Good day Menlo Park! We're here again with what you need to know today. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☀️
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In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Dementia After Dark: Why Sleep Falls Apart and Strategies to Restore Rest and 7 more events.
Today's riddle: Why did the man leave his watch in the bank? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Menlo Park launches 'Laurel,' an AI chatbot to help navigate city services (almanacnews.com) — Menlo Park has rolled out "Laurel," a multilingual AI chatbot on the city website to answer questions about services, events, and resources 24/7. Early tests show it's generally helpful but sometimes gives wrong details on office hours, elections, and councilmembers, so residents should double-check key information through official city pages.
2. 2 arrested with 80 pounds of mail stolen from Menlo Park, Mountain View (almanacnews.com) — Menlo Park residents are among victims in a large regional mail-theft case where Sunnyvale police recovered over 80 pounds of suspected stolen mail from multiple Bay Area cities. Investigators say thieves targeted centralized mailboxes at apartments and condos, using tools to open them without visible damage, and are still working to identify additional victims and related crimes.
3. The Other Side of the Creek: Before El Palo Alto Stood Alone (inmenlo.com) — Standing on the Menlo Park side of San Francisquito Creek, you're looking at El Palo Alto, a redwood whose twin once shaped local history and identity. This deep dive traces how storms, railroads, and decades of care left today's lone tree, and explains how to visit the tiny creekside park that connects Menlo Park and Palo Alto.
4. Invasive shothole borers are here: What Peninsula homeowners need to know (almanacnews.com subscription) — Menlo Park homeowners are being warned about invasive shothole borers now established in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, threatening many common yard trees. The article explains how to spot signs of infestation, why early detection matters, and when to call county agriculture officials or a Menlo Park-based arborist for assessment and management options.
5. A look at major lawsuits against Meta and other social media companies over harms to kids (sfchronicle.com) — With Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park, local residents may want to follow a series of major lawsuits accusing the company and other platforms of harming kids' mental health. States, school districts, and individual families nationwide are pressing claims that design choices made Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube addictive for young users, leading to big verdicts, settlements, and potential safety changes.
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Ok Menlo Park! 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!)
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