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• Fire burns down Lodi garage; house suffers smoke damage

• Racing to aid the less fortunate

• Nakanishi mulls his six years in Assembly

• Holiday Closures

November 2nd, 2009

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

November 8th, 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 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)

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Nakanishi mulls his six years in Assembly

Wednesday was officially Alan Nakanishi's last day in the Assembly, but he was actually done once the Legislature recessed on Tuesday after failing to agree on any solution to California's $11.2 billion budget deficit.

Nakanishi, 68, entered politics late in life. He was a Lodi City Councilman from 1998 through 2002, serving as mayor in 2001. He left the council when he was elected to the Assembly in 2002.

He has been a physician since 1971 and co-founded the Delta Eye Medical Group.

Nakanishi recently spoke with News-Sentinel staff writer Ross Farrow about his time in the Legislature

Q: Why couldn't you and the Legislature as a whole agree to reduce the $11.2 billion budget deficit on Wednesday?

A: The Democrats put out what they proposed. It was a drill. Everybody knew what the vote was going to be.

"Compromise" for the Democrats is taxes. In the last five years, we had $40 billion more in revenues than we anticipated without raising taxes. We spent more than we took in.

Q: What do you think accounted for Democrat Alyson Huber's apparent victory over Republican Jack Sieglock in the 10th Assembly District race?

A: She's a good candidate; the Democrats spent quite a bit of money on her and the Obama surge.

Q: What have you accomplished in your six years in the Assembly?

A: Serving my constituents well when they had state problems, like the DMV. We served hundreds of constituents. Passing Good Samaritan bills protecting providers for people without insurance. Consumer protection against unlicensed contractors. And a bipartisan effort on the Workers Compensation bill.

Q: What did you enjoy most about serving in the Assembly?

A: Meeting thousands of people and serving them.

Q: What was the oddest bill drafted by a colleague?

A: You can't have your dog on your lap while driving. That was a bill I voted against.

Q: What should President-elect Barack Obama and Congress do to cope with the fiscal crisis?

A: Approve relief from home foreclosures, and the $7 billion relief for the financial industry is important. As for the car industry, they have a failing business. The car industry has to make concessions. Then Congress can look at it.

Q: Will you return to ophthalmology full-time, or will you retire?

A: I started work full-time this week. I'm taking over George Chen's practice (in Lodi). My own practice was rather small. I was a pinch hitter. I will work as long as I have my health. I have a lot of energy. I enjoy medical practice.

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.