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City July 3 firework show parking map News, Page 8
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Volume 140, Number 22 — Locally-owned since 1884
The hometown paper of Bob Schultz
Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Trustees approve new high school principal By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief
Courtesy graphic
A concept drawing of Rotary Park where the Japanease community monument is proposed to be placed.
Council approves monument to honor lost Japanese community, Japantown By Crystal Apilado and Jacob Hoffman Express staff
EXPRESS
On June 20, Woody Fridae and Floyd Shimomura presented to the Winters City Council and asked for permission to install a monument commemorating the city’s Japanese community that existed before World War II. Fridae, on behalf of the Historical Society of Winters, presented council members with information about the proposed monument that would be placed in Rotary Park to recognize the Japantown that once existed at that location. The proposed monument would have a black granite base, with a black marble, ceramic tile top showing a 1930 Japantown photograph of the community gathered for a funeral. The monument would face the Winters Community Center — the same perspective as the 1930 photograph — with the trestle bridge visible in the background on the right side. On this base, the
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proposed text would recognize the Japanese community with the following inscription, “Japanese immigrants first came to Winters in 1888 to provide a better life for their families. This first generation, the Issei, came as farmers, laborers, and horticulturists. A few homes remain on Elliot Street and at the dead end of the street, the cottages that face the Nature Park trail. These are all that remain following the fire on V-J Day which burned most of the Japantown area down. The historical society raised sufficient funds to manufacture and install the monument, as well as to clean up the proposed site (where a hazardous tree was cut down), including new landscaping in the proposed location. Resident Kate Laddish spoke on how the monument will help the community to address the tragic events that attempted to erase the Japanese community from the city’s historical timeline. Laddish noted “this is people coming together and documenting a community that was here” and that it will bring the current community together.
By Crystal Apilado Courtesy photo
Floyd Shimomura shares about his family’s experience living in the Winters’ Japanese community. “I think that it’s fantastic to have a picture Because when it’s a picture of a lot of people it makes it clear that....we’re all people. And these are people who lived here and that their real roots here and I think it brings even more than if it were words,” Laddish said. Council members all showed full support of the project, as well as support of how it will help to build community. Councilwoman Jesse Loren spoke on how all levels of government “can do a lot of harm to communities” by making decisions that divide and
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Rain for week: 0.00 in. Season’s total: 37.64 in. Last sn. to date: 18.51 in.
The Winters City Council reluctantly voted to disband the Winters Senior Commission on Aging due to the imminent vacancy among its commissioners that would leave it without enough members to hold a quorum. However, the council also directed city staff to
Winters rainfall season began 7/1/22. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m. daily by local weatherman Joe Bristow.
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Editor-in-Chief The city of Winters will host its annual fireworks show on Monday, July 3 at Dr. Sellers Football Field. Gates open to the public beginning at 5 p.m. Three entrance gates are available to the public. Gate One is on Grant Avenue. Gate Two (near the stadium bleachers) and Gate Three (closer to the baseball field) are along Hemenway Street. Gate Two is the designated ADA drop-off location. Access to the field is not available through the Winters High School campus. Music, food trucks and vendor tents will be available to the community at the
begin the creation of a new parks and recreation type commission whose central — and broader focus — will include senior issues. Established on April 19, 2019, City Manager Kathleen Salguero Trepa said the City Council approved the Senior Commission on Aging with the mission “to help advocate for the needs of the seniors in Winters, to be a bridge from City
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2017–2019. He has six years of administrative experience — including his time at WHS — as well as experience as an instructional coach and a teacher. “Mr. Young leads through a lens of equity, is passionate about student success, and is dedicated to building relationships with students, staff and the Winters community,” Dennis said. “Winters High School staff
See YOUNG, Page 5
event. Food trucks will be located on Hemenway Street. Vendor booths will be set up behind the stadium bleachers. The fireworks show is anticipated to begin at 9:15 p.m. and can be viewed from multiple points across the city. The public may also set up and picnic on the football field. Guests will not be permitted to sit on the track or in the “Safe Zone” which is designated on the baseball field. The WHS varsity baseball field will be closed to the public during the event.
Parking
Attendees will not be able to park along either side of Hemenway Street from
See SHOW, Page 8
Council disbands Senior Commission
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See MONUMENT, Page 5
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exclude people. “Government is just made of people and people could make mistakes. I see it as a beautiful thing that we can have a monument that actually shows the vast, beautiful Japantown that was here and that maybe we can recommit to community and to accepting one another,” Loren said. Loren also said that she would like to see the city work with the historical society to discover and officially acknowledge findings of the past or present in the city’s Affirmation
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Express file photo
Justin Young is the new high school principal.
City announces July 3 fireworks show details
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Winters Joint Unified School District filled the final piece of the administrative leadership puzzle for the upcoming school year when the Board of Trustees approved a new principal for Winters High School at its June 22 meeting. Lisa Dennis, human resources director, presented the details of the search at the Winters Joint Unified School Board meeting, noting that of the 23 applications received, three candidates were selected to interview in front of a panel of WHS teachers, parents, and Winters JUSD classified staff and leadership as well as with the Winters JUSD Cabinet Team. Of the finalists, Justin Young was selected. Young is not a stranger at WHS as he previously served as the assistant principal for two years from
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Hall to the community, and to work on various projects to move forward activities and programs to advance the quality of life for seniors within the city of Winters.” The commission was created with seven commissioner seats, which meant that at least four were needed to have a majority, or “quorum,” which
See SENIOR, Page 5
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