Pietro’s owners looking to take over Woodbridge Inn
Master restaurateurs Jim and Annette Murdaca, owners of Pietro’s Trattoria, are negotiating an agreement with the present owners of the Woodbridge Inn, which closed several months ago, to take over the business. They plan to keep the “Woodbridge Inn” name, but will do extensive remodeling to the place. “We want to bring back the old concept of the Inn as an Italian Steakhouse,” say the Murdacas. They anticipate opening by the end of 2019.
PUSHED TO THE EDGE: A six-person team comprised of Kenny McGregor and several young men from the One-Eighty Adventures program recently completed a trip to Pyramid Peak, in the Crystal Mountain Range, west of Lake Tahoe. At 10,000 feet, it is the highest point in the Desolation Wilderness. The trip involved hiking, kayaking and backpacking, pushing the youngsters to their physical limits, according to Alison McGregor, who is also the youth programs director. The donor-funded program, which is part of One-Eighty Teen Center, “strives to broaden the scope of youth by exposing them to the great outdoors,” according to their literature. The program features one-day adventures and wilderness treks, such as the one to Pyramid Peak. Just one of the more positive things happening in Lodi these days.
WEATHER REPORT: From our Where Are They Now Department comes word that Karen Minton, long-time Channel 2 Action News meteorologist in Atlanta, is retiring next February. Karen is from Lodi, a 1972 Lodi High grad who was also crowned Miss San Joaquin County in 1976. She grew up in Lodi, graduated from UOP with a major in biology and was originally hoping for a career in dental hygiene, according to news clipping back then. But she arrived in Atlanta in 1984 to work at the Weather Channel, later moving to WSB-TV, where she stayed for 33 years.
WISDOM WATCH: Duffy Wallach cracked open a fortune cookie the other day and the message said, “You will receive wisdom from a child today.” So he emails it to his daughter, saying, “I’m waiting.” He’s received no pearls of wisdom so far, guessing, “no doubt she’s (already) given me plenty {of wisdom] throughout the years.”
SAD ANNIVERSARY: Twenty years ago last Sunday Lodi Police Officer Rick Cromwell died in a motorcycle accident while on duty. He made a U-turn to catch up to a speeder on Kettleman Lane when an elderly man pulled out in front of him. Rick died on scene. He was the first, and thankfully only, Lodi Police officer to die in the line of duty. Fellow officers have enshrined his locker with artifacts that belonged to Rick as a memorial to his sacrifice. In addition, Rick’s helmet, gun belt, ticket book and boots are on display in the police department lobby.
STATS R US: The local housing market is softening, as you may have noticed. Here are some stats: active listings are up 23 percent from a year ago, homes sold are down 17.6 percent from a year ago, and pending sales are down almost 20 percent from last year, according to Realtor Larry Underhill. Last June there was 1.8 months worth of inventory, today there is 4.3 months. “The shift is happening. We're moving from a strong seller's market into a more normal market,” he says.
WATER WARNING: In case you didn’t know, the city now calculates your monthly wastewater (sewer) charge, in part, by how much water you use during the months of December through February. The more water you use during those months, the more you’ll pay for wastewater service for the whole year. Don’t fill the swimming pool until March, or you’ll pay for it in the end, so to speak.
LION HEARTED :So what’s with that big lion statue sitting in the children’s area at Emerson Park? Despite what you may think, it’s not to scare away the homeless from camping there. Turns out the Lodi Lions Club put in new playground equipment at the park, and they just want people to know they were the ones who did it.
ROADHOUSE REPORT: No, no — a thousand times, no! That’s pretty much the answer we got from Dale Gillespie when he was asked if a Texas Roadhouse restaurant was coming to Lodi near Costco. He says he’s endlessly asked about it. He admits the restaurant chain has been contacted, but there are no current plans for them to locate here. The Reynolds Ranch developer says that “nice sit down”-type restaurants are tough to attract these days, given the cost of labor and other factors. If it ever does happen, it would be Texas-sized news, for sure.
E-READER: You read some of the funniest things on online. For example, we have this one posted by Dennis Cunnington: “The more you weigh, the harder you are to kidnap. Stay safe. Eat cake.” And this one from Lisa Knight: “Wine! How classy people get wasted.”
CRIME REPORT: This has been the deadliest year for homicides in Lodi’s history, as everyone knows. But if you still think all the bad stuff happens on Lodi’s east side, think again. Over half of the nine homicides that occurred in Lodi this year were committed west of the tracks. Does this mean nowhere is safe? Probably, if taken literally. But most Lodians would agree that despite the unfortunate numbers, Lodi is far safer than some of the nearby alternatives.
MONEY-MAKER: For those who think the Hutchins Street Square facility is a financial black hole, not so fast. Operationally, not including debt service, the place actually comes very close to breaking even, according to Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Director Jeff Hood. The Square now just rents out the main auditorium instead of booking shows, Hood says. Show promoters pay the Square a rental fee and shoulder all the risk. It is one of the few such venues that actually manages to break even, with rental revenue up significantly in recent years. The Hutchins Street Square Foundation also continues to foot some of the bills for capital improvements, which helps. Park maintenance, on the other hand, costs the city’s budget well over a $2 million a year.
STRIKE UP THE BAND: Did you go to the free concert put on by the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West? It’s a gig held at Hutchins Street Square every December. The concert costs about $1,800 to put on, but because the band is part of the U.S. armed services, attendance at their Holiday concerts must be offered at no cost to the public. The Hutchins Street Square Foundation now picks up the expense tab, but they’d be more than happy to accept your donations for that purpose.