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• Laid-off, singing Sonora man starts peddling cherries on Lockeford Street

• Tom Gemma resigns

• Javier Velazquez admits he burned his daughter

• Median home prices in Northern California up slightly, tracking firm says

• State releases school test scores

• Six area services are set to honor American soldiers on Memorial Day

• Local students debate Wal-Mart issue

• Regional Roundup

• Veterans to tell their stories at Lodi event today

• Woodbridge likely exempt from flood insurance requirement

• New Hope School District reduced to three trustees

February 9th, 2010

• Middle College High School rated one of the best — and a bargain, to boot

• Lodi decathlon boasts top team in county

• Man who sparked counterfeit case pleads guilty

• Local businessman will visit Haiti to look for family

• Man who claimed to be Yosemite Sam pleads guilty to meth charge

• David Harmer seeks Republican congressional nod

• Lack of evidence in case against suspect in 'drug deal' stabbing

• Regional Roundup

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

• Delta College trustees again collide over stipend committee

• Bad bugs, weeds are hot topics at Grape Day

• 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

• Regional Roundup

February 2nd, 2010

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

• Correction

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

• Regional Roundup

• No snow leopards, otters for Micke Grove

• McNerney leads in campaign cash

• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen

• Big rig plows 7 cars

• Jumpers across California

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

• Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (75)
• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
• President Obama's first year (45)
• Many reject the politics of 'no' (45)
• Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (44)
• Writer comments on Neely column (42)
• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
• Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (34)
• We need to conduct respectful conversations (30)
• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam (25)

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Locals vying for national volleyball title

Each year practices begin in November. Members of the Delta Valley Volleyball Club then train and play in tournaments through June and July with one goal in mind — qualifying for the Junior Olympics Championships.

Each year a few of the six teams from the Lodi-based club with players from all over the valley, accomplish the feat. This year, it will be the 13-1 Blue and 14-1 Blue squads who will travel to Miami to take on the top teams in the country.

The 14s team, coached by Theresa Abernathy, received a bid to play in the National Division, which is the highest level, after finishing fifth out of over 90 teams in the Northern California Volleyball Association regional tournament in early May.

Jessica Malcolm

"It was really cool when we got the bid because we weren't sure if we were going to get one," said Lodi's Jessica Malcolm, who plays for the team. "We had to win a few matches and we have been hoping all season to get a bid. It was just awesome that we it."

Delta Valley will play in Bay View Classic this weekend in San Mateo and also play in the California Finals June 20-21 to help prepare them for the Junior Olympics July 2-5.

Brooke Malcolm

Two local girls play for the 14s squad in Malcolm, a Lodi High freshman and Tokay High freshman Brooke Malcolm (no relation) of Morada. Jessica Malcolm is one of four players returning from last year's squad that finished 13th at the Junior Olympics. She's hoping they can finish even higher this year.

"We really want to medal. It doesn't matter what place, we just want a medal," Jessica said. "But it would be nice if it was gold."

The Delta Valley 13s team also received a bid to the National Division of the Junior Olympics. They finished sixth out of about 30 teams at the NCVA regional tournament in early May to help earn their spot in the Miami tournament. They are currently ranked No. 4 in Northern California.

"It is exciting for us. Not everybody goes to nationals," said Delta Valley Club director Richard Chan, who also coaches the 13s squad. "I wanted our team to qualify for the highest division and play the best teams in the country."

Kirstin Kielhold

The 13s team will compete in the Junior Olympics June 27-30 and will also be competing in a handful of tournaments to prepare for the Junior Olympics. The team is made up from players from Stockton to Sacramento to Modesto, but just this week Lodi's Kirstin Kielhold joined the squad. The 13-year-old Millswood Middle School student played previously for the Lodi Heat. At 5-foot-8, she is the second-tallest player on Delta Valley.

The Delta Valley 17s team will also be taking on the top teams in the country, as it qualified for the Junior Volleyball Directors Association National Championships June 26-30 in Louisville, Kent.