Скачать или смотреть Flooding Recovery, Busting the BMI & Hurricane Research | 8-1-2025 | WGCU News

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

Obstacles of Finding Flood Recovery Funding: As coastal Florida communities continue to be trampled with an annual barrage of dangerous storms, many homeowners are consistently repairing their home from flood damage. The Federal Government spends billions of dollars to help individuals rebuild, but cuts to programs like FEMA are making it difficult for homeowners to get the assistance they need. WGCU’s Sandra Viktorova spoke to some flood risk residents who are growing tired of the limited resources to help their situation.

Storm Prepping on the Construction Site: High winds and rising waters can be dangerous for any structure in the path of a hurricane, especially a construction site. With large equipment and loose materials, a site under development can go from a safety hazard to a storm assisted combat zone. WGCU’s Emma Rodriguez spoke with representatives from Manhattan Construction to understand how they react when an imposing storm heads their way.

A Look Inside the “Wall of Wind”: The Atlantic Hurricane season is starting to pick up and researchers are looking for new ways to get ahead of the storms. At Florida International University, they are ramping up their technology with a one-of-a-kind contraption known as “The Wall of Wind”. This massive system of fans can create Category 5 gales, fully mimicking an imposing hurricane. WGCU’s Tom James and Janine Zeitlan give us a look at this facility and how it is helping build better communities capable of withstanding the weather.

A “NICHE” Way to Combat Weather: “The Wall of Wind” isn’t the only technology that FIU is using to help predict hurricane devastation. The system is the first of the University’s planned facility known as NICHE or Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure Costal and Hydraulics Engineering Laboratory. Aside from being able to capture high winds, the proposed facility would also be able to recreate 15-foot tall storm surges, giving researchers a new avenue in creating better responses for massive storms. We speak with Dr. Navid Tahvildari, an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at FIU, to learn more about the impact the NICHE Facility could have.

The Bogus Science Behind the Body Mass Index: For years, The Body Mass Index has become the standard for monitoring and maintaining optimal health. However, as technology advances, so have other methods for not just looking at an individual’s body performance, but also in predicting future ailments and diseases. This follows a new study that suggests that the BMI should be left in the past, so other body health measuring techniques can become the new standard. Dr. Arch Mainous, The Vice Chair for Research in the University of Florida’s Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, offers another solution that he feels is far superior The BMI.

Bringing Vincent Van Gogh’s Art to Life: Despite being one of the most celebrated artists in history, Vincent Van Gogh died having only sold one of his paintings. However, his vibrant colors and interpretations revolutionized the post-impressionist period and helped establish the Dutch painter as one of the most original creationists in his field. Now, a new exhibit, just opening in Tampa, is taking Van Gogh’s art to the next level. Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience takes the legendary work and transforms it into a living display unlike anything you have experienced. Executive Producer of the exhibit, John Zaller, speaks about the efforts in bringing the art into performance and how it captures the psyche of one of history’s most misunderstood painters.

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