More than 1,000 turtles slowly escape captivity: SUMMERVILLE — More than 1,000 turtles made a slow-speed escape from their turtle farm in northwest Georgia.

Turtle farmer David Driver told sheriff’s officials he suspects vandals might be to blame for tearing down fences around his turtle ponds in Summerville.

Authorities say that allowed the turtles — including snappers, Eastern paints and yellow-bellied sliders — to leave the farm and make a beeline to nearby ponds and creeks.

Driver told The Chattanooga Times Free Press that about 1,600 of the 2,200 turtles escaped. He said his business involves selling some turtles to pet-growing operations and others to China.

Sheriff’s officials are continuing to search for the turtles.

Summerville is about 90 miles northwest of Atlanta.

Man frees 17-pound lobster from restaurant: WATERFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut man purchased a 17-pound lobster at a Waterford restaurant, then released the crustacean back into Long Island Sound.

Don MacKenzie of Niantic told The Day of New London he knew the lobster, nicknamed “Lucky Larry” by local children, would have to be about 80-years-old to reach his current size and felt it deserved to live.

MacKenzie didn’t say how much he paid The Dock restaurant to take Larry off the menu.

He took the lobster back to sea Tuesday, releasing it in a secret location.

MacKenzie received a send-off from a group of children chanting “Let Larry Live” and the lobster was given a salute from the Niantic River Bridge operator who sounded the lift bridge’s siren as the boat carrying it headed back to sea.

Man charged for refusing to leave NC jail: WENTWORTH, N.C. — A man who’d just been released from jail in northern North Carolina was arrested again for refusing to leave the jail after authorities wouldn’t give him a ride to a motel.

The News & Record of Greensboro reports that 37-year-old Rodney Dwayne Valentine was charged with trespassing.

Valentine was released from the Rockingham County jail Saturday morning after being behind bars since May 22. The sheriff’s office says he asked them to drive him to a local motel and they refused. Deputies charged Valentine with second-degree trespassing when he had refused to leave the jail by the afternoon of July 21.

He’s being held on $500 bond and is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 9. It was not clear if he has a lawyer.