Identifying Local Opportunities

1. Youth Vaping Increases in Alachua County (https://www.alligator.org/news/youth-vaping-increases-in-alachua-county/article_91200192-1dd5-11e9-9850-bbdf28ac9a68.html)
• Alachua County has seen a large increase in teenagers using electronic vapes and e-cigarettes over the past two years. With more companies targeting young consumers with attractive flavors and easy-to-use designs, it's become easier for high schoolers and even middle schoolers to get their hands on one.
• The prevalence and exposure to smoking has gotten out of control. The smoking age needs to be changed from 18 to 21, like alcohol, to combat the problem.
• Kids under 17 years old and their parents
2. Police: 5 fatally shot inside Florida bank, suspect arrested (https://www.alligator.org/news/police-fatally-shot-inside-florida-bank-suspect-arrested/article_196b7d52-1f60-11e9-b22a-47ef4ddd5c3c.html)
• A man fired shots in a bank with no known motive, killing five people.
• Gun regulation, especially in Florida, continues to be a problem as the number of daily mass shootings increases every year.
• Americans all over the United States
3. Tampa Electric's Big Bend changes face increased opposition (https://www.tampabay.com/business/tampa-electrics-big-bend-changes-face-increased-opposition-20190124/)
• Tampa Electric Co. has decided to convert from coal to natural gas after a unit five employees two years ago. They are receiving a lot of resistance from the community and different environmental groups who are encouraging the use of renewable resources instead.
• The fracking of gas would not only be expensive, but have detrimental effects on the environment and community's health.
• The residents of the Tampa area
4. Five hurt in west Orange County multi-vehicle crash, firefighters say (https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-ne-colonial-good-homes-crash-ocoee-20190124-story.html)
• A woman driving with a suspended license and no insurance hitting three vehicles, sending five people to the hospital and injuring two others.
• Distracted driving is more dangerous than people think.
• Anybody on the roads, as a driver or passenger
5. Florida college admissions: Getting into UF, FSU, UCF may depend a lot on where you went to high school (https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/school-zone/os-ne-uf-fsu-high-schools-admissions-20181203-story.html)
• Students from wealthier Florida neighborhoods are more likely to get accepted into the state's top-universities than students from lower-income areas.
• A distinctive gap exists in the state that hinders students from opportunities to better themselves not only financially, but in assistance with getting higher SAT/ACT scores as well.
• Lower- and middle-income students