Hi Neighbors,

There was a fatal accident on Southbound 101 between University and Embarcadero this morning, resulting in terrible traffic. Hopefully, this will be resolved sooner rather than later.

When I was elected to the City Council in November 2024, I stepped into office with a commitment to deliver tangible results for our community. As we approach the end of my first two years on Council, it’s important to look back and reflect on what we’ve actually delivered.
Local government is a team effort. We operate as a five-member council, meaning it takes at least three votes to pass any policy or fund any initiative. Working closely alongside my colleagues Martha Barragan and Webster Lincoln, we formed a productive majority focused on action—passing budgets that directly fund the improvements our city needs.

Nothing gets done without city staff. Many thanks to City Manager Melvin Gaines, Assistant City Manager Shiri Klima, Public Works Director Humza Javed, and all the city staff that has worked hard to move EPA forward.

Here is a look at what we have accomplished together over the last two years:

🧹 Safer, Cleaner, and Quieter Neighborhoods

Targeted Blight & Code Enforcement: Directed staff to proactively address street-visible blight, including broken appliances, garbage piles, and abandoned vehicles that degrade our neighborhoods.

24/7 Parking Enforcement: Partnered with LAZ Parking to bring round-the-clock parking enforcement to local streets. We also took first steps towards a parking permit ordinance.

Traffic Calming Expansion: Reformed the city ordinance to make more local streets eligible for speed humps and traffic-calming infrastructure.

Regulated Street Vendors We passed an ordinance to regulate street vendors and ensure health and safety standards.

Pulgas Avenue Roundabout: Completed the roundabout at Beech and Runnymede, slowing down traffic near local schools and creating a safer route for students attending Aspire.

• Citywide Street Lighting Upgrade: Funded a comprehensive street lighting study by an engineering firm, laying the groundwork for millions of dollars in lighting upgrades by the end of this year.

Clarke Avenue Bridge Cleanup: Removed the privacy curtain from the Clarke Ave bridge that had previously invited litter, open substance use, and blight, restoring a cleaner and safer crossing.

🌳 Parks, Recreation, and Youth Investment

• Upgraded Athletic Fields: Replaced broken scoreboards at MLK Park and Jack Farrell Park—fixing infrastructure that hadn’t worked in a generation—and funded new field lighting at MLK so youth sports can continue after sunset in winter.

MLK Park Expansion: Approved a strategic land swap on University Avenue for property next to MLK Park, paving the way for a regulation soccer field, expanded parking, and improved amenities.

Ravenswood Preserve Access: Installed a new pedestrian gate at the Ravenswood Preserve, giving residents direct access to the preserve and regional bike paths

Arts & Family Programming: Funded EPACENTER to bring live music, cultural programming, and family-friendly events directly to our community

Roger Glenn at EPACENTER in East Palo Alto

Expanded YMCA Access: Funded weekend operations so East Palo Alto residents can access the YMCA for free, alongside expanded swim lessons, fitness classes, and youth basketball.

Established Youth Commission: Formed and funded our city’s first dedicated Youth Commission to give young residents a direct voice in local government.

New Dog Park: Planned and funded a new dog park adjacent to MLK Park (currently awaiting final PG&E approvals).

🏗️ Essential Infrastructure and Efficient City Operations

• East Bayshore Improvements: Commenced construction on critical sidewalk and storm drain upgrades along East Bayshore between University and Willow.
• Expanded City Hall Hours: Increased public operating hours at the Tate Street building (Planning, Building, and Public Works/CEDD) from just 18 hours a week to 40 hours a week, making city hall far more accessible to residents and business owners.
• Modernized IT Systems: Funded essential upgrades to East Palo Alto’s IT infrastructure to streamline city operations, increase transparency, and improve overall efficiency.

🛡️ Public Safety, Preparedness, and Good Governance

Historic Public Safety Milestone: Proudly celebrated two full years with zero homicides—a significant achievement for our community’s ongoing public safety efforts.

• Smart Crime Prevention Tools: Retained our Flock License Plate Readers (LPRs), maintaining a high-impact crime-fighting tool supported by strict, privacy-focused oversight.
• Emergency Preparedness: We funded local emergency preparedness initiatives to ready East Palo Alto for major earthquakes, regional flooding, power grid failures, and climate events. There is still a lot of work to do!
• Enforcing Standards & Ethics: Upheld our Council Code of Ethics by voting to remove Council Member Carlos Romero from regional board assignments following unprofessional conduct on the dais.

🏠 Housing, Growth, and Civic Future

Major Housing Approvals: Approved landmark residential developments on Euclid and at Four Corners, the first step to transform long-empty lots into much-needed housing.

Council Term Limits: Approved a ballot measure establishing a three-term limit (12 consecutive years) for City Council members to ensure fresh perspectives and accountability.

Civic Commons Measure: Placed a transformative measure on the ballot to build a new Civic Commons—housing a modern library, sports fields, city hall, and police station—while funding critical repairs for sidewalks, water lines, and storm drains.

Looking Ahead

Government often moves much slower than I would like, and not every project listed above is fully completed yet. But the momentum is real, and the direction is clear.
We still have significant work ahead of us when it comes to addressing parking issues, expanding housing, driving local economic development, and modernizing our infrastructure. Most residents have jobs, families, and busy lives that keep them from sitting through long hours of council meetings—and that’s how it should be. Serving on City Council is a public trust, and I am proud of the measurable progress we’ve delivered for East Palo Alto over these past two years.

Join us at EPACENTER to prepare for going Back to School!

Kick off the new school year on Saturday, August 8 from 11 AM to 4 PM with an afternoon of fun, laughter, and community at our Back to School Carnival! Enjoy exciting games, family-friendly activities, live entertainment, and hands-on fun for all ages. Plus, students can get ready for a successful school year with free school supplies while supplies last. Bring your family, meet new friends, and celebrate the start of a great school year together! 🎪🎨📚✨

(KRON) — A 20-year-old Mountain View man who assaulted and groped a woman outside a 7-Eleven in East Palo Alto in 2025 was sentenced Monday to four years in state prison, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.

Steven Leonel Miranda-Torres was convicted of felony assault with the intent to sexually assault the victim after pleading no contest. He also admitted to the violent and serious felony allegations and aggravating factors, the DA’s office said.

Prosecutors said on Aug. 6, 2025, at around 9:15 p.m., Miranda-Torres pulled up in a car outside a 7-Eleven near the Ravenswood Shopping Center and got out to approach a 22-year-old woman whom he did not know. He suddenly grabbed the woman, picked her up, and started to grope her, according to the DA’s office.

“The victim fought back, repeatedly punching the defendant to try and get away. She broke free and was able to pull a wig off defendant’s head,” prosecutors wrote.

The victim ran to the 7-Eleven, where her boyfriend was inside shopping, while Miranda-Torres sped off in his car. The attack was caught on a security camera, which led detectives to Miranda-Torres in Mountain View. He was taken into custody two days later.

In addition to the four-year prison sentence, Miranda-Torres was ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

After much thought and reflection, I have decided that I will not be seeking reelection at this time.

As many of you know, I have been navigating some health-related challenges, and my priority right now is to focus on my health and well-being.

Serving our community as a Council Member over the past four years has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn, grow, and work alongside so many dedicated residents, community leaders, and colleagues in service to East Palo Alto. Thank you for the trust, support, and encouragement you have shown me throughout this journey.

I would also like to wish all of the candidates the very best as they embark on their campaigns. I know each of them shares a commitment to serving our community.

Although I will not be seeking another term, this is not goodbye. I look forward to continuing to be involved in our community in new ways and remaining engaged in the work that makes East Palo Alto such a special place.

Thank you again for your support over these past four years. It has truly been an honor to serve.

Martha

Tras mucha reflexión, he decidido no presentarme a la reelección en este momento.

Como muchos de ustedes saben, he estado lidiando con algunos problemas de salud, y mi prioridad ahora mismo es centrarme en mi salud y bienestar.

Servir a nuestra comunidad como concejal durante los últimos cuatro años ha sido uno de los mayores honores de mi vida. Estoy profundamente agradecida por la oportunidad de aprender, crecer y trabajar junto a tantos residentes, líderes comunitarios y colegas comprometidos con el servicio a East Palo Alto. Gracias por la confianza, el apoyo y el aliento que me han brindado a lo largo de este camino.

También quisiera desearles a todos los candidatos mucho éxito en sus campañas. Sé que cada uno de ellos comparte el compromiso de servir a nuestra comunidad.

Aunque no me presentaré a la reelección, esto no es un adiós. Espero seguir participando en nuestra comunidad de nuevas maneras y seguir involucrada en el trabajo que hace de East Palo Alto un lugar tan especial.

Gracias de nuevo por su apoyo durante estos últimos cuatro años. Ha sido un verdadero honor servirles.

Martha

Former East Palo Alto city employee Rafael Prado pleaded guilty on July 28 to three felonies for sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy and possessing child sexual abuse material under a plea deal carrying a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in prison. 

Prado — a 29-year-old Redwood City resident — met the boy in the East Palo Alto library between late 2022 and sometime in 2023, repeatedly supplying him with drugs and sexually assaulting him, according to San Mateo County prosecutors. 

While he initially faced a maximum of 12 years in prison, Prado’s charges were reduced when investigators confirmed that the boy was 14 at the time of the assaults, not 13 as initially suspected. Lewd acts with a child under 14 are considered a more serious offense under California law. After the charges against Prado were revised to five counts of lewd acts with a child aged 14 to 15 and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material, he faced a maximum sentence of five years and three months in prison.  

Judge Michael Wendler agreed to dismiss three of the lewd act counts in exchange for Prado pleading guilty to the other two, plus possession of child sexual abuse material. Prado also admitted to an enhancement for aggravated circumstances. 

Prosecutors sought a maximum of four years and four months in prison but Wendler agreed to no more than three years and eight months and will consider a report from the court’s probation department before determining the final sentence. 

Since a no contest plea is the legal equivalent of a guilty plea, defendants rarely actually plead guilty, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.  

“That’s probably a one-in-a-thousand occurrence,” Wagstaffe said. “Because it’s effectively the same thing, some defense attorneys instruct their clients to always plead no contest — it’s sort of the custom throughout the state.” 

Prado’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment. 

Prado, who is sometimes referred to as Rafael Prado Caballero, is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 16 at the San Mateo County Superior Court in Redwood City. 

East Palo Alto Councilmember Carlos Romero came under fire earlier this year for writing a character reference for an ex-city employee who was accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old. Photo by Seeger Gray.

Councilmember’s character reference

After this news organization‘s review of court documents turned up a character reference by East Palo Alto Councilmember Carlos Romero in support of an unsuccessful motion seeking Prado’s release while he awaited trial, Romero faced criticism and calls for his resignation by Mayor Webster Lincoln and Councilmember Mark Dinan. 

“It is an absurd request to ask for my resignation because I choose to believe people are considered innocent until proven guilty,” Romero said in a statement at the time.

Romero said he submitted the reference in his personal capacity, and described only his interactions with Prado, but used letterhead with the city seal that said the “Office of Councilmember Carlos Romero.”

“In our judicial system, the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Romero told this news organization at the time. “My character reference for Mr. Prado was based on observed behavior during my interactions with him at numerous COVID vaccination outreach efforts in East Palo Alto from 2021 to 2022.”

Romero did not respond to a request for comment about Prado’s guilty plea. 

City withholds employment records

Prado, who has been in custody since his arrest on June 17, 2025, was a part-time, on-call employee for the city of East Palo Alto from 2022 to 2025. 

The exact nature of Prado’s employment is unknown because the city would not release several documents relating to his assignments in response to a Public Records Act request from this news organization. 

The city said it withheld or redacted records for several reasons, including to prevent unwarranted invasions of privacy and when the public interest favored nondisclosure, but would not provide clarification on how the reasons apply to this request.