Press Releases

Arlington, Va., October 21, 2020 – With the vast majority of schools across the U.S. continuing to offer distance learning as their only student instructional model during the COVID-19 pandemic, working parents are feeling the pain. A new national poll of the U.S. workforce indicates that 65 percent of employees with children in remote learning situations are feeling burnout.

Even for workers without remote learning children, the burnout levels also are high – at 52 percent. Among workers who are burnt out, many attribute the stress to the COVID-19 pandemic – 42 percent for workers with remote learning situations and 28 percent for those without children in remote learning.

“These findings shouldn’t be surprising to employers. Families and workers were burnt out even before the pandemic,” said Melissa Jezior, president and chief executive officer of Eagle Hill Consulting. “This isn’t an easy situation for employers to resolve, with work life balance taking on a whole new meaning during this health crisis.”

“Employees are bouncing back and forth between their work computer to their child’s device, struggling to do two jobs at once. The only solution for employers is to work hand-in-hand with employees to meet their individual needs. That may mean adjusting work hours, workloads, or job expectations. And to get there, that means engaging in a continual, open dialogue with each and every employee. Our research makes clear that employers have got to find way to make the situation manageable for employees because the pandemic isn’t going away anytime soon. Otherwise, companies will suffer financially and risk harming their brand,” Jezior said.

When asked about the causes of burnout, parents with children in remote learning situations reported the following:

• 45 percent attribute burnout to their workload.
• 42 percent say it’s balancing work and their personal life.
• 33 percent indicate it stems from a lack of communication, feedback and support.
• 32 percent point to time pressures.
• 28 percent say it’s a lack of clarity around expectations.
• One quarter (25 percent) say it’s performance expectations.

These findings are contained in the 2020 Eagle Hill Consulting COVID-19 Employee Burnout Survey conducted online by Ipsos from September 13-17, 2020. The survey included more than 1000 respondents from a random sample of employees across the United States. The survey polled respondents on COVID-19 and its potential impact on their work experience and environment.

Eagle Hill Consulting LLC is a woman-owned business that provides unconventional management consulting services in the areas of Strategy & Performance, Talent, and Change. The company’s expertise in delivering innovative solutions to unique challenges spans across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, from financial services to healthcare to media & entertainment. Eagle Hill has offices in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Boston, MA and Seattle, WA. More information is available at www.eaglehillconsulting.com.

The Sycamore School (TSS), an independent nonprofit school serving 5th-12th grades, has invested in a year-long contract with nationally regarded educator and trainer Dr. Deborah Stroman as part of their continuing commitment to address issues of systemic racism. Dr. Stroman, of the University of North Carolina, will be working with students, staff, and parents on anti-racism education, training and guidance. Through a series of facilitated discussions and listening sessions, Dr. Stroman will focus on strategies that engender intention, innovation, and change.

The partnership will complement the school’s efforts to provide educational resources that offer a global perspective on history and highlight underrepresented voices. It also underscores the school’s support of students and staff on their personal journey toward increased self-awareness and their on-going efforts to create an inclusive community. Dr. Stroman will also serve as a consultant to school administrators as they increase student and staff diversity.

When asked what prompted TSS’s investment in anti-racist programing, Dr Karyn Ewart, TSS Founder and Head of School said, “I recognized that providing my TSS community with inclusive resources and diversity training wasn’t enough. Our staff and students have been asking, what can we do to impact change? It starts with each of us 1) learning our complete history as a country around racism and 2) doing the individual work to uncover our personal implicit biases. Both these steps are prerequisites for positive change. This can’t be completed by a one-and-done workshop.”

On October 12, TSS kicked off this unique partnership with a community dialogue and keynote talk by Dr. Stroman entitled “Impact vs. Intention: The Importance of Collaboration When Dismantling Structural Racism,” co-sponsored by Arlington Magazine. Dr. Stroman posited some thought-provoking ideas: “Try saying Historically White Colleges and Universities,” Dr. Stroman challenged the crowd at one point. “You might start a conversation.”

The session illuminated the need for more public discourse and highlighted the degree to which our community is craving direction and instruction on dismantling racism. “Conscious white people need to lead,” Dr. Stroman said when responding to the community audience. “White people need to talk to white people about racism.”

About The Sycamore School

The Sycamore School’s mission is to provide a dynamic, nurturing and personalized education that inspires a passion for learning, self-discovery and connection to the community. The Sycamore School is a place where adolescents can develop a love of learning in a low-stress, high-interest environment. The school boasts an approach that features hands-on and mastery-based learning.

The Sycamore School is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and provides scholarships and financial assistance for students who demonstrate need. More information is available at www.thesycamoreschoolva.org.

Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. in the Eastern District of Virginia has approved Attorney General Mark R. Herring’s agreement that extends the deadline for voter registration by two days, through 11:59 PM on October 15, because of a registration system outage that lasted several hours, preventing Virginians from registering to vote on the final day before the deadline. Under the terms of the consent decree, Attorney General Herring has said that the Commonwealth will “take all action necessary to extend the October 13, 2020 registration deadline until 11:59 pm on Thursday, October 15, 2020.”

“Today’s agreement to extend the voter registration deadline is a big win for democracy. Any eligible Virginian who was not able to register to vote yesterday can now do so,” said Attorney General Herring. “I have made it a top priority over the last several months to protect Virginians’ right to vote by making it as easy, safe and secure as possible, and this agreement is no different. I will continue to fight to make sure that every eligible Virginian can vote in this crucial election and that their vote will count.”

In the granted consent decree, Attorney General Herring agrees that the Commonwealth will:

• Take all action necessary to extend the October 13, 2020 registration deadline until 11:59 pm on Thursday, October 15, 2020
• Take all action necessary to provide notice to the public of the reopening and extension of this deadline
• Provide additional information to the public and to voters attempting to register of alternative methods by which individuals may register to vote, in the event of a system outage during the extension period

Late yesterday evening, Attorney General Herring asked the Court to extend the voter registration deadline following an hours-long registration system outage that prevented Virginians from registering to vote.

You can register to vote online here: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/

U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), and Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) today called for a court order to extend Virginia’s voter registration deadline following extended disruptions of the Virginia Department of Elections website on the final day of registration. Their statement came as the Virginia Information Technologies Agency said it could provide “no estimated time of restoration” to state technology services brought down by a severed fiber in Chester, Virginia.

They said:

“The shutdown of Virginia’s online voter registration threatens to prevent many Virginians from casting their ballots in the 2020 election. Three weeks before the election, nearly one million Virginians have already voted, which speaks to the importance voters across the Commonwealth attach to participating in this election. They must be given every opportunity to do so.

“It is imperative that the deadline for Virginians to register to vote be extended. We hope the courts will swiftly grant such an extension, and we hope they will take into account the disruptions to registration that have already occurred and the time that it will take to inform the public about new opportunities to register. Given these important factors, we believe a 72-hour registration extension after the Department of Elections online portal is restored would be appropriate.”

A federal judge previously granted an extension to Virginia’s voter registration deadline in 2016 after heavy web traffic resulted in disruptions to the registration portal.

Attorney General Mark R. Herring issued the below statement following the news that the FBI uncovered threats to Governor Northam:

“Words have consequences. When we have a President who regularly spews hate and openly incites violence, people can be put in serious danger. From day one, President Trump has used his platform as Commander-in-Chief to vilify his opponents and to urge his supporters to go after anyone who may disagree with them, and that includes both state and national leaders. This kind of harmful rhetoric further divides our country and it needs to stop now before more Americans are hurt.

“I want to thank the brave women and men who are dedicated to protecting the Governor and his family and keeping them safe on a daily basis. Something like this brings up a fear and a pain that most of us will hopefully never have to experience, and I am glad that Governor Northam and the whole Northam family are safe from this senseless plot.”

Today, The Mayhood Company, the sales team for Pierce, announced strong early sales for The Highlands’ luxury condominium tower. The most anticipated luxury condominium offering in Rosslyn, VA, Pierce brings resort-level amenities that foster a luxurious lifestyle within a connected urban environment in the heart of Arlington. Standing at 27 stories tall, Pierce will feature 104 modern residences with floor-to-ceiling windows that boast plentiful natural light and unbeatable views of the Potomac River, downtown Washington, and the Virginia countryside.

Strong early interest in Pierce has resulted in over $18.7 million in sales by The Mayhood Company since launching sales in August, including the sale of one of two top-of-the-market penthouse residences. Pierce’s sales gallery, located at 1525 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn, gives buyers a glimpse into the forthcoming homes that offer top-of-the-line finishes with best-in-class amenities like the luxury club room and two-story fitness center. Individual, socially-distant tours of the sales gallery are available by appointment.

“Despite some challenges from COVID-19, we’ve seen great interest in Pierce which has reflected in strong early sales,” said David Mayhood, President of The Mayhood Company. “We’re thrilled to bring new, elevated living to Arlington through Pierce’s modern residences and luxury amenities that make every day feel like a first-class experience. We are fortunate that construction has proceeded ahead of schedule for our summer 2021 delivery.”

Designed by award-winning Hickok Cole Architects, Pierce is one of three distinct towers that make up The Highlands, a dynamic new mixed-use community in West Rosslyn, along with apartment towers Aubrey and Evo, all of which incorporate environmentally sustainable interior and exterior elements in their elegant design.

“Pierce and The Highlands provide an amenity-rich residential retreat with great access to transportation, restaurants, and parks. We were drawn to the high quality of the units, larger floorplans, and quiet surroundings in a location where we didn’t need to sacrifice proximity to our favorite activities around the city,” said James from Arlington, who recently purchased a home at Pierce with his wife.

Following an investigation by Attorney General Mark R. Herring’s animal law unit, Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, the owner of Myrtle Beach Safari, has been charged with one felony count of wildlife trafficking, one felony count of conspiracy to wildlife traffic, four misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act, and nine misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, and Keith A. Wilson, owner of Wilson’s Wild Animal Park, has been charged with one felony count of wildlife trafficking, one felony count of conspiracy to wildlife traffic, four misdemeanor counts of violating the Endangered Species Act, four misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act, and nine misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.

Additionally, two of Doc Antle’s daughters have also been charged: Tawny Antle has been charged with one misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals and one misdemeanor count of violating the Endangered Species Act, and Tilakum Watterson has been charged with two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals and two misdemeanor counts of violating the Endangered Species Act. Antle, Wilson, and Antle’s daughters were all charged by the Grand Jury of Frederick County.

The indictments come after a months-long investigation by Attorney General Herring’s Animal Law Unit into the relationship between Antle and Wilson found that both men trafficked lion cubs between Virginia and South Carolina. This investigation included the execution of a search warrant at Antle’s South Carolina property in December 2019 by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Agency.

In November 2019, Attorney General Herring announced that Keith Wilson and his nephew Christian Dall’Acqua had both been indicted on 46 counts of animal cruelty by a grand jury in Frederick County. A trial date has been set in the Wilson and Dall’Acqua case for June 21-25, 2021. In August 2019, Attorney General Herring’s Animal Law Unit secured custody of 119 animals that were seized from Wilson’s “roadside zoo” after a judge issued an order finding that Wilson “cruelly treated, neglected, or deprived the animal[s] of adequate care.”

The animals were seized during execution of a search warrant on August 15-16, 2019 at Wilson’s Wild Animal Park. The seized animals included lions, tigers, bears, camels, goats, water buffalo, and more. The animals are currently in the care of animal control agencies and exotic and agricultural animal rescue partner organizations.

During a 12 hour seizure hearing held on August 29, 2019 in Frederick County General District Court, animal welfare experts testified as to the inadequate conditions and cruelty at Wilson’s Wild Animal Park and photo and video evidence was entered showing inadequate conditions of animals and facilities.

The case is being handled by Senior Assistant Attorney General K. Michelle Welch, the head of Attorney General Herring’s Animal Law Unit, who was appointed special prosecutor for the case, and Assistant Attorney General Kelci Block.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. Antle, Wilson, and Aantle’s daughters are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Photo via Wikipedia

Rep. Beyer, who serves as the top House member on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee, issued the following statement after President Trump abruptly announced that he would end negotiations on a new economic stimulus package to support the economy and protect American jobs:

“President Trump’s stunning reversal on stimulus negotiations could not have come at a worse time.

“Just as a bipartisan deal to support American families, boost the economy, and fight the pandemic seemed increasingly promising, the President made the bewildering decision to walk away from talks completely. His tweets justifying this erratic about-face misstated Democrats’ compromise position, formalized in recently passed legislation, by hundreds of billions of dollars, showing he is either unaware of what is happening with negotiations or deliberately trying to mislead the country.

“The U.S. economy needs this deal, and last month’s alarming jobs report shows how urgent that need is. Tens of millions of unemployed workers, millions of public sector jobs, and vast numbers of small businesses are on the edge of disaster. Senate Republicans behaved terribly in forcing them to wait for government assistance for months after we passed a robust Heroes Act in May. If they delay a new assistance package months longer, it will imperil the economic recovery.

“Walking away from talks means walking away from protecting schools, walking away from a strong pandemic response, and walking away from American families that need help now. It is hard to comprehend such an irrational, reckless, and destructive act.”

President Trump’s sudden exit from stimulus talks came hours after Fed Chair Jerome Powell warned that failure to pass another aid package could derail the economic recovery. Mass layoffs in airlines and other industries may proliferate without further government spending to support the economy, and an estimated 40 percent of restaurants are on the brink of closure.

House Democrats passed updated stimulus legislation last week with a topline of $2.2 trillion to boost the pandemic response, protect schools, fund and extend enhanced federal unemployment benefits, support small businesses, provide a new round of direct payments to American families, and strengthen the American economy.

Summary of Impacts

• Beginning on or about Thursday, October 1, portions of the Terminal B/C Ticketing (upper-level) roadway will close for work related to Project Journey.
• At least two vehicular lanes will remain open as the construction areas periodically change.
• Curbside access at Terminal B/C will be reduced in some locations.
• The work zone will be in place 24/7 for several weeks.

Advice to Drivers

• Closely follow signage and directions through the work zone.
• To avoid potential congestion at terminals, use Terminal Garages A, B or C to drop-off or pick-up passengers. Parking is free for up to 60 minutes in all Terminal Garages.
• Tune radios to 1640 AM while on-airport for roadway and terminal-specific information.
• Obey the 15 mile-per-hour work zone speed limit.

Details

• Approaching the work zone, drivers will merge lanes and follow detour signage.
• Drop-off and pick-up areas will be limited by lane reductions at Terminal B/C, which serves the following airlines: Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, United. Access to the terminal is available through any open doorway.
• The Terminal B/C airport shuttle bus pick-up and drop-off location will shift during some phases of the project. Follow signage on the curb.
• The traffic pattern at Terminal A (Air Canada, Frontier, Southwest) will remain unchanged during the road work.
• Lane reductions may produce congestion during peak travel times. Using Terminal Garages for pick-up and drop-off will avoid this congestion.
• The Terminal B/C Arrivals (lower-level) roadway remains closed for all pick-ups except taxis. Private vehicle, ride-app and shuttle pick-up is located on the Ticketing (upper) level.
• Behind cones and barricades, roadway maintenance will take place in the vicinity of two New Security Checkpoints.
• Follow @Reagan_Airport on Twitter for the latest project updates.

Timing

• The work will begin on or about Thursday, October 1.
• The lane closures will be in effect 24/7, in phases, for several weeks.

About Project Journey

When Project Journey is completed, two new 50,000-square-foot buildings with security checkpoints will replace three smaller checkpoints currently serving Terminal B/C – increasing the post-security space to include all of National Hall and its premier shops and restaurants for ticketed travelers. In addition, a new 14-gate concourse will replace Gate 35X – ending the need for travelers to ride buses to board regional jets parked outside. Concourse amenities will include jetbridges, holdrooms, concessions and an American Airlines Admirals Club lounge.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), who serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means and its subcommittee with jurisdiction over taxation, issued the following statement today on New York Times reporting that Donald Trump avoided paying income tax for 10 years and paid only $750 in the year of his election and the first year of his presidency:

“The revelation that Donald Trump paid almost no personal income taxes for many years is not surprising, but it is outrageous. Far more important, however, is Trump’s use of the government for his personal benefit rather than that of the American people.

“Even as Trump took advantage of tax laws that benefit the wealthy, quite possibly in illegal ways, he worked with Republicans to make those laws in many ways even more beneficial to the super-rich. More than half of American households have an annual income smaller than the sum Trump wrote off for hair expenses, yet his most consistent policy initiative has been his attempts to weaken their health care protections.

“Trump offset the substantial losses of his personally-branded properties by using his office to boost the profile of those properties. He welcomed the patronage of rich supporters and wealthy corporations who in many cases were rewarded with influence. He spent American taxpayer dollars at his properties with frequent visits, and solicited the support of foreign investors and governments through unconstitutional emoluments. The national security ramifications of his corruption are grave.

“It is likely that we will be uncovering the full measure of Donald Trump’s lies about his personal finances and abuses of power for personal profit for years to come. Congress has an important role in oversight, given these revelations, and in correcting the deeply flawed system that allows such awful inequality.”

Thanks to generous support from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, Amazon, JBG SMITH, Equity Residential and individual Arlington residents, the National Landing Business Improvement District (BID) announced today that its Farm-to-Families food assistance program will be extended through the fall.

Farm-to-Families, which provides fresh local produce to community members in need, was created by the BID in response to the COVID-19 crisis, and the organization contributed $10,000 to launch the initiative in July. Since then, the BID has received over $25,000 in additional contributions, including $10,000 commitments from both CTA and Amazon, which will allow it to continue the initiative through the autumn months.

“We are thrilled to be extending Farm-to-Families at an important time when families are adjusting to a new school year under incredibly difficult circumstances,” said BID President and Executive Director Tracy Sayegh Gabriel. “We are so grateful for the generous support of CTA, Amazon, JBG SMITH, Equity Residential and other caring members of the Arlington community, who are helping to ensure that area residents have healthy food options this fall.”

Farm-to-Families was launched by the BID in partnership with FRESHFARM, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable agriculture and improves food access and equity; the Friends of Urban Agriculture, an Arlington organization working to build a future of healthy, sufficient and affordable sustainable food for all in the Arlington community; and the Wakefield, Gunston and Hoffman-Boston parent-teacher associations.

“CTA is proud to join our National Landing neighbors in supporting Farm-to-Families,” said Glenda MacMullin, COO and CFO, CTA. “The initiative is making a real difference here in our community during an exceptionally challenging time, and we’re grateful we can help the program reach even more families in need.”

To date, Farm-to-Families has provided a stock of fruits and vegetables from FRESHFARM and its local suppliers to nearly 150 families during each week that is has operated. The program targets families living in National Landing, Shirlington, Columbia Pike and the surrounding neighborhoods with children who attend the participating schools.

“Amazon is excited to partner with the National Landing Business Improvement District and help support their efforts to ensure access to fresh local food,” said Brian Huseman, Vice President of Amazon Public Policy. “We are thankful for our neighbors throughout Northern Virginia and are glad we can support a program that directly impacts those who need extra support and care.”

A $15 donation purchases a week of produce for a family in the community and a $60 contribution provides a full month’s supply. For more information on Farm-to-Families and to make a donation, please visit https://nationallanding.org/farm-to-families.