Recent News

Friday, June 9, 2023

Menlo-Atherton High School graduates nearly 500 seniors

Principal Karl Losekoot commended the class of 2023 for standing up for what they believe in â€" from speaking out against anti-semitism to organizing student protests so people are treated fairly in the community.

Friday, 4:43 PM | No comments yet
Pandemic, resiliency highlighted during Woodside High graduation

Woodside High School celebrated the graduation of 383 seniors on June 9, the students taking their diplomas on Bradley Field as the school's 64th class.

Friday, 4:17 PM | No comments yet
Menlo-Atherton High School

Friday, 12:29 PM | No comments yet
Redwood City's ART on the Square returns for the summer, starting June 9

ART on the Square events return to downtown Redwood City, bringing fine arts and crafts by local artists, plus live music to Courthouse Square. The series kicks off Friday with three additional events this summer.

Friday, 11:27 AM | No comments yet
Study deals blow to plan to replace Pope-Chaucer bridge

An ambitious plan to replace the flood-prone Pope-Chaucer bridge between Palo Alto and Menlo Park is on the verge of faltering after the agency overseeing the project concluded that new bridge would actually endanger downstream areas.

Friday, 10:43 AM | 1 comment
Menlo School sends off its 104th class

The 144 members of Menlo School's Class of 2023 received their diplomas on Thursday morning, June 8, during a ceremony on the school's Atherton campus in front of the Stent Family Hall.

Friday, 10:39 AM | No comments yet

Thursday, June 8, 2023

Woodside High School

Thursday, 8:08 PM | No comments yet
Menlo School

Thursday, 1:39 PM | No comments yet
Wrongful death lawsuit filed on behalf of twin girls whose parents were killed in street racing crash

A wrongful death lawsuit is being brought on behalf of 7-year-old twin girls whose parents were killed in a crash caused by street racing.

Thursday, 11:18 AM | No comments yet
Menlo Park officials talk emergency vehicle access, quiet zones in meeting over future of Caltrain crossings

Emergency vehicle access, quiet zones and bike and pedestrian access were all top of mind during a joint meeting between the Menlo Park City Council and the Menlo Park Fire Protection District on May 30.

Thursday, 11:05 AM | No comments yet
World-renowned physicist Stanley Wojcicki dies at 86

Stanley George Wojcicki, a preeminent physicist, Stanford University professor emeritus and inspirational father to three accomplished daughters, died of congestive heart failure at home in Los Altos on May 31.

Thursday, 11:05 AM | No comments yet

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

A break for renters? California considers reining in high security deposits

A bill would hold security deposits to one month's rent, not three. The California Apartment Association says it could drive up rents, making it harder to find a home.

Wednesday, 11:45 AM | No comments yet
Class of 2023: A roundup of Midpeninsula high school graduation coverage

Read The Almanac's coverage of local graduations, with articles on the TIDE Academy graduation ceremony on Wednesday, along with Menlo-Atherton and Woodside high schools on Friday.

Wednesday, 11:11 AM | No comments yet
TIDE Academy's first graduating class highlights hurdles, triumphs during commencement

Eighty-three TIDE Academy students walked across the stage at Foothill College on Tuesday night, June 6, to get their diplomas, becoming the first to graduate from the Sequoia Union High School District's newest school.

Wednesday, 11:06 AM | No comments yet

Tuesday, June 6, 2023

High school district names new spokesperson

The Sequoia Union High School District has a new public relations head. Arthur Wilkie stepped into the role in May, following the departure of district spokesperson Richard Gebin.

Tuesday, 9:55 AM | No comments yet

Monday, June 5, 2023

TIDE Academy

Monday, 9:57 PM | No comments yet
Community briefs: Lifetime achievement awards in Portola Valley, Menlo Park Boy Scouts honor vets

This week, a Menlo Park Boy Scout troop plants flags for Memorial Day, Portola Valley honors two longtime town volunteers and Sacred Heart in Atherton sends a record number of students to play intercollegiate sports.

Monday, 5:13 PM | No comments yet
Friends of man killed in Highway 101 crash remember him as supportive, kind

Mountain View resident Paul Dennig loved basketball and snow sports. He loved the Golden State Warriors and exploring nature trails in the Berkeley hills. But more than anything, he loved making his friends and family feel loved.

Monday, 4:17 PM | No comments yet
PG&E's San Mateo County power shutoff drill focuses on circuits in Menlo Park and Half Moon Bay

Additional PG&E crews and equipment will be in San Mateo County Monday and Tuesday to prepare for potential public safety power shutoffs, PG&E officials said Monday, June 5.

Monday, 1:48 PM | No comments yet
Obituaries: Local residents who have died recently

Local residents who have died recently include Theodore Clarence Carlstrom, Jacob Pierce, Elizabeth Jeanne Doyle, Joan Hancock, Tze Leung Lai, Charles Probst, Robert Campbell McGibben Jr. and Dorothea Emily Collins.

Monday, 11:24 AM | 1 comment
With 600 miles to go, these solar cyclists are hoping for some sun

A group of eight cyclists is pedaling, and cruising, toward Los Angeles to raise awareness of solar-powered bikes and sustainable transportation.

Monday, 9:44 AM | No comments yet
Opinion: An open letter to students on mental health

My whole life I've struggled with depression, anxiety and, at my lowest, suicidal ideation. Ultimately I found someone who helped me through it. Now I, and others like me, are doing our best to be there for teens who are struggling.

Monday, 9:39 AM | No comments yet

Saturday, June 3, 2023

Letters to the editor for June 2

This week, read letters about merging local school districts and SB 9, the lot-splitting state law.

Saturday, 12:33 PM | No comments yet

Friday, June 2, 2023

Caltrans offers signups for weekly updates on Highway 84 closure near Woodside

Caltrans is putting out a new weekly newsletter with updates on repair work to a stretch of Highway 84 near Woodside that's been closed due to landslide damage since March.

Friday, 6:18 PM | No comments yet
SLAC employees raise pride flag over Menlo Park research lab

Employees at SLAC National Laboratory celebrated the beginning of Pride Month Thursday by raising the Progress Pride flag on their Menlo Park campus, calling it a celebration and recognition of work still to be done.

Friday, 11:50 AM | No comments yet
The end of an era as longtime Menlo-Atherton coach and P.E. teacher Pam Wimberly retires

Pamela Wimberly, Menlo-Atherton High School's athletic director and longtime coach and P.E. teacher who helped shape its athletic program, is retiring after a 55-year career at the Atherton school.

Friday, 11:10 AM | No comments yet
Menlo Park school district's new wellness ambassadors are friendly, furry and four-legged

The bell rings and classroom doors swing open, unleashing a flood of students into the hallways of Hillview Middle School, along with shaggy, four-legged Duke, one of the Menlo Park district's social-emotional learning dogs.

Friday, 9:35 AM | No comments yet

Thursday, June 1, 2023

With deadline looming, Becker bills on privacy, clean energy advance in state Senate

State Sen. Josh Becker stood apart from most of his Democratic colleagues this week when he opted not to support this year's most contentious housing bill, SB 423, which streamlines the review process for new residential developments.

Thursday, 2:46 PM | 3 comments
Noisy pool heaters force Menlo Park council to confront its own rules on ditching gas-powered appliances

The Menlo Park City Council faced a problem at its May 23 City Council meeting: an environmentally friendly heat pump pool heater at the new community center under construction in Belle Haven exceeds the city's nighttime noise limits.

Thursday, 11:25 AM | 4 comments
Landscaping project transforms an eyesore median on Woodside Road

After about a decade of dreaming and discussing, Woodside has a more welcoming appearance near the Interstate 280 overpass, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the town, community organizations, residents and hired experts.

Thursday, 10:32 AM | 1 comment
Policymakers: Public transit will go over 'fiscal cliff' without more state dollars

As the upcoming state budget deadline looms over California, state policymakers warned Gov. Gavin Newsom that his ambitious climate targets will crumble without adequate funding for public transportation.

Thursday, 9:37 AM | 4 comments

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Ravenswood district teachers to get 4% raise

Come July 1, teachers in the Ravenswood City School District will see raises of slightly over 4%, under a contract approved by the school board last week.

Wednesday, 2:37 PM | No comments yet
San Mateo County Supervisors seek ways to reduce deadly fentanyl overdoses

Deaths from fentanyl overdoses in San Mateo County have gone up in recent years and show further signs of increasing, public health officials told the county Board of Supervisors at a study session on the issue Tuesday, May 30.

Wednesday, 11:41 AM | No comments yet
Sacred Heart Prep graduates its largest class in its 125-year history

Sacred Heart Preparatory in Atherton graduated 171 students at its 125th commencement ceremony on the evening of Friday, May 26. It is the school's largest graduating class in its 125-year history.

Wednesday, 10:41 AM | No comments yet
Portola Valley facing higher policing costs in new contract with San Mateo County Sheriff's Office

Portola Valley needs to negotiate a deal for police services with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office for a new contract starting in September.

Wednesday, 10:40 AM | No comments yet

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Almanac journalists honored for election coverage, land-use and local government reporting in statewide competition

Almanac journalists won accolades for their work in this year's California Journalism Awards, taking first place for reporting on local government and youth and education.

Tuesday, 5:48 PM | 3 comments

Monday, May 29, 2023

Atherton: Strong-armed robbery on Holbrook Lane

Police are looking for two suspects who forcibly stole a necklace from a woman in Atherton on Sunday.

Monday, 10:12 AM | No comments yet
Community briefs: Atherton Police Activities League scholarships, new M-A soccer coach hired and more

In this week's community briefs, Atherton PAL awards $30,000 in scholarships, M-A hires new varsity boys soccer coach and more.

Monday, 9:29 AM | No comments yet
Portola Valley to pay more for interim town attorney to fill vacancy

After the resignation of the town attorney, the Portola Valley Town Council hired Catherine Engberg to serve on an interim basis.

Monday, 9:29 AM | No comments yet

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Citing costs, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley postpones world premiere of musical slated to open this summer

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley announced this week that it's postponing the world premiere production of the new musical "Alice Bliss" that had been set to run this summer at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto.

Saturday, 8:29 AM | No comments yet

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