City of Palo Alto Uplift Local News - January 19, 2023

Government and Politics

January 20, 2023

Coronavirus Report

For national and statewide COVID-19 data, visit the?CDC’s data dashboard and the California data dashboard. Santa Clara County continues to update cases more frequently: on January 18 Santa Clara County reported a significant decrease of the 7-day rolling average to 238 new cases.

Keep Up the Good Work – Get Vaccinated and Boosted

With case numbers consistently reducing, we thank the community for taking the necessary steps to protecting our community. The CDC shares that if your last COVID-19 vaccine dose was before September 2022 (October 2022 for kids 6 months and older), you should now get the updated booster to help protect against Omicron. Talk with your doctor, or visit sccfreevax.org to help you find an appointment for everyone in your family 6 months and older.

COVID-19 CDC Variants Tracker

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), new variants are expected to continue to emerge. Some variants will emerge and disappear, while others will emerge and continue to spread and may replace previous variants. The CDC provides estimates of variant proportions and updates this information every Friday. Their latest report shows XBB.1.5, a new and highly transmissible COVID-19 subvariant, continues to increase in the U.S. Learn more here.

Citywide Updates

Library Service Enhancements Start Saturday!

Palo Alto Library service enhancements begin this weekend! Starting Saturday, January 21, Mitchell Park Library will be open Fridays & Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Rinconada Library will be open Sundays from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. As more staff are hired, the Library will continue to add additional hours at all locations. Learn more and find a full list of library hours here.

Palo Alto Storm Community Check-In Meeting Q & A

In case you missed the Storm Community Check-In meeting on Tuesday, the City published a brief summary of notable questions received with answers. Read the update here.

Utility Bill Increases & Resources to Help

Residents will likely see higher Utility bills this January and February because of extreme natural gas prices seen in the region.?To help residents, the City is offering payment arrangements for those who need extra time paying their winter gas bills, providing free assessments from our home energy advisor, and sharing tips to save energy now and help keep utility bill costs low. For more details, go here.

Celebrate Lunar New Year in Palo Alto

It’s the year of the Rabbit! This 16-day long celebration begins on January 22 through January 29, 2023 culminating with the Lantern Festival on February 5, though only the first 7 days are considered the public holiday in China. Celebrate in Palo Alto with events throughout the week ranging from a special bilingual storytime to floral arranging and a host of other Palo Alto City Library activities for the whole family. On January 28, join us at the Palo Alto Art Center Auditorium as we ring in the Year of the Rabbit with a Chinese opera singer, dance performances, local martial arts demonstrations, and more. Find out more about these events and other resources to celebrate here.

One-Day Sculpture Installation at Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center

In conjunction with the Palo Alto Art Center’s new exhibition Under Water, Bay Area artist Jeffrey Downing will create a temporary, site-specific performance near the Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center on January 21 to engage the community about sea-level rise. Downing’s installation of columns will be placed in the Baylands’ mud to coincide with the King Tides at the edge of the levee in front of the Nature Center and adjacent to the Eco Center from 10:30–11:30 a.m. Find more information about the Under Water exhibition. Because it is a King Tides weekend, take extra precautions when walking on slippery areas or near big waves, and always be conscious of your surroundings and the weather conditions. Learn more about the King Tides phenomenon.

Be Well

Lunar New Year Almond Cookies: Get ready for the year of the Rabbit and enjoy a traditional almond cookie recipe, slightly chewy in the middle and crisp on the outside. They are shaped like a coin for good luck and prosperity.

Gas Stoves, a Hot Health Topic: “Now we’re cooking with gas,” a phrase that’s been cemented in the American lexicon since the 1930’s. Why the sudden concern now? Burning gas indoors can produce a mixture of harmful air pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2). If your household is considering a range/oven update, experts ask to consider switching to electric or induction (find more information about going electric in Palo Alto here). For those that are not considering switching to electric at this time: a way to lessen indoor home pollution is to ensure your stove is vented to the outside. Additionally, opening a window or putting a fan in the window can help.

Family Resources

Silicon Valley Reads Preview: On Saturday, January 21 at 2 p.m. at Rinconada Library, come learn about the titles chosen for this year's Silicon Valley Reads theme, Journey to New Beginnings. Librarian Rebecca will share highlights from each title and the programs that will be happening with authors across the county during February and March.

Financial Health and Wellness with Brad Hamada - Your Health and Wealth: Join the Library as we welcome financial wellness instructor Brad Hamada of the Heartland Institute of Financial Education back for a series workshop on financial health and wellness at Mitchell Park Library! The event will take place this Saturday, January 21 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. and is free to attend with registration.

Navigating College Admissions Successfully: Stand Out for College provides a Zoom presentation to help families understand how the lingering effects from the pandemic have changed the college admissions landscape and how it affects Juniors, Sophomores and Freshmen. Join on Wednesday, January 25 from 4 – 5 p.m. and register to attend here.

Find more storm-related safety resources at www.CityofPaloAlto.org/FloodAlert

Careers & Calendar

Join the Conversation & Connect

One-Day Sculpture Installation by Ceramic Artist Jeffrey Downing

January 21 @ 10:30 a.m.

EV 102: New Owner Workshop

January 24 @ 5 p.m.

Friday Night at the Art Center

January 27 @ 6 p.m.

Lunar New Year Celebration

January 28 @ 2 p.m.

View all upcoming community events on the?City Calendar.