THUMBS UP: To Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office deputies for apprehending an escaped jail inmate following a three-day manhunt. Sheriff Chris Prine reported that Christopher Eric Locher, 26, escaped from custody during a trustee work assignment at the southbound weight scales on Interstate 75 on Friday. He was located following an anonymous tip on Monday at his father’s home in Hahira.

THUMBS UP: To Cook Middle School students and staff for collecting items and monetary donations for care packages to send to troops for the holiday season. The goal is to send 800 shoe boxes full of basic necessities and fun items to military serving overseas in either Afghanistan or Iraq. The boxes will be sent through Moody Air Force Base.

THUMBS UP: To everyone participating in today’s Make A Difference Day cleanups sponsored by the City of Valdosta, Lowndes County, as well as Keep Lowndes/Valdosta Beautiful. As of 8:30 a.m. today, volunteers have been working to clean the area of McLeod Circle in Lowndes County and Payton Park in Valdosta. Next weekend, the folks at America’s Second Harvest of South Georgia will host a Make A Difference Day event where teams of volunteers will assemble emergency food boxes; sort, clean and inspect donated product; and more.

THUMBS UP: To researchers for making progress in the war against cervical cancer. A new vaccine may soon be added to the recommended list for girls and young women after a federal advisory panel voted recently to support it. The panel gave a limited endorsement to the GlaxoSmithKline vaccine, Cervarix. Merck & Co. has had the vaccine Gardasil on the market since 2006.