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• $16 billion spent on chocolate in '06

• Lodi City council sorting through $830,000 worth of grant requests

• Galt High School District denies conflict of interest accusation

• Lodi Fire Department names new marshal

• Regional Roundup

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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When Evil wins

Lodi chopper shop takes top honors at Sacramento Autorama

Take one pair of air cap dice. Mix in a gear-shifter kickstand. Add a dash of Harley Sportster gas tank. Knead together with one '67 Triumph motorcycle and build for six to eight months for 12 hour-plus days. Rides one.

Such is the recipe for J.P. Puebla's award-winning bike called "Gifted," which took home two awards on Feb. 10 at the Sacramento Autorama show at Cal Expo.

"Gifted" is called that due to the fact that it was built from several different parts belonging to other bikes and, uh, stuff. For example, the gas cap is a three spoke knock-off from a set of Krager rims, and the petcock (the part that controls the flow of fuel) is a hot water faucet.

Most of the items were given to Puebla by customers who didn't need them or couldn't use them. Very little was bought outright on the bike.

Puebla was inspired by retired Brigadier General Lynn Ashcroft's custom motorcycles.

"Ashcroft doesn't look for expensive bikes," Puebla said. "He looks for the creativity."

This Frankenstein of a bike was entered into Autorama with Puebla gunning for what he calls "the only real prize," the Lynn Ashcroft Custom Builders Award.

Along with "Gifted," Puebla entered a custom-built, powder-coated purple bike owned by client Bruce Fornell and worth approximately $55,000.

Autorama celebrates just about every kind of road vehicle there is. Awards are handed out for cars, trucks and bikes.

Fornell's bike took third place in the custom built category.

Puebla's work of love took home first place in the European Customs category.

He was awarded the Ashcroft award from Lynn himself. Puebla wasn't handed a bulky trophy with his name engraved on a little brass plaque. Ashcroft presented him with a leather jacket emblazoned with the name of the award.

During his acceptance speech, Puebla says he talked about the inspiration that came from Ashcroft, who in turn was surprised he had such an effect on this talented builder.

Back in his shop on Victor Lane in Lodi, Puebla describes his latest work: a tribute to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that will document the action star's life since coming to America. Though he has 25 years of experience under his belt, Puebla admits he couldn't do it on his own.

"I couldn't do this without (Butch Kerney)," Puebla said of his co-builder who has been building bikes since the early '80s.

Puebla clearly wants to build custom bikes, but that's not his main goal.

"I want people to get on their bikes and ride," he said.

Contact Marc Lutz at marcl@lodinews.com.