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• Olvera clock to be a museum centerpiece — it's a symbol of ties between Lodi, Zacatlan

• Local officials weigh in on approval of state budget

• Lodi police try to unite stolen items, victims

• Police looking for 5-year-old

• Lodi Unified School District gets $5 million refund from state for completed project

• Regional Roundup

November 19th, 2009

• Logbook

• Water surges in Mokelumne River yield more salmon

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22

• Operation: Christmas

• Corrections

• Sales tax hike yields dividends: 5 new officers join Galt Police

• Chase ends in crash

• Lodi Unified School District board votes to cancel summer school for 2010

• Lodi City Council will consider redevelopment next June

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

November 18th, 2009

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

• Lodi man finds wife's ashes during police display of stolen property

• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react

• Regional Roundup

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

November 17th, 2009

• Lodi Budget and Finance Committee to look into ways to save money on employee benefits

• Redevelopment to be discussed by Lodi City Council again

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

• Regional Roundup

• Court reinstates death penalty for killer of Lodi grad

• Clements gets free water rescue boat

• Clarification

• Decision on summer school expected at tonight's Lodi Unified School District meeting

November 16th, 2009

• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi

• Regional Roundup

• Correction

• Lodi's First Sip event showcases area wineries' latest vintages

• City Council 'triple-dog dared' to ditch cars, use Lodi buses

• Three members of Lodi-area family fall ill after eating poisonous mushrooms they reportedly found at Lodi Lake

• Public Meetings

November 14th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• 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

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise

November 13th, 2009

• What to expect with new homebuyer tax credit

• Lodi Muslim: Local mosque not involved

• Regional Roundup

• Burglary suspects are under arrest

• Lodi veteran recounts close calls in Vietnam

• Mayor Larry Hansen points out Lodi's economic progress

• First phase of Lockeford park by 2011?

November 12th, 2009

• Logbook

• Correction

• Robotics team at Jim Elliot invited to compete in Israel

• City of Lodi begins annual leaf removal program Monday

• Liberty Ranch construction at standstill as state pulls funds

• Will Lodi adopt a program that will allow volunteers to work at parks?

• With song and speech, veterans are recognized in Lodi

• 20 years later, Acampo man remembers the fall of the Berlin Wall

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• The country's mess is our fault (130)
• Obama is not a moderate (129)
• Lodi Muslim: Local mosque not involved (94)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (60)
• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise (49)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (45)
• Lodi Flames slim playoff chances vanish in setback to Tracy Bulldogs (25)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• The haves should help the have-nots (25)
• Tokay Tigers blow late 27-point lead in loss to Wolf Pack (22)

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Olvera clock to be a museum centerpiece — it's a symbol of ties between Lodi, Zacatlan

A symbol of Lodi's burgeoning ties to Zacatlan, Mexico will ring out every 15 minutes at the World of Wonders Science Museum, where a massive Relojes Olvera clock was installed this week.

The elaborate bronze and steel creation was made in Zacatlan, a midsize agricultural city that may one day become a sister city of Lodi.

Three large metal weights hang below the clock. The weights pull the many gears in the heart of the creation, which in turn set two large black hands in motion.

The clock stands 9 feet tall and weighs more than 600 pounds.

Three bronze bells sound in harmony every quarter hour.

"I'm really impressed — it's fantastic," said Steve Hohn, owner of Lodi's House of Clocks, as he got a crash course on how to maintain the clock Monday.

Paul Mertz, a Lodi real estate agent, has worked to build ties with Zacatlan. He recently traveled to the city to meet with clock builder Clemente Olvera Trejo, who aided with this week's installation.

"I feel very happy (the) clock is here," said Olvera Trejo, a third-generation clock builder, whose creations can be found across Mexico, Central America and South America.

"I am happy in my heart," he added.

A similar clock is at San Francisco's Exploratorium. Only one other has been shipped to the United States, to Oakland's St. Elizabeth High School.

Relojes Olvera hopes to eventually sell its clocks throughout the United States, said Daniel Moreno, the company's marketing manager.

A $14,000 donation from Dick Davis, a former board member at San Francisco's Exploratorium, paid for the clock and its shipment, according to Sally Snyde, WOW museum president.

An educational display and Plexiglass case will be constructed for the clock, Mertz noted. The Lodi Realtors Association will pay for those, and for the maintenance of the clock.

He added that there's growing interest in adding Zacatlan as a Lodi sister city, though more work must be done.

The same goes for the museum: A soft public opening is planned for November.

Snyde, the museum president, said the clock will be a great addition.

"The neat thing about it is it's going to educate children about how clocks work," she said. "And it is a beautiful centerpiece."

Contact reporter Chris Nichols at chrisn@lodinews.com.