A Clearwater man has been charged with selling endangered and threatened native orchids on E-Bay. One of the varieties grows only the Fakahathcee Strand State Preserve and next door in the Big Cypress National Preserve. Valerie Alker has this report. (AUDIO)

Florida Gulf Coast University now has the only health education center in the state of Florida for kids. The Kleist Health Education Center offers a series of programs aimed at getting children and adults to make healthier choices. The new facility on campus replaces the old one at Health Park in South Lee County. Three teaching theaters with high-tech exhibits – like a see-through human body – are used to get students thinking about health. Executive Director of the Center – Kathy Kleist – says if kids aren’t taught early enough – they’re more likely to make poor choices as adults…

“But if I get them young enough when we can talk about this…I mean, who are you really going to trust? And do you know where it’s really been…and they understand these things and make really good choices. And they can stand firm in their belief because they’ve heard this long enough and they want to look good and they want to feel good, they want to stay fit…and it’s exciting and fun.”

Classes from local schools have already visited the new Kleist Health Education Center. Adults can also visit the center if they call ahead for reservations.

Close to 30 members of the Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce travel to Washington DC today for their annual White House Briefing. This is the third year the Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber has traveled to Washington DC to advocate for its members. They’ll meet with Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, the first Latino Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and deputy assistant to the President – Rubin Borales. Chamber Executive Director Leonardo Garcia, says issues they hope to discuss include social security and CAFTA – the Central American Free Trade Agreement being debated in Congress.

“That trade agreement will be beneficial. Not only to Latin America but here in Florida. We have a lot of members of the chamber and people in the community that want to do business with Latin America. So far what we have has benefited mainly Miami. But even Miami, with the agreement, removing all the barriers, will increase opportunities both ways in the shipping of products both Latin America to Florida and the US and the export of technology equipment and the service industry training companies in Latin America.”

Garcia says the group also wants to know what Attorney General Gonzales’s philosophy and vision are for the country. He says if voting ends in Congress in time on Friday the group will meet with Representative Connie Mack as well. Garcia says such a trip shows people in the nation’s capitol that the Hispanic community is paying attention.

A young manatee, dubbed Daisy by researchers, is missing. Daisy was released from a rehab facility back into the wild on March 29th – her transponder stopped working on April 24th. Wildlife officials are asking folks to keep an eye out for her. Valerie Alker has more. (AUDIO)

An organization that teaches thousands of migrant children throughout Florida turns 40 this year. Through charter schools and childcare, Immokalee-based “Redlands Christian Migrant Association” serves youngsters in 20 Florida counties – including Collier, Lee, DeSoto, Glades and Hendry. Project Director of school-aged programs in Immokalee - Josh Rincon– grew up in an RCMA program before eventually getting a college degree and working for the organization.
He says his goal is to instill in kids—even their parents—the idea that anything is possible…

“We tell them…there’s more than just picking tomatoes or being a crew leader. You can talk to your kids about becoming a better person…that’s one of the things we tell them. You know, your grandfather was a tomato picker…your dad was a tomato picker…you don’t have to be a tomato picker. You don’t have to be a field worker. There’s more to life than being out in the fields…you can be a lawyer, a doctor…you know, it’s all in you.”

Redlands Christian Migrant Association doesn’t just work with children. Many of the educators and administrators who work there are former field workers. The non-profit, non-sectarian organization depends on grant money and charitable donations. RCMA recently received a half million dollars from the Naples Winter Wine Festival. But, to get the money… leaders must match it dollar for dollar.

Researchers are looking into possible solutions to Boca Grande’s iguana problem. Spiny-tailed iguanas have been a part of the island’s landscape since the 1970’s…but the reptiles are not native. They’re originally from Mexico…and likely ended up on the island as pets. Florida Gulf Coast University zoologist - Dr. Jerry Jackson – is leading a summer-long study—looking into ways to curb the lizards’ numbers or eradicate the population entirely.

“This is not your common green iguana. The spiny tailed iguana unlike the green iguana is not a vegetarian. It will eat anything. It eats hibiscus flowers…which it loves…but it will also eat baby birds, the hatchlings of sea turtles, and it uses gopher tortoise burrows. So it’s a threat to our native ecosystems and our native wildlife and has the potential to cause a great deal of harm in Florida environments.”

The iguanas…ranging from a few inches to several feet long… thrive on the island. Some estimates put the population well into the thousands. The spiny-tailed iguanas are thriving because they face few predators…

“It’s also an example of one of the things that really seems to be wrong in south Florida…and that is when people get tired of pets they turn them loose. That is a terrible thing to do, it’s also an illegal thing to do. But these iguanas are now found not only on Gasparilla Island, but on some other islands and other areas of southwest Florida…and southeast Florida.”

The 16-thousand dollar study will consist of 3 members. Dr. Jackson will be joined by his wife – Dr. Betty Jackson, who’s a biology professor at FGCU… there will also be a graduate student.
Dr. Jackson says because the population is somewhat isolated, there’s a chance of removing them 1 by 1…but it might be too late. It appears some people have captured the iguanas—again as pets—and taken them to other areas.

There’s a flurry of activity in Tallahassee this week… as lawmakers approach Friday’s end of session, Friday. News-Press political reporter and columnist, Betty Parker, left the Senate chamber to speak with us this afternoon. She’s been watching Senators discuss the Initiative Petition process, which allows citizens to get a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot. Parker says the debate specifically centers around the gathering of signatures— which are required before an issue can go before voters. (AUDIO)

A leading expert on modern-day slavery addressed a crowd of Catholic women from southwest Florida Monday. Sister Mary Ellen Doherty – a Washington-based expert on human trafficking—was a keynote speaker. Adding local perspective: Lieutenant Bill Rule, who heads the Collier County Sheriff’s Victim Services Bureau. Valerie Alker spoke to Lt. Rule and has this report.(AUDIO)

A Fort Myers author hopes to help preserve the very land she writes about in her novels. Sara William’s new book – The Serenoa Scandal - is a mystery/romance set in Florida ranch country. In addition to entertaining her readership, she wants to raise their awareness of efforts to preserve Babcock Ranch. Amy Tardif attended a book club in Fort Myers where Williams spoke with readers about the novel. (AUDIO)

Legislation has reached the Governor’s desk aimed at easing traffic congestion along interstate 75 in Collier and Lee counties. The bill passed the Senate this week. The House past it last month. The bill creates the Southwest Florida Expressway Authority, which would build, maintain and operate toll booths along I-75 in Collier and Lee counties. Department of Transportation spokeswoman Debbie Tower says it will provide relief of traffic jams sooner than expected.

“Creation of an expressway authority is a very positive thing for swfl . We have construction funded to six lane I75 in Lee and Collier counties scheduled to start in 2008. In 2010 we have construction funded for the segment from Daniels interchange north to the river. The expressway authority however, is looking at funding opportunities that could put 10 lanes in place sooner rather than later. Our original study indicated by the year 2030 we would need 10 lanes but I think all of us recognize that we need those 10 lanes well before 2030.”

The bill passed this year after failing in previous sessions. Counties were worried the authority would end up building new roads and opening up new areas to development. This bill allows work only on the interstate. Both the state and federal governments have to approve construction of toll lanes. The project could cost more than $770 million. Tower says she’s confident the governor will sign the bill into law.