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Pink Out game ahead News, Page 2
Inside Empower Yolo leadership Features, Page 1
Volume 142, Number 36 — Locally-owned since 1884
The hometown paper of Richard Douglas
Winters, Yolo County, California, Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Winters Fire warns about lithium-ion battery risks By Crystal Apilado Editor-in-Chief The Winters Fire Department is sharing safety information with the community as part of this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign: “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home.” The campaign is a collaboration between the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the National Fire Protection Association. “Lithium-ion batteries are powerful, convenient, and they’re just about everywhere,” said Chief Daniel Ber-
lant, California State Fire Marshal. “Fire agencies across California continue to respond to fires caused by lithium-ion batteries. This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign helps people understand the importance of using these batteries correctly to prevent fires in the home and to follow the Buy, Charge, and Recycle Safely approach.” As more residents switch from gas-powered to electric devices, Fire Captain Cheyne Baumgart
See SAFETY, Page 5
55-Hour closure for Westbound I-80 ramps to Chiles Road and County Road 32-A Special to the Express
Lane closure
Caltrans is notifying motorists of an upcoming 55-hour weekend closure for the Chiles Road and County Road 32A onand off-ramps near Davis and a westbound Interstate 80 lane closure at Chiles Road after crossing the Yolo Causeway. The closure is scheduled from 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10 through 4 a.m. Monday Oct. 13, allowing contractors to complete repaving the ramps and pavement work as part of the $200 million Yolo 80 Corridor Improvement Project.
• Westbound (WB) No. 3 (far right) lane at Chiles Road • 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10 to 7 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11 • 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11 to 7 a.m. Sun, Oct. 12 • 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12 to 4 a.m. Monday, Oct. 13
Ramp closure
EXPRESS
Chiles Road and County Road 32-A on- and off-ramps (Exit 78)
Detour Continue westbound on I-80 to the Mace Boulevard offramp (Exit 75). This project includes $105 million from Senate Bill (SB 1), the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. Visit build.ca.gov to learn more about transformative infrastructure projects happening in communities throughout the state. Schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, availability of equipment or materials, or other unexpected events.
Cameron Pund/Courtesy photo
Winters Joint Unified School District trustees Everardo Zaragoza, Carrie Green, Expanded Learning Program team Jill Aguiar, Nicole Jordan, Betsy Bryan, Mariana Del Toro and Superintendent Rody Boonchouy at the 2025 Yolo County Excellence in Education Awards event.
Winters school district educators, programs honored for excellence By Logan Chrisp Express staff writer The Winters Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees honored several Winters educators who were recipients of the 2025 Yolo County Excellence in Education Awards at the Oct. 2 meeting. The awards were originally presented by the Yolo County School Boards Association earlier in the week. Each award highlights educators and employees from the county’s five school districts who demonstrate excellence, leadership and commitment to student success. Excited to recognize the recipients for the second time in a week, Lisa Dennis, human resources director, gave remarks and called up each winner for pictures with the board and Superintendent Rody Boonchouy. Sylvia Rosales, a custodian at Winters Middle School, received the Classified Employee Excellence Award. With over 20 years of service, Rosales was recognized for her warmth, attention to detail, and dedication to students and staff. “Sylvia goes beyond her custodial duties to build positive and lasting relationships across campus,” Dennis said. “Her pride in her work, attention to detail, and deep-rooted connection to the school
See AWARDS, Page 5
Index Features ........................ B-1
We at he r
Courtesy photo
Sylvia Rosales
Ramona Torres
High
Low
Oct. 01
0.02”
80˚
59˚
By Lauren Keene
Oct. 02
0.02”
80˚
61˚
McNaughton Media
Oct. 03 TRACE
75˚
58˚
Oct. 04
.00
77˚
51˚
Eventos hispanos ....... A-3
Oct. 05
.00
83˚
52˚
Oct. 06
.00
82˚
59˚
Opinion ......................... B-3
Oct. 07
.00
87˚
53˚
A joint investigation between the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office and the West Sacramento Police Department led to the arrests of two suspected methamphetamine dealers, with search warrants served in both Woodland and Winters. In a social media post last Wednesday,
Real Estate ................... B-2 Sports ........................... B-5
Rain for week: 0.04 in. Season’s total: 0.05 in. Last sn. to date: TRACE Winters rainfall season began 7/1/25. Weather readings are taken at 9 a.m. daily by local weatherman Joe Bristow.
Cameron Pund/Courtesy photo
Rebecca Bjorkman
Winters residence linked to meth, rifle bust
Rain
Community .................. A-2
Ashlei Hampton
Cameron Pund/Courtesy photo
Date
Classifieds ................... B-4
Cameron Pund/Courtesy photo
sheriff’s officials reported serving two search warrants simultaneously at residences in Woodland and Winters on Sept. 18 as part of the probe. “During the investigation, detectives identified 39-year-old Woodland resident Robert Anthony Tayborne Jr. as a suspect in narcotics sales,” the post said. “Further work revealed a stash location tied to
61-year-old Winters resident Anthony Joseph Melonson in the Yolo Housing Community on Fredericks Circle.” Officers reported seizing more than two kilograms of methamphetamine, drugsales material and an SKS semiautomatic rifle at the Winters residence. The Woodland home reported
See ARREST, Page 5
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