Indexes
The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.
- Bible is entwined with American civic life (135)
- I predict: A conservative tide will rise in 2010 (73)
- David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy (70)
- The Treaty of Tripoli hoax (60)
- Universal health care solves big problems (54)
- Here's what my father knew about the assassination of JFK (35)
- Stuck in neutral? Hardly! (35)
- Words from our forefathers (27)
- City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks (24)
- Majority cannot deprive the minority (23)
Investigation continues into bones discovered at school construction site in Stockton
Excavation continued Monday morning at the construction site where workers found what could be American Indian remains on Thursday afternoon.
Archeologists from Jones and Stokes, a Sacramento-based environmental consulting firm, unearthed additional bones Monday at the Podesta Ranch Elementary School, according to Art Hand, assistant superintendent of facility planning for Lodi Unified School District.
Podesta Ranch Elementary is located on Whistler Way near Lower Sacramento Road in Stockton.
Hand said the archeologists believe that the newly found bones belong to the same body that was found on Sept. 13.
District officials have contacted the Native American Heritage Commission, an official government agency that identifies and coordinates American Indian resources, such as remains and sacred sites.
The NAHC turned the matter over to Katherine Perez, who was designated as the most likely living descendent of the remains. In order to obtain such a designation by the NAHC, a person must register with the commission by turning in an application with documentation proving his or her heritage.
A representative sent by Perez was on site Monday morning, assisting archeologists.
Once excavated, Hand said, the bones will be turned over to Perez. Perez said she will reinter them in an undisclosed location.
Construction at the Podesta Ranch Elementary was light on Friday and Monday, according to Hand. Regular construction should resume as soon as the NAHC releases the site.
Perez said the possibility of finding American Indian remains often shows up on developers' environmental impact report.
Hand said the district did do such a report before construction started.
"Any time that you build in the Central Valley you run the possibility that you will find ancient remains," Hand said.
However, Hand said, the district is doing everything possible to ensure the remains are treated with respect.
Construction at Podesta Ranch began Aug. 30. The school is expected to cost $14 million, with $7 million coming from Measure L funds and $7 million coming from the state. The school will house 822 students and is scheduled to open for the 2008-09 school year.
Contact reporter Amanda Dyer at amandad@lodinews.com.

Reader Feedback
1492 wrote on Sep 19, 2007 12:16 PM:
83 Alliance wrote on Sep 18, 2007 7:44 PM:
Pfc. Joe Silverhawk wrote on Sep 18, 2007 12:45 PM:
Metric Time System wrote on Sep 18, 2007 12:08 PM:
Comments on this story are now closed.