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• Lodi delegate does her part to aid Republican Party

• No time to rest for area grape harvesters and growers

• Multi-talented Lange knew how to get job done at 'The Square'

• Regional Roundup

• Clowning around: Couple gets 'married' at Tracy fund-raiser

• Results from Saturday's First Annual Art O'Keefe K-9 Competition:

November 21st, 2009

• Logbook

• Holiday drive spreads cheer to U.S. troops

• Galt High students want board to approve open-campus policy

• Poisoning victims remain hospitalized

• Expert: Half a mushroom cap can be deadly

• Tokay grad files claim over Lodi's Grape Bowl

• Lodi Middle School holds annual Turkey Trot

• Regional Roundup

• No motive or suspect in shooting

• Sacramento cop arrested for alleged kidnapping

November 20th, 2009

• Acampo woman killed

• Salvation Army Kettle Kickoff

• Advocacy groups sue East Bay Municipal Utility District over Pardee expansion

• Regional Roundup

• Galt plans to help residents with energy-efficient projects

• Stable southeast of Lodi approved

• One year after a heart attack, Lodi's Judy Mims thanks rescuers

• National Guard troops return home in time for the holidays

• Real estate market gets on more solid ground

November 19th, 2009

• Operation: Christmas

• Logbook

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Chase ends in crash

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

• Sales tax hike yields dividends: 5 new officers join Galt Police

• Lodi Unified School District board votes to cancel summer school for 2010

• Water surges in Mokelumne River yield more salmon

• Lodi City Council will consider redevelopment next June

• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22

• Corrections

November 18th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react

• Lodi man finds wife's ashes during police display of stolen property

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

November 17th, 2009

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

• Lodi Budget and Finance Committee to look into ways to save money on employee benefits

• Regional Roundup

• Decision on summer school expected at tonight's Lodi Unified School District meeting

• Clements gets free water rescue boat

• Redevelopment to be discussed by Lodi City Council again

• Court reinstates death penalty for killer of Lodi grad

• Clarification

November 16th, 2009

• Correction

• Public Meetings

• City Council 'triple-dog dared' to ditch cars, use Lodi buses

• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi

• Lodi's First Sip event showcases area wineries' latest vintages

• Three members of Lodi-area family fall ill after eating poisonous mushrooms they reportedly found at Lodi Lake

• Regional Roundup

November 14th, 2009

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Regional Roundup

• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

• Despite an increase in homeless students, school districts look to bolster enrollment, raise revenue

• A first look at 2009 vintages at Lodi's First Sip wine-tasting event

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• The country's mess is our fault (172)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Public health care is a Christian option (86)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (73)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (53)
• The haves should help the have-nots (31)
• Government-run health care is a bad idea (27)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi (18)
• Young woman fatally shot at Acampo home (18)

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Lodi delegate does her part to aid Republican Party

Maria England wants to do her part to support the Republican party. She wants to do her part to see that President Bush gets re-elected. And recently, she went all the way to New York to make sure she does her part.

England, a senior administrator and general manager of operations for political research firm Trenton West, in Sacramento, returned to Lodi on Saturday after a very busy week in the Big Apple where she attended the Republican National Convention.

Held at Madison Square Gardens, England said she spent anywhere from 12 to 16 hours a day, and even one 20 hour day, attending workshops and training sessions, listening to guest speakers and attending the convention with her fellow Republican representatives and delegates.

England explained that there are three delegates and three alternate delegates from each congressional district, and each are invited -- even expected -- to attend the convention to support the Republican Party.

England, an alternate delegate, spent her seven days in New York doing just that -- supporting her party. She even paid her own airfare and hotel costs just to attend. She said her goal is simply to be involved with the Republican Party in any way she can, giving her time and effort to ensure that president Bush gets re-elected.

England said her days were filled with meetings and sessions that included speakers such as Senator George Allen and Pete Wilson, but she said highlights of the trip included hearing former New York Mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, and getting to hear President George W. Bush give his acceptance speech at the convention.

"We were just there to take it all in and be supportive. It was a wonderful opportunity for the delegates, guests, and representatives to hear the Republican message and take it back to where they live and to help the president get re-elected in November," said England.

In spite of the busy convention schedule, England said she did make it to two Broadway shows.

The host committee for the convention purchased tickets for the California delegates to see "Aida" -- a musical by Elton John, and, "Wicked," which is described as a prequel to the Wizard of Oz.

England said she experienced long hours and a hectic pace in New York, but despite that, described her experience there as "re-energizing."

"I'm really ready to go out and help with the re-election effort," she said.

England said her personal political ambitions started at age 16 when her mother recruited her one evening to go door-to-door on election night and convince people to get out and vote.

"That started it right there. That experience is what gave me the political bug," she said. England then continued to be involved in politics, later becoming the president of College Republicans at San Francisco State University, was active in the Young Republicans in Pleasant Hill, as well as the Republican Women's Club. She was also elected to three terms on the Contra Costa County Republicans Committee.

Even though she now has a long personal history of continuous involvement, England says that she is not taking aim at any specific political office or position at present. She does admit that if a run for a local office "presented itself" that she would "consider it."

"My dream was to run for Congress, but I really like the local aspect of politics -- city council, school boards, and the like," she said.

Now she is back in Lodi, the grandeur of the Republican National Convention already drifting into history past. However, England says she still has local political goals to focus on.

"At this point, for the next 30 days, I will emphasize voter registration, I'll put up signs in my yard and other places that want them, I'll talk to my neighbors about why they should vote, and continue to get people involved in the effort to get President Bush re-elected."

Contact J. Paul Bruton at paulb@lodinews.com