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📚Palo Alto New's Superintendent and Fine Art in the Park
New Superintendent, Fine Art in the Park, and Foothill's new partnership with UCSF
Greg Kemper
August 06, 2026
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Good morning neighbors!
Welcome to this week's Palo Alto Scoop! Palo Alto USD’s New Superintendent, local WWE star honored, and a UCSF - Foothill partnership for brain specialists. Plus, Fine Art in the park returns and tickets are now on sale for Nightfall at Filoli!
Let's get to it!
In this week’s edition:
Local Updates: Palo Alto USD New Superintendent, trail construction updates, local WWE star honored
Business Updates: UCSF partners with Foothill on brain specialist training
Events: Fine Art in the park, summer concerts and outdoor movies, nightfall returns to Filoli, free Stanford women’s soccer game
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Palo Alto Unified Officially Welcomes New Superintendent Jason Glass
The Palo Alto Unified Board of Education formally approved the contract for incoming Superintendent Jason Glass at its June 16 meeting, capping off a months-long national search. Glass, who holds a doctorate in education and previously led numerous districts, arrives from Laguna Beach Unified — in an unusual twist, outgoing PAUSD superintendent Don Austin is taking over Glass's old job in Laguna Beach, meaning the two districts essentially swapped leaders. Both officially started July 1. Board President Shounak Dharap praised Glass's listening skills and steady judgment, and Glass himself has said his top priority will be rebuilding trust and spending time in schools before making big changes. Families across the district will likely see him out and about as he gets acquainted with the community this fall. Read more here.
Two-Year Pipeline Project Will Close Trails at Arastradero Preserve
Hikers and mountain bikers should brace for disruptions at the Arastradero Nature Preserve in the Palo Alto foothills, where the city is launching a two-year construction project starting in 2027 to stabilize Arastradero Creek and relocate aging utility lines. The project stems from a 2023 discovery that a gas pipeline had become exposed near the creek; crews now plan to bury that gas line deeper and move an 18-inch water pipeline and 8-inch sewer line, which serve the Palo Alto Hills neighborhood, out of the active creek channel entirely. The city's Parks and Recreation Commission unanimously approved the plan on July 28 after two public hearings. Numerous trails will close in phases across 2027 and 2028 while heavy machinery works the site, so regular visitors to this popular 622-acre preserve should plan ahead and expect a very different hiking experience for the next couple of years. The upside: safer, more permanent infrastructure and long-term restoration benefits for the creek itself. Read more here.
UCSF and Foothill College Team Up to Train Much-Needed Brain Specialists
UCSF Health is investing $170,000 to help Foothill College launch a brand-new neurodiagnostic technologist program, set to begin in fall 2027 as the first of its kind in Northern California. The two-year associate degree program, based at Foothill's Los Altos Hills campus, will train students to run EEGs and other tests used to diagnose epilepsy, sleep disorders, stroke, and conditions like ALS. It addresses a real workforce gap: registered neurodiagnostic techs in the Bay Area often earn $100,000 or more, yet local hospitals report positions sitting vacant for months because no accredited training programs exist in the region. For local students, this opens a fast, affordable pathway into a high-demand medical career without leaving the area, and for Bay Area patients, it could mean shorter waits for critical neurological testing. UCSF officials say the partnership should meaningfully expand access to specialized brain and nervous-system care across the region. Read more here.
Los Altos High Librarian Pens Revenge Comedy Inspired by His Mom Getting Scammed
Gordon Jack, a Palo Alto native and longtime librarian at Los Altos High School, has published his first adult novel, "Poppy Montgomery Gets Even," a funny-but-suspenseful mystery about an 80-something scam victim who ends up investigating murders at her friend's retirement home. Jack says the idea came directly from real life: his own mother, a Palo Alto resident, was scammed three separate times, inspiring him to write what he calls a "revenge fantasy" for older adults tired of being underestimated. Jack, who has previously written several books for younger readers, says he wanted the novel to feel like "a good summer book" despite its darker murder-mystery elements. For local readers, it's a fun, homegrown pick with a distinctly Peninsula connection behind the pen. Read more here.
LUMA Coffee Lounge in Redwood City
LUMA Coffee Lounge is a new craft café inside Rise City Church in Redwood City from the team behind Kaizen & Coffee. The menu features espresso drinks made with a custom Colombian blend called Chroma, rotating single-origin coffees, and matcha beverages prepared with premium Nami Matcha. Alongside its coffee program, LUMA serves pastries from San Mateo’s Amour Bakery and highlights Latin-inspired flavors in drinks like its mango matcha latte. The spacious lounge is designed as both a neighborhood coffee spot and a community gathering place with room for events.
Demi in Palo Alto
Demi, from the team behind Demiya, is bringing a modern take on yoshoku cuisine, a style of Japanese cooking inspired by Western comfort food, to downtown Palo Alto. Unlike traditional Japanese restaurants focused on sushi or ramen, Demi will serve tapas-style dishes such as omurice (a Japanese omelet over tomato-seasoned rice), katsu sandwiches, curry doria (baked curry rice with cheese), Japanese hamburger steak, and Japanese curry. Weekend breakfast service is also planned, along with Japanese beers and sake. The restaurant aims to introduce diners to a lesser-known side of Japanese home cooking in a casual downtown setting. Read more here.
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Nightfall at Filoli is back!
As darkness falls, Nightfall transforms Filoli into an unforgettable world of harvest celebrations, haunted history, and enchanted forests. Wander a mansion frozen in time, follow thousands of glowing pumpkins into a hidden witches' village, and discover new this year, a spectacular miniature train display featuring 1,000 feet of track and eight looping trains. This is Halloween unlike anywhere else.
Tickets are on sale now and are sure to sell out! Buy them here. Nightfall runs from September 26 – November 1
🐐 Tickets on Sale: Fleurs de Villes: Gilded Age (September 9–18) | Woodside | Filoli | more
Reserve your tickets now for Filoli's stunning floral exhibition, where fresh flower installations inspired by the elegance of the Gilded Age transform the historic estate and gardens.
🎬 Movie on the Square: The Naked Gun | Redwood City | Courthouse Square | 8/06 | more
Bring your chairs and popcorn for a free outdoor screening of The Naked Gun as part of Redwood City's beloved weekly summer movie nights.
🎸 Summer Concert Series | Palo Alto | Howie's Artisan Pizza | 8/06 | more
Grab a slice and enjoy live tunes at this laid-back evening concert in the heart of Town & Country Village.
🎨 Free Make and Take Projects | Redwood City | Eureka Gallery & Studio @ Center for Creativity | 8/06 | more
Drop in for a free, hands-on craft project perfect for all ages at this creative Thursday tradition.
🪗 Summer Concert Series | Menlo Park | Karl E. Clark Park | 8/07 | more
Get your feet moving as Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble bring their soulful, hard-driving zydeco beat straight from Louisiana's Creole country.
🌉 Magical Series: Summer Concert Series | Palo Alto | Magical Bridge | 8/07 | more
Enjoy an inclusive, family-friendly evening of live music at this beloved accessible park in Palo Alto.
🍷 Paint and Sip | Redwood City | Grand Bay | 8/07 | more
Sip your favorite drink while creating a moonlit ocean masterpiece at this guided paint night.
🤖 Mom Needs a Minute: Robot Night | Los Altos | Growing Ivy | 8/07 | more
Drop the kids off for a fun, robot-themed play session and give yourself a well-earned break.
🎨 Los Altos Rotary Fine Art in the Park | Los Altos | Lincoln Park | 8/08 & 8/09 | more
Browse original works from talented local and regional artists at this popular weekend art fair in downtown Los Altos.
⚓ Rock the Dock | Redwood City | 459 Seaport Court | 8/08 | more
Head to the waterfront for live music, food, and drinks with a view at this lively summer dock party
💃 Summer Dance + Laughter Party | Palo Alto | Plaza Ramona | 8/08 | more
Dance the evening away at this joyful, all-ages community celebration in downtown Palo Alto.
🎤 Kids Rock! 2026 | Redwood City | Courthouse Square | 8/08 | more
Watch young local musicians take the stage for a fun, family-friendly concert celebrating kids in music.
🏛️ Victorian Days at the Old Courthouse | Redwood City | San Mateo County History Museum | 8/08 | more
Step back in time with costumed reenactors, historic demonstrations, and Victorian-era fun at the beautifully restored Old Courthouse.
⚽ Free Admission: Stanford Women's Soccer | Palo Alto | Cagan Stadium | 8/08 | more
Cheer on Stanford's women's soccer team as they take on Pacific in this free-admission match.
🎶 Summer Stage: Lizzy & the Triggermen | Woodside | Filoli | 8/09 | more
Catch vintage vibes with a modern edge as Lizzy & the Triggermen open Filoli's star-studded outdoor concert series against a golden sunset backdrop.
🎸 Summer Concert Series | Menlo Park | Fremont Park | 8/12 | more
Sing along to six decades of hits as The Sun Kings deliver an uncanny tribute to the Beatles at Fremont Park.
🧖 Teen Self-Care Social | Palo Alto | Mitchell Park Library | 8/12 | more
Teens can unwind with relaxing activities and self-care crafts at this chill library hangout.
🎬 Movie on the Square: Lilo & Stitch and Jurassic World: Rebirth | Redwood City | Courthouse Square | 8/13 | more
Enjoy a free double feature under the stars with Lilo & Stitch followed by Jurassic World: Rebirth.
🎵 Summer Concert Series | Palo Alto | Village Eats | 8/13 | more
Grab dinner and stick around for live music at this casual evening concert at Town & Country Village.
🎨 Free Make and Take Projects | Redwood City | Eureka Gallery & Studio @ Center for Creativity | 8/13 | more
Come craft something new at this free, drop-in Thursday art project for all ages.