Identifying Local Opportunities

The following five articles are all local opportunities. They are from the Orlando Sentinel.

1) Seminole residents push for a new cellphone tour

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7EB551206CAB8?p=AWNB

In Seminole County, FL, residents are frustrated with the poor cellphone service. They live in a neighborhood near Wekiwa Springs State Park and are asking the county board for a cellphone tour to be built at a nearby Baptist Church.

The problem is that the cellphone service near Wekiwa Springs State Park is very poor; many of the residents have to spend $250 to purchase a "signal booster" for their home.

The residents in the neighborhood near Wekiwa Springs State Park are the ones who have the problem.


2) THE NEXT STEP - Higher-paying jobs come to Orlando, but challenges remain

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7459B0F922520?p=AWNB

There are many higher-paying jobs coming to Orlando, such as those within the health industry. Construction jobs are opening up in 2016 as well; these jobs pay better than those of retail. Education is introduced to those of Orlando and neighboring areas; students are being trained to have better jobs, such as a career in computer simulation. There are potential gaps in jobs this year, such as a lack of people looking to work in retail.

The growth in higher-paying jobs leads to a decline in people willing to work in hospitality and retail. People strive to get an education and relocate themselves before they get sucked into the lower-wage job market of Orlando.

The tourist spots of Orlando are affected by this decline in lower-wage jobs; if they are understaffed, they are unable to give tourists the best experience possible.


3) Skate park demands on a roll - Advocates press issue in Apopka, Casselberry

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A5469683B93770?p=AWNB

In both Apopka and Casselberry adolescents are pushing officials to build a skate park. In Apopka, the Instagram page consistently gets comments about wanting a skate park. Kids are attempting to get this awareness due to the lack of local skate parks.

There are not any local skate parks in Apopka or Casselberry.

Adolescents of Apopka and Casselberry who enjoy skateboarding are the ones who have this problem.


4) Downtown UCF plan needs funds

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A3F629B34D6858?p=AWNB

UCF is attempting to raise $20 million on a tight deadline so that they could have a Downtown Orlando campus. They have asked for funding from the governor but he vetoed the plan. They plan to raise the $20 million by fundraising, get $20 million out of the school budget, and propose $20 million as a possibility from the state government. UCF has only raised $8 million out of the $20 million. If they can get the money in time, the downtown campus could be open in Fall 2018.

UCF needs $12 million in fundraising in order to make a start to build a downtown campus.

The ones with the problem are the people on UCF's Board of Governors.


5) Monkeys continue to explore beyond Silver Springs Park

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A05A4280796238?p=AWNB

It is estimated by University of Florida biologists that there are over 200 rhesus macaques in  silver Springs State Park in Ocala, FL. They have been there for 75 years and are native to Central and East Asia. There have been recent sightings in Lady Lake and The Villages. One of the sighting was at The Villages Elementary in Lady Lake; one monkey was on the roof as children were being dismissed from school. These monkeys possible carry the herpes-B virus and are known to be hostile.

The issue is that the monkeys are potentially dangerous to humans and have been wandering far from their ingrained habitat of Silver Springs State Park.

The residents of Lady Lake and The Villages are the ones with the problem.