There's a special exhibit about Roberto Clemente at the North Collier Regional Park. The show runs through December 27th. WGUC's Luis Hernandez recently spoke with producer Bernardo Ruiz about his award winning documentary of Roberto Clemente. The film aired on PBS American Experience

An adjunct professor at Florida Gulf Coast University is part of a new series on the Discovery channel called “Discovery Project Earth”. Dr. Jennifer Languell is also the president of Trifecta Construction Solutions – which is a southwest Florida-based green building & consulting company. She says the Discovery Channel tracked her down to participate in its new series…

A 94-year-old retired schoolteacher now living in Fort Myers is about to see her dream come true. Fourteen years ago Margaret Hooreman began adapting the Charles Dickens novel “Great Expectations” into a musical. The production seems bound for Broadway, and tonight Hoorneman will see her work performed on stage for the first time at the Arcade Theater in downtown Fort Myers. WGCU’s John Davis has more…

A series of paintings created since the turn of the new century is on display at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Edison College in Ft. Myers. The works are from the collection of Martin Margulies who speaks at the gallery Tuesday at 1:00. A longtime collector and resident of Miami – Margulies is said to have one of the top photography collections in the world. He told WGCU’s Valerie Alker that overall, the collection is eclectic – but there is an underlying theme.

This week’s book review is about one of Miami Herald columnist Carl Hiaasen’s New York Times Best sellers, “Skinny Dip”. Here’s Linda Fasulo.

Biologists still don’t know why the calf born last week to a deaf dolphin at a marine research facility in the Florida Keys died after only four days. But researchers say its brief life will open new doors in the field of dolphin communication. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has more.

The National Audubon Society has released a report documenting the major decline of many common birds.

The report uses data collected by volunteers taking part in Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count over the last forty years. The decline is especially marked in the Sunshine State, but is not necessarily irreversible. Julie Wraithmell is Wildlife Policy Coordinator for Audubon of Florida.

“Individuals can consider their personal use of fertilizers which we know has a direct impact on the quality of wetlands in their communities, they can consider their use of exotic plants in their landscapes – we understand exotic invasives cause significant challenges to our public wildlands, things like keeping cats indoors – they can be a significant source of mortality to native wildlife.”

Here’s some numbers – Florida’s Bobwhite population has dropped 96 percent in the last forty years – black skimmers are down 73 percent – Clapper Rails have declined by 81 percent – 53 percent fewer American Bitterns inhabit the sunshine state’s marshes – and Kestral’s – our smallest falcon – have declined 60 percent.
The state’s land acquisition program – Florida Forever – is about to Sunset. Wraithmell says another way to help struggling bird populations is to let lawmakers know they want Florida Forever replaced or extended.

Thousands of young men between the ages of 18 and 22 are going that extra step to fulfill a dream. They all want to play in the major leagues. Some of them are drafted right out of high school while others go on to play in college. But for those who can do neither, there is one last chance. Florida Public Radio’s Luis Hernandez followed one young man one recent Saturday afternoon in Ft Myers as he tried to achieve his dream of playing professional baseball.

The summer months and holiday seasons are challenging times for blood centers. With the upcoming Fourth of July holiday providers are pooling their resources and casting a wide net.

Blood centers across the state are racing to fill their supplies as the long holiday weekend approaches. And places like Lee Memorial need all types. Actually…the need for blood has even forced blood center officials to lower restrictions in some cases. Community Relations Coordinator for Lee’s Blood center Nancy Hendrick says people that were once turned down are now accepted.

“A lot of people were told 20 years ago they can’t donate because they were on high blood pressure pills. You can donate if you are on high blood pressure pills as long as you are stable. You can donate blood if you are cholesterol medication you can donate. If you’re diabetic you can donate. If you are on an aspirin a day you can donate. If you’re on depression medication you can donate. They have opened the window a lot to allow more people to donate who are on a multitude of medication.”

Hendrick says it usually takes about ten minutes to determine if someone qualifies to give blood. She says one condition that can commonly lead to disqualification is low levels of iron. To find one of the many locations where Lee Memorial and Naples Community Blood Centers will collect blood call 334-5333…that’s 334-5-triple three.

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Places like Lee Memorial and Naples Community Blood Centers want to increase their supplies before the holiday. Blood Centers are in need of blood especially with the Fourth of July holiday coming up. But they are also advising people to increase their iron levels so they don’t have to be turned away. Lee Memorial Blood center spokeswoman Nancy Hendrick says turning people away because they have low iron levels is the biggest challenge for blood centers.

"The way society is running everybody’s running so fast…they’re so busy, we don’t eat right, we don’t sleep enough…and that deters from your iron levels. You have to have a certain iron level to be able to donate. So we try to tell people all the time to eat iron rich foods, drink plenty of fluids, get enough sleep and they should be ok."

Hendrick says it usually takes about ten minutes to know if someone does not qualify to give blood. To find one of the many locations where Lee Memorial and Naples Community Blood Centers will collect blood call 334-5333…that’s 334-5-triple three.

A boat docked Thursday in Key West carrying an estimated million-dollars-plus worth of 17th century gold and artifacts treasure salvagers say they recovered from a shipwrecked Spanish galleon.

The pieces include a gold bar, eight gold chains and 11 ornate gold pieces found in approximately 18 feet of water about 40 miles west of Key West.

Marine archaeologist Dr. Duncan Mathewson, a partner in Blue Water Ventures, says experts believe the items will point them to the final resting place of the Spanish galleon Santa Margarita that sank in a 1622 storm.

"We know a lot about how the ship came in and sank and then progressively broke up. We know from the documentation, we know from the salvage efforts back in the 17th century that there probably is upwards of 150 to 200 million of artifacts and of treasures still left on the Santa Margarita.”

Mathewson says among the most intriguing discoveries was an 8-inch-long closed metal box. A small gap in its seal allows a glimpse at the contents, thought to be pearls or diamonds.

An initial cache of treasure and artifacts from the Santa Margarita was discovered in 1980 by the late shipwreck salvor Mel Fisher. Blue Water Ventures has been searching for the remainder of the Margarita wreck site for two years.