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Latest on Esparto fireworks facility explosion News, Page 2
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Newest history mural completed Features, Page 1
Volume 142, Number 30 — Locally-owned since 1884
The hometown paper of Carla Wroten
Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, August 27, 2025
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Welcome to
Winters
This year’s Welcome to Winters magazine is on its way! The 2025 edition highlights how rural life connects generations and fosters community strength. From festivals and murals to local business and civic engagement.
It’s all inside!
Superintendent proposes new approach to measuring student success By Logan Chrisp Express staff writer Winters Superintendent Rody Boonchouy took the floor at the Thursday, Aug. 21, Board of Trustees meeting, announcing that staff, trustees and teachers will be re-examining how student success will be measured in Winters Joint Unified School District. The presentation is a truncated version of what trustees and staff had discussed at a retreat earlier this summer in July. Staff examined any and all data they currently have access to in order to gain perspective on where the district is now and what the trajectory of Winters JUSD is going to be. “Over the past several decades, standardized test scores have looked pretty much the same — whether you look na-
tionally, across California, or right here in Winters,” Boonchouy said. “Despite the dedication and talent of our educators, overall results in our district have stayed fairly flat, with predictable gaps tied to factors like income, race, language, and other demographics.” Winters JUSD students have followed national trends over the last decade. Nationally, only 34 percent of students scored at the highest two levels on the math portion of the California State Test (CST) in 2024, a 2 percent improvement since 2013. Winters JUSD students, meanwhile, improved their 22 percent math CST score to 23 percent in the same span of time. “This is a reflection of the system that we work with,”
See MEASURE, Page 6
Commission approves revised Farmstead Development plan By Sonora Slater Express staff writer
EXPRESS
Commissioners approved a revised plan for the Farmstead Development at the Aug. 12 Winters Planning Commission meeting, incorpo-
rated changes suggested at an earlier public hearing, and approved advancing it to the city council. Vice chair Judith Arce, chair Lisa Baker and commissioners Ramon Altamirano and Gregory Contreras were present at the meeting, with the other three commissioners unable to attend for various reasons. The staff report included a list of all the changes made
Features ........................ B-1
See PLAN, Page 6
We at he r Date
Rain
Aug. 20
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Aug. 21
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Aug. 22
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Aug. 23
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Eventos hispanos ....... A-3
Aug. 24
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Aug. 25
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Opinion ......................... B-3
Aug. 26
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Real Estate ................... B-2
Rain for week: 0.00 in. Season’s total: 0.00 in. Last sn. to date: 0.00 in.
Classifieds ................... B-4 Community .................. A-2
Sports ........................... B-5
High
The annual Festival de la Comunidad in Winters has been postponed. Organizers from Winters Community Corazón and the Winters Hispanic Advisory Committee cited community safety concerns but emphasized their ongoing commitment to supporting local programs and celebrating the city’s cultural diversity.
Festival de la Comunidad event postponed amid safety concerns Express staff
to the proposal based on feedback from both commissioners and members of the public at the July 22 meeting, as well as including information on non-action items that were nevertheless topics of concern. On the side of new conditions of approval, an added policy of matching like-tolike home height in
Index
Rosemary Hemenway/Winters Express
Low
Winters rainfall season began 7/1/25. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m. daily by local weatherman Joe Bristow.
Winters Community Corazón and the Winters Hispanic Advisory Committee announced that the annual Festival de la Comunidad (Carnitas Festival), originally scheduled for Sept. 27, will be postponed. The decision comes in light of the current political climate and its impact on members of the community. Jesse Loren, chair of Winters Community Corazón, said in a statement sent to the Express, “If members of our community
feel unsafe gathering, then we cannot call the event safe for anyone. We look forward to holding the festival again when all can participate freely and joyfully.” Festival organizers said the decision was made with “heavy hearts and deep respect” for the community. For many years, Festival de la Comunidad has highlighted Winters’ cultural diversity, traditions, and volunteer spirit while serving as an important fundraiser to support local programs and services.
Although the festival is on pause, organizers said that their mission continues. They encouraged community members to support Winters Community Corazón through donations, which can be made at www.winterscorazon. org “Together, we will continue building a Winters that is safe, vibrant, and welcoming for all,” the statement said. For more information, contact Jesse Loren, WCC chair, at Jesse@ winterscorazon.org.
Yolo Supervisors adopt 45-day ag water well permit moratorium By Rebecca Wasik McNaughton Media On Tuesday, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a temporary 45-day moratorium on the approval of new agricultural water well permits in the Yolo Subbasin Groundwater Agency’s focus areas.
District 4 Supervisor Sheila Allen attended the meeting via video conference. On Oct. 7, a public hearing will be held by the board to consider whether to extend the 45-day moratorium. According to county counsel Phil Pogledich, the next extension could be for 10 months and 15 days.
From March 28, 2022, to Sept. 5, 2024, Executive Orders N-7-22 and EO N-3-23 were in effect, which required YSGA to review new well applications for consistency with the Groundwater Sustainability Plan. Since Oct. 22, 2024, under Urgency
See YOLO, Page 6
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