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• Cutting corners

• What's in it for Lodi residents?

• Suspect in drugstore robbery apprehended

• Lodi High grad assists magician on 'America's Got Talent'

• Renting of 'the square' to church could raise money, conflicts too

• Regional Roundup

November 20th, 2009

• Real estate market gets on more solid ground

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

• National Guard troops return home in time for the holidays

• Salvation Army Kettle Kickoff

• Regional Roundup

• Stable southeast of Lodi approved

• Acampo woman killed

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

• Galt plans to help residents with energy-efficient projects

November 19th, 2009

• Logbook

• Water surges in Mokelumne River yield more salmon

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

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

• Operation: Christmas

• Corrections

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

• Chase ends in crash

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

• Lodi City Council will consider redevelopment next June

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

November 18th, 2009

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

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

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

• Regional Roundup

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

November 17th, 2009

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

• Redevelopment to be discussed by Lodi City Council again

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

• Regional Roundup

• Court reinstates death penalty for killer of Lodi grad

• Clements gets free water rescue boat

• Clarification

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

November 16th, 2009

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

• Regional Roundup

• Correction

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

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

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

• Public Meetings

November 14th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• 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

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

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

November 13th, 2009

• What to expect with new homebuyer tax credit

• Lodi Muslim: Local mosque not involved

• Regional Roundup

• Burglary suspects are under arrest

• Lodi veteran recounts close calls in Vietnam

• Mayor Larry Hansen points out Lodi's economic progress

• First phase of Lockeford park by 2011?

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

• The country's mess is our fault (130)
• Obama is not a moderate (129)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (60)
• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise (49)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (45)
• Lodi Flames slim playoff chances vanish in setback to Tracy Bulldogs (25)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• The haves should help the have-nots (25)
• Tokay Tigers blow late 27-point lead in loss to Wolf Pack (22)
• Nightmares about America's future (21)

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Lodi High grad assists magician on 'America's Got Talent'

Tracy Vietmeier's gig as assistant to comedic magician Nathan Burton in Las Vegas has just gained national attention: The act is in the wildcard show for "America's Got Talent," hosted by Regis Philbin.

Vietmeier graduated from Lodi High School in 1993. She's been performing and dancing for most of her life and has performed in Las Vegas for the last six years, said her mother Barbara Vietmeier, of Lodi.

"When I saw her on TV, I thought, 'Now she's doing what she's wanted to do,'" Barbara Vietmeier said.

Tracy Vietmeier auditioned for Burton's act and has been one of his assistants for a year. Burton auditioned for the talent show several months ago in Los Angeles. He did his most famous trick, "The Microwave." For this, he climbs in a giant microwave. A lot of steam comes out, and he steps out as a black man. Several weeks ago, this trick aired, and Burton's act ended up in the semi-finals. Judges David Hasselhoff, Brandy and Piers Morgan (the British guy), all enjoyed the talent.

For his next act, he brought five assistants.

"I ended up being the lucky one to go to the show with four other girls," she said. "Nathan is a great magician and comes up with great tricks."

She enjoys learning how magic works.

"Hopefully America will vote for us, and we'll have a chance to win the show," she said. "There's not too many people who can say they got this far. ... It has been pretty amazing."

Vietmeier also has enjoyed seeing the different acts on the show. There's a wide variety, including jugglers, a young yodeler, a four-part harmony group, a rappin' granny, a contortionist, quick-change artists and much more.

Vietmeier's love of performing began when she auditioned for "The Wizard of Oz" with the Lodi Children's Theater and was cast as Dorothy. In high school, she was part of the drill team and was in choir. She continued performing at San Joaquin Delta College and taught at two dance studios in Lodi.

She later moved to Las Vegas to be close to her sister and began to audition for various shows. In addition to the comedic magic act, she is in "V — The Ultimate Variety Show." She also is a go-go dancer for The Fabulous Four — a Beatles Tribute. And she did a three-week run of being a back-up dancer for Trenyce from "American Idol."

Newsroom assistant Pam Bauserman contributed to this report.

Contact reporter Jennifer Gokhman at jenniferg@lodinews.com.

First published: Wednesday, August 9, 2006