Man Pleads Guilty in Rape Case — “An Alexandria nurse pleaded guilty Thursday to a 2016 rape solved using a genealogical database. Jesse Bjerke, 38, followed a 24-year-old lifeguard to the local pool where she worked one day that September, pointed a gun at her head and assaulted her. He confessed Thursday in Alexandria Circuit Court to rape, abduction and gun crimes.” [Washington Post, WTOP]
Vigil for Homicide Victim — “A candlelight vigil is planned to honor an Alexandria homicide victim. The vigil for De’shon Jenkins, 21, will happen Friday, Oct. 18 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the 300 block of South Reynolds Street, where the crime occurred.” [Patch]
Film Screening at AMC Hoffman Center — “Join us to learn about Claudia Lacy’s quest for justice following the hanging death of her son Lennon. Filmmaker Jacqueline Olive’s Sundance Film Festival award-winning documentary Always in Season confronts the trauma of more than a century of lynching African Americans as it bleeds into the present.” [Facebook]
Cat Cafe Planning to Open This Spring — “A dozen or so new tenants are coming to 109 S. Alfred St. this spring, and they’re ready to cuddle. Mount Purrnon, Alexandria’s first cat café, doesn’t have centuries of history like its namesake but, when it opens in spring 2020, co-owners Kristen Cowen and Adam Patterson aim to bring cats, wine and a hot new business concept to Old Town.” [Alexandria Times]
Recent Stories

Bespoke women’s clothing designer, A.Oei Studio, is opening a fashion pop-up in Old Town Alexandria.
From Feb 2nd – March 29th, shop contemporary ready-to-wear pieces, view unique textile selections, and schedule a fitting for custom-made dresses, bridal and qipao.
Handcrafted in D.C., A.Oei Studio aims to offer an alternative vision of fashion – one that is centered around sustainability, artistry and personalized services.

Hi, my name is Moneim Z., and I am a blind male with chronic kidney disease, who needs a living kidney donor for a transplant. My blood type is B+, and I can accept a kidney from individuals who have blood types B and O.
To read my story, please see the attached letter.
To contact me directly, please email me at [email protected] or call at 571-428-5065. My living donor coordinator at INOVA Hospital, Amileen Cruz can be reached at (703) 776-8370 , or via email at [email protected]
Thank you!