1-15-26

Portola Valley Update

Upcoming Town Meetings

Upcoming public meetings and events. For the most up to date schedule and more Town meetings and upcoming events visit our Town Calendar.

Upcoming Town Events

Happy New Year Portola Valley! Welcome to the first Portola Valley Update of 2026. The new year, inspired some changes to our newsletter format.

After the January editions, we will continue to publish the Portola Valley Update on the first and third Thursday's of the month, and highlight Town News, Committee Tips, and Community news. Sign up newsletter will be shared on all of the usual platforms, just look a little different!

To receive the Portola Valley Update directly to your inbox, click here and select Portola Valley Update to sign up.

As we transition to this new format, Town Staff appreciates all of the patience that will be shown.



We appreciate the adjustment and Happy Reading!

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Portola Valley Town Hall is closed on Monday,

January 19. Town Hall Lobby will resume operations Tuesday, January 20.

To contact the San Mateo County Sheriff non-emergency line please call 650-363-4911 ext. 1.  For emergencies please call 911. 

Stanford University’s Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (Ootchamin ‘Ooyakma), in partnership with Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and the North Fork Mono Tribe, will be conducting a planned cultural pile-burn training at the Preserve on January 23-25, 2026. This date is tentative, and subject to change based on weather conditions.  

This burn will focus on stewarding coast live oak trees, forming small to large pile burns in a 2-acre area of mixed coast live oak, coyote brush, and mixed grasses. The training will involve burning piles ranging in size from small to large at a site near the main entrance gate on Sand Hill Rd. The site inside the red boundary (as shown in the map see below) is surrounded by an unpaved road that will serve as a contingency firebreak. It will be conducted safely and effectively in coordination with local fire agencies and overseen by a Cultural Fire Practitioner.  

Spruce CUBDATE

Per Birmingham Zoo's media contact Spruce is doing great in his furever home! Spruce lives with a fellow rescued cub; Juniper in the Alabama Wilds area of the Zoo. The Zoo holds a New Years Eve event, this year the theme was Cougar Countdown. Spruce and Juniper were the stars of Zoo Year's Eve!

The Zoo Year's Eve event featured keeper chats that featured both cougars, during the afternoon and night, all attendees thoroughly enjoyed chatting with Spruce.

When Spruce arrived he weighed in at 33lbs, his most recent weigh in was December 31,2025, where he weighed in at 85lbs! He is growing well and eating almost 4lbs of meat every day!

Spruce has bonded with another rescued cub Juniper. Both of them have a tight bond, they spend their days lounging or chasing each other around the habitat. Spruce is definitely in charge, and Juniper follows his lead.

The care team is working with both cats to get them trained for voluntary injections. This will allow the care team to give them their yearly vaccinations or anesthesia for a more in depth veterinary team. Both are very important for their long term health care. Spruce is a rockstar and absolutely loves to train with his keepers.





Fern and Thistle CUBDATE

Both Fern and Thistle have acclimated quite well!

Thistle continues to be very bold and charismatic often coming up to the mesh and window to see guests up close.

Fern, while still far more timid than her mischievous brother, does enjoy running around and playing in the evenings.

Both cubs have shown off their amazing climbing skills and are often seen in their tree perches.



"The people of Portola Valley can be rest assured that these amazing kids are in good hands!" Phoenix Zoo Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Photos of Fern and Thistle courtesy of Phoenix Zoo.

Photos of Spruce courtesy Birmingham Zoo.

Volunteer for the 2026 One Day Homeless Count in San Mateo County on Thu, Jan 29 (about 5:00–10:00 a.m.). This federally required count helps the County and partners understand homelessness and plan services and funding. Sign up here.