Andrea Melendez

Amish and Mennonite women in Sarasota community question the future of quilting

Florida’s largest Amish and Mennonite community is in Sarasota. Tourists come for the quilts. WGCU explores what’s changing behind the seams.

Three generations of the Magenheim family enjoy the food at the Festival. The 18th Annual Jewish Food Festival at Temple Sinai in Sarasota was held this Sunday, Feb 1, 2026. Brisket, pastrami and corned beef sandwiches were served by local restaurant Wolfie’s. As well as baked goods, matzoh ball soup, strudels and more.The Temple served up a celebration of flavors and traditions of their community.

Culture and Connections

Community is at forefront of Sarasota Jewish Food Festival

Elizabeth Andarge, Andrea Melendez

Temple Sinai celebrated their 18th annual Jewish Food Festival over the weekend.

A pond on the campus of Florida Gulf Coast University is feet lower due to the lack of rainfall in Southwest Florida last year; firefighters recently gathered to make the public aware of the threat of wildfire the year-long drought has created

Environment

Awaiting a spark: Firefighters fear Southwest Florida is ready to burn

Tom Bayles, Andrea Melendez

A drought unlike any the Sunshine State has seen for more than 20 years has been drying out portions of the state — especially Southwest Florida

Markham Lancaster, Fort Myers High School, tried soldering for the first time. He wants to going into a trade after high school. “It’s just cool and there’s good money in it”, Lancaster said. Lee County’s Build My Future 2025 was held Thursday, October 23rd at JetBlue Park. The event provides invaluable career opportunities for local students by bringing together students, educators, industry professionals, and community partners within the construction field. The event has a shared goal of bridging the skilled workforce gap and sparking interest in construction careers.

Business/Economy

Lee BIA's Build My Future Lee County event offers opportunity to students in construction trades

Michael Braun, Andrea Melendez

Local construction industry leaders took a crack this week at showing area high school students how building a future isn't just a play on words.

Naples Artist, Wendy Wanger, created pencil and red chalk drawings of individuals who are unhoused and living at St. Mathew’s House. The portraits are on display at her gallery. She sketched practice portraits while the subjects were interviewed to capture live emotion.

Arts & Culture

'Faces Beyond Homelessness' exhibit highlights stories of recovery

Dayna Harpster, Andrea Melendez

St. Matthew's House residents are featured in an exhibit of portraits titled "Faces Beyond Homelessness." Artist Wendy Wagner of Naples used chalk, charcoal and graphite to illustrate 10 current or former residents.

Martha Bireda, Director, Blanchard House Museum, talks about the museum display. On Sunday, September 20, 2025, the Blanchard House was reopened in Punta Gorda. It was a way to celebrate a century of history at the reopening celebration of the House. The house turned 100 years old and has been the home to the Blanchard House Museum for the past 21 years. This is Charlotte County’s only Black history museum.

Human Interest

Charlotte County's only African American museum celebrates its centennial

Elizabeth Andarge, Andrea Melendez

The Blanchard House Museum is celebrating its 100th anniversary and provides a glimpse into the journey that led to this milestone.

A Bonita Springs man who was taken into ICE detention in February says that during his three months in custody, he was mistreated so badly, he nearly died. He has asked that we call him Andres, which is not his real name, to protect him and his family.

Immigration

Bonita Springs man held by ICE in inhumane conditions

Cary Barbor, Andrea Melendez

A Bonita Springs man who was taken into ICE detention in February says that during his three months in custody, he was mistreated so badly, he nearly died.

Terry and Donald navigate the streets of Downtown Fort Myers. Terry Galgano and Donald, her yellow lab guide dog, at Peter’s German Cafe in downtown Fort Myers. Legally blind herself, Galgano says getting around in her daily life is no problem, thanks to Donald’s top-notch navigation skills. Galgano nominated Donald for Hero Dog because, she says, his off-the-charts intelligence, intuition, and heart, have brought independence and even joy back to her life after she lost her central vision.

Human Interest

Fort Myers guide dog is up for national Hero Dog title

Cary Barbor, Andrea Melendez

Donald, a Fort Myers guide dog, is in a national competition to win the title of Hero Dog from the American Humane Society.

Immigration

'You just feel like an animal,' says 23-year-old former SWFL Alligator Alcatraz detainee

Sandra Viktorova, Andrea Melendez

A former detainee at Alligator Alcatraz describes conditions and the circumstances of his apprehension by a border patrol agent.

Brian Mathae helped Winnie into the water. Research biologist with the Sea Turtle Conservancy, FWC and volunteers with Turtle Watch, worked to prepare and tag a Loggerhead sea turtle with a satellite transmitter. The Conservancy will then track its migration patterns after it nests and the transmitter aims to determine the turtle's post-nesting destinations. Turtles nest every 2-3 years, laying 80-120 eggs per nest, and the transmitter typically lasts 1-1.5 years. The Conservancy is also conducting an educational program, Tour de Turtles, involving 11 tagged turtles in a three-month competition. Over 200 people came out to view the moment the turtle was returned to the water.

Environment

Wherever Winnie goes, transmitter will keep track of the loggerhead's travels for the Tour de Turtles

Andrea Melendez

The summer’s Tour De Turtles, a race hosted by The Sea Turtle Conservancy, made a stop at Coquina Beach South in Bradenton. Organizers will tag 11 nesting turtles on various Florida beaches and track which turtle travels the farthest distance in three months.