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• Commission questions Reynolds Ranch changes, delays vote

• Stuck in Lodi(s)

• Animal control finds owner of pit bull that attacked Lodi man and his cat

• Lodi Middle Bridge after-school program open for enrollment

• 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 (166)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (72)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (50)
• Public health care is a Christian option (31)
• The haves should help the have-nots (30)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Government-run health care is a bad idea (18)
• Young woman fatally shot at Acampo home (17)
• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi (16)

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Back on track: 99 Speedway to reopen

Apparently doomed to a housing developer's wrecking ball two years ago, the Stockton 99 Speedway instead will roar back to life next spring.

Tony and Carol Noceti signed a five-year lease with 99 Speedway majority owner Bob Hunefeld and minority owner Ken Clapp on Monday to take over and renovate the quarter-mile, high-banked oval track and the 5,000-seat grandstands for racing in four main divisions in 2009.

The Nocetis have also applied for NASCAR membership.

The ink was hardly dry on the contract before the news of the 99's rebirth rippled out through the local racing community.

"I think it is great that Tony Noceti stepped up and took over the track operations. I think he will do well. He has such a passion for racing," said Jack Houston, the 99's former long-time track flag man. "I hated to see the track close two years ago, and so did a lot of other people. It's the fastest quarter-mile oval track around and I'd love to be a part of it again."

Former driver Carl Batterton, who raced at the venerable old track during the 1980s and was 99 Speedway's Most Improved Driver in 1986, said the track's scheduled re-opening next spring would be a big boost to local racing fans.

"The reopening of 99 is huge, and if NASCAR comes back, the possibilities are endless as auto racing, period, is at an all-time high," Batterton said. "It shows no sign of slowing down and the popularity grows daily."

Another former 99 racer and track official, Roger Keener of Lodi, is happy to see the old track back in the racing spotlight and hopes it will do well. But Keener expressed doubt that the 99 will ever recapture its former glory.

"I wish them all the luck in the world, but the economy is tight and gas prices are high. It's going to be tough to afford to go to the races every weekend for fans and drivers alike," Keener said. "It's going to be hard to pull away drivers already committed to the other race tracks in Roseville, Madera and Altamont. I think you are going to see a lot more new local racers on this track and more women as well."

Batterton, however, has a different take.

"The impact and importance to the local racing community is really big as a lot of race cars were put away in garages when the 99 closed. A lot of money was spent on those cars," Batterton said. "Now that 99 is back, those cars and that money will be put to good use and not wasted. So, nothing but good things will come of this."

After 60 years of hosting races, the track has been vacant since closing in September 2006 when Hunefeld and minority owner Ken Clapp planned to sell the land for development. But in the ensuing crash of the housing market, a contract with a housing developer expired March 31, paving the way for the Nocetis to take over the track.