Ravneel Chaudhary is shown at the East Palo Alto City Council meeting on April 7, 2026, sitting with other East Palo Alto residents, as they opposed the city council's decision to use Flock cameras in East Palo Alto. - Photo- East Palo Alto City Council video On Tuesday, April 6, 2026, East Palo Alto residents showed up to City Hall after work ready to speak about the city’s contract with Flock Safety. Many came directly from their jobs or rearranged their evening schedules t

Presentation at ribbon cutting on April 7, 2026 for roundabout ribbon cutting at Pulgas and Runnymede in East Palo Alto. Photo - David Rages, II East Palo Alto is trying a new way to slow traffic near school locations - the installation of roundabouts on several city streets. Recently, the city installed a roundabout at Pulgas Avenue and Runnymede Street and another at Pulgas and Beech Street. A ribbon cutting for the Runnymede roundabout took place this April 7. The city’s r

Board of Supervisors President Noelia Corzo warned the shortfall could exceed $1 billion over the next decade if the issue is unresolved. Photo courtesy San Mateo County A coalition of more than 250 elected officials, public safety leaders, educators, health advocates and community members gathered on Tuesday of this week at Redwood City’s Fire Station 9 with a unified message: the State of California must restore funding San Mateo County says it is legally owed — or essent

Image published under CC License 1.0 Courtesy American Community Media Immigration arrests of Asian immigrants have surged since the launch of President Donald Trump’s second administration. That’s according to a new analysis by the advocacy group Stop AAPI Hate. The report released found that arrests of Asian immigrants by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2025 increased nearly fourfold compared with th

Farm Workers Day becomes law. Design AI-generated Last week, members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), through their voices and votes, supported Assembly Bill (AB) 2156, which proposed renaming César Chávez Day to Farm Workers Day. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law on March 26, allowing it to take effect immediately before the March 31 observance. Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson),

AI generated With global attention focused on the conflict in Iran, it’s no surprise scammers have already added that situation to their story lines. Some recent reports to the FTC about imposter, romance, and fake charity scams include an Iran twist. The details change, but the scammer’s goal is always to trick you into paying or sharing your personal information. Here are some examples of these scams — and how to protect yourself. Scammers contact you unexpectedly about a

Graphic AI generated The East Palo Alto City Council approved a new Residential Permit Parking Program (RPP), with one dissenting vote. The program addresses the longstanding concerns community members expressed at previous council meetings. The newly approved RPP lays out the guidelines for where and how RPP areas can be established, the authority of the director of the Department of Public Works, the issuance of residential permits and guest parking permits, the display of

Graphic- courtesy California Black Media A new report released by Black Women Organized for Political Action through its Training Institute for Leadership Enrichment (BWOPA-TILE) and Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) is shedding new light on the barriers Black women and Latinas face in California’s health care workforce — and the steps advocates say are needed to close those gaps. The report, Pathways and Priorities in California’s Healthcare Workforce: Insig

Screenshot of tiny homes courtesy of https://wicks.asmdc.org/videos Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), the keynote speaker at “A Conference on Housing” in Sacramento on Feb. 24, 2026 said solving California’s housing crisis at all levels -- and providing affordable, environmentally responsible homes for low-income families and communities of color -- can go hand in hand. Wicks, widely recognized as a leading legislative champion for housing production and affordability

Graphic- AI generated If you’re looking to get insurance from the Health Insurance Marketplace, you have until January 15 th to sign up. But dishonest companies sometimes advertise comprehensive health insurance when it’s really a medical discount plan or a health plan with limited insurance benefits. And, sometimes, an insurance “offer” is just a scam. As you compare your options, here are some things to consider: Know some warning signs. If ads for the so-called insuran

East Palo Alto city officials and regional leaders pose for photos before cutting the ribbon to the city's new pedestrian bridge East Palo Alto residents, civic leaders and regional partners celebrated the long-awaited opening of the University Avenue Pedestrian Bridge, a project many described as both practical and symbolic for the community. “This is a joyous celebration… celebrating safety and community and connectability,” City Manager Melvin Gaines said as he welcomed th

With the federal government shutdown now in its second month, Covered California officials are warning that nearly two million residents who rely on federal tax credits to keep their coverage affordable could face steep premium increases—or lose insurance—if Congress fails to act during open enrollment. Speaking during a virtual media briefing hosted Oct. 23 by California Black Media (CBM)Executive Director Regina Wilson, Dr. Monica Soni, Chief Medical Officer for Covered Ca

Community college student seeking assistance Image created by HJB using Gemini It might come as a surprise to some that California provides many resources for undocumented individuals and their family members. Many of these resources are funded by the California Department of Social Services(CDSS) Immigration Services Bureau (ISB) through a program called Higher Education Legal Services Project. Information about these programs can be found within a website call

On September 10th, the U.S Education Department announced the end of $350 million in discretionary funding for MSI grant programs. Feature image via Flickr . Published under CC License 2.0 David Lee spent the summer working on a grant application for the Asian Pacific American Student Success program (APASS) at Oakland’s Laney College, which he has directed for eight years. The program is sustained by federal funding that for decades has been committed to Minority Servin

UCLA Mapping Project At a recent national briefing titled, “A History of Bias: Who Gets Deported in the United States?,” three UCLA researchers presented data, stretching back more than a century, which showed that the U.S.’ immigration policies in the 1890’s still determine which immigrants get to stay in the U.S. today. The project, called Mapping Deportations, is the result of five years of combing through immigration records going back to 1895. The UCLA researchers turned

Medi-Cal continued coverage - Courtesy health/consumer.org California's Medi-Cal program, the state's version of Medicaid, is set to undergo sweeping eligibility and benefit changes beginning in January 2026. State officials confirmed in a fact-filled briefing that the changes affecting the program will extend through 2028 and consist of a combination of federal requirements and state budget adjustments. Medi-Cal currently covers over 14 million Californians and the upcoming

The federal government formally entered a shutdown Oct. 1, with a vicious debate over the extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits fueling the bi-partisan stand-off.

Photo courtesy California Black Media The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Sept. 20 that it is ending the longstanding annual food insecurity survey, which informs funding levels for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the federal food stamp program. The Trump administration said it canceled the survey because it is “redundant, politicized, and costly,” the USDA stated. The final report will be published in October 2025 using data co

Participants in the City of East Palo Alto's Sept. 4, 2025 workshop, which was focused on the city's local economy, laid out their vision...

This photo from the war in Gaza shows a bombed out building and a car that crashed into it. Photo credited to Emad El Byed on ...