Recent News
Thursday, September 28, 2023
President Biden leaves Bay Area after campaign stops, meeting with science and tech advisors
President Joe Biden left the Bay Area via Air Force One on Wednesday evening, Sept. 27, around 6:30 p.m. after a day and a half of campaign fundraising stops and a meeting with science and tech advisors.
Thursday, 5:34 PM | No comments yetLieutenant from Stanford's Department of Public Safety graduates from FBI National Academy
Lieutenant Ceasar Campos was part of a National Academy class that underwent intensive training, which included coursework in advanced investigative techniques.
Thursday, 9:15 AM | No comments yetOpinion: The infamous ‘Palo Alto Process’ must go
Projects coming before the Palo Alto City Council and its committees take ages to get done. Current case in point? The grade separations of Caltrain tracks from the city's roads.
Thursday, 7:38 AM | 6 commentsPalo Alto quietly abandons decades-long program to put overhead utilities underground
With little public debate, Palo Alto has largely abandoned its once popular program that buries power lines underground in residential neighborhoods. Some residents want to see the effort continue.
Thursday, 7:37 AM | 16 commentsBike Palo Alto is back after four-year gap
Bike Palo Alto, a local bicycling event organized by volunteers, is back after a long pandemic hiatus. The two-hour fair will be held on Sunday, Oct. 1, from 1-3 p.m. at Fairmeadow Elementary School.
Thursday, 7:37 AM | 5 commentsWednesday, September 27, 2023
Driver hits two parked cars, flips vehicle on Emerson
Emergency vehicles swarmed a downtown Palo Alto block on Tuesday afternoon after a driver sideswiped two parked cars and flipped his vehicle on Emerson Street.
Wednesday, 7:55 AM | 2 commentsPalo Alto set to make Juneteenth and Cesar Chavez Day city holidays
Palo Alto's elected leaders all agree that creating more holidays will help spread awareness, show inclusiveness and combat hate crimes. To that end, they will consider designating Juneteenth and Cesar Chavez Day as paid holidays.
Wednesday, 7:52 AM | 9 commentsGovernor signs two Berman bills that target greater gun safety
On Sept. 26 Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills, authored by Assembly member Marc Berman, that empower the state DOJ to conduct firearm inspection and that require sellers to provide information about the risks of gun ownership.
Wednesday, 7:48 AM | No comments yetTuesday, September 26, 2023
Trainer connected with Palo Alto dog's death charged in Massachusetts case
A woman who was under investigation for the disappearance and death of a Palo Alto family's beloved German shepherd in January has been arrested and charged in Massachusetts in connection with a dog-training scam.
Tuesday, 11:58 PM | 2 commentsLarge vegetation fire burning at University Avenue 101 interchange
Firefighters were responding to a large fire that burned shrubs and trees at University Avenue and the U.S. Highway 101 interchange on Tuesday night.
Tuesday, 8:54 PM | 1 commentPresident Biden arrives on Peninsula for campaign events, meeting with tech advisors
Biden landed at Moffett Federal Airfield in Mountain View at 3:17 p.m. on Sept. 26 after a visit earlier in the day with autoworkers on strike in Detroit, according to pool media reports.
Tuesday, 6:21 PM | 2 commentsSerial killer John Getreu dies in prison
John Arthur Getreu, the serial killer who was sentenced to life in prison for the strangulation murders of two women in the 1970s on Stanford University land, has died in state prison, San Mateo County's district attorney confirmed.
Tuesday, 6:15 PM | No comments yetSaying they want a seat at the table, Palo Alto Weekly journalists join effort to form a company-wide union
Newsroom employees at Embarcadero Media announced that they are forming a union on Tuesday. The proposed Embarcadero Community News Guild includes reporters, editors, visual journalists and designers.
Tuesday, 4:32 PM | 7 commentsObituaries: Local residents who have died recently
Local residents who have died recently include Marlene Cummings Arnold, Manuel Santos Avila, Kevin George Bohannon, Susan J. Levy and Cyrena Nelson Wilson.
Tuesday, 2:19 PM | No comments yetNewsom signs new California crime and school laws
On Monday, Sept. 25, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 14 into law, reclassifying child sex trafficking into a serious felony with increased prison sentences.
Tuesday, 12:48 PM | No comments yet'Report dead birds,' San Mateo County vector control says, as West Nile virus detected
A small number of wild birds have tested positive for West Nile virus in Redwood City, Menlo Park and other parts of San Mateo County, prompting authorities to ask the public to report any dead birds they encounter.
Tuesday, 12:12 PM | No comments yet4th largest powerball jackpot helps raise nearly $54M for California schools
The jackpot, which has been growing for over two months, now stands at an estimated $785 million for Monday night's draw. There have been 28 consecutive drawings without a top-prize winner.
Tuesday, 9:45 AM | 1 commentProperty owner seeks city's help to fill vacancy in Homer Avenue building
Citing anemic demand for downtown office space in the aftermath of the pandemic, a Palo Alto developer is asking the city to remove a long-standing restriction on the space that a tenant can occupy in its Homer Avenue building.
Tuesday, 7:52 AM | 9 commentsMonday, September 25, 2023
Cold front brings rain, high surf advisory to Bay Area
A cold front moving down from the Oregon border is expected to bring rain Tuesday morning, Sept. 26, particularly for northern Sonoma County and the Mayacamas Mountains, according to the National Weather Service.
Monday, 5:23 PM | No comments yetIconic restaurant The Fish Market auctions décor, equipment and furniture in online auction
The Fish Market, a 47-year-old seafood restaurant in Palo Alto that shut its El Camino Real branch to give way to a housing project, is hosting an online auction to sell its contents. Bidding will take place through Sept. 26 at 1 p.m.
Monday, 1:45 PM | 1 commentNewsom signs bill seeking to protect LGBTQ+ youth from hostile foster homes
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday, Sept. 23, signed Senate Bill 407, proposed by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, which directs the Department of Social Services to amend the foster care vetting process for LGBTQ+ youth.
Monday, 9:14 AM | No comments yetFrench-Moroccan couple from Palo Alto raises funds for quake-shattered homeland
In support of the people of Morocco, who faced an earthquake earlier this month, Palo Alto residents Lamya Alaoui and Stéphane Paquet have raised around $5,990 on GoFundMe.
Monday, 8:43 AM | No comments yetRavenswood City School District board to vote this week on 400-unit teacher housing proposal
The Ravenswood City School District is looking to ink an agreement for an affordable housing project that could bring 450 affordable homes to 2120 Euclid Ave., the site of the district office.
Monday, 8:25 AM | No comments yetSunday, September 24, 2023
Immigrants put billions of dollars into Santa Clara County
Approximately 765,800 immigrants contributed $255 billion to Santa Clara County's gross domestic product in recent times, according to a report.
Sunday, 11:11 AM | 9 commentsSaturday, September 23, 2023
NASA prepares to bring back asteroid samples from space on Sept. 24
After seven years of space exploration, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission will return to Earth on Sunday, Sept. 24, bringing back a small sample of asteroid remnants that will help scientists better understand life formations on Earth.
Saturday, 8:08 AM | No comments yetFriday, September 22, 2023
Yet another Spare the Air alert issued for Saturday due to wildfire smoke
Wildfire smoke continues to persist in the Bay Area, prompting the region's air quality regulators to issue another Spare the Air alert for Saturday, Sept. 23, that bans the burning of wood or other solid fuels.
Friday, 12:06 PM | No comments yetEichler-style fire station approved near Mitchell Park
Palo Alto passed a critical milestone Thursday, Sept. 21, in its plan to replace the aged and undersized fire station near Mitchell Park when the city's Architectural Review Board approved the design for the Eichler-style project.
Friday, 9:27 AM | 6 commentsStroller-friendly run club to race at 2023 Moonlight Run
FIT4MOM's current run club session participants will be racing at Palo Alto Weekly's 39th Moonlight Run & Walk, slated for Sept. 29. Rachel Kitt is at the helm of this stroller-friendly running club.
Friday, 8:18 AM | No comments yetAround Town: Christine Blasey Ford's new book, Andrew Luck takes to the field, a new treat for dogs
In his week's Around Town column, Christine Blasey Ford writes a memoir, Andrew Luck gets back into the game, and Palo Alto eyes new dog parks.
Friday, 8:14 AM | 1 commentPalo Alto Weekly Moonlight Run & Walk race night guide
Here's everything you need to know about the Moonlight Run & Walk, which will take place at the Palo Alto Baylands, starting at the Baylands Athletic Center at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 29.
Friday, 8:13 AM | No comments yetPublic Agenda: Parks & Recreation Commission talks about dog parks
Here's a preview of issues that will be discussed at Palo Alto government meetings the week of Sept. 25.
Friday, 8:12 AM | No comments yetThursday, September 21, 2023
Pedestrian struck, killed by California Highway Patrol officer with DUI suspect in vehicle on Highway 92
A California Highway Patrol officer struck and killed a man who was running across State Highway 92 on Wednesday night, Sept. 20, CHP Capt. Jason Cavett said during a press conference on Thursday.
Thursday, 3:51 PM | 1 commentSanta Clara County celebrates construction of inpatient psychiatric hospital for children and teens
The construction of an inpatient psychiatric hospital that will serve Santa Clara County's youngest residents is another step closer to becoming a reality for kids and teens seeking care during an acute mental health crisis.
Thursday, 2:21 PM | No comments yetAtherton celebrates centennial, tracing back 100 years of history on the Peninsula
This Sunday, Sept. 24, Atherton plans to commemorate its 100-year history with a celebration at the Town Center, located at 80 Fair Oaks Lane, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Thursday, 1:55 PM | No comments yetAnother Spare the Air alert issued for Friday due to wildfire smoke
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has extended a Spare the Air alert through Friday due to wildfire smoke that continues to linger from fires burning further north in California and Oregon.
Thursday, 1:21 PM | No comments yetTraffic advisory issued for Embarcadero, El Camino and Sand Hill Road
Increased traffic is expected on Embarcadero Road, El Camino Real and Sand Hill Road this Saturday afternoon, Sept. 23.
Thursday, 12:57 PM | No comments yetSanta Clara County Board of Supervisors looks to pitch in another $10M for all-inclusive playgrounds
Looking to replicate the success of the past, Santa Clara County's Board of Supervisors is considering setting aside $10 million to help local jurisdictions build more all-inclusive playgrounds.
Thursday, 9:42 AM | 1 commentNew studies aim to speed up Palo Alto's redesign of rail crossings
Eager to take advantage of recently acquired federal and state grants, Palo Alto is preparing to speed up its tortuous, decade-long effort to choose preferred alternatives for redesigning three rail crossings.
Thursday, 7:29 AM | 13 commentsWednesday, September 20, 2023
Police calls: 3 commercial burglaries and 8 suspicious circumstances
Reports of crimes made to Palo Alto police from Sept. 9 to Sept. 15.
Wednesday, 7:27 PM | No comments yetSpare the Air alert issued through Thursday due to wildfire smoke
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a Spare the Air alert that will be in effect through Thursday, Sept. 21, because of wildfire smoke that has drifted into the region from further north in California and Oregon.
Wednesday, 8:54 AM | No comments yetLGBTQ+ Afghans in dire need of asylum nations
There are an estimated 10,000 LGBTQ+ Afghans who need immediate evacuation. While nations like Germany and Canada, among others, are actively granting asylum to them, the network of nations doing so should be much bigger, activists.
Wednesday, 8:22 AM | No comments yetHow LGBTQ+ Afghans are escaping from the Taliban, with the help of Silicon Valley
Americans for Afghans, a humanitarian startup co-founded by Palo Alto human relations commissioner Michelle Kraus and San Francisco tech executive Joe Rodriguez, is helping rescue LGBTQ Afghans from the clutches of the Taliban.
Wednesday, 8:20 AM | 2 commentsTuesday, September 19, 2023
Crash south of San Antonio Road kills Redwood City resident
A Redwood City man died, and another person was injured in a hit-and-run crash that involved four cars on Sunday, Sept. 17, south of San Antonio Road, the California Highway Patrol said in a collision report on Tuesday, Sept. 19.
Tuesday, 6:14 PM | No comments yetAfter 2 students are struck by cars, parents call for more traffic safety
Palo Alto parents are calling for more traffic-safety measures after two children were hit by cars in separate collisions, including a crash on East Meadow Drive that left a middle-school student in critical condition.
Tuesday, 5:15 PM | 63 commentsPalo Alto to pay a gas premium to ward off sharp spikes in winter bills
Palo Alto's gas customers will be protected from sharp bill spikes this winter thanks to a new strategy that the city adopted on Sept. 18. The assurance will, however, come at a price: a 4% to 6% rate hike on residential bills.
Tuesday, 2:46 PM | 6 commentsPalo Alto resident Offir Gutelzon leads massive Bay Area protest against Benjamin Netanyahu
Palo Alto based entrepreneur Offir Gutelzon led a massive, five-part protest Monday, Sept. 18, across San Jose, Fremont and Union Square San Francisco, to boo Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with Elon Musk.
Tuesday, 8:38 AM | 8 commentsCity hopes to lure growth — and grants — to San Antonio Road
In designating San Antonio Road as a "priority development area," the Palo Alto City Council is hoping to attract grants and gradually transform the industrial area into a residential one.
Tuesday, 12:10 AM | 6 commentsMonday, September 18, 2023
Assembly member Diane Papan to present $2M to East Palo Alto
Assemblymember Diane Papan will present a $2 million check to East Palo Alto on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. for the city's Water Main Replacement Project.
Monday, 7:32 PM | 4 commentsLocal residents who have died recently: Azcueta, Callahan and Santo Domingo
Local residents who have died recently include Priscilla Azcueta, James Callahan and Arturo Santo Domingo.
Monday, 7:15 PM | No comments yetPalo Alto looks to extend 'safe parking' on Geng Road
Nearly three years after opening a public parking lot on Geng Road to unhoused individuals, Palo Alto is preparing to extend its partnership with Santa Clara County to keep the city's largest "safe parking" program near the Baylands.
Monday, 9:35 AM | 3 commentsRecent San Carlos home break-in could be tied to crimes in Atherton, Redwood City
The sheriff's office believes the Sept. 15 home break-in incident could be connected to a series of recent burglaries in West Selby, Atherton and Redwood City due to the parallels in timing and vehicle choice.
Monday, 9:06 AM | No comments yetBecker bill seeks to end 'cruel' price markups at prison stores
Seeking to curb what he calls cruel and egregious markups at California prisons, state Sen. Josh Becker is spearheading a law that would cap prices on items sold at canteen stores.
Monday, 8:23 AM | 20 commentsSunday, September 17, 2023
The learning recovery that wasn't: Missed opportunities and the ongoing cost of COVID
The second yearly report by a national education research organization examining the impacts of COVID-19 on K-12 education offered a sobering outlook while highlighting some notable state and local efforts nationwide.
Sunday, 6:51 AM | 3 commentsSaturday, September 16, 2023
Around Town: Cameron Park improvement planned, Ada's Cafe gets funding
In this week's Around Town column, Cameron Park is poised for improvements and the City Council approves more funding for Ada's Cafe.
Saturday, 11:35 AM | 2 commentsFriday, September 15, 2023
Opinion: Surprising facts and factoids about trees in our fair city
I recently had a conversation with Palo Alto's urban forester, Peter Gollinger, about the need to plant trees to replace two liquidambar that were removed by the city last year. The length of time that it'll take surprised me.
Friday, 3:42 PM | 3 commentsPalo Alto Police Department loses phone service due to AT&T outage
A widespread outage in the AT&T network knocked out all the phone lines at the Palo Alto Police Department on Friday afternoon, Sept. 15. Service was restored at about 5:20 p.m.
Friday, 1:00 PM | 5 commentsPalo Alto police to add surveillance to prime shopping areas
Boosted by a state grant, the Palo Alto Police Department is preparing to add more patrol officers to Stanford Shopping Center and other central shopping areas and to deploy GPS technology that tracks suspect vehicles if they flee.
Friday, 12:15 PM | 2 commentsPublic Agenda: San Antonio Road development, a salt-removal plant and public art
Here's a preview of issues that will be discussed at Palo Alto government meetings the week of Sept. 18.
Friday, 10:09 AM | No comments yetLongtime South Bay journalist's book takes a deep dive into an infamous Peninsula murder
The 1974 murder of a young woman in Stanford's Memorial Church shocked the community and became a decades-long cold case. Journalist Scott Herhold followed the story throughout his career and now explores the case in a new book.
Friday, 9:53 AM | No comments yetArtist who painted Taylor Swift's butterfly mural debuts new work in Palo Alto
Renowned street artist Kelsey Montague, the artist behind the famous #whatliftsyou wings and Taylor Swift's butterfly mural, has created art for a local skin clinic SkinSpirit. The work became available to the public Thursday, Sept 14.
Friday, 9:43 AM | No comments yetCity urged to think bigger as it rezones San Antonio Road for housing
As Palo Alto prepares to transform an industrial area around San Antonio Road into the city's next residential hub, housing advocates and developers are calling for the city to think bigger when it comes to zone changes.
Friday, 8:05 AM | 43 commentsStay informed.
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Analysis/paralysis: The infamous ‘Palo Alto Process’ must go
By Diana Diamond | 6 comments | 2,360 views
Common Ground
By Sherry Listgarten | 3 comments | 1,935 views
The Time and Cost Savings of Avoiding a Long Commute
By Steve Levy | 6 comments | 1,692 views
Planting a Fall Garden?
By Laura Stec | 5 comments | 1,165 views
Sign-up now for 5K Run/Walk, 10k Run, Half Marathon
The 39th annual Moonlight Run and Walk is Friday evening, September 29. Join us under the light of the full Harvest Moon on a 5K walk, 5K run, 10K run or half marathon. Complete your race in person or virtually. Proceeds from the race go to the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund, benefiting local nonprofits that serve families and children in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.
