Clarence B. Jones, civil rights icon and Stanford scholar, dies at 95
Clarence B. Jones, a civil rights icon and long-time Palo Alto resident who helped write Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and who helped spread King’s teachings as a scholar at Stanford University, died earlier this month. He was 95.
More Local news
Regional sales tax measure for transit gets enough signatures for November ballot
Organizers with the Connect Bay Area Act, a regional sales tax measure for public transit, collected 305,895 signatures across five Bay Area counties, well above the 186,000 required threshold to place it on this year’s ballot.
Residents near flood-prone creek finally have a reason to cheer
After years of delays, disagreements and design revisions, Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park residents who live near the San Francisquito Creek received a reason to cheer this month as work kicked off on the next major phase…
Citibank’s ‘softened’ branch proposal wins over Menlo Park commissioners
The Menlo Park Planning Commission unanimously approved Citibank’s new proposal for a branch at on El Camino Real on May 18 after it had told the international banking conglomerate to reconsider its design choices.
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Food
Chef José Andrés answers questions on the state of the restaurant industry, his new cookbook and what the world needs right now
The renowned restaurateur sat down with the Peninsula Foodist for a Q&A at his Palo Alto restaurant Zaytinya. Here’s what he had to say.
BTS ARMY flocks Redwood City pizzeria after praise from K-pop members
Stanford has the best pizza, declared BTS member V on May 16 at the K-pop group’s Stanford concert.
Renowned restaurants, historic architecture and a car-free corridor: Here’s what downtown San Mateo has in store
Within its five square blocks, downtown San Mateo packs in award-winning dining, historic architecture, niche shops and a slew of new developments.
Arts & Culture
Review: Foothill Theatre Arts’ ‘Oliver Twist’ embraces Victorian camp and grit
Charles Dickens was clever, pointed in his social commentary — and not subtle. Neil Bartlett’s quirky, dark adaptation of “Oliver Twist” has great fun living up to all of that, even without singing and dancing. The show runs through June 7.
Review: Politics, lust and religion bring topical high drama in ‘Tosca’
West Bay Opera is presenting Puccini’s notorious potboiler with excellent voices in primary roles through May 31.
EPACENTER throws a party with the Queen of Percussion
Grammy-winning percussionist headlines a bash on May 30 at nonprofit arts center, joined by aerial dancers BANDALOOP.
Spotlight
Changing diet to generate a healthier microbiome and a healthy individual
Stanford microbiologists Justin and Erica Sonnenburg are working to understand the complex microbial community that resides within the human gut and its potential for helping people live healthier, longer lives.
Ivy League mentorship for college applications and career foundations through meaningful projects
Path Mentors was born out of dissatisfaction with the toxic high-pressure environment that college admissions has created. Founded in 2019 by Columbia graduates, the Path Mentors’ team of nearly 100 mentors from a wide range of professions including technology, finance,…
Community Calendar
Did you miss
Meta halts $3.5B project, leaving Belle Haven empty-handed
For the three decades that Peter Adams has lived in Menlo Park’s Belle Haven neighborhood, he hasn’t had access to basic amenities such as a full-service grocery store. Now, he will have to wait even longer after Meta halted work…
YouTube ‘auditor’ provoked, pepper-sprayed shopper at Mountain View Costco, police say
Mountain View police arrested a Southern California YouTuber for blasting pepper spray at a man outside Mountain View’s Costco. He was with a group of “First Amendment auditors,” one of whom is being sued for pepper-spraying a man in downtown…
Real Estate
Palo Alto ‘green’ home opens its doors for monthly tours
If you’ve been wanting to make your home more sustainable and energy efficient (or are building something new) but would like to see and hear for yourself from someone who’s already successfully done it, a home in Palo Alto’s Midtown…
New Atherton home sells for $31M
Each week, Embarcadero Media takes a look at home sales activity along the Midpeninsula in the communities of Atherton, East Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Portola Valley and Woodside.
California home affordability sees slight improvement, but racial gaps persist — especially in Santa Clara County
The number of Californians who could afford to buy a home increased slightly last year as mortgage rates declined and home prices remained relatively flat. About 19% of California households earned enough to purchase a median-priced single-family home in 2025,…
The Six Fifty
The Six Fifty Peninsula Photo Contest entry window is open now. Here’s what you need to know before you submit your pics
Peninsula photographers of all ages and skill levels who live, work or attend school within the 650 area code are invited to submit entries for six different visual categories now through July 3.
Nature can be unpredictable. Here’s what Silicon Valley experts say you should do to have a mishap-free summer outdoors
We asked Silicon Valley outdoor experts and officials to share their advice on how best to prepare for excursions outside this summer so misadventures are less likely to happen.
A ‘special hidden gem’: The newest landmark in San Mateo County is a 116-step mosaic staircase
Seen throughout San Francisco but less common in Silicon Valley, the new ‘Sea to Stars’ tiled stairway in Brisbane pays homage to the city’s history and California ecology.
