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• Local riding troupe honored

• Lodi Hall of Fame: Former mayor Jerald Kirsten remembered for hard work, 'silver tongue'

• Regional Roundup

• Grapevine

• Public meetings for the week

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 (55)
• 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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Grapevine

Raccoons go wild, woman gets tanked in Lodi

CALL DAVY CROCKETT: John Johnson was at his mother-in-law's house across the street from the Lodi Library recently when his dog was attacked by a raccoon. The furry creatures frequent the property to eat the fruit from a peach tree, Johnson said.

The attack resulted in some nasty wounds to Johnson's dog and a $150 veterinarian bill.

Johnson, who sits on the Lodi Budget and Finance Committee, said he has seen raccoons in his neighborhood before. He called Animal Control, who recommended that he rent a trap from Robinson's Feed.

Not impressed, he wrote an e-mail to Lodi Police Chief Jerry Adams.

"Is the best Animal Control can do is suggest that I rent a trap?" he wrote. "Jerry, do you mind if I use my 12-gauge instead? It would be more cost effective."

Adams wrote back that the city used to give out raccoon traps, but it became hard to keep track of them, adding that Johnson's gun is not the answer.

"As always, discharge of a firearm within city limits is illegal," Adams wrote.

FAMILY OUTING: It was apparently just another family adventure for four relatives, who were running down Ham Lane around 6:30 a.m. on a recent morning.

So why did someone call police on them?

They were raccoons. And the caller thought it was a bit odd that they were running.

DRUNK SERVICE: When a Lodi woman got drunk one recent Thursday afternoon, she didn't wait for police to find her publicly intoxicated on Central Avenue. Instead, she called police from a pay phone, saying she wanted them to pick her up and take her to the drunk tank in the city jail.

Officers obliged.

DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO: The San Joaquin Council of Governments is exploring a commuter rail line through the Central Valley. There are two possible routes it is considering from Stockton to Sacramento: one through Lodi and one west of Lodi. But SJCOG's rail commission is favoring the western route.

Lodi is lobbying for the route through town, saying it would be a boon to the Downtown rail corridor. SJCOG, however, has told Lodi to be a team player and go along with the route its rail commission recommends.

Now here's the rub:

California is exploring a high-speed rail line through the state. There are two possible routes it is considering from southern California to the Bay Area: one through the Altamont Pass via San Joaquin County and one through the Pacheco Pass to San Jose.

SJCOG, saying the train would be a boon for the region, is lobbying for the route through the county.

No word yet on which route the California High-speed Rail Authority prefers, or if it would just like SJCOG be a team player.

A MANAGER WHO INHALED?: It appears that Eugene, Ore., has gone through several city managers in recent years. An alternative newspaper in that city has come up with some desirable characteristics for the next city manager.

Among the newspaper's suggestions: Someone who isn't chicken in taking on the business/bureaucracy establishment to attain the livable "green" vision that most Eugene residents share for the city, one who is comfortable with sharing a bathroom with a cross-dressed ALUG queen, one who can stomach outspoken activists. And finally:

"It wouldn't hurt if the manager has inhaled. A majority here have voted for looser pot laws."

Items in Grapevine, which runs every other week on Mondays, are written by various reporters on the staff. If you have an item to contribute, send an e-mail to news@lodinews.com or call 369-7035.