Facing budget crunch, Mountain View Whisman offers teachers $1K to give early exit notice
Mountain View Whisman is offering $1,000 to teachers who let the school district know early that they aren’t returning for the 2026-27 school year.
More Local news
Bay Area health experts warn of ‘super flu’ this holiday season
As families gather around the table for the holidays, health officials are warning people to be aware of a new “super flu” variant that’s leading to an increase in cases throughout the state.
Holiday Fund: Hope’s Corner provides meals and joy to people in need in Mountain View
For nearly 15 years, Hope’s Corner has been dishing up hot meals for people who are unhoused and hungry. This year, the nonprofit has served more than 60,000 meals.
Federal judge rules California teachers are allowed to ‘out’ transgender students to parents
A federal judge issued a ruling Monday that strikes down California school policies aimed at preventing schools from revealing a student’s gender identity to their parents.
Subscribe to Express!
Get the Express daily newsletter right to your inbox to stay updated on the latest local news.
Food
13 highly anticipated Silicon Valley eatery openings in 2026
From a revamped sports bar to a Japanese restaurant-marketplace hybrid, there’s plenty of new bites and beverages to look forward to in the coming year.
The rise of robusta, pickled fish and more: These food trends defined the Peninsula’s food scene for 2025
Asian food dominated the headlines of Peninsula food news in 2025. From various Asian supermarkets opening this year to a multitude of high-end omakase and kappo-style restaurants, the demand for Asian food in Silicon Valley continues to rise.
‘Everything you need and nothing you don’t’: Here’s why many new Peninsula restaurants are going minimalist
A string of new eateries have opened on the Peninsula boasting minimalist-inspired design in addition to compelling cuisine.
Arts & Culture
The year in film: Perfect pairings
Revisit the best movies of 2025 with our critic’s hand-picked double features, from dark comedies to poignant family dramas. Plus, picks for best documentaries and animated films, and the worst films of the year.
What’s up this week: Thievery Corporation, local astronaut and more
This holiday week, catch genre-melding electronic music, hear a Peninsula-raised astronaut discuss his flights on the Space Shuttle and more.
Looking for ways to entertain out-of-town visitors over the holidays? Here are 11 ideas to explore
We’ve compiled a list of unique experiences for visitors this holiday season, both indoors and outdoors, from the Coastside to the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Spotlight
Changing diet to generate a healthier microbiome and a healthy individual
Stanford microbiologists Justin and Erica Sonnenburg are working to understand the complex microbial community that resides within the human gut and its potential for helping people live healthier, longer lives.
Ivy League mentorship for college applications and career foundations through meaningful projects
Path Mentors was born out of dissatisfaction with the toxic high-pressure environment that college admissions has created. Founded in 2019 by Columbia graduates, the Path Mentors’ team of nearly 100 mentors from a wide range of professions including technology, finance,…
Community Calendar
Did you miss
Housing advocates fall short in bids for Sierra Club leadership
When several local housing advocates abruptly tossed their hats in the ring for leadership positions in the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, some longtime members sounded the alarm. But with the ballots counted, it appears that veteran leadership…
Earning $250K? In Mountain View, the city wants to help you buy a home
The price of housing in Mountain View has gotten so high that the City Council is now looking for ways to help people earning up to nearly $275,000 a year afford a home, with the limit going higher for couples…
Real Estate
Crescent Park: How farmland became Palo Alto’s most exclusive planned neighborhood
Palo Alto’s Crescent Park neighborhood has drawn national attention in recent years as the place where Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has quietly assembled nearly a dozen homes into a sprawling family compound. It also holds the distinction of having the…
Woodside leads with $30.6M sale; Atherton follows at $20M
Each week, Embarcadero Media takes a look at home sales activity along the Midpeninsula in the communities of Atherton, East Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Portola Valley and Woodside.
Viral listings, record deals and landmark estates: Peninsula homes that defined 2025
From viral listings and record-setting deals to historic estates with deep Peninsula roots, 2025 delivered a standout year in high-profile home sales. These notable transactions captured attention not just for their price tags, but for the stories, personalities and quirks…
The Six Fifty
From the coast’s tide pools to the Peninsula’s marshlands, king tides reveal how wildlife adapt to extreme conditions
King tides exhibit what sea level rise and the threats it poses may look like in the future. But, along with the low tides, they also expose how coastal and estuarine species adapt to extreme changes in their environment.
Where to volunteer on the Peninsula this holiday season and beyond
Whether you have a couple of hours or a few days a week to spare, Peninsula organizations could use your help with everything from delivering food and maintaining trails to caring for animals and talking to seniors in need of…
Where to find holiday-themed crafting classes on the Peninsula
From wreath making to creating Victorian-era ornaments, there are a variety of holiday crafting classes being offered along the Peninsula in November and December that will help you zhuzh up your home while socializing.
