Results last updated: Nov. 3 at 10:19 p.m.
Sylvester, Paymer and Cox take the lead in Mountain View City Council race
With polls officially closed, early election results for the Mountain View City Council race show IdaRose Sylvester has taken a decisive lead with Silja Paymer, Robert Cox and Erik Poicon neck-to-neck to fill a trio of seats up for grabs this year.
Voter Guide 2026
Get to know the candidates and measures on your ballot with the Mountain View Voice’s 2026 Voter Guide, including in-depth profiles, issue comparison grids and campaign finance coverage.
View the Voter Guide ➔City Council Forum
Candidates for the Mountain View City Council debated housing, transportation and other hot-button issues during an Oct. 8 forum co-hosted by the Mountain View Voice and League of Women Voters.
Latest Election News
More Local news
Santa Clara County reverses course, bars ICE from jails
Santa Clara County is restricting access to Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas following recent violent incidents involving federal immigration agents outside the jail.
Santa Clara County jails see influx of ICE agents
Santa Clara County officials are standing back while the presence of federal agents escalates around county jails, even after the county declared its properties off limits to immigration officers.
Mountain View adopts long-anticipated public art plan
The Mountain View City Council adopted a plan earlier this week to expand opportunities for public art so that it is better distributed across the city.
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Food
Belmont at 100: Where to eat, explore and uncover local history
A midsize Peninsula city that just celebrated its centennial, Belmont offers a rich history and more to discover than meets the eye.
After 98 years in Menlo Park, Cook’s Seafood abruptly shutters both locations
Employees were notified via text message around 3 a.m., according to employees.
Square Pie Guys to shutter Cal Ave pizza joint
Square Pie Guys is tossing its final pie in Palo Alto. The Detroit-style pizzeria is permanently closing its Cal Ave location after service on Friday – just one year after it made its debut.
Arts & Culture
Author and doctor Abraham Verghese discusses his works at Kepler’s
The bestselling writer and Stanford physician will appear in a Nov. 16 event at the Menlo Park bookstore.
What’s up this week: ‘The Addams Family,’ Dracula told through dance, The Psychedelic Furs, a virtual film festival and more
This week, a grownup Wednesday Addams brings home a “normal” boyfriend at Palo Alto Players and The Psychedelic Furs hit the heartbreak beat at The Guild. Plus an iconic vampire’s tale told through dance; a New York State of Jazz…
In ‘surf noir’ thriller, ‘Nearshore,’ Steve Hawk brings conspiracies, tech-fueled peril to the coast
A surfer teams with Stanford academics and finds something frightening brewing on the coastline, courtesy of Silicon Valley, in author’s debut novel .
Spotlight
Forecasting toxic metals
Wildfires can turn natural metals in soil into toxic, airborne particles. Stanford researchers are working to predict where these metals travel and warn people in harm’s way.
Cardinal football is back — here’s what you need to know
New coach, upgraded stadium, standout players and plenty of Cardinal spirit—here’s what to watch this Stanford football 2026 season.
Community Calendar
Did you miss
A legal settlement protects RV residents in Mountain View – it’s expiring soon
Four years ago, Mountain View agreed to protections for people living in oversized vehicles. That deal ends early next year, and it’s an open question whether the city will crack down on RVs and trailers parked on public streets.
Humans in the age of AI
Artificial intelligence is alternately billed as the most consequential technology in history or a speculative bubble that will pop and lead to economic chaos. For this project, a collaboration with photojournalist Mark Tuschman, we spoke to local residents and professionals…
Real Estate
San Mateo, San Francisco and Santa Clara counties are state’s priciest housing markets, but not its least affordable
San Mateo County remains California’s most expensive housing market, with buyers needing an annual household income of $578,400 to afford the median-priced home of $2.27 million, according to the California Association of Realtors’ Third Quarter 2026 Housing Affordability report, That’s…
November tips for your Peninsula garden: Spring bulbs, broccoli, dahlias — and garden critters
What should you be doing in your Peninsula garden this November? This month’s tips include planting spring-blooming bulbs, keeping aphids off your broccoli and preparing dahlias for winter. Plus, learn how to identify what’s digging around in your yard.
For Palo Alto renters, saving for a down payment could take 50 years
Bay Area households that rent and hope to buy their first home could need decades to save enough for a down payment and closing costs on a starter home. The estimated time is 28 years in the San Francisco metropolitan…
The Six Fifty
From crafts and ofrendas to live music and dancing, here’s how to celebrate Día de los Muertos in Silicon Valley
Remember and celebrate the dead at these festivities now through early November.
Peninsula Photo Contest winners capture colorful moments and human connection
Human connection was a major theme in this year’s batch of Peninsula Photo Contest winning entries. All of the winning entries are on exhibit Oct. 23-Dec. 13 at the Palo Alto Art Center.
Find spirited Halloween happenings for all ages at these Silicon Valley haunts
Halloween can be a frightful enough time without adding fear of missing out into the mix. Check out our monster Halloween events guide before time runs out.
Blogs
State News from CalMatters
