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• PETA alleges abuse at Carson & Barnes

• 29 years: Pursuits, undercover work and an expertise in dog fighting

• Friends, family recall Galt accident victims

• Man charged with attempted murder of California Highway Patrol officer

• Galt's Estrellita High School graduates 107 eager students

• 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

• 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? (72)
• 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)
• Writer comments on Neely column (42)
• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
• Many reject the politics of 'no' (37)
• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen (31)
• We need to conduct respectful conversations (30)

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It was a very special 1963 Porsche, full of pride and craft and memories, and it was destroyed in seconds

It was June 14, 2000, — the hottest day of the year in Lodi. The mercury had climbed to 107.

Out of nowhere, a Jeep Grand Cherokee bounced off a light pole and crashed through a garage in a peaceful and quiet neighborhood.

In its wake were the remains of a 1963 Porsche — twisted like a pretzel, as it was hurled into the garage and family room walls. Only the right rear quarter panel remained unscathed.

Moments before, it had been a show-winning classic, purchased new by my father. Dad drove it for 27 years, rebuilding the engine twice. He gave me the car in 1990, knowing cancer would soon end his life.

As a tribute to his memory, my wife and I decided to restore the German classic to its original state. I spent two years traveling to various swap meets, looking for everything from rubber bumper inserts to an original Hirschman radio antenna. I did find the latter residing in an original factory box.

When the time came for restoration, I chose Lodi's Gene Wagner and Larry Santos for the bodywork. The family heirloom had acquired a few dents over the years and rust was common on these cars. The original paint color was a factory special order, and the guys matched it perfectly. Gene's national reputation paid off. The finished product was impeccable.

The perfect chrome was also done locally by Reggie Mason. People from all over the country commented on its quality. World-famous Porsche restorer, the late Harry Pellow of San Jose, did all the mechanical work.

Even at such a notable event as the Silverado Concours, the Porsche never lost a point for fit and finish.

Gene and Larry worked on the car for over a year. Dad must have been happy about the work we were doing, as his spirit seemed to follow our progress. During the restoration, Larry pulled me aside one day and mentioned a phenomenon he could not logically explain. The ignition switch was still located on the dash within the empty car shell. Larry was always the last to close the shop and the first to open it in the morning. Somehow, the key would magically appear in the switch and be turned to the "on" position. Moving the key to the floor, a distant shelf or other places did not seem to matter.

The mystery was never solved.

I'll never forget that hot summer day, driving around the corner and seeing police and fire vehicles in front of my home. I whispered a little prayer, "Please don't let it be my house" — but it was too late for divine intervention.

Lodi Police Officer Chuck Fromm was waiting and expressed his sorrow for my loss. However, it was obvious that the fate of the 37-year-old show winner and years of pleasurable family history had been sealed.

The driver of the Jeep was not cited because the incident happened on "private property." As is often the case, she was underinsured. The policy on her car did not cover all of the damages to the house and the Porsche.

The incident made me reflect on our material world and how the results of years and hundreds of hours of painstaking work can disappear in a matter of seconds. It took another five years for me to want a collectible car again.

Along with life itself, we know that material gain is but a fleeting moment. But somehow, we continue to enjoy the journey and still find pleasure in most new ventures, along with the physical objects we seek.

For whatever the reason, that exclusively human quest still continues.

Steve Hansen is a Lodi writer.