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• Acampo woman killed

• National Guard troops return home in time for the holidays

• One year after a heart attack, Lodi's Judy Mims thanks rescuers

• Stable southeast of Lodi approved

• Galt plans to help residents with energy-efficient projects

• Regional Roundup

• Advocacy groups sue East Bay Municipal Utility District over Pardee expansion

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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National Guard troops return home in time for the holidays

After spending nine months in Kosovo combating human trafficking and counterfeiting, and doing his part to keep the peace, Pfc. Christopher Petrossian-Rainville was rewarded for his sacrifice by being able to hold his 9-month-old daughter and wife on Thursday.

"I'm home for good," said the 2004 Lodi High School graduate. "I'm looking forward to spending time with my family."

Just in time for Thanksgiving, roughly 115 National Guard troops were reunited with their families at the Stockton Metropolitan Airport on Thursday after serving in Kosovo.

Cheryl Petrossian-Rainville, Christopher's wife, smiled brightly as the two kissed and whispered to each other.

Their infant daughter, Carilyn, who was dressed in a brown fleece outfit to protect her from the chilly November wind, was cradled in Christopher Petrossian-Rainville's left arm as he embraced his wife.

"I was here when she was born," he said. "But this is the first time I have held her in months."

He said she had grown considerably since he last saw her.

Petrossian-Rainville and his fellow soldiers were in Kosovo because United States armed forces have supplemented NATO peacekeeping forces there for the last 10 years. Their mission is the second in the last four years in which members of the California National Guard have been deployed to Kosovo. They were stationed less than 30 miles from the Serbian border at Camp Bondsteel.

At 9:30 a.m., their plane landed in Stockton and the troops emerged, Cheryl Petrossian-Rainville said.

National Guard soldiers sort through their bags Thursday at Stockton Metropolitan Airport. The soldiers returned home after serving in Kosovo. (Jordan Guinn/News-Sentinel)

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Christopher Petrossian-Rainville said the National Guard's job in Kosovo was peacekeeping missions and keeping the area safe and secure. He said counterfeiting both Bosnian and American currency is one of the crimes they paid special attention to, as well as human trafficking.

As family members waved signs and cheered for their returning heroes, the soldiers looked forward to returning to their loved ones and hobbies.

Oakdale resident and National Guard member Warren Colbert said he had big plans for something he had been waiting months to do.

"I can't wait to go pheasant hunting," he said.

When asked when he would get to do it, Colbert looked at his watch and said as soon as he got home.

For Modestan and soldier Joshua Frey, home cooking and family were his biggest rewards.

"I can't wait for some of mom's salami rollups," he said. "They are filled with cream cheese and pepperoncinis."

Contact reporter Jordan Guinn at jordang@lodinews.com.