Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How long will Menlo Park’s flooded gymnastics center stay closed?
Happening soon: John Rybak + Friends @ Freewheel Brewing on the Menlo Park Patch calendar
Hey there, Menlo Park! Let's get started with what's happening in and around town. Read on and stay in the loop. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- How long will Menlo Park’s flooded gymnastics center stay closed?
- How long will Menlo Park’s Arrillaga Gymnastics Center stay closed?
- What will the new interim parks chief change at Flood Park?
Also on today's calendar: John Rybak + Friends @ Freewheel Brewing and 9 more events.
Find out what's happening in Menlo Park-Athertonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Today's riddle: What did the baby computer say to the mommy computer? 🤔 (Answer below!)
Find out what's happening in Menlo Park-Athertonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Wednesday: Plenty of sun, with a high of 66 and low of 42 degrees.
- Thursday: Plenty of sun, temps: high: 69, low: 43.
- Friday: Sunny to partly cloudy, with a high of 69 and low of 45 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Menlo Park gymnastics center closed due to water damage (almanacnews.com) — Menlo Park’s Arrillaga Family Gymnastics Center at Burgess Park is closed for at least two more weeks after late-December storm flooding damaged drywall, mats, and equipment. City staff have refunded canceled classes, aim to schedule make-up sessions, and say the facility will only reopen once it’s fully repaired, dry, and safe for the more than 1,300 young gymnasts it serves. 
2. Express: Menlo Park gym faces lengthy closure from storm damage (almanacnews.com) — A Menlo Park favorite, the Arrillaga Family Gymnastics Center, is temporarily closed after sustaining storm damage in late December, with no reopening date yet announced. The update also notes that San Mateo County Parks has appointed Emma Gonzalez as interim director while the county searches for a permanent leader, and briefly explains how winter sun can quietly damage Peninsula trees.
3. San Mateo County taps community affairs director as interim head of Parks Department (almanacnews.com) — San Mateo County’s new interim parks director, Emma Gonzalez, will oversee key projects that matter to Menlo Park, including the new Flood Park playground slated for completion in 2026. Her appointment keeps momentum going on regional park improvements while the county searches for a permanent director.
4. Mary Washington's Moy-Jacobs, Merchant Marine's Scafetta Earn NJAC Women's Swimming & Diving Weekly Honors (njacsports.com) — A Menlo Park native and Menlo-Atherton alum, Natalie Scafetta, just earned NJAC Rookie of the Week honors for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy after winning all four of her events in a home tri-meet. She followed that with a huge 23-second drop in her 1000 freestyle time against Southern Connecticut State, now ranking 13th in the conference. It’s a standout week for a local swimmer competing on the East Coast.
5. Parkfield, San Andreas, and the quest for a 'crystal ball' for predicting earthquakes before they happen (livescience.com subscription) — Menlo Park gets a brief spotlight as home to a U.S. Geological Survey office where scientists once tracked the famous Parkfield Experiment on the San Andreas Fault. The piece explains why accurately predicting earthquakes remains so elusive, despite decades of monitoring, advanced instruments, and new tools like AI and satellite imaging. It also highlights how this research still improves hazard maps and building safety worldwide.
📸 Around Menlo Park
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Menlo Park
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- John Rybak + Friends @ Freewheel Brewing
Freewheel Brewing Company, 3736 Florence St, Redwood City
6:00 pm - Cars & Cabernet @ AutoVino | San Carlos
380 Industrial Rd, San Carlos
11:30 am
Friday January 16
Sunday January 18
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Casual, Blitz, Lecture, Ladder Chess Evening
Arrillaga Family Recreation Center , 700 Alma St , Menlo Park
6:00 pm - Step Into Wellness: Atherton Library's Walking Club
Atherton Library , 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane , Atherton
9:45 am - Family Storytime
Downtown Branch Library , 270 Forest Avenue , Palo Alto
11:00 am - Mustache Harbor
The Guild Theatre , 949 El Camino Real , Menlo Park
8:00 pm - RSVP Workshop | Year III – Charisms II – 2026 – SF
St. Patrick's Seminary & University , 320 Middlefield Rd , Menlo Park
9:30 am - Spanish Bilingual Storytime | Hora de Cuentos Bilingue
Atherton Library , 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane , Atherton
10:30 am - Maker Exploration for Families
Atherton Library , 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane , Atherton
11:00 am - Find out about an Outstanding Type of Rhododendron Which Makes a Superb Container Plant
Legallet Residence, 88 Selby Lane, Atherton 94027
4:00 pm - Tour Bowman School at Page Mill! For Secondary / Grades 7-12
835 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304
10:00 am - Native Plant Seed and Cutting Exchange
Peninsula Conservation Center , 3921 E Bayshore Rd , Palo Alto
1:00 pm
Thursday January 15
Friday January 16
Saturday January 17
Wednesday January 21
Thursday January 22
Saturday January 24
📣 Menlo Park Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Menlo Park PatchAM possible:
- Cool Aid Air Conditioning and Refrigeration — (800) 266-5243
Voted Best HVAC & Refrigeration Company in the Bay Area - The Harker School — (408) 345-9200
Magic Happens at Harker - Atherton Inn Bed & Breakfast — (650) 474-2777
Luxury five room boutique hotel w/FULL breakfast - Amara — (650) 486-1703
A California cuisine restaurant with mediterranean leaning. - Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible! - Samaritan House — (650) 347-3648
Fighting Poverty. Lifting Lives
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Join us for an interactive speaker event!
MPC Ready is hosting “what to expect from FEMA in a disaster” featuring Brandon Bond, City of Menlo Park Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. Bring… (Nextdoor Coleman Place) - An accident on southbound US-101 before San Francisco International Airport caused two right lanes to be blocked, resulting in stopped traffic back to Highway 380, but all lanes are now open.
8:36AM on Jan 12: Traffic collision on southbound US-101 north of San Bruno Ave E in San Bruno blocks two right lanes, causing stopped traffic back… (Nextdoor )
- Hersha Hospitality Management, LP posted a job opening for Room Attendant - Housekeeper in Menlo Park. Apply here.
- i9 Sports Corporation posted a job opening for Sport Official Flag Football in Menlo Park. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Menlo Park here.
Ok Menlo Park! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I want my data.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
👉 Help make Patch AM better
- Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
- Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
- List items for sale or services offered
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
