5A-Identifying Local Opportunities

For this assignment, I chose the Independent Florida Alligator as my local newspaper:

1) City Commission repeals plastic ban, raises GRU rates

- https://www.alligator.org/news/city-commission-repeals-plastic-ban-raises-gru-rates/article_cbb76770-d5e3-11e9-9a5e-2fe54a48b3cd.html

-This article tells the story of companies like Publix fighting back against the plastic bans that the city of Gainesville recently enacted, to preserve company practices.

-The problem in this article is two-ways, corporations would suffer greatly in profits by having to give up single-use plastics, but single-use plastics create obscene amounts of waste that take far too long to break down.

-The main people who suffer from these actions are waste management employees who have to find new ways to deal with the material found in almost every waste bin that takes millions of years to decompose.

2) UF student organizations hold Dorian donation drives

-https://www.alligator.org/news/uf-student-organizations-hold-dorian-donation-drives/article_c8ced48a-d5d4-11e9-8353-6352507f35e4.html

-This article goes into detail as to the student organizations of UF that are holding drives to gather materials to aid in the areas more seriously affected by the most recent tropical system to pass through the Atlantic

-The problem in this article is the destruction caused by the hurricane which in island nations like the Bahamas has left little in its wake, causing mass displacement and a lack of security for food and water.

-The main people who suffer from this issue are citizens of places like the Bahamas, The Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and other Caribbean destinations that took the full force of Hurricane Dorian.

3) UF to add external email banner to protect students and faculty

-https://www.alligator.org/news/uf-to-add-external-email-banner-to-protect-students-and/article_eb58c5b6-d443-11e9-af6a-6f3dca9b5792.html

-This article describes the measures being taken by UF faculty to protect students from spam and phishing emails intended to steal their passwords and private information.

-The problem is external sources trying, and sometimes succeeding in acquiring confidential student information that can be used for things like identity theft and privacy invasion.

-Students are most often the targets and victims of this issue which has prompted the university to add extra precautions to prevent students from facing this problem.

4) Students and activists make posters ahead of blue light protest on Fraternity Row

-https://www.alligator.org/news/students-and-activists-make-posters-ahead-of-blue-light-protest/article_6c882e9c-d4e9-11e9-a8c9-83afa3c1f69c.html

-This article brings attention to the upcoming protests students plan to engage in this coming Tuesday to advocate for blue lights on fraternity row.

-The problem here is ensuring that students have access to emergency service in a pinch on all corners of campus, and a highly inhabited are of campus is entirely devoid of them.

-The ones affected by this issue is truly all UF students and those in need of help that may pass through this area, but most specifically fraternity members and sorority members that may frequent this area.

5) Biker caught stealing plants from Satchel's Pizza

-https://www.alligator.org/news/biker-caught-stealing-plants-from-satchel-s-pizza/article_f8110938-d5c1-11e9-b240-63c79cc54825.html

-This article describes the plight of a local pizza shop to stop current and prevent future burglaries.

-The problem in this article is the repeated theft of property from Satchel's pizza by an unknown biker.

-Satchel's pizza is the most affected, however, if this thief isn't apprhended it may lead to future theft that will affect other nearby businesses.