What's Up in Folsom and El Dorado Hills, November 2018
Folsom’s annual Community Service Day set a new attendance record with a whopping 3,200 volunteers tackling 70 different projects across the city! Service opportunities ranged from sorting donated goods at Twin Lakes Food Bank to painting new markings on bike trails.
Those caring for a spouse, parent, relative, or friend and seeking practical tips and information on how to make their caregiving journey successful are invited to “My Time EDH”—a free support group on November 20 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Gilmore Senior Center. For more info, call 800-272-3900.
Beginning November 1, Fairytale Town’s winter hours go into effect. The storybook-themed park is open Thursday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Folsom has been ranked the number one best city for families to live in California, according to WalletHub. Opportunities for recreation and fun, education, health and safety, affordability, and socioeconomic environment rankings all played a part in their final score of 80.84. El Dorado Hills came in fourth with a score of 76.67.
A permanent location has been found for John Adams Academy—EDH. After its first year in the community, the school doubled its student population and needed more room to serve children in grades K-8. The new campus—located at 1102 Investment Boulevard—includes 75,000 square feet of space and 22 classrooms.
El Dorado Savings Bank, pending regulatory approval, is merging with Pacific Western Bank. No branches of the banks are closing, and all employees are remaining through the transition...A Chick-fil-A was approved for the west side of El Dorado Hills Boulevard, south of Saratoga Way; a Habit Burger is also slated to open in the Saratoga Retail Project. What’s more, Saratoga Way is slated to eventually widen to four lanes, which will help with traffic concerns.
The Wildlife Care Association (WCA) is looking for pictures of local birds for their annual Fall Photo Contest. Submit your photo on the WCA’s Facebook page through a private message between now and December 31.
STEM funding is always important, and the Folsom Cordova Unified School District (FCUSD) received another $3,500 to support the program. Aerojet Rocketdyne gifted the donation to aid FCUSD with hosting the annual STEM Expo, a secondary science fair for all students. The money will also go toward supporting the Folsom High School Robotics Team and the Sutter Middle School Rocketry Team.
Rancho Cordova has initiated a Residential Beautification Pilot program to help residents spruce up their curb appeal. Eligible homeowners are able to get up to $3,000 in reimbursements to beautify their front yards. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to those who submit a completed application and meet all qualifications. For more info, search “Residential Beautification” on cityofranchocordova.org.
The El Dorado Hills Town Center has welcomed a handful of new tenants, including: 8minuteenergy, the largest independent solar power developer in the U.S.; Intellectual Property Jurists, an IP law firm with a proven record of securing high-quality IP portfolios for successful high-tech startups and big companies; and MaxPreps, a property of CBS Interactive that aspires to cover high school teams, games, and players across the nation.
Fire Station 39 celebrated its grand opening in the Empire Ranch area of Folsom. The new station houses a Type 1 engine for all fires and a Type 3 engine for grass fires, with room for an ambulance in the future. Three captains and eight engineers were promoted, and a fire prevention officer and eight new firefighter-paramedics were hired.
The Murer House is hosting a “Burrata Cheese-Making Class” on November 4, a “Polenta con Salsiccie” class on November 10, and a “Risotto with Zucca d'Inverno” class on November 17. All courses run from 10 a.m. to noon and include hands-on instruction and plenty of delicious food. To register, visit murerhouse.org/cooking_classes.
A new boutique fitness studio coming to for Folsom. Fitness Academy—featuring 45-minute boot camp-style workouts and small class sizes—is set to open soon at 1012 East Bidwell Street, Suite C-600.
Lake Forest Elementary School honored a former teacher from El Dorado Hills who passed away from cancer a year ago with a new reading area in her name. Christine Barisone was a parent, substitute teacher, and staff member who taught students math and how to read. Pivotal in helping fund the benches and reading area was former Lake Forest student Vincent Sinclair, who was able to work on the task as part of his Eagle Scout project.
In the “Oops, We’re Only Human" department, we apologize for mistakenly listing the incorrect business name for our Readers’ Choice Awards “Best Facialist” winner. Priscilla Howard works at Pure Glow Spa in Folsom. For more info, visit priscillaskincare.com.
Peruse and purchase over 90 works by 23-year-old, non-representational/abstract expressionist artist Jenna Barreras at her pop-up: Glory Art Gallery and Studio (713 Sutter Street, Suite A) in Folsom. For more info, visit facebook.com/jbarrerasartist.
Don’t miss your chance to perform at the El Dorado Hills Town Center’s Christmas Caroling Contest on December 1 at 6 p.m. Video entries are accepted through November 16 (email to [email protected]; must be under five minutes and a recognizable Christmas song) and winners will be announced November 20. For more info, visit edhtowncenter.com/upcoming-events/christmas-caroling-contest.
Join other readers to discuss Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan at the Folsom Public Library’s Monthly Book Club on November 6 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and November 15 from 1-2 p.m. All adults are invited to partake in the lively discussions; the book is available for checkout at the adult information desk.
By Alyssa Mielke