RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Craft breweries from around the country are toasting the troops with a beer aged with a unique ingredient that symbolizes America's pastime — baseball bats.

Jessica Hixson is both happy and sad to receive her diploma from Lodi High as she plans to join the U.S. Army.

(NAPSI)—Seven months after joining the Army, Sgt. Ryan McIntosh stepped on an improvised explosive device during a routine orchard-clearing mission in Afghanistan. He came home with a deeper commitment to the uniform, despite losing his right leg below the knee.

Beyond terrorism’s life and limb costs are the cold, hard dollar sums.

Recently, I was listening to a program on NPR in which Terri Gross, host of "Fresh Air," was interviewing Aaron Glantz, a journalist who wrote the book "The War Comes Home: Washington's Battle Against America's Veterans." The book is based on facts about the Veteran’s Administration obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

Fairmont Rehabilitation staff donated items to be put in carepackages for the daughter of our Enviornmental Department Manager Jeff Brooks, Cpl. Amanda Brooks, who is stationed in Afghanistan. Activity Director Lisa Sperling organized the donations and the residents of Fairmont packaged all of the donated items to be shipped. The residents also sent cards and Easter decorations for Amanda to share among the troops in her company.

The countries I mentioned in my last letter, "There is not enough evidence against guns," March 13, were a few countries with strict gun control laws only. And there were many other countries with a higher murder rate per capita.

A decorated paratrooper from Lodi stationed at Fort Bragg died March 7 after sustaining a gunshot wound, base officials said in a release Wednesday.

A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld the conviction of a Lodi man who was sentenced to 24 years in prison for attending an al-Qaida terrorist training camp and plotting against targets in the United States.

Col. Laura Yeager of the California National Guard, who recently returned from service in Afghanistan, spoke at the American Association of University Women’s “Be Informed” meeting about her experiences in the military. She said she loves her career, where she serves in a medical unit, and that the military is committed to providing state-of-the-art medical help to wounded troops.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity." — Albert Einstein

(NAPSI)—Many are surprised to find what a full life a veteran with a disability can lead.

We combed through our coverage from 2012 and came up with some top quotes of the year.

When Mike Sinclair invited his mother- and father-in-law to join him and his wife Cheryl for a drink at Rosewood Bar & Grill on Monday afternoon, Carol Meehleis knew something was up.

As the post-presidential election dust settles, let me present a fact-based analysis of why Mitt Romney lost.

Lodi sure loves its veterans, with some 200 people packing the American Legion Hall for a special program on Sunday.

The tower of empty white postal boxes waiting to be filled rose 14 feet into the air, taking over a corner of the American Legion Hall on Friday morning.

Hearing Health Foundation, the leading non-profit funder of hearing research, remains committed to the Americans serving in the U.S. armed forces who return home suffering from tinnitus (ringing in the ear) and hearing loss. At least 60 percent of soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan report hearing problems due to noise exposure experienced during their time of service; surprisingly, hearing loss and tinnitus are more common than post-traumatic stress disorder.

Incumbent Democratic candidate Richard Pan defeated Republican Tony Amador in their race to represent the 9th Assembly District on Tuesday.

I don't care for the cheap shots (personal opinion not grounded in fact) taken at President Obama and Vice President Biden. They won the 2008 election fair and square, and stepped into the White House fully committed to help get this country back on its feet.

I want to comment on Wade Heath's column of Oct. 25, expressing his opinion on why he has lost faith in President Obama. Wade, you have a right to an opinion as well as anyone. As I read your comments your facts just didn't jive. What are your sources for news? Your statements sound like sound bites from Fox News.

Something was missing at the Republican National Convention earlier this year. Something, or perhaps someone.

Three-term Democratic incumbent Jerry McNerney pointed to his nearly six years of experience representing San Joaquin County, while Republican challenger Ricky Gill said that McNerney has neglected the county while serving in Congress, as the two candidates squared off Tuesday before on overflow crowd at University of the Pacific.