In her time at the Post, Emily served as a photographer, while also working for The Talon. She joined the team in January 2021 as a senior at Los Altos High School, and departed in June 2021.
PAUSD approves 2021–2024 Local Control Accountability Plan, reorganizes Department of Equity and Student Affairs
STORY BY MELODY XU, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY The Palo Alto Unified School District approved its 2021–2024 Local Control Accountability Plan, a goal setting and planning tool required for educational agencies in California at Tuesday’s board meeting. Key highlights of this three-year LCAP include goals for early literacy, equity, additional social-emotional development support, wellness and…
Hope’s Corner hosts virtual 5K, ‘Five by Five by Five for Hope’
STORY BY CEDRIC CHAN AND AVNI RAJAGOPAL, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Hope’s Corner is hosting its annual 5K event virtually this month, unshaken in its battle against homelessness and economic inequality despite the pandemic’s restrictions. The fundraiser centers around a theme of fives: Alongside the 5K itself, participants are asked to donate $5 and recruit…
Passion and resilience keeps Books Inc. thriving for more than a century
STORY BY DANA HUCH AND SIDDHANT KANWAR, PHOTOS BY EMILY MCNALLY When Books Inc. founder Anton Roman struck it rich during the Gold Rush, he used his loot to build the chain’s first bookstore and publishing house in Shasta, California. 170 years later, Books Inc. remains the oldest independent bookseller on the West Coast. But lately,…
From records to books, Linden Tree’s 40-year legacy of creating memories for children across the Bay Area
STORY BY MIA BASSETT AND CEDRIC CHAN, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Linden Tree Children’s Books has transported children to a world of storytelling for generations, almost becoming a bona fide rite of passage in Los Altos. But few remember its origins as a record store 40 years ago. Founded by Dennis and Linda Ronberg in…
Con una subvención estatal, MVLA busca incrementar el apoyo para los estudiantes
ARTICULO DE TOMOKI CHIEN, FOTO DE EMILY MCNALLY, TRADUCCIÓN DE RODRIGO SEPÚLVEDA SAGASETA Esta historia fue escrita y reportada originalmente en inglés. Todas las citas son traducciones. Click here to view the original article in English. Con fondos de la Beca de Oportunidades de Aprendizaje Expandido del estado de California, el Distrito Escolar Unificado de Mountain View–Los…
Paly, Gunn to welcome three new assistant principals
STORY BY MELODY XU, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Palo Alto and Gunn high schools are set to welcome three new assistant principals next year, which include Paly science teacher Erik Olah; San Jose Unified School District Assistant Principal LaDonna Butler; and Gunn Education Specialist Courtney Carlomagno. Assistant principals at the high school level are responsible…
With state grant, MVLA seeks to boost supports for targeted students
STORY BY TOMOKI CHIEN, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Haz click aqui para ver el articulo en Español. The Mountain View–Los Altos Unified School District is seeking to boost academic and social-emotional support for students with funds from the state’s Expanded Learning Opportunities Grant. Much of the funds are set to be put toward supporting academic recovery…
INdGO: Simple yet delicious Indian to-go food to satisfy everyone
STORY BY RODRIGO SEPULVEDA SAGASETA, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Gurinder Singh was stumped. The pandemic had crippled his Modesto banquet hall’s business, canceling all his bookings and making the 9,000 square foot operation far too costly to maintain — and the end of the pandemic was nowhere in sight. He had to shut it down.…
Paly junior explores cultural identity through poetry
STORY BY JONAS PAO AND MELODY XU, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Most students probably view the poetry unit in English class as just another midday nap opportunity. But while her classmates were dozing off, this is where Jasmine Kapadia fell in love with poetry as a first grader — and since then, her poems and slam…
Aurum and authenticity: Modern Indian restaurant strives to bring hidden gems of Indian cuisine to the mainstream
STORY BY NATALIE ARBATMAN AND AVNI RAJAGOPAL, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY No restaurant displays what the gold standard of authenticity can be more than Aurum. With a name literally meaning gold in Latin, the modern Indian establishment in Downtown Los Altos strives to showcase Indian cuisine just as pure as its namesake. Aurum was founded…
PAUSD expands summer school opportunities
STORY BY MELODY XU, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY The Palo Alto Unified School District is expanding its summer school program to serve students facing “adverse learning and social-emotional circumstances.” Funds for the program come from Assembly Bill 86 signed by Governor Newsom in early March, funding expanded learning opportunities grants for districts like PAUSD in…
Students petition for academic and wellness reform following Mountain View High death
STORY AND PHOTO BY TOMOKI CHIEN Note: Resources for persons feeling depressed, troubled or suicidal can be found at the bottom of this story. Students in the Mountain View–Los Altos Union High School District are petitioning for reform that they say will better ensure the district supports students’ mental health needs, initially prompted by the…
Village Pantry: traditional American breakfast food, and a place to call home
STORY BY KAITLYN HUANG AND MADISON YUE, PHOTOS BY EMILY MCNALLY Typical hobbies might include woodworking, gardening or maybe even starting a book club — but Julie Ogilvie is no weekend hobbyist. Wanting to start a hobby that could make a mark on the community, she and her husband, David Ogilvie, took ownership of the…
PAUSD to offer vaccinations for students 12 and older this weekend, all vaccine-eligible students by fall semester
STORY BY MELODY XU, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Sunday, May 16: Assistant Superintendent Lana Conaway said that the number of clinics the district hosts moving forward will be “based on need,” and that the district’s goal is to offer vaccinations for all students who are eligible. The Palo Alto Unified School District will offer coronavirus vaccinations this…
Proposed 2021–2022 PAUSD bell schedules face criticism
STORY BY MELODY XU, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY The Palo Alto Unified School District’s proposed bell schedules for secondary schools in the 2021–2022 school year came under fire at tonight’s board meeting, with many community members voicing concerns about the late end times. Through the pandemic, PAUSD high school classes have begun at either 9…
Beyond satisfying local sweet tooths, Los Altos’ Sweet Shop is a community staple
STORY BY CARLY HELTZEL AND SIDDHANT KANWAR, PHOTOS BY EMILY MCNALLY Harry Logan is such a regular at the Sweet Shop on Los Altos Ave. that the register has a special key just to ring up his order: a ham and scrambled egg sandwich with a coffee au lait. The Sweet Shop — which likely…
New Los Altos High School social studies building set to open in the fall
STORY BY TOMOKI CHIEN, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Construction of Los Altos High School’s new two-story classroom building and auxiliary gym is set for completion this summer, and both spaces will open for students in the fall. The social studies department, which is currently housed in portables, will occupy the two-story building upon completion. Associate…
Mountain View to pilot universal basic income program with surplus COVID-19 relief funds
STORY BY CARLY HELTZEL, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY The City of Mountain View is set to pilot a universal basic income program using $1 million of excess federal COVID-19 relief funds as part of a program proposed by Councilwoman Margaret Abe-Koga at the council’s April 27 meeting. “We’ve been fortunate we haven’t faced the deficit that a…
Pasallo, Bissonnette elegidos para nuevos puestos del distrito de MVLA
ARTÍCULO ESCRITO POR TOMOKI CHIEN, FOTO DE EMILY MCNALLY, TRADUCCIÓN HECHA POR RODRIGO SEPÚLVEDA SAGASETA Esta historia fue escrita y reportada originalmente en inglés. Todas las citas son traducciones. Click here to view the original article in English. La maestra de inglés de la preparatoria de Los Altos, Michelle Bissonnette, y la subdirectora Perla Pasallo,…
Mountain View expands local gun control
STORY BY CARLY HELTZEL, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY The Mountain View City Council last night unanimously approved a city ordinance prohibiting possession of any firearm on all city property, the council’s latest step toward increasing local gun control. The city’s previous gun laws banned possession of a firearm in city parks, in certain public buildings…
Getting a cheesecake from Basuku is like winning the lottery
STORY BY OLIVIA HEWANG AND MADISON YUE, PHOTOS BY EMILY MCNALLY Melt-in-your mouth creamy, deeply caramelized and notoriously hard to come by nowadays, Charles Chen’s Basque cheesecakes have burst onto the Bay Area food scene. Basuku Cheesecakes, founded by Chen, has gained a cult following during the pandemic and now boasts pop-ups in San Francisco,…
Pasallo, Bissonnette tapped for new MVLA district office roles
STORY BY TOMOKI CHIEN, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Haz click aqui para ver el articulo en Español. Los Altos High School English teacher Michelle Bissonnette and Assistant Principal Perla Pasallo have been appointed to new roles in the district office: Pasallo will serve as the director of student services and equity, while Bissonnette will take on the role…
Global art project Breathe with Me comes to Gunn, celebrating Earth Day and unity
STORY BY MELODY XU, PHOTOS BY EMILY MCNALLY Palo Alto resident Irina Selva stood in front of a 6-foot-tall canvas on Saturday, in the outdoor space behind Gunn High School’s athletics fields. She took her time observing the two thick, vertical brush strokes she had just created with blue paint down the canvas — though…
Gunn senior founds virtual music lessons nonprofit, instructing over 900 students
STORY BY MELODY XU, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY When Gunn High School senior Julia Segal was devastated by the sudden cancelation of her band’s first recording session due to the pandemic, she turned to another way to utilize her passion for music. QuaranTunes, which Segal founded just weeks later, is described by the singer-songwriter and…
More drama: Mediation between Los Altos Councilwoman Lee Eng and activist Kenan Moos terminated
STORY BY GIL RUBINSTEIN, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Following five months of controversy surrounding comments made by Los Altos Councilwoman Lynette Lee Eng about activist Kenan Moos, an attempt at mediation — something which many hoped would bring peace to the issue — was terminated by the mediator, whose identity is currently confidential. At a council meeting in…
Aproximadamente la mitad del cuerpo estudiantil de MVLA participará en el regreso híbrido de abril
ARTICULO DE TOMOKI CHIEN, FOTO DE EMILY MCNALLY, TRADUCCIÓN DE RODRIGO SEPÚLVEDA SAGASETA Esta historia fue escrita y reportada originalmente en inglés. Todas las citas son traducciones. Más de la mitad de los estudiantes de las escuelas del distrito MVLA han optado por el regreso híbrido del distrito, lo que indica un interés común por…
Cuatro días presenciales a la semana, distanciamiento de 3 pies y mejoramientos tecnológicos: esto es lo que puedes esperar del regreso híbrido del distrito escolar MVLA
ARTICULO DE TOMOKI CHIEN, FOTO DE EMILY MCNALLY, TRADUCCIÓN DE RODRIGO SEPÚLVEDA SAGASETA Esta historia fue escrita y reportada originalmente en inglés. Todas las citas son traducciones. A partir del 26 de abril, los estudiantes del Distrito Escolar MVLA pueden regresar cuatro días completos de instrucción en persona a la semana, lo que representa un…
Los Altos aims to build 2000 affordable housing units by 2031
STORY BY GIL RUBINSTEIN, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Los Altos is aiming to build 2000 affordable housing units by 2031, in accordance with new state housing requirements and legislation. In the state of California, each municipality is given a regional housing needs allocation (RHNA) number, which sets out affordable housing requirements. The housing element, which is sent to…
Mountain View Council solidifies Public Safety Advisory Board appointments
STORY BY CARLY HELTZEL, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY The Mountain View City Council tonight appointed seven individuals to the newly formed Public Safety Advisory Board, a group of Mountain View residents who will advise the city council on public safety matters — specifically the police department. The council appointed residents Cleave Frink, Derek Langton, Joan…
Roughly half of MVLA student body set to participate in April hybrid return
STORY BY TOMOKI CHIEN, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Just over half the students at Los Altos and Mountain View high schools have opted into the district’s mid-April hybrid return, indicating widespread interest for in-person learning over a year since the pandemic first forced campuses to close. On April 19, the 52.1% of district students set…
‘A refreshed perspective’: Manresa Bread’s attention to detail definitely isn’t crummy
STORY BY AVNI RAJAGOPAL, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY This story was published by a student in our middle school intro to journalism program. As one of the first bakeries in the Bay Area to mill its own flour, Manresa Bread’s attention to detail has influenced the way it operates from its founding to the recent changes…
‘Startup that helps other startups’: Ava’s Market serves community for 10 years
STORY BY SID KANWAR, PHOTOS BY EMILY MCNALLY This story was published by a student in our middle school intro to journalism program. While walking by Ava’s Downtown Market, a passerby likely wouldn’t give it a second look. But step past the red awning, and customers are met with a unique array of mainly local…
MV council moves one step closer to formation of Public Safety Advisory Board
STORY BY CARLY HELTZEL, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY The Mountain View City Council recommended the appointment of seven civilian community members to the Public Safety Advisory Board during its March 16 study session, the latest development in the city’s effort to streamline police reform. The recommended appointees will be confirmed in a final vote during…
Across the board, local leaders unite in condemning anti-Asian violence
STORY BY TOMOKI CHIEN, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Local leaders have united in condemning hate crimes against Asian Americans, just days after the Atlanta-area spa shootings in which a Caucasian suspect killed eight victims, six of whom were Asian women. “I condemn all hate crimes and acts of racism against our [Asian American and Pacific…
Mountain View, Palo Alto police release footage of June 2020 K-9 mauling of innocent man
STORY BY NATALIE ARBATMAN, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY The Mountain View and Palo Alto police departments Tuesday released bodycam footage from an incident in June in which a Palo Alto police K-9 mistakenly attacked Mountain View resident Joel Alejo. Alejo is suing the City of Palo Alto for $20 million in damages. According to a…
Recently promoted Teri Faught on her new role, learning loss, equity and teaching
STORY BY TOMOKI CHIEN, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY A longtime teacher and administrator in the Mountain View–Los Altos School District, Teri Faught this week assumed the role of associate superintendent of educational services. Faught — who’s served as the district’s distance learning administrator since last summer — fills a vacancy left by Margarita Navarro in February,…
“It could be days”: The state of Los Altos’ emergency preparedness, and what you can do to help
STORY BY GIL RUBINSTEIN, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY As winter storms ravage much of the United States, many residents in cities like Los Altos lie in wait of “the big earthquake” to come in the next few years. While many envision first responders rushing down their streets with sirens blaring, much of the assistance citizens…
Local professor presents research on Black people in Santa Clara County
STORY BY GIL RUBINSTEIN AND ARI STROBER, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY Local author and historian Jan Batiste Adkins will be speaking at the Los Altos History Museum in a Zoom event on Feb. 24 at 5 p.m. to commemorate the contributions of Black visionaries in the Bay Area. African Americans have a long, yet relatively…
Gluten-free bakery Sweet Diplomacy brings a community of food lovers often left out, together
STORY BY OLIVIA HEWANG AND MELODY XU, PHOTOS BY EMILY MCNALLY When Melody Hu happened to run out of regular flour while baking muffins at home one afternoon five years ago, she discovered gluten-free, mochiko rice flour to be a perfectly delicious substitute. The result of this accidental discovery is Sweet Diplomacy, a 100% gluten-free…
Antoine’s Cookie Shop serves up nostalgia by the dozen
STORY BY OLIVIA HEWANG AND ARI STROBER, PHOTO BY EMILY MCNALLY In Pixar’s “Ratatouille,” a single bite of the eponymous dish transports the sour-faced food critic, Anton Ego, to a memory of himself as a child, enjoying his mother’s cooking. Seeing a customer experience that involuntary sense of nostalgia is Antoine Tang’s favorite part of…
DeMartini Orchard: Oldest business in Los Altos sticks to its roots
STORY BY DANA HUCH AND GIL RUBINSTEIN, PHOTOS BY DANA HUCH AND EMILY MCNALLY June 26 might just seem like a regular summer Sunday, but here in Los Altos, it’s officially known as DeMartini Day, commemorating the oldest business that still operates in the town today: DeMartini Orchard, a farmstand on the side of San…