THIS IS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

COMING UP, THE PAIN AT THE PUMP IS GETTING WORSE FOR DRIVERS AS WE START A NEW WEEK, THERE'S STILL NO REPRIEVE AS GAS PRICES CONTINUE TO CLIMB.

WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT IT COST TO FILL UP IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND HOW WE TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER.

WE TALKED TO THE OWNERS OF A LOCAL BREWERY ABOUT THEIR EFFORTS TO SERVE UP MORE THAN GREAT BEER SPACE HISTORY IN THE MAKING AS ARTEMIS 2 SWINGS AROUND THE MOON AND PREPARES FOR THE JOURNEY HOME.

A LOOK AT THE RECORDS THAT ARE BEING SET BY THE KREWE OF ARTEMIS 2.

GROUNDBREAKING AWARD-WINNING AND THE CO ANCHOR OF PBS NEWS HOUR.

I SAT DOWN WITH AMNA NAWAZ AS WE TALK ABOUT HER CAREER AND WHAT JOURNALISM NOW FACES.

HELLO, I'M JENNIFER CRAWFORD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

IRAN REJECTS A CEASE-FIRE OF THE ONGOING WAR SAYING THE ONLY SOLUTION IS A GUARANTEE THERE WILL NOT BE ANY MORE ATTACKS.

IN THE MEANTIME, GAS PRICES CONTINUE TO CLIMB.

THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS MORE THAN $4 A GALLON FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE AUGUST OF 2022, HERE'S THE LATEST FROM AAA WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING AND YOU'LL NOTICE OF ALL THE STATES IN THE SOUTHEAST.

UC FLORIDA IN THE RED INDICATING IT'S MORE THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 4.11 A GALLON.

IN FACT, OUR STATE AVERAGE THIS CLOSER TO 4.20, FOR A GALLON OF UNLEADED GAS.

NOW, LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT EXACTLY WHERE THESE HIGH PRICES ARE HITTING ONCE AGAIN.

THE RED INDICATES THE HIGHER PRICES, THE BLUE SHOWING LOWER PRICES THAN THAT NATIONAL AVERAGE $4.11, A GALLON THROUGHOUT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

COLLIER COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST PRICES AT $4 AND $0.26 A GALLON.

LEE COUNTY SITS AT 4.22 BUT THEN AS YOU MOVE NORTH, WE SEE CHARLOTTE AT 4.17, AND DESOTO COUNTY DOWN TO 409.

NOW AS WE COME OFF, IRAN'S REQUEST FOR A PERMANENT INTO THE WAR, WE WILL SEE WHERE ARE PRICES WILL GO AND WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON ANY MOVEMENTS.

MOST OF US KNOW THAT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAS A REPUTATION AS A CARING AND VERY GENEROUS COMMUNITY AND LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESS IS TO A HECK OF A LOT OF THE CHARITABLE WORK.

JOINING US NOW IS WGCUS MIKE WALCHER TO SHARE WITH US THIS WEEK SEGMENT ON BUSINESS WHERE WE ARE GETTING THE CHANCE TO HIGHLIGHT A VERY SPECIAL COMPANY THAT SETS A SHINING EXAMPLE.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT?

>> YEAH, I KNOW THIS IS THE RESULT NOT OF A SCIENTIFIC POLL.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE TALKED WITH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN HERE FOR DECADES ABOUT GIVING BACK AND ONE NAME KEPT COMING UP.

SO WE LIFT THE MUG TO FORT MYERS BREWING COMPANY.

THE BREWERY WAS FOUNDED 13 YEARS AGO BY ROBIN JEN, WHITE.

IT'S LOCATED IN AN INDUSTRIAL PARK IN THE GATEWAY AREA BETWEEN SOUTH FORT MYERS, IN LEHIGH ACRES.

IT BREWS WILL HAWKS AND LOTS OF BEER AND IT WINDS LOTS OF AWARDS.

THE GENEROSITY BEGAN FROM THE VERY START AND 2013 RAISING MONEY TO HONOR MICHAEL WILSON, A FALLEN OFFICER IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY THAT RESONATED WITH JOHN WHITE WHO SAYS HER FATHER, GRANDFATHER, BROTHER AND UNCLE ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, THE COMPANY ALSO PUT ON DRIVES TO HELP SOME FOOD BANKS FROM ANIMAL SHELTERS.

AND IT HELPED AIDAN PICKETT A LOCAL BOY FIGHTING LEUKEMIA THOSE EFFORTS ARE CONTINUING TO SUPPORT OTHER CHILDREN IN NEED.

>> FAMILIES DEALING WITH CANCER IS.

AND IT TOUCHES A TOUCHES.

MY HEART STRINGS.

MY BROTHER PASSED AWAY WHEN HIS GIRLS WERE 6 YEARS OLD.

HE HAD A VERY RARE CANCER CLEAR CELL SARCOMA.

AND SO AND HE WAS IN MICHIGAN AND WATCHING THE COMMUNITY RALLY AROUND HIM.

MID MAY AND AND MY HAS BEEN REALLY WANT TO RALLY AROUND FAMILIES THAT ARE DEALING WITH CANCER.

>> AFTER HURRICANE IAN AND 2022 ROBYN WHITEHEAD, THE IDEA TO BRING ON MOBILE LAUNDRY MAT AND THIS IN FLOOD RAVAGED AREAS LIKE HARLEM HEIGHTS OF LEE COUNTY, THE WHITES RECRUIT IN THE OWNER OF A FOOD TRUCK THAT SELLS IN THE BREWING COMPANY PARKING LOT AND THEY URGE THAT MOUNT HAMAS-RUN KILL TO GIVE AWAY FOOD OUT THE LAUNDROMAT.

JOHN WHITE TALKS FIRST ABOUT WHAT HER HUSBAND DID.

>> AND SO HE SPENT MANY, MANY, MANY DAYS ON THE ROAD, DOING LAUNDRY AND THE CLEAN CLOTHES, CLEAN SHEETS, CLEAN TOWELS.

THAT WAS IMPORTANT.

BUT I THINK WHAT WAS MORE IMPORTANT WAS THAT HE WOULD TAKE A COOLER OF BEER WITH HIM.

WHEN PEOPLE WOULD COME AND PICK UP THEIR LAUNDRY AFTER HE DID IT.

HE WOULD ASK THEM IF THEY WANTED TO BE HERE AND THEY'D SIT AND HAVE A CONVERSATION AND WHAT PEOPLE WANTED TO DO MOST, I THINK AFTER HURRICANE IAN WAS TELL THEIR STORY AND HAVE SOMEONE LISTEN.

>> IT FEELS GOOD.

YOU KNOW.

>> AND FEARS THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE COULD BACK A LITTLE BIT SOMETHING TO THE COMMUNITY TO, YOU KNOW.

>> SO THAT DOESN'T DOESN'T NICE PERSON.

>> SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAS BEEN GREAT TOO.

FORT MYERS BREWING AND TO ROBIN JEN.

AND SO WE WANT TO BE GREAT RIGHT BACK.

>> WHAT DOES JEN WHITE SAY ABOUT OTHERS FOLLOWING IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS?

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, SHE MAKES IT CLEAR SHE IS NOT GOING TO PREACH TO ANYBODY UNTIL OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.

BUT SHE SAYS IF THEY DO SO THEY'RE GOING TO AND GIVE BACK AND THEN ENGAGE IN SOME CHARITABLE, GOOD DEEDS.

>> THEY'RE GOING TO FEEL REAL GOOD RIGHT IN THE HEART AND THEY DO SOMETHING I LOVE, WHICH IS THE ALLOW YOUR YOUR FOR BABIES TO YEAH.

BREWERY, WHICH I THINK IS FANTASTIC AS GOOD.

YEAH.

0 DOT FRONT LIKE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND SHARING THIS GREAT STORY WITH US.

MIKE.

>> WELCOME.

>> AS ARTEMIS 2 FLIES PAST THE MOON, IT IS THE CLOSEST NASA ASTRONAUTS HAVE COME TO THE MOON SINCE THE APOLLO ERA.

THE ROCKET LAUNCH FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER ON WEDNESDAY.

THE 4 ASTRONAUTS ON BOARD 3 AMERICANS AND ONE CANADIAN.

WE'LL SET A NEW SPACE RECORD.

THEY HAVE TRAVELED FARTHER INTO SPACE THAN ANY OTHER HUMANS THAT PREVIOUS RECORD MORE THAN 248,000 MILES, WHICH WAS SET IN 1970.

THE GOAL FOR ARTEMIS IS TO TRAVEL MORE THAN 252,000 FILES.

THIS IS A STORY WE'VE BEEN COVERING SINCE THE COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH AND HAVE ONE OF OUR SPACE EXPERTS, BRENDAN BYRNE, TALKING ABOUT THIS HISTORIC IMPORTANCE OF THE MISSION.

AND YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH ALL OF OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE BY LOGGING ONTO WGCU DOT ORG.

FOR MORE ON WHAT IS HAPPENING ALL ACROSS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

COMING UP, THE AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST OF PBS NEWSHOUR ON THEN THE BOSS TALKS ABOUT THE STATE OF JOURNALISM AND THE CHALLENGES.

WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH AN INFLUENTIAL TV REPORTER ON AMNA NAWAZ, THE CO ANCHOR OF PBS NEWS HOUR.

AN AWARD WINNING PROGRAM FROM OUR NETWORK DURING A RECENT VISIT TO FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY.

SHE JOIN TO MEET RIGHT HERE IN THE STUDIO TO TALK ABOUT HER LIFE IN JOURNALISM.

WE ARE JOINED TODAY BY THE EMMY AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST AND CO ANCHOR OF PBS NEWSHOUR MISS ON THAT.

DO FOSDICK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE HERE.

I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO BE IN STUDIO.

>> WITH US TODAY.

ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S A REAL PLEASURE THAT CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHAT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF BEING A PBS CO ANCHOR IS HOW DOES YOUR DAY START?

>> AND IT'S A BUSY ONE.

I CAN SAY THAT IT STARTS PRETTY EARLY.

I MEAN, I THINK WE KNOW THESE DAYS NEWS REALLY MOVES AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT AND IT'S NOT LIKE WE WAKE UP WITH A FRESH START EVERY SINGLE DAY.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT BREAK OVERNIGHT OR LATE THE NIGHT BEFORE.

SO A LOT OF MY MORNING EARLY MORNING EXPECT CATCHING UP ON HEADLINES CALLING SOURCE IS CATCHING UP ON EMAILS CONNECTING WITH MY TEAM.

WE HAVE OUR FIRST MORNING CALL WITH OUR ENTIRE NEWS.

OUR TEAM AT ABOUT 9 O'CLOCK KIND OF SHARE IDEAS.

FOR THE DAY WE HEAR PITCHES FROM ALL OUR SENIOR EDITORS ON DIFFERENT BEATS AND FROM THERE, IT'S SORT OF A SPRINT UNTIL 6 O'CLOCK EASTERN EVERY NIGHT WHEN THE SHOW GOES OUT LIVE.

AND I WILL TELL YOU THE SHOW CHANGES AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES BETWEEN 9 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

AND 6 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.

AND THAT'S NEWS.

>> HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHAT GOES INTO YOUR NEWSCAST AND HOW HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHAT YOUR LEADERS FOR THE DAY?

IT'S A DIFFERENT MIX EVERY DAY.

AND I'M SURE YOU SEE THIS IN THE STORIES YOU COVER AS WELL.

>> EVERY DAY THERE'S A STORY WE START WITH THAT THE TOP TOP OF THE DAY AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT STORY.

SOMETIMES THAT CHANGES BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT SAYS SOMETHING NEWS EVENTS HAPPEN.

THERE'S BREAKING NEWS ACROSS THE COUNTRY OR THE WORLD.

BY THE TIME WE GET TO 6 O'CLOCK, IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SHOW THAN IT WAS WHEN WE STARTED THAT MORNING.

THE QUESTION I LIKE TO ASK MYSELF IS WHAT IS OF THE MOST IMPORTANCE TO OUR AUDIENCE?

WHAT IMPACTS THE MOST PEOPLE?

THAT'S GENERALLY A BIG QUESTION THAT I THINK HELPS US GET TO WHAT WE COULD CONSIDER THE MOST IMPORTANT STORY.

MAYBE IT'S THE WAR IN IRAN.

MAYBE IT'S GAS PRICES.

MAYBE IT'S THE ECONOMY.

MAYBE IT'S HEALTH CARE OR MAYBE IT'S IMMIGRATION.

IT REALLY KIND OF DEPENDS ON THE MIX OF STORIES ON THAT DAY AND WHAT HAPPENED THAT SPECIFIC IN THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE THE NEXT DAY TO START OVER AND TRY TO GET IT RIGHT ONCE MORE.

AND THE BEAUTY OF PBS NEWS HOUR IS THE FACT THAT YOU CAN GO LONGER AND SPEND TIME IN DEPTH ON THESE TOPICS AND THEN HAVE YOUR INTERVIEWS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

I MEAN, IT IS ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF PUBLIC TELEVISION, I THINK, AT LARGE.

AND THAT INCLUDES YOUR TEAM HERE IN THE THE CONTENT OF THE STORIES YOU PUT OUT, WE VALUE THOUGHTFUL, SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSIONS.

AND I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT SETS US APART FROM EVERYONE ELSE IN THE FIELD, CERTAINLY FROM OTHER NEWS OUTLETS BECAUSE PEOPLE COME TO US WHEN THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET SMART QUESTIONS.

TOUGH, RIGOROUS INTERVIEWS, BUT ALSO THE KIND OF EMPATHETIC STORYTELLING THAT YOU DON'T GET IN A REAL LONG FORMAT.

THESE DAYS, 100%.

NOW YOU HAD YOUR YOU WERE EDUCATED UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, CORRECT?

YEAH.

AND THEN YOU WENT TO THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND >> HOW DID YOU END UP BECOMING A JOURNALIST AND WHY I TOTALLY FELL INTO IT.

IT'S A TERRIBLE EXAMPLE FOR OTHER JOURNALISM STUDENTS OUT THERE WHO I REALLY ENCOURAGED TO JOIN THE FIELD.

WE NEED YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER.

BUT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL.

THAT WAS THE PLAN COMING OUT OF UNDERGRAD AND I GRADUATED IN 2001.

I STARTED AN INTERNSHIP JUST TO KIND OF PUT OFF LAW SCHOOL IN AUGUST OF 2001.

AND THAT HAPPENED TO BE AT ABC NEWS.

I THOUGHT I'LL TRY THIS TV THING FOR A WHILE.

AUGUST 2, 2001 WAS MY VERY FIRST INTERNSHIP DAY 9.11 HAPPENED.

THE WHOLE WORLD CHANGED MY PLACE IN THIS WORLD CHANGED.

AND I SAW THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS RISE TO MEET THE MOMENT AT THIS TIME OF INCREDIBLE FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY FOR THIS COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.

AND I JUST FOUND MISSION.

I FOUND MY PLACE.

I FOUND SOMETHING I WAS GOOD AT SOMETHING.

I FELT LIKE I COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH.

AND I'VE LITERALLY BEEN A JOURNALIST EVER SINCE THEN BECAUSE OF THAT DAY.

>> FROM THAT INTERNSHIP AT ABC.

CARRY US FORWARD AND TELL ME WHAT YOUR CAREER PATH LOOK LIKE.

YEAH.

SO AS YOU NOTED, I LEFT FOR A YEAR.

I WENT TO GET MY MASTERS BASICALLY BECAUSE MY JOB, MY BOSS AT THE TIME SAID, IF YOU DON'T GO GET YOUR MASTERS NOW, YOU NEVER WILL.

>> AND THIS JOB WILL BE HERE WAITING FOR YOU.

THE NEWS NEVER GOES ANYWHERE.

SO I MOVED TO LONDON AND THE IRAQ WAR STARTED.

AND I FELT THIS PULL TO GET BACK INTO IT.

AND I SAID THIS IS WHAT I GOT TO BE DOING.

SO I WENT TO NBC NEWS BECAME A FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT THERE TRAVELED THE WORLD.

I COVERED THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN ON COVERED IRAQ.

I WENT ON TO COVER THE WAR IN SYRIA.

COVERED.

NATURAL DISASTERS AND BREAKING NEWS AROUND THE PLANET.

AND THEN I HAD CHILDREN.

I REBASED BACK TO THE UNITED STATES.

MY HUSBAND AND I LIVED IN NEW YORK.

WE HAD OUR 2 DAUGHTERS, THEIR WORK FOR ABC NEWS.

I DID A LOT OF ELECTION COVERAGE FOR THEM.

AND THEN PBS NEWSHOUR CALLED AND IT WAS THE PRIVILEGE OF A LIFETIME TO BE ABLE TO JOIN THE TEAM AND MOVED DOWN TO THE SEA, WHICH IS WHERE THE TEAM IS BASED.

THAT'S AWESOME.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MORE MEMORABLE STORIES WHEN YOU WERE COVERING INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS SO MANY?

I'M SURE I THINK THE THING ABOUT COVERING MORE IS THAT IT'S A REAL SORT OF.

NEW FOUNDATIONS SETTING.

ONCE YOU'VE COVERED PEOPLE IN THE ABSOLUTE WORST CONDITIONS, EVERYTHING ELSE IS RELATIVE TO THAT.

AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO GO BACK TO THE COUNTRY IN THE REGION THAT MY FAMILY ORIGINALLY COMES FROM.

THEY'RE ORIGINALLY FROM PAKISTAN AND I WOULD BOUNCE BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND HONEST ON COVERING THE U.S.

MORE IN UPON US ON.

AND I THINK WHAT I LEARNED FROM THAT WAS SOMETHING WE PROBABLY ALL KNOW TO BE TRUE, WHICH IS PEOPLE ARE THE SAME EVERYWHERE.

EVERYONE WANTS THE SAME THING FOR THEIR CHILDREN, FOR THEIR FAMILIES, FOR THEMSELVES.

THE DETAILS OF OUR LIVES ARE WHAT SET US APART.

AND I THINK THE STORIES THAT STUCK WITH ME WERE THE STORIES OF INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, WOMEN, YOUNG WOMEN LIKE ME WHO JUST HAPPENS TO BUY A TWIST, DEFEAT, BE BORN IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PART OF THE WORLD WITH COMPLETELY DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES AND OUTLOOKS AND HOW THEY NAVIGATED THEIR LIVES AND THEIR CHALLENGES.

AND I THINK I TRY TO CARRY THAT INTO WHATEVER STORYTELLING I DO BECAUSE THAT THAT'S THE UNDERPINNING OF ALL OF THIS IS THERE'S REALLY VERY LITTLE THAT SEPARATES US IN THIS WORLD.

>> IF YOU HAD THE ABILITY TO IMPART ADVICE TO YOUNG GIRLS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN GETTING IN THE FIELD OF JOURNALISM.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE WITH THEM?

SHOW UP?

>> YOU KNOW, BRING YOUR WHOLE SELF.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I USED TO LOOK AT AS A DISADVANTAGE WHEN I WAS FIRST IN THE FIELD IS ONE OF IF YOU FEMALE WAR CORRESPONDENTS COVERING THESE WARS WAS I FELT I HAD TO BE LIKE THE MEN IN THE FIELD AND I HAD TO DO THINGS THE WAY THEY WERE DOING THINGS AND WHAT I REALIZED OVER TIME WAS MY OWN LIVED.

EXPERIENCE MY OWN QUESTIONS THAT I HAD THAT WERE SOMETIMES DIFFERENT FROM MY MALE COLLEAGUES.

THAT'S WHAT MADE THE STORYTELLING DIFFERENT.

THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT DIFFERENT ELEMENTS TO THOSE STORIES.

AND TO THE NEWS REPORTS I WAS PRODUCING.

AND I THINK WHAT WE NEED NOW MORE THAN EVER IS MORE VOICES FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

WE NEED JOURNALISTS TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'RE COVERING.

SO TO ANYONE OUT THERE INTERESTED.

>> WE WELCOME YOU.

WHAT IS YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF NEWS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW YOUNG PEOPLE ARE TAKING IN THEIR NEWS ON TIKTOK.

THEY'RE NOT WATCHING.

THEY'RE NOT WATCHING PBS NEWS HOUR.

>> THEY'RE NOT WATCHING US ON TELEVISION.

THAT'S FOR SURE.

THEY'RE NOT SITTING DOWN ON THE COUCH AND TURNING ON THE TELEVISION THAT 06:00PM EASTERN.

BUT THEY ARE STREAMING.

YES, WE DO STREAM LIVE ON YOUTUBE EVERY DAY.

THOSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN GROWING DRAMATICALLY.

THEY DO.

WATCH.

OUR CLIPS WERE ON EVERY SINGLE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM.

AND I THINK THIS NOW STATISTIC THAT WE KNOW TO BE TRUE WHERE THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS GET THEIR NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, THIS IS ACTUALLY AN ADVANTAGE FOR US.

WE HAVE TO DO THE WORK OF SHOWING UP WHERE PEOPLE ARE.

WE HAVE THE NEWS AND INFORMATION THAT WE KNOW PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN INFORMED ELECTORATE SO PEOPLE CAN MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR LIVES.

WE HAVE TO BE WHERE THEY ARE.

AND SO IT DOESN'T WORRY ME AS MUCH AS PEOPLE THINK IT MIGHT THAT PEOPLE ARE NECESSARILY SITTING DOWN AND WATCHING OUR LINEAR TELEVISION EVERY DAY.

WE HAVE A CORE GROUP MILLIONS OF VIEWERS WHO DO THAT EVERY DAY FOR THE NEWS HOUR OR SO.

GRATEFUL FOR THEM.

BUT IT'S ALSO INCUMBENT ON US TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SHOWING UP WHERE THE REST OF THE NEWS CONSUMERS ARE IN GETTING OUR INFORMATION INTO THEIR HAND.

YOU HAVE TO BE ADAPTIVE.

WE DO.

>> WE DO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING MORE OF YOUR STORY ON OUR SHOW.

COMING UP ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

SUCH A PLEASURE.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

THANK YOU.

>> IF YOU LOVE DRINKING COFFEE, YOU MAY BE GLAD TO HEAR THAT IT COULD HELP.

>> LOWER YOUR RISK OF DEVELOPING DEMENTIA.

WE TALKED TO A NEUROLOGIST TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE FINDINGS FROM A RECENT STUDY.

HERE'S SOME WELCOME NEWS.

AS YOU DRINK YOUR MORNING COFFEE.

A RECENT STUDY SUGGEST A CUP OF JOE MAY REDUCE YOUR RISK FOR DEMENTIA.

WGCUS KATE CRONIN HAS THE STORY >> THIS STUDY WAS IN LINE WITH PREVIOUS STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN A REDUCTION IN DEMENTIA, RISK AND COGNITIVE DECLINE RISK INDIVIDUALS WHO INGEST COFFEE AND TEA.

THIS PARTICULAR STUDY WAS ALSO CAREFUL TO INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WHO INGESTED DECAFFEINATED COFFEE.

SO THEY WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE DRINKING COFFEE WITH CAFFEINE AND THOSE WHO ARE DRINKING COFFEE WITHOUT CAFFEINE.

>> DOCTOR DYLAN WENT IS A NEUROLOGIST AT CLEVELAND CLINIC.

HE WAS NOT INVOLVED WITH THE STUDY BUT SAYS RESEARCHERS FOUND THOSE WHO DRANK 2 TO 3 CUPS OF CAFFEINATED COFFEE PER DAY SAW A LOWER RISK FOR DEVELOPING DEMENTIA.

SIMILAR RESULTS WERE FOUND FOR THOSE WHO DRINK ONE TO 2 CUPS OF CAFFEINATED TEA.

DR.

ONE SAYS BASED ON THE FINDINGS, IT'S NOT THE ACTUAL COFFEE OR TEA THAT SEEMS TO BE OFFERING THE BENEFIT.

BUT THE CAFFEINE IN THEM.

BUT WHY IS THAT?

HE SAYS MORE RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE DONE.

BUT HERE'S WHAT EARLY DATA SUGGESTS.

>> CAFFEINE MIGHT REDUCE THE ACCUMULATION OF A BETA, WHICH IS TOXIC PROTEIN THAT CAN BE FOUND IN THE PLAQUES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

THERE ARE ALSO CHEMICAL EFFECTS OF CAFFEINE THAT MAY BE NEAR A PROTECTIVE DR.

WAN SAYS WHILE THE STUDY IS GOOD NEWS FOR COFFEE AND TEA DRINKERS, IT'S STILL IMPORTANT TO TAKE OTHER MEASURES TO PROTECT YOUR BRAIN HEALTH.

>> SOME OF THEM INCLUDE EATING A HEALTHY DIET REGULARLY, EXERCISING AND MAINTAINING HIGH LEVELS OF COGNITIVE ENGAGEMENT.

FOR WGCU NEWS.

I'M KATE CRONIN.

>> ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SHOWS WE RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON HERE AT WGCU IS THE FLORIDA ROAD TRIP WITH A NUMBER OF HISTORIC PLACES RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD.

SOMETIMES WE FORGET TO STOP AND REFLECT ABOUT THE HISTORY AND GREAT VENUES THAT SURROUND US.

TONIGHT.

WE TAKE A LOOK AT 2 OF THOSE THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR LIST WHEN IT COMES TO ENJOYING YOUR TIME RIGHT HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

>> SOMETIMES AS A KIDS STUDYING HISTORY DOESN'T SOUND ALL THAT EXCITING EXCEPT WHAT IF YOU COULD EXPLORE A SUNKEN SHIP OR HOP INSIDE A VIRTUAL TIME MACHINE HERE AT THE I'M AG KIDS AND KIDS AT HEART CAN BOTH EXPLORE THE STORIES THAT SHAPED FORT MYERS PAST.

>> A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN FORT MYERS OR TRANSIT PEOPLE.

WE WEREN'T BORN HERE.

STILL DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH OF THE ISSUE.

THEY WILL COME TO A PLACE LIKE THIS ALLOWS THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHY.

FORT MYERS CALLED FORT MYERS, IF THERE WAS AN ACTUAL 40 HERE AND WHAT ALSO HAPPENED HERE, THERE WAS A MASSIVE PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WAS HERE BEFORE THE EUROPEAN COLONIZATION AND THEY HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE HISTORY.

3 POINT LINE ABOUT SO THE QUESTION WE'RE EARLY CIVILIZATIONS THAT LIVES IN THIS AREA.

>> THE CALUSA PLAYED A LARGE ROLE IN SHAPING THE AREA.

THEY'RE CREDITED WITH DIGGING CANALS FOR FISHING AND PASSAGEWAYS FOR THEIR CANOES.

>> THE PERSON THAT YOU CAN SEE WHEN YOU WALK INTO THIS AREA IS OUR GIANT DUGOUT CANOE THAT WE HAVE HERE.

IT IS AN ARTIFACT THAT IS A REPLICA OF THAT WAS DONATED TO ICED KIND OF SHOWCASING HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE CANALS.

HISTORY ON DISPLAY HERE INCLUDES ARTIFACTS.

>> USED FOR HUNTING, GATHERING AND FISHING.

>> ALSO ON DISPLAY, A LOOK AT THE SEMINOLE INDIAN IMPACT ON THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AREA.

PART OF THAT HISTORY IS TIED TO THE FORT BUILT IN THE AREA ON THE BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SEMINOLE INDIAN WARS.

AFTER THE 3RD BATTLE, THE FORT WAS ABANDONED.

BUT THE MUSEUM HAS AN INTERACTIVE WAY.

VISITORS CAN EXPERIENCE WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE AT THE FORT.

>> IF YOU LIKE TO INCORPORATE HISTORY AND SCIENCE, SO WE CREATED A VIRTUAL REALITY EXHIBIT.

WHAT VR ALLOWS US TO DO IS ALLOWS US TO TAKE YOU BACK AND SEE THE ACTUAL FOR AND EXPERIENCE THAT HANDS-ON VERSUS US HAVING A REPLICA IN THE CASE THAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO REALLY INTERACT WITH.

AND THIS ACTUALLY CAUSE YOU MORE OF A LASTING IMPRESSION.

SO YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO REMEMBER WHAT THE 4 IT LOOKS LIKE, AN EXPERIENCE.

IT IF YOU BEING IMMERSED IN IT VERSUS HAVING IN THE REPLICAS.

SO IT ALLOWS US TO TAKE PEOPLE BACK TO THAT TIME.

ENJOY IT.

EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON AND HAD A LOT OF MAPS AND A LOT OF DRAWINGS ABOUT WHAT THE 4 ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE.

WE RELIED ON THAT AND A LOT OF STORMS SIDE WHILE HE WORKED.

A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND HERE TOO, MAKE SURE THAT.

WE'RE BEING AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE.

>> FORT MYERS DIDN'T JUST PLAY A ROLE IN EARLY AMERICAN HISTORY DURING WORLD WAR 2, THE CITY HELPED TRAIN THOUSANDS OF AIRMEN FOR BATTLE THAT HISTORY REMAINED INTACT AT 2 OF THE BASES, ONES LOCATED INSIDE THE CITY.

>> WE YOU BUILD BUCKINGHAM ARMY AIRFIELD AS A TRAINING FOR THEIR COUNTRY SCHOOL.

THEY TRAINED FORCE MAN ON USING GUNS WHILE THEY WERE ACTUALLY IN THE PLAINS.

IT SHIPPED HIM OVER TO YOUR ATTENTION FROM THE WAR.

THE FIELD WAS USED AS A PILOT SCHOOL.

THEY TRAINED INITIALLY B 26 BOMBER YEARS AND THEN EVENTUALLY FIGHTER PILOTS AS WELL.

>> AFTER THE WAR, THE UNITED STATES NO LONGER NEEDED THE BASES AND SHUT THEM DOWN.

BUCKINGHAM ARMY AIRFIELD EVENTUALLY BECAME THE HEADQUARTERS FOR LEE COUNTY.

MOSQUITO CONTROL.

MEANWHILE, PAGE FIELD RETURNED TO USE AS A LOCAL AIRPORT.

BUT THE STORIES OF THE PLANES AND THE PEOPLE WHO SERVED AT THESE BASES CONTINUE LONG AFTER THEY CLOSED.

>> IN 1942, CREW WENT OUT ON A TRAINING MISSION BETWEEN 6 AND THEY CRASHED.

THE PILOTS.

THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PLANE.

THEY CAN FIND THE CRASH OR ANYTHING.

SO THE ARMY AIR FORCE JUST LABELED AS A PILOT AIR AND IT WASN'T UNTIL THE EARLY 2, THOUSANDS WHEN THERE WAS A GROUP OF TREASURE HUNTERS ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR THE 26 THAT FLEW OUT OF CUBA AFTER CASTRO TOOK OVER.

AND IT CRASHED SOMEWHERE ALONG THE GULF AND THEY WERE LOOKING FOR BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT IT HAD SPANISH TREASURE.

SO THEY WERE LOOKING FOR ALL OF THAT.

AND THEY ACTUALLY ENDED UP FINDING THIS PROPELLER HERE AND THIS PLANE CRASH.

AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THAT WHEN THEY REALIZED IT WASN'T ACTUALLY THAT THEY DID MORE OF A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION AND THEY REALIZE THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE PLANE THAT CRASHED IN 1942.

AND THEY DID A FORENSIC INVESTIGATION.

THEY REALIZED IT WAS A MECHANIC WHERE ON THE PROPELLER AND IT WASN'T PILAR EYRE.

WE VERY MUCH TO HAVE A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR THE MEN THAT DIED AND OBVIOUSLY CORRECT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE ACTUAL CRASH.

AND SO HERE THEY ACTUALLY PULLED OUT FROM THE OCEAN, THE PROPELLER THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE AND THE GUNS AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUMENT PANEL AS WELL.

>> ONE MORE MUST-SEE THE USS MOHAWK.

WELL, NOT THE ACTUAL WANT, BUT A PRETTY COOL REPLICA OF THE WORLD WAR.

2 COAST GUARD SHIP THAT NOW LIVES ON AS AN ARTIFICIAL REEF OFF THE COAST OF FORT MYERS.

>> IT'S STILL THERE.

YOU CAN DIVE DOWN THERE AND SEE THE ACTUAL SHIP.

IF YOU CAN'T DIVE DOWN THERE, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE OUR INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT THAT WE'VE GOT HERE.

WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE SHIP LOOKS LIKE DOWN IN THE REEF OR YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE IT HERE.

WE USE A A CRIME IS IN OUR COUNTRY FOR OURSELVES AS WELL.

WE'VE GOT THE NATIVE FISH THERE ON THE GULF COAST.

>> WHETHER YOU'RE INTO NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY, MILITARY BATTLES OR ARTIFICIAL REEFS.

THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE OF EVERY AGE AT THE IMAC.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ASSERTED THAT HIS SHOES JUST FOR THE OLDER FOLKS.

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR KIDS TO UNDERSTAND HISTORY, ESPECIALLY HE'S SHOOTING AREA THAT THEY'RE IN ADULTS, LEARN BETTER TO WIN SOME THINGS, MORE INTERACTIVE AND SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN STICK WITH AS WELL.

THAT'S WHY WE LIKE TO HEAR IT WAS EVERYBODY.

>> COMING UP ON THE NEXT SOUTHWEST, FLORIDA IN FOCUS WHEN THE PLANNING AND TALKING COME TO AN END.

WHAT WILL MIDTOWN?

FORT MYERS IS EVENTUALLY LOOK LIKE WE'RE FINDING OUT TUESDAY ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TO MAKE SURE YOU HEAD TO WGCU DOT ORG.

THAT IS WHERE YOU WILL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES AND SOME EXTENDED INTERVIEWS.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN NEXT.

NEXT TIME RIGHT HERE ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

IN FOCUS.