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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 2nd, 2009

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

November 7th, 2009

• Lodi High graduate was at Fort Hood

• Lining up for flu shots in Lodi

• Tour packs buses as birdwatchers admire Sandhill cranes

• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks

• Daytime thieves targeting Lodi homes

• Lodi High School rally featured on 'Good Day Sacramento'

• Out of control

• Homicide suspect Anthony Hubbard arraigned

• Regional Roundup

• New Lodi Memorial rule to combat spread of H1N1: Visitors must be older than 16

November 6th, 2009

• Short sales make up nearly half of Lodi market

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi man accused of smuggling drugs, weapons for inmates at state prison

• 'I-5 Strangler' sentenced to 6 terms of life

• Jury convicts Acampo man of torture, assault of his girlfriend

• Young girl is 200,000th person to assemble AIDS, HIV care kit

• Woman in wheelchair struck by car

November 5th, 2009

• A lower Lodi Lake

• Streetside scarecrows

• San Joaquin County considers moratorium on new Williamson Act contracts

• Speakers address Lodi Unified School District budget shortfalls, plea to keep programs

• Armed robbers still targeting Lodi shops

• Regional Roundup

• California voters have final say over $11 billion water bond

• Weekend bus service to continue until Lodi City Council makes decision

• Paul Tebbel shines spotlight on sandhill cranes

• Your complete guide to Sandhill Crane Festival

• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy

• Man wanted in Acampo homicide gives up to San Joaquin County Sheriff's detectives

November 4th, 2009

• Candle fire

• Rep. Jerry McNerney sets telephone town hall for Thursday

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi City Council weighs raising fares to restore some bus service

• Galt City Council argues over ordinance hiring residents

• San Joaquin County sues state over prison hospital planned for Stockton

• Big win for Allen Baroni in reclamation election

• California sends Democratic loyalist John Garamendi to Congress

• Bicycling father raising awareness of teen suicide

• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

November 3rd, 2009

• 500 attend service for Kyle Coumas

• Correction

• Galt considers ordinance that would require city contractors to hire locally

• Regional Roundup

• Have you seen a missing guide dog puppy in Lodi?

• Galt man dies after weekend Highway 12 crash

• Jason Behrmann is top candidate for Galt city manager

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

• Clarification

November 2nd, 2009

• Downtown Lodi trick or treat

• Public Meetings

• Correction

• Kyle Coumas funeral today

• Regional Roundup

• Sandhill Cranes Festival comes to Lodi next weekend

• Lamborghini lovers gather for show, fine wine, luncheon in Woodbridge

• Lodi's 'Biggest Loser' Christy Richesin runs 5K Halloween race

• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home

• Group investigates reports of haunting

October 31st, 2009

• Area schools have no plans of closing due to H1N1 virus

• Tokay High evacuation

• Gated communities in Lodi

• Finishing touches on Hill House replica

• Regional Roundup

• In remembrance of Kyle Coumas

• Lodi-area Halloween events

• City of Lodi settles case of mistaken identity

• Lodi a reflection of Halloween's retail emergence

• Izzy Laviola and Seth Siddle-Mitchell crowned Tokay homecoming queen and king

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

• Bible is entwined with American civic life (135)
• I predict: A conservative tide will rise in 2010 (71)
• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy (70)
• The Treaty of Tripoli hoax (59)
• Universal health care solves big problems (59)
• Here's what my father knew about the assassination of JFK (35)
• Stuck in neutral? Hardly! (32)
• Words from our forefathers (27)
• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks (20)
• Majority cannot deprive the minority (20)

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

TRACY -- Sporting an oversize blue bow tie, a giant polka-dot hat and shoes big enough for two, Ravioli the Clown was a tad fidgety as he waited for his fashionably late bride, Sparkles the Clown.

"As a real wedding, this one will be delayed," Ravioli told the crowd of more than 100 people gathered at Lincoln Park on Monday to see his "wedding" to Sparkles -- a fund-raiser for Tracy Interfaith Ministries.

About 15 minutes later, Sparkles and her wedding party of a dozen girls dressed in clown outfits wound their way to the spot where Ravioli, his groom's party and the clown minister stood.

As boys and girls of all ages, their parents and friends watched intently, Ravioli and Sparkles stood before the minister, Pastor Patter, also known as the Rev. Patricia Munson.

Ravioli promised not to put a frog in his wife's bed, lick the extra ice cream off her cone if it melts faster than she can eat it and hold her hand while crossing the street, while Sparkles swore never to put ants in her husband's pants, always make him really good ice cream for dinner and feed the spinach to the dog.

Then they exchanged rings -- oversize diamond rings for both.

"You may kiss your clown," concluded Pastor Patter.

Kaitlyn Hawkins, 11, also known as Giggles, was a bridesmaid of sorts.

"I thought it was really fun and great," she said, sporting a purple wig. "I really love Sparkles and Ravioli. They're really good people."

Terry "Sparkles" Donaldson, 54, and Denis "Ravioli" Martinez, 55, will be married for real Oct. 16 before the Rev. Munson at the Bridal Fair at The Holiday Inn Express in Tracy. They will not wear their clown outfits, Donaldson said.

The event is open to the public. A $5 donation at the door will go to Tracy Interfaith Ministries.

Monday's event was a way to donate their clowning services for a good cause, said Sparkles and Ravioli, who live near Tracy.

Raffle tickets for people to take part in the wedding and for other prizes were sold at the event for $1 each. The money raised Monday -- $2,500 -- will go to a building fund for Tracy Interfaith Ministries, which served 51,900 meals in July -- about 500 more than in July 2003.

Susan Sarvey, a Tracy Interfaith Ministries volunteer who is spearheading the effort, said $160,000 has been raised for the project so far. Tracy Interfaith needs $350,000 to break ground, she said.

Tracy Interfaith is now looking for donations of building materials and other donations including concrete, roof tiles, sheet rock, garage doors, insulation and landscaping supplies.

Tracy Interfaith Ministries, which spent about $174,500 last year, serves an increasing number of people, noted Sarvey, who also helped organize Monday's event.

In the meantime, Ravioli and Sparkles are ready for their real wedding next month.

"I'm committed to her," Martinez said. "I love her."