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• Former Lodi GrapeSox owner facing prison time

• Lodi Memorial, churches team up to bridge physical and spiritual health

• City of Lodi tries to reach out to Hispanic, Pakistani communities

• Lodi utility aims to spur growth with discounts

• Farm to Fork teaches kids about agriculture, economics

• Rep. Jerry McNerney files stimulus requests

• Regional Roundup

• Tracy police continue to search trash, follow tips in hopes of finding 8-year-old girl

• Father of missing girl proclaims his innocence

• Preliminary report on Montana plane crash released; reason for diversion still unknown

February 8th, 2010

• Public Meetings

• Locals pick best, most memorable Super Bowl commercials

• Regional Roundup

February 6th, 2010

• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch

• Meet Larry, Curly and Moe

• Baboon business

• Regional Roundup

• Several Lodi venues let you watch the Super Bowl in style

• Lodi Library celebrates 100 years of serving the community

• Culinary craft

February 5th, 2010

• Kids, teachers help Haiti by collecting pennies for Learning Link

• Lodi, Galt students reach out to help Haiti earthquake survivors

• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam

• Hours of sweat and work go into putting on crab feeds

• Things looking up for state's real estate

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Stray bullet strikes Lodi home; police suspect gang activity may be factor

February 4th, 2010

• Managers at Geweke Toyota answer questions about recall

• Lodi City Council votes to replace play structure at Century Park

• Lodi extends ban on pot shops for another year

• Mokelumne River triathlon set for June

• Family, friends to run half-marathon in memory of Galt family

February 3rd, 2010

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Delta College trustees again collide over stipend committee

• Lodi-area senators Dave Cox, Lois Wolk admit to gifts; Tom Berryhill case pending

• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts

• Galt City Council avoids budget cuts — for now

• New Lodi Memorial Hospital emergency room opens to the public without a hitch

• Bad bugs, weeds are hot topics at Grape Day

February 2nd, 2010

• Big rig plows 7 cars

• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future

• Former Lodian Erica Davis is first paraplegic woman to summit Kilimanjaro

• Jumpers across California

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• No snow leopards, otters for Micke Grove

• McNerney leads in campaign cash

• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen

February 1st, 2010

• Find cuddly alpacas not too far from Lodi

• Public Meetings

• Patients can expect faster, better service when Lodi Memorial Hospital's new emergency room opens

• Man killed by Amtrak train in Lodi

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

• Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (75)
• President Obama's first year (67)
• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future (60)
• Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (49)
• Many reject the politics of 'no' (43)
• Writer comments on Neely column (42)
• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen (31)
• Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (31)

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Preliminary report on Montana plane crash released; reason for diversion still unknown

WASHINGTON — A preliminary report released today on the Montana plane crash that killed 14 people two weeks ago said the pilot twice asked air traffic controllers to divert from the flight’s original destination but gave no reason either time.

Galt residents Mike and Vanessa Pullen and their two young children, Sydney and Chris, were among those killed in the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s report said an eye witness with aviation experience told investigators he saw the privately owned single engine turboprop just west of the centerline of runway 33 at the Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, Mont. The report said the witness described the aircraft banking to the left and flying farther west, then it rolled, pitched down and descended out of view.

The report said the last known radio communication from the pilot of the Pilatus PC-12/45 was that he was preparing to land on runway 33. He had twice told air traffic controllers he was diverting from the flight’s original destination of Bozeman to Butte,

The plane crashed into a cemetery just west of the approach end of the runway, the report said. The accident was reported to local authorities at 4:33 p.m. EDT.

Relatives said the seven adults and seven children aboard were en route to a ski vacation in Bozeman. The flight originated in Redlands and flew to Vacaville, where passengers were picked up. The pilot then flew to Oroville, where additional passengers boarded the aircraft.

A memorial service for the Pullens will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Fairmont Seventh-day Adventist Church, 730 S. Fairmont Ave., Lodi.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Galt Adventist Christian School, 619 Myrtle Ave., Galt, CA 95632; or Lodi Adventist Christian School, 1230 S. Central Ave., Lodi CA 95240.