Community Corner
🌱 Why a Portola Valley villa just led all U.S. home sales
And on the Portola Valley Patch calendar - Crossing Over with Psychic Medium John Edward live in San Francisco, CA!
Hi Portola Valley! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- Why a Portola Valley villa just led all U.S. home sales
- How will Woodside’s new blower rules compare to Portola Valley’s?
Also on today's calendar: Crossing Over with Psychic Medium John Edward live in San Francisco, CA! and 7 more events.
Find out what's happening in Portola Valleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Today's riddle: My brother swallowed a box of firecrackers. - Is he all right now? 🤔 (Answer below!)
From our Partner
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Find a T-Mobile store near Portola Valley.
Find out what's happening in Portola Valleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Thursday: Sunshine and some clouds, with a high of 60 and low of 50 degrees.
- Friday: Cloudy, a shower in the p.m., temps: high: 64, low: 53.
- Saturday: A little afternoon rain, with a high of 66 and low of 54 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
• Aspen Dominates November's Priciest Home Sales (redfin.com) — Portola Valley tops the nation’s luxury market with a $56 million sale of a villa on Meadow Lane, ranked as November’s most expensive U.S. home transaction. The list also showcases Aspen, Florida, New York, and other elite markets, underscoring how Silicon Valley properties now compete with premier ski and beachfront destinations. 
• Woodside considers exemptions to gas leaf blower ban (almanacnews.com) — Woodside is moving toward a gas leaf blower ban, following nearby towns like Portola Valley that already prohibit the noisy equipment. The council plans to adopt the ordinance in January 2026, with exemptions for large open-space parcels and emergency situations, and enforcement focused on education rather than strict penalties.
📸 Around Portola Valley
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 Portola Valley
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
- Family Storytime With Stay and Play
Pacifica Sanchez Library , 1111 Terra Nova Boulevard , Pacifica
11:15 am - Ab-SEW-lute Beginners
Portola Valley Library , 765 Portola Road , Portola Valley
2:00 pm - Baby Bounce Storytime
Portola Valley Library , 765 Portola Road , Portola Valley
10:30 am - Musical Storytime With Stay and Play at San Pedro Valley Park
Pacifica Sanchez Library , 1111 Terra Nova Boulevard , Pacifica
10:30 am - Gem Painting at the Library!
Pacifica Sanchez Library , 1111 Terra Nova Boulevard , Pacifica
12:30 pm - Paws for Tales
Pacifica Sanchez Library , 1111 Terra Nova Boulevard , Pacifica
3:45 pm - Family Storytime
Portola Valley Library , 765 Portola Road , Portola Valley
10:30 am - Block Printing
Portola Valley Library , 765 Portola Road , Portola Valley
1:00 pm - Beach Break Film Festival
1167 Main St , Half Moon Bay
3:30 pm
Saturday December 20
Tuesday December 23
Wednesday December 24
Sunday December 28
📣 Portola Valley Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Holidays at Filoli
Filoli Historic House & World-Class Garden , 86 Cañada Rd , Woodside
10:00 am - Musical Jamboree With Stay and Play!
Atherton Library , 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane , Atherton
10:30 am - Spanish Bilingual Storytime | Hora de Cuentos Bilingue
Portola Valley Library , 765 Portola Road , Portola Valley
11:00 am - Atherton Library Yoga at Holbrook-Palmer Park
Holbrook-Palmer Park , 150 Watkins Ave , Atherton
11:30 am
Thursday December 18
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 Portola Valley PatchAM possible:
- Amara — (650) 486-1703
A California cuisine restaurant with mediterranean leaning.
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
- All clear following police activity in Menlo Park, California.
1:22PM on Dec 16: "Avoid the area" for police activity in Menlo Park, California. 1:14PM on Dec 16: Menlo Park Police advise to avoid the area of… (Nextdoor ) - Report of lockdown at Windmill School in Portola Valley, California.
9:35PM on Dec 16: Nextdoor user reports that Windmill School in PV was on lockdown and students were told to run. (Nextdoor )
- Palo Alto Unified School District posted a job opening for Athletic Coach - Varsity Boys' Lacrosse Head Coach- Gunn High School in Palo Alto. Apply here.
- Robert Half posted a job opening for Accounts Payable Specialist in Palo Alto. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Portola Valley here.
🗞 Nearby News
Woodside
- Woodside resident and tech founder publishes memoir (paloaltoonline.com)
- Vehicle crashes, catches fire at Woodside Plaza (almanacnews.com)
- School lockdowns lifted after call of man with a gun (padailypost.com)
Palo Alto
- Palo Alto school board green lights multivariable calculus amid community debate (paloaltoonline.com)
- Shounak Dharap picked as Palo Alto school board president, Rowena Chiu as VP (paloaltoonline.com)
Menlo Park
Ok Portola Valley! 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. I haven’t heard the last report.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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