LAKELAND — There's been a change in direction at Lakeland Linder International Airport that hopefully will have residents counting more sheep at night rather than low-flying jets. Gene Conrad, the airport's director, told city commissioners the airport kicked off a new preferential runway use program for its main runway 927 on Friday morning. "We are trying our best, as we want to mitigate noise as much as possible," he said. "Unfortunately, some people will always been impacted." The program aims to change the direction of planes approaching and taking off over Lakeland between the overnight hours of 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., Conrad said.