From Stage Wins to Street Marches 🚨

Folsom High Theatre Wins Big at Lenaea Festival
Students bring home 14 awards from major West Coast competition. Read more →

Student Walkout Protests Federal Immigration Policies
Hundreds of Folsom and Vista students march, rally at John Kemp Community Park. Read more →

Iconic Water Wheel Destroyed in Crash
Rancho Cordova landmark demolished after vehicle crash on Highway 50. Read more →

Sierra Snow Buries Mountains, Lake Surges
Five feet of Sierra snow; Folsom Lake rises as storms continue. Read more →

Know something we should cover? Send us your tip or story here. 📩

Your go-to list for family-friendly events and happenings:

📚 Early Literacy Storytime – February 19 | 10:00 AM
Location: El Dorado Hills Library
Wildlife stories with a real animal guest for kids. See more →

🎨 Winter Art & Craftacular – February 21 | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Location: Loomis Veterans Memorial Hall
30 local makers, cocktails, pizza, shop cozy weekend vibes. See more →

💻 Robotics & Coding Workshop – February 21 | 11:00 AM
Location: Courtyard by Marriott Sacramento Folsom
Kids build robots, learn coding—a FREE hands-on STEM fun. See more →

🧵 Embroidery on Paper – February 21 | 3:30-5:30 PM
Location: 4840 San Juan Avenue, Fair Oaks
Stitch art on paper, relax and create, no experience needed. See more →

🧵 Austen-tatious Book Club – February 23 | 3:30-4:50 PM
Location: El Dorado Hills Library
Discuss Northanger Abbey and its 2007 BBC film adaptation. See more →

📖 PAWS for Reading – February 24 | 4:00-5:00 PM
Location: Cameron Park Library
Come read aloud to sweet therapy dogs. See more →

🍪 ”Berry Sweet” Cookie Decorating – February 24 | 5:30-7:00 PM
Location: Painted. Studios, Folsom
Decorate four berry-themed cookies like a pro. See more →

🖌️ Paint & Sip (Magician Tarot) – February 25 | 5:30-8:30 PM
Location: 5424 Crossings Dr. Suite #105, Rocklin
Paint iconic tarot wood panel art and sip brews. See more →

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Weekly updates on practices, standout players, and upcoming matches:

— by Leo C.

There's a moment that happens in households everywhere, usually late at night. A parent opens the door to check on their teenager and finds them lying in bed, phone glowing, eyes fixed on an endless stream of videos. The next morning, that same teenager drags themselves to the kitchen, exhausted before the day even begins. This cycle has become so normal we barely question it anymore. But maybe we should.

Research shows the average teenager spends two to four hours daily scrolling through social media. That's hundreds of hours a year that could have been spent on hobbies, outdoor play, or real conversations. About one in four teens shows signs of problematic social media use. For some, it's lost sleep—roughly 30 percent say they're tired in the morning because they stayed up too late. For others, it's something heavier. Girls struggle with constant comparison to filtered images. Kids who already feel anxious find those feelings magnified online. And for bullying victims, the cruelty never stops at the school gates anymore.

But here's what teenagers themselves admit: most spend more time on their phones than they actually want to. They just don't know how to stop. The endless feed is designed to keep them there, and fighting that design takes more self-control than most kids have.

So what do we do? Maybe it starts with talking openly, without judgment. Asking questions instead of making rules. Helping our kids recognize when scrolling stops being fun and starts being something else. The goal isn't to take away their connection to the world. It's to help them find the off switch themselves.

Handpicked properties in El Dorado Hills that you won’t want to miss 🛣️

259 Tercero St, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 – $487,000
2 Bed | 2 Bath | 1,251 sq ft

512 Montridge Way, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 – $2,080,000
6 Bed | 7 Bath | 5,444 sq ft

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Catch up on our last issue: Selland's closure, 763-home project approved & heartwarming pet rescue. Read it here 👉

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