Recent News
Sunday, October 17, 2021
Weather service forecasts rain for Bay Area as soon as Tuesday
The National Weather Service is forecasting a return of rainy weather to the Bay Area next week for the first time in a while, but exactly how much and when it will fall is still uncertain.
Sunday, 9:08 AM | No comments yetSaturday, October 16, 2021
Around Town: How community members can prepare for an earthquake
In the latest Around Town column, earthquake preparedness tips ahead of the Great California ShakeOut, an introduction to the Palo Alto Library's latest robot and a former East Palo Alto police chief's new federal job.
Saturday, 10:43 AM | No comments yetFriday, October 15, 2021
PUBLIC AGENDA: Discussion on housing impact fees; updates on school construction projects
A preview of Palo Alto government meetings for the week of Oct. 18.
Friday, 10:09 AM | 1 commentPalo Alto scrambles to react to barrage of new housing laws
City planners are crafting an "urgency ordinance" to comply with laws that streamline approval processes for residential projects, relax density regulations and effectively abolish single-family zoning.
Friday, 9:22 AM | 8 commentsCity prepares to switch to 'smart meters'
Seeking to advance its conservation goals, Palo Alto is preparing to approve more than $18 million in contracts on Monday to transition all electricity, gas and water customers to "smart meters."
Friday, 8:58 AM | 8 commentsA death at the Opportunity Center raises questions about security and care
Jeffrey Cutter's death in his apartment at Palo Alto's Opportunity Center on June 12 has raised questions for his mother, who feels that her mentally ill son didn't receive the kind of care that could've prevented the tragedy.
Friday, 6:56 AM | 7 commentsThursday, October 14, 2021
Are immigrants getting left out of California's rent relief?
Non-English speaking immigrants face some of the biggest hurdles to receiving California rent relief. Advocates say informal leases, lack of technology access and language barriers are getting in the way.
Thursday, 9:35 AM | 3 commentsWith return of in-person education, schools grapple with staffing shortages
Midpeninsula school districts are having trouble finding people to fill a variety of positions, including substitute teachers, crossing guards, bus drivers and classroom assistants.
Thursday, 9:26 AM | 1 commentWednesday, October 13, 2021
California pulls the plug on gas-powered leaf blowers under new law
Nearly three decades after Peninsula cities began enacting bans on gas-powered leaf blowers, the effort has found a foothold at the state level, with the governor signing a bill that will phase out their sales.
Wednesday, 1:28 PM | 14 commentsWater conservation helps groundwater levels decrease at slower rate
Since the Santa Clara Valley Water District declared a water shortage emergency in June, water consumption has continued to decrease -- slowing the rate of groundwater declines.
Wednesday, 9:04 AM | No comments yetTuesday, October 12, 2021
Newsom's vetoes: Why did the governor block California bills?
Gov. Gavin Newsom had his reasons for blocking California bills passed by the Legislature: cost, duplication and some politics. Overall, he signed 770 bills into law and vetoed 66, or about 8%.
Tuesday, 4:20 PM | No comments yetDeveloper sues Palo Alto over failure to build downtown garage
After exploring and rejecting the idea of constructing a new downtown garage, Palo Alto is now embroiled in litigation with a downtown developer who believes the city has been misusing the fees that it collects from builders.
Tuesday, 4:00 PM | 6 commentsMan charged after alleged violent downtown hate crime
Two people were attacked during a violent hate crime assault in downtown Palo Alto early Sunday morning, and the suspect had to be taken into custody with the assistance of a police dog, police said.
Tuesday, 3:34 PM | 26 commentsBy popular demand, Palo Alto prepares to expand Boulware Park
When Ventura residents talk about their vision for the neighborhood's future, parks usually top the wish list. Now, with plans to expand the neighborhood's only park advancing, help is at last on the way.
Tuesday, 9:44 AM | 3 commentsMonday, October 11, 2021
New poll finds 71% of Bay Area residents think quality of life has declined
Residents grappling with the high cost of living, high taxes and growing homelessness say the quality of life has sunk in recent years, with a record number looking to leave the region, a new survey shows.
Monday, 2:32 PM | 74 commentsAround Town: Gunn dethrones state's 'Best' in newly released high school rankings
In the latest column, news about local schools earning top scores in new state rankings, MayView clinic's expanded services and a heated exchange between a bicyclist and pedestrian that goes viral on Reddit.
Monday, 11:36 AM | 2 commentsStanford requires COVID-19 vaccines for all employees
Stanford is requiring all employees, whether working remotely or from the office, to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8, unless they have a medical or religious accommodation.
Monday, 9:43 AM | 1 commentBurglars break into home, flee when confronted by resident
Palo Alto police are looking for four people who they believe broke into an occupied home on Friday night in the city's Barron Park neighborhood.
Monday, 9:20 AM | 8 commentsStanford professor shares Nobel prize in economics
Stanford University professor Guido W. Imbens was one of two Bay Area professors who were named Nobel laureates in economics early Monday by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Monday, 9:00 AM | No comments yetSunday, October 10, 2021
Sheriff's Office is understaffed, but Santa Clara County says the data is old
A new report suggests the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office needs more deputies, but county officials say the findings are outdated.
Sunday, 12:48 PM | No comments yetFire alert, red flag warning issued for Santa Cruz Mountains
Forecasters issued a red flag warning for Sunday night into Tuesday evening, when gusty north winds and dry conditions are in store for the Bay Area.
Sunday, 12:26 PM | No comments yetYes, we're in a drought — but it's no longer a temporary emergency
California's declining water supply, the current drought and global warming could lead to serious and unrecoverable environmental consequences unless action is taken now, the state's drought manager warned.
Sunday, 8:39 AM | 8 commentsSaturday, October 9, 2021
To reopen courthouses and restore judicial services, county supervisors seek more state funding
Courthouse closures that have locked the public out in Palo Alto and Morgan Hill for the past year and a half have spurred the county Board of Supervisors to urge the state to provide more funding.
Saturday, 10:14 AM | 1 commentTo help young athletes, focus on process, not performance, sports psychologist says
Teaching kids to focus less on performance and more on the process can boost emotional well-being, according to Steve Smith.
Saturday, 10:11 AM | 2 commentsFriday, October 8, 2021
PUBLIC AGENDA: Discussions on IT audit, new state housing laws, police reform updates
A preview of Palo Alto government meetings for the week of Oct. 11.
Friday, 8:12 PM | No comments yetRenters form a group to fight for their rights
Founded a year ago, the Palo Alto Renters' Association has four priorities: create a citywide rent registry, develop a public education campaign, and tackle issues of tenant harassment and subsidized housing.
Friday, 8:03 AM | 23 commentsOut of weeds grows a Palo Alto pumpkin patch — and community spirit
The land behind the Midtown Palo Alto Baskin-Robbins store has been empty for a long time. This fall, thanks to the ice cream shop's owner, the neglected patch has given way to pumpkins, goblins and a whole lot of community spirit.
Friday, 7:53 AM | 11 commentsThursday, October 7, 2021
Tesla to move headquarters from Palo Alto to Austin
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Inc., confirmed Thursday afternoon what many have long suspected: The electric vehicle and energy storage company plans to move its Palo Alto-based headquarters to Austin, Texas.
Thursday, 5:18 PM | 32 commentsState's vaccination mandate for students garners local support
Gov. Gavin Newsom's announcement last week that COVID-19 vaccines will be required for students ages 12 and up has been met with broad support, and a lot of questions, from local education leaders.
Thursday, 5:05 PM | No comments yetPlan for lifting mask mandate announced by Bay Area health officers
Eight Bay Area counties will lift the indoor mask mandates after a series of criteria are met, they announced today.
Thursday, 9:58 AM | 47 commentsPalo Alto is insufficiently prepared for cyberthreats, a new audit finds
Palo Alto's city leaders often tout the city's reputation as a technological powerhouse, but when it comes to preventing cybersecurity threats at City Hall, the city has some room for improvement, a newly completed audit concludes.
Thursday, 8:25 AM | 4 commentsWednesday, October 6, 2021
Holmes trial loses another juror
An emotional juror was excused Wednesday in the federal criminal trial against Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of the now-defunct blood-testing company Theranos, after telling the judge that her Buddhist beliefs require forgiveness.
Wednesday, 8:05 PM | 2 commentsEnd-of-life law now reduces waiting period to 48 hours
The state's process of approving requests by terminally ill patients to end their lives will be streamlined, thanks to a bill that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Oct. 5.
Wednesday, 2:57 PM | 6 commentsEx-restaurant employee allegedly embezzled $200K
A former employee of Palo Alto restaurants Rangoon Ruby and Burma Ruby has been charged with embezzling more than $200,000, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office announced.
Wednesday, 1:34 PM | 7 commentsMandatory jail sentences for nonviolent drug offenses to end in 2022
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 5 signed a bill that aims to replace mass incarceration of nonviolent drug offenders with probation, rehabilitation and treatment.
Wednesday, 12:50 PM | 2 commentsAs workers return to offices, city plans parking shake-up
Even before the pandemic changed commute patterns, Palo Alto's parking policies were in flux as the city adopted new programs. Now, another shake-up is coming.
Wednesday, 9:09 AM | 15 commentsCounty workers to get 'hero pay' for pandemic work
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has approved the allocation of American Rescue Plan Act stimulus funds to provide bonuses of up to $2,500 to county employees for their work during the pandemic.
Wednesday, 2:43 AM | 17 commentsTuesday, October 5, 2021
Theranos trial: Defense's cross examination of lab director gets testy
The defense strategy to discredit a former Theranos laboratory director continued during cross-examination in the criminal trial against Elizabeth Holmes, Theranos founder and CEO.
Tuesday, 9:55 PM | No comments yetWebster Street garage closed following suspected arson
A fire set in Palo Alto's public parking structure at 520 Webster St. engulfed an unoccupied car on Monday night, prompting the closure of the garage as police and firefighters investigate the incident.
Tuesday, 12:59 PM | 2 commentsCoalition plans to eliminate family homelessness by 2025
Santa Clara County officials, in collaboration with nonprofit housing partners and the city of San Jose, are looking to house 1,200 homeless families within the next year.
Tuesday, 9:51 AM | 3 commentsPalo Alto to shift to virtual permits for parking enforcement
As Palo Alto prepares to shift to automatic license plate readers to enforce parking regulations, hangtags and decals that signify ownership of a parking permit will soon be going out of style.
Tuesday, 8:45 AM | 11 commentsNewsom signs bill to reduce maternal, infant deaths
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Monday intended to help reduce the state's maternal and infant mortality rates, especially among Black families and people of color.
Tuesday, 8:09 AM | No comments yetMonday, October 4, 2021
Palo Alto begins overhaul of design rules for approving new housing
Responding to new state housing laws, the Palo Alto City Council has launched the complex revamp of the city's rules for approving new residential projects.
Monday, 11:16 PM | 6 commentsRapid COVID-19 tests in short supply in California
Online and in stores, major retailers are sold out of the popular at-home COVID-19 tests, and medical supply vendors can't find enough rapid test kits for schools, shelters, nursing homes and employers.
Monday, 3:32 PM | 1 commentCity Council poised to hike housing fees for office projects
The Palo Alto City Council will try to strike a delicate balance later this month, when it considers how much the city charges commercial developers in "impact fees" to support affordable housing.
Monday, 3:08 PM | 5 commentsStay informed.
Get the day's top headlines from Palo Alto Online sent to your inbox in the Express newsletter.
Your electric panel
By Sherry Listgarten | 8 comments | 6,517 views
Stroll the streets of Paris on the Peninsula with Bon Marché
By The Peninsula Foodist | 2 comments | 3,571 views
Democracy and our police departments
By Diana Diamond | 4 comments | 2,921 views
"To keep your marriage brimming . . .
By Chandrama Anderson | 0 comments | 1,959 views
