I was taught patience through a stray "wild" gray cat. He finally trusted me, since he sleeps right through all my noisy work. I talked and whistled to him. Seemed to understand him. Told him to be careful with the flowers.

By Thanksgiving, leaders at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church hope to move from Lodi's Eastside to an area off Lower Sacramento Road south of Lodi.

Stockton Diocese Bishop Stephen Blaire and priests throughout the diocese will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving to the retiring Pope Benedict XVI at 6 p.m. Thursday at Cathedral of the Annunciation, 425 W. Magnolia St., Stockton.

While numerous wineries in the Lodi area celebrated Valentine’s Day early by serving wine and chocolate, Cecchetti Farms came up with a variation.

First, you knew her for her pies, those decadent strawberry and rhubarb slices she served for 24 years at LaVerne’s Coffee Shop in Downtown Lodi.

Dear Straight Talk: I’m 16. My cousins, adopted from Kenya, ages 14 and 15, are visiting. I never figured my friends were prejudiced, but my best friend says she isn’t “comfortable” staying the night “right now” (they are staying in my room). We often have sleepovers with several girls in this room, so this makes no sense. Some other friends say it’s because my cousins are black. I am in shock! How do I deal with this? — Anaheim

(BPT) - That time of year is almost here - pro football championship Sunday. According to the National Chicken Council’s 2012 Wing Report, the big game is the second biggest eating holiday after Thanksgiving. With the big game comes big prep and cleanup.

The San Joaquin Taxpayers Association has asked the Board of Supervisors to postpone a decision on three appointments to the county’s Mosquito & Vector Control District’s board of directors.

More residential waste is created during the holiday season than any other time of the year, so the County of San Joaquin and the Cities of Escalon, Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Ripon, Stockton, and Tracy are asking residents and businesses to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible.

Without fanfare, pomp or circumstance — well, we did serve birthday cake and punch to the 100-plus kids that showed up that day for our various programs — the Boys and Girls Club of Lodi turned 50 early this month.

(BPT) - For many, the holiday period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s means family get-togethers, rich food and good times. But it can also mean heartburn.

(StatePoint) From battling crowds and braving the weather to re-gifting and returns, holiday shopping can be stressful. A recent survey commissioned by Groupon, a daily deal website, found that 60 percent of respondents consider “finding the right gift” a top giving challenge.

With today's widely accessible social media technology it is easy to hold a business meeting online, or manage a tutoring session by webcam. But is it possible to host a wine tasting event over the Internet?

On behalf of city of Lodi's GrapeLine and MV Transportation, we want to thank everyone who helped make this year's Stuff the Bus Food Drive a huge success on Nov. 16, 17 and 18. With the community's generosity, the city of Lodi was able to collect 8,236 pounds of food for Salvation Army Lodi Corps — enough to make 6,589 meals!

San Joaquin County Sheriff’s investigators are asking for help in finding a missing person.

If you’re looking for a fresh and convenient way to celebrate the holidays, it might be a good time to consider a getaway with the whole family. Choosing a holiday-friendly destination can add an extra element of fun to your holiday get-together, and allow everyone to relax and enjoy each other since nobody needs to host.

"No need to worry. Christmas vacation is coming. I'll catch up on my chemistry assignments then," I assured myself.

An 83-year-old Stockton man who had been missing since Thanksgiving Day has been seen as recently as Nov. 27 in Lockeford and Clements, according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office.

Last month, just before Thanksgiving, the Bread of Life food distribution program distributed food for 325 families in Lodi. Between Lodi, Stockton and Tracy, more than 1,400 families were served.

(BPT) - At this busy time of year, it’s often difficult to get a meal on the table, especially if you’re multitasking between other priorities around the home. Consider including turkey burgers in your dinner menus - it’s a great way to add protein and create a delicious and convenient meal without having to be tied to your kitchen for hours.  

Thanksgiving Day marked the movie classic "Casablanca's" 70th anniversary. The film is high on critics and fans list of favorites. "Casablanca's" dialogue includes the most heavily quoted movie lines of all time; example: "We'll always have Paris." The theme song, "As Time Goes By," has also endured.

On Nov. 17, I sat down for my lunch break. The weekend Lodi News-Sentinel had a small picture of Lodi High School's head coach, Todd Dillon, with his varsity football players on the front page with the small caption, "Dillon run over after 15 seasons." I turned to the sports section expecting to read all sorts of nice things about a good man and his accomplishments. Instead it said, "Fired after 15 years!" I was shocked.

Stores in Downtown Lodi kicked off the holiday shopping season in style. Shop owners decorated their windows and storefronts in Christmas greens and holiday ribbons. Several offered treats and discounts in honor of the Downtown Holiday Open House, organized by the Downtown Lodi Business Partnership.