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• New federal map may spare some Lodians hundreds or thousands in flood insurance

• Foreclosure frustration

• Regional Roundup

November 2nd, 2009

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

November 7th, 2009

• Lodi High graduate was at Fort Hood

• Lining up for flu shots in Lodi

• Tour packs buses as birdwatchers admire Sandhill cranes

• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks

• Daytime thieves targeting Lodi homes

• Lodi High School rally featured on 'Good Day Sacramento'

• Out of control

• Homicide suspect Anthony Hubbard arraigned

• Regional Roundup

• New Lodi Memorial rule to combat spread of H1N1: Visitors must be older than 16

November 6th, 2009

• Short sales make up nearly half of Lodi market

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi man accused of smuggling drugs, weapons for inmates at state prison

• 'I-5 Strangler' sentenced to 6 terms of life

• Jury convicts Acampo man of torture, assault of his girlfriend

• Young girl is 200,000th person to assemble AIDS, HIV care kit

• Woman in wheelchair struck by car

November 5th, 2009

• A lower Lodi Lake

• Streetside scarecrows

• San Joaquin County considers moratorium on new Williamson Act contracts

• Speakers address Lodi Unified School District budget shortfalls, plea to keep programs

• Armed robbers still targeting Lodi shops

• Regional Roundup

• California voters have final say over $11 billion water bond

• Weekend bus service to continue until Lodi City Council makes decision

• Paul Tebbel shines spotlight on sandhill cranes

• Your complete guide to Sandhill Crane Festival

• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy

• Man wanted in Acampo homicide gives up to San Joaquin County Sheriff's detectives

November 4th, 2009

• Candle fire

• Rep. Jerry McNerney sets telephone town hall for Thursday

• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

• Regional Roundup

• Galt City Council argues over ordinance hiring residents

• San Joaquin County sues state over prison hospital planned for Stockton

• Big win for Allen Baroni in reclamation election

• California sends Democratic loyalist John Garamendi to Congress

• Bicycling father raising awareness of teen suicide

• Lodi City Council weighs raising fares to restore some bus service

November 3rd, 2009

• 500 attend service for Kyle Coumas

• Correction

• Galt considers ordinance that would require city contractors to hire locally

• Regional Roundup

• Have you seen a missing guide dog puppy in Lodi?

• Galt man dies after weekend Highway 12 crash

• Jason Behrmann is top candidate for Galt city manager

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

• Clarification

November 2nd, 2009

• Downtown Lodi trick or treat

• Public Meetings

• Correction

• Kyle Coumas funeral today

• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home

• Regional Roundup

• Group investigates reports of haunting

• Sandhill Cranes Festival comes to Lodi next weekend

• Lamborghini lovers gather for show, fine wine, luncheon in Woodbridge

• Lodi's 'Biggest Loser' Christy Richesin runs 5K Halloween race

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)

ADVERTISEMENT

Out of this world spa

Lodi's Planet Beach offers latest in hydro-massage, skin care and tanning

As summer approaches, sun seekers will inevitably head for sandy beaches to play and get a tan. But those looking for golden skin don't need to drive all the way to the ocean. There's a beach right here in Lodi.

Planet Beach, a vibrant and colorful spa offering massage therapy, hydrotherapy and tanning, opened just two weeks ago at 363 S. Lower Sacramento Road in the Raley's Shopping Center.

Philip and Kirsten Loechler were looking to make a change and discovered the Planet Beach franchise (dubbed a "contempo spa") through a friend.

"I was interested in opening my own business, and I had a friend who had a Planet Beach franchise," Kirsten Loechler said. "She said it was a lot of fun."

Kirsten Loechler presented the information to her husband, and they researched it. Philip Loechler had been looking for a change of career.

"She brought this up, and I said, 'Sure,'" Philip Loechler said. "Everything just fell into place." One of the main draws to Philip Loechler was the young open-minded attitude of Planet Beach. They began the footwork to open the spa, and exactly one year later, on May 7, they opened their doors for business.

Among the services offered by Planet Beach are an oxygen bar with several "flavors," a hydro-massage bed, a Cyber-Relax massage chair, facials, guided meditation, UV therapy and Mystic tanning.

Kirsten Loechler explains different treatments offered at the business in the Raley's shopping center. Here she shows the hydration station, a pod-like device designed to moisturize a client's skin before the tanning process takes place. (Jennifer M. Howell/News-Sentinel)

The main focus, according to the Loechlers, is healthy skin. To that end, they carry a full line of skin care products, and soon they will stock a line of nutritional products as well.

Philip and Kirsten Loechler and their five employees have all been trained through Planet Beach University and have 1,150 units. Each is a certified skin consultant from the National Tanning Training Institute, and they've all had 40 hours of marketing and equipment training.

"We know almost everything about skin," said Rhonda Dias, the assistant consultant at Planet Beach.

A hydration station, a pod-like device that looks as if it would transport people into space, is designed to moisturize a client's skin before the tanning process takes place.

"Moisturized skin tans better," Kirsten Loechler said.

After the hydration, clients looking to tan have the option of various UV tanning beds or the UV-free Mystic tan. The Mystic tan uses Magnatec technology. Unlike traditional sprayed on tans, the Mystic tan draws the color to the body like a magnet in just moments. In four to six hours, clients will have an even tan that lasts up to seven days.

When the Loechlers began promoting their business, they offered memberships through Twin Arbors Athletic Club. Since they opened, they have joined the Lodi Chamber of Commerce and are continually involving themselves in community events such as the Street Faire.

Memberships are still encouraged by the staff, mainly because they give unlimited access to all the services offered by Planet Beach, with the exception of the UV tanning booths. For a limited time they will sell memberships for $59 a month, though individual sessions can be purchased.

"In an hour, people (that come in) will be fully rejuvenated," Philip Loechler said.

For more information on Planet Beach, call 369-4SPA.

Contact Business Editor Marc Lutz at marcl@lodinews.com.