AlmanacNews

Mei Chan may be the Las Lomitas Elementary #School District's chief business officer, but on a chilly morning earlier this week, Chan was also a crossing guard for the district, which has one school in #MenloPark and one in Atherton. Las Lomitas, which has roughly 1,100 students, is facing the same problem plaguing many districts across the region and beyond: #pandemic-induced staffing shortages.

#BayArea residents grappling with the high cost of living, growing homelessness and high taxes say the quality of life has sunk in recent years, with a record number looking to leave the region altogether, according to a new survey.

Nearly three decades after Peninsula cities began implementing bans on gas-powered leaf blowers, the effort has found a foothold at the state level, with Gov. Gavin #Newsom signing a bill authored by Assembly member Marc Berman, D-#MenloPark, that will phase out their sales.

The Las Lomitas Elementary #School District governing board appointed two new members during a meeting last week following the resignation of two trustees.

"This throws the organization into a lot of uncertainty . That impacts the service we provide to residents." Three members of #MenloPark's City Council have authorized a closed session meeting at 3:30 p.m. today (Oct. 12), when the two other City Council members, Mayor Drew Combs and Councilman Ray Mueller, are unable to attend due to their full-time jobs.

Come work with us! We're hiring for our Digital Editor position, which will oversee our sister publication, The Six Fifty, and its weekly newsletter and help produce our popular food blog and newsletter, the Peninsula Foodist. Help us grow our digital storytelling while working on two of the region's favorite online publications. Accepting applications now! #650 #DigitalEditor #Journalists

Elon Musk, CEO of #Tesla Inc., confirmed Thursday afternoon what many have long suspected: The electric vehicle and energy storage company plans to move its #PaloAlto-based headquarters to Austin, Texas.

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#SanMateoCounty is among eight Bay Area counties that will lift the indoor #mask mandates after a series of criteria are met.

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#Atherton Vice Mayor Mike Lempres is stepping down from his post, effective Oct. 15, following a family move to Paris.

With the state's eviction moratorium set to expire on Jan. 31, #California lawmakers passed two bills extending it through June 30.

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ICYMI: In an op-ed, #PortolaValley resident Rusty Day writes about his concerns about fire hazards stemming from a proposed #Stanford housing project in town.

#SanMateoCounty is now offering a drive-thru #COVID19 vaccination clinic for eligible health care workers and vulnerable residents only.

Years in the making, a #SanMateoCounty project to overhaul a busy half-mile of Middlefield Road through North Fair Oaks is out to bid now. Construction is set to start in the spring on the project, currently estimated to cost $28.9 million.

#SanMateoCounty has created a $2.3 million relief fund to help struggling independent restaurants, breweries and wineries offset the "significant adverse financial impacts" they've suffered during the #coronavirus shutdown.

#Stanford University announced Saturday that freshman and sophomore students would not be allowed to return to campus for winter quarter, citing a surge in #coronavirus cases.

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized the first emergency use authorization for a #COVID19 vaccine. The Bay Area, including Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, could start receiving doses of the #vaccine as soon as Monday or Tuesday. https://www.almanacnews.com//its-official-fda-authorizes-f

The #MenloPark City Council heard sharply divided opinions over which type of pedestrian walkway should be added on Sharon Road's north side to make it safer for kids walking to and from La Entrada Middle School. Ultimately, after roughly five hours of hearing public concerns aired and deliberating amongst themselves, the council members voted unanimously to approve a raised sidewalk alongside the road.

Gearing up for making more #COVID vaccines available to its members, Palo Alto Medical Foundation has signed an agreement to set up a mass vaccination site at the #SanMateoCounty Event Center, the county's health chief said Tuesday.

As expected, the state has extended its regional #coronavirus stay at home order, which was originally set to expire on Jan. 8, due to the region’s ICU bed capacity remaining below 15%. All current restrictions will remain in place until the Bay Area’s four-week ICU projection shows a capacity of greater than or equal to 15%. Currently the #BayArea’s regional available ICU capacity is 3%. Read more about the order here: https://www.menlopark.org/CivicS/ViewMessage/Message/132794

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"I think that this is one of those times where we make an investment in basically quality of life and sanity." After deciding to eliminate funding for holiday lights due to budget cuts, the #MenloPark council has agreed to add holiday tree lights at Fremont Park and the Onetta Harris Community Center. https://www.almanacnews.com//to-boost-seasonal-morale-coun

Up to 24,000 health care workers in #SanMateoCounty will be first to receive the COVID-19 #vaccine, with the first shipment to the county expected to arrive next week: https://www.almanacnews.com//health-care-workers-will-be-g

NEW: Recent burglaries in #Atherton may be linked to a previous burglary spree, police said at a virtual town meeting Dec. 9 that had over 200 attendees. Police also updated residents on the use of license plate readers in town. https://www.almanacnews.com//they-are-back-latest-atherton