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More than four thousand Southwest Floridians from all walks of life sat down together back in March to talk about the problems that are affecting our region and its residents. Spearheaded by the Collaboratory in downtown Fort Myers, in partnership with the Collier Community Foundation and Charlotte Community Foundation, this is a follow up to an On The Table event held back in 2019. People attended one of about 280 "tables" and about a quarter of them filled out a survey that asked them to rank the issues they thought were most pressing. We dig into the results.

The Americans for the Arts’ AEP6 (Arts & Economic Prosperity Study 6) finds that Lee County’s nonprofit arts and culture sector generated more than $135 million in economic activity in 2022 and supported more than 2,500 full time jobs. We explore results of the study, and the case they make for more public support for the arts, in a conversation with Alliance for the Arts Executive Director Molly Rowan-Deckart, Florida Repertory Theatre Producing Artistic Director Greg Longenhagen, and local arts reporter and advocate Tom Hall.

Florida consistently ranks near the top of the list among states when it comes to the most reported cases of human trafficking. January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, so joins us and explore what role the health department in Collier County plays in raising awareness about this issue to help combat it, and increase the public’s understanding about what to look for in hopes of uncovering cases.

Republicans have lashed out at the NCAA after it decided to pull seven championship events from the state because of a law limiting civil rights protection for LGBT individuals.

Nobody paying attention for the past 24 months would be surprised to see Indiana — yes, Indiana — leading the way into this year's College Football Playoff.

Common Gallinules are resident birds found in ponds and marshes across Florida – especially where tall reeds, rushes, or cattails line the edges in shallow water. More northern populations are migratory. Adult Common Gallinules are somewhat chicken-like in appearance, but have blue-gray feathers, a bit of brown on the back, and white feathers that form a horizontal line along each side. Adults have a yellow-tipped bright red bill that extends to form a shield over its forehead. Young chicks are covered with black down – except for the top of the head which is nearly bald. Their tiny wings are bare, looking like pink toothpicks sticking out from their side. Downy chicks also have a red bill with a yellow tip – but no shield over the forehead. As the chicks grow and change plumage, they become dull gray birds with a dull, somewhat mottled yellow-brown bill. Older chicks stay with the pair and help feed the younger chick – a behavior known as “aunting”. As the bill of an older chick takes on the bright red color of an adult, the male chases it away.

We meet an Venice high school student who turned her attention to feral cats at the local level — and kittens in particular — and the need to both reduce their reproduction rate and to help as many homeless kittens become socialized so they can hopefully be adopted. Venice High School Junior, Maddie Canty, has been a Girl Scout for 12 years. Earlier this year she earned the Girl Scout Gold Award with her project called A Hope for Kittens. The Gold Award is the top award a Girl Scout Can earn. Her project focused on reducing kitten euthanasia by combining public education, direct care, and local policy change.

One Winner, Six Unforgettable Performances



Celebrating its 40th Anniversary Season, Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, a longtime corporate partner of WGCU, has generously donated season tickets to their Fifth Third Bank Broadway Series! When you make a financial gift of support to WGCU, you’re automatically entered to win a pair of opening night tickets to six National Touring Broadway shows: Some Like It Hot, & Juliet, Back to the Future: The Musical, Mamma Mia!, Kimberly Akimbo, and Moulin Rouge.





Your support not only helps WGCU continue bringing trusted news and enriching programs to Southwest Florida—it also gives you a front-row seat to Broadway magic, right here at home!

My guest this episode is Tom Eberhardt - Tommy to me. He’s a colonel with the Lee Country Sheriff’s Office, and has been serving there for 25 years. He…

A local FTC robotics team called Java the Hutts is heading to Houston next week to compete in the FIRST World Championship. Java the Hutts has been a team for eight years, with students from across Southwest Florida moving through program as some age out. This is the team’s third qualification to Worlds — they brought home the World Champion title once before in 2022. We talk with three of the Java the Hutt team members to learn about their team, the FIRST competitions, and how engaging with robotics is helping them prepare for the world ahead.