Assignment 5A- Identifying Local Opportunities

 Identifying Local Opportunities 

• “As Clarence Thomas arrives to teach, some students protest” by Sarah Nelson of the Gainesville Sun
• https://www.gainesville.com/news/20200127/as-clarence-thomas-arrives-to-teach-some-students-protest
• In this article written on January 7th, 2020 the author is describing protests that broke out at the University of Florida’s Law School. U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas, is in town to teach a two-week lecture series. Students have gathered to protest against his presence due to sexual harassment allegations from 1991. 
• Students in the “We Believe Survivors” organizing group are trying to end his class. They plan to show up in shirts that have the organization’s name on it. They believe that Thomas represents workplace sexual harassment and they do not believe he should be able to teach. 
• The problems: The problem is that many students disagree with the Justice’s background and don’t believe he should teach. The University has to deal with both sides: students who want to take the course and students who do not believe it should be taught.
• The people: Clarence Thomas, protestors, law students, and the University of Florida. 
• “High-priority Violations: Alachua County Restaurant Inspections” by Brad McClenny of the Gainesville Sun
• https://www.gainesville.com/photogallery/LK/20200129/PHOTOGALLERY/129009984/PH/1
• In this article written on January 29, 2020, the author releases information about 12 restaurants and hotels that have recently been inspected and their results have been posted. Almost all of them have high priority safety and health issues that need to be resolved quickly. Such problems included improper cold food storage, employees touching food with their bare hands, not properly disinfecting when switching from clean to dirty utensils, and insects in the kitchens. The companies included places like Checkers, Subway, Mi Apa, and Hilton. 
• The problems: Local Gainesville companies did not meet the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation inspection codes at the time of inspection. They will continue to get fined and potentially could have to shut down if they do not improve the high-priority violations.
• The people: Hilton, Samurai, Ichiban Sushi, Checkers, New Deal Cafe, Subway, Mi Apa, Aloft, McAlisters, Big Top Brewery, customers, owners, employees

• “House Eyes School Board Term Limits”  by the Gainesville Sun News Team
• https://www.gainesville.com/news/20200129/house-eyes-school-board-term-limits
• In this article posted on January 29, 2020, it discusses new efforts to get term limits established for county school board members. House Republicans are pushing for this change. The law, if passed,  would change Florida’s constitution and install 8-year term limits. The opposition believes that this law should not be imposed statewide and that it should be up to the individual districts to decide.
• The bill aims to cut back on the competition of running against an incumbent. It shows how it can be significantly harder to beat someone who already is in office. There have been multiple bills proposed before, with little success. It now will be up to voters in November to decide.
• The problems: House Republicans and Democrats have different views on school board member term limits. Most Republicans believe that there should be term limits,  while most Democrats believe it should be up to the individual districts. 
• The people: school board members, House members, voters
• “UF Health Monitors Rumors of Coronavirus spreading to Gainesville” by Hannah Phillips of the Independent Florida Alligator
• https://www.alligator.org/news/uf-health-monitors-rumors-of-coronavirus-spreading-to-gainesville/article_69a9b1a0-426c-11ea-86b2-87354e5a2a4e.html
• In this article posted on January 29, 2020, the author writes about a coronavirus scare at the University of Florida. In this case, the organization that has the problem is the University of Florida. The virus started in Wuhan, China, which now has a quarantine placed in effect. It was reported to UF that a student’s family member had traveled from China to Gainesville before the quarantine was put into effect. The rumor of this travel came from a social media app where someone posted about travel from China. No students have reported symptoms and there are no confirmed cases in Alachua County. Officials say that the threat level is low until there is a confirmed case. They warn to use hand sanitizer and report any cases to prevent an outbreak. 
• The problems: The University of Florida has around 50,000 students. The coronavirus has no known cure and it’s effects range from common cold symptoms to death. Due to the high volume of people that the virus could be exposed to, an outbreak would spread very easily. Therefore, the University and students have the problem of preventing a widespread outbreak.
• The people: UF officials, UF staff and students, Alachua County residents

• “Local vape shops lose profit due to recent tobacco law” by Jared Johnson and Anna Wilder of the Independent Florida Alligator
• https://www.alligator.org/news/local-vape-shops-lose-profits-due-to-recent-tobacco-law/article_6033000a-42d4-11ea-bd9f-4f3ed2b963e4.html
• In this article posted on January 29, 2020, it discusses the current issues that local vape shops are having. In December, President Donald Trump put into effect a law that made the tobacco and vape product age raise from 18 to 21. However, Alachua county had already had this law placed since October. From an interview with local vape store owners, they discuss how sales have decreased by 30%. They also recognize that their main customer base was 18 to 24 years old. The owners say they opened to help people quit smoking, not for young people who have never smoked to get addicted to nicotine. Some owners believe there should be the Grandfather clause so that 18-20-year-olds are still able to purchase products if they used them before.
• The problems: Local vape shops are losing their customer base and therefore decreasing their profits. It will only be so long before they have to cut employees or close down. 
• The people: Vape store owners, vape users under 21