Identifying Local Opportunities

Deputies: Woman crashes car with baby inside after inhaling whippets

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/152949A3D3CFF1F8?p=AWNB

Description: A woman with a baby and her younger teenage sister in the car passed out while driving and crashed into a building. She was under the influence of drugs and was later arrested on the counts of child cruelty, inhaling dangerous drugs and destroying evidence. 

Problem: The problem presented here is that this woman was able to go to a store and buy a bottle of nitrous oxide cartridges and then completely misuse them. The problem is that there is no way to predict actions like this by consumers, there is always a way that a product can be used for other things then what it was intended for. It's very hard for producers to foresee this.    

How to get rid of old trees, lights

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A1A08C2CA02DD8?p=AWNB

Description: This article is basically a report on how people within the Gainesville community should dispose of their Christmas trees after the holidays. They describe the proper way to do so and what families must do when wanting to get rid of their tree. 

Problem: There are hundreds of trees purchased every season in Gainesville alone, and these trees are collected and then disposed off just as our trash is disposed. There could be a much more eco-friendly way to disposed of these trees. They could potentially be recycled or used for things as furniture or such.  

Putnam deputies give dog-fighting 
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A1A08C1C88CF40?p=AWNB

Description: Deputies broke up multiple dog fights and have been working on a huge case that could result in the capture of a large number of members of dog fighting rings around the state. Officers crashed a dog fight but everyone scattered as soon as they arrived, there were two dogs found on the scene and many more in the surrounding area.  

Problem: Even thought dog fights are both illegal and just ethically wrong many people see it as a sport to see animals fight for no apparent reason but entertainment. Officers have been working on this case for a few months but have been having a hard time keeping track of these groups because they move so much around the state. 

Cop on wrong side of line among year's top local crime stories

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A14DAAF8DAA060?p=AWNB

Description: "Former police officer Jeff McAdams was charged with stealing at least $56,000 from the local Fraternal Order of Police union chapter (also known as Gator Lodge No. 67)." McAdams was the president of the FOP chapter for fourteen years and over the years took charge of the chapters financials. His acquaintances described him as a man with very bad spending habits, and later proof was found of his spending of the union's money for private dinners, trips and hotel rooms.  

Problem: This is a man who was trusted with large amounts of money, he was entrusted with money that was not his and took over this responsibility of the Fraternal Order of Police and he was not able to handle it. The problem now is that the unit doesn't know who to trust of 14 years of a man lying to them and stealing money as he liked, when he liked. So the issue stands that its hard to entrust people with large quantities of money without any supervision. 

Adult, 5 teens injured when pickup hits tree in Levy County

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A0A46365EAA658?p=AWNB

Description: The driver was distracted while driving five teenagers and the car went of the road causing the two front passengers to hit the windshield and the other four who were in the  bed of the truck were thrown out. None of the passengers were wearing seat belts and were rushed to Shand's Hospital with serious injuries.  

Problem: None of the passengers were wearing seat belts, and there were four teenagers sitting in the bed of a truck while the truck was on the highway and the driver only received a citation. Five kids were in the hospital because he got distracted while driving them and he will only have to pay a fine for it? The problem is that he needs to have a much higher fine and for him to be a further example for the future.