The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that only two out of five women in the U-S breastfeed their babies for the first six months. It’s a statistic the Women, Infants, and Children program or WIC is trying to change. Rather than simply the “better alternative”, WIC hopes to make breastfeeding the cultural norm in our society – which seems to have lost the practice. For the Healthy State Collaborative, WGCU’s Farah Dosani has the story.

This week, students across the state are returning to school. That means back-to-school sports and, too often, sports injuries. The National Athletic Trainers' Association says emergency rooms treat 8,000 children a day in the U-S for sports-related injuries. The Healthy State Collaborative's Dalia Colon spoke with a young gymnast and her doctor about staying safe.

Charlotte County Jail trustee inmates have picked up 25,000 pounds of items and garbage, taking three 40-yard dumpsters from five homeless camps in the county.



The Charlotte Sheriff’s office plans to continue cleaning up 15 more homeless camps in the area soon.



Landowners had asked for help getting people off their property in the heavily wooded area.

A political newcomer, a former City Councilwoman and a former State Representative are squaring off for the Republican nomination for State Senate District 27, which includes parts of Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, & Palm Beach Counties.  WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has more on the candidates and their positions…

A political newcomer, a former City Councilwoman and a former State Representative are squaring off for the Republican nomination for State Senate District 27, which includes parts of Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, & Palm Beach Counties.  WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has more on the candidates and their positions…

Students returning for fall classes at Florida Gulf Coast University today will have a new building on campus.  The Bower School of Music’s new facility combines top of the line acoustics, performance space, and equipment.  As WGCU’s John Davis reports, the new building reflects the music program’s explosive growth in recent years.

Students returning for fall classes at Florida Gulf Coast University today will have a new building on campus.  The Bower School of Music’s new facility combines top of the line acoustics, performance space, and equipment.  As WGCU’s John Davis reports, the new building reflects the music program’s explosive growth in recent years.

Would you sign a 30 year agreement with your power company right now, knowing the future of renewable energy is still up in the air?  That's exactly the decision Sarasota City Commissioners are trying to make and they are looking for input from everyone from experts to city residents.  Mia McCormick reports.

The state legislature passed a bill this year moving inspection of cooking facilities at hospitals, day care centers and nursing homes away from the Health Department.  As of July 1st the inspections are being done by two other agencies – but they’ve hit some snags.  WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.

Fire Districts in Florida are funded by property taxes.  In recent years they’ve seen their budgets shrink along with the value of the homes they’re meant to protect.  Next Tuesday voters in one Lee County fire district will be asked if they’d like to try a different approach: a flat fee annual assessment.  WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has more…