Scientists say the earth has entered a new geological epoch, one defined by humanity's growing impact on the planet, climate, and ecosystems. The proposed name for the possible new epoch is the Anthropocene , and scientists say they're concerned about what this "era of man" means for the plants and animals disappearing or facing extinction during these rapid changes in the natural world. It's a concern that's bringing scientists in Southwest Florida together for a biodiversity conference at FGCU

Fort Myers Police Chief Derrick Diggs took over the job of police chief position in August. Since then, he's pushed for more community engagement and equipped all of his officers with body cameras . He's also seen the public release of a scathing audit that described a department crippled by a loss of personnel, allegations of corruption, and an understaffed police force failing to address "emerging threats" like growing gang violence.

A 70-page audit of the Fort Myers Police Department details a department in crisis. The audit, prepared by the independent Freeh Group International Solutions , describes a department crippled by a loss of personnel in the last decade, and an understaffed police force that failed to develop "creative solutions to address emerging threats" like growing gang violence. In addition, the audit found allegations of favoritism and retaliation from within the department, leading to declining morale and

The Fort Myers Film Festiva l raises the curtain on March 8, screening dozens of short and feature-length films for five days at various locations throughout the city. The festival culminates with an awards ceremony at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre Sunday, March 12.

When a teenager harms himself or herself intentionally , it can leave a parent bewildered- sending them on a determined trajectory to find out why. There are more and more cases of teen self-harm coming to light with some studies showing as many as three million Americans engaging in some form of self-injury including cutting, burning or striking themselves to the point of soft tissue damage. Tuesday at 1 p.m. on Gulf Coast Live, Karen Bucker with t he David Lawrence Center in Naples talks about

Residents of a North Naples neighborhood keep seeing a young white-tailed deer snuggled into their lawns, but wildlife officials say don’t worry, she hasn’t been abandoned. It’s a common theme this time of year as deer and other small mammals are nesting and breeding. Human beings see absentee parenting among wildlife and start to get worried that the babies in the nest have been abandoned. Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., Joanna Fitzgerald, the director of the Von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy

After a countertenors and hours-long public comment session, phosphate mining giant Mosaic was approved to expand its Manatee County operations. The expansion comes as the mining company faces continued scrutiny over a September spill at its Polk County phosphate plant saw more than 215 million gallons of contaminated water entered the Floridan Aquifer. Manatee County Commissioners took weeks to decide on the company's request to expand its Wingate East Mine by more than double it's current 3

New estimates through mid-2016 show Florida's surge in syphilis cases continued last year, with cases of infectious syphilis jumping statewide by 36 percent by the middle the middle of year. Syphilis in Florida grew by a shocking 72.8 percent from 2010 through 2014, and continued to grow by nearly 20 percent the following year . In some parts of South Florida, the rate of infection per 100,000 people is greater than in major cities like Los Angeles. Southwest Florida counties like Lee and

The longest serving county emergency manager in the State of Florida retires today. Charlotte County Commissioners are marking the day by declaring Friday "Wayne Sallade Day." Sallade has lived in Charlotte County for more than half a century, and has spent the last 30 years as the head of the county's emergency management. He gained national recognition in 2004 when Hurricane Charley took an unexpected turn off the Gulf into Charlotte Harbor and devastated the county. Friday at 1 p.m. on Gulf

A documentary exploring the unintended consequences of school de-segregation brought leaders from Southwest Florida's African American community together for a discussion about the enduring impacts of the Civil Rights movement. The documentary, "Reading, Writing & Civil Rights: Enduring Impacts," was a follow-up to a 2015 documentary which featured the stories of students on the front lines of South Florida's desegregation efforts, which came to the region much later than other parts of the