1. County repeals plastic and Styrofoam ban
https://www.wcjb.com/content/news/Alachua-County-commissioners-vote-to-repeal-plastic-bag-and-styrofoam-ban-524378411.html
So because there are "bigger fish to fry" being a sustainable county is pushed to the back burner. Since the men in charge were thinking about the best interest of the taxpayers dollars, they decided to repeal the plastic bag and Styrofoam ban. Since there is a risk of being sued, the county commissioner decided to shift his priorities to something on the safe side.
The problem I immediately noticed is that we are now going backwards, and becoming a more unsustainable as a county.
The people with the problem is everyone, the residents of Alachua County, the taxpayers, and the commissioner. As a society and as a county we have obligations and duties to uphold. Having a clean, healthy environment where we teach kids to be resourceful and prudent, rather than wasteful and lavish is a must. By setting a poor example, people will follow your poor actions, so moving away from repealing and moving towards actions is what needs to be done, regardless of the scary court fees, Mr. Commissioner sir.
2. $1 City Slice replaces Oggi Italian
https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190911/restaurant-news-opus-coffee-1-city-slice-tacos-volcan
The previous Oggi Italian restaurant is being replaced by a more affordable version of Italian cuisine, $1 City Slice. The former owner realized that the crowd around town wasn't going to spend $20 on a plate of pasta, which is why, before selling it to other restaurateurs, they decided to shift from high end to affordable. One of their goals is to start a trend in their new restaurant of paying it forward, where someone can pay for the next person in line's slice and so on. They want to promote helping each other and a community feel.
The problem that they had was that they weren't getting enough business with the menu that they had and at the price point that they stood at, so they fixed it. However, I see another problem. If they are trying to draw a larger crowd to their restaurant I think they could have done it without sacrificing their upscale menu. I've been to Oggi Italian many times, it looks like you're taking a trip to Italy to visit your grandma. I think they could have kept their menu, changed their decor, started implementing nightly deals, and they would have been soaring.
Right now the only people with the problem are the owners, and they will wait and see how $1 City Slice does in comparison to Oggi Italian.
3. County to add $17 million in services in new budget year
https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190910/county-to-add-17-million-in-services-in-new-budget-year
I don't know much about taxes or how money is distributed in county's but I do know that $17 million is a big budget. The article talked a lot about property budget and fixing things like roads, and flooding issues. They were talking about raising minimum wage with this budget as well, which is amazing. Nowhere in the plans, however, did it say anything about allotting money to hand out for sustainability or environmental purposes. I think that all the issues they plan to fix with the money is great, but we just repealed a plastic bag ban and Styrofoam ban because of the lack of money, so why not put some of that budget back into education on sustainability and the built environment around us. Everyone living in Alachua county should care about the way we take care of the environment we live in, but unfortunately that is not the case. However, educating people would help spread the word.
4. UF Preview Costs exceed state limit
https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190907/uf-preview-costs-exceeded-state-limit
Preview is UF's mandatory version of orientation for incoming freshman. Students over the last ten years have been overcharged by UF's Preview when cheaper options were available. The state law limits orientation costs to $35. Since 2007, students have been overcharged three to five times the amount that the state limit allows. It was never made known to UF students that cheaper versions of Preview were available. The problem is obviously that we shouldn't be being overcharged for something mandatory and illegally overcharged by our own institution. Is it bad that I'm not surprised though? I think the people that have this problem are obviously the students, but also, soon enough, whoever allowed this for so long is going to have some serious problems as well.
5. Feds seize cash, money orders from Gainesville massage parlor
https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190904/feds-seize-cash-money-orders-from-gainesville-massage-parlor
Authorities seized almost $16,000 cash from a massage parlor during the investigation of a human trafficking case that led to the arrest of a Pensacola man. David C. Williams is the name of the man and he is undergoing charges for the money involved with the prostitution and for transporting these women cross country for prostitution purposes, and concealing and harboring people that should not have been in the U.S.
The problem is everything this man was doing was illegal but what is scary is that it was happening under our noses at a normal looking massage parlor. It's scary for our citizens to have that kind of activity going on but also for the woman who are being taken against their will.
https://www.wcjb.com/content/news/Alachua-County-commissioners-vote-to-repeal-plastic-bag-and-styrofoam-ban-524378411.html
So because there are "bigger fish to fry" being a sustainable county is pushed to the back burner. Since the men in charge were thinking about the best interest of the taxpayers dollars, they decided to repeal the plastic bag and Styrofoam ban. Since there is a risk of being sued, the county commissioner decided to shift his priorities to something on the safe side.
The problem I immediately noticed is that we are now going backwards, and becoming a more unsustainable as a county.
The people with the problem is everyone, the residents of Alachua County, the taxpayers, and the commissioner. As a society and as a county we have obligations and duties to uphold. Having a clean, healthy environment where we teach kids to be resourceful and prudent, rather than wasteful and lavish is a must. By setting a poor example, people will follow your poor actions, so moving away from repealing and moving towards actions is what needs to be done, regardless of the scary court fees, Mr. Commissioner sir.
2. $1 City Slice replaces Oggi Italian
https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190911/restaurant-news-opus-coffee-1-city-slice-tacos-volcan
The previous Oggi Italian restaurant is being replaced by a more affordable version of Italian cuisine, $1 City Slice. The former owner realized that the crowd around town wasn't going to spend $20 on a plate of pasta, which is why, before selling it to other restaurateurs, they decided to shift from high end to affordable. One of their goals is to start a trend in their new restaurant of paying it forward, where someone can pay for the next person in line's slice and so on. They want to promote helping each other and a community feel.
The problem that they had was that they weren't getting enough business with the menu that they had and at the price point that they stood at, so they fixed it. However, I see another problem. If they are trying to draw a larger crowd to their restaurant I think they could have done it without sacrificing their upscale menu. I've been to Oggi Italian many times, it looks like you're taking a trip to Italy to visit your grandma. I think they could have kept their menu, changed their decor, started implementing nightly deals, and they would have been soaring.
Right now the only people with the problem are the owners, and they will wait and see how $1 City Slice does in comparison to Oggi Italian.
3. County to add $17 million in services in new budget year
https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190910/county-to-add-17-million-in-services-in-new-budget-year
I don't know much about taxes or how money is distributed in county's but I do know that $17 million is a big budget. The article talked a lot about property budget and fixing things like roads, and flooding issues. They were talking about raising minimum wage with this budget as well, which is amazing. Nowhere in the plans, however, did it say anything about allotting money to hand out for sustainability or environmental purposes. I think that all the issues they plan to fix with the money is great, but we just repealed a plastic bag ban and Styrofoam ban because of the lack of money, so why not put some of that budget back into education on sustainability and the built environment around us. Everyone living in Alachua county should care about the way we take care of the environment we live in, but unfortunately that is not the case. However, educating people would help spread the word.
4. UF Preview Costs exceed state limit
https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190907/uf-preview-costs-exceeded-state-limit
Preview is UF's mandatory version of orientation for incoming freshman. Students over the last ten years have been overcharged by UF's Preview when cheaper options were available. The state law limits orientation costs to $35. Since 2007, students have been overcharged three to five times the amount that the state limit allows. It was never made known to UF students that cheaper versions of Preview were available. The problem is obviously that we shouldn't be being overcharged for something mandatory and illegally overcharged by our own institution. Is it bad that I'm not surprised though? I think the people that have this problem are obviously the students, but also, soon enough, whoever allowed this for so long is going to have some serious problems as well.
5. Feds seize cash, money orders from Gainesville massage parlor
https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190904/feds-seize-cash-money-orders-from-gainesville-massage-parlor
Authorities seized almost $16,000 cash from a massage parlor during the investigation of a human trafficking case that led to the arrest of a Pensacola man. David C. Williams is the name of the man and he is undergoing charges for the money involved with the prostitution and for transporting these women cross country for prostitution purposes, and concealing and harboring people that should not have been in the U.S.
The problem is everything this man was doing was illegal but what is scary is that it was happening under our noses at a normal looking massage parlor. It's scary for our citizens to have that kind of activity going on but also for the woman who are being taken against their will.
Hello Nicole,
ReplyDeleteI agree that Styrofoam and place bags are not good for the environment. I believe the government should make an incentive for people to bring their own bags and use reusable cups. The government could give grocery stores money for them to take off money on people’s bills if they brought in their own reusable bag.
Also, I love the idea $1 City Slice; however, I can see how it can quickly go out of business because the prices are just too cheap. I agree that the owners should have kept the old menu and advertised it more as a trip to Italy to visit your grandma instead of a place that is super cheap. For a customer, good experience is what keeps them coming.
Hi Nicole!
ReplyDeleteThese were great reads! As a professional pasta taste tester (personally appointed), I can say that I would not have a problem spending a bit more money on dinner, if it meant a good combination of fresh food and a quality and unique experience. However, a push to entirely change the style of a restaurant to
$1 for a slice of pizza is certainly a risk but I have to commend the owners for trying something different. It may not work out in the long-run but i expect for them to see some profits in the short term.