Velma Kolb Mullaley passed away on May 16, 2013. Velma was born on December 18, 1920 in Lodi, California to Adolf and Emma Kolb. Velma attended and...

The Woodbridge Municipal Advisory Council, meeting Thursday night, will discuss efforts to bring a Bookmobile to Woodbridge, road safety improvements, trespassing on irrigation canals and other topics.

Jim Aschwanden knows a few things about agriculture. The former Galt Joint Union High School District trustee and retired Galt High School agriculture teacher now serves as the executive director of the California FFA Foundation. He also sits on the FFA Adult Board, where he works with teachers and former student FFA leaders.

Lodi Unified School District trustees finalized a contract agreement with Superintendent Cathy Nichols-Washer on Tuesday that extends her employment by one year and pays her almost $225,000 annually. Her contract will expire on June 30, 2016.

The senses are a driving force for many, and none are more demanding than the sense of taste. It is the driving force that compels the young and young-at-heart to seek out new and exciting ways to satisfy their culinary desires. And Lodi and its neighboring areas are willing to oblige.

Local museums are where curiousity meets a vast wealth of knowledge. Whether visitors want to uncover the agriculture roots of the area, enjoy interactive science and wildlife exhibits, or even crave some football history during the offseason, at least one of these Central Valley museums can provide that information.

Bed and breakfasts

The Lodi Grape Festival returns on Sept. 12 and runs through Sept. 15, offering animal shows, winetastings, a midway and much more.

The Central Pacific Railroad gave birth to Lodi in the summer of 1869. Beginning as a simple rail stop with a couple merchants’ simple wood buildings and a few scattered homestead farmers, Lodi grew to become a bustling city of more than 75,000 with a thriving and increasingly famous grape and wine industry.

With clear Sierra streams flowing through the foothills, man-made reservoirs that stretch for miles and the meandering waters of the Delta nearby, Lodi is an angler’s dream.

Whether it’s coming up with a new creation for a food truck, adding a Mexican flair or adding a twist to comfort foods, culinary talents abound in Lodi. Some area chefs are self-taught, while others have learned on the job.

Favorite dishes: Oh, man — that’s a hard one. I usually opt for Lodi’s fresh gems. Here are a few of my regulars: The edamame hummus with a plate of olives, feta and warm Naan bread from Crush Kitchen, 115 S. School St., No. 13 (holy cow — it’s painful when you have a craving on days when the restaurant is closed); the JJ Fiori Caprese (mozzarella, tomato, basil pesto, romaine and red onions on fresh-baked herb focaccia with balsamic and olive oil) from Fiori’s Butcher Shoppe, 400 W. Lodi Ave., is like summer in my mouth; any salad from Bon Appetit, 1012 W. Lodi Ave., though my favorite is the Baja chicken salad; if I’m going out for dinner and want something more unique, I’ll step in to Alebrijes, 10 W. Oak St., to see what’s new.

San Joaquin Fair

Want to combine a day of exploring old mine shafts, historical buildings and gaming at an Indian casino while driving less than an hour from Lodi?

The following students graduated from Azusa Pacific University in December:

Most veterans don't talk about their combat experiences. There are obvious reasons for sidestepping the horrible memories of what mankind is capable of doing. For many, it was the first-time clash between the real and ideal. It was like two full-throttled steam locomotives meeting head on. That's why soldiers usually don't come back from a combat situation the same way they went into it.

Marvin Albert "Butch" Abeldt , 92, of Lodi, died May 16. He was born March 5, 1921 in Tampa, Kan.

Fire departments throughout California have been expecting an active wildfire season this year following an extremely dry winter. Statewide it's proven true, and local departments have sent strike teams to help fight flames in Northern and Southern California much earlier than usual.

I worked as a volunteer on May 11 as a fellow University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener, emptying and refilling the Downtown flower pots.

The Tokay 1913 is a paperbound Lodi Union High School yearbook, about the size of a small town's thin telephone book. It's a glimpse into the past a century ago when student life was much like it is today and yet so different.

In the last half a dozen years, Arcohe Union Elementary School District has lost more than a quarter of its students due to declining enrollment.

Founding Elder Cliff Shirk has retired as an elder at Beth Hallel Messianic Fellowship, a Jewish group that believes Jesus is the Messiah.

Garry Pace

A memorial service for Garry Dee Pace, 63, of Lodi, who died May 13, will be held at 11 a.m. today at Lodi Memorial Cemetery, 5750 E. Pine St., Lodi.

Last July I wrote a blog item commending the city of Lodi for steering clear of the underfunded retirement health benefit mess that Stockton fell into.