Corruption is an "unrecognized threat" to peace and stability at home and abroad. A researcher presenting a lecture at FGCU this week argues the tendrils of corruption at local, regional, and national levels influences everything from rates of violence and terrorism, to international commerce, to how aide organizations operate. That's atop the grinding psychological and financial strain corruption wreaks on those living in countries where corruption routinely and reliably steals a nation's

Divorce can be a draining experience, both emotionally and financially, but experts say it doesn’t have to be that way. “Collaborative” divorce is an increasingly popular approach to ending a marriage that brings together therapists, attorneys and financial planners together to lessen the burden of a split.

A Southwest Florida matchmaker brings her skills to Gulf Coast Live this Valentine’s Day, with tips for all ages when it comes to the region's dating scene. Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., Mimi Lee with MyTopMatchmaker.com explains how she matches singles from Naples to Sarasota, and offers tips for navigating the dating scene in Southwest Florida.

Estimates for traffic deaths in Florida climbed to more than 3,200 in 2016, a jump of nearly ten percent from the previous year. Lee County leads Southwest Florida with the deadliest roads in the region with more than 100 deaths in traffic accidents last year, nearly three times the fatalities seen in Collier and Charlotte counties.

The "River of Grass Greenway," a proposed 75-mile bike trail along US-41 that would link Naples to Miami, faces a critical vote in Collier County today. The project has been in the works for years . The Collier County Metropolitan Planning Organization began a meeting at 9 a.m. to discuss whether or not to withdraw support for the project , first given approval in 2008. The majority of the proposed corridor crosses public lands, including national and state parks, preserves, and wildlife refuges

Affordable housing in Southwest Florida has been a strain on communities for years. Despite some recent efforts to address the issue , as Florida's population continues to grow, the problem of housing in some of Florida's wealthiest counties only gets worse.

New information on drug overdose deaths from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement shows staggering increases in deaths linked to opioid abuse in Florida. In an annual report released late last year , FDLE found deaths from drugs like heroin claimed 779 lives in Florida in 2015; an increase in more than 75 percent from the prior year. More powerful opioids like fentanyl saw similar increases: over 900 deaths were linked to the super-potent painkiller, an increase of nearly 70 percent.

Hunting for seashells along Southwest Florida beaches is a common hobby, but how well do you know your shells? Can you tell a ribbed cantharus from a cerith? A paper fig from a rusty dove? A new mobile program, called “Mollusks on the Move” from Lee County Parks, has Sanibel’s Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum bringing shell information off the island in an effort to make more people aware of the different types of shells, but also to teach responsible shelling that protects Florida mollusks

The stack of proposed bills awaiting Florida legislators include gun laws , water quality provisions , fracking bans , and negotiating gambling rules .With a number of Southwest Florida representatives in leadership positions, our area could exert greater influence than before.

A water resources bill in front of Florida lawmakers is proposing the State of Florida buy roughly 60,000 acres of land Lake Okeechobee to store excess water and avoid water discharges into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers. The plan could cost billions of dollars and require purchases of land from private and corporate landowners.