Commissioners in Highlands County vote Tuesday on zoning changes necessary for a proposed 77-hundred acre private military training facility near Venus. The project has stirred up strong opposition from area environmental advocates and many of the inland county’s residents. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry reports.

Governor
Charley Crist may call a special session of the Florida legislature in
October, and there’s speculation a bill that could lead the way to
drilling for oil off Florida’s Gulf coast will be introduced.  That’s
got interests on both sides of the issue scrambling to be heard. 
WGCU’s Valerie Alker prepared this report.

It’s
been 2 years since Florida Gulf Coast University bought an old 12 unit
resort that was once a commercial fish house on Estero Bay in south Lee
County.  Now it’s a Marine and Environmental Science Research Field
Station.  WGCU’s Mike Kiniry took a tour and has this report.

Lee
County land use planners will hear public testimony this week about
whether or not to allow new mining operations in the Corkscrew Road
corridor in Estero.  WGCU’s John Davis reports.

Lee
County marine officials are set to begin a beach nourishment project on
Fort Myers Beach. But, some of the landowners whose property would be
affected are not onboard.  WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

Three
Florida Gulf Coast University students have designed, what many say is,
the first sustainable affordable housing community in Southwest
Florida. The eleven homes in the Renaissance Community of Bonita
Springs show that saving the environment and saving money go
hand-in-hand. WGCU’s Farah Dosani has more.

A
huge algae bloom in Tampa Bay could soon start killing fish. 
Scientists say the bloom is not red tide and that it was likely fueled
by pollutants in runoff from recent rains following a lengthy drought. 
WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.

The way we receive our television signals changes tomorrow.  The modern  TV receiver was patented in 1948 – and what few remain from that era could still work – today – picking up analog  signals broadcast from  nearby transmitters.  But as of tomorrow they’re history.     Analog receivers need to be retrofitted with digital convertor boxes to work.    We talked to WGCU Public Media General Manager Rick Johnson about the conversion to digital TV.

A federal appeals court yesterday reversed a judge’s ruling saying that the South Florida Water Management District violated the Clean Water Act by pumping polluted canal water into Lake Okeechobee.  Water managers say the pumping is necessary…environmental advocates say they’ll appeal.  WGCU’s Mike Kiniry reports.

The
massive USS Vandenberg opened to divers over the weekend as an
artificial reef – about 7 miles off Key West.  WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has
more.