The University of South Florida and Pasco County are dedicating a new outdoor forensic training facility , referred to by some as a “ body farm ,” to help train a new generation of forensic scientists

Calling Florida's criminal justice system "broken," and pointing to high rates of re-incarceration and growing costs to keep inmates in prison, the Florida ACLU and Lee County NAACP are sponsoring a public forum Thursday night in Fort Myers to discuss reform.

Human beings have removed trillions of trees from the earth through deforestation and development over the centuries. And one local nonprofit called OneTree.org wants to pay back that debt by planting one tree at a time.

The 20 th Judicial circuit of the State Attorney’s office in Florida is shifting personnel to add to its homicide unit . Covering Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Hendry and Glades counties, the district is one of the largest in the state, with up to 60,000 new cases a year.

Scams targeting Southwest Florida's senior residents are common, but few seniors believe they could ever be taken. That’s why the Punta Gorda police department has initiated a community-wide project encouraging young and old to be alert for signs that elderly persons are possibly being exploited.

From the fountain of youth to the Skunk Ape, Florida’s folklore is rich and sometimes pungent. Few know that better than Dr. Caren Neile - a professional storyteller and the Director of the South Florida Storytelling Project. She’ll share some of Florida’s memorable tales this week at the Marco Island Historical Society , and in advance of that performance, we’ll have a sneak preview on Gulf Coast Live.

Earlier this year we connected with a local bird watcher as she embarked upon her "big year," It’s an informal competition among birders to see who can spot the largest number of different birds species in a given year.

Food has been a source of pleasure and nourishment for centuries, but in recent years it’s also become a source of discomfort. For example, today is national chocolate chip cookie day , but any one of the ingredients in a simple cookie could trigger a reaction because of an allergy or sensitivity.

Cape Coral author and poet   Lee Bennett Hopkins   w as inducted in Frebruary into the   Florida Artists Hall of Fame , joining the likes of   Robert Rauschenberg ,   Ernest Hemingway , and   Burt Reynolds . He's be the first such honored artist from Lee County.

With citrus greening sweeping the sunshine state, many local farmers are looking to diversify yet again. Lee County agriculture and natural resources director Roy Beckford has seen this cycle many times. He works with the University of Florida IFAS office in Southwest Florida and recalls how the coconut industry took a hit, and then growers planted decorative palms, which took another hit during the housing crisis.