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Learn the basics of prescribed fire News, Page 2
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Volume 143, Number 27 — Locally-owned since 1884
The hometown paper of Erin Reynoso
Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Winters faces multimillion-dollar Lopez Diesel launches backpack chromium treatment project drive for local students racing to meet,” Craig lion to $35 million in City outlines said, adding that wa- the future. engineers are “Currently, only compliance plan ter phasing the plan. Phase I is required The city’s Hexava- to meet our present as 2027 deadline lent Chromium Com- water needs,” Craig pliance Plan has four said. “We do not yet approaches steps. have funding for
By Angela Underwood Express correspondent
Editor’s note: The Winters Express is presenting this coverage in two parts to help readers better understand both the immediate water analysis notification process and the city’s long-term response. Part one explains why residents received the recent notice regarding hexavalent chromium levels. Part two details the city’s compliance plan, projected costs and funding options.
Winters City Manager Jeremy Craig said timing is critical as the city works to meet a new state standard for hexavalent chromium in its drinking water. New water treatment infrastructure can take years to move from design to construction, leaving the city with a fixed deadline of October 2027. “That date is what makes this urgent: the city doesn’t have years of slack; it has a fixed deadline it is
The first is installing wellhead treatment at the under-construction Well No. 8 to remove hexavalent chromium at the source. The second is relying on the city’s currently compliant wells to meet day-today demand while that treatment is designed and constructed. The third is pursuing a Water and Sewer Rate Study, including the required Proposition 218 public notice and protest-hearing process, to determine how the project will be financed. The fourth is evaluating bond financing and other funding mechanisms so the burden does not fall entirely on ratepayers. The initial treatment project, or Phase I, is estimated to cost between $15 million and $20 million, Craig said. A potential Phase II project could cost an additional $20 mil-
Local News Briefs Express staff
Council takes August recess
EXPRESS
The Winters City Council will not meet on the third Tuesday of August as the council observes its summer recess. The next regular council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 6:30 p.m. For information on upcoming
city meetings, visit the city’s calendar at www.cityofwinters. org.
Utility billing system update Residents will notice a new QR code on their next city utility bill as the city prepares to launch a new online billing system. City Manager Jeremy Craig said the new system is not yet available for the current billing cycle but is expected to roll out soon.
Three Oaks irrigation system under repair
Phase I, but we are working with the state water board to request financial assistance, either through a grant or a loan, to fund the treatment.” Craig said if the project is financed through a loan, the entire cost would need to be funded through water rates. Phase II would be tied to future growth rather than the city’s current compliance needs. “Phase II would only be needed if the City added housing to the point that the current wells could no longer provide adequate water flow,” Craig said. “In that scenario, the cost of Phase II would most likely be borne by the housing developer installing the additional houses.” Craig said the multi-year capital project is not a quick fix, and the city is
The city’s irrigation system at Three Oaks Park has malfunctioned during the hottest days of the year, affecting nearly all of the park’s sprinkler heads. The Public Works Department is working with the manufacturer to diagnose and address the problem. Residents may see crews using hand watering and manually operating sprinkler valves to help protect the park’s grass and trees. The Winters Fire Department also assisted this week by bringing equipment to water the turf and help protect it from the heat.
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Eventos hispanos ....... A-5
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Opinion ......................... B-1
Aug. 11
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Rain for week: 0.00 in. Season’s total: TRACE Last sn. to date: 0.00 in.
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business. Community members who donate a backpack will also have a chance to win a $200 gift card to Lopez Diesel Performance & Repair, a free T-shirt and stickers. One winner will be drawn after the Sept. 1 donation deadline. Backpacks can be dropped off at Lopez Diesel Performance & Repair, 2 Russell St. For questions about the drive, contact Darian Lopez at 530-304-4844 or Yvonne Lopez at 530-908-9696. “Together, we can make a real difference — one backpack at a time,” Lopez said.
Courtesy photo
From eager recruit to mentor, Botello named Firefighter of the Year again Editor-in-Chief
Aug. 05
Community .................. A-2
Courtesy photo
Lopez Diesel Performance & Repair is collecting new backpacks for local middle and high school students through Sept. 1.
Four years after first being named Firefighter of the Year, Mario Botello has grown from an eager recruit into a mentor and emerging leader with the Winters Fire Department. His peers named him Firefighter of the Year again for 2025.
By Crystal Apilado
We at he r Date
Classifieds ................... B-4
For Darian Lopez, giving back to Winters is personal. The 2023 Winters High School graduate and lifelong Winters resident recently opened Lopez Diesel Performance & Repair, and now he is using his new business to support local students through a backpack drive for middle and high school students. Lopez is accepting donations of new backpacks through Sept. 1 at his shop, located at 2 Russell St. in Winters. The drive is intended to help local students begin the school year with quality supplies and the confidence that comes from being prepared. “I’m hosting this because every student deserves to start the school year with confidence,” Lopez said. “As a local business, we’re committed to giving back to the community that supports us.” For Lopez, that commitment to the community is rooted in his own experience growing up in Winters. When he opened Lopez Diesel Performance & Repair earlier this year, he said he was excited to build a business in the community where he was raised and provide a service he saw as needed locally. The backpack drive is another way for Lopez to invest in the community that helped shape him. “As someone who grew up in Winters, it’s exciting to be able to build a business here and provide a service that our community needs,” Lopez said when he opened the
See WATER, Page 5
Index Features ........................ B-1
Express staff
Winters rainfall season began 7/1/26. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m. daily by local weatherman Joe Bristow.
Four years ago, Mario Botello was a new volunteer firefighter who was excited simply to put on the uniform and gain some experience. Today, he is a seasoned reserve firefighter, mentor, emerging leader and two-time Winters Firefighter of the Year — and he says he can’t imagine doing anything else. Botello was selected by his peers as
the 2025 Winters Fire Department Firefighter of the Year, earning the honor for the second time after first receiving it in 2022. Fire Chief Jack S. Snyder III presented the award at a Winters City Council meeting in February, citing Botello’s reliability in filling shifts, willingness to deploy on strike teams, continued pursuit of training and certifications, and commitment to mentoring fellow firefighters.
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For Botello, recognition from his peers carries particular weight. He sat down with the Winters Express to share more about his journey since first joining Winters Fire. “It always feels good to be nominated by your peers,” he said. “I’ve never really focused on that personally. It means a lot to me because the votes are personal, and it’s coming from them,
See BOTELLO, Page 6
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