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• Lodi High grad Sara Marie Smith killed in rollover crash on Lower Sacramento Road

• Lodi, Galt Lutherans have mixed opinions on gay clergy

• Conservative Lutherans see gay pastors differently; many 'saddened' by vote

• Fire damages garage housing vintage car, but family is safe

• Lodi Hall of Fame

• Public Meetings

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)

ADVERTISEMENT

Lodi Hall of Fame

Frank Sasaki to be honored posthumously for service

Frank Sasaki believed it's not money that makes a person successful. Recently, his son found a box filled with unpaid charges he never collected.

Sasaki enjoyed success from loyal customer service and guaranteed satisfaction at his own expense, said his daughter, Karen Yagi.

"He would say, 'If you can do something for someone, just do it,'" she said.

For his contributions in community service, Sasaki was chosen posthumously for the Lodi Community Hall of Fame.

Other inductees this year include Robert Tan, a retired teacher who founded the Lodi Children's Chorus, for his contributions in education; William Dauer, a retired CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce who served as CEO of Lodi Memorial Hospital, for his contributions in business; John Ledbetter, owner of Vino Farms, for his contributions to agriculture; and Ivan Suess, who worked as a real estate agent for 20 years, for his contributions in community service.

A business owner for 49 years, Sasaki began Sak's TV Repair in 1949, and later it became Sak's TV and Appliance. In 1988, he ventured into Sak's TV and Home Furnishings with his brother, sons and daughter, and then in 1998, he expanded into Sak's Fine Furnishings.

Sasaki loved his customers and would often go on service calls and repair televisions and antennas free of charge, after hours, said Yagi in the nomination papers.

"It was the smiles shown on others that truly warmed his heart and gave him validation for a job well done," she said.

Yagi explained that her father really enjoyed running his business. She added that he would often leave the dinner table at night if he received a call from someone who was having trouble with an antenna and couldn't watch their favorite TV shows.

"I think the store was his way to be able to give back," she said. "He always wanted to give that extra special service."

His business ventures took him to the Bank of Lodi, when his friend Bo Katzakian asked him to be a member of the founding board. Later, he became a board member of the Lodi Memorial Hospital Foundation, where he helped raise funds for the hospital.

Bill Dauer, who served with Sasaki on the Lodi Memorial Hospital Foundation board, said Sasaki was an idea maker as well as a team member.

"He was always the first to agree to do something. His counsel was wise and when he spoke people really listened," he said.

When his sons were involved in Scouting, Sasaki served as Scout master and held other leadership roles on the district level, as well as an executive board member of the 49'er Council. He served as president for the Lodi Buddhist Church as well as for the Japanese American Citizen League (JACL), where he helped to develop a monthly luncheon for the Japanese-American senior citizens. Sasaki also served in the Kiwanis and Lodi Lion's Club, and he led committees in each.

Born on the outskirts of Lodi, Sasaki was a lifetime resident save for a few years as teenager that he spent in Arkansas. He graduated from Lodi High School in 1946 and then received a certificate of completion from DeVry Technology of Chicago.

In 1998, Sasaki received both the Citizen of the Year and Man of the Year awards. Yagi said that because her father was so humble about his achievements, it was known he wouldn't go for the award. In order to get him there, he was asked to video the event. She said he was both shocked and humbled.

"He was embarrassed to receive such honors for outstanding service in his community, as he genuinely enjoyed working hard to give to others," she said.

Dauer describes him as the jewel of Lodi.

"He always had a smile, was always helpful and unassuming. People might not realize what a dynamo he was," he said.

The Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Lodi Boys and Girls Club. Inductees will be honored at a dinner and program scheduled for Oct. 17 at the Boys and Girls Club, 275 Poplar St. Tickets are $45 and may be purchased by calling the club at 334-2697.

Contact Panorama Editor Pam Bauserman at pamelab@lodinews.com.