Press Releases

A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) prevented an Alexandria, Va., resident from bringing his loaded handgun onto his flight this morning, July 25. It was the 16th gun detected by TSA officers at the airport so far this year.

The 9mm gun was loaded with nine bullets plus one in the chamber and was detected via the X-ray machine as the man was entering the security checkpoint with his carry-on items. A TSA officer spotted the gun in the man’s laptop bag. TSA officials notified the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police who confiscated the gun and cited the man on a weapons charge.

The man told officials that he had gone to a firing range with his gun a few days prior to his scheduled flight and then placed the loaded gun into his laptop bag. He said that he forgot it was packed with his laptop on the day he was ticketed to fly.

“All passengers are responsible for all items in their carry-on bags and their checked baggage,” said John Busch, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Every time we fly we must inspect these bags thoroughly to ensure we are not bringing any prohibited items to the airport. And every time we fly we receive multiple reminders to leave firearms at home. Each time responsible gun owners see this reminder they must confirm that they positively know where that firearm actually is – safely locked and secured.

“If you own a firearm, it is your responsibility to know the laws, rules and regulations when it comes time to traveling with your gun, and you must know where the firearm is at all times,” Busch said. “Bringing a firearm with you to the airport security checkpoint is a violation of Virginia law. You will be referred to local law enforcement for potential charges and you will also face a financial civil penalty.”

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared at their airline ticket counter. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.

Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual may lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and passengers should do their homework to make sure that they are not violating any local firearm laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

Nationwide, TSA officers detected 5,972 firearms on passengers or their carry-on bags at checkpoints last year. Of the guns caught by TSA in 2022, about 86 percent were loaded.

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Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $5,958,173 in federal funding for two Virginia airports. The funding was awarded through the Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration’s Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Airport Improvement Program.

“We are continuing to see investments in the Commonwealth’s airports that will make travel through Virginia safer, more convenient, and more accessible,” the senators said. “This funding will allow both facilities to start important maintenance projects on runways that will help meet their communities’ needs for years to come.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

• $4,208,173 for Lonesome Pine Airport in Wise, VA for the rehabilitation of a runway.
• $1,750,000 for Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport in Arlington, VA for the reconstruction of a runway.

This funding comes on the heels of an announcement earlier this month apportioning $50 million to Virginia airports. In addition, the senators announced nearly $400 million for Virginia airports secured through the bipartisan infrastructure law in November of last year.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed its support for legislation that would rename a memorial currently dedicated to Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Arlington, Va.

CAIR also expressed its support for a request by a Cherokee tribe to rename a North Carolina mountain currently named for a Confederate general.

Last week, Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced legislation to remove the designation of Arlington House, the former residence of Robert E. Lee, as a memorial to him. The legislation was reportedly prompted by a request by the descendants of people who were enslaved at Arlington House.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council passed a resolution on Thursday calling for the highest peak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Clingmans Dome to Kuwahi, its historical indigenous name. The mountain is currently named for Confederate general and North Carolina senator Thomas Lanier Clingman. With the support of the tribal government, activists plan to submit paperwork to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names for consideration.

“Monuments to the traitorous Confederacy are symbols of systemic racism and hate that should not have a place in our society,” said CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison. “We support all efforts to end the celebration of those who waged war on our nation in order to preserve slavery and white supremacy.”

He noted that Washington, D.C., based CAIR has repeatedly called for the removal of Confederate holidays, flags, statues, and symbols nationwide.

U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) on Friday held a press conference with Jeffery Smith, Vice President of Operations for the Eastern Region Helicopter Council (ERHC), and John Shea of the Helicopter Association International (HAI) to announce a pilot program for a new helicopter noise complaint system for the National Capital Region. They were joined by Arlington County Board Members Libby Garvey and Takis Karantonis.

A 2021 report by the General Accounting Office (GAO) originally requested by Beyer and his colleagues recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) “develop a mechanism to exchange helicopter noise information with operators in the D.C. area.” The just-announced pilot program was developed with this recommendation in mind, and will be evaluated by FAA for potential permanent adoption after a 60-day trial run.

Beyer said:

“For years my constituents have steadily complained of disruptive helicopter noise in the National Capital Region, and I have worked hard with colleagues and regional partners to address those concerns and reduce this noise. The just-announced helicopter noise complaint system meets a key recommendation made by the GAO report my colleagues and I requested: that the FAA develop a mechanism to track helicopter noise complaints in the Washington, D.C. area.

“It is important to note that this system is a pilot program, and its success depends on our community. Anyone with a helicopter noise complaint can submit it online at plainenoise.com/dcmetro/, by phone at 877-209-3200, or via mobile app. Providing as much information as possible when leaving a complaint is crucial – details will help to review and process the complaint.

“I am hopeful that this pilot program will prove to be a strong first step in carrying out recommendations developed with community input to reduce helicopter noise in Northern Virginia and across our region, and I will continue to work with colleagues and regional leaders and agencies to reduce helicopter noise in our skies.”

Residents in the National Capital Region will be able to submit noise concerns via webform, iPhone and Android-compatible mobile app, or voicemail at the noise complaint hotline at 877-209-3200. Residents are encouraged to provide as much information as possible when submitting a complaint. Using available flight track data, the system will accurately identify likely aircraft generating concerns and all associated data.

Beyer is an active member of the Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus.

The Arlington Soccer Association is teaming up with the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) to provide free soccer programming.

The eight-week pilot program recently kicked off and brings soccer programming to families who live in APAH’s more than 2,000 affordable apartments throughout Arlington County. The programming is offered once a week at local parks and elementary schools for children as young as 3 years old.

“We couldn’t be more excited to continue to work with such a great organization,” Arlington Soccer Executive Director Frank DeMarco said. “APAH is truly a community partner that for more than three decades has always looked out for hard-working, low-income families and has provided affordable housing opportunities to help grow and enrich our community. It is our pleasure and honor for our coaches and staff to connect and engage with families and children who may not have otherwise been able to enjoy and experience the beautiful game.”

Despite being one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, Arlington County consists of more than a third of school-age children who qualify for the free and reduced-price meal programs.

An established presence for more than a half century, Arlington Soccer strives to give back. Community-based programs such as Girls with Goals and our partnership with the Real Madrid Foundation have brought soccer directly to thousands of children at no cost to them or their families.

“Providing access to engaging and exciting enrichment opportunities for APAH youth is one of our top priorities,” APAH President and CEO Carmen Romero said. “We are excited to partner with the Arlington Soccer Association, which certified 12 young people who live in APAH properties as state soccer referees. To get certified, they had to complete several hours of curriculum and on-field training in addition to their schoolwork. Now they can get paid as a referee and will work games all around Arlington.

“This partnership is another example of what happens when opportunities are made available for youth who might not otherwise have access. Our young people can step up and achieve amazing things. I am so proud of what they accomplished and am thankful to Frank DeMarco and the Arlington Soccer Association for creating a path for APAH youth to thrive. I know their families are so proud of them, too.”

APAH owns, develops and preserves quality rental communities for individuals and families earning approximately $20,000-$60,000 per year, and APAH promises to keep them affordable. APAH’s bilingual resident services program helps residents to increase their personal and financial stability.

ARLINGTON, VA — Today, the National Park Service and Netherlands Embassy celebrated the 77th anniversary of Liberation Day and the end of a four-year restoration of the Netherlands Carillon. This celebration included remarks from Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Oksana Markarova, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands André Haspels and National Park Service Director Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III. The remarks were followed by a Carillon “Freedom” Concert performed by Dutch and American carillonneurs, accompanied by the Washington Symphonic Brass.

“As stewards of many of the stories of our nation’s history, the National Park Service strives to connect us as a people and a nation to our past for a better future,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “The Netherlands Carillon, like the Statue of Liberty, is a gift and a tangible representation of an intangible ideal: freedom; the principle that binds the people of the United States and the Netherlands past, present and future.”

The Carillon was a gift to the United States following WWII, symbolizing Dutch gratitude to the American people for helping liberate the Netherlands and providing aid to rebuild the Dutch economy through the Marshall Plan.

“We are here today, Liberation Day in the Netherlands, to celebrate our freedom as well as the completion of the renovation and expansion of the Netherlands Carillon. The people of the Netherlands gave the carillon to the people of the United States to thank them for their role restoring their freedom during and after World War II. We thank the veterans of World War II for their bravery on the battlefield an ocean away and the women who helped the war effort from home in the States.” said Ambassador André Haspels of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. “It is my hope that every time the bells of the Carillon chime in perfect harmony, the American people know they have the eternal gratitude of my nation.”

Liberation Day marks the end of the occupation of the Netherlands by Germany during World War II. The Netherlands Carillon was a gift to the people of the United States from the people of the Netherlands. The Carillon symbolizes the friendship between the people of two countries, rooted in common allegiance to the principles of freedom, justice and democracy.

The project itself, which started in 2019 represents the same friendship that is symbolized by the Carillon. The NPS was responsible for the rehabilitation of the structure while the Embassy took on upgrades to the musical instrument. In 2020, 50 bells were shipped to the Netherlands to be tuned and the three new bells were cast. Last spring, all 53 bells were lifted into the structure elevating the Netherlands Carillon to “grand carillon” status.

In 1954, the first bells were installed in the Carillon, which was then located in West Potomac Park. Since 1960, the Netherlands Carillon has stood adjacent to the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington Ridge Park. Throughout the year, people attend live concerts of jazz, pop and patriotic music performed by carillonneurs.

This year, the NPS will offer weekly Carillon Concerts starting on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30. Each following concert will take place on Saturday through Labor Day. The Labor Day concert will be held on Monday, September 5. Members of the public are encouraged to come an hour early to learn about the history, physics, and meaning of the instrument. Saturday concerts begin at 6 p.m., and the two Monday concerts begin at 3 p.m.

 The Arlington County Board will vote April 23 on Phase Two of Amazon’s new HQ2. While Arlingtonians for Our Sustainable Future (ASF) welcomes a new Amazon presence at PenPlace, we urge county leaders to strike a fair deal in this site plan review. As structured now, Arlington would trade world record bonus density — more buildable space — for unequal community benefits from Amazon. That bonus density is the size of 1.5 Chrysler Buildings (1.7 million ft2), yet we are being offered only a high school (26,500 ft2), child care center, a park, sustainability gains, and $30 million for affordable housing. The offer falls short $380 million to $1.1 billion of the value of that density. We trust the Board will fix that. 

Since February 2022, ASF has been asking county commissions to join us in seeking benefits to balance the deal. We are currently suggesting $413.1 million in amenities to include a new school/community center in Pentagon City, affordable housing and education grants, park improvements/tree fund, and transit projects to ease congestion near HQ2. ASF stands ready to support the Board to ensure that the PenPlace site plan: 

• Delivers an additional $413.1 million in community benefits, 
• Commits to deliver those community benefits with immediate effect, 
• Awards bonus density in 4 tranches, conditioned on approval of construction 

permits for each building, 

• Improves Arlington’s site planning processes to enable earlier community and better input from commissions. 

Going forward, it is vital that the county reveal to the public, as part of site plan negotiations for all development, the underlying dollar value of the benefits of the bonus density being awarded and the community benefits promised in return. It is the Board’s mandate to insist on such transparency. 

In mid-May, approximately 1,080 students will receive their degrees over the course of three days during Marymount University’s 71st annual commencement ceremonies. The newest graduates of the mission-based university will hear from three distinguished speakers – the first female Saudi Arabian ambassador to the U.S., Princess Reema; physicist and former NASA research center director Dr. Julian M. Earls; and global financier and philanthropist David M. Rubenstein.

All three speakers will receive honorary degrees during the following ceremonies, which are organized by College with each including undergraduate and graduate students:

• Friday, May 13: College of Health and Education
  • Speaker: Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
• Saturday, May 14: College of Sciences and Humanities
  • Speaker: Dr. Julian M. Earls
• Sunday, May 15: College of Business, Innovation, Leadership and Technology
  • Speaker: David M. Rubenstein

The ceremonies will include students who qualify for graduation from the Fall 2021, Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 semesters, as well as students who graduated in Summer 2021 but did not participate in last year’s ceremonies. They will be held outdoors on the Converse Family Field on Main Campus. See below for more information on the commencement speakers.

For the first time since 2019, Arlington Little League will host its Opening Day on Sun, April 3 from 1-5:30 p.m. at Barcroft Park.

“Our children and our families have been through a lot over the past few years. Baseball has been the constant. It has been an honor for Arlington Little League to continue playing this incredible game with some incredible kids. Holding an Opening Ceremony in Spring 2022 is another sign that we are inching back — ever so slightly and ever so carefully — towards easier times. We have never stopped loving these kids, and we have never stopped loving this game.,” said League president Adam Balutis.

This year, former Major League Baseball player and Northern Virginia native Brandon Guyer will be the special guest. Guyer, who played for the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Indians, grew up in Herndon and played high school baseball at Herndon High School and the University of Virginia.

Guyer retired from professional baseball in 2020 and started an online training platform called Fully Equipped Athlete, which has grown into his new program, Major League Mindset. His mission is to help the next generation of athletes master the mental side of the game – to embrace adversity and learn from it, and to “fail forward” – and empower young players to become the best version of themselves, on and off the field.

Opening Day Events

1 p.m. – Teams gather (Field 4)

1:20 p.m. – Parade of ALL Stars (Field 4 to Field 1)

1:40 p.m. – Presentation of the Colors (VFW Post 3150) National Anthem Little League & Parent/Volunteer Pledges

1:50 p.m. – Welcome, Introductions, Opening Remarks

2 p.m. – On-Field Action (Contests and Entertainment, Hall of Fame Inductions, Special Guest, Ceremonial First Pitches)

Games

o    2:30 p.m. – Challengers – Brewers vs White Sox (Field 4)

o    2:45 p.m. – 50/70 – Brewers vs Cubs (Field 1)

o    3 p.m. – Majors – Giants vs Yankees (Field 2)

Opening Ceremonies will also include a Fun Zone with moon bounces, face painting, popcorn, food trucks and more!

Food Drive to Benefit AFAC
This year, ALL is teaming up with AFAC and Wakefield Baseball to “Take a Swing at Hunger.” Little league families are encouraged to non-perishable food to the ceremony. The team that brings the most items will win a team party courtesy of ALL.

Arlington Community Federal Credit Union (ACFCU) announced a $10,000 grant to local nonprofit, Rebuilding Together- Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church (AFF).

The grant was part of a national give back program award from national credit union credit card vendor PSCU to be given to a local nonprofit of Arlington Community FCU’s choice. Rebuilding Together- AFF is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that serves low-income homeowners and nonprofits.

Arlington Community FCU chose Rebuilding Together-AFF for the grant based on the two organizations’ shared vision for housing in the Northern Virginia region. Karen L. Rosales, Arlington Community FCU’s CEO, stated “We are thankful for the work of Rebuilding Together’s staff and volunteers, who make repairs and modifications so homeowners in need can live in safe and healthy homes in our local neighborhoods. This is a critical part of addressing the housing challenge in our region and we are grateful for the opportunity to learn more about housing needs and opportunities in Arlington, Falls Church, and Fairfax through this partnership.”

These funds will contribute to Rebuilding Together-AFF’s general operations and provide unrestricted funding for the organization. “It is a great pleasure to welcome Arlington Community Federal Credit Union as a new partner in our mission of rebuilding homes to restore safety and well-being for our neighbors in need,” said Patti Klein, Executive Director. “It is clear that they share in our commitment and enthusiasm in helping communities improve and thrive through direct action. This generous grant has already made an impact for one longtime Arlingtonian and it will allow us to help other neighbors who are waiting for critical repairs and life-saving fall prevention.”

With Community at the center of their name, the local credit union ensures they are giving back beyond monetary grants. Through financial education programs for schools and nonprofits, long-term partnerships with local organizations, and products that empower community members to reach their financial goals, Arlington Community FCU makes a positive impact on the community every day.

For more information on Arlington Community FCU’s community initiatives, visit www.arlingtoncu.org/community.

Chickasaw Nation Industries, Inc. (CNI) extends federal services division office lease in Arlington, VA. Represented by Edward Saa and Timothy Jacobs, CNI Federal experienced explosive growth in the 2020-2021 government fiscal year in awarded contracts necessitating a 10,000-SF office presence to service customers.

Eduardo Marques, Federal Services Chief Operating Officer relayed to Saa and Jacobs “after vetting alternative submarkets from Reston to Tysons, we realized there wasn’t another location that could duplicate what we have in our Clarendon/Courthouse location. Having direct access to the Metro and an abundance of walkable amenities that our employees can enjoy is a significant part of our company’s culture and we don’t want to give that up.”

Edward Saa explains “we were able to help CNI by leveraging multiple local landlords in Fairfax and Arlington County. After conducting a comprehensive analysis, we found that renewing was not only the most cost-effective option, but it also scored the highest in non-economic factors. We were able to secure them great financial lease terms while not sacrificing any of the amenities and convivences that were important to them as an organization.”

CNI, headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma, serves as a holding company with multiple subsidiaries that operate as Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) engaged in several lines of business for both the federal government and commercial enterprises. Chickasaw Federal serves as the government contracting arm of Chickasaw Nation Industries. Chickasaw Federal is made up of 13 subsidiaries that provide capabilities and solutions for federal customers across six core practice areas: Technology, Infrastructure & Engineering, Health, Business Services, Consulting and Transportation.

CNI is proud to support the economic development of the Chickasaw Nation and to contribute to the tribal mission of enhancing the overall quality of life of the Chickasaw people. A portion of profits is used to support Chickasaw citizens through a multitude of programs and services such as education, health care, nutrition services, housing programs, legal services, elder and childcare and community support programs. Successful economic development is an integral part of the Chickasaw Nation’s operations. To learn more, visit www.chickasaw.com