n LOUDOUN
Pg. 4 | n LEESBURG
Pg. 8 | n EDUCATION
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Pg. 12 | n PUBLIC NOTICES
Pg. 28
LIVING WELL AT 50+ INSIDE
VOL. 7, NO. 9
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JANUARY 20, 2022
Youngkin Administration Targets Loudoun on Day 1 BY HAYLEY MILON BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com
The newly seated Republican governor and state Attorney General on Saturday immediately launched an investigation into the Loudoun County Public School district’s handling of a high school sexual assault that grabbed national headlines. Gov. Glenn Youngkin also signed an executive order banning Critical Race Theory in schools across the commonwealth, sparking concerns the state could roll back work the Loudoun school district has done after investigations documenting racial inequities in the school system. The Loudoun County School Board was a focal point for Youngkin and Republicans, who charge that the division was indoctrinating students with progressive political ideologies. Youngkin addressed that during a Fox News interview on Sunday. “I think the school systems in Virginia, and particularly Loudoun County, have been doing everything they can to try to obfuscate the fact that the curriculum has moved in a very, very opaque way that has hidden a lot of this from parents,” he said. Former Attorney General Mark Herring investigated allegations of racial inequity and discrimination in the Academies of Loudoun admissions process in 2018. Upon determining that the process was biased against students of color, Herring and the division agreed to a series of remedies. School leaders committed to outreach programs targeting students of color, and agreed to submit to third party monitoring. Loudoun NAACP President Michelle Thomas, who helped craft those remediation conditions, said there are concerns about what a ban of CRT will mean in classrooms. While not a course in its curriculum, the division has made addressing racial inequities in schools an objective. It contracted the California-based Equity Collaborative to conduct an audit of racial equities in its schools. The report showed that students of color are disproportionately disciplined compared to their white peers. It also concluded that racial inequity permeates the division’s hiring practices. “How do you ban a lie? How do you ban something that doesn’t exist?” Thomas said. “When you’re banning what LOUDOUN SCHOOLS continues on page 39
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Amanda Bean leads a rally outside the Loudoun County government center Tuesday, Jan. 18 in support of continued mask mandates in schools.
Mask Order Puts Schools Back in Spotlight
BY RENSS GREENE AND HAYLEY MILON BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com rgreene@loudounnow.com
On his first day in office Saturday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order seeking to let parents decide that mask mandates do not apply to their children. That action ignited immediate controversy, drew warnings from health experts— and put local school boards back
in the hot seat on COVID-19 safety. In the early days of the pandemic, school districts scrambled to figure out how to balance slowing the spread of the virus with giving students the education they need. As health officials have learned more about the virus, their advice has become firmer, and the state government took many of those decisions— and much of the controversy—
out of school boards’ hands with executive orders, health department guidance and new laws. But Youngkin’s action has put the spotlight back on school boards as they decide—unusually—whether to follow a governor’s executive order. Youngkin’s order takes effect Monday, Jan. 24. Already, MASK MANDATE continues on page 39
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PAGE 3
COVID Pandemic Shows Hopeful Signs BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com
The double COVID-19 surge of winter weather and the highly transmissible Omicron variant show hopeful signs of abating—maybe even for good. And Inova Loudoun Hospital President Susan Carroll said Monday that the COVID-19 pandemic now shows signs that it could finally come to an end. While the daily number of new cases remains in Loudoun and the state at large remain more than double the highest point of last year’s spread, new infections also appear to have peaked last week and are now on the decline in Loudoun. The county’s rolling seven-day average of new daily cases peaked at 884.9 on Jan. 12. That was almost three times the virus’s peak last winter. And, although case numbers remain higher than at any
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Inova Loudoun President Susan Carroll.
other time in during the pandemic, they have been trending rapidly downward for the past week. The latest reporting, on
Jan. 18, showed 597.7 average new cases a day. While the virus can remain dangerous, especially for people who are elderly or have underlying conditions, and can have long-term effects, healthcare workers and public health officials have noted that the Omicron variant seems more contagious but causing a milder illness. State Health Department reporting reflects that; despite the high rates of infection, the pandemic is killing far fewer people than during the previous cold weather surge or in the first summer of the pandemic. “If you look in history, it’s pretty much what we always have seen when we look at various pandemics,” Carroll said. “So when it was the Spanish Flu, even the plague, it starts to get more contagious but less virulent. COVID, I would say, is really mirroring the most massive pandemics and viruses.” Those mutations, she said, are how
most pandemics end. However, even as most people in Loudoun are current on their vaccinations and the Omicron variant is causing less serious illness and shorter hospital stays, hospitals are still stretched by the sheer number of infections. “Even if the hospitalization rates have dropped in half [for example], the raw numbers are still high, and so that’s what we were seeing for the past three weeks,” Carroll said. “It’s just a math equation at this point.” With two years of experience fighting COVID-19, new therapies available and a fully-vaccinated staff, there is now good news for healthcare workers. But it has been a long, grueling pandemic for many. “I think that you’re not going to find a healthcare provider in the country who would say they’re not facing some sort of burnout,” she said. “It’s just the reality of the last two years.” n
Remembering the Dream: Leesburg’s MLK Day Celebration A winter storm that left the region blanketed with snow and ice didn’t stop Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day march in Leesburg. For the 31st year, community organizations
gathered at the county courthouse to walk down Market Street to the Douglass School, which served as the county’s first public high school for Black students until segregation ended in Loudoun in 1968. With the school building undergoing renovations this year, the march continued to the Frederick Douglass Elementary School nearby. With the inclement weather closing all school
operations and high COVID-19 transmission rates in the county, the annual MLK celebration ceremony pivoted to an all-online event. The theme of this year’s celebration was “In Pursuit of Equal Rights, Social Equity, and Human Dignity.” Watch the emtire program on YouTube at loudounnow.com/MLK2022. n
Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now
Scouts from the All Dulles Area Muslim Society troop lead the procession during Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day march down Market Street in Leesburg.
From left, MLK Diversity-Engagement Foundation Chairwoman Tammy Carter, Rev. Aileen Fitzke of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Sterling, and District Court Judge Lorrie Sinclair Taylor address the crowd before community groups march down Market Street for the 31st annual MLK Day celebration in Leesburg.
PAGE 4
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 20, 2022
Loudoun
ON THE Agenda
Supervisors Consider New Affordable Rentals Loan Program BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com
County supervisors are considering a new, more streamlined loan program to help affordable housing developers move quickly to buy rental complexes. The proposed Rental Housing Acquisition and Preservation Loan Program would be funded with $5 million of Fiscal Year 2021 year-end fund balance. Supervisors already voted on Sept. 8 to use that $5 million toward the county’s affordable housing needs. The new program would work alongside the existing Affordable Multifami-
ly Housing Loan program. Compared to that program, the new program would have a shorter review period—meant to help affordable housing developers snatch up properties rather than watch them disappear from the market while the wheels of government turn—and some more flexible qualifications. The program would have an estimated twomonth approval process compared to an estimated five-month approval process. Developers would apply to the county to be pre-qualified, creating a pool of certified developers and skipping that part of application review when they apply for a loan. Applications would also be accepted on a rolling, rather
than annual, basis. That program has several times seen applications outside of its normal annual cycle as properties have come available; according to county staff, the new program would replace that. The loans would also be only toward buying properties, where the existing program can fund new construction and rehabilitating existing properties. Developers would submit to the county a plan outlining how both new and existing tenants would be served. The county finance committee on Jan. 11 voted to send the proposal to a public hearing 4-0-1, with Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) absent. n
New General Assembly Brings House Committee Shuffle; LaRock Restored to Seats BY RENSS GREENE
rgreene@loudounnow.com
Changes in the House of Delegates have also meant changes in committee membership as Republicans take control of the lower chamber. Committee membership can have consequences as General Assembly bills are combined, rewritten or killed off entirely in those meeting rooms. New Speaker of the House of Delegates Todd Gilbert (R15) announced committee assignments on Wednesday, Jan. 12—and Del. Dave A. LaRock (R-33) has seen his membership in those committees change dramatically. Last year, LaRock was stripped of his committee assignments by the House’s then-Democratic leadership following his participation in the Jan. 6 protests and promulgating election conspiracy theories. This year, he instead finds himself on three of the most important committees in the House, especially for Loudoun: Counties, Cities and Towns; Education; and Transportation, where he will be vice chairman. “I am honored that Speaker Gilbert has appointed me to serve as Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee, as well as to
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Del. Dave A. LaRock (R-33) has seen his committee seats restored after last year having them stripped away for his participation in the Jan. 6 protests that turned violent.
serve on the Education Committee and the Counties, Cities and Towns Committee,” LaRock said in statement. “These committees oversee and enact legislation addressing very important aspects of Virginia’s citizens’ everyday lives, and I look forward to continuing to serve and working to improve the Commonwealth in these areas.” LaRock will also hold leadership positions in some subcommittees. He will
chair the Transportation Subcommittee on Highway Safety & Policy, as well as the Counties, Cities and Towns Subcommittee on Land Use. He will also serve on the Education Subcommittee dealing with K-12 policy legislation. “Loudoun County was the center of numerous controversies which influenced the 2021 Virginia elections,” LaRock stated. “I look forward to influencing this committee and working closely with Governor Youngkin as we refocus on making excellence in education accessible to all Virginians.” Other Loudoun delegates, all Democrats, will still serve on committees, although none in leadership seats at the committee level. Del. Wendy W. Gooditis (D-10) will serve on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources; Commerce and Energy, Counties, Cities and Towns, and Labor and Commerce. Del. David A. Reid (D-32) will serve on Appropriations, Privileges and Elections, and Transportation. Del. Karrie K. Delaney (D-67) will COMMITTEE SHUFFLE continues on page 5
Groundbreaking Set for Belmont Ridge Road Loudoun County, in partnership with the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, will host a “pardon our dust” meeting and a ceremonial groundbreaking for the county’s project to reconstruct and widen Belmont Ridge Road from Truro Parish Drive to Croson Lane. This project reconstructs Belmont Ridge Road in that area from the existing two-lane rural road to a modern four-lane, median-divided, suburban roadway, with shared-use paths for pedestrians and bicyclists on each side. A virtual “pardon our dust” meeting is scheduled Thursday, Jan. 20, at 6 p.m. There Loudoun County will present a broad overview of the project timeline and the stages of construction. More information and instructions to join the meeting are at loudoun. gov/belmontridgeimprovements. To speak at the meeting, sign up in by noon, Jan. 19. The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 27, at 11:45 a.m. at Edgar Tillet Memorial Park, 21561 Belmont Ridge Rd, Ashburn. Members of the Board of Supervisors and the NVTA as well as representatives of the Virginia Department of Transportation are scheduled to be on hand for the ceremonial breaking of ground. Funding for this regionally significant project is from Loudoun County, NVTA and the state’s Revenue Sharing Program administered by VDOT. Construction is expected to be completed by summer 2024.
Car Tax Notices Mailed Loudoun Commissioner of the Revenue Robert S. Wertz Jr. is mailing 2022 personal property filing requirements to all vehicle owners currently on the county’s tax rolls. Residents are asked to review and update their personal property tax records for 2022 online, using the instructions included with the ON THE AGENDA continues on page 5
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 20, 2022
Committee shuffle continued from page 4 serve on Courts of Justice, Health, Welfare and Institutions, and Transportation. Del. Irene Shin (D-86) will serve on Communications, Technology and Innovation, and on Counties, Cities
ON THE Agenda continued from page 4
notice. The online process allows residents to review and update information on the more than 375,000 vehicles located in the county. Residents can access their personal property information online at loudoun. gov/efile with their social security or tax identification number, mailing address ZIP code and account number, which is displayed on the notice. The commissioner requests that all changes be submitted by Feb. 15. To avoid late filing penalties, newly acquired vehicles or those recently entering Loudoun County must be reported to the Commissioner of the Revenue within
and Towns. Del. Suhas Subramanyam (D-87) will serve on Counties, Cities and Towns, Education, and Transportation. And Del. Kathleen Murphy (D-34) will serve on Finance, General Laws, and Transportation. Senators have also been named to their committees. 60 days of purchase or move to Loudoun County or one of Loudoun’s towns. Owners of vehicles displaying out-of-state license plates who are not otherwise exempt from obtaining Virginia license plates will be charged an additional annual license fee of $100. A $250 penalty may also be imposed on owners of vehicles that are not registered with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles within 60 days of the owner having established residency in Virginia. For more information or filing assistance, visit loudoun.gov/cor or contact the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue at cartax@loudoun.gov or 703-777-0260, weekdays form 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. n
PAGE 5
Sen. John J. Bell (D-13) will serve on Commerce and Labor, General Laws and Technology, Local Government, and Privileges and Elections. Sen. Jennifer B. Boysko (D-33) will serve on General Laws and Technology, Judiciary, Privileges and Elections, Rehabilitation and Social Services, and Transportation. Sen. Barbara A. Favola (D-31) will chair Rehabilitation and Social Services, and serve on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, Local Govern-
ment, Rules, and Transportation. And Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel (R-27) will serve on Finance and Appropriations, General Laws and Technology, Privileges and Elections, and Rules. Lawmakers are back in Richmond now; this year’s General Assembly session began Jan. 12. Crossover day, by which time a bill must pass out the chamber where it was filed or be left for the year, is Feb. 16. The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn March 12. n
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JANUARY 20, 2022
Politics
Max, Entrepreneur, Wolf’s Grandson, to Run for Congress BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com
Caleb Max, an entrepreneur and the grandson of longtime Congressman Frank Wolf, has announced he will seek to challenge Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) in the newly drawn 10th District. The next congressional election will be the first with the new districts approved early this year by the Virginia Supreme Court. Now, rather than stretching from McLean to Winchester, the 10th District includes all of Loudoun, Fauquier and Fauquier counties, northern Prince William County, parts of southwestern Fairfax County, Manassas and Manassas Park. With the new lines decided, Republicans have begun throwing their hats in the ring to challenge the incumbent, Wexton. Max now seeks to claim a seat in Congress his grandfather held for 34 years, from 1981 until his retirement in 2015. A Reston native, Max came to Loudoun as a young child. The Round Hill-area resident was homeschooled, starting his own landscape business while a teenager, Caleb’s County Services, then going on to Northern Virginia Community College and George Mason University. And he purchased the Pica Deli in Reston in early 2020, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Caleb Max, grandson of longtime Congressman Frank Wolf, has announced he plans to run for the House of Representatives in the newly redrawn 10th District.
Since then, he said, he’s dealt with slow and inadequate help from the government and constantly shifting regulations and guidance. “The aid, it was pennies on the dollar and not what was actually needed,” he said. “It was getting me by, but there’s a difference between getting by and being a profitable company that can grow. If a company’s not growing, it’s dying.” That was part of his decision to run for
Congress. “When you look at what’s happening in our country and our district, small business owners—especially downtown Leesburg, all over—the restaurants are still struggling,” Max said. “People still haven’t gotten back to work.” He also lamented the divisive and divided state of American politics, particularly at the national level. “You have seen a lot of conspiracy the-
ories and different things in terms of—I guess you could call it soul-searching. What does the Republican Party of the future look like?” Max said. “…I’m just a big believer that extremes on either side can always be bad.” To highlight his ability to find consensus across party lines, he pointed to his creation of a nonprofit to resist Chinese communism on college campuses which he said got support from both college Republicans and college Democrats across the nation. “My granddad always said, when you walk into a room, there’s no such thing as friends and enemies, there’s friends and potential friends,” Max said. He has cited concerns about infighting among Americans, military overextension, and an oversized federal debt, all of which he pointed out some scholars have tied to the fall of previous empires. “I look forward to standing up to the Biden Administration and Jennifer Wexton’s failed policies, which are hurting every working family in the 10th Congressional District,” Max stated in a press release announcing his candidacy. “As the Republican candidate, we will win in November, flip the House of Representatives from blue to red, and put government back to work for the hardworking families and business owners who call the 10th District home.” n
Northam Announces $1.1M for Loudoun Affordable Housing LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
Gov. Ralph Northam on his second-tolast day in office Jan. 13 announced more than $60 million in Affordable and Special Needs Housing loans for 42 projects across the commonwealth, including $1.1 million for two related projects in Sterling. Mt. Sterling Four and Mt. Sterling Nine, two projects within the same development by Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing, were awarded $900,000 and $200,000 respectively. Mt. Sterling Four is the new construction of 50 rental units for seniors, with a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments. Residents will get free wi-fi and amenities such as a business center and a fitness
and wellness suite. Units will be rent-controlled for people making 30% area median income, 50% and 60% area median income. Mt. Sterling Nine adds another 48 rental units for seniors, with the same amenities. Those units will be set aside for seniors making 30% area median income and 50% area median income. Across the state, according to Northam’s office, the grants will create or preserve 2,552 affordable housing units, improving access to energy-efficient affordable housing, reducing homelessness, and providing permanent supportive housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “Quality, affordable housing is essen-
tial to building vibrant communities and ensuring every Virginian has the opportunity to thrive,” Northam stated. “We must keep investing in the Commonwealth’s stock of affordable housing, and the Affordable and Special Needs Housing programs will continue to be a vitally important resource for vulnerable Virginians.” Funding comes from four main sources: the federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the National Housing Trust Fund, the Housing Innovations in Energy Efficiency fund, and the Virginia Housing Trust Fund. Both Mt. Sterling projects were funded through the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, to which Northam and the General Assembly sent $55 million this fiscal year.
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development administers Affordable and Special Needs Housing loans, which combine state and federal resources to provide a simplified and comprehensive application process. In his press release, Northam commended the work of the department and its director, Erik Johnson, for its work, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Affordable and Special Needs Housing loans are awarded through a competitive process. Fifty-five applications requesting more than $79 million were received for this round of funding. Across the state, the funded projects will leverage more than $651 million in additional federal, state, local and private lending. n
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 20, 2022
PAGE 7
Two Loudoun Artifacts Make Endangered List LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
Two historical objects maintained by the Loudoun Museum and the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum have been named among Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts for 2021 by the Virginia Association of Museums. A ledger from the Aldie Mill at the Loudoun Museum and a manure spreader at Sterling’s Heritage Farm Museum could be eligible for a cash prize in conservation funding. The circa 1831 Aldie Mill ledger contains transactions from what was once the largest gristmill in Loudoun County—notably featuring payments from President James Monroe. The ledger showcases not only presidential history but also social history. It preserves the names and buying power of many farmers in the area, and notes which wealthy landowners sent enslaved “servants” with payments for their grain. “The ledger shows us who was involved in the complicated commercial networks developing in this agrarian region, but we also know from this object that Loudoun was already beginning to
Contributed
Contributed
A circa 1831 ledger from the Aldie Mill features payments made by President James Monroe.
A manure spreader from the Nokes farm was used in the 1930s, when horses were still the main source of power on farms.
industrialize in the 1830s,” said Lori Wysong, the museum’s collection manager. The Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum’s Nokes farm manure spreader was recovered from the historic Nokes family property last April. Owned by the Nokes family more than 100 years, the property was a remarkable example of Black farming in Loudoun County. In fact, the neighborhood was historically called
Nokesville in recognition of the family’s presence in the community, and included a church, school and general merchandise store in the early 20th century. The Nokes manure spreader was manufactured by the New Idea Manure Spreader Company of Coldwater Ohio in the late 1930s, when horses were still the primary source of power on farms across America. This manure spreader was used on the Nokes farm in Sterling for years
before being put out to pasture. The Nokes’ historic farmhouse and other buildings on the property were demolished last summer, leaving few recoverable artifacts. With proper conservation, the manure spreader can be safely moved and interpreted in the Farm Museum’s main gallery, so that every visitor can learn about the Nokes family and the other Black communities in Loudoun County. The public is encouraged to vote for their favorite endangered artifact online at vamuseums.org from Jan. 18-27. The artifact receiving the most votes will be awarded $2,000 in conservation funding. The Virginia Association of Museums will award an additional $3,000 in funding among the remaining honorees, as determined by its selection committee. The Virginia Association of Museums Endangered Artifacts program has benefited more than 200 institutions over the past 10 years to date, helping shed light on the importance of Virginia museums and the expenses and professional care needed to preserve historic and cultural items. n
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JANUARY 20, 2022
Leesburg
Town Gov’t Vaccine Mandate Deadline Passes BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ
krodriguez@loudounnow.com
The deadline for Leesburg employees to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate has passed. Since the council voted to enact the mandate Oct. 12, requiring its full- and part-time employees and most of its board and commission members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, there have been a total of 13 resignations attributed to the mandate. In total, the town government has had nine resignations from the Leesburg Police Department, with seven of the nine citing the mandate as the reason for their departure; four part-time employees have resigned due to the mandate; and two board and commission members. There have been five additional full-time employees and one part-timer that have resigned from the town government since Oct. 12, but they cited reasons other than the mandate. According to Public Information Officer Betsy Arnett, a total of 50 religious or medical exemptions were granted—29 for full-time employees; 20 for part-time employees; and one for a board or commission member. Arnett said any employees who have not yet complied with the mandate have been placed on leave without pay for five days. Personnel action to terminate those employees will occur if compliance is not reached after day five. As of Wednesday afternoon, two of the town’s 344 full-time
Village at Leesburg Put on Ice Saturday was an appropriately frigid day for Village at Leesburg’s 8th annual Winter Ice Festival and Mega Ice Block Carving Challenge. Families braved the below-freezing temperatures to go skating, grab a hot drink, hear music, play games like cornhole on boards made of ice, and see the artists complete their masterworks. —Renss Greene
Martinez Announces Campaign for Delegate, Won’t Run for Council Re-Election BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ
krodriguez@loudounnow.com
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
The Leesburg Police Department has seen nine resignations in connection with a requirement that officers be vaccinated against COVID-19.
employees and one of its 320 part-time employees have not yet complied with the mandate. Noncompliant board and commission members are not eligible to receive stipends or to participate in board or commission meetings, Arnett said. Action to formally remove non-compliant members will be placed on the Town Council’s Jan. 25 agenda. Members of the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals were not required to comply with the mandate as those bodies are state-mandated and there is no authority for the town to dismiss members for not complying. Two
of the 73 board and commission members have not yet complied with the mandate. During Tuesday night’s council meeting, council members Kari Nacy and Suzanne Fox made one final plea to their council colleagues to rescind the Oct. 12 action on the mandate. This came after a council majority again found support to remove an item on rescinding the mandate from the business meeting agenda. “We have already lost and are going to lose additional employees,” Nacy said. “I believe there is guidance coming from DEADLINE continues on page 9
The Leesburg Town Council’s longest-serving member is eying a seat in a newly-drawn House of Delegates district. Vice Mayor Marty Martinez announced this week that he will not run for a sixth council term this November when his seat is on the ballot, endMartinez ing a council career that began with his election in 2002. During his years on the council Martinez has been appointed vice mayor by his council peers three times, and continues to serve in that role today. He said that among his proudest accomplishments while serving on the council the last two decades have been witnessing the growth of amenities at Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, and seeing investments in downtown come to fruition and how the downtown area has become a hotbed of activity. “The town has gone from hardly surviving to being a real busy and fun place to be. I’d like to say some of our policies helped drive that,” he said. Now, he looks to help create policy in Richmond. It will be his second run for the General Assembly. Martinez first ran for a state seat in 2007 when he lost to Republican incumbent Joe May in the 33rd District House of Delegates race. He said he is going to take the lessons learned from his first unsuccessful bid for the House and use those to his advantage this goaround. “I know back then it was a totally different culture and environment. I MARTINEZ continues on page 9
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 20, 2022
Martinez continued from page 8 was going against a well-liked incumbent. The fact that I got 12,000 votes…because of that run Leesburg was taken out of that district,” he said. “What I learned then I definitely will apply to today.” He cited his belief that Leesburg has been “left behind”, so when the opportunity to run in a newly-drawn district came up, he jumped at it. Martinez cites finding solutions for affordable housing as a top priority if elected to the General Assembly. “One of my pet peeves is what we call affordable housing and how it’s defined. I would like us to sit back and revisit the whole idea of what that means. I think there are a lot of people being left out, particularly young people and senior citizens. Trying to find housing in this area is terrible. When you start talking about affordable housing what are you talking about? The average median income in this area is $125,000. There’s a big divide between those who can make that kind of money and those who can’t. I’ve heard of
a lot of young couples having to leave the county and town and go to West Virginia, even though they have jobs here, because they can’t afford it. We need to find a way to keep those people here, find a way to help them find affordable housing,” Martinez said. He acknowledged he does not know what a state solution to affordable housing would look like, but said he believes there are things that can be done in the General Assembly to help localities grapple with that and other issues. “Part of my problem right now is everybody passes the buck and nobody wants to take a stand. I’m going to see
PAGE 9
what I can do about taking a stand and passing it down to our localities. It all comes down to one thing: money. What kind of resources can we make available to our towns and counties? It’s going to be a tough road, but I know what I’m signing up for,” he said. In addition to the Town of Leesburg, the 29th District includes parts of Ashburn and Lansdowne. There currently is not a representative living in the new district and no other candidates have yet announced an intention to run. Martinez said whether he is challenged by a fellow Democrat or an Independent or Republican, he is ready for the challenge and ex-
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cited about it. What has also not been determined is whether the seat will be on November’s ballot, when his council seat is up for re-election, or whether it would be scheduled for another year. Regardless, Martinez emphasized he has no intention of running for re-election for his council post. It’s time to pass the baton on to someone else, he said. “It’s time for someone to jump in there like I did 20 years ago with new energy and new ideas,” he said. For more information on Martinez’s campaign, go to martyfordelegate.com. n
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Deadline continued from page 8 the incoming governor that will change potentially what is happening with the vaccine mandate. I would hate to lose these employees and then turn around and it would be something where they didn’t have to leave.” Fox also said that, while there have not been a dramatic numbers of resignations, she feared that employees’ impression of the town as an employer may have worsened. “We haven’t stopped to consider that employees don’t feel safe to speak their mind so they don’t come to you, they come to me and council member Nacy,” she said. “I believe there will be ramifications. This council saw them as disposable and were willing to let them go rather than make their own medical decisions.” After the majority of members voted to remove the request to discuss dropping the mandate from Tuesday’s meeting agenda, the Town Council heard from several public speakers who urged the town to reverse course, saying employees should be free to make their own decisions on medical care, raising concerns about the safety of the vaccinations, and urging town leaders to wait for the U.S. Supreme Court and the administration of Governor Glenn Youngkin to issue new direction on such workplace mandates. n
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JANUARY 20, 2022
Education
Teachers, Staff Pushed to Limits During COVID-19 Surge BY HAYLEY MILON BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com
As the Omicron COVID-19 variant surge pushes the school division workforce to its limits, administrators are stepping into schools and getting behind the wheels of school buses to pick up the slack. During an operational update Jan. 11, Superintendent Scott Ziegler said that 90 to 100 central office workers are heading into school buildings daily to fill staffing voids. “This has caused quite a bit of anxiety and it has not been an easy ask and it has not been an easy transition. It’s a big deal. I want to acknowledge that for our central office, many have never worked in a school,” Ziegler said. He also said that all staff members with commercial driver’s licenses are stepping up to help drive school buses, an area where the division was already stretched thin. Ziegler canceled all professional development and suspended non-time sensitive work tasks until the end of the month, to free up more staff to go out to schools. There are currently 30 schools experiencing dire staffing needs, which the central office is prioritizing with its reinforcements.
Still, staffing logistics in schools are chaotic. Loudoun Education Association president Sandy Sullivan said the conditions are taking a toll on teachers. “There’s a lot of people trying to cover in buildings when the teachers are sick or not there, they’re scrambling to make sure they’re covered, their duties are covered, whether it’s bus duty or lunch duty. People are just trying to help take care of everyone with all of these holes, while everyone is dragging as it is,” Sullivan said. Sullivan said the situation is exacerbating an existing problem of getting substitutes into classrooms. “When the problem is staffing, and people aren’t getting paid enough or aren’t willing to come in. That’s been a problem since before COVID, there’s been sub issues for years in bad pockets of times,” she said. She added that LEA members were nervous returning to schools after winter break due to the spread of the highly-contagious variant. “There’s still a lot of concern over the safety levels with the surge of Omicron. With so many staff members being out, that just creates a huge toll,” Sullivan said. “They want to do what’s right by their students, but they want to be safe. It causes a huge level of stress trying to get through the day and be prepared for
your own students, as well as plugging holes all around.” During his operational update Ziegler said the school division is committed to in-person learning, citing state code that requires it. But, he said, the code allows divisions some leeway to revert to distance learning temporarily if there is not enough staff to cover classes. “There may come a time in this current surge where our staffing levels are unsustainable and we have to revert to DL [distance learning] for a short period of time,” he said, adding that the change would last for the quarantine period, which is currently five days. He said that then-incoming governor Glenn Youngkin has previously expressed opposition to mask requirements in school, but that the school division would continue to follow guidance from the CDC and the Department of Health to the fullest extent possible. Several parents addressed mask wearing during the public comment portion of the meeting, many arguing that the masks are harmful to children. John Beatty (Catoctin) moved to eliminate the mask mandate in the division, but his motion failed after not receiving support from any other board member. He also moved to end the vaccine mandate for staff and student athletes, but that motion also received no
support. Health Department Director Dr. David Goodfriend shared an update with the board during the meeting. He shared that vaccines are proving to be about 70% effective against Omicron, which is lower than their efficacy against previous variants. However, he said that vaccines remain incredibly important to reducing transmission and keeping people out of the hospital. The flu vaccine, he said, is 40% to 60% effective every year. Board members pressed Goodfriend on when they could expect a return to normalcy. He said that the best case scenario he envisions is where COVID-19 becomes an annual winter problem, similar to the flu. “It may be a situation where we try to get through January and February doing everything we can to separate people out, to wear masks, to encourage people to get vaccinations,” Goodfriend said. “And also, at the time, there will be some good pills people can prescribe just like we have now for the flu. That would be my hope of where we are next year.” He added that Loudoun being out of the state of significant transmission for a month will indicate being out of the current surge. As of last week, Loudoun had a seven-day average of 857 new cases reported daily. n
Division Demanding Union Member Info Before Collective Bargaining Sullivan said. “We’ve been clear with all the employees we’ve talked to that their information is confidential.” That promise, it seems, is at odds with the division’s willingness to move forward with the process. “It is LCPS’ understanding that to constitute certification that a majority of public employees of LCPS in a unit considered by such employees to be appropriate for public bargaining LCPS needs attestation to the accuracy of information submitted,” school division spokesman Wayde Byard said in an email. Byard said that the information on the cards would be confidential. Still, it’s unclear who in the division’s administration would be handling the cards.
BY HAYLEY MILON BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com
Loudoun Education Association is poised to begin collective-bargaining, but negotiations are at a standstill as the school division is asking for confidential membership information, LEA president Sandy Sullivan said. LEA submitted a letter to the School Board on Oct. 19 stating that the association obtained the necessary membership to begin collective bargaining in the form authorization cards signed by educators. The letter also asks the School Board to adopt its resolution to authorize collective bargaining. Sullivan said that members’ primary concern was privacy. “The concern is ‘will my boss know? Who would know this information?’,”
Hayley Bour/Loudoun Now
Educators rallied outside of the division’s administrative offices on Nov. 9, calling for LEA members to have a seat at the table.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING continues on page 11
JANUARY 20, 2022
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
Families Drop Out of Suit Against Equity Programs, Citing Privacy
PAGE 11
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Two parties have dropped out of the federal lawsuit against the Loudoun school division’s Student Equity Ambassador Program and the Bias Incident Reporting System, both initiatives of the school district to combat the reported racial inequity in schools, citing privacy concerns. Patti Menders, president of the Loudoun County Women’s Republican Club, Scott Mineo, and one other anonymous family remain in the suit, alleging that the programs discriminate against their white students and violate their First Amendment rights. They also charge that the reporting system “chills protected speech in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments,” according to the complaint. The notice of dismissal reports that the families chose to drop out of the case after receiving discovery requests from the school division. “As demonstrated by their pseudonymous status, Jane Does #1 and #3 are highly protective of their privacy to ensure the anonymity of their children in this deeply sensitive, emotionally charged issue… After receiving the Defendant’s discovery requests, Jane Does #1 and #3 concluded that they could not preserve a sufficient level of privacy to continue,” the notice said. On Thursday, there will be a hearing for the division’s motion to dismiss the complaint “for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction and for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.” In August, a judge denied a request for an injunction against the programs. The complaint was originally filed June 2 in the Eastern Virginia District Court in Alexandria.
Collective bargaining continued from page 10 LEA’s solution is to task a third party with certifying the membership, though Sullivan said the school division won’t acquiesce. “We agree that if the school system wants the membership verified, that’s reasonable. But it is our duty to protect the information of the employees who signed those cards,” she said. “We’re in a place where they don’t want a third party, they want the cards.”
Contributed
Patti Menders, president of the Loudoun County Women’s GOP Club, is a plaintiff in the federal lawsuit against the school division’s racial equity programs.
The Student Equity Ambassadors Program elevates concerns about racial inequity in schools. Middle and high school ambassadors meet several times a year with administrators to discuss issues observed in student bodies. The district describes the ambassadors as “a racially diverse group of students with a collective passion for social justice.” The group Parents Against Critical Theory, led by Mineo, shared a document from the school district about the program, stating that only students of color may participate. The final version of the school’s notice shows that all students may participate in the program regardless of race. It is unclear from the filing whether any of the plaintiffs’ children were denied requests to participate in the program. Judge Anthony J. Trenga, in denying the injunction against the programs, concluded that the case failed to establish that the group was created to discriminate against white students. Menders, Mineo, and the other family are represented by the Liberty Justice Center, a conservative nonprofit based in Chicago. n As negotiations sit stagnant, educators are facing challenging staffing conditions during the surge of the Omicron variant. School staffs are stretched thin, and central office staff are being deployed to work in schools to cover classrooms and duties. Sullivan said that the surge of COVID-19 cases is exacerbating existing staffing issues, including for substitutes and bus drivers. Legislation in 2021 allowed public employees in Virginia to engage in collective bargaining with their employers. To represent a workforce, a union must prove support from a majority of employees. n
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JANUARY 20, 2022
Public Safety
International Search on for Ashburn Murder Suspect BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
The Sheriff’s Office is working with international investigators to find the 40-year-old Leesburg man charged with murder in the Dec. 30 death of an Ashburn woman. The agency announced Jan. 12 that Furqan Syed had been charged with first-degree murder, entering a residence with intent to commit murder, shooting in the commission of murder, and three counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony. He is the suspect in the killing of 57-year-old Najat Chemlali Goode at a home on Connie Marie Terrace in
Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office
Photos of Furqan Syed who fled the U.S. before being charged with murder in the Dec. 30 death of a Brambleton woman.
Brambleton. While the Sheriff’s Office has released few details of the case,
investigators “determined there was a connection between the suspect and vic-
tim,” according to the report. Investigators learned Syed left the country on Jan. 3. The Sheriff’s Office is coordinating with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and the U.S. Marshals Service to locate and apprehend Syed. Deputies were initially called to the home shortly before 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 30, after a family member found the victim unresponsive inside. She was taken to StoneSprings Hospital Center where she died from her injuries. Anyone with any information regarding Syed or this case is asked to contact Detective T. Rodriguez at 703-777-1021. You may also submit a tip through the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office app. n
SAFETY briefs possession charges and took him into custody. Although some states have decriminalized certain personal quantities of illicit narcotics, CBP advises travelers to be aware that narcotics possession remains illegal under federal law. Additionally, travelers should know that they are subject to CBP federal inspection upon departing and arriving to the United States.
Friday Night Shooting in Ashburn Under Investigation
CBP photo
A display of the narcotics found in the luggage of Vic Mensah as he was clearing customs at Dulles Airport on Saturday.
CBP: Rapper Nabbed with Illegal Narcotics at Dulles Rapper Vic Mensah was arrested at Dulles Airport on Saturday after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers found illegal narcotics in his baggage. According to the report, Victor Kwesi Mensah, 28, arrived on board a flight from Ghana at about 7 a.m. on Jan. 15. During a
secondary baggage examination, CBP officers discovered about 41 grams of liquid LSD, about 124 grams of Psilocybin capsules, 178 grams of Psilocybin gummies, and six grams of Psilocybin mushrooms concealed inside Mensah’s luggage. Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority Police officers responded and charged Mensah with felony narcotics
The Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that occurred overnight Friday on Boxwood Place in Ashburn. According to the report, deputies were called to the area shortly after 1 a.m. Jan. 15 after a resident reported hearing gunfire. The preliminary investigation determined the incident involved two groups and stemmed from an earlier altercation. Some of the subjects later confronted the victims on Boxwood Place, and one of the suspects shot at the victim’s vehicle as it was leaving the scene. No injuries or property damage were reported. The suspects and the victims all fled the area before deputies arrived. Investigators later located a victim involved and were working to identify the
people involved. Anyone with any information regarding this case is asked to contact Det. K. Mitchell at 703-777-1021. You may also submit a tip through the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office app.
Leesburg Police Investigate Stabbing Near Bypass The Leesburg Police Department is investigating a Friday evening stabbing. At approximately 7:34 p.m. Jan. 14, Leesburg Police received call for help near the intersection of Edwards Ferry Road and the Rt. 15 Bypass. Responding officers found a teenage male suffering from a stab. He was transported to a local hospital and listed in stable condition. Anyone who has not already spoken with law enforcement and has information about the incident is asked to contact Detective M. Kadric at 703-771-4500 or at mkadric@leesburgva.gov. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call the Leesburg Crime Line at 703-443-TIPS (8477). Information can also be sent using TIPSUBMIT via text. Text 274637 (CRIMES) and begin your message with LPDTIP. n
JANUARY 20, 2022
LIVING WELL AT 50+
PAGE 13
Residents Keep Moving at County’s Newest Senior Center A long-planned amenity for Loudoun’s active residents age 55 and older, the Ashburn Senior Center opened last summer. It is the fifth senior center built by the county government, but the first tailored to today’s active older residents—offering everything from pickleball courts to computer labs. The 15,000-square-foot center includes a small gymnasium, a large multipurpose room, a commercial kitchen, fitness room, classrooms, a game room, and an arts-and-crafts room, all in ADA accessible space wrapped in LEED-certified structure. Like the county’s other senior centers, the Ashburn center offers a full schedule of events every day. January’s calendar includes ping pong, tai chi, a walking club, exercise classes, dancing and even beginning ukulele instruction. For regular facility hours, memberships, features and activities, go to loudoun.gov/prcs or call 571-367-8340. n
Falcon’s Landing Again Scores Accolades The Johnson Center Nursing Center at Falcons Landing has been named again as a Best Nursing Home in the 2021-2022 U.S. News World Report. The Potomac Falls center also was given the distinction of a high performing rating in both ShortTerm Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care. Only 1,063 of 13,175 nursing homes received a High-Performing rating for both Long-Term Care and Short-Term Care. Per U.S. News & World Report, the methodology this year included an emphasis on nursing homes meeting certain standards of patient safety, which could limit the ability to achieve a High-Performing
Loudoun Now File Photo
County leaders celebrate the grand opening of the Ashburn Senior Center on June 17, 2021.
FALCON’S LANDING continues on page 17
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LIVING WELL AT 50+
PAGE 15
AARP Launches Online Veterans Job Center The AARP last week launched a new Veterans and Military Spouses Job Center, a digital platform bringing together information and resources to help veterans and military spouses compete in today’s job market. The job center includes a new Veterans Career Advantage Course to build on career planning and skills development to help navigate the job market. According to an AARP survey, more than half (56%) of employers said experience and the use of skills in previous positions are ‘very important’ when evaluating applicant’s skills. “When you’re a veteran or military spouse, it can be challenging to know where to start your job search and how to get employers to understand how your job skills, experience and character transfer to a new position,” stated Troy Broussard, senior advisor, AARP Veterans and Military Families Initiative and U.S. Army Desert Storm veteran. “This free, one-stop resource will help veterans and military spouses learn how to effectively leverage their military skills and experience to give them an edge in today’s com-
The job center features a range of free resources to help the 8.3 million veterans in the United States workforce: • New Veterans Career Advantage Course, which focuses on career planning and skills development. • The AARP Job Board features a “Veterans Wanted” filter so transitioning and former service members can quickly find employers that value their military experience. • New AARP Veterans and Military Spouses Job Search Toolkit – a comprehensive guide to find and secure employment.
AARP.org
AARP now offers free online resources to help overcome unemployment, underemployment in the veteran community
petitive job market and avoid underemployment.” According to the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report, veter-
an unemployment fell to 3.2% in December. While unemployment has decreased VETERANS JOB CENTER continues on page 17
• New AARP Video: Tips for Veterans to Ace A Civilian Job Interview. • AARP Webinar: Rethinking Work for Veterans, Military and their Families on hiring and career trends to help adapt to a quickly changing job market.
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LIVING WELL AT 50+
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JANUARY 20, 2022
LIVING WELL AT 50+
PAGE 17
Smartphones, Bluetooth Headsets Lead New Tech Trends for Seniors According to a new AARP Tech Trends report, tech use by people 50+ skyrocketed during the pandemic and those new habits and behaviors appear here to stay. What’s more, most of those surveyed (70%) purchased tech last year, with spending far greater today than it was in 2019: $821 now versus in $394 then. Smartphones and related accessories, along with Bluetooth headsets, topped the list of purchases, but smart home technology was vital to them, too. Unsurprisingly but importantly, technology use has facilitated social connectedness throughout the pandemic. The rates of reliance on tech for social connection is consistently high across age ranges: 76% of those in their 50s, 79% of those in their 60s, and 72% of people 70+ all count tech as their link to their families and the wider world. “The pandemic redrew the lines: Tech has gone from a nice-to-have to a needto-have for Americans 50+, and their new habits are here to stay,” said Alison Bryant, AARP Senior Vice President of Research. “Those who can afford tech are spending a lot more than they did just a few years ago – more than twice what they spent in 2019. And their motivations vary: Some use tech to work, others to stay connected to family and friends, and others still to enable them to age in place or help them. At the same
financial transactions online compared to previous years. • In the last two years, older adults’ usage of a home assistant and owning a wearable has doubled. The study reveals that learning how to use and manage smart home technology is a top interest of the 50-plus. Smartphones continue to be adopted in new ways to manage day-to-day living and entertainment. This year, one third of older adults ordered food from a restaurant and one in four listened to podcasts on their smartphones.
According to AARP tech devices have gone from a nice-to-have to a need-to-have for Americans over 50.
time, we’re also mindful of the digital divide, where a lack of affordability can also mean no access to tech and its benefits.”
Among the survey’s key findings are: • Older adults continue to incorporate tech into their lives. Certain tech behaviors formed during the pandemic appear
Loudoun County Adult Day Centers For Seniors with Physical Limitations or Memory Loss
to stay such as, video chat, making online purchases, ordering groceries, banking, and engaging in health services with older adults making more purchases and
Falcon’s Landing continued from page 13 rating. These standards included a minimum threshold for the staff COVID-19 vaccination rate, overuse of antipsychotic drugs and frequent visits to the emergency department, among other criteria. The Johnson Center at Falcons Landing completed the annual state survey in October and was found to be deficiency free. “This is an achievement that is rarely seen in skilled nursing, and I am extremely proud to be a part of such a dedicated and engaged group of professionals and such a worthy organization that makes a
Veterans job center Our licensed adult day centers provide: • A safe, social environment with therapeutic activities • Respite for caregivers needing support & free time • Reasonable sliding scale fees Offering engaging activities, individualized personal care, nutritious lunch and snacks, exercise, medication administration, health monitoring and limited transportation. Purcellville
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703-771-5334
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continued from page 15 over the past year, underemployment continues to hold many veterans back. Twothirds of all veteran employees reported having a job unequal to the level of skills and qualifications that they had gained in the military, according to the 2018 Blue Star Families’ annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey. Further, two-thirds of employed active-duty spouses (67%) reported they are underemployed in some way, indicating their current employment does not match their desires, education, or experience, according to the 2020 Blue Star Families’ annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey.
• Health-related innovations and daily objects that automatically track health measures are also of top interest. However, 42% of older adults feel tech in not designed with them in mind. • About 30% of older adults are using tech to pursue personal passions, mostly with video content. Streaming content continues to increase with most of them subscribing on average to three platforms. n positive difference in the lives of so many daily,” said President and CEO Gary Handley. “Being recognized once again as a High-Performing Best Nursing Home by U.S. News & World Report during a pandemic is an honor and validation of the hard work the staff at The Johnson Center does each day.” The Johnson Center at Falcons Landing is one of 286 nursing homes in Virginia. Of those, 34 received an overall rating of 5 out of 5. Falcons Landing is a 501c3 nonprofit Life Plan Community with a mission to provide extraordinary living to enhance health and happiness of those who have served. Learn more at falconslanding.org n On Jan. 26, AARP’s Online Career Expo will feature live veterans panels, webinars, opportunities to ask other veterans for advice, and jobs from military-friendly employers. Other resources include AARP Resume Advisor, AARP Skills Builder for Work, Be Your Own Boss, and Small Business Resource Center for the 50+. Learn more about the AARP Veterans and Military Spouses Job Center at aarp.org/vetsjobcenter. For more information and other free resources on how AARP supports veterans and military families on caregiving, fighting fraud through Operation Protect Veterans, and connecting with earned service benefits, go to aarp.org/veterans. n
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
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Ivanka’s Choice
JANUARY 20, 2022
Nonprofit Community Foundation Invites Scholarship Applications LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
It’s the story of a bleached blonde who must decide on weekends whether to visit her daddy in a Georgia prison or fly to Colorado to see her husband who is also incarcerated. What a dilemma! Spoiler alert: By the end of the novel, Ivanka also winds up behind bars and no longer has a choice. So sad.
Questions to ponder Why can’t special counsel John Durham find any significant links between the Russians and Donald Trump? Maybe he doesn’t know where to look. Here is some advice from Comet the CI Specialist: 1. Ask Trump’s first wife, Ivana, why her dad reported to Czech intelligence (StB) on Donald’s activities in the 1970s. The StB worked closely with Russian intelligence back then. Did they share info about Trump? 2. Check out whether the KGB flew Trump to Moscow in July 1987 for free. He stayed in the Vladimir Lenin Suite of a top hotel. EX-KGB General Oleg Kalugin says “girls” were sent to Trump’s room and “Kompromat” was gathered. Kalugin now lives in D.C. and he should be interviewed by Durham. 3. Why did Trump appoint disgraced Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn as his National Security Advisor? President Obama fired Flynn in 2014, and it wasn’t for being a patriot. Flynn also took more than $40,000 from the Kremlin and initially failed to report it to the military. Why hasn’t he been recalled to active duty and court marshalled for advocating the overthrow of the duly elected Biden administration? 4. Durham must interview 2016 Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort for passing sensitive campaign data to a Russian spy, Konstantin Kilimnik. To Comet, it sounds like Manafort is a traitor. Did Trump authorize the transfer of the campaign data? This should be enough material to help Durham assess Russian-Trump collusion. If not check out the Kremlin, Russian money laundering, oligarch Dmitri Rybololev, Trapeza Kyprou, Dhekelia, Wilbur Ross and how this all pertains to Trump. 5. It would be worthwhile to fly to Tallinn and meet with Valisluureamet, an Estonian intelligence service on any communications they may have intercepted between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. Finally, remember what Leesburg resident Glenn Kirshner always says, “JUSTICE MATTERS.” Residents of Ashburn, Purcellville, Sterling and rural Loudoun country: do you think ex-presidents, who go to prison or flee the country, should keep their Secret Service protection? Planned for 2023, “Mein Trumpf—The Fascist Failure to Destroy Our American Democracy.” In the meantime, read: “Traitors—A History of American Betrayal from Benedict Arnold to Donald Trump” by David Rothkoff (2020).
For additional information on traitors, email: l_tagg@comcast.net This is a paid advertisement
The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties is now accepting scholarship applications. The Community Foundation serves as stewards for multiple scholarship funds, each with their own requirements ranging from choice of study, to specific highschool attendance, to those seeking vocational career training. The deadline to apply is April 1. The Community Foundation’s universal application form is online at communityfoundationlf.org/students. There, applicants can download the appli-
cation form as well as a listing of all available scholarships and the unique requirements for each. For more information email scholarships@communityfoundationlf.org or call 703-779-3505 x1. The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit founded in 1999 by local volunteers, designed to accelerate community giving in Loudoun and northern Fauquier counties, surrounding areas and across the nation. Since its inception, the Community Foundation has granted almost $11.7 million back into these communities. n
Tree of Life Receives 40K-pound Food Donation Tree of Life Ministries recently received a very hefty food donation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The LDS church donated 40,128 pounds of non-perishable food to Tree of Life’s Purcellville office. The nonprofit also operates regional food pantries in Leesburg and Sterling. Melaney Tagg, member of the LDS Ashburn stake, contacted Tree of Life on Dec. 14 when a surplus of food from their Salt Lake City, UT-based storehouse became available to disperse locally. Tree of Life was identified, among other organizations, as a potential recipient of this surplus, based on infrastructure and community connections. Tree of Life’s Purcellville Food Branch Director Brian McMullen coordinated the planning and receiving effort across the nonprofit’s three regions and served as li-
aison with Tagg. “We are thankful to our army of volunteers and supporters who made this day happen. What a real blessing for our community and it will help sustain our monthly food deliveries,” he said. Several local businesses contributed toward the distribution of the food. Mr. Print loaned a pallet jack; Jenkins Enterprises offered storage space; Browning Equipment donated the use of a forklift; Southern States provided additional pallets; and Olympus Gym provided the use of a box truck to help transport goods to Tree of Life’s Sterling Center. Additionally, Tagg’s church provided volunteers for each Tree of Life center to help unload and process the food. For more information on Tree of Life Ministries, go to tolministries.org or call 540-441-7920. n
PUBLISHER’S NOTICE We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-9753.
fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov • www.fairhousing.vipnet.org
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JANUARY 20, 2022
Business Enterprise Center Director Announces Retirement BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com
The director of Leesburg’s business incubator is calling it a career. Susan Henson, regional director of the Mason Enterprise Center, has announced her retirement effective Jan. 24. Henson has been the director for the entirety of the incubator’s existence in Leesburg, and over that time has assisted dozens of businesses in graduating from the program. The Mason Enterprise Center, a program of George Mason University, opened in downtown Leesburg to great fanfare in 2011. Three years after its opening, the Small Business Development Center co-located in the space, and for a time Leesburg’s economic development staff also had offices there. Henson joined the MEC following 20 years in Missouri where she worked at the Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Centers in Kansas City and served on the faculty at the University of Missouri in Columbia as the coordinator of the Missouri Textile & Apparel Center. The Blacksburg native, who received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Virginia Tech, said the move back to Virginia was an opportunity to be closer to family, as well as to oversee the growth of the new business incubator. Henson said the announcement of plans to close the incubator was a factor in her decision to step away. The incubator will cease operations at its Church Street location at the end of the current fiscal year, June 30. Both the Loudoun Board of Supervisors and Leesburg Town Council decided late in 2021 to no longer fund the operation as over the years it had become more of a place for businesses to take advantage of its location in a HUBZone, as opposed to its originally stated mission of being the county’s center for entrepreneurship. The proliferation of co-working
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Susan Henson, regional director of the Mason Enterprise Center, has announced she plans to retire.
spaces throughout the county in the past few years, not to mention the rise in remote work since the dawn of the pandemic, also posed considerable competition. Two hundred and forty small businesses were served by the incubator in its 10 years of existence, with more than half choosing to remain in Loudoun County post-graduation. “It certainly has been a journey,” she said, both of her own time at the MEC and of the incubator itself. “We were really brought in to kind of help spark that entrepreneurship support scene in Loudoun County and the Town of Leesburg. Those that came before me in the town and county that envisioned the gap that was there in business community really were looking forward to entrepreneurship as something that’s going to continue to grow. George Mason has a contract with SBDCs that had already started incubator programs, and that was sort of cutting edge at that time of what you could do to support entrepreneurs.” She acknowledged that much has changed in the incubator’s decade of existence. “When we first started the Mason Enterprise Center, it was like we were kind of paving new ground for entrepreneurs
Estremera Promoted at The National The National Conference Center in Lansdowne has promoted Frank Estremera from executive chef to executive chef and beverage director. Estremera began as the executive chef with The National in
Estremera
2018 after working with Benchmark Hospitality for 18 years. “Since joining The National team, Frank has excelled not only as our executive chef, but as a prominent and well-respected member of the community,” a press release announcing the promotion stated. The announcement highlighted accolades Estremera has picked up along
in Loudoun County. Since then a lot of things have changed in the landscape. The pandemic has caused new challenges for businesses. George Mason goes into local communities to support them as they need support. It now appears that the county and town are going in a bit of a different direction, which is fine. All of those things were factors [in deciding to retire]. I’m going to rest on my laurels and move on to something else,” she said. The “something else” is to be determined. “Part of my exploration is going to be looking at opportunities to utilize my strengths in a role that’s maybe more consulting or some things that are project base—go in and help organizations with key things around my skillset and not have to be tied to a full-time second career. There’s things I’d love to do that I haven’t had as much time to do in an artistic realm completely unrelated to my career. I want to reach out to key people that I might want to connect with as well as exploring completely different interests,” she said. As she looks back at her 10 years at the Mason Enterprise Center, she highlights some of the things she is most proud of– the birth and growth of the 1 Million Cups speaking series, and the successes of those businesses that have left the incubator. She cites as two examples The Building People in Leesburg, which has now grown to a second building, and Lynker Technologies, which now has 300 employees nationwide. As she rides off into retirement and the incubator nears closure, Henson said she is happy to pass the baton on to local partners to continue building an environment of success for entrepreneurs. “I feel good about the path we have paved for the county to really fulfill entrepreneur support,” she said. “ I think it’s a good time for me to leave it to the local partners to continue to grow and support that community.” n
the way, including the 2019 Chef of the Year award from the Virginia, Restaurant, Lodging, and Travel Association. He also has been credited as being a key player in The National’s Complimentary Dining Program, created to assist furloughed government workers during the 2019 government shutdown. In his new role, he will be leading the food and beverage team through the post-pandemic world as The National works to make a comeback in 2022 and beyond, according to the announcement. n
PAGE 19
Obituaries Parivash Sadeghi Kline Moon Parivash Sadeghi Kline Moon,
77, of Leesburg, Virginia, died peacefully on January 10 at Heri-
tage Hall, Leesburg. She was born March 19, 1944, in Ahwaz, Iran, a daughter of the late Ebrahim and Safieh Sadeghi. She moved to the United States in 1979 with her two
children, Mike and Andy, to flee
the Iranian Revolution. Parivash was a fiercely dedicated mother,
wife, sister, aunt, and friend. She
treasured everyone in her life and
was eager to be there for anyone needing to talk. She was loving and warm, thoughtful and selfless,
and she touched the lives of many. She is survived by her son, Andy
Kline and wife Elizabeth of Broadlands, VA. Also surviving are 3
sisters: Parvin Bragg and Mah-
vash Moallem both of Rockford,
IL; Mali Muri and husband Larry of Bellingham, WA; one brother,
Mohammad "Mammad" Sadeghi
and wife Mojgan of Tehran, Iran; and a number of nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son
Mike Kline, brother Ali Sadeghi, and husband Glen Moon. In keeping with her wishes, her body has
been cremated. No formal service is scheduled, but rather the cost of
a service has been redirected as a donation in her honor to North-
ern Virginia Family Service. The family suggests memorial trib-
utes take the form of donations to Northern Virginia Family Ser-
vice, 10455 White Granite Drive,
Suite 100, Oakton, VA 22124, or www.nvfs.org. n
PAGE 20
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF AN APPLICATION BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY FOR APPROVAL AND CERTIFICATION OF ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION FACILITIES: 500 KV LINE #514 PARTIAL REBUILD PROJECT CASE NO. PUR-2021-00276 On November 18, 2021, Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion” or “Company”) iled with the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) an application (“Application”) for approval and certiication of electric transmission facilities in Loudoun County, Virginia. Dominion iled its Application pursuant to § 56-46.1 of the Code of Virginia (“Code”) and the Utility Facilities Act, Code § 56-265.1 et seq.
side of Edwards Ferry Road NE.
For the proposed Rebuild Project, 12 single circuit 500 kV weathering steel lattice towers and 1 single circuit 500 kV galvanized H-frame structure supporting the existing Line #514 are proposed to be replaced with 13 single circuit 500 kV chemically dulled, galvanized steel lattice towers. The minimum proposed structure height is approximately 114 feet, the maximum proposed Through its Application, the Company proposes to do the structure height is approximately 154 feet, and the average following: proposed structure height is approximately 135 feet, based on preliminary conceptual design, excluding foundation reveal and • Rebuild approximately 2.8 miles of the existing overhead subject to change based on inal engineering design. 500 kilovolt (“kV”) Doubs-Goose Creek Line #514 from existing Structure #514/1854 (which is not being replaced) All distances, heights, and directions are approximate. A sketch located two spans outside of the Company’s existing Goose map of the proposal accompanies this notice. A more detailed map Creek Substation to Structure #514/1841 located at the may be viewed on the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/ Virginia-Maryland border. Speciically, replace 12 single pages/Transmission-Line-Projects. A more complete description of circuit 500 kV weathering steel lattice towers and 1 single the Rebuild Project also may be found in the Company’sApplication. circuit 500 kV galvanized H-frame structure supporting The Commission may consider a route not signiicantly the existing Line #514 with 13 single circuit 500 kV different from the route described in this notice without chemically dulled, galvanized steel lattice towers, and the additional notice to the public. existing 3-phase twin-bundled 2049.5 AAAC conductors with 3-phase triple-bundled 1351.5 ACSR conductors; and The Commission has taken judicial notice of the ongoing public health issues related to the spread of the coronavirus, or • Perform related work at the Company’s existing Goose COVID-19. In accordance therewith, all pleadings, briefs, or other Creek Switching Station to support the new line rating for documents required to be served in this matter shall be submitted rebuilt Line #514 (collectively, “Rebuild Project”). electronically to the extent authorized by 5 VAC 5-20-150, Dominion states that the Rebuild Project will replace aging Copies and format, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and infrastructure at the end of its service life in accordance with the Procedure (“Rules of Practice”). Conidential and Extraordinarily Company’s mandatory electric transmission planning criteria, Sensitive Information shall not be submitted electronically and thereby enabling the Company to maintain the overall long-term should comply with 5 VAC 5-20-170, Confidential information, reliability of its transmission system. of the Rules of Practice. Any person seeking to hand deliver and physically ile or submit any pleading or other document shall The Company states that the desired in-service date for the contact the Clerk’s Ofice Document Control Center at (804) 371Rebuild Project is June 1, 2024. The Company represents that the 9838 to arrange the delivery. estimated conceptual cost of the Rebuild Project (in 2021 dollars) is approximately $8.9 million, which includes approximately $7.3 Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service, of the Rules million for transmission related work and approximately $1.6 of Practice, the Commission has directed that service on parties million for substation-related work. and the Commission’s Staff in this matter shall be accomplished by electronic means. Please refer to the Commission’s Order for Description of the Route Notice and Hearing or subsequent Hearing Examiner’s Ruling for The proposed route of the 500 kV Line #514 Rebuild Project further instructions concerning Conidential or Extraordinarily is located within an existing approximately 2.8-mile right-of- Sensitive Information. way currently occupied at various portions of the route by two The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing overhead 230 kV transmission lines, and one existing 500 kV overhead transmission line. The existing transmission line right- in this proceeding that, among other things, scheduled public of-way for the proposed route of the Rebuild Project, which is hearings on Dominion’s Application. On May 10, 2022, at 10 250 feet wide, originates at existing Structure #514/1854 (which a.m., the Commission will hold a telephonic hearing, with no is not being replaced) located two spans outside of the Company’s witness present in the Commission’s courtroom, for the purpose Goose Creek Substation in Loudoun County, Virginia, on the of receiving the testimony of public witnesses. On or before May south side of East Market Street, and continues approximately 6, 2022, any person desiring to offer testimony as a public witness 2.8 miles in a northern direction along the existing right-of- shall provide to the Commission (a) your name, and (b) the way, concluding at Structure #514/1841, located at the Virginia- telephone number that you wish the Commission to call during Maryland border in Loudoun County, Virginia, on the northeast the hearing to receive your testimony. This information may be
JANUARY 20, 2022
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JANUARY 20, 2022
providedtotheCommissioninthreeways:(i)byillingoutaformon the Commission’s website at scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting; (ii) by completing and emailing the PDF version of this form to SCCInfo@scc.virginia.gov; or (iii) by calling (804) 371-9141. This public witness hearing will be webcast at scc.virginia.gov/ pages/Webcasting. On May 11, 2022, at 10 a.m., either in the Commission’s second loor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or by electronic means, the Commission will convene a hearing to receive testimony and evidence related to the Application from the Company, any respondents, and the Commission’s Staff. Further details on this hearing will be provided by subsequent Commission Order or Hearing Examiner’s Ruling. Electronic copies of the Application and other supporting materials may be inspected at: www.dominionenergy.com/ line514. An electronic copy of the Company’s Application also may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company, Vishwa B. Link, Esquire, McGuireWoods LLP, Gateway Plaza, 800 East Canal Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, or vlink@mcguirewoods.com.
PAGE 21
The respondent simultaneously shall serve a copy of the notice of participation on counsel to the Company. Pursuant to 5 VAC 5-2080 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Rules of Practice, any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the speciic action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. Any organization, corporation, or government body participating as a respondent must be represented by counsel as required by 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All ilings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2021-00276. For additional information about participation as a respondent, any person or entity should obtain a copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing. On or before May 4, 2022, any interested person may submit comments on the Application by following the instructions found on the Commission’s website: scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/ Submit-Public-Comments. Those unable, as a practical matter, to submit comments electronically may ile such comments with the Clerk of the Commission at the address listed above. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2021-00276. Any documents iled in paper form with the Ofice of the Clerk of the Commission in this docket may use both sides of the paper. In all other respects, except as modiied by the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, all ilings shall comply fully with the requirements of 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format, of the Rules of Practice.
On or before March 4, 2022, any person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by iling a notice of participation with the Clerk of the Commission at scc. virginia.gov/clk/eiling. Those unable, as a practical matter, to ile a notice of participation electronically may ile such notice by U.S. mail to the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, The Company’s Application, the Commission’s Rules of c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Practice, the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, and Virginia 23218-2118. Such notice of participation shall include other documents iled in the case may be viewed at: scc.virginia. the email addresses of such parties or their counsel, if available. gov/pages/Case-Information.
VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY Figure No.
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LOUDOUNNOW.COM
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Towns
AROUND towns
Purcellville Launches Investigation into Staff, Council Members Conduct BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
The Purcellville Town Council met in closed session for more than an hour last week to briefed on the status of an investigation by an outside law firm into allegations of misconduct by a staff member and two councilmen. The closed session motion stated the council would be seeking to determine whether discipline was warranted following complaints made by Councilman Stanley J. Milan and Vice Mayor Christopher Bertaut about the conduct of a staff member in an overheard conversation with a developer, and a complaint filed by an anonymous staff member about public comments made by Milan and Bertaut about the incident. The town retained the law firm of Harman Clayton Corrigan & Wellman to investigate the complaints and attorney Melissa Y. York was identified as joining the meeting to present the briefing. The issue surfaced publicly during the Nov. 9 Town Council meeting when Mi-
lan stated that he overheard a conversation between a staff member and a developer following the Oct. 21 Planning Commission meeting. While everyone had left the meeting room, the conversation was picked up on a microphone in the room. Milan said he listened to the conversation for about an hour and a half. “I overheard statements from the staffer that really shocked me. It surprised me a little but not totally. The staffer talked about the planning commission, council inefficiencies. He made statements about his professional experience and that he wouldn’t take direction from any CCB [the town’s abbreviation for advisory commissions, committees and boards]. And statements like ‘I have them looking at the red shiny ball—hey look over here—when the real issue is over there.’ And he also made the statement to ‘wait a few election cycles to get what you need,’” Milan said at the Nov. 9 meeting. “This is a private conversation after a Planning Commission meeting where we rely on this person’s professionalism and insight into the direction the planning commission should take. And when you hear these comments that
are disingenuine [sic], the efforts of the Planning Commission and Town Council it shakes your confidences in what you are being presented. Are we constantly being presented with shiny balls or shiny red balls that distract us from the issues at hand? And I will be referring these issues to the Commonwealth’s Attorney. They need to be taken seriously.” Bertaut said he also listened to the conversation. “I too hung around after that meeting and heard some of these disturbing comments that took place between a couple individuals. And I can concur that I heard the comment about holding up a big shiny ball in order to distract the public. I heard the comment about not taking direction from the CCBs. I heard a somewhat disturbing comment that went along the lines of ‘when people are happy and comfortable they don’t care what’s going on outside the walls of their property.’ And perhaps most disturbing of all I also heard one comment that kind of shook me to the core, it was ‘tell me what you want to do and I’ll make it happen.’ And I consider INVESTIGATION continues on page 24
Purcellville Council Seeks to Honor Pioneering Dance Man BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
While the county Board of Supervisors and the town councils in Leesburg and Round Hill have lined up behind the plan to rename Rt. 7 as Leesburg Pike, Purcellville is taking a different direction. On Jan. 11, the Town Council voted to request the Commonwealth Transportation Board to rename the short section of the highway that passes through the town boundaries as the Billy Pierce Memorial Pike. County leaders initiated the effort to change the name from Harry Byrd Highway as part of a broader initiative to remove the names associated with racism or the Confederacy from public roads, buildings, and parks. After months of study, a task force appointed by the county board recommended Rt. 7 be renamed as Leesburg Pike, reflecting its historic name and the name used in other areas of Northern Virginia. The Leesburg and Round Hill town councils en-
JANUARY 20, 2022
dorsed that effort late last year. Show on the Theater Owners Purcellville Mayor Kwasi Booking Association circuit of Fraser suggested the town use black vaudeville theaters. He the highway renaming to honthen opened a dance studio in or one of its pioneering resiNew York City that is credited dents. as one of the incubators for the William Joseph “Billy” Harlem Renaissance and where Pierce was born in Purcellville he worked with noted actors in 1890 and went on to be a and choreographed numerous noted choreographer, dancer Broadway shows. He died Thomas Balch Library and dance studio owner credat age 42 from mastoiditis in A photo of Purcellville ited with inventing the Black native Billy Pierce who 1933. Bottom dance that became a became an influential There are no addressable national craze in the 1920s. structures on Purcellville’s performer and innovator According to the resolution on Broadway. section of Rt. 7, so the only requesting the name change, cost involved would be the Peirce attended Storer College in Harpers creation and placement of signs denoting Ferry and Howard University and then the name. The council’s resolution states served in World War I with the 8th Infantry the town, in collaboration with Loudoun Regiment of the Illinois National Guard. County, would pay those costs. His work as a journalist included writing The resolution passed unanimously, alfor the Chicago Defender, the premier though Councilwoman Erin Rayner raised African American newspaper of its time. concerns that the council was not followHe moved to the theater, as a dancer and ing the CTB’s preferred process, which trombonist in vaudeville and played banjo includes a broader outreach seeking public in Dr. Diamond Dick’s Kickapoo Medicine suggestions and input. n
HAMILTON Council Urges Support for Speed Camera Bill Nearly every Town Council meeting starts with a discussion from residents frustrated about traffic safety and speeding cars. Although few quick fixes have emerged to address the concerns, the Town Council is hoping for the success of a new state Senate bill. Sen. John Bell (D-13) has proposed legislation that would expand authority to erect speed cameras to all towns without police departments. Currently, the state law permits photo speed monitoring devices in school crossing zones and highway work zones. Motorists caught speeding could be assessed civil penalties up to $100. The Town Council has previously tagged speed cameras as the best way to address residents’ concerns and has urged them to review and support Senate Bill 334, which has been referred to the Senate Committee on Transportation.
LUCKETTS Stanley Named Ruritan Member of the Year The Lucketts Ruritan Club named Don Stanley its 2021 Ruritan of the Year. Club President Al Menendez made the award at the Club’s Annual Awards Dinner held in December at Fabbioli Cellars. Each year the club’s president selects the member who has made the greatest impact on the club through his or her efforts to promote community service, fellowship and good will. Stanely and his wife, Patty, were credited with supporting the club’s return to in-person membership meetings in 2021 after a 15-month suspension starting in the spring of 2020. In addition, Stanley instituted new policies to keep members up to date on important matters pertaining to weekly operations of the organization and was instrumental in partnering with the Virginia Hunters for the Hungry to supply the local food pantry with fresh venison. AROUND TOWNS continues on page 24
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Post your job listings at NowHiringLoudoun.com NHLEmployerCard2.pdf
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Town of Leesburg Employment Opportunities Please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs for more information and to apply online. Resumes may be submitted as supplemental only. EOE/ADA. Regular Full-Time Positions Position
Department
Salary Range
Closing Date
Accounting Associate II
Finance
$44,905-$76,882 DOQ
Open until filled
Director of Planning & Zoning
Planning & Zoning
$150,000-$180-000 DOQ
2/14/2022
Enterprise GIS Manager
Information Technology
$76,426-$130,688 DOQ
Open until filled
IT Systems Administrator
Information Technology
$70,374-$120,339 DOQ
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Planner - Zoning Administration
Planning & Zoning
$61,857 - $105,896 DOQ
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Police Officer
Police
$62,000-$89,590 DOQ
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Records Coordinator
Clerk of Council
$52,446-$89,790 DOQ
1/28/2022
Senior Buyer/Contracts Administrator
Finance
$67,175-$115,044 DOQ
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Senior Management & Budget Analyst
Finance
Stormwater & Environmental Manager
Public Works & Capital Projects
Utility Plant Technician or Senior Utility Plant Technician
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Utility System Trainee or Technician
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Wastewater Plant Operator: Trainee, I, II or Senior
Utilities
M
Y
CM
$72,952-$124,893 DOQ
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$50,000-$89,790 DOQ
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$50,000-$76,882 DOQ
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$50,000-$89,790 DOQ
Open until filled
MY
Flexible Part-Time Position Position
C
CY
Department
Hourly Rate
Closing Date
CMY
Administrative Associate
Thomas Balch Library
Receptionist
Public Information Office
Senior Buyer/Contracts Administrator
Finance
K
$20.51-$33.42 DOQ
Open until filled
$20.51
Open until filled
$34.44-$58.99 DOQ
Open until filled
To review Ida Lee (Parks & Recreation) flexible part-time positions, please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs. Most positions will be filled at or near the minimum of the range. Dependent on qualifications. All Town vacancies may be viewed on Comcast Cable Channel 67 and Verizon FiOS Channel 35.
FULL TIME FLAGGER Traffic Plan seeks FT Flaggers to set up and control traffic around construction sites. A valid drivers license is a must, good pay, and benefits. If interested please fill out an application at 7855 Progress Court Suite 103 Gainesville, VA on Wednesdays from 9 am to 12 pm or online at www.trafficplan.com
See the full job listings at NowHiringLoudoun.com
DRIVERS NEEDED Regular & CDL Call 703-737-3011
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AROUND towns continued from page 22
MIDDLEBURG Postal Worker Honored by Town Council During his two years working the front counter at the Middleburg Post Office, Antwan Montford made an impression. Last week, the Town Council adopted a resolution of appreciation in his honor, as Montford prepares to leave for a new assignment in Tampa, FL. The resolution recognized the retired U.S. Army veteran for exceptional customer service, including quickly learning the names of the post office patron, and for his selection as the 2021 Front Line Employee by the Middleburg Business & Professional Association.
Leonard-Morgan Tapped as Vice Mayor Peter Leonard-Morgan is the town’s new vice mayor. The six-year councilman was elected to the post Jan. 13, replacing Philip Miller. Both men were nominated for the post during the meeting, but Leonard-Morgan was put to a vote first and secured enough votes to win the seat. Since winning a special election to fill a vacant council seat, he has been reelected twice, most recently in November, and has help lead the town’s Sustainability Committee.
PURCELLVILLE PD Renovation Cost Likely to Climb The Town Council is bracing for higher-than-expected costs of the Police Department office expansion on Hirst Road. Mosely Architects, which is leading the renovation and expansion project, recently identified higher costs attributed to supply chain problems and labor expenses. That’s an extra $400,000 on top of the previously planned $800,000, for a new estimated project cost of $1.2 million. The Town Council was briefed on the new estimate last week, but opted to not formally allocate additional money to the project, with a majority of members worried such action could result in higher bids from contractors. Council members also expressed concerns about investing so much into leased space. However, with the construction of a new, town-owned police station still sev-
eral years in the future, the town plans to advance with the project to address safety concerns and operational deficiencies at the current location. The staff was directed to seek a right of first refusal to purchase the current space should the opportunity arise.
Concerns Raised About Online Business Portal Last September, the Purcellville Town Council approved a $10,000 contract to create an Amazon-like portal to help local businesses make online sales. Five months later, at least two council members are questioning the value of that investment. The contract with Glass Commerce, a California-based government procurement company, was pitched by Mayor Kwasi Fraser as a way to help give the town’s small businesses access to a larger customer base online. It’s been slow to gain traction and during last week’s meeting two councilmembers raised doubts. Councilwoman Erin Rayner said that according to the latest report, only 63 unique visitors had gone to the website that is said to have 24 vendors, but only seven actively selling items, although it wasn’t clear any are local. She also questioned the items being sold—from deodorant to conversion kits for Glock pistols.
ROUND HILL Entries Sought for AT Art Show Entries for the fifth annual Round Hill Appalachian Trail Art Show, sponsored by Round Hill Outdoors and the Round Hill Arts Center, will be accepted at the Round Hill Arts Center on Feb. 4-6, from noon to 4 p.m. each day. Artists of all ages are welcome to submit works celebrating the Appalachian Trail and the wild nature of the Blue Ridge. The Show will be hung at the Round Hill Arts Center from Feb. 20 through March 20. The judges will award prizes in three categories with a winners’ reception planned Feb. 27. Entries should be original, independently created, ready-to-hang works in any medium. There is a registration fee of $5 per work for adults, which is waived for students. Artists may register online at roundhill. at/art. For more information, contact the program manager at the art center at 540-3385022 or info@roundhillartscenter.org or Susan Stowe of the Round Hill Outdoors Art Show Committee at 571-918-1814 or susan.e.stowe@gmail.com.
Investigation continued from page 22 none of these to be in the spirit of cooperation, of respect for one another’s roles within this community,” Bertaut said. Mayor Kwasi Fraser, at that meeting, said he would reserve judgment until more information was available. Following the Jan. 11 closed session, only one councilmember commented on the session. “It is difficult not to be appalled after reading and hearing that,” Councilman Tip Stennette said. “I don’t doubt the veracity of what has been reported or spoken about. That said, I wasn’t there, and I don’t know the context of the chain of events firsthand. What I do know is that what is seems to be is appalling to me. But I also know that what seems to be may not in fact be. With that in mind, I look forward to the conclusion of independent collection of objective evidence, a thorough review of relevant parties, and the reconstruction of the chain of events before arriving at a conclusion and rendering a judgment, which, it should be noted is fully within the purview of this body in this case.” The controversy took another turn as the council ended its closed meeting. Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act re-
JANUARY 20, 2022 quired that when adjourning each closed session, a roll call vote be held in which each member certifies that only those matters permitted to be discussed outside of public view and specifically identified in the closed session motion were discussed. The certification motion is designed to be a firewall to prevent public bodies from straying from the narrow bounds of the FIOA allowances. Council members Joel Grewe and Erin Rayner voted no when asked to certify that only those matters were discussed in the meeting. Fraser said he disagreed with their objections. Virginia’s FOIA rules require that whenever a member declines to certify a closed session they must publicly state their reason on the record. That did not happen during the meeting. Contacted by Loudoun Now after the meeting, the dissenting councilmembers said that part of the closed session conversation included comments by Milan about a series of Facebook postings Grewe made last fall publicly criticizing the conduct of Milan and other Planning Commission members, including the sharing of confidential information. They felt the conversation, which they said was halted when objections were raised, violated the scope of the stated closed-session topics n.
JANUARY 20, 2022
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A video still of Hillsboro Bürgermeister Roger Vance during the Jan. 12 broadcast of the Foreign Journal news program on the ZDF television network
ReThink9 Spotlighted on German Television Europe’s largest German language television network, ZDF, featured the Town of Hillsboro on a Jan. 12 segment marking the first year of the Biden presidency on its Foreign Journal news program. A ZDF news crew spent the day in Hillsboro on Dec. 15, interviewing Hillsboro Mayor Roger Vance and residents about the town’s newly completed infrastructure projects, the recently approved Federal infrastructure bill, the proposed “Build Back Better” bill, and how residents are coping with the ongoing pandemic. Vance said ZDF Producer Nicola Wenz first heard about Hillsboro in the summer Washington Post article about Hillsboro’s ReThink9 infrastructure projects. “She saw this as the perfect opportunity for ZDF’s planned coverage of President Biden’s infrastructure plans and first year in office,” he said. “She was looking for perspectives from the ground level about how investing in infrastructure impacts communities, especially in rural America.” Interviewed during the Hillsboro segment were Lauren and Luke Markham, who talked about the Town’s water system
improvements and how their sons can now walk safely to Hillsboro Charter Academy on the Town’s new sidewalks. Also interviewed were Paul Hrebenak and James Fraser, who moved to Hillsboro in 2020 and are restoring a signature 18th-century stone house in the center of town. The couple plans to open the house as a bed and breakfast—a private investment largely spurred by the own’s investment in becoming walkable and building critical infrastructure including a new drinking water system, first-ever municipal wastewater system, and high-speed broadband fiber-to-the-home delivered via town-owned conduit and fiber. Vance said the ZDF crew was impressed by the projects’ delivery of cutting-edge infrastructure while complimenting the town’s historic integrity through context-sensitive design and materials. “They remarked that Hillsboro’s setting and stone walls and architecture gave it a familiar European feel,” Vance said. You can view the piece at loudounnow.com/auslandsjournal. The Hillsboro feature is in the fifth segment of the program. n
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JANUARY 20, 2022
THINGS to do
Loco Living
LOCO LIVE Live Music: Cory Campbell
Friday, Jan. 21, 5:30 p.m. Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: lostbarrel.com Catch up and coming singer/songwriter Cory Campbell for an evening of great tunes.
Live Music: Zach Jones
Friday, Jan. 21, 6 p.m. Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com Catch the former vocalist for Never Born to Follow and Rose Hollow as a solo singer/ songwriter.
Live Music: Mark Dunn
Friday, Jan. 21, 6 p.m. Bear Chase Brewing Company, 18294 Blue Ridge Mountain Road, Bluemont Details: bearchasebrew.com It’s an evening of acoustic rock, country and blues on the hillside with Mark Dunn.
Loudoun Battle of the Bands Round 1
Friday, Jan. 21, 6-10 p.m. Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville Details: franklinparkartscenter.org The Battle of the Bands features teen performers in different genres battling it out for audience votes. The event features preliminary rounds Jan. 21 and Feb. 25. In-person or virtual tickets are $5.
Live Music: Two By Sea
Friday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m. Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive #120, Sterling Details: crookedrunbrewing.com Catch original rock ‘n’ roll from Fairfax at this Sterling hotspot.
Live Music: Chris Mangione and Madeline Miller Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Some of artist Deborah Morbeto’s work is on display inside the Visit Loudoun offices in Leesburg’s Market Station.
The Vivid World of Deborah Morbeto Visit Loudoun Hosts Leesburg Artist’s Latest Show
BY JAN MERCKER jmercker@loudounnow.com
A touch of whimsy, a splash of kitsch and plenty of heart and soul. Leesburg-based artist Deborah Morbeto has brought color, verve, and an eclectic style to the Loudoun arts scene for more than 20 years. A selection of Morbeto’s lighter fare, full of charming images and fun text, is on display at the Visit Loudoun visitors center in downtown Leesburg through the end of February.
As the Visit Loudoun show went up, Morbeto was remembering her friend and mentor, the late Loudoun arts maven Gale Waldron, who died in 2018. “I didn’t really realize how much of an impact [Gale] had until much later. … She had been such a huge part of creating an art world in Loudoun. When she gave me the encouragement she did, it helped me more than I realized.” Morbeto is part of a group of Leesburg artists working through the Friends of Leesburg Public Arts to cement the town’s growing reputation as an arts destination
with hopes of recreating an “ArtSquare 2.0” modeled after Waldron’s beloved gallery, studio and teaching space. Morbeto grew up near Boston and credits her mother and her first art teacher for inspiring her artistic path. She was motivated by a private teacher who recognized her talent and had her painting in oils at age 11. Morbeto attended the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. Even then her interests were MORBETO continues on page 27
Friday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m. Tarbender’s Lounge, 10 S. King St., Leesburg Details: tarbenderslounge.com It’s a jazzy evening at Leesburg’s downtown speakeasy with tunes from Chris Mangione and Madeline Miller.
Live Music: The Steel Blossoms
Friday, Jan. 21, 8 p.m. B Chord Brewing, 34266 Williams Gap Road, Round Hill Details: bchordbrewing.com Sara Zebley and Hayley Prosser write and perform relatable songs about real life and real challenges, combining storytelling with musicianship and skilled harmonies. Tickets are $15 at the door.
Live Music: Jason Masi
Saturday, Jan. 22, 1 p.m. 50 West Vineyards, 39060 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: facebook.com/50westvineyards Enjoy a mellow afternoon of acoustic soul and R&B from local favorite Jason Masi.
Live Music: Cary Wimbish
Saturday, Jan. 22, 1 p.m. Bear Chase Brewing Company, 18294 Blue
THINGS TO DO continues on page 27
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BEST BETS
THINGS to do continued from page 26
Ridge Mountain Road, Bluemont Details: bearchasebrew.com Richmond-based Wimbish returns to Bear Chase with traditional country, bluegrass, classic rock, and blues songs along with crowd-pleasing originals.
Live Music: Acoustic Soul
Saturday, Jan. 22, 2 p.m. The Barns At Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com Acoustic Soul’s Steven Shaffer and Bruce Turner are a guitar and vocals duo who pay tribute to legendary classic rock, blues, R&B and American roots artists.
Live Music: Moxie
Saturday, Jan. 22, 2 p.m. Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro Details: harvestgap.com Enjoy an afternoon of uplifting acoustic favorites from Moxie.
Live Music: Shag Duo
Saturday, Jan. 22, 4 p.m. Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts Details: vanishbeer.com The Shag Duo is back with their blend of British and European rock staples.
Live Music: Tom Rhodes
Saturday, Jan. 22, 5:30 p.m. Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com Raised in Loudoun and based in San Francisco, Rhodes has appeared on The Voice and released nine albums. Catch him live in LoCo this weekend.
Live Music: Panic for the Vibe
Saturday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m. Chefscape, 1602 Village Market Blvd. # 115, Leesburg Details: chefscapekitchen.com Chill out with bass-driven grooves and soulfulcadenced rhyme schemes with elements of funk, R&B and rock.
Live Music: Robert Mabe Trio
Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 p.m. Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville Details: monksq.com Mabe is a stellar banjo player and singer/songwriter from the hills of North Carolina. His unique style covers a wide range of music from bluegrass to jazz, Irish and roots tunes.
Live Music: Nathaniel Davis
Sunday, Jan. 23, 1 p.m. 50 West Vineyards, 39060 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: facebook.com/50westvineyards With his top-notch vocal and guitar work and inventive approaches to both classic and popular music, Davis is a Loudoun favorite.
Live Music: Juliet Lloyd Trio
Sunday, Jan. 23, 2 p.m. Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com Singer/songwriter/pianist Juliet Lloyd returns to Flying Ace with signature pop, rock and classic soul favorites.
Live Music: Rowdy Ace Trio
Sunday, Jan. 23, 2 p.m. The Barns At Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton
BATTLE OF THE BANDS Friday, Jan. 21, 6 p.m. Franklin Park Arts Center franklinparkartscenter.org Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com Celebrate Sunday with a fun mix of country and rock tunes from Rowdy Ace Trio.
MacDowell’s Open Mic
Sunday, Jan. 23, 6 p.m. MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com Discretion Advised is the featured performer at this week’s open mic, kicking things off with 30 minutes of rock.
Live Music: Red Wanting Blue Thursday, Jan. 27, 7 p.m.
Morbeto continued from page 26 eclectic, from film photography to ceramics to glass blowing and art history. And her passion for the Modern Art period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries shines through in her work. Art school was also where she established her ongoing commitment to making art every single day. “I am body and soul dedicated to this practice on a daily basis,” Morbeto said. Morbeto’s work has shifted and matured over the years. She says she’s always thought of herself as a painter but in recent years has experimented with collage and mixed media, as showcased in the small-scale pieces at the Visit Loudoun show. Morbeto moved to Loudoun in the ’90s and worked in marketing and graphic design. She and her husband built their home in Leesburg in 1999. Morbeto shifted gears when her son, now in his 20s, was born, leaving her day job to focus on parenting and building a career as a working artist. In her early days in Leesburg, Morbeto found Waldron’s Gallery 222/Loudoun Academy of the Arts on King Street,
THE AMISH OUTLAWS Friday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m. (doors) Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com The Ohio-based indie rock band is back on tour. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $35 for VIP seats.
ROBERT MABE TRIO Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 p.m. Monk’s BBQ monksq.com Details: stagecoachtc.com Enjoy an evening of laughs and audience suggestions from StageCoach Theatre Company’s resident improv troupe. Tickets are $15.
Music for Dessert: Cold Chocolate
StageCoach Bandits Improv
Tuesday, Jan. 25, 7-8 p.m. Franklin Park Arts Center Franklin Park’s Music for Dessert series is back with folk, funk and bluegrass from Ethan Robbins on vocals and guitar and Ariel Bernstein on percussion. In-person tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for students. Virtual tickets are $8. Masks are required for inperson audience members.
which later became ArtSquare. Morbeto applied for and scored a studio space on King Street and moved with the organization to a larger studio space on Cardinal Park Drive. The 2000s were a high-energy period of teaching, working hard, spending time with fellow artists and showcasing her work. But ArtSquare shut its doors in 2014 when funding dried up. Since then, Morbeto’s art has become part of her healing and growth process as she grappled with her mother’s death before the pandemic and a new phase of her life with her husband as empty nesters. She said her daily practice hasn’t changed during the pandemic, but she has used it as an impetus to push herself to explore new media and styles. “What changed during the pandemic was that I specifically challenged myself to learn to work with watercolors and to work with portraiture–two of my weak points.” Her focus on portraiture inspired a new series of colorful figurative pieces with abstract elements. “Out of that grew this incredible body of work that I didn’t expect. Like most art, it just happened. I didn’t push it or force it. … It’s turned into this whimsical series of characters.” Morbeto said she and her husband
considered leaving Leesburg when their son left home. But she reflected on her network of friends and fellow artists and decided to stay and build on her artistic foundation. “This is our forever home and I want to capitalize on the fact that I’ve lived here and have a lot of really incredible contacts and great friends and really be a part of what makes us an art destination in the future,” she said. Morbeto remains involved with Friends of Leesburg Public Arts, which helped make the connection for the Visit Loudoun show, in its push to move Leesburg forward as an arts destination. “We’ve become an arts destination. … With that, we really need something like ArtSquare,” she said. “The town is ready to try again.” To check out Deborah Morbeto’s work, go to thedebweb.com or follow her on Instagram at @deborahmorbetofineart. The Visit Loudoun visitor center is closed through the end of January with plans to reopen in early February. For details, go to visitloudoun.org. For more information on Friends of Leesburg Public Arts, go to leesburgpublicarts.org. n
LOCO CULTURE Friday, Jan. 21, 7:30-9 p.m. StageCoach Theatre Company, 20937 Ashburn Road, Suites 115 and 120, Ashburn
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Legal Notices NOTICE OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING BY THE TOWN OF HILLSBORO, VIRGINIA Notice is hereby given that the Planning Commission and Town Council of the Town of Hillsboro, Virginia (the “Planning Commission” and “Town Council”) will hold a VIRTUAL joint public hearing to receive public comment and to consider adoption of an ordinance amending the Hillsboro Zoning Ordinance to add new off-street parking regulations. A summary of these Amendments is provided below. Complete copies of the amendments are available for review on the Town website at: www. hillsborova.gov and also by appointment at the Town office at 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro, VA, 20132 between the hours of 10 AM and 3 PM, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. Summary of draft Zoning Ordinance Amendments to Add Off-Street Parking Regulations: 1. Amend ARTICLE II, Basic Definitions, to add new definitions relating to off-street parking; 2. Amend ARTICLE X., Regulations Applicable to All Districts, to add a new Part IV: OFFSTREET PARKING AND LOADING REQUIREMENTS, Sections 10-24 – 10-34. These regulations, in summary, will require the provision of off-street parking and loading spaces for new or expanded uses according to the intensity and parking needs of various residential and commercial uses. Some regulations may be waived by the Town Council after recommendation by the Planning Commission within the Hillsboro Historic District. Design standards are included for new spaces. The new Section 10-34 will also regulate the parking of large trucks and vehicles on residential properties.
TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLES 9, 10 AND 18 TLOA-2021-0003 DONATION BOXES Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 W. Market Street, Leesburg VA 20176. The purpose of this amendment is to create a new accessory use called “Donation Box”. The proposed amendments affect the following sections of the Zoning Ordinance: Section 9.4 Accessory Uses, creating a new accessory use “Donation Box” with performance standards. Section 10.4.5.C Extensions into Required Yards, amending certain encroachments into required yards. Section 18.1 Terms Defined, adding a definition for Donation Box. Copies and additional information regarding each of these proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments are available at the Department of Planning & Zoning located on the 2nd floor of Leesburg Town Hall, 25 W. Market Street, Leesburg VA 20176 during normal business hours (Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or by contacting Michael Watkins, Zoning Administrator, via email at mwatkins@leesburgva.gov, or via telephone at 703-737-7920. This zoning ordinance amendment application is identified as case number TLOA-2021-0003.
The public hearing, which may be continued or adjourned, will be held before the Town Council and Planning Commission on Wednesday, January 26, 2022 at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, via Zoom at the link listed on the Town’s website or by telephone, Dial: (301) 715 8592, Meeting ID: 862 0172 5276, Passcode: 222266. Any person interested in the Amendments may appear electronically via Zoom at the public hearing and present his or her views. The Town Council may set time limits on speakers and other rules and procedures for the conduct of this public hearing.
At this hearing all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 771-2733, three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.
Written comments regarding the Amendments may be delivered prior to the public hearing in care of the Mayor at 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro, Virginia 20132, or e-mailed to jshelton@hillsborova.gov. All comments received will be presented to the Town Council and Planning Commission during the public hearing.
TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING LEESBURG TOWN CODE AMENDMENTS: CHAPTER 2 (ADMINISTRATION); ARTICLE V (BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS); DIVISION 1 (GENERALLY); SECTION 2-195 (DUTIES)
TOWN OF HILLSBORO, VIRGINIA Roger L. Vance, Mayor 1/13 & 1/20/2022
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Members of the Loudoun School Board will seek public comment about Loudoun County Public Schools’ Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2023 at the January 25 and February 2, 2022, School Board meetings. Comments also will be welcome at School Board meetings throughout the budget process. To speak to the School Board, please go to Citizen Participation page on the LCPS website, www.lcps.org, between 9 a.m. on the Friday prior to the School Board meeting and noon the day of the meeting to fill out a brief form. Those who sign up to offer public comment must meet one of the following criteria: 1. Residents of Loudoun County (including incorporated towns within); 2. Businesses located in whole or part in Loudoun County; 3. Loudoun County taxpayers; 4. Current or former LCPS students; parents and guardians of LCPS students that live outside of Loudoun County; and 5. LCPS employees and retirees; or representatives of organizations serving LCPS employees and students. Those wishing to speak to the School Board must provide proof that they meet the above criteria. A list of accepted means of identification are available on the Citizen Participation page on the LCPS website. These meetings may be held virtually, or in person, depending on the COVID-19 restrictions in place. If the meeting is being held in-person and you choose not to register to speak via Citizen Participation form, walk-up registration will be accepted at the front of the Administration building until 30 minutes before the start of the meeting. Those who register on-site will be added to the end of the list of pre-registered speakers. 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 three working days prior to the meeting.
LoudounNow.com
1/13/22 & 1/20/22
In accordance with Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, Sections 15.2-1411 and 15.2-1427, the Leesburg Town Council will hold a public hearing on: Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA at which time the public shall have the right to present oral and written testimony on proposed amendment to Town Code Section 2-195 (Duties). The amendment will make the removal of a board or commission member automatic in the event they miss three consecutive meetings or four meetings within a twelve-month period. A copy of the proposed ordinance is available from the Town Clerk, located in Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.); or by calling Eileen Boeing, Town Clerk, at 703-771-2733. At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at 703-771-2733, three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 1/13/2022 & 1/20/2022
LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL COMPETITIVE BIDS FOR:
BE
ACCEPTING
SEALED
JANITORIAL SERVICES AT STERLING COMMUNITY CENTER, RFQ No. 475783 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, February 3, 2022. Solicitation forms may be obtained 24 hours a day by visiting our web site at www. loudoun.gov/procurement. If you do not have access to the Internet, call (703) 7770403, M - F, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. WHEN CALLING, PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ANY TYPE OF DISABILITY IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCUREMENT. 1/20/22
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 20, 2022
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Legal Notices PUBLIC HEARING The LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, at 6:00 p.m. on WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2022 in order to consider: CONVEYANCE OF LOUDOUN COUNTY PROPERTY
ZRTD-2021-0005 LOUDOUN COMMERCE CENTER
Conveyance of County Real Property
Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-1800 et seq., the Board of Supervisors shall consider a proposed conveyance to a non-profit organization designated by Capretti Land Inc. of up to six contiguous acres of land located within the property known as the Old Arcola School. The purpose of the proposed conveyance is for the development of multi-family affordable rental units, recreational facilities, recycling facilities and parking spaces, under the terms and conditions of the associated purchase and sales agreement between the County of Loudoun and Capretti Land Inc. The Old Arcola School is located on the east side of Stone Springs Boulevard (Route 659), north of John Mosby Highway (Route 50) and south of Arcola Mills Drive (Route 621), at 24244 Stone Springs Boulevard, Arcola, Virginia, in the Blue Ridge Election District. The Old Arcola School consists of approximately 11.13 acres and is more particularly described as PINs: 203-20-8192, 162-25-3177, 203-20-7070 and 203-20-9349. A copy of the purchase and sales agreement depicting the approximate location of the six acres of land is on file and available for public inspection at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call 703-777-0200. Documents may also be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for “Board of Supervisors Business Meetings, Public Hearings and Special Meetings”).
ZRTD-2021-0003, SPEX-2021-0021, & ZMOD-2021-0084 PROLOGIS NOVA 1 (Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District, Special Exception & Zoning Ordinance Modification)
DCT Dulles Phase I LLC., of Denver, Colorado, has submitted applications for the following: 1) to rezone approximately 19.51 acres from the PD-GI (Planned Development – General Industrial) zoning district under the 1972 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance to the PD-GI zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in order to permit the development of all principal and accessory uses permitted in the PD-GI zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.40 (up to 0.60 by Special Exception); and 2) an application for a Special Exception to permit an increase in the maximum FAR from 0.40 to 0.60. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance, and the proposed increase in maximum FAR is permitted by Special Exception under Section 4-606. The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification: ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION
PROPOSED MODIFICATION
§4-605(B)(2), Lot Requirements, Yards, Adjacent Reduce the building setback from 100 feet to 35 to Agricultural and Residential Districts and Land feet and the Parking Setback from 50 feet to 25 feet Bays Allowing Residential Uses along the edge of the subject property that borders PIN: 067-37-9924 (Dulles Airport). The subject property is located partially within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, between the Ldn 60-65, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contours, within the Route 28 Taxing District and within the Route 28 Corridor Industrial Optional Overlay District. The subject property is approximately 19.51 acres in size and is located north of Old Ox Road (Route 606) and west of sully Road (Route 28) at 22675 Dulles Summit Court, Sterling, Virginia, in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 045-25-2512. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Industrial/Mineral Extraction Place Type)), which designate this area for the development of large Manufacturing, Contractor with outdoor storage, and other productive uses at up to a 0.6 FAR with building heights up to four stories.
ZRTD-2021-0004 HORSESHOE DRIVE
(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District) SIP/CREF Horseshoe Drive, LLC, of Bethesda, Maryland, has submitted an application to rezone 11.05 acres from the PD-IP (Planned Development-Industrial Park) zoning district under the 1972 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance to the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance as may be amended from time to time, in order to permit the development of all principal and accessory uses permitted in the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.6 (up to 1.0 by Special Exception). The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District and the Route 28 CB (Corridor Business) Overlay District. The subject property is approximately 11.05 acres in size and located north of Nokes Boulevard (Route 637) and south of Horseshoe Drive (Route 1791) at 45925 and 45935 Horseshoe Drive, Sterling, Virginia, in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 030-30-0991. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Mixed Use)), which designate this area for Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural, and Recreational uses at densities at a recommended FAR of up to 1.0.
(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District) Clarke-Hook Corporation, of Chantilly, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone three parcels totaling 14.31 acres from the PD-IP (Planned Development-Industrial Park) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in effect on January 7, 2003, to the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance as may be amended from time to time, in order to permit the development of all principal and accessory uses permitted in the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.6 (up to 1.0 by Special Exception). The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District and the Route 28 CB (Corridor Business) Overlay District. The subject property is approximately 14.31 acres in size and located at the southwest quadrant of the intersection of Nokes Boulevard (Route 1793) and Cascades Parkway (Route 637), north of Maries Road (Route 638) in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as follows: PIN
PROPERTY ADDRESS
030-20-3058
45965 Nokes Boulevard, Sterling, Virginia
030-20-7833
45969 Nokes Boulevard, Sterling, Virginia
030-20-8833
45975 Nokes Boulevard, Sterling, Virginia
The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Employment)), which support a broad array of Employment uses at a recommended FAR of up to 1.0.
CMPT-2021-0006 & SPEX-2021-0026 CWS BOLINGTON ROAD MONOPOLE (Commission Permit & Special Exception)
CWS X, LLC, of Arlington, Virginia, has submitted applications for the following: 1) Commission approval to permit a 160 foot tall Telecommunications Monopole with a four foot tall lighting rod inside a 50 by 100 square-foot (SF) fenced compound in the AR-1 (Agricultural Rural) zoning district; and 2) a Special Exception to permit a 160 foot tall Telecommunications Monopole with a four foot tall lighting rod inside a 50 by 100 SF fenced compound in the AR-1 zoning district. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The proposed use requires both a Commission Permit in accordance with Section 6-1101, and a Special Exception permit under Table 2-102 of Section 2-102 pursuant to Section 5-618(B)(2). The subject property is approximately 17.21 acres in size and is located east of Berlin Turnpike (Route 287) and west of Bolington Road (Route 691); at 13620 Berlin Turnpike, Lovettsville, Virginia; in the Catoctin Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 373-47-1269. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Rural Policy Area (Rural North)), which designate this area for Agricultural, Agricultural Supportive, and limited Residential uses at a recommended density of up to one dwelling unit per 20 acres or one dwelling unit per five acres equivalent for optional Residential clustering in large-lot subdivisions.
ZMAP-2021-0015, ZMOD-2021-0008, & ZMOD-2021-0049 LEXINGTON 7, LAND BAY A (Zoning Map Amendment, Zoning Ordinance Modifications)
Van Metre Communities, L.L.C., of Fairfax, Virginia has submitted an application to rezone approximately 4.28 acres from the R-8 (Single-Family Residential) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance to the R-8 zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in order to develop up to 23 age-restricted single-family residential units at a proposed density of 5.37 units per acre, inclusive of modifications to the district standards (see below). The subject property is located within the R-8 (Single Family Residential) zoning district and the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contours. The application is subject to the Revised 1993 Loudoun Zoning Ordinance. The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s):
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JANUARY 20, 2022
Legal Notices ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION
PROPOSED MODIFICATION
§1-205(J), Interpretation of Ordinance, Limitations and Methods for Measurements of Lots, Yards and Related Terms, Road Corridor Buffer and Setback and Other Setback Measurement from Streets.
Permit building and parking setbacks to be measured from the existing right-of-way limits for Riverside Parkway, rather than the future 120-foot right-of-way (ROW) that would be accommodated by the reservation area.
And §5-1403(A), Landscaping, Buffer Yards, Screening, and Landscape Plans, Road Corridor Buffers and Setbacks, Road Corridor Buffers and Setbacks, General Provisions And §5-1403(B), Landscaping, Buffer Yards, Screening, and Landscape Plans, Road Corridor Buffers and Setbacks, Road Corridor Buffers and Setbacks Matrix, Table 5-1403(B). §1-205(A), Interpretation of Ordinance, Limitations and Methods for Measurements of Lots, Yards, and Related Terms, Lot Access Requirements.
Permit single-family dwelling units to be served by private streets.
And §3-511; R-8 Single Family Residential, Development Setback and Access from Major Roads. §3-506(A) and (B), R-8 Single Family Residential, Lot Requirements, Size, Width.
Reduce the minimum lot size from 6,000 SF to 4,017 SF and the minimum lot width from 50 ft. to 39 ft. for single-family detached dwellings.
§3-506(C)(1), R-8 Single Family Residential, Lot Requirements, Yards, Single Family Detached Dwellings and Manufactured Housing.
Reduce the minimum front yard from 25 ft. to 18 ft., the minimum side yard from 16 ft. to 8 ft. if only one side yard is provided, reduce the minimum distance between buildings from 16 ft. to 8 feet, and reduce the minimum rear yard from 25 ft. to 10 ft for single-family detached dwellings.
§3-506(C)(2), R-8 Single Family Residential, Lot Requirements, Yards, Single Family Attached Dwellings.
§3-508(A), R-8 Single Family Residential, Building Requirements, Lot Coverage.
Reduce the minimum front yard from 45 ft. to 37.5 ft. measured from the centerline of travelway which does not include parking and reduce the minimum rear yard from 25 ft. to 18 ft. for single-family attached dwellings.
(More detailed descriptions of each modification are available upon request.) The subject property is approximately 4.28 acres in size and is located north of Route 7 on the north side of Riverside Parkway (Route 2401) and west of Smith Circle (Route 823) in the Algonkian Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 056-18-0246. The area is governed by the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Neighborhood Place Type)) which designates this area for predominately residential uses arranged on medium-to-large lots at a density of up to four (4) dwelling units per acre or up to six (6) dwelling units per acre of infill development. Unless otherwise noted in the above notices, copies of the above-referenced amendments, applications, ordinances, and/or plans and related documents may be examined by request at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call 703-7770246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies, or electronically at www.loudoun.gov/lola. This link also provides an additional opportunity for public input on active applications. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for “Board of Supervisors Business Meetings, Public Hearings and Special Meetings”). In addition, for detailed instructions on how to access documents using LOLA, to request that documents be emailed to you, to receive physical copies of documents, or to arrange a time to view the file at the Loudoun County Government Center, please email DPZ@loudoun.gov or call 703-777-0246 (option 5). Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic this public hearing may be conducted as an electronic meeting. Members of the public are encouraged to view the public hearing electronically; however, the Board Room will be open for any members of the public who wish to attend in person with appropriate physical distancing. Board of Supervisors public hearings are available for live viewing on television on Comcast Government Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40, and are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/meetings. All members of the public who desire to speak will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. Citizens are encouraged to call in advance to sign up to speak at the public hearing. Instructions for remote participation will be forwarded to all individuals who sign-up in advance and who would like to provide their comments remotely. For this public hearing, advanced sign-up will be taken after 8:30 a.m. on January 28, 2022, and no later than 12:00 p.m. on February 9, 2022. If you wish to sign-up in advance, call the Office of the County Administrator at (703) 777-0200. Citizens will also have the option to sign-up during the public hearing. Citizens may also submit written comments by email sent to bos@loudoun.gov. Any written comments received prior to the public hearing will be distributed to Board members and made part of the minutes for the public hearing. Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory or mental disability to participate in this meeting, please contact the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200. At least one business day of advance notice is requested; some accommodations may require more than one day of notice. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings. BY ORDER OF:
Increase the maximum lot coverage from 50 percent to 60 percent.
PUBLIC HEARING The LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, at 6:00 p.m. on WEDNESDAY, March 9, 2022, to consider: NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT THE PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY (PHA) ANNUAL PLAN FOR LOUDOUN COUNTY HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Pursuant to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations at 24 CFR Part 903, the Board of Supervisors hereby gives notice that it intends to conduct a public hearing for the purpose of considering and adopting the Public Housing Agency (PHA) Annual Plan (FY23) for Loudoun County Housing Choice Voucher Program. The PHA Annual Plan provides information on current programs and the resident population served. A copy of the full text of the above-referenced plan is available and may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday or call (703) 777-0200. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun. gov/bosdocuments (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for “Board of Supervisors Business Meetings, Public Hearings and Special Meetings”).
PHYLLIS RANDALL, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 1/20 & 1/27/22
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic this public hearing may be conducted as an electronic meeting. Members of the public are encouraged to view the public hearing electronically; however, the Board Room will be open for any members of the public who wish to attend in person with appropriate physical distancing. Board of Supervisors public hearings are available for live viewing on television on Comcast Government Channel 23, Verizon FiOS Channel 40, and are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/webcast. All members of the public who desire to speak will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. Citizens are encouraged to call in advance to sign up to speak at the public hearing. Instructions for remote participation will be forwarded to all individuals who sign-up in advance and who would like to provide their comments remotely. For this public hearing, advanced sign-up will be taken after 8:30 a.m. on February 25, 2022, and no later than 12:00 p.m. on March 9, 2022. If you wish to sign-up in advance, call the Office of the County Administrator at (703) 777-0200. Citizens will also have the option to sign-up during the public hearing. Citizens may also submit written comments by email sent to bos@ loudoun.gov. Any written comments received prior to the public hearing will be distributed to Board members and made part of the minutes for the public hearing. Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory or mental disability to participate in this meeting, please contact the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200. Three days’ notice is requested. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings. BY ORDER OF:
PHYLLIS RANDALL, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
1/20 & 1/27/22
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Legal Notices TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLE 5 RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS; ARTICLE 9 USE REGULATIONS; ARTICLE 12 TREE PRESERVATION, LANDSCAPING, SCREENING, OPEN SPACE AND OUTDOOR LIGHTING; AND, ARTICLE 18 DEFINITIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADDING NATURAL SPRING WATER EXTRACTION AND BOTTLING PLANT IN THE R-E SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ESTATE ZONING DISTRICT Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, January 25, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176 to consider Zoning Ordinance Amendment TLOA-2020-0006 revising the following Sections of the Zoning Ordinance: Sec. 5.1.2 Use Regulations adding Natural Spring Water Extraction and Bottling Plant as a special exception use in the R-E Single Family Residential Estate Zoning District Sec. 5.1.3 Density Intensity and Dimensional Standards establishing minimum setback requirements for a Natural Spring Water Extraction and Bottling Plant use Sec. 9.3.15.1 Use Standards establishing minimum use standards for a Natural Spring Water Extraction and Bottling Plant Sec. 12.8.4.C Land Use Category establishing the land use category for buffer yard and screening requirements applicable to a Natural Spring Water Extraction and Bottling Plant Sec. 18.1.163 Definitions redefining the term Farming Copies and additional information regarding these proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments are available at the Department of Planning and Zoning located on the second floor of the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by calling 703-737-7009 and asking for Christopher Murphy, Senior Planning Project Manager. This zoning ordinance amendment application is identified as case number TLOA2020-0006. At this hearing all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 771-2733 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 1/13/2022 & 1/20/2022
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
CL21-2168, Loudoun County Circuit Court 18 East Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176
Case No.:
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104 Case No.:
In re Name Change Cyrus Lee Zug
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104
CL21-2167, Loudoun County Circuit Court 18 East Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176 In re Name Change Victoria Noelle Zug
The object of this suit is to petition fo rname change of minor.
The object of this suit is to petition fo rname change of minor.
It is ORDERED that Christopher Zug appear at the above-named Court and protect their interests on or before March 4, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.
It is ORDERED that Christopher Zug appear at the above-named Court and protect their interests on or before March 4, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.
1/13, 1/20, 1/27, & 2/3/2022
1/13, 1/20, 1/27, & 2/3/2022
NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS January 13, 2022 County of Loudoun P.O. Box 7000 Leesburg, Virginia 20177-7000 703-737-8323 These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the County of Loudoun. REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS On or about January 13, 2022, the County of Loudoun will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of Housing Choice Vouchers - Project Based, under Section8(o) of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, as amended, to undertake a project known as Tuscarora Crossing Phase II, an affordable multi-family rental housing project in the County of Loudoun to serve households with incomes at 60 percent area median income and lower. The project involves the construction of 90 apartments built on a 2.3-acre parcel located at the intersection of Tuscarora Ridge Drive & Mattaponi Terrace in Leesburg, VA 20175. The project will be a four-story building that is part of a larger development and residents will have access to the community amenities provided by the larger Tuscarora Crossing homeowner’s association. Overall, the location provides good access to employment and other amenities for residents. The estimated project cost is $35.1 million. The project was awarded eight (8) Project-Based Vouchers with an estimated value of $1,899,792. FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The County of Loudoun has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday or call (703) 777-0200. The ERR will also be made available to the public for review at: http://www.loudoun. gov/pbv. PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the Loudoun County Office of Housing, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177-7000, Attention: Housing Finance Project Manager. Written comments may also be emailed to housing@loudoun.gov. All comments received by 5:00 p.m. on January 31, 2022, will be considered by the County of Loudoun prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing. ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION The County of Loudoun certifies to HUD that Mr. Tim Hemstreet, in his capacity as County Administrator of the County of Loudoun, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the County of Loudoun to use Program funds. OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the County of Loudoun’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the County of Loudoun; (b) the County of Loudoun has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted via email until further notice in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to: HUD, Public and Indian Housing Program Center, Christine Jenkins, PIH_Covid-19EnvironmentalObjectionsDCFO@hud.gov. Potential objectors should contact the Washington, D.C. HUD Public and Indian Program Center at (202) 275-6306 to verify the actual last day of the objection period. Tim Hemstreet, County Administrator Certifying Officer 1/13 & 1/20/22
LoudounNow.com
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JANUARY 20, 2022
Legal Notices PUBLIC HEARING The LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room on the first floor of the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following: CMPT-2021-0008 DULLES SOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
SPEX-2021-0025 SCOTT JENKINS MEMORIAL PARK
The Loudoun County School Board, of Ashburn, Virginia has submitted an application for Commission approval to permit an elementary school in the TR-1(UBF) (Transitional Residential – 1 (Upper Broad Run and Upper Foley)) and TR-3(UBF) (Transitional Residential – 3 (Upper Broad Run and Upper Foley)) zoning districts. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance and requires a Commission Permit in accordance with Section 6-1101. The subject property is located partially within FOD (Floodplain Overlay District), and partially within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contours. The subject property is approximately 117.49 acres in size and is located south of Braddock Road (Route 705 and Route 620) on the west side of Lightridge Farm Road (Route 705), at 41025 Collaboration Drive, Aldie, VA 20105, in the Blue Ridge Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 288-19-4044. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Transition Policy Area (Transition Large Lot Neighborhood Place Type) which designate this area for low density Residential neighborhoods, Agricultural uses, and Extensive Natural and Manmade open space areas developed at a non-residential Floor Area Ratio (FAR) up to 0.1.
The Loudoun County Department of Transportation & Capital Infrastructure, of Leesburg, Virginia, has submitted an application for a Special Exception to modify the conditions of approval and Special Exception plat associated with SPEX-2009-0004, Scott Jenkins Memorial Park, which currently govern the subject property, in order to amend Condition #5 to allow lighting for the existing ballfields on site in the AR-1 (Agricultural Rural - 1) zoning district. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The subject property is located partially within the Sensitive Mountainside Overlay District and is also located partially within the Somewhat Sensitive Mountainside Overlay District. The subject property is approximately 34.21 acres in size and is located on the south side of Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7) and on the north side of East Colonial Highway (Old Route 7), at 39464 E Colonial Highway, Hamilton, Virginia, in the Catoctin Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 346-35-3765. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Rural Policy Area (Rural North Place Type)), which designate this area for mostly Agricultural and Agricultural Supportive uses with limited Residential uses.
(Commission Permit)
ZMAP-2021-0001 GUM SPRING RESIDENTIAL (Zoning Map Amendment)
25534 GumSpringRd LLC, of Ashburn, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 2.0 acres from the R-1 (Single-Family Residential 1) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the R-8 (Single-Family Residential 8) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to develop 12 single-family attached residential units at a density of approximately 6 dwelling units per acre. The subject property is approximately 2.0 acres in size and is located north of Braddock Road (Route 620) on the east side of Gum Spring Road (Route 659), at 25534 Gum Spring Road, Chantilly, VA 20152, in the Dulles Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 20628-7547. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Neighborhood Place Type)), which designate this area for Residential uses arranged on medium-to-large lots at a recommended density of up to six dwelling units per acre for infill development.
ZRTD-2021-0007 HERCULES VENTURES LC
(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District) Hercules Ventures L.C., of Bethesda, Maryland has submitted an application to rezone a 2.02-acre parcel from the PD-GI (Planned Development-General Industry) zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-GI zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance as amended from time to time, in order to permit the development of all principle and accessory uses permitted in the PD-GI zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.4 (up to 0.6 by Special Exception). The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District, the Route 28 CI (Corridor Industrial) Overlay District, partially within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District between the Ldn 60-65, and partially within the AI Overlay District outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contours. The subject property is approximately 2.02 acres in size and located on the south side of Moran Road (Route 634) and the west side of Markey Court (Route 741), at 22570 Markey Court, Sterling, Virginia in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN 045-35-2429. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 Comprehensive Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Industrial/Mineral Extraction)), which support large manufacturing, contractor and outdoor storage, industrial, and mineral extraction uses at a recommended FAR of up to 0.6.
ZRTD-2021-0006 SHAW ROAD BUSINESS PARK
(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District) PS Business Parks, L.P., of Tysons, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone a 9.6-acre parcel from the PD-IP (Planned Development-Industrial Park) zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance as amended from time to time, in order to permit the development of all principle and accessory uses permitted in the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.6 (up to 1.0 by Special Exception). The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District, the Route 28 CB (Corridor Business) Overlay District, the Quarry Overlay District (Loudoun Note Area), and the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District outside of but within one mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contour. The subject property is approximately 9.6 acres in size and located east of Sully Road (Route 28); north of Old Ox Road (Route 606); and south of Sterling Boulevard (Route 846); at 22930, 22960, and 22980 Shaw Road, Sterling, Virginia in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 034-37-2453. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 Comprehensive Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Employment)), which support a broad array of employment uses at a recommended FAR of up to 1.0.
(Special Exception)
ZMAP-2020-0009 & ZMOD-2021-0022 POTOMAC VIEW TOWNHOMES (Zoning Map Amendment & Zoning Modification)
DE
Zohrab Tikoyan, of Fairfax, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 3.054 acres from the R-1 (Single Family Residential), PD-H3 (Planned Development – Housing 3), PD-H4 (Planned Development – Housing 4), and PD-H6 (Planned Development – Housing 6) zoning districts under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the R-8 ADU (Single Family Residential – 8 Affordable Dwelling Unit Development Regulations), zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop 21 single family attached units, at a density of approximately 6.8 dwelling units per acre. The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification:
FE
ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION
RR
PROPOSED MODIFICATION
§7-803(F)(2) R-8 Single Family Residential Permit the development to front on a private road. District, Lot and Building Requirements, Other Regulations, Frontage.
ED
The subject property is approximately 3.054 acres in size and is located north of South Cottage Road (Route 1724), east of Potomac View Road (Route 637) and south of Hopeland Lane (Route 1721) in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as: PIN
PROPERTY ADDRESS
012-26-2912 012-25-5549 Area of Right-of-Way
N/A N/A N/A
The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area) in the Suburban Neighborhood Place Type which designate this area for predominately Residential uses on medium-to-large lots with a residential density up to four dwelling units per acres, or up to six units per acre for infill development, and a total non-residential Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of up to 1.0.
ZMAP-2020-0014, SPEX-2020-0028, ZMOD-2020-0034 & ZMOD-2021-0009 THE VILLAS AT CASCADES (Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exception & Zoning Modifications)
Tradition Companies LLC, of Arlington, Virginia, has submitted applications for the following: to rezone approximately 6.93 acres from the PD-H4 (Planned Development – Housing 4), administered as PDCC-CC (Planned Development – Commercial Center (Community Center)) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, to the R-24 ADU (Multifamily Residential – 24 Affordable Dwelling Unit Development Regulations) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop 173 stacked multifamily residential units, at a density of approximately 24.96 dwelling units per acre; and a Special Exception to reduce the front yard setback from 25 feet to 10 feet. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance and the proposed modification of the front yard setback in the R-24 zoning district is listed as a Special Exception under Section 7-1003(C)(4). The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s):
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 20, 2022
PAGE 33
Legal Notices ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION
PROPOSED MODIFICATION
§3-702(A), R-24 Multifamily Residential, Size and Permit the development to have direct access to Location. Cascades Parkway by private roads. §3-707(B), R-24 Multifamily Residential, Building Permit multifamily buildings to be constructed to Requirements, Building Height. a maximum height of 50 feet without providing an additional setback from streets or lot lines beyond the required minimum yard dimensions.
The subject property is partially located within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District), minor floodplain. The subject property is approximately 6.93 acres in size and is located north of Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7), east of Cascades Parkway (Route 1794) and south of Palisade Parkway (Route 1795) in the Algonkian Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as: PIN
PROPERTY ADDRESS
019-27-8810
46303 McClellan Way, Sterling Virginia
019-18-2198
N/A
019-18-1583
46321 McClellan Way, Sterling, Virginia
The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area) in the Suburban Mixed Use Place Type which designate this area for a mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural and Recreational uses at recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0. Unless otherwise noted in the above notices, copies of the above-referenced amendments, applications, ordinances, and/or plans and related documents may be examined by request at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call 703-777-0246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies, or electronically at www.loudoun.gov/ lola. This link also provides an additional opportunity for public input on active applications. To arrange a time to view the file at the Loudoun County Government Center, please email dpz@loudoun.gov or call 703-777-0246, or you may view the file electronically at www.loudoun. gov/lola. For detailed instructions on how to access documents using LOLA, to request that documents be emailed to you, to receive physical copies of documents, or to arrange a time to view the file at the Loudoun County Government Center, please email DPZ@loudoun.gov or call
ATTENTION LOUDOUN COUNTY VEHICLE OWNERS FILING DUE FEBRUARY 15 Notification of 2022 Personal Property filing requirements has recently been mailed to all owners of record in order to establish accurate assessment information for the 2022 tax year. Automobile, truck, motorcycle, camper, trailer, boat, motorhome, aircraft, or mobile homeowners should report changes online at: www.loudoun.gov/efile A filing notification with instructions about online filing has been mailed to each household of record. The notification will indicate whether a filing is required or is optional for any vehicle owned in Loudoun County based on the vehicle type, the date the vehicle was located in Loudoun, and whether a filing was previously made on the vehicle. Unless otherwise instructed, please report corrections, unusually high mileage, unrepaired body damage, serious mechanical defect, address changes or the sale, move or disposal of any vehicle by February 15, 2022, online at: www.loudoun.gov/efile Newly acquired vehicles or vehicles recently entering Loudoun County must be reported to my office within 60 days of purchase or move to Loudoun County or one of its incorporated towns to avoid a 10% late filing penalty. Owners of vehicles in the County are subject to taxes beginning on the date the vehicle came to Loudoun, even if the vehicle displays out of state license plates. Owners of vehicles displaying out-of-state license plates not otherwise exempt from obtaining Virginia license plates will be charged an additional
703-777-0246 (option 5). Additionally, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically the week before the hearing at www.loudoun.gov/pc. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, members of the public are encouraged to view the public hearing electronically; however, the Board Room will be open for any members of the public who wish to attend in person with appropriate physical distancing. Planning Commission public hearings are available for viewing on television on Comcast Government Channel 23, Open Band Channel 40, and Verizon FiOS Channel 40, and are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/webcast. All members of the public will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. Citizens are encouraged to call in advance to sign up to speak at the public hearing. If you wish to sign up in advance of the hearing, please call the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246 prior to 12:00 PM on the day of the public hearing. Speakers may also sign up at the hearing. Written comments are welcomed at any time and may be sent to the Loudoun County Planning Commission, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 3rd Floor, MSC #62, Leesburg, Virginia 20175, or by e-mail to loudounpc@loudoun. gov. Any individual representing and/or proposing to be the sole speaker on behalf of a citizen’s organization or civic association is encouraged to contact the Department of Planning and Zoning prior to the date of the public hearing if special arrangements for additional speaking time and/or audio-visual equipment will be requested. Such an organization representative will be allotted 6 minutes to speak, and the Chairman may grant additional time if the request is made prior to the date of the hearing and the need for additional time is reasonably justified. Citizens are encouraged to call the Department of Planning and Zoning on the day of the public hearing to confirm that an item is on the agenda, or, the most current agenda may be viewed on the Planning Commission’s website at www.loudoun.gov/pc. In the event that the second Thursday is a holiday or the meeting may not be held due to inclement weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend, the meeting will be moved to the third Tuesday of the month. In the event that Tuesday is a holiday or the Tuesday meeting may not be held due to inclement weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend, the meeting will be held on the following Thursday. The meeting will be held at a place determined by the Chairman. Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings at all other locations. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory or mental disability to participate in this meeting, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246. Please provide three days’ notice. BY ORDER OF:
FOREST HAYES, CHAIRMAN LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
01/06, 1/13 & 1/20/2022
annual license fee of $100. A $250 penalty may also be imposed on owners of vehicles that are not registered with DMV within 60 days of the owner’s having established residency in Virginia. Military service members residing in Loudoun County who have separated from military service and were receiving a tax exemption due to claiming a domicile outside of Virginia should contact the Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office to report their change in status so their exemption can be removed. Loudoun County now bills for and collects personal property taxes and vehicle license fees for vehicle owners in all of Loudoun’s incorporated towns, including Hamilton, Hillsboro, Leesburg, Lovettsville, Middleburg, Purcellville, and Round Hill. Owners of vehicles within an incorporated town will receive a consolidated tax bill that includes both County and town taxes. We encourage you to connect with us virtually since most transactions with our office can be completed online. For more information or filing assistance, please visit www.loudoun.gov/cor or contact the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue at cartax@loudoun.gov or 703-777-0260. Regular office hours are weekdays from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Robert S. Wertz, Jr. Commissioner of the Revenue Loudoun County Leesburg Office 1 Harrison St. SE, First Floor Sterling Office 21641 Ridgetop Cir., Suite 100 Mailing Address PO Box 8000 Leesburg, VA 20177-9804 Phone: 703-777-0260 1/20, 1/27, 2/3 & 2/11/22
PUBLIC NOTICE INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) The Town of Leesburg will accept bids electronically via the Commonwealth’s e-procurement website (www.eva.virginia. gov), until 3:00 p.m. on February 22, 2022 for the following:
IFB No. 500640-FY22-20 CATTAIL BRANCH SEWER PUMP STATION (SPS) UPGRADE – PHASE III The Town is soliciting bids from qualified contractors to provide rehabilitation to the sewer pump station on various streets. A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on Thursday, January 27, 2022 at 9:00AM at the Utility Maintenance Building located at 1385 Russell Branch Parkway SE, Leesburg, Virginia 20175. It is strongly recommended that all bidders attend this meeting to gain a thorough understanding of the project.
For additional information, visit: http://www.leesburgva.gov/bidboard 1/20/22
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JANUARY 20, 2022
Legal Notices TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 2023-2028 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM Pursuant to Va. Code § 15.2-2239, the Leesburg Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, February 3, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, to solicit public comment on the proposed Fiscal Year 2023-2028 Capital Improvements Program (CIP).
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The following table reflects potential Fiscal Year 2023 requested funding totaling $52,852,100. The final requested funding amount will be included in the Town Manager’s Fiscal Year 2023 Proposed Budget scheduled to be presented to Town Council during their regular meeting the evening of February 8, 2022 at 7:00 P.M. CATEGORY ADMINISTRATION
FY 2023 AMOUNT $1,637,100
GENERAL GOVERNMENT
$11,500,000
PARKS & RECREATION
$1,463,000
STREETS AND HIGHWAYS
$9,737,800
STORM DRAINAGE
$3,206,000
AIRPORT
$191,000
UTILITIES
$25,117,200
MAJOR PROJECTS
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§ Management costs associated with administering the Capital Improvements Program § Capital Asset Replacement Program § Police Station Expansion § Town Hall Parking Garage Structural Repairs § Town Shop Expansion and Refurbishment § Town Hall Campus Improvements Phase I § Tuscarora Creek Trail Phase I § Battlefield Parkway/ Route 15 Bypass Interchange § Catoctin Circle Trail – Phase II § East Market Street & Battlefield Parkway Interchange § Edwards Ferry Road NE Sidewalk Improvements § Evergreen Mill Road Widening § Market St. / King Street Intersection and Alley Between 3 and 5 South King Street Improvements § Morven Park Road Sidwalk § Plaza Street Sidewalk § Royal Street Improvements – Church Street to Wirt Street § Rt. 15 Bypass / Edwards Ferry Rd. Interchange § Traffic Signal Fiber Connections § Lawson Road Pedestrian Crossing of Tuscarora Creek § Town Branch Stream Channel Improvements at Mosby Drive – Catoctin Circle to Morven Park Road § Airport North Apron Paving – Hangars C & D Rehabilitation § Airport Apron Paving § Airport North Hangars § Automated Water Meter Reading and Meter Technology System Upgrade § Sanitary Sewer Pump Station Upgrades § Town-wide Waterline Improvements and Repairs § Utility System Storage Facility § Water Pollution Control Facility Debris Screen System § Water Pollution Control Facility Dryer Drum Replacement § Water Supply and Wastewater SCADA Systems Replacement § Water Treatment Plan Electrical Upgrades § Water Treatment Plant Sludge Disposal Improvements
Copies of the proposed CIP Summary with a complete list of projects are available in the Department of Finance & Administrative Services, Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. by calling 703-771-2763. Questions should be directed to Clark Case, Director of Finance and Administrative Services at 703-771-2720.
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JANUARY 20, 2022
Opinion Rebuilding Trust When schools Superintendent Scott Ziegler in November announced plans to hire a law firm to conduct an independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the sexual assaults committed by a student at two high schools, the action was held out as a measure that would “help heal our school community.” It is that assertion that makes the decision to withhold entirely the findings of that investigation inexcusable and shocking. We are left to assume that the study did identify some areas needing improvement with the announcement of yet more administrative staff hirings and training mandates. And it appears school leaders still believe there was a lack of coordination between the Sheriff’s Office and administrators in the case, evidenced by the stated desire to revise the memorandum of understanding that outlines their work together. That’s what we’re left to assume. But shouldn’t parents and students have more than that? Surely, there is a way for school leaders to explain the string of events that irreversibly changed the lives of at least three students while under their supervision without trampling privacy protections. The questions are not about who was involved, but how the incidents were allowed to happen. Only then can parents and students begin to rebuild the trust that was violated. The decision to continue to shield the facts of the case makes even less sense with the knowledge that the new attorney general is going to find the same information, although perhaps reaching different conclusions. Since the outset of this tragic series of events, the chief criticism of the school division is that it downplayed or concealed their importance. It would not be in the public’s best interest—it will not help the school community heal—to double down on that approach now. n
Norman K. Styer, Publisher and Editor nstyer@loudounnow.com
Published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC
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LETTERS to the Editor Our Rights Editor: For the past year and a half, many parents (like myself) have been yelling from the hilltops for our local leadership in Loudoun to respect our inherent and legal rights to make medical decisions for our children. So many of us have referenced VA code 1-240.1 “A parent has a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent’s child.” Our rights as parents to make decisions, for the care of our children, were not respected or taken seriously by our local leaders. We never asked the schools to take the rights of other parents to choose to mask their kids, but we weren’t given that same dignity. Gov. Youngkin issued an executive order to recognize our parental rights and enforce VA law (code 1-240.1). Loudoun supervisors, like Michael Turner, are desperately trying to find a way to continue the abuse that has gone on for far too long. Turner announced a plan to attempt a resolution against the lawful order from our governor. He justifies this by referencing a debunked Arizona study that falsely stated schools without mask mandates were 3.5% more likely to experience COVID outbreaks. For starters this study has been widely debunked by
dozens of experts. It was conducted over a summer (this is a clue that something is off), included schools in virtual sessions, and had a 3-week verse 6-week evaluation difference biased towards mandates. In the words of Homer J. Simpson: “statistics can be made to prove anything, 19% of all people know that.” The LCPS superintendent Scott Zeigler, states, “our layered mitigation protocols have served the division well in keeping transmission to a minimum.” What possible basis does he have to make that comparison? There is none. Kids have worn the cloth masks that the CDC has now admitted do nothing. In the words of Leana Wen: “cloth masks are little more than facial decorations.” The “experts” now say that only masks that may do a little something are the N95/KN95 respirators, which studies show to cause hypoxia and hypercapnia. Many people don’t realize this, but OSHA requires that employees complete medical screening and obtain written doctor approval to wear these in workplaces (probably not something to casually put on children). Supervisor Turner makes an off-thewall connection to a Virginia law requiring that schools follow CDC guidance as his justification to defy Gov. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR continues on page 37
JANUARY 20, 2022
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
Readers’ Poll
PAGE 37
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:
Is it time to take the masks off at school?
What should be the top priority for this year's school budget?
Share your views at loudounnow.com/ polls
LETTERS to the editor continued from page 36
Youngkin. Perhaps Mr. Turner didn’t read the section of the CDC guidance where it states “recommends.” Nowhere does it say “requires.” A recommendation means there is a choice to follow it. I, for one, will be exercising my right as a parent and sending my children on Jan 24, free to breath the air and show their smiles. “A child whose parent has elected that he or she is not subject to a mask mandate should not be required to wear a mask under any policy implemented by a teacher, school, school district, the Department of Education, or any other state authority.” — Colin Doniger, Leesburg
Absurd Editor: I am writing as a lifelong Loudoun County resident, who has been a teacher for 11 years and now has a child in Loudoun County Public Schools, in support of School Board members Brenda Sheridan and Atoosa Reaser. To say that I have been dismayed and outraged at the ongoing efforts, by a small group of fear-mongering parents, to remove dedicated public servants like Ms. Sheridan and Ms. Reaser from the School Board would be an understatement. As a teacher, we look to the members of the School Board and community for support, especially during trying and challenging times like we are currently experiencing. But the only thing these ill-informed parents are doing is making our job infinitely more frustrating. I am tired of explaining how ignorant
the attack on CRT in LCPS is. It is so absurd and unfounded because it does not exist in current public-school curricula. Let me reiterate: CRT cannot be banned in LCPS because it does not exist. As a high school English teacher, do we teach texts by diverse authors to reach our diverse student population? Yes. That is not CRT. Do history teachers teach the facts of history, even the harsh realities of this nation like slavery, the Trail of Tears, Japanese Internment, and Jim Crow? Yes. That is not CRT. Do we, as a school system, try to promote equity, inclusivity, and a safe space for all of our students? Yes. That is not CRT. That is just being decent human beings looking out for the best interest of all of our students. The Fight for Schools group is not, in fact, fighting for our schools. They are fighting to hold on to their own privileged idea of this country that does not exist for all, and never has. If history has taught us anything, it is that when desperate people in a place of privilege and power see the world changing, fearing that equality for others means less for them (it doesn’t; it’s not pie), they go to extreme lengths to hold on to it. That is why members and supporters of Fight for Schools, which number only a small percentage of the LCPS community, resort to underhanded tactics, try to take books out of classrooms, ban something that doesn’t exist, and aim violent threats at members of the school board and LCPS staff. And my last point, one I speak to most often in my classroom, is with all of this yelling from parents, have you actually talked to the students of LCPS? Because I have. I do it every day. And guess what, students come to school
aware of inequities and injustices in our nation, never having heard the concept of CRT. They see it, they read about it, and some of them have experienced it. The classroom gives them a safe space to explore, discover, and discuss these realities, hopefully finding solutions, which is the aim of education. I thank Brenda Sheridan and Atoosa Reaser for supporting teachers and students, knowing that we are professionals and always have the best interest of our students at heart. And, I encourage the members of Fight for Schools to first understand what happens in classrooms across the county before grabbing their pitchforks and lighting their tiki torches. — Jessica Berg, Leesburg
Doesn’t Make Sense Editor: On Jan. 18, the Board of Supervisors was scheduled to vote upon a variety of “enhancements” to Bles Park, a mostly natural area park at the confluence of Broad Run and the Potomac River. Based on public comments by supervisors to date, this proposal seems poised to be approved despite the Planning Commission recommending denial and considerable opposition from residents. The proposed amenities, and rationale for approving them, just doesn’t make sense. It is true that the wetlands at Bles Park were created in the 1990s when the park was established. Wetlands mitigation projects such as those constructed at Bles Park are created in response to wetlands being destroyed elsewhere. The purpose is to attempt to recreate the biodiversity and ecological value of the wetlands that were destroyed. The wetlands at Bles Park have been successful in creating
ecological value, and tremendous biodiversity currently exists there. Yet, while Loudoun County is actively pursuing purchasing land for future wetlands mitigation projects on one hand, supervisors seem willing and content to diminish the biodiversity of the wetlands created at Bles Park with the other hand by constructing a boardwalk through the most sensitive part of the wetlands where shy and reclusive species go to avoid human disturbance. This doesn’t make sense. It is true that Bles Park contains active recreation uses and soccer fields, and it is true that on the weekends when there are soccer games, there is a lack of parking (because the size of the parking lot was purposely minimized due to being in a floodplain) which has created public safety concerns with children walking along Bles Park Drive to attend their soccer games. Yet, while the Board of Supervisors is going to add more parking in the name of public safety on one hand, on the other hand they are proposing to introduce vehicles to a gravel path that is currently used by pedestrians to create access to a kayak launch. They are creating a public safety issue for children and families who walk in the park. This doesn’t make sense. Some supervisors have posited that there will not be many vehicles, so the conflict will be minimal. But if there won’t be many people using the road, why is it even necessary to open it to vehicles in the first place? On one hand, many supervisors have lauded themselves for protecting the environment and fighting climate change, but on the other hand they are poised LETTERS TO THE EDITOR continues on page 38
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JANUARY 20, 2022
Don’t Tell Your Children To Do Their Best PARENTING WITH A PURPOSE BY NEIL MCNERNEY
I, along with so many others, were told over and over during childhood: “I don’t care what grades you get, as long as you do your best.” I am confident that you were also told this. I’m also confident that you have said it to your children, as well. But the more I have thought about it, the more I am convinced that it’s a trap, and not a very good parent leadership technique. At first glance, it seems innocuous. We are encouraging our kids to excel, to work hard and not settle for mediocrity. The difficulty is that kids are more literal than we think. Did they try their hardest, all day long, day after day? Of course not. But that is the expectation that we are communicating. Anything less than your best is not good enough. In my work with children and teens, I have seen many ways they have dealt with this message. At least two ways are unhealthy. I remember hearing this message quite a bit in my childhood. My father was raised very poor and worked hard for everything he had. He was one of the first soldiers to receive the G.I. Bill, which
LETTERS to the editor continued from page 37
to approve cutting down trees, removing pollinator habitat, and significantly increasing impervious surfaces within the floodplain for these proposed amenities that could be built elsewhere. This doesn’t make sense. County parks are public lands that are stewarded by the county on behalf of its citizens. Supervisors have repeatedly expressed a desire for active public engagement, and there has been considerable opposition to these proposed “enhancements,” and yet supervisors are poised to disregard their constituents and approve a proposal that defies their own logic. It simply doesn’t make sense. — Michael Myers, Leesburg
Beyond the Kettles Editor, Some people may think The Salvation Army takes a break after Thanksgiving and Christmas, but even without the Red
paid for college. This was something he would never have imagined growing up. He worked extremely hard and earned a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees. I, however, did not have that kind of drive. Due to my untreated attention deficit disorder, it always looked like I was lazy. Trying my hardest always looked like I was barely trying. So, after a while, I gave up trying. The expectation was impossible to attain. I became the typical underachieving kid and eventually everyone gave up on pushing me. The other type of response is to take on the challenge and always try their hardest, to the detriment of their own mental health. I remember working with a teen who told me: “I’ve always been told I’m smart and I need to do my best. Doing my best means doing perfectly. Anything less than 100% is failure.” Consequently, she was anxious and miserable all the time. She had accepted as fact that she needed to always operate at 100% intensity and needed to perform perfectly. She took the “do your best” message literally. Frankly, I don’t think we mean that anything less than perfection and 100% intensity is failure. At least I hope we don’t mean it. But children are literal and setting such a high bar will
inevitably lead to failure. I think there is an alternative leadership approach, and it involves remembering our eventual goal. Our goal is to have our children learn how to set goals, self-assess their progress, and self-correct if needed. If our kids are to learn how to set their own goals, we need to stop setting goals for them. Instead, we should have more conversations asking them what their goals are. I remember asking a 12-yearold: “What grades do you want this quarter?” He paused and said: “I don’t know. No one has ever asked me before.” He knew what his parents wanted from him, but he never took the time to consider what he wanted. When the grades start coming in, there are many opportunities to help them self-assess. Asking questions such as these can help them determine whether they are on track with their goals: How you feel about these grades? How hard was it to get these grades? How much more work would be needed to improve them? Are these grades going to help you meet your goal of (college, graduation, getting into the next math course, taking an AP course, etc.)? Asking these questions helps them
Neil McNerney is a licensed professional counselor and author of Homework – A Parent’s Guide To Helping Out Without Freaking Out! and The Don’t Freak Out Guide for Parenting Kids with Asperger’s. He can be reached at neil@neilmcnerney.com.
Kettles at Giant, Safeway, and Walmart, or the bustling activity of our Angel Tree program, The Salvation Army of Loudoun County proudly continues its work. We assist those in need throughout our community with rental assistance, eviction prevention, utility assistance, food, clothing, social services, and so much more. With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing, this year’s holiday season was a challenge from the start, as The Salvation Army of Loudoun County continued striving to meet increased demand for services while in-person fundraising opportunities were reduced. We want to say, “thank you” to local supporters in 2021 who made it possible for us to provide life-saving services to the hungry, homeless, and families and individuals feeling hopeless in our community and surrounding communities 365 days a year, 7 days a week. I want to thank all the donors and volunteers who made the Christmas season happy and bright for 1,238 children who received gifts through our Angel Tree program. The Salvation Army of
Loudoun County’s Angel Tree program is superbly well run and managed by three amazing volunteers along with our staff. More importantly, close to 250 devoted volunteers provided 1,638 hours of service in our distribution center to assist with the organization and the distribution of the presents. I also want to express our appreciation to the Village of Leesburg who donated the site to us. My Guys Moving donated their time and equipment to pick up and deliver thousands of gifts to the distribution center. These gifts were donated by many businesses, HCA communities, the faith community, and families. The Salvation Army’s iconic Red Kettle campaign ran from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Mayor Kelly Burk kicked off this year’s campaign at an event at Main Street Station. The Brass Ensemble of the National Capital Band performed at the event as well. Kettles were located at Giant, Safeway, and Walmart stores in Loudoun. Again, the success of the Red Kettle campaign is directly related to volunteerism and – of course – generous donors. This year, 78 volunteers
from clubs, schools, the faith community, families, and businesses contributed 418 hours of service. The funds we receive from the Red Kettle campaign stay right here in Loudoun County helping us to provide rental assistance, eviction prevention, utility assistance, and emergency food assistance all throughout the year. Our Red Kettle campaign is critical to our ability to provide basic and essential needs to those struggling in our community. With the help of generous donors and volunteers, The Salvation Army embodied their Christmas theme, “Hope Marches On.” Learn more about the work that The Salvation Army of Loudoun does throughout the year on salvationarmypotomac.org/loudouncountycorps, or call 703-771-3371. A hearty thank you for all you have provided. Have a blessed 2022. — Sergeant John McKee, Pastor Corps Administrator
self-assess and see if they are on track with their goals. These are questions I often ask my clients at the end of grading periods, and I encourage parents to do the same. The self-correct questions, if needed, are focused on what more needs to be done. What else needs to happen to improve the present situation? It’s easy to give advice at this point but allowing the student to come up with a plan is much more powerful and more likely to work. I also like to ask how many more hours the extra work would require. Most of the time, it doesn’t require much more work to see an increase. As you look at your student’s second quarter grades in two weeks, try to keep these ideas in mind. Hopefully it will increase the likelihood of the next quarter going even better. n
JANUARY 20, 2022
Loudoun schools continued from page 1 doesn’t exist, then you’re going to have to create something to ban or modify what’s being taught currently. And it’s going to hurt African-American students.” While the call to end the use of Critical Race Theory in schools has been a touted campaign promise to Republican voters across the nation, it remains unclear to what extent curriculums and administrative exercises, such as the remedies for Herring’s investigation, will be impacted. Additionally, Attorney General Jason Miyares, at Youngkin’s request, is investigating the School Board’s handling of two related sexual assaults in Ashburn high schools. The division made national headlines when it came out that a teen assaulted a schoolmate at Stone Bridge High School in May, and was transferred to Broad Run High School where he assaulted a second student in October. Members of the public criticize the School Board and Superintendent Scott Ziegler for allowing the assailant to remain in school, putting other students at risk. The School Board hired Fairfax Coun-
Mask mandate continued from page 1 many large school districts have said they plan to keep requiring masks in schools. Loudoun County Superintendent Scott Ziegler was expected to announce the school district’s decision on Wednesday; in the meantime, Loudoun schools’ mask mandate remains in place through the end of the week. Ziegler said in a statement to media that his announcement will be made following a review of the order, and CDC and Department of Health guidance. Aside from the health impacts of rescinding mask mandates in schools at a time when COVID-19 cases are just starting to come down from their highest-ever level, much debate has centered around whether Youngkin’s order is legal. In 2021, the General Assembly passed a law requiring in-person instruction, with exceptions for periods of high COVID-19 transmission in schools, which also required schools to follow CDC guidance “to the maximum extent practicable” on the pandemic until August. Virginia governors cannot overrule state laws with executive orders. The Loudoun Education Association issued a statement on Tuesday calling on the school division to continue with its masking policy. The Virginia Educa-
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ty-based law firm Blankingship & Keith, P.C. to investigate the handling of the assaults, although it announced it will not make the report from the investigation available to the public, citing attorney-client privilege. It said that the privacy of the families involved must be protected and that national interest in the investigation would “preclude any chance of allowing the families to heal and move forward with dignity.” The division announced a series of staffing and procedural changes in response to the report, including naming Chief Human Resources Officer Lisa Boland the new interim Title IX coordinator. In a statement sent by division spokesman Wayde Byard, the administration said it has taken “additional appropriate personnel actions after consultation with the School Board.” The statement said the division has “created a more robust process for alternative school placements to better serve students who may pose a safety risk to themselves or others.” Additionally, administrators took mandatory training on reporting of disciplinary data to the Department of Education. Ongoing mandatory training will be provided to all school administrators to ensure staff
members know how to handle harassment and assault. The division’s statement also outlines other steps that are planned, including making revisions to the Memorandum of Understanding with the Sheriff’s Office to better coordinate investigations and reporting. It said the division would hire a full-time Title IX coordinator and an investigative staff for reported violations of Title IX. There will be a senior administration-level review of every potential harassment and discrimination claim made over the past year to ensure Title IX processes were followed. The statement said that the School Board would regularly update the public on the progress of the initiatives during its meetings. On Jan. 12, the assailant was sentenced to supervised probation in a residential facility until he is 18 years old. He is also required to register as a sex offender for life. Although privacy is the reason cited for not releasing the report, the division will not share the findings even with names and identifiable information redacted. “As a Board, we take these issues seriously. We seek ongoing engagement from the Loudoun County Public Schools com-
munity as we move forward to ensure our Division has the processes and accountability measures in place to protect the health, safety and well-being of our students,” the statement reads. The father of the Stone Bridge High School victim said that the action taken by the board isn’t enough. “Despite the school system’s minimal efforts, the potential for harm of all parents’ children in the public schools persists,” the family said in a statement. “We believe that once again LCPS continues to engage in an active cover-up, and are attempting to avoid being accountable to the victims and their families.” Meanwhile Miyares’s investigation may in fact have a foregone conclusion. Miyares released a statement on the investigation on Saturday indicating that already he believes the School Board is culpable for the assaults. “One of the reasons Virginians get so fed up with government is the lack of transparency—and that’s a big issue here. … Loudoun County Public Schools covered up a sexual assault on school grounds for political gain, leading to an additional assault of a young girl,” he said in the statement. n
tion Association weighed in, adding that it will be investigating whether the order conflicts with the federal mask requirement on school buses. “(VEA) is very disappointed with the rollback of the statewide mask mandate announced by Gov. Youngkin on Saturday. The science is clear that proper masking is the single most effective COVID mitigation strategy for students and educators in classrooms where social distancing is not possible,” the statement said. Parents and educators rallied outside the Loudoun County Government Center on Tuesday to urge the school district to keep requiring masks, organized by political action committee Loudoun 4 All. “I do not want to mask forever, but I want to hear from public health experts that it’s the right time and the right thing to do, and I’m going to wait until I get that answer from them,” said Loudoun 4 All board member Amanda Bean. “I’m not going to listen to a politician who’s trying to get political gain by pleasing a few angry voices.” Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk also offered a few words. “Let’s think as a community,” Burk said. “Let’s sacrifice, if it’s a sacrifice to wear this mask—let’s do it to keep our kids and our teachers safe.” Although they have no authority to decide whether masks are required in
Loudoun County Public Schools, county supervisors may weigh in with a ceremonial resolution. The day after Youngkin announced his executive order, Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) announced he would introduce a resolution reaffirming the authority of the School Board to impose or lift mask mandates. “We simply cannot risk another total school shutdown here in Loudoun County,” Turner stated in his announcement. “The mental health impact on our kids would be devastating. One of the most inviolate core obligations of any elected body is to protect the lives of the citizens it represents. Sadly, Governor Youngkin has forced elected school boards in communities throughout the Commonwealth to choose between exercising their sole constitutional authority to protect the students and families they serve or obeying a medically unsound Executive Order.” Turner sought to see that resolution passed during Tuesday’s board meeting, but was halted for now. County supervisors declined to suspend their regular rules of order to rush the resolution through. They have not yet voted on the resolution itself; that can still happen at a future board meeting. Supervisor Sylvia R. Glass (D-Broad Run), an elementary special education teacher’s assistant, supported the idea of adopting the resolution immediately.
“I look at it as someone working in LCPS, and knowing that our parents, our staff, our teachers are concerned about what is going to happen for them and their children,” Glass said. “…They’re looking to us on what we’re going to do and how we are going to help them with this issue.” But suspending the rules of order requires at least a 6-3 super-majority vote. Supervisors voted 5-4 to do so, meaning that motion failed. Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said he was “disappointed” with the language of the executive order—“my understanding was the governor as going to support local control, as a good conservative I support local control”—but said Turner’s resolution introduced further confusion to the debate. “I think all of us can express our opinions about it, but I think the School Board ultimately are the arbitrators,” Letourneau said. “I don’t want to do anything that’s going to confuse that issue for the public, because I think there is some confusion on that.” Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) pointed out that under the board’s rules of order, resolutions are meant to be uncontroversial and approved unanimously. “It’s basically an unforced error on our part,” Buffington said. n
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JANUARY 20, 2022
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