(NAPSI)—While some think of North Africa as a region of turmoil and unrest half a world away, one nation has emerged as a leader, demonstrating a commitment to cooperation and regional security that can ultimately benefit the interests of the U.S.

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.

Visit Lodi hosted a Tourism Luncheon on Tuesday at Wine & Roses.  Ken Nieland received recognition as Tourism Advocate of the Year.  Tom and Carmela Hoffman, owners of Heritage Oak Winery, received honors as “Winery of the Year”.  Nancy Beckman, President and CEO of Visit Lodi, oversaw the very classy event, providing insights into her … Continue reading »

Former Micke Grove Zoo director Ken Nieland and Heritage Oak Winery in Acampo were honored for their contributions to the community at Tuesday’s tourism luncheon, sponsored by the Visit Lodi! Conference and Visitors Bureau.

Lodi already showcases its growing wine industry, but community leaders are beginning a major promotion of other things to do in the Lodi area.

The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday against rezoning 10 acres of land along Highway 99 and Armstrong Road, derailing a construction company’s hope of building a $30 million resort and spa near Micke Grove Park.

The Downtown Lodi Business Partnership is on its way out. The Lodi City Council approved an ordinance to cut off the partnership's ability to levy taxes by shutting down the improvement district that got the group started in 1997.

Ken Nieland, president of the Lodi Sandhill Crane Association, and Heritage Oak Winery will be honored for their contributions to Lodi tourism efforts at the seventh annual tourism luncheon on May 7.

Larry Lawrence stands on the main patio at Viaggio Winery, picking through a ring of keys to open a locked wooden door. It leads to the room where he and his wife, Terri Lawrence, had hoped to open a little sandwich counter to serve visitors to Viaggio, a dramatic estate on the Mokelumne River.

(NewsUSA) - Two out of three adults age 55 and older fondly remember family vacations from as young as age five, and 93 percent of today's kids believe vacations offer quality time with their parents.

Wine seems to be the top way Lodi community leaders promote the city and nearby rural areas, but on May 7, you'll find out what else Lodi has to offer.

It might seem that, to find a relatively untouched tropical paradise, you’d need to travel halfway around the world. However, one of the best-kept secrets in travel – Panama – is close at hand and has everything you could want in a warm-weather getaway. The country combines the modern (its capital and the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal) with the natural (its beaches and jungles).The best way to see it all is on a Panama Canal cruise.

Visit Lodi!, the community's visitors bureau on North School Street, has added Yogesh "Yogi" Patel to its board of directors and named Diane Niggli board chairwoman for 2013.

Medical tourism's popularity by Americans is sound evidence that when one door closes another opens as a reaction. This industry has intensified and dramatically evolved thanks to President Obama.

Some of Michelle Antrobus’ students have known since a young age that they wanted to work in the hospitality industry.

A little-known Miwok Indian tribe from Wilton hopes to build a casino along Highway 99, just north of Galt. The Wilton Rancheria is planning to make a presentation to Galt City Council members during Tuesday's regular meeting.

Santa Ana, Ecuador, and Lodi do not have many things in common. They are a few thousand miles apart, in different hemispheres and different countries. But they share one person: Sean McDonald.

Due to financial concerns, the organization that promotes Downtown Lodi businesses will fold.

Sutter Home Winery will be expanding its west-side crushing plant over the next three years, which could result in 400 new jobs for Lodi.

(NewsUSA) - President Barack Obama's second inauguration, so serendipitously held on the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., wasn't just a transcendental moment for Americans. The day resonated for thousands, but for Nigerian noblewoman, economist, and banker, The Otunba Ayora, Bola Kuforiji-Olubi, it was magic, instructive -- a beautiful experience.

It is time to select the Lodi Tourism Advocate and Winery of the Year.

"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

Kay Marie Claxton has never set foot on French soil. But her Downtown Lodi shop is brimming with proof of her love for the country French aesthetic.