Recent News

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Bay Area real estate developer pledges $55M to alleviate medical students' debt at Stanford

Bay Area real estate developer John Arrillaga has pledged $55 million towards the Stanford School of Medicine to help cover tuition costs for qualified students, the university announced Wednesday.

Wednesday, 3:46 PM | 1 comment

Shop Talk: Sephora to open downtown, Umami Burger shutters

In the latest Shop Talk column, read about Sephora's newest Palo Alto location, the closure of Umami Burger and a new pizzeria opening this year.

Wednesday, 2:30 PM | No comments yet

After early speed bumps, Palo Alto steers bike boulevards in a new direction

After a rocky start and a sudden stop, Palo Alto is preparing to resume its ambitious plan to build a network of bike boulevards, which includes modifications to the recently added amenities on Ross Road.

Wednesday, 9:44 AM | 21 comments

Stanford student died from accidental fentanyl overdose, coroner confirms

A Stanford University sophomore found unresponsive in a campus fraternity house in January died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, a powerful narcotic, the Santa Clara County coroner confirmed on Tuesday.

Wednesday, 9:37 AM | 15 comments

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

NTSB: Tesla's Autopilot steered Model X into highway median, causing fatal crash

An Apple employee died from a high-speed crash because his Tesla Model X's Autopilot driving system steered the car into a median on U.S. Highway 101 in 2018, federal officials concluded Tuesday.

Tuesday, 6:15 PM | 14 comments

Rent increase sends FabMo, the nonprofit treasure trove of rescued fabrics, to Sunnyvale

FabMo, a nonprofit that offers discarded designer showroom samples to the public, has announced it will be moving from Mountain View to Sunnyvale after getting a significant rent increase.

Tuesday, 4:10 PM | 2 comments

Drug dealer sentenced to 6 years for fatal fentanyl overdose

A man who sold the powerful narcotic fentanyl to a woman who later died was sentenced to six years and eight months of jail time and court supervision on Monday.

Tuesday, 3:10 PM | 3 comments

Two volunteers, one dog and the story of the Palo Alto couple's unlikely rescue

On the eighth day of Palo Alto residents Carol Kiparsky and Ian Irwin's disappearance, Rich Cassens and his search dog came to the town of Inverness near Point Reyes Station with a very specific task: find human remains.

Tuesday, 9:39 AM | 8 comments

Police chief says use of force is 'very rare.' Critics are not convinced.

Facing numerous allegations of excessive force by local police officers, Palo Alto police Chief Robert Jonsen assured the City Council on Monday that officers who cross the line will be held accountable.

Tuesday, 12:12 AM | 13 comments

Monday, February 24, 2020

With current textbooks 'obsolete,' Palo Alto's middle schools to get new science materials

The Palo Alto school board expressed support on Tuesday for implementing a new middle school science curriculum, Amplify Science.

Monday, 2:31 PM | 11 comments

Errors in federal reimbursement, employee ratios to cost Ravenswood $24K

The Ravenswood City School District will pay just over $24,000 for financial errors uncovered in an annual audit in part due to double-counting students for a federal meal program.

Monday, 1:48 PM | 11 comments

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Around Town: Suspected 'bait' dog finds new home; residents prioritize bathroom in park renovation

In the latest Around Town column, news about the recent adoption of "Baby," 1, who was abandoned at the Palo Alto Animal Shelter with "grave" injuries possibly linked to a dog-fighting ring.

Sunday, 9:03 AM | 4 comments

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Missing couple found alive

Missing Palo Alto residents Carol Kiparsky and Ian Irwin were found alive on Saturday morning, eight days after they were last seen in Marin County.

Saturday, 11:53 AM | No comments yet

'This is a miracle': Missing Palo Alto couple found alive, ending weeklong search in which hopes had dimmed

Search and rescue volunteers navigating their way through dense vegetation on Saturday found Palo Alto residents Carol Kiparsky and Ian Irwin in Marin County, where they had gone missing eight days earlier.

Saturday, 11:19 AM | 41 comments

Palo Alto's last dive bar faces uncertain future

Three years after its colorful owner passed away, Antonio's Nut House is still open, but its new owners worry their landlord might have other plans for the California Avenue property.

Saturday, 8:55 AM | 40 comments

Friday, February 21, 2020

Behind the Headlines: Exploring the art of trees

Palo Alto Art Center Director Karen Kienzle talks about an exhibit featuring 20 artists whose work offers various interpretations on the significance of trees. She also discusses the center's unique programs to help foster creativity.

Friday, 4:04 PM | No comments yet

PUBLIC AGENDA: Potential bike boulevard changes; Magical Bridge playground project

A preview of Palo Alto government meetings for the week of Feb. 24.

Friday, 10:08 AM | No comments yet

Searchers for missing Palo Alto couple focus on the water, following alerts from cadaver dogs

With the search for Carol Kiparsky and Ian Irwin nearly reaching the one-week mark, the Marin County Sheriff's Office is shifting gears by bringing in the U.S. Coast Guard and cadaver K9 teams, now calling it a "recovery mission."

Friday, 9:56 AM | 20 comments

Outside spending in state Senate race ramps up in final days before Super Tuesday

With only 12 days until California's March 3 primary, candidates for District 13 in the state Senate are ramping up their campaign fundraising and spending efforts to convince voters to select them.

Friday, 9:30 AM | 1 comment

Palo Alto Tailoring closed three years ago. Customers want their clothes back.

Customers of a Palo Alto tailoring business say they have been trying to get their clothing back for nearly three years, but the doors of Palo Alto Tailoring remain tightly shut, leaving them staring longingly through the glass doors.

Friday, 7:41 AM | 25 comments

Senior Commission? Sustainability Commission? Palo Alto mulls new advisory panels

Palo Alto's long-standing system of advisory panels could be heading for a big shake-up in the coming months, as the City Council weighs adding two new boards, disbanding an existing one and splitting its most influential commission.

Friday, 7:40 AM | 2 comments

Editorial: Yes on community college measures G, H

A vibrant community college system is an essential safety net and path to opportunity for those whose options are limited, and voters should ensure it continues to thrive.

Friday, 7:40 AM | 16 comments

Guest Opinion: To solve housing crisis, decrease demand

Housing is in short supply in Silicon Valley, especially affordable housing. Unfortunately, no amount of the current sort of government efforts in this area will change the situation.

Friday, 7:39 AM | 60 comments

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Santa Clara County man recovers from coronavirus

The Santa Clara County Public Health Department announced Thursday that a man who became the county's first confirmed case of novel coronavirus has recovered and been released from isolation.

Thursday, 5:17 PM | 2 comments

Man arrested for kidnapping attempt reportedly held another family hostage

A man arrested last week for attempted kidnapping in a Mountain View home had allegedly held another woman and her daughter hostage that same day, according to new details released by police.

Thursday, 2:19 PM | 5 comments

Looking 'beyond everywhere': Palo Alto couple remains missing after fourth day of searches

As time ticks on in the effort to locate Palo Alto residents Carol Kiparsky and Ian Irwin, who have been missing for nearly a week in the small Marin County community of Inverness, the number of searchers has waned.

Thursday, 9:55 AM | 18 comments

Collision kills man near freeway in East Palo Alto

A man died in collision with a car in an East Palo Alto neighborhood just north of U.S. Highway 101 on Friday night, police said in a community update issued Wednesday.

Thursday, 9:44 AM | No comments yet

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Woman calls 911 after man tries to break into her car — while she was inside

Two men allegedly linked to 10 car burglaries in Palo Alto were arrested after a woman alerted authorities that they were breaking into her car at a downtown parking garage, Palo Alto police said.

Wednesday, 6:26 PM | 5 comments

A student was injured by a potato gun at school in 2017. The district will likely pay him $1.5 million.

The Palo Alto school board will consider approving in closed session next week a $1.5 million settlement with a former student whose eye was permanently damaged during a potato gun science experiment at JLS Middle School in 2017.

Wednesday, 4:04 PM | 11 comments

After Ross Road blowback, Palo Alto looks to shift gears on bike boulevards

Chastened by residents' complaints about the city's new "bike boulevard" on Ross Road, city transportation planners are preparing to adopt a new approach for future bike improvements.

Wednesday, 2:11 PM | 58 comments

Last 'Sunny Day' defendant sentenced for killing, shooting

Six years after prosecutors announced indictments against 16 gang members as part of "Operation Sunny Day," the last defendant, Tyrone Sostenes Love-Lopez, was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Wednesday, 9:44 AM | 3 comments

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

As car break-ins surge, Palo Alto police laud drop in violent crime

Despite a year marred by car break-ins and claims of police brutality, the Palo Alto Police Department saw several positive trends in 2019, including fewer assaults, burglaries and traffic collisions, according to its annual report.

Tuesday, 4:49 PM | 30 comments

Have an opinion on Ravenswood school district's superintendent pick? Here's how you can make your voice heard.

The Ravenswood school district is seeking feedback to inform the hiring of its next superintendent through two meetings and a survey.

Tuesday, 3:09 PM | No comments yet

Dragged by the neck, woman escapes from man accused of nearly kidnapping her

A man who allegedly burst into a Mountain View home near the Palo Alto border Monday night and tried to drag a woman by the neck out to her car was arrested hours later, according to Mountain View police.

Tuesday, 1:35 PM | 8 comments

Monday, February 17, 2020

Massive search underway for Palo Alto couple, missing since Friday

A Palo Alto couple who rented a room in Marin County last week and were due to check out Saturday morning have gone missing, prompting a search-and-rescue operation that started Sunday, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Office.

Monday, 9:36 AM | 25 comments

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Ames wind tunnels put NASA's new moonshot to the test

America's latest bid to send astronauts into space has researchers at NASA Ames hard at work, trying to figure out how to get safely get a hulking 320-foot tower of metal, stuffed with 733,000 gallons of fuel, out of the atmosphere.

Sunday, 8:48 AM | 1 comment

Saturday, February 15, 2020

Around Town: Division over installing wireless antennas; local voting rights group marks 100th birthday

In the latest Around Town column, news about the latest arguments for and against installing wireless antennas in Palo Alto, a local group celebrating its centennial and a firefighter who completed a 625-mile journey to San Diego.

Saturday, 10:37 AM | 8 comments

Friday, February 14, 2020

PUBLIC AGENDA: Funding Code:ART2, transitional kindergarten policies

A preview of Palo Alto government meetings for the week of Feb. 17.

Friday, 5:35 PM | No comments yet

Ending stalemate, Human Relations commissioner quits seeking chairmanship

In a stunning move to avoid a potentially deadlocked election for the Palo Alto Human Relations Commissioner chairmanship, one of the two contenders asked his colleagues to vote for the other nominee.

Friday, 5:27 PM | 6 comments

Behind the Headlines: A playground for all

Magical Bridge playground co-founders Olenka Steciw Villarreal and Jill Hoffspiegel Asher discuss how their universal playground redefines what it means to play.

Friday, 5:10 PM | 1 comment

At 'pivotal' moment in presidential campaign, Pete Buttigieg makes plea to voters in Palo Alto

In comments to about 200 supporters in Palo Alto on Friday, presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg pitched himself as an inclusive, progressive option for voters.

Friday, 4:23 PM | 24 comments

VMware plans to cut over 200 jobs in Palo Alto

Cloud infrastructure company VMware recently announced that it will cut 211 jobs at its Palo Alto headquarters effective April 1.

Friday, 4:23 PM | 9 comments

Palo Alto's city services will be limited on Monday due to Presidents Day

We've compiled a guide of modified schedules and closures for local and regional services on the Midpeninsula on Monday due to Presidents Day.

Friday, 9:38 AM | 1 comment

Violent robbery leaves Stanford student unconscious, cashless

A group of men robbed three Stanford University students on Sunday, knocking one of the students unconscious before fleeing with his money, according to Stanford's Department of Public Safety.

Friday, 9:34 AM | 11 comments

A daughter's disability. A mother's ingenuity. And the playground that's launching a revolution.

Olenka Steciw Villarreal and Jill Hoffspiegel Asher, the forces behind Magical Bridge, see "all-abilities" playgrounds not as islands, but as clarion calls in a movement for valuing all members of a community equally.

Friday, 6:53 AM | 11 comments

Magical Bridge volunteers make kindness contagious

The Magical Bridge Foundation's Kindness Ambassadors program brings students and other volunteers together to help with the Magical Bridge park's programs and advocacy.