The Almanac

The Almanac Online serves as the local news and information hub for the communities of Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, and Woodside, which are all situated on the Midpeninsula just south of San Francisco. Their website, www.AlmanacNews.com, offers regular news updates, a discussion area known as Town Square where residents and visitors can share thoughts and information on various topics, and additional resources aimed at connecting people with details about community events and services.

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These women are turning home furnishings and bars of soap into works of art

1 week ago | almanacnews.com | Julia Brown

Last night I got to sample bites and drinks from Peninsula businesses like Jettywave Distillery, Wildflour and Birdie’s at Stanford Golf as part of the Bash at the Basement, a Yelp event at Sports Basement in Redwood City benefiting our company, Embarcadero Media Foundation. Other local businesses were there with samples of their products and goodies for attendees, and The Six Fifty was on hand with our prize wheel and some swag.
Water main break shuts portion of Sand Hill Road

1 week ago | almanacnews.com | Clay Lambert

Authorities are asking the public to avoid the area of Sand Hill Road between Santa Cruz Avenue and Sharon Park due to a water main break. Menlo Park police and utilities crews were on the scene as of 1:23 p.m., according to a release from the city of Menlo Park. There was no immediate word on when the busy thoroughfare would reopen. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information comes available.
Egg hunts, brunch feasts and more Easter festivities

2 weeks ago | almanacnews.com | Julia Brown

Easter is nearly upon us, bringing egg hunts (of a different variety than the grocery store hunt for an elusive carton of eggs in 2025) and holiday brunch feasts to Silicon Valley. Many cities and businesses have their own unique Easter traditions, like Campbell with its Easter Eggstravaganza (30,000 eggs!) and the Bunnies and Bonnets Easter Parade downtown, or the Easter Bunny arriving by helicopter at Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos.
M-A students found nonprofit to increase access to chess

2 weeks ago | almanacnews.com | Angela Swartz

Inspired by a desire to make chess accessible to everyone — not just people who can afford coaching or tournament fees, two Menlo-Atherton High School juniors formed ChessGuru. The pair offer chess lessons to students at a North Fair Oaks school. In September 2024, Shawnak Shivakumar, 16, and Axel Pilette, 17, who are award-winning chess players, approached K-8 Connect Community Charter School Principal Hayley Dupuy to ask if her students would be interested in an after school chess program.
Thousands turn up in Mountain View protesting Trump administration

2 weeks ago | almanacnews.com | Emily Margaretten

More than a thousand demonstrators marched in Mountain View on Saturday, joining a nationwide movement protesting the Trump administration and its federal spending cuts. The “Hands Off!” event – reportedly held in more than 1,300 cities across the country – drew a massive crowd to Mountain View and other parts of the Peninsula on April 5, making it the biggest day of collective action since President Donald Trump took office.
‘The place I was meant to be’: Q&A with Joe Simitian

2 weeks ago | almanacnews.com | Gennady Sheyner

Reporter Gennady Sheyner sat down with Joe Simitian following a celebration in his honor to discuss all things local politics and good governance. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Palo Alto Weekly: At a recent celebration of your political career, you told a story about how as a teenager you had to choose between living with your mother in Colorado or your father in Palo Alto. What made you choose Palo Alto?
Simitian celebration packs community center

2 weeks ago | almanacnews.com | Gennady Sheyner

Before Joe Simitian learned to make laws, he had to break one. As a 13-year-old child of divorced parents, he found himself at a crossroads in 1966, unsure of whether to live with his mother, who lived in Colorado Springs, or with his father, who had moved to Cupertino and, later, to Palo Alto. The decision, which would ultimately shape his life and touch those of many others on the Peninsula, proved perplexing, Simitian recalled at a March 30 celebration of his four decades of public service.
Earth Month festivals, tree plantings and more đźŚŽ

3 weeks ago | almanacnews.com | Julia Brown

If thereâ€™s ever been a better time to take a break from our screens and get our hands dirty â€” like literally covered in dirt â€” I canâ€™t think of it. With the start of spring and Earth Month upon us, there are plenty of events geared toward connecting you with nature and sharing appreciation for the natural world around us. From tree plantings and group cleanups to animal encounters and hands-on activities, there are Earth Month-themed events on the Peninsula all April long.
Community Leaders Archives

3 weeks ago | almanacnews.com | Gennady Sheyner |Lisa Moreno

Before Joe Simitian learned to make laws, he had to break one. As a 12-year-old child of divorced parents, he found himself at a crossroads in 1966, unsure of whether to live with his mother, who lived in Colorado Springs, or with his father, who had moved to Cupertino and, later, to Palo Alto.
Pair beers with charcuterie boards at this South City spot

3 weeks ago | almanacnews.com | Adrienne Mitchel

Millbrae resident Darwin Tse always dreamed of opening his own restaurant. It was fatherhood that made him realize it was time to turn that dream into a reality. “I just wanted to set an example of what it’s like to pursue something with passion to show that it’s OK no matter what, whether you fail or succeed,” he said. Wildflour, named after Tse’s daughter Olivia, will host its grand opening on Saturday in South San Francisco, specializing in charcuterie boards, baked goods and brews.