Romantic Movie in the Park slated for Valentines Day

VALDOSTA, Ga. — Couples in South Georgia can celebrate Valentine’s Day with a free movie in the park. Bubba Highsmith State Farm and the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority present Movies in the Park Tuesday, Feb. 14. The romantic comedy “Hitch” starring Will Smith will play on VLPRA’s 20 foot-wide inflatable screen. The movie begins at 6 p.m. at Freedom Park off Guest Road, according to a press release. There is no fee to watch the film and no registration necessary. VLPRA asks spectators to bring blankets or lawn chairs.  The authority reminds parents “Hitch” is rated PG-13.   It is the first Movie in the Park of 2017. VLPRA and Bubba Highsmith State Farm will show two more films this spring: “The Lorax” on April 22 in collaboration with Main Street Valdosta, and “Storks” May 13. 

 

CASA seeks advocates for Colquitt County kids

MOULTRIE, Ga. — The CASA KIds Program (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is establishing its child advocacy services in the Juvenile Court of Colquitt County. CASA is headquartered in Thomasville. “And we need the community’s support,” said Asun Ellis, CASA executive director. Ellis said the program is looking for 15 people who are willing to help foster children. “We will provide the training you need to work within the child welfare and juvenile court systems to advocate for an abused or neglected child that comes before Colquitt County Juvenile Court and enters foster care,” Elllis said. More information is available at www.familyenrichmentgroup.org. Interested persons may also email familyenrichmentgroup@gmail.com. You may also call 229-225-4338.

 

Georgia College ranked in nation’s top 25 for public administration

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — The Master of Public Administration (MPA) at Georgia College has been rated as one of the best online programs in the nation for 2017 — the only Georgia school to make the top 25 listing. The Georgia College MPA program ranked 21 out of 25 top schools by BestColleges.com — a website that partners w i t h HigherEducation.com to help students find the right college for their needs. The employment outlook for MPA graduates is expected to grow significantly over the next 10 years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In some cases, demand for public administrators will increase faster than the estimated growth rate for all other industries. Data from BLS indicates jobs for public administrators growing by as much as 14 percent. Jobs in this sector include management analysts, social and community service managers, human resources managers, public relations and fundraising managers, urban/regional planners and emergency management directors. The MPA program at Georgia College is designed for working professionals. Fulltime students can graduate in four semesters.

 

Higher Ground helps host softball clinic

TIFTON, Ga. — Higher Ground will present a clinic with Digging In Feb. 18 that focuses on pitching and hitting for softball. The clinic will take place at Digging In Academy, located at 1530 Rebel Road in Tifton. Jim Beitia and Chelsea Wilkinson will be the lead instructors. Beitia is a former director of softball operations at Auburn University and Arizona State. He was the first head coach at Tennessee and former head coach of the Spanish National Team. Wilkinson played four years for the University of Georgia, finishing her career with a 2.28 ERA and 97 wins, the latter being second in school history. She was All-SEC for three years and was drafted 14th overall in the National Pro Fastpitch league. The clinic will be open for either hitting or pitching instruction for girls ages 9-12 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Girls 12-and-over can attend that session or another from 2-6 p.m. Registration is $60 for one session and $90 for both. Additional children are $45 as are five or more players on the same team. Pre-registration is encouraged, but walkup registration is accepted for an additional $10. Registration can be done via the Higher Ground website (www.highergroundsoftball.com) or by mail (PO Box 704 Tifton, GA 31793), fax or phone call (both 229-386-9770). For more information, contact Bobby Simpson at (229) 392-4048.