A group of 225 bicycle riders and crew raised a record $330,000 for AIDS research and related organizations during a four-day trip through Northern California.

Dear Pharmacist: I’ve had migraine headaches for 11 years and live on triptan drugs and ibuprofen. There must be something else I can do. Please lend some sensible “Suzy” insight, I’m desperate. — J.C.,  Tuscon, Arizona

(BPT) - American women spend more time taking care of their families, homes and jobs than themselves. With so much time invested in caring for others, women can overlook the importance of their own health. Yet, neglecting their own health needs can make it much harder for women to also take care of those they love.

(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.

Class 3 DTX PW: 1. Avrie Bromstead, 2. Eli Souza, 4. Kellen Brucia

Technology has been connecting families for generations. The invention of the phone let us hear voices of loved ones far away, and the creation of the Internet helped us to see them. Today, those same technologies that we’ve used to bring our families closer together are helping us to connect with and support families who are worlds apart. In doing so, the very concept and experience of “gifting” and philanthropy is being transformed.

On a recent spring morning, a chill wind strafes the Lima Ranch west of Lodi.

It sends up missiles of stray alfalfa. Workers bend as they walk into the wind — and keep their jackets zipped to the top.

The wind doesn’t take the edge off Jack Hamm. The dairy’s general manager keeps moving, talking, gesturing.

(BPT) - The days are getting longer, the grass is growing and yard work season has begun. Many homeowners strive to have the best lawn in the neighborhood, but the task ahead can often feel daunting and time-consuming.

Wine drinkers have spoken! What they are saying is they love many of Lodi’s wines, from blends to Zins. At the Consumer Wine Awards Competition in April, Lodi-area winery took home awards given by everyday wine drinkers. The awards include these platinum- and gold-winning wines from the Lodi appelation;

Class#3 DTX PW: 1. Eli Souza

The Lodi Cycle Bowl will be hosting the 5th Annual Danny Knight Memorial Race and the Food Drive to Feed the Hungry this Saturday.

Dear Lodinews.com reader:

On April 29, we will begin a new way of offering news on Lodinews.com. It’s called “metered content.”

Navy Seaman Firemans Apprentice Robert C. Schulz graduated from the Navy Recruit Training Command Center in Great Lakes, Ill. on March 29. His eight-week training also earned him the title Torpedo Mate Subs and Firemans Apprentice. He is currently attending submarine school in Groton, Conn. After six months, he will continue in special training for submarines in Hawaii, San Diego or Washington. Schulz is a 2009 graduate of Tokay High School. He is the son of Darren and Allison Schulz, of Acampo.

(NAPSI)—There’s good news for those who want to get a handle on cleaning their home but don’t know where to start.

(BPT) - Stress affects everyone and can cause problems at work, home and with health. Researchers have found that stress is a leading cause of illness, affecting as much as 20 percent of the population. Economic factors, such as a recession, have also been shown to significantly increase population-wide stress levels.

(NAPSI)—Selecting the right vehicle for a job is imperative for a small business and their bottom line. A well-known provider of commercial automobile fleets, General Motors, offers a team of expert sales consultants at Chevrolet and GMC dealerships across the country to help business customers select the type of vehicles that best meet their company’s needs.

(NAPSI)—It could be a healthy idea to take a new look at an old spice.

In November, California voters approved Proposition 30 by a vote of 55 percent to 45 percent. The measure saved our school districts from having to make further cuts to an already very lean budget. If Prop. 30 had not passed, Lodi Unified stood to lose about $11 million.

(NewsUSA) - When it comes to delicate fabric and dry-clean-only clothing, washing your favorite items can be quite a hassle. Picking things up from the dry cleaner isn't always a quick stop, especially if any unexplained marks or stains appear on your clothes.

(BPT) - Home is where the heart is. But it’s also a place where families can be more conscious of their energy use. While conserving energy helps save the planet, it also helps homeowners save money.

As we head into Spring, strawberries will be enjoyed in salads, desserts such as strawberry shortcake or on top of pancakes. The peak of the season, which runs from April to June, will soon be approaching. California is the largest strawberry-producing state with approximately 24,500 acres. What else do you know about strawberries? Take this quiz to find out.

(NewsUSA) - Rachael Scdoris is a competitive dogsled racer and -- thanks to the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), the Library of Congress -- an avid reader.

(NAPSI)—Most of us feel alert when it’s light outside and want to sleep when it’s dark. Light is the cue that helps our internal body clock—or “master body clock”—synchronize to the 24-hour day. In people with a circadian rhythm disorder, however, the timing of this clock is disrupted, causing our rhythms to get out of sync.

It’s safe to say women have made their mark in the business world over the years. Mary Katherine Goddard was the first woman to open a bookstore back in 1789. Not long after, Rebecca Pennock Lukens became the first female CEO of an industrial company. Both women made waves in a business world that wasn’t quite ready for them.

From custom prosthetics to minimally invasive surgery, innovations in medical devices are leading to some astonishing advances. One example: an artificial heart that uses plastic tubes instead of heart valves to move blood in and out of two plastic ventricles. Implanted in more than 1,000 patients, this plastic heart has extended lives by more than 270 years. And now U.S. regulators are reviewing an accompanying mobile power supply carried in a backpack, so suitable patients could leave the hospital and live at home.