Recent News
Friday, September 21, 2018
Former Woodside School Board president Bettina Pike excelled at 'building bridges'
Tyrone Pike says the best way to honor his wife Bettina Pike, who died on Sept. 5 at the age of 52, is for those who knew and loved her to "pay it forward" by trying to "be more like Bettina" in their lives.
Friday, 8:59 PM | No comments yetWindy, dry conditions increase fire danger over the weekend
Continuing dry weather, brittle grasslands, warm fall temperatures, low humidity and high winds have prompted a call for extreme fire safety in the Bay Area this weekend.
Friday, 5:32 PM | No comments yetLaurene Powell Jobs buys 30 acres in East Palo Alto
One of the largest parcels of vacant land in East Palo Alto is now under the ownership of a limited liability company associated with Laurene Powell Jobs, according to San Mateo County records.
Friday, 1:52 PM | No comments yetMenlo Park, Atherton: Nearly 200 traffic citations given on extra enforcement day
During a period of heightened traffic enforcement on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 23 traffic officers from across San Mateo County made more than 200 traffic stops and issued 199 citations in Menlo Park and Atherton, according to a press release from the San Mateo County Police Chiefs and Sheriff Association.
Friday, 11:42 AM | 9 commentsGood news for Atherton on funding for new library
In what Atherton Councilman Rick DeGolia called "a huge win for us," the county library system's governing board has agreed to advance the town about $10 million in property tax revenues to help pay the costs of building a new library.
Friday, 10:26 AM | No comments yetSunday: Committee for Green Foothills to host annual fundraiser in Woodside
Come Sunday, two champions of the outdoors will receive recognition from the Palo Alto-based Committee for Green Foothills: Steve Abbors, retired general manager of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, and Rue Mapp, founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro.
Friday, 8:23 AM | No comments yetThursday, September 20, 2018
Guest opinion: Stanford, not community, should pay for housing impacts it creates
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors will consider on Sept. 25 two ordinances that would require Stanford to more fairly address the housing demand that it creates with its planned campus developments. The rules under review constitute good policy.
Thursday, 6:25 PM | 2 commentsMoonlight Run returning to the Baylands
The Palo Alto Baylands is expected to be flooded with visitors this Friday when more than 1,700 runners flock to the trails for the Palo Alto Weekly's 34th annual Moonlight Run & Walk.
Thursday, 5:34 PM | No comments yetMenlo Park: Man pleads not guilty to attempted rape charges
A 19-year-old man from East Palo Alto has pleaded not guilty to charges by the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office that he attempted to rape a Menlo Park woman who was out jogging Monday afternoon.
Thursday, 2:26 PM | No comments yetJane Goodall visits Ladera's Woodland School
Jane Goodall, the world-famous primatologist and anthropologist, visited Woodland School in Ladera last week, spending time with Woodland first-graders who have been involved in her Roots & Shoots youth service program.
Thursday, 10:32 AM | No comments yetMenlo Park: Minimum wage ordinance on hold
In spite of the urging by some to act sooner, Menlo Park's City Council has put on hold until next year plans to consider a citywide minimum wage ordinance.
Thursday, 10:22 AM | No comments yetRed flag warning in effect through this afternoon
A red flag warning is in effect in the Bay Area through Thursday afternoon because of hot, dry and windy conditions in the region, according to the National Weather Service.
Thursday, 8:15 AM | No comments yetWednesday, September 19, 2018
Man arraigned in fatal 2011 shooting of Menlo Park woman
A 27-year-old man has been extradited to San Mateo County to face murder charges for a fatal 2011 shooting of a Menlo Park woman in East Palo Alto, the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office said on Tuesday. The murder victim, Catherine (Cate) Fisher, 19, was a Menlo Park gymnastics center instructor.
Wednesday, 3:28 PM | 2 commentsMenlo Park and Atherton: Heightened traffic enforcement today
Consider this a public service announcement: Drive carefully, or risk a ticket. Today (Sept. 19), about 22 law enforcement officers from across San Mateo County have convened in Menlo Park and Atherton to enforce traffic laws throughout the city.
Wednesday, 2:19 PM | 1 commentEnrollment continues to dip in area schools
Enrollment slightly declined this school year for local elementary school districts, continuing a recent area trend. The drop, local experts say, is due to the migration of young families from the area to find more affordable housing.
Wednesday, 11:08 AM | 14 commentsStreet Smarts: How do we slow down traffic on neighborhood streets?
Street Smarts, written this week by Jen Wolosin, discusses the importance of slowing down traffic on neighborhood streets and the challenges associated with doing so.
Wednesday, 9:01 AM | 14 commentsTuesday, September 18, 2018
Woodside: No parking on Marva Oaks Drive until factions find compromise
Residents of Marva Oaks Drive in Woodside and local equestrians could not reach a compromise over how to address parking and horse traffic along the road, so the Woodside Town Council has stepped in.
Tuesday, 9:55 PM | 1 commentNew law requires apartment balcony inspections
Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday signed a bill requiring inspections of apartment balconies, decks, outdoor stairs and elevated walkways in hopes of avoiding deaths from collapses like the one in Berkeley in 2015.
Tuesday, 5:23 PM | No comments yetMenlo Park: Staff vacancy crisis slows city activity
In a deadpan refrain belying deeper urgency, Menlo Park staff reported to the City Council at its last meeting that because of severe staff shortages, "Resources may not be available for progress on important line items."
Tuesday, 11:56 AM | 19 commentsVictim in Woodside hills accident was a Renaissance man
North Fair Oaks resident Stephen Morse, who was killed on Sept. 9 while riding his Vespa motor scooter in Woodside, was a man of many interests and talents, with strong local roots.
Tuesday, 11:34 AM | 2 commentsAtherton investigating water capture facility at Menlo College
It's been nearly four months since Atherton City Council members, responding to protests from neighbors and visitors of Holbrook-Palmer Park, said they wanted to find a new location for a planned underground water storage and filtering facility. The town is hoping Menlo College might be that location. An item on a possible project is on the council's consent calendar for its meeting Sept. 19.
Tuesday, 11:30 AM | 1 commentPolice arrest man suspected of attempting to rape Menlo Park woman
A 19-year-old East Palo Alto man was arrested in Menlo Park on Monday on suspicion of the attempted rape of a woman out jogging that afternoon, according to a statement from the Menlo Park Police Department.
Tuesday, 8:59 AM | 2 commentsMonday, September 17, 2018
Palo Alto University professor accuses Kavanaugh of sexual assault
Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor at Palo Alto University, identified herself Sunday to the Washington Post as the author of the confidential letter that accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in the early 1980s, when they were both high school students in suburban Maryland.
Monday, 3:38 PM | 13 commentsMenlo fire board to consider proposal on revenue sharing
A proposal to restrict future fire boards from agreeing to share district tax revenues with other agencies without prior approval from voters will be on the agenda of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District board when it meets on Tuesday, Sept. 18.
Monday, 11:57 AM | 2 commentsTonight: Redesigned three-story building proposed for downtown gets another look
A proposal to redevelop a 23,500-square-foot site in the heart of Menlo Park's downtown into a three-story mixed-use building is scheduled for review by the Planning Commission at its meeting tonight (Sept. 17).
Monday, 11:37 AM | 1 commentNew interactive voice technology being used by tax collector's office
San Mateo County's tax collector's office has adopted a new interactive voice response system that will allow callers to review and pay their property taxes more efficiently, county officials said.
Monday, 8:36 AM | No comments yetSunday, September 16, 2018
Caltrain ridership up this year from 2017
Caltrain ridership has jumped slightly this year compared to 2017, when ridership decreased, Caltrain officials said.
Sunday, 2:43 PM | 2 commentsSaturday, September 15, 2018
Friday, September 14, 2018
Search-and-rescue team members deployed to North Carolina
Urban search-and-rescue team members from the Menlo Park Fire Protection District were scheduled to return to the Bay Area today (Sept. 14) after responding to Hawaii for Hurricane Olivia, just as other team members prepare to deploy to the East Coast for Hurricane Florence.
Friday, 7:04 PM | No comments yetLocal CERT teams prepare for disaster
Approximately 100 volunteers who have trained as Community Emergency Response Team members gathered in Atherton on Saturday, Sept. 8, for a disaster drill directed by the Atherton Police Department and the Menlo Park Fire Protection District.
Friday, 4:58 PM | 3 commentsPolice calls: Homeless man stabbed in encampment
Crime reports from Menlo Park, Atherton and Portola Valley.
Friday, 10:45 AM | No comments yetFood sustainability: Can we hack it?
It had a catchy name -- one suitable for Silicon Valley and a region where sustainable food production is of wide interest. Called "Hacking Food," it was the second Bay Area's Sustainable Food Festival, and it took place in Menlo Park in July at BootUP on Willow Road.
Friday, 8:51 AM | No comments yetThursday, September 13, 2018
Portola Valley: Residents asked to be on lookout for black sedan
Deputies with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office are asking residents of Portola Valley to be on the lookout for a "newer model" black sedan, possibly a Lexus or a Volkswagen, with paper license plates.
Thursday, 4:44 PM | No comments yetSaturday: Atherton traffic delays for Las Lomitas School Fun Run
Traffic on several Atherton streets will be delayed during the annual Las Lomitas School Fun Run on Saturday, Sept. 15, between 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m., the Atherton Police Department says.
Thursday, 3:26 PM | No comments yetMenlo Park man who allegedly sexually assaulted teen at city park on trial
A Menlo Park man accused of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman in a bathroom at Kelly Park seven years ago is being tried in San Mateo County Superior Court.
Thursday, 3:00 PM | No comments yetNew data shows slow Bay Area housing production
New data shows that Bay Area housing increased by only 14,900 new units in 2017, less than 30 percent of the number of new jobs in the region during the same period.
Thursday, 11:57 AM | No comments yetMidPen submits plans for affordable housing project
MidPen Housing Corp., a nonprofit housing developer that owns affordable housing on the 1200 and 1300 blocks of Willow Road, has submitted an application to build 140 affordable apartments at 1345 Willow Road.
Thursday, 11:28 AM | 35 commentsSaturday: Local volunteer events planned for Coastal Cleanup Day
An estimated 30 activities aimed at cleaning up the coast and local water sources in San Mateo County are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 15.
Thursday, 8:59 AM | No comments yetWednesday, September 12, 2018
Bikeway launched to connect Peninsula cities
September 8 marked the opening of the Peninsula Bikeway, a bike route on surface streets that connects Redwood City and Mountain View by way of Atherton, Menlo Park and Palo Alto.
Wednesday, 5:49 PM | 9 commentsMenlo Park: Council approves updated travel policy
The Menlo Park City Council voted unanimously (with members Rich Cline and Ray Mueller absent) Sept. 11 to approve changes to a 1991 travel policy and more clearly lay out which kinds of council travel can be reimbursed and what protocols should be followed when considering taking trips funded by third parties.
Wednesday, 11:58 AM | 4 commentsM-A student's video is semifinalist in Breakthrough contest
A video by Menlo-Atherton High School student Maya Khodabakchian about brain neuroplasticity is one of 29 semifinalists in the annual Breakthrough Junior Challenge for short student videos explaining difficult scientific concepts.
Wednesday, 11:31 AM | No comments yetWest Menlo survey input sought
San Mateo County and a task force of residents and local stakeholders working to come up with solutions to improve safety on the Santa Cruz Avenue corridor in West Menlo Park have released a survey seeking public input.
Wednesday, 11:19 AM | No comments yetMenlo Park: Speed hump trial wins council approval
Nine speed humps. One yield sign. One road closed to vehicles, plus a few advisory speed limit signs. Yet it took, by one resident's calculations, 528 days to get the Menlo Park City Council to approve a six-month trial for such traffic-calming measures to be enacted in the Willows neighborhood.
Wednesday, 10:21 AM | 11 commentsArraignment for extradited 2009 hit-and-run suspect postponed
The arraignment hearing scheduled for Shannon Steven Fox, who authorities say was the driver in a hit-and-run street racing accident that killed 6-year-old Menlo Park resident Lisa Xavier in 2009, has been postponed to Sept. 27.
Wednesday, 7:35 AM | No comments yetTuesday, September 11, 2018
Cal Fire bans burning in San Mateo County
Cal Fire's San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit announced a ban on all outdoor burning starting today (Sept. 11).
Tuesday, 6:08 PM | No comments yetFacebook growth passes new milestone
Towering redwoods dot the rooftop of Facebook's new "MPK 21," an office building designed by famed architect Frank Gehry that sprawls over a half million square feet along Menlo Park's stretch of the Bay.
Tuesday, 11:55 AM | 3 commentsTeens hope their videos will prompt dialogue about mental health
Local students who serve on the student advisory board for the Menlo Park mental health advocacy group SafeSpace have made five short videos they released this week to coincide with National Suicide Prevention Week.
Tuesday, 10:56 AM | No comments yetWoodside: Menlo Park man dies in head-on crash
A 66-year-old motorcyclist from Menlo Park was killed in a head-on collision with a pickup truck on La Honda Road (state Highway 84) on Sunday, Sept. 9.
Tuesday, 10:08 AM | No comments yetFormer SHP student finds short and long way to Hollywood success
Attack, Exploration, Logistics, or A.X.L. for short. That's the code name for the robotic dog starring in the new feature film "A.X.L." But it could also be used to describe how Sacred Heart Prep grad Oliver Daly, a relative unknown in Hollywood, came to create a potential summer blockbuster so early in his career.
Tuesday, 8:57 AM | No comments yetMonday, September 10, 2018
Woodside: Residents want straight, not narrow
The path along Laning Drive in Woodside, as it approaches Canada Road, is now safe for equestrians and pedestrians -- it no longer dead-ends in the vehicle traffic lane -- but at what cost?
Monday, 4:47 PM | No comments yetTuesday: Menlo Park council to evaluate its travel policies
The Menlo Park City Council may update its policies on travel funded by taxpayers and third parties at its meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 11.
Monday, 11:58 AM | 15 commentsTuesday: Recess over, Woodside council has full agenda
The Woodside Town Council on Tuesday (Sept. 11) will consider a proposal to add an equestrian trail, no-parking signs and a horse-trailer parking area to Marva Oaks Drive. Also on the agenda: sharing funds reserved for the library.
Monday, 11:58 AM | No comments yetAir quality advisory issued for smoke in Bay Area
An air quality advisory for potential smoke in parts of the region has been issued through Tuesday, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District said.
Monday, 9:56 AM | No comments yetOne crosswalk, 2.5 hours: 12 tickets, 10 warnings
Atherton police officers, with some extra help from the California Highway Patrol, handed out 12 tickets and 10 warnings in two-and-a-half hours on Sept. 4 near the intersection of El Camino Real and Stockbridge Avenue.
Monday, 8:42 AM | 12 commentsSunday, September 9, 2018
Local vaulters to represent U.S. in international competition
Three local vaulting teams -- two in Woodside and one in Portola Valley -- are gearing up to send their championship winners and horses across the country to compete in the International Federation for Equestrian Sports World Equestrian Games later this month.
Sunday, 9:29 AM | 1 comment
Let's Talk Internships
By John Raftrey and Lori McCormick | 2 comments | 789 views
Couples: Sex and Connection (Chicken or Egg?)
By Chandrama Anderson | 2 comments | 539 views
Zucchini Takeover
By Laura Stec | 1 comment | 532 views
