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• Lodian charged in stabbing death

• Kicking off the school year at Liberty Ranch in Galt

• Lodi Unified School District improves STAR scores, but lags behind state

• Galt's Delta Greens senior housing project still up in the air

• Department of Motor Vehicles employee arrested

• Regional Roundup

• San Joaquin County supervisors approve 17 new sheriff's deputies

• Congressman Jerry McNerney tours Lodi to discuss solar project

• Delta trustees still struggling with teamwork, trust problems

• Lodi Unified School District takes renewed look at graduation requirements

• Lodi teen wins state award in 'Fight the Bite' poster contest

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' (45)
• 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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And a women's discus thrower shall lead them

It seems like the time has passed by so quickly but I have been here a week already.

Over the last few days I have practiced according to my schedule and even had some time off to go to visit a standing section of the Berlin Wall, cruise on the River Spree, and speak in front of hundreds at the opening prayer inside the historic Berlin Cathedral.

At the Wall I wrote a birthday note to a friend, snapped a few pictures, and sent them back as a gift. I was too scared to write it in huge letters but I'm lucky I didn't get arrested because it was not the official "graffiti" section of the Wall.

The river cruise down the Spree revealed to me the best parts of Berlin architecture and culture. The cruise had a rocky start though, as the drink waitress dropped a full bottle of beer in my lap when trying to pass it to Chaz. I looked like I had wet myself but I really wasn't worried about the wet pants. I was worried about coming back to the hotel smelling like Berliner Kindl.

The prayer at the cathedral was amazing. I was asked by one of the chaplains on the team to attend. It was my first day off of training and I had planned to take the train to see some of the sights. I took the morning to go sightseeing, including the wall and a sandcastle exhibit on the river.

Then back at the hotel we had a very long team meeting followed by team picture. In all team pictures I am forced to stand at the back because I am so tall but this time I refused. I got my Cal Poly teammates together and we all stood (well, I slouched down a lot and they stood) a few rows from the front. I'm proud of us Poly Dollies!

I went straight to the taxi stand and rode with the chaplains to the cathedral. I was told that there were two athletes invited to speak at the opening prayer, along with a high level Catholic Bishop, and Evangelical Protestant Bishop, and the head of the German Athletic Federation.

The other athlete could not attend due to a training session. That meant I was the only athlete representing over 2,000 athletes at the championships. My lines were already written out and all I would need to do would be to stand on the stage and deliver the message without jumbling my lines too much.

I didn't have time to change after the team picture so I was decked out in all of my USA gear and felt a bit out of place standing next to the bishops in their long robes and men in three-piece suits. The TV cameras were rolling, bulbs flashing and I was hoping that I didn't have anything in my teeth. My heart tried to leap from my chest, even with my 6 months of Toastmasters training.

I delivered the lines clearly and deliberately even though I was about to have a heart attack I thought the delivery was excellent.

After the ceremony we walked in file behind the large wood cross held by one of the bishops to a back room which I assumed to be one of the private chapels. Everyone exchanged pleasantries and shook hands. One of the bishops gave me a book about the "Berlin Dom" but because it is written in German I can't understand it. The pictures are nice though!

Galt resident and Olympic discus champion Stephanie Brown Trafton is writing about her experiences at the 2009 IAAF World Track & Field Championships in Berlin. The discus prelims will be held on Wednesday and the finals will be on Friday. Following are excerpts from the latest entry to her blog, which can be accessed at www.stephaniebrowntrafton.com.