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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 21st, 2009

• Logbook

• Holiday drive spreads cheer to U.S. troops

• Galt High students want board to approve open-campus policy

• Poisoning victims remain hospitalized

• Expert: Half a mushroom cap can be deadly

• Tokay grad files claim over Lodi's Grape Bowl

• Lodi Middle School holds annual Turkey Trot

• Regional Roundup

• No motive or suspect in shooting

• Sacramento cop arrested for alleged kidnapping

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

• Operation: Christmas

• Logbook

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Chase ends in crash

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

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

• 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

November 18th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

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

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

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

November 17th, 2009

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

• 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

• Clarification

November 16th, 2009

• Correction

• Public Meetings

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

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

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

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

• Regional Roundup

November 14th, 2009

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Regional Roundup

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

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

• 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

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

• The country's mess is our fault (165)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (70)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (48)
• The haves should help the have-nots (30)
• Public health care is a Christian option (29)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Government-run health care is a bad idea (17)
• Young woman fatally shot at Acampo home (17)
• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi (16)

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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.