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• Readying for war

• Corn syrup center OK'd

• Stolen Boy Scout patches discovered by Lodi officer

• Get those shorts, tank tops ready: Lodi set to warm up

• Local astronaut Jose Hernandez to speak at Latino leadership event

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi dentist to lead county dental society

• Galt Elementary to hire new superintendent

November 21st, 2009

• Logbook

• Holiday drive spreads cheer to U.S. troops

• Galt High students want board to approve open-campus policy

• Poisoning victims remain hospitalized

• Expert: Half a mushroom cap can be deadly

• Tokay grad files claim over Lodi's Grape Bowl

• Lodi Middle School holds annual Turkey Trot

• Regional Roundup

• No motive or suspect in shooting

• Sacramento cop arrested for alleged kidnapping

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

• Operation: Christmas

• Logbook

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Chase ends in crash

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

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

• 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

November 18th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

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

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

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

November 17th, 2009

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

• 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

• Clarification

November 16th, 2009

• Correction

• Public Meetings

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

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

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

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

• Regional Roundup

November 14th, 2009

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Regional Roundup

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

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

• 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

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

• The country's mess is our fault (165)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (71)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (49)
• The haves should help the have-nots (30)
• Public health care is a Christian option (30)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Government-run health care is a bad idea (17)
• Young woman fatally shot at Acampo home (17)
• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi (16)

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Local astronaut Jose Hernandez to speak at Latino leadership event

Tracy Hispanic Business Group's scholarship and award recipients will be greeted by astronaut Jose Hernandez at their reception dinner on Saturday.

Jose Hernandez

Hernandez, born to immigrant workers in French Camp, will speak about how education and hard work made his career in space engineering possible.

As a senior in high school, he heard a news report that Franklin Chang-Diaz had been selected as the first Latino astronaut in the United States.

"That's when I knew I wanted to become an astronaut," he said.

Hernandez, who graduated from University of the Pacific in 1985 with a degree in electrical engineering, works at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

He underwent simulated launches and classroom instruction in a two-year astronaut training program to become an astronaut candidate. He is now equipped for his first launch, which Hernandez said he hopes will be within the next year or so.

He also earned a master's degree in electrical engineering at University of California, Santa Barbara. After graduating, he was hired by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory where he helped develop the first full-field digital mammography imaging system, a system that is used to detect the early stages of breast cancer.

He regularly speaks to young people across the nation.

"I want to elevate the awareness of the post high school opportunities right here in our backyard," Hernandez said. "I think the kids need to realize that we need to plan ahead for our future. And a good education is the key to that."

Contact reporter Danielle MacMurchy at danielle@tracypress.com.