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• Outgoing Mayor Mounce talks priorities, is looking forward to volunteering more

• Galt council elects Randy Shelton as mayor

• The canine controversy

• 2 teens stabbed in separate incidents

• Regional Roundup

• Morada group sues Stockton over development, water

• Galt Council not ready to make final decisions on Nueva Vision

• Shackled teen escapes

• Record 3.1 million California kids getting school meals

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

• 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)

ADVERTISEMENT

Out of gift ideas?

Try giving food items to the person who has everything

You have searched high and low for that perfect gift and have come up with nothing. Aunt Sally seems to have everything. What do you get for someone who doesn't need anything?

Everyone loves food and needs to eat, right? There is a plethora of food and drinks available for gift giving, including chocolate, baked items, nuts and coffee.

"Foods are fun to give because you can make it work for your budget and give them something to enjoy," said Cindi Inman, owner of Wrappin' Up.

Nuts and popcorn

Gourmet mixed nuts are the most popular food gift at A Taste of Heaven, said owner Jackie Powell. They also offer chocolate-covered almonds. Wrappin' Up has a variety of popcorn and seasonings, and chocolate covered nuts and sunflower seeds.

Candy and baked goods

Jeanne Bria, owner of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, said they make a lot of gourmet candy gifts, including candy apples, hand-made fudge, dipped strawberries and specialty candies.

"It's not just your boxed chocolates," she said.

At A Taste of Heaven, an assortment of candy is offered, including caramels, chocolate-covered fruit and wine pairing chocolates.

If baked goods are more your thing, they also offer cookies. Spaans Cookie Company in Galt offers an expanded selection of cookies during the holidays. Their Christmas cookies, "Holiday," are a mix of almond crescents and butter cookies with red and green sugar on top. Special gift boxes such as tool boxes or paint cans are put together with cookies. The company also does a lot of advanced orders for pies and rolls for Christmas dinner.

House of Coffees offers biscotti and freshly baked fruit cakes, said Owner Debbie Goni.

"We also have specialty dog biscuits for our canine friends," she added.

Giving a gift to someone who enjoys baking? Wrappin' Up has a variety of baking mixes for scones, cookies, muffins, crepes and pancakes.

Drinks

House of Coffees has a selection of 75 different coffee beans that can be given as gifts, as well as gift certificates for coffee drinks. And a variety of coffees, teas and hot chocolate are available at A Taste of Heaven. Powdered strawberry or chocolate milk mixes can be found at Wrappin' Up. Their Moo Mixer will help in mixing up the flavored milk. Just fill the glass, put on the lid and press the button. Inman said it is a great gift for kids and teens.

Jams, sauces or butters

A Taste of Heaven has an assortment of jams and butters. And, a medley of dessert sauces barbecue sauces, pepper jams and salsas can be found at Wrappin' Up.

"Any one of these can be put in a basket as a group presentation or just wrapped separately," said Inman.

Pastas

Does someone on your list love pasta? Wrappin' Up offers pastas in many shapes and sizes, which are imported from Italy. One of them is tagliatelle, which is a pasta died in squid ink. Pasta sauce and olives at A Taste of Heaven can help to dress it up.

Homemade food gifts

For those who would like to make their own food to give away, Robyn Grace Jennings, News-Sentinel food columnist, said she has made a few that have been a hit with the receiver.

"Oh, how delighted and touched I am when I receive gifts like this," she said.

She suggests savory soup and fresh bread, spicy chili and corn chips or Mason jars filled with picked veggies.

She added that not every gift needs to be fancy and said purchasing a classic holiday movie along with a gift certificate to a pizza place that offers delivery would work just as well.

"A gift of food and convenience is always welcomed this time of year," she said.