Press Releases

Tysons, VA December 26 – Preparing to combat that time of year when according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, well over a third (37%  New Year’s, NHTSA, 2022) of U.S. traffic deaths involve drunk drivers, a local nonprofit organization is readying for the year-end holiday by announcing that free safe rides will be offered to would-be drunk drivers throughout the Washington-metropolitan area this New Year’s..

Offered by the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), the 2024 Holiday SoberRide® program – which has run nightly this month since December 13^th — will be in operation beginning at 10:00 pm on New Year’s Eve (Tuesday, December 31, 2024) and operate until 4:00 am on New Year’s Day (Wednesday, January 1, 2025) as a way to keep local roads safe from impaired drivers during this traditionally high-risk holiday period.

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, and Gov. Glenn Youngkin received a classified briefing at the Capitol from the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and the FBI regarding the ongoing investigation into the unexplained drone sightings in Virginia. Following the briefing, they issued the following statement:

“While we appreciate the agencies taking the time to update us on the situation, this briefing was insufficient and unsatisfactory. It has been more than a year since these sightings over key military facilities in Virginia and the lack of answers about the nature, intent, and origin of these incidents is completely unacceptable. The safety of Virginians remains our top priority, and we are determined to continue pressing for additional details as well as greater coordination with state and local officials. We will be staying in close contact with the relevant federal and state agencies to ensure that these concerns are pursued vigorously.”

RICHMOND, Va. — ‘Tis the season for colorful lights, holiday jingles, and increased travel throughout Virginia. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has travel resources available to help make the trip as smooth as eggnog.

VDOT will be suspending many highway work zones and lifting temporary lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia from noon on Tuesday, Dec. 24, until noon on Thursday, Dec. 26, as well as from noon on Tuesday, Dec. 31, until noon on Thursday, Jan. 2.

(Arlington, VA) November 27, 2024 – Arlington Transit workers overwhelmingly ratified their first contract with Transdev as members of ATU Local 689 this week. After months of negotiations, the ratified contract marks another major step forward for ART workers who will now be working under a strong union contract which guarantees competitive pay and improved working conditions. Throughout the negotiations which began in May, the Union fought to drastically improve the quality of life for ART workers who were the lowest paid transit workers in the region.

“For years, ART workers have performed exemplary transit work in a dense, heavy traffic area while being the lowest paid transit workers in the region. With this new contract, ART workers will finally have competitive pay reflective of their dedication and skill,” said ATU Local 689 President Raymond Jackson. “I commend ART workers who stood together during the prolonged contract talks and through their solidarity, won a strong contract. ATU 689 will continue to advocate for our members at the bargaining table and put workers on a path towards a better future.”

ARLINGTON, VA, October 30, 2024 – The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) served supplemental groceries to 4,533 families – over 11,000 individuals – during their annual ‘Turkey Week’ distributions from November 18-23. While these statistics are record-breaking for the non-profit organization, AFAC was prepared for the influx in clients as they have steadily served over 4,000 families since October 2024. These historic numbers highlight that the need for food assistance in Arlington County is greater than ever, especially during the holiday season.

AFAC’s Turkey Week is an annual tradition providing families with whole turkeys, chicken roasters and miscellaneous Thanksgiving items, in addition to the regularly distributed groceries, to help them prepare a holiday meal. Providing access to choose foods that meet the cultural needs of AFAC’s diverse client base is a main priority throughout the year and especially during the giving season.

Arlington, VA — The Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Lauren Lipsey as its new President & CEO. Lauren will officially begin her new role on November 22, 2024, succeeding Sam Wolbert, who will be moving from the area and stepping down on December 15, 2024. .

Lauren Lipsey joins AWLA after a distinguished career in animal welfare, including leadership roles with the Humane Society of the United States, the Humane Rescue Alliance, and, most recently, the Council of the District of Columbia. Lauren brings a wealth of expertise and a deep commitment to AWLA’s mission of improving the lives of animals and people by providing resources, care, and protection.

Arlington, VA – Hotel workers at four Northern Virginia Hilton hotels voted overwhelmingly last week to ratify a new four-year contract with historic wage gains of over 19 percent in addition to significant benefit increases. The agreement was reached between the union and bargaining representatives from Hilton on Tuesday, October 29.

Contract highlights include:

RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin today issued Executive Order 43, Empowering and Supporting Parents to Protect Their Children from Addictive Social Media & Establishment of the Reclaiming Childhood Task Force, to tackle a critical aspect of Virginia’s youth mental health crisis, the unrestricted use of cell phones and addictive social media platforms.

The Governor will discuss EO 43 later today during Virginia’s Reclaiming Childhood Youth Mental Health Summit in Richmond, which gathers experts and stakeholders from across the Commonwealth to address the alarming rise in mental health challenges among children and teens.