The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service knows so little about Eastern Indigo snakes, it doesn’t even know how to protect them.  So it’s paying university researchers in Fort Myers to track several snakes before and during Everglades Restoration.  They aim to find out more about how the federally threatened species adjusts to the construction and maybe eventually they can develop a recovery plan.

Local and state officials, veterans and many many more people turned out today/yesterday at Fisherman's Village in Punta Gorda to observe Memorial Day.  WGCU's Valerie Alker was there.  Here's some of what she heard. Click Read More to see all photos

A 12th Florida panther has been killed in the state this year. A 1 and a half to 2 year old uncollared male was found dead on State Road 80 about 14 miles east of Interstate 75 in Lee County today/Wednesday. It had been hit by a vehicle. It was taken to The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Naples office. It will eventually be taken to the agency’s Wildlife Research Lab in Gainesville for a necropsy. The remains will be archived at the Florida Museum of Natural History. It was the fifth panther killed by a vehicle this year. Co-director of the Nature Conservancy Doria Gorden said she believes the highest rate of mortality comes from vehicle strikes.

The country’s largest citrus grower organization is closer to appealing an International Trade Commission decision this week that, it says, will severely harm domestic orange juice processors.

Charlotte County is moving forward with what could become the state’s first County-wide habitat conservation plan for the threatened Florida Scrub Jay.  WGCU’s John Davis reports, public comment is being sought now as the next step in implementing the conservation effort.

The 26th Annual Governor’s Hurricane Conference is underway in Ft. Lauderdale. The theme this year is “Twenty Years Since Hurricane Andrew” with an emphasis on what forecasters have learned since then.

Many of you may drive past road kill on your daily commute, but does anyone wonder about the impact our tires may have on animal populations? One former FGCU student does. He’s been gathering information about the road kill on campus. WGCU’s Jenny Bechtold walked with him one morning as he conducted his survey.

WGCU 90.1 FM's tower on FGCU's campus was hit by lightning last night. 90.1 FM and 90.1-2 HD are off the air until we can get a tower crew to make the necessary repairs during daylight hours. Please listen online or on our free app for iPhone, iPad or Android. We apologize for the inconvenience.

A medical tissue bank and research center seems to be on its way to Southwest Florida.

The non-profit Southwest Florida Global Research Institute would collect and store human tissue from local biopsies and surgeries that would normally be discarded. Scientists would use it for medical research on all kinds of diseases – from autism to diabetes.

This week marks the 125^th anniversary of the founding of Lee County.  Before that time, the city of Fort Myers had been incorporated in 1885 with just 349 residents in what was then Monroe County.