When we launched Folsom Times a little more than three years ago, we believed there was room for a truly local news organization focused on serving the community first. On Thursday evening, as hundreds of people gathered in Historic Folsom to celebrate our ribbon cutting and the launch of the new Folsom Times app, we were reminded just how fortunate we are to be part of a community that continues to support local journalism, local businesses and local connections.
The event was certainly about launching new technology and celebrating a business milestone, but more than anything it became a celebration of community. Looking around at the crowd that filled Historic Folsom, it was impossible not to feel grateful for the people, organizations and businesses that have helped make Folsom Times what it is today.
First and foremost, thank you to everyone who came out to join us. We were humbled by the turnout and grateful to spend the evening with readers, advertisers, business owners, elected officials, nonprofit leaders, community partners and friends who have supported Folsom Times along the way.
A special thank you goes to Choose Folsom and the Folsom Chamber of Commerce for organizing and presenting the ribbon cutting ceremony. Joe Gagliardi and the Chamber team have long been champions of local businesses, and we were honored to be recognized. The Chamber had discussed a ribbon cutting with us for some time, and after more than three years of growth and community support, the timing felt right to celebrate this milestone.
We are grateful to Charlie and Taryn Grows of Uncle Charlie’s Firehouse Brew for hosting the event and helping accommodate a crowd that exceeded our expectations. Their hospitality was outstanding, and Historic Folsom proved to be the perfect setting for the event. From the beginning, Charlie and Taryn embraced the idea and helped make the evening possible.
A heartfelt thank you also goes to John and Frankie Arata, owners of Plank Craft Kitchen, and Frank Visconti of Visconti’s Ristorante for the outstanding catering they generously provided. The food was exceptional, and their willingness to support the event is another example of the collaborative spirit that makes this community special.
We are equally appreciative of the many local businesses that contributed raffle prizes for our guests. Thank you to The Apex at Red Hawk Resort Casino, Adrian Blanco Jewelry, Riley’s on Sutter, Scott’s Seafood, Dorothea’s Shoppe, Dave & Buster’s, Gaslight Company, Snook’s Candies and Chocolate Factory, Powerhouse Pub and the many other businesses that stepped forward to help make the evening memorable. Their generosity added another layer of fun to the event and demonstrated once again how supportive Folsom’s business community truly is.
While the evening celebrated the launch of our new mobile app, it also highlighted the work that has gone into expanding how residents connect with local news, events and community information. From the Folsom Times app and Folsom TV to our growing community calendar network and LoopCast platform, each project is designed to help people stay informed and engaged with the community around them.
Folsom Times exists because of the community that supports it.
It exists because local businesses choose to advertise with us. It exists because readers visit our website, read our stories, subscribe to our newsletters and now download our app. It exists because nonprofit organizations, schools, government agencies and community groups trust us to help share information with the public.
In an era when local journalism continues to face challenges across the country, we never take that support for granted. Thursday night’s celebration served as a reminder that people still value local news, local businesses and local connections.
To everyone who attended, supported, sponsored, donated, advertised, shared our content or simply encouraged us over the past three years, thank you.
The success of Folsom Times belongs as much to this community as it does to us. We are grateful for the trust you have placed in us, proud of what we have built together and excited about what lies ahead.
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