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• Battle for the board

• Blaze burns alfalfa at Thornton dairy; spontaneous combustion suspected

• Lodi High's 'spunky' class graduates

• Doing what makes her happy earns Megan Spencer valedictorian spot

• Lodi High top graduates

• 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

• Regional Roundup

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

• 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

• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

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

• Regional Roundup

• 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

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

• Group investigates reports of haunting

October 31st, 2009

• Area schools have no plans of closing due to H1N1 virus

• Tokay High evacuation

• Gated communities in Lodi

• Finishing touches on Hill House replica

• Regional Roundup

• In remembrance of Kyle Coumas

• Lodi-area Halloween events

• City of Lodi settles case of mistaken identity

• Lodi a reflection of Halloween's retail emergence

• Izzy Laviola and Seth Siddle-Mitchell crowned Tokay homecoming queen and king

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 (71)
• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy (70)
• The Treaty of Tripoli hoax (58)
• Universal health care solves big problems (56)
• Here's what my father knew about the assassination of JFK (35)
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• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks (20)
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Lodi High's 'spunky' class graduates

Thousands of friends, family and educators packed the Lodi Grape Bowl on Friday evening to watch the culmination of a 13-year-long journey for hundreds of Lodi High School seniors.

As the soon-to-be graduates donned in red and white robes marched in the stadium's back parking lot, members of the crowd burst into a roaring applause, signifying a job well done.

Not knowing where they're favorite grad might be, mothers and fathers scoured the sea of red and white in search of the fruits of 18 years of labor.

"What we have here before us tonight is truly the best that Lodi Unified School District has to offer," said Ken Davis, Lodi Unified's board president.

To kick off the ceremony, Davis gave the Class of 2008 a, perhaps unprecedented, four F's.

"We have not given them F's; otherwise they would not be here," Davis said.

He urged the graduates to keep family, friends, faith and fun close to their hearts as they begin the rest of their treks through life.

Senior Class President Andreana Rocha snubbed a more traditional oration in favor of a poem, in which she managed to mention Principal Bill Atterberry shaving his head four years ago, the loss of the Pigskin and Gingham dances, and hiding from campus supervisors who would lecture girls for the length of their shorts.

"The past four years you have been a spunky group," said Jackie Heinrich, the 2007 teacher of the year.

Heinrich presented social science teacher and "one-woman-dynamo" Mishell Wolff with the 2008 teacher of the year award, which she won based on student votes.

Atterberry honored both valedictorian Megan Spencer and runner-up Megan Gritsch, whose race for the top seat came down to a thousandth of a grade point average point.

Spencer giggled a bit before reaching the microphone to give her speech.

"I'm just soaking it all in," she said.

Polished from her efforts on the speech and debate team, Spencer focused on the Class of 2008 — and all others present — imagining what they want to be and being it.

She honored fellow senior Michael Harrich, who will be attending the United States Military Academy at West Point, and all of her peers going into the military, as well as Lodi High's many engineering students and the first-generation Americans who Friday night became first-generation American high school graduates.

A wind-whipped Spencer had to pause as a gust nearly flew away with her speech.

She recovered to give a last piece of advice to her class.

"I want nothing more in the whole world than for you to be happy. That's what it's all about," she said.

Pods with in the crowd erupted in applause and cheers as Atterberry called out each of the graduates names.

Some grads ran to give their favorite teachers a hug. Others shook their fists in the air as if to say, "Yes, I did it."

Still others mugged for the camera, their first pictures as high school graduates.

After the stack of diplomas were dispersed throughout the grads, Atterberry instructed the former high school students to place their tassels on the other side of their caps, and proclaimed them all graduates of Lodi High.

The graduates finished the ceremony by shaping their hands into L's as they belted out their alma mater.

After the ceremony, Jordan Whitley searched the field, looking for someone to hug.

Upon finding his friends, he leapt into the air to bump chests with them.

"It's a good feeling," he said about the night.

Jorge Zamora stood silently, just grinning from ear to ear.

"I never thought it would come," he said. "It's finally here."

And two-time national rodeo champion and graduate Cody Hedland mixed with the friends and relatives there to congratulate him.

Craig Evans, father of twins Jason and Ryan Evans, reflected on the years that just seemed to move way too quickly.

"It seemed like yesterday they were in kindergarten," he said.

And graduate Katie Warmerdam just smiled, thankful that she completed all her requirements.

"It's been an interesting journey," said Al Warmerdam, Katie's father.

Interesting, he said, but very successful nonetheless.

Contact reporter Amanda Dyer at amandad@lodinews.com.

Lodi High awards

AAUW Scholarship — $500