Dalton State College library to host ‘Turtle Talk’

DALTON, Ga. — In the last four years since the Turtle Assurance Colony (TAC) was founded at Dalton State College, it has grown from four endangered species and a few turtles to 10 species and more than 65 turtles. TAC is headed by John Lugthart, a professor of biology, and Chris Manis, a part-time instructor and research associate, as well as a team of biology students who care for and encourage the species to breed. Already TAC has seen several species reproduce successfully, including serrated hinge-back tortoises, which have only been bred in captivity a few times. The college’s Roberts Library hosts “Lunch and Learn: Turtle Talk” on Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 12:15 p.m. in room 201 of the library for those interested in learning more about the TAC. Students will talk about the project and give a tour of the turtle habitats on campus. Those attending are encouraged to bring lunch. The event is free and no RSVP is needed.

Airport has record passengers

VALDOSTA, Ga. — The Valdosta Regional Airport had a record number of passengers in 2018. During the January meeting of the Airport Authority, Airport Manager Jim Galloway said 44,109 people used Delta’s flight services in the previous year. The 2018 numbers broke the 2017 record of 43,605 passengers, or enplanements. When calculating the record, Galloway said he only goes back to 2004 when jet service was reintroduced at the airport. According to the Delta Connection Enplanement/Deplanement Statistics report, the year had an average load factor, or how full the planes were on a monthly basis, of 85.68. The load factor peaked in March 2018 at 90.6 or 3,987 enplanements. The load factor was at its lowest January 2018 at 78 or 3,171 enplanements. With an average load factor of 85.68, unless larger planes are used or more flights are added to the Valdosta airport, there isn’t too much more room for record-breaking years to occur, Galloway said. “At some point, you reach a theoretical limit where you can’t fit any more people on the plane,” he said. During the meeting, there was no update on the purchase of the land contiguous to the airport. The Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority meets the second Wednesday of every month in the airport manager’s office. The meetings are open to the public.

Sweets and Songs coming to TCHS Performing Arts Center

TIFTON, Ga. — Sweets and Songs, a dessert buffet and choral showcase, will be hosted at the Tift County High School Performing Arts Center Jan. 18-20, according to a press release. The event will feature kindergarten through 12th grade students from the Tift County Schools choral program, plus the primer performance of all four show choir’s 2019 competition shows, the release states. Tickets are $10 and are available at the door or at all Tift County elementary schools until Jan. 16. Children age three and under are admitted for free. Showtimes are 6:30 p.m. on Jan 18; 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 19; and 2 p.m. on Jan. 20.