Good morning, Folsom.

Locally owned restaurants in Folsom, El Dorado Hills, and nearby areas have received $5,000 grants from the PG&E Foundation’s $1.1 million contribution through the California Restaurant Foundation to upgrade equipment and boost worker training.

The grants, aimed at small, minority- and women-owned establishments (including Coffee Republic in Folsom and 36 Handles Public House in El Dorado Hills), will help these businesses continue to thrive.

Blue Shield of California confirmed that it will cut 41 jobs at its El Dorado Hills and Rancho Cordova offices, with layoffs set to take effect on September 23 — three employees at Rancho Cordova and 38 at El Dorado Hills.

Affected workers will receive transition support including severance, training, and a 90-day window for internal applications.

Operators Art Aguilar and Max Archuleta of Midtown Cantina Alley have signed a lease for the former Q’bole Cocina & Cantina space at 718 Sutter Street Suite 201 in Folsom’s Historic District, which closed in February after a legal dispute over unpaid rent — they will unveil a bold new restaurant concept in the coming weeks — adding fresh energy to the local dining scene.

State officials are stepping up boat inspections and decontamination at lakes like Lake Oroville to stop invasive golden mussels from damaging water supplies—trained dogs help detect the mussels, but resource gaps leave many lakes unprotected.

Officials say these actions are part of ongoing efforts to slow the spread of the invasive species.