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• 70 employees begin working at Blue Shield's new location in Lodi

• Lodi Lake to be drained to build new boathouse

• Water battle

• Growing concerns for Eagle Credit Union in Lodi as it elects new board

• Six Lodi Unified School District teachers to be honored for 35 years of service

• Regional Roundup

• North San Joaquin candidates discuss contrasting views at forum

• Race for Delta trustee seats is drawing a crowd

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

In the Lodi Unified School District, incumbent Peter Johnson deserves to be re-elected

Only one Lodi Unified incumbent trustee, Peter Johnson, is facing competition on Nov. 4. He's being challenged by retired coach and athletic director Joe Nava and social services representative William Stanley III.

We talked at length with Johnson and Nava. Unfortunately, we were not able to connect with Stanley, and we regret that. He seems a bright and caring young man.

We found Nava a likable candidate with an infectiously positive attitude.

Even so, we are backing Johnson for re-election. We believe he has a unique blend of experience, business savvy and personal commitment (he has three kids enrolled in the district).

Stanley balances work in the social services area with studies at University of Pacific, where he is working on a master's in business and early childhood education.

He'd like to devote more money toward new textbooks, increase parental involvement and cut teacher-student ratios. He'd also protect rank-and-file jobs and look hard at reducing administrative salaries.

Nava is an appealing candidate, his life a compelling narrative. He is the child of farmworkers who toiled to give him richer career opportunities. He progressed to a career of teaching, coaching and administration, both in Stockton Unified and Lodi Unified.

"I have a chalkboard-level view of the challenges," he said.

He is fluent in Spanish, a strong communicator and has clear empathy for those who face hardships. Those qualities would be an asset in Lodi Unified, where the schools struggling most have high numbers of students from lower socio-economic groups.

Now retired, he has plenty of energy and would, in his words, like to "make a contribution."

He has not drilled deeply into the district budget and is reluctant to toss any bricks at the incumbent.

He does feel, however, that the trustees' decision to elevate Len Casenaga as interim superintendent without finalizing a contract first was "probably hasty."

Casenaga eventually won a substantial short-term salary increase that could mean $1 million more over the course of his retirement.

Nava is rightly critical of that decision and if he weren't running against a solid incumbent, we'd endorse Nava in a heartbeat.

But in Johnson, he does in fact face a very competent trustee.

Johnson is director of the Westgate Center for management studies and family business at Pacific.

Notably, he led the successful drive for Measure L, which raised $114 million for north Stockton schools and spared Lodi residents the burden of paying for those improvements.

He pushed for the adoption of Pinnacle, a computer program that allows parents to check on their kids' grades and whether they are keeping up with their homework. Moreover, he's comfortable with technology and its use in making Lodi Unified even more efficient and successful.

As we see it, there are two key areas of concentration for Lodi trustees now: Pushing for higher student achievement and more financial accountability.

With three kids in Lodi Unified, Johnson clearly has a stake in student achievement.

We believe Johnson's good business and management instincts can be critical to the district's progress in these economically challenging times.

We're confident he'll continue to serve the board — and broader community — well.

— The Lodi News-Sentinel