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• Tax group seeks attorney fees from North San Joaquin water district

• Galt City Council approves work with developer on pre-annexation for Delta Greens

• Delta trustee applicants to be interviewed on Jan. 14

• Officials to gather homeless data for San Joaquin County

• Delta board educated on Mountain House

• Regional Roundup

• McNerney asks Obama appointee to investigate Peripheral Canal proposal

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.

• 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! (33)
• Words from our forefathers (27)
• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks (24)
• Majority cannot deprive the minority (22)

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Lodi's top stories in 2008 ranged from a dangerous surge in text messaging to a dancing mascot's questionable gestures

Here it is. The column you've been waiting for. The REALLY best eight award-winning news stories for 2008!

Crime rate shows mixed figures: While murder rates were down in our fair city, crimes of dangerous text messaging and toilet papering of trees were significantly higher. "We plan to make a notable improvement in these areas," said a police department spokesperson. People text messaging, while break dancing, will find a significant increase in fines. Toilet paper will now only be sold at the register to those over 21 years of age. An ID will be required.

Gas Prices Drop: Local car dealers are hurting since the government has forced American manufacturers to build small cars that nobody wants. As greener cars are built, gas prices should return to 1960 levels of .28 cents per gallon. In the meantime, foreign manufacturers are gearing up to build larger, more powerful vehicles, as the Japanese once again, get a leg up on the good old USA.

New school superintendent demands 20 percent improvement: The new school superintendent has established a program that will assure a 20 percent increase on state performance tests. Any student who does not achieve this goal will be expelled and sent to Stockton. Exceptions will be made for pupils who have already shown a .01 percent improvement at any time during the last 12 years.

Housing picture looking brighter: Reports from local real estate agents say now is the time to buy a new home. New loan programs, now available from the government, pay the homeowners' mortgages for the next 30 years. To qualify, local residents only need to show that they have no jobs, incomes or assets. With inflation caused by legislative handouts, the average $180,000 home should cost $15.8 billion by the year 2038.

City Council fights recession: Members of the City Council have decided to give employees a significant raise. In the meantime, taxpaying businesses are suffering. "It only makes sense," said one city father. "The more we pay city employees, the more they will have to spend at local businesses." When one city worker was asked what she will do with the money, the 20-year veteran replied: "Simple. I'm going to spend it at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Stockton."

Junior college plans bite the dust: It appears that our city will not be home to a new community college. The college district has an unfortunate shortage of funds due to the recession, higher wage costs, and trustees using private Citation jets for personal transportation. "It's really no big deal," said one trustee. "Since there are no chain book stores in this town, we figure the people here can't read anyway."

Gay marriage takes a back seat: Controversy was created when the people of California decided to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. Local residents took strong positions on both sides of the argument. Supporters claim it is a "civil right," while opponents are planning to move to more sensible areas in the country such as Selma, Alabama — just as soon as the job market improves.

Dancing mascot fired for indecent behavior: The dancing banana in front of Peppy's Pistachio Ice Cream Parlor was fired for making obscene gestures with his costume. It seems that the banana's sexist and crude behavior deeply offended the twisting tomatoes next door at Pete's Pole-Dancing Palace.

There you have it: Our city's eight best stories for 2008. Just wait until you see what 2009 brings!

Steve Hansen is a Lodi writer and satirist.