. If people question the benefits of outdoor dining, just walk downtown on a Saturday night.

This weekend should be a test of whether we are back to normal after three years of COVID restrictions. I’m expecting a good turnout for Youth Day, especially for the Rotary Pancake (sausage) breakfast. Remember, it starts at 7 a.m. on Saturday.

John Pickerel told me that people need to be entertained for two hours for every hour of travel, so if someone is coming from Sacramento, they need more than just dinner or a glass of wine. I’ve noticed more people walking along the creek trail and more and more people are walking into the museum. I would hope that the increased numbers coming to Winters will keep our merchants in business and attract new ventures in our future For a good spring, all we need is for Highway 128 to reopen and we should be good to go. Enjoy the weather, and have a good week.

Volunteers clean up 353 lbs. of trash from Lakes Solano and Berryessa

Special to the Express

Lake Berryessa and Lake Solano were treated with love and care as volunteers worked to clean up trash and debris from the areas for World Environment Day Cleanup on Saturday.

Volunteers got up early and headed to one of the 12 sites across Solano County in honor of the 53rd Earth Day on Saturday, April 22. Sixty-six volunteers picked up a total of 353 pounds of trash from around Lake Berryessa and Lake Solano.

Event participants included individuals, families and local businesses who removed 5,486 pounds of garbage and 419 pounds of recyclables. This was a great effort towards improving local water quali-

ty and landscapes. Collectively, 21 miles of land in Solano County were cleaned up due to the hard work of community members.

One site turned up the gamut from old bike frames to toys to furniture to fast food refuse while nearly all sites included recyclable bottles and cans. At big fishing spots like Lake Solano, the most abundant items collected were discarded fishing lines.

Solano County agencies along with Solano Resource Conservation District coordinate three big clean-up events each year. Earth Day is the first, and it always seems to set the tone for the rest of 2023.

Community members who missed this opportunity can volunteer at the next big cleanup, in honor

Thompson honors Yolo County climate champion

of World Environment Day. This year, the event will take place on June 3 at Lake Solano. That event focuses on cleaning up Lake Berryessa’s shoreline and offers participants additional fun activities, making it especially family-friendly. Volunteers can plant grass plugs and forbs, make seed packets from a seed bar to take home and plant at home to attract pollinators to their gardens.

Deli sandwiches and cold drinks will be available to all registered volunteers, who will also receive a commemorative t-shirt. In addition, there will be guided kayak tours of Lake Solano and the opportunity to meet Bilgee the Bilge Pad, the protector of Lake Berryessa, who will encourage volunteers and pose for pictures.

The last annual cleanup is the worldwide Coastal Cleanup Day event. It’s scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23. To participate in or find out more about Solano County cleanup efforts, go to cleanupsolano. org, where you can find information, maps and registration forms.

For more information about the Earth Day Cleanup, World Environment Day or Coastal Cleanup Day, contact Marianne Butler at Solano Resource Conservation District at 707-678-1655 x 114 or marianne.butler@solanor cd.org.

McNaughton Media Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, announced Valeria Cantor Méndez as the 2023 Yolo County Climate Crisis Champion for California’s 4th District. Thompson’s Climate Crisis Champions demonstrate significant efforts to protect the environment in our community and combat the ongoing climate crisis, his office said in a news release. “They advocate for the urgent need for action on climate change and inspire others to get involved. Through their work, they are helping to build a more sustainable future for all.”

Cantor attends UC Davis, pursuing a major in community and regional development and a minor in environmental policy analysis and planning. Along with balancing her coursework, she serves as the campaign vice-chair for Students Enacting Environmental Defense. Valeria advocates for environmental justice to be an integral part of the education system at UC Davis.

Beyond the university level, Cantor is the hub co-coordinator for Sunrise Movement Davis, which is a youth empowerment movement with the goal of stopping climate change.

“The climate crisis impacts every generation, but none more so than our younger people,” Thompson said. “Valeria is an exemplary student leader who is taking charge of her

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future by advocating for policies and practices that secure a safe and healthy environment for generations to come. Valeria uses her personal experiences as a student along with her strong interest in environmental justice to raise awareness and generate enthusiasm for climate action among the university community in Davis. It’s because of people like Valeria that I am optimistic about our future, and I am proud to recognize her work on behalf of our community.”

Thompson represents California’s 4th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo Counties. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and co-chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.

Courtesy photo Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, honors Valeria Cantor Méndez as the 2023 Yolo County Climate Crisis Champion.

Courtesy photo

Sixty-six volunteers came out on Saturday to help clean up the areas around Lake Solano and Lake Berryessa.

East Nicolaus pitchers throw heat at Warriors

By Sydney Andrade Express staff writer

It was a tough week for the Winters High School varsity softball team as they went up against the highly competitive East Nicolaus High School team with two of the toughest pitchers in the league.

On Tuesday, April 17 the Warriors lost to East Nicolaus by a score of 17–0. Jayle Jimenez was the only Warrior to get a hit in during the game, going two for two at bat. The game ended in the fifth inning.

The Warriors faced East Nicolaus again on Thursday, April, 20, and lost by a score of 14–0. This time not even Jimenez made contact behind the plate, leaving the Warriors with no hits for the day.

Baseball drops two to East Nicolaus

By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer

The Winters High School varsity baseball club had a rough outing last week during an otherwise outstanding season so far, and it all started on Tuesday, April 18 in a road game against East Nicolaus High School.

Anthony Duran was on the bump for the Warriors and racked up six strikeouts for his team. Unfortunately, the Warriors’ bats never quite woke up as the squad was held to zero runs throughout the game and lost 5–0.

Winters squared up against East Nicolaus again on Friday, April 21.

The Warriors’ offense let itself be known this time around with two runs scored in the second and three in the third. With a five-run lead going into the fourth, it seemed like everything was working in the Warriors’ favor.

Unfortunately, baseball is a cruel game, with the momentum being able to switch as quickly as the swing of a bat. The Spartans proceeded to score eight runs in the top of an agonizing fourth inning

filled with errors. East Nicolaus followed that with an additional nine in the fifth inning.

With a 17–5 deficit going into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Warriors needed at least three runs to avoid the game end-

Track takes top spots

By Sydney Andrade

Express staff writer

On Wednesday, April, 19, the Winters High School track team competed in its first home meet of the season at Dr. Sellers Field.

Girls junior varsity

The girls junior varsity team had several athletes take the top three spots in multiple events. Winters athletes took first, second and third place in the 100-meter race. Jordan

Tucker placed first, Reece Barbosa placed second and Ava Muir Vickery placed third.

Tucker and Barbosa also placed first and second in the 200-meter event.

Barbosa also competed in the long jump for the Warriors and took first place in this event with a distance of 15 feet, 5 inches.

Muir Vickery and Ismene Taylor tied for third with a distance of 14 feet, 1.5 inches.

Evelyn Frazier tied for second place in the high jump with a height of 3 feet, 8 inches, while Stefany Hernandez placed third in the 800-meter with a time of 3:09.9. Hernandez also placed first in the 4x100-meter event with a time of 55.7.

Boys junior varsity

The boys junior varsity performed just as well. Jayden Clifford had a great day placing first in both the 110-meter hurdles and 4x400-meter race with a time of 4:42.1. Clifford also placed second in the 4x100m with a time of 49.2.

Gavin Pisani placed first in the 400-meter race with a time of 1:04.2 and Amir Jihad placed second in the 200m with a time of 24.9.

Ramon Lopez placed first in discus with a throw of 94 feet, 2.5 inches.

Varsity women

Following suit, the varsity women took multiple top spots across the board.

Viridiana Reyes took first place in the 100m race with a time of 12.8. Ava Skinner and Yarethzy Sanchez both placed in the 800m race. Skinner took first place with a time of 2:55.0 and Sanchez took second at 2:57.4.

Makena Driver had a great day and placed first in several events including the 100m hurdles with a time of 17.2, 4x100 with a time of 53.9, 4x400 relay with a time of 4:57.8 and the high jump with a height of 4 feet, 8 inches.

Madeline McMahon took second in the high jump with a reach of 4 feet, 4 inches.

Varsity men

For the varsity mens team, Christian Hernandez and Sanders Clark both placed in the 800m. Hernandez placed second with a time of 2:12.6 and Clark

placed third with a time of 2:13.2.

Clark also took first place in the 3200-meter race with an impressive time of 11:20.1.

Jesus Cruz had a great day, taking first place in the long jump with a personal record of 18 feet, 6 inches, second in the high jump with a height of 5 feet and tied with Alejandro Cruz for first place in the 110-meter hurdles.

Cruz also took first place in the 300m hurdles and Kenneth Matheson took third place in the high jump.

ing due to the mercy rule.

They managed to tack on two runs, but couldn’t get the third to keep the game alive and received a 17–7 loss on their record.

“Both games were pretty rough, but that’s baseball. All we can do now after

Continued from Page 1

‘screw it, I’m doing it.’ Then he decided to do it, too.”

This all took place in 2020 and Ney became part of the crash rescue team. Although happy to be working in the fire service in Redding, it wasn’t until he was helping out on a fire engine in the North Complex Fire that he crossed paths with a group of modern-day superheroes he’d eventually join the following year — the Hotshots.

Essentially, Hotshot firefighters are the ones who go in behind the lines when a wildfire erupts and duke it out with Mother Nature. They dig trenches, perform controlled burns, mitigate fire damage and are experts in all facets of wildland fire management.

“I was never a big nature guy, but just being out there and seeing what they showed us, we learned how technical wildland firefighting is. Your brain is exhausted from everything you have to remember and it’s very much life and death. It’s like, you need to stay 20 steps

those losses is try to learn from them,” said head coach Austin Calvert. “Although our boys didn’t get the results we wanted, we played the game the right way and carried ourselves with respect and pride.”

ahead and know what this fire is doing, or else you’re going to die. But it’s 110-percent a dream-cometrue situation. I never want to do anything else,” said Ney.

Ney’s advice to current Winters high school students about to take that next step toward their future is to push past those comfort zones.

“Winters being the small town that it is, you get really good at being around the same people. You develop a brotherhood and trust knowing

people have your back. So, I’d just say keep that but also, grow out of your small-town shell. Go out and push yourself as much as you can as far as you can because Winters will still be here with people who have your back,” Ney said. With wildfires becoming more prominent, Winters can be proud of not only its local fire department but in its 2010 WHS graduate Hotshot who brings the firefight to mother nature when she loses her temper.

Jayle Jimenez

Jayle Jimenez, a Winters High School sophomore, is Pisani’s Athlete of the Week. Jimenez is in her second year playing for the WHS varsity softball team and has excelled at both the catcher and first base positions. “Jayle had a stellar defensive and offensive output against the toptier competition last week,” said head coach Garrett Garcia. In the April 17 game against East Nicolaus,  Jimenez was the only Warrior to get a hit in during the game, going two for two at bat.

Derick Olson cheers on teammate AJ Pignataro as he crosses home plate against East Nicolaus at home. KS Winters Photography/ Courtesy photo

NEY

KS Winters Photography

Makena Driver placed first in the 100-meter hurdles.

Courtesy photo 2010 WHS graduate Dylan Ney suggests others push past their comfort zones, knowing that “Winters will still be here with people who have your back.”

Musicians take over Green River Brewing on Youth Day

Special to the Express

On Saturday, youth musicians with the School of Rock are taking over the stage at Green River Brewing and Taproom from 3 to 10 p.m.

In the past few years, Glass Cactus — the School of Rock house band — has made its presence known in Winters appearing in parades and performing at the annual Porchfest musical stroll. Youth from Winters, Dixon and other Yolo and Solano county towns will rock out during the Youth Day Main Parade and then will head down Putah Creek Road to the Green River stage to perform for attendees.

WTC selects “Tony and Tina’s Wedding” for spring dinner theatre production

Winters Theatre Company

Special to the Express Green River Brewing and Taproom is the host of the highly anticipated production of Tony and Tina's Wedding on May 5, 6 and 7.

This interactive theatrical event has been entertaining audiences around the world since its debut in New York City in 1988. The show features a humorous and engaging storyline that revolves around the chaotic and dysfunctional nuptials of Tony and Tina.

The play is unique in that it invites the audience to participate in the wedding celebration as if they were actual guests of the event.

This immersive experience has proven to be a hit with audiences who enjoy the opportunity to become part of the action and interact with the characters.

Green River is the perfect venue for this production, as it provides a lively outdoor setting for the audience to feel fully immersed in the wedding festivities. Under its tent, the brewery will be transformed into

a wedding reception hall, complete with decorations, music and a full bar.

The cast of Tony and Tina's Wedding is made up of talented actors who bring the characters to life with their authentic performances. The audience will have the opportunity to witness the drama unfold as the wedding party navigates through their various relationships and conflicts. The show promises to be a fun and entertaining evening for all who attend. The production is direct-

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the Parade Chairman — advised. “You can do the queen wave where your hand goes back and forth. You can get a little metronome and put a hand on it and have it wave back and forth for you, or you can switch hands. But you must wave to all your subjects on the parade route.”

This year, Sebastian, himself, will announce who the Grand Marshal is along with a little biography as

ed by seasoned theater director, Linda Glick — who has worked on several successful Winters Theatre Company productions in the past. She is confident that the audience will enjoy the show and encourages everyone to come out and be part of the fun.

Tickets for Tony and Tina's Wedding at Green River Brewing and Taproom are available now and are expected to sell out quickly. Don't miss your chance to be part of this unforgettable theatrical experience. Grab

they pass by the main stage on the parade route. Meanwhile, Richard Kleeberg will be singing the same praises on the stage near City Hall.

“It’s a huge deal to be named the Youth Day Grand Marshal. There are people who do a lot in the community involving the youth. Whether it’s schools, or Little League, or anything like that, they don’t get that honor of Citizen of the Year or recognition. This is just another way to recognize and honor their effort,” said

“She’s Mine! You can’t have her!” Tina (Heidi Starrelle) and Tony (Manny Lanzaro) are in love, and Michael (Robert Payawal), Tina’s old flame, looks on in pain. Available Light Photography/ Courtesy photo

your tickets today and get ready for a night of laughter, drama, and interactive fun. There will be three performances, on May 5 and 6 when doors open at 6:15 p.m., with the show beginning at 7 p.m., and on Sunday, May 7 when the doors will open at 5:15 p.m. and the show will begin at 6 p.m. All friends and family are all cordially invited to attend.

For ticket information, visit www.winterstheatre. org or call 530-795-4014 for more information.

Sebastian. “There’s just a lot of people in the background who don’t get the accolades that they should. So, this year we hope to give somebody who’s done well for the community and youth this honor. And it’s going to be a tough decision! We’ve got three or four I already see that will be an interesting choice. In the past, if we couldn’t decide on one, we’ll do honorary Grand Marshals as well.”

Youth Day itself will take place — as it traditionally has — on the last Saturday of April.

Courtesy photos Mae Martin, who witnessed the 1st Youth Day, was Honorary Grand Marshal in 2007.

Courtesy photo

2003 Honorary Grand Marshals Kay and Al Graf.