Identifying Local Opportunities
I am from Tampa, FL, so I chose the Tampa Bay Times as my local newspaper.
The Tampa Bay Times
1. “Judge Orders Sample Ballots in Spanish”
A judge ordered Rick Scott to provide 32 counties with
ballots in both English and Spanish. Since so many Puerto Rican people had to
move due to the hurricane, having the ballots in Spanish would make it much
easier for them to vote in the upcoming election. They are trying to find a
balance between accommodating Spanish speakers, and not overburdening election
supervisors.
The problem- After the hurricane, many Puerto Ricans had to
relocate for safety, and many came to Florida. Elections are approaching, and
it would be much easier for them and other Spanish-speaking people if the
ballots had an option in Spanish. However, this will make the jobs of election
supervisors much more difficult.
Who has the problem- Spanish-Speaking people trying to vote
in Florida
2. “We Have Jobs But Pay’s Low”
Wages in the Tampa Bay Area are lower than the national
average. Wages go to housing and transportation costs. The workforce in Tampa
is growing rapidly. There is a difference in the average wages paid by the hour
across different types of work. Jobs in the private sector are more common and
available, and some industries seem strained.
The problem- wages in the Tampa area are lower than the
national average, especially considering hourly wages.
Who has the problem- people who make hourly wages-
waiters/waitresses, construction workers, landscapers, retail workers, cooks, cashiers,
etc. The majority of people working for an hourly wage in the area
3. “City Proposing Road Diets”
City planners are thinking about narrowing four lanes of
traffic on busy streets down to three. This would allow for the creation of a
bike line or angled parking. The idea is to make the streets useful for
everyone- drivers, bikers, and pedestrians. However, local businesses located
on those streets think they may lose some business as a result. It could also
increase the effects of traffic.
The problem- eliminating driving lanes to make space for
bike lanes or angled parking could negatively impact local businesses, and
increase gridlock traffic.
Who has the problem- business owners in the area, commuters
(because of increased traffic), visitors, drivers in general.
4.
“Parents Start Multifaceted School Safety Effort”
After the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High
School, parents all over Florida have been increasingly worried about their
children’s safety at school. One mother of a child who was nearby the horrific
incident decided to take action, and organized a group called the Coalition for
School Safety. This nonprofit organization seeks to increase funding for safety
in schools. The first project for this organization is taking place at Newsome
High School.
The problem- school shootings have increased the need for
safety in schools. People are afraid for the children at schools.
Who has the problem- students, parents, their families,
teachers, staff, entire communities.
5. “Florida Gas Prices Drop Despite Impending Hurricane
Florence”
Usually gas prices rise when there is an incoming hurricane,
but Florence hasn’t seemed to affect gas prices in Florida. The price of
unleaded gas has actually gone down this past week. Natural disasters can
affect the regional supply of gasoline, making prices higher, but this has not
happened yet.
The problem- natural disasters usually make gas prices go up,
but they have actually been decreasing in the Tampa Bay Area this week.
Who has the problem- gasoline providers, gas station owners,
people who need gasoline, drivers, people evacuating from hurricane Florence
I do not know about you but I never consider gas going down as a problem haha. I'm always happy when I see those prices drop lower and lower so I am not complaining about prices being lower before the hurricane. There could be an opportunity to help keep kids safer at school as I know parents' main concern will always be to keep their children safe when they are not with them.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand why Tampa would propose a bike lane be inserted onto the road. However, like you mentioned, this can cause some serious effects on traffic. I, for one, am not a fan of traffic. It makes you waste your gas and time. If there was any way the city could eliminate an increase in traffic while simultaneously making space for bikers then that would be ideal.
ReplyDeleteBeing from the Tampa Bay Area too, I also used the Tampa Bay Times for my articles. The one about Spanish ballots is one I definitely see. I run into and know many people in my area who speak Spanish, so there are a lot of opportunities to do with that in Tampa Bay.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that wages are lower than the national average is definitely a problem, as it does not give people the ability to live a decent enough life. Additionally, the reduction of driving lanes also increases the traffic levels makes it more difficult for drivers to get to where they need to go. There is an opportunity here to do something about the traffic and to stop the reduction of driving lanes.
ReplyDeleteHey Allison, wages in Florida being lower than the national average is definitely a huge problem, as well as the fifth opportunity you brought up about the rising gas prices during catastrophic disasters. I do know that they have brought up laws with price gauging to the areas that the disaster affects, however, i’m not sure about the problem for other areas during a disaster. It is surprising that the prices of gas did not go up in Tampa Bay during the disaster.
ReplyDelete