Identifying Local Opportunities
Here are my local opportunities I came across in my local newspapers, they mainly came from Ocala.com.
Starting right off the bat we have:
1. "Restaurant Owners of Marion County Seek to Unite"
https://www.ocala.com/business/20200523/restaurant-owners-of-marion-county-seek-to-unite
Due to COVID-19 many local restaurants have been either been swamped because of the deal they made for take out orders, or they aren't creating enough at all. Now they can have dine in but people still are wary about it, however they are doing all they can. Such as wearing masks, giving paper menus and disinfecting all the time. It just isn't enough. Along with this, every restaurant here and throughout the world is dealing with higher prices, enforcing social distancing and implementing take out orders as a norm.
The Ocala restaurants problems aren't that people don't want to come in, they just aren't satisfied with take out and causing a major drop in orders.
The owners of the restaurants are the unfortunates ones, with this problem.
2. "Hotels in Marion County, U.S. Continue to Struggle"
https://www.ocala.com/business/20200522/hotels-in-marion-county-us-continue-to-struggle
Similar to my first link, hotels are starving because of COVID-19. Danny Gaekwad, owner of a two hotels in Ocala, and building another at the moment, went to Orlando to discuss the shortfall to Mike Pence. He explained how much he has lost, "Last year at the Holiday Inn, I did $340,000 in April. This year, $38,000,’” he said, noting it’s a similar story across the country." He urged Pence to reopen the economy because it wasn't going to Holiday Inn out of business it would be himself. Azim Saju, vice president of Ocala based HDG hotels, was also in the meeting. He mentioned how they have seen some improvement in numbers since phase 1. As well as this, they noticed hotels near state parks are doing better because they have the advantage of outdoor activities near by.
The problem is the lack of travel through Ocala as well as the small percentage of people that are allowed to stay in these hotels, due to phase 1.
Just like the restaurants, the owners are the ones with the problem, as well as those who need to stay but the hotel is at max capacity. With this hotel chains, such as Holiday Inn are losing money because of COVID-19 too.
3. "Ocala sets Registration Requirements for Golf Carts in Downtown Area"
https://www.newsbreak.com/florida/ocala/news/0P9ONG8Z/ocala-sets-registration-requirements-for-golf-carts-in-downtown-area
Before I paraphrase this article, I wanted you to know the historical part of Ocala, which is downtown is also a giant neighborhood. Where everyone has a golf cart, however no one has been able to drive them to the square until this. With this, I think this will go very wrong because Ocala people do not know how to drive, and now adding golf carts in the hub of "fun" should cause some interesting news.
Carrying on, the article explains how with a one-time fee of 30 dollars you can purchase a registration for your golf cart or "mini" truck. Thus allowing anyone with a golf cart or "mini" truck can now drive downtown on designated streets. They will have a decal that displays registration so law enforcement can be useful during an accident or theft.
However there is no problem in the article, it will definitely arise because of it. Having a new downtown system put in place not too long ago, as well as construction of a hotel, adding golf carts will only cause more stress to drivers going through downtown.
This is a problem for drivers who need to get through and not deal with slower traffic because people are driving slow just for fun.
4. "Canadians Can't get Refund after COVID-19 Forces Cancellation of Visit to The Villages"
https://www.villages-news.com/2020/05/25/canadians-cant-get-refund-after-covid-19-forces-cancellation-of-visit-to-the-villages/
After Bob and Carolyn Dawson, realized that they cannot come into the country for their eighth visit because the boarders are closed, to reduce spread of the virus. Thus they wanted a refund on their rental which was a 3200 dollars. However that refund never came about. Because they have never entered the property they cannot get their deposit back. They believe this is ridiculous and outrageous, people should not be greedy, especially during this time.
The problem is the lack of refunded money, it really is just greedy people trying to win during this time.
Unfortunately the couple in this article are the ones who have the problem, because now they have to find some way to get back that money, or they just left with no vacation that cost them 3200.
5. "Bandits Sought After 14-foot 1968 Boston Whaler goes Missing"
https://www.ocala-news.com/2020/05/23/bandits-sought-after-14-foot-1968-boston-whaler-goes-missing/
This article is very short, it revolves around a missing boat. The culprits have not been caught and they are actively searching and asking the public to search as well.
The problem isn't the missing boat, its the culprits that have stolen. However in the picture the boat did seem to be in an open area which caused them to be able to steal easily. Having an enclosed garage could have lessen the chance of the missing boat, however the thieves are still the main problem.
The owner has the problem, they have to find the boat. But as well as them, the police have to search as well, this is a nuisance to everyone involved in searching.
Starting right off the bat we have:
1. "Restaurant Owners of Marion County Seek to Unite"
https://www.ocala.com/business/20200523/restaurant-owners-of-marion-county-seek-to-unite
Due to COVID-19 many local restaurants have been either been swamped because of the deal they made for take out orders, or they aren't creating enough at all. Now they can have dine in but people still are wary about it, however they are doing all they can. Such as wearing masks, giving paper menus and disinfecting all the time. It just isn't enough. Along with this, every restaurant here and throughout the world is dealing with higher prices, enforcing social distancing and implementing take out orders as a norm.
The Ocala restaurants problems aren't that people don't want to come in, they just aren't satisfied with take out and causing a major drop in orders.
The owners of the restaurants are the unfortunates ones, with this problem.
2. "Hotels in Marion County, U.S. Continue to Struggle"
https://www.ocala.com/business/20200522/hotels-in-marion-county-us-continue-to-struggle
Similar to my first link, hotels are starving because of COVID-19. Danny Gaekwad, owner of a two hotels in Ocala, and building another at the moment, went to Orlando to discuss the shortfall to Mike Pence. He explained how much he has lost, "Last year at the Holiday Inn, I did $340,000 in April. This year, $38,000,’” he said, noting it’s a similar story across the country." He urged Pence to reopen the economy because it wasn't going to Holiday Inn out of business it would be himself. Azim Saju, vice president of Ocala based HDG hotels, was also in the meeting. He mentioned how they have seen some improvement in numbers since phase 1. As well as this, they noticed hotels near state parks are doing better because they have the advantage of outdoor activities near by.
The problem is the lack of travel through Ocala as well as the small percentage of people that are allowed to stay in these hotels, due to phase 1.
Just like the restaurants, the owners are the ones with the problem, as well as those who need to stay but the hotel is at max capacity. With this hotel chains, such as Holiday Inn are losing money because of COVID-19 too.
3. "Ocala sets Registration Requirements for Golf Carts in Downtown Area"
https://www.newsbreak.com/florida/ocala/news/0P9ONG8Z/ocala-sets-registration-requirements-for-golf-carts-in-downtown-area
Before I paraphrase this article, I wanted you to know the historical part of Ocala, which is downtown is also a giant neighborhood. Where everyone has a golf cart, however no one has been able to drive them to the square until this. With this, I think this will go very wrong because Ocala people do not know how to drive, and now adding golf carts in the hub of "fun" should cause some interesting news.
Carrying on, the article explains how with a one-time fee of 30 dollars you can purchase a registration for your golf cart or "mini" truck. Thus allowing anyone with a golf cart or "mini" truck can now drive downtown on designated streets. They will have a decal that displays registration so law enforcement can be useful during an accident or theft.
However there is no problem in the article, it will definitely arise because of it. Having a new downtown system put in place not too long ago, as well as construction of a hotel, adding golf carts will only cause more stress to drivers going through downtown.
This is a problem for drivers who need to get through and not deal with slower traffic because people are driving slow just for fun.
4. "Canadians Can't get Refund after COVID-19 Forces Cancellation of Visit to The Villages"
https://www.villages-news.com/2020/05/25/canadians-cant-get-refund-after-covid-19-forces-cancellation-of-visit-to-the-villages/
After Bob and Carolyn Dawson, realized that they cannot come into the country for their eighth visit because the boarders are closed, to reduce spread of the virus. Thus they wanted a refund on their rental which was a 3200 dollars. However that refund never came about. Because they have never entered the property they cannot get their deposit back. They believe this is ridiculous and outrageous, people should not be greedy, especially during this time.
The problem is the lack of refunded money, it really is just greedy people trying to win during this time.
Unfortunately the couple in this article are the ones who have the problem, because now they have to find some way to get back that money, or they just left with no vacation that cost them 3200.
5. "Bandits Sought After 14-foot 1968 Boston Whaler goes Missing"
https://www.ocala-news.com/2020/05/23/bandits-sought-after-14-foot-1968-boston-whaler-goes-missing/
This article is very short, it revolves around a missing boat. The culprits have not been caught and they are actively searching and asking the public to search as well.
The problem isn't the missing boat, its the culprits that have stolen. However in the picture the boat did seem to be in an open area which caused them to be able to steal easily. Having an enclosed garage could have lessen the chance of the missing boat, however the thieves are still the main problem.
The owner has the problem, they have to find the boat. But as well as them, the police have to search as well, this is a nuisance to everyone involved in searching.
Hi Rachel
ReplyDeleteI hope you are fine, healthy, and keeping the social distancing.
Opportunity 1-
I happened to review this type of problem when doing Task 6A. Living in Florida -a state where the economy relies heavily on the Food and Beverage industry- makes you think and concern about all these businesses that will not survive or that will struggle to adapt. I think the struggle could be relieved by networking. I think these businesses should find a way to help each other instead of aggressively compete.
The other articles were also very illustrative and show how opportunities are everywhere.
Have a good day.
Hey Rachel!
ReplyDeleteI think you have done a great job identifying local opportunities. I have noticed that many of the opportunities that you and I have both chose reflect around the coronavirus. News coverage lately, before the riots, were all over the topic of how individual people, businesses and industries as a whole have been affected by the virus. This is great work, stay safe!
Hey Rachel,
ReplyDeleteYou did a good job gathering a variety of opportunities at the local level. Although a lot of opportunities had to do with COVID-19, they were all different aspects of it and were addressed at different levels. I like how you noticed that with regards to many businesses, the owners are the ones facing the problem are in need of any help they can get, especially during these difficult times.
Great Job!