The Florida Retirement System – or FRS – reports and 8.7 billion dollar deficit this year…another casualty of the nation’s economic downturn. Last year at this time it had an 8 billion dollar surplus. Florida’s faltering economy has directed some scrutiny at one of the FRS provisions – its Deferred Retirement Option Program, also known simply as DROP. Is it being used the way it was originally intended? WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports. And we should note that most full time WGCU employees are enrolled in the FRS…

Lee
County officials approved a study to find out the true value of having
the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers. WGCU’s Luis
Hernandez reports.

Florida
lawmakers expect to have budget proposals available within a week.  The
debate continues on how to raise revenue. Some want tax increases while
others wait for stimulus dollars. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez has this
report.

The state’s plan to buy out U-S Sugar is becoming foggy. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

Lee
County is going to start buying, fixing up and then re-selling
foreclosed homes to low to moderate income residents.  WGCU’s Mike
Kiniry has more.

Times
are tough, and may soon get tougher for some high school athletes if a
proposal to cut games is approved.  WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

A
group of southwest Florida banking executives answered questions from
the community Tuesday night about the challenges facing the banking
world. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

Habitat for Humanity of Lee County is buying and reselling foreclosed homes.  WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.

In
1903 a company in London started making cars that ran on compressed
air. They didn’t last. Some of the early challenges were high cost and
lack of torque. Over the decades independent engineers toyed with the
idea but it hasn’t stuck. Two Port Charlotte men hope to change that.
In part two of his look at the future of energy efficient vehicles
WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports on a car that runs on – air.

The
Puerto Rican National Baseball team is touring southwest Florida in
preparation for the World Baseball Classic. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez
reports on why this could open up new business opportunities between
Southwest Florida and the island