Dear Barbara: I like using a basting or pastry brush during grilling season for meats and other foods. I hate the fact that the bristles come off on the food. I have tried replacing the brushes with new ones, but still have the same problem. — Adrianna from Lockeford

If you think your tap water tastes a little funny, you’re not alone. The Lodi Public Works Department has received several complaints recently about metallic-tasting water, and city workers are flushing water lines and hydrants a little more often these days to fix the problem.

An apartment building on Walnut Street was evacuated on Saturday afternoon while police arrested a man on suspicion of attempting to stab a woman.

Greg Wright didn’t know the running scores at the time, so he was still thinking strategy. But when trying to decide how to position his two seniors — Mayra Mejia or Cassidy Daley — between the half-mile and two-mile races during Friday night’s league championship meet, the Lodi High distance coach ran into a problem: Daley and Mejia were insisting on running both.

They had competed against one another during practices, but Tokay juniors Albert Lee and Johnny Morales weren’t too used to playing side-by-side in a doubles match.

On a narrow country lane lined with cherry orchards, a menace gobbles in the shadows. He will cluck at you. He may lurch toward your car. He will likely nibble on your tires. His name is Cujo.

After Dennis Yamamoto retired, he picked up a ukulele he had gotten in Hawaii, plays a few chords and then was hooked on it. Because the closest ukulele club was in Roseville, he began his own for the Central Valley called the Ukulele Strummers.

Every time I see a box of Cracker Jack, fond childhood memories surface. The red, white and blue carton sporting Sailor Jack and his trusty dog, made my heart flutter and happiness surged through my veins. Not only did the container hold a sugary sweet candy coated popcorn studded with peanuts, but there was a prize inside.

He started as a skinny kid scrubbing the dishes out back. Now, John DeNegris owns the place.

Habanero Hots In Lodi is one of the most popular restaurants in San Joaquin County, serving up hundreds of dishes each day, from soft fish tacos to chorizo enchiladas.

It’s more than a busy and profitable restaurant, a rollicking, elbow-to-elbow bar, a place for parties and family dinners and service club lunches.

It is a happening.

In real life, Thomas Sanchez directs new business prospects for Waste Management in Lodi. In fiction, he is a police lieutenant called in to assist the FBI on an investigation.

For the past several years, Lodi residents have seen water mains replaced, lawns torn up and new $300 water meters installed at every home in the city. It's all part of a California law requiring water use to be regulated and paid for on a by-use basis, not a flat fee, by 2025.

Between the hours of 8 a.m. Tuesday and 8 a.m. Wednesday, The Lodi Police Department received 126 calls for service. Below is a sample of those calls:

Between the hours of 8 a.m. Monday and 8 a.m. Tuesday, the Lodi Police Department received 136 calls for service. Below is a sample of those calls.

Well, it finally happened. Hooray! I have been writing the Lodi paper for more than three years about how much I could not wait to move back to Lodi. I was living in Washington state. Yuck!

You'd be surprised where rare collectable cars can be found. Sometimes, they're right under your nose.

Members of St. Anne's Catholic Church burst into applause after learning that their idea to buy a section of Walnut Street and turn it into a landscaped plaza was approved by the Lodi City Council on Wednesday.

Joanne Bergstresser watched two of her children closely as they investigated a series of buckets representing the stages of an asthma attack. Both 6-year-old boys were blond and wore small blue eyeglasses as they giggled and called to each other about their discoveries.

The two Pacific Tigers shared high school playoff glory together. The two University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rebels shared a household — and still do, on campus. Kind of.

A freak snowstorm blasted the foothills east of Lodi on Tuesday, snarling traffic and stranding dozens of motorists on Highway 49.

In our area we have a handful of very recognizable homes: Locke House, Hill House, and even Mark Twain’s Cabin. But what about you and your hunt for your own personal Dream House? What features make a property a good candidate? Most dream home features are intangible and will differ from house hunter to house hunter. But the list below is a useful guide to think through as you peruse listings online or preview in real life:

I have never been the type of girl to say no to a cupcake — or any dessert, for that matter. But how many cupcakes can one girl eat? Especially if she's single and it's Valentine's Day?

We're recruiting for a reporter position, so I have been sifting through resumes and cover letters.

Lodi city staff suggested making property owners responsible for utility bills when a renter fails to pay as a way to reduce city write-offs, at a Lodi City Council early morning study session on Tuesday.

With the help of a police dog named Max, Lodi police officers arrested two suspects in an early morning car theft on Tuesday, according to Lt. Chris Jacobson.