Story Tools

Email this story | Print this story

Indexes

Today's Stories

Last 7 Days

Top Blogs

• Sieglock beats Hegyi, Sander in District 10 race

• Huber victorious in District 10 Democratic primary

• State conducts farm worker safety inspections throughout San Joaquin County

• Lodi finance chief heading for new position in Idaho

• Buchanan wins Democratic Primary in 15th

• Ornellas rolls to re-election as supervisor in San Joaquin County 5th District; Bestolarides wins 3rd District; Villapudua in 1st District runoff

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi woman accused of forgery denies allegations

• Race for San Joaquin County bench going to November runoff

• Oak View gets support for bond

• McNerney supports Obama

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 (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! (32)
• Words from our forefathers (27)
• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks (24)
• Majority cannot deprive the minority (22)

ADVERTISEMENT

Lodi high jumper Balentine leaps into the state spotlight

Accomplishment: Lodi High's Samantha Balentine placed sixth and earned a medal in the girls high jump last Friday at the CIF State Track and Field Championships at Cerritos College in Norwalk.

Samantha Balentine

The senior-to-be won a jump-off during Thursday's preliminary round to advance to the finals. She then cleared a mark of 5 feet, 7 inches to place in the top six in the state.

Family: Ray Balentine, father; two brothers and a sister.

Favorite sport: Track and field. "I enjoy the competition and the coaches," said Balentine, who also plays volleyball for Lodi. "I also like all the different places we get to travel for meets."

Favorite athlete: U.S. Olympians Amy Acuff and Billy Mills. Acuff is a three-time Olympian in the high jump and Mills was a gold medalist in the 10,000-meter run. "She's really determined and she's always positive," said Balentine, who has met both Acuff and Mills.

Favorite subject: Summer. "More time for track during the summer," Balentine said.

Favorite hobbies: Balentine enjoys hanging out with friends, playing sports, sleeping, eating food and helping young children succeed in track.

Would like to meet: Actor Will Ferrell. "He's hilarious," Balentine said.

Crowning achievement: Placing sixth at state in the high jump this year and getting to compete in the bigger invitationals.

Plans: Balentine hopes to attend a Division I college and continue to compete in track and field.

The Athlete of the Week is selected by the News-Sentinel sports staff. Nominations are gladly accepted. Balentine will receive a T-shirt courtesy of Lodi Sporting Goods for being selected.