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Volume 142, Number 08 — Locally-owned since 1884
The hometown paper of Kathleen Gallo
Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Council authorizes three full-time firefighters jobs By Sonora Slater Express staff writer The Winters City Council unanimously passed a resolution authorizing the addition of two fire engineers and one firefighter as full-time employee positions and amending the 2024-25 budget to match the change at the March 18 city council meeting. Fire Chief Jack S. Snyder III said he believes they will have a lot of strong internal candidates, which should make the transition easy and quick — possibly as soon as early May. He said that he’s excited about reducing the need for overtime from the rest of his staff, and similarly reducing the burnout that the staff is currently feeling. “As we all know, this has been a long time coming — even well before my time — staffing has always been a crisis issue for us to maintain our current status but also to be resilient against the future that holds before us.” Snyder explained that a fire engineer is an expert on the fire engine, driving it, pumping water, and so on, while a fire captain
manages the crew. Some of his fire captains have had to take on both roles simultaneously, which decreases their effectiveness and capacity for response. With this change, they will be able to have one fire captain and one fire engineer on shift at all times while allowing those not scheduled to recharge. The proposal was two parts and would approve the creation of three new full-time positions in the fire department (two fire engineers and one firefighter) and would authorize a budget amendment of FY 2024-25 to account for the cost of the additional staffing utilizing the tax assessment funds under Proposition 218. The new Fire Department positions will result in the use of $446,148 in assessment revenues to fund the salaries and benefits of the three positions for a full 12 months. The breakdown of the budget augmentation is detailed in the staff report provided for Discussion Item B: Resolution No. 2025-09 in the meeting packet that
Winters Robotics Team 39599C members Josie Lundy, Madeline Archibeque and Holly Selleck earned an invitation to compete at the VEX Worlds championship in Texas this May. Courtesy photo
All-girl Winters Robotics team invited to Worlds tournament By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief Winters Robotics’ all-girl crew of Team 39599C earned a prestigious invitation to the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas, which is taking place from May 8 to May 11. The team members Madeline Archibeque, Josie Lundy and Holly Selleck secured their spot among the top 1 percent of teams worldwide, showcasing their exceptional skills in engineering and programming. To support their journey and the Winters Middle School team, as reported last week, Winters Robotics Inc., a nonprofit booster club, will participate in the Big Day of Giving on May 1. More information will be
See JOBS, Page 5
Trustees hear information on community schools grant By Logan Chrisp Express staff writer
EXPRESS
Staff presented information on how the $1.18 million California Community Schools Partnership Program Grant will be used at the Winters Middle School at the Winters Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, March 20. While the school district applied all school sites, the grant was only issued to the WMS and will provide annual fund-
ing of $237,400. The funds are allocated to a Community School Coordinator, a dedicated RISE Clinician, a Bilingual Community Liaison, peer tutoring and community partnerships. “Winters Middle School was the only site approved due to its higher and duplicated people count. So this means that while we are beginning implementation at WMS, our goal is to use this as a model for expanding our community schools work across the district in the future,” said Jenny Pinedo, director of special education and student services. The allowable uses for the grant are: Student supports
(mental health, social services), expanded learning (after-school, summer programs), family engagement (parent workshops, partnerships), and leadership and staff training. The one restriction on the grant given is that it cannot fund general district expenses or replace existing funding. “These funds will provide sustained support through the 2829 school year with a focus on key areas that directly impact students and families,” Pinedo said. WMS Assistant Principal Oscar Garcia, who gave the presentation,
See GRANT, Page 5
Index Features ........................ B-1 Classifieds ................... B-4 Community .................. A-2 Eventos hispanos ....... A-2
We at he r Date
Rain
High
Low
Mar. 19
.00
64˚
36˚
Mar. 20
.00
63˚
38˚
Mar. 21
.00
69˚
42˚
Mar. 22
.00
67˚
45˚
Mar. 23 TRACE
67˚
45˚
Mar. 24
.00
79˚
48˚
Opinion ......................... B-3
Mar. 25
.00
81˚
50˚
Real Estate ................... B-2
Rain for week: TRACE Season’s total: 18.64 in. Last sn. to date: 21.33 in.
Sports ........................... B-6
Winters rainfall season began 7/1/24. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m. daily by local weatherman Joe Bristow.
released. For updates, follow @wintersrobotics on Instagram and Facebook.
Get involved The Winters Robotics Club brings together students from both WHS and WMS, fostering collaboration and mentorship. High school students play an integral role in guiding their younger teammates throughout the season. Winters Robotics Inc. provides essential support to the teams, including funding for tournament registration, supplies, and more. Community members interested in volunteering or donating can visit www. wintersrobotics.org.
SACOG awards $369K grant for I-505 overcrossing improvement project By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief The Sacramento Area Council of Governments Board of Directors voted unanimously on March 20 to approve $4,721,000 in funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects across its six-county Regional Active Transportation Program. Among the approved projects is a $369,000 award to Yolo County to finalize the design phase of the Interstate 505 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing project. Winters and Yolo County officials have continued efforts to ensure safe and equitable access for all residents and this remains a top priority. The SACOG funding represents a crucial step forward in addressing long-standing transportation challenges and fostering a more connected community. For residents of the El Rio Villas affordable housing community, traveling across I-505 into the Winters city limits poses a significant challenge due to the absence of sidewalks and bike lanes. The elderly and people with disabilities often find the journey nearly impossible. The I-505 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcross-
ing project aims to address these barriers by delivering 1.3 miles of infrastructure improvements, creating a safe and continuous route for bicyclists and pedestrians. This project will connect El Rio Villas, located east of I-505, to key destinations such as schools, medical facilities, and essential services west of the interstate. “This funding will propel the city of Winters forward, helping create a vital connection for cyclists and pedestrians who currently can’t cross the I-505 overpass safely,” said Jesse Loren, Winters city councilmember and chair of the SACOG Transportation Committee. “By improving access, this project will ensure that all residents—regardless of which side of the freeway they live on—will equally benefit from opportunities for employment, education, shopping, and full participation in everything that makes the City of Winters a wonderful place to live.” The SACOG Regional ATP grant is highly competitive, with 12 applications requesting more than $16 million for the available $4.721 million in funding. “I’m grateful for the
leadership of the entire SACOG Board of Directors in supporting this project and helping enable safe active transportation options to the 400 residents of El Rio Villas,” Yolo County Supervisor Lucas Frerichs said. “The advocacy to bring this much-needed project to fruition continues to be a team effort, including work by my office, the city of Winters, and by our state and federal legislative partners. We remain focused on finding additional funding, so we can get this safety improvement constructed and used by the entire community.” The I-505 overcrossing was originally built in the 1950s for vehicles only. However, the route has become a regular crossing point for pedestrians and cyclists despite its unsafe conditions. Winters city staff, Yolo County, and CalTrans have been collaborating on improvements to the corridor. The project was introduced to the Winters community in December 2023, when representatives from Wood Rodgers, Yolo County staff, Winters city manager Jeremy Craig, and all five city council members
See PROJECT, Page 5 Congratulations!
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