The Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto and Charlotte County Health Departments along with CEOs of 12 hospitals in the region will sign a public proclamation Monday to work together to combat prescription drug abuse. WGCU’s John Davis reports.

Asthma can be a difficult condition to live with – especially when you’re a student. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, the chronic disease is one of the leading causes of school absences in the country. But there’s a southwest Florida program that’s working to change that. By working with the students, their parents, and their schools, it’s helping to keep them in the classroom and out of the hospital. As part of our Your Voice series on Education - WGCU’s Farah Dosani with Healthy State dot org reports. 

 

Overall crime was down nearly 7-percent in the City of Fort Myers last year…violent crime was down nearly 15-percent…which might seem counterintuitive during a serious recession. But Fort Myers Police Chief Doug Baker told WGCU’s Mike Kiniry that’s not necessarily the case.

Genetic research at Florida Gulf Coast University gets a boost this week through a collaborative program with the US Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute.  WGCU’s John Davis reports.

Florida’s public schools get a yearly grade based on standardized student test scores – the FCAT or Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. WGCU’s Valerie Alker recently visited two elementary schools. Both serve students where the majority qualify for free lunch and learn English as a second language. But based on FCAT scores one is an “A” school and the other a “D” school. As part of our quarterly Your Voice series this week on education, she has more in this report.

Death and loss may be a tough subject to talk about – but not for Dr. Ken Doka. The renowned author and professor of gerontology has been touring Southwest Florida this week speaking on issues dealing with death, dying, and grief. For HealthyState.org, WGCU’s Farah Dosani reports.

About 400 people gathered together yesterday in Ft. Myers for the annual march in memory of Doctor Martin Luther King Junior. We asked some people at the march if children today recognize the sacrifice King and others made to secure their rights. Here’s some of what we heard.

New College of Florida presents a lecture titled “Five Years of Looking for Angola: A Retrospective on the Journey and Future Paths to Explore,” on Saturday in Sarasota. Valarie Edwards reports.

A generous gift has brought the Harlem Heights Cultural Arts & Community Center in Fort Myers closer to completion.  WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.

The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch for Southwest Florida for Wednesday and Thursday.  As WGCU’s John Davis reports, the Florida Division of Forestry is urging residents be extra vigilant.