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• 'It has been a gift to me'

• Pat Maple quits Galt High board

• Longtime Galt High agriculture teacher moves on

• Lodi's water rates headed for increase

• DUI crash suspect booked into jail on new and old charges

• Regional Roundup

• Fireworks and Fourth of July celebration return to Lodi Lake

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 (170)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (73)
• Public health care is a Christian option (73)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (52)
• The haves should help the have-nots (31)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Government-run health care is a bad idea (25)
• Young woman fatally shot at Acampo home (18)
• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi (16)

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Fireworks and Fourth of July celebration return to Lodi Lake

Last year, the Lodi-Tokay Rotary Club announced it was done with putting on a Fourth of July celebration.

The event was just too much work, and club members were tired of being criticized from locals who didn't like paying admission and having to get through the fences that lined the park.

After the group backed out, Lodi's Fourth festivities were in question until the city of Lodi assured residents that fireworks would explode above the lake this year.

To that end, the city has taken the lead on organizing a free event that will last all day and culminate with a fireworks display. Two private groups have also joined together to host an event on the north side of the lake.

The major change from previous years is that parking will be at a premium. With the city launching fireworks from the vacant lot to the west of the park, the area will be closed to parking. Steve Dutra, Lodi's parks supervisor, said the area could accommodate several hundred vehicles.

"We have no parking arranged," he said. "Everyone is on their own."

Lodi Lake park will open at 7 a.m., and the Kiwanis group will offer its traditional pancake breakfast on the south side of the lake.

To the north, Lodi Rotary and supporters of the World of Wonders Science Museum are hosting a "family friendly, patriotic event" that begins at noon.

Pastor Dale Edwards, a member of Lodi Rotary, said after the city of Lodi announced it would provide for a Fourth of July celebration at the lake, his group and the museum supporters also decided to organize an event.

"When everything came back to being at the lake, myself and Sally Snyde, we got our heads together and thought maybe we could create something that wouldn't be as big," he said.

Snyde is the one of the lead supporters of the museum. She and others are raising funds to open the hands-on science museum in Downtown Lodi.

The Fourth of July celebration will help support reaching that goal.

Fourth of July at the Lake

Fireworks explode and light up the sky. (News-Sentinel file photo)

Lodi Lake will be home to two Fourth of July celebrations this year, one organized by the city of Lodi and one put together by the Lodi Rotary Club and the World of Wonders Science Museum.

City of Lodi event
Admission: free.
Opens: 7 a.m.
Events: Kiwanis pancake breakfast, swimming, picnics and boating.

Fourth of July at the Lake — An American Celebration
Admission: $6, children under 12 free
Opens: Noon.
Events: Concerts, hands-on science demonstrations, games, beer garden and food vendors.

The event will feature patriotic music, food and hands-on science exhibits provided by the World of Wonders group. The day's activities will conclude with a patriotic concert that will segue to the night's fireworks.

Edwards said the event is not designed to be like Fourth of July celebrations from previous years, but will be more like the Field and Fair Days, which were once held on the lawns near Hutchins Street Square.

Admission will be $6, and children under the age of 12 can enter free.

Edwards said there will be several food booths at the celebration as well as a beer garden. Those who attend are welcome to bring their own food and drink, but no alcoholic beverages or glass containers.

The city of Lodi is also keeping a tight lid on what can, and cannot, be brought into the lake. Dutra said Lodi police officers will be manning security checkpoints at the park's three gates to ensure no alcohol, weapons, pets, cans, bottles, fishing rods or any other prohibited items get into the park.

He said people can bring plastic beverage containers.

Because the city is opening the park for free, Dutra said boating and swimming will only be available for a fee. He said swimming will be allowed from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and boat rentals will be available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Dutra said the workers who help with the boats are needed to assist with the fireworks. He added the lake will be closed to all boats not owned by the city.