4 The Hampton Roads Messenger Editorial


Obtaining good health and wealth in 2021


than waiting for a check that may or may not arrive. People should at least have a plan to get back to earning their own income as soon as possible if they find themselves relying on unemployment benefits. Someone is going to eventually have to foot the bill for all of those stimulus and unemployment funds that are steadily being depleted. Cutting back on spending is


BY ANGELA JONES Where


also a great way to improve one’s financial standing. Although we want to support small businesses, like restaurants, make sure they are locally owned so that you will be supporting business owners in your community. Also, take safety precautions


and some saw doom and


gloom associated with 2020, others saw the year of a deadly pandemic, civil unrest and economic uncertainty as the perfect opportunity to improve their health and wealth. If you did not take advantage of the opportunity last year, it isn’t too late. However, before you can plan a successful future, you must understand your past. Even if you were not financially secure or in the best of health before the pandemic, now is a good time to look at where you need to improve. If you made a list of resolutions in January of 2020, review those goals and take note of how you fared in reaching them. If you did not achieve a goal, but would still like to succeed, add it to your list of 2021 goals. If you were one of the people


unfortunate who became


unemployed in 2020, you can reinvent yourself with a new career. There are plenty of people who took time during their unemployment period to start a business or go back to school. It is never too late to change careers or learn something new. Educational opportunities have never been greater than they are right now. Whether you prefer in-person learning or online, there are enormous opportunities to receive an education without cost. With a quick Google search, you can uncover the possibilities


for


scholarships for traditional colleges or uncover online academies that offer courses for free or with nominal fees. There are a number of industries are still hiring and allowing


that


employees to work from home. I know I have said this before but I do not believe I can stress enough the mistake I believe people make by relying solely on unemployment benefits. It is a safety net to be used only when there are no other options. It is far better to be in control of one’s income rather


choose to take your food home rather than eating in a restaurant where you will have to remove your mask and expose yourself to everyone else's germs while their mask is removed at the same time.


Speaking of protecting your


health, if you have not been wearing a mask and social distancing, start immediately; not doing so is like playing Russian Roulette. It is only a matter of time before you will get COVID-19 if you do not wear a mask, wash your hands frequently and


remain at least 6 feet from


anyone not living in your household. Protect yourself and your household members. We do not just want to think about surviving during this pandemic, we want to use this opportunity when things have slowed down to focus on long term health improvement. We want to exercise regularly and eat healthy foods so that we will emerge from this pandemic stronger and healthier than when it began. Improving one’s health could be as simple as walking 20 minutes a day, drinking more water and cutting back on the consumption of animal products. Getting out in the sun can have a huge impact on one’s health. Even some hospitals are using ‘sun therapy’ these days. It has been documented that vitamin D, which can be obtained from the sun, can improve COVID-19 outcomes. Whether you start a business or start writing a book or blog, new projects like these can do wonders for your mental health and may even garner another stream of income.


If


you are taking care of yourself, you will not have to rely on someone else or someone else’s vaccine to take care of you. Visit hamptonroadsmessenger. com for information on scholarships, vegan recipes and more ways to improve one’s health and wealth.


Frank J Owens Ins Agcy Inc Frank Owens, Agent 1776 Laskin Road Virginia Beach, VA 23454 Bus: 757-428-3101


Combine home and auto and save an average of


Volume 15 Number 4 Author Series FROM PAGE 3


the children’s book ,“What About Me? I’m Sad Too.: A Children’s Grief Activity Book.”


Deborah Frye shared her words of encouragement for authors and felt “What we have gone through , we are far more alike. No one is going through anything that a million others haven’t gone through. When you write your authentic story you’re going to tap into everyday people.”


Along with the featured


authors, Angela Jones, publisher of Hampton Roads Messenger


Confederate Statue The National Center for Education


FROM PAGE 1


Statistics reports: “In 2017–18, about 79 percent of public school teachers were White, 9 percent were Hispanic, 7 percent were Black, 2 percent were Asian, 2 percent were of Two or more races, and 1 percent were American Indian/Alaska Native; additionally, those who were Pacific Islander made up less than 1 percent of public school teachers. The percentage of public school teachers who were White and the percentage who were Black were lower in 2017–18 than in 1999–2000, when 84 percent were White and 8


January 2020


newspaper, hosted the event. Jones stated that in this pandemic, both young and old have been affected, and need support.


Each author shared where their books could be purchased for the holiday season, and can be found on the hamptonroadsmessenger. com.


The “Meet the Author Series” video link will be available for viewing on YouTube. There will be more featured authors throughout the year. Visit hamptonroadsmessenger for details.


percent were Black. In contrast, the percentage who were Hispanic was higher in 2017–18 than in 1999–2000, when 6 percent were Hispanic.” Each of the 50 U.S. states is


permitted to display two statues in the National


Statuary Hall


Collection. Replicas of Robert E. Lee and George Washington represented the state of Virginia for 111 years. Governor Northam has included $500,000 to replace Lee’s statue in the budget he introduced. If approved by the General Assembly, Johns will join George Washington in representing Virginia.


Here’s the deal, home + auto = savings.


$889* . I’m


ready to help you get the right coverage at the right price. Call me for a quote.


Established 2006 Angela Jones, Publisher Chris Parks, Editor


Sarah Parks, Graphic Designer Chance Meeting, Contributing Writer Sales and Information: info@hamptonroadsmessenger.com Copyright pertaining to contents of this edition. All rights reserved.


*Average annual per household savings based on a national survey by State Farm® of new policyholders who reported savings by switching to State Farm.


2019


State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company State Farm Indemnity Company State Farm Fire and Casualty Company State Farm General Insurance Company Bloomington, IL


State Farm County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas State Farm Lloyds Richardson, TX


State Farm Florida Insurance Company Winter Haven, FL


2001299


Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16