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• Lodi fear factor

• Bones found

• 'My family is dead and in the ground, but their spirit is not'

• San Joaquin lead expert gives talk to local school

• Armed man robs Lodi gas station

• Regional board grants Lodi wastewater permit

• Legislation to double fines on Highway 12 moves forward

• Council of Governments to hear rail request

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 (147)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (63)
• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise (54)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (46)
• 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)
• Nightmares about America's future (22)
• Tokay Tigers blow late 27-point lead in loss to Wolf Pack (22)

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Lodi fear factor

What are the 5 scariest rides at the Lodi Grape Festival?

My stomach churns as I walk into the Grape Festival grounds.

Ten stories above my head looms the twin towers of the Sling Shot, an insane looking contraption that is one of the signature rides of the festival.

I envy the happy fair-goers enjoying funnel cake, pony rides and magic shows. This is not going to be a relaxing day at the fair for me.

My assignment: Ride the scariest rides the Grape Festival can throw at me.

When I was 12 and my forehead finally reached the clown's hand on the sign that read "you must be at least this tall to ride this ride," I rode them all.

The more a ride scrambled my brain, the better.

But that was almost two decades ago.

Since then, I've bungee jumped, rock climbed and sky dived, but I have steered clear of carnival rides.

Maybe it's because they all seem like low-budget astronaut training simulators for third world space programs.

Or maybe I just don't have the stomach any more.

As the Grape Festival opened, I managed to repress my fears long enough to brave what looked to me like the five burliest rides the fair has to offer (although the intimidating looking Crazy Train and Kamikaze were not working). Here's what you need to know to get scared:

The Fireball

Imagine a roller coaster inside of a donut and you'll have this little scream-inducer.

I strap into a seat across from Melissa Schuler and Lydia Stutz, 14-year-olds from Lodi. They are not first-timers like me and seem pretty nonchalant about the prospect of being tossed upside down.

My heart pounding, I keep asking them if they are scared.

News Sentinel writer Matt Brown and fellow traveler Will Amiott strap in to the Sling Shot on Thursday at the Grape Festival. The ride costs $25 and launches riders 225 feet in to the air. (Whitney Ramirez/News-Sentinel)

"No, it's not that bad," Schuler says.

"It's a good ride to start you off," Stutz adds.

The train rocks back and forth a few times climbing higher inside the giant loop until we are upside down. Then, just as I feel like I am going to pass out, we plunge back to the earth and continue up around the other side.

After four revolutions, I am woozy and close to losing it. My teenage companions squeal with delight while I scream in utter terror.

As a final kicker, on the last rotation, the train stops upside down long enough to rush all the blood to my brain and shake the loose change from my pockets.

I am glad when it's finally over.

Lose your lunch factor (out of five): ****

Tickets needed to ride: 5

The Zipper

This ride is a Ferris wheel on steroids. Colorful cages dangle from a skinny oval on an axis.

The operator won't let you on unless there are two people to a cage. I find Abel Soto, a 10-year-old, whose spiky hair just makes him tall enough to ride, and ask him if I could join him.

Abel has already been on this ride twice today and he assures me that it is not scary. We are locked into a small cage and begin rocking gently as we climb high above the fair grounds. I am a little nervous that there is only a small bar to hang onto.

News-Sentinel reporter Matt Brown and others ride The Zipper on Thursday. (Whitney Ramirez/News-Sentinel)

As the ride picks up speed, we make a full revolution and our little cages flip upside down. I scream like a little girl, but Abel just sits there.

"Abel, how you doin'?," I yell.

"I'm fine," he says calmly, sounding almost bored.

"Abel, I'm scared," I scream.

"Don't worry, you just have to relax," he says.

We keep rotating. Every third time around our little cage flips into a disorienting somersault. It's hard to tell which way is up.

Thankfully, the ride ends. Abel runs back to get in line again, and I have trouble just walking.

Lose your lunch factor: ****

Tickets needed to ride: 5

The Scrambler

I'm ready for a ride that doesn't leave me hanging upside down staring at the Grape Festival grounds 200 feet below.

Grape Festival attendees ride The Scrambler on Thursday. (Matt Brown/News-Sentinel)

The Scrambler has three rotating arms with four cars per arm. As the arms spin, the cars rotate for a dizzying feeling like riding the Teacups ride at Disneyland.

News-Sentinel photographer Whitney Ramirez agrees to ride with me. As the ride picks up speed, the centrifugal force slams me into Whitney like being in the back seat of a car speeding around a tight corner.

We laugh and scream as we are tossed around, but none of the other riders seem to think it's that scary.

Lose your lunch factor: **

Tickets needed to ride: 4

The Skydiver

It's easy to confuse this ride with the Ferris wheel, but if you are looking for a slow leisurely float above the fair, keep walking.

Grape Festival daredevils, and News-Sentinel reporter Matt Brown ride The Sky Diver on Thursday. (Whitney Ramirez/News-Sentinel)

This ride's cages rotate on a giant wheel. However, unlike a traditional Ferris wheel, the riders can chose to flip themselves upside down using the steering wheel inside each cage.

Again, two people are required to ride, so I recruit Valerie Garcia, a Lodi 12-year-old. (Not many adults are riding these rides — for good reason?)

I tell Valerie that I don't want to go upside down if at all possible. That's fine with her, she says, and lets me steer.

Before we even begin, a carnie locks us into our cage and gives us a big spin flipping us upside down. What a jerk!

The steering is harder than it looks. As we rotate toward the sky, I try to keep our little cage upright, but I become disoriented on the way down. I loose control of the cage and we start to spin. We end up completing the ride partly upside down and partly sideways.

I try to apologize to Valerie for being such a horrible driver, but she runs off to join her friends.

Lose your lunch factor: ***

Tickets needed to ride: 5

The Sling Shot

I save the best for last.

Imagine bungee jumping, but in reverse.

A spherical metal cage with two seats is attached to two bungee cords and is tied down between the two massive towers of The Sling Shot.

I am the first person to brave the ride today and don't have the benefit (or the fear) of watching someone go before me. The operators are having some technical difficulties with the ride.

Mike Ciuca, a large, bald Scottish Canadian in a kilt, tells me his company has launched a 78-year-old grandmother and a 5-year-old-girl, and they have never had an accident.

That doesn't make me feel any better.

I strap in next to Will Amiott, a short, wiry Canadian carnie who is testing the ride to see if the problem is fixed. I'm a little worried about being a human guinea pig, but Will assures me everything will be alright.

"I've ridden this thing too many times," Will says, and I believe him.

Our sphere tilts back and I am facing the blue sky.

I strangle the bars in front of me, my heart pounding.

The anticipation is the worst part.

There is no countdown.

Bagpipe music blares from nearby speakers.

And then I am flying.

The ride shoots us straight into the air with five Gs of force and we hit 100 miles per hour within one second.

The force pulls the skin on my face back toward my chair. We reach the apex at 225 feet and, for a split second, I am weightless. I can see the entire fair. I can see my house. People look like dots.

Then we plunge back to earth twisting, bouncing and shouting the whole way down.

Awesome!

Lose your lunch factor: *****

Tickets needed to ride: $25 (tickets aren't accepted)

Contact reporter Matt Brown at mattb@lodinews.com.