THIS IS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

COMING UP, HE'S A BUSINESSMAN, A MEDIA PERSONALITY AND OUR PRESIDENT.

WE PREPARE FOR PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TO VISIT FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY CAMPUS FGCU CONFIRMED THAT THE HEAD OF STATE WILL BE SPEAKING AT A LEGAL ARENA TO RALLY VOTERS AHEAD OF THE MIDTERMS.

>> IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO HAVE OUR KIDS LEARN ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT CIVIC DUTY WE HAVE.

AND THAT IS TO VOTE.

>> AND THEY MIGHT NEED A STEP STOOL TO REACH THE BALLOT BOX.

BUT KIDS ARE GETTING A CHANCE TO TAKE PART IN THE MIDTERM ELECTION.

WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT MORE LEE COUNTY ELECTIONS INITIATIVE TO TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO VOTE.

FROM EDUCATION ON ELECTIONS TO EDUCATION.

ON THE PAST, WE'RE SITTING DOWN WITH A PERFORMANCE STORYTELLER TO HEAR HOW THE PRACTICE OF ORAL STORYTELLING.

HE'S BEING INSTILLED IN THE NEXT GENERATION.

I'M JENNIFER CRAWFORD, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US WITH 2 WEEKS TO GO UNTIL THE GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGNING IS RAMPING UP WITH PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP VISITING FORT MYERS ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

TRUMP WILL BE HOLDING A MIDTERM RALLY ON THE CAMPUS OF FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY TO HELP SUPPORT REPUBLICANS IN THE LEAD UP TO THE GENERAL ELECTION.

HERE WITH THE LATEST, HIS WGC HOST AND REPORTER JOHN DAVIS AND JOHN, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S MIDTERM RALLY HERE AT FGCU SILLY CO ARENA.

>> SO REMEMBER, WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING AT FIRST HAVE TO SEE YOUR SON ON THIS CAMPUS WIDE ALERT LAST FRIDAY ABOUT A SPECIAL EVENT.

BUT COULDN'T CONFIRM AT THAT TIME.

IT WAS TRUMP AND THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO CONFIRM OVER THE THIS IS GOING TO BE A TRUMP EVENT AND FTCU PRESIDENT ALSO BUILT EMERSON OUT OF CAMPUSWIDE EMAIL YESTERDAY.

ALSO MAKING THAT CONFIRMATION AND THAT WAS JUST MOSTLY NOTING THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE QUITE AN EVENT ON THE FGCU CAMPUS.

THEY'RE NOT CLOSING THE CAMPUS, BUT CLASSES THAT CAN GO REMOTE ARE GOING TO BE ADVISED TO DO SO.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF M'S.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LIKE CANCELED OR RESCHEDULED.

AND OF COURSE, TRAFFIC'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.

BUT THAT'S ALWAYS THE CASE.

WHENEVER THE PRESIDENT'S IN TOWN, TRUMP AS OUT OF M'S IN THE PAST IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AT HERTZ ARENA BOTH IN 2016 2018 TO SUPPORT GOP CANDIDATES INCLUDING GOVERNOR SENATOR RICK SCOTT.

I ALSO COVERED A TRUMP EVENT IN 2020 AT THE CALOOSA SOUND CONVENTION CENTER IN DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS.

THAT WAS ABOUT SENIOR HEALTH CARE.

HE WAS THERE FOR ANOTHER REPUBLICAN PARTY DINNER IN 2023.

BUT AS FAR AS A LEAK OR ARENAS CONCERNED, I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE.

>> FIRST FOR A TRUMP RALLY, IT WILL BE VERY BUSY ON CAMPUS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT OTHER REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES MIGHT ATTEND OR SPEAK AT THE RALLY?

SO USA TODAY HAS CONFIRMED THAT CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, 19 REPUBLICAN NOMINEE JIM SCHWARTZ, WHOLE IS GOING TO BE THERE.

>> I HAVEN'T FOUND ANY COMMUNICATION, THOUGH.

CURIOUSLY FROM REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE BYRON DONALDS CAMPAIGN THAT HE WOULD BE IN ATTENDANCE YET.

AND AS OF JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO, HIS CAMPAIGN WEBSITE HAVEN'T LISTED THAT EVENT.

HE'S GOING ON A BUS TOUR ALL OVER THE AREA, INCLUDING STOPS THIS WEEKEND.

BREVARD PORT ST.

LUCIE, MIAMI-DADE, BROWARD, HENDRY, DESOTO, SARASOTA PASCO, POLK COUNTIES.

BUT AS FAR AS FRIDAY WHEN TRUMP'S GOING TO BE HERE, THE ONLY OF ANY AS LISTED AS THAT 06:00PM IN ENGLEWOOD.

SO THERE CERTAINLY IS A SCHEDULE LITTLE WINDOW IN THERE SO AGAIN, THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT CONFIRMATION, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING TO READ INTO THERE, BUT I WOULD BE SHOCKED IF BYRON DONALDS WAS NOT OUT OF BOUNDS.

>> NOW PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ON A SEVEN-DAY 7 STATE CAMPAIGN BLITZ ACROSS THE COUNTRY, HITTING RED STATES AND PURPLE STATES.

HOW THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FIT INTO THIS STRATEGY.

>> SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FITS VERY NEATLY INTO THE STRATEGY JUST TO TAKE A STEP BACK IN 2018, TRUMP WAS REALLY AN ASSET IN KEY STATES THAT HAVE SENATE RACES, ESPECIALLY AS YOU SAID IN RED AND PURPLE STATES BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH HIS APPROVAL RATING WAS NEGATIVE NATIONALLY, IT WAS STILL POSITIVE IN MANY OF THOSE MORE CONSERVATIVE PLACES.

TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATING NOW IS A VERY DIFFERENT PICTURE.

SO THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER HIS APPEARANCE WOULD HELP OR HURT REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE STILL DON'T REALLY KNOW FOR THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE'S STRATEGY ON THIS REALLY SEEMS TO BE SENDING HIM TO PLACES WHERE THE BASE OF SUPPORT IS STRONG BECAUSE THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO FILL IN THE ARENA WITH SUPPORTERS.

IT'S LESS ABOUT TRYING TO CONVINCE UNDECIDED VOTERS TO SWAY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

BUT IT IS ABOUT GIVING THE SUPPORTERS THAT TRUMP ALREADY HOUSE TO ACTUALLY COME OUT AND VOTE BECAUSE I'M SURE AS YOU KNOW, JENNIFER VOTERS WHO SUBSCRIBE TO THE PARTY IN POWER DURING MIDTERM ELECTION YEARS CAN BECOME COMPLACENT AND MIGHT NOT BE AS MOTIVATED AS THE OPPOSITION TO ACTUALLY GET OUT AND CAST A VOTE.

>> AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, WHAT ARE WE SEEING ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL FROM DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE?

>> DAVID JOLLY, SO MOST RECENTLY OUT JUST MONDAY, DAVID JOLLY WAS CAMPAIGNING ALONGSIDE FORMER FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC U.S.

SENATOR BILL NELSON.

AND HE WAS REALLY DOUBLING DOWN ON CRITICISM OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF AI DATA CENTERS.

HE WANTS TO PLACE A ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS IN FLORIDA.

IF ELECTED, HE JUST TALKS ABOUT THE FACT THAT JOB HOW THEY WOULD IMPACT JOBS, THE ENVIRONMENT, EVEN COMMUNITIES.

IT'S NOT REALLY CLEAR AT THIS MOMENT.

THE AI MODELS OF THESE DATA CENTERS UNABLE THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS SURROUNDING SAFETY, SECURITY AND PRIVACY WITH THOSE.

AND ALSO THIS DATA CENTER ATTACK IS DEVELOPING SO RAPIDLY.

HE ARGUES THAT ANYTHING WE BUILD NOW COULD BE OBSOLETE IN JUST A FEW YEARS AND FOCUSING ON THE DATA CENTER ISSUE.

IT'S BECOME A MAJOR ISSUE WITH VOTERS.

WE KNOW THROUGH POLLING, IT'S A SMART MOVE BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIS OPPONENT, BYRON DONALDS, THIS IS ONE OF HIS WEAKER POSITIONS.

NOW DONNELL'S HAS COME OUT AND SAID THAT HE WANTS DATA CENTER DEVELOPERS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS OF THE LARGE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THEY USE LIKE WATER AND ELECTRICITY.

BUT HE IS STILL VERY MUCH PRO DATA CENTER CONSTRUCTION IN FLORIDA.

>> AND WHAT'S THE LATEST FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL WHEN IT COMES TO FLORIDA'S U.S.

SENATE RACE?

WE'VE GOT ASHLEY MOODY UP AGAINST ANGIE NIXON.

>> WEST OF THE DEMOCRAT, ANGIE NIXON OVER THE WEEKEND HELD A RALLY IN YBOR CITY ALONGSIDE A PROMINENT VERMONT SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS WITH HOME.

SHE LIVED VERY CLOSELY IDEOLOGICALLY AT THAT RALLY.

THEY REALLY DID FOCUS ON THE ISSUES THAT AGAIN, POLLING SHOWS US VOTERS ARE REALLY TUNED INTO LIKE RISING INFLATION, THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, LACK OF AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE AND BOTH NIXON AND MOODY ARE ACTIVELY HOLDING CAMPAIGN EVENTS.

BUT NIXON REALLY DOES APPEAR TO HAVE GENERATED MORE VISIBLE GRASSROOTS AND AND NATIONAL MEDIA ACTIVITY.

HAVING STANDARDS COME DOWN, SHE'S GOING TO BE HAVING A VIRTUAL EVENT SOON WITH FORMER VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS ON THE OTHER SIDE, MOODY'S CAMPAIGN IT'S REALLY MORE OF LIKE A TRADITIONAL REPUBLICAN MESSAGE AND, YOU KNOW, INVOLVING SUPPORT FOR TRUMP LAW AND ORDER, ECONOMIC, PROSPERITY, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, TAX CUTS, NATIONAL SECURITY AND REALLY KIND OF MAKING THIS ELECTION A REFERENDUM ON SOCIALISM AS YOU'LL REMEMBER WHEN NIXON WON THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.

I MEAN, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY HER OPPONENTS JUMPED ON HER MEMBERSHIP WITH THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA.

AS A TALKING POINT.

BUT HOW IT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT WITH UNDECIDED VOTERS, THOUGH, IS A BIG QUESTION.

THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH LAB AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA, SHAWN THEATER WAS RECENTLY ON THE FLORIDA ROUNDUP AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW THEIR POLLING SHOWS ABOUT ONE OUT OF 10 FLORIDIANS RIGHT NOW ARE TRULY UNDECIDED VOTERS AT THIS POINT.

AND THIS INCLUDES VOTERS WHO ARE ACTUALLY REGISTERED DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN OR VOTERS WHO ARE REGISTERED INDEPENDENT.

I'M UNDECIDED VOTERS OR ON THE AFFORDABILITY IS THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER ONE CONCERN, INFLATION COST OF LIVING WAGES NOW, PROPERTY TAX SEEMS TO BE MORE OF A CONCERN FOR REPUBLICAN THAN DEMOCRATIC VOTERS.

VARIANCE WITH THE COST OF PROPERTY INSURANCE.

THAT SEEMS TO BE A BIGGER CONCERN AMONG DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN VOTERS AND THE NUMBER 2 ISSUE TAKES US RIGHT BACK TO TECHNOLOGY AND THOSE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DATA CENTERS.

SO I I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO PROTECT THEIR.

WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT VOTERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT AND HOW CANDIDATES ARE CAMPAIGNING, I THINK IT KIND OF GIVES US AN INTERESTING WINDOW INTO HOW THESE ELECTIONS MY TURN NOW.

>> ALL RIGHT, JON DAVIS, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATE.

THANK YOU.

TO STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE MIDTERM ELECTION AND ALL OF OUR OTHER POLITICAL STORIES.

PLEASE VISIT WGC YOU DOT ORG.

FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL JAMES UTHMEIER ANNOUNCED MONDAY THAT FORMER CUBAN PRESIDENT RAUL CASTRO WILL FACE A STATE CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.

MEYER SAID THAT IN 1996 CASTRO DIRECTED SPIES TO INFILTRATE THE MIAMI-BASED GROUP BROTHERS TO THE RESCUE AND ORDERED THE ATTACK ON 2 CIVILIAN PLANES THAT TOOK OFF FROM SOUTH FLORIDA.

THE ATTACK KILLED 4 MEN.

A MIAMI JUDGE SIGNED AN ARREST WARRANT FOR 95 YEAR-OLD CASTRO ON FRIDAY.

>> RAUL CASTRO CALLED FOR THE PLANES TO BE SHOT DOWN.

HE CALLED FOR MURDER.

AND THAT IS WHY TODAY WE ARE ANNOUNCING STATE CHARGES AGAINST RAUL CASTRO WITH AN ARREST WARRANT FOR CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FIRST.

>> FLORIDA'S CASE IS BASED.

>> LARGELY ON AN EARLIER FEDERAL INDICTMENT.

>> WITH CHARGES OF MURDER AND DESTRUCTION OF AN AIRPLANE ANNOUNCED IN MAY AGAINST CASTRO AND 5 CUBAN MILITARY PILOTS.

COMING UP, A RIDE-ALONG WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT WORKING TO COMBAT THE DISTRACTED DRIVING >> YOU MIGHT NEED TO BE 18 TO VOTE.

BUT IN LEE COUNTY, CHILDREN CAN CAST THEIR VERY OWN BALLOT.

>> AND JOINING ME NOW TO EXPLAIN HIS LEE COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS, JENNA PERSONS-MULICKA.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.

YOU HAVE TO PHYLLIS IN ABOUT THIS.

KIDS BALLOT.

IT SUCH A CREATIVE WAY TO HELP TEACH LITTLE ONES THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS IDEA?

WAS YOU SAID IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO HAVE OUR KIDS LEARN ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT CIVIC DUTY WE HAVE AND THAT IS TO VOTE.

>> NOW I HAVE A 3 YEAR-OLD AT HOME.

SO I WAS KEEPING HIM IN MIND AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE EARLY REALLY FAMILY FRIENDLY AND FUN AND LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF OUR KIDDOS.

SO I CAME UP WITH THE KIDS BALADAN.

HE HELPED ME PICK OUT SOME OF THE CHARACTERS GO OVER SOME OF THESE FOR US SEN.

YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THESE AWESOME CHARACTERS HERE.

>> CAPTAIN AMERICA WONDER WOMAN OR IRON MAN?

>> I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY 3 YEAR-OLD WENT TO VOTE WITH ME YESTERDAY EARLY AND HE HAD A BLAST.

I ALSO TOOK MY 8 YEAR-OLD NEPHEW WHO STUDIED THE BALLOT AND ALREADY HAD HIS PICKS READY TO GO.

AND IRON MAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN THEIR FAVORITE.

>> AND THIS IS MODELED AFTER THE GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT.

>> WHAT IS THE PURPOSE BEHIND CREATING THIS?

YOU HAVE 4 RACES LISTED.

>> I WANT OTHER KIDS TO BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THE SAME TYPE OF RACE THAT THEIR PARENTS WILL BE VOTING AT AT THE POLLS.

SO WE HAVE A RACE FOR US SEN WE HAVE A RACE FOR GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

WE HAVE A RACE FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER.

I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO LEARN ABOUT THE 3 LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

THE STATE LEVEL AND THE LOCAL LEVEL.

IN ADDITION, WE NOT ONLY VOTE ON RACES, BUT WE ALSO VOTE ON BALLOT MEASURES.

SO WE PUT A BALLOT MEASURE ON THE BALLOT FOR THE KIDDOS, THEIR FAVORITE FLORIDA WILDLIFE.

AND I CAN TELL YOU MY MY SON HAD HAD DIFFICULTY PICKING HIS FAVORITE BECAUSE HE LIKED ALL 4.

>> NOW THESE ARE AVAILABLE ONLY FOR IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE PURPOSE BEHIND THAT.

THAT'S CORRECT.

EARLY VOTING >> STARTED ON OCTOBER 19TH AND RUNS THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST.

WE HAVE 12 SITES LOCATED ACROSS THE COUNTY.

YOU CAN VOTE AT ANY OF THOSE 12 LOCATIONS.

THEY'RE OPEN DAILY FROM 10:00AM TO 6 PM AND WE SET UP THE KIDS TABLE WITH THE BALLOTS AND BALLOT BOX FOR THEM TO PUT THE BALLOTS THEN AS WELL AS COLORING BOOK SINCE AND SOME KRANZ, THEN IT'S EASY TO MANAGE DURING EARLY VOTING AND WE WANTED TO DRAW ALL GOOD TURNOUT FOR EARLY VOTING.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING SPECIAL WE'RE DOING ONLY FOR EARLY VOTING THIS YEAR.

>> HOW MANY HAVE BEEN PRINTED AND WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTATION?

>> WE'VE PRINTED A COUPLE 1000.

WE CAN ALWAYS PRINT MORE, BUT HOPEFULLY WE HAVE A GREAT TURNOUT.

I I KNOW IT WAS VERY POPULAR AT MANY SITES YESTERDAY AS WE KICKED OFF EARLY VOTING ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 19TH AND MY POLL WORKERS ARE ALSO EXCITED AND THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT ADDITION TO TO ADD TO THEIR LOCATIONS.

BUT WE ALSO WE WILL BE ANNOUNCING THE WINNER.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TABULATE THESE BALLOTS.

KIDDOS AND WE'RE GOING OUT THE WINNERS ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH ON OUR WEBSITE.

I LOVE THAT.

>> AND YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT WE ALREADY ARE SEEING QUITE A FEW NUMBER OF VOTES COMING IN WHERE WE STANDING RIGHT NOW IN LEE COUNTY.

>> WE'RE STANDING AT NEARLY A 15% TURNOUT, WHICH IS REALLY STRONG AT THIS POINT.

AND IN THE ELECTION CYCLE, WE'VE HAD AROUND 65,000 VOTE BY MAIL.

BALLOTS RETURNED.

WE SENT OUT ABOUT 150,000.

SO THEY'RE STILL BALLOTS TO COME BACK AND YOU CAN STILL MAKE YOUR REQUEST FOR A VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT.

THE DEADLINE IS 05:00PM ON OCTOBER 22ND RETURNING VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT.

YOU CAN SEND THEM BACK THROUGH THE MAIL, POSTAGE, PREPAID OR YOU CAN DROP THEM OFF IN PERSON WHICH IS VERY POPULAR WITH FOLKS.

WE HAVE SECURE BALLOT AND TAKE STATIONS THAT ALL 12 OF OUR EARLY VOTING DROP YOUR BALLOT OFF.

IF THAT'S THE OPTION THAT IT'S LIKE TO TAKE.

>> AND IF SOMEONE WANTS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHERE THOSE ARE LOCATED OR CAN THEY GO?

ALL OF OUR INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEBSITE.

LEE DOT VOTE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, JENNA PERSONS-MULICKA FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WITH THE AMOUNT OF NEW ARRIVALS TO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA EACH FALL AND WINTER FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL TROOPERS SAY DISTRACTED DRIVING IS A GROWING CONCERN.

INCREASED TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND DRIVERS COMING FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD CAN MAKE FOR A DANGEROUS COMBINATION.

I TOOK A RIDE ALONG WITH FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL IN THE SPRING TO SEE HOW THEY'RE WORKING TO MAKE OUR ROADS SAFER ALL YEAR ROUND.

>> TO GO TIME FOR TROOPER DAVID BLAKE IN FORT MYERS.

>> THE SIX-YEAR VETERAN OF THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL SAYS WHEN HE GETS BEHIND THE WHEEL ON DUTY EACH DAY, HIS FOCUS IS ON DRIVERS WHO ARE NOT.

>> SO WE'RE GOING TO DO IS JUST KIND OF SLOWLY PASSING CARS.

AND WHILE WE'RE PAST AND TAKE A LOOK AT >> SEAT BELTS, EYES HERE, EVERYBODY TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO BE.

DO.

>> WE RIDE ALONG WITH TROOPER BLAKE AS HE STARTS HIS TENT HOUR SHIFT WITHIN MINUTES OF JUMPING ON.

I-75 YEAR.

BLAKE PULLS OVER THE FIRST DRIVER OF THE DAY.

>> WE ARE GOING TO BE GETTING A TICKET, OK?

IT'S GOING TO BE FROM THE TEXTING WHILE DRIVING STATUE.

IT'S GOING TO BE $109 FINE.

JUST STAFF FIRST OFFENSE TICKET FOR TEXTING WHILE DRIVING AND THEN.

IT WILL LET A FRIEND.

>> THE WOMAN TAKES HER TICKET HAS NO QUESTIONS FOR THE TROOPER AND DRIVES OFF.

>> ON THE NEXT SHORTLY AFTER BLAKE PULLS UP ON ANOTHER DRIVER.

>> CAUGHT LOOKING DOWN AT HIS PHONE WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE.

>> WHAT WE'RE DOING.

>> WHAT WERE YOU DOING ON EVERY TEXAN?

THANK YOU THINK YOU'RE?

>> WITHIN AN HOUR OF RIDING ALONG INTERSTATE 75 3 DISTRACTED DRIVERS RECEIVED TICKETS.

>> WHAT ARE OVER?

SHE SAID THAT SHE GOT A TEXT FROM HER DOCTOR.

SO SHE WAS REPLYING TO HER DOCTOR.

BUT YOU ARE USING THE TEXT TO SPEECH BUT EVEN HERSELF ADMITTED THAT YOU HAVE TO OPEN THE TEXT APP.

YOU HAVE TO PRESS THE MESSAGE.

YOU GOT TO PRESS THE TEXAS SPEECH BUTTON.

ALL THAT IS MANIPULATING YOUR CELL PHONE ON HIM.

CAN WE DO THAT?

BLAKE SAYS HE'LL OFF.

>> THAN RIGHT BETWEEN 25 AND 40 TICKETS PER SHIFT AVERAGING ABOUT 500 TICKETS PER MONTH FOR.

>> SO RIGHT NOW, THE CURRENT LAW INVOLVES MANIPULATING ENTERING CHARACTERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT THROUGH TEXT MESSAGES OR EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES, MANIPULATING YOUR PHONE WITH YOUR HAND WHILE DRIVING.

THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS.

IF YOU'RE LIKE USING NAVIGATION AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

BUT IF YOU'RE USING NAVIGATION IS YOUR PHONE SHOULD JUST BE THERE.

YOU REALLY SHOULD BE CLICK, LOCK IN ON IT.

REGARDLESS.

THERE'S SOME OTHER LAWS THAT WE CAN ALSO USE TO HELP CURB SOME DISTRACTED DRIVING LIKE TELEVISION.

IF YOU HAVE DRIVER, THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT ABOUT IF THERE IS A TELEVISION BROADCAST, SOME KIND OF VIDEO BEING BROADCAST WATCHED BY THAT DRIVER.

THAT'S ANOTHER TOOL IN OUR TOOL BELT TO STOP DISTRACTED DRIVERS.

SO I'VE SEEN IT BEFORE WHERE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD FACETIME AND THEIR FRIENDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT CHAT WITH THEM.

WE'RE ALSO SEEING PEOPLE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHERE THEY HAD THEIR PHONE PROPPED UP WATCHING A MOVIE WILL BE WATCHING STAR WARS OR SOMETHING DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.

>> THE COST FOR DRIVERS WHO GET CAUGHT.

>> AND NOW SHE GOT 198.

>> PLUS, THE RISK OF HIGHER CAR INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND EVEN POINTS ON THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSES.

BUT FOR HUNDREDS OF OTHERS IN FLORIDA EVERY YEAR, DISTRACTED DRIVING COSTS THEIR LIVES AND THE WORST PART IS SEEING FAMILY MEMBERS ARE.

>> HAVING TO CALL THEM LATER.

CONTACT THEM.

WE HAVE TO MAKE NEXT OF KIN NOTIFICATIONS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT FAMILY MEMBERS DIED AND VERY GRUESOME WAY.

UNFORTUNATELY.

>> FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER MATTHEW GARCIA SAYS AS OUR POPULATION AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION INCREASES.

>> SO DOES DISTRACTED DRIVING.

SO LET'S DO BETTER AS A STATE AS >> COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND BE MORE RESPONSIBLE ON THE ROADWAYS BECAUSE OF THE END OF THE DAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

LIVES AT STAKE.

I KNOW IT'S EASY.

IT'S SOMETHING WE JUMP IN THE CAR AND DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.

BUT AFTER LIVING THROUGH IT AND SEEING THESE PRETTY GRUESOME CRASHES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

SLOW DOWN, PAY ATTENTION.

AND LET'S ALL ARRIVAL ON.

>> TROOPER BLAKE HOPES EACH TICKET GIVEN A TANGIBLE REMINDER THAT COULD RESULT IN A LIFE SAVED DOWN THE ROAD.

>> COMING UP, KEEPING THE THE ART OF ORAL STORYTELLING IS VITAL TO JEWISH CULTURE, ACCORDING TO TORRENT DOT ORG.

THE PRACTICE DATES BACK TO WHEN MOSES RECEIVED THE 10 COMMANDMENTS AND RELATED TO HIS PEOPLE TODAY ORAL STUART STORYTELLING HELPS PRESERVE HISTORY AND BUILD LANGUAGE SKILLS.

WE'RE DIVING INTO HEALTH FOLKLORE.

STORIES ARE PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS WITH A JEWISH PERFORMANCE.

STORYTELLER.

>> WITH MORE, I'M JOINED BY STORYTELLER AND AUTHOR DR KAREN NEAL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME TODAY.

>> WELL, THANK YOU.

I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.

SO NOW WHAT BRINGS YOU INTO OUR NECK OF THE WOODS AS YOU ARE PART OF THE FGCU STORYTELLING PROGRAM WHERE I UNDERSTAND YOU KIND OF GAVE A NICE PRESENTATION ABOUT JEWISH FOLKLORE.

>> I DID DO A PERFORMANCE AND I ALSO DID A CLASS AND I HAVE A CLASS TO DO TODAY FOR DOCTOR ZHANG, LIANG.

YES.

>> NOT SO.

>> SOME OF THE STORIES, THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD WEATHER COULD BE ADAM AND EVE OR THE GREAT FLOOD.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT JEWISH FOLKLORES THAT KIND OF RESONATE TODAY?

>> WELL, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE PEOPLE THINK, WELL, FOLKLORE DOESN'T HAVE ANY MEANING WITH A STEADFAST TODAY THAT FOLKLORE FOLK TALES IN PARTICULAR, OUR CHILDREN'S STORIES, BECAUSE THAT'S USUALLY THE WAY THAT THEY'RE PERCENT IT.

BUT AS A STORYTELLER, I HAVE HEARD THOSE STORIES TOLD AND VERY ADULT FORMAT AND WITH MEANING FOR EVERYBODY.

THE MORE WE KNOW ABOUT OUR CULTURAL BACKGROUND, WHETHER IT'S TO A SHARK OR ITALIAN OR WHETHER IT'S A LACK OF THE MORE WE KNOW ABOUT OURSELVES.

>> AND THEN MAINTAINING THE TRADITION OF THE FOLKLORE IS MOVING FORWARD.

MUST BE SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE HAPPY TO SEE AND CONTRIBUTING WITH WITH YOUR BOOKS.

>> WELL, NOT ONLY MY BOOKS.

I PERFORM A LOT AND THERE IS A WHOLE WORLD TO LITERALLY OF PERFORMANCE STORYTELLER.

I USED TO CHAIR THE NATIONAL STORYTELLING NETWORK JUST IN THIS COUNTRY JUST IN FLORIDA.

I WAS ON THE BOARD OF THE FLORIDA STORYTELLING ASSOCIATION AND THEY HAVE A FANTASTIC FESTIVAL IN MOUNT DORA EVERY JANUARY, THE ORAL TRADITION, PEOPLE STANDING UP AND TELLING THESE STORIES AND INTERACTING FACE-TO-FACE EYE TO EYE FOR US TO BREATH WITH THE AUDIENCE IS SOMETHING YOU GOT TO BE THERE TO SEE.

SO IT'S THE BOOKS ARE FINE AND THE BOOK SUPPLEMENT ALL STORYTELLERS AND COME AND I STARTED OUT AS A WRITER.

SO I'M HAPPY TO DO THE BUCS.

BUT IT S THAT I LOVE.

>> AND THEN HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT TO MAINTAIN?

BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE ANYONE CAN PICK UP A BOOK AND READ IT BUT TO GO AND EXPERIENCE THAT IN PERSON AND TO HAVE THAT ABILITY TO SHARED THESE STORIES AND A PERFORMATIVE SENSE THERE TO MAINTAIN THAT ART STYLE.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT FOR ME TO FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS?

>> WELL, WHAT I READ IT.

>> IS THAT YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE NOT LOOKING PEOPLE IN THE EYES.

THEY ARE NOT SPEAKING TO PEOPLE FACE TO FACE.

AND I HAVE SEEN THIS AMONG MICE TENANTS US WELL THAT THEY'RE NOT.

LEARNING HOW TO ENGAGE.

AND WHEN YOU HEAR A STORY TELLER, YOU RECOGNIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.

WE CALLED WEEKLY COFFEE STORYTELLING.

THE THEATER OF THE FACE.

WORDS ARE ONE THING WORKS ARE IMPORTANT.

OBVIOUSLY WORDS ARE STOCK IN TRADE, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT, IT'S THE FACE.

I'M ONLY 18 YEARS OLD.

I LOOK MUCH OLDER BECAUSE I USE MY FACE FOR MY FOR MY WORK.

THE BODY LANGUAGE I'M LEANING FORWARD IS CALLED KINETICS PRESS CAN US THAT EXPECTS A MIX.

ALL OF THAT.

MY THE TONE OF MY VOICE, THE RATE OF MY VOICE, ALL OF THAT IS IMPORTANT.

SO IT'S SAD THAT.

MAYBE MORE.

ALAS, ABOUT 8% OF WHAT WE REMEMBER ABOUT WHAT SOMEBODY SAYS IS CONTENT SAUL MUCH MORE.

THE VAST MAJORITY IS WHAT WE SEE AND THE WAY PEOPLE USE THEIR VOICES.

SO IF I SAY I LOVE YOU, TED, WE HAVEN'T KNOWN EACH OTHER ABOUT.

BUT IF I SAY THAT AND I SAY I LOVE YOU, THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN I LOVE YOU.

BUT IT'S THE SAME WORK, RIGHT?

SAME WORDS.

SO SO MUCH IS LOST.

WE USE ITALICS, ET CETERA, BUT SO MUCH AS EXCLAMATION POINT.

SO MUCH IS LOST IN THE WRITTEN WORD.

AND I'LL JUST SAY ONE REALLY NERDY ACADEMIC THING.

THE GREAT WRITER, VIRGINIA WOOLF.

WHO IS KNOWN FOR HER BEAUTIFUL BOOK.

SHE CALLED WRITING DAD LETTERS ON A PAGE.

NOW SHE WAS AT THE PRESS OF I WILL SAY THAT.

BUT THE SCALE ONCE IT'S WRITTEN, IT'S TIME.

I'M NOT THERE TO EXPLAIN THAT.

I'M NOT THERE TO RESPOND TO YOU.

BUT IN STORYTELLING, EVEN WITH AN AUDIENCE OF 1000 PEOPLE, I COULD LOOK OUT AND I CAN HEAR THE RESPONSE.

I CAN SENSE THE RESPONSE I CAN TAILOR THE STORY TO THE AUDIENCE.

>> AND THEN FOR ANYONE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, INSPIRED BY THIS.

AND HE'S LIKE, I HAVE MY STORYTELLING IDEA.

I WANT TO GET IT OUT THERE.

WHERE WOULD YOU SUGGEST THEY TAKE THE FIRST STEPS IN ORDER TO BRING THEIR STORIES OR THEIR FOLKLORES TO LIFE.

>> WELL, A DOCTOR TO BEING HERE ON CAMPUS IS WONDERFUL.

YOU CAN ALWAYS GO TO HIM OR THE FLORIDA STORYTELLING ASSOCIATION.

THE NATIONAL STORYTELLING NETWORK.

I SHOULD PROBABLY NOT GET MY PHONE NUMBER EMAIL ON AIR, BUT I AM KAREN AYOUB DOT COM.

THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN LEARN.

BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT.

I DO.

AND ONE OF MY BOOKS ISN'T JUST COLLECTING PEOPLE.

STORIES.

EVERYDAY STORIES THEY HAVEN'T BEEN TRAINED.

JUST TELL STORIES TO YOUR LOVED ONES.

JUST TELL STORIES TO YOUR FRIENDS JUST GIVE THEM THE GREATEST GIFT.

WHO CAN WE ARE ALL THE WORLD'S FOREMOST EXPERT ON ONE THING.

YOU'RE PROBABLY AN EXPERT ON MORE THAN ONE THING, BUT ON ONE THING AND THAT IS OUR CELLS.

SO EVEN IF WE SHARE OUR OWN STORIES THAT IS SO PRECIOUS.

>> DR.

KAREN NEAL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TODAY.

THANK YOU.

>> AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

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

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN RIGHT HERE FOR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.