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• Liberty Fire, Delta Blood Bank to have blood drive

• Galt wants second high school -- but not the bill for it

• Fund transfer needed to 'stabilize' Lodi'selectric rates

• A touch of Italy brightens downtown Lodi

• Influx of 'well-off' increases

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• Cities could get more cash for annexes

• Amador County fights Indian casino, San Joaquin County traffic snarls

February 8th, 2010

• Public Meetings

• Locals pick best, most memorable Super Bowl commercials

• Regional Roundup

February 6th, 2010

• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch

• Meet Larry, Curly and Moe

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• Several Lodi venues let you watch the Super Bowl in style

• Lodi Library celebrates 100 years of serving the community

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February 5th, 2010

• Kids, teachers help Haiti by collecting pennies for Learning Link

• Lodi, Galt students reach out to help Haiti earthquake survivors

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• Hours of sweat and work go into putting on crab feeds

• Things looking up for state's real estate

• Correction

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• Stray bullet strikes Lodi home; police suspect gang activity may be factor

February 4th, 2010

• Managers at Geweke Toyota answer questions about recall

• Lodi City Council votes to replace play structure at Century Park

• Lodi extends ban on pot shops for another year

• Mokelumne River triathlon set for June

• Family, friends to run half-marathon in memory of Galt family

February 3rd, 2010

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Delta College trustees again collide over stipend committee

• Lodi-area senators Dave Cox, Lois Wolk admit to gifts; Tom Berryhill case pending

• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts

• Galt City Council avoids budget cuts — for now

• New Lodi Memorial Hospital emergency room opens to the public without a hitch

• Bad bugs, weeds are hot topics at Grape Day

February 2nd, 2010

• Big rig plows 7 cars

• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future

• Former Lodian Erica Davis is first paraplegic woman to summit Kilimanjaro

• Jumpers across California

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• No snow leopards, otters for Micke Grove

• McNerney leads in campaign cash

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February 1st, 2010

• Find cuddly alpacas not too far from Lodi

• Public Meetings

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• Man killed by Amtrak train in Lodi

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

• Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (75)
• President Obama's first year (67)
• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future (60)
• Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (49)
• Many reject the politics of 'no' (43)
• Writer comments on Neely column (42)
• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen (31)
• Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (31)

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Breakthrough Project calls emergency meeting, hears about FBI probe in Lodi

At an emergency meeting called by chairman David Hill on Monday, Lodi's Breakthrough Project pledged to support the FBI's investigation of members of the city's Pakistani community while ensuring that civil rights are met.

Breakthrough Project members, a group of concerned residents who reject hate and prejudice while celebrating diversity in Lodi, listened to Taj Khan, a member of the organization, tell what he knew about the FBI investigation that led to the arrests of five Lodi residents.

Khan told his colleagues on the Breakthrough Project that Lodi's Pakistani community is willing to cooperate with the FBI in its investigation.

"I think the judgment in the Michael Jackson case proves the (legal) system works," Khan added.

When all is said and done, "I think they'll find there are no (terrorist) cells in Lodi," Khan said.

The FBI arrested Hamid Hayat, 22, last week on a charge that he lied about spending six months in a Pakistani camp that trains terrorists, and Hayat's father, Umer Hayat, 47, who allegedly sent his son $100 a month, knowing he was attending the camp, according to an FBI affidavit.

Three other Lodi men, including two Muslim religious leaders, were arrested the same week on charges of immigration violations.

Khan said he is optimistic that once the dust settles, three Lodi men -- two of them Muslim religious leaders -- who were arrested on suspected immigration violations will be released.

"There are no immigration violations," Khan said of Imam Mohammad Adil Khan, his son, Hassan Adil Khan, and Imam Shabbir Ahmed. "They would never, never, never preach violence."

Breakthrough member Art Raab said it appears that the anxiety over the FBI's investigation in Lodi is dying down.

"I think we have good relations with the Pakistani community," Raab said.

Terry Mast, who moved to Lodi almost a year ago and has attended Breakthrough Project meetings the past nine months, said the national media coverage was somewhat disconcerting, especially when her three daughters asked her why large vans and satellite dishes owned by TV networks were in the middle of Blakely Park.

"It felt like overkill," Mast said of the media coverage.

The Breakthrough Project was formed in 1998 after a cross burning took place at Tokay High School. The group observes Celebration of Unity each January, Cesar Chavez Day in March, the Celebration on Central in May and an essay contest with local high schools each September.

Some Breakthrough Project members suggested visiting the family of Mohammad Adil Khan -- no relation to Taj Khan -- while he is in custody at Santa Clara County Jail.

Hill said it is a good thing the group has not been called to action in response to any hate crimes.

"The littler the work we have to do, the better it is," Hill said.

Lodi resident Jennifer Kraemer, who came to the meeting to get more information on last week's events, said she felt "reassured" after hearing the Breakthrough Project's willingness to respond to any reprisals against the Pakistani community.

Kraemer, who teaches a course in culture and diversity at Folsom Lake Community College, said she teaches social justice in the classroom but has not had a mechanism to push for it outside the classroom. The Breakthrough project would be a good mechanism for that, she said.

News-Sentinel staff writer Jake Armstrong contributed to this report.

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.