The Study of Sand, Botanical Mural & Celebrating Film

In this episode of Southwest Florida in Focus, we explore compelling local stories shaping our community:

Predicting the Next Years of Hurricane Activity: With two months to go, it has been a quiet 2026 Atlantic Hurricane season. There have only been eight named storms, so far, with zero hurricanes. This has experts using the lull in activity to begin researching how to be prepared for storms in future years. WGCU Senior Environmental Reporter Tom Bayles shares how researchers at Florida Gulf Coast University will play a key role in how communities will be ready for hurricanes.

New Mural Brings Botanical Garden to Life: The Naples Botanical Garden has debuted a spectacular mural that is garnering a lot of attention. It is part of the garden’s Hidden Wonders Initiative and illustrates the power of the soul of plants. WGCU Arts Reporter Tom Hall spoke with the artist behind the work of art to learn more about the unique perspective the piece offers.

Return of the Naples International Film Festival: Naples has been continually growing its Arts Scene and one of the marquee events that celebrate the culture is the annual Naples International Arts Festival. Now in its 18th year, this year’s event narrowed down a field of nearly 1,000 entries, to showcase 60 amazing movies, documentaries and short features. Two of the minds behind this year’s event, David Filner and Shannon Franklin, join us to talk about what attendees can expect.

Going Nuclear with Pop Culture: Nuclear energy is in the midst of a popularity boom. A recent Gallup poll shows US adult favorability towards nuclear energy is around 61%. That’s just shy of the record high. Nuclear advocate Shawn Connors joins us to share how his organization, Atomic Garage, combines a passion for nuclear with pop culture.