5- Identifying Local Opportunities

Opportunity 1:
1. Local vape shops lose profits due to recent tobacco lww
2. https://www.alligator.org/news/local-vape-shops-lose-profits-due-to-recent-tobacco-law/article_6033000a-42d4-11ea-bd9f-4f3ed2b963e4.html
3. In December the US signed a new bill raising the age to purchase tobacco to 21, however, Alachua county signed their own bill back in October. This is slashing profits of many smoke shops because the majority of their tobacco customers are between the ages of 18-21.
4. The problem is that the majority of these smoke stores rely on young aged adults to buy tobacco products in order to pay their employees and and keep their business afloat.
5. This problem falls on the business owners who have to make up from these losses as well as the young adults who have to find a new place for their fix.

Opportunity 2:
1. Future over Gainesville's Luckys Market remains unclear
2. https://www.alligator.org/news/future-of-gainesville-lucky-s-market-remains-unclear/article_158d3cc4-426f-11ea-9004-cffc3a103c6e.html
3. Luckys Market plans to close almost all of its Florida locations starting Feb. 12th due to a loss of investment from Kroger this past month. Many employees are out of a job and their future remains uncertain. Aldi may possible reinvest in the Gainesville location.
4. The problem is that the business is going bankrupt and 80 people will be losing their jobs.
5. The Luckys corporation and the employees are the main proponents of this problem.

Opportunity 3:
1.County commission may install cameras on I-75 to prevent speeding
2. https://www.alligator.org/news/county-commission-may-install-cameras-on-i--to-prevent/article_60ca8a1c-3940-11ea-9518-f75f01e96b1d.html
3. In order to combat speeding on I-75 the county has proposed to install cameras to capture speeders and report them to their insurance companies.
4. The problem is that it is illegal in Florida to give out ticket through cameras so the county is finding a loophole to punish speeders.
5. Those who speed as well as the county are those who have the problem. The county has to find a way to fund this 800,000$ endeavor.

Opportunity 4:
1. Coronavirus outbreak being monitored by UF Health officials
2. https://www.alligator.org/news/coronavirus-outbreak-being-monitored-by-uf-health-officials/article_326453ba-40d4-11ea-afec-2f079d021025.html
3. With the coronavirus spreading everyone is on edge on how to stay healthy. Recently there was some worry that somebody in Shands has the virus.  UF is currently monitoring all possible cases.
4. The problem is a major one, being that there is a possibility that someone in this local area has this deadly virus and is living in a highly congested area.
5. This problem falls primarily on the Shands organization as they are responsible for any outbreaks. It is up to them to put these rumors to rest and continually monitor the situation.

Opportunity 5:
1. VP, treasurer and many Senate candidates in Progressive Party resign within hours
2. https://www.alligator.org/news/vp-treasurer-and-many-senate-candidates-in-progressive-party-resign/article_930e200a-4404-11ea-9e4b-6fd012cab7ee.html
3. Within hours of each other the VP and treasurer candidates of the Progressive Party resigned after an apparent transphobic audio clip was posted on Facebook. The VP claims it was taken out of context and he had no idea he was being recorded.
4. The problem is that several members of the Progressive student party have resigned in the wake of an election causing a clear front runner and no obvious opposition. Running unopposed is never a good thing especially in a political race.
5. The Progressive political party has this problem as many of their top candidates have all resigned almost simultaneously. This party now has to find people to fill these vacant seats right before a big election.