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• Web site, education help local teachers squash plagiarism

• Delta locks up site for Galt campus

• Tree auction in Lodi

• Woodbridge family's wrongful death trial against Toyota gets under way

• New hotel planned for Kettleman Lane

• Regional Roundup

• City ponders taking first crack at fed grant money

• In the nick of swine ...

• City hires attorney to fight Tracy Press suit

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 (165)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (70)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (48)
• The haves should help the have-nots (30)
• Public health care is a Christian option (29)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Government-run health care is a bad idea (17)
• Young woman fatally shot at Acampo home (17)
• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi (16)

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Honors and championships were aplenty this fall

As fast as fall went, it was a championship season and playoff year for every local prep sport but football. Friday nights may still be the king of the marquee sport, but not by much anymore.

The Elliot Christian girls cross country team added another Division V section crown to go along with its Harvest Christian League title and state meet appearance.

The Lodi and Tokay cross country squads each won championships in the San Joaquin Athletic Association and Tri-City Athletic League, respectively.

Lodi was the SJAA volleyball champ and a section semifinalist, and Tokay qualified for the section playoffs as well.

The Lodi girls tennis team captured the SJAA title and reached the section semifinals. On the links, the Tokay girls golf squad won the TCAL title.

In water polo, Lodi's boys and Tokay's girls won league championships and both qualified for the section playoffs along with Lodi's girls. All three teams were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Galt cross country runner Lauren Petersen took third in the Division I section meet at Willow Hill to qualify for the state meet this Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno.

To date, eight local athletes have been named the best in league at their respective positions.

These include Lodi soccer player Mike Weybret, the SJAA Defender of the Year, and Tokay's Mike Kludt, the TCAL Defender of the Year.

In water polo, Lodi's Nick Iturraran captured SJAA Defensive Player of the Year honors and Tokay's Calvin Watt shared TCAL Player of the Year honors with two others.

Lodi's Katelyn Griffin was voted the SJAA Co-Player of the Year and teammate Marissa Schuh the Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Tokay's Anne Heberle was named TCAL Player of the Year and Heberle's teammate, Corinne Alexander, was honored as TCAL Goalkeeper of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Think about that for just a second. Out of the seven fall sports, eight local athletes were honored as the best of the best in their league. Local teams brought home eight championships.

That's an impressive showing by local teenagers.

But more importantly and even more outstanding was the level of sportsmanship, character and selflessness many of these teams and individuals displayed throughout the entire fall season.

Out of so many deserving student-athletes I observed during the course of the season, however, one male and one female athlete stood especially tall this fall:

Roy Hale, Elliot football

Probably no player was as valuable to his team as was Hale, a three-year starter at running back and free safety for the Eagles.

After dislocating his shoulder in the season's first game and nearly hanging up his cleats for good, Hale, an aspiring minister, returned to take one for the team and played in immense pain through eight games before sitting out the season finale.

In the process, Hale rushed for 1,094 yards and 12 touchdowns this year while becoming the school's career leading rusher with 3,115 yards and second with 37 career touchdowns.

Katelyn Griffin, Lodi water polo

The consummate team player, Griffin suddenly ramped up her level of play down the league stretch and into the section playoffs.

Whether speeding down the pool for breakaway goals following steals on the defensive end or finding open teammates with nifty passes for scores, the popular Griffin never sought the spotlight and was always quick to defer praise to her teammates and coaching staff.

Lincoln driver Allison Kosich, who shared SJAA Player of the Year honors with Griffin this season, called Griffin the best player she faced and the one who exhibited the most sportsmanship.