Recent News
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Caltrain strikes unoccupied vehicle in Palo Alto
A Caltrain struck an unoccupied vehicle in Palo Alto Friday night.
Saturday, 11:12 AM | 2 commentsAround Town: Auditor's office getting taste of its own medicine; Bay Trail work set to begin
In the latest Around Town column, the Palo Alto City Auditor's Office will face an audit of its own, work is scheduled to start on a critical segment of the Bay Trail and a new voting system is set to debut next year.
Saturday, 7:38 AM | No comments yetFriday, August 16, 2019
Longtime Palo Alto free lunch, dinner program for the needy ends
Homeless people who have been eating free lunches and dinners through the Breaking Bread program in Palo Alto now have to find a meal elsewhere, as the organizer switched this week to offering only breakfasts.
Friday, 5:39 PM | No comments yetWebcast: Palo Alto's superintendent, one year in
Palo Alto Unified Superintendent Don Austin joins Weekly journalists to discuss his vision for the district and upcoming issues for the new school year.
Friday, 5:00 PM | No comments yetSuperintendent: School district to use data to solve ongoing issues
Don Austin, Palo Alto school district superintendent, said today his staff will give timely and accurate reports on 12 districtwide goals throughout the year, enabling educators to shift tactics as they go to ensure progress.
Friday, 3:45 PM | 3 commentsPUBLIC AGENDA: City responds to VTA governance report; Study session on school facilities
A preview of Palo Alto government meetings for the week of Aug. 19.
Friday, 3:34 PM | No comments yetShop Talk: After 39 years of cakes and pastries, Palo Alto institution Prolific Oven to close
One of Palo Alto's longest-standing bakeries, The Prolific Oven will close on Aug. 31 due to a "severe" labor shortage and increasing cost of doing business in the Bay Area, the owners said Wednesday.
Friday, 11:44 AM | 1 commentAnother Spare the Air alert issued as heat wave continues across Bay Area
Bay Area communities can expect another hot day Friday, which has led the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to issue a third consecutive Spare the Air alert this week.
Friday, 8:31 AM | No comments yetWith clock ticking, city considers another rail committee
As Santa Clara County prepares to distribute funding for rail projects in north county, Palo Alto is looking to create yet another citizen committee to advise city leaders on the complex and contentious topic.
Friday, 6:56 AM | 17 commentsSmall retailers in limbo at Hotel California building
Only two retailers that remain in the Hotel California building in Palo Alto's California Avenue shopping district may need to find new homes if their landlord goes through with a plan to gut the first floor.
Friday, 6:56 AM | 10 commentsGuest Opinion: On Castilleja, be careful of what you wish for
If I were a neighbor of Castilleja School, I would be more concerned with the disruption during construction and the added traffic that additional students would bring to the area.
Friday, 6:56 AM | 10 commentsThursday, August 15, 2019
Church celebration Saturday to look back β and forward
In 2015, the Palo Alto Church of Christ faced a dilemma. Once a robust congregation -- with 200 members at its peak in 1968 -- by 2015, membership had dwindled to roughly 25.
Thursday, 4:58 PM | 1 commentTwo men arrested for car burglaries at Stanford Shopping Center
Palo Alto police last week arrested two men who allegedly broke into cars at Stanford Shopping Center and, in one case, stole two backpacks containing electronics, the department said Thursday.
Thursday, 2:49 PM | 10 commentsPlanning commissioners kick back Castilleja draft environmental impact report for additions
Finding gaps in the draft environmental-impact report for Castilleja School's proposed expansion, Palo Alto's Planning and Transportation Commission is seeking more specific details that might help answer many residents' questions.
Thursday, 9:57 AM | 32 commentsHeat advisory, Spare the Air alert in effect Thursday
A heat advisory that the National Weather Service issued remains in effect until 8 p.m. Thursday as temperatures climb to the 90s and 100s in parts of the Bay Area.
Thursday, 8:40 AM | No comments yetWednesday, August 14, 2019
Santa Clara County brings nonprofit aboard for teacher housing project in Palo Alto
A proposed affordable-housing project in Palo Alto exclusively for teachers gained momentum on Tuesday when the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a developer to make the plan a reality.
Wednesday, 5:02 PM | 5 commentsPalo Alto elementary schools begin new year by getting a jump-start on goals
Palo Alto Unified's 13 elementary schools returned to class on Wednesday, kicking off both new priorities and continued focus on existing ambitions.
Wednesday, 12:10 PM | 3 commentsSanta Clara County, San Francisco sue Trump administration over 'public charge' restrictions on immigrants
Santa Clara County and San Francisco are challenging a new rule that makes it harder for low-income legal immigrants to stay in the U.S.
Wednesday, 10:27 AM | 22 commentsTuesday, August 13, 2019
High temperatures in forecast prompts heat advisory for parts of the Bay Area
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Wednesday and Thursday for parts of the Bay Area. The announcement has led Santa Clara County to offer services to give the public relief from the hot conditions.
Tuesday, 8:06 PM | No comments yetClasses begin again at Palo Alto's middle, high schools
Tuesday marked the first day of a new school year for thousands of middle and high school students in the Palo Alto Unified School District, with the district's younger students set to return to classes on Wednesday.
Tuesday, 5:33 PM | 12 commentsCouncil urged to take tough stance on Edgewood Plaza developer over grocery store
It's been a year and a half since Edgewood Plaza's new grocery store opened for business, but Palo Alto and the plaza's developer remain embroiled in a legal standoff, with little signs of compromise.
Tuesday, 5:14 PM | 30 commentsPolice: Woman fights off two would-be robbers in Midtown
Palo Alto police are looking for two men who they said attacked a woman on Monday afternoon in the city's Midtown neighborhood, according to a news release issued Tuesday.
Tuesday, 4:48 PM | 19 commentsFamily fears for safety of missing disabled woman
A 20-year-old East Palo Alto woman with learning disabilities and a medical condition disappeared six weeks ago, leaving her family worried about her safety.
Tuesday, 2:07 PM | 1 commentSecond straight Spare the Air alert issued for Wednesday
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued another Spare the Air alert for Wednesday because of unhealthy levels of smog expected in the region.
Tuesday, 12:34 PM | No comments yetResidents urge more restrictions on cell antennas in Palo Alto
Palo Alto's shifting rules for installation of wireless communication equipment changed on Monday when the City Council revised a rule that limited the height at which cellular antennas could be placed on poles.
Tuesday, 11:30 AM | 24 commentsMonday, August 12, 2019
Spare the Air alert issued for Tuesday in Bay Area
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a Spare the Air alert for Tuesday, the eighth of the summer season, because of unhealthy levels of smog in the region.
Monday, 1:02 PM | No comments yetCondominium project tests the limit of Palo Alto's new housing law
Encouraged by the Palo Alto City Council's newfound appetite for housing along San Antonio Road, a local developer is moving ahead with a proposal to build 102 condominiums on a commercial site near the Mountain View border.
Monday, 12:33 PM | 28 commentsBay Area mayors call for Senate action on gun safety laws
More than 20 Bay Area mayors, including four on the Midpeninsula, are among 249 nationwide who have signed a letter calling for action on gun violence legislation in the wake of recent mass shootings.
Monday, 10:44 AM | No comments yetSunday, August 11, 2019
County supervisors call for federal assault weapons ban
Two Santa Clara County supervisors are urging a nationwide ban on assault weapons, calling it a common-sense action to curb gun violence in the wake of three deadly shootings, including one in Gilroy.
Sunday, 7:22 AM | 22 commentsAround Town: Ventura vision in trouble; City seeks greater voice on VTA board
In the latest Around Town column, concerns are rising over the process to create a new vision for Palo Alto's Ventura neighborhood and the city is proposing a new way to select who serves on the Valley Transportation Authority board.
Sunday, 7:18 AM | 3 commentsSaturday, August 10, 2019
East Palo Alto nonprofit seeks back-to-school donations for students in need
With the new school year fast approaching, the Ecumenical Hunger Program is encouraging community members to donate school supplies, clothing and gift cards to its annual back-to-school drive.
Saturday, 8:50 AM | 2 commentsBehind UC's 'admission by exception' side door: sports, money, diversity β and secrecy
While it's unclear if admissions by exception played a direct role in the college cheating scandal, it has surfaced as a potential weak spot as policymakers seek ways to bulletproof the university's admission system from scammers.
Saturday, 8:49 AM | 2 commentsFriday, August 9, 2019
Webcast: The story of Glory
Palo Alto Weekly journalists discuss the potential closure of Glory mobile home park in East Palo Alto, which housing advocates argue would remove needed low-income housing from the city.
Friday, 3:24 PM | No comments yetPUBLIC AGENDA: City management evaluations; Castilleja environmental impact report
A preview of Palo Alto government meetings for the week of Aug. 12.
Friday, 10:41 AM | No comments yetRavenswood could embark on districtwide naming process
Community concern about losing East Palo Alto's recognition of Cesar Chavez with the phasing out of a middle school named after the civil rights activist could prompt the school district to re-evaluate all of its campus' names.
Friday, 9:22 AM | 7 commentsAs East Palo Alto searches for more affordable housing, a mobile home park heads toward closure. This is the story of a place called Glory.
Amid the ongoing Bay Area housing crisis, in which the stock of low-income housing is shrinking and elected leaders are scrambling to enact policies to get new homes built, a 29-space mobile-home park in East Palo Alto sits half-empty.
Friday, 6:55 AM | 11 commentsUnder corporate hands, Glory mobile home park faces precarious future
San Mateo County court records show that since Glory Mobile Home and RV Park fell into corporate ownerships, the park has been mired in controversy, complicating plans to close the property in 2020.
Friday, 6:55 AM | 11 commentsNeighbors brace for battle over Castilleja's growth plan
As Palo Alto prepares to hold its first public hearing next week on Castilleja School's ambitious plan to rebuild its campus, opponents and supporters are both leaning on a new environmental analysis to back their positions.
Friday, 6:54 AM | 41 commentsThursday, August 8, 2019
Community activist Stephanie Munoz dies at 86
Stephanie Munoz, one of Palo Alto's staunchest and most passionate advocates for the less fortunate, died on Aug. 1, city officials said.
Thursday, 5:58 PM | 1 commentPolice arrest peeping Tom who lurked at Palo Alto apartment complex
A man was arrested Wednesday for alleged peeping and lewd conduct at an apartment complex in Palo Alto's Barron Park neighborhood, where he was drawn to the windows of units where young girls live, the Police Department said Thursday.
Thursday, 3:03 PM | 7 commentsAs KIPP seeks to open new high school, school board expresses reservations
National charter school organization KIPP is seeking to expand its presence in San Mateo County with a new high school that would serve about 650 students when fully enrolled.
Thursday, 9:39 AM | 1 comment'Village People' prepare to close up shop
Village Stationers, a family-owned stationery store with locations in Menlo Park and Los Altos, will be closing its doors on Aug. 17 after 53 years in business.
Thursday, 9:07 AM | 12 commentsMajor crimes dip, but citations rise: Annual report reflects changes in Police Department
Following a two-week period of intense public scrutiny, Palo Alto Police Department released on Tuesday its 2018 Annual Report, which indicates a drop in major crimes and highlights recent changes in the department.
Thursday, 9:02 AM | 14 commentsJudge denies bail to man arrested after 29-hour standoff
Saying he posed a public danger, a county Superior Court judge on Wednesday refused to grant bail to Adam Allen Smith, a computer programmer who barricaded himself in a home for 29 hours last week.
Thursday, 8:27 AM | 4 commentsWednesday, August 7, 2019
Palo Alto celebrates second annual National Night Out
More than 300 community members attended National Night Out outside Palo Alto police headquarters on Tuesday for an evening of mingling with police officers, firefighters and members of the Office of Emergency Services.
Wednesday, 9:52 AM | 7 commentsStanford visiting professor among latest Breakthrough Prize winners
Three physicists, including one with Stanford University ties, will share $3 million awarded at the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics ceremony in Mountain View in November for their 1976 theory of "supergravity."
Wednesday, 9:44 AM | No comments yetNew rules could force hospitals to publish prices negotiated with insurers
Federal regulators want to give patients a clearer picture of what they will spend during a hospital visit, with a more accurate list of costs for everything from hip replacements to CT scans.
Wednesday, 9:07 AM | 4 commentsTuesday, August 6, 2019
Redevelopment of Compadres site wins final approval
A proposal to build a mixed-use development with 17 condominiums at the site of the former Compadres restaurant received the final green light from the Palo Alto City Council on Monday.
Tuesday, 1:51 PM | 2 commentsFlorida man sentenced for mailing explosives to political figures
A Florida man was handed a 20-year sentence Monday after he pleaded guilty in March to 65 felonies for mailing 16 explosive devices across the country last October, including to some Bay Area and California political figures.
Tuesday, 9:06 AM | 7 commentsMonday, August 5, 2019
Palo Alto Art Center Foundation aims for more funding, engagement
Known for popular art classes and funky exhibits featuring glass pumpkins and willow huts, the Palo Alto Art Center is now preparing to up its game in a less glamorous art: fundraising.
Monday, 8:29 PM | 5 commentsGluten-free bakeshop gets new owner, salon closes and Singapore cafe expands: The latest in local food and retail news
In the latest Shop Talk column, a gluten-free bakery will be under new ownership, a California Avenue salon closes its doors and Singapore's oldest cafe is opening a Palo Alto outpost.
Monday, 10:57 AM | 1 commentSunday, August 4, 2019
Police: Man arrested after 29-hour standoff had illegal high-capacity magazine in his gun
The man whose 29-hour standoff with the police transformed a quiet block of Charleston Meadows into a hive of police activity was armed with an unregistered handgun loaded with an illegal high-capacity magazine, police said Sunday.
Sunday, 11:48 AM | 29 commentsOne dies in crash between box truck and fire truck on U.S. Highway 101 in Palo Alto
A man died when he rear-ended a box truck into a Palo Alto Fire Department fire truck responding to an earlier car crash on U.S. Highway 101 in Palo Alto early Sunday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Sunday, 9:38 AM | 24 commentsPalo Alto, East Palo Alto neighborhoods gear up for National Night Out
Neighborhoods throughout both Palo Alto and East Palo Alto are preparing for National Night Out, an annual event to improve community relations between police departments and the communities they patrol this Tuesday.
Sunday, 8:53 AM | 2 comments
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After 39 years of cakes and pastries, Palo Alto institution Prolific Oven to close
By Elena Kadvany | 50 comments | 14,653 views
What is your climate personality?
By Sherry Listgarten | 28 comments | 1,724 views
Eat Your Values – August 15
By Laura Stec | 1 comment | 1,192 views
The Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) Process Explained
By Steve Levy | 1 comment | 991 views
Do something about assault weapons, now!
By Diana Diamond | 30 comments | 947 views
Early Bird rates end Sunday!
βOn Friday, October 11, join us at the Palo Alto Baylands for a 5K walk, 5K run, 10K run or half marathon! All proceeds benefit local nonprofits serving children and families. Early Bird prices end Sun., Aug 18.
