Comstock's magazine 0919 - September 2019 | Page 91

special supplement
Cristina Mendonsa is working on the third
season of a hyperlocal video series about
Folsom.
H
ers is a familiar face and voice —
with good reason. For more than 20
years, Cristina Mendonsa was a re-
porter and anchor for Sacramento’s ABC10.
After parting with the station in 2017, the
Greater Folsom Partnership approached
Mendonsa to produce a hyperlocal digital
news series to cover business, education,
innovation, recreation and tourism in the
city of Folsom.
And she did. Launched in September
2017, Mendonsa hosts and produces “Fol-
som Focus,” and her company, Mendonsa
Media, shoots and edits it.
Mendonsa, who is a morning co-host
for News 93.1 KFBK, has called Folsom
home for 23 years. She says the project is
solely funded by Silicon Valley new media
investors, and while she collaborates with
the chamber on topics, she was given a lot
of latitude to design the series. She’s com-
pleted two seasons consisting of 30 video
and 19 podcast episodes that are available
on YouTube.
She recently spoke with Comstock’s
about the series and life in Folsom.
What about “Folsom Focus” has
excited you the most?
From the start, “Folsom Focus” was creat-
ed to inform residents. I was tasked to ask
the hard questions and objectively tell sto-
ries. As an example, one episode discussed
the issue of homelessness in our commu-
nity and examined what the city and local
agencies are doing to combat the issue. The
goal has always been to give residents a full
picture of what the city is doing, which is
why from the start I have been so excited to
work on this project.
What are some surprising things
you have learned about Folsom
in making this series?
I would have to say how much global reach
the city has. There are so many innovative
companies here in Folsom, and those com-
panies have had an incredible impact on the
community, our resources and education.
We’ve also seen Folsom transform into a
high-tech community, with a number of
Silicon Valley companies building satellite
offices here in Folsom.
What would you like to see
changed or added in Folsom?
I know our city officials consider health care
a big priority and would like to see more
hospitals added within city limits. Personal-
ly, I am probably the most curious about the
city’s growth and to see how that growth
will impact the city’s development and
services.
What was your favorite episode
to film?
Several come to mind. We shot a really fun
episode out at Folsom High School about a
couple that runs an innovative drama pro-
gram for students. Another great one was
about the drones Intel developed here in
Folsom that were used in the (2018 Winter
Olympics in South Korea). We also did a
great piece on how the city came together
and gathered supplies to support the vic-
tims of the Camp Fire in Paradise.
What do you think makes Folsom
stand out as a city?
Folsom offers an abundance of innovation
and recreation opportunities. We are home
to some of the best biking and running trails
in the country. We also have a very innova-
tive chamber and elected city officials who
are committed to Folsom’s growth and long-
term success. … I don’t know of another
city that would hire a journalist to dig into
their issues without a guarantee that the
results would be positive. Not only has the
city been so open, they’re paying me to do
this work!
What influence do you think the
series has had on the community?
Resources in news can be scarce, which
is why many people have turned to
community-based news platforms for local
news. Residents often send me ideas for
“Folsom Focus,” and after our first season,
we developed a great fanbase. People talk
to me about the series all the time and have
really engaged with receiving their local
news via this platform.
What’s next for the series?
The first two seasons of “Folsom Focus”
launched in the fall, so we are currently
preparing for season three. Folsom is such
a great place to live and a great place to tell
stories. I’m excited to continue pushing this
initiative forward and bring the city more
“Folsom Focus” stories in the very near
future.” n
Christina Kiefer is a communications consul-
tant and freelance writer based in Sacramento
who specializes in public relations, copywrit-
ing, content marketing and strategy.
September 2019 | comstocksmag.com
91