If you have any questions about the information listed... just E-mail Monica.

• Community Minute for 2006
• Community Minute for 2007
• Community Minute for the Week of February 24, 2008
• Community Minute for the Week of February 17, 2008
• Community Minute for the Week of February 10, 2008
• Community Minute for the Week of February 3, 2008
• Community Minute for the Week of January 27, 2008
• Community Minute for the Week of January 20, 2008
• Community Minute for the Week of January 13, 2008
• Community Minute for the Week of January 6, 2008
• Community Minute for the Week of December 31, 2007

COMMUNITY MINUTE 03/09/08-03/16/08

Mon. 03/10/08
Did you have a busy weekend? There was so much going on. I hope you and your family had a chance to relax, because this week will be a little stressfull with the FCAT exams. Mom, Dad, grandma – there are some ways to help prepare them from home and that's by providing a stress free environment for them – make sure your genius gets in bed early and always has a nutritious breakfast to start their day...

Proper nutrition is vital – in fact the brain uses a quarter of the energy produced by the body. Breakfast can consist of cereal with low fat milk or eggs and toast with jelly. Energy bars are good, nutritious snacks and so are fresh fruits or fat free yogurt and even a couple of pieces of dark chocolate...yep that's a good energy boost – so use it as a treat for your child.

Remind your student to steer clear of snacks with a lot of sugar or refined carbs and keep them hydrated by drinking lots of water. This is a good time to stretch those muscles too, get out and take a walk. or do anything that you can do together. Remember this is a stressful time...eating, exercising and sleeping well – will help reduce the pressure and if they've studied all we can do now is PRAY!

Tues. 03/11/08
Quick, what's the first thing that comes to mind when I say the word money? Do you get nervous? Do your palms get sweaty? Many people cringe at the mention of money or the mention of credit scores. But to overcome this fear, it is important to be educated on financial basics. Today and tomorrow we'll go over the top five financial tips for African Americans.

Tip one, avoid Pay Day Loans. Pay day loans work by you borrowing the money with the promise of giving the lender an asset like your pay-check or your car a few weeks later. The fee charged is typically very high and borderline highway robbery

Tip two; Check cashing establishments are not bank accounts. Although they may be convenient, over time the amount that is paid in check cashing fees will leave you out of pocket. Some people rely on check cashing establishments due to bad credit history and closed accounts.

Come on family – we can do better – Join STAR 94.5 Wednesday along with Bank of America and 5th 3rd Bank at our Jena Town Hall meeting at Jones High School.

Wed. 03/12/08
Yesterday we began talking about the top five financial tips for African Americans. Some people get nervous and cringe at the mention of money. But these tips will help you get over that fear and get on towards financial freedom.

Tip three: Watch the number of credit cards you keep. The average American has seven credit cards. This means that while you're credit rich, you may be money poor. If you only pay the minimum each month on high interest credit cards, your payment will really only cover the interest with only a small amount going toward the bottom line.

Tip four: Acquire real assets to build net worth. Rather than investing in designer clothes, cars, and jewelry ALL assets that will depreciate over time, invest in stocks, bonds, and real estate.

Tip five: Stop co-signing for loans. While it may be tempting to help a friend or family member by co-signing you must remember that as a co-signor of a loan, you also agree to the terms of the contract. Any late payments or defaults on the loan can impact your credit wanna know more – see ya tomorrow night at Jones High School 6pm – STAR Cares about our community.

Thurs. 03/13/08
Thanks for coming out to Jena in our Community – the meeting on finance last night at Jones High School. It was great...our speakers were phenomenal. There is so much we need to learn as a people in order to move forward financially – but I know with more meetings like this we can do it. If you weren't able to attend and need your questions answered, email them to me on the ASK Monica page at STAR94fm.com – click community and that'll put you in touch.

A big thanks goes to principal Brigette Williams and Michael Gladden from Jones High. Along with their staff and students, they are always so cordial and accommodatingm even in the midst of FCAT, we love you much, thanks....

Our next Jena meeting will focus on teen dating violence. It's something we need to focus on...again – 2 more young ladies killed on their college campus – whether it was a matter of dating or not – we need to prepare our kids to take care of themselves when they go off to college. I'll keep you posted on that date. Stay in touch with what's going on in our community through STAR94fm.com....STAR Cares about our community

Fri. 03/14/08
We're still in the throes of the FCAT exam and for those of you with kids in school it affects an entire household. The American Acadmey of Pediatrics reminds us that our kids success increases in school when parents take an active interest in their homework, their extracurricular activities and now during this very stressful test taking time – their health during the FCAT...once this is over – which isn't until the week after next – make it your business to get to know more about what's happening in your childs school. Learn their teachers name and become involved.

The 3rd Annual FCAT mall is tomorrow at Ivey Lane in the cafeteria. If your student attends the school they're able to come out and shop for gifts from the points they've earned for good grades and attendance. What a great incentive for students!

COMMUNITY CONNECTION
Sun. 03/16/08
Monica discusses the historical Moore house restoration. Tune in...