Update at 3 p.m. — The road has reopened, per police radio traffic.
A portion of S. Walter Reed Drive is closed due to a gas line rupture.
The artery is currently closed between 6th and 7th streets — about halfway between Route 50 and Columbia Pike — after reports of a construction crew accidentally rupturing a sizable gas line.
There’s no word on how long the road closure will last. Firefighters are on scene with hoses at the ready should something ignite the leaking natural gas before Washington Gas crews can shut off the line.
LOCATION: S Walter Reed Dr / 7th St S INCIDENT: Fire Department Activity IMPACT: S Walter Reed Dr is closed from 6th St S to 7th St S. Seek alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/qK5QNQ1QD4
Ava Schwarz and Rosie Riveters Executive Director Britany Greer (courtesy Ava Schwarz)
Washington-Liberty High School senior Ava Schwarz always wondered about outer space.
But she did not always love the fields that made the heavens intelligible: science, technology, engineering and math.
That changed once she moved to Arlington and got an internship with Rosie Riveters, a nonprofit focused on promoting STEM education among kids 4-14, particularly girls.
“She took an initial spark of an opportunity and made it her own through our connections and resources,” says Rosie Riveters Executive Director Brittany Greer.
The internship opened doors to more opportunities — including a competition through NASA in which technology she and other W-L students made was launched into space. It culminated with Crystal City-based Boeing holding a STEM Signing Day on Tuesday, as a diverse array of promising students signed a letter of intent to pursue degrees in STEM in college.
“I’m just excited to work in the orbit of her future,” Greer said.
The aerospace company honored 34 Virginia high schoolers, including Schwarz, who plans to study aerospace engineering at Yale University, and Alex Anderson, a soon-to-be Arlington Career Center graduate set to attend William and Mary University to study computer science.
The day hyped up students who will study STEM the way other schools celebrate students signing to play with college sports teams.
“We heard a lot of encouragement,” Schwarz said. “It can be so intimidating so it was cool to have so many people tell you you can do it and that this is an exciting time to be in STEM.”
There was also a message that felt tailor-made for her. One young graduate — a self-described “bubbly” woman — encouraged Signing Day participants to be themselves even if it might not fit engineer stereotypes.
“She said… bring your fullest self to table — that’s how you’re going to be most effective,” Schwarz recalled.
Boeing has been a long time supporter of Rosie Riveters, which began referring students for the STEM Signing Day last year, Greer said. Boeing, for instance, makes possible its education opportunities on military bases.
Going to Boeing’s corporate headquarters in Arlington (929 Long Bridge Drive) this week with Schwarz brought Greer “full circle.”
“She hadn’t had an interest in STEM prior to Rosie,” she said. “It was a clear example of the amazingness of what a public-private partnership can look like.”
Sponsors of her program, including Boeing and Amazon, make it possible for the nonprofit to go into schools and show students what STEM careers look like and what scholarships or internships are available to get them into those careers.
“It’s not just something where they got lucky to hear about it: it’s something they’re being actively called to and their families can support the path to that opportunity,” Greer said. “There’s an incredible amount of talent in our backyards and Ava is evidence of that.”
Schwarz was grateful for the opportunity and the support of Rosie Riveters for helping her push through when she was outnumbered 10-to-one by boys in her engineering classes.
“It’s amazing to have this community backing me, reassuring me that I may be one of the only women in room, but as time goes on, the whole next generation coming up and there will be more women in the room in the future,” she said.
Schwarz going from unaware of STEM opportunities to participating — along with other students of diverse backgrounds — in Boeing’s signing day is proof of concept for Greer.
“You’ve really got this movement of these awesome companies who are based in Arlington and the surrounding area, who are invested in local talent… particularly for groups who haven’t been represented in those spaces,” Greer said. “It’s a more effective, efficient way to invest in the pipeline.”
The 23 Virginia students honored as part of Boeing’s STEM Signing Day (courtesy Boeing)
Address:6223 Langston Blvd Neighborhood: Lee Ridge Type: 3 BR, 2 BA single-family detached – 3300 sq. ft. Listed: $1,299,000
Noteworthy: City living with tailored country surroundings/two-car garage
A timeless North Arlington Cape Cod, lovingly maintained and thoughtfully upgraded by the same owners since 1995.
This home features three upstairs bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Set behind a handsome stone retaining wall, the home enjoys wonderful privacy and quiet, thanks to its solid one-foot-thick stone construction. Large windows on every side invite natural light to spill across the high ceilings, solid wood floors, and custom built-ins found throughout both levels.
The kitchen is a chef’s delight, complete with a gas cooktop, granite countertops, and a suite of thoughtful additions including a microwave with convection capabilities. Surround sound enhances the first floor, ceiling and wall speakers in the sunroom, dining room, and living room, and SpeakerCraft ceiling speakers in the kitchen. Bright recessed lighting runs throughout the home, while the basement shines with upgraded fixtures that bring exceptional brightness to the space.
Outdoor living is equally as inviting with a rear stone patio and exterior lighting with carriage lamps and multiple spotlights that showcase the grounds beautifully. The primary suite is a true retreat with custom built-in cabinetry featuring granite countertops that flow seamlessly into the walk-in closet and bathroom.
Recent updates include exterior and interior painting (2024), a fully renovated lower-level bath (2024), and roof replacements over both the house and garage (2017). An oversized detached two-car garage with storage plus a driveway accommodating four or more cars provides exceptional convenience. This residence offers easy access to Georgetown, downtown DC, Airports, and Metro.
A drop-off voting box in Courthouse in mid-May of 2023 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Voting in Courthouse (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Six months ago, the Arlington County Board adopted ranked-choice voting for the upcoming Democratic primary.
Since then, the Arlington elections office has been busy educating anyone who asks on the method, which only applies to candidates for County Board.
The Arlington branch of the NAACP, however, says the county needs to step up its outreach to ensure all voters are prepared when they cast early ballots or go to the polls on June 20.
ARLnow, for instance, has heard from some residents who are unsure or skeptical of how votes will be counted.
“We have directly heard a series of grave concerns from our community regarding the implementation of this significant change,” NAACP President Mike Hemminger said in a statement. “We will be monitoring this change with intense focus in the run up to and after the election to ensure that no one’s foundational right to vote becomes disenfranchised or impeded in Arlington County.”
Concern about outreach highlights the stakes of this trial run. Arlington is the first Virginia jurisdiction to test ranked-choice voting for the primary and one election official tells ARLnow that people outside the county are watching closely.
“It’s fair to say, without sounding dramatic, that the eyes of the Commonwealth are on Arlington and this ranked-choice voting process,” Arlington Electoral Board Secretary Scott McGeary says.
Its success in the primary could also determine if ranked-choice voting is adopted to pick the successors for Christian Dorsey and Katie Cristol in the November general election.
Her staff is working through an education plan it rolled out in April. Part of that is making presentations — at a clip of at least two presentations a week, and once three in one night — and helping community groups facilitate workshops.
“Rollout for ranked-choice voting has gone smoothly,” Reinemeyer says. “I would say that most voters understand the concept and are aware that the County Board race is using the voting method. A handful of voters are vocally unhappy. The most common question is ‘Do I have to rank all three?'”
The answer to that, McGeary says, is no. People can rank up to three candidates — the maximum county ballot machines can accommodate. Some recent endorsements have recommended how candidates should be ranked.
One key strategy was developing toolkits so that people and organizations could host information sessions and run mock elections, which Reinemeyer said has been an effective way to reach lots of people and explain how votes are counted.
“The idea of these toolkits is that anyone can take the toolkit and teach their friends, neighbors, community organizations about ranked choice voting,” Reinemeyer said. “We are seeing members of our community run with these toolkits.”
The county is also relying on materials the state produced. This includes two videos — one explaining how ranked-choice voting works and the other how votes are counted — as well as an FAQ page and flyers in Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese.
One notable change, per a state video, is that if there are no clear winners, it could take up to seven days to apportion second- and third-choice votes to determine who actually won.
“I have no doubt we’ll be able to do the math properly and get the results as fast as possible,” McGeary said. “From a technical and counting standpoint, I’m confident we’ll be able to count and announce as soon as possible.”
2023 Arlington Best Business Award Winners (L-R: Dr. Jelena Kecmanovic, John Benner, Scott Donelson, Deborah Simpson Taylor, Mark Zetlin)
2023 Arlington Business Hall of Fame Inductees (L-R: Ralph Johnson on behalf of the late Bert W. Johnson, Lola C. Reinsch, Robert H. Hawthorne)
2023 Arlington Best Business Awards (staff photo)
2023 Arlington Best Business Awards (staff photo)
2023 Arlington Best Business Awards (staff photo)
2023 Arlington Best Business Awards (staff photo)
2023 Arlington Best Business Awards (staff photo)
2023 Arlington Best Business Awards (staff photo)
2023 Arlington Best Business Awards (staff photo)
2023 Arlington Best Business Awards (staff photo)
Mastercard, Mercedes-Benz of Arlington and a behavioral health clinic in Courthouse are among the latest winners of the annual Arlington Best Business Awards.
The event, organized by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Arlington Community Federal Credit Union, was held earlier this week at Army Navy Country Club. It also included three inductions into the Chamber’s Arlington Business Hall of Fame.
Mastercard is based in Purchase, New York, but has a technology hub in Ballston. Its ubiquitous logo tops the office building at 4250 Fairfax Drive.
More, below, from a Chamber of Commerce press release.
On May 16, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce celebrated the 37th Annual Arlington Best Business Awards at Army Navy Country Club, sponsored by Arlington Community Federal Credit Union. The Best Business Awards are presented to area businesses that consistently deliver exceptional quality of service to their customers, are industry leaders or offer a unique approach to delivery of goods or services, achieve significant growth or stability over the lifetime of their business, display an interest and concern for the success of the Arlington community, and demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The 2023 Best Business Award Winners are:
Home Energy Medics — 2023 Sustainable Business of the Year
National Capital Treatment & Recovery — 2023 Nonprofit Business of the Year
Mercedes-Benz of Arlington — 2023 Retail Small Business of the Year
Arlington/DC Behavior Therapy Institute — 2023 Service Small Business of the Year
Mastercard — 2023 Large Business of the Year
This prestigious awards dinner recognized businesses in the Arlington community that go above and beyond to serve clients and make Arlington a great place to work and live.
“We’ve been doing business in Arlington for 86 years, and we’re very proud of our history,” said Mark Zetlin, of Mercedes-Benz of Arlington. “We always aim to take the best care of our customers, and we are proud to be valued by this diverse community.”
Following the presentation of the awards, the Chamber inducted the late Bert W. Johnson, Lola C. Reinsch, and Robert H. Hawthorne into the Arlington Business Hall of Fame.
The inductees captivated the sold-out crowd as they shared inspiring tales of how their upbringing influenced their careers. From leveraging family connections within the Arlington Chamber to secure their first post-college job to joining a traveling circus on the weekends, the Hall of Fame speeches not only entertained the audience but also showcased the diverse paths that led these individuals to their success.
Mr. Johnson served as the first professional County Manager for Arlington, from 1962 to 1976. He had the insight to develop the Rosslyn neighborhood as an office center and was instrumental to the Metro subway system construction in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
Ms. Reinsch is the second-generation President and CEO of the Reinsch Companies. She noted that her father specifically wanted to develop properties along Columbia Pike, due to its proximity to the Pentagon and Washington DC. Her philanthropic efforts have led to her directing capital campaigns for VHC Health and Marymount University.
Mr. Hawthorne most recently was the Market President for United Bank, before retiring in 2021. Despite his monumental career in banking, Hawthorne never forgot the community that helped raise him. He noted that he first started with the Chamber, helping his bank at the time win the Arlington Chamber membership campaign, which lead to him initiating the first Membership Development Committee of the Chamber. Hawthorne would become the Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors in 1997. He also co-founded the Leadership Center for Excellence in 2000 and served as its first Chair.
“One of the biggest things that I’ve really seen the Chamber become is a place where there is a nice balance between small, medium, and large businesses,” said Robert H. Hawthorne. “I know that the business community will continue to help the Chamber, and keep up the good work!”
The Arlington Business Hall of Fame honors men and women with a connection to Arlington County who have demonstrated a long record of successful management, expertise, and business skills, along with notable achievements and exceptional civic and community involvement.
