Owner Israel Valencia.
Photo by Chris Woodard.
SPOTLIGHT Business
Tijuana Taqueria
On any given day, the warm scent of sizzling asada and crispy tortillas greets customers stepping into Tijuana Taqueria, a Placerville staple that has served authentic Mexican food in the same Broadway location for 25 years.
About four years ago, the Valencia family stepped in to carry on that legacy. Owner Israel Valencia remembers exactly how the transition happened.
“When they asked my mom if she wanted to buy it, we knew we could not live with the ‘what if’ of not buying it,” he said.
Since then, the family has kept the heart of the restaurant beating, with a few flavorful additions. The taqueria has become a go-to spot for locals looking for fresh, delicious Mexican food.
One new item that’s already winning fans is the California burrito — a generous asada-stuffed burrito loaded with French fries, a comfort food mashup gaining popularity across the state.
Another crowd favorite is the Quesabirria Dinner Special,
featuring cheese-stuffed, crunchy birria tacos paired with a warm consommé dipping broth that’s perfect for a satisfying bite.
“We try to make things exciting for people, but we also know what our regulars love,” Valencia said. “I enjoy remembering their orders and connecting with them.”
That sense of connection is part of what makes Tijuana Taqueria stand out. Valencia’s mother, who still works at the restaurant, adds to the family-run feel that loyal customers have come to cherish.
Speed and service are also priorities. Guests rarely wait long to receive their orders, and while they do, they’re invited to help themselves to the restaurant’s popular chip bar, stocked with crispy chips and four house-made salsas ranging from mild to spicy to hot.
Located just minutes from downtown Placerville, the restaurant’s casual setting and friendly faces have kept it a constant in a town that values tradition.
Whether you’re grabbing a quick lunch or craving an afterwork burrito with a kick, Tijuana Taqueria delivers with flavor, friendliness and family pride.
Photo by Chris Woodard
The Quesabirria Dinner Special is one of many delicious meals served at Tijuana Taqueria.
The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce will host the El Dorado Hills Brewfest at the EDH Town Center from 3-7 p.m. An unforgettable afternoon of unlimited tasting privileges from a wide selection of
craft breweries, cideries, wineries and more. For
visit eldoradohillschamber.org.
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3439 Robin Lane #120 Cameron Park, CA 95682 530-676-9422
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Joshua Fournier Financial
Advisor
3439 Robin Lane #120 Cameron Park, CA 95682 530-676-9422
AECSPAD 26168095
CONNOR (A150133)
We are not sure if he is good at ice hockey. But he’s a good sport.
4yr.
LEXAPRO (A166239)
A cat’s purr is guaranteed to lift your mood. Stunning F calico DSH 16 wks.
Precious Pawprints
Adopt Today! Second-Chance Animals Make First-Class Pets!
To Ask about these pets at the El Dorado County Animal Shelter (530) 621-7631 • 6435 Capitol Avenue, Diamond Springs
MOMO (A165770)
This cute fuzzy dumpling will brighten every day with a purr and some play. M black tabby & white DSH. 15wks
INKY (A167306)
Much quieter than your average house elf. House rabbits make great pets. M, black, shorthaired, age unk.
• Large selection of handmade artisan chocolates
• Our chocolates paired with wines from El Dorado & Amador Counties
• Gift boxes of all sizes for any occassion
ROXY (A149681)
She would love to be a bright start in your life. Come meet her this week.
LUCY (A167048)
She is not a cartoon prankster, just a quiet lovable black DSH looking for a home. 26 mo.
Brown Anatolian ShepherdX
Cream Chihuahua mix 4yr.
Fruity Fuel for School
Keep students energized, engaged with sweet watermelon snacks
Family Features
School days bring excitement for students with classroom fun, exploration of new subjects, time with friends and extracurricular activities like sports and clubs. They also mean hectic schedules for families, especially parents looking to keep nutrition top of mind in spite of jampacked weeknight calendars.
Help your kiddos stay energized for each school day (including those dreaded homework hours) with nutritious snacks that prioritize hydration. As a satisfying sweet treat thanks to its taste and nutritional value, watermelon provides a yearround solution to rehydrate as part of simple, kid-friendly meals and snacks.
Sweet watermelon, salty cottage cheese and pops of berries make this Watermelon Berry Fruit Salad with Cottage Cheese hard to top after a long day in the classroom. A sprinkle of fresh mint is a perfect final addition to this after-school treat.
Or for an easy, fast, no-mess meal that can be prepared for homework sessions or taken as a lunchbox treat, look no further than Watermelon Kebabs. Just cube watermelon, turkey breast and cheddar cheese and thread on coffee stirrers or beverage straws then share with your loved ones while tackling dinner and prepping for the next day of learning.
Any way you slice it, watermelon is a nutrient-dense food you can feel confident stocking in your kitchen and feeding to your family. It provides 21 grams (8% of the recommended daily value) of natural carbohydrates and is especially energizing when paired with protein like cottage cheese or turkey for a balanced snack.
Plus, with just 80 calories in two cups, it’s a high-volume food that can fill you up at mealtime. Once you’ve enjoyed the delicious watermelon flesh, make sure to avoid waste by using the rind in recipes like stir fries or salads, or encourage little ones to get creative with watermelon rind crafts to let their creativity shine.
Find more school year snacks and meals by visiting Watermelon.org.
Watermelon Kebabs
Recipe courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board
18 seedless watermelon cubes (1/2 inch each)
6 cubes smoked turkey breast
6 cubes cheddar cheese
6 coffee stirrers or beverage straws
Directions:
Thread cubed watermelon, cubed turkey and cubed cheese on stirrers or straws.
Watermelon Berry Fruit Salad with Cottage Cheese
Recipe courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board
Watermelon
1 package raspberries
1 package strawberries
1 package blueberries
1 package blackberries
1 container cottage cheese
1 bunch mint leaves honey, to taste (optional)
Directions: Cut watermelon with star-shaped cookie cutter or into cubes.
In large bowl, mix watermelon with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. Add dollops of cream cheese on top of fruit.
Garnish with mint leaves and drizzle with honey, to taste, if desired, prior to serving.
Peripheral neuropathy is a result of damage to the nerves often causing weakness, pain, numbness, tingling, and may also lead to serious balance problems.
This damage is commonly caused by a lack of blood ow to the nerves in the hands and feet. If not properly treated this lack of blood ow may cause the nerves to degenerate.
As you can see in Figure 1, as the blood vessels surrounding the nerves become diseased they shrink and shrivel. This process hastens the ow of vital nutrients to the nerves required to remain healthy.
When these nerves begin to “die” it could lead to balance problems, pain, numbness, tingling and burning symptoms in the hands and feet.
Placerville, CA – Currently the most common method most doctor’s recommend to treat neuropathy is with the use of prescription drugs. Although these drugs may temporarily reduce your symptoms they may cause a feeling of discomfort and in some cases lead to a variety of terrible unwanted side effects. We have a different method!
The treatment to increase blood ow utilizes a specialized low-level light therapy (not to be confused with laser therapy) using light emitting diode technology. This technology was originally developed by NASA to assist in increasing blow ow.
The low level light therapy is like watering a tree. The light therapy will allow the blood vessels to grow back around the peripheral nerves and provide them with the proper nutrients to heal and repair. It’s like adding water to a tree and seeing the roots grow deeper and deeper.
The amount of treatment needed to allow the nerves to fully recover varies from person to person and can only be determined after a detailed neurological and vascular evaluation.
“My feet hurt so bad after sitting I could barely take the rst few steps. I have had 11 treatments and no longer feel sharp or shooting pains and most of the tingling is gone. I now have full balance and can walk without pain. As Dr. Mooney explained the treatment is not painful, nothing uncomfortable, and is actually very relaxing.” – Neuropathy Pain Patient
The Chimney Smoke RIP offers $599 to $2,000* to replace a non-EPA certified woodstove with a new efficient, cleaner burning, eligible EPA certified device. *$2,000 incentive available to low -income residents or residents of designated low -income communities
The expanded Clean Lawn equipment Incentive Pr r ogr am (CLIP) offers $100 to $2,000 to replace a piece of gas powered lawn equipment with a zero-emission cordless electric version. Now includes push and riding mowers, leaf blowers, weedeaters, and more!
The new CHar ge At your Residence and Go Electric (CHARGE) incentive program offers plugin car owners and lessees a $300 incentive to purchase and install a home EV charger.
The Drive Clean! incentive program offers El Dorado County residents a $599 incentive towards the purchase or lease of an eligible electric, plug-in hybrid, or hydrogen vehicle.
The gleam of chrome and the roar of engines will once again fill the air at Automotive Excellence, as the community gathers for the Automotive Excellence Car Show — a heartfelt event benefiting the Scott Santana Memorial Foundation and the Live On! Drive On! Initiative to encourage others be organ, eye and tissue donors. The event runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 4600 Missouri Flat Road in Placerville. Admission is free for the public.
Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom presents Rita Rudner at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit harriscenter.net.
Sept. 7
Music on the Divide presents Paul Kamm and Eleanore MacDonald at 3 p.m. For tickets and more information visit musiconthedivide.org.
Sept. 10
Cantare Chorale presents Christmas Concert Family Matinee at the Foothills United Methodist Church in Rescue, 3-4:30 p.m. For more information visit cantarechorale. com.
Sept. 11
El Dorado Hills Town Center will host Live On The Boulevard with Bad Jovi — tribute to Bon Jovi and Bad Company, 7-9 p.m. For more information visit edhtowncenter.com.
Sept.
12
Imagination Theatre at the El Dorado Fairgrounds presents “Blithe Spirit” at 7 p.m. Sept. 12 through Oct. 5. For tickets and more information visit itplacerville.org.
Sept. 13
Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce will host the Bags and Beers Cornhole Tournament, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Shingle Springs Community Center. For more information call (530) 677-8000 or visit sscpchamber.org.
Sept. 14
Burke Junction in Cameron Park will host the Junction Jamboree community festival from noon to 6 p.m. The event will include food trucks, live musical performances, Hands4Hope Kids’ Zone, local artisans. tapas and sips, DJ, giant puppet performances, costume parade and a nonprofit showcase. For more information visit burkejunction.com.
Word of Mouth Storytelling presents “Love Bites, Stories from the Dating World” at the Prospector in Placerville from 6-9 p.m.
Sept. 18
The El Dorado Hills Town Center will host Live On The Boulevard with Tainted Love — Best of the ‘80s Live from 7-9 p.m. For more information visit edhtowncenter.com.
Sept. 19
The Sierra Renaissance Society presents The History of ARC’s Wakamatsu Farm presented by Melissa Lobach, 1-2:30 p.m. at the Mother Lode Lions Hall, 4701 Missouri Flat Road in Diamond Springs. Admission is free for members; public invited to attend two meetings for free. For more information visit srsedc.org.
Sept. 20
The Stage at Burke Junction presents Improv Classes with Luminous Linda from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information visit stageatburke.com.
CLUES
1 dealt with hardship (5)
2 lady’s finger vegetable (4)
3 telling a whopper (5)
4 packed in sardines (7)
5 Detroit’s state (8)
6 having special abilities (8)
7 Itzhak Perlman’s instrument (6)
Find the 7 words to match the 7 clues. The numbers in parentheses represent the number of letters in each solution. Each letter combination can be used only once, but all letter combinations will be necessary to complete the puzzle.
SOLUTIONS
