Week 3: Identifying Local Opportunities

1.  Doctor: Boynton beach mold issue is a nationwide problemhttp://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/doctor-boynton-beach-mold-issue-is-a-nationwide-pr/np992/
   
   Dr. Mark Pamer is a pulmonologist, a specialist in respiratory tract illnesses and issues. He has been an unusual number of certain patients, firefighters that serve the city of Boynton Beach. They're meeting with the pulmonologist to determine if they have health issues that may have risen from the mold that was discovered in two of the city's fire stations. The city closed Stations 1 and 3 in October and December, respectively. According to the article, three dead mice and rodent feces were apparently found in a bathroom air duct and an air-quality test was able to confirm mold in the air duct.It's evident that the problem presented in the story and the local unmet need is the issue of mold, toxic air consumption, and the health-related consequences it may have on the locals who were affected by it. Additionally, the situation brings forth a broader issue of not taking care of buildings, which caused the mold and rodents to appear in the first place. The people who were clearly most affected by this problem were the local officials who serve the community and the city of Boynton Beach. The firefighters will continue to receive health tests to check for mold-related health issues while the Boynton Beach city officials will make a scrambling effort to contain and get rid of this mold problem.
   
2. Flights from WPB still delayed, canceled after Northeast blizzard
   http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/flights-from-wpb-still-delayed-canceled-after-nort/nqBp6/
   There was an extreme blizzard this past weekend that hit many areas of the northeast United States, causing up to 18 flight cancellations. Travel arrangements had to be changed last-minute, large amounts of travelers were stuck in the airport causing stress and frustration, as well as the customer service who had to deal with this.
   

   The problem is that the blizzard is trapping people in the city they a that they're in, basiccally stranding them from getting to their destination.The people who affected by this would be people who work for the airline, in the airports and customer service, but most importantly, the travelers who are trying to fly to their destinations.
   
3. Sewage plant worker up for 130k settlement of whistleblower suit
   http://westpalmbeat.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2016/01/25/sewage-plant-worker-up-for-130k-settlement-of-whistleblower-suit/A sewage plant worker, who fell through a broken railing and nearly tumbled into a sludge canal is expected to win a $130,000 settlement from the city after filing a whistleblower suit. The man, Joseph Grant, 48, sued in July, alleging he was fired for reporting the near-miss at the plant, where another worker drowned six months earlier. The lawsuit argued that Grant was fired in retaliation for filing a report that attested that “unsafe conditions existed".
   The problem is that, there are extremely unsafe working conditions in this sewage plant, because although Grant was fortunate enough to survive, another employee, Herminio Padilla Jr., died in a different part of the plant earlier in January. According to the article, "Padilla, a father of three, fell through a metal floor grating, plunged into a channel of sewage sludge and was lodged in a 42-inch pipe for more than a day before his body was found." Another problem is that this sewage plant unfairly fires its employees for as repurcussions, instead of taking care of them.
   The people who were affected by this problem was Grant, in his near-death and lawsuit, and Padilla, who unfortunately lost his life. Padilla's family clearly suffers from his death as well, with the loss of a husband and father, as well as a stable source of income for a family.
   
4. Rabies found in bat caught at Gardens; person put on shots
   http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/rabies-found-in-bat-caught-in-gardens-person-put-o/np9xF/
   A bat that was fount at a residence in Palm Beach Gardens tested positive for rabies. The person who handled it must receive a series of shots.
   The problem in that rabies is a highly dangerous disease. It is a disease of the nervous system and is fatal to warm blooded animals and humans. The only treatment for human exposure is rabies-specific immune globulin and rabies immunization. It is alarming that there was a case of it and human exposure, and improper and insufficient-timing treatment can cause an outbreak.
   The most affected by this, was the person who was exposed to the bat with rabies. He or she must now start treatment and is likely to be in quarantine for some time.
   
5. Most Palm Beach County stocks taking a beating in a volatile market
   http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/business/most-palm-beach-county-stocks-taking-a-beating-in-/np9w6/
   The stock market’s volatility has hit Palm Beach County companies hard. Only two of the 18 publicly traded companies headquartered in Palm Beach County have posted gains in 2016. According to the article, "The others posted losses ranging from 7 percent to 41 percent from the beginning of the year through late last week."
   The problem is that stock market's volatility is causing panic and uncertainty for investors as well as the firms who are having losses because of this.
   The most affected by this problem would be the firms who are losing money and future investors, which cause damage their profits as well. In addition, the investors are also affected as they are too nervous to invest in this unstable market.