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Your Weekend Reads: Tofu, the Yeti and Will Smith

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A familiar sight to many in San Jose's Japantown, but not for much longer. "It’s so sad to say goodbye, but nothing lasts forever," says Amy Nozaki. (Rachael Myrow/KQED)

We know it can be hard to keep up with everything that’s going on in the world, the country and your community. So here are five stories from the past week that you may have missed but really shouldn’t.

1. Will Smith did what?!

Well, not Will Smith. But the forensic pathologist, Dr. Bennet Omalu, that Will Smith played in the 2015 movie "Concussion" about brain injuries in the NFL now works for San Joaquin County.

Or, he did until he resigned on Tuesday because of what he says was interference from Sheriff-Coroner Steve Moore in death investigations to protect law enforcement officers, as detailed in our most popular story this week.

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Among Omalu's allegations against Moore:

  • Moore told Omalu and his colleague Dr. Susan Parson to change findings from “homicide” to “accident” when people died from law officers using Tasers, chokeholds or other types of force.
  • Moore withheld information to mislead them from ruling cases homicides.
  • Moore ordered technicians to cut hands off unidentified bodies — against medical ethics.

Moore said he never tried to influence forensic investigations.

2. Ta ta, tofu!

Chester and Amy Nozaki of the San Jose Tofu Company are feeling ready to retire.
Chester and Amy Nozaki of the San Jose Tofu Company are feeling ready to retire. (Rachael Myrow/KQED)

Anyone who says tofu doesn't taste good doesn't know the San Jose Tofu Company. It's been a Japantown tradition in San Jose for 71 years run by three generations of the Nozaki family. But at the end of the month, Chester Nozaki and his wife Amy will shut their doors for the last time.

“It’s so sad to say goodbye, but nothing lasts forever," Amy says.

3. #MeToo

Jane, legal/compliance, manager/supervisor, 55, San Francisco (Miranda Leitsinger/KQED)

Stories of sexual harassment and assault have dominated headlines for weeks, and last month, we launched a survey asking for your stories. We received nearly 100 responses, and many of them have been collected here.

The stories are disturbing and powerful. They show how widespread this issue is in our communities and the devastating impact it can have on people's lives.

4. 'She always smiled.'

Vehicles approach the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza in Oakland on Dec. 5 2017. Days before, a truck crashed into toll booth number 14 and killed worker Si Si Han. (Farida Jhabvala Romero/KQED)

Si Si Han was killed last Saturday when a box truck crashed into her tollbooth on the Bay Bridge. She was 46.

“She always smiled,” said Ryan Saw, 40, Han’s husband. The two met in their native Myanmar when they were teenagers. “She put family first, you know? She was always there for her daughter, for her mom, for me.”

5. Not yet, Yeti

Yeti by Mark Fiore

If anyone was still holding out hope that the Yeti -- also known as the Abominable Snowman -- actually exists, the science isn't on your side. Scientists have matched hair, skin, bones and teeth supposedly taken from Yeti sightings to known animals, mostly bears.

Before you go...

Facial recognition software: friend or foe? Our friends at Above the Noise break it down.

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