Recent News
Thursday, March 23, 2023
'An eye in the sky': A new NASA project is developing drone technology to fight wildfires
As wildfire season on the West Coast stretches longer each year, with fires scorching through record levels of acreage, scientists at NASA Ames want to utilize drones to help modernize firefighting.
Thursday, 9:29 AM | No comments yetFive new shops open at Town & Country Village
Four new sustainability-focused, fair-trade apparel and homegoods stores and a hand-crafted ice cream shop are the newest additions to Town & Country Village, the retail center announced Wednesday.
Thursday, 8:38 AM | No comments yetWednesday, March 22, 2023
In 'State of the City,' Mayor Lydia Kou assails state housing mandates
Palo Alto Mayor Lydia Kou took a swing on Wednesday at state housing mandates during her "State of the City" address and warned that recent laws could render the council helpless to prevent an onrush of large developments.
Wednesday, 11:50 PM | 4 commentsMan dies following car collision on Charleston Road
Police are looking for witnesses in a Monday morning collision in Palo Alto near the Mountain View border where a driver struck a pedestrian who died the next day.
Wednesday, 2:47 PM | 1 commentNew rules to phase out gas appliances stoke excitement, anxiety on the Peninsula
With the Bay Area adopting sweeping new rules to phase out gas-fueled appliances, city and county officials in Menlo Park, Palo Alto and the region are debating the risks and benefits of going fully electric.
Wednesday, 9:46 AM | 18 commentsFor Palo Alto gas customers, relief is finally in sight
After a jarring spike in gas bills, Palo Alto customers could see some relief in the months ahead as the city prepares to roll out a rebate program and begin distributing money as part of a court settlement.
Wednesday, 9:31 AM | 4 commentsTuesday, March 21, 2023
Gusty storm claims a life: Tree falls on van in Portola Valley, killing the driver
A man died after a tree fell on his car at around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Ladera, shortly after high winds and rain picked up.
Tuesday, 4:10 PM | 1 commentThousands of utilities customers lose power as strong winds pass through Palo Alto, taking down large trees
Powerful winds returned Tuesday to Palo Alto, knocking out electricity for thousands of utilities customers, many of whom saw their service return that night. Another outage on Wednesday initially affected about 4,500 customers.
Tuesday, 1:49 PM | 11 commentsCondominium development proposed in Ventura neighborhood
A parking lot in the Ventura neighborhood may soon be transformed into a condominium community with 16 townhomes through an application now under the city's review.
Tuesday, 9:46 AM | 4 commentsKia, Hyundai under scrutiny from attorneys general over lack of vehicle anti-theft devices
Attorney General Rob Bonta and nearly two dozen other attorneys general sent a letter to Kia and Hyundai executives over concerns that the companies failed to add anti-theft technology in their cars.
Tuesday, 9:20 AM | No comments yetHomelessness, rehabilitation and health care: What to know about Newsom's legacy tour
Gov. Gavin Newsom starts defining his legacy on a statewide tour that focuses on priorities interrupted by crisis and the pandemic.
Tuesday, 9:10 AM | 5 commentsCity to refund developer $900K in parking fees, court orders
Palo Alto will have to refund more than $900,000 to a downtown developer after a state appeals court ruled Monday that the city had illegally imposed parking fees without having a real plan to spend this money on parking.
Tuesday, 8:10 AM | 11 commentsMonday, March 20, 2023
Palo Alto set to receive $24M over utilities litigation
Palo Alto is expecting to receive about $24 million from the federal government following litigation between a consortium of northern California utilities and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
Monday, 9:57 AM | 4 commentsSunday, March 19, 2023
El Camino Health is first in the world to use new blood flow monitoring technology
El Camino Health will begin using a new blood flow monitoring technology called FloPatch, a wearable ultrasound system that allows clinicians to more effectively treat patients with sepsis.
Sunday, 8:00 AM | 1 commentSaturday, March 18, 2023
Palo Alto Unified looks to revive negotiations on Cubberley redevelopment
Seeking a breakthrough after decades of frustrating and largely fruitless negotiations, the Palo Alto school board this month submitted a letter to the city soliciting proposals for the redevelopment of Cubberley Community Center.
Saturday, 8:51 AM | 6 commentsSanta Clara County sheriff reports over a dozen fentanyl overdoses in one week at correctional facility
Sheriff Robert Jonsen is drawing attention to a rash of fentanyl overdoses and exposures at Milpitas' Elmwood Correctional Facility.
Saturday, 8:37 AM | No comments yetFriday, March 17, 2023
Judge hears Elizabeth Holmes' request to remain free while appeal resolved
At a court hearing on Friday, lawyers for convicted Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes argued that her upcoming prison term should be delayed until a higher court has reviewed the case.
Friday, 1:49 PM | 5 commentsPUBLIC AGENDA: Changes to City Council protocols; proposed financial plans for utilities
A preview of government meetings for the week of March 20.
Friday, 12:13 PM | No comments yetMalcolm Harris details the legacy of Stanford, Hoover, eugenics in interview
Malcolm Harris, author of "Palo Alto: A History of California Capitalism, and the World," joined Weekly staff to talk about the legacy of Leland Stanford and Herbert Hoover and his experiences in the city.
Friday, 9:55 AM | 17 commentsTwo more atmospheric rivers could hit West Coast in next week, per preliminary forecasts
As many as two more atmospheric rivers could douse the already sodden West Coast in the next week, according to state weather experts.
Friday, 9:54 AM | No comments yetAround Town: New documentary puts Aaron Persky's removal from bench back in the spotlight
Read news about a new documentary that reevaluates the recall of Aaron Persky as a Superior Court judge and current and former female mayors who dined together on International Women's Day.
Friday, 9:08 AM | 2 commentsWhen regulators took over Silicon Valley Bank, startups scrambled to make payroll
A bank run that prompted the country's 16th largest bank to become insolvent was a shocking reality that many in the local tech industry have dealt with over the past week.
Friday, 7:06 AM | 4 commentsThursday, March 16, 2023
Tech CEO arrested for peeping into woman's restroom stall in January now connected to three more cases, police say
The Palo Alto tech company CEO was arrested earlier this year on suspicion of peeping into woman's bathroom stall in Mountain View.
Thursday, 11:05 AM | 1 commentState Sen. Josh Becker revives effort to address police radio encryption
After falling just short in the final days of last year's legislative session, Becker is renewing his push for a law that would require law enforcement to make radio communications accessible to the media.
Thursday, 9:00 AM | No comments yetWednesday, March 15, 2023
Woman allegedly lied about 2 sexual assaults at Stanford campus last year
A 25-year-old Stanford University employee is facing charges that she lied about being raped twice on campus last year, apparently in an effort to target a co-worker, Santa Clara County prosecutors said.
Wednesday, 5:52 PM | 9 commentsCommunity invited to discuss recent East Palo Alto power outages at forum
Local leaders and PG&E representatives are set to discuss the power outages that plagued East Palo Alto and surrounding areas in late February when a massive atmospheric river swept through northern California.
Wednesday, 5:29 PM | No comments yetPalo Alto woman dies in Joshua Tree crash
A Palo Alto resident was killed in a crash with a pickup truck that left three others with moderate to major injuries in Joshua Tree over the weekend, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Wednesday, 4:40 PM | No comments yetMan arrested after violent assault in downtown Palo Alto apartment complex
A Palo Alto man allegedly beat a woman with a metal object at a downtown apartment complex Tuesday morning, leaving her bleeding on the ground with serious injuries, police said.
Wednesday, 2:52 PM | No comments yetBomb threat called in to Stanford Shopping Center, search turns up nothing
A bomb threat called in to the Stanford Shopping Center on Wednesday prompted Palo Alto police to sweep the area in search of any explosives with the help of a K-9. The preliminary investigation turned up nothing.
Wednesday, 10:59 AM | 3 commentsFree textbooks? It could soon be a reality at California's community colleges
The California Community College Chancellor's Office has $115 million to spend to reduce the burden of textbook costs across its 115-campus system.
Wednesday, 9:30 AM | No comments yetCity Hall error jeopardizes man's plan to build a home
When Nitin Handa bought a parcel of land last November, he had every intention of building a home and few reasons to think that his plan would become the focus of neighborhood angst.
Wednesday, 9:12 AM | 21 commentsTuesday, March 14, 2023
Alameda County Coroner's Bureau trying to identify remains of 155 people from all over Bay Area
The Coroner's Bureau needs help identifying one body and the cremated remains of 154 other people recently found in a warehouse.
Tuesday, 5:24 PM | No comments yetFallen trees cause power outages for thousands of Palo Alto Utilities customers
Strong winds and stormy conditions caused trees to fall and electrical wires to go down in Palo Alto, where multiple power outages impacted thousands of utilities customers on Tuesday.
Tuesday, 12:20 PM | 36 commentsAfter collapse, Silicon Valley Bank halts plan for branch on California Avenue
Silicon Valley Bank is halting its plan to open a branch on California Avenue in Palo Alto following its spectacular collapse late last week and its subsequent takeover by the Federal Deposit Insurance Commission.
Tuesday, 9:40 AM | 6 commentsAs retail trends shift, Palo Alto looks for new economic strategy
Faced with high vacancies and fewer daytime workers to support businesses, Palo Alto is moving to adopt a new economic development strategy aimed at revitalizing core commercial areas.
Tuesday, 9:30 AM | 21 commentsFirst Republic Bank, others affected by failure of Silicon Valley Bank
Another Bay Area bank was affected Monday by uncertainty in the financial markets following the failure of Silicon Valley Bank.
Tuesday, 9:07 AM | No comments yetMonday, March 13, 2023
Swastikas, image of Hitler found drawn on Stanford student's dormitory door
Multiple swastikas and an image of Adolf Hitler drawn on a whiteboard were recently found on the dormitory door of an undergraduate Jewish student at Stanford University.
Monday, 4:35 PM | 1 commentAtmospheric river expected to hit region through Tuesday
A storm drenching the Bay Area on Tuesday morning is moving through the region faster than predicted, but forecasters said Big Sur and southward will see heavy rains the rest of the day.
Monday, 12:12 PM | No comments yetMan arrested for allegedly assaulting bus drivers, attempting carjacking
Palo Alto police arrested a man last week after he allegedly assaulted two bus drivers, fled from officers and attempted to carjack someone stopped in traffic.
Monday, 9:57 AM | 1 commentParasite outbreak blamed for killing hundreds of Bay Area pigeons
Pigeon carcasses have been found in parts of the Peninsula due to a seasonal outbreak of avian trichomonosis. It's caused by a primarily water-borne parasite that is infecting band-tailed pigeons flocking to the Pacific coast.
Monday, 9:15 AM | No comments yetThe collapse of Silicon Valley Bank: A one-off calamity, or sign of more trouble for California?
Silicon Valley Bank's failure is a sign of weakness in the tech industry, and that could spell trouble for the state of California.
Monday, 9:07 AM | No comments yetSunday, March 12, 2023
Applications to carry concealed weapons skyrocket in Santa Clara County
A 2022 Supreme Court ruling started a chain reaction nationwide for who can obtain a concealed carry weapons permit. In Santa Clara County, it means more people will be able to carry concealed weapons.
Sunday, 9:47 AM | 5 commentsSaturday, March 11, 2023
Around Town: Families mark Black History Month with bike tour
Read news about a students and parents participating in a Black History Month bike ride, a Stanford senior's semifinal run at a Jeopardy! tournament and county supervisors seeking a continuation of the county's vaccination effort.
Saturday, 11:15 AM | 1 commentFriday, March 10, 2023
Bank run sinks Silicon Valley Bank
A run on a Bay Area bank with billions in deposits prompted state regulators to close it Friday, according to court documents.
Friday, 4:48 PM | 1 commentHeavy rains leave dozens of customers in the foothills without power
A strong storm that pummeled the Bay Area Thursday has prompted Palo Alto to close two roads. A power outage in the foothills was resolved on Friday afternoon, city officials said.
Friday, 9:49 AM | No comments yetTensions flare over creek authority's plan to replace bridges, widen channel
Despite a funding shortage and pockets of resistance from residents along San Francisquito Creek, an agency charged with improving flood control is preparing to enter its next major phase of construction next year.
Friday, 9:44 AM | 17 commentsJudge denies Theranos exec Sunny Balwani's request to stay free until appeal is done
A federal judge has denied a motion by convicted Theranos executive Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani to remain free until his appeal to a higher court is resolved. He has been ordered to report to prison on March 16.
Friday, 8:59 AM | No comments yetNew report details educational disparities at Palo Alto Unified
Disparities in student achievement have long plagued school districts throughout the country, and Palo Alto Unified is no exception. A new report card showed improvement in some areas but big gaps remain across nearly all indicators.
Friday, 7:00 AM | 15 commentsTall Tree Awards honor outstanding Palo Altans
Four individuals and organizations will be honored for their contributions to local nonprofits, music education, academic achievement and fostering a closer-knit community.
Friday, 6:59 AM | 1 commentOpinion: Writer, beware: Chatbots and our kids
Introducing the use of AI bots, and cavalierly erasing a source of high school joy -- the sense of one's own creative and maturing voice on the page -- will only deepen the dejected climate in our schools.
Friday, 6:59 AM | 2 commentsStay informed.
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Porterhouse San Mateo revamps its menu following move to new spot
By The Peninsula Foodist | 2 comments | 2,483 views
How well is City Manager Ed Shikada performing his job?
By Diana Diamond | 12 comments | 2,086 views
Farm Bill and the Organic Movement (part 5) Plus: Global Plant Forward Summit, April 18 – 20
By Laura Stec | 9 comments | 1,390 views
