Identifying Local Opportunities

Problem #1
1. Florida leads U.S. in new HIV cases after years of cuts in public health.
2. Link
3. While the rates of HIV decline across the country, Florida's rates of new HIV cases continue to increase, specifically in the Miami Dade area. Many believe this is due to the past four years of personnel health cuts that have shrunk the budgets of local health departments. Others think money is not the problem, but the silence on the subject from the state's top health officer, Dr. Armstrong. Still others believe there is not an increase at all, but that the increase in cases can be attributed to increased testing.
4. The problem is the increase in new cases of HIV/Aids.
5. This problem is primarily affecting the Miami Dade and Broward areas of Florida, specifically people who have unprotected sex or do not know enough about how to have safe sex.

Problem #2 
1. Women cops hope to arrest sexist behavior in GPD.
2. Link
3. GPD Captain Brian Helmerson is retiring after accusations of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. Some of the accusations include placing the cellphone of a female officer between his legs and saying "come and get it," as well as making comments about the bodies of female officers. However the concerns of these women went beyond the actions of one crude captain, but of a culture that tolerates treating female and male cops, and insubordinates, in a demeaning way.
4. The problem is the police culture that enables treating officers differently based on gender or rank, as well as making demeaning and inappropriate comments to colleagues.
5. This problem is primarily affecting the female lieutenants at GPD, but also affects male officers as well.

Problem #3
1. Are prescription medicines the new oil?
2. Link
3. Likening the increase of prescription medication to the increase in the price of oil, the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will focus on the topic of medication prices this upcoming Tuesday. Companies like Valeant Pharmaceuticals have taken heat for hiking prices up by more than 230%. Brand name medications can cost twice as much in the US as other countries, which the companies argue are to increase funding for new treatments.
4. The problem is the insane price of prescription medication and how these companies are able to control who receives medication by making them impossible for the average citizen to easily purchase.
5. This problem affects everybody, but the poor and the ill feel it more so than most.

Problem #4
1. Climate change could cost jobs in South Florida, says White House advisor
2. Link
3. Business leaders in South Florida see global warming as a threat to their future profitability and even existence. Yet if sea levels keep rising like they do, Miami property owners could lose billions of dollars from costal flooding. Simon, an activist, said that Florida had made more progress than many other states in reducing carbon emissions, but still has untapped potential in solar energy. This is because Florida's big utilities companies make the price of solar energy expensive due to competing interests. The mayor of Miami also stated that this plan to raise roads and install pumps in Miami has not received any funding from the state.
4. The problem is that global warming is beginning to affect the infrastructure of Miami and its businesses.
5. This problem affects everybody in the South Florida region and even beyond, and especially companies who profit of things like greenhouse emissions.

Problem #5
1. U.S.-Cuba commercial flights on the horizon
2. Link
3. American Airlines is hopeful that the airline will be flying regularly scheduled fights between the US and Cuba within the first half of this year, and Miami will play a big role in resumption of commercial flights to the island. Cuba also wants to be able to play planes into the US. This is a new competitive business venture for airlines.
4. The problem is in the routes that the airlines plan on taking and also in the qualifications you must have in order to qualify for these flights.
5. This problem affects airlines and people who want to travel either from Cuba to the US or from the US to Cuba.