$1
including tax
Salmon in Putah Creek is big discussion News, Page 2
Meet the 2022 Homecoming Royal Court Features, Page 1
Volume 139, Number 39 — Locally-owned since 1884
The hometown paper of Woody Fridae
Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, September 28, 2022
$180K emergency response grant funding needs to be allocated By Angela Underwood Express staff writer The deadline to spend nearly $200,000 in emergency services grant funding is almost up. Winters City Council members discussed two grants totaling $180,000 that must be used by the end of October and December. City Manager Kathleen Salguero Trepa explained to Mayor Wade Cowan and the council that her staff submitted two applications for the California Office of Emergency Services
in 2020 to fund an emergency generator at the new senior center. “One grant was $80,000, and the other was $100,000, the logic being if both were approved, one grant could be transferred to the community center,” Trepa said. The good news is Winters got both grants, but the bad news was that the construction of the senior center conflicted with the grant timeline requirements. So the council authorized a grant transfer to fund a community center
emergency generator. In a large-scale emergency, the community center is an identified shelter location, according to Trepa, noting it has also served as a cooling center during extreme heat. “Staff had already determined that the cost of installing a generator at this location would be approximately $145,000 because the electrical panel would need to be upgraded, so both grants totaling $180,000 would be
See FUNDS, Page 5
Haunted Forest creeps into Winters By Aaron Geerts Express staff writer
EXPRESS
Winters beware, the Haunted Forest has sprouted at Green River Brewing & Taproom. Along with it comes an experience as frightening as it is unique for those seeking a serious case of the spookies. The Haunted Forest, however, was just a seedling of an idea by the Maynard family that sprouted in 2011. Over the years, it’s grown into a frighteningly fun experience that reflects the family’s love for the scares, pranks and lore of the Halloween season. “We’ve always, always loved that stuff, and as we began sharing more and more of that passion we realized people really like this too. Not only is it something people like to give, but like to receive that adrenaline rush and excitement,” explained Elden Maynard, one of the family co-owners. “We’ve also never gravitated towards the gory, bloody,
Aaron Geerts/Winters Express
This year’s Haunted Forest is being hosted along Putah Creek out behind Green River Brewing & Taproom. Hollywood-theatrics enough to know.” A far cry from some you’d typically get at a haunted house. half-hearted hauntWe’re all about the ed house filled with primal, instinctu- cheap plastic monal and natural fears sters covered in fake that completely over- blood, the Haunted whelm your nervous Forest is an outdoor system and take you immersion into a difto a whole different ferent reality. Using place. It’s not about their collective backwalking into a room ground in theater, the and seeing some ro- Maynards interact, joke with and horrify bot getting its head visitors as different chopped off, it’s about characters throughbeing in the dark, in out the Haunted Forthe woods and truly est. This improvisanot knowing what is tion not only helps hunting you. Hear- one suspend their ing it, feeling it but never quite seeing it See SCARE, Page 6
Index Features ........................ B-1
We at he r Date
Rain
Low
.09”
76˚
60˚
Sept. 22
TRACE
78˚
55˚
Sept. 23
.00
82˚
57˚
Sept. 24
.00
88˚
55˚
Eventos hispanos ....... A-6
Sept. 25
.00
94˚
56˚
Sept. 26
.00
96˚
58˚
Opinion ......................... B-3
Sept. 27
.00
95˚
51˚
Community .................. A-3
Real Estate ................... B-2 Sports ........................... B-7
Koyasan Spirit of Children Taiko from Sacramento performed at the Sept. 24 event.
Thousands attend the return of the Festival de la Comunidad event By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief The smell of carnitas meat cooking wafted through downtown Winters on Saturday morning as teams worked to prepare their carnitas cook-off entry. Meanwhile, Winters Community Corazón (WCC) members worked to bring the Festival de la Comunidad “Carnitas Festival” back to Winters on Saturday, Sept. 24. A variety of musical and dancing groups entertained attendees. This year’s festival entertainment included Bonanza King, Koyasan Spirit of Children Taiko, Mariachi Puente, Folklorico Jóvenes Unidos, singer Jimena Izquierdo, Mariachi Del Valle, and dance music from Baile con Batos de Arranque. Winters Police Chief John P. Miller said about 3,000 people were in attendance throughout the event which ran from 4:30– 10:30 p.m. According to Miller, the peak size of attendees was 1,000 people congregating between the different areas of the event space. “We had no issues and event was, as always, very family-friendly and enjoyable,” Miller said. In addition to eats and entertainment, an area of Rotary Park
Courtesy photo
Jimena Izquirda, of Woodland, sings to the community at the 2022 Festival de la Comunidad on Sept. 24. hosted a children’s area featured free activities for youth. A large selection of booths was available for the community to peruse and to learn about local nonprofits.
Carnitas cook-off winners Internationally known chef Georgeanne Brennan lead the team of Carnitas Cook-off judges. Mayor Wade Cowan, County Supervisor Don Saylor, City Manager Kathleen Salguero Trepa and the county’s Chief Administrative Officer Gerardo Pinedo all served as judges. “All judges were instructed to eat plenty
Rain for week: 0.09 in. Season’s total: 0.99 in. Last sn. to date: 0.05 in. Winters rainfall season began 7/1/22. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m.
Courtesy photo
Joe and Doneice Trotter of Winters announce the birth of their daughter, Rubee Jacquelynn Trotter. Rubee arrived at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 29, 2022 in Sacramento. She weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce and measured 20.5 inches at birth. Rubee is welcomed by big brother Ransom Trotter, maternal grandparents Henry and Robin Harlan of Winters, paternal grandparents Lee Trotter and Wanda Foster, paternal great-grandma Jacquelyn Trotter of Illinois and maternal great-grandma Sandy Harlan of Woodland.
WINTERS AGGREGATE
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of carnitas from a variety of vendors for a month ahead of time to educate their palate,” said Jesse Loren, Councilmember and WCC board chair. “Next year, we would like to bring back the “People’s Choice Awards” and plate the different cooks’ carnitas together for comparison.” The judges unanimously voted to bestow the first place honors to Jesus and Chuy Quirarte. Loren said the second and third place teams were only separated by 0.5 of a point. The El Cirancito team claimed second place, and the Carnitas Mi Chano team placed third.
Future subscriber: Rubee Jacquelynn Trotter*
High
Sept. 21
Classifieds ................... B-4
Courtesy photo
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