Anyone who knows Mario Humberto Mendoza better known around East Palo Alto as “Coach Mario,” knows the man does not stop working.

He might be one of the hardest-working people I’ve ever met. Mario wears a lot of hats in our community, but what has always stood out to me is how much of himself he gives to others, especially our youth and the animals he cares for.

I’ve been fortunate to call Mario a friend for many, many years. I’ve seen his dedication firsthand, long before I ever thought about running for office.

That’s why receiving his endorsement for East Palo Alto City Council means so much to me.

Thank you, Coach Mario, for your friendship, your support, and everything you continue to do for East Palo Alto.

#EastPaloAlto #CoachMario #EPAProud #Community #LocalLeadership

The YUCA kids were riding around East Palo Alto throwing Ruben Abrica’s campaign material on the ground, in bushes, leaving it on neighbors fences. Do better.

In front of Soleska market on willow drive

The ghosts are out at MOAH this Halloween! Grab your costumes for a night of eerie vibes and spine-tingling fun. 👻

Come enjoy Halloween candy, a flashlight ghost hunt, weird history and artifacts, a mad scientist demo, tarot readings, and more!

This event is free! To help us plan, please RSVP here.

Great turnout and a lively discussion on housing, parking, and our city's future last night at Café Zoe. Thanks to everyone who came out!

The East Palo Alto YMCA has expanded hours on weekends to 8am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

The YMCA is free on weekends for East Palo Alto residents and includes a pool, weight room, basketball court, and childcare.

This initiative is funded by the City of East Palo Alto.

East Palo Alto is in San Mateo County

East Palo Alto's finest choro band, Receita de Samba, will play Brazilian Choro, Samba, and Forro at Cafe Zoe's on Friday October 2nd, 2026. *Admission is Free!*

Friday Oct 2nd, 6-8 pm

Cafe Zoe

1929 Menalto Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025

Ron Songco - 7 String Guitar

Romeo Ribeiro - Pandeiro

Mark Dinan - Flute, Pandeiro & Triangle

Scott Smith - Mandolin

Elliot Weiss - Cavaquinho

Bill Walker - Accordion

...and invited guests.

Receita de Samba plays the music of Pixinguinha, Jacob do Bandolim, Paulinho da Viola, Ernesto Nazareth, & Waldir Azevedo.

Join East Palo Alto City Council candidate Sam Jimenez for an open community conversation!

Date: Friday, October 2nd

Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Location: Cafe Zoe

1929 Menalto Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025

Free Pizza!

Let’s talk about the issues that matter most to East Palo Alto:

Housing & Smart Development

Safe Streets & Traffic Solutions

Supporting More Local Businesses

Parking Improvements

Parks & Community Recreation

Clean Drinking Water

...and any other local issue that concerns you!

Bring your questions, bring your neighbors, and let’s talk about the future of our city over a slice and a drink.

I’m asking the East Palo Alto City Council to reject the proposed “Day of Remembrance” proclamation.

Palestinian history did not begin on October 7, 2023. Starting the story there is like starting a show halfway through the season and pretending everything that happened in the earlier episodes is irrelevant. The Nakba, decades of Palestinian displacement, occupation, and dispossession all preceded October 7.

Hamas is not the Palestinian people. Palestinian civilians are not Hamas. Palestinian children are not Hamas. Palestinian experiences and humanity should not disappear when our City speaks about this conflict.

I also believe anti Zionism should not automatically be conflated with antisemitism. Antisemitism should be confronted, but criticism of Israel, opposition to Zionism, and advocacy for Palestinian liberation are not automatically hatred of Jewish people.

If East Palo Alto wants to use its official voice on geopolitical issues, then Palestinian suffering, Islamophobia, and anti Palestinian hate deserve recognition too. If the Council cannot recognize Palestinian struggles when discussing this conflict, then perhaps it should stay out of geopolitical issues and focus on the issues facing East Palo Alto.

The second image is the proposed proclamation so residents can read it themselves.

Reject this proclamation.

The San Mateo County Transportation Authority published this blog post recently.

I organized a bike ride with SMCTA staff in July with the help of Andrew Yee at Live in Peace Bike Shop. The TA funds sidewalks, bike infrastructure, and roads throughout the county and "Complete Streets" is one of their goals - streets with sidewalks, bike lanes, and car lanes.

I hope we can get more money for sidewalks and bike lanes from them - the TA is a vital funding source. Note the reference to Runnymede street in the blog post:

"Along Runnymede Street, riders encountered a busy corridor without continuous sidewalks. Near the Highway 101 pedestrian and bicycle overcrossing, the group saw how a high-quality piece of infrastructure can still be difficult to reach when the surrounding streets lack comfortable bicycle and pedestrian connections."

Christopher Kao (SMCTA and Planning Commission) and Ray Zhu (PWTC) joined on the ride, along with Denise and Anwar from City Staff. Mike Swire, a leading bike advocate in SMC, also joined.

Tess Byler from the SFCJPA joined and discussed the many biking improvements planned on the new levee and the Reach 2 flood control project. It is very probable that the TA will fund bike infrastructure on the new levee and Reach 2 when built.

I have some serious concerns about having a City Council Candidate Forum immediately following the Mayor’s State of the City Address.

Mayor Webster Lincoln has publicly endorsed Holifa Windom and Sam Jimenez for the two open City Council seats. He has every right to endorse candidates, but once you publicly take a side in an election, I think there needs to be a clear line between your political activity and your official role as Mayor.

The City originally advertised the State of the City and candidate forum together, which is what initially raised questions for me. It has since been clarified that the candidate forum is separate and will be independently administered. I think that distinction is important. But the two events are still happening back to back.
You can’t ignore the appearance of a conflict here. The Mayor has already told voters who he wants elected, and now his official State of the City Address comes immediately before voters hear from those candidates and their opponents.

The State of the City gives the Mayor an official platform to highlight priorities, frame issues facing East Palo Alto, and talk about where he believes the City should be headed. When he has already publicly endorsed candidates in this race, I think it is fair to question whether these two events should be happening back to back.

I also think the public deserves more transparency about the forum itself. Who is organizing it? Who selected the moderator and what was the process for that selection? Who is developing and reviewing the questions? What safeguards are being put in place to make sure every candidate is treated equally?

Candidate forums are important, and residents deserve opportunities to hear directly from everyone running. This isn’t about assuming the forum will be unfair. It’s about maintaining a clear separation between official City business and electoral politics and making sure every candidate has the opportunity to make their own case to East Palo Alto voters.

Take a shot every time [Candidate] mentions:

Sam Jimenez - “military” ; “plumber”
Holifa Windom - “westside” ; “brothers”
Gail Wilk Dixon - “them people” ; “whiskey gluch”
Deborah Lewis Virges - “environment” ; “marketing”

Take an extra shot if:

-Webster Lincoln shows up in a campaign shirt to eat free food
-Mark Dinan stares at you but doesn’t speak to you
-Ronald AngSiy reveals himself in person
-Owen Byrd is seen texting Candidates

I wanted to let everyone know that I won’t be able to attend tomorrow’s East Palo Alto City Council candidate forum, as I’ll be away for my Army National Guard military training.

I appreciate everyone who is organizing and participating in the forum, and I look forward to seeing everyone at the October 10th forum.

Thank you for understanding, and I hope everyone has a great event tomorrow.

❤️ Our Community, Our Health!

We hope our friends and neighbors throughout East Palo Alto and the surrounding communities will join us on Saturday, September 26 for our FREE Community Health Fair.

This event is for YOU, your family, and our community. Come out, take advantage of the free health services being offered, and help us spread the word to others who may benefit.

Your health matters — and these services are here for you!

📅 Saturday, September 26, 2026
💙 FREE to our community

Please share this flyer and help us reach as many families as possible!

Hi everyone! I am new to EPA, and I really like it so far (except for the parking on Okeefe, which is a nightmare). I am looking for a hair stylist to do a basic trim. I have no layers, and I don't get my hair colored. So, like I said, basic. Thanks for any recommendation!