Loudoun Now for Feb. 2, 2023

Candidates Line Up for 2023 Elections

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Loudoun voters will be confronted with a long ballot this November, while dozens of candidates compete for 23 local elected offices, five seats in the House of Delegates and two in the state Senate.

Every seat on the Board of Supervisors and School Board is up for grabs, along with all five local constitutional officers and the three elected seats on the Soil and Water Conservation District board. With one district and one at-large vote on both boards, one district in each chamber of the General Assembly, all five constitutional officers on the ballot, and three at-large seats on the conservation district board, voters will have 15 choices to make—and that’s without considering any referendum questions such as whether to issue more bonds, a routine part of the Loudoun ballot.

Already many seats are contested, and some candidates are already facing primaries. And in several districts, there is no incumbent to hold on to home field advantage. No incumbent lives in ELECTIONS continues on page 34

Teachers, Firefighters Move Toward Collective Bargaining Talks

BY RENSS GREENE AND ALEXIS GUSTIN rgreene@loudounnow.com agustin@loudounnow.com

Two major public employee unions in Loudoun are moving closer to negotiating their first-ever collective bargaining agreements—which will also be some of the first negotiations of their kind in the state under legislation that went into effect in 2021.

On Friday, Loudoun Education Association President Sandy Sullivan informed Loudoun County Public Schools that the association has gathered signatures from a majority of the school district’s licensed employees, starting a clock for the School Board to vote on whether to permit collective bargaining. The LEA seeks to bargain on behalf of state-licensed employees like teachers and school counselors, but has faced delays gathering enough signatures and roadblocks thrown up by the school district.

Meanwhile, the Loudoun Career Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 3756, has already held preliminary talks with the county government to set the ground rules for its negotiations, which are set to start late next month.

Sullivan gave the district an affidavit affirming that LEA has collected signatures from 51% of licensed employees and a resolution approving collective bargaining written by the LEA for the School Board to consider. Under state law, turning in that notice starts a 120-day clock

for the School Board to vote on whether to pursue collective bargaining, but it is not required to extend collective bargaining rights.

“At this point it’s in the School Board’s hands,” Sullivan said.

It has been a long road to that letter.

The LEA has been working to implement collective bargaining since a state law went into effect in 2021 allowing local government bodies to adopt collective bargaining ordinances. The association sent a letter in October 2021 informing the School Board it had obtained all the necessary membership in the form of au-

thorization cards signed by educators; the division argued it needed to verify the accuracy of the information before moving forward. The LEA proposed hiring a third party to keep the information on those cards confidential; Sullivan said the association had promised those who signed up that their information would not go into the hands of division employees.

The LEA continued to gather signatures and in May 2022 confirmed the numbers of licensed employees provided by the

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING continues on page 35

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Loudoun County firefighters train to fight fires on Metrorail tracks at the fire-rescue training center on Courage Court near Leesburg.

Franklin Park Arts Center

36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville, VA 20132

John Cowan & The New Grass All -Stars

February 17 7:30 pm Tickets: $25

This 90-minute concert features the soaring vocals of John Cowan, legendary performer and innovator of the “New Grass” sound that has influenced bands like Yonder Mountain String Band and Leftover Salmon, Dixie Chicks and Zac Brown Band. A true innovator, John applies his powerful pipes to genres from country, bluegrass, and gospel to soul, jazz, and rock-and-roll often within the space of a single concert. He tours with the Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary Tour, has been inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame and has recorded numerous solo and collaborative albums. This mega-star and his mates will carry mesmerized audiences on a musical journey that has set him apart as one of the most loved and admired vocal artists of his generation, not just by fans and critics but among fellow musicians as well. This is an in-person concert experience not to be missed!

AND THERE’S MORE MUSIC!

Bluegrass band-

Purchase tickets online at www.franklinparkartscenter.org

V a l e n T U

Music For Dessert Series

Tickets: $15/adults, $8/students, $8/virtual viewer ticket 7:00 pm

• David Andrew Smith Wed., Feb 1

• Sherry Stewart and Jeff Smith Wed., Feb 8

• The Cahoots Wed., Feb 15

• Nicole June Trio Wed., Feb 22

Purcellville Council Rules Out Special Election for Appointed Member

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The Purcellville Town Council is moving ahead with its plan to keep newly appointed member Ronald Rise Jr. in his seat for the next two years.

The council on Jan. 24 rejected assertions that a special election would be required in November.

Rise was appointed to fill the council vacancy created by Stanley J. Milan’s election as mayor.

Typically, under the state code such appointments are made until a special election is held. However, the town’s charter permits an appointment to be made for the full remaining term, if the vacancy occurs after the midpoint of the term.

The conflicting rules sparked disagreement in Town Hall.

Town Attorney Sally Hankins said during a Jan. 10 special meeting that her opinion was that the town needed to petition the Circuit Court for a special election.

“State code specifies that even if your charter provides for other procedures, the state code requires that a special election be scheduled at the next general election which is Nov. 7 of 2023,” she said.

At that same meeting, the council

directed Hankins to research the legal options regarding the requirements for a special election. The motion passed 6-0-1 with Rise abstaining.

Hankins submitted her staff report to the Town Council prior to the Jan. 24 meeting. However, the report was shielded from public release. Hankins described the report as a “confidential memorandum” and cited a Virginia Freedom of

Information Act exemption that permits items subject to attorney-client privilege to be withheld. During Tuesday’s debate over the issue, Council Member Erin Rayner requested the council meet in closed session to review her findings; the council declined to do so.

Council members Mary Jane Williams and Rayner said they supported holding the election in November following

Hankins’ advice.

However, Vice Mayor Christopher Bertaut said he and Milan had received an opinion from the Virginia Municipal League finding that a special election was not required.

“There is more than one interpretation of the law,” Bertaut said. “Our capable town attorney has consistently over time given us a solid interpretation of the law. We’ve also received another interpretation in this case from the Virginia Municipal League’s executive director.”

Milan said, “I was privy to this information that was presented to us at the local government day [in Richmond] about the decision for a special election and they are in disagreement to hold a special election. They said our charter designates that we can appoint someone, and we need to draft a letter to the Circuit Court judge and state what we have done. And that is within the law. So, we are not circumventing the law. We are following the law as stated in our charter.”

Loudoun Now also requested a copy of the correspondence between the Virginia Municipal League and the council including the VML’s recommendation stating

Ziegler, Byard Motions Denied; ‘Woke’ Policy Lawsuit Dismissal Sought

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

Circuit Court Judge James P. Fisher on Jan. 26 ruled against motions from fired former public schools superintendent Scott Ziegler and school district Public Information Office Wayde Byard, both of whom are facing charges following a special grand jury investigation into the school district’s handling of repeated sexual assaults by a student.

Fisher ruled against Ziegler’s motions to dismiss indictments against him and to disqualify the state Attorney General from prosecuting his case.

He said he disagreed with attorney Erin Harrigan’s argument that Gov. Glenn Youngkin did not have the authority to issue Executive Order 4, authorizing Attorney General Jason Miyares to investigate the school division. That investigation led to the charges against Ziegler.

Harrigan argued the Virginia code section cited in Youngkin’s order is aimed at limiting the attorney general’s authority to participate in criminal cases, not give him more authority. She noted the word “investigate” is not in the code and argued it was left out intentionally by the General Assembly to limit the attorney general’s authority.

Harrigan argued the attorney general has no jurisdiction to charge Ziegler or any local official in Loudoun, because that lies with the Commonwealth’s Attorney. She also argued the prosecution’s reading of state code threatens to “allow the governor to effectively amalgamate all criminal law enforcement power in one individual, the attorney general, with the stroke of a pen.”

She argued the executive order, the investigation into the school division and the indictments were all done without “lawful authority or jurisdiction,” and should therefore be dismissed.

Fisher disagreed, saying Harrigan’s ar-

gument would be too narrow of a reading of the state code.

In a Jan. 19 response to a motion Harrigan filed to dismiss the indictments against Ziegler and to disqualify the attorney general, Special Counsel Theo Stamos noted Ziegler’s arguments have been heard by the same circuit court twice and were denied both times. She argued they were barred from being heard again. She wrote Harrigan made the same arguments both in April and later in June 2022. Harrigan argued both times the governor’s executive order exceeded his authority and questioned the legality of the attorney general actions in the empaneling of the special grand jury, according to the documents.

“The judge held that the Office of the Attorney General properly empaneled the special grand jury. The defendant now asks this court to decide that exact same issue in his criminal case with no mention of why he should not be held to the Court’s previous rulings on the exact

same issue,” Stamos wrote.

In a Jan. 5 motion for a request for a bill of particulars, Harrigan asked to be informed about which of Ziegler’s statements made June 22, 2021, were allegedly false, leading to a charge of false publication, along with the means of stating it and which publication published it. She said in court on Jan. 26 the information is needed so the “defendant knows what he’s showing up for.”

Stamos’ team argued it was premature to give that information and that it would be included in the pre-trial discovery material that was forthcoming. But they said it was no secret which statement they were referring to, and read Ziegler’s statement at the June 22, 2021, School Board meeting, when he said “to my knowledge we don’t have any record of sexual assaults occurring in our restrooms.”

MOTIONS DENIED continues on page 35

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Council Member Ronald Rise Jr. and Mayor Stanley J. Milan review documents at a Jan. 24 meeting.

PURCELLVILLE continues on page 34

Loudoun

Loudoun Water Reports Climbing Rates, Construction Progress

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Loudoun Water representatives reported strong finances, plans for rate increases, and progress on major projects at their annual report to the Board of Supervisors’ finance committee Jan. 10.

It was also the first annual report to the panel since the water utility resumed billing late fees and disconnecting water service for nonpayment in May 2022. Loudoun Water had suspended late fees and disconnections during the COVID-19 pandemic.

General Manager Carla Burleson said the utility offers payment plans to people having trouble paying their bills and is participating in the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Social Services and payment processor Promise. The program offers assistance for residents behind on their water and sewer bills, subject to income requirements—no more than $41,628 annual gross income for a household of four.

Loudoun Water is in the process of increasing its water and sewer rates and availability charges by 3% each for three years, with the first increases going into effect January 1, 2022, followed by another

increase that went into effect this January and another next January.

And while Loudoun Water has lower water rates and sewer rates than Prince William and Fairfax counties and the Town of Leesburg, it has higher residential availability charges, the charge for a new connection, than any of those comparators. In 2023, water and sewer availability charges for a residential connection

add up to $16,858, according to the utility’s report.

“That is really indicative of the fairly young system that is still growing and in need of critical infrastructure to meet the expansion needs,” Burleson said.

Loudoun Water is also working on a

County Board Moves Toward Personal Property Tax Cut

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

The Board of Supervisors on Jan. 17 voted unanimously for a planned fivecent cut to the county’s personal property tax cut this year, affirming the intent to stick to the cut so the Commissioner of the Revenue can prepare to send out tax bills.

The new tax rate on property like cars, motorcycles, boats, motor homes, and computer equipment—the major source of tax revenue from data centers—will be $4.15 per $100 of assessed value, down from $4.20.

The supervisors’ previous Jan. 3 vote to advertise the lower rate also locks them into the tax cut unless they issue a new public notice for a higher rate. Those advertisements and notifications are typically placed in February to coincide with County Administrator Tim Hemstreet’s annual budget proposal.

Commissioner of the Revenue Bob Wertz said he expects to see car values remain high when the National Automobile Dealers Association releases its annual report.

“I think we’re going to see they are not as elevated as they were last year. They are still historically elevated,” he said.

Wertz may also ask to cut Loudoun residents another break on their car tax, once again considering an assessment ratio. Doing so would mean car owners are only taxed on a portion of their car’s value, a response to continued high car values. He is expected to offer a recommendation in March.

Supervisors first said they would cut the personal property tax rate in 2023 during their last round of budget deliberations. Facing a tight budget, the board’s finance committee in October recommended cancelling that tax cut, but the full board that month voted to stick to its plans for the cut. n

Clerk of Court Plans Black History Program

The Clerk of the Circuit Court historic records team will host a special program for Black History Month in February.

“Navigating Slavery: The Goose Creek Meeting and the Hopkins Family” is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Goose Creek Meeting House, 18204 Lincoln Road in Purcellville. The program includes presentations by the historic records team and scholars from Johns Hopkins University, discussing the Hopkins family’s role in relation to slavery and the Goose Creek Meeting Quaker community’s view of slavery in Loudoun.

The free program is presented by the Loudoun Clerk of the Circuit Court, Goose Creek Friends, Johns Hopkins University and the Black History Committee of the Friends of the Thomas Balch Library. For more information, contact the Clerk of Circuit Court’s Historic Records and Deed Research Division at 703-7378775 or clerks-archives@loudoun.gov.

More information about the Clerk’s Historic Records and Deed Research Division is online at loudoun.gov/ clerkarchives.

Courthouse Expansion Hits Milestone

Construction crews working on the Loudoun County Courthouse expansion project at the corner of Church Street and Edwards Ferry Road in downtown Leesburg recently hit a milestone, finishing the interior framing and utility rough-in.

The project is the design and construction of a new 92,000-square-foot District Court building and renovation of existing courts facilities. Work to install drywall, door frames and window glazing is nearing completion on all levels, a permanent power connection has been established, and crews have begun to install elevators and paint interior walls.

The tunnel connecting the new building to the existing courts complex is complete, but Church Street from Market to Cornwall remains closed while utilities are installed.

The new courthouse building is expected to open this year. For more information go to  loudoun.gov/courts-expansion. n

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

The sign outside Loudoun Water’s headquarters in Ashburn.

LOUDOUN WATER continues on page 5

Former Warner Aid Tapped for Outreach Role at NOVA Parks

STAFF REPORT

NOVA Parks has hired a community engagement manager to partner with community organizations, stakeholders and residents to advance the

Loudoun Water

continued from page 4

Phan

number of projects to address water services concerns in the county, including in 2022 wrapping up the first phase of a project in the historically Black community Howardsville in western Loudoun. Burleson said those properties can now connect to the system.

“It’s life-changing when somebody has the dignity of being able to use the facilities and run the water in their house,” County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said.

Work continues on water and wastewater projects in Paeonian Springs, Waterford and Unison. And Loudoun Water is nearly done designing the county portion of a project to provide water to homes in Broad Run Farms affected by toxic chemical leaks from the Hidden Lane Landfill, a federal Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site. The county is waiting on the EPA to move ahead on its part of the project, Burleson said.

“We’re still working with EPA, because we need to line these projects up, we can’t get ahead of them, but when they’re ready, we’re ready,” she said.

priorities in its recently approved 5-year Strategic Plan.

For the past 10 years, Anh Phan served as an outreach representative for Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), where she developed ties with the region’s business, labor, environmental, and faith communities. She has focused on developing sustainable platforms for special interest groups to provide input to community leaders.

Burleson also reported the utility posted a clean audit and continues to hold triple-A credit ratings, which will help the utility finance its five-year, $670 million capital budget. That budget includes ongoing work on the new Reservoir Park at Beaverdam, where construction began in October in partnership with NOVA Parks. A grand opening is planned in spring or summer of 2024. Currently, water access is closed and water levels in the reservoir have been lowered for that construction work.

The utility is also working to expand the capacity of the Broad Run Water Reclamation Facility from 10 million gallons per day to 15 million, expected to finish in 2024. The utility has already begun planning for another phase of expansion to 30 million gallons a day.

Meanwhile, the new Milestone Reservoir, the plan to fill a retired Luck Stone quarry with water, is still being designed and is expected to be completed in 2027. It will store 1.25 billion gallons of water.

Loudoun Water operates under state authority and is funded through customer and developer fees, but is governed by a nine-member board appointed by the Board of Supervisors. n

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap.

All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.”

This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-9753.

fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov www.fairhousing.vipnet.org

“NOVA Parks is committed to building a regional park system that engages the various cultures and communities of Northern Virginia to ensure a sense of belonging for all residents and visitors,” NOVA Parks Board Chair Cate Magennis Wyatt stated. “We welcome Anh’s leadership and look forward to working with her to develop and support effective partnerships to meet the needs of our

diverse community.”

“I’m pleased that Anh will continue serving the Northern Virginia community in this next phase of her career. Many Warner alumni have gone on to do great things in Virginia and all across the country upon the conclusion of their service in the Senate, and I trust that Anh will be no exception,” Warner stated in the announcement. n

Politics

Cummings Outlines Priorities in Senate Campaign

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

Two years after winning his first elected office to a seat on the Leesburg Town Council, Zach Cummings last week formally launched his bid for the newly redrawn 31st District state Senate seat.

“I won’t say you can change things because my dad and I get into arguments about that, but you can help people and that’s what I care about,” Cummings said to supporters gathered at the Leesburg Diner on Jan. 26. “It’s about the people who don’t know about coming to these [campaign] events. It’s about the people who can’t call their mayor or their [county] chair or their supervisor. It’s the folks who are just working every day, coming home, and trying to put food on their table, trying to take care of their kids trying to make sure their kids have a good public education. That’s who I’m fighting for. And that’s who I’m going to go to Richmond to represent.”

Cummings served as a campaign manager nationally before settling in Leesburg and working as a Realtor. He was County Chair Phyllis Randall’s campaign and finance manager during her 2015 campaign for county chair, when she unseated fourterm incumbent Scott K. York in a threeway race.

Randall credited his support in securing that victory after she lost two previous campaigns for local office.

“And the first two times I ran, I was sure I was going to win. When I ran in ’15, I was sure I was going to lose and so I decided to

run and talk about the things that I really cared about,” Randall said. “But when you have a candidate that doesn’t believe that they’re going to win, and just wants to talk about things that no one else is talking about, like mental health issues and substance abuse issues, and taking care of our nonprofits and funding our schools, no one wants to be that person’s campaign manager, no one, and no one’s giving that person money.”

“He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. He believed in a candidate that had lost twice,” she said. “But he never stopped. And he never gave up on me. Zach Cummings is not going to give up on you when he becomes a state senator. He is going to go down to Richmond and he is going to push people in ways they don’t want to be pushed. And he’s going to

talk about things that are hard, that people don’t want to talk about. And he’s going to make people sit in the room and listen to him. And he’s going to have numbers to call and information to give. He’s going to be there for you.”

Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk said that with two Town Council members seeking state office, municipalities should have a stronger voice in the General Assembly. Former Vice Mayor Marty Martinez stepped down last year after four terms to run for the 29th District seat in the House of Delegates.

Cummings outlined a platform focused on campaign finance reform, green energy, and supporting working families and unions.

“We need to have campaign finance reform in Virginia, because right now, anyone can give me as much money as they want and that’s just not right. We need to have a contribution limit. We need to ban candidates and elected officials spending their campaign money on personal things. I could pay for my mortgage with the campaign account if I wanted to,” he said of the current laws. He also advocates a prohibition on campaign contributions from state sanctioned utility companies like Dominion Energy that are regulated by the legislature.

He said he wants to build on work being done at the Town Council level to begin converting the municipal fleet to hybrid and electric vehicles and exploring initiatives such as putting a solar power array on top of the Town Hall parking garage.

“We’ve got to create a green economy

here in Virginia that provides jobs for everyone and lessens our dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil. And we can do that here in Virginia. We can lead the charge,” he said. “… There are things we can continue to do in Richmond to help build this green economy. The key is it’s got to be a great economy for everybody.”

He said more needs to be done for working families. He noted legislators are congratulating themselves on cutting the grocery tax—providing savings of only $1.50 for every $100—but said more needs to be done. “That’s not much if you’re on the margin. It’s not much if you’re trying to pinch pennies and work together.”

He promised to represent small businesses.

“I’m a small business owner as a realtor, and I’ve operated a small business with my wife and I can tell you that the conversations right now happening around tables about where this economy is heading are tough and I’m having some of those same conversations myself with my business,” Cummings said. “And so we need someone who’s going down to Richmond to fight for the small businesses, not just the big corporations.”

“When we talk about dignity of work, one of the ways that we can ensure that our working Virginians have dignity of work is to get our unions more involved in it,” Cummings said. “We’ve got folks in the firefighters. I’ve been proud to stand out with the Amalgamated Transit Union

CUMMINGS

continues on page 7

Segura Pledges Disruptive Innovation in State Senate Kickoff

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

Speaking to a standing-room-only crowd in a barn at the Wheatland Equestrian Center on Saturday afternoon, entrepreneur Juan Pablo Segura kicked off his first run for elected office—to represent Loudoun and Fauquier counties in the newly reconfigured 31st state Senate District.

The son of McLean billionaire Enrique Segura, Segura and his wife Cecilia moved to western Loudoun County during the pandemic. He is the founder of the District Dounuts franchise and Babyscripts, a company that produces virtual maternity

care software.

Segura, seeking the Republican nomination, pledged to put his entrepreneurial spirit to work in Richmond disrupting the status quo.

“We all want the same things. Freedom, not tyranny. Opportunity, not things; That breeds mediocrity. Innovation, not stagnation. Stronger families, not ideological insanity. And the list goes on and on,” Segura said. “Common sense, excellence, opportunity, and trust—these are the values that all Virginians can rally around— the values that give us the strength to solve the problems. And boy, do we have a lot of problems here in Virginia.”

“As an entrepreneur who’s basically ded-

icated my entire career to disrupting and fixing a broken healthcare industry and ineffective processes, I can tell you that the definition of stagnation is avoiding asking hard questions, to not solve problems,” he said. “I mean, I get it it’s easier to sweep something under the rug than to address it head on. But that’s not who I am.”

Segura said his business experience would have a big impact in the General Assembly.

“Before I took a turn into politics, I spent the last 10 years transforming a broken maternal health care industry,” he said. ”Did you know that we spend more

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now Leesburg Town Council member Zach Cummings speaks to supporters during at Jan. 26 kickoff for his Virginia Senate campaign.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now Juan Pablo Segura speaks to supporters during his Jan. 28 campaign kickoff for the 31st Senate District seat at the Wheatland Equestrian Center.

SEGURA continues on page 8

continued from page 6

Local 689, who’s currently striking right now. And I’m proud to stand with those with those men and women who have such an important job. They’re taking our residents, and the folks who live in Leesburg and Loudoun County from point A to point B. And we’re asking them to do that to take that responsibility and to do it safely, all the while they’re being paid under what other transit operators are being paid.”

Cummings said he supports an amendment to the Virginia constitution to protect abortion rights.

He said he believes politicians can make a difference.

“A lot of people when they run for office, they don’t want to talk about politics. They want to talk about public service, which I love public service. But I also love politics because politics gives me optimism and gives me hope. I’ve worked with a lot of inspiring, incredible candidates in my time working in politics,” Cummings said.

“And politics isn’t a dirty thing people like to say, politics or politicians. But what

politics is, is it gives us hope and it gives us a chance to do something for our communities and do something for the world,” he said. “And that’s why I’m running for state Senate—not for me, and not for all of us here and for my son Jackson and his generation of kids who need to have the environment to grow up in and need to continue to receive the public education that helps them out. And so that’s why I’m running for Virginia Senate. It’s for my wife, for my son and for all of you.”

Cummings faces Leesburg attorney Russet Perry in a June 20 Democratic primary for the party nomination. n

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Bryant Slimp

Bryant Slimp passed away on January 22, 2023 at the age of 44.

Bryant is survived by his wife, Emilene, and his children — Gabe (23) and Jackson (1) — the loves of his life. In addition, he is survived by his father, Col. Jack B. Slimp Jr.; his sisters Heather Fleury and husband Tony, Holly Caraballo and husband Jimmy, Laura Hutton and husband Ryan; and his brother Mark Slimp and wife Megan. Preceded in death by his mother, Kaye Slimp, the family takes comfort in their heavenly reunion.

Funeral services will take place at Reston Bible Church in Sterling, VA on Friday, February 3rd at 1pm with a reception to follow between 2pm-3:30pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting Bryant’s widow and young child with a monetary donation via GoFundMe.

Shawn Michael Kusterer

Shawn Michael Kusterer passed away on January 23rd 2023.

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He is survived by his father, Stephen and stepmother Cathy of Leesburg, his brother Matt and his wife, Abigail and their four children (Lillian, Alex, Teddy, Lydia), his step-sister Maggie her husband, Sam and their three children (Irene, George, Felicity), his step-brother Sean Twigg, his maternal grandparents Dave and Kathie Blanchard, his paternal grandmother Nonie Kusterer,  as well as beloved aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Janet Kusterer, his paternal grandfather Paul Kusterer and his cousin Timothy Kusterer. A funeral mass was held at Saint John the Apostle Catholic Church in Leesburg Virginia on Monday, January 30th .

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Democrat Supervisors, Candidates Announce Shared Platform

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

The six Democratic incumbents and three new Board of Supervisors candidates announced a shared platform for the 2023 race during a Jan. 25 press conference in Leesburg.

“We realize that every person running in a district may have their own issues and they need to run and to address, and, of course, they are free to do that and should do that. But there are some overarching goals and some overarching principles that the party is running off,” County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said.

The assembled Democrats represented candidates for eight of Loudoun’s nine districts—all except the northwestern Catoctin District, currently represented by Republican Supervisor Caleb Kershner. So far, no Democrat has announced a campaign for that district. The two candidates in a primary contest, Lissa Savaglio and Laura TeKrony in the new Little River District, both joined the event. Puja Khanna is the Democratic candidate in the Dulles District.

Randall said the shared platform won’t necessarily change the way Democratic candidates run their campaigns.

Segura

continued from page 6

money per capita on healthcare here in the United States than in any other country in the world, yet we have the worst outcomes for any developed country in the world? It took a transformative innovator to begin to disrupt this space. And that’s the point. Disruption requires a fresh perspective. And I will bring just that to Richmond.”

Segura called for a rebalancing of the public agenda he said was being controlled by extremists, both in Richmond and locally.

“We need to come together as Republicans, Independents and Democrats to defeat the agenda of the radical left. Because the radical left doesn’t fight for you; it fights to control you,” he said. “And that’s very important. Just look at what’s happened in the short three years that Democrats had control here in Virginia— ineptitude and blind ideology.

“And we can talk about a few examples: the prolonged and unnecessary shutdowns that have almost broken our children’s ability to learn; ignoring the voice of parents in our schools; maniacally impos-

“What’s happening in the Catoctin District and what’s happening in the Sterling District may be very different. This platform is an overarching view of what our principles are, what we come back to, what we stand on, and what we stand on is the service that we’re going to give and we will always give to the Loudoun County citizens,” she said.

Loudoun County Democratic Committee Chair Avi Fechter said party affiliation was important in this year’s election.

“If you look at the superb job they have done together navigating this crisis and getting us out of it, and then you ask yourself: what if it was Republicans who controlled the Board of Supervisors through COVID, through Jan. 6, and through all the other issues that have come out of the last several years?” Fechter said. “This is not an academic distinction.”

“I cannot repeat this enough: these are partisan races and these are partisan choices,” he added.

“The first plank in our platform is commit ourselves to the transparent, respectful service of every resident in Loudoun County, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, political affiliation, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. So no matter who you are, we commit ourselves to transparent and respectful service,”

ing equity that ends up systematically oppressing minority students; and a George Soros-backed commonwealth’s attorney that refuses to prosecute criminals. That’s just not my opinion, by the way. She made it her official policy two weeks ago,” Segura said. “So what am I going to do about it? I’m running to bring people together to solve real problems—no pushing agendas or grandstanding, just leadership focused on a common goal to work for the citizens of this great Commonwealth. Clearly, there’s no leadership in the woke agenda.”

Segura was introduced at the rally by his priest, Father Michael Sliney, of the Lumen Institute, and newly elected Loudoun County School Board member Tiffany Polifko.

Sliney said he has known Segura for more than 20 years.

“I can say that I am convinced that he has a very deep, deep integrity is a very sound character. He has a very deep and real faith. And he has a huge heart. And I stand by every one of those comments. I know him, I know him. He’s a good man and he really cares about people,” Sliney said.

Polifko said Segura would be a strong partner in the fight for better schools, in-

Randall said, calling that plank “the basis on everything else we will do.”

Other planks of their platform include passing the lowest possible tax rates “while maintaining critical county services and adequately funding Loudoun County Public School System;” increasing the affordable housing stock while providing the required infrastructure; making environmentally responsible land use and zoning decisions that protect the rural areas; encourage economic development and provide multimodal transit options; maintaining positive, productive relationships with other government bodies; and ensuring county staff are paid a living wage and have a voice on their compensation; and maintaining “the high level of election integrity that Loudoun residents expect,” improving safety for Office of Elections staff and volunteers, and advocating for the return of Sunday voting.

Much of that work is being decided now with projects like the ongoing rewrite of the county’s Zoning Ordinance, and as the county adapts to increasing urbanization and the arrival of Metrorail service. Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) laid out more specific goals: that anyone in eastern Loudoun should be able to get to a Metro stop by transit within 20 minutes, and anyone within 10 miles of a Metro sta-

cluding holding students to higher standards and protecting parental rights.

“It’s happening to our children all across this country in our school systems—lowered standards, devaluing merit, parent’s rights being violated, children’s civil rights being violated, all under the guise of diversity, equity and inclusion,” Polifko said. “The meek shall inherit the Earth, but it is the bold and courageous leaders who are the executors of the will. What we need is a renewal in leadership. The Republican Party will not be the saviors of our children; it will be the fighters. It will be the fighters who seek truth and who value and fight for the fabric of the founding principles that make America the greatest nation in our world.”

“What we need right now is bare-knuckle brawlers who are not afraid to roll up their sleeves, touch the third rail, and defend our children by calling out the lies and holding up the truth and having the courage to speak the truth. That is why I’m so grateful that we have Juan Pablo Segura leading the charge of the renewal of leadership in the state of Virginia,” she said.

Segura said a life lesson instilled by his father, a native of Argentina who came to

tion should be able to get there by bike.

“We need to somehow retrofit that eastern Loudoun auto-centric suburban neighborhood in a more urban, much more cosmopolitan walkable community,” he said.

Vice Chair Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) said the elections office has been harassed amid baseless accusations of stolen elections, and he said he is concerned the current registrar could be forced out of her job by the new Electoral Board.

Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) pointed to this board’s vote to allow collective bargaining with public employees and said the firefighters union is expected to begin negotiating a collective bargaining agreement in March. As to the ongoing Loudoun Transit strike, she said “we encourage both parties to stay at the table and our main goal is to make sure that our workers get back to work.”

“I would argue that every one of us kept our promises that we ran on in 2019. You can see it. We talked about collective bargaining, we passed collective bargaining. We talked about equity issues, we made sure the Confederate statue came down, and we have done a whole slate of other things on equity. Everything that we promised that we were going to do, we’re doing,” she said. n

the U.S. to build a better life for his family, was to never give up.

“You should never hear from any leader that the end objective of any mission is equity. Right?” he said. “Because hard work and never giving up doesn’t just breed perseverance, it makes you a better person. … And we know this from our community. Immigrants never give up. Hard working single mothers never give up. National Merit Scholars never give up. If you’re lonely and scared and need help, never give up. If you’ve lost your job, never give up. If you came to Loudoun and Fauquier to pursue the American dream, never give up. Because by never giving up, you will find a strength inside you that you never thought you had. And I promise you that when I go to Richmond, I will never give up for you.”

Segura is the only candidate seeking the Republican nomination in the district after last week’s announcement by Geary Higgins that he was dropping out of the race and would run for the 30th House District seat instead. The Democrats plan a June 20 primary between Zach Cummings and Russet Perry for the 31st Senate District nomination. n

Town Eyes Removing Some Parking Restrictions

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

Downtown parking is expected to get a lot of attention from the Leesburg Town Council this year and those talks kick off Feb. 7 with a public hearing on plans to remove restrictions from two blocks.

The meeting will focus on a proposal to remove residential parking restrictions on Cornwall Street between Wirt and Liberty streets and on Wirt Street between Market and Cornwall streets. Currently, only area residents who pay the $5 fee for a permit are allowed to park on the streets during business hours.

The restrictions were imposed last spring, but over the past year the town staff has seen very limited use of the on-street parking spaces by residents.

The meeting will be held in the lower-level conference room Town Hall, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

That hearing happens as the town

prepares to remove the 70 parking meters from downtown streets and convert to an app-based system that will require motorists to pay for parking with their smartphone or computer.

That conversion has been delayed while contractors work to complete repairs to the Town Hall parking garage,

work that has limited the use of some spaces. Work is expected to wrap up by the end of the month.

The Town Council also is expected to review the policies requiring downtown developers to provide on-site parking, particularly for properties near the parking garage. n

Council Members Plan Affordable Housing Forum

Leesburg Town Council members Todd Cimino-Johnson and Zach Cummings are planning a workforce and affordable housing town hall meeting on April 27.

Developers, nonprofits, local and state politicians will be invited to participate in a discussion on how more workforce and affordable housing can be encouraged within the town.

The session follows a campaign season in which housing affordability was identified as a top concern.

“I moved to Leesburg and understand the high cost of rent and housing. This is something I ran on for council and I plan to do whatever I can to help solve the issue,” Cimino-Johnson said.

Cummings last fall proposed a series of incentives to spur investment in affordable housing. Those are now under review.

“When our teachers, firefighters and police officers cannot afford to live in Leesburg and Loudoun County–we have a problem,” Cummings said.  “I look forward to working with Todd, the town council, and others to help find a way to build affordable housing in Leesburg for all who want to be part of our community.”

The community meeting will be on April 27 starting at 6 p.m. in the Town Council chambers. n

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Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

The Town of Leesburg may remove parking restrictions from a block of Cornwall Street after finding that spots reserved for residents frequently go unused.

Polifko, Beatty Push to Release Independent Report on Sexual Assaults

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

School Board members Tiffany Polifko (Broad Run) and John Beatty (Catoctin) are pushing for a vote on whether to publicly release the independent report on two on-campus sexual assaults committed by the same student, requesting for it to be as soon as this month.

During the Jan. 24 meeting, Polifko noted that when the board discussed the recommendations provided in the special grand jury report during a work session in December, the majority of members indicated a willingness to release the report.

So far, the school division has refused to release the report, even with redactions, citing an exemption to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act for attorney-client privilege. The exemption is optional; it will be up to a majority vote of the board to release it to the public.

One of the recommendations in a special grand jury report on the school division’s

handling of the assaults was for greater transparency and “limiting the degree to which public matters and information of public concern are shielded from the

public under the cloak of attorney-client privilege.”

“Constituents are asking for transparency and have been requesting this report for over one year, and their frustration and lack of trust grows daily,” Polifko said. “Board members are elected to represent the public body of stakeholders who fund and attend the schools. Constituents are communicating their desire for us to take the helm and act as leaders.”

She said last year, as a parent, she attended a School Board meeting after the second assault happened at Broad Run High School. She said she will never forget hearing a father speak at that meeting where he said he and his wife tell their daughters to “hold it” at school instead of going to the bathroom.

“I will never forget that. I am a School Board member now and I am asking us as a board to display the leadership that this

INDEPENDENT REPORT

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Attendance Zone Changes Proposed for 3 Elementary Schools

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

The attendance zones for three elementary schools are being looked at for upcoming changes by the school division.

During the Jan. 24 School Board meeting, Chief Operations Officer Kevin Lewis said the proposed changes would adjust the cluster alignment for two schools and address a new residential development.

The first proposed change is to move the Kincora and Kincora Village neighborhood, west of Rt. 28 from Sterling Elementary School to Steuart Weller Elementary School. After secondary school boundary changes made by the board in December moved middle and high school students in these two attendance zones to Belmont Ridge Middle School and Riverside High School, division staff members are proposing the switch in elementary schools to allow for all elementary students in the zone to matriculate to the same middle and high schools.

Sterling Elementary School has 433

students, operating at 74% capacity this year, while Steuart Weller has 630, or 71% capacity. The change would put Sterling at a projected 76% capacity for the 2027-28 school year, and Steuart Weller at 71%.

Today there are 40 elementary school students in the neighborhood, according to the staff presentation. The division estimates that about 291 additional elementary students will live in the development once it is complete.

The second proposed change is for a small zone in Leesburg between King Street and Market Street. It’s currently assigned to Catoctin Elementary School, but after secondary zone changes in December switched middle and high school students to Smart’s Mill Middle School and Tuscarora High School, the division staff is proposing an elementary switch to Frances Hazel Reid to allow for the majority of the elementary school to matriculate to the same secondary schools.

Catoctin has 605 students enrolled, or about 87% capacity. Frances Hazel Reid has 608 students, or 76% capacity. Pro-

jected enrollment for Catoctin for 2027-28 puts the school at 95% capacity and Frances Hazel Reid at 77%.

The change would affect 47 current elementary school students. The division estimates an additional 125 elementary age students will live in the zone by the time two new planned developments— Church and Market and Virginia Village— are finished.

The final change involves the Cattail Run subdivision, which is being developed. The division staff is proposing the neighborhood’s students move to Ball’s Bluff Elementary School, Smart’s Mill Middle School and Tuscarora High School.

The division projects an additional 58 elementary school, 33 middle school and 47 high school age children will live in the development once it is complete.

A public hearing on the changes is scheduled for Feb. 14, followed by action by the School Board on the proposed changes at the meeting that night.

If approved, the changes will go into effect this fall. n

Application Period Opens for Distance Learning

The distance learning application portal for secondary students interested in virtual school for the 202324 school year opened Jan. 25. Rising sixth grade through twelfth grade students interested in distance learning have to apply through the portal to be considered. Students already participating in distance learning who wish to continue also need to apply. Students who have been participating in distance learning but who now want to attend in-person for the 2023-24 school year do not need to re-enroll at their home school.

Interested secondary students need to complete the course selection process with their home school during the second semester as well as fill out a course request through ParentVue or StudentVue. The application window closes April 28. For more information on distance learning and how to apply go to lcps.org/distancelearning.

FBLA, Intuit Launch Scholarship Competition Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Intuit Inc. on Jan. 31 announced a competition for high school students in the United States and Canada.

The Intuit Spring Social Innovation Challenge tasks students to use creative and critical thinking skills and technology to make their school more sustainable. The deadline to apply is March 6.

The top three teams will receive scholarships and mentorship from Intuit to help them bring their ideas to life. Members of the first-place team will receive $5,000 each. Second and third place teams will receive $3,000 and $2,000 respectively.

“We are excited to continue to partner with Intuit, providing FBLA members with this wonderful opportunity to showcase their talents, skills, and innovative ideas,” FBLA President and CEO Alexander T. Graham stated. “The

SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

continues on page 13

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now School Board member Tiffany Polifko (Broad Run) at the Jan. 24 meeting pushed for the public release of the independent report the School Board commissioned to investigate two on-campus sexual assaults committed by the same student in 2021.

Broad Run Student Awarded Full Ride to College of Choice

Esha Venkat, a senior at Broad Run High School in Ashburn, has been awarded a full tuition scholarship to her college of choice by the Bryan Cameron Education Foundation.

Venkat was one of 14 recipients to earn the scholarship among the more than 3,000 who applied from all 50 states and abroad.

Recipients of the Class of 2023 Cameron Impact Scholars earn a four-year, impact-based scholarship to cover the full tuition and educational expenses at any U.S. college or university, and may major in any academic area they choose.

“She has a real spirit for impact and wants to make the world a better place, she’s already completed 4,000 service hours,” Cameron Foundation Executive Director Amie Lucas stated.

The Cameron Foundation seeks students who engage in community service,

exhibit strong leadership qualities, are active in extracurriculars, and show academic strength, according to a press release. Most notably, they must show the ability to make real, tangible contributions to others and society.

Venkat and her sister, Georgetown University junior Shreyaa Venkat, founded the nonprofit Nest4Us, which organizes and encourages volunteering. She plans to pursue studies in science, technology, and society/neuroscience/health informatics, according to the announcement.

The Bryan Cameron Education Foundation is a private family foundation established by Bay Area by Bryan Cameron in 2015.

“These young men and women distinguished themselves with an impressive record of academic achievement, meaningful involvement in extracurricular activities, leadership, and community service. We are confident that in college these Scholars will continue to learn, grow and develop their knowledge, skills and interests toward making a significant impact in their professional and personal lives,” Cameron stated. n

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap.

All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.”

This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-9753.

fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov www.fairhousing.vipnet.org

Venkat

School Board Advances Name Review for 2 Schools

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

The School Board’s school renaming talks continued last week with Mercer Middle School and Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School at the heart of the discussion.

The school renaming process started in June 2020 after the School Board launched an action plan to combat systemic racism. The plan included a review of all division facility names, with 10 school names being flagged for review.

Charles Fenton Mercer was an Aldie businessman who served in the U.S. House of Representatives. His name was flagged because of his support for sending free Black people in the U.S. to colonize Liberia, and for being a slave owner, according to History Matters LLC.

Reid was a 73-year employee of the Loudoun Times-Mirror, starting as a secretary and retiring as associate publisher. Her name was flagged because of her association with the Daughters of the Confederacy.

The school division in December held community meetings to gather input on the names.

Jeff Morse (Dulles) said the meeting for Mercer Middle was not well attended but noted there were people of all ages and ethnic groups among the 25-30 who were there. Morse said they had a discussion about the good and bad things Mercer did and said the consensus seemed to be that the dialogue needed to continue.

As part of that, he said the idea of a student debate was raised, allowing students to research and debate the topic themselves.

“The feeling was that that debate was more important than the name change, and I was surprised,” Morse said. “There was no support in the room to change the name of Mercer, but it was unanimous

Independent report

continued from page 10

community needs to see,” she said.

Polifko asked for a specific date for the School Board to vote on releasing the report, “a goal without a wish is just a dream and the public should be able to rely on the board as a group of leaders to provide them with finality related to this tumultuous series of events.”

support that this information and this discussion needs to continue on to the benefit of the students.”

Morse said he was also reviewing the information but said he looked forward to having more discussions on the topic.

John Beatty (Catoctin) said although there weren’t many in attendance the night of the Frances Hazel Reid meeting because of a snow day, he said most favored keeping the name. Beatty said he didn’t plan to support renaming the school.

Erika Ogedegbe (Leesburg) said she also attended the meeting and said it was

Beatty agreed and said it was his intention that the report be released when the board decided to conduct the independent report.

“I think it’s unfortunate that it hasn’t been. At this point, I think there is nothing that should be stopping us from releasing it and so I look forward to working with my colleagues to get that out as soon as possible,” he said.

Chair Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) said the report was prepared for the School Board

unfortunate that attendance was low, saying outside of the School Board members and staff and principal there were three in attendance.

Ogedegbe said the discussion was “very interesting and fruitful”, but she is still going through comments emailed to the division from October to December on the topic. She said there was interest in learning more about Reid’s writings throughout the course of her career, particularly if there were any further references to her participation in the Daughters of the Confederacy.

by a law firm in anticipation of litigation and it is “wholly covered by attorney-client privilege,” and waiving that privilege and releasing it in some form raises “complex questions beyond just the contents of the report itself.” He said it sets a precedent for other elected officials and impacts open communication between the School Board and its attorneys.

He said as a result of the renewed interest in releasing the report after new details of the cases emerged in the special grand

“We know that she was part of a group that had started a local chapter in the early part of her life, but there was a recognition that it would be good to just know more about what was in her writings,” she said.

Ogedegbe said she understood the research was continuing.

In the fall of 2021, the School Board, working with the Black History Committee of the Friends of Thomas Balch Library, got more help from History Matters LLC, which provided narratives on facilities within the division as well as recommendations for potential schools to be renamed. The School Board reviewed 10 names and the findings of the Black History Committee in June 2022 and again in October.

In late October, John Champe High School, named for a Revolutionary War cavalryman who took part in a failed plot to capture General Benedict Arnold, was removed from the list to allow for additional research to be done by the Black History Committee.

At the Oct. 25 School Board meeting, the board revised the school naming policy to include a section that allows the board to move forward with the recommendation to rename the nine schools. An amendment proposed by Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) permitted the committees to keep a school’s current name.

The review for Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School and Mercer Middle School will go from January through April.

The next group of schools, which consist of Belmont Ridge Middle School, Belmont Station Elementary School, Seldens Landing Elementary School, Sully Elementary School and Hutchison Farm Elementary School is slated to start in May and go through September. The final group, Ball’s Bluff Elementary School and Emerick Elementary School will start in September and go through December.  n

jury report, the School Board asked a law office—“one that had never worked with LCPS in any capacity previously”—to provide legal guidance on the best course of action.

Serotkin said they expect to receive that legal advice in early February and could make a decision about releasing it after that.

Beatty and Polifko requested the issue be placed on the Feb. 14 School Board meeting agenda for a vote. n

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now Francis Hazel Reid Elementary School in Leesburg. The School Board is considering renaming the school along with 8 others.

The feeling was that that debate was more important than the name change, and I was surprised.”

— Jeff Morses (Dulles)

Schools Propose Opening MS-14 with 2 Grades to Relieve Crowding

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

The school division staff is proposing that the new middle school under construction west of Brambleton open with only sixth and seventh grades in 2024 as part of an effort to relieve overcrowding at other area schools and to avoid having to make temporary attendance zone changes.

During the Jan. 24 School Board meeting, Chief Operations Officer Kevin Lewis and Deputy Superintendent Ashley Ellis presented the “intermediate school” plan for the Independence High School/ Brambleton Middle School attendance zone. The plan has the new school, known as MS-14, opening to sixth and seventh grade students only, placing eighth grade students at Brambleton Middle School along with an annex for ninth grade students who would be otherwise attending Independence High School, and leaving 10th through 12th grade students at Independence.

Lewis said the plan addresses overcrowding between the opening of the middle school and completion of a new high school scheduled to open in the fall 2028, as well as avoid a temporary school attendance zone change scheduled for the spring.

Lewis said the plan allows ninth grade students to still be part of the high school community while at Brambleton, which is across the street from Independence High

SCHOOL Notebook

continued from page 10

Intuit Social Innovation Challenge is aligned with our mission of developing community-minded business leaders who will make a real difference in the world and ‘lead with a cause.’”

To learn more about the Intuit Social Innovation Challenge visitfbla-pbl.org/ intuit-social-innovation-challenge/.

VDOE Funds Troops to Teachers Recruiting Effort

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow announced Jan. 25 that the Virginia Department of

School. Lewis said they could still participate in extracurricular activities, sports and pep rallies.

Ellis said depending on students’ schedules, they may still have classes at the high school on some days in their block schedule, but said those details are still being worked out.

“We do believe it’s a better experience for students and it’s manageable for the division,” Lewis said. He said there won’t be any transportation challenges if the plan is put in place.

Ellis said the staff has not heard feedback from the community about the plan but said emails were being sent that night to let the public know the conversation was coming.

Lewis said the alternative, if the public and School Board don’t like the intermediate school plan, would be a quick attendance zone change in the spring.

The School Board is scheduled to vote on the proposal Feb. 14. n

Education is giving $760,000 in federal pandemic relief funds to expand the commonwealth’s teacher recruiting effort, specifically to recruit veterans and retired military personnel for second careers as teachers. The Elementary and Secondary School Relief funds (ESSER) will go to VDOE’s Troops to Teachers Virginia Center at William and Mary. The funds will cover fees, reimburse tuition expenses and provide signing bonuses for military retirees who accept positions at Virginia schools. More than 180 veterans and retired military personnel are teaching in Virginia schools today, according to a press release. n

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Meet Courtney.

Courtney is a manager of a hotel in Ashburn. Though Courtney and her husband tried to buy a home in Loudoun, the market forced her out of Loudoun. She now has a 60 minute commute adding to local road congestion.

She’s not alone. 61.2% of Loudoun’s workforce lives outside the county. More housing options for Loudoun’s workforce is essential to the future of Loudoun.

Shape Loudoun’s Future. Join Us. workforcehousingnow.org

McConnell

Workforce Housing Now is an initiative of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties.

PEOPLE WHO WORK IN LOUDOUN SHOULD BE ABLE TO

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now Deputy Superintendent Ashley Ellis and Chief Operations Officer Kevin Lewis at the Jan. 19 School Board meeting.

Nonprofits

Loudoun Veterans Network Gets New Wheels for Navy Widow

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

It started when Frank Holtz, of Marine Corps League Detachment 1205, got a call from a former neighbor offering to donate a vehicle to a veteran who needed one.

The owner had looked into donating the car to a charity but found most sell them and use the money. The vehicle was in good condition, and he thought it could be put to better use.

Holtz contacted the VFW in Leesburg and the American Legion Post in Purcellville, but neither could identify a good candidate for the donation.

Next, he reached out to Loudoun County’s Veterans Services Officer Tom Grant. Grant told him about Curiva Robinson, the wife of a disabled Navy veteran who died a year and a half ago. Last October, Robinson’s car engine blew up. She couldn’t afford to have it fixed or to buy another car. She has been renting a vehicle since November.

Holtz worked with Doug Dillon, from Purcellville’s American Legion Post 293, to have the vehicle ownership transferred to the legion and then donated to Robinson. Russ Bolen, from H & H Used Cars in Purcellville, helped steer the group

through the required titling paperwork. And after a couple of trips to the DMV Select office in Berryville, Dillion secured title, registration, and license plates for Robinson, with the legion covering those costs.

Road Runner Towing delivered the Ford Taurus to Robinson at her Sterling home last week, with Holtz and Dillion there to hand over the keys. n

Community Foundation Publishes Nonprofit Pay Study

STAFF REPORT

The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties has released a new study on compensation at Loudoun nonprofits with information on operational budget size, salaries by position, benefits and more.

The Community Foundation partnered with ARM Consulting last summer to gather that data.

The survey captured data from 209 fulltime and 102 part-time nonprofit employees in 42 different job titles at 56 organizations with annual budgets ranging from less than $50,000 to more than $10 million. Salaries ranged from less than $2,500 for a part-time role, to chief executives of nonprofits with budgets above $5 million and up taking salaries ranging from $145,000 to $370,000. The study also found that just over half of the nonprofits

offered health insurance benefits, and just under half offered retirement benefits.

The report also notes some of the headwinds Loudoun nonprofits face—from a continuing surge in need around the COVID-19 pandemic, to the relative newness of Loudoun’s nonprofits.

The report notes that while Loudoun is one of the highest-income communities in the country, its residents show relatively low rates of charitable giving— Loudouners on average donate 1.9% of their income to nonprofits, compared to the national average of 3%.

The report also notes paid positions are only a small part of the people doing the work and who nonprofit leaders oversee— every nonprofit in the survey reported using volunteers, and 43% of them reported having more than 100 volunteers.

See the full report online at communityfoundationlf.org. n

Contributed

Frank Holtz met with Curiva Robinson to hand over a Ford Taurus that had been donated to support a veteran in need.

Public Safety

Loudoun Man Charged in Capitol Riot

STAFF REPORT

An Aldie man is among the latest of more than 950 defendants facing criminal charges stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U. S. Capitol.

Robert William DeGregoris, 32, last week was charged with five counts, including a felony charge of civil disorder.

2 Displaced After Home Fire in Leesburg Historic District

STAFF REPORT

A Royal Street house in Leesburg’s historic district was severely damaged by fire Thursday. The Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire was started by a portable heater.

Crews were dispatched to the scene shortly after noon Jan. 26 after 911 callers reported smoke and fire from the roof of the single-family home. They arrived to find heavy fire from the rear of the home and all occupants located safely outside.

The bulk of the fire was extinguished quickly, however crews spent an extended period of time searching for fire spread in the flooring and wall joists.

No injuries were reported.

Two adults were displaced and are stay-

ing with family.

According to investigators, the fire started when a space heater came into contact with combustible material. Damage was estimated at $396,000.

The agency highlighted that heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires in the U.S. and issued safety recommendations, including to have  all heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year, always clear a 3-foot space around portable space heaters, always turn off portable heaters when leaving the room or going to bed, install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, and install carbon monoxide detectors as heating equipment is a potential source of this “silent killer.” n

LCSO: Thieves Steal Handguns from Ashburn Shooting Range

The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office is investigating a Jan. 24 burglary at an Ashburn shooting range where two thieves stole 10 handguns.

According to the report, between 3:45 and 4:50 a.m. last Tuesday, two people broke a glass window and entered the Silver Eagle Group on Beaumeade Circle and stole 10 handguns.

The suspects wore zip-up jackets or sweatshirts with hoods, face masks, and gloves and were seen leaving in a dark colored sedan.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Detective Michael Rivera at 703-777-1021.  You may also submit a tip through the Loudoun

County Sheriff ’s Office app or by calling Loudoun County Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919. n

According to the complaint that was unsealed Jan. 23, DeGregoris was identified from video footage being at the front of a crowd pushing his way into the Lower West Terrace Tunnel and helping push a ladder toward police. He was identified following a tip to the FBI about postings on his “Sovereign Patriot” Twitter account. He wrote, “Took some pepper spray & tear gas breaching the front doors …. Worth it,” according to the filing.

DeGregoris appeared before a magistrate judge Jan. 25 and was granted bond pending trial. He is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 23.

The misdemeanor charges are for entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence

in a restricted building or grounds, and impeding passage through the Capitol grounds or buildings. n

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Emergency crews work to extinguish a fire in a Royal Street home that was caused by material being too close to a space heater.

LCSO

The Sheriff’s Office released these images of the suspects in the Jan. 24 break-in at the Silver Eagle firing range in Ashburn.

U.S. Department of Justice Prosecutors submitted this image from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capital allegedly depicting Aldie resident Robert William DeGregoris attempting to force his way inside.

Business

Loudoun Inventor Featured at PGA Show

STAFF REPORT

Inventor and LPGA Class-A golf pro Robyn James was featured at the 2023 PGA Show in Orlando, FL last week, showcasing the InfusenClip.

The product previously saw her named grand champion of the 2022 Loudoun Innovation Challenge. Now, she has been awarded a booth at the PGA Show by winning the organizers’ “Share Your Story” competition and will take part in a panel on the main stage. The event draws nearly 30,000 golf industry representatives from 86 countries.

“I am immensely honored to be attending golf’s premier product event and look forward to representing Loudoun’s innovative community on the road in Orlando,” James said. “This is a golf show, but the opportunity and spotlight are much bigger than that.”

The 70th Annual PGA Show, organized by the PGA of America and PGA Golf Exhibitions, is golf’s longest-running and

largest global business gathering, created in 1954.

James started her business Birdie Everything as a way of selling her personalized, hand-made ball markers, used to mark the spot when picking up a ball from a putting green to get out of another player’s way.

“You don’t always know where you’re going in this game, but this will help you remember where you’ve been,” James said. Ball markers are often affixed to hat brims, but James found the usual met-

CyrusOne Closes on Broadlands Data Center Campus

STAFF REPORT

CyrusOne announced the purchase of 57.6 acres on the edge of Broadlands in Ashburn for the construction of a new data center campus.

The property is located in the southeast quadrant of the Belmont Ridge Road/Dulles Greenway interchange.

Two decades ago, the property was planned as a 165-bed hospital, but HCA instead built its new medical center at Stone Springs near Aldie after a protracted battle with the Inova Health System that operates Inova Loudoun Hospital Center nearby in Lansdowne.

The $47 million land purchase was recorded in county land records Dec. 20. CyrusOne filed plans with the Army

Corps of Engineers last summer that show five two-story data center buildings on the property.

The company, which was acquired last year by global investment firm KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners, said the purchase is part of its global growth and expansion plans.

“CyrusOne is excited to expand its investment in Loudoun County where we successfully operate 10 data centers at five campus locations in one of the most important digital gateway markets in the United States,” stated Eric Schwartz, who joined the company as CEO in October. “With strong demand in the Northern Virginia market, we are positioned to initiate development consistent with the existing zoning on this

new site and deliver world-class digital infrastructure that meet the growing needs of our customers.”

CyrusOne opened its first Loudoun County data center in 2015 and touts its sustainability efforts, including a goal to be a carbon neutral company by 2030. It also hosted 2022’s Toys for Tots volunteers as they organized and distributed donations.

“CyrusOne is excited to acquire this new site and looks forward to continuing its partnership and collaboration with local leaders and residents on this strategically important project,” Senior Vice President Michael Nudelman stated.

Learn more at cyrusone.com. n

Leigh Named Virginia Bar President

Leesburg attorney Benjamin D. Leigh took over as the 135th president of the Virginia Bar Association during its annual meeting Jan. 21 in Williamsburg.

Leigh succeeds Victor O. Cardwell, co-chair of the labor and employment practice at Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC and co-chair of the WRVB board of directors. Cardwell, who is based in Roanoke, now serves as immediate past president.

“Many of us joined the VBA seeking to be part of something larger than ourselves or our firms or a practice-area bar,” he said. “Today and this coming year, I would charge each of you to carry the message to others seeking exceptionalism—the message that ‘You Belong’ in the VBA.”

“We will raise the bar for the individual lawyer. We will raise the bar for the firms needing a leadership academy when the VBA Young Lawyers Division is just that. We will complement the Virginia State Bar and specialty bars by serving as the ‘One Bar for Them All’ with statewide reach and representation in lobbying. We will raise the bar for the profession,” Leigh said.

For details about the Virginia Bar Association and its leadership, visit vba.org/page/2023-leaders.

ProJet Named FBO of the Year

ProJet Aviation is Paragon Aviation Group’s 2022 FBO Member of the Year.

Voting for the award was conducted among the more than 90 Paragon FBO members and thousands of flight departments around the globe. Customer feedback surveys submitted throughout the year also played a role in determining the winner.

Founded in 2007 as a partnership between former airline pilot,

Contributed

Birdie Everything founder, InfusenClip inventor and PGA golf pro Robyn James was featured at the 2023 PGA Show in Orlando, FL.

JAMES continues on page 17

BUSINESS briefs

continued from page 16

continued from page 16

al clips were not enough to hold her ball markers in place. She began tinkering with a magnetic silicone design but found the smell overwhelming. So, she began soaking them in essential oils and herbs to cover the scent and found a formula that also repels bugs.

She patented her invention in 2021 and brought it to the market as the InfusenClip.

“It’s a great example of how one thing

in life leads to another, and it underscores the importance of action in the process of innovation. The most important step is the next one,” James said.

She went on to win the 2022 Loudoun Innovation Challenge and reinvested her $40,000 in the business. She subleased space for manufacturing from Applied Impact Robotics in Sterling and upgraded her 3-D printing equipment, hired POUNCE Solutions to build a new website and refine her branding and marketing, and hired local photographer Robin Sgambati to give her brand a more professional look. And she partnered with BCT

for her business’s banking.

Today, the InfusenClip is sold at more than a dozen golf courses across the U.S., with plans to expand online retail early this year.

“When this process started, I was an individual with a vision. Thanks to my students, early supporters, the Loudoun Economic Development Authority, and the community’s investment in my business, we have a team of collaborators that is growing together,” James said. “This is a testament to the teamwork and talent that calls Loudoun home.”

Learn more at infusenclip.com. n

educator Shye Gilad, and Salamander Hotels and Resorts founder and CEO Sheila C. Johnson, ProJet Aviation has been a fixed-base operator at Leesburg Executive Airport since 2010.

Paragon will make a scholarship donation to ProJet’s Aviation Education & Career Expo in 2023, supporting young adults exploring careers in flight. The scholarship will honor the memory of Fury Gilad, the late mother of Shye Gilad and a long-time expo advocate.

“It is an incredible honor to be recognized as FBO of the Year by our Paragon Network colleagues and customers,” Gilad said. “The legacy of taking care of people and creating opportunities for others means a lot to my family and our company.”

Learn more at projetaviation.com.

McKenna Takes Over as Dulles Chamber President

C. Melissa McKenna took over as president of the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce on Jan. 17, replacing John P. Boylan.

With 20 years of experience in sales and management, McKenna most recently worked as an account director with Palantir. She is chair of the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority. She lives in Herndon.

“Having called western Fairfax County home since 1983, I am thrilled to come on board in this role with the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce.  The infrastructure, innovation and community that exists here are the perfect formula for growth. I look forward to working with the Chamber, elected leaders, and our growing business community in continuing to realize the full potential that the Dulles Region affords,” McKenna stated. n

Contributed

From left, ProJet Aviation General Manager Julie O’Brien, CEO Shye Gilad, and Executive Administrator Courtney DesMarais receive FBO of Member of the Year Award from Paragon Aviation Group President and co-founder Megan Barnes.

McKenna

Purcellville Council Dedicates Nutrient Credit Funds to Temper Rate Hikes

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The Purcellville Town Council on Tuesday voted to use the entirety of the town’s nutrient credit revenues, over $900,000, to offset wastewater rate increases over three fiscal years.

The money was raised by creating a nutrient credit bank on 93.4 acres of the town’s 189-acre Aberdeen property and selling credits to developers required to offset the environmental impacts of their construction projects.

Typically, such one-time revenues are dedicated to capital projects or other non-reoccurring expenses and the town staff offered a list of needed upgrades that could be completed with the money.

However, with significant utility rate hikes planned in coming years to meet increasing bond payments, the council opted to use the money to subsidize operational costs. Some members indicated they were willing to go further, even tapping the utility fund reserves to keep rates lower.

The motion passed unanimously during the council’s monthly work session and will dedicate $500,000 to fiscal year 2025, $300,000 to fiscal year 2026, and the remaining amount to fiscal year 2027.

Director of Finance Elizabeth Krens said while the town has not accrued any new debt since 2012 and it has taken advantage of lower interest rates over the past few years by refinancing, bonds will be due beginning in fiscal year 2025.

Krens and Accounting Manager Paula Hicks at the Jan. 24 meeting presented the council with an overview of how the amounts will affect wastewater rate increases in the future.

They said while devoting the nutrient credit funds against the debt would lessen the burden on the town to raise rates as dramatically, a rate increase in fiscal year 2025 is unavoidable. They recommended more moderate rate raises over the course of a few years to avoid a rate shock.

Krens said if the town does not raise the wastewater rates in fiscal years 2024 and 2025 the rate in 2026 would need to increase by 51 percent.

Mayor Stanley J. Milan said he did not think Purcellville residents could withstand a significant rate increase.

“We need to look at some way to lower this debt to where we will not have to increase the rates substantially,” he said adding, “The future debt won’t be an issue if we take care of the current debt.”

“The hard truth is, yes, you don’t need to raise, you could avoid a rate increase in FY 2024. But you can’t avoid a rate

increase once that debt service comes fully on board,” Krens said.

Milan asked if using the revenue from the nutrient credits as well as money from the town’s reserve fund would eliminate the need for water and sewer rate increases.

“Not really, and the reason why is because it stacks up behind you,” Krens said. “So yes, you can utilize your reserves for a couple of years. But your reserves, once you look at what’s required for fiscal policy as well as your liquidity, you don’t have as much as you think you have.”

Krens said considering what the town’s fiscal policy requires to be in the town’s reserves, the excess came to about $3 million.

“Whether you use the one-time revenue in some years to subsidize your rates or not, utility rates still need to increase significantly to bridge that additional gap that we have,” Krens said.

Milan asked if the Town Council could change the fiscal policy, to which Krens responded yes.

Council member Erin Rayner asked if pulling heavily from the town’s reserve fund would damage the town’s triple-A bond ratings.

Krens said it would, adding, “that’s going to be more your credit rating when you borrow new debt for new projects.” n

Residents Voice Support, Opposition to Rt. 690 Interchange

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Purcellville residents both supporting and opposing the county’s proposed Rt. 7/Rt. 690 interchange project voiced their opinions at a nearly three-hour long information session hosted by the town on Jan. 25.

After a decade of planning, the $40.7 million project is scheduled to begin construction next year. However, in recent months, Purcellville’s Town Council and Planning Commission have raised objections that include claims that they were unaware of some elements of the project and questions about whether it is needed.

Approximately 60 people attended the session in addition to representatives from the county and members of both the

Lovettsville Council Agrees to Easement with Game Club

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The Lovettsville Town Council on Jan. 26 agreed to an open-space easement with the Lovettsville Game Protective Association for the entirety of its 5.5-acre property.

The easement will limit future development on the property as well as guarantee that the public will continue to have access to the baseball field on site and a portion of the parking.

The signed resolution states “the easement would restrict uses on the property in perpetuity and would run with the land, with only judicial proceedings available to extinguish the easement.”

The association is a non-profit whose purpose is to promote and protect wildlife by promoting recreational activities that might benefit wildlife and by uniting the community to restore and preserve wildlife, according to their website.

The property, located on South Berlin Turnpike and zoned R-1 residential, would permit 16 single family homes without the easement.

The agreement allows the Game Protective Association to continue its operations on the property and holds the potential for the organization to make improvements to the main building as well as build a pavilion and bandstand.

Town Council and Planning Commission.

Dewberry Consultant Steve Kuntz presented the audience with a detailed history of the Rt. 7/Rt. 690 project, dating back to 2013 before opening the floor for questions.

Several members of the Catoctin Meadows Homeowners Association were present and asked questions as well as provided feedback to the county representatives with ideas on how to improve relations within that community. The interchange relies on two-thirds of the association’s members voting to vacate a floodplain easement for the project to go forward, the HOA and town have argued.

Several of the members present voiced concerns over how the interchange and

INTERCHANGE

continues on page 19

Association President Fred George said he wanted to see the property remain a place for many more generations to enjoy.

“We want to make sure that this property stays like it is when I’m gone, when my kids are gone,” he said. “And my grandkids, who will still be living in Lovettsville, can come and enjoy the game club like my grandfather did.”

Association Board Member Russ Mullen said the easement supports the Game Protective Association’s purpose and aligns with the town’s comprehensive plan.

“Preserving the rural lifestyle is the basic tenet of the Protective Association and we feel very strongly that this

GAME CLUB EASEMENT

continues on page 19

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Dewberry Consultant Kelsey Brandt answers questions from Purcellville residents regarding plans for the Rt. 7/Rt.690 interchange during a Jan. 25 information session.

LOVETTSVILLE Council Approves Amendment for Townhome Decks

The Lovettsville Town Council on Jan. 26 approved a zoning ordinance amendment to allow townhome owners to extend decks the full width of their home.

The amendment also allows accessory structures to be placed at residents’ property line, a change from the previous requirement of a five-foot setback. The only townhomes in Lovettsville are located in the Park View neighborhood and most of those lots are 20 feet wide. Allowing the accessory buildings to be placed at the property lines gives the residents more usable space in their backyards.

The motion passed 5-0-1, with council member David Earl absent.

The amendment also provided approvals for residents who installed accessory structures or decks without permits. However, Planning Director John Merrithew said that if residents needed to repair or replace an existing structure, they would be required to pay for the $75 minor improvement permit.

Interchange

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its construction would affect their property values, quality of life and insurance policies.

“When I first moved in, my backyard touched on the floodplain,” one Catoctin Meadows resident said. “So some company required [that I have] flood insurance … a few years ago they changed the flood maps and now my property is no longer in the flood zone. But if you do this, I’m pretty sure I’m going to be back in the flood zone … and it’s very difficult to sell property that requires flood insurance.”

Dewberry Consultant Kelsey Brandt explained that the Rt. 7/Rt. 690 project and related construction should not affect the floodplains.

“The project does encroach into the floodplain, and we’re saying that we’re not impacting it,” she said. “And that’s because today where it’s encroaching, that area is heavily wooded and that changes what’s called the ‘N factor,’ which is basically the amount of friction and the amount of resistance that the water sees. So today the

LUCKETTS Ruritans Expand Scholarship Program

The Lucketts Ruritan Club announced an expansion to its memorial scholarship program to include two types of scholarships.

The Ruritan Club awards graduating seniors who have chosen to extend their education and have excelled in their academic and service endeavors.

Awardees are selected based on academic achievement, school and community service, an essay on their future goals and plan to achieve them, and letters of recommendation. Any Lucketts-area seniors in public or private high school, or home school students planning to continue their education, are eligible.

Students may apply for the scholarship to attend a 4-year college/university or to attend a community college/vocational school. Both applications are available at luckettsruritan.org/scholarship and are due by April 14.

MIDDLEBURG Council Approves Bump in Police Retirement Package

The Town Council last week unanimously approved an enhanced retire-

floodplain has a lot of resistance because of all the woods that are there. … Clearing that area actually gives the water less resistance, so it moves through faster. And so, we don’t have an increase because the water will move faster through the floodplain. … The project has no vertical impact on the floodplain.”

Members from the Catoctin Meadows Homeowners Association also suggested that the county representatives meet with their members directly to answer questions and explain the project in further detail. Director of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure Nancy Boyd said they would be happy to do that.

Other attendees used their time to show their support for the project, saying the town would benefit from a second interchange on the bypass.

“As a resident on the east side of town, we have basically carried the brunt of the traffic increases in the town,” Purcellville resident Mark Broshkevitch said. “So I have lived here since 2002 when Hirst Road was basically the access road. It was controlled by a stop sign and the only time you saw traffic on that road was when school let out

ment benefit for the town’s hazardous duty employees.

The vote will result in a higher monthly benefit paid to retired police officers through the Virginia Retirement System. By signing on to the enhanced multiplier option, the town’s retired officers could see 8.8% more in their monthly payment.

The change, set to take effect Feb. 1, is expected to cost the town $15,000 more this year.

New Farmers Market Plans Take Shape

The Town of Middleburg is working to relaunch a weekly farmers market this spring, although construction delays at the new town office could impact that effort.

During its Jan. 26 meeting, the Town Council was briefed on the plan by Business Development and Community Partnership Director Ali MacIntyre.

She envisions a market with up to 20 vendors, with food trucks and music starting in May, with a call for vendors to be sent out in the coming weeks.

The original plan was to hold the market on the new town green at the town office, but that was laid out at a time when construction was expected to be complete last December. Now it is unlikely that even the parking lot at the town office would be available for that community use by spring.

MacIntyre said she is working with

and you had the little flow that went out from the school as they let out. That is no longer the case. It is a daily back up.”

Another resident asked what kind of traffic implications the construction of the interchange would have on Rt. 690.

“Throughout construction the existing number of lanes will be maintained,” Dewberry Consultant Jerry Mrykalo said. “The traffic patterns will remain consistent. There will be lane shifts, so we do not anticipate that the number of traffic, the number of vehicles on the roadway would change throughout construction because we are maintaining those patterns in those lanes.”

He also added that any required lane closures would happen during low volume hours of the day.

Mayor Stanley J. Milan closed the meeting by thanking residents and the county representatives for attending.

“In conclusion, I appreciate all the participants and citizens,” he said. “It was good conversations, good mindsets, but there’s still some iffy things I’m not settled with but hopefully we can smooth that out.”

some alternate locations.

Council members raised concerns about starting the market at a temporary location and questioned whether to postpone the project.

PURCELLVILLE

Police Plan ‘Cocoa with a Cop’ Event

The Purcellville Police Department will hold a Cocoa with a Cop event on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Dunkin’ store at 1200 Wolf Rock Drive, Suite 180.

This event is held annually for children and their families as a way to meet with members of the Police Department in a friendly and casual environment.

Children are invited to have a free cup of hot cocoa and come meet some of their neighborhood police officers. However, community members of all ages are invited to attend as well.

The program originated from the national Coffee with a Cop initiative supported by the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, which aims to break down barriers between police officers and the citizens they serve. The Police Department traditionally hosts Coffee with a Cop events bi-monthly at various times and locations around town. n

Game Club Easement

continued from page 18

plan fits in very well with that. Because we can’t guarantee what our organization is going to do 20 years from now, 50 years from now, 100 years from now… The idea of building cottages on this property and raising revenue by doing an Airbnb type situation, that idea has come up… I absolutely, positively don’t ever want to see that happen to that property,” he said.

The association will also remain responsible for maintaining the property and structures.

The Lovettsville Game Protective Association also agreed to a conservation easement with the Land Trust of Virginia for its larger 60-acre property in November 2021.

The motion passed 5-0-1 with council member David Earl absent.

“I really appreciate everybody coming out tonight and reiterating what everyone is saying, keeping the town small and keeping it rural and not wanting to take that space and make it into something that none of us wants,” Vice Mayor Joy Pritz said. n

Loudoun’s Ghost Detectives

An Evening with Chesapeake Paranormal

BY JAN MERCKER jmercker@loudounnow.com

When students at the Embark Center for Self-Directed Education noticed unexplained events in their historic downtown Leesburg building, they knew who to call. Chesapeake Paranormal is a five-member volunteer squad that investigates the region’s historic buildings in search of paranormal activity.

The group of Loudoun and Frederick County, MD-based paranormal investigators found each other through a shared passion for digging into the unexplained.

“All of us have had, at some point in time, an experience of our own. And that’s what’s made us have this curiosity to try to figure it out. Do ghosts really exist?” said Chesapeake Paranormal founding member Kenda “KJo” Sovero.

The group is made up of Elizabeth Welch, Tracy Smith and Kip Ruposky of Loudoun and Sovero and Shane Rossman of New Market, MD. The members

connected through regional paranormal groups and launched a local group last year.

On a recent Saturday night, the investigators returned to Embark, where they completed a successful investigation last year. The historic building on Loudoun Street was home to Leesburg’s well-known Johnston family for more than a century. The investigators were joined by Catina Franklin Sweedy, a mentor/program advisor at Embark and Charles Johnston III, a descendant of the Johnston family whose ancestor and namesake bought the stone house in 1838.

Franklin Sweedy said the first investigation was requested by students at the center who noticed unexplained activity like

PARANORMAL

continues on page 22

LOCO LIVE

Live Music: Chris Bowen

Friday, Feb. 3, 5-8 p.m.

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro

Details: harvestgap.com

Enjoy great tunes from Western Loudoun singer/songwriter and one-man band Chris Bowen.

Live Music: Nate Clendenen

Friday, Feb. 3, 5 p.m.

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights

Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing

Maryland-based singer/songwriter Nate Clendenen has deep Virginia roots and influences from bluegrass, rock, country, reggae and blues.

Live Music: Rowdy Ace

Friday, Feb. 3, 7 p.m.

MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg

Details: macsbeach.com

Kick back with a fun mix of country and rock tunes from Rowdy Ace.

Live Music: Pebble to Pearl

Friday, Feb. 3, 8 p.m.

Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg

Details: spankyspub.com

Pebble to Pearl creates a unique blend of funk, rock and powerful blues fused and delivered with soulful grooves and captivating vocals.

Live Music: Skribe

Friday, Feb. 3, 8 p.m.

Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville

Details: monksq.com

Skribe serves up garage/folk/Americana for a rocking Friday night.

Live Music: Linda Andersen

Saturday, Feb. 4, 1 p.m.

Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville

Details: creeksedgewinery.com

Andersen returns to Creek’s Edge with gorgeous jazz vocals.

Live Music: Brad the Guitar Guy

Saturday, Feb. 4, 1 p.m.

Firefly Cellars, 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton

Details: fireflycellars.com

Get cozy with family-friendly acoustic tunes for a mellow Saturday afternoon.

Live Music: Shane Gamble

Saturday, Feb. 4, 2 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro

Details: breauxvineyards.com

Rising country music star Shane Gamble returns to Breaux for an afternoon of great tunes.

Live Music: Freddie Long

Saturday, Feb. 4, 3 p.m.

Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com

THINGS TO DO continues on page 23

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

A plasma globe helps Chesapeake Paranormal investigate the Embark Center in downtown Leesburg.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Charles Johnston III, whose namesake lived in the old stone house that now houses the Embark Center, and Catina Franklin Sweedy, a mentor/ program advisor at Embark, joined Chesapeake Paranormal for their investigation of the building.

Why I

LO VE Loudoun

Kayse Small, Owner, Le Boudoir, Middleburg

BY VISIT LOUDOUN

Kayse Small was the gift store manager at Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg in 2016 when the idea to open a lingerie boutique in town was born. Her elegant store Le Boudoir opened in 2017 and six years on it’s still going strong, selling a curated selection

of designer bras, lingerie and other garments to suit all types of women.

Favorite place to eat in Loudoun

The Best Thai Kitchen on Federal Street in Middleburg. My favorite dish is the Ka Praw. I love the authentic and savory Thai taste it offers. A wellbalanced combination of basil, garlic and peppers adds a wonderful and satisfying fragrance.

Favorite place for a craft beverage

Dirt Farm Brewing in Bluemont. I love the views. The Earth and its elements exude the spirit of groundedness, connection and growth. I always leave feeling restored and rejuvenated.

What’s a fun/little known fact to share about Loudoun

The land that became Loudoun was once an uncharted wilderness inhabited by Sioux, Algonquin, Iroquois and Piscataway Indians.

Must-see place for an out-of-town visitor

If you’re a horse enthusiast or want to explore the history of horses, Middleburg’s National Sporting Library & Museum is a great place to visit. It has a plethora of information on horses and dogs and the sport of fox hunting.

Best hidden gem in Loudoun

Aldie Mill Historic Park. It’s a park centered around a restored gristmill built

between 1807 and 1809 that was once the largest factory of its kind in Loudoun. Its waterwheels are fully operational again and you can watch live grinding demonstrations.

Favorite event in Loudoun to attend

A Celebration of Diversity and Mutual Understanding, which takes place in Sterling in June. It promotes “Race Amity”—friendship and collaboration between people of different races and cultures to break down segregation, biases and misperceptions.

What’s your favorite shop or boutique in Loudoun – aside from your own

Blooming Hill Lavender Farm and Gift Shop in Purcellville.

22

How artists influence public perception in TIMES of war

A benefit to support humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people and the efforts of the international Blacksmiths Without Borders – Union for Ukraine.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10

Eat, Drink & Be Literary!

A conversation and Q & A with Swedish artist Ludvig Ödman and Ukrainian blacksmith Sergiy Polubotko on how European artists are using their craft to influence public opinion and raise funds to support Ukraine’s defense against Russian agression.

Doors Open at 5:30 p.m. Program begins at 7 p.m.

Advance tickets – $15 ($20 at the door) Available now at www.OldStoneSchool.org

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11

Art Exhibit & Silent Auction

Limited edition and original artwork from regional and international artists will be on display and available for sale on Saturday, February 11. Sale proceeds to provide humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people.

Doors Open for Exhibition at Noon Artist Reception at 3 p.m.

Admission to the display and auction is FREE

Tickets and more information at www.OldStoneSchool.org

UKRAINE AID 2023 – The Art of War – is sponsored by ... HILLSBORO’S

Media sponsor

Kayse Small

LOVE LOUDOUN continues on page

Paranormal

continued from page 20

doors closing unexpectedly and activity in the building’s stairways.

“[The students] were like, ‘We feel like there’s energy here. We feel like it’s good.’ They were the ones who got the idea going,” she said. “It really started with them.”

Franklin Sweedy said she was initially skeptical—but also curious—during last year’s investigation but came away convinced.

“I came into it hoping to have an experience, and when we got here it really was very powerful, things that I would not have expected to experience,” she said.

Rossman said one of the investigators’ roles is to help home and business owners understand activity in their spaces.

“I think it’s a common thing that people dismiss certain things that they’re hearing, but when you bring their attention to it, all of a sudden, their senses are heightened,” he said.

The group takes a calm and conversational approach to engaging spirits, more like a fireside chat than a seance.

“It’s kind of a fluid process. We’re randomly asking questions and if something hits, we start getting responses and we go down that path,” Smith said.

“We try not to provoke. We try not to go in with negativity,” Rossman said, but added that sometimes honest questions can lead to intense responses, especially in Loudoun’s many buildings with Civil War history.

“The Civil War is a very hot topic that tends to get responses,” Welch said.

“At one residence, we got cussed out,” for mentioning that the Union had won the war, Rossman said.

The team comes prepared with specialized equipment, including cameras, microphones, temperature sensors, EMF readers that sense electrical fields, a “spirit box” that uses white noise to capture potential other-worldly communication

Love Loudoun

continued from page 21

February is Black History Month –what should a resident or visitor to Loudoun do to commemorate it?

Visit the African American Burial Ground for the Enslaved at Belmont, the

and an Ovilus, which takes readings from the environment and translates them into words.

“It’s somewhat scientific, it’s somewhat poking around and seeing what we can do differently to get a response,” Rossman said.

But there’s an intuitive side that goes beyond the equipment.

“It’s like we have an aura about us that these things know that we’re there and what we’re there to do and they just come at us. … Once you’ve had it happen, once you hear things, you almost can’t believe it. It makes you want to experience it again and again.” Rossman said.

For the investigators, each new house or business is a chance to share a passion with like-minded people. And every investigation is free of charge.

“I lived in a house as a child where things would happen. Doors would shut, things would get moved,” Sovero said. “I noticed it as a child, and I could tell whenever I’d bring it up, the adults didn’t want to talk about it. … Why was I seeing this and why did I notice stuff that other peo-

largest cemetery for enslaved people in Loudoun.

What’s the one thing people should know about Le Boudoir?

We offer a personalized and transformative bra-fit experience. We ensure that our clients’ experiences will leave them happy, lifted and confident. We offer leading brands of quality bras,

ple didn’t—or didn’t want to talk about?”

Welch, who grew up in South Carolina and now lives in Leesburg, also experienced paranormal activity in her childhood home. She said historical research is a big part of every investigation. Getting to know the people who lived and died in a home can move the investigation forward.

“We have been to places where if we bring up specific names, all of a sudden we start to get responses,” Welch said.

Welch, the mom of a young son, feels a connection with Stuart James “Jack” Johnston, who died in November 1907 at age 5. The investigators said they had a clear interaction with Jack during their first visit to Embark last year. At last week’s visit, the Chesapeake Paranormal team came prepared with toys, including a teddy bear for Jack.

“We really think Jack is here,” Welch said. “It gets emotional sometimes.”

For Charles Johnston III, who now lives in Manassas, the building was the home of his namesake, Charles A. Johnston, who bought the home in 1838, and his beloved

underwear, sleepwear, loungewear and hosiery.

What brought you to Loudoun: My first visit to Middleburg gave me the feeling of being in Europe where I spent time living in Paris. The charming southern destination also reminded me of my home state of Louisiana. I immediately knew that a lingerie

“Granny,” Beulah Johnston, who lived in the house from 1927 until 1974. Johnston grew up nearby and visited his grandmother daily.

“Granny was marvelous. … If anybody asks me what’s my favorite house on Earth, it would be this one,” he said. Johnston’s family has connections to numerous downtown properties, and he donated a collection from his family’s illustrious history to the Thomas Balch Library in 2016. Beulah Johnston’s home was sold as a commercial property in 1974, not long before her death in 1975 at the age of 97.

Charles Johnston has followed the house’s path over the years. The building was a medical office for decades, and he was delighted when it became an educational center in 2017. Johnston reached out to the center’s founders and has shared history and photos with students and their advisors over the years.

Chesapeake Paranormal is constantly on the hunt for new locations to investigate and conducts investigations free of charge. After each investigation, the group goes through hours of audio and video recordings and presents the homeowners or businesses with a “reveal” of their findings. The group usually does one investigation each month and is booked through July.

For group members, the payoff is the thrill of discovery and access to new spaces to investigate.

“The more that happens to you, the more you want to happen to you. You’re always looking for more, looking for answers, trying to understand what’s going on and why it’s happening,” Smith said. “It’s a quest that I don’t think there’s an end to.” n

For more information, go to chesapeakeparanormal.com and visit facebook.com/groups/chesapeakeparanormal to check out videos of past investigations, (including the ghost who didn’t like the outcome of the Civil War).

boutique would be a great fit in this quaint village. n

Visit Loudoun strives to bring tourists to the county, but locals can be tourists too.  In this series we ask Loudoun residents to tell us about the joys, secrets and delights of their own backyard. Share your local adventure with Visit Loudoun using #loveloudoun.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Shane Rossman and Kenda Sovero of Chesapeake Paranormal prepare equipment to investigate the Embark Center in Leesburg.

Friday, Feb. 3, 7-11 p.m. MacDowell’s macsbeach.com

THINGS to do

continued from page 20

Long is part introspective singer/songwriter, part bluesy classic rocker for a perfect brewery afternoon.

Live Music: Greg Ward

Saturday, Feb. 4, 3 p.m.

Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn

Details: lostrhino.com

Ward serves up reggae tunes at a favorite venue.

Live Music: Scott Kurt and Memphis 59

Saturday, Feb.. 4, 5 p.m.

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg

Details: lostbarrel.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: Todd Brooks Duo

Saturday, Feb. 4, 6-9 p.m.

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro

Details: harvestgap.com

Brooks is back with classic rock and favorites from the 80s, 90s and 2000s.

Live Music: Crosstown Funk

Saturday, Feb. 4, 6 p.m.

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts

Details: vanishbeer.com

Crosstown Funk brings old-school dance, disco and soul tunes to Vanish.

Live Music: Yoko Says No

Saturday, Feb. 4, 8 p.m.

Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg

Details: spankyspub.com

Regional favorites Yoko Says No are back with rock, country, blues, pop and 80s hits.

Live Music: Riki J. and Blue Rhythm

Saturday, Feb. 4, 8 p.m.

Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville

Details: monksq.com

Riki J returns to Monk’s for an evening of rockin’ blues.

Live Music: Berlin Calling

Saturday, Feb. 4, 8 p.m.

Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive #120, Sterling

BEST BETS

Saturday, Feb. 4, 6-9 p.m. Vanish Farmwoods Brewery vanishbeer.com

Details: crookedrunbrewing.com

It’s an 80s dance party anniversary celebration with Berlin Calling.

Live Music: Eyes of the Nile Iron Maiden Tribute

Saturday, Feb. 4, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg

Details: tallyhotheater.com

DMV-based Eyes of the Nile delivers Iron Maiden favorites with intensity and emotion. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $35 for VIP seats.

Live Music: Mangione and Benton

Sunday, Feb. 5, 1 p.m.

Maggie Malick Wine Caves, 12138 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville

Details: maggiemalickwinecaves.com

Enjoy Sunday afternoon jazz from a favorite local duo.

Live Music: Lenny Burridge

Sunday, Feb. 5, 2 p.m.

Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville

Details: flyingacefarm.com

Wind down the weekend with acoustic blues and Americana, classic rock and new rock from Lenny Burridge.

Live Music: Lost Corner Vagabonds

Sunday, Feb. 5, 2 p.m.

Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro

Details: doukeniewinery.com

Whether it’s rock, country, R&B or a heartfelt ballad, The Lost Corner Vagabonds dig deep to reach the places that feel like home.

Live Music: Justin Suede

Sunday, Feb. 5, 2-5 p.m.

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro

Details: harvestgap.com

This “six-string slinging wanderer” is back in Virginia with tunes from his new EP.

Live Music: Famous Last Words

Sunday, Feb. 5, 2 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro

Details: breauxvineyards.com

This acoustic duo made up of Chris Coutts and Maria Lynn brings favorite hits from the 60s to today.

Live Music: Soul Asylum Acoustic

Wednesday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg

Details: tallyhotheater.com

Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner and Ryan Smith are on

Wednesday, Feb. 8, 7 p.m. (doors)

Tally Ho Theater

tallyhotheater.com

the road for a string of acoustic dates performing stripped-down versions of their classics and new songs. General admission tickets are $45.

LOCO CULTURE

‘The Wizard of Oz’

Friday, Feb. 3 and Saturday, Feb. 4, 7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 5, 2 p.m.

StageCoach Theatre Company, 20937 Ashburn Road, Suites 115 and 120, Ashburn

Details: stagecoachtc.com

It’s your last chance to catch this stage version of

the classic film. Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion take you on a trip to the Enchanted Land of Oz to meet the Wizard himself. Tickets are $20.

Music for Dessert: Sunny @ Midnight

Wednesday, Feb. 8, 7-8 p.m.

Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville

Details: franklinparkartscenter.org

Jeff Smith and Sherry Stewart serve up textured harmonies and rich instrumental blends for an evening of music that sings and swings. Tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for students.

ROWDY ACE BAND

CROSSTOWN FUNK

SOUL ASYLUM ACOUSTIC

Town of Leesburg

Employment Opportunities

Please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs for more information and to apply online.

Resumes may be submitted as supplemental only. EOE/ADA.

Regular Full-Time Positions

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.

Construction Project Manager/Project Engineer

Meridien Group, LLC is seeking a motivated, qualified individual to handle all aspects of construction project management. Duties include Preparing, scheduling, coordinating and monitoring the assigned projects. Monitoring compliance to applicable codes, practices, QA/QC policies, performance standards and specifications.

Interacting daily with the clients to interpret their needs and requirements and representing them in the field.

We are looking for an accountable project engineer/project manager to be responsible for all engineering and technical disciplines that projects involve. You will schedule, plan, forecast, resource and manage all the technical activities aiming at assuring project accuracy and quality from conception to completion.

Qualifications

• BS degree in Engineering/Construction Management or relevant field

• Prior federal government project experience is preferred, but not required

• Entry-level/mid-level Position

Contact Info: Katherine Hicks

208 South King Street Suite 303

Leesburg, VA 20175

Send Resume to: khicks@meridiengroupllc.com (703) 777-8285

Legal Notices

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE BIDS/PROPOSALS FOR:

CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS (CDD) UNIT CELL A2 BOTTOM LINER SYSTEM, IFB No. 585784 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, March 7, 2023.

A Pre Bid Conference will be held virtually using GoTo Meeting software on February 2, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. for clarification of any questions on the drawings, specifications and site conditions.

COURT REPORTING SERVICES, RFP No. 577792 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, February 24, 2023.

PETROLEUM PRODUCTS, IFB No. 558787 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, February 27, 2023.

Solicitation forms may be obtained 24 hours a day by visiting our web site at www.loudoun.gov/procurement. If you do not have access to the Internet, call (703) 777-0403, M - F, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

WHEN CALLING, PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ANY TYPE OF DISABILITY IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCUREMENT.

2/2/23

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE

The Purcellville Planning Commission will hold a public hearing in the Town Council Chambers located at 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia on Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 6:30 PM for the purpose of receiving comments on, considering, and possibly voting on the following item:

A Special Use Permit application, identified by the Town as “SUP22-01,” to permit a drive-through facility. The drive-through facility is proposed to serve a not-yetconstructed free-standing restaurant, to be located at the north-east corner of The Shoppes at Main and Maple, directly behind the existing Walgreens building. The property is addressed as 711A East Main Street, Purcellville, Virginia, and is further identified in Loudoun County land records as Parcel Identification Number (PIN) 488-30-6864 (“Property”). The application is submitted by the owner of the Property, SRB Enterprises, LLC.

Additional information regarding the Special Use Permit application is available for review at the Purcellville Town Hall, 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.

At this public hearing, all persons desiring to present their views concerning this matter will be heard. Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Town Council Chambers. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation to participate in this meeting as a result of a physical, sensory or mental disability, contact the Town Clerk at 540-751-2334; please provide notice of the accommodation at least three days in advance of the meeting.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary plat of subdivision for the following project.

SBPR-2023-0002

THE GRANT AT WILLOWSFORD SECTION 2C

Mr. Matthew Kroll, of Willowsford Operations, LLC, of Ashburn, Virginia is requesting Preliminary/ Record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately twenty-six (26.81) acres into seven (7) residential lots, one (1) open space lot, and accompanying right-of-way dedication and easement creation. The property is located along Homestead Landing Court (Route 3426), north of the intersection of Homestead Landing Court (Route 3426) and Everfield Drive (Route 3423). The property is zoned Agricultural Rural – 3 (A-3) and Airport Impact Overlay District (AIOD) under the provisions of the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as Parcel Identification Number 243-20-0865 in the 2011 Blue Ridge Election District and the 2022 Little River Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the Loudoun Online Land Applications System www.loudoun.gov/LOLA by searching for SBPR-2023-0002. Complete copies of the above referenced application(s) are also available for public review at the Loudoun County Department of Building and Development, Land Development File Room, 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Eric Blankenship at Eric.Blankenship@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by March 9th, 2023. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

2/2/23

PUBLIC NOTICE INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) NOTICE

THE TOWN OF LEESBURG, VIRGINIA, INVITES BIDS FOR THE GRANT OF A NONEXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE TO USE AND OCCUPY THE STREETS, ALLEYS, AND OTHER PUBLIC GROUNDS OF THE TOWN OF LEESBURG AS THE SAME NOW EXIST OR MAY HEREAFTER BE LAID OUT, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF A SYSTEM OF PIPES, MAINS, CONNECTIONS, METERS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT AND APPLIANCES NECESSARY OR CONVENIENT FOR THE TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION AND SALE OF NATURAL GAS IN THE TOWN OF LEESBURG.

THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE FRANCHISE ARE ATTACHED TO THE INVITATION FOR BID. THE TERM OF THE FRANCHISE SHALL BE FOR A TERM OF THIRTY (30) YEARS.

ALL BIDS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING. THE BID DOCUMENTS ARE TO BE SENT TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY’S OFFICE VIA E-MAIL LEGALBIDS@LEESBURGVA.GOV, OR MAIL 25 WEST MARKET STREET, LEESBURG, VA 20176 AND MUST BE RECEIVED ON OR BEFORE 3:00 P.M. ON FEBRUARY 15, 2023. ALL BIDS MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED “SEALED BID” ON THE ENVELOPE OR IN THE EMAIL SUBJECT LINE. AT THAT TIME BIDS SHALL BE PUBLICLY OPENED AND BIDDERS IDENTIFIED.

IN ADDITION, IDENTIFICATION OF THE BIDDERS SHALL BE ANNOUNCED IN OPEN SESSION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LEESBURG IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, TOWN HALL, 25 WEST MARKET STREET, SECOND FLOOR, LEESBURG, VIRGINIA, 20176 ON FEBRUARY 28, 2023, AT 7 P.M. EASTERN TIME. THE TOWN RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS, TO TERMINATE NEGOTIATIONS AT ANY STAGE OF THE SELECTION PROCESS, AND TO REISSUE THE REQUEST FOR BIDS WITH OR WITHOUT MODIFICATION.

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.

THE DESCRIPTIVE NOTICE OF THE PROPOSED FRANCHISE ORDINANCE IS AS FOLLOWS:

The proposed ordinance will grant a nonexclusive franchise or franchises, under certain conditions, permitting the grantee to use and occupy the streets, alleys, and other public grounds in the Town of Leesburg, as now existing or as may hereafter be laid out, for the construction, maintenance and operation therein of a system of pipes, mains, connections, meters and other equipment and appliances necessary or convenient for the transmission, distribution and sale of natural gas in and to any part of the Town of Leesburg.

A copy of the complete text of the proposed ordinance is available from the Town Clerk, located in Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.); or by calling Eileen Boeing, Town Clerk, at 703-771-2733.

Nan Forbes, Planning Commission Chairman Town of Purcellville

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 15, 2023, in order to consider:

AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 612 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF LOUDOUN COUNTY

Prohibition of private ownership of certain wild, exotic and venomous species of animals

Pursuant to Virginia Code Section 15.2-1427, the Board of Supervisors gives notice of its intent to amend Chapter 612 Dogs and Other Animals of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County. The proposed amendments would add a definition of “Wild or Exotic Animals.” It would also prohibit private ownership and breeding of certain wild and exotic species of animals, including but not limited to: hybrid canines, venomous snakes, venomous reptiles, non-human primates, marsupials, and venomous arachnids. The proposed language is specific to private owners, but exempts state or federally permitted entities such as zoos, exhibitors, and rehabilitators. Individuals residing in Loudoun County who presently own any of the species listed in the new definition of wild or exotic animals may retain ownership of the specific animal for the duration of the animal’s natural life but must register ownership of the animal with the Loudoun County Department of Animal Services within 60 days of adoption of the amended Ordinance.

Full and complete copies of the full text of the above-referenced proposed amendments are available and may be examined at the Office of the County Administrator, 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”).

ZMAP-2022-0009, ZMOD-2022-0038

ZMOD-2022-0039 & ZMOD-2022-0040

GUILFORD STATION SOUTH

(Zoning Map Amendment & Zoning Modifications)

Guilford Station LLC, of Bethesda, Maryland, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 1.5 acres from the C-1 (Commercial – 1) zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-IP (Planned Development – Commercial Center (Small Regional Center)) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop a stand-alone car wash. The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s): ZONING

§4-202(C), PD-CC Planned Development –Commercial Center, Purpose, Size and Location of Individual Districts, Small Regional Center (SC).

§4-205(C), PD-CC Planned Development –Commercial Center, Lot Requirements, Yards.

§4-205(C)(1)(c), PD-CC Planned Development – Commercial Center, Lot Requirements, Yards, Adjacent to Roads, Small Regional Center (SC).

Reduce the minimum size of the PD-CC(SC) zoning district from 20 acres to 1.5 acres.

Reduce the required setbacks from 35 feet to 10 feet.

Reduce the required setbacks from 35 feet to 15 feet along adjacent roadways.

The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District and within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contours. The subject property is located north of West Church Road (Route 625) west of Atlantic Boulevard (Route 1902), at 22060 Rail Car Drive, Sterling, Virginia, in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN 044-40-8919. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Mixed Use Place Type) which supports Retail and Service Commercial uses at a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of up to 1.0 within a pedestrian-oriented environment.

ZMAP-2022-0007 & SPEX-2022-0023

VANTAGE DATA CENTER

(Zoning Map Amendment & Special Exception)

Vantage Data Centers VA2, LLC, of Sterling, Virginia has submitted an application to rezone approximately 18.59 acres from the PD-IP (Planned Development – Industrial Park) zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance and Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance and the R-4 (Single Family Residential) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop a data center campus. The applicant is also requesting a Special Exception in order to permit an increase in the maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) from 0.6 to 1.0 for the development of all principal and accessory uses in the PD-IP zoning district. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and the proposed increase in maximum FAR is permitted by Special Exception under Section 4-506(C).

The subject property is approximately 18.59 acres in size and is located south of Belfort Park Drive (Route

891), west of Glenn Drive (Route 864), and on the east side of Shaw Road (Route 636) in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PINs: 032-15-5119 and 044-106869. The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District, the Route 28 CB (Corridor Business) Optional Overlay, and the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 airport noise contour. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area) in the Suburban Mixed Use Place Type which designate this area for a mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural and Recreational uses at a recommended FAR of 1.0.

ZRTD-2022-0002

T-4 VENTURES

(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District)

CWC Gas LC, of Fairfax, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 15.58 acres from the PD-IP (Planned Development – Industrial Park) zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to permit certain principal and accessory uses permitted in the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.6 (up to 1.0 by Special Exception). The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District, partially within the QN (Quarry Notification) Overlay District (part of parcel 034-47-9040) and fully within the Route 28 Optional Overlay district and the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60, aircraft noise contour. The subject property is approximately 15.58 acres in size and is located south of Glenn Drive (Route 864), west of Davis Drive (Route 868), east of Terminal Drive, and north of Platform Plaza in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PINs: 033-19-0248 and 034-47-9040. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Employment Place Type)), which designate this area for Office, Production, Research and Development, Flex Space, and Contractor without outdoor storage uses at a FAR of up to 1.0.

ZRTD-2021-0010 & SPMI-2021-0008

NIVO SUBSTATION EXPANSION

(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District, and Minor Special Exception)

Virginia Electric and Power Company (Dominion Energy Virginia) of Glen Allen, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 3.85 acres from the PD-IP (Planned Development – Industrial Park) zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to permit the development of all principal and accessory uses permitted in the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.6 (up to 1.0 by Special Exception). The application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The applicant also seeks a modification of the buffer yard requirements for a Utility Substation, Distribution use under Section 5-616(D) of the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance which is authorized by Minor Special Exception under Section 5-600. The applicant requests the following modification(s):

ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION

§5-616(D), Additional Regulations for Specific Uses, Utility Substations.

PROPOSED MODIFICATION

Reduce the minimum percentage of plant units assigned to evergreen trees from 40% to 30% for the northern perimeter of the Utility Substation use, AND

Eliminate the 40% minimum percentage requirement for plant units assigned to evergreen trees for the southern perimeter of the Utility Substation use.

The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District and within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District between the Ldn 60-65 noise contours. The subject property is approximately 10.26 acres in size and is located on the east side of Smith Switch Road (Route 1950), south of Gloucester Parkway (Route 2150), and north of Waxpool Road (Route 625), at 21380 Smith Switch Road, Ashburn, Virginia, in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 060-280333. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Employment Place Type)) which designate this area for a broad array of Employment uses at a recommended FAR of up to 1.0.

Unless otherwise noted in the above notices, copies of the above-referenced amendments, applications, ordinances, and/or plans and related documents may be examined by request at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call 703-777-0246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies, or electronically at www.loudoun.gov/lola. This link also provides an additional opportunity for public input on active applications. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments (for Public Hearing

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Legal Notices

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).

Board of Supervisors public hearings are available for live viewing on television on Comcast Government Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40, and livestreamed at loudoun.gov/meetings. All members of the public who desire to speak will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. Public input may be provided by electronic means at Board public hearings. Members of the public who wish to provide public input, whether electronically or in person, will be accommodated without advanced sign-up during the hearing, however, members of the public are strongly encouraged to sign-up in advance. For this public hearing, advanced sign-up will be taken after 8:30 a.m. on February 3, 2023, and no later than 12:00 p.m. on February 15, 2023. 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

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LOUDOUN COUNTY THE COUNTY OF LOUDOUN Plaintiff, v.

HEIRS AT LAW & SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST OF DOUGLAS PETERSON, SR. a/k/a FRED DOUGLAS PETERSON,) SR. and JOSEPHINE PETERSON, et al. Defendants.

CIVIL ACTION NO. CL22-5153

submit written comments by email sent to bos@loudoun.gov. Any written comments received prior to the public hearing will be distributed to Board members and made part of the minutes for the public hearing.

Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory or mental disability to participate in this meeting, please contact the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200. At least one business day of advance notice is requested; some accommodations may require more than one day of notice. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings.

BY ORDER OF: PHYLLIS RANDALL, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

COUNTY OF LOUDOUN

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

IT APPEARING TO THE COURT, that the object of the above-styled suit is to achieve the judicial sale of real estate located in Loudoun County, Virginia, for the purpose of collecting delinquent real estate taxes assessed against the subject real estate, consisting of two parcels (the “Properties”).

a. The first parcel contains 0.25 acres, more or less, vacant land with miscellaneous improvements, no situs address, located near Bluemont, Virginia and identified by Loudoun County PIN 653-37-8564-000 and Tax Map Number 153////////38/ and is further described among the land records of Loudoun County, Virginia as:

All the following described tract and parcel of land, with all the improvements thereon and appurtenances thereunto appertaining, situated, lying and being in the County of Loudoun and State of Virginia, and near the place called the Trapp, and bounded as follows: Lot No. 3 beginning at post and running S 68 1/2 E. 8.24 poles to a cross fence, thence with said fence N 14 3/4 E 10 poles to an iron pin thence N 72 W 7.28 poles to an iron pin, thence S 20 W 9.60 poles to the place of beginning. Containing 10,662 square feet, more or less.

b. The second parcel contains 0.41 acres, more or less, with improvements, located at 33670 Austin Grove Road, Bluemont, Virginia 20135 and identified by Loudoun County PIN 653-378651-000 and Tax Map Number /53////////36/ and is further described among the land records of Loudoun County, Virginia as:

All the following described tract and parcel of land, with all the improvements thereon and appurtenances thereunto appertaining, situated, lying and being in Loudoun County and near the Trapp (a town in said County), Virginia, adjoining the lands of Dr. Wiley and others and bounded as follows by a survey made on the 28th day of November 1928, by A. C. Bell. Beginning in the center of a road and running N 13 1/4 E 12.20 poles to Fig. 2, a stake, thence N 68 3A W 4.72 poles to Fig. 3, a stake in a line of fence, thence in the center of the said road S 79 3/4 E 5.48 poles to Fig. 1 the place of beginning, containing sixty-five and seven tenths (65.7) poles, more or less, also known as:

33670 Austin Grove Road Bluemont, Virginia 20135

AND BEING a portion of the same property, conveyed to Robert L. Peterson and Estus Peterson by deed dated May 10, 1930, recorded at Deed Book 10-F-320, 4-D-441 WB, among the land records of Loudoun County, Virginia.

IT FURTHER APPEARING to the Court, by affidavit, that the record owners of the Properties are the heirs at law and successors in interest of Douglas Peterson, Sr. and Josephine Peterson.

IT FURTHER APPEARING to the Court, by affidavit, that there are certain individuals who may have a potential ownership interest in the Properties, and are therefore named as Defendants in this suit, whose location and whereabouts are unknown, and that diligence has been used without effect to ascertain their location;

IT FURTHER APPEARING to the Court, by affidavit, that there are certain individuals who may have a potential ownership interest in the Properties, and are therefore named as Defendants in this suit, who, based upon their last known address, are nonresident individuals; it is therefore

ORDERED, that pursuant to Virginia Code §§8.01-316 and 58.1-3967, the following Defendants appear before this Court on February 17, 2023 at 10:00 a.m., and do what is necessary to protect their interests herein:

DEBORAH PETERSON

YVONNE PETERSON JANELLE N. DIXON

1/26 & 2/2/23

SUPPLEMENTAL REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX DEADLINE

H. Roger Zurn, Jr., Treasurer

February 6, 2023

The deadline for payment of the Supplemental Real Estate and Personal Property taxes are on February 6, 2023.

Please note: Payments received or postmarked after February 6, 2023, will incur a 10 percent penalty and interest. Any such penalty, when assessed, shall become part of the tax with interest accruing on both the tax and penalty at a rate of 10% annually. Personal Property taxes remaining unpaid after 60 calendar day from the original due date will incur an additional 15% penalty. The due date will not be extended for bills where assessment questions have been filed with the Board of Equalization. Taxpayers who are having financial difficulties should contact our Collections Team at 703-771-5656 who stand ready to assist.

For Your Safety and Convenience, please consider making payments online, by phone or mail.

CONVENIENT PAYMENT OPTIONS AND LOCATIONS

Online: www.loudounportal.com/taxes

Pay using electronic check, VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Discover

By Telephone: 24-hour line 1-800-269-5971 703-777-0280 during regular business hours. Pay using electronic check, VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Discover

Please note: There is a convenience fee added to a Credit Card transaction. There is no fee for electronic checks (e-check).

By Mail: County of Loudoun P.O. Box 1000 Leesburg, Virginia 20177-1000

TREASURER’S OFFICE LOCATIONS

Hours: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM 1 Harrison Street, S.E. 46000 Center Oak Plaza 1st Floor 1st Floor Leesburg, Virginia 20175 Sterling, Virginia 20166

*A 24 hour drop box is located outside the Sterling and Leesburg locations.

Please contact the Loudoun County Treasurer's Office at 703-777-0280 or email us at taxes@loudoun.gov with questions or if you have not received your bill.

Stay up to date on tax information by subscribing to the Tax Notices category of Alert Loudoun at www.louduon.gov/alert. You can also text the word “TAXES” to 888777 to receive text messages about tax-related information, including upcoming deadlines. Additional message and data rates may apply.

For information regarding Real Property or Personal Property Tax Exemptions or Deferrals, please contact the Exemptions Divisions of the Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office at taxrelief@loudoun.gov, by phone at 703-737-8557 or visit www.loudoun.gov/taxrelief

1/26 & 2/2/23

Legal Notices

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TO CONSIDER WITHDRAWAL OF RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING ZONE ON CORNWALL STREET NW BETWEEN WIRT STREET AND LIBERTY STREET AND ON WIRT STREET BETWEEN W. MARKET STREET AND CORNWALL STREET NW

The LEESBURG TOWN MANAGER will hold a public hearing in Lower-Level Conference Room 1 at Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. on withdrawal of Residential Permit Parking Zone designation on Cornwall Street between Wirt Street and Liberty Street and on Wirt Street between Market Street and Cornwall Street NW. This Public Hearing is in accordance with Section 32-250 of the Town Code.

Additional information concerning this withdrawal of Residential Permit Parking Zones is available by contacting Niraja R. Chandrapu, Transportation Engineer at 703-771-2791 or email at nchandrapu@leesburgva.gov

At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views regarding these matters will be heard. Person requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at 703-771-2733 or eboeing@leesburgva.gov, three days in advance (TTD 703-771-4560).

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

Case No. CL-21-6494

LOUDOUN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

18 East Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176 Commonwealth of Virginia, in re

SOPHIA MARIE CARVAJAL VS. SOPHIA MARIE LOZADA

The object of the suit is to: CHANGE NAME OF MINOR It is ORDERED that Arlene Carvajal appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before March 24, 2023 at 2:00PM.

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VA CODE §§ 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104

Case No. CL-22-6473

LOUDOUN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

18 East Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176

CHRISTINE MICHELLE STRANO

RONALD ROCCO MACK

The object of the suit is to: name change for Kylie Kathleen Mack Barbiere

It is ORDERED that Ronald Rocco Mack appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before March 24, 2023 at 10 AM.

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ046599-02-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Briston Love

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

/v.

Shakita Love, Mother

The object of this suit is to hold a foster care review hearing and review of foster care plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282 and 16.1-281 for Briston Love

It is ORDERED that the defendant Shakita Love, Mother appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before March 7, 2023 at 2:00pm

1/26, 2/2, 2/9 & 2/16

PROPOSED

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY PERMIT ENVIROSOLUTIONS DULLES MATERIAL RECOVERY INC., MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITY

The Loudoun County Department of Planning and Zoning, in accordance with Chapter 1080 of the Loudoun County Codified Ordinances, hereby proposes to issue a solid waste management facility (SWMF) permit to Envirosolutions Dulles Material Recovery Inc., to operate an existing Materials Recovery Facility to receive, process, and transfer a maximum of 1,800 tons per 24-hour workday of construction waste, demolition waste, and recyclable material. The subject property is 6.07 acres in size, comprises 2 adjacent parcels, and is located on the south side of Woodland Road (Route 679), on the east side of Cedar Lane (Route 889), and west of Ashgrove Court, at 45713 and 45747 Woodland Road, Sterling, Virginia, in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PINs: 030-17-8729 and 030-18-1909.

Pursuant to Chapter 1080, no permit shall be issued prior to completion of a 30-day public participation process. The public is hereby invited to submit written comment on the proposed permit regarding any aspect of alleged non-conformance contained in the proposed permit. Written comments must be submitted to the Loudoun County Department of Planning and Zoning, 1 Harrison Street S. E., 3rd Floor, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, Virginia 20177-7000, Attention: Jeb Parker, by regular mail or fax to 703-777-0441. Written comments from the public will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on February 25, 2023.

A draft of the proposed permit will be kept at the Loudoun County Department of Planning and Zoning, 1 Harrison Street, 3rd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia, for review by the public during regular business hours from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling 703-777-0649.

1/26 & 2/2/23

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ046598-02-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Chloe Love

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

/v.

Shakita Love, Mother; Willie Huff, putative father, and Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold a foster care review hearing and review of foster care plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282 and 16.1-281 for Chloe Love.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Shakita Love, Mother; Willie Huff, putative father, and Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before March 7, 2023 at 2:00pm 1/26, 2/2, 2/9 & 2/16

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ044816-03-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Alexander Beers

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

/v.

John Beers, putative father and Cathryn Beers, mother

The object of this suit is to hold a permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Alexander Beers.

It is ORDERED that the defendants John Beers, putative father and Cathryn Beers, mother appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before March 7, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.

1/26, 2/2, 2/9 & 2/16

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.

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary plat of subdivision for the following project.

SBPL-2022-0005 Wrightfield Estates

DRB Homes Mid-Atlantic, LLC, of Ashburn, VA is requesting PRELIMINARY plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately four hundred and seventeen (417.74) acres into seventy-five (75) cluster lots, eight (8) rural economy lots and three (3) open space parcels. The property is located north of Tutt Lane (Route 740), west of James Monroe Highway (US Route 15) and south of Swiftwater Drive (Route 1172). The property is zoned AR-1 (Agricultural Rural-1), Limestone Overlay District, Mountainside Overlay District and Floodplain Overlay District under the provisions of the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as PIN 227-178669 in the Catoctin Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the Loudoun Online Land Applications System www.loudoun.gov/LOLA and searching for SBPL-2022-0005. Complete copies of the above referenced application(s) are also available for public review at the Loudoun County Department of Building and Development, Land Development File Room, 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Dustin Canterbury at dustin.canterbury@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by March 16, 2023. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

2/2/23

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE TOWN COUNCIL

FIELDS FARM PARK APPLICATIONS FOR REZONING, SPECIAL USE PERMITS, & COMMISSION PERMITS

PARCEL NUMBERS 522-29-5928 & 522-29-6381

OWNER: LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

The Town Council of the Town of Purcellville will conduct a public hearing on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2023, at 6:00 PM for the purpose of receiving comments on, considering, and possibly voting on the following applications:

The County of Loudoun has submitted 5 applications, proposing to rezone parcel numbers 522-295928 and 522-29-6381 (“the Property”), so that the Property may be developed with two special uses: a Commuter Parking Lot, and an Outdoor Lighted Public Recreational Facility consisting of 7 athletic fields, all as follows:

(1) One Rezoning application (“RZ 20-01”), which proposes to amend the zoning designation of the Property from the existing “X - Transitional” designation, to the “Institutional and Public Use District” designation (“IP”). The future land use map of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan (page 45) recommends that the Property be utilized for Institutional and Government land uses.

The existing X-Transitional zoning district is the zoning district assigned by the Town to land when it is annexed into the Town’s corporate limits, and therefore has been the zoning designation of the property since it was annexed into the Town in 2008. There is no specified density in the X zoning district, which requires a minimum lot size of 3 acres and allows by-right several uses, including: single-family housing, group homes, minor public utilities, place of worship, and beds & breakfasts.

The proposed “IP” zoning designation is described by the Town Zoning Ordinance as follows: “[The “IP”] district is intended to permit the location and growth of public and private educational, institutional, public, and semi-public uses in areas appropriate for such uses. The district is intended to encourage the retention or adaptive reuse of larger public and institutional uses on sites identified for such uses in the adopted comprehensive plan.” There is no specified density in the IP Zoning District, which requires a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet and allows by-right several uses, including: college, government office, library, police station, minor public utility, public parking lot and parks. The proposed zoning map amendment is necessary in order to obtain the two Special Use Permit applications, which are described below.

(2) Two Special Use Permit applications (“SUP 20-01” and “SUP 20-02”) and Two Commission Permit Applications (“CP 20-01” and “CP 20-02”) for the following special uses:

V I R G I N I A : IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF LOUDOUN IN RE: ESTATE OF SANFORD H. GULICK, DECEASED

Probate File No. 19079

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE AGAINST DISTRIBUTION

It appearing that a report of the account of Deborah A. Lloyd, Administrator for the Estate of Sanford H. Gulick, and a repolit of the debts and demands against the Estate have been filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Loudoun County, and that more than 6 months have elapsed since the qualification of the Administrator before this Court,

It is ORDERED that the creditors of, and all others interested in, the Estate of Sanford H. Gulick, deceased, do show cause, if any they can, on Friday, February 17, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., before this Court at its courtroom in Leesburg, Virginia, against payment and delivery of said Estate to its beneficiaries, after payment of remaining administrative expenses and debts, in accordance with Va. Code §64.2-528 as set out in the Administrator’s Petition.

1/26 & 2/2/23

VIRGINIA:

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LOUDOUN COUNTY

IN RE: ESTATE OF LINDA JEAN HORNE ) FIDUCIARY

SHOW CAUSE ORDER AGAINST DISTRIBUTION

19641

It appearing that the Personal Representative has petitioned this Court to enter a Rule to Show Cause against Distribution; that the debts and demands against is estate has been filed, that the First and Final Account has been filed with the Commissioner of Accounts, and the six months have elapsed since the qualification, on Motion of the said Personal Representatives;

It is ORDERED that the creditors of, and all others interested in, the Estate do show cause, if any they can, on the 24th day of February, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. before this Court in its Courtroom, against the payment and delivery of the Estate of Linda Jean Horne, deceased, to the payees without refunding bonds.

2/2 & 2/9/23

(a) One Commuter Parking Lot with up to 260 parking spaces, and

(b) Seven (7) Lighted Outdoor Public Recreational Fields (4 soccer/lacrosse & 3 baseball). While the Property consists of about 221 acres, the portion of the Property proposed to be rezoned and developed with the two Special Uses consists of approximately 69 acres, located on the southern half of the Property (the “project area”). The project area is located immediately south of Woodgrove High School, north of Route 7, between Routes 690 and 611. The project area abuts the west side of the Mayfair residential and industrial subdivisions. The project area currently has 2 existing soccer fields, with the remainder of the land being currently vacant. The project area is located east of and proximate to the future interchange planned to be constructed at Route 690 and Route 7.

A full and complete copy of the proposed applications and all related documents are available for review on the town’s website at https://www.purcellvilleva.gov/1017/Fields-Farm-Park-Projects, and also inperson at the office of the Town Clerk, or at the office of the Planning Department, both located within the Purcellville Town Hall, 221 S. Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. For questions, please call (540) 338-7421.

At this public hearing, all persons desiring to present their views concerning this matter will be heard. Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Town Council Chambers. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation to participate in this meeting as a result of a physical, sensory or mental disability, contact the Town Clerk at 540-751-2334; please provide notice of the accommodation at least three days in advance of the meeting.

Remote Participation Through “GoToMeeting” -- If you have already installed the GoToMeeting app and wish to comment during the hearing but cannot attend in person, please join the Public Hearing remotely by going to the following:

Town Council Special Meeting

Feb 21, 2023, 6:00 – 8:00 PM (America/New_York)

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto.com/248391405

You can also dial in using your phone.

Access Code: 248-391-405

United States: +1 (872) 240-3212

Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://meet.goto.com/install

Email Your Comments: In addition, all persons have the option of sending an email to the Town Clerk, Diana Hays, at dhays@purcellvilleva.gov, with written comments or questions concerning the proposed project. Emails sent by 6:00 PM the day of the Public Hearing will be part of the written record for the public hearing and project, but may not necessarily be read aloud into the record at the public hearing.

2/2 & 2/9/23

Legal Notices

V I R G I N I A : IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF LOUDOUN IN RE: ESTATE OF RAYMOND CASE, JR., DECEASED

Probate File No. 16228

SHOW CAUSE ORDER

It appearing that a report of the accounts of Matthew L. Clark, Administrator d.b.n. of the Estate of Raymond Case, Jr., deceased, and of the debts and demands against the Decedent’s Estate have been filed in the Clerk’s Office, and that six months have elapsed since the qualification, of Matthew L. Clark, Administrator d.b.n. of the Estate of Raymond Case, Jr.;

IT IS ORDERED that the creditors of, and all others interested in, the Estate do show cause, if any they can, at 9:00 a.m. on the 3rd day of February, before this Court at its courtroom at 18 E. Market Street, 3rd floor, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, against the payment and delivery of the Estate of Raymond Case, Jr., deceased, to the distributees with or without refunding bonds as the Court prescribes.

1/26 & 2/2/23

PUBLIC NOTICE

The VA Dept of Historic Resources will conduct a public information hearing of the Philomont Historic District on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm and will be held at Roszell Chapel 37141 Snickersville Turnpike, Purcellville, VA 20132. In the event of inclement weather, the meeting will take place Thursday, February 9th at 7 pm. Public comment regarding the proposal will be taken at the time of the hearing or can be sent to Director Julie Langan, Dept of Historic Resources, 2801 Kensington Ave, Richmond, VA 23221. This proposal has been recommended eligible for the Virginia Landmarks and National Registers. This proposal will be presented to the State Review Board and the Board of Historic Resources on March 16, 2023, at Maymont, Garden Hall. For a copy of the proposal and/or boundary map contact Madeline Skinner at marc.wagner@dhr.virginia.gov or 540.387.5443.

1/26 & 2/2/23

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

ABC LICENSE

Fountain Grill LLC trading as Fountain Grill, 44927 George Washington Blvd, Suite #125, Asbhurn, VA 20147. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Mix beerage / beer, wine, mix drinks license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Mariam Khaziuri, Hicham Younes, Moska Ghause, Ahmed Wali Ghause, Owners 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.

1/26 & 2/2/23

Case No.: JJ046179-02-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Starh Rahimi

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

/v.

Mohamad Wali, putative father

The object of this suit is to hold a foster care review hearing and review of foster care plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282 and 16.1-281 for Starh Rahimi.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Mohamad Wali, putative father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before February 22, 2023 at 3:00 pm

1/19, 1/26, 2/2 & 2/9/23

Public Notice The Town of Leesburg Board and Commission Vacancies

The Town of Leesburg is soliciting applications for multiple Board and Commission vacancies. Current vacancies include: Commission on Public Art, Diversity Commission, Environmental Advisory Commission, Technology and Communications Commission and a NW resident for the Residential Traffic Commission. Citizens interested in serving on a board or commission can find additional information, membership requirements, or may apply via the Town’s web site at www.leesburgva.gov/government/ boards-and-commissions. Applications will be kept on file for one year. Any questions can be sent to the Clerk of Council via email at eboeing@leesburgva.gov

2/2 & 2/9/2023

Loudoun County Public Schools

Abbreviated School Attendance Zone Change Process

The Loudoun County School Board has initiated an abbreviated attendance zone change process to consider three recommendations proposed to take effect in fall 2023, with the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

• Elementary school students living in Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Planning Zones EL36.1 and EL36.2 (including the Kincora community), currently within the Sterling Elementary School attendance zone, are being recommended to attend Steuart W. Weller Elementary School.

• Elementary school students living in LCPS Planning Zone CL24 (including the Church and Market, Crescent Place, King Street Station and Monroe Manor communities), currently within the Catoctin Elementary School attendance zone, are being recommended to attend Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School.

• Future students who will reside in Cattail Run are being recommended to attend Ball's Bluff Elementary School, Smart's Mill Middle School and Tuscarora High School.

All information and data prepared for the School Board in association with the abbreviated attendance zone change process will be posted on the LCPS website (https://www.LCPS.org/Page/248359).

Date School Board Attendance Zone Meeting

Tuesday, January 24, 2023* School Board Attendance Zone Overview

Tuesday, February 14, 2023,* School Board Public Hearing & Action on Proposed Attendance Zone Changes

* Regular School Board Meeting

School Board meetings are broadcast live on Comcast channel 18 and Verizon FIOS channel 43. Broadcasts may also be viewed live on the LCPS website (https://www.LCPS.org/Page/140009).

Detail on how to sign up to speak at the February 14 public hearing is provided at https://www.LCPS.org/Page/223425. In-person sign up will also be accepted on the afternoon of February 14 at the LCPS Administration Building (21000 Education Court, Ashburn) until 30 minutes before the start of the meeting.

Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate meaningfully in the School Board meetings or public hearing should contact the Superintendent's Office at 571-252-1020 at least three (3) days prior to the meeting.

Beverly I. Tate, Director

Loudoun County Public Schools

Division of Planning & GIS Services 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, Virginia 20148

Telephone: 571-252-1050

Email: LCPSPLAN@LCPS.ORG

Webpage: https://www.LCPS.org/Page/248359

PUBLIC NOTICE

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary plat of subdivision for the following project.

SBPR-2023-0001 Avonmore

Mr. Peter Gulick of Goose Creek Overlook, LLC of Reston, VA is requesting a preliminary/record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately two parcels (property) totaling sixteen (16.80) acres into fourteen (14) single-family residential lots, two (2) open space lots, and accompanying right-of-way and easements. The property is located south of Sycolin Road (Route 625), east of the Goose Creek, and west of Goose Creek Village South. The property is zoned Residential-1(R-1), and is located within the Reservoir Protection Area, contains moderate and very steep slopes, partially located in the Major Floodplain Overlay District (FOD), and subject to the Scenic Creek Valley Buffer under the provisions of the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as Parcel Identification Numbers 154-45-9680 and 154-35-8154 in the Ashburn Election District (2022), formerly the Blue Ridge District (2011).

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the Loudoun Online Land Applications System www.loudoun.gov/LOLA and searching for SBPR-2023-0001. Complete copies of the above referenced application(s) are also available for public review at the Loudoun County Department of Building and Development, Land Development File Room, 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Hilary Russo at Hilary.Russo@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to the Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by March 9, 2023. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO). 2/2/23

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ045610-04-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Kelvin Menjivar

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

Rene Alavarenga Buezo, putative father

The object of this suit is to hold a permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code § § 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Kelvin Menjivar

It is ORDERED that the defendant Rene Alavarenga Buezo, putative father appear at the above named Court and protect his or her interests on or before March 14, 2023 at 10:00 am.

2/9, 2/16 & 2/23/23

A Foundation

Opinion

majority has even a whit of concern about how their conduct is viewed by others.

One month into the new council’s term, it’s unclear whether that is still a goal at all.

If anything, the council’s meetings have become more combative and the council’s work more secretive—which is particularly disappointing for a group that once championed transparency.

The bickering among council members, the continued distrust—and too frequent belittling—of the town’s senior administrative staff, an aversion to the recommendations of outside advisors, and a demonstrated lack of understanding about some fundamental governmental responsibilities is a level of dysfunction not sustainable for any municipality, certainly not one seeking to retain its status as a triple-A rated operation.

Sadly, there is no evidence to indicate the council

Extremely Concerned

Editor:

I am certain that I am not alone in my outrage that 10 guns could be so easily stolen from an Ashburn firing range. I believe this is not far from a residential community, based on previous issues.

Why were the firearms not secured in a safe of some sort?

Everyone knows we have a major problem with violence involving gunfire, especially involving young people. Judging from the time of theft and size of one of the thieves shown in the surveillance photos, it’s likely that this theft was perpetrated by a teenager.

As a former teacher, I am

Published

Currently, the council’s focus is on negotiations with the county government over two longplanned community investments and working to write a zoning ordinance amid the departure of the town’s planning director. It quickly gets more complex, with challenging fiscal year 2024 budget deliberations right around the corner. It’s difficult to see a productive outcome there under the current conditions.

Perhaps a good place for this new council to start is following the lead of its neighbors. The town councils in Leesburg, Lovettsville and Round Hill all have completed goal-setting retreats in recent weeks. Middleburg’s is coming up.

It would provide an opportunity for the council members to build a shared vision, set a road map for the year ahead, and establish expectations—for themselves and the staff tasked with implementing their priorities. Done properly, it would provide a foundation for a successful term—a term which is off to a very shaky start. n

LETTERS to the Editor

extremely concerned about the priorities and lack of preparedness by too many young people. Adults are not supporting and guiding this generation enough to meet the challenges of 2023. Schools need more guidance counselors and programs that teach practical skills.

And let’s not overlook elementary age children. Of my 43 years, I taught for 25 years at the elementary level, and the number of children in need of counseling, even in a suburban semi-middle class school, would astound the general population. As for the 6-year-old child in southern Virginia who shot his teacher, it is obvious from his previous behavior that he suffered from severe anti-social feelings. Why was he not being

helped in a specialized setting?  Having his parents accompany him to the class is useless and tragic, as we can see. At minimum when they suspected he had brought a gun to school, he should have been removed from the classroom setting so he could not harm anyone. What if he had fired at multiple students, too?

— Antonia Zorrilla, Ashburn

Outrageous

Editor:

On Jan. 17, Supervisor Briskman moved that the Board of Supervisors support state legislation or budget

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION: What is you highest priority for the new county zoning ordinance?

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Loudoun,

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EDITORIAL

Renss Greene, Deputy Editor rgreene@loudounnow.com

EDITOR continues on page 33

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Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723 Now

is mailed weekly to homes in Leesburg, western Loudoun and Ashburn, and distributed for pickup throughout the county. Online, Loudoun Now provides daily community news coverage to an audience of more than 100,000 unique monthly visitors.

Sexual Violence Happens in Loudoun County – and There is Hope

BY M. COLLEEN MCDANIEL LAWS violence prevention specialist

DEBRA GILMORE

LAWS chief executive officer

JENNIFER EVANS Director of Student Mental Health Services, LCPS

“No one has to do everything, but everyone has to do something.”

–Dr. Dorothy Edwards, Alteristic, Inc.

As our community considers the findings of the Special Grand Jury investigation regarding the two sexual assaults that occurred in Loudoun County Public Schools in 2021, we are reminded that sexual and domestic violence can and does happen in Loudoun County.

LAWS Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services, Loudoun County’s designated sexual and domestic violence service provider, sees this type of violence and offers support to survivors every day. Last year, LAWS received more

LETTERS to the Editor

continued from page 32

amendments that expand the right to reproductive healthcare and improves access to abortion, including adding language to the Virginia constitution that protects the right to reproductive freedom.

Supervisor Briskman further moved that the Board of Supervisors oppose any proposed state legislation and budget amendments that restricts reproductive rights for pregnant people and reduces the accessibility of abortion care. (Seconded by Supervisor Umstattd. The motion passed 6-1-2: Supervisor Letourneau opposed; Supervisors Buffington and Kershner absent for the vote.)

This motion was not on the agenda. This means that there was no chance for public input or for all supervisors to be aware that there would be a vote on this motion.

My feeling is this is outrageous. Supervisors should be not be voting on resolutions without input from the public. I thought supervisors were elected to represent their constituents.

— Joan Gorman, Lansdowne

than 1,560 hotline calls, helped nearly 200 adult and child survivors of domestic violence in need of emergency shelter, and received 224 high danger reports of physical domestic violence from law enforcement.

Why is violence so prevalent in our community?

Sexual violence is an epidemic, affecting over half of the women in the U.S. and one in three American men. National and local data indicate that boys and men are at the highest risk for committing sexual and domestic violence against any gender. Across Loudoun County in 2021, 91% of reported offenders of sexual violence were male. The boys and young men who commit sexual or domestic violence frequently have experienced situations that contribute to their behavior. Studies have found that perpetrators of sexual violence tend to have witnessed or experienced abuse in childhood, conform to elements associated with aggressive masculinity, believe

Time to Negotiate

Editor:

Imagine working for a company that cut your pay while also making a profit or record profit. Imagine being unable to feed, clothe, or support your family on the wages you were making before the pay cuts. Imagine the prices of everyday consumer goods and services increasing to almost double digits.

If you thought I was talking about the transit strike today, I am not, but about 1877 and the National Railroad Strike. The railroad companies were cutting workers’ pay, stating they needed to cut costs while also giving themselves bonuses and paying dividends. Without learning the history lessons, we continue to experience the exact cause and effects over and over.

On Jan. 11, workers at Loudoun County Transit went on strike. The county contracts out its bus operations, as they are not county employees. The company that currently runs the bus service is Keolis, a French company. The procurement process that brought us here took the lowest bid, and Keolis won out. That is a whole other issue.

Since taking over the contract, transit system employees have encountered pay cuts. Workers have seen their 401(k)

that sex should be impersonal and used for dominance, engage in heavy alcohol consumption, and perpetuate the belief among their peers that sexual violence is the norm.

What’s being done?

There is hope. Risk factors for committing sexual violence can be identified and assuaged. LAWS and LCPS are working together to name the current challenges to addressing violence, identify strategies to address risk factors, and implement solutions to stop violence before it happens. For example, LCPS has now hired Title IX staff who are trained and certified through a qualified organization of Title IX experts and staff across the country. LCPS has implemented Title IX trainings for school administrators and mental health professionals to know how to respond and report instances of harm that are prohibited under Title IX.

Along with these efforts, LCPS is partnering with LAWS to provide training for mental health staff to intervene

match drop from 6% to 1%. Their deductible for health insurance is now $2,500 a year, while their share of expenses went from 80/20 to 75/25. These changes were happening while inflation reached 10%. Once employees pay their deductible, the plan they are offered barely covers anything relevant, and they spend a lot out of pocket on healthcare.

Outside of what we have read in the newspapers, I heard other horror stories while talking to striking employees this week. There is no proper training in place for new workers. The employees have raised multiple safety violations with management and have been ignored.

While talking to striking employees this week, I repeatedly heard that employees could not afford to live where they work, right here in Leesburg or Loudoun County. The average rent in Loudoun County is $2,020, which amounts to $24,240 a year. The starting

Correction

when risk factors are identified; educate parents and community members about how to reduce risk factors in children and teens; and advise student leaders on promoting healthy social norms among their peers.

What more can our community do?

No single entity or individual can address the problem of violence alone. Along with LCPS’ and LAWS’ partnership, Loudoun County’s Domestic Abuse Response Team and Sexual Assault Response Team are two examples of collaborations that are working toward coordinated community solutions. However, all members of our community must take an active role in preventing violence before it happens by condemning all sexual violence and establishing the norm that it is unacceptable in Loudoun County.

For more information, go to LAWS’ website, lcsj.org/prevention, to learn how to get involved in preventing violence. n

pay for a transit worker is $48,000, or about 50% of gross income (before taxes, 401K contributions, and insurance) toward rent. The math does not add up and does not allow a person to live and work in Loudoun County.

While companies report record profits, we continue to see union busting across this nation. Workers have a right to a living and fair wage, but companies do not want to pay their workers even with record profits. Now, the local routes in Leesburg are being run. We could see all bus lines shut down if the remaining workers go on strike. Workers want to work for a fair wage and benefits and not to be gaslit by their employers. It is time for Keolis to sit down and negotiate a fair contract.

— Todd Cimino-Johnson, Leesburg [Note: The writer is a member of the Leesburg Town Council.]

The story “Loudoun Teacher, Transit Unions Make Push” on page 4 of the Jan. 26 edition of Loudoun Now incorrectly reported the Loudoun Education Association had miscalculated the number of licensed school division employees. The school district had not provided LEA with the number of licensed employees working in the central administration building. In addition, the number of School Board members who have voiced support for collective bargaining is five, not six. n

Elections

continued from page 1

the new southwestern Little River District on the Board of Supervisors or School Board.

The 2023 race to represent that district on the Board of Supervisors began while the 2022 votes were still being counted. Former Loudoun County Democratic Party Chair Lissa Savaglio announced Nov. 9, the day after Election Day, that she would step down to run for the Little River District. In December, Laura TeKrony, a longtime aide to County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large), entered the race, setting up a primary. And Ram Venkatachalam, who in 2019 ran for the Blue Ridge District seat on the School Board— the district that Little River replaces—has stepped in for the Republicans that same month.

In November, small business owner Puja Khanna announced she will run against Republican incumbent Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau in the Dulles District. And last week, all six incumbent Democrats on the county board held a joint campaign announcement, also announcing a joint platform together with Savaglio, TeKrony and Khanna.

So far, most of the Democratic incumbents on the board have no announced challenger; Catholic school music teacher and single mom Ana Quijano announced in December she will run against Randall for the at-large seat. Similarly Republican Supervisor Caleb E. Kershner so far has no Democrat opponent in the Catoctin District if he decides to run again for the county board.

Democrats also will try to pick up control of some of Loudoun’s local

Purcellville

continued from page 3

that the town is not required to hold an election. As of Tuesday, that information had not been publicly released.

The council voted 4-1-2, with Rise abstaining and Rayner and Williams opposed, to send a letter to the Circuit Court stating it has filled the vacant seat for the remainder of the term.

Rise came in fourth place in the race for three council seats in November. He campaigned as part of a slate with Milan and two of the winning council candidates, Carol Luke and Mary F. “Boo” Bennett.

constitutional offices, with longtime police chief Craig Buckley challenging Sheriff Mike Chapman and IT professional Sri Amudhanar once again challenging Commissioner of the Revenue Bob Wertz. No Democrats have yet announced they will run against Clerk of the Circuit Court Gary Clemens for his next eight-year term, and with county Treasurer Roger Zurn announcing his retirement, nobody at all has announced a campaign for treasurer.

So far the only challenger to the only Democrat constitutional officer, Buta Biberaj, is a primary challenge from attorney Elizabeth Lancaster.

School Board race announcements often lag behind; as a nominally non-partisan races, candidates don’t have to worry about the April 6 filing deadline for the June 20 primaries. Instead, they must file by June 20 for the November general election; political parties then decide whether to endorse them.

General Assembly Battleground

Many of Loudoun’s new state election districts appear safely blue—but one may prove crucial to swaying the balance of power in Richmond.

No incumbent lives in three of Loudoun’s five House of Delegates districts, or in one of the two Senate districts. And the races are already getting crowded.

In the House, the two incumbents, both Democrats, so far have no Republican challengers. Those are Suhas Subramanyam, now of the 26th District, and David Reid, now of the 28th District.

In the eastern 27th District, School Board member Atoosa Reaser and finance professional Kannan Srinivasan, who previously ran for county treasurer, are set for a Democratic primary; former Dep-

In filling vacant seats in recent years, the town has advertised for applicants to submit résumés and the Town Council has appointed an interim member to the council until a special election could be held.

Melanie Fuller was appointed after the town advertised for applications following the resignation of Ben Packard in January of 2016. She was appointed to fill the vacancy on an interim basis until a special election was held in May 2016. She lost the election to Kelli Grim, who filled the vacancy until her own resignation in November 2017. Ted Greenly was then appointed to fill the vacancy until the election in May 2018.

uty Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the U.S. State Department Chris Harnisch has entered as a Republican. In the central 29th District, longtime Leesburg Town Council member Marty Martinez is in a Democratic primary race with Soil and Water Conservation District board member and Loudoun NAACP President Michelle Thomas, with no Republican yet declared.

And former School Board and Board of Supervisors member Geary Higgins, after initially announcing he would run for the 31st Senate District, on Jan. 24 announced he would bow out of that race to run instead for the 30th House District. He is now in a primary race with entrepreneur Caleb Max, the grandson of longtime Congressman Frank Wolf, who last year ran in the Republican primary for the U.S. House of Representatives 10th District, losing in a crowded field to Hung Cao. The only declared candidate for the Democrats so far is Max Sawicky, a senior research fellow at the Center for Economic and Policy Research.

Higgins’s announcement came after Juan Pablo Segura, son of McLean billionaire Enrique Segura, announced he was stepping into the Senate race. That in turn came shortly after announcing his new PAC, Renew Virginia, funded by a million-dollar donation from his father.

In the state Senate, incumbent Sen. John Bell will face a challenge from Republican Greg Moulthrop, who ran against Subramanyam in 2021. And Higgin’s announcement leaves Segura now unopposed for the Republican nomination. On the other side of the aisle, Leesburg Town Council member Zach Cummings is in a primary race with Leesburg attorney and former prosecutor and CIA officer Russet Perry.

Although the districts are new, the Vir-

In January, when Milan’s council seat became vacant as he moved to the position of mayor, he proposed appointing Rise. That appointment passed 4-2 with Rayner and Williams opposed.

The decision to appoint Rise spurred pushback from Rayner over what she said was a “surprise” nomination that departed from the traditional call for residents interested in filling the seat. She also objected that Milan did not inform her or Williams who he would be nominating for the appointment prior to the meeting

“I just don’t think that is fair and transparent government,” she said at a Jan. 3 special meeting. “And it kind of disturbs me that it went down this way.

ginia Public Access Project, like many politics watchers, has tracked how voters in those districts voted in previous elections. In the House of Delegates, four of the five Loudoun districts—all of which are entirely within Loudoun—lean strongly blue. But the western House District 30, which reaches into Fauquier, voted for Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2021 by a spread of more than 13 points.

The eastern Loudoun’s 32nd Senate District, with incumbent John Bell, is one of the most blue-leaning districts of them all, voting more than 60% for Democrat Terry McAuliffe in 2021.

But with a wealthy candidate already in, no incumbent, and a purple voting record, Senate District 31 could end up being one of the most hotly contested and consequential races in the state this year. The district, which includes all of western Loudoun, all of Loudoun north of Rt. 7, Leesburg, part of Ashburn, and much of Fauquier County is up for grabs by either party, based on previous voting in the district reported by the Virginia Public Access Project. And currently Democrats have a majority in Richmond only in the state Senate, and only by two seats.

“The marquee state level race is going to be Senate District 31,” new Loudoun County Democratic Party Chair Avi Fechter said. “That’s control of the state Senate, which is essentially control of the state government, at stake.”

Other candidates are already working toward a formal 2023 campaign, or are rumored to be doing so; typically, they lay groundwork before formally launching their campaign, and often those campaign have soft launches before a bigger public event. n

It

didn’t have to be.”

Milan said because the vacancy occurred just weeks after the council election, it made sense to pick the next highest vote-getter—Rise Jr.—for the seat.

“My logic, as I explained to you, the citizens have voted,” he said. “If we were to do an interview it would slap in the face of the citizens that voted for the six candidates that ran for the town council.”

Those opposed to the special election said it would be unreasonable to expect a council member in Rise Jr.’s position to run in elections three years in a row—last year’s election, a special election in 2023, and then an election in 2024 for a full four-year term. n

Collective bargaining

continued from page 1

school district did not include licensed staff assigned to the administration building, increasing the number of signatures they would be required to gather for a majority. With the Jan. 27 notification that it has collected enough signatures, LEA has again proposed hiring a third party to verify them.

“We are in the process of working on how to do that, and that doesn’t mean there can’t be some LCPS staff watching while that happens, but they won’t be touching them or looking at them,” Sullivan said.

She said they are getting pushback and that a lawyer for the Virginia Education Association, a statewide union of teachers and school employees, is in talks with division attorney Robert Falconi to reach an agreement. But Sullivan said, regardless of the certification process, within 120 days there needs to be a vote on a resolution.

That timeline puts a vote in May, possibly around the same time the board will be finishing up its fiscal year 2024 budget process.

“The timing is kind of stinky. It makes me kind of sweat,” Sullivan said.

Motions denied

continued from page 3

Fisher ordered the statement to be included in a bill of particulars but denied the need to include the means of stating it and which publication published it.

Ziegler is charged with three misdemeanor charges: false publication, prohibited conduct, and penalizing an employee for a court appearance. The latter two charges are related to the firing of a special education teacher who, after reporting she was repeatedly groped by one of her students, filed two Title IX complaints, testified to the special grand jury investigating the school district, and spoke out at a School Board meeting. Ziegler has two, two-day trials scheduled, May 22-23 and July 10-11.

Fisher also denied Byard’s motion for a bill of particulars specifying which statements to the special grand jury lead to a felony perjury charge. He said it was premature to ask for the bill of particulars before Byard was given the discovery material. A separate part of that motion, seeking to know how the statements were relevant to the special grand jury,

Acting Superintendent Daniel Smith estimated in his Jan. 10 budget presentation the school district would need to allocate $3.5 million and 14 full time staff to implement collective bargaining, and to do that the School Board would have to ask the Board of Supervisors for more money. Sullivan said she thinks that’s a scare tactic, and both the cost and the staff needs are inflated. She said the LEA has found other school divisions that administer collective bargaining without additional staff, or only one additional staffer.

And, Sullivan said she believes there is enough support from the Board of Supervisors that it will fund whatever amount is

also was denied.

Stamos’s team said the statement and relevancy would be included in their discovery and that Byard was “well aware of why he was being questioned before the special grand jury on Aug. 2, 2022.”

They also said they plan to provide multiple false statements made by Byard, but noted they only had to prove one to get a conviction.

Byard’s attorney Jennifer Leffler of LefflerPhillips argued in court that if multiple statements were released during trial, then the jury wouldn’t know which one he perjured himself with. She argued the information was needed to prepare a proper defense at trial.

Fisher told Leffler she could file another motion after she received discovery if she wasn’t satisfied with the information.

The special grand jury investigating the school division’s handling of two sexual assaults by the same student unsealed the perjury indictment Dec. 12, 2022. The panel accused Byard of lying under oath. Byard has been on unpaid leave since. If convicted, he faces up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.

A trial is scheduled for June 20-21. Byard previously said he plans to plead not guilty.

required for the school division.

“If LCPS said we need $300,000 or whatever amount, [the Board of Supervisors] will work to make that happen if a resolution is passed. We want to make sure all the School Board members know that. I don’t want that to be a thing of concern with them passing the budget,” she said.

The next hurdle, if the School Board agrees to pass a collective bargaining ordinance, will be a secret ballot vote among licensed employees on which organization should represent them in negotiations— for example, the LEA. And the association is already working toward bargaining for another set of employees, classified employees who do not hold state education licenses, including bus drivers, bus attendants and custodial staff.

“This is step one of at least five and it’s not over yet. We have more to do and once the ball gets rolling more classified employees can become part of the classified unit,” she said. “I hope we get to the certification process quickly and keep moving forward and get toward the election. It’s going to take time to prepare employees to know what is expected.”

Loudoun firefighters union president John Myers, speaking from Nevada where he is getting training on collective bar-

Division Seeks Dismissal of ‘Woke’ Policy Lawsuit

On Tuesday, lawyers for the school division were in court again for a case brought by 11 parents suing several members of the administration, including Ziegler, Deputy Superintendent Ashley Ellis, Assistant Superintendent Asia Jones and School Board members Ian Serotkin, Atoosa Reaser, Harris Mahedavi and Brenda Sheridan. The parents allege taxpayer dollars are being used to advance a “woke” agenda of racial and gender indoctrination and that their rights are being overruled by school policy.

The lawsuit primarily focuses on Policy 8040 concerning the rights of transgender and gender expansive students, which was created to conform to a model policy issued by the Virginia Department of Education in 2021. The parents claim their rights are being overruled by the division, because under the policy administrators do not have to tell parents if their children opt to use their chosen name and gender pronouns to reflect their gender identity regardless of their name and gender in the permanent record.

During the Jan. 31 hearing, before Circuit Court Judge Douglas L. Fleming Jr., school division attorney Matthew Green

gaining to prepare for his meetings with the county, said the union hopes to have an agreement in place by December, in time to be included in the next annual county budget. In fact, the firefighters union, which has close to 600 members, has been ready to negotiate for some time, but put off petitioning the government while the department sorted out an issue with officer pay scales—filing the petition would have frozen those pay scales pending a collective bargaining agreement.

The firefighters union turned in a petition in June 2022, signed by close to 90% of the county’s career firefighters, according to Myers. That petition was verified by Loudoun’s labor relations administrator, a third-party contractor. But county supervisors didn’t wait to be petitioned by their employees to adopt a collective bargaining ordinance; in December 2021 Loudoun became one of the first counties in the state to adopt one.

Loudoun’s firefighters will be among the first in Virginia to begin collective bargaining. Before those negotiations begin, Myers said, the union is hiring an independent company to conduct an anonymous survey of members to see what’s important to them. And, he said, it’s a three-year contract, “so you need to be careful what you ask for.” n

sought to have the lawsuit dismissed, arguing it was a broad, general attack on School Board policies and didn’t specify a particular injury. He said the lawsuit was a challenge to the democratically adopted process of the School Board by parents who don’t like the policy and want to the court to do something about it. Green offered as an alternative that the parents speak at School Board meetings, meet with their School Board members, and even run for the School Board themselves if they don’t like what is being done.

Jesse Binnall, attorney for the parents, said the heart of the case was about what information parents have a right to and argued the policy is hiding information from parents. Binnall argued the School Board and its policy have forced the parents to choose between one of two rights— use the free public education as residents of the commonwealth and sacrifice their right to raise their children the way they see fit, or enroll their children in private school or home school that will not “indoctrinate” their children. Binnall argued the choice violated the parents’ constitutional and other legal rights.

Following the hearing, Fleming said he would issue a written opinion on the petition to dismiss the case. That ruling was expected to be issued later this week. n

Sandy Sullivan, President, Loudoun Education Association