Irene Cosby, Annie Mae Green

Produced by Christine Buckley.

The volatile hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005 fostered a renewed interest in improving the viability of homes in Florida. One real estate broker & Bonita Springs homeowner has gone so far as to add an addition onto his hom which he calls a hurricane bunker. WGCU's John Davis took a tour...

One Saturday night a month, teenage boys gather in rural Southwest Florida to test their faith… by riding bulls. The Bull Pit Outreach Ministries provides the animals. The boys bring the nerve. And several things nearly always happen: courage, fellowship, prayer and more than one kind of healing. WGCU’s Amy Tardif reports.



On Saturday night, September 29th, the Bull Pit Outreach Ministries holds a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida at the Labelle Rodeo Arena. Tickets are on sale at all McDonalds restaurants in Collier, Lee and Hendry Counties.

Dancers from across the region are gathering in Fort Myers the next few days for an intensive workshop taught by three local celebrity dancers. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez has more.

An internationally recognized composer and pianist with ties to Southwest Florida has passed away. WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.

The low-cost airline Skybus will soon offer two daily flights between Columbus, Ohio and the Charlotte County Airport in Punta Gorda. Tourism officials hope the flight service will bring new business and visitors to the area. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has more.

Florida’s senior U-S Senator – Democrat Bill Nelson - says the Bush Administration is not fulfilling its promise to restore Everglades National Park. Yesterday Nelson came down hard on a federal official who removed the park from a list of endangered sites. Sara Sciammacco has more from Washington.

Ugly piles of red-drift algae have been washing up in recent years on the Sanibel and Lee County coast. The algae is stinking up the beaches and turning some tourists away. A scientific evaluation team created by the City of Sanibel and Lee County has selected Florida Gulf Coast University to study the problem. Andrea McCrary reports.

Governor Charlie Crist wants to know more about how insurance companies do business in Florida. As James Call reports, the state is investigating more companies that refuse to lower property insurance premiums.

A Florida couple is using a mobile approach to finding missing children. Their mission has brought them to Ft. Myers. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.