Xavier Becerra makes a quiet visit to Lodi

Pssst. Guess who quietly popped his head into the COVID vaccination clinic last Friday at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Lower Sacramento Road: U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. The event was set up for farm workers and their families. About 60 received their second dose of the vaccine. California Rural Legal Assistance helped organize the event, according to Bianca Duenas, an immigration lawyer for the organization. Becerra’s staff asked that the press not come because it might discourage attendance, so his brief appearance was kept secret.

BLISTERING: Local real estate is sizzlin’. Currently, there are only 31 single-family homes listed for sale in Lodi, for both zip codes. That’s about the same as two months ago when we last reported on it. “Many offers are over list price with special concessions made by the buyer due to the crush of competition,” says Lodi Realtor Larry Underhill. “I haven't seen such a rabid seller's market in my 37-year career,” he says. For those afraid the frothy market may be a bubble ready to burst, Underhill says the conditions are nothing like 15 years ago. He says the bubble back then was largely caused by poor lending practices. But nowadays, buyers are either paying cash or, he says, “actually having to prove they can afford to make the payments.” Some local residents even report receiving unsolicited offers to buy their homes from out-of-town Realtors.

HIGH TIMES: Despite significant community opposition, the county planning commission recently unanimously approved plans to convert the old Lockeford Winery on Locke Road into a commercial cannabis “business park.” The proposal includes construction of eight 6,600-foot greenhouses for cultivation, a guard house, plus buildings for distribution, testing, and storage. The property owner and applicant is NRC Equity Fund 1 of Reno. A similar proposal is pending at the county, which seeks to make the old Goehring Meat Company property on Highway 99 at the Mokelumne River bridge into a cannabis growing and distribution operation. That project is being proposed by Dillon and Murphy Engineering of Lodi.

ON THE MEND: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are waning here and elsewhere. Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital publicist Lauren Nelson says the facility is “only seeing a few COVID patients” nowadays, and that things have returned to normal there. That’s good news, for sure, but looking back, we cringe at the tragic scar the disease has left. More than 45 Lodi nursing home residents have fallen victim to the virus, according to the California Department of Public Health website. Vienna Nursing and Rehab suffered 30 patient deaths, Arbor Convalescent has had 16 patients die, and less than 11 passed away at Fairmont Rehab. … As of late last week, 46 percent of the population in zip code 95240 had received at least one COVID vaccine shot. In the 95242 zip code (west of Ham Lane), 54.2 percent had received at least one shot, according to the state website.

CITY NEWS: If it seems like there’s a lot more hot air than normal coming from City Hall, here’s why: Public Works Director Charlie Swimley had a big birthday a couple weeks ago. To celebrate, members of his engineering staff filled his office with 700-plus birthday balloons. He reportedly had to pop his way to his desk. … There have been a number of promotions at the police department. Lt. Eric VerSteeg has been promoted to captain, replacing Steve Nelson, who retired. Sergeant Ricardo Garcia was bumped up to lieutenant and Corporal Dan Bristow became a new sergeant. … Local police have been battling the fentanyl drug epidemic, same as in other communities around the nation. The police department recently responded to three overdose calls within an 8-hour period: 800 block of Rutledge Drive, 800 block of Cherokee Lane, and Lodi Avenue at Main Street. In all three cases, officers arrived and administered narcotic overdose treatment Narcan to the victims, likely saving their lives. … Police may have also removed one of the sources of the drug. SWAT Team members served a search warrant at a local residence, locating a handgun, money, and fentanyl pills. A suspect was also arrested, who they believe to be related to the recent rash of overdoses.

RELIEF: The city council recently approved an allocation of $1.5 million for utility customer debt relief. The money will be available for customers who have fallen behind on paying for their city utility bill since the pandemic began last year. Applicants will be required to show proof that they have suffered a loss of income. Customers may potentially have up to 75% of their utility debt forgiven. There are household income limits to the program, which is being funded by the $16.2 million American Rescue Plan Act windfall the city recently received.

TRAGEDY: The GoFundMe page for

Jaylon, the little boy who tragically drowned at Lodi Lake on Mother’s Day, has raised almost $20,000 to date. Entitled, “Lay Jaylon to Rest,” the online site was seeking $10,000 for funeral expenses. More than 50 people have donated to the cause.

CLEANUP: There was a recent Letter to the Editor from Duane Vrbas of Acampo. He wrote to thank all those who helped clean up a large and growing eyesore in the heart of downtown Acampo. He called it the “Acampo Dump.” He said it was a huge collection of “burned and stripped-out cars, mountains of garbage, broken concrete, asphalt, along with fallen trees and branches.” A mess. County crews received assistance from the railroad and the entire community, according to Denise Warmerdam, chief of staff for Supervisor Chuck Winn. Vrbas’s letter left out one thing, according to Warmerdam. Mr. Vrbas was the one who organized the effort. “People like Duane are frequently not given the recognition they deserve for rolling up their sleeves and helping their community,” she says.

ON LAND AND SEA: The fire department can now conduct water rescues at Lodi Lake and on the Mokelumne river using their own boat. The Parks, Rec and Cultural Services Department donated a little-used boat of theirs to the cause. The metal boat will remain on stand-by at Lodi Lake for when disaster strikes. … The police department normally handles concealed weapon (CCW) permit applications in person. But the past year has not been normal. With police offices closed to the public because of COVID, permit applications are now being filed online. The virtual process has been so successful elsewhere that the city may adopt online applications permanently, according to the police chief.