Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: What makes Palo Alto’s Christmas Tree Lane a Bay Area holiday standout?
Spotted on the Palo Alto calendar: Crossing Over with Psychic Medium John Edward live in San Francisco, CA!
Hello Palo Alto! Here's our latest buzz. Let's get into it. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- What makes Palo Alto’s Christmas Tree Lane a Bay Area holiday standout?
- How a “living levee” could reshape Palo Alto’s flood future
- How a Paly freshman became SCVAL champion in her first season.
Also on today's calendar: Crossing Over with Psychic Medium John Edward live in San Francisco, CA! and 9 more events.
Find out what's happening in Palo Altofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Palo Alto? Post it to Palo Alto photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️
Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)
Find out what's happening in Palo Altofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Tuesday: Foggy in the morning, with a high of 59 and low of 55 degrees.
- Wednesday: An a.m. shower; rather cloudy, temps: high: 58, low: 47.
- Thursday: Fog in the a.m.; mostly sunny, with a high of 60 and low of 48 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Where to see the best Bay Area holiday lights (sanluisobispo.com) — If you’re in Palo Alto, the 1700 and 1800 blocks of Fulton Street—better known as Christmas Tree Lane—are again a must-see, with nearly every home decked out and live trees lining the street. The guide also highlights standout holiday light displays across the wider Bay Area, from Livermore to San Carlos, with links for hours and directions. 
2. Volunteers plant Bay Area's first ‘living levee' using treated wastewater (fresnobee.com) — Palo Alto is testing the Bay Area’s first “living levee” at the Baylands, using treated wastewater and native plants to buffer storm surges and protect critical city infrastructure, including the regional wastewater plant. Volunteers and city partners hope lessons from this pilot will guide much larger shoreline defenses as sea-level rise and flooding increasingly threaten Palo Alto and neighboring communities.
3. Freshman phenom sets new standard for girls tennis (palyvoice.com) — Palo Alto High School freshman Akina Ogawa just finished an undefeated season for the Vikings, winning the SCVAL singles title and reaching the CCS finals before withdrawing from the last match due to fatigue. Backed by her former Division I player mom and coach, she’s already eyeing college tennis and a CCS championship run as Paly moves into the tougher De Anza League next year.
4. Express: Mountain View expands tenant protections (mv-voice.com) — A Palo Alto Fairmeadow Elementary student, Mia Reyna, has become a standout BMX rider after discovering the sport during COVID-19 lockdowns, offering a feel-good success story for local families. The same roundup also notes Mountain View’s new tenant relocation protections and plans for a mini-park in the Monta Loma neighborhood, plus a Midpeninsula events calendar.
5. Meet Jerry Nagano, One of the Bay Area's Last Great Theater Organists (kqed.org) — Longtime theater organist Jerry Nagano is still delighting audiences at Palo Alto’s Stanford Theatre, where his pre- and post-show performances have become part of the moviegoing ritual. The 67-year-old San Jose resident balances his nostalgic Wurlitzer stylings with a retired engineering career at Stanford, helping keep classic American theater-organ culture alive across the Bay Area.
📸 Around Palo Alto
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🗓 Upcoming Events in Palo Alto
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Crossing Over with Psychic Medium John Edward live in San Francisco, CA!
The Westin San Francisco Airport, 1 Old Bayshore Hwy, Millbrae
7:00 pm
Friday January 9
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Brazil's First Popular Music: Choro!, Music in the Afternoon
Albert and Janet Schultz Cultural Arts Hall (Bldg F), 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto, CA 94303
1:00 pm - December Tour of Elizabeth F. Gamble House & Garden
Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden , 1431 Waverley St , Palo Alto
1:30 pm - Shut Up & Write!
Rinconada Library , 1213 Newell Rd , Palo Alto
10:00 am - Stay & Play
East Palo Alto Library , 2415 University Avenue , East Palo Alto
10:00 am - Free In-Person English Class | Clase de inglés en persona gratuita
East Palo Alto Library , 2415 University Avenue , East Palo Alto
10:30 am - Bilingual Storytime / Hora de Cuentos Bilingüe
East Palo Alto Library , 2415 University Avenue , East Palo Alto
11:00 am - Page Turners Book Club for Grades 4-5
Los Altos Library , 13 South San Antonio Road , Los Altos
4:00 pm - Study Break: Cookies and Cocoa
Los Altos Library , 13 South San Antonio Road , Los Altos
4:00 pm - Scandinavian Fabric Star Workshop
Los Altos Library , 13 South San Antonio Road , Los Altos
6:30 pm - Objective Morality
Los Altos Community Center , 97 Hillview Ave , Los Altos
11:00 am - J-Camp: Winter Break Sessions
OFJCC Campus, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto, CA 94303
8:30 am
Tuesday December 16
Wednesday December 17
Sunday December 21
Monday December 22
📣 Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto PatchAM possible:
- Cool Aid Air Conditioning and Refrigeration — (800) 266-5243
Voted Best HVAC & Refrigeration Company in the Bay Area - Amara — (650) 486-1703
A California cuisine restaurant with mediterranean leaning. - Super Brothers Plumbing, Heating and Air - San Jose — (408) 351-1994
Serving San Jose & Bay Area – HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical - Housekeeping With Maria — (650) 400-0715
Family Owned Cleaning Business - Flores Electric — (408) 899-8450
Electrical Safety & Savings for Silicon Valley Homeowners - The Harker School — (408) 345-9200
Magic Happens at Harker
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Hello all,
I am visiting Palo Alto for the next 2 weeks with my family, my brother is getting brain surgery at Stanford. I was wondering if anyone knows of… (Nextdoor Palo Alto Orchards) - Are you free Sunday evenings to feed this precious kitty in Sunnyvale?
We are feeding a 2 cat colony in North Sunnyvale (both cats are already spayed/neutered), and need new volunteers. If you’re available between 5-5… (Nextdoor Greenmeadow)
- Whole Foods posted a job opening for Produce Team Member (Clerk, Floor Service) - Part Time in Palo Alto. Apply here.
- Workato posted a job opening for Instructional Designer, Agentic AI in Palo Alto. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Palo Alto here.
Ok Palo Alto! 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 don't know, but April May!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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