Video

A study of twins aims to clarify the roles genes, environment play in autism

At first glance Christopher and Gerald Dixon seem like any other pair of twins. They look alike, dress similarly and play together. But Gerald is autistic and Christopher isn’t. The boys were one of 1100 twin pairs who participated in the largest ever study of Autism in twins, the California Autism Twins Study (CATS). The study found that the environment plays a much bigger role in causing autism than previously thought.

Bandwidth: Getting soulful with Drop Apollo

In our latest installment of Bandwidth, we introduce you to Drop Apollo, a 5-piece indie rock band that been playing shows around the Bay Area for little more than a year. The band’s sound can be best described as a mixture of soul, R&B and modern rock.

Despite state compromise, some seniors no longer eligible for adult day healthcare

Some Adult Day Healthcare Centers in Alameda County that were initially relieved to hear that their state funding would not be entirely cut, thanks to a settlement reached between disability rights activists and the State Department of Health Care Services, are now worried. At LifeLong Medical Care in East Oakland, more patients have been found ineligible for the new Medi-Cal subsidized program set to replace adult day healthcare than LifeLong staffers expected.

For transgender people, a life without binary norms

As a child, West Oakland resident Jack B. Pierson, 27, hated wearing the pink and purple outfits his mother chose for him. He craved the sensible, utilitarian clothing his older brother got to wear, the kind that permitted a more rough-and-tumble lifestyle. Pierson was a girl back then.

Oakland at work: The bearded barbers of Temescal

Bradley Roberts picks up a straight-edge razor and leans over his client. The barber’s indigo sleeves are rolled up to expose a map of tattoos that continue even beneath his salt and pepper beard. With precision and focus, he slides the blade along a lathered cheek with a long even stroke. He wipes the metal edge clean and starts again.

Shelters may shorten the amount of time animals can stay to 72 hours

Animal activists are up in arms over the budget cut they say turns back the clock on animal welfare over 100 years. Governor Brown recently proposed repealing the Hayden Act which guarantees animals will be held in shelters 4-6 open business days. The repeal would mean municipal shelters would only be required to hold stray animals and pets for 72 consecutive hours from the moment of impound and shelters would not be required to treat animals with medical care.

A church-run soul food restaurant offers jobs for ex-offenders

With over 65 million Americans reported to have an arrest or conviction on their record, it seems nearly impossible for an employer to hire a person that does not have a criminal history. But Soul’s Restaurant in East Oakland has one goal: to provide jobs to those men and women struggling to transition back into non-institutionalized society.