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🌱 Most Businesses Will Stay Despite Crime + NSU Grad's Clothing Line

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Norfolk.

Posted Fri, Apr 1, 2022 at 6:49 pm ET|Updated Fri, Apr 1, 2022 at 10:10 pm ET

Good day, neighbors! Carla Varner here with today's issue of the Norfolk Daily.

First, today's weather:

Sunny to partly cloudy. High: 58 Low: 50.

Here are the top three stories in Norfolk today:

Over half of downtown Norfolk business owners (51 percent) strongly agree that they have reasons to be concerned that their businesses could suffer in light of the recent crimes in the area. Still, 54 percent maintained that they have not considered moving. The information was extracted from the 40 responses to a 13News Now Investigates online survey that was sent to downtown business owners. (13newsnow.com WVEC)
Ashley Jones, a Norfolk State University graduate and creator of a high-quality streetwear clothing line called Tones of Melanin, hopes to represent historically black colleges and universities in major department stores. Presently, the clothing line that celebrates "all shades of brownness" is in Dick's Sporting Goods, Belk, and 18 HBCU bookstores as well as on Fanatics.com. Jones started the graphic design business while she was an undergraduate at NSU. (8News)
Across the river from Norfolk is Mercy Chefs, a Portsmouth-based emergency relief organization that has been assisting Ukrainian refugees in Europe for more than four weeks. The faith-based nonprofit distributes "restaurant quality" prepared foods to Ukrainians crossing the border into Romania. "It's just inhumane what's being done to the people of Ukraine. To be here doing this is extremely rewarding," said Founder and CEO Chef Gary LeBlanc. (WYDaily)

Today in Norfolk:

757 Plant Swap - Spring Swap At Selden Market (10:00 AM)
The Dinner Detective Comedy Murder Mystery Dinner Show At Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront (6:00 PM)
Buckshot At Elevation 27 (8:00 PM)

From my notebook:

Just one look into the eyes of these cats, dogs, and bunnies will surely melt the hearts of those scrolling through this selection of pets in Norfolk area animal shelters. Save a life by adopting or fostering one or more. (Norfolk Patch)
The City of Norfolk is hosting two public service career fairs at MacArthur Center on Wednesday, Apr. 20 and Saturday, Apr. 23. The city is collaborating with the Hampton Roads Workforce Council and Norfolk Works to provide two "Interview Techniques" workshops. (News 3 WTKR Norfolk)
Norfolk police are gearing up to give out hundreds of free monthly bus and paratransit passes to senior citizens and adults with special needs. The Department's "Ticket to Ride" program is made possible through a grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Systems. (WAVY.com)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all Monday for another update!

— Carla Varner