Story Tools

Email this story | Print this story

Indexes

Today's Stories

Last 7 Days

Top Blogs

• Local farmer Bruce Fry passionate about his vision for Lodi-Stockton farm zone

• Who made big news in 2008?

• Juan Carlos Lopez Jr. is first born in Lodi for 2009

• Suit settlement, Blue Shield among area's '08 success stories

• Regional Roundup

• Clarification

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

Phil and Bonnie Biddle retire from Christian bookstore Vine and Branches

Phil and Bonnie Biddle have been a fixture in Christian circles for 11 years as owners of Vine and Branches Christian Bookstore in Downtown Lodi.

The Biddles are calling it a career this weekend as they retire from the spiritual book business. Dan and Dayna Panella, of Lodi, have bought the store at 110 W. Oak St. They will take over officially on Monday.

The Biddles have thought about retiring for the past year, but they said they didn't want to sell it until they found the right people to keep the store open and carry on the Biddles' tradition of providing spiritual books, music, clothing and other items.

Phil Biddle recently turned 70 and faces open-heart surgery on Wednesday, but he still has a grin on his face.

"God's in control, and I am in good hands," Biddle said Wednesday.

Phil Biddle grew up in Indiana and came to Lodi 20 years ago, when he became store manager at the Sears store in Stockton. He took early retirement at 55 and decided he wanted to do something involving ministry and being with his wife.

The opportunity came 11 years ago, when Neva Bauer was about to retire.

From left: Dayna and Dan Panella, with their children, Jake, 7 weeks, and Lily, 2, will be taking over Vine and Branches Bookstore. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)

"God pulled my gifts from Sears and the ministry and gave me this opportunity," Phil Biddle said. "We prayed with people; we had Bible studies. Our staff all love the Lord."

The Biddles said their greatest satisfaction at Vine and Branches has been helping people who were grieving for one reason or another.

"It was exciting having someone come in and hurting and be able to give them a book to help them through a hard situation," Bonnie Biddle said. "The most satisfying thing was someone coming in and finding the Lord."

Phil Biddle was active in the Downtown Lodi Business Partnership, and for three years the couple organized Family Faith Festival to bring unity among churches and provide wholesome clean entertainment Downtown. The festival was held from 2004 to 2006.

The Biddles will continue to be involved in the men's and women's Bible study at First Baptist Church. Phil Biddle also plans to be involved in the "celebrate recovery" program that the church recently started.

The Biddles are excited about Dan and Dayna Panella taking over the store. The Panellas spent several months of training to see if Vine and Branches was a venture they wanted to engage in.

The Panellas found books and Christianity to be an outstanding combination. The two met while working at Barnes and Noble almost 11 years ago in Stockton. They have always had a passion for reading and music.

"It's almost combining your hobbies with your core values," Dayna Panella said.

Dan Panella acquired administrative experience from his family's trucking business, and runs the projector and does Photoshop work at First Baptist Church.

He will be at the bookstore full-time while Dayna will come in part-time. She has two small children to care for, Lily, 2, and Jake, 7 weeks. She also organizes weddings and events for Oak Farm Vineyards, at DeVries and Peltier roads. Dayna, a vegan, also teaches vegan cooking classes at First Baptist Church and at the Whole Foods store in Sacramento.

While their spiritual lives are at First Baptist, the Panellas' work at the bookstore gives the them the opportunity to meet people of varied Christian faiths. Customers range from Methodists to Catholics.

"I love it when I'm on the floor," Dayna Panella said. "I get to hear what the other churches are doing."

While the store will continue to have Christian books, music, T-shirts and souvenirs, Dayna Panella said she plans to add more clothes for youth and some vegetarian books, due to the family's own lifestyle.

Contact Religion Editor Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.