After 98 years in Menlo Park, Cook’s Seafood abruptly shutters both locations
Employees were notified via text message around 3 a.m., according to employees.
Voter Guide 2026
Get to know the candidates and measures on your ballot with The Almanac’s 2026 Voter Guide, including in-depth profiles, issue comparison grids and campaign finance coverage.
View the Voter Guide ➔City Council Forum
Menlo Park City Council candidates debated the future of downtown, Meta’s role in the city and how to fix issues with Belle Haven’s new $65 million community campus at The Almanac’s candidate forum on Oct. 8.
More Local news
Menlo Park’s downtown housing plans hinge on millions in city subsidies
As Menlo Park voters weigh a measure that would restrict affordable housing development on city-owned parking lots, city officials face an unresolved question about the proposed project: how to close a multi-million dollar funding gap.
Redwood City’s coastal residents brace for El Niño-powered storm surges
Sea level rise is a constant worry for the area, and while there are projects underway to improve protections, this winter is expected to test existing infrastructure limits.
River otter sighting on San Mateo County coast delights conservationists
Conservationists are celebrating after a North American river otter was sighted recently along the San Mateo coast for the first time in more than 100 years.
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Food
Belmont at 100: Where to eat, explore and uncover local history
A midsize Peninsula city that just celebrated its centennial, Belmont offers a rich history and more to discover than meets the eye.
Square Pie Guys to shutter Cal Ave pizza joint
Square Pie Guys is tossing its final pie in Palo Alto. The Detroit-style pizzeria is permanently closing its Cal Ave location after service on Friday – just one year after it made its debut.
Team behind Meyhouse to launch Turkish bakery in Santa Clara
The team behind upscale Turkish restaurant Meyhouse is continuing to bring Turkish flavors to Silicon Valley, but this time in the form of baked goods, including soft and buttery açma and rich and tender su böreği.
Arts & Culture
Author and doctor Abraham Verghese discusses his works at Kepler’s
The bestselling writer and Stanford physician will appear in a Nov. 16 event at the Menlo Park bookstore.
In ‘surf noir’ thriller, ‘Nearshore,’ Steve Hawk brings conspiracies, tech-fueled peril to the coast
A surfer teams with Stanford academics and finds something frightening brewing on the coastline, courtesy of Silicon Valley, in author’s debut novel .
Review: What are we really seeing in ‘You Can See Everything’?
Comedian Nathan Fielder co-directs a trip down the Elizabeth Holmes rabbit hole in a documentary following the disgraced Theranos founder on the eve of beginning her prison sentence.
Spotlight
Cardinal football is back — here’s what you need to know
New coach, upgraded stadium, standout players and plenty of Cardinal spirit—here’s what to watch this Stanford football 2026 season.
What to know about cyclosporiasis
The latest foodborne illness goes by the name cyclosporiasis (sigh-klo-spor-eye-uh-sis). Since the first known case in Michigan in June 2026, the parasitic disease has stricken thousands of people.
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
For Palo Alto renters, saving for a down payment could take 50 years
Bay Area households that rent and hope to buy their first home could need decades to save enough for a down payment and closing costs on a starter home. The estimated time is 28 years in the San Francisco metropolitan…
El Niño: Is your Peninsula home ready?
In September, California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency to help prepare for the coming rainy season. While it’s too soon to know how much the predicted El Niño pattern will affect the Midpeninsula, residents can take steps…
A 41-acre vineyard with a stone Italian villa and private tasting room sells for $11M in Portola Valley
From a 41-acre Portola Valley vineyard with an Italian villa to two historic Palo Alto homes sold as a family compound, see what properties sold for $1 million to $17 million on the Peninsula.
The Six Fifty
From crafts and ofrendas to live music and dancing, here’s how to celebrate Día de los Muertos in Silicon Valley
Remember and celebrate the dead at these festivities now through early November.
Peninsula Photo Contest winners capture colorful moments and human connection
Human connection was a major theme in this year’s batch of Peninsula Photo Contest winning entries. All of the winning entries are on exhibit Oct. 23-Dec. 13 at the Palo Alto Art Center.
Find spirited Halloween happenings for all ages at these Silicon Valley haunts
Halloween can be a frightful enough time without adding fear of missing out into the mix. Check out our monster Halloween events guide before time runs out.
Blogs
State News from CalMatters
