LARC, Inc—the organization that serves adults with mental retardation in Lee County—has moved its Bonita Springs training center to a new location – to better serve a growing number of clients.
When LARC opened in Bonita Springs three years ago, it served only 8 people with mental retardation. Today it serves more than forty. Wendy Borgman is director of training services.

“Some have jobs, some receive training here on site. They learn a variety of independent living skills, daily living skills, training functional skills – we talk about current events, community events, basic life skills, things like that.”

Several Lee County families founded LARC 50 years ago—as a way to educate their children who had mental retardation. Today, grants along with state and federal aid, fund the non-profit organization.

Pensacola Republican Congressman Jeff Miller is working with fellow lawmakers Michael Bilirakis and Cliff Stearns to permanently protect Florida’s coastline. From our Capitol Hill Bureau, Terry Gildea reports.

Two female rough-tooth dolphins have been released off the Florida Keys, six months after they stranded in shallow waters. Amy Tardif has more. (AUDIO)

The Lee County Commission authorized its Smart Growth Director & County Attorney – to participate in formal discussions concerning the future of Babcock Ranch. The Babcock family has a contract with developer Syd Kitson to sell the 91-thousand-acre property …but that sale isn’t final, and depends on a number of factors. That includes both Lee & Charlotte County’s willingness to accept Kitson’s development proposal—and allow for more density.
Kitson has said he wants to sell about 80-percent of the land to the state for conservation– while putting about 20-thousand homes on the remaining acreage. Lee County’s Smart Growth Director - Wayne Daltry – says the county has made things clear: it does not want to change comprehensive and land use plans… but likes the idea of preserving so much land.

“If he depends upon knowing what the answer is to the application before he buys the property, the only answer we can give him is what the current law is. It’s been said abundantly…but the attractive concept of the greater part of the land – lets say 80-percent going to state ownership, and half of the rest as open space - gets pretty close.”

Daltry says Kitson has suggested he may not want increased density on the Lee County portion of the Babcock property – but instead land use changes to allow for commercial development. That might mean hitting up Charlotte County for density changes.

Pedestrian friendly communities are healthier communities. That’s according to experts at a workshop in Naples Tuesday. It focused on “Walk-ability” and featured walking advocate Mark Fenton, host of the public television series “America’s Walking.” Valerie Alker reports. (AUDIO)

Mike Brown has resigned as head of FEMA… following widespread criticism about the agency’s response to Hurricane Katrina.

FEMA became a part of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. That’s also when Brown rose to the top job. He’d previously served as FEMA’s Deputy Director and General Counsel.

Until Katrina, the Florida hurricanes of 2004 ranked as the largest disaster effort Brown had led. He spoke with WGCU 5 days after Charley’s landfall… Brown refuted the notion that preparing for a natural disaster was any different than preparing for a terrorist attack.

“What we train for, what we practice, what we teach, and how we respond is exactly the same whether it’s a terrorist attack or a natural disaster. In fact, I would encourage you… when you look at Florida, it is as bad or worse than a terrorist event. You have wide-spread power outages, you’ve had thousands of people evacuate. You have homes destroyed, infrastructure destroyed. Mother nature can act just like a terrorist.”

Again, that was Michael Brown—from an interview with WGCU last year. Before joining the Bush administration in 2001, Brown practiced law in Colorado and Oklahoma. His biography—on FEMA’s website—mentions little experience in emergency management.

Already bursting at the seams, Florida schools are now making room for children displaced by Hurricane Katrina. In Southwest Florida – Lee County schools have enrolled 29 students, Charlotte has 18, while Collier has 5. For now, some private schools are waiving tuition for evacuated youngsters. Amy Tardif reports on one displaced family who found some peace by sending their 5-year-old to school. (AUDIO)

Object

The threat of rolling blackouts in Florida—because of energy shortages—is over for now. Valerie Alker has more.
(AUDIO)

PRESIDENT BUSH HAS TAPPED A FLORIDIAN TO REPLACE MICHAEL BROWN AS HEAD OF THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGMENT AGENCY. R. DAVID PAULISON IS A CAREER FIREFIGHTER FROM MIAMI. PAULISON'S NOMINATION COMES AFTER MICHAEL BROWN STEPPED DOWN MONDAY. LAWMAKERS CRITICIZED BROWN FOR HOW HIS AGENCY RESPONDED TO HURRICANE KATRINA. CHAD PERGRAM REPORTS FROM CAPITOL HILL. (AUDIO)