Emma Rodriguez

Two Sarasota County projects won 2026 Heritage Awards earlier this month. Given to individuals, organizations and buildings by the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, the Awards honor efforts to maintain pieces of local history.

Florida’s first line of defense against the dangers of storm surge is under threat. Mangrove forests are critical to reducing wind speeds and flooding.

With cooler temperatures in store this winter, Florida Power and Light reminds customers of ways to save while heating their homes. Heating can take two to three times more energy than cooling, and this reflects in your monthly electricity bill.

It’s well-known by now that invasive Burmese pythons have become established in the Florida Everglades. And you may have heard of the state’s annual Python Challenge, when hunters compete to remove as many Burmese pythons from the Everglades as possible with prizes going to whoever is most successful. But you may not be aware of the South Florida Water Management District’s Python Elimination Program, which has been around since 2017. This Friday, the head of the district’s Python Program will kick of the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife's 2026 speaker series with a talk all about the program and the impact these large snakes have. We get a preview.

Narratives of public education in the early United States generally describe the building of a public system designed to allow people to gain knowledge and access to advancement in their lives. But, what’s often left out is the role race has always played at the root of education in America. The new book, “America Grammar: Race, Education, and the Building of a Nation” makes the case that the exploitation of Black and Indigenous people played an essential role in building American education systems all the way back to this country’s founding. We talk with its author to dig into this aspect of American history.

The Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count began on Christmas Day in the year 1900. During the annual count, birdwatchers walk around designated circular areas and count the type, and number of birds they see and hear over the course of the day. The information they collect is used to track bird populations in North and South America, and how they have changed over time. The Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary’s Christmas Bird Count covers the sanctuary and its surroundings. This year it’s happening this coming Saturday, Dec. 20 and we talk with the Sanctuary's director to learn more.

Florida Gulf Coast University students and staff worked alongside Island Coast High School students to plant a new mangrove forest on Bowditch Point Tuesday. The nearly 300 propagules, detached parts of mangroves that are used as seeds, will be used as a barrier for storm surge, habitat for native species, and more.

According to local health professionals, older adults are increasingly vulnerable to addiction and co-occurring mental health issues — especially in recent years. Substance abuse — most commonly alcohol but also prescription drugs like opioids — doesn't necessarily indicate a mental health condition, but they can often be connected. To get a sense of what lies behind the increase and what treatment options are out there, and what families and caregivers should watch for and how they can support loved ones in seeking help, we talk with someone from the Hazelden Betty Ford Clinic in Naples.

After delays in 2024 and 2025, Nova Classical STEM Academy is slated to open in August 2026. It’s created and operated by the Discovery Science Schools Network, an Orlando-based service provider for private and charter schools in Florida.

To welcome seasonal Sanibel and Captiva residents back to islands, Florida Trust Wealth Management hosted a seminar covering the basics of artificial intelligence (AI). The workshop gave residents an overview of AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude to make everyday tasks easier.