Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

Back Writer

Laurie Lauletta-Boshart is a contributing writer and editor for consumer publications, Fortune 500 companies, small business and higher education. She has written for Dwell, ESPN, The Wall Street Journal, SI.com (Sports Illustrated), Modern in Denver and others. On Twitter @laurieboshart or www.wordplaycommunications.com.

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New & Improved B Street Theatre

In 1986, the B Street Theatre opened as a simple touring theater for children. Since then, it has grown to be one of the West Coast’s premier children’s theaters, producing 19 shows per year and serving 300,000 people annually. But the two-theater playhouse had outgrown its original space and sought options.

Aug 15, 2017 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

School of Thought

These educational spaces bring creative inspiration to the masses while preparing the next generation of artists

Traditional museums and old-school performance centers — with silent hallways and auditoriums where photography is forbidden — are being rethought in favor of interactive educational spaces. The Capital Region boasts a number of vital, enriching educational institutions that intentionally link the arts and education communities to create welcoming spaces that are both inspiring and accessible.

Aug 15, 2017 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

Seeking Stability

New measures call for significant reform to offer foster youth a better chance at permanent homes

Foster youth who live in congregate care settings (like group homes) are more likely than those who live with families to suffer a variety of negative outcomes, including low education levels, mental illness and involvement with the justice system. Placing foster youth in a stable and caring home is paramount, but finding the best way to do that has proved challenging.

Apr 6, 2017 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

Compassion Planet Employs Aged-Out Foster Youth and At-Risk Teens

Deer Creek Farm, a retail boutique in Rocklin that offers unique gifts, home decor and a working garden, is not your typical shop. The shop employs aged-out foster youth (18 and older) and at-risk teens as part of a mentoring program with Compassion Planet, a Rocklin-based nonprofit organization that works to bring stability into the lives of young people by equipping them for future success.

Mar 17, 2017 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

Local Loomis Unveiled

Placer County town has cultivated a niche food scene frequented by locals

An idyllic, family-farm community in south Placer County, Loomis is proud of its small-town heritage and quaint downtown dotted with unique shops and cafés. This rural village of about 7,000 residents caters to outdoor enthusiasts looking for a slower pace. Loomis has managed to keep its hometown feel for decades, jealously guarding its open space and passing on chain stores and malls.

Jan 9, 2017 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

Cash Haul

In a single generation, the Rozakis family went from having one dump truck to owning a $16 million materials transport business

In 2005, GR launched Crete Crush, a sister company to its trucking operation that includes two concrete and asphalt crushing and recycling centers, one at the company’s Rancho Cordova headquarters, and another at its 15-acre facility off Bradshaw Road in Sacramento. When the company first started, it was paying someone else to crush the concrete and asphalt that was accumulating from demolition site hauls.

Oct 18, 2016 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

Pitch Perfect

The Giants have made an uncharacteristically long-term commitment to the River Cats — here's why the match is ideal for both teams

In September 2014, the River Cats signed a two-year affiliation agreement with the San Francisco Giants, effectively ending the team’s 15-year partnership with the Oakland Athletics. Less than two years later, the two clubs have inked a new four-year deal, extending the agreement through 2020, marking one of the few times the Giants have signed a four-year agreement with a Triple-A affiliate.

Sep 20, 2016 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

Baseball Affiliation Basics

The contractual obligation between a Major League Baseball club and the Triple-A Minor League Baseball affiliate is a standard player development contract with very clear responsibilities. 

Sep 20, 2016 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
Donna Bland, CEO, Golden 1 Credit Union.

Women’s Work

Four local leaders discuss their journeys to the top of male-dominated industries

Effective leaders don’t come from one mold. The women featured below have excelled in nontraditional industries due to their talent, vision, perseverance and the (sometimes unlikely) mentors who guided their trajectory. They shared their stories with us — where they started, their rise to leadership and their thoughts on mentoring the next generation of powerful women.

May 17, 2016 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
Alex Aguiar, founder of Tent Pals, can be reached at ajaguiar7@gmail.com

Friends with Tents

Tent Pals lets buyers donate temporary housing to those in need

While studying abroad at the London School of Economics, UC Davis grad Alex Aguiar befriended a young homeless girl. He found her sleeping beneath an overpass, using folded cardboard to keep the cold concrete from chilling her body. Aguiar could not get the girl’s plight out of his mind. To understand his market, Aguiar spent the night with the homeless community, learning their stories and about what might help them. That’s when the idea for Tent Pals was born

Dec 22, 2015 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
Brigit Barnes, co-founder, Right Hand Auburn

Private Efforts for Public Good

Auburn citizens turn defunct prison into needed shelter

A wearisome, vicious cycle was emerging with Auburn’s homeless population: Greater numbers were congregating on the streets by day and filling the DeWitt minimum security prison by night. Neither the city nor the county had adequate housing or facilities to deal with the situation, so the problem persisted. Residents were frustrated, but nothing was done. A group of community members vowed to act and started a grassroots effort that has culminated in turning the partially vacated barracks at DeWitt into a fully-staffed, round-the-clock facility open to Auburn’s homeless.

Dec 22, 2015 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
(photography: kelly barr and sheryl trapani)

Feast Your Eyes on This

True gourmet dining starts with the plate, a canvas for culinary art

“There is an old adage that we eat with our eyes,” says John Weatherson, co-owner and co-chef, along with wife Nyna, of Restaurant Trokay. In his experience, the brain is conditioned to pre-determine the quality of a dish’s taste by the way it looks, and how a dish is plated ultimately helps to maximize the diner’s gastronomic experience. Located in the historic district of downtown Truckee, the couple’s culinary creations at Restaurant Trokay take center stage, but the presentation is no afterthought. 

Dec 21, 2015 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

Industrial Titan

Titan Gilroy is on a mission to eliminate offshore outsourcing and boost manufacturing back home

When Zinola Manufacturing owner Kevin Zinola took a chance and offered convicted felon Titan Gilroy an entry-level job in his small Sunnyvale machine shop, he had no idea where the relationship would go. In the years to follow, Gilroy reformed his life, worked his way up through several companies and finally, established Titan America Manufacturing.

Oct 13, 2015 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
(photo courtesy of Sacramento Republic FC)

Schooled in Soccer

Sacramento Republic FC launches new development academy

Sacramento has always been a soccer town. From the tremendous growth of youth soccer to the days of professional indoor and semi-pro teams, the game has long had roots in the heart of the Capital Region. With 13 million Americans playing the game, soccer has exploded in the last decade and is the third most played team sport behind basketball and baseball. Sacramento Republic FC is capitalizing on that fútbol frenzy, now boasting an elite youth academy program.

Aug 28, 2015 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

Waiting for the Call

The decade-long journey to umpiring in the big leagues

Well after midnight, Jordan Ferrell returns to his Fresno hotel room and lowers his exhausted body onto the bed. After umpiring nine games in 12 days, he’s spent. To unwind, he flips on the TV, scans the movie selection and retrieves his phone to check texts. Working the plate at tonight’s game was an exercise in patience.

Jul 7, 2015 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Elk Grove(Photo: Russell Abraham Photography)

Sacred Spaces

Houses of worship that are worthy of praise

Houses of worship are an important element in Sacramento’s architectural history. From century-old churches to facilities that incorporate modern and sustainable technologies, religious buildings knit together the very fabric of the communities they serve. Here, we feature five local houses of worship, each with its own unique story.

Jun 16, 2015 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

The Next Wave

10 young professionals on our radar for 2015

Momentum is shifting in the Capital Region, and young professionals are leading the charge. General skepticism is being replaced with emerging optimism and a renewed energy that’s providing the catalyst for growth and innovation across our cities.  Here are the top ten young leaders we think you should be watching. They are driving the Capital Region’s evolution, and we anticipate you’ll see them at the forefront in 2015 and decades to come.

Mar 17, 2015 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
Josh, a 14-year-old foster child, had been abused and neglected and was failing at school. His focus and outlook changed dramatically once a court appointed special advocate stepped in on his behalf.

Seen & Not Heard

Child advocates could fundamentally shift foster care outcomes, if only there were more volunteers

Over half a million kids live in foster care in the U.S. as a result of abuse, neglect or abandonment. Because they can’t advocate for themselves, many become victims a second time, lost in an overburdened child welfare system that can’t pay close attention to each child. But one program is drastically improving outcomes for foster youth, despite the overwhelming odds.

Oct 14, 2014 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
Women in Philanthropy members sort through towels donated for local emancipating foster youth.

Fostering Futures

Women in Philanthropy helps foster youth transition to adulthood

Women in Philanthropy, a program of the United Way California Capital Region, supports foster teens in the community who are turning 18 and facing emancipation. The group coordinates workshops and social programs and organizes a holiday stocking and gift event. Last year, volunteers collected nearly 500 towel sets and 50 luggage sets, along with toiletries and household goods to give to those making the transition to independence.

Oct 3, 2014 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

It’s Impolite to Squat

EV owners find it increasingly difficult to plug in

Long before it was widely accepted, Sacramento attorney Mike Polis bought his first electric vehicle. He got started with a Toyota Prius, later upgraded to a Nissan Leaf and now drives a white Chevy Volt. On average, he saves more than $3,500 a year over his gas-powered counterparts, he can use the HOV lane as a single occupant and he charges his car for free at work.

Jul 1, 2014 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
www.shutterstock.com

Kickstarter

Placer County hopes to win tourism dollars with new sports complexes

The rise of elite youth sports and the popularity of year-round athletics have created an emerging market for participant and spectator spending in south Placer County, which has positioned itself as a major sports destination. Now, two separate entities are looking to capitalize on the region’s sports market with large-scale venues that could turn a profit in as few as three years. 

May 1, 2014 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

From Setbacks to Scholar

St. John’s Shelter Program offers women a fresh start

A twice-convicted felon, Ronita Iulio thought she had blown her last chance to salvage her life and family. After being released from prison in 2008, Iulio was anxious to reunite with her three children, but instead she faced an unsympathetic court that granted full custody to her ex-husband.

Jan 3, 2014 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

Sugar & Splice

The Capital Region offers everything nice for ag-bio companies like Stevia First

A Capital Region startup is striving to be among the first in the nation to produce the zero-calorie, natural sweetener stevia on an industrial scale. An agricultural biotech company, Yuba City-based Stevia First is bolstering its chances of success by actively collaborating with experts in the field, drawing on the area’s robust talent pool of farmers, agronomists, agricultural innovators and biotech experts to develop a product that’s superior in both taste and cost compared to its foreign competitors.

Dec 1, 2013 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
Cole and Sara Ogando, co-owners, Preserve Public House

Winters’ Preservation

Age-old recipes make for new-era growth

Tucked in a quiet corner of western Yolo County, Winters embraces the soul of small-town living. Centered around a historic downtown complete with white gazebo and an oversized main street clock, this tiny farm town (population 6,624) is on the cusp of a burgeoning new food scene.

Oct 1, 2013 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart