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• Lodi family struggling in aftermath of fiery crash

• Castellanos to become new Delta trustee on Dec. 10

• Bank, two stores robbed

• Turn on headlights, reduce speed

• Regional Roundup

• Public Meetings

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

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi City Council weighs raising fares to restore some bus service

• 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

• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

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

• Regional Roundup

• 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

• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home

• Group investigates reports of haunting

October 31st, 2009

• Area schools have no plans of closing due to H1N1 virus

• Tokay High evacuation

• Gated communities in Lodi

• Finishing touches on Hill House replica

• Regional Roundup

• In remembrance of Kyle Coumas

• Lodi-area Halloween events

• City of Lodi settles case of mistaken identity

• Lodi a reflection of Halloween's retail emergence

• Izzy Laviola and Seth Siddle-Mitchell crowned Tokay homecoming queen and king

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

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Castellanos to become new Delta trustee on Dec. 10

Steve Castellanos will join long-time trustee Maria Elena Serna in representing the Lodi area on the San Joaquin Delta College Board of Trustees.

Castellanos, 59, will replace long-time trustee Dan Parises on the seven-member board on Dec. 10. Castellanos defeated challenger Al Lennox in the Nov. 4 election. Castellanos received 123,690 votes (69.0 percent), while Lennox got 54,646 votes (30.5 percent).

Steve Castellanos

Castellanos, who lives in Valley Springs, represents new blood on the board, with Parises retiring after serving 33 years on the board. He and his board colleagues face a host of challenges, the prime one being getting district finances back in order. The college has received scathing reviews from the San Joaquin County Grand Jury and, most recently, State Controller John Chiang.

Castellanos, a Stockton architect, spent five years as California's state architect after being appointed by then-Gov. Gray Davis. He lives with his wife, Linda, and two children.

Castellanos discussed his plans as a Delta College trustee on Sunday with News-Sentinel staff writer Ross Farrow.

Q: Why did you decide to run for the board at this time rather than, say, four years or eight years ago?

A: Eight years ago, I was pretty much in the beginning in Sacramento as California state architect. I've been involved in school design for most of my professional career. I returned to private practice, and I've been involved in local political activity for quite some time.

I never really thought I was going to take a shot at running for public office. I talked to my wife in the past year about the opportunity to do something. Delta College is a great institution. It seemed that I could contribute something with the skills I have. I think Delta is critical in workforce development.

Q: How will you seek to correct allegations by the state Controller's Office that the district mismanaged $250,000 in Measure L money and $11.5 million on athletic facilities and electronic marquees?

A: I already called on the president of the college to place on the agenda a public discussion of the bond program. I think there is so much confusion and distrust that surrounds the program. The public deserves to know the basis of those decisions. The mismanagement is well known by now.

We need to take another look at the satellite campuses to not only include Tracy, but Lodi and the Mother Lode. We need to look at partnerships with school districts, cities and industries. We need to be open with the public engaged. The trust is very fragile and it will be a challenge for the new board to restore that trust.

Q: How would you try to get a campus in Lodi?

A: We don't have the funding to even build a campus in Tracy. There will have to be a change in approach. Scaling back is something that will have to be considered. We have to start the planning process over again, maybe building an outreach center, maybe in partnership with somebody.

We could work with Lodi about hospitality and health care. I'm a believer in joint-use facilities.

Q: What about the land purchased just outside of Galt on Liberty Road? Is there any reason to keep it if constructing anything there will take a back seat to Lodi, not to mention Mountain House?

A: I don't know. You'd think at first glance there is no reason to have it. We have to look at the population centers. Need to look at the sites and what makes sense.

Q: What is your opinion of college President Raul Rodriguez and other administrators?

A: I'm just getting to know them better. The lack of confidence by the faculty on Raul and the board is an unfortunate thing. The grand jury report and accreditation study are all serious concerns, and they all fall onto the administration. I have to see more what their role was and go on from there.

Q: What is your top goal as a trustee? What would be the first thing you want to tackle on the board?

A: The accreditation study says there wasn't proper planning. I'd like to review board policies, look to see what foundation features are missing. We need to do everything we can to be an open, honest and accessible board. It pains me to see how people perceive the college has been run.

Q: How can you connect the rural communities with the Stockton campus?

A: I had already gotten a call from one of members of the board of supervisors (from Calaveras County) who wants to look at how Delta can serve the needs of Calaveras County. We can work with Lodi Unified, civic leaders, the chamber, industry, major employers. You can't do it in a vacuum. We have to decide who our partners are and who our customers are.

Q: What is one of the most difficult decisions you have had to make?

A: Probably when I was young ... I wanted to move to a big town and big company, but my father died (35 years ago) and I came home (to Stockton). It gave me a relationship with my younger siblings and my mother. I've never regretted it.

Q: What is your proudest achievement?

A: My family. I am really blessed. I have two great children and a wonderful wife. Also, having had the honor of being appointed to the post of state architect.

Q: What do you enjoy doing when you're not an architect or trying to improve Delta College?

A: I have a couple of horses I really enjoy. I like to ride my horse in the hills. The family likes to travel a lot together. I play a little golf, very little now.

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.