Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How a Palo Alto library became a lifeline in dangerous weather
Spotted on the Palo Alto calendar: August Tour of Elizabeth Gamble House and Garden
Morning Palo Alto! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☕️️
Before we get to what's happening, a big thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Palo Alto PatchAM possible. Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
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In today's newsletter:
- How a Palo Alto library became a lifeline in dangerous weather
- Could your Palo Alto backyard cottage become a home you can sell?
- How will Castilleja's construction change traffic and parking in Old Palo Alto?
Also on today's calendar: August Tour of Elizabeth Gamble House and Garden and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: Why did the man leave his watch in the bank? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high of 83 and low of 58 degrees.
- Wednesday: Partly sunny, temps: high: 83, low: 58.
- Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high of 81 and low of 57 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. City may put the homeless in city buildings during inclement weather (padailypost.com) — Palo Alto is weighing whether to expand its bad-weather shelter program beyond the downtown library, potentially opening more city buildings, churches and nonprofit spaces to homeless residents. The proposal would swap security guards for social workers, operate about 30 nights a year during severe weather or heat, and respond to past concerns from neighbors who felt blindsided by the library shelter's launch. 
2. Council split over letting homeowners sell backyard cottages (padailypost.com) — Palo Alto City Council narrowly voted to send a proposal on selling backyard cottages, or ADUs, to the Planning and Transportation Commission instead of approving it immediately. The commission will study whether homeowners should be allowed to sell these up‑to‑1,200‑square‑foot units separately and report back by year's end.
3. Castilleja students to start school year in a construction zone (paloaltoonline.com) — Castilleja School students will return this week to a heavily fenced, construction-filled Palo Alto campus as a two‑year, city‑approved renovation moves into full swing. Neighbors are watching closely to see whether the new underground garage and traffic‑mitigation rules actually reduce parking spillover and congestion on nearby streets while classes continue in temporary "Casti Village" classrooms.
4. Northern California school district sued over mosque field trip (kansascity.com) — Parents and former students from Palo Alto Unified have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit over a 2025 Social Justice Pathway field trip where Palo Alto High School students visited a Santa Clara County mosque. The suit claims the district failed religious neutrality and student privacy, while district officials and the invited speaker defend the trip as educational and misrepresented.
📸 Around Palo Alto
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 Palo Alto
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
- August Tour of Elizabeth Gamble House and Garden →
Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St, Palo Alto
1:30 pm - Art in the Garden →
Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St, Palo Alto
5:00 pm - Bilingual Storytime / Hora de Cuentos Bilingüe
East Palo Alto Library 2415 University Avenue, East Palo Alto, CA 94303
10:30 am - Free In-Person English Class | Clase de inglés en persona gratuita
East Palo Alto Library 2415 University Avenue, East Palo Alto, CA 94303
10:30 am - Vintage Media Lab
Mitchell Park Library 3700 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303
1:00 pm - Atherton Library Yoga at Holbrook-Palmer Park
East Palo Alto Library 2415 University Avenue, East Palo Alto, CA 94303
11:30 am - Vintage Media Lab
Palo Alto City Library 1213 Newell Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303
12:00 pm - Improving Soil Health →
Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St, Palo Alto
10:00 am - MOAH's Chocolate Chip Cookie Festival →
The Museum of American Heritage, 351 Homer Ave, Palo Alto
1:00 pm - Herbal Tea Party →
Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St, Palo Alto
1:00 pm - Introduction to Floral Design →
Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St, Palo Alto
9:30 am - Start the Year Together: OFJCC Community Holiday Fair →
Jessica Lynn Saal Town Square, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto, CA 94303
3:30 pm
Tuesday August 18
Wednesday August 19
Thursday August 20
Saturday August 22
Friday August 28
Saturday August 29
Sunday August 30
📣 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.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- UPDATE ON PORRANG—SHE'S ON THE MEND!
Some of you have asked how Porrang is doing. This past Thursday, Porrang underwent a necessary amputation because previous surgery could not save a… (Nextdoor Barron Park) - MISSING KITTEN UPDATE
Dusty, who is only 4 1/2 month old, is still missing. He found a cracked window we forgot to close late at night on Thursday and got out. I didn't… (Nextdoor College Terrace)
- Palo Alto Unified School District posted a job opening for Athletic Coach - Girls Basketball JV Coach- Palo Alto High School in Palo Alto. Apply here.
- Jobot posted a job opening for Construction Superintendent (Luxury Residential) 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: So he could save time! (Thank you Lorraine S. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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