Love Our Earth Festival

A coalition of community-based organizations will host the Love Our Earth Festival on Saturday, April 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Menlo-Atherton High School, 555 Middlefield Road, in Atherton.

Attendees will celebrate the planet while learning about actions that can be taken to address the climate crisis. There will be cooking demonstrations, Spanish and English storytimes, crafts and live animal encounters.

"Sometimes we can feel so hopeless confronted with the scale of climate change," said Menlo Park Mayor Jen Wolosin in a press release. "The 'Love Our Earth Festival' is an inspiring way for all of us to see that together, we can make a difference. Residents of all ages and abilities can learn about amazing work underway and how each of us, in small and big ways, can 'be the change we wish to see.'"

The event features a plant-based market, with over 20 vendors with food, plant product sampling, and live cooking demonstrations from Anne-Marie Bonneau, the Zero Waste Chef, and Zaida Soriana from Zaida's Kitchen.

There will be a clean vehicle showcase featuring dozens of models of electric vehicles plus e-bikes, scooters and elliptical street bikes. Experts will answer questions about electrifying your home, going solar, installing grey water systems and more.

There will be performances from Bay Area musicians, Deborah Levoy and the Cook 'N Fenny Combo, and family-friendly movie screenings.

The event is being put on by 350 Silicon Valley, Menlo Spark, the town of Atherton, and the cities of East Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Palo Alto.

Register at tinyurl.com/loveourearthfest. Sign up to volunteer at

tinyurl.com/earthfestvolunteerform.

Woodside Village Band concert

The Woodside Village Band will host a spring concert on Sunday, April 30, at 3:30 p.m. at Woodside Village Church, 3154 Woodside Road in Woodside.

The band will be conducted by Yessica Gallagher and songs will include "Mother Goose March" and "The Whistler and his Dog."

Entrance is free, but donations are welcome. The concert will be held indoors. Masks are recommended.

Learn more or donate at windband.org/woodside.

New Woodside High scholarship

Students at Woodside High School with learning challenges such as dyslexia are now offered the opportunity to receive a $1,500 scholarship called a "Frannie," thanks to a fund started by the family and friends of Frances Pierce, who was a longtime teacher in local schools.

"Slightly dyslexic herself, Pierce understood how difficult learning could be for students with learning difficulties," according to a press release. A spokesman for the Pierce family explained they wanted the scholarship to memorialize Pierce, who always believed students with disabilities should be encouraged, especially those that face greater challenges than their peers.

Applicants can contact Zorina Matavulj, Woodside's college and career advisor at zmatavulj@seq.org. Questions about donations should be sent to Susan Garcia, Woodside High School treasurer at sgarcia@seq.org.

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in June.

Menlo Park district service awards

The Encinal, Laurel, Oak Knoll and Hillview school parent teacher organizations (PTOs) and the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation (MPAEF) will honor parents, teachers, staff members and community volunteers who have contributed in an extraordinary way to Menlo Park City School District schools annually.

This year, nominations are due Friday, April 14, at tinyurl.com/mpcsdservice.

--Angela Swartz

Earthquake reported near Hollister felt in parts of Bay Area

A 4.5-magnitude earthquake was reported in San Benito County on Tuesday afternoon but could be felt in parts of the Bay Area.

The quake was reported at 3:23 p.m. and was centered about 5 miles northwest of Hollister and 19 miles west-southwest of Salinas, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

There have been no reports of damage related to the quake, which people in Palo Alto, parts of the south bay and elsewhere around the region reported feeling Tuesday afternoon.

--Bay City News Service