🌱 Sudden Death Ruled As Homicide + Black History Museum Reopens

Hey, neighbors! It's Saturday in West End Alexandria and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on all the most important things happening in town. In this issue, you'll find these stories and more...

• Sudden death accident in Alexandria ruled as a gun violence-related homicide
• Local clinics impacted by abortion restrictions
• Alexandria Black History Museum celebrates its grand reopening this weekend

But first, your weekend weather:

• Saturday: A bit of snow and rain. High: 40 Low: 30.
• Sunday: Partly sunny and warmer. High: 59 Low: 40.
• Monday: Cooler with a few showers. High: 47 Low: 42.
• Tuesday: Decreasing clouds and breezy. High: 63 Low: 37.

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Here are the top five stories in West End Alexandria today:

1. A sudden death accident in Alexandria has been confirmed by the medical examiner as a homicide related to gun violence. The victim was identified as 21-year-old Nabel Chávez; the suspect, Junior Espinal Calix, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for the Feb. 17 incident. The Alexandria Police Department is urging witnesses to come forward with any information that could aid in the ongoing investigation. (Fairfaxtimes.com)
2. Restrictions on abortion access are impacting clinics in states that do not have these measures in place, including here in Virginia. Shaelin Nauta, Clinic Manager at Whole Woman's Health of Alexandria, said the practice is struggling to provide abortion care to women from neighboring states where access to the procedure has been banned or restricted. A new lawsuit by a conservative Christian group may soon end access to abortion pills throughout the country. (PBS NewsHour)
3. The Alexandria Black History Museum is celebrating its grand reopening tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 26. The museum, which had been closed for renovations, is now ready to welcome visitors and host in-house events. According to the museum website, the Black History Museum aims to "enrich the lives of Alexandria's residents and visitors, to foster tolerance and understanding among all cultures, and to stimulate appreciation of the diversity of the African American experience." (AlexandriaVA.gov via Facebook)
4. Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) and the NOVA Educational Foundation (NOVA Foundation) have successfully raised nearly $3.7 million to establish the NOVA Student Success Fund. The funds will go toward supporting the education of NOVA students experiencing financial instability. NOVA has six locations across Northern Virginia, including one in Alexandria. (Press Release Desk)
5. The Old Town Business Association invites the community to the 2023 Makers Mile, taking place today (Saturday, Feb. 25) and tomorrow (Sunday, Feb. 26) in Old Town Alexandria. Multiple local businesses will be participating in the event, in which attendees can explore the neighborhood and create a variety of arts and crafts. Registration is available at the link; as of Friday afternoon, there are only a few tickets left! (Old Town Business Association via EventBrite)

Coming up in West End Alexandria:

Saturday, February 25

• Old Town Farmers' Market At At Alexandria City Hall (7:00 AM)
• Alexandria Citizen's Swing Band Spring Fling At Del Ray United Methodist Church (2:30 PM)
• If I Loved You: Falling In And Out Of Love At The Rectory On Princess Street (5:00 PM)

Sunday, February 26

• Open Mic Night At Hops N Shine (6:30 PM)

Monday, February 27

• Computer Assistance At Charles E. Beatley Jr., Central Library (4:30 PM)

Tuesday, February 28

• Line Dancing At Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library (11:00 AM)

Wednesday, March 1

• Paws To Read At Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library (5:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Looking for a furry friend to call your own? Bruce Wayne, a black-and-white kitten, is just one of many adorable, adoptable pets currently in West End Alexandria-area shelters. (Note: Joker, the mixed-breed dog, has already been adopted as of Friday afternoon.) (West End Alexandria Patch)
• Whether you're in the market for a new home or just want to see what's out there, you can check out these two open houses down the road from West End Alexandria. Both are scheduled for this afternoon (Saturday, Feb. 25) at 2 p.m., one in Arlington and the other in Falls Church. (West End Alexandria Patch)
• The City of Alexandria is hosting a job fair on Monday, Feb. 27 and Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the Lee Center. To learn more or register for the event, visit alexandriava.gov/Jobs. (City of Alexandria, VA via Instagram)

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• Yates Automotive — (Visit website)
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Featured events:

• Old Town Alexandria Civil War Roundtable (February 25)
• Alexandria Citizen's Swing Band Spring Fling (February 25)
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That's it for today. I'll see you around!

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.