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• Heat doesn't hinder lively, well attended Fourth at Lodi Lake

• Lodi Community Art Center loses home ... again

• Pyrotechnic professionals

• Don't panic: You have another year

• Home damaged in Lockeford blaze

February 9th, 2010

• Middle College High School rated one of the best — and a bargain, to boot

• Lodi decathlon boasts top team in county

• Man who sparked counterfeit case pleads guilty

• Local businessman will visit Haiti to look for family

• Man who claimed to be Yosemite Sam pleads guilty to meth charge

• David Harmer seeks Republican congressional nod

• Lack of evidence in case against suspect in 'drug deal' stabbing

• Regional Roundup

February 8th, 2010

• Public Meetings

• Locals pick best, most memorable Super Bowl commercials

• Regional Roundup

February 6th, 2010

• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch

• Meet Larry, Curly and Moe

• Baboon business

• Regional Roundup

• Several Lodi venues let you watch the Super Bowl in style

• Lodi Library celebrates 100 years of serving the community

• Culinary craft

February 5th, 2010

• Kids, teachers help Haiti by collecting pennies for Learning Link

• Lodi, Galt students reach out to help Haiti earthquake survivors

• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam

• Hours of sweat and work go into putting on crab feeds

• Things looking up for state's real estate

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Stray bullet strikes Lodi home; police suspect gang activity may be factor

February 4th, 2010

• Managers at Geweke Toyota answer questions about recall

• Lodi City Council votes to replace play structure at Century Park

• Lodi extends ban on pot shops for another year

• Mokelumne River triathlon set for June

• Family, friends to run half-marathon in memory of Galt family

February 3rd, 2010

• Correction

• Delta College trustees again collide over stipend committee

• Bad bugs, weeds are hot topics at Grape Day

• Lodi-area senators Dave Cox, Lois Wolk admit to gifts; Tom Berryhill case pending

• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts

• Galt City Council avoids budget cuts — for now

• New Lodi Memorial Hospital emergency room opens to the public without a hitch

• Regional Roundup

February 2nd, 2010

• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future

• Correction

• Former Lodian Erica Davis is first paraplegic woman to summit Kilimanjaro

• Regional Roundup

• No snow leopards, otters for Micke Grove

• McNerney leads in campaign cash

• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen

• Big rig plows 7 cars

• Jumpers across California

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

• Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (75)
• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
• President Obama's first year (45)
• Many reject the politics of 'no' (45)
• Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (44)
• Writer comments on Neely column (42)
• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
• Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (34)
• We need to conduct respectful conversations (30)
• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam (25)

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Olympic dreams

Lodi's blind archer shooting for 2012 Games

Lodi's Janice Walth is the only known blind archer competing in the United States.

But when she heads to Korea in October for the IPC Archery World Championships, she'll hope to bring back something more than a first-place finish.

"I think when I come back, I can really promote visually impaired archery with some legitimacy," Walth said

Unlike the U.S., Walth says, visually impaired archery has become popular in other parts of the world, such as Korea, which fields an entire team.

At this year's archery championships, the visually impaired event will only be exhibition status, but it's likely to become part of the 2012 Paralympics in London.

And that's a big part of why Walth is exicted to attend the games, as she'll get the opportunity to discuss the future inclusion of blind archery in the Paralympics, something in which she certainly hopes to compete. Other events for disabled archers have been included the games, but never one for the visually impaired.

Walth's husband, Courtney, a sighted man, took up shooting when the couple first met seven years ago. She'd join Courtney and the Lodi Bowsman as they shot at the Grape Festival Grounds, but it wasn't until three years later they figured out a way she could shoot, too.

The technique — mastered by British Blind Sport, an organization in the UK that coordinates sports for the visually impaired — requires the use of a tripod, an adjustable bowsight and a laser pointer to align the tripod with its target.

On this Thursday afternoon, Janice Walth has her bow steadied, her arrow drawn back and — fwop!

"Yellow! 8 o'clock!" Courtney says, describing the location of his wife's arrow.

Courtney Walth will accompany his wife to Korea as her coach and spotter, though the couple needs $6,000 to pay for the trip to Korea.

"I have to pay my own way because it's exhibition status," Janice Walth said.

Walth has been doing fundraising to raise the money for the VI Archer Foundation. To offer donations, e-mail Janice Walth at viarchery@softcom.net.