Saturday, December 21Hampton Roads Weekly
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Community

Insider Insight from Virginia’s Queen of Green

Insider Insight from Virginia’s Queen of Green

Business
I walk through the doors of my once-favorite boutique in Virginia Beach and am met with an exciting shock of sensory-overload. Dr. Kara Coe, a national philanthropist and entrepreneur, has transformed the 6,000 square foot space into an epic luxury retail smoking experience. About one third of the building is an Alice in Wonderland themed smoke shop, complete with shelves of artisan smoking accessories and a granite custom craft e-nic juice bar. The remainder of the building is a plush members-only smoking lounge filled with smiling customers. Just to get to Coe's office with an appointment, I am vetted two times by security guards who were once Navy SEALS. When I reach her office, I am met with her warm smile and the heady scent of midnight flowers coming from the candles lit inside....
Is Regionalism Right for Hampton Roads?

Is Regionalism Right for Hampton Roads?

Business
Is Regionalism Right for Hampton Roads? - HRW Interview with Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer The idea of regionalism is one that has been discussed for years.  Now it will receive more attention as we explore the best way to move ahead together post-COVID.  The strength of Hampton Roads is our diverse economic drivers and geographic composite.  That is also one of our greatest challenges.  Since Hampton Roads is essentially a “cul-de-sac” and we do not have a single voice to speak for all of our cities and counties, we must continuously work harder to attract new business than the average locality in the United States.  Our region is the 39th largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) in the Country.  We as a region must do more to work together to attrac...
Get Ready To Bounce Back

Get Ready To Bounce Back

Business, Community
by Michael D. Cohen, Ph.D While we’re all bunkered at home there’s plenty to be concerned about - including those closest to us, our families, friends, colleagues, and businesses.  All are taking a hit.  Friends we’ve known for over twenty years are sick with COVID-19 but recovering.  Friends are losing their businesses, and some their own jobs.  While all of this is happening Tiger King is dominating online conversation, so you know something is more than a little off in America. But the most visionary among us are looking to what happens next, because surely this, too, shall pass.  The other side of the curve will get here at some point and then we will be looking at each other wondering how we CTRL-ALT-DELETE our lives and our businesses.  While I see...
Hampton Roads Weekly helps honor Wave Leadership College with Senior Student Essays

Hampton Roads Weekly helps honor Wave Leadership College with Senior Student Essays

Community
By Alexandra Clark Wave Leadership College has something that no other college has as their foundation. That is love and hope. Without one you cannot have the other. Ironically, these were the two biggest lessons this college has taught me. The Marine Corps taught me to be independent but what they did not teach me was how to depend on the one who made me. That eventually led me down a path of a life without love and no hope in the future. See, we aren’t meant to do this alone and not just with God either. We are meant to do life as one united race, the human race, with God guiding us through our relationship with Him.  None of these things are directly taught to us in the classroom. It is taught through each other, our professors, and the Holy Spirit. By answering the call ...
Catholic Schools: Boldly Putting Kids First

Catholic Schools: Boldly Putting Kids First

Community
Any parent of a kid with disabilities will tell you, more than anything else in the world, their child just wants to fit in. Not easy when you’re a little different. My son doesn’t mind if I tell you he has severe learning disabilities. He’s worked hard his whole life to overcome them. But I still remember his look of surprise and relief on the morning of his first day of 1st grade at St. Gregory the Great in Virginia Beach. We held hands as we walked from the parking lot to the line for his class. He was taking deep breaths and squeezing my hand.  Then he caught sight of his classmates and his first-day nervousness evaporated . “We’re all wearing the same thing!” he exclaimed. The 26 or so children in his class were all dressed as he was, in khaki shorts, polo shirt...
Hampton Roads Weekly helps honor Wave Leadership College with Senior Student Essays

Hampton Roads Weekly helps honor Wave Leadership College with Senior Student Essays

Community
by Christopher Fagan Wave Leadership College has been an amazing experience! It’s crazy to think that my two years here are already coming to an end. I have made my closest friends and have built relationships with my professors that I know will last for years. At Wave Leadership College, not only did I receive general education like literature and science, I have learned more about the Bible and have been further equipped for what ever life may bring me in the future.             Throughout my two years at WLC, I have learned some great life skills and lessons. But two lessons that have stuck with me is for sure accountability and responsibility. Accountability has been a very important aspect within Bible College. Not only for ...
Why, today, do we love to hate?

Why, today, do we love to hate?

Community
by Caleb Knox Caleb Knox is a senior at First Colonial’s Legal Studies Academy, where he is the captain of the debate and forensics teams, and a national and state champion. He’s looking to study politics, philosophy and economics. Caleb is a church intern, and enjoys public speaking and debating with his four siblings. If you were to ask what people believe is the greatest threat facing our nation right now, you could expect a wide variety of answers. Among concerns of Coronavirus, gun violence or immigration, there would likely be mention of our national divides. Incoming research from political scientists is showing us that Americans no longer hold a shared sense of national identity. More than ever Republicans and Democrats view the other as being motivated by hate, while their p...
Established And Emerging Leaders of Hampton Roads

Established And Emerging Leaders of Hampton Roads

Business
Andy Hodge  Atlantic Union Bank Regional President, Coastal Virginia What drew you to Atlantic Union Bank at this stage in your career?   After spending 15+ years with two large national banks, BB&T and PNC, I was drawn to a smaller, regional bank where I could have more impact on the business.  Atlantic Union Bank’s executive leadership team is second to none – smart, diverse and dynamic, as opposed to the typical executive leadership teams you see in most banks.  The story resonates – we are building a Virginia Bank that harkens back to a time when the Commonwealth had numerous dominant banks.  My team and region contribute directly to the Bank’s performance and our presence is felt.  At the same time, we are able to make decisions on our cl...
My Favorite Thing About COVID-19

My Favorite Thing About COVID-19

Community
There are many things that I have not enjoyed about this COVID-19 season.  As a matter of fact, I've often described the last few months as navigating a boat regularly capsizing.  Once again I’m  flipping the boat back over, bailing out the water, and rowing furiously to continue forward.  This year has worn on us all in many ways, but the innovative thinkers have been able to assess the new climate and pivot appropriately in order not to fail.  What a beautiful representation of the ingenuity of our great people. And while I lament the loss of a simpler time, my heart bursts with pride at the beautiful community which now emerges.  Remember when business was dog-eat-dog?  When people didn’t have time to sit and eat a meal with their families?  Remember when everyone around you was usua...
Seniorcare

Seniorcare

Community
Can a smile a day help keep the doctor away? In the concern over the spread of Coronavirus, and the potential vulnerability of seniors, let us remember the strength of a smile, as backed by science. We know the basics of a healthy immune system - eat fruits and veggies, drink water, rest, move our body, wash our hands, get some sunshine/Vitamin D, and keep stress low. Our precious senior community, and those helping care for them, need extra common sense approaches to minimize spreading germs. But in the midst of concern, smiles can help contribute to excellent care. Science proves the simple act of smiling lowers stress and boosts our immune system. Neurologist Dr. Isha Gupta explains that a smile releases brain hormones. “Dopamine increases our feelings of happiness. Serotoni...