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• Tapping a resource

• Courtroom project will mean $200,000 a year for City of Lodi

• Homeless woman's quick action prevents fire from spreading

• Planning project for San Joaquin Valley comes to Lodi

• Woodbridge Irrigation District to fill Lodi Lake — partially

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 (154)
• 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)
• Lodi Flames slim playoff chances vanish in setback to Tracy Bulldogs (25)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Public health care is a Christian option (25)
• Nightmares about America's future (23)

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Homeless woman's quick action prevents fire from spreading

A homeless woman likely prevented a vehicle fire from spreading to a nearby building Tuesday by grabbing a garden hose and spraying the structure until firefighters arrived.

The fire started in a big rig off an alley near Hilborn and Washington streets Tuesday afternoon and was threatening to spread to a nearby garage, said Battalion Chief Ron Penix.

Laurie Williams, 48, happened to be collecting cans to recycle when she turned down the alley and saw flames coming from the diesel truck. She asked an onlooker to call 911 but the woman didn't speak English, Williams said. A second woman also didn't understand, but Williams found a third person who called for help.

Lodi fire crews put out a deisel truck that caught on fire Tuesday afternoon in an alley off of South Garfield. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)

In the meantime, Williams grabbed a nearby garden hose. The blaze was too strong to be fought with the hose, but Williams was worried about a nearby garage and a shed.

"Everybody thought I was trying to put the fire out, but I was just trying to keep it from spreading," she said.

Firefighters got close to the area, saw the smoke and asked for more crews. The fire had just reached a garage and was threatening a shed when firefighters soon put it out.

"It's a good thing (Williams) was walking by," Penix said. "She couldn't get the fire out but she was able to keep the neighbor's garage from burning."

The cause of the fire remained under investigation, Penix said.

First published: Wednesday, March 14, 2007