Identifying Local Opportunities

1) Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful tackles cigarette butt Receptacle installation targets problem at Apollo Beach Nature Preserve 

• http://www.tbo.com/south-shore/keep-tampa-bay-beautiful-tackles-cigarette-butt-litter-receptacle-installation-targets-problem-at-apollo-beach-nature-preserve-20160120/
• Apollo Beach has a nature preserve on the eastern side of Tampa Bay. Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (a national program), has decided to put ash receptacles along this nature preserve in hopes of eliminating cigar tips and cigarette butt litter. 
• The problem is the litter that is being created from cigars and cigarettes. According to research, tobacco products are the most littered item in America.
• Although those in Apollo Beach were the ones who decided to take action on this issue, this is a problem that occurs across the entire country.

2) It's time for tax filing, beware the scams

• http://www.tbo.com/south-shore/its-time-for-tax-filing-beware-the-scams-20160120/
• It is now tax season and local officials are worried about people trying to defraud others when they go to file their taxes. 
• The problem is that people use common names and give out fake badge or ID numbers. Many people are also victims of telephone impersonation fraud.
• Not every person will be a victim of this, but many people are. Because of this the local officials want everyone to be prepared and know what to look out for.

3) Neighbor's rally after New Year's Day house fire

• http://www.tbo.com/pasco-county/neighbors-rally-after-new-years-day-house-fire-20160108/
• On January 1, a house in Wesley Chapel caught fire. The family who lived there was not injured, but was renting the home which is now mostly burned in the front.
• The problem is that the family was left with almost nothing and had just moved here from California and do not know many people. However, neighbors are collecting items for them in attempts to help.
• The problem lies with Kriston Farley, a single mother of four children, as she now has to find a new place for her family to live while they reconstruct their burnt home.

4) Financial cutback needed at Hacienda

• http://www.tbo.com/Local/CommunityNews/financial-cutback-needed-at-hacienda-20151228/
• New Port Richey is attempting to restore an old Hacienda hotel but they greatly underestimated their budget when new bid packages were prepared.
• Certain construction companies have been afraid to attempt to fix parts of the building, such as the roof and have backed out the reconstruction all together. The city is saying that they are not going to rehabilitate doors and windows as part of the first phase of the reconstruction.
• The problem lies with the city because they don't seem to have enough money to finish this and they must complete their obligation before they turn the building over to investors.

5) Plant city church needs help to feed the needy

• http://www.tbo.com/plant-city/plant-city-church-needs-help-to-feed-the-needy-20151211/
• Around Christmas time, a church in Plant City was reaching out to those in the community to help them with giving the needy a good holiday season.
• The problem with the church was not having enough people to help them make this idea a success and give back to the less fortunate within the community.
• The real problem however, lies with those who are less fortunate than we are. The fact that there are those who needed donations of food, etc. to have a good holiday season is very sad.