Honestly, trying to figure out where to get your local news in El Dorado Hills feels a bit like a scavenger hunt lately. You’d think in a community this affluent and fast-growing, there’d be a massive daily paper hitting every driveway, but the reality is way more fragmented. If you’re looking for a dedicated El Dorado Hills newspaper, you’re basically looking at a handful of legacy publications and a few digital upstarts trying to fill the void left by the "golden age" of print. It’s not just about who’s printing what; it’s about who actually has boots on the ground at the CSD meetings or the latest planning commission hearing for the next big development on White Rock Road.
The local media landscape here is dominated by the Mountain Democrat and its sister publication, the Village Life. If you live in the 95762, you’ve definitely seen the Village Life. It’s been the primary source of hyper-local info for years, focusing specifically on the hills rather than the entire county.
The Big Players in El Dorado Hills News
The Village Life is effectively the hometown paper. It’s owned by McNaughton Media, which also runs the Mountain Democrat out of Placerville. Why does that matter? Because the Mountain Democrat is actually the oldest continuously published newspaper in California. That’s a lot of history. When you pick up the Village Life, you’re getting a subset of that institutional knowledge but filtered through a very specific El Dorado Hills lens. They cover the stuff that actually affects your property value: the Serrano HOA updates, the high school sports rivalries between Oak Ridge and Ponderosa, and the endless saga of the EDH Town Center.
But here is the thing.
Print is struggling. Everyone knows it. You’ve probably noticed the physical paper getting thinner over the last five years. Fewer pages usually means fewer reporters, which means more press releases and less "digging." That’s where the digital shift comes in. The Gold Country Media group also plays a role here with the Folsom Telegraph, because let’s be real, the line between Folsom and EDH is basically non-existent for most people living there. If there’s a massive accident on Highway 50 or a new shop opening in the Palladio, it’s news for the hills too.
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What happened to the "Daily" feel?
We don't really have a daily anymore. Not a local one. The Sacramento Bee used to have a massive presence in El Dorado County, but their staff cuts have been deep. They still cover the big "Tier 1" stories—major fires, massive political scandals, or regional real estate trends—but they aren't going to tell you why the lights were out at the Safeway on Francisco Drive for three hours last Tuesday. For that, you’re looking at digital-first spots or the weekly print cycle.
Why Local Reporting Still Actually Matters
People move to El Dorado Hills for the lifestyle, the schools, and the safety. But those things don't just happen by accident. They are maintained by local government bodies that most people ignore until something goes wrong. A solid El Dorado Hills newspaper acts as the watchdog for the El Dorado Hills Community Services District (CSD) and the County Board of Supervisors.
Take the "Village Center" or "Saratoga Way" developments as an example. These aren't just construction projects; they are massive shifts in how the community functions. Without local reporters asking questions about traffic mitigation and water rights, residents are often left in the dark until the bulldozers show up. Local news is the only thing standing between a well-planned community and a suburban sprawl nightmare.
It’s also about the small stuff. The "Around Town" sections. Seeing a photo of your neighbor’s kid winning a swim meet at the CSD pool might seem trivial to a big-city editor, but it’s the glue of a place like this.
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Digital Alternatives and Social Media Noise
Since the traditional El Dorado Hills newspaper model has moved to a weekly or semi-weekly schedule, social media has rushed in to fill the 24/7 gap. You’ve got the Facebook groups—"EDH Neighbors" and the like.
- Nextdoor: Great for finding a lost dog or complaining about a suspicious car, but terrible for objective facts.
- Facebook Groups: Usually dominated by a few loud voices. It’s fast, but is it accurate? Not always.
- Official Agency Feeds: Following the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office or the CAL FIRE AEU (Amador-El Dorado Unit) on X (formerly Twitter) is actually one of the fastest ways to get emergency info.
The problem with relying solely on these is the lack of context. A tweet from the Sheriff tells you there’s police activity on Silva Valley Parkway. A reporter for the local paper tells you why that activity is happening and if there’s a recurring crime trend in that neighborhood. There is a massive difference between data and journalism.
The Rise of Independent Digital News
We are seeing a slow rise in independent newsletters and hyper-local blogs. Some are run by former journalists who got tired of the corporate grind, and others are just civic-minded residents. These sites often survive on "boots on the ground" reporting that bigger outlets can't afford. They might not have a printing press, but they have a mailing list of 5,000 engaged locals. In many ways, the future of the El Dorado Hills newspaper isn't on a driveway; it’s in your inbox.
The "Information Desert" Risk
There is a real risk of El Dorado Hills becoming a "news desert" if the community doesn't support its local outlets. When a local paper dies, government transparency drops. Studies have shown that in towns without a strong newspaper, municipal bond costs actually go up because there's less oversight of how public money is spent. It sounds boring, but it hits your wallet eventually.
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If you aren't paying for a subscription or clicking on their ads, those reporters go away. And once they're gone, you’re left with rumors on Nextdoor and whatever the developers want to tell you in their glossy brochures.
Navigating the Bias
Every paper has a lean. In El Dorado County, the lean tends to reflect the conservative-leaning, pro-growth (or sometimes fiercely anti-growth) nature of the region. The Mountain Democrat has historically been seen as the "establishment" voice. Some newer residents find it a bit old-school, while long-timers trust it because it’s been there for a century.
When you’re reading about local elections—like the Board of Supervisors District 1 or 2 races—it is smart to check multiple sources. Look at the Village Life for the local endorsement angle, but then check the Sacramento Bee for a more "outside-in" perspective. Often, the truth about local politics lies somewhere in the messy middle of those two viewpoints.
How to Stay Informed Right Now
If you actually want to know what’s going on in the hills, you can't just rely on one thing. It's a bit of a job now.
- Subscribe to the Village Life: Even if you just get the digital version, it’s the only way to keep professional journalists in the community.
- Follow CAL FIRE AEU and EDSO on social media: For immediate safety concerns, this is your best bet.
- Sign up for the CSD Newsletter: The El Dorado Hills Community Services District sends out their own updates. It’s "official" info, so it won’t be critical of themselves, but it’s great for event dates and park updates.
- Attend (or stream) Board of Supervisors meetings: If you really want to be an insider, this is where the sausage gets made.
What Most People Get Wrong About Local News
People think local news is dead. It’s not. It’s just changing. The idea that a paper boy is going to toss a bundle of ink-stained wood pulp onto your porch at 6:00 AM every day is mostly over. But the need for that information is actually higher than ever because El Dorado Hills is at a crossroads. Between the new housing mandates from the state and the constant threat of wildfire season, having an El Dorado Hills newspaper (in whatever form it takes) is a matter of practical survival.
You’ve got to be proactive. If you wait for the news to find you on a social media algorithm, you’re only getting the most controversial, click-baity version of the story. You’re missing the nuance of why your water bill went up or what’s happening with the old executive golf course land.
Actionable Steps for EDH Residents
- Verify before sharing: If you see a "breaking news" post in an EDH Facebook group, check the Mountain Democrat or Village Life website before you repost it. Rumors about school closures or crime spread like wildfire in the hills.
- Engage with the School Board: News regarding the Buckeye Union or El Dorado Union High School Districts is often buried. Check the "Education" sections of local papers specifically during budget season (usually late spring).
- Support Local Advertisers: The businesses you see in the local paper are the ones keeping that news alive. If you value having a local reporter at the town hall, consider shopping at the places that fund their salary.
- Check the Public Notices: This is the "secret" part of any El Dorado Hills newspaper. Public notices at the back of the paper are legally required to list things like zoning changes, estate sales, and upcoming public hearings. It’s the most boring-looking part of the paper, but it’s often where the most important news is hidden in plain sight.