>> THIS IS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS A FERAL CAT POPULATION, BOOM, OVERLOADING ANIMAL SHELTERS.

NOW LOCAL PET LOVERS ARE TURNING TO BROADWAY TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THIS GROWING FELINE PROBLEM.

FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF.

THE LEGACIES BEING MAINTAINED BY THE DESCENDANTS OF AMERICAN PRESIDENTS.

AND BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN CULTURES AND COUNTRIES.

THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTING UNIQUE TRADITIONS FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

HELLO, I AM JENNIFER CRAWFORD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

HOMELESS CATS ARE FILLING UP ANIMAL SHELTERS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND THE NUMBER OF UNWANTED KITTIES GROWING EVERY DAY.

IT'S ESTIMATED A QUARTER OF A MILLION FERAL AND COMMUNITY CATS LIVE IN LEE COUNTY AND PROGRAMS SUCH AS TRAP NEUTER AND RETURN ARE ONLY MAKING A SMALL DENT IN CONTROLLING THE CAP POPULATION.

NOW A FAMILIAR BROADWAY PRODUCTION SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON THE FELINE PROBLEM IN OUR AREA.

WGCUS TOM HALL TAKES US BEHIND THE CURTAIN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP.

>> INSIDE THIS FORT MYERS THEATER, THE CAST OF CATS MEET THEIR NAMESAKES FROM CAPE CORAL ANIMAL SHELTER TO A OUTSIDE THE THEATER.

A LOOMING PROBLEM FOR FELINES.

THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 250,000 FERAL AND COMMUNITY CATS ON THE LOOSE IN LEE COUNTY, ALA.

CAPE CORAL, ANIMAL SHELTER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LIZ MCCAULEY COUCHES.

THE PROBLEM IN HUMAN TERMS.

>> WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WALK INTO OUR SHELTER EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH A BOX OF KITTENS AND SAY, HEY, FOUND THESE KITTENS, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE MOMS THAT SOMETIMES 6, 7, 8, OF THEM AT A TIME AND IT IS A CRISIS BETWEEN THE SHELTER AND THE STAGE IS A COLLABORATION.

>> AND IT'S INTENDED TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM AND HOPEFULLY INSPIRE PEOPLE TO ADOPT SOME OF THE SHELTERS.

KITTENS AND CATS.

SINCE IT'S WHAT'S KNOWN AS A MANAGED TO ACCEPTANCE FACILITY.

CAPE CORAL ANIMAL SHELTER CAN ONLY ACCEPT WHAT IT HAS ROOM FOR.

>> WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF EXPANDING.

WE ARE ON GETTING READY WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO BREAK GROUND ON A 19,000 SQUARE-FOOT ADDITIONAL SHELTER WHICH IS GOING TO QUADRUPLE THE AMOUNT OF ROOM WE HAVE FOR CATS, WHICH IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT, WILL BE ABLE TO SAVE A LOT MORE.

>> SHELTER CAPACITY TREATS THE SYMPTOM, NOT THE CAUSE.

MCCAULEY SAYS THERE'S A PRESSING NEED TO TRAP SPAY AND VACCINATE TO REDUCE THE FOR LINN COMMUNITY CAT POPULATION.

>> THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH PROGRAMS IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET THAT DONE.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH LEE COUNTY AND SOME OF THE VETS IN THE COMMUNITY TOO, TO TAKE CARE OF THAT PROBLEM.

PARK SHELTER ALONE IS DOING AT LEAST TO TRAP NEUTER RELEASE CLINICS ON SUNDAYS.

AT LEAST 2 A MONTH.

WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO JUST TRY TO GET THAT POPULATION DOWN.

>> NOW FROM THE SHELTER, BACK TO THE STAGE.

KATZ ALSO PLACES A PREMIUM ON PRODUCTION VALUE.

THEY FOR THE SET LIGHTING OR SENSATIONAL.

THE COSTUMES REFLECT EACH FELINES, UNIQUE CHARACTER.

WITH HAUNTING MELODY AND POIGNANT LYRICS.

MEMORY IS ONE OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S GREATEST SONGS.

AND DIRECTOR.

ANY MURRAY MCQUEARY'S CHOREOGRAPHY PERFECTLY ENCAPSULATES CATS, DISTINCTIVE MOVEMENTS.

>> WE TRY TO INCORPORATE THAT IN HER CHOREOGRAPHY IN THEIR GRACE AND THEN ALSO LIKE SUDDEN MOVEMENTS.

ONE OF THE THING THAT'S SO WONDERFUL ABOUT THE SHOW AS AN ACTOR IS THAT YOU COULD USE YOUR ENTIRE BODY TO EXPRESS HOW YOU'RE FEELING.

PEOPLE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THE SHOW SOMETIMES DON'T REALIZE HOW POWERFUL IT IS WHEN THEY SEE THOSE EMOTIONS EXPRESSED WITH A FULL PHYSICALITY, METAPHORICALLY CATS RECOGNIZES THE WISDOM IN HERITAGE CONTRIBUTED TO SOCIETY BY THOSE.

>> OF A MORE MATURE AGE.

THE JOE COOL CATS PATRIARCH IS THE WISE AND REVERED OLD DEUTERONOMY WEST OF JONES.

A 25 POUND UPPER CLASS DANDY BRINGS A SENSE OF CULTURE.

THE NASH TO THE TELECOMS.

WHAT IS THE AGING GLAMOUR CAT GRIZ ABELLA WHO TRULY TESTED JELLICO SOCIAL STRUCTURE.

>> SHE HAS AN OLDER WOMAN IS OSTRACIZED AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T CELEBRATE OLDER WOMEN AS MUCH AS WE SHOULD.

AND SO THAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT I'M TRYING TO REACH WITH THIS PRODUCTION AND HOW SHE IS ALLOWED TO EVOLVE AND BECOME SOMETHING NEW BY THE END OF THE U.S.

>> ABIGAIL ALDRIDGE PLAYS PRINCE OF ELLA.

SHE BRINGS A DEPTH OF VULNERABILITY.

GRAYSON, QUIET RESIGNATION TO THE ROLE.

>> KIND OF THE ESSENCE OF THE SHOW IS ABOUT ACCEPTANCE AND AS THE SHOW KIND OF GOES ALONG, WE SEEK OR IS ABOUT TO COME BACK TO THE GROUP AND CONTINUE TO BE REJECTED UNTIL THE END WHEN SHE SINGS MEMORY.

>> CATS PLAYS ON THE BROADWAY PALM MAINSTAGE THROUGH APRIL 4.

>> ARTS REPORTER TOM HALL JOINS US NOW REALLY ASTOUNDING NUMBERS.

YOU SAID A QUARTER OF A MILLION CATS ARE STRAY CATS IN LEE COUNTY.

THAT IS MIND-BOGGLING.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP REDUCE THOSE NUMBERS?

>> WELL, LIZ MCCAULEY AT THE CAPE CORAL ANIMAL SHELTER SAYS IT'S REALLY 2 THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO TO HELP REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE FERLAND COMMUNITY.

CAT POPULATION.

THE FIRST I GOT MORE CATS AND THERE'S ALWAYS A NEED FOR CATS AND KITTENS TO BE ADOPTED.

AND THEN THAT CREATES MORE SPACE.

AND THEN SECONDARILY ALL OF THE SHELTERS NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP TRAP FERAL CATS SO THAT THEY CAN BE BROUGHT IN SPADE NEUTERED, UNVACCINATED AND THEN RETURN TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.

SO THOSE ARE THE 2 THINGS THAT REALLY WOULD TO HELP PUT A DENT IN THAT THE 250,000 NUMBER.

>> NOW YOU GOT TO SEE CATS.

IT IS A SPECTACULAR SHOW.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART?

>> WELL, THE CHOREOGRAPHY IS IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

THE DIRECTOR WHO'S ALSO THE CHOREOGRAPHER, AMY MURRAY, MCCLEARY HAS FOUND A WAY TO INCORPORATE THE MOVEMENTS OF CATS INTO THE CHOREOGRAPHY AND THE MOVEMENT OF OF HER ACTORS.

SO THEY HAVE THE SAME.

GRACE IS A CAT, BUT ALSO THOSE SUDDEN DARTING MOVEMENTS THAT THEY CAST ARE KNOWN FOR.

AND THAT'S ALL INCORPORATED INTO THE INTO THE CHOREOGRAPHY.

THAT SOUNDS FASCINATING.

AND IT RUNS THROUGH APRIL.

>> IT RUNS THROUGH APRIL FOR APRIL 4TH AND THIS IS AT BROADWAY, PALM.

IT IS.

>> BUT I THINK THE THING THAT WAS THE MOST SURPRISING TO ME OUT OF THAT SHOW.

>> IT'S THE FACT THAT ACTUALLY PLACES AN EMPHASIS ON OLDER POPULATIONS.

SO IN THE SHOW, THE CATS ARE REVERED.

OLDER, CASTOR, REVERED FOR THEIR EXPERIENCE.

THEIR WISDOM AND FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THEY CAN MAKE TO HERITAGE AND CULTURE ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S, THE ONE WHO WHO BASICALLY WROTE CATS AND HE ALSO HAS A VERY INTERESTING JUST THE POSITION, WHEREAS THE OLDER CATS IN THE SHOW ARE REVERED.

THE OLDER MALE CAST NATIONS THERE REVERE IN SPITE OF THEIR SIZE SHAPE IN AND ECCENTRICITIES.

WOMEN EARN ACCORDED THE SAME EFFORTS.

AND SO THERE IS AN OLDER CAT BY THE NAME OF GRIZZ ABELLA.

SHE'S THE GLAMOUR CAT AND SHE'S OSTRACIZED BECAUSE HER LOOKS HAVE FADED AND SHE DOESN'T HAVE THAT BEAUTY THAT SHE ONCE POSSESSED.

AND SO HE'S HE ACTUALLY DRAWS KIND OF A STARK LIGHT AND THE DIFFERENCE, ACCORDING TO OLE DURING OLDER MALES VERSUS AGING WOMEN.

>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE.

YOU ALSO MENTIONED IN THE LOBBY, THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE MONEY.

4 STRAY CATS AND FOR HELPING OUR POPULATION.

THAT'S FARRELL.

>> TELL ME ABOUT THE ROBOT PALM CALL A COLLABORATION WITH CAPE CORAL ANIMAL SHELTER AS MULTI TIER.

THEY ACTUALLY HAD CATS IN THE LOBBY OPENING NIGHT.

THEY HAD A PROMOTION ON MARCH.

1ST WHERE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE TICKET SALES WENT TO THE CAPE CORAL ANIMAL SHELTER AND THAT EVERY PRODUCTION YOU CAN PURCHASE FOR $5.

A PAPER PAW.

YOU CAN WRITE ANYTHING YOU WANT ON THE PART OF THE NAME OF YOUR OWN CAT OR, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS CATS THAT YOU MAY HAVE READ IN A CARETAKER FOR OR JUST ANY KIND OF MESSAGE THAT YOU LIKE.

AND ALL OF THOSE PAPER OR A PAUSE ARE ON DISPLAY IN THE LOBBY AT BROADWAY, PALM.

>> I'M ALWAYS AMAZED AT HOW MANY EXHIBITIONS AND PERFORMANCES THERE ARE.

I THINK YOU MENTIONED THERE'S 30 OUR PERFORMANCES THAT WE COULD GO SEE AS WELL, VISUAL PERFORMING ARTS THIS WEEK ALONE THERE.

25 PLACES MUSICALS AND PLAYS ARE ON STAGE THROUGHOUT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

>> IF ANY THAT COME TO MIND THAT YOU THINK WE SHOULD MAKE A POINT TO GO SEE, IN ADDITION, THE CATS, IN ADDITION TO CATS?

>> WELL, THAT MARCO ISLAND, THEY'RE DOING NEIL SIMON'S A CALIFORNIA SUITE AND THEN THERE'S A COUPLE OF INTERESTING SHOWS THAT ARE GETTING READY TO CLOSE FOR ANYBODY WHO'S IN AUGUST.

WILSON FAN 2 TRAINS RUNNING IS WINDING UP ITS RUN AT THE LABORATORY THEATER, FLORIDA IN DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS AND SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, TOM.

>> REQUIREMENTS FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> FOR MORE ON TOM HALLS, EXTENSIVE COVERAGE ON THE LOCAL ART SCENE.

PLEASE HEAD TO WCU DOT ORG.

FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE MOST POWERFUL PERSON IN THE FREE WORLD.

COMING UP, PRESIDENTIAL DESCENDANTS TALK ABOUT KEEPING THEIR FAMILY LEGACIES ALIVE.

TUCKED AWAY IN A QUARTER OF KEY WEST LIES.

THE LITTLE WHITE HOUSE HAS PLAYED HOST TO MANY U.S.

PRESIDENTS ON VACATION.

THE HEIRS OF TRUMAN, FORD AND CARTER MIGHT HAVE COME TO AN END.

A NEW GENERATION GATHERED IN AMERICA'S SOUTH EASTERNMOST CITY TO CONTINUE THE LEGACIES OF FORMER COMMANDERS IN CHIEFS AS PART OF OUR COVERAGE OF FLORIDA TO 50 WGCUS PAM JAMES LEARNED ABOUT THE LASTING VALUES BEING CARRIED ON BY THESE PRESIDENTIAL DESCENDANTS.

>> SO NICE FOR MANY DESCENDANTS OF AMERICAN PRESIDENTS.

THE MOMENT THEY REALIZE THEIR FAMILY WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, CAME EARLY AND OFTEN UNEXPECTEDLY FOR JOSH CARTER, GRANDSON OF PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER.

IT WAS FIRST GRADE.

>> I REMEMBER THAT EVERYBODY KNEW WHO MY GRANDFATHER WAS AND I FELT BAD BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHO ANYBODY ELSE'S GRANDFATHER WAS.

AND WHAT THEY DID WITH THE JOB WAS YOU HAD TO KNOW IS A FIRST GRADE.

EVERYBODY'S GRANDPA.

DID THERE.

>> GRANDSON OF PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN.

CLIFTON TRUMAN, DANIEL ALSO LEARNED THE TRUTH IN FIRST GRADE.

>> AND THE TEACHER SAID WHEN THAT WORK WELL, WELL, WELL, WHAT WOULD YOU CLARIFY?

THE PRESENT UNITED STATES?

TO WHICH I REPLIED, I DON'T KNOW.

THAT'S A NEW ONE.

AND I MARCHED ACROSS THE LIVING ROOM WHERE MY MOTHER WAS SITTING AND I SAID MOM.

DID YOU KNOW THE GRANT PATRULLA BEEN PRESIDENT?

>> SUSAN FORD BALES IS THE DAUGHTER OF PRESIDENT GERALD FORD.

SHE DISCOVERED HER FAMILY SIGNIFICANCE DURING A NATIONAL CRISIS.

>> WHEN WE MOVED IN, THAT WAS NOT OUR BIGGEST PRIORITY AT THE TIME.

AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, I WAS 17.

SO IT WASN'T UNTIL MUCH LATER IN LIFE THAT I REALLY KIND OF FIGURED OUT AND BEGAN TO MEET SOME OF THE OTHER DESCENDANTS AND THE JOHNSONS.

AND OF COURSE, I HAD MET THE NEXT SONS AND YOU START TO COMB INGLE AND THAT'S KIND OF WHEN YOU REALIZE, YEAH, IF YOU LIVE IN A VERY SMALL FISH BALL.

PATERNITY SORTIE TYPE.

THANK YOU AND HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO EXPERIENCE IT.

>> THIS INFORMAL CLUB BECAME OFFICIAL IN 2021.

AS A SOCIETY OF PRESIDENTIAL DESCENDANTS JOSH.

SUSAN, IN CLIFTON, OUR MEMBERS, THEY WERE FEATURED AT THIS YEAR'S KEY WEST HARRY S TRUMAN FOUNDATION, ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL DESCENDANTS FOR HIM HOSTED AT THE LITTLE WHITE HOUSE.

THE THEME FOR 2026 WAS A TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER.

HIS DAUGHTER, AMY CARTER, SPOKE OF HIS LEGACY.

>> I DON'T THINK OF THE PRESIDENCY AS BEING THIS SEPARATE.

ENTITY AND HIS LIFE BECAUSE HE REALLY WAS.

A MAN OF SERVICE FROM BASICALLY THE MOMENT HE WAS BORN.

HE WORKED ON A FARM.

HE WENT TO THE NAVAL ACADEMY.

HE, YOU KNOW, WORKED ON A NUCLEAR SUBMARINE.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA.

HE WAS FIGHTING SEGREGATION.

HE BECAME PRESIDENT.

HE GOT OUT.

HE STARTED THE CARTER CENTER LIKE HE JUST DIDN'T STOP.

>> ALTHOUGH CARTER'S IMPACT WAS CLEAR IN SOME WAYS.

JOSH CARTER IN THE OTHER DESCENDANTS SHARED AN ISSUE THAT EACH PRESIDENT FACED THAT THEY BELIEVE WAS TENSION WITH MISUNDERSTANDING FOR PRESIDENT CARTER.

IT WAS THE IRAN HOSTAGE CRISIS.

IT DID TAKE OVER THE LAST.

>> 444 DAYS, MY GRANDPA.

HIS PRESIDENCY.

>> AND IT WAS AS HE WROTE MANY TIMES THE HARDEST TIME OF HIS LIFE.

BUT THAT DID OVERSHADOW A LOT OF THE GOOD THAT HE DID.

>> SUSAN SPOKE ABOUT HER FATHER'S DECISION TO PARDON PRESIDENT NIXON.

>> PEOPLE WERE SO ANGRY ABOUT HIM DOING IT IN EVERYBODY.

I WAS CONVINCED THAT IT WAS SOMETHING HE AND PRESIDENT NIXON HAD WORKED OUT, WHICH IS NOT TRUE.

AND IT HAS TAKEN THE LAST 50 PLUS YEARS FOR AMERICA TO REALIZE THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION AT THE RIGHT TIME AND TRUMAN'S LEGACY.

>> CLIFTON, JUST LEFT.

HE WAS SO UP FRONT ABOUT EVERYTHING HE DID IN THE REASONS HE DID IT.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAD ANY WAY TO MISUNDERSTAND HARRY TRUMAN AT ALL.

HE HE DIDN'T LIKE MISUNDERSTANDING NEED TO TELL YOU EXACTLY WHY HE WAS DOING THINGS.

>> CONTINUING TO SHARE THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RELATIVES.

CLIFTON TELLS A STORY ABOUT A MAN WHOSE CAR BROKE DOWN OUTSIDE THE TRUMAN HOME IN INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI.

>> THE MAN WALKED OUT THE FRONT DOOR SHIP GRANDPAS HAND AND STARTED DOWN THE STEPS AND GOT HALFWAY DOWN AND STOP.

A LOOK BACK UP.

AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING.

AND I HOPE YOU DON'T TAKE OFFENSE AT THIS.

BUT YOU LOOK A OF A LOT LIKE THAT.

BEING HARRY TRUMAN.

GRANDPA PARENTAGE SMILE BACK AND SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW SOMETHING.

I HOPE YOU DON'T TAKE OFFENSE.

I AM.

THAT IS SO BIG.

>> JOSH PAINTED A PORTRAIT OF PRESIDENT CARTER AS AN OUTDOORSMAN.

>> HE WAS OUTSIDE NEARLY EVERY CHANCE THAT HE WOULD GET.

HE WAS ALSO AN AVID FISHERMAN AND AVID BIRD WATCHER.

HE WAS STILL GO OUT THERE AND START THE SEASON BRINGS MY COMMENTS OF A SHOT GUN BECAUSE HE JUST LOVED BEING OUTSIDE IN NATURE.

>> AND SUSAN SHARED A SIMPLE TRUTH ABOUT HER DAD.

HE WAS.

BIG TEDDY BEAR.

AND HE WAS ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE LISTENERS.

>> A KEY PURPOSE FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY OF PRESIDENT OF THE SENTENCES TO CARRY ON THEIR FAMILY HISTORY.

CLIFTON DESCRIBED THOSE DUTIES.

>> THERE ARE 2 BASIC JOBS.

THE FIRST IS TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR ANCESTORS, LEGACY TO DO WHAT YOU CAN TO KEEP IT TRUTHFUL TO KEEP IT INTACT.

THE SECOND THING AND PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT IS TO DO SOMETHING POSITIVE WITH IT.

IN MY CASE THAT MEANT A DECADE OR SO AGO VISITING HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI.

AND WORKING THERE AFTER A FEW FEW FOR A FEW YEARS WITH SURVIVORS, SOME OF WHOM I CALL FRIENDS.

>> FOR SUSAN, IT'S A DUAL PURPOSE FOR THE FORD FAMILY.

>> AND IT'S NOT JUST HIS LEGACY, BUT IT'S ALSO MY MOTHER'S LEGACY.

I SIT ON THE BOARD OF THE HAZLETON, BETTY FORD FOUNDATION AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT FOR A LONG TIME.

AND LIKE FORD CARTER'S PRESIDENCY WAS JUST ONE TERM.

>> JIMMY CARTER DIED IN LATE 2024 AT THE AGE OF 100.

JAMES EARL CARTER.

THE 4TH TOLD THE FORUM THAT HIS GRANDFATHER ACTUALLY PREFERRED RETIREMENT.

PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY WHERE HE WAS AN OKAY PRESIDENT.

HE WAS A GREAT FORMER PRESIDENT.

WE WOULD SAY THAT HE WAS.

>> GREAT AT BOTH.

BUT WE DO ALL AGREE THAT HE WAS A GREAT FORMER PRESIDENT AND THAT WAS PART OF WHY HE WAS ABLE TO USE THE THINGS THAT THAT GAVE HIM TO GET THE THINGS ACCOMPLISHED THAT HE WASN'T ABLE TO DO AS PRESIDENT AND THAT HE CONTINUED TO WORK ON FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

>> STEEPED IN THEIR RELATIVES LEGACY.

THE DESCENDANTS TURNED TO THE 200 50TH ANNIVERSARY AND OFFER THOUGHTS ON THE FUTURE OF AMERICA.

>> OUR HISTORY IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO COME AND GO IN WAVES, TRY AND STAY IN A EVEN KEEL BECAUSE CHANGE IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU'D HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.

BUT TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.

>> WE CAN TAKE THAT MANTEL OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER.

WELL, FOR ONE, ANOTHER AS FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS, I MOVE THAT FOLLOWED WILL HAVE A GREAT COUNTRY.

>> FOR W TO SEE YOU.

AND TIM JAMES WITH VIDEOGRAPHER TOM G.

>> FLORIDA HAS A RICH HISTORY WITH PRESIDENTS FROM CAMPAIGN STOPS TO THE HOME OF CURRENT PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP.

BUT ONE PRESIDENT IN PARTICULAR HAS A STRONG CONNECTION WITH THE EARLY FORMATION OF FORT MYERS.

WGCUS TEDDY BYRNE LEARNS HOW A VISIT FROM HERBERT HOOVER HELP PUT THE CITY OF PALMS ON THE MAP.

>> SO FOR MORE ON PRESIDENT HERBERT HOOVER'S HISTORIC VISIT TO FORT MYERS, WE ARE JOINED BY SPENCER HOWARD AND ARCHIVIST WITH THE HERBERT HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY MR.

HOWARD, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

SO NOW THE 31ST PRESIDENT'S VISIT WAS PART OF A CELEBRATION OF THOMAS EDISON'S BIRTHDAY AND THEY HAD A WELL-KNOWN FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE 2.

BUT HOW EXACTLY DID THE THEN PRESIDENT-ELECT AND UP IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

WELL, HOOVER HAD A >> FALLING IN LOVE WITH FLORIDA A FEW YEARS EARLIER.

WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY.

BUT HIS FIRST TRIP TO FLORIDA WAS IN 1924.

AND HE WAS AN AVID FISHERMAN ISN'T ARE LIKE MOSTLY FRESH WATER FISHING.

I TROUT AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

BUT IN 1924, DECIDED TO TRY SOME SALT WATER FISHING AND HE MADE SEVERAL VISITS TO FLORIDA OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS IS HIS MAIN GOAL IS TO CATCH A BIG GAME.

FISH LIKE A SAIL FISH OR MARLON AND HE NEVER CAUGHT ONE.

AND SO AFTER HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT IN 1928, THE FIRST THING HE DID WAS HE WENT TO SOUTH AMERICA ON A DIPLOMATIC VISIT.

AND THEN WHEN YOU GO BACK TO THE U.S.

IN IN EARLY 1929, COURSE IN THOSE DAYS, THE INAUGURATION WASN'T UNTIL MARCH 4TH.

HE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME PUTTING HIS CABINET TOGETHER.

AND ANYONE IN A VACATION.

SO HE HAD TALKED WITH THE JC PENNEY FAMILY.

THEY OFFERED THEIR HOME IN MIAMI AS A PLACE WHERE HE COULD HANG OUT.

AND AND CLOSE ACCESS TO FISHING.

SO FOR SEVERAL WEEKS HE WORKED ON HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS AND WENT FISHING AS OFTEN AS HE COULD.

AND FINALLY CAUGHT ONE OF THOSE BIG GAME FISH THAT HE WAS THAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR.

SO WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT WAS THAT HE WAS INVITED TO EDISON'S HE HE WAS SET UP.

MAYBE HE MADE A SWING AROUND THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA.

ON ONE OF THE ACT THAT HE HAD BEEN LOANED AND STOPPING IT AT THAT.

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY.

>> SO NOW WHEN HE CAME DOWN HERE, OBVIOUSLY HE MET WITH, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED A PENNY AND IT'S AND THERE WAS ALSO ARE OTHER NOTABLE, YOU KNOW, I RESIDENTS DOWN HERE WITH HENRY FORD AND HARVEY FIRESTONE NOW WITH FOREVER SERVING AS THE FORMER U.S.

SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.

COULD THIS HAVE BEEN SOME SORT OF BUSINESS GATHERING AS HE PREPARED HIMSELF FOR HIS INCOMING PRESIDENCY?

>> I DON'T THINK THAT DID THAT.

THEN BIRTHDAY PARTY WAS A WORKING EVENT.

IT WAS I'M PRETTY SURE IT WAS JUST JUST SOCIAL WENT YES.

I MEAN, HOOVER HAD BEEN IN CONTACT, ESPECIALLY WITH BOTH FORD AND FIRESTONE.

HE HADN'T HAD A WHOLE LOT OF CONTACT WITH EDISON.

DURING HIS COMMERCE YEARS.

THAT IS.

AND I'M I'M UNDERSTANDING IS THAT AS THE SUN WAS LARGELY RETIRED AT THAT POINT.

BUT CERTAINLY FORD AND FIRESTONE, WE'RE IN A MAJOR INDUSTRIALISTS AT THE TIME AND AS ACTIVE COMMERCE HOOVER HEAD AND HAD THE TALK WITH HIM EXTENSIVELY SO THAT THE COMMON DENOMINATOR HERE IS FOR DIE.

I SUSPECT THAT IT'S LIKELY THAT FORD WAS THE ONE WHO INVITED HOOVER TO DROP IN ON THE BIRTHDAY PARTY IN FEBRUARY OF OF 29.

BUT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A LETTER, A DOCUMENT.

IT'S PROBABLY A TELEPHONE CALL OR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT THAT LED TO THE TO THE MOVERS APPEARING AT THE AT THE BIRTHDAY PARTY.

>> AND THAT IS PART OF THIS, TOO.

BACK IN 1929, WHERE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT WHERE IT USED TO BE.

I MEAN, THIS WAS A BIG DEAL FOR FORT MYERS.

I SAW ONE OF OUR LOCAL PAPERS DUBBED WHEN HOOVER STATE ACTUALLY AT A GUEST HOUSE.

THEY CALLED IT THE OFFICIAL PRE INAUGURAL WHITE HOUSE DOWN HERE.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE A HEAD OF STATE, A PRESIDENT WHO'S IN COMING, WHO HAS ALL THIS GRAND ARE COMING IN TO HIS UPCOMING PRESIDENCY.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR SMALL TOWNS, ESPECIALLY FORT MYERS, GETTING PUT ON THE MAP JUST BY A PRESIDENT HOOVER'S VISIT.

WELL, THAT'S THAT'S CERTAINLY TRUE.

>> AND YOU CAN FIND THAT IN NEWSPAPERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, ALL ALL THROUGH THAT ERA.

IF IF A PRESIDENT OR FORMER PRESIDENT STOPPED IN, IT WAS USUALLY BIG NEWS I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, THOUGH, LOCALS ARE MOSTLY STARSTRUCK BY BY THE THE BIG, BIG NAME THAT THEY SOMEBODY THAT THEY'VE READ ABOUT IN THE PAPERS AND NOW THEY'RE HERE IN IN PERSON AT ANY OF THE DAY.

IT'S IT'S IT'S STILL A BIG DEAL.

EVEN IF I EVEN IF THAT PERSON IS JUST PASSING THROUGH.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MIST HOWARD, FOR YOUR TIME.

AND GIVEN US A NICE IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE IMPACT THAT PRESIDENT HOOVER HAD ON FLORIDA.

>> WELL, AN HANDY A CHAT WITH YOU.

>> THESE PRESIDENTIAL FEATURES ARE PART OF OUR LOOK AT 40 TO 50 THERE SPONSORED IN PART BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA THROUGH THE DIVISION OF ARTS AND CULTURE.

AFTER THE BREAK, A JUBILATION OF INTERNATIONAL FLAIR AND TRADITIONS.

THE FESTIVAL THAT SHOWS THE JOY CULTURE CAN BRING AND ITS ABILITY TO UNITED COMMUNITY IN CELEBRATION.

FROM THE FAR EAST TO WESTERN EUROPE.

THEN A QUICK JAUNT TO SOUTH AMERICA ALL ABOUT GETTING YOUR PASSPORT WGCUS CULTURE AND CONNECTIONS.

REPORTER ELIZABETH ANDARGE VENTURE TO THE MERCATO IN NAPLES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CULTURES AND STORIES AS PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL.

>> KASIE HUNT IS THE NAME OF THEIR GROUP.

IT MEANS HAPPINESS AND TO GO LOOK AND WITH MORE THAN 7,000 ISLANDS TO REPRESENT, YOU CAN BET THEY'VE GOT PLENTY OF REASONS TO DANCE.

>> VERY IMPORTANT THAT THAT'S THE RECENT BREAK DANCING.

YES, THAT WAY THAT YEAH, THEY ON RIGHT.

THEY EITHER BE, BY THE WAY, OUR CULTURE IT DID.

YES, THAT MEANS KIDS ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS FESTIVAL.

>> NO BENCH WARMERS ALLOWED.

>> WE'RE PROUD OF I'M VERY PROUD OF ME.

>> FEEL BEING IN EAGLE DANCE GROUP MADE UP ENTIRELY OF THE YOUNGEST GENERATION.

>> OPINION COACHES KIND OF AN OLD A TWO-AND OF TO US AND IT SHOWS OUR DANCES AND SOME OF OUR SONGS, ALYSSA TO GO SAYS PERFORMING FEELS LIKE HOME.

WE FEEL AMAZING AND WE LOVE DOING IT BECAUSE IT ALSO SHOWS OUR LEGACY AND WHAT WE'RE FROM.

>> WHEN THE DRUMS STARTED FOR RACHEL PATRONE AND THE DANCES TECH, A GLUT OF THE YOU COULD FEEL THE HISTORY BEFORE YOU EVEN SAW IT.

>> TODAY WE'RE OUT HERE DANCING FOR HIM THERE WHETHER TO PAY THE ANCIENT DANCE HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE AZTEC EMPIRE IN MEXICO.

IT'S NICE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE DO AND TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT I LOVE DOING.

EVERYTHING JUST GETS PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS FROM TRADITIONAL GARMENTS TO CULTURAL DANCES.

NICK WILL SPEND THE WEEKEND PROVING.

>> YOU DON'T NEED A PLANE TICKET TO EXPERIENCE THE WORLD.

>> FOR WGCU NEWS, I'M ELIZABETH ANDARGE.

SHE'D ARE OUT.

>> ON THE NEXT SOUTHWEST, FLORIDA IN FOCUS, A MASSIVE BRUSH FIRE CONTINUES TO SPREAD IN COLLIER COUNTY AND CONSISTENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS CAN ONLY CREATE MORE POTENTIAL HOT SPOTS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

MAKE SURE YOU HEAD TO WGCU DOT ORG WHERE YOU WILL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES.

PLUS, THE EXTENDED INTERVIEWS HAVE A GREAT EVENING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN FRIDAY RIGHT HERE ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.