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• Bicyclist hit by truck in Lodi removed from intensive care

• Honoring Officer Joseph Sanders

• Two rookie assemblywomen abstain from voting on state budget proposal

• 25 things to do when children are out of school

• Burned body found in Lodi; no foul play suspected

• Regional Roundup

• Holiday closures in area

• Corrections

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)

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25 things to do when children are out of school

School is out. So we combed calendars, scoured Web sites and asked local parents, teachers and program advisers about what to do when students mutter those familiar two words, "I'm bored" over the next two weeks. Here's what we found:

1. Go on vacation. Money may be tight, but you don't have to go over the top to get away. Spend the night in Monterey or drive to Disneyland since gas prices are at a record low.

2. Get crafty either at the kitchen table or the Mud Mill where children of all ages can mold and glaze their own ceramics (However, the Downtown location is closed this week for Christmas).

3. Go to the snow. With the recent colder-than-usual storms, the snow level is low and close. Take Highway 88 to Pine Grove where the white stuff starts appearing.

4. Take them to the library, just remember in Lodi the address has temporarily changed due to renovations.

5. Bake something. There are a lot of child-friendly recipe Web sites. Check out www.allrecipes.com and cook something with the kids.

6. See a movie at Lodi Stadium 12.

7. Go to a performance at Hutchins Street Square. Pianist George Winston plays Jan. 4 and there are still tickets available.

8. Travel to the Sacramento Community Theater where there is a performance of "Nutcracker" on Wednesday and "Stomp" on Saturday.

9. Take a hike. There are a lot of local open spaces including Lodi Lake and Heritage Oak Winery on East Woodbridge Road.

10. Go ice skating. Oak Park Ice Arena has regular hours for public skating sessions, while Stockton Arena's last Winter Wonderland public ice skating is at 1 p.m. today. 11. While you're there, pick up tickets for an upcoming Stockton Thunder hockey game.

12. Visit a museum. Stockton's Haggin Museum's "30 Years of Rock 'n' Roll" exhibit is sure to please patrons of all ages. Or for a bit more education, take in San Joaquin County Museum's "Bear in Mind: The Story of the California Grizzly" exhibit. The new World of Wonders Museum will be open for one week, the day after Christmas through Jan. 4.

13. Rent movies.

14. Take a field trip to Clements. The Chocoholics Divine Deserts factory offers free tours and free samples.

15. Go bird watching at the Consumnes River Preserve near Galt.

16. Visit a local convalescent hospital.

17. Write "thank you" cards to out-of-town friends and family for the Christmas gifts you receive this week.

18. Clean the house. There are tasks even kindergartners can help with.

19. Go bowling. The closest lanes to Lodi are on West Lane in Stockton.

20. Get organized and have the children help by setting aside unused toys and outgrown clothes for Goodwill or another local charity.

Don't get the same break for the holidays as your children?

21. Hire a baby-sitter. There are surely some teenagers looking to earn some extra cash this season.

22. Take them to grandmas because, well, she's free.

23. Trade play dates with a friend; she can take your kids one day, you can take hers the next.

24. Enroll them in Camp Hutchins, Lodi Memorial Hospital's answer to off-track childcare for those ages 5 to 12.

25. Send them back to school. Check the phone book for local Montessori schools that accept students as young as pre-school on a drop-in basis.

Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.