WGCU Staff
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Dr. Aysegul Timur officially took the reins in her new role as president of Florida Gulf Coast University on July 1, 2023. Prior to serving as president she was Assistant Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Strategy and Program Innovation. Overall, she’s been a part of the FGCU community since 2019. Dr. Timur is the FGCU’s fifth president, and she is the university’s first female president since its founding in 1997. We sit down with her as she approaches her first year as president to get an update on how things are going so far.
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Design contracts have been awarded for two popular Fort Myers Beach sites that were destroyed by Hurricane Ian in September 2022.At the Lee Board of County Commissioners meeting Tuesday, the board voted to award contracts for the Fort Myers Beach Fishing Pier and nearby Lynn Hall Memorial Park, both just off the Times Square area.
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The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The idea that individuals — or the press — have the right to express opinions and ideas without government censorship or interference, while not entirely unprecedented is far from the norm throughout human history. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution remains the gold standard globally when it comes to protecting speech. But, our guest says history shows that protecting freedom of expression cannot be guaranteed without strong support from those who it protects — and that includes strongly supporting the right to expression for those who we strongly disagree with.
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There were no structures in danger, fire officials said.
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Lots of trash — collection — news from Lee County:Beginning Monday, April 29, residents of the City of Bonita Springs and the Town of Fort Myers Beach only have to put their trash, recycling and yard waste to the curb once a week. And:Village of Estero residents may safely and responsibly dispose of household chemical waste (HCW) such as leftover paints, cleaners, herbicides, pesticides, automotive fluids and pool chemicals on Wednesday, April 17. The collection event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Estero Community Park, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd.
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More than 50 pieces of heavy equipment as well as law enforcement vehicles including helicopters, ambulances and fire trucks, will be spread out inside Hertz Arena Saturday for what’s being called SW Florida’s Largest Touch-A-Truck Event.The event is a collaboration between the Florida Department of Transportation and the Lee County Sheriff's Office.
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The project will be conducted at a later date, county officials said.
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Florida’s Supreme Court recently ruled that the state’s constitution does not protect abortion, allowing the state law passed in 2023 that bans abortion after six weeks to take effect next month. But in a separate decision, the Florida Supreme Court also just ruled that an amendment to guarantee abortion rights in the state’s constitution can go on the November ballot. As all of this unfolds we listen back to a conversation from 2021 when the first modern bill to restrict abortions in Florida was filed, to get a big picture history of the legality, and criminality, of abortion in America.
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The Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island metro area led southwest Florida in annual job growth over the 12 months ending in February, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, besting the statewide figure by almost a half percent. Total nonfarm payroll employment for the Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island area grew by 2.7 percent year-over-year adding 4,500 jobs for a 173,700 employment total in that region.
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