Regional Roundup

A gunman and another man wielding a knife robbed a Lodi gas station late Tuesday.

Nobody was injured and the suspects fled Quik Stop, 35 N. Cherokee Lane, before officers arrived.

Around 11:10 p.m., two males, their faces covered with bandanas, walked into the store at the corner of Elm Street, said Lodi Police Sgt. Bill Alexander.

One suspect pulled out a small knife and demanded money from a clerk. Then the other suspect pulled a black handgun from his pocket, waved it around and made similar demands of a second employee, Alexander said.

The employees gave them an undisclosed amount of money and the suspects left on foot, heading north.

Few descriptions, such as height, weight or ethnicity, were available Wednesday. The gunman wore a black and gray jacket, blue bandana and a San Francisco Giants ball cap, Alexander said. The man with a knife was wearing a black jacket, green cap and green bandana.

Tokay High newspaper still undistributed

The Tokay High journalism adviser Wednesday said the school newspaper still has not been distributed to students because the school's administration is concerned an article may be libelous.

There was no change in principal Erik Sandstrom's decision last week to block the newspaper from being distributed, at the recommendation of the district's attorneys, journalism adviser Roger Woo said. Sandstrom, who could not be reached for comment Wednesday, is concerned with potential defamation of character of the school's athletic director regarding comments in a student-written article on use of copyrighted images.

Lodi High ponders mentor academy

Lodi High School teachers Tammy Boschee, Jeff Palmquist and Mike Wood will attend a conference in San Diego this weekend to learn more about establishing a mentor academy on campus. All three are founding members of the APPLE Academy.

They recently authored a grant and will receive $50,000 over the next two years to set up a program at Lodi High to assist in creating other academies in the region.

Judge rejects request for Measure V retrial

San Joaquin Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Humphreys has rejected a request for a new trial to clarify the meaning of Measure V — stating she was not initially asked to make such a clarification.

The request came from Bryan Pilkington, who authored Measure V, and who had asked for a new trial, arguing that Humphreys' ruling in an August court case was unclear.

Measure V was approved last week by voters. It was aimed at repealing a groundwater recharge fee imposed by directors of the North San Joaquin Water Conservation District.

But in an order dated Nov. 6, Humphreys wrote that she was only asked to rule on whether Measure V should be included in the Nov. 6 election, which she did.

She was not asked to clarify the measure, she wrote.

Subsequently, Humphreys declined to rule on Pilkington's request because she considers it a "new issue."

Pilkington also asked Humphreys to clarify whether future groundwater charges assessed by the North San Joaquin district would require voter approval or whether the North San Joaquin board can approve them based on Proposition 218 regulations.

Proposition 218 allows water charges to be based on a majority vote of the board of directors after a public hearing is held. Property owners with wells have the right to file written protests under Proposition 218 that could invalidate a district's proposal to assess a water charge.

Lodi native gets top post at San Joaquin office of education

Lodi native Kathleen Fujinaka Skeels has been chosen as the assistant superintendent of special education for the San Joaquin County Office of Education. She replaces Sandee Kludt, who will retire next month.

Kathleen Fujinaka Skeels

Skeels, a Tokay High graduate, began her career as a speech pathologist, then went on to work as a teacher and an administrator.

In her new position, she will oversee all special education programs, serving some of the most severe and costly cases throughout the county, according to a press release issued by the county office.

Skeels will also manage programs that provide services to students who are diagnosed with autism, visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, emotionally disturbed or orthopedically handicapped. She will help administer opportunities for parents and community members to become involved with special education.

"There is no other place I would rather be than here, serving the students, educators, and families of San Joaquin County SELPA," Skeels said in a press release. "I am humbled yet thrilled to be part of an outstanding venture to meet the needs of the ever-growing population through support and leadership to the community."

Seeking your tales of Thanksgiving traditions

Thanksgiving is a time for families to get together and enjoy the rituals or traditions that make each one unique. For some, Thanksgiving isn't complete until Aunt Bertha and Dad square off over the best Jell-O creation. Others know it's Thanksgiving when the smell of Grammy's decades-old perfume overpowers the aroma of a roasting turkey. If you have a Thanksgiving day tradition — whether going on a jog in your pajamas, playing bean-bag toss in the freezing cold or making that once-a-year recipe — we want to know. Send your Thanksgiving rituals to Lodi Living editor Lauren Nelson at laurenn@lodinews.com or call 369-7035. Include your name and phone number.

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