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• Council OKs official city motto

• Police seek public's help to identify burglary suspect

• Threatening letter investigated

• African village will soon be official sister city of Galt

• Galt school unification plan inches forward despite stalls

• Jim Elliot robotics team slam dunks robo-opponents

• Tracy man charged with rape

• Regional Roundup

• Residents voice opinions on Eastside streets

• San Joaquin student held in stabbing

• Logbook

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

• 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

• Chase ends in crash

• Operation: Christmas

• Logbook

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

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

November 18th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

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

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

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

November 17th, 2009

• Clarification

• 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

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

November 16th, 2009

• Correction

• Public Meetings

• Regional Roundup

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

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

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

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

November 14th, 2009

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Regional Roundup

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

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

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

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

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

November 13th, 2009

• What to expect with new homebuyer tax credit

• Lodi Muslim: Local mosque not involved

• Regional Roundup

• Mayor Larry Hansen points out Lodi's economic progress

• First phase of Lockeford park by 2011?

• Lodi veteran recounts close calls in Vietnam

• Burglary suspects are under arrest

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

• The country's mess is our fault (155)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (67)
• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise (58)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (48)
• The haves should help the have-nots (30)
• Public health care is a Christian option (26)
• Lodi Flames slim playoff chances vanish in setback to Tracy Bulldogs (25)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Nightmares about America's future (23)

ADVERTISEMENT

Are you ready for some football?

Stockon Lightning kick off inaugural af2 season tonight at Spokane Shock

For diehard football fans who drudge through the long summer months of baseball season, arena football could be your new answer to pass the time.

The Stockton Lightning kicks off its inaugural season as a member of the af2 when it plays visitor to the Spokane Shock, another first-year team, tonight at Spokane Arena.

The Lightning will make their home debut at Stockton Arena on April 29 against the Bakersfield Blitz.

One local name fans may recognize on the Lightning's 24-man roster is that of James Newson, a graduate of Edison High School in Stockton, who went on to star at Oregon State University as a receiver.

A 2003 All-Pac-10 first-team honoree, Newson was invited to the training camps of the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins before playing a brief stint in NFL Europe.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Stockton native will now look to shine as a receiver/safety for the Lightning in front of his home crowd.

"He's a hell of player," Lightning coach Richard Davis said. "He had a big time college football career. Obviously, he brings a pedigree to the sport that I'm counting on. James is full of potential and now we have to find out if he can turn that potential into production."

Other local players include Tracy natives QB Josh Wallwork and FB/RB Lyndell Hawkins, as well as receiver George Williams, an arena football veteran and Franklin High graduate who played his college ball at Kansas State.

Fifteen of the Lightning players are playing their first season in the af2, making it difficult for Davis to assess how good his team will be until he sees them in game action.

"We're long on talent and short on experience, as many expansion teams are," Davis said. "We're gonna play hard and these guys play to my style because they're tough. They're gonna hit you in the mouth."

Davis says the biggest difference between arena football and the standard game is that everything, from the field to the rosters, is smaller.

"Everything is smaller," Davis said. "The players, the fans — you're right there on top of it. Your visual identification is different. Kids have to retrain themselves. Most of them are athletes who will have to play both sides of the ball, true iron men. You have eight guys playing on the field at one time and five of those guys are playing both sides. I think fans will be able to respect that fact.

"I respect them for their efforts to play at this level because you're not getting rich here. Many of them had celebrated college careers. These are valuable professionals who just need a break or two here."

The Stockton Thunder hockey team has had tremendous success in its inaugural season at Stockton's waterfront arena. With four home games remaining, the Thunder have a chance to lead the ECHL in home attendance with over 6,000 fans per contest.

Those in the Lightning organization hope to continue the momentum, likely even surpassing the attendance numbers of the hockey team.

"We have had a great fan response to our hockey team and we're now looking forward to a similar response with the introduction of our af2 football team," Dan Chapman, the president of both the Thunder and Lightning, said in a press release.

The Lightning's regular season is 16 games long — eight home and eight away — and runs through the end of July.

The Lightning join Bakersfield, Spokane, the Everett Hawks and Central Valley Coyotes in the National West Division. The af2 as a whole consists of six divisions and 23 teams.

Season tickets are on sale now, as are individual game tickets for Stockton's home-opener against Bakersfield.

For more information, call the Lightning at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonlightning.com.

First published: Thursday, March 30, 2006