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Winters schools share site focus plan updates News, Page 2
Meet Winters’ new librarian Features, Page 1
Volume 138, Number 49 — Locally owned since 1884
The hometown paper of Tom & Justine Pearse
Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, January 5, 2022
Rick von Geldern/Winters Express
Top Winters headlines in 2021 By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief In 2021, Winters community and its businesses continued to adjust and pivot as changes in COVID related guidelines continuously came down the pipeline. Yet, life continued on and residents took action to maneuver around curveballs and celebrated the wins.
New paths, official status The Winters Hispanic Advisory Committee had big wins in 2021. In February, key members of the Winters HAC worked to create the
Winters Community Corazón Foundation, a nonprofit organization tasked to handle the Winters HAC’s charitable work and to facilitate tax-free donations. In December, the Winters City Council officially authorized the Winters HAC a City standing committee. The Winters HAC has served the community since 2005 and has presented various events and workshops including the Festival de la Comunidad (Carnitas Festival) and Citizenship workshops. The initial inspiration for the Winters HAC came as a call
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EXPRESS
With an Omicron surge underway and children returning to the classroom next week, vaccinations among children in Yolo County are behind expectations of officials. Fewer than one in four Yolo County children (23.7 percent) ages 5 to 11 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and just 31.5 percent have received at least one
dose, according to the California Department of Public Health. That age group has been eligible for the pediatric Pfizer vaccine since early November. As with the adult dose, shots are given three weeks apart. Yolo County Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson will be sending out a letter to students and their families addressing the importance of vaccination, as well as the need to wear well-fitting, high-quality masks indoors, to get tested and to stay home when sick. She noted that New York City is seeing an increase
ABOVE: Chaplain Robert Duvall and K-9 Kepi retired in May. LEFT: The A Wing of the old Winters High School building was demolished to make way for a new 12-classroom building and administrative office.
to bridge more services and opportunities within the local Spanish speaking community.
Kepi & Duvall retire Chaplain Robert Duvall and K-9 Kepi officially retired from the Winters Public Safety Crisis Intervention Team on May 31. Duvall became the police and fire chaplain for the City of Winters. In 2015, he was given Kepi the service dog from Canine Companions for Independence and the duo made their way serving
See NEWS, Page 7
Many Yolo families choosing not to vaccinate children By Anne Ternus-Ballemy
Courtesy photo
in pediatric hospitalizations as part of their Omicron wave, especially among unvaccinated children, illustrating the importance of getting children vaccinated. And while the vaccination rate for 5- to 11-year-olds in Yolo County is less than 25 percent, it does exceed the statewide rate of 15.1 percent fully vaccinated. However, Yolo County is lagging the state in the 12 to 17 age group, with 55.6 percent fully vaccinated (still defined as having received two shots) and 60.8 percent having received
See YOUTH, Page 2
Crystal Apilado/Winters Express
On Oct. 21, a group of community members stood outside the Winters school district office protesting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s COVID vaccine announcement for children ages five and older.
California enacts new laws for 2022 By Rick von Geldern Express staff writer Each year the legislature works to move bills to the governor’s desk for his consideration and signing. Although many bills never reach the governor’s desk, 836 did before the Oct. 10, 2021 deadline. Of those bills, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 770 into law ranging from raising of the minimum wage to requiring ethnic studies as a high school graduation requirement. Here is a sampling
Features ........................ B-1
We at he r Date Rain High Low Dec. 29
.65”
46˚ 38˚
Dec. 30
.04”
45˚ 38˚
Dec. 31
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54˚ 33˚
Jan. 01
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55˚ 34˚
Eventos hispanos ....... A-5
Jan. 02
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53˚ 28˚
Jan. 03
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Opinion ......................... B-5
Jan. 04
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52˚ 44˚
Classifieds ................... B-4 Community .................. A-2
Real Estate ................... B-2 Athlete of the Week...... A-7
Rain for week: 1.15 in. Season’s total: 17.05 in. Last sn. to date: 2.04 in. Winters rainfall season began 7/1/21. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m.
Education AB 101: High school graduation requirements: ethnic studies – Commencing with the graduating class of 2029-30, high school students will have to have taken a one semester course in ethnic studies to receive a diploma.
Employment SB 3: Starting Jan. 1, California’s minimum wage increases to $15 an hour for employers with 26 or more
By Todd R. Hansen One confirmed E. coli case in California is among the 13 cases for which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert last Thursday. The products identified by the CDC are Simple Truth Organic Power Greens and Nature’s Basket Organic Power Greens with “best if used by” dates through Dec. 20. “Although these salads are expired, CDC is concerned they may still be in people’s homes,” the statement
said. “Investigators are working to determine if additional products may be contaminated.” There are up to 13 E. coli cases identified in six states, with three to seven of those in Washington; two in Alaska; and one each in California, Oregon, Ohio and Mississippi, the CDC reported. “Four people have been hospitalized, including one with a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome. No deaths have been reported,” the CDC said
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employees making California’s minimum wage the highest in the country. On Jan. 1, 2023, employers with fewer than 26 employees will also see a rise from the current minimum wage of $14 an hour to $15. The current federal minimum hourly wage is $7.25. AB 701: Warehouse distribution centers — Provides that an employee shall not be required to meet a quota that prevents compliance with meal or rest periods, use of
See LAWS, Page 3
CDC issues E. coli alert in California, five other states McNaughton Media
Index
of new laws in effect as of Jan. 1.
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in its statement. “The true number of sick people in an outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli,” the CDC said. Despite the possible public concern of an outbreak in the region, Richard Owens, a spokesman for the state Public Health Department, cited
See ALERT, Page 3
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