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• Water on the way

• Tokay High teen gets chance to meet star of her dreams, Robert Pattinson of 'Twilight'

• City of Lodi begins leaf removal program

• Lodi school district Trustee Ken Davis eyeing seat on Stockton council

• 'Principal for a day' gives appreciation for the job

• Regional Roundup

• Public Meetings

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

• 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

• Chase ends in crash

• Operation: Christmas

• Logbook

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

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

November 18th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

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

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

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

November 17th, 2009

• Clarification

• 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

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

November 16th, 2009

• Correction

• Public Meetings

• Regional Roundup

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

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

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

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

November 14th, 2009

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Regional Roundup

• A first look at 2009 vintages at Lodi's First Sip wine-tasting event

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

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

• Despite an increase in homeless students, school districts look to bolster enrollment, raise revenue

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

November 13th, 2009

• What to expect with new homebuyer tax credit

• Lodi Muslim: Local mosque not involved

• Regional Roundup

• Mayor Larry Hansen points out Lodi's economic progress

• First phase of Lockeford park by 2011?

• Lodi veteran recounts close calls in Vietnam

• Burglary suspects are under arrest

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

• The country's mess is our fault (152)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (67)
• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise (56)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (48)
• The haves should help the have-nots (30)
• Lodi Flames slim playoff chances vanish in setback to Tracy Bulldogs (25)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Nightmares about America's future (23)
• Tokay Tigers blow late 27-point lead in loss to Wolf Pack (22)

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Tokay High teen gets chance to meet star of her dreams, Robert Pattinson of 'Twilight'

High-pitched screams filled the air as teenage girls threw punches at each other. Faces were cut and noses were broken.

"I didn't know people could have such a high-pitched sound," said Analyssa Ochoa.

A mob of 3,000 teenage girls surrounded Analyssa and her mother, Rachelle Ochoa, of Lodi, who waited in the melee all day to meet British actor Robert Pattinson, who will be starring in the upcoming movie "Twilight."

Analyssa, 16, who is a junior at Tokay High School, is a big fan of Pattinson. After checking for photos one day on his Web site, she saw that the actor would be at a mall in San Francisco for a cast meet-and-greet.

"I just really wanted to meet him," she said.

Pattinson — who is 22 years old, stands at six-foot-one and has a slender build — has wooed the teenage girls since his role as Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter movies. He plays the character Edward Cullen, a vampire who falls in love with a human, in the movie, "Twilight," which is scheduled to be released on Friday.

Knowing how much her daughter wanted to meet Pattinson and not wanting her to miss school, Rachelle and Analyssa devised a plan. Rachelle would head out to San Francisco and wait in line to pick up a wrist band. She would then drive back to Lodi to pick up Analyssa and the two would drive back together.

It was 4 a.m. when Rachelle left the house last Monday. On the drive there, thoughts raced through her mind: "I left too late. I should have left at 3 in the morning." At 6:20 a.m., she arrived at the Hot Topic store in the Stonestown Galleria mall, where Pattinson would later be. Stonestown is a two-story mall that sits just north of San Francisco State University.

Rachelle was told by the manager of the store that fans were not allowed to line up and would be kicked out if they did. But by 8 a.m., Rachelle said there was a line of 3,000 girls that stretched around the block. She wondered why they were not following the rules.

A poster from the upcoming movie "Twilight" is seen taped to Analyssa Ochoa's bedroom door. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)

"This was not supposed to happen," she said.

The police arrived telling the screaming mob to get off the property. One of the officers said the meet-and-greet event was canceled. No one believed him and one woman began pushing him. A paddywagon arrived, but still no one budged.

After hearing this news, Rachelle sent text messages to her daughter, who was still in school, to explain the situation.

"I was chewing gum, and when she told me it was canceled, I choked in class," said Analyssa. "I was on a full-scale panic attack."

Knowing that she had made a promise to her daughter, Rachelle decided not to give up.

"I thought they were just saying that to dissipate the crowd," she explained.

Then, her luck turned. While she waited in line to get a T-shirt for her daughter, an employee of the store gave her a tip. After purchasing the shirt, wrist bands would be issued for fans to stand in line and receive a poster, which would be signed by Pattinson later that evening.

By this time, Rachelle was tired but knew she must follow through with that promise. After getting a wrist band, she drove back to Lodi to pick Analyssa up from school. The two then headed back to San Francisco.

They returned by 7 p.m. and took their place in line. Up to 10 fans at a time were being allowed to go in and meet him. Analyssa ended up being the seventh-to-last person.

She waited for an hour and a half. Girls were pushing and shoving. Some were sitting on each other's shoulders and shoving people right next to the railing of the second floor in the mall.

"I was scared of being pushed over the railing," said Analyssa. "But I thought: If I do, maybe he will come to my hospital bed," she laughed.

Finally at 8:30 p.m., the moment arrived. Analyssa found herself face-to-face with the brown-haired, greyish-blue-eyed heartthrob.

Her mind raced, trying to think of something to say. All she could think of was to ask if he was tired.

After responding that he was, she told him not to worry. They were the last group for him to see.

"I was trying to think of something intelligent to say, but my mind just went blank," she said.

The two returned back to Lodi by 12:30 a.m., with Rachelle exhausted and Analyssa elated. They both feel the trip was well worth it. Rachelle feels that it was meant to be.

"We followed the rules, and so I think this was fate," she said.

Analyssa is trying to talk her mom into taking her to Los Angeles next week. There will be a meet-and-greet with the rest of the cast.

"I want to go so bad," she said.

But for now, she is happy with the possibility that she was the only one from the valley who was able to meet Pattison in San Francisco. She proudly wears her T-shirt that only a select few were able to get.

"Girls at school randomly came up to me and said, 'Where did you get that shirt?'" she said. "When I say San Francisco, they say, 'Ahhhhhh! You went?'"