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CRIMES & INCIDENTS
An 'overreach'? Palo Alto's curfew sparks concerns over civil libertiesCity Manager Ed Shikada's sudden decision on Tuesday to impose a curfew in Palo Alto until June 11 is facing a backlash from...
Original post made on Jun. 3, 2020Last comment by George, on Jun 11, 2020 at 7:19 am | 69 comments | 24354 Views
AROUND TOWN
Temperature checks and staggered schedules: State releases guidance on reopening schoolsThe state released on Monday much-anticipated guidance for reopening schools this fall, with officials emphasizing that the...
Original post made on Jun. 8, 2020Last comment by John Hicks, on Jun 10, 2020 at 3:42 pm | 24 comments | 10050 Views
AROUND TOWN
For county, 1,000-strong group of workers and volunteers will be key to keeping a lid on coronavirusSanta Clara County is calling for the public to help ramp up its COVID-19 contact-tracing program, which needs an estimated...
Original post made on Jun. 9, 2020Last comment by Here we go, on Jun 10, 2020 at 2:30 pm | 7 comments | 6242 Views
SCHOOLS & KIDS
Learning loss and achievement gaps top discussion on school reopeningThere is a great disparity in what districts have done to educate students since schools closed in March due to the coronavirus,...
Original post made on Jun. 6, 2020Last comment by Silver Linings, on Jun 10, 2020 at 10:35 am | 15 comments | 5197 Views
PALO ALTO ISSUES
Message from our publisher: An appeal for your support of good journalismJust three weeks ago, it was hard to imagine the imminent human and economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. Yet here we...
Original post made on Mar. 27, 2020Last comment by ResidentX, on Jun 9, 2020 at 10:46 am | 43 comments | 29658 Views
PALO ALTO ISSUES
Gov. Gavin Newsom calls for end of carotid artery restraint by policeGov. Gavin Newsom expressed his support for ending the use of carotid holds on detainees which is similar to the one used...
Original post made on Jun. 6, 2020Last comment by Anon, on Jun 9, 2020 at 10:20 am | 9 comments | 6508 Views
PALO ALTO ISSUES
Palantir threatens to move out of downtown Palo AltoAn interview with the CEO of Palantir: https://www.axios.com/palantir-alex-karp-headquarters-california-1dd44454-89c5-4773-a01d-c0f183654c08.html "We...
Original post made by resident on May. 26, 2020Last comment by Abitarian, on Jun 9, 2020 at 9:25 am | 44 comments | 4212 Views
RESTAURANTS
'The first big exhale in awhile.' After months of takeout, restaurants reopen for outdoor diningOn the first days Santa Clara and San Mateo counties allowed restaurants to reopen for outdoor dining over the weekend, many...
Original post made on Jun. 8, 2020Last comment by Dick D., on Jun 8, 2020 at 7:18 pm | 11 comments | 13399 Views
PALO ALTO ISSUES
Before second coronavirus wave comes, local doctors work to stock senior care facilities with PPERather than wait around for the government to figure out a way to get personal protective equipment to senior care facilities...
Original post made on Jun. 5, 2020Last comment by Fact check, on Jun 8, 2020 at 2:32 pm | 6 comments | 8278 Views
PALO ALTO ISSUES
Despite calls to think smaller, Newell Road Bridge replacement plan wins final approvalA regional effort to replace and expand the narrow Newell Road bridge between Palo Alto and East Palo Alto reached a crucial...
Original post made on Jun. 2, 2020Last comment by Anon, on Jun 8, 2020 at 2:04 pm | 26 comments | 7892 Views
AROUND TOWN
Around Town: Sewing warriors make over 2,500 face masks for Stanford children's hospitalIn the latest Around Town column, news about the group behind the colorful face masks donated to Lucile Packard Children's...
Original post made on Jun. 7, 2020Last comment by Gary G, on Jun 8, 2020 at 10:14 am | 1 comment | 7495 Views
ISSUES BEYOND PALO ALTO
Spirit of activism spurs teen to launch Black Lives Matter protest in East Palo AltoA Black Lives Matter protest on Wednesday in East Palo Alto was a distinctly homegrown effort that started with a 15-year-old...
Original post made on Jun. 4, 2020Last comment by Monica, on Jun 8, 2020 at 9:36 am | 10 comments | 13635 Views
PALO ALTO ISSUES
Santa Clara County's COVID-19 testing continues to lagSanta Clara County public health managers have gained significant ground in controlling the coronavirus among vulnerable...
Original post made on Jun. 4, 2020Last comment by resident, on Jun 6, 2020 at 1:44 pm | 13 comments | 5331 Views
PALO ALTO ISSUES
Facing budget shortfall, Palo Alto agrees to cut more than 70 positionsFacing a public outcry about recent proposals to cut funding for popular art and teen programs, the Palo Alto City Council...
Original post made on May. 27, 2020Last comment by Stewart Carl, on Jun 6, 2020 at 1:08 pm | 38 comments | 14636 Views
PALO ALTO ISSUES
'It was not the right decision': Palo Alto abruptly ends curfewPalo Alto City Manager Ed Shikada on Thursday lifted the curfew that the city imposed on Tuesday, which banned residents...
Original post made on Jun. 4, 2020Last comment by Another Giveaway, on Jun 6, 2020 at 11:50 am | 67 comments | 24653 Views
ISSUES BEYOND PALO ALTO
Study: Coronavirus wasn't in Bay Area in 2019Exactly when the coronavirus first arrived in the Bay Area has been the subject of much speculation, with people who had...
Original post made on Jun. 5, 2020Last comment by Catmom Leonorilda, on Jun 5, 2020 at 8:03 pm | 4 comments | 8350 Views
SCHOOLS & KIDS
Palo Alto's seniors celebrate an unconventional graduation from their cars, but not without joyOn the night that would have been the class of 2020's graduation, Palo Alto's sidewalks and street corners were full of people...
Original post made on Jun. 3, 2020Last comment by THANK YOU PALO ALTO!, on Jun 5, 2020 at 1:50 pm | 28 comments | 15866 Views
AROUND TOWN
City may freeze 'percent-for-art' program to redirect funds elsewhereCiting budget challenges, Palo Alto is preparing to shelve a long-standing policy that requires city projects to include...
Original post made on Jun. 3, 2020Last comment by Rebecca Eisenberg, on Jun 5, 2020 at 1:46 pm | 25 comments | 4811 Views
PALO ALTO ISSUES
Fearing a 'resurgence' of infections, Stanford plans to limit students on campus with mostly online classes this fallTravel restrictions and half of all undergraduates on campus at a time: A Stanford education will look vastly different this...
Original post made on Jun. 4, 2020Last comment by Fact Checker, on Jun 5, 2020 at 12:27 pm | 7 comments | 6873 Views
PALO ALTO ISSUES
Guest Opinion: A better way to save vital city servicesThe COVID emergency is forcing our city government to face the most difficult challenges it has encountered in decades. Valued...
Original post made on May. 22, 2020Last comment by Mark Weiss, on Jun 5, 2020 at 12:07 am | 54 comments | 9966 Views
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