You're watching Southwest Florida in focus.

As we prepare for Memorial Day.

We remember those who served.

And on today's program, we learn about the efforts by local organizations to help where veterans need the assistance most, from mental health care to housing.

She was the face of the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge, but cuts to the National Park Service have led to Ranger Tony calling it a career, and the reign of the King of Latin music continues.

But now it is the son of salsa royalty Tito Puente Jr, who is picking up the drumsticks and tuning up the band.

Hello, I'm Sandra Victorova.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Memorial day weekend is the unofficial start of summer, and it's also a time meant to reflect on those who gave their lives while serving our country.

Today, we begin with the challenges facing Florida veterans.

More than 1.4 million former service members call the Sunshine State home.

That is the second highest veteran population in the country, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

And just like the rest of the country, vets here struggle with unemployment, mental health conditions and homelessness.

After their tour of duty, the VA reports that there are over 2300 homeless veterans in Florida.

As Jennifer Crawford explains, the nonprofit Warrior Homes in Collier County is tackling that issue by trying to make sure every veteran has a roof over their head.

33 year old Janice Alonzo follows her two girls up the stairs to the second floor.

Grateful to come home to a place of their own.

It's a two bedroom, two bath, so they get their own bathroom.

The Air Force veteran and her two daughters, ages six and ten, moved in May 1st after experiencing a sudden need for safe, affordable housing in Naples.

I just walked around and I sat right here and I just started crying.

I couldn't believe that this is my home.

This is mine.

And my kids have a speech and they have their own bed, their own room.

The apartment was fully furnished down to the tiniest detail by warrior Homes of Collier County.

I believe from the grace of God, they were here to help people like me.

If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have an apartment.

Theirs is one of ten apartments at the Warrior Homes Delta Housing Complex, which provides long term supportive housing at a lower cost for veterans at all stages of life.

Bill was, homeless in Collier County for ten years.

He was homeless, right, bill?

Yes, sir.

He's a Navy veteran.

And Bill came here about two years ago.

I think so, yes, sir.

And, was housed and is doing very well.

Delta is one of six properties housing veterans in need, like Shiv Mangala, a former marine once proudly serving overseas.

Now facing his greatest adversary on the home front.

I was battling, depression, substance abuse, on the brink of homelessness.

Mangrove says warrior homes and the treatment programs helped him find what he had lost.

They've helped me regain, my dignity as a human being.

Army veteran Dell Mullen of Naples is the founder and president of Warrior Homes of Collier County.

We're here to help.

And you shouldn't feel guilty.

You serve this nation.

You.

You put your life on the line.

At least we can do as a community as being able to give you a hand up, provide you a clean, safe place to live.

For Mullen, each veteran housed eases a deep heartache he feels to his core.

It really broke my heart when I found that there are veterans that served our nation, that are current war veterans, that served our nation as well, that are sleeping on the streets.

And being a veteran myself, I just couldn't accept that.

And so we decided to do something about it.

And that was to start creating housing for veterans that live in our county.

Since the first house opened in 2020, the nonprofit has acquired five more properties and housed 85 veterans.

Thanks to countless volunteers, community partners and about $10 million in donations coming from the private sector.

Bit by bit, dollar by dollar, these really dedicated members of our community have helped ensure that we're at what they call functional zero for homelessness among veterans in Collier County.

Anyone who wants a home can have one.

Thanks to this group.

So it's pretty incredible.

Mullen says judge Denise Martin played a pivotal role in creating Warrior Homes by shining a light on homeless veterans and their need for stable housing as they wound through the judicial system.

The daughter of JAG officer and long time Collier County Judge Lawrence Martin, she recently purchased a brick paver in her late father's memory.

It was installed here at the Delta Patriot Garden.

Martin is one of about 90 veterans being commemorated in a special ceremony this weekend.

This is a memorial brick, and, this is, in memorial to Sergeant First Class Gary Vasquez.

It's a tangible reminder to never forget those who served our country.

And remember those still in need of support from the nation they once served.

I'm Jennifer Crawford, reporting from Naples for WGCU news.

To learn more about the obstacles veterans and their families struggle with, we are joined by Armando Hernandez, the Senior director of Home Base Florida.

Welcome, Mr. Hernandez.

Thanks for having me.

So we know for over a decade, Home Base, which is a nonprofit, has been working to heal the invisible wounds of war with veterans here locally.

I want to understand what the biggest obstacles you see facing veterans right now when they return home.

We often hear about PTSD.

But you were telling me earlier that you're seeing really traumatic brain injuries really coming into focus.

Yeah.

I think one of the biggest obstacles veterans face is really the education of their health care, right?

So PTSD is a big part of that.

I think we've learned a lot about PTSD over the number of years, but there's still a stigma attached to with it, and there's still a lot that we need to learn.

But to your point, we have seen a drastic surge around brain injuries.

Right?

And we know that those are common from IEDs or blast, you know, big explosions that somebody might be near us.

And those are common.

But what we're also learning is that a lot of small concussive events over an entire military career can have a lot of similar effects.

And it's challenging because the symptoms and the signs of traumatic brain injury can be very similar to that of PTSD.

So they're often confused.

But what we really need and what home base is focusing on doing, is developing better evaluation and treatment programs that can distinguish the two and make sure that we're addressing the right needs.

So we're in Mental Health Awareness Month.

And of course, it's a time to remind the whole community that you know, the importance of getting care when you need it.

Is there a bigger challenge in getting care to veterans because of, you know, the understanding or maybe the sense that if they got care previously, might have impacted their military career?

Yeah, absolutely.

I think there's a stigma in the military about, you know, seeking help because it could damage your career or maybe just the perception of seeking help.

So some of the challenges with that are certainly overcoming the stigma, overcoming potential trust issues or barriers that could be there.

So what, you know, I think is important to do is ensure that you're not just offering those clinical programs to veterans and their families, but perhaps you're providing surrounding programs.

For instance, we offer a health and fitness program where we focus solely on getting physically fit again, stronger, faster, or lose some body weight, right?

And taking care of yourself physically is a very non stigmatizing way to start self-care.

And so for us, oftentimes we'll get veterans in the door by taking them to the gym, taking them to a baseball game, just hanging around with other veterans.

And then after some time when they learn to meet, to meet some friends, when they meet the staff, when they start trusting the process, they'll often reach out and seek that help.

We know you work very hard to help veterans here heal locally.

But we were talking earlier and you said this cannot just be an issue that you were tackling or the Veterans Administration is tackling that.

You want to see, the private sector really help what what needs to to happen?

Sure.

Yeah.

So I think a lot of times people look at these, injuries that the veteran population is facing and I think the VA has got it.

And the VA is doing a wonderful job and they're doing as good as they can.

But that's one entity.

And, you know, this is this is a problem that's too big for any one entity to take on.

And for far too long, the private sector has been absent, assuming that the VA can handle this.

And so Homebase is a private, nonprofit organization.

We work with other private non-profits, private for profit organizations to really focus on saying, well, what can we do to help fill the gaps at the VA?

Might not be able to do or that the VA needs assistance with.

And so for us, it's about fill in the gaps.

It's about ensuring that veterans don't come home to programs like home base or programs like the VA.

They come home to communities, and it really is going to take a community effort to get behind these, initiatives that are really going to solve these problems for this population.

Mr. Hernandez, we thank you for the work that you do, and we thank you for your service.

Thanks so much for having me.

Thank you.

Southwest Florida, boaters can expect to see a record number of people on the water this Memorial Day weekend.

The holiday is one of the busiest boating days of the year.

Nationally, the boating industry is busy as well.

Florida's boating market saw $6.4 billion in retail sales in 2023, and there are now more than 1 million registered vessels here, more than any other state.

But those numbers also mean we lead the country in boating fatalities, 81 reported in 2023, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife.

So with ways we can all stay safe on the water this weekend and all year long, we are joined by U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Commander Walter Elvish of Flotilla nine six.

Welcome, commander.

Thank you.

Sandra, it's great to be here right before the big weekend.

Well, we we so appreciate it.

So we want to start with this.

What are the big mistakes?

You see boaters make when they go on the on the water.

I would say the biggest mistake is a lack of preparation.

They kind of go out on the water, maybe without a plan, without the proper preparation, without examining the vessel to make sure it's seaworthy.

And also, I believe that they should kind of brief their crew or their guests and passengers that they have on board.

And a lot of times this doesn't happen.

So we would like to see people having fun on the water, but add a little bit of structure to make it a safer, enjoyable experience for everyone on board.

And you talked about a plan.

I assume that plan should be shared with a loved one or friend, or someone who's not going out on the water.

Correct, exactly.

That's what we call our float plan.

And the float plan basically says, here's what we're thinking of doing.

Here's what time we're leaving.

Here's the route we're going to take.

Here's when we plan on coming back.

So planning is important.

The float plan, making sure you have an idea of where you want to go.

You have enough fuel, you have enough supplies.

And that of course includes not lots of beer, but lots of water and other hydration that's healthy for you.

That's one of the big things we worry about is people consume the same amount they might on land, but when then they're on, when they're on the sea, they have the impact of the wind, the waves, the motion of the boat.

And some people say that can be 2 to 3 times the alcohol effect.

Let's end on what you said is so important.

Safety vests.

What do you want people to know?

Well, the biggest thing for people to know, and we find that a lot of people are ignorant of this, is that all children under the age of 12 are required to wear a life jacket when a boat is under way in federal waters.

And I like to show this one because it's a good example of an easy to use device.

If a child falls in the water, you can easily pick them up with with that handle.

I also would recommend people that are very attached to their pets to have their pets wear a life jacket.

Really, because if their pet goes wandering off jumps after a dolphin, they can easily retrieve it with a similar handle, but all of the pet ones have.

The other one you showed me is this one.

This is an adult version and please try that on.

All right.

I will tell you that the ones, that I've always experienced are big and bulky.

This is like a completely different experience.

I wouldn't mind wearing this all day.

Right.

This is the new breed of life jacket, which is called an inflatable.

And what we recommend for people is always wear a life jacket.

And if you don't like the big bulky versions, wear something you're more comfortable with and I find this whenever I'm boating, I'm always wearing one of these because it it's virtually unnoticeable, right.

And you just pull on that little tab and well, a lot of them today are automatic.

They have a little pill in there.

And once that hits the water at a certain depth, it automatically inflates.

So this is perfect if you're thrown off of a boat and one of the things we have in Florida is we have shifting sandbars, which I'm sure you're familiar with.

And what happens a lot is a boat is going too fast in an unfamiliar area.

They hit that sandbar and guess what?

You're propelled off the front of the boat, and sometimes you can be striking your head on the mangroves on part of the boat as you're being ejected and you land in the water unconscious with an inflatable that's self inflating, that's going to keep you up on the surface, commander, which we appreciate all the safety tips.

Thank you so much.

All right.

Pleasure to be here.

Safe boating to everyone this weekend.

Thank you so much.

A black bear hunt is one step closer to returning to Florida.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissioners voted Wednesday to have a black bear hunt for 23 days this coming December and into the future.

Commissioners voted for to want to support the proposal of a hunt, which would allow the use of dogs and baiting.

The measure has to be voted on again by FWC in August to finalize the details.

The decision comes less than one month after a man and his dog were killed by a black bear.

In Collier County, the first fatal incident in state history.

Protesters organized rallies across the state against a hunt, including a recent one off Immokalee Road in Naples.

While hunt supporters say managing the bear population will prevent dangerous encounters with people.

Protesters say hunt won't limit human bear interactions.

They say bears have lost critical habitat due to overdevelopment.

24 , The goal of the hunt is to remove 187 black bears.

There are approximately 4000 bears currently scattered throughout the state.

If you've visited the Genting Darling Wildlife Refuge, there's a good chance you've come across Ranger Tony since 2002.

Supervisor refuge Ranger Tony Westland has helped nature lovers learn about and enjoy the beautiful ecosystem on Sanibel Island.

Now, Ranger Tony is retiring from the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service after 27 years, and we are grateful Ranger Tony is joining us now.

Welcome.

Thank you.

So I can only imagine what this feels like for you.

You did share with us that, you did receive that infamous email that, you know, says fork in the road.

This was a voluntary retirement program from the federal government as part of all these budget cuts.

How do you feel about, you know, ending your time with the federal government?

Yes, definitely.

Mixed emotions.

It was a hard decision.

But after reviewing it all, it was the time to go.

Time to go on my time.

So, Yeah, I mean, I wanted to stay another seven and a half years.

That was my goal.

I was going to go at 57 years.

But I was afraid that possibly I might not go and get all of my full retirement.

And there's just a lot of unknown right now.

There's, you know, cuts with the government.

And because of that, I needed to go now.

And, so it was time.

I want to ask you about how you feel about those cuts in general and what you think the impact will be, obviously, on your department seeing seen significant cuts.

The National Park Service, you oversees oversee the parks and so much wildlife across the country.

What do you think the impact will be on conservation, on our parks, on right.

The refuges.

So hopefully, well, we just don't know.

And we've got a strong friends group.

You know, a lot of people care out there.

The friends group get brings in private money to help pick up the pieces when the federal government falls short.

It's just unfortunate that that always has to happen.

Yeah.

And so we hope the government is going to step up and that's not going to happen.

But we just don't know.

So we hope people can do their part to start shaking things up.

In the meantime, the friends group always steps up.

You know, so I need to get out now and and maybe help speak.

Is Tony Westland, not Ranger Tony?

I don't know, that's all.

Maybe that I can do.

And a few days from now.

Right.

I want to ask you about this particular refuge.

Yes.

Because it doesn't get as much attention as the Everglades.

What do you want people to know about ding, darling?

You know, people know Sanibel for its beaches.

Sure.

You know, but it's one of the most sacred places when it comes to mangrove ecosystems.

You know, to get out.

And if you never kayaked eating darling, you haven't lived, you know, get out into a kayak to experience that and kayak through the mangroves.

That's amazing.

The other day I took Sanibel Realtors on a trip.

They have to get a green certification.

We didn't even know it.

The alligator was under the boardwalk and it bellowed like a bear.

If you've not heard that.

I mean, it was.

We all jumped, I jumped.

So yes, the Everglades, it's amazing.

But all of these special places have those unique experiences.

Come on in the visitor center.

You know, we've got construction going on finally.

Since Ian right now.

Still.

But our volunteers that give it all to the visitors, they'll be able to let you know where to go see those experiences.

Ranger Tony, we so appreciate all your contributions to the community.

Thank you so much.

It will be missed.

Thank you.

Coming up, the next generation of mambo comes to Cape Coral.

A conversation with Tito Puente, a junior, about how his music keeps his father's spirit alive.

A rumba revival came to the Cape Cabaret 25 years since the world lost Latin music legend Tito Puente.

His sound and spirit have returned, with his son picking up the drumsticks and not missing a beat.

Julie Perez grabbed a front row seat for the tribute act that is keeping the mambo magic alive.

Tito Puente is known around the world as the King of Latin Jazz.

And while his son doesn't consider himself the prince, he has dedicated his entire career to honoring his father's legacy.

For the last 25 years, Tito Puente junior has spent his weekends igniting crowds with the same passion for the theme ballets that made his dad a legend.

He's taken center stage at venues from New York to Miami, playing classic mambo hits for his father's bands.

People don't come to see Tito Puente de junior.

They come to hear Tito Puente, they music.

And I've learned that being in my father's shoes.

Very big shoes to fill.

He will always be the king.

I'm not the prince.

But I always encourage everybody to come to my concerts.

So you learn about it.

His mission to keep his father's music and memory alive.

Who knows who did a white horse which is known as El Rey de Los thimbles.

Tito Puente.

They rose to fame in 1950s Spanish Harlem.

He made special appearances on programs like Sesame Street.

What are you and what are you doing here?

Yeah, my name is T.P.

Tito Puente.

He juggles and became one of the first Hispanic bandleaders to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Tito Puente was like the mambo pope.

He was your deal.

He was your uncle.

And people always, remember Tito Puente.

There is that music that you used to listen to at your grandmother, your grandpa, your.

Well, all those party.

On the evening of May 31st, 2000, this master percussionist passed away at the age of 77.

His death was mourned by the thousands of fans he amassed during his 54 year run.

But the impact was even greater for those who were close to him.

It took me many years after his passing to really restart my career, because I had a career at that time doing Latin house music and playing in rock bands.

I was a drummer, so I took two years off, really a reorganize my mind, my thoughts and with the blessing of my family that said, why don't you continue what your father left that legacy.

And that's what I did.

And he's doing it in ways he never expected.

Tito Puente, junior, 17 year old son, is carving out his own space in the industry, creating music with a different sound than what his family is known for.

I can tell you honestly, it's almost like I'm living my father's life once again reincarnated.

Because when I was growing up, I loved rock music, and my father was like, what are you playing that rock music for?

And I was like, you don't know where I'm going to go.

But I ended up playing his music and of course, encouraging others to play the music of salsa and mambo and Tito Puente.

But my son, I always encourage him to just enjoy music.

Popular Latin artists like Bad Bunny are also embracing the traditional Afro-Cuban sounds and reintroducing them to modern audiences.

They're coming out with some great, great new artists.

What I feel right now that the music is now thriving.

It's getting more recognition.

And I see that here in Southwest Florida and Fort Myers area and of course, Swift, all they call it.

Please put your hands together.

But they don't want that to you.

Know what they think?

You look at the sounds of drumsticks and trumpets.

The dance floor of the Cape Cabaret is flooded by Latin music fans of all ages.

My last name, Wednesday, means bridge in Spanish.

And that's what my father did for 40 years.

And about, wow, five different decades.

And that's what I've been doing for these past 2 or 3 decades.

In transporting his music and bringing it to the new generation.

For WGCU news, I'm Julie Perez.

Coming up next week, hurricane season returns to Florida.

And for some in Charlotte County, changes are being made to try to get ahead of future storm damages.

Join us for that story and more next week.

And don't forget to like and subscribe to our WGCU news YouTube channel, where you will find all of our stories and those extended interviews.

We hope you enjoy your Memorial Day weekend.

We hope you'll join us again next week.