Community briefs

San Mateo County's "Let's Talk Housing" initiative, a collaborative effort between jurisdictions' housing and planning staff throughout the county, is hosting an online webinar and discussion series to talk about the housing crisis countywide on Wednesdays from 6 to 7:15 p.m. The next discussions in the series are: "Housing and Racial Equity" set for Oct. 27; "Housing in a Climate of Change," set for Nov. 10; and "Putting it All Together for a Better Future" on Dec. 1. Go to letstalkhousing.org to register for the events, which are set to be held on Zoom.

Off the Grid to halt for winter

Menlo Park's weekly Off the Grid food truck event held on Wednesday evenings from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Caltrain station parking lot at 1120 Merrill St. is set to pause for the winter starting in November, according to an announcement on Twitter from the organizer, Off the Grid San Francisco. "Come out for dinner while the weather's still nice," the announcement stated.

—Kate Bradshaw

Webinar on rain gardens

Flows To Bay, the San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program, will host a workshop on how to design and maintain a rain garden on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 10 a.m. to noon on Zoom.

There will be an interactive Q&A along with information on how to replace a lawn with drought-tolerant landscape and get a rebate for it.

Sign up at flowstobay.org.

—Angela Swartz

Library book sale set for Nov. 5-6

Friends of the Menlo Park Library will host a book sale from 2 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6, to raise funds to support library programs and events. The event will offer books for adults and children, CDs, DVDs and collectibles, with most items priced at $1 or $2. The library is located at 800 Alma St. in Menlo Park.

—Kate Bradshaw

Las Lomitas Elementary collecting breakfast items for donation

Las Lomitas Elementary School is collecting breakfast items like cereal, granola, pancake and waffle mixes, syrup, jam, jelly, honey, cocoa mix, instant coffee and creamer for the Samaritan House between Nov. 2 and 17.

The Samaritan House, with locations in San Mateo and East Palo Alto, serves 25,000 individuals in need in San Mateo County.

Collection bins will be located at the front office, 299 Alameda de las Pulgas in Atherton.

COVID-19 vaccine clinic planned at Las Lomitas Elementary

Pending FDA approval for the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 through 11, Las Lomitas Elementary will host a vaccine clinic in Cano Hall at Las Lomitas Elementary School on Wednesday, Nov. 10, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Flu shots and Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots will also be available during the clinic.

Additional information will be shared when it becomes available.

—Angela Swartz