Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican celebration of life by honoring the dead, and residents from all over the county are invited to partake in the custom at Redwood City’s Courthouse Square Nov. 2. 

Over the last several years, shifting cultural attitudes and countless state-level policies have undoubtedly yielded more housing.

A South San Francisco initiative that provides support and connects small businesses with vacant, city-owned parcels has secured its first tenant, however, the city has scaled back on two other properties it was going to include as part of the program.

The citizens’ initiative in Redwood City for rent control has gained a second life and was resubmitted to be considered for the November 2026 election, a year after it failed eligibility requirements. 

When the Spanish began colonizing the San Francisco Peninsula in the 1770s, the Franciscan fathers were in control of the operation. Their goal was to Christianize the natives and prepare them for living a “civilized” life. Within 10 years, the natives were to be given land on which they cou…

San Mateo County Superior Court receives grant to maintain multiple driving under the influence court.

Elton John may not be the typical sort of music playing in a classical Indian dance or ballet performance, but two dance companies are fusing numerous styles and cultures during a performance that addresses some of the most mysterious topics — evolution, humanity and Planet Earth.

An Arcata resident pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated for an October 2023 car crash off the intersection of Pescadero Creek Road and Highway 1 and into the ocean that resulted in the death of one of her passengers, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

Millbrae is now home to trendy cookie spot Crumbl, which had a grand opening at the new Gateway at Millbrae Station location Oct. 31. 

A Daly City woman pleaded no contest to bringing drugs into the county jail after the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office was unable to prove the driving under the influence charge with which she was originally hit, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

I got your number — Someone stole and replaced another person’s license plate in San Mateo; it was reported 6:12 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27.

Local legislators are calling out the impacts of what could become the longest shutdown of the federal government in history, including 42 million Americans — around 35,000 of whom are in San Mateo County — losing access to food assistance benefits and child care programs like Head Start clo…

San Mateo elected officials are set to discuss one of the city’s largest redevelopment projects in a highly-anticipated meeting next week.

South City is the latest jurisdiction to start supplementing food benefits for its residents in light of a government shutdown that could affect recipients as soon as this weekend.

One of the more than 300,000 deceased that call Cypress Lawn Cemetery home is the first ever detective of the San Francisco Police Department, inspiring a night tour that invites aspiring sleuths to visit the cemetery and uncover the stories of the dead. 

A special education alternative school hosted at Burton Park in San Carlos could be affected by the community’s desire to create a community and aquatic center in the future, adding another layer of complexity in the long-awaited, extremely expensive amenity for the city. 

The Sequoia Union High School District Board of Trustees approved the employment of Janea Marking as assistant superintendent of Administrative Services, effective December.

A bat found Oct. 24, near the Little People’s Park playground at Portola Valley Town Center, has tested positive for rabies, according to San Mateo County Health.

Sparks the imagine — Someone stole $1,500 to $12,000 worth of lighters from a store in San Mateo; it was reported 3:10 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21.

Redwood City police are investigating two cases that occurred over the weekend, a shooting and an unattended death, the department said Wednesday.

During Prohibition, a small corner of the Moss Beach coastside served as the unassuming yet popular gathering spot for those who wanted to enjoy a clandestine night of drinking. 

Two very different versions of former San Mateo County Community College District chancellor Ron Galatolo were presented Wednesday during opening arguments in court, where he is being tried for 27 felony counts of tax evasion, perjury, conflicts of interest and misuse of public funds. 

The job application to become the next sheriff of San Mateo County was posted Wednesday afternoon, a quick turnaround responding to an incredibly compressed timeline to fill the vacancy left by Christina Corpus by Nov. 13.

A controversial proposal for a five-story housing development in Belmont was approved by the City Council, after an appeal hearing, a tense Planning Commission meeting, and critical comments toward the developer. 

Redwood City is looking to make an investment in evaluating and upgrading its stormwater infrastructure system throughout the city to protect both residents and property with intentional planning.

To avoid extra smoke from wet brush and grass, Cal Fire and SFPUC officials opted to limit a planned prescribed fire to remove mature coyote brush at 6 acres rather than 52 on Tuesday.

Fishing trip nets four — Four people were issued citations for taking Dungeness crab out of season on the 100 block of Montara State Beach Road in Half Moon Bay it was reported 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30.

In a split decision, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors moved forward with the option to make a long-term appointment for the next sheriff during a special meeting Tuesday.

The old, short-lived town of Purissima, located in the now-unincorporated part of the county, has the markings of a place that would attract ghost hunters and Halloween enthusiasts.

San Carlos became the first city in San Mateo County to ban the sale of nitrous oxide for recreational use at its Monday meeting, following the county’s lead who passed a similar ordinance in August. 

A judge denied former sheriff Christina Corpus’ request to stall the Board of Supervisors from filling the vacancy left by her removal, meanwhile the county is taking notes from the community on just how they should fill the seat. 

Lawmakers including U.S. Rep. Kevin Mullin, D-San Mateo, are questioning how demands to the electricity grid — caused by the increasing number of data centers powering artificial intelligence technology — will impact Americans’ energy bills. 

A new housing development in Redwood City could bring 75 affordable housing units intended for residents ages 55 and older in the next five years, a proposal that adds to incoming housing along Veterans Boulevard. 

A 50-year-old Belmont man charged with a felony for allegedly threatening the priest of a Maronite Church in Millbrae has been found not competent to stand trial, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.

State Sen. Josh Becker announced that his district office has launched an emergency food drive in response to the federal government shutdown, which could halt SNAP benefits as soon as Nov. 1.

Was it the Mods? — Eight people on electric bikes were doing wheelies in lanes of traffic on East Hillsdale Boulevard in Foster City; it was reported 5:54 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5.

In San Mateo County, perhaps no ghost is more famous than Freddie, Kohl Mansion’s resident spirit. 

Local leaders are calling for an investigation into allegations that Millbrae Police Chief Eamonn Allen has been living in Boise, Idaho, and residing at the police station while in Millbrae. 

Tai Er Sichuan Cuisine continues to draw Bay Area residents to downtown San Mateo, serving its own Sichuan specialties without the need to travel to Asia.

Large-scale, countywide changes are coming to El Camino Real over the next decade, one of which may include eliminating a lane of travel on at least one stretch of the corridor in South City.

Author, artist and AIDS activist Mary Fisher will speak at the Congregational Church of the Peninsula during worship at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, and then will autograph copies of her new book, “Uneasy Silence,” from noon-1:30 p.m. in the church dining room.

Cal Fire and SFPUC officials are planning a prescribed burn Tuesday between Interstate 280 and St. James Road in Belmont to target dense coyote brush and poison oak.

Opening arguments in the trial against Ron Galatolo, the embattled former San Mateo County Community College District chancellor facing 23 felony counts, will now begin Wednesday, San Mateo County Chief Deputy District Attorney Shin-Mee Chang said.

J, E, L, L, NO! — Someone hit another person in the face and threw Jello at their chest on Duane Street in Redwood City; it was reported 11:25 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21.

Officials say British political commentator Sami Hamdi has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at San Francisco International Airport. Hamdi was on a speaking tour in the U.S. On Saturday he had addressed the annual gala for the Sacramento, California, chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation's largest Muslim advocacy organization. It called for Hamdi's immediate release, saying the commentator has not been deported and remains in U.S. custody. Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin indicated that Hamdi's visa was revoked and that he is in ICE custody pending removal. A U.S. official said the detention was related to statements Hamdi has made about the Middle East.