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There is a significant agricultural industry here in Southwest Florida. Growers in our region produce crops like citrus, tomatoes, watermelons, and other fruits and vegetables. This region also has a thriving livestock industry, with cattle and dairy farms contributing to the economy. But, times are changing for all of us and this definitely includes those working to grow food.

Florida Gulf Coast University’s new president, Dr. Aysegul Timur, officially took the reins from Dr. Mike Martin on July 1. Dr. Timur is the university’s fifth president, and first female president since in its 26 years. And she is the school’s first immigrant president. She was born in Turkey and received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration at University of Istanbul before heading to the U.S. in the late 90s to pursue her PhD, which she received from University of South Florida in 2006. She joins us for our first sit-down with as president.

We meet Fran Mainella, the new Director of the Alliance for Florida's National Parks. The 20-year-old nonprofit works to promote the Everglades, Dry Tortugas and Biscayne National Parks, as well as Big Cypress National Preserve. Its website says their goal is “to instill in all people an appreciation of Florida's public lands and natural resources for what they are – the key to the sustainability and prosperity of the state - by enriching the park experience and connecting diverse communities to the nature that abounds in their backyards.”

There is a movement underway to pass an amendment to Florida’s Constitution that would create a fundamental right to clean and healthy waters in the state. If it makes it to the ballot and is approved by 60% of voters during the 2024 Election, the ‘Right to Clean Water’ amendment could be used to sue State executive agencies for harm, or threatened harm, to Florida’s waters and aquatic ecosystems. To learn more we talk with Joseph Bonasia, he is Chair and Southwest Florida Regional Director of the Florida Rights of Nature Network, and a board member of Southwest Florida RESET.

"Oh, no — please, not again" — is a sentiment it’s fair to think that many residents of Southwest Florida have been thinking and feeling as Hurricane Idalia made its way north through the Gulf of Mexico and toward the Florida peninsula. While not on the exact same track as Hurricane Ian last September, and doesn't appear to be on a path that will severely impact Southwest Florida, Idalia is coming from the same general direction and revives memories of Hurricane Ian in September of 2022.

Since OpenAI released ChatGPT in November of 2022 there has been a surge in public awareness about, and use of, Artificial Intelligence. And this represents both a leap forward in technological capability, and the possibility for massive disruption in many fields including education. We learn about efforts at Florida Gulf Coast University to stay on top of this new learning curve we’re all facing on some level.

Kirsten Hines started out as a wildlife biologist, but pretty early on found herself drawn to telling stories with images and words about the natural world, rather than collecting data about it. Her photographs and writings have since appeared in numerous exhibitions and publications, including eight books — the latest of which is “Wild Florida: An Animal Odyssey.” It’s like a conversational field guide that explores ecological concepts like the “why” behind Florida’s animal diversity, and its blending of critters from the tropics with those from North America.

There’s a brand new exhibition on display on the campus of Florida Gulf Coast University called “They Were Children: Rescue as Resistance.” It brings the story of the Oeuvre de Secours Aux Enfants’ (OSE) — amazing group of everyday people who worked at great risk to themselves to rescue Jewish children in Nazi-occupied France during World War Two.

The Lee County Legal Aid Society is a private nonprofit that’s been providing no-cost civil legal aid to low-income residents of Lee County since 1967. And starting last year, they’ve expanded their efforts to assist immigrant children – including those who have been abandoned, entered the country alone, or are victims of human trafficking – establish a pathway to legal citizenship. We talk to the organization’s Executive Director, and one of their staff attorneys who is leading this immigration work, to learn more.

The Lastinger Center for Learning at University of Florida uses data-driven approaches to create programs and systems that can help teachers across Florida be more effective in their jobs. It’s basically an education innovation incubator whose work primarily focuses on impacting achievement across three educational milestones: kindergarten readiness, third grade reading, and algebra. We talk to its director, Dr. Phillip Poekert.