5 things you need to know happening in Florida on Wednesday, September 26

TAMPA - Here are five things you need to know happening in Florida on Wednesday, September 26.

(1) Quinnipiac University poll

Quinnipiac University in coordination with CBS News and The New York Times released a new presidential swing poll on Wednesday.

The poll asked likely voters in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania regarding their opinions about the matchup between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney and issues surrounding the campaign.

The poll finds President Obama leads Romney in each of the three states: 53% to 44% in Florida, 53% to 43% in Ohio and 54 to 42% in Pennsylvania.

Quinnipiac University found likely voters are saying the President can handle the economy better than Romney.

For a more detailed analysis of the poll, visit www.quinnipiac.edu/polling .

(2) Anti-Carrollwood Walmart protest

Residents in the Carrollwood neighborhood of Hillsborough County who are upset about a proposed Walmart store begin three weeks of protests on Wednesday.

The 90-minute protests will start at 7:30 a.m. at the corner of Floyd Road and Dale Mabry Highway. Following today's demonstration, residents plan to protest Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings until a zoning hearing occurs on October 15.

The developer is proposing building a Walmart Neighborhood Grocery and a Wa Wa convenience store/gas station on the property.

Neighbors fear the grocery store and gas station would increase the traffic in the area, especially on Floyd Road. They claim there is no need for another grocery store in the area as there are already four stores on Dale Mabry between Linebaugh and Fletcher Avenues.

(3) Opportunity Knocks: Putting P3's to Work

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn will speak at a public forum on public/private partnerships on Wednesday.

Titled "Opportunity Knocks: Putting P3's to Work," the event will bring together various panelists to discuss the benefits of private businesses working closely with local governments.

Beside Mayor Buckhorn, other speakers include Tim Baker, Baker Barrios Architects Founding Principal and Architect; Karen Holbrook, University of South Florida Senior Vice President of Global Affairs, Research and Innovation; and Ken Stoltenberg, Developer of Grand Central at Kennedy.

The forum will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the University of South Florida's CAMLS building in downtown Tampa. It is free and open to the public.

(4) Michio Kaku lecture

World-renowned physicist Dr. Michio Kaku will speak at a lecture at MOSI on Wednesday night.

The 65-year-old Kaku is a New York Times bestselling author and a popular "communicator" of science. He holds the Henry Semat Chair in the department of Theoretical Physics at the City College of New York of City University of New York.

Tonight's lecture is part of the Frontier Forum lecture series, which is presented by the USF Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Faculty and sponsored by the USF Office of the Provost, USF College of Arts and Sciences and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

The lecture begins at 6:30 p.m. in the MOSI Auditorium. It is free and open to the public. If you plan on attending, it is suggested you arrive early as space is limited.

For more information on Dr. Michio Kaku, visit his website at mkaku.org or follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/michiokaku .

(5) National Women's Health & Fitness Day

Wednesday is the National Women's Health & Fitness Day. It is the nation's largest annual health event for women of all ages.

Always held on the last Wednesday in September, the program focuses attention on the importance of regular physical activity and health awareness for women.

More than 1,000 groups across the county will host women's health and fitness events at health clubs, hospitals, park and recreation centers, senior centers, schools, retirement communities and other locations.

An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 women of all ages are expected to participate in events today.

For more information, visit www.fitnessday.com .