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JANUARY 28, 2021
As Vaccine Supply Slows, Leaders Push School Reopening BY NORMAN K. STYER AND RENSS GREENE nstyer@loudounnow.com rgreene@loudounnow.com
Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now
Leesburg Parks and Recreation Events Assistant Coordinator Billy Moffett and Events and Outreach Manager Linda Fountain measure the parking lot at Ida Lee Park, where vendors will set up for this year’s Flower & Garden Festival.
Event Organizers Push Ahead, But Scale Down for 2021
BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com
Last year, the Town of Leesburg’s annual Flower & Garden Festival was among the first large-scale events to be canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak. This
year, town leaders are committed to bringing it back, although there won’t be thousands of visitors packed into the downtown historic district. Instead, garden enthusiasts will celebrate the annual rite of spring in the wide-open spaces of Ida Lee Park. At least that’s the
plan. The switch from downtown to a more open-air location follows a trend among event organizers who are ready to use their 10 months of COVID-19 data collection to fulfill the community’s desire to again have EVENTS continues on page 26
A decision at the state level to distribute vaccine doses to regions according to their populations has slowed the supply to Loudoun, which the week before consumed a large portion of the state’s entire vaccine allocation. Last week, Loudoun received a shipment of 10,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines—roughly a tenth of that week’s allocation to Virginia. But with the new, proportional distribution, Loudoun, which has just under 5% of the state’s population, is receiving about 4,600 doses, said Loudoun Health Department Director Dr. David Goodfriend. The Northern Virginia region’s health departments have decided among themselves to also distribute the region’s allocation of vaccine proportionally among individual jurisdictions. As of Tuesday, the state Department of Health reported that just over 21,500 Loudoun residents had received at least one shot, and nearly 2,500 had completed the two-dose vaccine regimen. In both of those categories, Loudoun is slightly behind the statewide percentages of population treated. The decision to go to proportional allocation also came as the rest of the state joined Loudoun in the second phase of VACCINE continues on page 27
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Unattended Cooking Blamed in Downtown Leesburg Fire BY KARA RODRIGUEZ
krodriguez@loudounnow.com
The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office has determined the cause of Saturday’s fire at a building housing two historic district restaurants was caused by unattended cooking in a kitchen. The fire at the Yummy Pig and Wild Geese Pub restaurants on West Market Street was reported to county emergency dispatchers at approximately 11:20 a.m. Jan. 23. Firefighters arrived on scene to find smoke and fire coming from the rear of the structure. Crews brought the fire under control within approximately 30 minutes. No injuries were reported. Damages were estimated at $1.2 million. Jim Thompson, owner of both Yummy Pig and Wild Geese Pub, said Saturday afternoon he was still processing the
events of the day. Thompson said no customers were inside either establishment when staff members noticed fire and smoke coming from the kitchen. He said the chef attempted to put out the fire by using an extinguisher but was unsuccessful. At that point, the four staff members safely evacuated. Thompson said everything in the kitchen was up-to-date, cleaned and had passed inspections, leaving the cause of the fire a mystery to him. “It’s just as much a surprise to us as it is to everybody else,” he said. Thompson said the extensive insurance coverage on the building and a supportive landlord in Michael O’Connor will make reopening both businesses possible but, he said, it could be several months until that happens. “I didn’t go through COVID and struggle last year to let a fire keep me down,” he said. n
Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now
Crews work to contain the Saturday morning fire that caused extensive damage to the Yummy Pig restaurant and Wild Geese Pub.
Online Scams on the Rise; Police Investigate, Educate BY PATRICK SZABO
pszabo@loudounnow.com
Scam emails have been popping up in unsuspecting users’ email inboxes since the internet rose to the mainstream. But as scammers’ tricks and extortion tactics have improved and intensified, ranging from promises of kittens to COVID-19 vaccines, Loudoun’s law enforcement agencies are fighting back. In recent weeks, the Sheriff ’s Office and a few town police departments have been highlighting the scams—reporting details of more than a dozen cases in an effort to raise public awareness. One victim reported having sent money to a person he met only online. Another person wired money to someone who identified himself as a Microsoft representative. Two others reported receiving emails they thought were from their bosses at work who then instructed them to purchase gift cards and provide the card numbers, which they did. Requests, or demands, for payments in gift cards is a big red flag that even store clerks recognize. According to Sheriff ’s Office Public Information Officer Kraig Troxell, scammers in some cases instruct their victims to purchase gift cards for large sums at different stores, to keep cashiers from questioning them.
Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now
A notice at the downtown Leesburg Giant Food urges shoppers purchasing gift cards to be wary of scams in which they might be buying the cards for scammers.
“No reputable company or agent is ever going to ask you for payment via gift card or prepaid credit card,” said Purcellville Deputy Police Chief Dave Dailey. Another victim reported having clicked on an email link to investigate what she was told were fraudulent charges on her Amazon account. Clicking the link gave the scammer access to her computer and credit card. A different kind of scam is also catching on big time—one that involves kittens and
puppies. In December, the Sheriff ’s Office charged a Maryland man with money laundering after he charged a woman $1,000 for a kitten that was never delivered. A similar incident happened in Purcellville last week, when a resident used PayPal to place a deposit on a puppy but never received the address of the seller’s location. In that case, PayPal agreed to reimburse the victim. Troxell and Leesburg Police Department
Public Information Officer Michael Drogin said their agencies have seen an uptick in those types of pet scams. Troxell said the increase could be attributed to more residents looking to adopt animals while stuck at home amid the pandemic. Another type of scam involves the COVID-19 vaccine. In those situations, victims are blindly paying scammers to gain access to what they think is the waitlist for the vaccine. Moreover, the county has seen an increase in online dating scams; scams involving people imitating government agencies, like the Social Security Administration; scams involving people impersonating Sheriff ’s Office personnel; and scams involving threats of extortion or harm. “All of these are crimes of opportunity and the suspects’ motivation appears to be financial gain,” Drogin said. While more online scams are occurring, Dailey said the deceit is nothing new. Scammers are simply updating their methods to match the technology and culture of the 21st century. “In this case, they’re just doing it online,” he said. Online scams often originate overseas, which is why it’s more difficult to investigate and file charges. But the Sheriff ’s Office’s Financial Crimes Unit is still making SCAMMERS continues on page 25
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Loudoun
Greenway Tolls Bill Clears Committee BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com
A bill aimed at curbing Dulles Greenway toll increases has cleared a House of Delegates committee and is headed to the floor for a vote. House Bill 1832, introduced by Del. Suhas Subramanyam (D-87) with backing from Dels. Wendy W. Gooditis (D-10), David A. Reid (D-32), Dan I. Helmer (D40), Karrie K. Delaney (D-67), Kaye Kory (D-38), and Kathleen Murphy (D-34) and Sen. Barbara A. Favola (D-31), seeks to put in place more concrete rules for when the State Corporation Commission may grant toll increases for the private highway, as well as close some of the company’s financial loopholes. “This is a big win for the people of Loudoun County and for Northern Virginia commuters who want transparency and accountability on how toll prices are being set,” Subramanyam said. “While there is more work for the Loudoun delegation to do to ensure passage, we are encouraged by the broad, bipartisan support from our colleagues in the General Assembly.” If it clears a House of Delegates floor vote, the bill will head to the state Senate. In particular, the bill creates metrics for measuring whether higher tolls would discourage use—something they are not per-
ON THE Agenda COLT Joins Aldie-St. Louis Land Swap Opposition The Coalition of Loudoun Towns has added its voice to those opposing a Board of Supervisors proposal to buy land slated for development near St. Louis from the developer, in exchange for $1.5 million and the county-owned Aldie Tavern property. The deal is meant to forestall a 30-home subdivision near the village of St. Louis, and to help restore the Aldie Tavern buildings—with the addition of a retail center, artist studio and bed-and-breakfast. “To state it candidly, we do not believe the proposed transaction is in the best interests of the County or the citizens and communities of Aldie or St. Louis,” wrote the mayors of Loudoun’s seven incorporated towns in a letter to the Board
mitted to do—and provide oversight to the refinancing of the project. It would require the Greenway’ owners to petition the State Corporation Commission before refinancing its debt, and require among other things that refinancing is “necessary to operate, maintain, enlarge, or expand the roadway” and “that such refinancing will not increase toll rates.” Additionally, if the Greenway seeks to extend or transfer its authority to operate—which expires in 2056, when the road is scheduled to become publicly owned—it must submit financial disclosures and have at least a BBB- bond rating from a major credit ratings agency, the lowest investment-grade rating. Currently none of the three major bond ratings agencies rate the Greenway that highly. With Standard and Poor’s, the ratings agency that has been kindest to the Greenway, in December lowered its rating from BBB- to BB+ on worse-than-expected traffic recovery. The bill’s proponents include Loudoun residents, local elected officials and the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce. Last week, Chamber Vice President of Membership & Government Affairs Grafton deButts testified in favor of the bill in front of the Transportation Systems Subcommittee, telling lawmakers what many in Loudoun already know—the tolls discourage drivers from using the road.
“The extremely high cost of the tolls on the Dulles Greenway for our employees that drive to, and through our community, have demonstrably discouraged the use of the roadway,” DeButts said. “Those drivers now seek alternatives on local roads and streets.” He cited pre-COVID-19 figures from the Virginia Department of Transportation, finding that while traffic on surrounding routes has increased as Loudoun has grown, in 2018, traffic at the Greenway’s main toll plaza declined by 4.5%. DeButts urged the committee to vote in favor of the bill so that “the Greenway will become an economic asset for our community and not a liability.” The Dulles Greenway is before the State Corporation Commission asking for five more years of annual toll increases. Those range from a 5% increase on off-peak traffic for 2022 to a 6.8% increase on peak hour traffic in 2025. If approved, tolls would stand at $6.15 per one-way trip in off-peak hours, and $7.90 in peak hours by 2025. A commuter taking the Greenway to and from work every day under those toll rates could spend more than $4,000 a year in tolls. Today, those tolls are $4.75 and $5.80. The House of Delegates transportation committee voted 19-0, with three members not voting, on Tuesday, Jan. 26 to recommend passage of the bill. n
of Supervisors. The letter echoes concerns voiced by other opponents of the deal: that they do not trust the developer, MOJAX LLC, the subject of a number of official complaints; and price is too high, having originally been only the $1.5 million. “There are no perfect solutions to these issues, and many times it falls to which is the least bad path, but COLT strongly feels that a deliberative process that encourages competition between parties interested in purchasing the Aldie property will best serve the long-term best interests of Loudoun and our citizens,” the letter reads.
While vaccinations against the virus have begun, for many the vaccine comes too late—since the pandemic came to Loudoun in March, it has contributed to the deaths of 170 people. Luminaries were placed along the paths in the lawn at the county government center in Leesburg last Tuesday night, one for each lost life. “In times like this, my challenge and the faith community’s challenge to all of us, is to rally around and to support in this time of need. Carry one another’s burdens that we might walk together,” said Pastor Jim Supp at a brief ceremony in the county boardroom. “And so the other word of encouragement that I would have is to grieve well. It is my travels around the world that I have discovered many cultures grieve, if I might put it this way, much better than we do. We tend to encourage one another to pull it together and that sort of thing, and
Loudoun Joins National Day of COVID-19 Remembrance Loudoun County joined a national call for a day of remembrance for those lost to the COVID-19 pandemic with a luminary display and ceremonial resolution Jan. 19.
ON THE AGENDA continues on page 5
JANUARY 28, 2021
Supervisors Donate $10K To Aid Deputy BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com
County supervisors have voted to donate $10,000 to the Loudoun First Responders Foundation, asking the organization to use the money to support the long-term recovery of Sheriff ’s Office Deputy Camron Gentry. Gentry and two Walmart loss prevention officers were shot as they sought to detain a larceny suspect at the Sterling Walmart on Jan. 2. Police pursued a suspect down Rt. 28 into Fairfax County before being arresting him on Pennsboro Drive in Chantilly after a nearly two-hour search. Steven E. Thodos has been arraigned in General District Court on 11 felony charges and now faces a May 13 preliminary hearing. The two Walmart employees have both been released from the hospital, but according to the latest updates from a GoFundMe page supporting his recovery, Gentry remains hospitalized undergoing physical therapy, with extensive additional surgeries still planned. As of Tuesday morning, that GoFundMe raising money to support Gentry’s recovery has collected more than $116,000. The fundraising goal, originally $25,000, has been raised to $125,000 as donations have poured in. The fundraising page was launched by the Loudoun Dulles Fraternal Order of Police. “Camron is humbled by all the prayers, well wishes, supportive Friends, Family, and His Loudoun Family too,” the page reports. “As well as the outpouring of concern from the Public. People he’s never met from all over the Country.” “I realize it’s county taxpayer money, I do, and I realized this can’t happen all the time, but there are times I think exceptions should be made, and for me, this is one of those exceptions,” said County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large). The donation may have opened the door to future donations to help wounded deputies. “Hopefully this doesn’t happen so frequently that it becomes a regular thing that we have to do, but it’s just something for us to just kind of consider, maybe in the future if this happens, you know, as just kind of a practice going forward,” said Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). Other supervisors agreed. Supervisors approved that donation 8-0-1, with Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) absent. n
JANUARY 28, 2021
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
County Gov't Adds Juneteenth Holiday BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com
Loudoun County supervisors voted to add a Juneteenth holiday to the calendar for public employees, and to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. June 19th, or Juneteenth, marks the day in 1865 when, just after the end of the Civil War, Union Army General Gordon Granger announced the abolition of slavery in Texas, the last Confederate state where the Emancipation Proclamation was enforced. Slavery across the U.S. would be completely abolished later that year with the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In September 2020, after delivering to the U.S. Congress a petition with 1.54 million signatures supporting the establishment of Juneteenth as a national holiday, 93-year-old activist Opal Lee visited with Loudoun County leaders. Best known as Ms. Opal and hailing from Fort Worth, TX, she launched a walking campaign in 2016 to promote awareness of the effort to make June 19 an annual national day of observance. It is part of a larger conversation across the county and the country about which occasions—and which historical figures—should be honored with public holidays. The Loudoun County School Board voted to do away with Columbus Day in September 2020, also changing it to In-
ON THE Agenda continued from page 4
the reality is that grief is common to all human beings, and when we fail to grieve well, we struggle unnecessarily. And so these two parts of grieve well and support one another and love one another, carry each other’s burdens, especially in this time of such unrest in our nation, that we would lift one another up—these families in particular in this time.” The ceremony answered a call from President Joe Biden, who before his swearing-in asked the nation to come together at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 19, to remember those people.
Board Majority Supports Call for LaRock to Resign The Board of Supervisors last week joined the chorus of voices calling on Del.
digenous Peoples’ Day on the school holiday calendar. In December the School Board would go on to vote to add Election Day and three religious holidays, Yom Kippur, Diwali, and Eid-al-Fitr to its holiday calendar. Also in September, the Leesburg Town Council added Juneteenth to its holiday calendar. Supervisors last year also added a paid Election Day holiday, aligning with the state’s calendar for its public employees. At the state level, that replaced Lee-Jackson Day. Loudoun County eliminated Lee-Jackson day long before the state, replacing it in 2010 with a floating holiday for county employees. In 2020, Gov. Ralph Northam announced the state would also celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day rather than Columbus Day. County employees now have 14.5 paid holidays in a year, including New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day after, a half day on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Election Day, Juneteenth, Indigenous People’s Day and a floating holiday. Supervisors approved the change with an 8-0-1 vote on Jan. 19, with Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) absent. The projected cost of the county government’s holiday pay is approximately $450,000. In 2021, June 19 will fall on a Saturday. n
Dave A. LaRock (R-33) to resign after taking part in the Jan. 6 rally that turned led to a violent riot in the American capitol, and for his part in spreading false rhetoric around the 2020 presidential election. “Del. LaRock continues to promulgate disinformation about a certified free and fair election; misleads the public by making false assertions of who stormed the U.S Capitol and has not lived up to his oath of office to protect and defend the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Virginia against all enemies foreign and domestic and has demonstrated that he is unfit to represent Loudoun County with honesty and integrity and should resign from office forthwith,” the resolution reads. Supervisors passed that resolution around midnight at their meeting Jan. 19 6-1-1-1, with every Democrat in favor, Supervisor Caleb A. Kershner (R-Catoctin) opposed, Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) abstaining, and Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) absent.
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JANUARY 28, 2021
Leesburg
Cummings Unveils Business Assistance Plan BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com
Town Councilman Zach Cummings is hoping Leesburg can continue to support its struggling small business community in 2021. Cummings has proposed a Pandemic Business Assistance and Recovery Plan that was expected to be discussed by the full council Tuesday night. The plan proposes ways to use $1 million from the town’s unassigned fund balance to benefit local businesses. Explaining his impetus for proposing the plan, Cummings points to the many conversations he had with small business owners last year as he campaigned. “The big thing we all know is we’re not in the clear yet,” he said of the pandemic and its economic impacts. He said as he and council members Ara Bagdasarian and Kari Nacy spent time together during new council member orientation following their November wins he proposed they put together a plan for the entire council to consider. “The original intent of that [federal CARES Act] money was to go towards our small businesses,” Cummings said. “The big thing I had heard was by this point every business has really pivoted. If they’re going to exist in the future, they’ve pivoted to something. Money will be helpful.” Last year, the council used the majority of its CARES Act funding to distribute
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Councilman Zach Cummings has proposed a new support package to help town businesses weather the pandemic’s continuing economic impacts.
just under $3 million to 344 town businesses in two rounds of grants, with awarded amounts based on a business’ annual gross receipts. CARES funding was also used to award $1.4 million in grants to 27 nonprofits, in addition to reimbursements for COVID-19-related town government expenses. But even with those allocations, almost $4 million of the town’s awarded $9.8 million remained by the end of the calendar year, when all CARES funds were required to be spent. A majority of the council somewhat reluctantly agreed to set the remaining funds aside to reimburse the town for eligible police department salaries, though a council vote recommended that the funding not be used until after the annual audit is completed later this year. That vote, however, is non-binding, and does not tie the current council to follow through on that recommendation.
Cummings’ proposal recommends that $1.1 million be allocated from the town’s unassigned fund balance to fund a variety of initiatives. Most notably, that would include $500,000 for another round of $5,000 or $10,000 small business grants, if a business meets certain stipulations. Another $500,000 would be earmarked for an Economic Recovery Fund for town businesses. That proposal relies on the Economic Development Department to help create this program. “In order to help understand the best use of these recovery funds, the Town Council shall direct the Economic Development Commission, led by the Economic Development team, to facilitate input from the business community on anticipated challenges to a full and strong recovery following the winter months. Economic Development staffers will need to bring their recovery plan recommendations back to Town Council for consultation,” the staff report reads. Also included is $25,000 to close the block of King Street between Market and Loudoun streets for a total of 17 days, at a cost of $1,400 a day, to allow for expanded sidewalk dining on weekends. Cummings has suggested that Valentine’s Day weekend may be a good wintertime opportunity to spur activity downtown. He has also asked to set aside $50,000 for more grants for the purchase or rental of heaters, tents or outdoor furniture. Last year, a similar grant program yielded more than $72,000 in reimbursement requests from local businesses.
The proposal also earmarks $25,000 be awarded to the Small Business Development Center. This would allow the SBDC staff “to work in conjunction with the Leesburg Economic Development staff to assist Leesburg businesses applying for the Paycheck Protection Program with the federal government as well as other federal, state, and county funding opportunities. Additionally, the SBDC will work with Leesburg businesses to create a plan to maximize their efforts leading into the recovery phase,” according to a staff report. Finally, Cummings’ proposal recommends halting collection of penalties and/ or associated fees for late payment for any business that is currently delinquent on any fees or taxes owed to the Town of Leesburg, as long as the business enters into a written payment plan to pay what is owed by the end of the fiscal year, or by June 30. “I look at all this money as an investment in a revenue stream,” Cummings said of the plan. He points out how 31% of the town government’s revenue comes from meals and beverage tax, sales and use tax, and other local taxes. “All of those are directly related to businesses and small businesses in Leesburg,” he said. Cummings is hopeful there is council support moving the plan forward, but insists he does not want this to be his own initiative. “It doesn’t have to be my plan,” he said. “If it’s going to be the Town Council’s plan, I want their input.” n
Capital Improvements Plan Eyes Utility Expansions, Larger Police Department BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ
krodriguez@loudounnow.com
The new six-year Capital Improvements Program adds 13 new projects to the list of capital needs for Leesburg. Unveiled during last week’s Planning Commission meeting, the draft fiscal year 2022 to 2027 CIP totals $152.4 million. Notable new projects among the 13 additions include the second phase of the downtown streetlights project; structural repairs to the Town Hall parking garage; Ayr Street NW sidewalk improvements; and improvements to the oft-congested area of East Market Street between Plaza Street and Fort Evans Road. The latter project aims to relieve congestion with the installation of a dedicated right turn lane on westbound
East Market Street between the two streets, with construction expected to begin this summer and last about a year. Other additions include the installation of a pedestrian crossing over Tuscarora Creek at Lawson Road, and Town Branch stream channel improvements at Mosby Drive, to mitigate the erosion of the existing stream. Five new projects are planned for the Utilities Fund, including looking at future expansions to both the Water Plant and Water Pollution Control Facility. The draft plan points to the potential development of high-volume customers as driving the need to eventually expand both facilities. Design and engineering studies on both are expected to commence in fiscal year 2022, with no construction start dates assigned to
either project as of yet. The CIP also highlighted several projects with significant budget changes. The planned expansion to the Leesburg Police Department commanded a majority of the discussion during the Jan. 21 commission meeting. The project budget has now increased by $4 million, for a total of $20 million. Construction of the Plaza Street station expansion is expected to take two to two-and-a-half years once design is completed by year’s end. The project has been delayed by a year to accommodate some needed redesign. According to a staff report, some components of the project that were originally cut have been added back in. Renee LaFollette, director of the town’s Public Works & Capital Projects Depart-
ment, said town staff ’s goal is to have the next expansion accommodate the growing police force and town population longer than its 1997 predecessor, which reached capacity in about three years. “We want to do an expansion to give us 10 to 15 years,” she said. “We don’t want to make the same mistake this time.” Police Chief Gregory Brown has said an important element of the expanded headquarters will be to enable the department to continue its proactive approach to policing by accommodating its popular community programs. Another significant budget change is for the Town Shop expansion. The project CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS continues on page 7
JANUARY 28, 2021
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
PAGE 7
Airport Commission to Town Council: Wait on Changes BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com
Members of the Leesburg Airport Commission have asked the Town Council to pump the brakes on making changes to the structure of the panel, following a proposal by Mayor Kelly Burk. Commissioners met for a special meeting Jan. 20, one week after a sometimes-contentious commission meeting where Burk was questioned on her decision to present the sweeping changes, which were first discussed at the Town Council Jan. 11. Among her proposed changes to the Town Code section governing the commission were changing membership to include non-voting representation from the airport’s two fixed-base operators and four flight schools, and taking away some of the commission’s current powers. In a letter sent to the council Friday, commissioners asked the council to defer action until after the Town Plan rewrite is completed. That is expected to happen at some point later this year. “The consensus of the Commission is that, based on a multi-decade track record of the Airport Commission working harmoniously with the Council and Staff, additional time and resources, as well as public input, are needed in order to properly address these proposed changes,” the letter reads. “Historically, the Commission has worked successfully to grow and develop the airport, so major changes should be carefully studied to elaborate on the purpose for the changes, the problems that changes are focused on, and how these changes will affect the businesses and customers of the airport. It is also the sense of the Commission that changes should be made in consonance with the upcoming Town Plan, taking into consideration the Town’s desires for the appropriate roles of all Commissions in the future.” Commissioners also underscored the
Capital improvements continued from page 6 has been rescoped to include the purchase of nearby land to allow for future growth, a $5.7 million increase. One new addition to Ida Lee Park is expected to pay for itself rather quickly. The Ida Lee Tennis Center will get a new air structure this fall, at a cost of $716,000. Half of that was paid for via proffers from del-
need for an open public process in considering any changes, and suggested a working group should be formed, consisting of members of the Town Council, Airport Commission, and the staff. The letter goes on to recommend that the working group be charged with creating a mission statement and objective for the airport that coincides with the new Town Plan; gathering input from members of the airport, business and residential communities; providing opportunities for multiple business stakeholders at the airport to have input; and researching the applicability of an independent airport authority. The group would then report back to the full council with its recommendations. On the option of creating an airport authority, the letter stated that commissioners shared Burk’s curiosity about whether that would be the best move for the municipal airport. An airport authority is an independent entity charged with overseeing the airport. If the town moves in that direction, Leesburg could look to some of its neighbors for examples. Winchester Regional Airport is run by an airport authority, with board members from five neighboring local governments—Frederick, Warren, Shenandoah, Clarke and the City of Winchester. On a larger scale, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority manages both Washington Dulles and Reagan National airports, and is governed by a 17-member board of directors, with members appointed by the governors of Virginia and Maryland, the mayor of Washington, DC, and the president of the United States. “As the airport grows, and additional developments are considered, a closer study of the benefits and costs of an independent Airport Authority is in the Town’s best interest and should be completed before making any changes to the current [commission] structure,” the letter said. Continued discussion on the proposed commission changes is expected at the council’s Feb. 8 work session. n
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PAGE 8
JANUARY 28, 2021
Education
School Board Selects Firm for Superintendent Search LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
The Loudoun County School Board has selected the firm of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates of Schaumburg, IL, to lead the national search for the next superintendent. Eric Williams stepped down as superintendent Jan. 6 after taking a job leading a Houston, TX area school division. Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Talent Development Scott A. Ziegler was tapped to serve as the interim superintendent. The process of selecting a replacement is expected to gear up in February, with community focus groups designed to gain input on the desired qualities of the superintendent before building a list of candidates for the board to consider.
The focus groups, to be conducted virtually, will include staff members, parents, students, elected officials, business leaders, and community members. Also planned is an online survey that will be available to the public through the division’s website. The School Board was scheduled to meet Monday night to discuss the search process in more detail, but that session was postponed until Thursday because of the winter storm. “Hiring the right leader for Loudoun County Public Schools is the most critical responsibility of the School Board,” Chairwoman Brenda Sheridan said in the announcement of the contract. “The Board is confident that HYA has the experience and track record of success to identify and place a strong, long-term leader in charge of Loudoun
“Hiring the right leader for Loudoun County Public Schools is the most critical responsibility of the School Board.” — Brenda Sheridan Chair, Loudoun County Public Schools County Public Schools. We are committed to working with HYA to ensure the opinions of all of our stakeholders are considered in choosing the district’s next leader.”
HYA is an executive search firm with a special focus on assisting with the hiring of superintendents, having contracted with more than 1,400 school boards across the country. n
SCHOOL notebook Board Adds Protections for Students’ Gender Expression
Employees Approved for High-Risk Stipends
The School Board has voted to add “gender expression” to the list of characteristics to be protected from demeaning or harmful actions in the division’s educational and work environments. Under the Jan. 12 action, gender expression was added to the list of protected characteristics that includes socioeconomic level, sexual orientation, perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. The change was intended to address concerns about students’ mental health, including suicide prevention. Jeff Morse (Dulles) and John Beatty (Catoctin) voted against the amended policy. Morse said he was concerned that the policy did not require that parents be notified when a student requests to change his or her gender in the classroom setting. He said that could increase the stress students face if they try to maintain separate identities at school and at home. All the school division’s policies in this arena are expected to be revised later this year when the state Department of Education completes work on a new model policy addressing transgender students.
The School Board has approved the issuance of $500 quarterly stipends for employees who have worked in high-risk situations during the pandemic. The money, retroactive to July, will be awarded to full-time and part-time employees who provide support to students with disabilities during in-person classes, nursing and cafeteria workers, and those providing assessments and support for English language learners if they are required to report to worksites, have repeated close exposure to students and are at a higher risk to come in contact with bodily fluids. According to a staff report, 1,215 employees are expected to qualify. The program is expected to cost $2.6 million.
2 Loudoun Students in Running for Cooke Scholarships The Lansdowne-based Jack Kent Cooke Foundation this week announced the selection of 496 high school seniors as semifinalists for the Cooke College Scholarship Program. This highly selective scholarship provides exceptionally talented students who have financial need with up to $40,000 an-
nually for four years of college, to enable them to attend a top-performing college or university. The semifinalists were chosen from a pool of 5,860 applicants and represent 428 different high schools. Every year, around 60 students are chosen for the scholarship. The 2021 Cooke College Scholarship recipients will be announced in April. Among the list of semifinalists are Young Chen of Stone Bridge High School and Emily Nguyen of John Champe High School. Cooke College Scholars are selected based on exceptional academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, and leadership. Students must be current high school seniors residing in the United States. Scholarships are awarded without respect to religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, geographic region, race, or ethnicity.
Dominion HS Student Joins State Advisory Panel Divya Lobo, a senior at Dominion High School and the Academy for Engineering and Technology, has been appointed to Virginia’s Advisory Committee on Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Education Practices. The newly established committee is
charged with making recommendations on culturally relevant and inclusive education practices in public schools across the commonwealth. Lobo learned about the committee while working this summer with the staff of Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-33), who cosponsored the legislation and serves as the committee’s co-chairwoman. Lobo is part of The Council of Education Innovation, a student-run think tank, and helped create a recommendation to use project-based learning to improve minority awareness in schools. Lyons Sanchezconcha, a 2012 Park View High School graduate who teaches Spanish in Richmond Public Schools, also sits on the committee. He went to Sterling Middle School and Park View after immigrating from Peru. After graduating from Park View, he attended Northern Virginia Community College and the University of Virginia. The panel will make recommendations on the History and Social Science Standards of Learning, guidelines for local school division staff, including teachers and school counselors, on age-appropriate anti-bias education for students, and on professional development for school personnel related to culturally relevant and inclusive education practices.
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JANUARY 28, 2021
PAGE 9
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Public Safety
Jury Hears Opening Arguments in Double Murder Trial BY PATRICK SZABO
pszabo@loudounnow.com
Thomas Walsh, the attorney representing the man charged with murder in the 2018 shooting deaths of an Aldie man and his mother, asserted last week “the evidence is not there” for the jury to convict his client. Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Shara Krogh urged the jury to use common sense and remain focused on the “quality evidence” she intends to present during the 20-day trial. The two presented their opening arguments Jan. 21 to the 14-person jury, which took two full days to assemble from an original pool of close to 100 candidates. The goal was to have 15 jurors, three of whom would serve as alternates, but one juror was dismissed last Thursday morning after she informed Circuit Court Judge James P. Fisher she felt she could not remain fair and impartial in the trial. The case surrounds the Jan. 29, 2018, shooting deaths of Mala Manwani and her adult son, Rishi Manwani, in their Tomey Court home. The suspect, Brian Kuang-Ming Welsh, 41, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. According to Walsh’s opening arguments, Welsh and Rishi were both addicted to opiates. Welsh had loaned Rishi
$600 to purchase the drugs a day prior to the shootings. Walsh said the day of the shootings, the two, along with a third friend named Carlos Rodriguez, went to a bank where RodriWelsh guez withdrew $300 for Rishi. Krogh asserted that upon returning to Rishi’s residence—the basement of Mala’s home—Welsh shot and killed Rishi and his mother. The mother and son were found with a combined 11 gunshot wounds in their heads two days after they were killed. Krogh said that Welsh was fired from his job six days before the shootings and that his life was “spiraling out of control.” She told the jury that Welsh also returned a .22 handgun to his brother the afternoon of the shootings, only after swapping out the barrel. Detectives later found the gun at Welsh’s parents’ home. Krogh said evidence will show that the firing pin marks on the shell casings found at the scene of the shootings match that gun. “The evidence will prove that Brian Welsh was the shooter,” she said. Krogh said Rishi was “a flawed human being” who was an addict and drug dealer. Walsh said Rishi was also owed money
from different people. He pointed to the “owe sheets” found scattered around Rishi’s dead body, and noted that Welsh’s name was found nowhere on those sheets. He also said the gold bracelet Mala always wore was missing from her wrist and was never found in Welsh’s possession. Walsh said Welsh could not have shot Rishi and Mala because he talked to his mother on the phone for 10 minutes shortly after leaving Rishi’s house and was “calm, cool and collected.” Walsh also emphasized that an employment headhunter Welsh spoke with on the phone that day said Welsh was “delightful” and memorable because the conversation went so well. Walsh also presented three arguments that could shine light on another potential suspect in the case: the fingerprints found on the French doors near Mala’s body were from another friend of Rishi’s; the DNA found on Rishi’s empty wallet on his chest was from a person, now about 20 years old, who was stuck with a toothpick by a woman in a James City County case 21 years ago; and one of Rishi’s friends who drove by the house the day after the shootings said she saw a “bigger person” in the backyard with Rishi’s pit bull. “The evidence will show that Mr. Welsh did not kill Rishi or Mala Manwani,” Walsh told the jury. The trial is scheduled to continue through Feb. 12. n
SAFETY briefs Skateboarder Struck by Tractor-Trailer The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office is investigating a Jan. 21 crash in which a pedestrian on a skateboard was struck by a tractor trailer. According to the report, the victim, described as a young adult male, was on a skateboard at the intersection of Rt. 7 and Stoneleigh Drive west of Round Hill and attempted to cross the highway without stopping. He was transported to a hospital for treatment.
The truck driver stopped on the scene.
Fire Marshal Seeks Information on Suspected Arsons The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating two recent arson fires in the Sterling area and is requesting any video or photos from either incident. The most recent fire was reported 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15. Crews from Sterling, Ashburn, Kincora, Moorefield, and Fairfax County responded to the location on Maries Road in Sterling. That fire engulfed a barn that had been used for storage be-
fore being abandoned. According to the report, the fire included an explosion caused by some of the abandoned items in the barn. The barn location was adjacent to the site of a Jan. 10 structure fire. Both fires have been classified as incendiary or arson by the Fire Marshal’s Office. Suspects have been identified and interviewed, but the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with video or pictures of either fire are asked to contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at 703-737-8600 or via email at DutyFM@Loudoun.gov.
JANUARY 28, 2021
1 Charge Dropped in Hotel Stabbing BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Kimberly Phillips last week agreed not to prosecute Nicole Robinson on the felony charge of aggravated malicious wounding related to a stabbing five months ago. Robinson, 27, was the fourth suspect allegedly involved in the Sept. 1, 2020, stabbing of Lawrence Terry Charles at the Hyatt Place Hotel on Ridgetop Circle in Sterling. According to an affidavit filed by Sheriff ’s Office Det. Sean McCormack, that night Robinson and Daren Burr, James Burr and Tyrell Jefferson were seen on security footage “quickly exiting the hotel” as Charles was left bleeding in a hallway. Case documents indicate that Robinson’s charge was dropped because she has cooperated with the investigation. According to McCormack’s affidavit, Charles was talking with Robinson in his hotel room before he stepped out to get ice. On his walk to the ice machine, Charles told the detective, he was stabbed five times by at least two of the men and was taken to the hospital and placed on a ventilator. McCormack said Charles told him that $700 was missing from his hotel room following the attack. Jefferson and both Burrs were charged with felony aggravated malicious wounding and felony malicious wounding by a mob. Jefferson is scheduled for a March 8-16 jury trial, James Burr faces a March 31 to April 6 jury trial and Daren Burr faces an April 19-27 jury trial. n
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 28, 2021
5 p.m. daily. The Razas said they are looking at eventually adding some breakfast cocktails, like mimosas, down the road, but will see what the demand is first. Rounding out the menu will be an assortment of delectable small bites, tapasstyle, that pair well with the establishment’s beverage selection, Ahad Raza said. In the morning, customers can enjoy breakfast sandwiches, granola bowls, or avocado or ricotta toast. At night the menu shifts to a raw bar element featuring beef carpaccio, meat and cheese boards, octopus carpaccio, and savory steak toast with wagyu steak, to name a few. “Small plates with high quality ingredients but served in an unpretentious, casual
Business
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
A shot of espresso pours at Goosecup as the restaurant prepares to open on Jan. 31.
Cup of Joe or a Nightcap? Goosecup’s Got It Covered BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com
Ahad and Zaara Raza are looking to bring something a little different to the downtown Leesburg beverage scene, offering consumers the perfect drink to start or end their day. Located at 216 S. King St., in front of the King Street Station development, Goosecup is the latest entrant into the downtown dining landscape, and distinguishes itself in several important ways, Ahad Raza said. “We lived in Austin [TX] for about eight years and I primarily worked from home and Zaara was a student. We spent an awful lot of time in coffee and cocktail establishments. We got a sense of what made places good and what made them bad. It’s been a longstanding dream of ours to bring our own touch to that concept,” he said. In coffee shop concepts in particular, Ahad Raza said there were several gaps they identified. He points to the tenets of product, service, and design. Some coffee shops had good beverage offerings, but poorly planned out design or bad service, or the other way around. “It was very hard to find a place that had all three,” he said. “That was our thesis. If you nail down product, design and service you’ve got the pinnacle of a really good concept.” Also, “if you appreciate good coffee, you probably also appreciate a good cocktail,” he continued. The Razas aimed to create a place that brought together the best of all three. It was important to have a welcoming environ-
PAGE 11
ment that didn’t feel stuffy or pretentious, complemented by superior products and service. When they moved back to Zaara’s hometown of Leesburg in 2018, the two began their research. It’s been about two years of planning, with the COVID-19 pandemic elongating the process a bit. But they believe downtown Leesburg is the perfect spot to launch their concept. “There’s certainly some good coffee shops, but nothing quite like what I think we’re going to try and execute,” Ahad Raza said. “As far as coffee goes nobody outside DC has had coffee like we’ll be serving. We’re the only place roasting our own beans. Some places use the right methods but someone else’s coffee. What we wanted to do was control all of that, and have something that’s authentic.” The Razas are effusive in praise of their general manager, Josh Henry, who comes to Leesburg by way of California. It was a fortuitous meeting, Ahad Raza said, as Henry was running two coffee shops in Nevada City, CA. He shut down his businesses during the pandemic, just as the Razas were in the market for a coffee purveyor. He moved cross country for the chance to run the roaster at Goosecup. “The type of coffee we do is broad wave or specialty coffee. It’s a notch above what you get at Starbucks. Their thing is how sugary you can [make] it. For us it’s more about the craft and appreciation and highlighting the notes of coffee that were meant to come out,” Ahad Raza said. Goosecup will also serve beer, wine and cocktails, the latter of which may be purchased starting at
way,” Zaara Raza sums it up. Goosecup opens to the public Saturday, Jan. 30. The Razas are excited to share their new concept with local residents, and invite visitors to downtown to give them a try. “We’re going to lead with humility,” Ahad Raza said. “We feel confident about being the best coffee and cocktail shop around. We’re going to demonstrate that through product, design and service, but we’ll let the public judge for themselves. We will always be a place that is welcoming and inviting to anyone who wants to experience Goosecup.” For more information, go to goosecup.co or facebook.com/goosecup. n
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JANUARY 28, 2021
Our Towns
TOWN notes
King Street Coffee Expands to Hamilton BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com
The owner of King Street Coffee in Leesburg is giving new life to an iconic Hamilton business. Abbie Whitehurst late last year went in on a new business venture with her longtime barista Meredith Brown to purchase the Natural Mercantile store. The duo has kept the health food business alive, reopening after some rearrangements on Dec. 30, and are now working to install a coffee bar and obtain permits to sell Lone Oak coffee by spring. Under the new management, the business is called The Hamilton Mercantile, or The Merc for short. “[King Street Coffee is] such an established place but The Merc is too,” Brown said about the Hamilton shop that opened as Northern Virginia’s first health food store in 1972. Brown, who got her first job at the King Street coffee shop at the age of 14 when it was operating as The Coffee Bean, said Whitehurst had been looking to invest in commercial real estate for a while. When Brown visited the Natural Mercantile last summer and learned it was for sale, she told Whitehurst with the good news. “I just immediately thought of Abbie,” Brown said, adding that she thought Hamilton was in need of “a great coffee shop.” In November 2018, after years of discussions and controversy, the Hamilton Town Council voted unanimously to deny the Bullets & Beans gun store’s application to obtain a special use permit to sell coffee. Town ordinances limit food sales in buildings adjacent to residences and many town residents opposed the special
Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now
King Street Coffee Owner Abbie Whitehurst stands alongside her longtime employee and new business partner who will manage day-to-day operations at The Merc in Hamilton, Meredith Brown.
permit request. The nearest coffee shops to The Merc are Starbucks, Dunkin’ and Happy Creek Coffee & Tea in Purcellville. The duo plans to offer new types of beverages for their western Loudoun customers, including coffee mixed with supplements like collagen powder and MCT oil, and herbal teas. “Just a little twist,” Brown said. They’re still working to renovate the inside of the 131-year-old building, including transferring equipment from King Street’s location in Leesburg to Hamilton, and plan to add a walk-up window for quick, outdoor coffee pickups, just like King Street Coffee began offering in Leesburg at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brown said the outlook for business in Hamilton is all positive, considering she and Whitehurst have already received a
good deal of feedback from new customers. She pointed out that Hamilton’s population is trending younger and the efforts to build out the sidewalk system in recent years has more younger families heading out to explore the community—and discover The Merc. “We’re hoping to attract people walking in town,” Brown said. … “[Coffee is] really a great thing to connect people.” Whitehurst said her team would work to modify operations to accommodate their customers’ desires. The Merc was previously owned and operated by 34-year Hamilton resident Sue Phillips, who took over the business in 2005 and put it up for sale last February. Phillips previously said she wanted to sell the business to travel more with her husband and visit her son and daughter-in-law and their baby in Florida. n
BLUEMONT Dirt Farm Brewing to Host Annual Luau Dirt Farm Brewing will host its fourth annual Luau and Pig Feast on Saturday, Jan. 30 across three dining times. The brewery will decorate the taproom in the theme of a tropical oasis for guests to enjoy Chef Justin Garrison’s famous pig roast, in addition to two newly released the tropical beers: the annual Pineapple IPA and the brand-new Pina Colada Hard Seltzer. There will also be firepits set up outside. Tickets are $26 and include a plate of roast pig with curry BBQ sauce, coconut and pineapple fried rice, Asian slaw, baked beans and a pineapple upside down cup; and a swag bag with the essentials. There will be three feasting times to choose from: 12-1 p.m., 1:30-2:30 p.m. and 3-4 p.m. Learn more at dirtfarmbrewing. com.
LOVETTSVILLE Legion, Ruritan Clubs Donate Town Hall Flagpole Lovettsville American Legion Post 1836 and the Lovettsville-Waterford Ruritan Club have offered help donate a flagpole for the new town office, which should be completed in the next few weeks. Mayor Nate Fontaine announced in his Jan. 22 email newsletter that TOWN NOTES continues on page 14
NOW HIRING FLAGGERS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Tractor & Light Construction Equipment Technician Assembly Technician • Parts Counter Salesperson At Western Loudoun’s largest equipment service organization. Experience required. Full benefits package with 401k.
BROWNING EQUIPMENT, INC. Purcellville, VA 540-338-7123 sales@browningequipment.com
Full time, to provide traffic control & safety around construction sites. A valid driver license & clean driving record a must. Star ting $13/hr & scheduled raises & bonuses. Company-paid medical & dental premiums. Please fill out an application at trafficplan.com or come to our office on Tuesdays or Thursdays (8am-10am) 7855 Progress Ct. Suite 103, Gainesville, VA
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JANUARY 28, 2021
PAGE 13
HELP WANTED AT FAMILY PRACTICE
Full & Part Time Drivers needed!
Local delivery of bulk landscape products: mulch, topsoil, compost, gravel etc. *No CDL required. Paid Holidays, sick, vacation (insurance available). *Saturdays required during busy season. Pay based on experience. Stop by or Call Brandon (540) 338-7161 or (804)-931-8181 Loudoun County Milling Company
Experienced Lab Tech Or MA – Busy Family Practice office in Lansdowne, VA looking for an experienced lab tech or MA to collect and process Covid 19, Flu & Strep samples. Must be familiar with manual and automated methods. EMR experience preferred. We offer health, dental and vision insurance as well as direct deposit, 401k and many other benefits.
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.
Please send your resume to lgray@lmgdoctors.com or fax to 703-726-0804
Regular Full-Time Positions Position
Department
Salary Range
Closing Date
Accounting Associate II
Finance
$44,905-$76,882 DOQ
Open until filled
Assistant Zoning Administrator
Planning and Zoning
$72,952-$124,893 DOQ
Open until filled
Capital Projects Manager
Public Works & Capital Projects
$82,999-$141,929 DOQ
Open until filled
Communications Technician (Police Dispatcher)
Police
$45,136-$75,961 DOQ
2/26/21
Controller
Finance
$79,227-$135,636 DOQ
Open until filled
Customer Service Supervisor
Utilities
$61,857-$105,896 DOQ
Open until filled
Deputy Director of Utilities, Fiscal Administration and Customer Relations
Utilities
$86,040-$147,299 DOQ
Open until filled
Police Officer
Police
$53,233-$89,590 DOQ
Open until filled
Senior Engineer (Capital Projects)
Public Works & Capital Projects
$70,374-$120,339 DOQ
Open until filled
Senior Systems Analyst
Information Technology
$70,374-$120,339 DOQ
Open until filled
Utilities Project Manager
Utilities
$76,941-$131,689 DOQ
Open until filled
Utility Inspector II
Utilities
$56,956-$97,512 DOQ
Open until filled
Utility Plant Operator: Trainee, I, II or Senior
Utilities
$41,353-$89,790 DOQ
Open until filled
Utility Plant Supervisor
Utilities
$61,857-$105,896 DOQ
Open until filled
Zoning Analyst
Planning and Zoning
$56,956-$97,512 DOQ
Open until filled
Flexible Part-Time Position Position
Department
Parking Enforcement Officer
Finance
Hourly Rate $16.86-$28.85 DOQ
Closing Date 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.
Sales Coordinator Administrative The successful candidate will possess the following skills: 1. Provides outstanding customer service. 2. Works independently and within a team. 3. Maintains strict attention to detail. 4. Demonstrates interpersonal and communication skills.
MAIDS NEEDED No evenings or weekends Pay starts at $12/hr Please call 571-291-9746
HELP WANTED AT FAMILY PRACTICE Large family practice in Loudoun County with 6 locations and 28 providers looking for FT LPN’s or MA’s with a dedication to excellence. New LPN graduates welcome to apply. Pediatric and or family practice experience preferred. EHR experience highly recommended. We offer competitive pay rates, health, dental and vision insurance as well as direct deposit, 401K and many other benefits. Please send your resume to: lgray@lmgdoctors.com or fax to 703-726-0804 attention Lisa
INTERNSHIP: PROJECT ANALYST/ PROJECT ASSISTANT JOB DESCRIPTION Meridien Group, LLC is seeking a motivated, qualified individual with strong analytical skills. Duties include, but are not limited to: • Creating, managing and disbursing reports related to the project • Maintaining project assets • Communications and related database(s) • Evaluating and monitoring the overall project
Candidate must have 2+ years of increasing administrative responsibilities.
• Reviewing & reporting the project’s budget and finances • Routinely performing complete or component analysis
Preference will be given to applicants with: 1. Experience in scheduling. 2. Experience in marketing campaigns. 3. Knowledge of sales and estimating.
Submit cover letter including salary requirements and resume to: Info@eplinglandscaping.com
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education: Pursuing Bachelor’s Degree in the following fields: Business Management, Project Management & Civil Engineering.
• Notifying the entire project team about abnormalities or variances The analyst/assistant will help the entire project team complete the project within its planned scope, schedule and budget, while serving as a liaison for the project’s technical, functional and non-functional teams. Part-time to full-time, and internship positions available immediately. Individual initiates, coordinates, and executes administrative and project support to the project manager/team.
CONTACT INFO Kathy Hicks 208 South King Street Suite 303 Leesburg, VA 20175 www.meridiengroupllc.com khicks@meridiengroupllc.com Office: (703) 777-8285
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JANUARY 28, 2021
Hillsboro Council Names Official Town Tree, Bird BY PATRICK SZABO
pszabo@loudounnow.com
Virginia has the American Dogwood and the Northern Cardinal. Now, Hillsboro has the Eastern Redbud and the Eastern Bluebird. Town leaders recently named the official town tree and bird, selected by residents and Hillsboro Charter Academy students via an online campaign hosted by the Arts and Culture Advisory Group. Town leaders are now designing T-shirts with the redbud and bluebird emblazoned on them. “The redbud is naturally quite prolific here and will be a signature element in [the
TOWN notes continued from page 12
the Infrastructure and LOVE America Committees would hold joint meetings to work out the details. The flagpole at the town’s veteran’s memorial in Town Square Park also was donated through a similar effort.
Town Council Appoints Stahl to Planning Commission The Lovettsville Town Council appointed Stuart Stahl to the Planning Commission last Thursday. Stahl will serve on an interim basis on the commission until June 30, 2021, filling a vacancy left by the Nov. 21, 2020, resignation of Kris Consaul.
Rt. 9 traffic calming project] landscape plan,” said Advisory Group Co-chairwoman Emilie Moskal. “And the bluebird evokes hope and happiness, something we all share and strive for here.” To encourage more bluebirds to nest in Hillsboro, town leaders plan to install nesting boxes along the GapWay Trail, which stretches along the east end of town. Prior to adopting the official tree and bird, town leaders also selected a horse named Radish—frequently portrayed on early-American weathervanes—to incorporate into the town’s official logo, and selected “Where History Lives” as the tagline. According to Mayor Roger Vance, Rad-
ish, which was painted on the side of the Old Stone School last year, represents the town’s rugged early American homestead and agricultural heritage, in addition to the local legend of Hill Tom, who was said to be a shaman-like mountain man who used medicinal herbs and plants, including horseradish, to heal the sick. “Legend has it he was always accompanied by a sturdy black steed he named Radish,” Vance said, noting town leaders are planning a Hillsboro Horseradish Festival later this year. Each year moving forward, the Arts and Culture Advisory Group will ask residents to select additional representations for the town. n
The town is still searching for volunteers to fill out seats on the Oktoberfest, Love America, Love Summer, Love Winter, Tree Board and Love MayFest Subcommittees, the Commerce and Business Development Committee and the Parks, Infrastructure, Environment & Utilities Committee. To apply for a spot on a town committee or subcommittee, fill out an application for town service, which can be found at lovettsvilleva.gov, and drop it off at the town office or email it to clerk@lovettsvilleva.gov.
February. Since Nov. 16, crews have been performing the modifications to the town’s water tank, located in the New Town Meadows neighborhood. From Jan. 4-22, crews sandblasted and painted the tank. Now that the work is complete, the cellular carriers will remove their equipment from the temporary tower next to the tank and re-install it back onto the water tower. For more information on the project, call the town office at 540-822-5788.
Cell Carriers to Re-install Antennas on Water Tower
Town Promotes Police Officer to Sergeant
AT&T, Sprint/T-Mobile and Verizon are expected to re-install their equipment on the town’s water tower throughout
The Purcellville Police Department last week announced the promotion of Officer Eric Bridge to the rank of sergeant, after
PURCELLVILLE
Pixabay
Hillboro's new avian symbol, the Eastern Bluebird.
serving as acting sergeant for more than two years. According to a town statement, Bridge was chosen for his extensive experience and proven leadership and commitment to the community and his fellow officers. Bridge joined the Purcellville Police Department in 2016 after serving nearly 30 years with the Fairfax County Police Department, where he held many operational, investigative, administrative, training and supervisory positions. Since moving to the Purcellville Police Department, Bridge has served as a patrol officer, field training officer, night shift supervisor, mentor and coach, and the architect of many special operations plans. His peers chose him as the Purcellville Police Officer of the Year in 2019.
Obituaries Clarence “Terry” Titus May 08, 1942 - January 21, 2021
Clarence “Terry” Titus, 78, a lifelong resident of Leesburg, VA., passed away on Jan. 21, 2021. Born May 8, 1942, he was son of the late Louis T. Titus Sr. and Margaret F. Titus Dudley. Terry was a 1959 graduate of Loudoun County High School and attended Virginia Military Institute (VMI). He later explored the wilderness areas of Utah, which led him to seek a career in forestry. In the process, he took a job working for a land surveyor, which turned him toward his career in surveying.
Terry was well-regarded for his surveying expertise. His long career included a partnership in Bengston, DeBell, Elkin and Titus; Deputy Directorship of William H. Gordon Associates and consultant work for Patton, Harris and Rust and The Claude Moore Charitable Foundation. He was personally commissioned by the states of Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia to research and verify the boundary lines between the three states - a project that took many years of in-depth historical research and much time spent in forests as he endeavored to locate old survey markers. His knowledge and involvement in the local community led to him serving Leesburg and Loudoun County for many years, as a
member of the Leesburg Town Council, the Loudoun County Planning Commission, as well as the Leesburg Utility Rate Advisory Commission. Terry was a member of the Leesburg Presbyterian Church and the Leesburg Kiwanis Club. He was a loyal Washington Redskins fan, enjoyed vacationing in Bethany Beach, Delaware, golfing, cycling, reading and music. Terry was preceded in death by his brother, Louis Templar “Temp” Titus Jr. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Joanne T. Titus of Leesburg; daughter Mary Patricia “Tricia” Titus and her son Cian Titus of Frankford, Delaware; daughter Terrianne Grant and her husband David of Lovettsville, Virginia ;
sister-in-law, Karen Titus of Georgia; nieces and nephew, Sara Titus Allegood of Georgia, Laurie Carlson and Louis Titus, both of New Mexico, their spouses and children. A private graveside service is scheduled for Jan. 29, 2021, at Union Cemetery in Leesburg. A memorial service will be planned for a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Leesburg Presbyterian Church, 207 W. Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176, or https://www.lpcva.org/Giving Arrangements: Colonial Funeral Home, Leesburg; condolences may be sent online at: www.colonialfuneralhome.com To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Clarence “Terry” Titus, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 28, 2021
Obituaries Sarah Brooks Lloyd
Age 90, of Leesburg, Virginia
Sarah went to be with her Lord on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at Loudoun Hospital after a long illness. She was born on December 11, 1930 in Clarke County, Virginia. She was the third of ten children. Sarah is survived by her husband of 68 years, Asbury Lloyd Jr.; her three daughters, Deborah Lloyd Morton (David) of Manassas, Virginia, Regina Lloyd Banks (Kelly) of Leesburg, Virginia and Amanda Lloyd Ellis of Leesburg, Virginia; special beloved nephew, William Lloyd (Paula); fourteen grandchildren; thirty great-grandchildren and her sole surviving sibling, Ida Brooks Hatcher of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and a host of nieces and nephews. Sarah was preceded in death by her daughter, Wanda Lloyd Hill.
Sarah spent her lifetime helping, caring and giving to others. She sacrificed her goals and aspirations in order to assist her loved ones in reaching theirs. Her family meant the world to her. We will always carry her memory in our hearts. Due to COVID restrictions, private visitation and viewing will be held on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. until time of service 11:30 a.m. at Lyles Funeral Chapel, 630 South 20th Street, Purcellville, VA 20132. Interment will be private. Cards may be sent to Regina Banks, 503 Davis Ave, SW, Leesburg, VA 20175. Flowers may be sent to Lyles Funeral Home, 630 South 20th Street, Purcellville, VA 20132. Arrangements by Lyles Funeral Service, serving Northern Virginia & surrounding areas, Eric S. Lyles, Director, Lic. VA, MD, DC 1800-3881913
Alma A. Crawford Age 70, of Leesburg, VA
Alma A. Chinn Crawford was born on September 28, 1950 in Winchester, Virginia to the late James B. Smith and Dorothy Richardson Chinn. Alma peacefully departed this life after confessing she “wanted to go home,” on January 20, 2021 at the Potomac Falls Health and Rehab Center in Sterling, VA. Alma grew up in Upperville, VA . She attended elementary schools in Fauquier County and later graduated from W.C. Taylor High School in Warrenton, VA. Alma was married to Rush M. Crawford until his death. The couple moved to Leesburg, VA. Alma was employed by the Inova Loudoun Hospital in Leesburg, VA for forty-six years until retiring a few years ago. She was faithful to her job and all who came to know her loved her. She had an infectious laugh that let everyone know when she was on duty. She received the prestigious “Oprah Winfrey Award” for inspiring respect and admiration for a job well done.
LoudounNow To place an obituary, contact Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or email: sstyer@loudounnow.com
Alma leaves to mourn, her beloved daughter, Shawn Denise Crawford of Leesburg, VA; one brother, Charles Richardson (Neela) of Rosedale, NY; three sisters, Betty Richardson of Winchester, VA, Joe Anne Howard of Sterling, VA and Gloria Bush (Milton) of Silver Spring, MD. She also leaves two sisters-in-law, Shelby Richardson of Leesburg, VA and Shug Basil of Leesburg, VA; five nephews; thirteen nieces and a host of cousins, relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by one sister, Doris Reid and her husband, Henry G. Reid, Sr.; four brothers, George Richardson, Sr., Francis Chinn, Roland Chinn and Richard Chinn; one nephew, Henry G. Reid, Jr. and one niece, Tracy Grant. Private graveside services will be held at the Westview Cemetery, 1176 Delaplane Grade Road, Upperville, VA on Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Philip C. Lewis, Officiating. Arrangements by: LYLES FUNERAL SERVICE, Serving Northern Virginia. Eric S. Lyles, Director. Lic. VA/MD/ DC. 800-388-1913.
Lives are like rivers: Eventually they go where they must, not where we want them to.
PAGE 15
Sylvia Lee Coates Age 74, of Fairfax, VA
Sylvia was born on November 8,1946 in Fairfax, Virginia to the late Lucy Ross and Charles Franklin Barnes. She entered eternal rest on January 18, 2021. Sylvia attended Luther Jackson High School in Falls Church, Virginia and was employed at Gordon’s Hair Studio for many years. She was a proud member of Providence Baptist Church, Leesburg, Virginia, where she served as an Usher. Sylvia loved playing cards, listening to music, enjoying good company, and cooking for her family and friends. In her later years she enjoyed going to the Leesburg Senior Center, and watching “Let’s Make a Deal,” “Family Feud,” and Westerns. Sylvia was preceded in death by three brothers, Charles Franklin Barnes, Stanley
Barnes and Anthony Barnes. She leaves to mourn her only son, Ralph Eugene Coates, Jr. and his wife, Veronica J. Coates; six grandchildren and their spouses, Ikea and Joe Benavitch, Jessamyne and Mike Burns, Jonteya and Charles Patterson, lll, John and Chandler Holland, Ralph E. Coates, lll and Quintin T. Coates; eight great grandchildren; three sisters, Claranetta Thompson (John), Mammie Barnes and Willie Mae Barnes; and a host of nieces and nephews. Funeral services were held on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, 1:00 p.m. at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, 250 West Virginia Avenue, Hamilton, VA 20158. Reverend Tracey B. Lyons, Officiating. Interment is private. Arrangements by: Lyles Funeral Service. Serving Northern Virginia. Eric S. Lyles, Director. Lic. VA/MD/ DC. 1-800-388-1913
Roger Bartman
PhD Clinical Psychologist Erwin “Roger” Bartman died January 12, 2021 at his beloved home outside Leesburg, VA, after a yearlong battle with leukemia. He was 77. He was a clinical psychologist in Reston, VA for 43 years. Roger was born June 3, 1943 in Lawton, Oklahoma while his father was training with the US Army. When his father was sent to Europe, his mother and he moved back to Louisville, KY and lived with his grandparents for the duration of the war. He graduated from St Xavier High School, Louisville KY in 1961 and entered the Xavarian Brothers (Order of St. Francis Xavier). After completing his novitiate and taking first vows, he began studies at Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, receiving double B.A.s in Mathematics and Religious Education in 1967. The following year, he received his M.A. in Mathematics-Education from Johns Hopkins University. As Br. Raphael, he taught advanced math courses at Xavarian High Schools in Baltimore and Silver Spring, MD. In addition to teaching, he held positions of assistant dean, board member, camp counselor and group facilitator. He was a member of the Xavierian Brothers for 16 years. As his interest in psychology grew, he entered the doctoral program at Catholic University in America, receiving his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 1976.He interned and was hired by Fairfax County Northwest Center for Community Health, Reston from 1975 to 1986. He was the founding director of the Adolescent Day Treatment Program. In 1977, Roger was one of five founding partners of the Reston Psychotherapy in Reston, VA and practiced adolescent, adult, group and couples therapy. As a therapist, he was a dedicated and compassionate therapist,
often doing pro bono or reduced fee therapy for those he felt truly needed help, plus consultation and therapy with local clergy and religious. He retired in 2019. Roger met his life partner, Peter D. Kelpinski in February, 1987. They were together almost 34 years. They legally married in July, 2004 on Cape Cod, MA. Roger was a warm, gentle, quiet man. Often shy in social situations, he could usually be found off to the sidelines having a quiet conversation. A voracious reader, he enjoyed fantasy and sci-fi genre which gave him a break from the myriad issues of life he would hear daily. A loyal friend, he would carry on robust correspondence with friends all over the country. He enjoyed good food and good friends. Most of all he loved spending time at his idyllic home with his husband and their golden retrievers and labrador. In addition to Kelpinski, Roger is survived by 3 siblings: Kathy (Tom) Furlong , James (Donna) Bartman, both of Louisville, KY, Lally (Frank) House of Woodbury, KY; an aunt and uncle, Dolores and Frank Lally, Louisville, KY, sisters and brothers-in-laws Nancy & Jack MacKenzie and Sandi & Hank Bridges (all of Bay City, MI), plus many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins and numerous dear friends. He was predeceased by his parents Erwin R. and Mary Kathryn (Lally) Bartman and grandparents: Erwin R. & Louise Bartman and Frank & Orvilla Lally. Memorial services will be held this summer in Reston and Louisville, with his ashes interred in Bay City, MI. Contributions can be made in Roger’s memory to Holy Cross Abbey, 901 Cool Spring Lane, Berryville, VA 22611 (www.virginiatrappists.org/support-us/) Please share online condolences with the family at www.loudounfuneralchapel.com
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JANUARY 28, 2021
Loco Living
THINGS to do
‘Bookworm’ Moms Launch Loudoun’s First Dolly Parton Imagination Library BY JAN MERCKER
Live Music: Airmont Road
Friday, Jan. 29, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Social House Kitchen and Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn Details: socialhouseashburn.com Dive into four decades of great rock ‘n’ roll tunes from this Round Hill-based band.
DC Improv Comedy Night
jmercker@loudounnow.com
For more than two decades, the legendary singer/songwriter Dolly Parton put books in the hands of America’s youngest kids. Now, a group of book-loving Loudoun teachers and moms has launched the county’s first chapter of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which will send a free book every month to western Loudoun kids 5 and under. The new Loudoun DPIL chapter, Roots Grow Wings, launched earlier this month in conjunction with Parton’s 75th birthday. “It was sort of a pipe dream and then COVID hit. … It was like that was our call to urgency,” said Emerick Elementary School reading specialist Susan Lyons who spearheaded the local group. “We were seeing lots of kids who were at home. ... Everybody’s got a COVID project—this is our COVID project.” The project was brought to life by a group of Loudoun teachers and moms in partnership with the Rotary Club of Leesburg. Lyons first heard about the program 18 years ago while a student at Fordham University and kept it in the back of her mind over the years. She started a conversation with Emerick parent Sarah Lynch about launching a DPIL chapter after Lynch’s daughter Beatrice performed a knockout version of Parton’s classic “9 to 5” at the school’s talent show. The pair got fellow Emerick parent Kristin O’Rourke and Lyons’s friend and fellow teacher Carrie Henze, a classroom teacher at Cool Spring Elementary School, on board. And when COVID hit, the group project was off and running. DPIL requires every local chapter to partner with 501(c)(3) nonprofit to facilitate mailing and accounting, and the Loudoun group found an enthusiastic partner in the Rotary Club of Leesburg. Rotary members Ernie Carnevale and Phil Daley serve as liaisons for Roots Grow Wings. “They were just all in from the very beginning. They shared the same excitement and passion that we had for this project.” O’Rourke said. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was launched in 1995 as an early childhood literacy initiative in Parton’s home county of Sevier County, Tennessee. Since then, it has expanded around the country and around the world and has now distributed more
LOCO LIVE
Friday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m. Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com January’s comedy night features plenty of laughs from Tony Woods, Rob Maher, Jared Stern, Rahmein Mostafavi and Franqi French. Tickets are $20-$30 for this seated, socially distanced show.
Live Music: Jim Steele
Saturday, Jan. 30, 1-4 p.m. The Barns At Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com This longtime winery circuit favorite returns to the Barns solo for an afternoon of fun covers and originals.
Live Music: Point of Rock
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Kristen Hickman, Ashleigh Dickerson, Jennie Hill, Carrie Henze, Susan Lyons, Kristin O’Rourke, Christine Bartlett, and Liz McDonald hold up children’s books for the new Loudoun chapter of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
than 150 million books. One of the DPIL Foundation’s goals is to level the playing field before kindergarten and provide children with common ground and a shared experience as they enter kindergarten. The program is open to children of all income levels. “[Parton] felt strongly that if kids came to school on a level playing field with the same exposure to books that their experience would be different,” Lyons said. “Her idea was more about making sure that all children regardless of socioeconomic background have that same access.” Lynch adds that in affluent communities there may be other factors limiting access to books—especially during a pandemic. The program offers a carefully curated collection of books, with children receiving a new book once a month for up to five years. A local chapter can send a year’s worth of books to a child for just $25. Every child starts with Watty Piper’s 1930 classic “The Little Engine That Could” and finishes the program with D.J. Steinberg’s 2012 favorite “Kindergarten, Here I Come!” “[Parton’s] thinking behind doing that is if they all finish with the same book, they walk into kindergarten, and they all have a book that connects them,” Lyons said. “They all have the same title that they can talk about.”
With a carefully selected and diverse book list, children receive titles from Beatrix Potter to contemporary classics like Matt de la Pena’s award-winning “Last Stop On Market Street.” “One of the beautiful things about this program is that the foundation has a group that curates the books,” O’Rourke said. “I think it’s the diversity in the books that sparks those questions and that thirst for knowledge and brings up those conversations that you wouldn’t typically have at your dinner table or in your day-to-day life.” The DPIL foundation recommends that local chapters fundraise for two years worth of mailings before launch. The Loudoun chapter is currently in the fundraising phase and will begin pre-registering Loudoun’s little ones from three Loudoun ZIP codes later this year. The chapter will start with the 20132, 20117 and 20118 ZIP codes covering Purcellville, Hillsboro and Middleburg and hope to expand their reach as the program grows. The organizers, whom Lyons describes “a bunch of bookworms” are no longer parents of babies and toddlers themselves, but are on a mission to serve the next wave of Loudoun kiddos. IMAGINATION LIBRARY continues on page 17
Saturday, Jan. 30, 1-5 p.m. Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts Details: vanishbeer.com Vanish celebrates its fifth anniversary with rock classics from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s from Point of Rock.
Live Music: Dave Lange
Saturday, Jan. 30, 2-5 p.m. Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn Details: lostrhino.com Lange is a one-man blues band who’s been winning over fans around the region with his unique style of Rust Belt blues.
Live Music: Scott Kurt
Saturday, Jan. 30, 2-5 p.m. Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro Details: breauxvineyards.com Southern by way of the Rust Belt, Scott Kurt’s brand of country blends old-school outlaw grit with elements of guitar-driven rock.
Live Music: Chris Hanks
Saturday, Jan. 30, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Social House Kitchen and Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn Details: socialhouseashburn.com Kick back for an evening of country favorites with Chris Hanks.
Laugh Out Loud Loudoun
Saturday, Jan. 30, 7-9 p.m. Details: psirhoomega.com Loudoun’s Psi Rho Omega chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority presents a comedy fundraiser for community service organizations, including Real Hope for Haiti, Soles for Souls, The Lions Club’s eyeglass initiative and other Loudoun County organizations. The evening is hosted by Kelsey Storr and features comedians Crystal Powell and Dave Temple, with music by DJ Shanel Ashley. Tickets are $25 and are available at lolpro21.eventbrite.com. Tickets are limited so advance registration is
THINGS TO DO continues on page 17
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 28, 2021
THINGS to do recommended.
Tally Ho Community Showcase: Hard Rock Night
Saturday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m. Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com Tally Ho Theater’s community showcase series spotlights favorites from the local hard rock scene including Kevin Bull Jr., Not My Vice and Graffiti Soundstage. Tickets are $10-$15 for this seated, social distanced show.
Live Music: Tyme & Lace
Sunday, Jan. 31, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sunset Hills Vineyard, 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville Details: sunsethillsvineyard.com This acoustic duo covers James Taylor, Colbie Caillat, Stevie Nicks and other mellow favorites.
continued from page 16 Enjoy a cup of soup with some Fabbioli wines during the month of January. Proceeds benefit Loudoun Hunger Relief.
LOCO CULTURE VAL Winter Wanderland Friday, Jan. 29-Sunday, Jan. 31, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Village at Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg Details: villageatleesburg.com Head to the village every weekend in January for socially distanced fun with ice sculptures throughout the center. The sculptures will have a different theme each weekend.
The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon
LIBATIONS Dirt Farm Luau and Pig Roast
Saturday, Jan. 30, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont Details: dirtfarmbrewing.com Dirt Farm’s annual luau features tasty pork and the release of the Pineapple IPA and Pina Colada Hard Seltzer. Tickets are $26 per person and include a roast pig meal and swag bag.
Fabbioli Cellars Souper Sunday
Sunday, Jan. 31, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Fabbioli Cellars, 15669 Limestone School Road, Leesburg Details: fabbioliwines.com
Friday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 31, 2 p.m. StageCoach Theatre Company, 20937 Ashburn Road, Suites 115 and 120, Ashburn Details: stagecoachtc.com StageCoach turns the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm on their heads in this fast-paced, rollicking ride as two narrators and several actors attempt to combine all 209 stories ranging from classics like “Snow White’’ to more obscure stories like “The Devil’s Grandmother” and “The Girl Without Hands.” A limited number of seats are available for viewing in the theater. Tickets are $20 per person. Livestreams are also available for each show for a $20 fee. Performances run weekends through Jan. 31.
PAGE 17
Imagination library continued from page 16 “All of us are book lovers and it’s not just about the act of reading, it’s about all of the other things that come with reading. ... It’s a phrase that I use all the time—books are both a window and a mirror. It’s a way to connect us, a way to see ourselves in these books but also see others,” Lyons said. “The ripple effect is so huge in terms of creating a community that supports and encourages and wraps their arms around literacy. This is so much bigger than free books.” Roots Grow Wings has launched a virtual fundraising campaign via its Facebook page and website. The group also plans to participate in Give Choose Day organized by the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties on March 16. And for Lyons, the new group has an irresistible hook. “Who doesn’t want to give babies books?” she said. For more information on Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Loudoun-Roots Grow Wings, go to facebook.com/rootsgrowwings or rootsgrowwings.org. For information on Give Choose Day, go to givechoose.org. n
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PAGE 18
JANUARY 28, 2021
Legal Notices TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 2022-2027 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM Pursuant to Va. Code § 15.2-2239, the Leesburg Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, February 4, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, to solicit public comment on the proposed Fiscal Year 2022-2027 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). The following table reflects potential Fiscal Year 2022 requested funding totaling $47,016,100. The final requested funding amount will be included in the Town Manager’s Fiscal Year 2022 Proposed Budget scheduled to be presented to Town Council during their regular meeting the evening of February 9, 2021 at 7:00 P.M. The following table summarizes the CIP projects to be funded in FY 2022:
CATEGORY
FY 2022 AMOUNT
MAJOR PROJECTS
ADMINISTRATION
$1,265,000
Management costs associated with administering the Capital Improvements Program
GENERAL GOVERNMENT
$14,129,900
$6,353,500
Ida Lee Tennis Court – Air Structure Ida Lee Recreation Center – Indoor Pool Roof Rehabilitation Town Hall Campus Improvements Phase I Tuscarora Creek Trail Phase I Veterans Park at Balls Bluff
$4,482,700
Battlefield Parkway/ Route 15 Bypass Interchange Bus Shelters- Town-wide East Market Street Improvements (Plaza Street NE to Fort Evans Road NE) East Market Street & Battlefield Parkway Interchange Edwards Ferry Road NE Sidewalk Improvements Evergreen Mill Road Widening Miscellaneous Roadway, Pedestrian, and ADA Projects Morven Park Road Sidwalk Rt. 15 Bypass / Edwards Ferry Rd. Interchange
PARKS & RECREATION
STREETS AND HIGHWAYS
STORM DRAINAGE
AIRPORT
UTILITIES
$170,000
Capital Asset Replacement Program Downtown Street Lights Phase II Police Station Expansion Town Shop Expansion and Refurbishment
Market St. / King St. Intersection and Alley Between 3 and 5 S. King St. Improvements Royal St. SE Storm Drainage Improvements
$2,244,000
Airport Apron Paving Airport North Hangars
$18,371,000
Enhanced Multi-Barrier Treatment Technology Lower Sycolin Sanitary Sewer Pump Station-Third Pump Sanitary Sewer Pump Station Upgrades Town-wide Sanitary Sewer Improvements and Repairs Town-wide Waterline Improvements and Repairs Utility System Storage Facility Water Booster Pump Station at Loudoun Water Interconnect Water Plant Expansion Water Pollution Control Facility Debris Screen System Water Pollution Control Facility Expansion Water Pollution Control Facility Storage Tanks- Re-coating & Rehabilitation Water Supply and Wastewater SCADA Systems Replacement Utilities Repair, Replacement and Rehabilitation
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. At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views concerning this matter will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of the Commission at 703-771- 2434, three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 01/21 & 01/28/21
ABC LICENSE
ABC LICENSE
Crooked Run Brewing LLC, trading as Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Dr., Sterling, Loudoun, Virginia 20164 The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Winery license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Jake Endres, Co-owner Note: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.
White Eagle Enterprise LLC, trading as Mi Familia Deli & Tienda, 428 S Sterling Street Sterling, VA 20164-3204. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Wine and Beer On and Off premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Anomd Desai, Member Note: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200. 1/28/21 & 2/4/21
01/21 & 01/28/21
NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLES This notice is to inform the owner and any person having a security interest in their right to reclaim the motor vehicle herein described within 15 days after the date of storage charges resulting from placing the vehicle in custody, and the failure of the owner or persons having security interests to exercise their right to reclaim the vehicle within the time provided shall be deemed a waiver by the owner, and all persons having security interests of all right, title and interest in the vehicle, and consent to the sale of the abandoned motor vehicle at a public auction. This notice shall also advise the owner of record of his or her right to contest the determination by the Sheriff that the motor vehicle was “abandoned”, as provided in Chapter 630.08 of the Loudoun County Ordinance, by requesting a hearing before the County Administrator in writing. Such written request for a hearing must be made within 15 days of the notice. YR.
MAKE
2007
BMW
MODEL
VIN
STORAGE
PHONE#
WBAWB735X7P023241
ALS TOWING
703-435-88888
01/21 & 01/28/21
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 10, 2021, in order 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 (FY22). The PHA Annual Plan provides information on current programs and the resident population served. A copy of the full text of the above-referenced plans are 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”). 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, Open Band Channel 40 and 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 26, 2021, and no later than 12:00 p.m. on March 10, 2021. 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
01/21 & 01/28/21
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 28, 2021
PAGE 19
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 10, 2021 in order to consider: the County Loan. At that point, however, both the Borrower and the County understood that (i) Parcel 4, Block E1 was to be subject to a Condominium Declaration to split into two separate parcels the residential RDAB-2020-0001 PROPOSED ABANDONMENT OF A SECTION OF UNthe retail components, and (ii) the Retail Unit was not a collateral to the County loan. The CondominiNAMED RIGHT-OF-WAY LOCATED BETWEEN POTOMAC VIEW ROAD and um Declaration was recorded on April 23, 2020and created two new parcels on Parcel 4, Block E1, i.e. (ROUTE 637) AND SOUTH COTTAGE ROAD (ROUTE 1724), AND CONUnit 1 –Retail Unit and Unit 2 –Residential Unit. The item is for the Board to consider releasing Unit 1 VEYANCE OF ABANDONED RIGHT-OF-WAY -Retail Unit as collateral from the deed of trust that secures the County loan.
DE
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Pursuant to Virginia Code §33.2-915, the Board of Supervisors hereby gives notice that it intends to consider the proposed abandonment of a section of unnamed right-of-way located between Potomac View Road (Route 637) and South Cottage Road (Route 1724) (the “Subject Section”). The Subject Section is not within the Secondary State Highway System, is not improved, and consists of approximately 7,801 square feet (0.1791 acre) of dedicated right-of-way. The Subject Section is located between Potomac View Road (Route 637) and South Cottage Road (Route 1724), in the Sterling Election District. Pursuant to Virginia Code §33.2-924, the Board of Supervisors also shall consider the proposed conveyance of the abandoned right-of-way to an adjacent landowner for consideration and/or in exchange for other lands that may be necessary for the uses of Loudoun County.
ED
Copies of the plat(s), and any associated documents, describing the proposed abandonment are available for review 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”).
NOTICE OF INTENTION TO PROPOSE AN ORDINANCE FOR PASSAGE ORDINACE OF PARTIAL VACATION OF A SUBDIVISION PLAT ENTITLED “RECORD PLAT THE RIDGES AT ASHBURN SECTION 2 – BLOCK 1” Pursuant to Virginia Code §§15.2-1427, 15.2-2204 and 15.2-2272, the Board of Supervisors of Loudoun County, Virginia (“Board”), hereby gives notice of its intention to adopt an ordinance (“Ordinance”) to partially vacate the subdivision plat entitled “Record Plat The Ridges at Ashburn Section 2 – Block 1,” recorded in Deed Book 1493 at Page 924, in order to vacate portions of a sight distance easement (the “Easement”) for Deerview Drive (Route 2157) created by the recordation of said plat. The Easement is located along the south side of Deerview Drive, and extends northeastward from the traffic circle located at the intersection of Stubble Road (Route 647), Corder Place and Deerview Drive, approximately 350 feet across the rear yards of Lots 37, 38, 46, and 47, in The Ridges of Ashburn, Section 2, Block, and is within the Ashburn Election District. The proposed Ordinance will apply to the parcels more particularly described as follows: PIN
ADDRESS
OWNER
085-45-9929 (Lot 37)
43700 Raleigh Place Ashburn, VA 20147
Mark and Jacqueline Frazier
085-46-0936 (Lot 38)
43704 Raleigh Place Ashburn, VA 20147
Richard W. and Tracey Ebersberger Russell
085-46-1545 (Lot 47)
43701 Deerview Drive Ashburn, VA 20147
Roberto Roldan
085-46-2750 (Lot 48)
43705 Deerview Drive Ashburn, VA 20147
Robert and Cathleen Cowden
Copies of the plat(s), and any associated documents, describing the proposed easement vacation are available for review 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”)
PARTIAL RELEASE OF COLLATERAL RELATED TO HERONVIEW VA LLC APARTMENTS Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-1800, the Board of Supervisors shall consider a partial release of collateral related to a loan given to Heronview VA LLC. On June 22, 2017, the Board of Supervisors approved a $1.1 million loan to Heronview VA LLC to assist with construction of the Heronview 96 affordable housing rental units, located on Parcel 4, Block E1, at Kincora Village Center. Parcel 4, Block E1 had a site plan for a mixed use building approved for 96 affordable rental apartments and a retail unit of 2,063 square feet. A Condominium Declaration was to create two new and separate units on Parcel 4, Block E1, i.e. the Residential Unit to locate the Heronview 96 affordable housing rental units, and the Retail Unit. At the time of recordation –July 31, 2017- of the deed of trust that secures the County Loan the Condominium Declaration had not been recorded and the entire Parcel 4, Block E1 was listed as the collateral to
Copies of the item and its attachment 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”).
AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 684 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF LOUDOUN COUNTY Weapons and Explosives Pursuant to Virginia Code §§15.2-1427 and 15.2-915, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors gives notice of its intent to amend Chapter 684 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County by adding a section .04, Possession of Firearms on County Property, and amending section .001, Definitions, to include a new definition for the term “ammunition.” The proposed section .04 would prohibit the possession, carrying or transportation of any firearm, ammunition or components or combination thereof in: any building, or part thereof, owned or used by the County, or by an authority or local governmental entity created or controlled by the County; any public park owned or operated by the County or by any authority or local governmental entity created or controlled by the County; any recreation or community center operated by the County, or by any authority or local governmental entity created or controlled by the County; and those parts of buildings not owned by the County but used for governmental purposes in the specific areas used for such governmental purposes only. The proposed ordinance provides the County with authority to implement security measures designed to reasonably prevent the unauthorized access to affected buildings and parks by persons with firearms and also requires the posting of notice of the prohibitions at all entrances to the buildings or parks affected. The ordinance also contains a list of individuals and activities to which the prohibitions will not apply. Full and complete copies of the full text of the above-referenced proposed amendments 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”).
SIDP-2020-0007 CHICK-FIL-A LANSDOWNE SIGN DEVELOPMENT PLAN (Sign Development Plan)
CHICK-FIL-A, INC. of Atlanta, Georgia, has submitted an application for a Sign Development Plan (SIDP) to request alternative sign regulations for permitted signs in order to increase the square footage of two drive-through menu boards for a Chick-Fil-A. The subject property is being developed pursuant to ZMAP-2003-0006, Lansdowne Village Greens, in the (PD-TC) Planned Development-Town Center zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance (Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance). This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and pursuant to Section 5-1202(E) alternative sign regulations for permitted signs may be requested with the submission of a SIDP. The subject property is approximately 21.798 acres in size and is located north of Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7) and on the east side of Belmont Ridge Road (Route 659) at 19313 Front Street, Leesburg, Virginia in the Ashburn Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 113-39-9265. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Mixed Use Place Type)), which designates this area to provide compact, pedestrian-oriented environments with opportunities for a mix of residential, commercial, entertainment, cultural, and recreational amenities uses at a recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0.
APPL-2020-0008 HDRC APPEAL FOR CAPP-2020-0012, CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW RESIDENCE AT 18179 LINCOLN ROAD IN THE GOOSE CREEK HISTORIC DISTRICT (Appeal of Historic District Review Committee Decision-Goose Creek Historic District)
Timothy D. and Kristin C. O’Rourke, et al. of Lincoln, Virginia have submitted an application under Section 6-1909(B) of the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance (“Zoning Ordinance”) for an appeal of the November 9, 2020, decision of the Loudoun County Historic District Review Committee’s
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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LOUDOUNNOW.COM
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JANUARY 28, 2021
Legal Notices (HDRC) approval with conditions of Certificate of Appropriateness (CAPP)-2020-0012 for the construction of a single-family residence at 18179 Lincoln Road (PIN 455-37-0113) in the Goose Creek Historic and Cultural Conservation District (Village of Lincoln). The subject property is zoned RC (Rural Commercial) under the Zoning Ordinance and is located within the HCC (Goose Creek Historic and Cultural Conservation District), VCOD (Village Conservation Overlay District-Village of Lincoln), and contains moderate steep slopes The subject property is approximately 2.17 acres in size and is located on the west side of Lincoln Road (Route 722), north of the intersection of Lincoln Road and Cooksville Road (Route 778), south of Purcellville at 18179 Lincoln Road Lincoln, Virginia in the Catoctin Election District.. The property is more particularly described as PIN 455-37-0113.
CMPT-2020-0006 & SPEX-2020-0023 MILESTONE TOWER – GARDENIA DRIVE (Commission Permit & Special Exception)
Milestone Tower Limited Partnership IV of Reston, Virginia, and the Board of Supervisors, acting through the Loudoun County Department of General Services, have submitted applications for the following: 1) Commission approval to permit a 199 foot tall (195 foot tall with a 4 foot lighting rod at the top) Telecommunications Tower and a related equipment compound in the PD-H3 (Planned Development Housing - 3) zoning district; and 2) A Special Exception to permit a 199 foot tall (195 foot tall with a 4 foot lighting rod at the top) Telecommunications Tower and a related equipment compound as an accessory use to a Fire and Rescue station. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance and the proposed use is listed as a Special Exception use pursuant to Sections 5-618(C)(2)(c) and 5-618(C)(2)(d)(i), and requires a Commission Permit in accordance with Section 5-618(C)(3)(j). The subject property is approximately 6.91 acres in size and is located on the north side of Gardenia Drive (Route 3460), the west side of Northstar Boulevard (Route 3171), and the east side of Lightridge Farm Road (Route 705) in the Blue Ridge Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN 249-26-9025. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Transition Policy Area (Transition Large Lot Neighborhood)), which designates this area for residential uses and substantial open space in low-density communities with a variety of house and lot sizes at a density of 1 dwelling unit per 3 acres (1du/3ac) with total nonresidential floor-area ratio (FAR) up to 0.1.
that the road fund contributions will not apply to the New Residential Units or to non-residential uses beyond the non-residential Gross Floor Area (GFA) originally committed with prior approvals; o) reduce the width of non-asphalt trails from 8 feet to 6 feet; p) allow recently approved sign commitments (ZMOD2017-0017 & ZMOD-2017-0018) to be applied to the entire Kincora Village Center application area; and q) allow the Owners to use on-site, non-potable wells for irrigation purposes with a resulting increase in density from 0.43 Floor to Area Ratio (FAR) to 0.57 FAR; (3) an application to rezone approximately 70.16 acres portion of a larger 296.92 parcel from the PD-MUB (Planned Development – Mixed Use Business) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance as it existed on July 12, 2010, to the PD-MUB (Planned Development – Mixed Use Business) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance as amended from time to time; and (4) a Special Exception to permit impervious surface in the form of raised boardwalk crossings not to exceed 9,150 linear feet in the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District), Major Floodplain. The Special Exception application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and the proposed use is listed as a Special Exception use under Section 4-1506(E). The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s): ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION
PROPOSED MODIFICATION
§1-205(A), Interpretation of Ordinance, Limitations and Methods for Measurements of Lots, Yards and Related Terms; Lot Access Requirements.
Allow structures requiring a building permit in the PD-MUB Zoning District to be erected upon any lot which has frontage on a Class I, Class II, Class III road, or private access easement.
§4-1354(B) PD-MUB Planned DevelopmentMixed Use Business District, Development Standards, Public Plaza, Table 4-1354(B), PDMUB Planned Development Mixed-Use Business Public Plaza, Requirements Table.
Reduce the minimum area of the required public plaza for a PD-MUB district greater than 100 acres in size from 1% of the total land area of the district, or 3.55 acres (154,638 SF) to a minimum of 100,000 SF.
§4-1354(B)(3) PD-MUB Planned DevelopmentMixed Use Business District, Development Standards, Public Plaza.
Exclude (a) the buildings in Land Bays N and Q, (b) multi-family stacked townhouses and (c) the civic uses located in Land Bays A and K from the requirement in this section that buildings adjoining a public plaza contain a vertical mixture of uses.
Compass Data Centers IAD I LLC of Dallas, Texas has submitted an application to amend the existing proffers and Concept Development Plan (“CDP”) approved with ZMAP-2017-0003, True North Data in order to: 1) allow for the option to consolidate three buildings into one building footprint; and 2) increase the maximum building height from 35 feet to 56 feet with no resulting change in density. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The subject property is partially located within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contour, partially within the QN (Quarry Notification) Overlay District - Luck Note Area, and partially within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District). The subject property is approximately 97.12 acres in size and is located on the north side of Sycolin Road (Route 625), on the south side of the Dulles Greenway (Route 267), and on the west side of the Goose Creek, on the northwest side Belmont Ridge Road (Route 659), in the Catoctin Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 194-10-2562. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 Comprehensive Plan (Transition Policy Area (Transition Light Industrial Place Type)), which designate this area for low-traffic Industrial and Employment uses at a recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of up to 0.6.
§4-1354(C) PD-MUB Planned DevelopmentMixed Use Business District, Development Standards, Vertical Mix.
Exclude (a) the buildings in Land Bays N and Q, (b) multi-family stacked townhouses and (c) the civic uses located in Land Bays A and K from the 50% vertical use requirement.
§4-1355(C), PD-MUB Planned Development-Mixed Use Business District, Lot and Building Requirements, Building Height.
Increase the permitted maximum building height from 100 feet to 160 feet in Land Bays B, F, J, and R.
§4-1358(C), PD-MUB Planned Development-Mixed Use Business District, Use Limitations, Street Trees.
Reduce the tree density requirement from one tree per 25 feet along all areas dedicated for vehicular travel, excluding alleys, to one tree per 44 linear feet of block length for streets with on-street parking and to one tree per 35 liner feet of block length for trees with no on-street parking requirement
ZMAP-2018-0014, ZCPA-2018-0013, SPEX-2020-0013, ZRTD-2020-0005, ZMOD2018-0035, ZMOD-2020-0029 & ZMOD-2020-0032 KINCORA VILLAGE CENTER
§5-1303(A)(1), Tree Planting and Replacement, Canopy Requirements, Site Planning.
Allow the 10% tree canopy for sites zoned PDMUB to be calculated using the entire PD-MUB Zoning District rather than per site plan.
ZCPA-2020-0003 TRUE NORTH DATA (Zoning Concept Plan Amendment)
(Zoning Map Amendment, Zoning Concept Plan Amendment, Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District, Special Exception & Zoning Modifications)
NA Dulles Real Estate Investor LLC of East Setauket, New York, have submitted applications for the following: (1) to rezone approximately 13.14 acre portion of a larger 296.92 parcel from the PD-IP (Planned Development-Industrial Park zoning district under the 1972 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance (1972 Zoning Ordinance) to the PD-MUB (Planned Development – Mixed Use Business) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance (Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance) in order to permit a 10,000 square foot (SF) civic building and a 100,000 SF central plaza to be located in Land Bay K and to permit additional employment, commercial, and/or residential uses to be located in Land Bays K and L.; (2) an application to amend the existing Proffers and Concept Development Plan (CDP) approved with ZMAP-2008-0021, ZCPA-2012-0014 and ZCPA-2017-0008, Kincora Village Center, in order to a) shift location of the central plaza from Land Bay J to Land Bay K; b) relocate the minimum 55,000 SF Science Museum from Land Bay J to Land Bay A; c) align Roads 8 and 9 to create a street, and add Roads 14 and 17 in Land Bays F and L, and rename Roads A, B, and C with numerical labels; d) shift the location of a monument sign/entry feature in Land Bay J; e) revise locations and clarify the number of Public/Civic/Institutional Uses to be provided; f) increase the number of multifamily (MF) dwelling units permitted from 1,400 to 2,600 in the PD-MUB zoning district; g) adding Land Bays B, K, L, and/or R to the list of land bays where residential uses are permitted; h) delete the commitment to provide a center for the performing arts; i) delete the commitment to provide a 35,000 SF plaza in Land Bay F; j) revise language to clarify which buildings along Pacific Boulevard will be a minimum of four stories; k) reduce the percentage of buildings in the PD-MUB zoning district that are to have a vertical mix of two or more uses; l) remove the commitment that would require any newly constructed Affordable Dwelling Units (ADUs) and/or Unmet Housing Needs Units (UHNUs) to be in compliance with the EarthCraft program and universal design principles; m) exclude data center square footage from the trigger for providing shuttle service; n) clarify
The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District, within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contour, and is also located partially within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District). The subject property is approximately 300 acres in size and is located in the southwest quadrant of the Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7) and Sully Road (Route 28) interchange, on the west side of Russell Branch Parkway (Route 1036) and north of West Severn Way (Route 1748), in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as follows: PIN
PROPERTY ADDRESS
041-19-4573
21391 Pacific Boulevard, Ashburn, Virginia
040-19-0276
N/A
040-19-3991
N/A
040-18-8480-001 040-18-8480-002
45170 Kincora Drive, Ashburn, Virginia
040-18-3514
N/A
040-10-2389
N/A
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 28, 2021
The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (2019 GP) (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Mixed-Use Place Type)) and Route 28 Corridor Plan, which designate this area for compact, pedestrian-oriented environments with opportunities for a mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural, and Recreational amenities uses, at a recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0.
ZMAP-2020-0005, ZCPA-2020-0008, ZMOD-2020-0020 & ZMOD-2020-0026 GOOSE CREEK OVERLOOK (Zoning Map Amendment, Zoning Concept Plan Amendment & Zoning Modifications)
Goose Creek Overlook LLC of Reston, Virginia, and Good Works Development, LP of Middleburg, Virginia, have submitted applications for the following: 1) to rezone approximately 46.06 acres from the R-1 (Single Family Residential) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-H4 (Planned Development-Housing 4) administered as R-8 (Single Family Residential) and R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop a maximum of 136 single family attached residential units and 40 stacked multifamily units, and 75 multifamily affordable housing units; and 2) to amend the existing proffers and concept development plan (“CDP”) for approximately 9.2 acres that are currently subject to ZMAP-2003-0009, Goose Creek Village South, in order to revise open space tabulations and allow for development of a parking area and trail access.
PROPOSED MODIFICATION
§5-1102, Off-Street Parking and Loading Requirements, Number of Parking and Loading Spaces Required, Table 5-1102, Parking Spaces Required.
To reduce the parking space requirements for Multi Family Dwelling Units from 2 spaces per dwelling unit for 2- and 3-bedroom units to 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit.
§1-205(A), Interpretation of Ordinance, Limitations and Methods for Measurements of Lots, Yards and Related Terms, Lot Access Requirements.
To permit frontage of single family attached and multifamily units on open space rather than the required frontage on a Class I, Class II, Class III road, or private access easement as specified in the individual district regulations.
The subject property is located partially within the QN (Quarry Notification) Overlay District – Luck Note Area and partially within the Reservoir Protection Area. The subject property is approximately 55.26 acres in size and located south of the Dulles Greenway (Route 267), on the east side of Goose Creek, and on the northern and southern side of Sycolin Road (Route 625), in the Ashburn and Blue Ridge Election Districts. The subject property is more particularly described as follows: PIN
PROPERTY ADDRESS
154-45-5373
20776 Sycolin Road, Ashburn, Virginia
154-45-1833
N/A
154-45-3829
N/A
154-45-9680
N/A
154-35-8154
N/A
153-16-3488 (portion of)
20810 Sycolin Road, Ashburn, Virginia
154-45-5980
N/A
The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Neighborhood Place Type)), which support primarily Single-Family Residential uses with limited supportive Retail and Service uses at recommended densities of four dwelling units per acre (du/ac), up to six du/ac for infill development, and FAR of up to 1.0 for Non-Residential uses. 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, Open Band Channel 40 and 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 January 29, 2021, and no later than 12:00 p.m. on February 10, 2021. 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.
The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s): ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION
PAGE 21
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:
PHYLLIS RANDALL, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 1/21 & 1/28/21
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
NOTICE OF ABANDONED BICYCLES Notice is hereby given that the bicycles described below were found and delivered to the Office of the Sheriff of Loudoun County; if the owners of the listed bicycles are not identified within sixty (60) days following the final publication of this notice, the individuals who found said bicycles shall be entitled to them if he/she desires. All unclaimed bicycles will be handled according to Chapter 228.04 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County.
Case Number
Recovery Date
Pink Huffy bike
SO200013924
Black & red Dread bicycle Red Mongoose “Standoff Boys 24” bike
Description
Recovery Location
Phone Number
08/28/20
John Mosby Highway/Loudoun County Parkway
703-777-0610
SO200020402
12/13/20
17842 Oakmont Way, Purcellville VA
703-777-0610
SO200020958
12/22/20
20923 Cohasset Terrace, Ashburn VA
703-777-0610 01/21 & 01/28/21
LoudounNow.com
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316 Case No.:
JJ043391-06-00 JJ043327-06-00
Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Jace Leo Dunford and James Dunford III Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. Dawn Dunford, mother The object of this suit is to hold a 3rd permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Jace Leo Dunford and James Dunford III. It is ORDERED that the defendant Dawn Dunford, mother appear at the above-named Court to protect her interests on or before February 17, 2021 at 3:00 pm. 01/14, 01/21, 01/28 & 02/04/21
Policy Area es with limcre (du/ac),
pplications, County Govm 8:30 a.m. r electronic ortunity for onically 72 aring docuecial Meetrequest that to view the 3-777-0246
g. Members oom will be distancing. Government udoun.gov/ ent to these Instructions would like to er 8:30 a.m. in advance, n to sign-up oudoun.gov. rs and made
you require o participate st one busiy of notice.
1 & 1/28/21
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
PAGE 22
JANUARY 28, 2021
Legal Notices ORDER OF PUBLICATION
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE §§ 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104 Case No.:
CJ19-128; CJ19-129
Loudoun County Circuit Court 18 East Market Street, Leesburg VA 20176 Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. Deysi Carina Mayen Monterroso and Henri Leonel Lopez Estrada The object of this suit is to hear an appeal of Child Protective Orders entered in the Loudoun County Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court pursuant to Virginia code § 16.1-253. It is ORDERED that Deysi Carina Mayen Monterroso and Henri Leonel Lopez Estrada appear at the above-named Court to protect their interests on or before March 31, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. 01/14, 01/21, 01/28 & 02/04/21
TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING SETTING TAX RATES ON PERSONAL PROPERTY (SECTION 20-22), VEHICLE LICENSE FEE (SECTION 32-84), MOTOR VEHICLE TAX REDUCTION (SECTION 20-25), AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF (SECTION 20-30) FOR TAX YEAR 2021, AND AMENDING LEESBURG TOWN CODE SECTION 20-25 AND APPENDIX B – FEE SCHEDULE In accordance with the Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, §§ 15.2-1427, 46.2-752, 58.1-3000, 58.1-3007, 58.1-3503, 58.1-3506, 58.1-3506.1, 58.1-3515 and 58.1-3524, the Leesburg Town Council will hold a public hearing on:
Tuesday, February 9, 2021, 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 the following proposed amendments to the Leesburg Town Code: • The Town Manager proposes tax rates for personal property (per $100.00 of assessed value) for tax year 2020 to remain unchanged, as follows: • Aircraft = $0.001 • Motor vehicles = $1.00 • Motor vehicles of eligible elderly and disabled (Town Code Sec. 20-25) = $0.50 • Tangible personal property (excluding public service corporations) = $1.00 • Bank capital = $.80 per $100.00 of the net capital of banks located in the Town. • The Town Manager proposes unchanged personal property tax relief for tax year 2021 under the provisions of the Virginia Personal Property Tax Relief Act and Leesburg Town Code sec. 20-30, as follows: a reduced personal property tax rate of 50%, which shall be applied solely to that portion of the value of each qualifying vehicle that is not in excess of $20,000. • The Town Manager proposes that the vehicle license fee for tax year 2021 remain unchanged at $25.00 per vehicle. Copies of the proposed ordinance are available for public examination prior to the public hearing in the office of the Clerk of Council at Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA, during normal business hours. For more information about the ordinance, please contact Clark G. Case, Director of Finance and Administrative Services at 703-771-2720. Persons requiring reasonable accommodations are requested to contact Eileen Boeing, Clerk of Council at 703-771-2733, three days in advance of the public hearing. For TTY/ TTD services, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 1/28 & 2/4/21
ATTENTION LOUDOUN COUNTY VEHICLE OWNERS FILING DUE FEBRUARY 1 Notification of 2021 Personal Property filing requirements has recently been mailed to all owners of record in order to establish accurate assessment information for the 2021 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 personal property owned in Loudoun County based on the property type, the date the property was located in Loudoun, and whether a filing was previously made on the property. 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 personal property by February 1, 2021, online at: www.loudoun.gov/efile Newly acquired personal property or personal property 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.
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Although the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has limited its services during the COVID-19 pandemic, 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 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.
Construction
In order to protect the safety of taxpayers and staff and slow the spread of COVID-19, we encourage you to connect with us virtually. 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 ppdcor@loudoun.gov or 703-777-0260. Regular office hours are weekdays from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. If you choose to visit, we recommend you contact our office beforehand, as our office hours may be adjusted due to the pandemic. Leesburg Office 1 Harrison St. SE, First Floor Sterling Office 21641 Ridgetop Cir., Suite 100
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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 administers the personal property tax and vehicle license fee (VLF) for owners of motor vehicles in the incorporated towns of Leesburg and Round Hill. For the incorporated towns of Middleburg and Lovettsville, Loudoun County will be billing and collecting the VLF only. Owners of motor vehicles located within the incorporated towns of Hamilton, Hillsboro, and Purcellville should contact their respective town regarding tax and decal requirements.
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LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 28, 2021
PAGE 23
Resource Directory CONSTRUCTION Construction
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LOUDOUNNOW.COM
PAGE 24
JANUARY 28, 2021
Opinion More Work to Do As the long awaited COVID-19 vaccines begin to roll out across the county and the around the world, it is becoming clear that its arrival is not the silver bullet some held it out to be. At this stage, it offers important protections to our most vunerable residents, but It is not the finish line. It does represent the best hope of returning to normal life later this year—and we’re seeing that, at the current pace, later this year isn’t before the summer. Our work is not over. But we’ve been training for this. We have 10 months of experience in taking conscious steps to limit the spread of the virus. Keeping at a safe distance from others, wearing face coverings, and slathering on hand sanitizer now are second nature to most of us. If we continue to exercise those safeguards, we can do normal things.
LETTERS to the Editor
Students can go to class. Families can go to libraries, restaurants, even movie theaters—all of which have their own experience with the critical
Stop Bullying
mitigation protocols. Those measures have been critical to keeping our
Editor: I don’t know about anyone else, but I for one am tired of being bullied by a bunch of politicians and liberal organizations. Dave LaRock did nothing illegal. He has a constitutional right to protest and he also has a right to an opinion about the Presidential Election. I voted for this man and how dare anyone nullify my vote by bullying him out of office. Believe it or not, but the public can make their own decision about LaRock at the ballot box. Let the public vote, stop harassing those of us who disagree with the progressive left and, for goodness sake, stop acting like the average voter is an idiot and needs you to discern the truth for us. — Peggy Welty, Lovettsville
economy open, even if only at a low-density level. And just maybe we can welcome spring with a return of Leesburg’s beloved Flower & Garden Festival and other community festivals we missed out on last year. n Norman K. Styer, Publisher and Editor nstyer@loudounnow.com
Published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC 15 N. King St., Suite 101 Leesburg, VA, 20176 PO Box 207 Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723
EDITORIAL Renss Greene, Deputy Editor rgreene@loudounnow.com Jan Mercker, Reporter jmercker@loudounnow.com Kara C. Rodriguez, Reporter krodriguez@loudounnow.com Patrick Szabo, Reporter pszabo@loudounnow.com
Loudoun Now is delivered by mail to more than 44,000 Loudoun homes and businesses, with a total weekly distribution of 47,000.
ADVERTISING Susan Styer, Advertising Manager sstyer@loudounnow.com Tonya Harding, Account Executive tharding@loudounnow.com
Rules Violation Editor: The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors’ resolution last week urging Del. Dave LaRock to resign was a purely political stunt, a direct violation by the Democrats of their individually signed Ethics Policy, and two violations of their own Rules of Order, which each one of
them agreed to at their first meeting in January. Item 11 of their own individually signed Ethics Policy states that they will “use county resources, county staff or staff that is in anyway financially compensated by the county ONLY to conduct county business ...” Nothing in the resolution is related to official county business. They also violated their recently adopted “Rules of Order” in Section IV. E. 4 on Resolutions and Proclamations, which states that “due to the nature and purpose of Board Resolutions, they should not be controversial, and it is preferred that all resolutions be approved by a unanimous vote from the dais.” Additionally, they violated their Rules of Order ignoring another requirement of Section IV. E. 4. Resolutions and Proclamations, which states that “Board Members shall notify County staff of such Resolutions for the agenda two weeks prior to the Board meeting.” I served on the Loudoun Board of Supervisors for eight years with
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR continues on page 25
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JANUARY 28, 2021
Readers’ Poll
PAGE 25
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:
Are your kids ready to head back into the classroom?
Are you in line for a COVID-19 vaccine?
Share your views at loudounnow.com/polls
LETTERS to the Editor continued from page 24 substantial Republican majorities in both terms. In fact, during the 20122016 Board we had a nine member all Republican Board. During those terms, we followed our Rules of Order and adhered to the Code of Ethics. We did not use the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, county staff or resources to further divisive partisan political agendas. — Geary M. Higgins, Waterford Editor’s Note: The writer is the chairman of the Virginia 10th District Republican Committee.
Scammers continued from page 3 progress on its investigations, as it works with specialized task forces within different federal government agencies. But for a law enforcement agency as localized as Purcellville’s, Dailey said it’s impossible to investigate crimes originating across the world. Drogin said the same goes for the Leesburg Police Department, although the agency “fully investigates” all reported scams. The more complex scams are further investigated by detectives working within the department’s Criminal Investigation Section. The Sheriff ’s Office’s work has paid off on some occasions.
Global Equity Editor: I am so excited to be vaccinated, and for enough people to be vaccinated in Loudoun to reach herd immunity. I sometimes daydream about catching up with a friend indoors, maybe at a coffee shop or restaurant, or even going out to a crowded bar—not a scene I thought I would ever miss. I know we are all so tired of this pandemic, of keeping our distance from loved ones, of smelling our own breath underneath our masks and fogging up our glasses, of so many hardships both unbearably big and irritatingly small. Every time I read about increased vaccine authorizations or the amazing volunteer force involved in executing the complicated logistics surrounding vaccine distribution, it fills me with hope
and excitement for a future that is just out of reach—the heroic feat of developing a vaccine in record-breaking time accomplished, only a matter of logistics— manufacturing, distribution, etc.—stands between us and a post-pandemic world. It is precisely because I want this pandemic to end—here, everywhere, permanently—that I do not want to be vaccinated until frontline healthcare and essential workers in every country have been vaccinated. The United States has reserved vaccines for almost 200% of its population, with the option to purchase vaccines for more than 400% of its population. Hoarding vaccines won’t end the pandemic sooner, and supporting COVAX, a global initiative to ensure access to vaccines for low-income countries, isn’t charity. It’s a practical way to keep COVID-19 at bay in the long run, to slow the spread of this deadly virus and
give it fewer chances to mutate. Vaccine nationalism—clearing the shelves of the COVID vaccine before low-income countries have a chance to access any shots at all—will prolong the pandemic for the entire world, including the United States, not just for those countries with less access to COVID-19 vaccines. It is imperative that the United States work to scale up global vaccine manufacturing capacity during this pandemic, so that the world can end this pandemic quickly and be better prepared to swiftly tackle the next one. I have been making regular donations to the organizations coordinating COVAX and have written to my representatives to ask what they are doing to ensure an equitable global distribution of vaccines. I hope fellow readers will join me. — Kara Newman, Lovettsville
In March 2020, a Chinese national was charged with obtaining money by false pretenses for scamming an elderly victim into giving him her social security number and wire transferring money to an account on the West Coast. And earlier this month, the Sheriff ’s Office charged an Ashburn man with three counts of money laundering and three counts of obtaining money by false pretenses after scamming a 60-year-old into transferring money to help with a falsified business he said he was starting. Because internet scammers frequently target elderly residents, Dailey said Purcellville Police conduct special outreach at the Carver Center Senior Center. Dailey said the department strives to accomplish “prevention through education.” But it’s not only seniors who fall victim
to the scams. Troxell said scammers are deceiving people of all ages, which is why the Sheriff ’s Office, in addition to reaching out to seniors, has launched #FraudFriday, when it sends out tips at the end of each week aimed to alert residents to the different types of scams. The Sheriff ’s Office on a daily basis urges people to be on the lookout for instances in which they might be asked to purchase gift cards or cash app money, instances in which they might be rushed to make payments, instances in which they’re contacted by a government agency or company out of the blue, and instances in which they’re sent an email or text with a link. Clicking on that link could give scammers access to their victims’ device. To help stop people from giving into scammers’ demands for victims to pur-
chase gift cards, the Sheriff ’s Office has placed information next to gift cards in many stores warning people that they could be purchasing the gift cards for a scammer. Troxell said bank tellers and cashiers also sometimes question customers who are buying gift cards with large sums of money to determine if they’re being scammed. The Sheriff ’s Office also ran a Pizza Box Campaign last spring in which it placed 20,000 informational cards, in both English and Spanish, on participating pizza delivery companies’ pizza boxes urging recipients to be wary of scams, domestic violence and other crimes that heightened at the start of the pandemic. “We want to solve these cases but first and foremost we want to prevent them,” Troxell said. n
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Events continued from page 1 some safe and healthy fun. Since Gov. Ralph Northam’s initial executive order last March, businesses and municipalities have been operating at limited capacities. Many shuttered entirely for a few weeks to a few months during 2020. None of those organizations have returned to normal operations, and the towns have hosted few community events at all since last February. Now, many are prepping plans for community events in 2021—events tailored down to fit state and federal regulations on gatherings.
Leesburg Leesburg Parks and Recreation Events and Outreach Manager Linda Fountain said town leaders are planning all usual events for 2021, although that task has been a challenge thus far. Fountain said the town staff constantly monitors updates from the Virginia Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the governor’s office. Last year, the town’s events were either held virtually, with a limited number of participants, or designed to be contactless with limited social gatherings. The town also looked at new ways of hosting events, such as by holding them outdoors, which is what it did with the Holiday Fine Arts & Crafts Show in December at Freedom Park. The town took the big leap on Monday, with the announcement that the 31st annual Flower & Garden Festival will be held April 17-18 at Ida Lee Park with COVID-19-related protocols in place. Deputy Director of Parks & Recreation Kate Trask said the move would allow for better social distancing; somewhere between 70 and 80 vendors will set their displays up in every other parking space in the lower few parking lots. “[W]e are all hopeful that the [COVID-19] positivity rate will be waning come springtime so the festival can be held,” Trask stated. “We’ve missed hosting our community events.” Fountain said planning events in 2021 is “a continuous process” in which town leaders are placing the safety of the community, staff and vendors at the forefront. “Using the guidelines that are in place and the creativity of our staff, we hope to produce quality events, give the community an opportunity to get out of the hours and give our vendors the opportunity to do business,” she said.
Hamilton The Hamilton Town Council set up an Events Committee at the end of 2020 to
better organize the town’s annual events, like the Christmas Eve luminaries display and Hamilton Day. The committee is comprised of six members, including two Town Council members and Cari Michon, who has been organizing the luminaries display for years. Councilman Craig Green, who serves as the committee’s chairman, said town leaders are hoping COVID-19 restrictions relax a bit by Memorial Day, when Hamilton Day is typically held, so they can host the 5K race, the parade and the culminating event at the Hamilton Community Park. Green said the town would at least honor the fifthgrade Hamilton Elementary School graduates, perhaps with a socially distant car parade around town. “That’s the very least that we would do,” he said. The Events Committee also is looking to organize movies and other events in the park, which is perhaps the most children’s park in all of western Loudoun. “We get a lot of traffic there and it blows our mind,” Green said.
Hillsboro The Town of Hillsboro is looking to host its first event of the year, the Independence Day Celebration, on July 2, although Vice Mayor Amy Marasco said the celebration this year would be a “much smaller event.” Still, the town has fireworks it didn’t use last year when the celebration was canceled. Marasco said town leaders also are planning nine Friday night concerts and are in talks with bands. She said the concerts would be open to the public, but probably by registration only, to limit crowd sizes. As for other events, Marasco said the town might have to cancel its April Gardens in the Gap event for a second consecutive year, but should be poised to host the Christmas Market in December. Town leaders are also planning some sort of grand re-opening event following the conclusion of the Rt. 9 traffic calming project in April, but Marasco said that may not be held until June. “Were optimistically cautious but we’re hopeful we can have some sort of community events,” she said about the year ahead.
Lovettsville The Town of Lovettsville typically plans several large-scale events each year. Oktoberfest, held the last weekend in September, brings in more than 10,000 visitors. In summer, the town holds its Summer on the Green series in which families watch movies and attend concerts on the Town Green. And in May, the town holds its first event of the year, MayFest. Last year, the town canceled Oktoberfest and MayFest, and canceled the remainder of its summer series events by July.
Interim Town Manager Sam Finz said the Town Council would discuss event planning options in more detail during an upcoming session intended to outline event committee restructuring. Finz also cut more than $21,000 from the town’s Event Fund in his proposed Fiscal Year 2022 budget to account for a presumably less eventful year amid the pandemic. The Town Council will discuss the Event Fund more at its Feb. 4 budget work session.
Middleburg The Town of Middleburg is focused on its biennial Foxes on the Fence event, scheduled to span from April 1 to May 17. The event will see 40-50 cutouts of foxes, hounds and hares provided by local artists displayed around town for passersby to admire and later purchase in a May 9 online auction. Proceeds from those sales will benefit town beautification projects and promote arts in the town through the Middleburg Beautification and Preservation Committee and the Middleburg Arts Council. Economic Development Director Jamie Gaucher said the event “is very conducive to the current health crisis.” Middleburg Arts Council Chairwoman Mary Ann Burns said that’s because the event is all outdoors and is spread out among more than six weeks, so visitors aren’t gathering in town in one place all at once. “People don’t feel rushed,” Burns said. “It’s a perfect COVID event in that respect.” The Arts Council also isn’t charging businesses to sponsor the event this year. “We didn’t want to tax them with any extra expenses,” Burns said. While the Foxes on the Fence event typically culminates in the biannual Art in the ‘Burg event, Gaucher said that event is still up in the air, with COVID-19-related restrictions blocking the foresight needed to effectively plan ahead. Burns said the Arts Council is, however, still preparing to send out its first call to artists for the event. And if the event is held this year, the artists’ booths will be spaced out all across town instead of all being positioned next to each other on Madison Street, Burns said. To further help the community amid the pandemic, artists participating in the event are also planning to create sculptures out of canned goods, which will then be disassembled at the close of the event and donated to the Seven Loaves Services food bank.
Purcellville Parks and Recreation Division Manager Amie Ware said town leaders are still exploring options for events in 2021 but will make decisions “in the near future.” In a typical year, the town puts on its annual Loudoun Grown Expo, which was
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held in February last year; an Independence Day event, which it condensed to a vehicles-only parade last year; the Music and Arts Festival and the Wine & Food Festival, both of which it canceled last year; the Green Expo, which it hosted virtually last year; and Christmas in Purcellville, which went almost entirely virtual last year with a virtual holiday market, ornament workshop and Lego train display, but also included a socially distant holiday lights tour.
Round Hill While Round Hill town leaders plan one large event each year in May, the Hometown Festival, Town Administrator Melissa Hynes said that with restrictions on gatherings still in place, they’re planning to move the event to October, once restrictions— hopefully—are relaxed a bit. Mayor Scott Ramsey said the committee in charge of planning the festival is working to save the date with key vendors and partners and is discussing how to adjust the event to accommodate changes in daylight hours and expected temperatures. He said serious preparations won’t pick up until May or June. “We hope we can confidently gather together again as a community then,” he said.
Town Centers Andrea Khoury, the president of the Khoury Media Group that heads public relations for One Loudoun, said organizers at the town center are working through a tentative schedule of events for 2021, but are waiting to see what comes from Northam’s office. Courtney Tolson, the marketing manager for Rappaport, which manages the Village at Leesburg, said her team is not planning any traditional events for 2021 as of yet, citing safety as their top priority. She said Rappaport is waiting to see how the pandemic plays out as more people get vaccinated. The Village at Leesburg in January hosted its Winter Wanderland, inviting visitors each weekend to grab a drink and roam through the center admiring ice sculptures. In February, the town center will set up a photo-op wall, specifically for Valentine’s Day. Tolson said Rappaport also could host smaller, pop-up style events once the weather warms up.
Breweries and Wineries Old Ox Brewery, which operates locations in Ashburn and Middleburg, is moving ahead with its Beer My Valentine event the weekend of Feb. 13-14 in Ashburn. Burns, whose day job is to work alongside her family managing the brewery, said that event is conducive to COVID-related reEVENTS continues on page 27
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Vaccine Sbots for Seniors
continued from page 1 vaccination, Phase 1b. Previously, Loudoun was one of only 11 jurisdictions that had opened up vaccination to a larger pool of candidates, including all residents age 65 or older. And, as before, the main obstacle to getting people vaccinated in Loudoun is supply—Goodfriend said the new vaccination site at the Dulles Town Center can handle three or four times as many vaccinations as the county is doing, and no vaccine is wasted. Where before county leaders had said the new vaccination site at the mall would be a third vaccination site, Goodfriend said it will in fact replace the first vaccination site that operated at a warehouse in Sterling. The second vaccination site was set up in collaboration with the school system to get school employees ready for students coming back to class. The Loudoun Health Department is also now able to handle and administer both the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. The county health department’s first super-cold freezer, necessary to store the Pfizer vaccine, arrived last week. For now, most of the eligible vaccination candidates are waiting to be contacted by the Health Department for an appointment time, after signing up through an online portal. “It’s tough to just be telling people, ‘we know that you’re high risk’—because there’s a lot of high-risk folks out there—’but be patient,’” Goodfriend said. “Because they’ve been waiting for this for so long. They’ve been doing everything right now for almost a year, but now vaccination is here, but it’s still going to be a while before we get to all of these high-risk folks.” The state made one other change at the same time it was decided vaccine doses would be distributed according to population: all vaccine doses this week go to local health departments to allocate in their communities. A statement on the Inova Health System’s website says that the deci-
Events continued from page 26 strictions because it sees parties of only two situated six feet apart from each other. Burns said the Old Ox management team has also already booked music for its Porktoberfest event on Labor Day weekend in September in Ashburn and could start booking music in August for its Oktoberfest event. Old Ox is also the beer vendor for Great
A resident at Tribute at One Loudoun gets her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Loudoun’s senior living communities, which house some of the most at-risk people in the pandemic, have begun vaccinating their employees and residents through a partnership with CVS. “There is a mood of celebration in our community and everyone is wearing a smile. We are grateful to our team and to the staff from CVS for their efforts to make today possible,” said Susie Stangroom, Chief Operating Officer of Cadence Living which manages Tribute. Contributed
sion to allocate vaccine doses through local health departments resulted in the system’s supply being “severely diminished.” On Monday, Inova Vice President Michael Forehand alerted the Loudoun Board of Supervisors they would be temporarily suspending appointments for first doses of the vaccine because of that. “We received significantly fewer doses than anticipated, and it appears supply will continue to be lower than expected in the coming weeks. We will be prioritizing appointments for those individuals in the 1a and 1b groups who received their first shots through Inova and now require their second vaccine doses in the coming weeks,” Forehand wrote. “As vaccine supply increases, Inova will be in touch with affected individuals to reschedule their first shot appointment.” But in Loudoun, that likely will not make much immediate difference. An Inova spokesperson confirmed the vaccinations the hospital is handling in Loudoun are second doses for law enforcement and first responders. Goodfriend said it didn’t make sense to give that vaccine allocation to Inova, since the hospital system is doing the bulk of its vaccination in Fairfax, “so it really wasn’t servicing Loudoun County residents as well as our being able to do that.” All of those vaccine supply complications could change again next week, Good-
friend noted, with state officials issuing new guidance each week.
Meadow’s Independence Day Celebration in The Plains, which was canceled last year but could go on this year, albeit with a scaled-back format, said Executive Director Carrie Hull. Breaux Vineyards General Manager Jennifer Breaux said her team is planning events the same as they’ve been planning them for months, and not as if the world has found its way out of the pandemic yet. This year’s Valentine’s Day chocolate and cabernet tasting event is now a self-guided experience to better socially distance in the
tasting room. And the winery’s Mardi Gras event this year is not being advertised as an official event, since doing so would attract more people, Breaux said. Instead, Breaux said this year’s celebration, on Feb. 13, will be run as a normal business day in which customers can make reservations to enjoy Cajun food and live music. “We’re not giving up but we are certainly modifying,” Breaux said. Another modification at the winery this year is a switch to virtual events. This Friday, Breaux will host a virtual chef ’s ta-
New Plan to Reopen Classes The School Board on Tuesday was briefed on a new proposal to return students to class on a part-time basis next month. In-person learning was suspended just before the winter break in December because of increasing levels of community spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. As caseloads begin to decline following the expected post-holiday spike and state and national leaders press for schools to reopen, the School Board is evaluating new strategies that will allow in-person classes to resume unless there are on-campus outbreaks. This week, the average number of new daily cases rose to its highest level—275. However, the number of hospitalized COVID patients was declining and the average percent positivity rate for PCR test was falling below 13% for the first time in a month. Under the latest proposal, hybrid classes—providing at least two days of in-person learning—would resume no later than Feb. 16 for special education students, English language learners, students in grades K-3 and some students enrolled at the Academies of Loudoun as long as on-cam-
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pus mitigation measures are being closely followed. Then, the hybrid program could be expanded to middle and high school students by March 3. The proposal also seeks to avoid another district-wide closure like the one triggered by increasing community spread in December. Once open, in-person classes would be suspended on a targeted basis, if outbreaks occur in a classroom, in a school or a school cluster. The board plans to vote on the new re-opening rules at its Feb. 2 meeting. Since classrooms were closed in December, the division has implemented a number of new safety measures, including the installation of air purifiers in all classrooms and thermal cameras at school entrances. The division this week is beginning to install sneeze guards on student and teacher desks. Also, the effort to provide vaccinations to the school staff is gearing up, with more than 6,100 shots delivered since the dedicated distribution program conducted by the division’s nursing staff at Brambleton Middle School opened Jan. 15. That number is expected to near 8,000 by week’s end. Second round doses will begin Feb. 12. During Tuesday’s School Board meeting, members read aloud the names of all the employees who volunteered to make the vaccination effort possible. Parents speaking during the public comment period urged the board to move quickly to reopen classes to help students struggling with their academics and mental health. They said the school setting represents a small health threat to students, but offers critical benefits students have been denied for the past 10 months. Teachers, meanwhile, urged the board to wait until the staff is fully vaccinated and until the caseload further declines. Loudoun Education Association President Sandy Sullivan said her members are worried the School Board will rush the final stage of efforts to safety return to the classroom. “Please don’t break the dam when the floodwaters are still high and it is about to recede,” Social Studies teachers Sheryl Gusman said. n ble dinner, in which celebrity chef Charlie Loomis will guide participants through the cooking of a Creole-inspired dinner, which will be paired with Breaux wines. “I think it’s all about reinventing yourself right now,” Breaux said, adding that she’s hopeful her winery’s operations can return to some kind of normalcy by fall. n Reporter Kara C. Rodriguez contributed to this report.
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