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- 🍁 Haunted House for Kids, BOO-tiful Halloween, and Trunk or Treat!
🍁 Haunted House for Kids, BOO-tiful Halloween, and Trunk or Treat!
Plus more information on the newly-approved license plate reader in Redwood City
Greg Kemper
October 29, 2026
In partnership with
Good morning neighbors!
Welcome to this week's Palo Alto Scoop! This week, we’re bringing you information about the new license plate reader in Redwood City and the Caltrain work that finished early at San Francisquito Creek. Plus, we have fall events for everyone!
Let's get to it!
In this week’s edition:
Business Updates: New license plate reader approved in Redwood City
Local Updates: San Francisquito Creek work finished ahead of schedule
Events: Fall events are in full swing! Check out everything from a Halloween wine tasting, Live on Cal Ave, Haunted House for Kids, BOO-tiful Halloween, and Trunk or Treat!
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Caltrain Finishes Creek Work Three Weeks Early
Caltrain wrapped up bank stabilization along San Francisquito Creek ahead of schedule, finishing in-creek work Sept. 23 against an Oct. 15 regulatory deadline. The $14 million project, between Menlo Park and Palo Alto, protects the railroad bridge, the Alma Street pedestrian and bicycle bridge, and the historic El Palo Alto redwood. Crews reinforced the banks with boulders and vegetation, replaced a Menlo Park storm drain outfall with a backflow-prevention device, and planted native species. The work follows 2023 storms that eroded the banks, and it arrives just as El Niño is expected to bring a wet winter. Landscaping and irrigation continue through the end of November, so you may see some lingering activity near the creek. Read more here.
Redwood City Council Weighs In on Stanford Expansion
Redwood City’s City Council has offered input on Stanford’s expansion, pressing for it to deliver real benefits to neighboring North Fair Oaks and Friendly Acres. The project is Stanford Medicine’s proposed cancer center on its Redwood City campus near Bay Road, Broadway and Highway 101, which includes a hospital of up to 10 stories, clinic and research buildings, and new parking garages. North Fair Oaks leaders have previously asked for local access to care, tree canopy protection, parking safeguards and no repeat of past displacement, while Stanford has cited flood and stormwater resilience as a shared interest. The council voted in April to begin environmental review and negotiations over community benefits, and Stanford plans fall workshops and monthly open office hours. If you live near the campus, now is a good time to weigh in on traffic, parking and the benefits you’d like to see. Read more here.
Redwood City Approves Response to License Plate Reader Report
Redwood City’s council voted 5-1 at its early-October meeting to approve the city’s response to a county grand jury report on automated license plate readers (ALPRs), meeting a Nov. 2 legal deadline. Police Chief Kristina Bell said the city agrees with all of the report’s findings and recommendations, and described updates to Police Policy 427, including written criteria for starting, reviewing and ending data-sharing relationships. The city has also ended ALPR data sharing with Stanford, begun publishing annual audit reports, restricted sharing with outside agencies, and continues to delete data after 30 days. Residents urged the council to wait and to adopt stronger protections in any future vendor contract, and Councilmember Chris Sturken cast the lone no vote. Officials stressed that approving the letter doesn’t decide whether the city keeps using ALPRs, so the community conversation about privacy and safety continues. Read more here.
Passport Café & Bar Comes to Redwood City
Passport Café & Bar, at 2159 Roosevelt Ave. in Redwood City, calls itself a neighborhood café with a global point of view. It's inspired by the cafés and flavors its team has discovered around the world, and the menu covers globally inspired breakfast, brunch, specialty coffee and drinks. The food menu leans fresh and seasonal. You'll find a Nordic salmon tartine, a wild mushroom tartine with whipped ricotta, a Tuscan burrata sandwich on rosemary focaccia, and The Copenhagen with smoked salmon, a jammy egg and avocado. The café is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more here.
BonBon Matcha: Soft Opening in Palo Alto
BonBon Matcha, a matcha cafe from owner Emily Niu, began a soft opening on October 20 at 439 Waverley St. in Palo Alto, in the former Gong Cha space. It debuted in Cupertino in June, and the Palo Alto shop is its second location. The cafe uses ceremonial-grade matcha in its drinks and baking. Lattes come in strawberry, mango and yuzu, or topped with sea salt cheese foam or banana cream. Desserts include a double matcha cake, matcha crepe roll cake, matcha tiramisu and a rotating lineup of Basque cheesecakes. Matcha gelato comes in four intensity levels, and you can order it as a float. Read more here.
Evvia Estiatorio in Palo Alto
420 Emerson St, Palo Alto
Evvia Estiatorio serves Greek cuisine with a California influence, drawing on fresh produce, seafood, grilled meats, and traditional Mediterranean flavors. The menu features wood-fired and grilled dishes, including lamb souvlaki with tzatziki, mesquite-grilled lamb chops, and artichoke and eggplant skewers served with Greek yogurt. Seafood is another focus, with options such as Mediterranean sea bass, whole grilled fish, and wood-oven-roasted prawns. Traditional Greek dishes include moussaka, a baked casserole layered with eggplant, lamb and beef, potatoes, and yogurt béchamel, as well as slow-cooked goat with orzo in tomato sauce. Located on Emerson Street, the restaurant is known for its rustic Mediterranean-inspired interior, featuring wood beams, copper pots, and a wood-burning fireplace.
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We do our best to verify dates/locations of events, but please independently verify before attending as details are subject to change
🦇 Members Only Halloween Night | Palo Alto | Palo Alto Junior Zoo | 10/29 | more
Celebrate Halloween with a special evening at the Palo Alto Junior Zoo for members and their families.
🎃 A BOO-tiful Downtown Halloween | Los Altos | Veterans Community Plaza | 10/30 | more
Dress up the kids and explore downtown Los Altos for trick-or-treating at participating shops displaying orange pumpkin signs, plus festive games, crafts, and other Halloween activities.
🎹 Scary Tales & Organ Music | Palo Alto | First United Methodist Church | 10/30 | more
A free concert of chilling tales and seasonal organ music as Halloween approaches.
🖤 THE ADDAMS FAMILY | Palo Alto | Lucie Stern Theater | 10/30-11/15 | more
Meet the delightfully eccentric Addams family in this darkly funny musical, where Wednesday falls for a “normal” young man and introduces him to her decidedly unusual relatives. Runs October 30–November 15.
👻 Asylum Haunted House | Menlo Park | 138 Jefferson Dr. | 10/29-11/1 | more
Looking for a Halloween adventure? Check out this haunted-house experience for a spooky-season outing.
🌾 Harvest Social | Palo Alto | Gamble Garden | 10/29 | more
A relaxed evening to meet fellow members and neighbors, wander the grounds, and enjoy a glass and some light bites as the season turns.
🥞 Pumpkins & Pancakes Halloween Brunch | Palo Alto | Sequoia Yacht Club | 10/31 | more
A family-friendly event with pumpkin decorating, pancakes, and bottomless mimosas.
🎃 Halloween Spooktacular | Palo Alto | Stanford Shopping Center | 10/31 | more
A spooktacular afternoon of Halloween fun for the whole family! Enjoy festive activities, special giveaways, sweet surprises and more.
🧪 STEAM Lab Saturday: Zombie Juice! | Palo Alto | Mitchell Park Library | 10/31 | more
Make spooky “Zombie Juice” as dry ice bubbles and creates creepy fog in this hands-on science activity that brings a glove-shaped hand to life. Registration is required for children.
🚒 Fire Museum Tours | Menlo Park | Schapelhouman Fire Museum | 10/31 | more
Explore local firefighting history with a visit to the Schapelhouman Fire Museum and discover the equipment, stories, and traditions behind the fire service.
🎶 Halloween Live on Cal Ave | Palo Alto | Cal Avenue | 10/31 | more
Explore Cal Avenue's lively local scene with this live entertainment series featuring community performances and a chance to enjoy the neighborhood.
🍷 Halloween Wine Pairing | Palo Alto | Feast and Floral | 10/31 | more
Celebrate Halloween with a festive wine pairing with halloween candy and cheese!
🗳️ Election day | All Cities | 11/3 | more
Tuesday is your last day to drop off your ballot or vote in person!
📸 Behind the Lens presented by Henry Diltz | Menlo Park | The Guild Theatre | 11/4 | more
Step behind the camera with photographer Henry Diltz for an evening exploring music, photography, and the stories behind iconic images.