A give-and-take time of year

Former News-Sentinel publisher Marty Weybret was standing outside the Save Mart on Lodi Avenue, a volunteer bellringer for the Salvation Army, when up comes Myrna Wetzel lugging a 15-pound bag of pennies she wants to donate. It must have taken her years to amass such a collection, says Marty, and about 15 minutes to pour the hoard of coins through the tiny slot on top of the red kettle. Bet it made the money counters’ day back at Salvation Army headquarters. … As you know, Christmas is the season for giving — and taking. Home and porch thefts rise during the holidays, so be careful. An example: a couple of hapless burglars recently broke into a Lodi home and made off with a gun safe full of guns. Well, they almost made off with it. The dummies didn’t quite secure the safe well enough so it fell out of their vehicle as they were fleeing the scene, according to authorities. Police found it laying in the street, and it must have weighed a ton. The homeowners, who were out of town at the time, arranged for Paul’s Safe, Lock & Key to come pick it up and keep it until they returned home. … T’was the night before last Wednesday, and all through the sales lot not a creature was stirring, not even a … waitaminute. Yes, there were some stirrings — and it wasn’t Santa and his reindeer, or even his elves. It was three guys breaking into the sales office at a local car dealership, stealing keys to three brand new cars. Talk about being naughty. Apparently the cops got there in time to see them drive off. “We initially pursued the vehicles but had to terminate the pursuit very quickly,” reports LPD Capt. Sierra Brucia. One of the cars was recovered in Oakland, according to Brucia.

DEER SANTA: It wasn’t exactly the clatter of reindeer hoofs on the roof they heard, but the Ring doorbell at Jim and Linda Elson’s Edgewood area house did sound a motion alarm at 2 a.m. the other morning. Then three hours later it happened again. Something was at the front door. Video showed it was a doe that came onto the front porch for a taste of the Elson’s potted plants. Then later it was a big ole buck, there for the same reason. Imagine opening the door to those visitors.

FIRST THINGS FIRST:

Remember our story a few weeks ago about supermom Eden Bravo, whose four kids have never missed a day of school or even been late to class? She recalls the day about eight years ago when she was pregnant and going into labor with her youngest son. It was early in the morning on a school day and her kids needed to get to class at Washington School. No one else could take them, so it was up to her to get them there. She knew one thing for sure, they weren’t going to be late! So she packed them all up and delivered them to school herself, after which she sped off to the hospital in French Camp. Twenty minutes later she made another delivery: a new baby boy, Hector. It was a close call, but her kids’ perfect attendance record remained intact.

THINKING OF U: Even though there’s not enough money in LUSD’s till for new school construction, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of school projects in the works. “While we are very active with Measure U projects at the moment, Measure U is a ‘modernization’ bond rather than a ‘new school’ bond,” LUSD Chief Business Officer Leonard Kahn says. “The district’s current developer fee balances are not enough to fully fund construction of a new elementary school.” Perhaps the most impressive project on the agenda is Lodi High’s massive make-over that has already begun. “Interim housing for 10 classrooms began this month, but the community will likely see more substantial activity beginning in June, “Kahn says. Plans call for new two-story classrooms (being made locally by Meehleis Modular) to be built where student parking is now, plus a new swimming pool. However, while they will be building 60 new classrooms, they will also be demolishing 50 current ones for a net gain of just 10 new rooms, according to Trustee Ron Heberle. Timeline for completion of the new Lodi High classroom building is December, 2021. The project cost will be about $62 million, says Kahn.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Last week the Lodi Historical Society and Chamber of Commerce presented the first ever Longevity Awards to Farmers and Merchants Bank and Henderson Brothers, honors created to recognize local businesses who’ve withstood the test of time. F&M has been around since 1916 and Henderson Brothers since 1896. Abrahamson/Big Valley Printing will likewise be recognized next month.

LOTSA DOTS: Charley Hauner reports: “Just saw a guy on a homemade motorized bicycle with an extra container of gasoline on his handlebars. He was stopped so he could light his cigarette.” Might “brighten” his holidays, if he’s not careful. … A word to water-wasters: now’s not the time to fill your swimming pool, water your lawn or take hours-long showers. Your water consumption for the months of December thru February is used to calculate your wastewater (sewer) rate for next year, all year. … We checked out the new Brickhouse Restaurant and Lounge at the corner of School and Elm, across from the theater. The food was better than good and so was the service. Reservations on weekends are recommended, unless you enjoy waiting. But if you do, there’s a nice lounge area. Traffic downtown on weekend evenings is crazy busy and parking is at a premium. But no worries. They have valet parking available. Nice . ... Amid the herbed grilled salmon, deconstructed beef Wellington, and circle wedge salad you would have found the LangeTwins’ Sauvignon Blanc among the featured wines at the recent George and Barbara Bush 2019 Vintner Dinner and Wine Auction. Says a bunch about the stature of Lodi wines right there. … Joretta Burlington saw this notice posted outside a Baptist church: “The fact that there’s a highway to hell and only a stairway to heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers.” … A new community development director could be selected by January, according to City Manager Steve Schwabauer. The position has actually been vacant ever since Rad Bartlam was hired as city manager, which has been almost 10 years ago. … If it seems like construction activity on the new bowling alley has slooooowed waaaay down, it’s not your imagination. It has. Seems there were some serious mistakes made by the cement people, plus a few other problems cropped up with the metal fabrication, according to people familiar with the project. Once the issues are resolved it will be full steam ahead, we’re told. … Thought for the Day: “Life is too short to drink bad wine and warm beer.” We don’t know who said it first, but ain’t it the truth? …