Crime · Lodi, CA
Lodi police arrested George Marquez, 19, of Galt, California, on Sunday after he allegedly robbed a juvenile selling an iPad and another person selling a video game controller at gunpoint. The two robberies occurred about an hour apart on Wyndham Way and Culbertson Avenue in Lodi; officers recovered both stolen items and found a Glock 19 airsoft pistol in Marquez's waistband. No one was injured, and Marquez was held at San Joaquin County Jail in lieu of $240,000 bail with arraignment scheduled Tuesday in San Joaquin County Superior Court in Stockton. Lodi police urged residents to take precautions when buying or selling items through social media and online marketplaces.
Local Politics · Lodi, CA
Public records obtained by the Lodi News-Sentinel document personal purchases made by City of Lodi employees using city credit cards or accounts primarily in 2024 and early 2025, including charges by former City Clerk Olivia Nashed and former City Attorney Katie Lucchesi. All employees said the purchases were accidental and reimbursed the city, with amounts ranging from a 94-cent chocolate bar to a $543.56 airline purchase. The records are part of a broader dispute over financial oversight at City Hall that became public in spring 2025 after former City Manager Scott Carney alleged widespread misuse during an April 1, 2025, council meeting; Carney was terminated and sued the city in June 2026. Subsequent financial reviews found no evidence of fraud, waste or abuse but identified weaknesses in credit card approvals, account reconciliations and purchasing procedures.
Public Safety · Lodi, CA
The Lodi Police Department received a $1 million federal funding boost this week for a new 20-acre training facility and shooting range northwest of the White Slough Water Pollution Control Facility near Interstate 5. Rep. Josh Harder (D-Tracy) presented the check at the project site Tuesday morning, noting San Joaquin County is the only region in California without a police academy. The department's current training facility beneath its Elm Street offices is more than 50 years old, with issues including projectile deflection, inadequate ventilation dating to 1968, and detected lead contamination. The first phase includes 10 shooting positions with a 300-yard range, target berms, protective shielding walls, parking, and fencing. Officials said the facility could train up to 400 new officers annually and eliminate the need for local departments to travel to Galt, Linden, or Fairfield for range access.
Community News · Lodi, CA
The California Public Utilities Commission approved PG&E's new 230kV transmission line requiring roughly 10.6 miles of new lines, Lockeford Substation expansion, and a new Lodi switching station, prompting the city to plan approximately $60 million in upgrades that will double its electric load capacity. Meanwhile, the Main Street transitional housing complex—funded by a $3 million Health Plan of San Joaquin grant and a $500,000 federal grant—is finished but residents have not yet moved into the 40-plus rooms despite an existing waiting list. Lodi-area grape growers continue removing vineyards as supply outpaces demand, with many blaming large winery conglomerates for importing cheaper bulk wine. Upcoming community events include a flag-raising ceremony at the remodeled American Legion Building on Washington Street Thursday 9–11 a.m., St. Peter's Community Theater performances of "Oliver!" starting Oct. 23, and a police-department trunk-or-treat Oct. 29 from 5–8 p.m. on Elm Street.
Local Business · Lodi, CA
Daryl Merritt, who purchased the former General Mills plant in 2017, presented plans for the Lodi Lake Business Park to the Lodi Tokay Rotary Club on Monday. The site houses about 40 tenants at roughly 85% occupancy, including third-party logistics firms serving Walmart and Safeway, a FEMA sandbag storage facility, Domo Wine Services, tire recycler Kexport, and UPFACTORY California, with approximately 400 workers on-site daily. Merritt said the city has confirmed the property's heavy-industrial zoning will not change to housing. Two buildings totaling 600,000 square feet are scheduled for demolition over the next few weeks after being used by the Lodi Fire Department and neighboring agencies for controlled-burn training exercises.
