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• Sieglock seeking Assembly

• Making strides: Surviving a half-marathon

• Catching up with ... George Barber

• Heard it Through the Grapevine

• 9-year-old boy runs half-marathon

• Regional Roundup

• Public Meetings

November 2nd, 2009

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

November 4th, 2009

• Rep. Jerry McNerney sets telephone town hall for Thursday

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi City Council weighs raising fares to restore some bus service

• Candle fire

• Bicycling father raising awareness of teen suicide

• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

• Big win for Allen Baroni in reclamation election

• California sends Democratic loyalist John Garamendi to Congress

• Galt City Council argues over ordinance hiring residents

• San Joaquin County sues state over prison hospital planned for Stockton

November 3rd, 2009

• Correction

• Galt man dies after weekend Highway 12 crash

• 500 attend service for Kyle Coumas

• Clarification

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

• Jason Behrmann is top candidate for Galt city manager

• Regional Roundup

• Galt considers ordinance that would require city contractors to hire locally

• Have you seen a missing guide dog puppy in Lodi?

November 2nd, 2009

• Public Meetings

• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home

• Lamborghini lovers gather for show, fine wine, luncheon in Woodbridge

• Correction

• Lodi's 'Biggest Loser' Christy Richesin runs 5K Halloween race

• Downtown Lodi trick or treat

• Kyle Coumas funeral today

• Group investigates reports of haunting

• Regional Roundup

• Sandhill Cranes Festival comes to Lodi next weekend

October 31st, 2009

• Lodi-area Halloween events

• Area schools have no plans of closing due to H1N1 virus

• In remembrance of Kyle Coumas

• Regional Roundup

• Finishing touches on Hill House replica

• Tokay High evacuation

• Izzy Laviola and Seth Siddle-Mitchell crowned Tokay homecoming queen and king

• Lodi a reflection of Halloween's retail emergence

• Gated communities in Lodi

• City of Lodi settles case of mistaken identity

October 30th, 2009

• When there's something strange ...

• Red Ribbon Week

• Logbook

• Roundup of Lodi-area Halloween events

• Lockeford soldier Kyle Coumas' funeral set for Monday

• Lodi sales tax revenue less than expected

• Regional Roundup

• Get an early start trick-or-treating in Downtown Lodi

• Stockton breaks ground on Delta Water Supply Project

• Officials hope new Highway 12 stoplight will make road safer

• Local reaction to economic growth

• Possible extention of first-time homebuyer tax credit?

October 29th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Bradford Lange was misidentified in a photo caption on Page 5 of Tuesday's Lodi News-Sentinel. Lange is the vineyard general manager for LangeTwins Winery and was inducted into the San Joaquin County Agricultural Hall of Fame this month.

• Failed Wallace development site for sale — again

• Bargain basement deals: City of Lodi to hold first big furniture sale

• A Delta College campus in Lodi: Idea not dead yet

• Correction

October 28th, 2009

• Parents of slain U.S. soldier Kyle Coumas, of Lockeford, release statement

• City sends water truck to douse dust at DeBenedetti Park

• Regional Roundup

• San Joaquin County Parks and Recreation Commission takes a first look at suggested changes to Woodbridge Wilderness Area

• Abuse victim testifies at Charles Peck trial

• Lodi City Council members, Michael Freedman discuss Downtown's future

• Only one shows up for truck ordinance meeting in Thornton

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• Gated communities in Lodi (103)
• I predict: A conservative tide will rise in 2010 (100)
• Bible is entwined with American civic life (95)
• Here's what my father knew about the assassination of JFK (59)
• When there's something strange ... (29)
• When did 'quiet' leave the library? (28)
• With resolve and imagination, Downtown Lodi can surge once again (22)
• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home (18)
• Delta residents know what's best for the Delta: No canal (14)
• Must we continue to ignore hard evidence? (13)

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Champions again

Eagles capture fourth section title in five years

MORADA — Jessica Fong slugged a two-out, run-scoring triple in the bottom of the seventh and then scored the winning run on a throwing error on the same play as Elliot Christian High rallied to defeat Big Valley Christian 5-4 in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII softball championship game on Saturday at Arnaiz Stadium.

The Eagles (20-8) captured their fourth section title in five years with their dramatic come-from-behind win over the Lions (8-11). It was the second year in a row that two teams from the Harvest Christian League met in the final.

Fong's game-tying shot to the right-field fence in Elliot's final at-bat came off a two-strike from Big Valley pitcher Leah Layman and just two batters after teammate Ashlee Gaston doubled to right-center to put the tying run on second with one out.

Fong, representing the winning run, streaked to third base on the hit as the relay throw from right field sailed into the fence just beyond the bag. Fong hesitated, then retreated back to the bag safely.

Lions third baseman Courtney Warda retrieved the ball and tossed it to Layman standing inside the pitching circle. But the throw sailed wide and an alert Fong dashed home with the title-clinching run.

"It was a pitch outside and I was ready for it," Fong said. "When I got to third base, I turned and saw the ball go past the pitcher on that throw and I heard my third base coach telling me to run."

The game was eerily similar to last season's section final when Elliot was upset by Brookside 2-1 on a throwing error that led to the eventual winning run for the Knights. The contest was played on the same field under the same conditions, with a hot, blustery wind blowing in from center field towards home plate. "Did last year's loss hurt? Yes it did," Elliot coach Mike Pontius said. "And, yes, it was a motivating factor. But, it was just a factor.

"We had so much change in personnel that we spent most of the season working hard to just get to the position to have a chance to play this final game."

So did the Lions, who split their HCL series with the Eagles this season. Big Valley came into the final by virtue of wins over Stone Ridge Christian and Millenium.

"We really wanted to win this game. We were ahead by one run in the last inning with two outs and you could not have asked for a better situation to be in," Lions coach Caprice Juarez said. "None of us is going to sleep very well tonight."

Gaston and Fong's late-inning heroics made a winner out of relief pitcher Alaina Shull, who took over from freshman starter Emily Buhrkuhl in the top of the seventh and struck out the side. Buhrkuhl pitched six innings with nine strikeouts while scattering four hits and allowing four runs in a no-decision.

Fong and Kristen Neeley each led the Eagles with two hits and two RBIs and teammate Lydia Siken drove in two runs with a single. Buhrkuhl also added an RBI single in support of her own cause.

Earlier in the day, Elliot advanced to championship game by knocking off Valley Christian,13-1, behind a potent offense and the pitching of Buhrkuhl and Shull in the semifinals. The duo combined for 13 strikeouts and only two walks.

"They pitched very well," Pontius said. "Having Shull pitch the final four innings was very helpful on this very hot day to allow us to rest Buhrkuhl for the second game."

Leading Elliot hitters in the semifinal were Marlene Brandon (4-4, two doubles, three runs scored, two RBIs), Fong, (2-5, double, two RBIs) and Buhrkuhl (two hits).

Gaston, Siken, Monica Rodriguez and Anna Moore all singled.