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• Did he 'throw up a "T"'?

• Drivers of GrapeLine, Dial-A-Ride join union

• The Stokes family has long history of helping Thornton

• Regional Roundup

• 80-plus attend Day of Prayer in Lodi

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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It is evolving, but in Lodi, BOBS group remains vital to youthful sports, recreation

Next year, the Boosters of Boys and Girls Sports program, or "BOBS," will celebrate its 50th year as Lodi's premiere youth sports association.

The relationship between the City of Lodi and the BOBS has been described as unique. Most cities long ago began distancing themselves from organized youth sports. In Lodi, the connection between the two can best be described as intimate. BOBS and its legions of volunteers work many, many long hours without compensation to ensure that the kids in Lodi have about as well-run a baseball, softball, soccer, basketball and flag football leagues as one could reasonably expect.

Up until last year, the BOBS also were heavily involved with youth tackle football. The reasons for that disassociation are subject to debate.

The city, in turn, provides a significant amount of support via administration and maintenance of various sports fields used by BOBS. The BOBS volunteers also work tirelessly helping out at many sites to maintain and improve facilities. The scoreboards at Salas Park and new bleachers and planned batting cages at Kofu Park are examples of BOBS-related improvements.

Much has been made as of late regarding the city manager's office proposing approximately $100,000 in cuts to the city's allocation to BOBS-related activities. The city is struggling to balance the 2008-09 budget due to the souring economy and is searching every nook and cranny of the city budget to find savings. The city manager has also said publicly that the city is vulnerable to liability issues due to its tight-knit relationship to the BOBS.

The connection between the two entities can pretty much be summed up by the fact that the treasurer of the BOBS is Steve Brown; Brown also happens to be an interim Parks and Rec Supervisor. Brown has been called a tremendous asset to both by Recreation Supervisor Mike Reese, and BOBS President Ted Coffee.

According to BOBS board member John Portscheller, BOBS has realized that the $1,000,000 in liability coverage it currently carries will need to be bumped up to at least $2 million and maybe as high as $4-5 million dollars over the next year. Even though there have been no claims against BOBS for as long as anyone remembers, the BOBS will obtain an amount of coverage more acceptable to the city.

Between 2,600 and 3,000 Lodi area kids and their families make use of BOBS each and every year. These families are charged about 33 percent less to participate than those in most other cities.

Mr. Coffee has stated that "no child is turned away from participating due to lack of money." That alone may be reason enough to continue the status quo. The city's $115,000 or so yearly contribution to administer BOBS-related activities amounts to .25 percent of the city's general fund, not counting parks maintenance and such. This seems to me to be a paltry sum in not only helping keep kids out of trouble and involved in constructive activities, but may be even more important in helping fight the epidemic of childhood obesity.

BOBS meets the second Wednesday of every month at the Parks and Rec office at 125 N. Stockton St. and meetings are open to the public.

On an unrelated note, please join me on May 3rd at Lodi Middle School where the Lodi Chess Tournament will take place at 9 a.m. For more information, call Parks and Rec at 333-6800.

J. Kurt Roberts can be reached at jkurtroberts@sbcglobal.net.