Find out which local agencies will be offering limited or regular services on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which falls on Monday, Jan. 15, in addition to celebrations honoring the civil rights leader in the Palo Alto area.
City services:
• Palo Alto libraries: All branches will be closed Monday, Jan. 15.
• City of Palo Alto: All administrative offices will be closed on Monday, Jan 15.
Federal offices
• U.S. Postal Service: Post Office locations nationwide will be closed Monday, Jan. 15.
Transportation
• Caltrain: Caltrain will operate a regular weekday schedule Monday, Jan. 15, but will also offer a NorcalMLK Celebration Train to the MLK2018 celebration events in San Francisco on Monday. The train is free, but participants are advised to reserve their tickets in advance, and pick them up from their point of departure one hour before travel on Monday. The Celebration Train will depart from the Diridon station in San Jose at 9:45 a.m., then stop at the Palo Alto Station at 10:05 a.m., as well as the San Mateo station at 10:22 a.m., before finally stopping in San Francisco. There will be live entertainment on board. For more information, go to eventbrite.com.
• SamTrans: SamTrans will run a regular, non-school day service schedule Monday, Jan. 15. For more information, go to samtrans.com.
• Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority: VTA will run a regular service schedule Monday, Jan 15.
Things to do
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service: The city of Palo Alto and Youth Community Services will host a Day of Service Monday, Jan. 15, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Road. There will also be kids activities, live performances, an MLK legacy display and on-site service opportunities. For more information, go to youthcommunityservices.org.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and East Palo Alto Mayor’s Tree Planting: The city of East Palo Alto will host a day of service in partnership with Canopy on Monday, Jan. 15, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Participants are asked to meet at St. Francis of Assisi Church, at 1425 Bay Road, and to sign up for volunteer work at canopy.org.
• Mitzvah Day: The Oshman Family Jewish Community Center will host its 11th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Monday, Jan. 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, 3921 Fabian Way. The event is full at this time, but to be placed on a waiting list, email com.reg@paloaltojcc.com. Residents can also participate by donating canned food for the Second Harvest Food Bank or by donating gift cards for victims of the North Bay fires to the JCC’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Drive. Items can be dropped off at the Oshman Family JCC service desk.
• Protest organized by the Peninsula Peace and Justice Center where participants will form a “human billboard” and speak out against President Donald Trump’s recent comments made of Haiti, El Salvador and other African nations. They will be holding signs that say “RESIGN,” “Not Our President” and “Love Trumps Hate.” The group will gather Monday, Jan. 15, from noon to 1 p.m. at the corner of El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road.
• The Microsoft store at Stanford Shopping center will hold a MLK Day community reception in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Includes digital art by local youth around the theme “I have a dream.” The event will be held from 1-3 p.m. at the store located at 186 Stanford Shopping Center. More information can be found at eventbrite.com.
• Interfaith Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration: The First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto will host an interfaith MLK Jr. birthday celebration Sunday, Jan. 14, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., with a reception until 5:45 p.m. at 625 Hamilton Ave. Admission is free.
• Screening of documentary film “Sing Your Song”: In partnership with the UN Association Film Festival, Rinconada Library will host a screening of the documentary film “Sing Your Song” Saturday, Jan. 27, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 1213 Newell Road. The event is recommended for adults and seniors.
Middlefield Road Churches (a group from various churches on Middlefield Road) will be holding a 1.6 mile Prayer Walk from Cross Roads Community Church (2490 Middlefield) to the Baylands praying for justice and equality in our country and community at 10.00 am.