Thinking of putting your home or property up for sale? Your buyer might come from much farther afield than you imagined. Chinese investors are buying up more homes, buildings and even farmland in California than ever before.

Universities are taking online degrees to a whole new level, giving college students opportunities and experiences that are not often found in a traditional college classroom.

Ever want to explore the Great Wall of China? The Forbidden City? The city of Shanghai? The Lodi Chamber of Commerce is leading a tour to China in October, and you're invited to join them — if you have $2,250 at your disposal.

Defining China succinctly is a difficult, if not impossible, task. Perhaps that’s what travelers love so much about it: a trip to China can be virtually anything you want it be. The country’s incredible range of landscapes, from rice paddies to river gorges, and cultures, from ultra-modern to fiercely traditional, ensure that any visitor will encounter a spellbinding range of people, places and sights. Narrowing down a visit to the essentials, without sacrificing authenticity, can be a challenge, but with the right China tour, you can manage the task.

Planning an international trip can be exciting and overwhelming, all at the same time. Deciding which cities or countries to visit, where to stay, what to see and how to get from place to place adds up to a lot of research and planning.

"The Sister Cities Program is an important resource to the negotiations of governments in letting the people themselves give expression of their common desire for friendship, goodwill and cooperation for a better world for all." — President Dwight D. Eisenhower

1. I am a “graduate” of MIT — Made in Taiwan!

In July of this year, the Lodi and Galt Chambers of Commerce jointly welcomed a delegation from the Guangxi Beibu Gulf Investment Group, a large-scale state-owned enterprise which manages over $3.5 billion in assets in Guangxi, China.

On a recent Friday while having a great lunch at Wholey Ravioli with the incomparable Frank "The Tank" Duwel, owner of Propane Express and president of the Real Men's Club of Galt, Frank handed me a flyer: "Thursday, October 4th at the McFarland Ranch. Charitable lunch donation of $25."

"Dan and Toni at Express Type and Graphics over on Spaans Drive would be very happy to help you design and print that." Promoting the local economy often is as simple as encouraging friends to patronize their local businesses.

Ten Chinese delegates were welcomed in both English and their native tongue outside a room at Hutchins Street Square on Tuesday as the business ties between China and Lodi continue to strengthen.

Two wine buyer delegations will visit Lodi in June to meet with local wineries interested in exporting to China.

Discus thrower Stephanie Brown Trafton wants a shot to defend her Olympic gold medal in London.

California winemakers think the days of rice wine in China are waning as vintners find success marketing high-end cabernets to a new generation of upscale consumers.

I've seen other kinds of birds drinking — or trying to — from the hummingbird feeder and not staying with it very long, but this morning I saw the little pudgy finch that eats from the seed feeder every day hang upside down from one of the perches and drink his fill a la hummingbird.

Walnuts, almonds and grapes were all on the agenda for The Lodi-Shanghai Wine and Agricultural Export Summit on Tuesday.

The Lodi-Shanghai Wine and Agriculture Export Summit will be held at the Lodi Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 6.

Teacher Connie Marion has been traveling abroad for seven years alongside local students hand-picked to serve as ambassadors.

Thanks to a blossoming middle class with expendable income and a preference for California wines, Lodi appellation vintners are starting to cash in on China. The interest is so strong that the owner of one Linden winery is even considering selling his vineyard to Chinese investors.

All week we looked forward to the Friday night show at Hutchins Street Square — The Best of the San Francisco Comedy Competition. And as we thought about it, we were struck by what a difference Jim Rodems has made since coming to Lodi in the summer of 2008. He took on a big job, agreeing to be both parks and recreation director and community center director.

As a personnel department employee with the city of Lodi in the 1970s, Bill Hinkle was given an assignment that would change his life.

Who Lap and Yee Wong, of Lodi.

Michael-David Winery announced its entrance to the blossoming Chinese marketplace Monday as it looks to expose its products to new customers.

Earlier this week, officials from Lodi's Chamber of Commerce announced the opening of their China Desk in the Commercial Center and office building of the U.S. Department of Commerce in Shanghai, China.