Memorial Services were held throughout Southwest Florida today/yesterday for those who served and died for their country. Hundreds of people gathered at Ft. Myers Memorial Gardens. Some of them spoke to WGCU’s Valerie Alker.

Florida’s new director of emergency management Bryan Koon, comes to the state after serving as the head of emergency operations for Wal-Mart’s international operations. Koon said the experience at the world’s largest retailer was good preparation for his new job.  READ MORE

Lee Physician’s Group, an arm of Lee Memorial Health System partnered with United Way to open a medical office in the Fort Myers Community of Dunbar last week.

The clinic is focused on managing chronic diseases like diabetes and providing primary care. Medical supervisor Dr. Aldith Lewis said the Dunbar community needs quality, affordable health services. READ MORE

The Charlotte Harbor Visitor and Convention Bureau announced the creation of 15 tourism teams aimed at boosting local visitation.

The bureau’s director, Lorah Steiner, said she wants to involve the rank and file in promoting their community. READ MORE

Law enforcement officers from throughout Southwest Florida are taking part in a two-day training program designed to improve police interactions with people suffering from mental illness. The advanced crisis intervention training covers a variety of issues including hoarding, post traumatic stress disorder, dementia, autism and substance abuse. READ MORE

Florida’s 25^th annual Governor’s Hurricane Conference wraps up Friday in Ft. Lauderdale. READ MORE

Florida lawmakers voted to close the Desoto Juvenile Correctional Facility to help balance the state budget, a move that would mean the loss of more than 400 jobs.

The center serves about 130 male and female juvenile offenders, with moderate to serious mental health disorders.

Republican Paige Kreegal represents DeSoto county in the state house. He opposes closing the facility has urged Governor Rick Scott to use his line item veto to strike the measure from the state budget. Kreegel said in addition to lost jobs, children would suffer.  READ MORE

Republican State Representative Trudi Williams spoke to members of the Fort Myers Republican Women's Club Tuesday afternoon about her impressions of this spring's legislative session.  Representative Williams of Fort Myers says despite the state legislature's failure to pass measures including immigration reform and an energy bill, she's happy with the healthcare and education measures that did pass.  Williams praised the legislature's decision to overhaul Medicaid by moving 2.8 million Floridians into private networks.

"Certainly the Medicaid reform that hasn't been reformed since 1964," Williams said.  "The teacher tenure bill I think is great.  I mean finally you're going to be able to reward good teachers for good works.  There was a lot of really good legislation that passed out."  READ MORE

Governor Rick Scott signed the Officer Andrew Widman Act into law this morning at a candlelight vigil at the Fort Myers Police Department honoring fallen police officers. It’s the first law signed out of this year’s legislative session. If the law had been in effect 2008 it may have prevented Widman from being killed in the line of duty.

The bill clarifies for the courts that people who have committed a crime, and violate the terms of their probation or house arrest can be kept in jail for up to ten days until their probation violation hearing.  (Read More...)

Former Florida Gulf Coast University President William "Bill" Merwin died Friday in Jacksonville after a lengthy illness. He was 71. 

Merwin was FGCU’s second president, selected by the Board of Regents in 1999, and retiring in 2007. 

During the years of Dr. Merwin's presidency, Florida Gulf Coast University saw growth in enrollment from 3,284 to 8,309 students; the percentage of students attending full time from 46% to 73%; the annual operating budget from $52 million to $110 million, and the number of campus buildings from 24 to 71. While he was president of FGCU, $175 million in private gifts and donations was raised for support of every University aspect from academics to students to athletics to campus buildings. President Merwin also is credited with growing student housing on campus, taking the intercollegiate athletics program from its infancy to NCAA Division I, and adding many new degree programs including engineering and music.  (Read More...)