‘Spectacular’ fossilized mastodon tooth found in San Mateo County preserve
A molar from an ancient Pacific mastodon was discovered in a San Mateo County open space preserve. The fossil is estimated to be 10,000 years old.
More Local news
Woodside 9-year-old’s handmade workbook might reach wider audience
An 8-year-old Woodside Heights resident wanted a screen-free way for her little brother to enjoy learning games. Now there’s a chance that her creation, the Big Sister Workbook, could reach a wider audience.
Stanford Health Care to lay off 95 employees
Stanford Health Care will lay off 95 employees this fall, the organization announced. Employees will remain on payroll until Nov. 2, when the layoffs will take effect.
‘No remorse’: Woodside man sentenced to 60 years in prison for sexually abusing children
Woodside resident Alan Russell, 84, was sentenced to 60 years to life in prison on Sept. 1 after being convicted of 12 felonies for molesting four young boys repeatedly over 15 years. His attorney said Russell plans to appeal.
Support independent local news for the Midpeninsula
The Almanac is funded by readers like you. Donate today to keep our community informed.
Food
10 ways to celebrate Oktoberfest along the Peninsula
Get your stein-holding arm and beer bellies ready, because it’s almost Oktoberfest season along the Peninsula. From San Mateo to Los Gatos, a variety of Oktoberfest events are scheduled throughout September and October.
Zac’s Bar & Grill opens in San Carlos
A new bar and grill opened Sept. 1 in the former space of The Office Bar & Grill, a San Carlos staple for 14 years until it closed in March 2025. Created by husband and wife Zaki Massis and Btool…
‘The crumb is crack’: Belmont resident recreates 1969 coffee cake recipe, organizes food market
A monthly Artisan Garden Market at Ladera Garden & Gifts brings together various cottage food businesses.
Arts & Culture
20 late summer and fall festivals in Silicon Valley
Some of Silicon Valley’s biggest cultural festivals are held in September and October. Here’s what’s on the calendar.
State of the ‘Union’: Redwood City music studio builds a creative community
Two years after opening, membership-based Sound Union brings musicians together through organized events and relaxed hangouts alike.
What’s up this week: Drink the Sea, art in the redwoods, ‘Into the Woods,’ floral ‘Gilded Age’ exhibit and more
This week, alternative super group Drink the Sea is at The Guild and Kings Mountain Art Fair takes place. Plus, “Into the Woods” opens Sunnyvale Community Players’ season, floral designers interpret the costumes of “The Gilded Age” at Filoli and…
Spotlight
Experience Public Art on Stanford Campus
Stanford’s public art program includes more than 80 works spanning the 19th-21st centuries and reflecting the history, spirit, and dynamism of life on campus.
This California Delta community is drawing Bay Area homebuyers to the water
Bay Area residents understand the value of open space. That’s why it’s no surprise a private waterfront enclave on the California Delta is drawing homebuyers who are ready for a different kind of life.
Community Calendar
Did you miss
Humans in the age of AI
Artificial intelligence is alternately billed as the most consequential technology in history or a speculative bubble that will pop and lead to economic chaos. For this project, a collaboration with photojournalist Mark Tuschman, we spoke to local residents and professionals…
Friends, family remember Jakub Solovsky, cyclist killed in Woodside head-on collision
Larry Abrahams remembers the rainy day that was the last time he rode with East Palo Alto resident Jakub Solovsky, a member of Western Wheelers who died July 11 in a head-on collision on Skyline Boulevard.
Real Estate
New wave of buyers heads to Peninsula — some paying $10M just for ‘dirt’
AI wealth and return-to-office mandates are reshaping the Midpeninsula housing market, bringing new buyers into a market where prices are rising and inventory remains tight. Some buyers are spending $10 million or more for land alone, while others are finding…
After 15 years, a Barron Park couple’s unusable bathroom gets a makeover
For more than a decade, the owners of the 1948 home in Palo Alto’s Barron Park neighborhood lived with an unused bathroom just steps from their bedroom. Water damage and mold from an earlier homeowner’s “fix” had made the room…
How Palo Alto’s newest housing projects are testing the limits of what can be built
Palo Alto has long struggled to add enough housing, particularly affordable homes, under some of the region’s most restrictive zoning rules. Six projects now moving through the city’s development pipeline are using state housing laws, new zoning tools and public-private…
The Six Fifty
A new beach park has debuted on the San Mateo County coast. Here’s what to know before you go
Known for its dramatic sandstone cliffs and panoramic ocean views, Don Horsley County Park at Tunitas Creek Beach is a new recreation destination south of Half Moon Bay.
Shop sustainably at this curated secondhand fashion pop-up on the Peninsula
Friends with Denim holds public sales in a variety of locations, where shoppers can hunt for fashion treasures at affordable prices and save them from the waste stream. Multiple vendors participate in each sale, and no two events are the…
Peninsula Outdoor Painters find art, nature and community in the open air
Founded nearly 50 years ago, the Silicon Valley club brings together outdoor enthusiasts and artists of all skill levels at local parks, beaches and preserves.
Blogs
State News from CalMatters
