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• Teen dies in crash on Highway 12

• Galt City Council votes against transfer station

• Galt garbage debate

• Lodi grape growers mourn Gallo's passing

• $500,000 for public art in Lodi: How will it be spent?

• Council considers funding 255 megawatt power plant

• Area water district sets public hearing date for groundwater charge

• Regional Roundup

• Council ponders a possible location for Fourth fireworks

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• Logbook

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

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• 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

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• 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

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• Paying tribute to a Lodian

• Regional Roundup

• Court reinstates death penalty for killer of Lodi grad

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• 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

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• 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

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• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

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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

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November 12th, 2009

• Logbook

• Correction

• Robotics team at Jim Elliot invited to compete in Israel

• City of Lodi begins annual leaf removal program Monday

• Liberty Ranch construction at standstill as state pulls funds

• Will Lodi adopt a program that will allow volunteers to work at parks?

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Lodi grape growers mourn Gallo's passing

Local grape growers Tuesday mourned the passing of Ernest Gallo, 97, whose wine empire relied largely on the grapes produced in Lodi's fertile fields.

Ernest Gallo

Gallo and his brother, Julio, co-founded E. and J. Gallo Winery in 1933. The company has contracted with Lodi area grape growers for several generations.

"They are an important part of Lodi and California and the world," said Bruce Fry, whose family runs Mohr-Fry Ranches in Lodi, and grows grapes for Gallo. "I'm sorry to hear he passed."

Fry, former president of the Lodi District Winegrape Growers Association, noted that the Modesto-based winemaking giant has provided local growers with fair contracts.

Gallo even provides growers with a bonus for grapes that meet high-quality thresholds, Fry said.

For Larry Mettler, owner of Arbor Vineyards in Lodi, the Gallo brothers will perhaps be best remembered as innovators.

"Ernest and Julio, these two guys were leaders in the industry from the beginning," said Mettler, whose family also grows grapes for Gallo. "They were very innovative in branding and marketing."

Julio passed away in 1993.

Mettler noted that Ernest Gallo in particular was so steeped in branding his product that he built his own glass factory to make Gallo wine glasses.

"I think he's going to be missed by the industry," Mettler said.

He added that the brothers were passionate about wine quality and supported the founding of grower research programs in the state.

Mark Chandler, executive director of the Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, said Ernest Gallo had a tremendous influence on both local growers and the wine industry across the nation.

"He was the guy that really built the American wine market," Chandler said.

First published: Wednesday, March 7, 2007