Loudon Now for Jan. 14, 2016 by Loudoun Now

LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE

CITY STATUS Time for a City of Leesburg?

PULLING TOGETHER Community reacts to Lansdowne murder-suicide

HUMMING HUBZONE Biz district bears fruit

LoudounNow

Vol. 1, No. 10

loudounnow.com

January 14, 2016

Leesburg Council Fails to Appoint New Mayor KARA CLARK RODRIGUEZ, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Superintendent Eric Williams’ budget for Loudoun County Public Schools calls for an expansion of full-day kindergarten, teacher pay raises and early opening of the Academy of Engineering and Technology.

School Superintendent Unveils $1B Spending Plan BY DANIELLE NADLER Superintendent Eric Williams pulled back the curtain on a proposed $1.07 billion spending plan for fiscal year 2017 last week. The recommended budget is $86.7 million—or 8.8 percent—more than the current fiscal year’s budget. If approved, it would be the first time the 76,000-student school division has hit the billion-dollar mark. Williams said his budget calls for enough money to meet the needs of one of the region’s fastest growing school divisions, but also includes some expanded services, including doubling the number of kindergartners who have access to a full day of school. “We want a budget that’s going to allow us to

build on our excellence, not just sustain it,” Williams told Loudoun County School Board members during his Jan. 7 presentation. He’s recommending the creation of 442 new positions and $37.7 million in additional funding just to cover the cost of the 1,978 additional students expected to enroll this fall. “We’ve seen tremendous growth,” he said. His plan carves out $18.5 million for employee raises and other compensation increases. Just more than $10 million of that would go toward raises for employees who qualify, and another $6.7 million would help restructure the teacher salary schedule to make pay for mid-career employees more competitive, where Williams says Loudoun County lags behind its neighbors to the east. SCHOOL BUDGET continues on page 16

In a rather interesting exercise that at times left certain council members speechless, the six current members of the Leesburg Town Council failed to find the four votes necessary to appoint a new mayor to fill out the remainder of longtime mayor Kristen Umstattd’s term. At Tuesday night’s council meeting, six motions were made regarding the appointment of a new mayor. The only one that passed postponed the vote another two weeks, with another vote eyed for the Jan. 26 meeting. A majority of the elected body has been adamant that the best person to be interim mayor is a current council member. Despite that, motions to appoint council members David Butler, Marty Martinez, Katie Hammler and Kelly Burk failed. Martinez’s initial motion to advertise for residents interested in filling the position also failed. Burk, who as vice mayor is acting mayor until a new mayor is appointed, agreed that the best person to fill the interim post should be found in the greater Leesburg community. “As council members we have experience running meetings and understanding items. I think it is very elitist of us to assume no one from the public is qualified to do the same,” she said.

Burk added that she felt that appointing someone who has vocalized their intention to run for a seat on the council “creates an artificial incumbency” for that person. Butler made a motion to nominate Burk for the mayor’s seat, which clearly caught the vice mayor off guard. Burk announced in late December she will run for mayor in November’s general election but had said she did not want to be considered for the interim appointment. After some obvious hesitation, Burk agreed to accept the mayor’s seat if the votes were there to appoint her. Also nominated, Martinez said he would not accept the appointment. The motion to appoint him, like all the others, failed. Burk, Martinez and Councilwoman Suzanne Fox’s council terms expire Dec. 31, 2018, meaning that if any of the three of them are appointed to the mayor’s seat they will lose the remaining two years of their term. Butler, Hammler and Councilman Tom Dunn’s terms expire at the end of this year. While Leesburg council members’ terms are four years, the mayor’s post is elected every two years. The mayoral office was vacated when Umstattd took office as the Leesburg District representative on the Board of Supervisors. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

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Loudoun Legislators Set to Battle Over Guns, Gender Bills BY RENSS GREENE & DANIELLE NADLER

With Virginia’s General Assembly having convened for its 2016 session Wednesday, representatives from Loudoun have picked their battles—with broad consensus on local issues and stark divides on national debates. Lawmakers also will work during the 60-day session to find agreement on a two-year budget. See LoudounNow.com for a list of other bills to watch in this year’s General Assembly session.

Education and Funding

At Odds Over Guns

Gender Identity and Sexuality

Continuing some of the education reforms made over the past few years is a priority of Del. Thomas A. “Tag” Greason (R-32) this session. The Ashburn resident serves as chairman of the Education Reform Subcommittee and championed successful legislation two years ago to reduce the number of Standards of Learning assessments students are required to take. That legislation also created the SOL Innovation Committee, a group of educators, business leaders, parents and lawmakers who have delved into how best to hold public schools accountable. One of Greason’s bills this session, HB 381, is a change recommended by that committee. It would allow school divisions to design a customized SOL exam for children whose disabilities inhibit them from taking a standard state test. It’s the school divisions that best know those children and how best to measure their progress, Greason said. “So why would we have Richmond creating a standardized test when, by definition, the child with the specific disability is probably unique compared to any other child in the commonwealth?” Another focus of Greason’s, and every other Virginia lawmaker over the next 60 days, is the state’s budget. Greason is one of 12 budget conferees in the General Assembly, which means

One of the most heated debates in the General Assembly—and among local legislators—will be over gun control and safety. Sen. Richard H. Black (R-13) has introduced SB 48, which would eliminate the need for a concealed carry permit. Under the bill’s revision to Virginia law, any person who is otherwise eligible to obtain a concealed carry permit could carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere that person may lawfully carry openly. “This is what’s known as constitutional carry, and it’s referred to as that because the Second Amendment grants people the right to keep and bear arms,” Black said. “The fact is that it is a personal right and it’s something that the individual should be able to exercise without the permission of the government.” People who cannot now obtain a concealed carry permit—such as convicted felons and people who have been hospitalized for mental illness— would still be prohibited from carrying a concealed weapon. The bill still allows for concealed carry permits, which Black noted are necessary for Virginia’s concealed carry permit reciprocity agreements with other states. By contrast, Sen. Barbara A. Favola (D-31), Del. Jennifer B. Boysko (D-86), and Del. Kathleen Murphy (D-34) have signed on to bills tightening

EDUCATION FUNDING continues on page 13

CONCEALED CARRY continues on page 13

Senators Barbara A. Favola (D-31) and Richard H. Black (R-13)—on the opposite ends of Richmond’s political spectrum— have taken different tacks on gender identity and sexuality. Black has signed on to a bill introduced by Marshall, HB 77, that would exclude federal administrative policies, rules, and regulations adopted in 2012 or later from inclusion in the Virginia Human Rights Act. “This is directed toward the movement for having men use women’s bathrooms, and we’ve encountered this in a couple of places in Virginia,” Black said. “We have some rather perverse individuals who say, you know, ‘I can take advantage of federal anti-discrimination laws and I can go in and use the women’s bathroom and nobody can stop me.’” Black said the bill addresses a loophole in the law that “creates a very dangerous situation” for women. The bill has been referred to House Committee on General Laws. Favola, meanwhile, has introduced SB 82, which would include crimes committed because of a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity in the Virginia definition of a hate crime, which would also trigger a requirement that these crimes be reported to state police. “All I’m asking is that these crimes actually be reported to the state police,” Favola said. “I have to believe that even people who are anti-gay and have all these issues—I have to believe they would not want somebody killed because of who they are.” The bill has been referred to the Committee for Courts of Justice.

Group Completes Effort to Protect Waterford Property BY MARGARET MORTON On Dec. 4, 1997, the Department of Historic Resources’ Senior Architectural Historian Calder Loth wrote to Richard L. Storch thanking him for three easements he had granted to the state to preserve his 73-acre Waterford property. Noting the DHR board of directors had unanimously accepted the easements, Loth wrote: “The board members were very pleased by the prospect of protecting this critical open space.” That protective vision wasn’t fully achieved, however. That fact didn’t come to light until late last year when a prospective buyer’s plans to operate a restaurant, bed-and-breakfast and farm-oriented events center on the property were revealed. Alongside acres of open farmland, the site includes a 18th century house, a stone bank

barn and dairy barn. Neighborhood concerns about those plans triggered the formation of a new community organization that purchased the property with the goal of completing the preservation process. That should happen this month when two new overlay conservation easements are approved by the Land Trust of Virginia and officially recorded. Between Dec. 4, 1997, and today lies a story that shows how even the best of intentions can go awry with evolving interpretations of historic preservation and the increasing changes in Loudoun’s rural uses.

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

The Hague-Hough House

The historic Hager-Hough House will be permanently protected from commercial use and subdivision under new overlay easements to be placed on the property.

The oldest extant house in the National Historic Landmark, the Hague-Hough House sits on a hill in the northwest quadrant of the village overlooking the Waterford Mill and the historic

structures of Lower Main Street. Storch, a prominent Washington, DC, real estate investor, over a 10-year period placed easements on his 73-acre prop-

erty with the goal of preserving the open space and the architectural integrity of the house, the earliest portion of which dates to 1747. His easements allowed

the construction of one additional house and related strucHAGUE-HOUGH HOUSE continues on page 22

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Teens Lend Voice to Keep Barbershop Quartets Alive BY DANIELLE NADLER Two hundred Loudoun teens decided to forgo sleeping in and even skip sporting events Saturday to experience a style of music that traces its origins back to the 19th century. Sean Matthews told his basketball teammates they’d have to compete without him. “I’d rather be here,” the Sterling Middle School eighth-grader said of missing a game to take part in Loudoun County Public Schools’ annual A Cappella Workshop. The program gave middle and high school students a crash course in barbershop-style singing, and, for the day, had Rock Ridge High School resembling a scene from the TV show “Glee.” Troupes of young sopranos, altos, tenors and bass huddled around veteran barbershop performers for nearly five hours. “We haven’t even been working on this song for long and you can just tell that it’s going to be something special,” Matthew Chesnutt, a Sterling Middle School eighth-grader, said at the start of the rehearsal. Matthew said shows like NBC’s “The Sing-Off ” sparked his interest in barbershop-style singing. He first attended Loudoun’s A Cappella Workshop last year, and he returned this year. “A lot of people are getting interested in this. It’s such a cool thing to create such great sound without instruments.” The effort to introduce Loudoun’s young singers to a capella and barbershop-style singing started about five years ago. For a full year, the all-county choir—made up of Loudoun’s top student singers—focused on that 150-year-old genre. “The kids really loved it,” said Jordan Markwood, fine arts chairman at Rock Ridge High School in Brambleton. “We wanted to open it up to more students so we decided to start an annual workshop. It’s an opportunity for students to experience a kind of music that they may not experience in a typical school choir.” The workshop has filled up every year since. Markwood and other educators with Loudoun County Public Schools partner with three a cappella groups to put on the daylong event. On Saturday, the boys were led by members of the local men’s barbershop and a cappella quartets LoCo 4 and the Chorus of the Old Dominion, and the girls were under the direction of HALO, a DC-based women’s quartet and the first all African-American quartet to compete at the international level with a barbershop organization. Dick Smull, a longtime bass in the barbershop quartet Chorus of the Old Dominion, said it’s rewarding to see teens as young as 13 flock back to school on a Saturday to sing. “If you want that style of singing to survive, you have to grow it from the bottom,” he said. “We need youth to get involved and find out how much fun they can have doing this. They’re our future.” The day’s rehearsals culminated in a concert Saturday afternoon that included performances by the guest quartets and students under the direction of John David Maybury. dnadler@loudounnow.com

Tyreke Anderson takes part in Loudoun County Public Schools’ annual A Cappella Workshop Saturday.

A Loudoun Moment Photos by Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Middle school boys take part in Saturday’s A Capella Workshop, under the direction of a member of the Chorus of the Old Dominion.

Frank Shipp, with the Chorus of the Old Dominion, sings along side middle and high school students.

Middle school girls get a lesson in barbershop-style singing from members of HALO, the first all African-American quartet to compete at the international level with a barbershop organization.

January 14, 2016 |

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Supervisors Ask State for Dulles Greenway Alternative BY RENSS GREENE Loudoun supervisors unanimously and enthusiastically supported new Supervisor Ron Meyer’s (R-Broad Run) motion to add an alternative to Dulles Greenway tolls for Loudoun commuters to the county’s state legislative agenda. During the first meeting of the new board Jan. 6, Meyers was making good on a very popular campaign promise: to ask the state to extend Shellhorn Road in Ashburn to connect to Sterling Boulevard, allowing commuters another option between the Greenway’s $5.20 rush-hour tolls or the Waxpool Road rush hour traffic snarl. The new road would parallel the Dulles Greenway. “This is why, I think, that Loudoun elected the youngest member to its board, is really because of this singular proposal,” Meyers said. He also said the alternative would encourage businesses to locate near the planned Silver Line Metro stations, and called it the county’s top priority after removing signal lights from Rt. 7. “Are we going to expect businesses to live on the Silver Line and ask their commuters, if they don’t take Metro, to pay six bucks each way every day?” Meyers asked rhetorically. “Is that a business-friendly corridor? I would argue no.” Supervisor Tony Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) agreed. “I don’t want to use the word ridiculous, but I will: It’s ridiculous,” Buffington said. “The cost is ridiculous.”

Renss Greene/LoudounNow

Supervisor Ron Meyer (R-Broad Run) introduced his motion to ask the state to fund an alternative to the Dulles Greenway to praise from other supervisors.

With 251 working days in 2015 and at $6 each way (commuters continuing on or coming from the Dulles Toll Road pay an additional $1 at the Greenway’s main toll plaza), a commuter on the Dulles Greenway can expect to pay up to $3,012 in tolls in a year, not counting any benefits from the Dulles Greenway VIP Miles Frequent Rider program, which pays up to 15 percent cash back.

Board Raises County Debt Cap After All BY RENSS GREENE Less than a month after the previous Board of Supervisors narrowly voted down a motion to increase a county debt issuance guideline, the new board has approved the increase. The county’s self-imposed debt issuance guideline limits the amount of new debt the county can issue in a budget year. It now increases by 13 percent from $200 million—the amount set in 2006—to $225 million. The debt issuance guideline is one tool the county has used to maintain its triple-A credit rating with all three major credit rating agencies by keeping borrowing from outpacing revenue growth. With a difficult budget picture next year, this guideline will affect the county’s ability to tackle big capital projects—like new schools and roads. Finance committee chairman Supervisor Matt LeTourneau (R-Dulles), who represents the district with the most need for new schools, reiterated many of his arguments from the unsuccessful motion last month. “When the board set this $200 million cap, which was an internal control in 2006, debt issuance was 16 percent of government appropriations, and today it’s down to 9 percent,” Letourneau said. “And so by increasing the debt cap from $200 to $225 million, all we’re really doing is adjusting for the growth that’s happening in the county.” Vice Chairman Ralph Buona (R-Ashburn), along with Supervisors Geary Higgins (R-Catoctin) and Suzanne Volpe (R-Algonkian), continued their resis-

Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) said the county staff had looked at purchasing the Greenway and determined that it is not an option. “Flat out not an option,” Buona said. “Why? Because the purchase price far, far exceeds the fair market value of the assets.” Buona said the county would also have to finance $600 million to $700 million in debt on the Greenway, more than doubling the county’s debt. “So how are we going to combat the Greenway if purchasing is just not in the cards?” Buona said. “The answer is to build alternatives.” Competing routes, he said, could push Greenway tolls down over time. Loudoun County Director of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure Joe Kroboth said a consultant is preparing a report on the Shellhorn Road extension project, including a cost estimate, but agreed with Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd’s (D-Leesurg) estimated price, based on a similar project, of $60 million to $80 million dollars. With the update to the board’s legislative agenda, the county will now ask the state to add the project to is priority list. “We can make a real difference in making it so people can save extra money for their kids’ college saving accounts, so they can put more money in retirement, and not send it to a corporation which has abused Loudoun County for far too long,” Meyers said. rgreene@loudounnow.com county’s cash requirement on capital projects—the county is required to pay 10 percent cash for those projects. He said it would also create additional debt service costs. New board members and county senior staff members supported the idea. “We know there’s going to be additional capital re-

“You don’t want to hamstring yourself by not having it available if it’s needed.” – Chairwoman Phyllis Randall

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

County Chairwoman Phyllis Randall (D-At Large) leads her first Board of Supervisors meeting of the term Jan. 6.

tance to the idea. Buona and Higgins were concerned that the increase would allow the county to borrow too much in the case of a major recession. “This also generates cash requirements in the operating budget,” Buona said. “This isn’t just capital. This isn’t just debt.” Buona explained that the debt issuance guideline, in allowing for more capital spending, also affects the

quirements for roads and schools,” Supervisor Ron Meyer (R-Broad Run) said. “Are we going to allow ourselves, like any good business or or any person, to take out a mortgage when the time is right, if we need it? $25 million isn’t a lot of money when we’re talking about capital, but this at least gives us a little bit more flexibility to do that.” “You don’t want to hamstring yourself by not having it available if it’s needed,” agreed Chairwoman Phyllis Randall (D-At Large). “If we hit a major recession scenario, then what your debt cap is becomes completely irrelevant anyway,” Letourneau said. “You take a step back, you look at all of your projects in the CIP [Capital Improvement Plan] that aren’t absolutely necessary… and you stop spending. And that’s what the 2007 board did had to do when they hit this scenario.” rgreene@loudounnow.com

January 14, 2016 |

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Finance Committee Sends Revised Ethics Pledge Back to Full County Board BY RENSS GREENE It’s been a long road for Loudoun County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall’s vision of a Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct for the Board of Supervisors. But the board will soon vote on a final version. After a session of intense revisions and rewording Tuesday night, the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct that the board’s Finance, Government Operations, and Economic Development Committee will return to the full board as a single document. Randall (D-At Large) thanked her colleagues on the board for their work on the new Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, now a single document, and emphasized that it is “a forward-facing document.” “This is a document that is meant to be for the citizens of Loudoun, and not meant to imply anything of my colleagues in any way,” Randall said. “I think it’s just so important that we sit under a code of ethics and a standards of conduct, and we do that as a service to the citizens.” Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (D-Ashburn), who worked closely with Randall on several revisions of the document, said the committee’s approved version allays the concerns that have been brought to him. “I appreciate the fact that this is ulti-

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mately a collaborative document,” committee Chairman Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said. “Let’s keep this energy, let’s keep it moving forward, and let’s rock and roll,” said Supervisor Koran Saines (D-Sterling). The new version of the pledge passed 4-0-1, with Supervisor Tony Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) absent. The Board of Supervisors is expected to consider the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct at its next business meeting Jan. 21. rgreene@loudounnow.com

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Leesburg Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Leesburg is Virginia’s largest town at more than 47,000 residents.

Does ‘City of Leesburg’ Have a Nice Ring to It? Some Say No BY DANIELLE NADLER AND RENSS GREENE Word that a bill was making its way to the General Assembly that would allow the Town of Leesburg to become an independent city prompted county leaders to register their concerns about the concept. Following a years-long request from Leesburg Town Council members, Del. J. Randall Minchew (R-10) submitted legislation that would permit Virginia’s largest town, at more than 47,000 people, to transition to city status if it so desired. If Leesburg were to become a city, it would act as a separate entity from the county. Generally, city residents would not pay county taxes or receive county services. For several years, Town Council members have wanted to study the financial impact of becoming the City of Leesburg, but a state moratorium blocks towns with populations of more than 40,000 from receiving city charters. Minchew’s bill, HB 192, would grant an exception to that moratorium.

“They didn’t want to spend all this time and money studying the possibility if there was no legislative vehicle to allow them to become a city,” Minchew said in an interview last week. Town Councilman Dave Butler, who has been one of the most vocal advocates of the town’s transition to a city, said he and town staff members’ rough calculations indicate a Leesburg resident would pay $1,000 less in taxes per year under that scenario. Town residents now pay taxes to the town and the county and some of the services are duplicated, such as public safety, he noted. “There’s definite interest,” Butler said. “The majority on the council would at least like to study it and see if it makes sense.” Loudoun’s Board of Supervisors made its consternation at the idea of a City of Leesburg known at the first meeting of its term Jan. 6. Leesburg is Loudoun’s county seat, and Supervisor Mathew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said an independent Leesburg would cause the county to look differently at county projects within the town, such as the courthouse expansion. “If they want to be be their own entity … then we have to rethink the county assets that we’re placing into the town, since it’s not us,” agreed Vice Chairman Ralph

boasts a lower tax rate and better services than Fairfax County, it was pointed out. “It’s a model Leesburg should look at,” Umstattd said. Speaking to supervisors’ concern that the county courthouse and government buildings would be situated in the heart of a city by and large independent from the county, Butler noted that that model seems to work for the city and county of Fairfax, as well as the City of Winchester and its bordering Frederick County. “There’s no reason that it can’t be done,” he said. The Board of Supervisors did not vote on a position last week, but Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At large) said it would appear on the next board meeting agenda. Of his bill, Minchew explained that he only wanted to free up the Leesburg Town Council to study the idea. But he stressed, “I’m not still not ready to support Leesburg becoming a city. I think Leesburg fits very well as part of Loudoun County, and being a city most certainly is a breakaway.”

M. Buona (R-Ashburn). “But here’s a bigger observation: I think the Town Council needs to do some back-of-the-envelope math and be careful what they’re asking for.” Buona estimated education alone would cost Leesburg $130 million each year, well over the town’s annual budget. “Most cities in the commonwealth are able to offer a lower tax rate to their residents than the double taxes that are currently paid by individuals who live in towns like Leesburg,” countered former Leesburg mayor and newly sworn-in Supervisor Kristen Umstattd (D-Leesburg). She has shown interest for several years in exploring the idea of transitioning the town to a city. “So my suspicion is that after a study period, then they will decide not to go forward with this, but they did want the opportunity to actually engage in a study,” she said. During the town council’s legislative dinner last month, the then-mayor said she and former Town Manager John Wells had made a trip to the City of Fairfax and were impressed with the model the city used, whereby they were able to contract out schools and social services funding and oversight to Fairfax County. The city

Reporter Kara Clark Rodriguez contributed to this report.

Business, Property Owners Seek to Boost Downtown’s Draw KARA CLARK RODRIGUEZ, CONTRIBUTING WRITER Dozens of downtown business and property owners, residents and government representatives gathered in the lower level conference room of Ida Lee Recreation Center on Monday morning to discuss a familiar subject—how to add to downtown Leesburg’s vibrancy. The forum was organized by the town’s Economic Development Department at Kara Clark Rodriguez/Loudoun Now the request of Town Manager Kaj Dentler Former Leesburg Town Councilman Kevin Wright, center, makes a point during a town as he prepares for fiscal year 2017 budget Economic Development Commission meeting on supporting downtown businesses. deliberations. The forum was run by the town’s Economic Development Com“We’re asking for ideas that the town Each group came up with five ideas to mission members, who led three break- can invest in to improve the experience contribute to the forum and then particout sessions to solicit feedback from at- for those coming downtown,” Com- ipants placed stickers on the ideas they tendees on their ideas to create positive mittee Chairman Jim Sisley said to the most preferred. change in the downtown area. crowd. Some of the prevailing ideas for change

in the downtown area were: • creating a town subsidy to help fill vacancies in the downtown; • creating a “map and app” for use by visitors and residents; • increasing signage for downtown parking; • improving branding; • improving the quality of retail in the downtown; and • adding to the arts offerings. Former Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley, who owns The Cooley Gallery on North King Street, was among the attendees. He said he has heard from

DOWNTOWN DRAW continues on page 9

January 14, 2016 |

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DOWNTOWN DRAW

continued from page 8

out-of-town visitors to his gallery that, other than patronizing his shop, there is no reason to visit downtown Leesburg. “Building up a quality of shops or restaurants in that area I think is really important,” he said, “to give people a reason to say ‘wow this is a great area with a lot of things to do.’” Cooley said he supported the idea of creating more frequent events downtown—even a Third Friday to go along with First Friday—as he said the streets are “packed” during these times. EDC member Gwen Pangle noted that the Leesburg Downtown Business Association has already created an app for those visiting downtown. The app allows participating businesses to send push notifications about special events or promotions. But many in the room said they didn’t know the app existed, so better promotion of it was urged. “Right now downtown merchants don’t leverage as much as we have available,” Pangle agreed. Prior to the forum concluding, there seemed to be a general consensus that more meetings of the like should be held to continue to solicit the public’s opinion on how the downtown could be improved. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

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Settlement Eyed in Loudoun Hounds Stadium Lawsuit The years-long legal battle over the construction of the Loudoun Hounds stadium in Ashburn may be coming to a close. That’s what attorneys for the Virginia Investment Partnership (VIP) and One Loudoun developers told Loudoun Circuit Court Judge Burke F. McCahill on Friday. The case began in 2014, when One Loudoun sued to have the court terminate its lease agreement with VIP after the sports and entertainment company failed to begin construction of the stadium near the Rt. 7/Loudoun County Parkway interchange. VIP countersued, claiming One Loudoun caused the delay and seeking $30 million in damages. Over the course of numerous court hearings, the case narrowed significantly. A three-day trial is scheduled to begin March 14, although a recent cancer diagnoses and treatment for VIP leader Bob Ferren threatened to delay pre-trial depositions and possibly the trial. Friday’s suggestion of a settlement was the second announcement in court of a settlement attempt. Late last year, attorneys told McCahill the case neared a settlement over the summer, but that fell through. They’re scheduled to be back in court Jan. 21 to report their progress. If the lawsuit settles, the case may not be over, however. One Loudoun’s attorney said they are considering a motion for sanctions against the attorneys who filed the lawsuit on behalf of VIP. VIP had pursued a franchise with the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and held a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony for the stadium at One Loudoun in 2012. VIP also planned a North American Soccer League team, the Virginia Cavalry FC, to play in the stadium.

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NOVA Launches On-road Emissions Tests BY DANIELLE NADLER There’s no more need for Northern Virginia drivers to stop by the repair shop for that biennial emissions inspection. A new program called RAPIDPASS Virginia allows owners of vehicles to meet their inspection requirement during their daily driving routines. Motorists can now drive through one of 150-plus sites throughout Northern Virginia equipped with on-road testing equipment to have their vehicle emissions measured. The inspection locations are in five Northern Virginia cities and counties, including Loudoun, according to ETEST Corp., which manages the testing centers. Lawmakers and other community leaders gathered Jan. 7 in Falls Church to ceremonially kick off the program. “RAPIDPASS is all about giving Virginians a choice that offers convenience and saves time and ultimately maintains the Commonwealth’s commitment to a healthier Virginia,” ETEST CEO Lothar Geilen stated. “RAPIDPASS inspections can be complet-

Ginny Boland/RAPIDPASS Virginia

Joe T. May, a former Virginia delegate, introduces the new RAPIDPASS Virginia that tests vehicles’ emissions while on the road. The program stems from legislation May initiated in 2012.

ed in less than a second during daily driving routines. This is a great example of how technology can help improve quality of life in the Commonwealth.” Roadside remote-sensing devices can measure emissions as a vehicle passes by, without impeding traffic flow, often without the driver knowing they have been tested. The machines use infrared scanning technology to measure emissions, speed and acceleration.

A camera records the license plate number, which can be matched to state vehicle registries. Motorists will be mailed an invoice to cover the $28 cost of the inspection that can be paid by mail or online. RAPIDPASS stems from 2012 legislation drafted by then-Del. Joe T. May (R-33), who represented western Loudoun County in the General Assembly. “Ninety percent of the vehicles in Northern Virginia are clean running vehicles,” May said in statement. “There is no reason we should not reward these motorists with an alternative testing option that will save time and reduce the inconvenience of obtaining an emission inspection at a traditional station.” ETEST has deployed 15 RAPIDPASS on-road emissions systems, which will be moved around 150 mobile inspection sites throughout Northern Virginia. The locations are positioned on frequently used thoroughfares and will be rotated throughout the month. Weekly site locations are posted at rapidpass.org/locations. For more information, go to rapidpass. org, call 1-844-727-7773 or email rapidpass@etest.com.

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January 14, 2016

Crime After Lansdowne Murder-Suicide, Community Rallies to Support Surviving Daughters

The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office is investigating an apparent murder-suicide at a Lansdowne Town Center townhouse. Deputies were called to the Winmeade Drive home about 9 p.m. Sunday after a neighbor called to report the suspected suicide. At the scene, deputies found two residents inside, both dead from gunshot wounds. Investigators believe Andre T. Howell, 40, shot and killed his wife Naomi, 39, and then took his own life. The couple, who purchased the Lansdowne condo in 2008, had two daughters—a 21-year-old who lives in Virginia Beach and a 5-year-old who lived with them. Sheriff ’s Office spokesman Kraig Troxell said it was unclear whether the child was in the home at the time of the shootings. It has been reported that the couple was having marital difficulties. Troxell said there were no previous domestic-related calls to the home. County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large), who knew the couple, encouraged friends and neighbors to ral-

loudounnow.com

Loudoun Firefighter Helps Save Fan at Sunday’s Washington Redskins Game ly around their children. “When something like this happens, the responsibility of the community is not to judge the family, but to come together and support the survivors and the loved ones,” she said Tuesday. “I say to everyone, if you ever think that there could be something going on, don’t be afraid to speak up and ask questions. I think sometimes just because we’re all trying to mind our business, we don’t want to impose or ask questions. End the end, let’s just support their daughters.” Friends of the family have established a Go Fund Me page [gofundme.com/cj4k5daz] to help raise money for the couple’s funeral expenses and to establish an education fund for the children.

Stolen Car Recovered After Chase, McLean Man Charged A McLean man faces multiple charges after a police chase in Sterling early on New Year’s Day. According to the Sheriff ’s Office, at 4 a.m. a deputy located a vehicle that had been reported stolen after it was left running and unattended in the driveway of a South Culpeper Road home. As the deputy initiated a traffic stop on Sterling Boulevard, the driver of the car accel-

A Loudoun firefighter is being credited with lifesaving action, after aiding a cardiac arrest victim during the Washington Redskins’ playoff game Sunday at FedEx Field. Justin Brabson, a technician assigned to the Kincora Station in Sterling, was at the game as a spectator and witnessed a fan collapse nearby before the game started. Brabson attended to the patient until members of Prince George’s County Fire-Rescue responded to provide advanced life support. Barbson is a nine-year veteran of Loudoun County Fire-Rescue. He said he didn’t do anything that anyone else wouldn’t do. “I was glad that I was able to help him,” Barbson said. erated and turned eastbound onto Rt. 7 and then into the Community Plaza where stop-sticks were deployed. The vehicle became disabled and crashed into a deputy’s patrol car. The cruiser received minor damage. The suspect, Mitchell G. Brandt, 21, was taken into custody after a brief struggle and charged with auto theft, assault on law enforcement, obstruction of justice, eluding, DUI and possession of narcotics. He was released on a $15,000 bond. He is scheduled for a March 3 hearing in Loudoun County District Court.

Two Charged in Gun Thefts Two Hamilton residents face charges of stealing weapons and a vehicle in November. According to the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office, the pair took firearms

and a vehicle from a Lincoln Road home on Nov. 20 and took firearms from a Sydnor Street house on Nov. 23. The suspects were apprehended last month in Berkley County, WV. Donald E. Bieler, 28, was charged with grand larceny, larceny with intent to sell/ distribute, and two counts of obtaining money by false pretenses. He was being held in Clarke County on unrelated charges. Alison C. Bieler, 21, was charged with larceny of firearms, larceny with intent to sell/distribute, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. She waived extradition and was returned to Loudoun County on Dec. 30. She was held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on a $3,000 bond. The 11 stolen firearms were recovered at pawn stores in Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia.

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CONCEALED CARRY continued from page 3

rules on issuing concealed carry permits. Favola has introduced (and Murphy has signed on to) SB 156, which would allow family members who reside with an applicant for a concealed carry permit to submit an affidavit to the court that the applicant is likely to use the weapon unlawfully or is mentally unwell. Currently, applications for concealed carry permits are confidential—meaning family members are not necessarily notified when someone applies for a permit. “A family member would have to proactively send a letter to the court on the chance that a loved one may be applying for a permit,” Favola said. She said the bill is “not the panacea” but helps address the high bar that is required to disqualify a person on grounds of mental health. Both SB 48 and SB 156 have been referred to the Senate Committee on Courts of Justice. Favola, Boysko, and Murphy have also signed on to Falls Church Del. Marcus B. Simon’s (D-53) HB 149, which prohibits people on the federal Terrorist Screening Database from obtaining a concealed handgun permit. Favola and Boysko both said the benefits outweigh the risk of wrongly blocking a person

from getting a concealed carry permit. “There’s always a slight danger of false positives in any of these lists, but that doesn’t outweigh the need to have the list,” Favola said. “Probably 99 percent of the people on the list are really dangerous.” “Maybe we need to go back and look at how we’re putting the terrorist list together, but if someone has raised suspicion enough, I don’t want to have another San Bernardino situation,” agreed Boysko.

Delegate Dave A. LaRock (R-33), of Hamilton, has also introduced two bills and signed on to another expanding gun rights. LaRock’s HB 273 would reduce the requirements for purchasing a firearm to require only one photo ID. “I think a driver’s license is a fairly sophisticated form of identification now,” he said. “Certainly it’s very difficult to produce a forgery of, and so they should be very adequate for establishing someone’s identity for a firearms purchase.” HB 260 would require the local chief

“[It’s] not the panacea...” — Sen. Black has also signed onto Manassas Del. Robert G. Marshall’s (R-13) HB 83, which would forbid Virginia and local law enforcement agencies from helping enforce federal firearms laws taking effect from December 1, 2015, onward. Black said the bill is in direct response to President Barack Obama’s recent executive action on gun control, and effectively hamstrings enforcement of those regulations in Virginia. “The U.S. attorney has limited manpower,” Black said. “They typically are fairly stretched to try to keep up with important case law and prosecuting really major criminals, major drug transactions, and things of that sort.”

Barbara A. Favola

law enforcement officer within 60 days to decide on certifying the transfer of firearms such as machine guns, rifles, shotguns, and silenced weapons. Some chief law enforcement officers choose not to act on an application, stalling it indefinitely, LaRock said. “And because the applicant is supposed to apply in the jurisdiction in which they reside, then they’re just kind of locked out of the process. This bill just compels the chief law enforcement officers to act. It doesn’t tell them they have to say yes or no.” HB 83, HB 149, HB 260, and HB 273 have been referred to the House Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety.

EDUCATION FUNDING continued from page 3

he has a seat at the table during negotiations over how the state spends money. A $1 billion boost Del. Thomas in K-12 and Greason higher education funding was the highlight of Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D)’s proposed two-year budget, unveiled last month. The funding would provide pay raises for teachers, bolster financial aid and promote research. Greason said he was happy to see the governor allocate more money for schools, but he wants to know what other line items took a hit to make it happen. “He’s not raising taxes, so it’s too early to tell where all that funding came from,” the delegate said. “We’ll dig into that over the next four to five weeks, so we know the totality of what the budget will look like. This is now when the hard work on the budget really begins.”

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Education

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Carmine Gothard sits outside of Briar Woods High School between classes. The 17-year-old started a website and support movement for survivors of sexual violence 10 years after she was assaulted.

Teen Survivor of Sexual Assault Wants to Give Others a Voice BY DANIELLE NADLER Carmine Gothard stayed quiet about it for eight years. No more silence, she says. The Briar Woods High School senior was sexually assaulted when she was 7 years old and kept quiet about what had happened to her until her sophomore year of high school. She finally confided in a teacher. “It felt like a release,” she said. “It’s scary to share something like that. But when it’s out there, it’s no longer something you have to deal with by yourself. It’s something people can help you with.” That feeling inspired her to provide a platform for other survivors of sexual abuse to share their experience, wheth-

School notes

Middle School Receives Hefty Donation Rockwell Collins, a longtime business partner of Sterling Middle School, recently presented Principal Gus Mar-

“It’s scary to share something like that. But when it’s out there, it’s no longer something you have to deal with by yourself. It’s something people can help you with.” – Carmine Gothard er anonymously or publically. So in November she started a group called Breaking Your Silence that helps victims of assault connect with others who have been touched by that type of violence. Carmine understands how difficult it can be to tell others they were assaulted, especially when the culprit is someone they know. Time passes and suddenly

tinez with a $2,500 check. The donation will be used to support the school’s Bring Your Own Technology initiative, which begins this month. Rockwell Collins’ has been a business partner with Sterling Middle School since 2008. Students and staff members visit the nearby Rockwell Collins facility in Sterling to learn more about careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Since the partnership began, Rock-

the incident is years earlier and you think maybe it’s better to keep it to yourself, she said. “Then, you’re too scared to say something because you don’t want to be judged.” Holding such a cruel secret took a toll. She felt it physically and emotionally. She was eventually diagnosed with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

well Collins has helped Sterling Middle School students and staff attend Space Camp. It also has provided needed school supplies. Rockwell Collins is a pioneer in the design, production and support of innovative solutions in aerospace and defense.

Choral Director Awarded Annabelle Luebke, the choral director at Stone Hill Middle School, has

“Things got pretty bad,” the 17-yearold said. “If I had found a way to speak up and say something earlier, I think it probably wouldn’t have been as bad. So that’s why I started this, so other people had that opportunity.” She created a website, breakingyoursilence.weebly.com, and launched two projects designed to give people who have experienced sexual violence a community with which to share their experience. The first, Words for Bravery, encourages people to take a photo of themselves holding a sheet of paper imprinted with a brief, positive message. They can be sent to Carmine at wordsforbravery@gmail.com and she will post them on the Breaking Your Silence website. Right now, the page has photos of 33 people—and counting—holding messages, including one from Carmine that reads “bravery comes one day at a time.” “It’s meant to help survivors associate with the positive instead of the negative,” Carmine said. “Anyone can send us a photo, survivors or their family or whoever. Everyone is welcome.” The second project, Sending Paper Hearts, invites people to send letters to victims of sexual assault. “It gives survivors a chance to hear positive words from people who don’t know their stories,” Carmine said. “Sometimes that can be what a person really needs.” People can sign up to write a letter and survivors can request to receive a letter by sending an email to sendingpaperhearts@gmail.com. Names and contact information will be kept confidential. Carmine and a few classmates also started a Breaking Your Silence club at Briar Woods; they’ll hold their first meeting Thursday. Amanda Dabbenigno, a psychology teacher at Briar Woods and faculty sponsor of the Breaking Your Silence club, commended Carmine for providing an outlet for young people that’s been missing in Loudoun County. “Not only is she providing support for GOTHARD continues on page 16

been selected to receive the 2016 Colleen Kirk Award. She will receive this award during the American Choral Directors Association Southern Division Conference March 9-12 in Chattanooga, TN. The award is presented to new and aspiring choral conductors who are members of ACDA to help mentor their professional development. Choral music teachers in their first three years of fulltime teaching are eligible.

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SCHOOL BUDGET

continued from page 1

“This is about the quality of teachers that our children are able to benefit from in terms of their education,” Williams said. The superintendent is proposing the addition of 137.2 full-time equivalent positions at a cost of $9.2 million to provide a full, six-hour school day to 70 percent of the county’s kindergarteners. Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) praised Williams for coming up with a way to expand the program without building classroom additions. “That’s huge,” the chairman said. Williams had said in November that the school system would need $16.32 million worth of classroom additions to make room to provide a full school day for 70 percent of Loudoun’s kindergartners. Currently, about 32 percent of local kindergarten students have access to a full day; up from 11 percent last school year. Williams’ budget calls for $1 million to begin the roll out of the Academies of Loudoun by launching the Academy of Engineering and Technology this fall—two years ahead of the full academies opening in the fall of 2018. The Academies of Loudoun will provide space to expand the existing Academies of Science and C.S. Monroe Technology Center, in addition to the Academy of Engineering and Technology. The latter is a new venture that will emphasize bio-mechanics, robotics, bioengineer-

loudounnow.com

Starting Point: Supervisors Look for Level Taxes BY RENSS GREENE County Administrator Tim Hemstreet has his marching orders for the fiscal year 2017 budget, which indicate Loudoun property owners would not see much change in the county tax rate or in their tax bills. However, that plan would leave the schools $39.5 million short of the superintendent’s request. The new Board of Supervisors last week voted unanimously to direct Hemstreet to prepare two budget scenarios— one based on the current real property tax rate, $1.135 per $100 in assessed value, and another based on an equalized tax rate of $1.130, which would keep real estate tax bills level for the average Loudoun homeowner even though overall assessed values have gone up slightly. The equalized tax rate is based on an average of all property values in the county. Individual real property owners will see their tax bill change depending on how their property value is assessed from year to year. “Even with the equalized tax rate that’s a little bit lower than the same tax rate we have; people in Broad Run District will largely still see a tax increase,” Supervisor Ron Meyer (R-Broad Run) said. “Obviously, we’re all going to be having to sacrifice a little bit, because the budget ing and cyber-security. The superintendent’s budget would rely on an increase of $58.3 million in

projections look absolutely terrible.” Supervisor Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin) agreed. “I live in western Loudoun, and I haven’t seen my taxes go down,” Higgins said. “They’ve gone steadily up. And so I think that the equalized tax rate is just that, it’s basically the average, and I think that’s a good starting point.” Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said creating a budget with both figures gives the county options in terms of which projects to undertake with extra revenues, and which programs to slash in case of a shortfall. “With a budget at the equalized tax rate, what we’ll get from [Hemstreet] is options,” Letourneau said. “And in the past, at least, that’s what we’ve wanted.” However, supervisors likely will get some push back. Even if they adopt a budget at the current tax rate, it would leave the spending plan drawn up by Loudoun Schools Superintendent Eric Williams $34.8 million short. Williams is proposing a budget of $1.07 billion, $86.7 million more than the current fiscal year. In an interview Tuesday, Randall sounded hopeful that she and her colleagues would ultimately settle on a higher tax rate that would bridge that funding gap. She said she saw her vote to support the equalized tax rate as “just a

place to start.” “Obviously, I’d like to close that gap, and we will have a discussion with the School Board and, most importantly, the public through three public input sessions to hear from citizens,” the chairwoman said. “This is not the end.” The divide between what school leaders say they need and available funding was expected to be even wider just a couple of months ago. In October, Williams predicted the 88-school division would need a total budget increase of as much as $95.4 million, and get just $13.8 million more in state funding. That would have left the county taxpayers shouldering $81.6 million in new funding for schools. Instead, the budget Williams presented Jan. 7 would require $58.3 million in new local funding, aided in part by a revised estimate of $26.1 million in new state funding and by a lower total budget increase of $84.4 million. That budget, like the one the county administrator will introduce Feb. 10, is not final—it sets into motion a twomonth process as each board hashes out the details. Managing Editor Danielle Nadler contributed to this report. rgreene@loudounnow.com

county tax funding. Read more in the sidebar, “Starting Point: Supervisors Look for Level Taxes.” Ahead of the budget’s Feb. 2 adoption, the School Board will hold public hear-

ings at Jan. 20 and Jan. 28. The adopted budget then goes to the supervisors as a funding request.

GOTHARD

school-central project.” “I just wanted to help a few people I knew who weren’t comfortable talking about what they’d been through publically, and then others started to join.” Carmine said her efforts have helped connect survivors throughout Northern Virginia, but she doesn’t have any major goals for the project’s future. “I’m not concerned with how big it gets. I just want to be helping someone somewhere.”

continued from page 14

those in need, but she’s encouraging a generation that hasn’t yet found a way to voice themselves and make a difference in their community,” she wrote in an email. “By creating this project, Carmine and other high school students are bringing awareness to a community that needs it.” Several weeks after starting Breaking Your Silence, Carmine said she’s been blown away by the response to what she thought would just be “a small,

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Leesburg’s Job Creator

HUBZone Grows Businesses and Careers KARA CLARK RODRIGUEZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER Leesburg Economic Development Director Marantha Edwards recalls a phone call she received shortly after the results of the 2010 U.S. Census were released. “You have a HUBZone, and I want to move to Leesburg,” said the voice at the other end of the line. “I didn’t know what he was talking about,” Edwards said. What the Census, and the man on the phone, had discovered was that a HUBZone—an acronym for Historically Underutilized Business Zone—had been created in Leesburg. While there are several ways an area can be designated a HUBZone, Leesburg’s fell into the category because of its proximity to a historic district and having its residents earning 60 percent below the area median income. Leesburg’s HUBZone is bordered by Edwards Ferry Road, the Leesburg Bypass, King Street and the W&OD Trail. It includes The Fields Apartments and neighborhoods along or near Plaza Street. The area even includes Leesburg’s Mason Enterprise Center business incu-

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Biz

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Monireh Rustaiey, Monice Hollingshead and Lisa Cusack, CEO of Custom Software Systems, work in their office at 17 Loudoun St. in Leesburg. Custom Software Systems sits in the town’s HUBZone, a federal designation designed to bolster business communities in historically low income neighborhoods.

bator, allowing businesses to rent space within the building to take advantages of the benefits of the designation. For businesses that deal with, or are thinking of getting into, the government contracting market, the advantages of locating one’s principal office in a HUBZone are huge. Federal government

The Board of Directors of Loudoun Youth Inc. want to congratulate our own Jared Melvin of Loudoun Insurance Group as a finalist in the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership Awards. As President/CEO of Loudoun Youth Inc. (loudounyouth.org), Jared has demonstrated his motivation to positively impact youth across the county. By empowering and motivating youth through our programs, Jared and the Loudoun Youth team have been instrumental in shaping the future of Loudoun County’s youth.

Congratulations Jared Melvin!

Community Leadership awards

agencies are required to give at least 3 percent of their contracts to HUBZone businesses, and qualifying businesses are given a 10 percent boost on their bids for contracts for being located in a HUBZone. At least 35 percent of a HUBZone-certified company’s workforce must live within a HUBZone, although it

can be a different HUBZone than where the business itself is located. For Bob and Lisa Cusack of Custom Software Systems Inc., locating in Leesburg’s HUBZone has been a boon for HUB ZONE continues on page 19

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Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Shop owner Mike Dickerson and manager Tom Stokes were surrounded by friends and town leaders, including Leesburg Vice Mayor Kelly Burk, as they formally opened Plum Grove ReCyclery on Tuesday.

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Bike Shop Replants Roots Downtown Plum Grove ReCyclery marked its re-opening in downtown Leesburg with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday. The bike shop got its start in downtown Leesburg in 2000 as Plum Grove Cyclery. Shop owner Mike Dickerson and manager Tom Stokes later moved their store to Rockland Farm north of town, where they operated for the past six years. Just recently they opened a storefront at 120-C E. Market St. in Leesburg and took on a new name, Plum Grove ReCyclery. Plum Grove ReCyclery’s mission is stated on its website: “As Loudoun County grows and becomes more urban, Plum Grove wants to make sure

that cycling is an integral part of that growth, not only as healthy recreation, but as a truly viable transportation alternative for commuting to work, running errands around town or enjoying a pub crawl.” The new shop will hold an all-day grand opening celebration Saturday, Jan. 16. The day’s festivities will begin with a 17-mile, no-drop gravel ride from the shop at 9:30 a.m. and end with a party from 6 to 9 p.m. During the day, the shop will host a coloring contest, a knitting corner and other events to mark the occasion. See the full list of activities at www.pgc.bike or call the shop at 703777-2252.

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because it’s the only one that focuses on the redevelopment of the community,” Leesburg Business Development Manager Kindra Jackson said. For the town, Jackson said, being located in a HUBZone is “like discovering there’s a gold mine in your backyard.” Edwards said the HUBZone has spurred diversity in the companies locating within the town, long known for its service industry businesses. Now, small companies focused on procuring government contracts have been finding ways to locate themselves in Leesburg and utilize its growing workforce. The Mason Enterprise Center and its Procurement Technical Assistance Program have been important partners in this, Edwards said. The majority of HUBZone businesses in the town so far deal with IT and unmanned aircraft, or drones. “It creates a small Silicon Valley IT bubble in downtown Leesburg. It’s our unspoken tech district,” Jackson said. The Economic Development Department and Mason Enterprise Center host quarterly meetings for HUBZone businesses, and are always available to assist businesses interested in being certified in the program. For more information about Leesburg’s HUBZone, go to leesburgva.gov/ businesses/site-selection/hubzone.

continued from page 18

their company. Within a year of securing their HUBZone certification, the company was awarded a five-year, $10 million contract with the U.S. Treasury. But the Cusacks will be quick to point out that, to them, the real benefits of the program can be found with how it positively impacts the community. Because of the workforce requirements, the Cusacks and other HUBZone business leaders look to their neighbors when it comes time to hire. Many companies look to train potential employees with job skills that can in turn help them down the road with their own careers. “By bringing contract dollars into this HUBZone area it allows us to hire people from within the area. It puts more dollars into the community, which is the purpose of this anyway,” Bob Cusack said. “What it really boils down to is reaching into the community, finding people who don’t have those skills and building up those skills,” Lisa Cusack said. The couple hired a few new employees during a recent HUBZone job fair organized by the Economic Development Department and now boast 28 total employees, almost half of which live in the specially designated zone. “To me it’s the best government program that incentivizes small businesses

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OurTowns

Townbriefs Hillsboro Old Stone School Concert Series Opens

Town of Purcellville

The 2010 expansion of the Basham Simms Wastewater Plant has a capacity of treating $1.5 million gallons per day.

Town Finances: A Hot Issue in Purcellville Election BY MARGARET MORTON It’s budget preparation time in Purcellville. Department heads are working to turn their fiscal year 2017 budget requests and current financial information in to Budget Specialist Debbie Capitan. The Town Council has scheduled a pre-budget meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 19, to get the discussions going early. A public hearing on the personal property tax and real estate tax rates is slated for March 8. A series of budget work sessions will be held later in March and April. Town Manager Robert W. Lohr Jr. will present his budget to the council March 15, at which time the town’s financial advisor, the Davenport Group, and its utility rate consultant, MFSG, will present the town’s long-term financial plan and projections. It’s also an election year, and finances are likely to figure prominently in the campaign. Mayor Kwasi Fraser, who was elected in May 2014, announced he will run for a second two-year term. Vice Mayor John Nave, Councilwoman Joan Lehr and Councilman Patrick McConville, whose terms expire June 30, have not yet announced their decision as to whether they will run again.

Wastewater Plant Debt A key election issue for Fraser in 2014 was the town’s outstanding debt, and it is a topic that he

has continued to stress over the past year and a half. A look at the town’s financial situation shows that two-thirds of its $60 million debt relates to the town’s investment in water and sewer service, particularly upgrades needed to comply with state-mandated treatment standards and the expansion of the Basham Simms Wastewater Plant. That plant was built in 2002, with a treatment capacity of 550 gallons per day. By 2004, “we couldn’t meet the state’s nutrient reductions required through the Chesapeake Bay Act,” Lohr said in a recent interview. For a time, the town’s sewer treatment plant operated under a consent order from the Department of Environmental Quality, because it had too much outside water infiltration. The plant also was too small and many town water mains needed replacement. In the fall of 2005, when the late Bill Druhan Jr. was mayor, the Town Council voted to upgrade the sewer plant’s treatment to meet the new nutrient reduction standards and to increase capacity to 1.5 million gallons per day. The $30 million project was funded through a loan from the Virginia Resources Authority and a $5 million grant from the state. The size of the plant was an election issue in 2014, with critics maintaining the treatment capacity was far too large and decrying

high utility rates. But Lohr said engineers must design the treatment system for peak, not average, use. He recalled that at the time of “Snowmagedon” in February 2005 when the community was hit with back-to-back major snowstorms, “we were treating more than 1.5 million [gallons per day].” Currently, the town has state-issued permits for a treatment demand of one million gallons per day. The town’s population is 8,600.

Water Debt On the water side, the town had insufficient supplies, often requiring stringent water-use restrictions during droughts. But efforts by previous councils to acquire new water sources addressed the shortage. “We were always short of water,” Lohr Jr. recalled. But, adding new wells and expanding others rectified that situation. There have been no water restrictions since 2008. “The town has solved its utility problem,” said Lohr, who cited water as a scarce commodity. “People will scramble to find it in the future, but they won’t find it.” He noted that if the Hirst Well, that went down last summer and is still oﬄine, had been put out of service in 2004 the town would have had significant problems. “We’d be on mandatory restricP’VILLE FINANCES continues on page 21

Joey and the Waitress band will be at the Hillsboro Old Stone School on Friday, Jan. 15 to help the town and the Friends of the Old Stone School raise funds for ongoing renovations and upkeep of the historic structure. The band will present an evening of acoustic music, performing songs from the group’s upcoming CD: “Come to California,” as well as tracks from “Redemption.” Cover and original songs from Juliana MacDowell and Andrew Hart round out the evening. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the concert scheduled for 7 p.m. The $15/advance or $20/at the door tickets include the concert and light appetizers. Drinks, including wine from North Gate Vineyard and beer from Old 690 Brewing Company, will be available by the glass. Future concerts include: The Kennedys, Feb. 12; Iain Matthews, April 1; and Troy and Paula, June 18. For ticket purchases and for more information on the Old Stone School and how you can support the endeavor, go to OldStoneSchool.org

Purcellville Applicants Sought for Sports Funding Area organizations have until Jan. 18 to apply for financial support from the Town of Purcellville’s Sports League Funding program. The FY2015-2016 budget has an allocation of $5,200 available. Applicants must serve the Purcellville area and have town residents as players on their teams. Priority consideration will be given to sports teams from Purcellville that allow all players to play regardless of skill level. Download an application at purcellvilleva.gov. All applications are due by 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18.

Surplus Property Sold Online The town government reminds area residents that Town of Purcellville surplus property is sold on the Public Surplus website, publicsurplus.com. Property is listed for sale as it is released and sold throughout the year. Vehicles and large equipment also are sold at the Damewood Auctioneers spring and fall equipment live auctions held at the Loudoun County Fairgrounds. Link to current surplus property sales on the town website under the “I Want To” heading. Buyers may also sign up for email notifications when a new auction is listed on the town website under the “Subscribe to Notices” heading. For more information, contact Marty Kloeden at mkloeden@purcellvilleva.gov.

Lovettsville Asian Fusion Comes To Town Lovettsville has a new restaurant—Thaiverse, at the intersection of Loudoun Street and Berlin Turnpike. Owners Piya and James describe their menu as Asian Fusion and invite area residents to come on in and savor their flavors. For an online peek, go to thaiverse.com or check the Thaiverse Facebook page.

Help Sought with Wreath Project Mayor Bob Zoldos’ “to do” list includes a request for help OUR TOWNS continues on page 21

January 14, 2016 |

loudounnow.com

Townbriefs continued from page 20

for the Wreaths Across America project. Noting the annual solemn duty of placing wreaths on the graves of fallen soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery each December, Zoldos called for volunteers to help remove the 227,000 wreaths to safe-keeping for another year. Lovettsville resident Bonnie Tyrrell is organizing a trip to Arlington for those who would like to help out. There will be a minimal charge. Those interested should email Tyrrell at dupree04phoenix@hotmail.com or call the Town Office at 540-822-5788.

Waterford Spring Gardening Classes Coming As residents shivered in last week’s icy blasts, it was comforting to read about a new gardening series that will be upcoming in Waterford. Donna Williamson invites gardeners to expand their horticultural toolbox with a four-week class that will provide no-nonsense garden information, including

P’VILLE FINANCES

continued from page 20

tions,” Lohr said. The exact cause of the well’s failure is still unknown, but Lohr noted Director of Public Services Alex Vanegas was scheduled to present options for reactivating the well to the Town Council Tuesday night. The well produces 8 percent of the town’s water supply—some 40,000 gpd. The town also gets between 300,000 and 400,000 gallons a day from the Hirst Reservoir.

Debt Repayment Paying off the debt has been a key objective for the mayor and some on council, but, under the terms of many of the town’s bonds, prepayment possibilities are limited and may involve penalties. The debt repayment is budgeted each year. More than 50 percent of the General Fund debt should be paid off over the next five years, according to Lohr. Purcellville achieved a notable feat in October 2013 for a town of its size, earning triple-A ratings from the three national credit rating agencies. No new debt has been issued since then, and 2021 is the earliest any refinancing could be done, Lohr said. A key milestone comes in early FY21 when balloon notes of $1.4 million for water and $1.6 million for parks and recreation, respectively, come due. “We could either pay them off then or refinance—that will be council’s decision,” Lohr said. The $12-$13 million that is to be paid to the town in availabilities and meter fees over five years through the legal settlement with the county concerning development of Autumn Hill—now known as Mayfair— could be used to pay the balloon note, or it could be spread out and used in some other manner. The first of five annual staggered

planting, pruning and landscape basics. The second four-week session will allow participants to design their own garden, using hands-on experience and developing new skills to come up with lower maintenance landscape designs that suit Virginia’s climate and soils. Williamson advises adding native plants to improve the environment, and support bees and butterflies in the process. Techniques to avoid Bambi’s marauding raids on your garden will be discussed, along with the latest approaches to vegetable gardening. Williamson has taught gardening classes for more than 20 years and is the founder and editor of Grandiflora Mid Atlantic Gardening magazine. The classes will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on eight Wednesdays, starting Feb. 3, in the tasting room at the Village Winery & Vineyard on Brown’s Lane in Waterford. Cost for the basics session is $96, or $180 for the full series of eight classes. Class size is limited, and preregistration is required. To register, go to dwfinegardening.com and click on Classes. Williamson may be reached at 540-877-2002 or donnawilliamson2002@earthlink.net. installments was received last March, with the second due next month. The town ended FY15 in a strong financial position, with more than $4 million in its reserve fund. It also benefitted from a rate reduction on the loan used to finance the Basham Simms expansion, that lowered the interest rate from 2.77 percent to 2.52 percent.

Taxes Taxes routinely are good fodder for election debates. The 2014 campaign featured criticism of the town’s “runaway taxes.” The town had held its real estate tax rate fairly consistent since 2010, according to Director of Finance Elizabeth Krens. The tax rate was 23 cents per $100 of assessed value in 2010 and 2011, raised to 22.5 cents per $100 in 2012 and 2013, then lowered to 21 cents in 2014 before rising a penny last year. But one tax concern that was raised during the last election, and has remained unpopular in certain quarters, was the 3.5 cent Parks and Recreation tax that applies mostly to support of Fireman’s Field and the Purcellville Train Station. Some council members also oppose the town’s meals tax, which, at 5 percent, is the highest among Loudoun towns, but others note there is no lack of diners in the town’s restaurants, diners and cafés. They defend the tax not only as a good revenue source, but as a way of spreading the cost of town services with those who use town facilities and roads but live outside town limits. mmorton@loudounnow.com [Next: Raising revenues for the town through “monetizing” town assets and bulk water sales.]

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HAGUE-HOUGH HOUSE continued from page 3

tures, but prohibited any subdivision or commercial use of the property. Storch died in 2012 and his family put the property on the market for $2.2 million last spring.

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In July, villagers were alerted to the sale of the property to Everheart Productions by Waterford Citizens Association President Ann Belland. The company is owned by Hamilton resident Jon Tigges, who also owns Zion Springs Bed & Breakfast near Hamilton. His partner in the company, Bart Murnion, said Everheart Productions intended to purchase the Hague-Hough property and convert it to a six-room bed-and-breakfast, 45-seat restaurant and entertainment venue, as well as build two houses, three agricultural/events barns and two parking lots. Tigges, reportedly, had until Aug. 23 to proceed with the contract. By Labor Day, a group of Waterford-area residents formed a new limited liability company, Waterford Conservation Associates, and purchased the property for just under $2 million with the intention of easing it and putting it back on the market for resale. The group, spearheaded by Abigail Cutter, took up Loth’s vision of “protecting this critical open space” in the face of what the group saw as a commercial enterprise by Everheart Productions that would threaten the property’s agricultural setting as well as negatively impact the village.

Easements and Zoning—‘Two Different Animals’ At first, neighbors thought Storch’s easements would protect the property from the expanded bed-and-breakfast uses approved by the Board of Supervisors last year to provide more flexibility for B & B owners, increasing the permitted number of events, including weddings and concerts, from 10 per year to 20 or more, depending on property size. In its review, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources found that Storch’s easements would not prevent Everheart’s proposed mixed agricultural and wedding, B & B, restaurant and entertainment uses. That came as a shock to neighbors. “That was the big surprise—we all thought it was protected,” Cutter said. At a packed WCA meeting in early August, she and her neighbor Meredith Imwalle outlined the opposition to the project. “We were appalled at the lack of protection that [we thought] the previous easements gave,” resident and geologist Nick Ratcliffe recalled this week. He pointed out that easements and zoning are two different animals. The zoning changes to expand rural commercial uses that had come into play since western Loudoun was downzoned in 2000 would be permissible under Storch’s

easements, according to VDHR. Ratcliffe said he was also concerned that the VDHR interpretation could affect a lot of other easements. “If it could happen there, it could happen elsewhere,” he said. Easements expert and resident Phillip Paschall noted that the state’s focus has shifted from protecting open space around historic buildings to protecting the continued viability of the buildings. “It’s a bit different,” he said. Cutter said Paschall’s advice was invaluable. “He had the foresight to see what this could mean for the village,” she said.

Swinging into Action Cutter, aided by her husband, Bowman Cutter, who grew up in the village, quickly formed a group of neighbors and others to oppose the Everheart plan. After examining the easements, Cutter said, “Dick [Storch]’s intention was clear. The house was only to be a home and the structures were for farming.” The group concluded the only way to protect the property was to purchase it, Cutter said. “We decided to divide [the property] into two parcels—56 acres with one house permitted, for which we found a buyer, and the rest into 17 acres, including the stone barn and the dairy barn that contains a rental unit and the mansion.”

A Mad Scramble In late August, the final settlement date was not clear, so Cutter called listing agent Washington Fine Properties to see if it were possible to submit a back-up contract. “Yes, but do it fast—get it in by Tuesday.” When she called a member of the Storch family, the answer was similar. “Make it really fast.” She did. “I spent every waking moment working on it,” she said. “Bowman, how do you put together an LLC?” she asked her husband. She spent all day working to raise initial capital. “By night time, I had it,” she recalled with a laugh. It was not easy, as some investors pulled out, then others came in during the following weeks. That was the Thursday before the Labor Day weekend. They almost ran out of time. “By 3 p.m. Sunday, all the money and the signatures were in, and Bowman delivered the papers to [attorney Leland Mahan] for the LLC and on the Tuesday after Labor Day Pamela Storch signed the contract.” “It was horrible. For a month I had nightmares—it was so stressful,” Cutter recalled. Looking back, she said of the Cutters’ action, “It represents our commitment to Waterford and what we valued in it— small town America, where we brought up our children.” The changes proposed by Tigges, she feared, would be that WaHAGUE-HOUGH HOUSE continues on page 23

January 14, 2016 |

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Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

A view across the Hague-Hough House farmland.

HAGUE-HOUGH HOUSE continued from page 22

terford “would no longer be the community we’d known.” Stephanie Kenyon, who is the local managing partner in the enterprise, said she felt similarly. She is a 20-year resident of the area with her husband, who has lived for the past eight years just below the Hague-Hough House. “Waterford is fragile, and you have to do everything in your power to protect it,” Kenyon said.

Setting Up the Easements A conservation easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust to protect the property and its natural and cultural attributes in perpetuity. Waterford is no stranger to the easement process, as, starting in the mid1970s, the Waterford Foundation began a process of getting many of its historic houses and properties under façade or open space easements. Donors are eligible to receive tax credits in return for giving up development rights. For Cutter, finding the right organization through which to establish the easements was not easy. “There is a huge variety in land conservation,” she said, listing the National Trust for Historic Preservation, VDHR, Virginia Outdoors, the Piedmont Environmental Foundation and smaller organizations such as the Land Trust of Virginia. Time was of the essence, so the typical

18-month process required for the state easement processing would not work. The PEC’s review period was much shorter—and LTV only a month or so. Since Paschall was on the board of the LTV, he introduced Cutter to Director of Conservation and Stewardship Ashton Cole, who worked with the group on draft easements. Founded in 1992, the trust has protected 14,770 acres in Virginia. Loudoun County heads the list at 8,529 acres, followed by Fauquier County with 3,644 acres. The trust protects battlefields, farm and agricultural lands, forestland, rivers, creeks and streams, as well as riparian areas and wetlands, mountain sides and slopes and park and recreation lands. Cutter said she appreciated Cole’s sound advice. The 56-acre parcel would be allowed one house with related structures, all to be built where they would not be visible from the village, while the remainder would be in a 17-acre consolidated no-build parcel, with the exception of a run-in shed for animals and a tool shed. There would be no commercial uses permitted. “I learned that you cannot be so specific that it can’t be enforced,” Cutter said. Once the easements are approved and recorded, the group will put the property up for sale, hopefully having permanently protected the property as Storch envisioned and recouping the investment of its donors. mmorton@loudounnow.com

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Singer-songwriter Cal Everett loves pop and that’s OK. After a brush with fame in the ’80s as front man for the DC band 4 Out of 5 Doctors, Everett has caught a second wind in mid-life as a solo act, combining catchy pop melodies with thoughtful lyrics. Everett makes a rare solo appearance at the Barns of Hamilton Station Jan. 16 as part of the ongoing Songs, Stories and Courtesy of 4 Out of 5 Doctors Gas Money songwriters’ series organized Cal Everett, second from left, shown with 4 Out of 5 Doctors, in the 1980s. by Stilson Greene and Don Chapman. Everett will unveil lots of new materiTrap, was a fan of the Doctors in the ’80s al from the new record he’s wrapping what I do.” That “hummable” quality is a trade- and was blown away to find that one up with his friend and producer Todd mark for Everett who combines upbeat of his idols lived near him in Loudoun Wright. The solo acoustic show and the album pop melodies with thoughtful, even mel- County. The two have been friends and collaborators ever since. are both departures for Everett, who has ancholy lyrics. Everett spent his early years in Falls “It’s like hopeful disappointment or always been an unabashed proponent Church and Annandale before moving joyful desperation, ” he said. “Th ey’re of the pop genre. And the singer-songto Potomac, MD, where he cultivated very happy sounding but there’s a little writer route has allowed him to tap into material he’s built up over the years, but twinge to them. … This album is all of his passion for music, graduated from high school and met his wife of almost which didn’t work for the Doctors or that put together.” 40 years, Wendy Newmyer Everett (who’s “I’m thinking he’s the best songwriter subsequent bands. now his manager and biggest fan). I know, ” said Wright, an internationally “They’re incredibly personal, which I In the late ’70s, Everett launched 4 Out known songwriter and producer who never do,” Everett said of the songs on of 5 Doctors with collaborators Jeff Sevopened Half-King studio in downtown the upcoming record. “They’re very open Leesburg last year. “I put him on par with erson, George Pittaway and Tom Ballew. and candid. They span 30 years of my life, Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney. He’s Th e power pop band toured nationalmy relationships, my disappointment, my joyfulness. … They’re pretty raw, but up there to me—and he lives in Sterling!” ly with ’80s icons Hall and Oates and Wright, who met Everett during a 2009 opened for superstars like The Cars, The they’re all very hummable because that’s Crowded House tribute show at Wolf Clash and Cyndi Lauper. The Doctors

Thirty years after hitting the airwaves as bassist and singer for 4 Out of 5 Doctors, Cal Everett will deliver an acoustic solo show he describes as personal, candid and hummable. Courtesy of Cal Everett

released two albums with CBS Records, and their 1983 record “Second Opinion” garnered positive reviews. But the band never made the leap into big sales. Meanwhile, life was moving forward full speed for Everett and Wendy. The couple have three children (now 34, 28 and 26) and, in the mid-’80s, got involved with running a Silver Spring, MD, restaurant that has been in Wendy’s family since the 1970s. The Everetts moved west from Annandale to Reston and then to Sterling in 1987. Everett was involved with other bands over the years and continued writing music. But he found that on a certain level, music took a backseat to parenthood and the family business. Fortunately for his fans, Everett’s new chapter as an empty nester coincided with the burgeoning singer-songwriter scene in Loudoun. Everett credits Wright and Greene with encouraging him to play solo in more intimate settings. Everett played a 2014 Songs, Stories and Gas Money show at Shoe’s Cup & Cork in Leesburg and has also been a regular at the town’s annual Acoustic on the Green summer concert series. “I’m terribly uncomfortable playing alone. I do it because it builds character,” Everett said. “Usually once I get to a place and I play one chord and sing three notes, I’m fine and nothing exists anymore.” Everett is excited about the new album—tentatively titled “Older Now”— and slated for release in coming months (the title cut is available at Everett’s Reverb Nation site). And he credits Wright CAL EVERETT continues on page 28

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January 14, 2016

This Week ON STAGE CLOAK AND DAGGER COMEDY IMPROV Saturday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.; Arts in the Village Gallery, 1601 Village Market Blvd. SE, Suite 116, Leesburg. Details: artsinthevillage.com StageCoach Theater Company’s improv troupe takes over the gallery for an evening of fun and laughter. Tickets are $28 and include coffee, tea and dessert. Tickets are available at the Arts in the Village website.

COMEDY CULT IMPROV

loudounnow.com

LUCKETTS BLUEGRASS: MICHAEL CLEVELAND AND FLAMEKEEPER Saturday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.; Lucketts Community Center, 42361 Lucketts Road, Lucketts. Details: luckettsbluegrass.com

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

See this week’s Crossword puzzle on page 29

Friday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m.; Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. Details: oldstoneschool.org

Rounder Records artist Cleveland brings dynamic traditional bluegrass to Lucketts stage, featuring tight vocal duos and trios, blistering instrumentals, and fiddle/ banjo duets that echo the first-generation stars of bluegrass. Tickets are $15.

NIGHTLIFE SMOKEHOUSE LIVE OPEN MIC Thursday, Jan. 14 and Thursday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Suite 120, Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com Chris Compton hosts this weekly event open to musicians and music lovers of all ages. No cover.

LIVE MUSIC: EMILY GUAGLIARDI

Sunday, Jan. 17, 6:30 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org In the latest installment of Franklin Park’s Gallery Coffeehouse series, the spontaneous and talented crew of Loudoun Valley High School Comedy Cult improv team takes audience suggestions and creates theatrical scenes and stories on the spot. Admission is $8 at the door and includes coffee.

BENEFIT CONCERT: JOEY AND THE WAITRESS

Friday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m.; Lost Rhino Retreat, 22885 Brambleton Plaza, Brambleton. Details: lostrhinoretreat.com Acoustic folk tunes from a local favorite at this new Brambleton hot spot. No cover. Courtesy of Emily Guagliardi

Courtesy of Joey and the Waitress

Local favorites Joey Bauer, Juliana MacDowell and crew provide an evening of acoustic music including selections from their new record “Come to California.” Concert benefits efforts to restore the Old Stone School. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

LIVE MUSIC: SAM GROW

Details: tallyholeesburg.com

Friday, Jan. 15, 8:30 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyholeesburg.com

Land of Ozz vocalist Stephen Desko is the closest thing you’ll hear to Ozzy Osbourne in his prime. Tickets are $15 in advance or day of show.

The Mechanicsville, MD, native is an iTunes sensation with his pop/rock/soul originals. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 day of show.

FUNNY FEMALES COMEDY SHOWCASE Friday, Jan. 15, 9 p.m.; MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 Harrison St, SE, Leesburg. Details: macdowellbrewkitchen.com Katherine Jessup, DC-based comic and advice podcaster, headlines a lineup of the area’s top female comedians. Get there early to get a seat. No cover.

LIVE MUSIC: THE LAND OF OZZ Saturday, Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg.

LIVE MUSIC: ARTY HILL Saturday, Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Suite 120, Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live. com

Courtesy of Smokehouse Live

Arty Hill is known for his classic country style with wry songwriting reminiscent of Townes Van Zandt. No cover.

THIS WEEK continues on page 27

SMALL CLASSES

GREAT RESULTS SINCE 1953

OPEN HOUSES Information Sessions with tours to follow

Sundays 2:00pm Jan. 31, Feb. 21 School Day Open House Jan. 29, 9:30am Preschool - 2nd Grade Jan. 29, 1:00pm 3rd - 8th Grade RSVP to susan.hower@lcds.org or register online at:

www.LCDS.org

Loudoun Country Day School PRESCHOOL - 8TH GRADE 703.777.3841 20600 Red Cedar Dr., Leesburg, VA 20175

DOWN 2) PADDINGTONSTATION 3) CHARLOTTE 5) JUNIPER 7) MAPLE 9) HOLLY 10) KENNEDY 11) BENEDICT 12) WILLIAMSBURG 14) EVERGREEN 15) CARPENTER 17) YORK 20) ARGONNE ACROSS 1) VESTALSGAP 4) THOMASJEFFERSON 6) HARRISON 8) LINCOLN 13) LAUREL 16) VERNON 18) GARFIELD 19) UPTON 21) ITHACA 22) KINGSLEY 23) JOHNSON 24) FILLMORE 25) AMELIA

January 14, 2016 |

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More to do

LIVE MUSIC: JASON MASI Thursday, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m.; Parallel Wine Bistro, 43135 Broadlands Center Plaza, #121, Ashburn. Details: parallelwinebistro.com

continued from page 26

One of the Loudoun winery circuit’s most popular entertainers plays a solo show at this neighborhood wine bar. No cover.

LIVE MUSIC: THE BEAT HOTEL

LIVE MUSIC: BRYAN FOX AND FRIENDS

Saturday, Jan. 16; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org

Thursday, Jan. 21, 8 p.m., Spanky’s Pub, 538 E Market St., Leesburg. Details: spankyspub.com

Classic New Orleans funk, R&B, soul and blues with a creative and fresh groove. Tickets are $20.

SONGS, STORIES AND GAS MONEY SERIES: CAL EVERETT Saturday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.; Barns at Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com Cal Everett at this singer-songwriter series organized by Stilson Greene and Don Chapman. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Advance tickets are available in the Barns’ tasting room or online at picatic.com.

BEATLES SING-ALONG Saturday, Jan. 16, 7-10 p.m.; Paxton Campus, 601 Catoctin Circle NE, Leesburg. Details: meetup.com/Beatles-SingAlong-Leesburg Sing along with other Beatles fans at this fun event led by several guitarists. Lyrics sheets provided. Event is open to the public and accessible for people with disabilities. Suggested donation is $2.

LIVE MUSIC: LOST GROWLERS Saturday, Jan. 16, 9 p.m.; Spanky’s Pub, 538 E Market St., Leesburg. Details: spankyspub.com This toe-tapping party rock band from Northern Virginia promises an evening of fun. $5 cover.

The popular Northern Virginia singer pays tribute to Motown and soul legends. No cover.

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COMMUNITY EVENTS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MARCH & CELEBRATION Monday, Jan. 18, 10:15 a.m., Loudoun County Courthouse, Leesburg. Contact: 540-955-8186 The annual march follows Market Street from the Loudoun County Courthouse to Douglass Community Center for a celebration with the theme “The Strength to Love: Where Do We Go From Here?” Keynote speaker will be poet and author May Rihani. All are welcome. A 9 a.m. community dialogue session takes place before the march at the community center.

VALIANT WARRIOR QUILTING EVENT Friday, Jan. 15-Sunday, Jan. 24; Joshua’s Hands, 201 N. Maple Ave., Purcellville. Details: joshuashands.org Joshua’s Hands holds a nine-day event to make quilts for wounded warriors, with volunteer opportunities for experienced sewists and everyone else. Hours are 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-9 p.m. Sunday.

CONTRACTING IN THE HUNT COUNTRY SINCE 1972

VINO MARKET

MORE TO DO continues on page 28

LOUDOUN’S BEST KEPT SECRET!

The area’s BEST selection of beers, ciders & gluten free beers! Rated by Northern Virginia Magazine to have one of the Top 10 Pulled Pork Sandwiches! Also featuring our Brie, Apple, Honey Sandwich!

LIVE MUSIC ON FRIDAY & SATURDAYS! Visit our wine and beer bar in the cellar, the Blind Pig @ Vino, often thought of as an old fashion speak-easy by our customers

From our newsroom to your mailbox. Loudoun Now is mailed to 34,000 homes and businesses in selected ZIP codes each week. If you do not receive the newspaper in the mail, you may purchase a subscription. The cost is $39 per 52 issues. For addresses outside Virginia, the cost is $50. To get the paper delivered every week, visit loudounnow.com/subscribe.

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January 14, 2016

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Crossword

More to do

continued from page 27

glazing techniques. This four-week class runs Saturdays through Feb. 6. Classes are for ages 7 and older—parents can register too. Cost is $125 per person for four weeks.

LIBATIONS BORDEAUX REDS SOMMINAR Sunday, Jan. 17, 1-2:30 p.m.; Stone Tower Winery, 19925 Hogback Mountain Road, Leesburg. Details: stonetowerwinery.com Bring out your inner sommelier and explore the fabulous reds of France’s Bordeaux region along with Bordeaux style blends from around the world (including several Stone Tower estate reds). Small bites will be paired with the selected wines. Cost is $60 for wine club members and $70 for non-members. Advance registration is required.

COMING UP THE NINE SONGWRITER SERIES

STERLING STREETS ACROSS 1) A Colonial thoroughfare 4) Third president 6) A Beatle 8) Toy logs 13) Hardy’s partner 16) Senators’ first baseman Mickey 18) Odie’s menace

19) The Jungle writer Sinclair 21) Home of Odysseus 22) Harry Potter’s Shacklebolt 23) Running mate of 10 Down 24) President Millard 25) Daughter of George II DOWN 2) London underground hub 3) Web weaver 5) Sterling’s street of lights 7) Syrup flavor

9) The Crickets lead 10) PT-109 commander 11) A patron saint of Europe 12) Former Virginia capital 14) Hemlock, for example 15) Woodworker 17) Past chairman 20) French forest ANSWERS ON PAGE 26

Courtesy of Village At Leesburg

WITH THE KIDS LEESBURG WINTER ICE FEST Saturday, Jan. 16, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Village at Leesburg. Details: villageatleesburg. com Top ice carvers return to Village at Leesburg for the annual ice festival and carving competition. There will also be music, treats and warming stations. The event is free and open to the public.

EXPLORING CERAMICS WITH HANNAH JANNEY

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING At the January 20, 2016, and January 28, 2016, School Board meetings, the members of the Loudoun School Board will seek public comment about Loudoun County Public Schools’ Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2017. Comments will be welcome at School Board meetings throughout the budget process. Those who want to speak at the School Board meeting(s) may sign up to do so at the meeting(s) or have their names placed on the speakers list in advance by calling (571) 252-1020. A schedule of School Board meetings is also available at this number and on the Loudoun County Public Schools calendar at www.lcps.org.

Saturday, Jan. 16, 10 a.m.-noon; Round Hill Arts Center, Round Hill. Details: roundhillartscenter.org Join instructor Hannah Janney for fun weekly adventures in clay. Learn hand-building, wheel, sculpture, and

CAL EVERETT

continued from page 24

with helping him shake things up. “He’s bringing a sensibility that I couldn’t do on my own because I’d be too directed by what I’ve done,” Everett said of Wright. “It’s kind of refreshing to open it up to somebody. At the same time, it’s

Friday, Jan.22, 8:30 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyholeesburg.com Singer-songwriter Justin Trawick brings together nine artists for an evening of musical storytelling. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 day of show.

DANNY KNICELY WINTER CONCERT Saturday, Jan. 23, 8 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org The internationally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist gives his 10th annual winter concert featuring The Blue Rhythm Boys, Furnace Mountain, The Woodshedders, Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks, Danny Gatton’s band, and The Dixie Power Trio. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

scary as hell. … He hasn’t done anything I don’t like yet.” Devoted fans (both from the Doctors days and more recent performances) will get a taste of the new sound at the Barns show, with just Everett, a digital piano and guitar. “I’m hoping the show will be enlightening,” he said. “It will certainly be different for me and anybody that’s seen me before, which is kind of what I’m looking for. I’ll play songs that nobody’s ever heard—and hopefully it won’t snow.” Cal Everett plays the Stories, Songs and Gas Money series at the Barns at Hamilton Station Saturday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. For more information, go to thebarnsathamiltonstation.com. Advance tickets are available in the tasting room or at picatic.com. Check out “Older Now” and other solo material at reverbnation. com/caleverett.

Meetings are held at

21000 Education Court Ashburn, VA 20148. Persons, who, due to a disability, need assistance to participate meaningfully in School Board meetings, should call (571) 252-1020 at least five days prior to the meeting.

Cal Everett

jmercker@loudounnow.com

January 14, 2016 |

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Employment Now Hiring

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The Administrative Assistant (AA) is responsible for administrative duties in support of the Preconstruction Manager. The AA manages the flow of information between the subcontractors, office, and senior management. The AA functionally reports to the Preconstruction Manager and administratively reports to the VP & COO. Must have strong organizational skills and be able to work in a team environment. Full-time/hourly position. Pays up to $30-40k annually (varies based on experience) Please send your resume to Josh Buck | jbuck@ellisdaleconstruction.com

The All American Steakhouse and Sports Theatre is looking to expand its staff at the Ashburn Location. We are looking for energetic, enthusiastic and experienced servers to add to our existing staff. We will also be interviewing experienced cooks for the line, grill, fry and prep. Send resumes to Ashburnsteakhouse@hotmail.com or stop by to fill out an application.

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January 14, 2016

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Opinion The Next Step The Leesburg Town Council has too many important items on its agenda to get bogged down in clumsy political maneuvering over who should hold the gavel at meetings and lead ribbon-cutting ceremonies over the next 11 months. Yet that was the situation heading into Tuesday’s meeting when council members found themselves divided by a blend of partisan stonewalling and personal ambition while attempting to choose the town’s next mayor. The one thing on which the majority agreed is that it was only one of them who was qualified to serve as the interim mayor, filling the seat held by Kristen Umstattd for 13 years, until voters have their say in November. Yet when it came time to vote, a majority couldn’t find one. It didn’t take long to miss Mayor Umstattd’s leadership. The Town Council chambers shouldn’t be a playground for Democrats or Republicans to champion partisan agendas. And those believing they are best qualified to serve as mayor shouldn’t be worried about who might get a leg up on them at the dais, but should be demonstrating their best leadership qualities to voters. A council that includes members who want to take on more government complexity by operating as an independent city can’t even assemble four votes to appoint a stand-in mayor? That’s disappointing. Also disappointing is that this council would rather have a county judge make the appointment than to invite other town residents to temporarily fill the post. The council members’ high opinion of their unique abilities notwithstanding, there certainly are plenty of qualified, and less partisan, candidates willing to step in. Wading into that pool of resources—not deferring to the courts— should be the next step in the mayoral search.

LoudounNow is published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC 15 N. King St., Suite 101 Leesburg, VA, 20176 PO Box 207 Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723

Letters Higher Standards Editor: The Conflict of Interest Act can be subject to interpretation by just about anyone looking to stand on the side of a politician or appointed public servant that decries there is nothing wrong with the issues that have been raised. Usually, it is the public that raises the question with anticipation the elected official will have the integrity to recuse themselves, or step down from their position for the good of the business of the people. Over the nearly nine years I have lived in Purcellville, residents registering conflict of interest concerns receive harsh criticism or are simply ignored. The meaning of “conflict of interest” from a dictionary is: n. a situation in which a person has a duty to more than one person or organization, but cannot do justice to the actual or potentially adverse interests of both parties. This includes when an individual’s personal interests or concerns are inconsistent with the best for a customer, or when a public official’s personal interests are contrary to his/her loyal-

Norman K. Styer Editor nstyer@loudounnow.com Danielle Nadler Managing Editor dnadler@loudounnow.com Margaret Morton Senior Writer mmorton@loudounnow.com

ty to public business. The Virginia Code is more specific. The Conflict of Interests Act it states state and local officials” may realize a reasonable foreseeable direct or indirect benefit or detriment as a result of the action of the agency considering the transaction.” There are conflict issues plaguing the current members of Town Council and the immediate past Town Council, committees, commissions, and boards. Examples are: • former chairman of the planning commission submitted a bid on and was awarded a $100,000 design contract for the current town hall while in his official capacity. • a planning commissioner voted on a matter and their spouse was the vice president of the bank financing the project. • the employer of a chairperson of a committee was paid thousands of dollars for town projects. • a current council member has been and continues to be paid thousands of dollars by the town for

Renss Greene, Reporter rgreene@loudounnow.com Douglas Graham, Photographer dgraham@loudounnow.com Contributors Kara Clark Rodriguez Jan Mercker

LETTERS continues on page 31

Advertising Director Susan Styer sstyer@loudounnow.com Classified Manager Lindsay Morgan lmorgan@loudounnow.com Production Electronic Ink 9 Royal St. SE Leesburg, VA 20175

January 14, 2016 |

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Letters continued from page 30

services since they were a planning commissioner. • a council member’s employer is the consultant for numerous development applications in Purcellville and has already defied citizens’ concerns and voted on two of his employer’s applications. • a land use attorney applied for a position on the Purcellville Board of Zoning Appeals without disclosing that he had a conflict of interest with the first case that would come before him. After a majority appointed him to the BZA a ruling from the town attorney found him to be in a conflict of interest. Instead of resigning, he took himself off the deed of the property that was part of the case to come before the BZA. He voted on the case before the BZA in favor of the party he represented. • a planning commissioner who also sits on the BZA, is engaged in business dealings with a property owner who had an appeal before the BZA and he chose to vote on the issue. A conflict of interest is a set of circumstances that creates a risk that professional judgement or actions regarding a primary interest will be unduly influenced by a secondary interest. The newest amendment to VA Code 2.2-3103 Prohibited Conduct says this about what an official should never do: “Use his public position to retaliate or threaten to retaliate against any person for expressing views on matters of public concern or for exercising any right that is otherwise protected by law.” There is no time like the present to set high standards from the status quo of the past and give the citizens’ confidence that their elected neighbors in the community will always do the right thing and remove themselves from the real and perceived conflicts. We are fortunate to have a mayor and a minority of the town council who are listening to the residents of the town, and we know that by their actions, comments, and voting record. – Kelli Grim, Purcellville

from a weekly newspaper in the county I covered. Local habit was to release news on the weekly’s press deadline. It created good, healthy competition—if not some frustration on my part. Loudoun County is too big, diverse and dynamic to have only one local paper. So best of luck, and, I hope, continued local support for your new endeavor. I plan on supporting those businesses who advertise in your newspaper, and mention it when I can. Thanks again. – Kathleen Devereux, Purcellville

• Cedar Lane Elementary School – Cortney Croft and the Kindergarten team for One to the World Project

Helping Head Start

• Red Knights Motorcycle Club - Steve Jacobus, Shari Menefee

Editor: The Loudoun County Public Schools Head Start Program would like to acknowledge the many businesses, families and organizations that donated Holiday Help to students enrolled in the Head Start Program. These children live at the poverty level and often their families struggle to afford such necessities as food and clothing. The Head Start Staff would like to sincerely thank: • AutoNation Toyota Scion Leesburg • AARC (Ashburn Area Running Club) • Bosse Family • The Book Bags Book Club – Michele Hawes

• EPL Archives • LCPS employees from the Administration Building, Assistive Technology, Head Start, and Union Street Leidos • LINK Inc. and the Community Holiday Coalition also provided assistance to a number of Head Start families • McDougall Family • Ortmann Family

• Tuscarora High School Key Club Mr. Brian Bednarski • Telos Corporation We extend our happiest New Year wishes to all of the businesses, families, and organizations noted above who helped make this holiday so much happier for so many families in our community! – Alexis Duﬃn, Director Loudoun County Head Start

Grateful Editor: VSA arts of Loudoun wishes to acknowledge the generosity of a wonderful organization. Blossom and Bloom has

enhanced the lives of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 1976. This group operates a thrift store at 110 W. Market St. in Leesburg that is entirely run by volunteers. My organization provides performing and visual arts opportunities for individuals with these challenges plus their families and friends. We are grateful to be one of the groups that benefit from the store profits. Recently two of their volunteers, LaVerne Espinoza and Gail Bessom, created and donated a beautiful quilt that we used as a successful fundraiser. We appreciate their kindness, the leadership of President Victoria Baylor Daly, and the numerous hardworking volunteers who make Blossom and Bloom so successful. — Carolyn Snyder, Vice President VSA arts of Loudoun County

Share Your Views Loudoun Now welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should include the name, address and phone number of the writer and should be a maximum of 500 words. Letters may be sent by email to letters@loudounnow. com or by mail to PO Box 207, Leesburg, VA 20178.

There’s room for you in Loudoun. With award-

winning 3-car garage homes up to 7400 sq. feet on beautifully wooded homesites near Waterford and in Purcellville, your family will fit in perfectly.

Picking Up The Slack Editor: It is a first. I have not written a letter to a newspaper before this evening. But I kept the latest issue of Loudoun Now on my desk as a reminder to send you and your staff my thanks for picking up the slack once Leesburg Today abruptly closed down. My first job out of college was working as a reporter for a daily newspaper in a small city. My main competition came

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