🐟 Bay Area Seafood Staple Says Goodbye

Plus, Holiday festivities kick off and new housing rules designed to speed up building in Redwood City

Author

Greg Kemper
November 05, 2026

In partnership with

Good morning neighbors!

Welcome to this week's Palo Alto Scoop! This week, we’re spotlighting Los Altos’ finance award and the new housing rules designed to speed up building in Redwood City. It’s also Los Altos Holiday Stroll this weekend, but we’ve got tons of other events too!

Let's get to it!

In this week’s edition:

  • Business Updates: Los Altos earns finance award

  • Local Updates: Cook’s Seafood abruptly closes, new design rules set to speed up housing in Redwood City

  • Events: Los Altos Holiday Stroll, board games for grown ups, chic boutique show, dia de los muertos, and cars and coffee

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Redwood City Sets New Design Rules to Speed Up Housing

Redwood City is making it easier to build new homes. The City Council unanimously approved a nearly 60-page ordinance that sets clear, objective design standards for new residential and mixed-use projects. The goal is to simplify the approval process, which should help the city meet state housing laws and carry out its Housing Element plan. The standards also call for flood-friendly and bird-friendly design, so new buildings in Redwood City will be built with those local concerns in mind. For residents, that could mean faster approvals for new housing and a more environmentally conscious look for new buildings. The ordinance applies citywide rather than to a single site. Read more here.

Redwood City Puts Off Decision on License Plate Readers

Redwood City is hitting pause on the future of its license plate readers, with the decision now pushed into 2027. The city has 25 active readers, installed under a Flock Safety contract approved in 2023. The cameras have drawn growing pushback. About 15 residents urged the council in public comments to drop the contract and hold off on finding a new vendor. Mountain View, Santa Cruz and Los Altos Hills have already ended their Flock contracts. The delay gives residents more time to weigh in on how the technology should be used. Read more here.

Redwood City Art Kiosk Lights Up for Día de los Muertos

A new installation at downtown Redwood City’s Art Kiosk invites everyone to pause and reflect on remembrance. “Ofrenda de Luz” by artist Aiden Khaleck will be on view Nov. 8 through Dec. 18. A glowing skull sits front and center, honoring the candles placed on ofrendas to guide loved ones’ spirits home during Día de los Muertos. Khaleck, who has a Lao father and a Mexican mother, created the piece to celebrate the resilience and cultural pride of Mexican and Mexican-American communities, and to keep immigrant stories visible. Since it opens the same day as Redwood City’s Día de los Muertos celebration, it’s a great add-on if you’re heading downtown. The series is presented by the Redwood City Improvement Association with Fung Collaboratives. Read more here.

Los Altos Earns Top Financial Reporting Honor for 20th Year

Los Altos is getting a gold star for how it handles the books. The city has received the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 20th year in a row. It’s considered the highest recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting. An impartial panel found the city’s Fiscal Year 2025 Comprehensive Financial Report showed a “spirit of full disclosure” in explaining its finances to residents. If you’re curious where your tax dollars go, you can browse the city’s financial reports at LosAltosCA.gov/Finance.

Menlo Park’s Hearts for Homeless Wins County Housing Heroes Award

Hearts for Homeless (H4H), a Menlo Park nonprofit that helps people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity, has been named a recipient of San Mateo County’s 19th Annual Housing Heroes Awards, which honor partners who help residents with mental health or substance use conditions find and keep stable housing. Founder and CEO Jack Fuller accepted the award at the Oct. 21 ceremony at the Redwood Shores Public Library. Since 2022, H4H has served more than 700 individuals and mobilized over 9,700 volunteer hours through programs that pair trained volunteers with people navigating the path to stable housing. The group is currently recruiting volunteer Mental and Emotional Support Advocates (MESAs). Learn more here.

Volunteers Wanted: Pound Puppy Rescue

Pound Puppy Rescue is a 100% volunteer-run organization dedicated to giving puppies a better start in life. They welcome community members to get involved through fostering, transportation, adoption events, photography, social media, and fundraising. Whether someone can offer a few hours or a temporary home for a puppy, every contribution makes a difference in saving lives! Learn more here.

Cook’s Seafood

Cook’s Seafood in Menlo Park (and Pleasanton) announced their closure last week. Known for their fish & chips and their fish market, Cook’s has been a staple in the community for 98 years. The owner has cited rising costs and roughly $500,000 in needed building repairs. The closure came as a shock to both employees and long-time customers. Read more here.

Click here to feature your business in front of over 10,000 local residents!

We do our best to verify dates/locations of events, but please independently verify before attending as details are subject to change

🎪 Zoppe Family Circus | Redwood City | Main Library | 11/6-11/29 | more
The circus is coming to town! Featuring a variety of animals, clowns, live music, and more- this family-friendly circus is an annual classic.

🪱 Worm Composting Workshop | Palo Alto | Gamble Garden | 11/7 | more
Learn how to turn kitchen scraps into rich garden soil with help from a few wiggly worms.

🚗 Cars and Coffee | Redwood City | Woodside Plaza Shopping Center | 11/8 | more
Grab a cup of coffee and admire a lineup of cool cars from local enthusiasts.

🎶 Magical Music & Motion: Woodside Cheer | Redwood City | Magical Bridge Playground | 11/8 | more
Little ones sing, dance, and play at this lively music and movement session, led by the cheerleaders from Woodside High School.

🌼 Dia de Muertos | Redwood City | Courthouse Square | 11/8 | more
Honor loved ones at this colorful community celebration of Day of the Dead.

🛍️ Chic Boutique Show | Redwood City | Redwood City Woman’s Club | 11/8 | more
Shop unique finds from local vendors at this boutique show, perfect for early holiday gifts. Chic Boutique benefits the preservation of the historic landmark clubhouse.

💻 Gatorbotics: Gear Up Scratch Coding Workshop | Palo Alto | Mitchell Library | 11/8 | more
Young coders learn the basics of Scratch programming in this hands-on workshop.

🇺🇸 Veterans Day Recognition Event | Palo Alto | MacArthur Park Historical Building and Restaurant | 11/9 | more
A special event honor our local veterans.

🎨 Art Consulting for Artists | Redwood City | Chan Zuckerberg Community Space | 11/9 | more
A speaker series hosted by RWC Parks & Arts. Get expert guidance on showcasing and growing your art career.

🎲 Board Games for Grown Ups | Redwood City | Redwood Shores Branch Library | 11/9 | more
Gather your friends for an evening of classic and new board games just for adults.

✨ Holiday Stroll | Los Altos | Downtown | 11/13 | more
Wander through festive downtown Los Altos for twinkling lights, shopping, and seasonal cheer.