The $1.17 million represents combined giving to the holiday funds of the Palo Alto Weekly ($773,000), the Almanac ($310,000) and Mountain View Voice ($84,000), three sister news organizations within Embarcadero Media.
With these funds, the company expects to be able to give grants to more than 80 nonprofits that are serving kids, families and others in need on the Peninsula. Embarcadero Media and its philanthropic partner, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, underwrite all the expenses of the campaigns so that every dollar raised goes to these agencies. Grants will be made to the selected organizations by the end of April.
This year's fund was aided by two large gifts. For the 11th year, a Palo Alto family contributed $100,000 to the fund, and for the first time, a Silicon Valley philanthropist made the largest-ever donation to the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund and the Almanac Holiday Fund: $350,000, shared by the two charitable programs. Both donors wish to remain anonymous.
The program has also received ongoing support from various family foundations and proceeds from the annual Palo Alto Weekly Moonlight Run benefit the Holiday Fund.
In 2021, the Holiday Fund campaign granted a record $680,000 to 74 nonprofits; with this year's campaign, the total raised since the fund was founded is $9.1 million.
To read about the impact made by the nonprofits supported by the Holiday Fund, go to PaloAltoOnline.com/holiday_fund.
—Palo Alto Weekly staff
East Palo Alto city manager to resign
After three years at the helm as East Palo Alto's city manager, Jaime Fontes will resign.
Fontes made public a brief letter he sent to Mayor Ruben Abrica on Monday, March 14, stating that he would leave on April 30 at the end of his contract. He plans to transition to "other career opportunities" that were not specified. In his letter, Fontes cited successes including the city's COVID-19 vaccination rate, lack of layoffs during the pandemic and $25.4 million reserve fund.
"We are fiscally sound and ready to take on future challenges," he said.
The city confirmed that Fontes had informed the City Council of his intention to fulfill his current contract and then depart.
"On behalf of the City Council, we want to express our appreciation for Mr. Fontes' steadfast service during these challenging years, and for providing the time for an orderly transition given the City's ongoing challenges and opportunities," Abrica said in a statement.
Before coming to East Palo Alto in April 2019, Fontes was the city manager of Greenfield, a city in Monterey County.
Fontes oversaw a turbulent period of staff turnover in East Palo Alto. After nearly 15 years, Assistant City Manager Sean Charpentier resigned in August 2019, by "mutual agreement," Fontes said at the time. Last year, City Clerk Walfred Solorzano left for undisclosed reasons after signing a "separation agreement" with the city. Longtime City Attorney Rafael Alvarado also departed months after council member Antonio Lopez attempted to have him fired last year, which sparked community outrage.
Abrica couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
—Sue Dremann
Embattled sheriff announces she won't seek reelection
Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith, whose office is under a civil rights investigation by the state attorney general, announced on March 10 that she is retiring at the end of her current term next January rather than seeking reelection.
Smith, who started with the Sheriff's Office in 1973 and has been sheriff for the last 24 years, wrote a letter to the county's residents announcing her retirement and describing attacks against her tenure as "specious attempts by unsavory political opponents in retribution for serving the public with honor."
State Attorney General Rob Bonta earlier this year announced he was opening the civil rights investigation into the Sheriff's Office over allegations that included misconduct in county jails and resistance to oversight.
Last August, the county's Board of Supervisors gave Smith a unanimous vote of no confidence, citing alleged jail mismanagement, a "pay-to-play" scheme involving gun permits issued by her office and the death or serious injury of inmates.
Smith, in her letter, wrote, "The truth and evidence is absolutely clear. I have always served the people of Santa Clara County and have never engaged in any behavior that would warrant the media animus, false legal narrative, or political attacks currently in the public domain."
—Bay City News Service
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