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• Lodi's Parade of Lights shines through the rain

• Chappell's pool falls to wrecking ball

• A Lodian's best friend

• New imam arriving in Lodi

• Micke Grove zookeepers say they're ready to battle bird flu

• Regional Roundup

• Festival of Trees takes place this weekend

• Send packages, cards early to ensure their Christmas arrival

• Commissioners postpone Cortopassi decision

• Altamont Commuter Express eyes possible ticket package price hike

• Lawrence Lab plans to double stored radioactive plutonium

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

• Baboon business

• Regional Roundup

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

• Lodi Library celebrates 100 years of serving the community

• Culinary craft

February 5th, 2010

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

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

• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam

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

• Things looking up for state's real estate

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• 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

• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen

February 1st, 2010

• Find cuddly alpacas not too far from Lodi

• Public Meetings

• Patients can expect faster, better service when Lodi Memorial Hospital's new emergency room opens

• 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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Lodi's Parade of Lights shines through the rain

Rain and 50-degree temperatures weren't enough to dampen spirits Thursday night as an estimated 30,000 people lined the streets of downtown Lodi to witness the 10th annual Parade of Lights.

Dark clouds overhead held back their fury until 30 minutes into the incandescent spectacle, when a light sprinkle grew to a steady wind-blown downpour.

But one by one, trucks, cars, tractors, off-road vehicles, a grape harvester, dogs and marching bands — all festooned with thousands of glittery lights — meandered past throngs of parade watchers bundled up against the cold.

Cheryl Olson and her children — Tyler, Kaitlyn, Cameron, Martin and Davy — weren't going to miss this parade, even though the weather forecast did give them second thoughts earlier in the day.

"So we're here getting soaked, but it's worth it," said Olson, sitting in a lawn chair near the start of the parade on Pine Street.

"Christmas Around the World" was the theme this year, and many of the floats carried the flags of the United States, Mexico and other countries, some with riders crooning "Feliz Navidad."

That multicultural spirit captured the attention of Juan Gonzalez, who said he enjoyed the flag-draped floats the most "because they represent all countries."

On School Street, parade watchers took shelter under the awnings of downtown businesses as more than 90 entries paraded past, including a group of Lodi physical education teachers who marched with tennis rackets and athletic equipment covered in tiny glowing bulbs. Bringing up the rear was Santa Claus, riding on a fire engine.

The night's festivities began at the steps of Lodi City Hall with the 13th annual lighting of the Lodi Tree of Lights.

With the flip of a giant switch, strings of lights hanging from the top of the towering evergreen tree in front of city hall began glowing.

Officials with the Downtown Lodi Business Partnership, which organizes the parade, worried the weather would hamper attendance. But lawn chairs began popping up on the rain-soaked sidewalks along the parade route by noon, and those chairs filled with men, women and children by the start of the procession.

Lodi High School freshman Hailey Nantt was looking forward to riding on the Lodi Adopt-a-Child float, which her Interact club worked on for two weeks, when she woke up Thursday morning.

"I've never been on a float before and I was really excited," Nantt said minutes before the parade began. "Then it started raining, and I was like, dang it. Then it stopped raining."

Not for long, though.

Contact reporter Jake Armstrong at jakea@lodinews.com.