Press Releases

ROCKVILLE, MD (June 19, 2019) – Seventy works of art created by 19 local artists will be showcased this summer at Palette 22’s Pop Up Art Gallery windows on display at Federal Realty Investment Trust’s (NYSE:FRT) Village at Shirlington. The artwork, ranging in size from 14″ x 14″ up to 3′ x 4′, will be featured in the windows at 4001 Campbell Avenue throughout the summer and viewable from the street and sidewalk. It will include photography; painted canvas works in acrylic, watercolor and oil; framed works; and found objects like a mosaic table and poured-paint guitars.

“The Pop Up Art Gallery is an expansion of our Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program at Palette 22, where regional artists showcase, create and promote their original work inside the restaurant,” said Tom DeMott, General Manager of Palette 22. “We’re excited to provide the Shirlington neighborhood with this program on a much larger scale and promote the arts and culture experience of Palette 22 outside of our restaurant space.”

Arlington, Va. – This morning, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce held the State of the County & Public Safety Awards, which celebrated Arlington’s economic achievements, the community’s future, and all who make the area an excellent place to live and work. The breakfast event began with an address by the Arlington County Board Chair, Christian Dorsey, who highlighted Arlington’s economic status. The Chamber then honored public safety personnel and first responders from Arlington County’s Office of Public Safety Communications & Emergency Management, Police Department, Fire Department, and Sheriff’s Office who have exemplified heroic actions and exceptional performance of their duties.

Christian Dorsey began his State of the County address by thanking the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and the Arlington business community for their partnership “on specific issues from the transient occupancy tax, to dedicated funding for the Metro, to helping us put our best foot forward in the competition for Amazon’s HQ2.” Dorsey went on to say, “We have been important partners for issues in the community, and we share the same fundamental goal of an Arlington County that is prosperous, inclusive, and committed to being better tomorrow than it was yesterday.”

Arlington, VA – Neighbors in Arlington County (including Alexandria County and Fairfax County) have formed a solar co-op to save money and make going solar easier, with the help of nonprofit Solar United Neighbors. Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy, EcoAction Arlington, and Virginia Clean Cities are sponsoring the co-op. The group is seeking members and will host its first free, public informational meeting on Thursday, June 27, at 6:30 p.m. at Arlington Central Library to educate the community about solar and the co-op process.

“We’re forming this co-op to make saving money with solar energy as simple as possible,” said Helen Reinecke-Wilt of the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy. “Working with a group helps members learn about the technology so they feel confident in their decision to go solar.”

WASHINGTON, D. C. (Tuesday, June 18, 2019) –Parents, grandparents, guardians, caregivers and babysitters in Virginia have less than two weeks left to “get their houses in order,” so to speak, when it comes to correctly transporting any child two-years-old or younger in their vehicles. They must safely secure the child in the newly mandated age-appropriate child restraint seat, starting July 1, 2019. On that date a new Virginia law will require parents to keep their precious infants and toddlers in rear-facing car seats until the child turns two, or reaches the minimum weight limit for a forward-facing child restraint seat, as prescribed by its manufacturer. A similar law went into effect in Washington, D.C. on March 1, 2019.

The new Virginia law (House Bill 708) was actually passed and signed into law in 2018 with a mid-2019 effective date. Championed by AAA Mid-Atlantic, it will bring Virginia’s code in line with the safety recommendations of traffic safety advocates such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, etc. “Child restraint systems are the most effective way to protect young children involved in motor vehicle crashes,” advises NHTSA.

McLean, Va.– The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing to begin construction on a long-term repair of the sinkhole near Dead Run on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Following extensive assessments of the area and of drainage infrastructure that is deep underground, engineers have determined that the NPS needs to replace a 60 year old brick drainage structure and rehabilitate the pipes leading to that structure.

“We are working with the Federal Highway Administration to fully address the sinkhole and reopen both northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway” Superintendent Charles Cuvelier said. “At this point we are finalizing construction plans for a long-term fix. Once construction on the long-term fix begins, it is anticipated to take approximately 10 weeks. Our goal is to minimize inconvenience to the public while ensuring we are fully addressing the issue so that this doesn’t happen again.”

Arlington County and its Complete Count Committee (CCC) are gearing up for the 2020 Census–working toward the goal of counting every Arlingtonian. This once-a-decade count dates back to 1790, but the 2020 Census is the first one in the age of social media. That means localities have more opportunities to reach residents, and residents have more ways to respond.

It’s not too early to get acquainted with the Census and what to expect next year. Here’s what you need to know:

On the evening of Sunday, June 8, more than 200 people gathered into AFAC’s warehouse for a celebration of volunteerism at AFAC’s annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic. Throughout the course of the year, over 2,000 volunteers serve nearly 50,000 hours of service towards AFAC’s mission of feeding our neighbors in need.

Awards for Volunteers of the Year was presented to Richard “Dick” Bauder and Charles Dinkens. Volunteer Group of the Year went to volunteers who run AFAC’s Claridge House food distribution every Monday morning. Our Savior Lutheran Church and School was honored as a Community Partner of the Year for their role in allowing AFAC to host large corporate bagging events in their gymnasium, as well as hosting the annual Scouting for Food drive by the Boy Scouts every November. Arlington County’s Solid Waste Bureau was also recognized as a Community Partner of the Year for turning our food waste into compost, which in turn is used at AFAC Plot Against Hunger gardens to grow food for our food distributions.

RICHMOND – Virginia’s official and only comprehensive report on local and statewide crime figures for 2018 is now available online at the Virginia State Police website at www.vsp.virginia.gov, under “Forms & Publications.” The detailed document, titled Crime in Virginia, provides precise rates and occurrences of crimes committed in towns, cities and counties across the Commonwealth. The report breaks down criminal offenses and arrests by the reporting agency.

Overall, Virginia experienced a 2% decrease in violent crime (murder, forcible sex offenses, robbery and aggravated assault) compared to the previous reporting period.

Today I am proud to offer my endorsement of Mayor Pete Buttigieg for President of the United States.

Throughout my political career I have had the opportunity to work with only a handful of candidates who simultaneously embody pragmatic progressive reform and possess both the strong commitment to our nation formed by service, and the ability to effectively outline achievable aspirations. For two years, the Trump administration’s callous cynicism and corruption has shaken the belief of many that such leaders still exist.

Lanham, MD–Safeway will unveil renovations to its Rosslyn store at 1525 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, VA, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for 10 am on Friday, July 12. Local dignitaries including Arlington County Board Vice Chair Libby Garvey and Rosslyn Business Improvement District President Mary-Claire Burick, are expected to join Safeway leaders for the celebration, which will also include live music from the New Line Brass Band, refreshments, and free gifts.

“We are pleased to share these significant renovations throughout the store that enhance our customers’ shopping experience,” said Tom Lofland, President of Safeway’s Eastern Division. “We have added new features, inside and out, that greatly expand our selections and appearance. Our Rosslyn customers will surely enjoy the newly renovated store.”

(Arlington, VA) – The Black Heritage Museum of Arlington (BHMA) will celebrate it’s 15th annual Founder’s Day this Saturday, June 15th from 4 PM -6 PM at the museum, located at 3108 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA. The Founder’s Day celebration is in recognition of the late Evelyn Syphax, the Arlington County trailblazer who laid the groundwork for the BHMA.

Ms. Syphax’s legacy as an educator and community leader will be recognized at the event with proclamations from Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, Arlington County Government, the Arlington County Democratic Committee, and Virginia Union University. Also in attendance will be members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s Zeta Chi Omega Chapter, the National Coalition of 100 Black Women-NoVA Chapter (both founded in part by Ms. Sphax), and the Arlington Historical Society, which Ms. Syphax was a member of.

WHO & WHAT: Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall will hold a press conference prior to the official launch of a pilot program of the autonomous shuttle known as Olli to be conducted at the base for the next 90 days. Subject matter experts will include: representatives from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall; the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center; the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment; Local Motors by LM Industries Group, Inc.; the Virginia Department of Transportation; and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. Test rides on Olli will be part of the press conference. Members of the media attending the press conference are invited to stay for the official launch ceremony.

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