Loudoun Now for April 11, 2024

Supervisors to Push for Underground Power Lines in Rt. 7 Project

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpmampaloni@loudounnow.org

The Board of Supervisors will intercede in Dominion Energy’s application to the State Corporation Commission for construction of a new substation and new transmission lines that, if approved, would run along Rt. 7 in eastern Loudoun.

The decision to file a “notice of participation” followed a closed session briefing on April 2.

The action will allow county representatives to join the case that is before the SCC and to provide input on the proposed power project. Supervisors say they will urge regulators to require the lines be underground.

“I have heard from many landowners throughout Loudoun County who are troubled regarding the path of transmission lines— those landowners include houses of faith, homeowners, and businesses,” County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said in a statement. “In addition, other stakeholders, such as environmental and POWER LINES continues on page 33

Solar Show

All eyes were turned skyward Monday afternoon as Loudoun County experienced its second solar eclipse in seven years. Residents—ranging from those wearing protective glasses to those deploying telescopes— gathered in parks or outside office buildings to catch a glimpse of the event.

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Scrape for the Grape: 1M Fewer Spotted Lanternflies in Our Future

Nearly 400 volunteers spent their Saturday morning inspecting trees, shrubs, and structures to find and destroy egg masses left by spotted lanternflies.

Fourteen teams were dispatched to wineries, parks, and other public spaces to search for the eggs and to remove them using credit-card-sized scrapers, automotive ice scrapers, or even sticks. Volunteers hoped to reduce the damage the invasive insect will inflict this year, especially in area vineyards.

According to data collected from the volunteers, 16,798 egg masses were destroyed, estimated to contain some 590,000 individual eggs. Projecting through the life cycle of the insects, organizers said the effort helped to eliminate more than 1 million spotted lanternflies.

The Scrape for the Grape campaign was created by Visit Loudoun, in partnership with the Loudoun Invasive Removal Alliance, Loudoun County Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Loudoun Wineries & Winegrowers Association.

“I can’t think of a more impactful awareness event than what Scrape for the Grape accomplished this weekend,” LIRA President Mike Littman said.  “It was a great example of east and west Loudoun coming together for the greater good while educating residents on the growing threat of invasives to our economy, health and safety and environment.”

“I’m not aware of another community coming together to help grape growers manage Spotted Lanternflies like what I saw in Loudoun,” said Andrew Harner, assistant professor of Viticulture and Extension Specialist with Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension.

The volunteers also tagged the location of 147 Tree of Heaven trees, a favorite food source for the lanternflies, that will be removed.

To support the volunteers’ efforts, 14 wineries and Bear Chase Brewery offered special discounts, complimentary pours, and other incentives to the participants. Mom’s Apple Pie also provided a free cookie to participating children. n

Youngkin Signs Real Estate Disclosure Bill, Vetoes Bag Tax Reallocation

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Monday was the final day for Gov. Glenn Youngkin to sign, veto or amend the last of the 1,046 bills passed by the General Assembly, including four with particular interest in Loudoun County.

Youngkin signed two bills, introduced by Del. Marcus B. Simon (D-13) and Sen. Mamie E. Locke (D-23), that would prohibit localities from requiring disclosures in real estate listings.

The new law will negate the Loudoun County’s only mandated disclosure—that

homes within the Airport Impact Overlay District notify potential buyers of that designation during the sale of the home. The disclosure requirement is part of a package of county policies intended to limit conflicts between area residents and growing air traffic at Dulles Airport.

Residential development is prohibited within the highest noise zone around Dulles Airport, known as the 65 Ldn. Residential properties located in the lower impact 60 Ldn zone and for one mile beyond that zone must include a disclosure notice with each sale highlighting the potential for airport-related noise.

The bill was opposed by county supervisors and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority which unsuccessfully led an effort to exclude Dulles Airport from the bills’ effect.

Youngkin sent back slight changes to a bill that would prohibit a locality from not allowing or requiring special exception approval to use their home as short-term rental if they live at the location.

The governor vetoed a bill introduced by Del. Marty Martinez (D-29) that would have reallocated some revenue collected through the county’s plastic bag tax to the town government using the local sales tax

distribution formula.

Martinez said the bill was bipartisan and would not raise taxes on residents, it just reallocates funds from the five-cent tax that Loudoun supervisors instituted in 2022.

But Youngkin, in his justification for vetoing the bill, said the tax puts a heavier burden on residents.

“Plastic bag taxes fail to achieve their intended goals and burden Virginians amid escalating inflation. Redirecting tax revenues to towns may further encourage governmental reliance on these taxes, exacerbating the issue,” he stated. n

Loudoun

Inflation, Supply Chain Challenges Take Toll on Taxpayers Through Capital Projects

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Each year the Board of Supervisors adopts a Capital Improvement Program, part of the fiscal year’s budget, that outlines projects that are under construction and ones planned to be underway in the next six years.

The cost of those projects can fluctuate, usually rising, because of several factors including land, material, availability, changes in regulation and changes in scope. But each of those is impacted by an overarching factor—inflation.

In short, “delays translate to increased costs due to inflation,” Director of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure Nancy Boyd said. And the more a project costs the more tax dollars it takes to fund it.

This year’s CIP includes inflation factors of up to 4% for planning, up to 4%

for design, up to 5% for land acquisition, up to 5% for utility relocation, up to 5% construction, up to 5% for furniture and equipment, up to 4% for owner costs, 3% for personnel, and 3% for operations and maintenance. These are the general percentages that the staff used to update projects in the latest CIP that supervisors adopted in March.

Boyd said the closer to executing a project the staff gets, the more accurate the estimates become.

Usually, a project first appears in a CIP a few years before work is expected to begin. For example, a project to renovate the Lovettsville Fire and Rescue Station first appeared in the county’s FY 2015 CIP with an estimated allocation to spend $3.4 million in FY 2017. In FY 2016 the scope of the project was changed to instead build a whole new station, affecting the overall cost of the project.

In 2021, 75% of the design estimate was complete and the staff estimated construction to cost $12 million. By the time 100% of the design estimate was completed in January 2022 the construction estimate had increased to nearly $15 million. The contract was awarded in September 2022 for $16.1 million.

Similarly, the Aldie Fire and Rescue Station has been included in county CIPs for more than 15 years with early estimates set at $7.7 million. By FY 2020, the construction budget alone reached $11.9 million with another $5.5 million estimated for land and design costs. By the time the contract was awarded in August 2023, the cost was $18.5 million.

Boyd said fire and rescue stations are good examples of the impact that

CIP INCREASES

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County Announces Environmental Excellence Winners

During an April 2 Board of Supervisors meeting, the Loudoun County Environmental Commission announced the winners of its annual Environmental Excellence Awards, which honor individuals, businesses, nonprofit organizations and educators for their leadership on environmental issues.

This is the second year of the Environmental Excellence Awards program created by the Environmental Commission, which advises the board and makes recommendations on policies and practices related to the environment, sustainability and energy management. Members of the commission include representatives from the community, industry and higher education.

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) thanked commission Chair Gem Bingol for the group’s work.

“You all have done so much incredible work in the last two years,” she said.

The 2024 winners and categories are:

BUSINESS: Orblynx Academy. The Ashburn-based academy provides STEM-based education and has a focus on sustainability, which helps students to understand and address environmental challenges.

CITIZEN OR COMMUNITY GROUP: Lucketts

Ruritan Club. The club promotes environmental awareness through community projects, including a weekly recycling service in partnership with Loudoun County.

EDUCATOR: Manju Gomanthinayagam, Farmwell Station Middle School teacher. Gomanthinayagam founded the school’s Young Naturalist Club, which was instrumental in the school’s recognition by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources as a Virginia Naturally School for its efforts to increase environmental literacy.

Planners Eye Expedited Review for Affordable Housing Projects

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

The county planning staff is creating a policy to expedite review of development applications that propose 100 percent affordable housing.

Under the direction endorsed by the Board of Supervisors last week, the policy will include criteria to qualify for the fast-tracked process, criteria to remain in the program, and an outline of the reduced review timelines.

Vice Chair Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) said she “fully supported” the proposal and hoped to speed other housing developments as well.

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE OR PROGRAM/

TEAM: Virginia Cooperative Extension –Loudoun. VCE-Loudoun, in collaboration with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, has launched a project at two county parks where tree saplings are temporarily planted in nursey-like gravel beds. This increases the survival rate for the young trees.

STUDENT: Emma Lloyd. The homeschooled 11th grader contributed nearly 100 hours of her time to stream monitoring and related educational outreach efforts in 2023. She initiated a signage program for stream crossings on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. She has also inspired other students to become certified stream monitors.

Gomanthinayagam said she is not the only educator working to improve the environment.

“I know many, many more educators in Loudoun County that do far more than I do,” she said. “So, I’m just lucky to have a great admin that thought of nominating me. That’s the only thing I can think of.”

Lloyd said shew was inspired to become involved in stream monitoring by her mother.

“She’s the one who took me to my first event. I did not want to go but I ended up enjoying it so much,” Lloyd said. n

“I’m looking forward to the discussion to perhaps figure out a way we could fast-track things that aren’t totally 100%,” she said.

Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) said he is hoping the policy would shrink the application process down to six months if the applicant complied with “pretty stringent criteria.”

“I would like to keep an eye on the expedited review process and the criteria that might apply to non100% attainable projects,” he said.

However, in an April 2 memo, the county staff said they would recommend applying the fast-track program to be offered only for applications proposing 100% affordable housing.

Part of the county staff ’s drafting process will include determining how many applications would be able to take advantage of the expedited review process. The number will impact the staff workload and possibly the review of other legislative applications.

Once created, the draft policy will go before the board’s Transportation and Land Use Committee for review and adjustments. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Founder of Orblynx Academy Ferri Riar, right, thanks the Board of Supervisors and the county Environmental Commission for recognizing her organization as the top business in during its annual Environmental Excellence awards April 2.

If you’re suffering from Fibromyalgia you understand this sentiment all too well. Local resident Theresa B. found herself at a turning point when she noticed her diagnosis had started to take a toll on her marriage.

“I was angry all the time because of all the things I couldn’t do anymore because of my Fibromyalgia. That anger cycled through to depression and affected everyone around me, my husband more than anyone. It made our lives miserable.”

Fibromyalgia affects the entire body. To make things complicated it affects everyone’s body a little differently. To make things even more complicated, those effects can change on a daily basis. Sometimes you’re plagued with wide-spread muscle pain and fatigue, and other days it’s a headache and heightened sensitivity to touch.

“I could barely stand to have the light weight of bedsheets touching me, much less a hug from my husband,” explains Theresa.

This is what it’s like to suffer from Fibromyalgia. Symptoms make everyday life incredibly difficult. Mundane, daily tasks are nearly impossible.

I WAS TIRED OF LIVING WITH MY FIBROMYALGIA PAIN

Fibromyalgia has been difficult to treat and even more difficult to understand, UNTIL NOW! Rachal Lohr, L Ac provides patients with much needed relief from Fibro symptoms!

And too often, these symptoms are only made worse because practitioners find it difficult to understand and even more troublesome to treat. It’s characterized by widespread pain in muscles, and tissues rather than inflammation of the joints, muscles, and tissues.

Then your primary care doctors suggest dietary changes, pain liniments, and, pharmaceuticals to the point where your life is no longer ruled by Fibromyalgia. It’s now ruled by a difficult routine and pill regimen in order to avoid flare-ups.

Theresa put it this way, “My life was no longer my own.”

Eventually, Theresa did her own research and discovered that acupuncture can improve the quality of life in Fibro patients. Determined to find the best in the business, she discovered FIREFLY Acupuncture & Wellness led by Rachal Lohr, L.Ac.

Rachal has been successfully treating difficult-to-manage, chronic pain cases for almost sixteen years. She uses the time-tested science of acupuncture integrated with modern medical advancements in healing and recovery.

Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine that is commonly used to reduce various forms of pain. It works by reducing inflammation, stimulating the release of endorphins, and offers much-needed, effective symptom relief for Fibromyalgia. Then Rachal skillfully layers other non-invasive therapies like ATP Resonance BioTherapy™ and other natural therapies for amplified long-lasting results.

“I feel like a new person. My husband comes with me to my appointments. He spends most of it thanking Rachal for giving him back the woman he married. For the first time since we moved here, one of my neighbors told me I looked good! It’s a miracle she treated my Fibro, I don’t know how else to explain it.”

If you’re looking for a practitioner and a clinic who understands your diagnosis and has a proven solution for chronic pain, look no further than FIREFLY. Theresa describes FIREFLY almost as enthusiastically as she does their treatments. “I love it here!”

Rachal Lohr, L.Ac. is now accepting new patients and now offering $40 consultations, but only for a limited time. So call (703)263-2142 now to schedule a consultation.

Deadline Passes for Candidates Seeking Wexton’s Congressional Seat

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Following the April 2 filing deadline, 16 people—12 Democrats and four Republicans—are vying for the 10th District congressional seat, replacing incumbent Jennifer Wexton (D) who announced in September that she would not run for reelection following a new health diagnosis.

With the deadline closed, election officials now will review the candidates’ registration filings, including confirmation of signatures on the required voter petitions. The list of candidates who qualified for the June 18 Democratic and Republican primaries will not be finalized until each party files its required paperwork by April 9, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.

The district covers all of Rappahannock County, Fauquier County, and Loudoun County, parts of Fairfax County and Prince William County, and the independent cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.

On the Democratic side, Del. David Reid (D-28) announced his campaign Nov. 14 one week after winning reelection to the 28th House District seat. Since then, he has obtained endorsements from Del. Karrie Delaney (D-9), Loudoun School Board member Linda Deans and former Sen. John Bell.

Reid has said on X that he is running to fight former president Donald Trump’s extremism, protect service members, defend contraceptives, IVF and mifepristone access and the country’s allies from Russia and elsewhere.

“If we do not keep Virginia’s 10th Congressional District under Democratic control, we will lose any chance at taking back the House of Representatives,” he posted April 3.

Sen. Suhas Subramanyam (D-32) announced his bid Nov. 16 after winning election to 32nd State Senate District Nov. 7.

“It is absolutely vital that we elect someone in Virginia’s 10th District who puts that community, not the MAGA agenda, first. I know I am the proven leader for the job,” according to the Nov. 16 press release.

Sen. Jennifer B. Boysko (D) announced her candidacy Nov. 9 just two days after winning her race to continue representing the 33rd District. She said some of her priorities are reproductive freedom and fiscal responsibility. Boysko has been endorsed by County Vice Chair Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian).

“I will be fighting for abortion rights as I have been for decades, honestly,” Boysko said in a video posted to X Nov. 9. “Fight-

ing for economic opportunities for everyone including paid family and medical leave for everyone, which is something that I care deeply about and have fought for at the state level.”

Marion Devoe was chief operations officer for the White House Executive Office under President George W. Bush. He has pledged to create policies to foster economic growth, back initiatives to make housing more accessible and affordable, support policies that enhance military recruitment and retention and create legislation that supports and improves veterans care and benefits.

Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-41) is the fourth Democrat running for the seat and she has earned endorsements from former governor and first lady Ralph and Pam Northam, former attorney general Mark Herring, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, former secretary of the navy Ray Mabus, former congressman L.F. Payne, Sen. Saddam Salim and former minority leader David Toscano.

“The stakes are so high in Virginia, in our nation, and as we have seen in such shocking clarity - around the world. We need leaders who, just like Jennifer Wexton, will be fearless and effective in the fights that matter most. That is why I am running for the United States Congress,” she stated in an Oct. 18 press release.

Del. Daniel Helmer (D) serves the 40th House District and announced his candidacy Nov. 15. He has received 38 endorsements including former congressmen, gun violence prevention activist David Hogg, current delegates and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689.

“In the Virginia Legislature, I fought to expand access to reproductive healthcare that includes cancer screenings, birth control, and safe and legal abortions. My fight is just getting started. In Congress, I will do the same and codify abortion rights into federal law,” he posted Nov. 15 on X.

Krystle Kaul is a small business owner, a teacher and a former senior government official in the Department of Defense holding the highest civilian rank. She was a director at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

She has listed her campaign priorities as defending women’s reproductive freedom, ending gun violence and fighting against MAGA extremists. On Feb. 1 Kaul announced her campaign had raised $567,000.

“I don’t think like other career politicians—that’s why I won’t ask anyone to do anything I wouldn’t do myself,” Kaul said in a statement March 25. “I’m proud that my campaign has the backing of thousands of donors as we hit the stretch run and start to tell our story on the airwaves.

I’m doing exactly what I’m asking others to do—investing in this campaign, and this movement, to send a National Security Democrat to Congress at this time of great global unrest.”

Mark Leighton is a librarian at George Mason Law Library. The issues in his platform include the economy and rising inflation, the cost of healthcare, the cost of higher education and women’s reproductive rights.

“It’s time for me to throw my hat in the ring and speak up for what I believe. When Democrats are at their best, there is no greater party around, and I want us to achieve that again. I hope people will hear me out. Whatever happens, I will do my best to give the 10th district a real choice,” according to his campaign website.

Del. Michelle Maldonado (D-20) lists her priorities for the race as an economy for all, world class education, healthcare including mental health and maternal health, infrastructure and technology, immigration, protecting the planet, public safety and good government.

“This year’s election for [District 10] is not about me, it’s about you. It always has been. It’s about ensuring that the person who represents this seat understands the district, lives in the district, will fight for the district -- ensure good government, protect working families, jobs & our communities, protect & codify reproductive rights & voting rights, protect our schools & environment, our veterans, our workers, our schools, and children,” Maldonado posted on X March 29.

Travis Nembhard is an attorney and former adjunct law professor, former assistant attorney general and former administrative law judge.

“I want to help create a better community for our families; something I hope will someday make my sons proud. My personal experiences as a parent motivate me to lighten the burden for other working families, including universal childcare and paid family leave. The attacks on our personal freedoms, including reproductive rights, cannot go ignored. And, the growing wealth gap, skyrocketing costs, and climate change must be addressed with creative solutions,” he stated on his website.

Adrian Pokharel has served in the U.S. military as well as the National Security Agency and Central Intelligence Agency. His campaign platform focuses on healthcare, education, the economy, infrastructure, safety, and immigration.

“My service as a disabled veteran, former NSA, and CIA officer, coupled with a broad background in the corporate sector, law enforcement and counterintelligence, equips me unique for this role,” according

to his website. “As a small business owner, student and a person of color with disabilities, I resonate deeply with the diverse needs and strengths of our community.”

Atif Qarni served as Virginia’s Secretary of Education from 2018-2021 and announced his candidacy Nov. 11. Qarni has said he will push for a teacher minimum wage, expanded Medicare and supporting small businesses.

He has been endorsed by Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef and member Lisa Zargarpur, Sen. Louise Lucas and Manassas Park Mayor Jeanette Rishell.

“The real crisis we face in education is that we don’t pay our teachers nearly enough,” Qarni released in a statement. “The majority of teachers who teach in our community cannot afford to even live here. In Congress, I would work to allocate federal funds to ensure there is a teacher minimum wage. That would mean in high cost of living geographies, like our district, the minimum starting salary for a teacher would be $75,000 and come with yearly cost of living increase.”

On the Republic side, Mike Clancy was the first to announce he was running for the seat. He announced his campaign in October, and he works as an attorney and technology company executive.

“I’m running for Congress to fight back against the radical left’s failed policies and to restore America,” Clancy said in the announcement. “America is on the wrong track. Families are struggling under the failed leadership of the Biden Administration and the radical progressive left as the heavy weight of record inflation crushes their paychecks.”

Aliscia Andrews is a Marine Corps veteran and has worked in national security. She announced her candidacy in January. Andrews has been endorsed by Loudoun School Board member Kari Labell.

“Today, the American dream is threatened by out of touch D.C. politicians who push radical policies that hold us back and hurt our families. More than ever, we need stable and proven leadership. In Congress, I will be a problem solver who delivers results, so we can keep Virginia’s 10th District the best place to work and raise a family,” she stated in her announcement.

Retired military officer Alex Isaac announced his campaign Jan. 10. He has lived in Northern Virginia for 24 years and serves on his local homeowners association. His campaign is built on safety and security, affordability, freedom, economy and restoration.

“There’s no denying in America, these 10TH DISTRICT continues on page 7

CIP increases

continued from page 4

inflation has on cost of materials because there are not usually significant design or scope changes over time allowing costs to be estimated fairly accurately.

“[In the case of Lovettsville and Aldie] even though we re-estimated the projects based on best available industry information through the project development process, we still saw increases in the bids,” Boyd stated. “I’ll also add that another contributing factor to increase bids (in addition to materials and labor cost increases) is the reduced competition for the projects. Aldie had three bidders and Lovettsville had only two bidders. Construction companies are busy on other private and public projects, so they are selective about which projects they pursue. This also extends down to the subcontractor levels as well.”

Lack of bidders also affected plans to build the new crisis receiving center for the county’s Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Developmental Service Department.

For that project, the team released a request for proposals to get the electrical components for the project ahead of time, but no bidders responded because of concerns about the delivery deadline. Now the project will be held up by long lead times to obtain those components. Those supply chain challenges are another factor impacting a project’s timeline, and ultimately its cost, Boyd said.

She said across the industry, while prices for materials like steel and concrete are increasing, the supply chain is also a driving factor of delays.

“Are [the delays] a result of COVID? I don’t know, but the industry as a whole is monitoring them,” Boyd said.

She said the wait time for electrical components, particularly, are so long that the department is considering if it would be worth incentivizing contractors to meet earlier deadlines.

Increasing land values are also driv-

10th District

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are tough times,” he said in a video posted to his website. “But we Americans are a tough people. We will stop Biden, the Chinese and fix this economy. We will make our streets safe. We will give our children the nation they were promised.”

Manga Anantatmula is a first-generation immigrant from India. Anantatmula said she is pro parent, pro freedom and

ing up the cost of projects, especially for transportation projects where there is little leeway to move locations if a parcel’s price is higher than expected. For a structure project, designs can advance even if the location has not been determined.

“We’ve seen land costs go up from $19 a square foot to $70 a square foot,” Boyd said, adding that the demand for data centers is a significant contributing factor to those increases.

She said the Board of Supervisors and county administration are looking at a way to more strategically acquire land to help offset these challenges.

“We’ve seen significant increases in utility relocation costs,” Boyd said.

The rising cost to relocate utilities and the long delay that causes is one more factor that contributes to a project’s end cost versus its initial estimate.

For example, utility relocation for a project to make intersection improvements at Waxpool Road, Pacific Boulevard and Broderick Drive was estimated to take one year.

“Instead, it has taken two years [and] 3.5 months, and required close management on our part to make it happen as quickly as it did,” Boyd stated.

The impact on the project was seen when the March 2023 estimate of $7.5 million was upgraded in February 2024 to $10.7 million.

But Boyd is hopeful that inflation rates will slow.

“I hope things are going to level out as things normalize across costs, as market forces stabilize. From a land price perspective, I hope those level out as well,” she said.

The FY 2025-2030 CIP adopted March 14 totals $3.5 billion across the six-year planning period. Local tax funding supports $750.9 million of that directly and $2.3 billion is debt financed. Grants make up approximately an additional $434.4 million.

Transportation projects are the top recipient of those funds at $1.4 billion with Loudoun County Public Schools projects coming in second at $996 million. n

pro women’s rights.

“I stand for values that we can all get behind which are enshrined in our Constitution. I will not bow down to the desires of elite globalists to take down our great nation. I will take a stand to do what is in the best interest of the citizens of VA10 so that the United States of America remains a beacon of freedom of hope and a light to the rest of the world,” according to her website.

Primary elections will be held June 18 before the Nov. 5 election. n

Commission Recommends Denial of Westpark Application

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

After several Leesburg residents gathered April 4 at Town Hall to speak out against a request by Chuck Kuhn to rezone a portion of the former Westpark Golf Club property, the Planning Commission voted to recommend denying the application.

The application is for a 7.58-acre parcel that includes the former club house building. The property is zoned B-3 and the request is to change it to Planned Employment Center District, which would allow an 86,400-square-foot flex industrial/business park or a 202,600-square-foot data center. The application also included a request for a special exception for additional uses in the business park.

Approved uses in the PEC include office spaces, recreation facilities, industrial flex, production facilities, technical schools, special instruction schools, data centers, and minor or major public utilities. The special exception would allow for a longer list of uses.

Town staff members said they did not support approval of the project because of a list of outstanding issues.

“These applications do not adequately address specific land use, site design and architectural concerns to ensure that the proposed development is compatible with

AROUND town

Police Unionize with Southern States PBA

The Southern States Police Benevolent Association has been certified as the bargaining agent for eligible members of the Leesburg Police Department, the town announced April 4.

The Town Council in April 2021 voted to allow for collective bargaining among employees who are members of eligible bargaining units. One of those units is non-management sworn officers of the Police Department.

Leesburg

the surrounding area and that potential impacts to nearby residential communities and parkland are mitigated,” Land Use Manager Richard Klusek told the commission.

Klusek said the applicant had not proffered any regional road contributions and that the water system on the property does not meet the town’s standards.

Area residents raised concerns about light pollution, environmental impacts, and the visual effect the project would have on their daily lives. Most of the nine public speakers specifically objected to a data center being built.

A representative from Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy said she was concerned about the growth of data centers in the area resulting in a need for more electrical transmission lines going through

WESTPARK APPLICATION

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Leesburg Airport Nears 90K Annual Operations

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

Leesburg Executive Airport has reached record traffic levels, with nearly 90,000 take offs and landings last year.

Airport Director Scott Coffman attended the Town Council’s work session Monday night to provide an update on plans to build a permanent air traffic control tower. That project is entering the siting phase, when three potential locations will be evaluated.

While that project is still years in the future, town leaders are wrestling with a more immediate concern—increasing complaints from residents living near the airport’s flight paths.

“If you live in Leesburg, you’ve probably seen a lot of airplanes flying over on these busy spring days,” Coffman said.

“Our traffic in 2023, was up to nearly 90,000 take offs and landings. That’s a 61% increase over the past five years. So the airport has been getting busy.”

Although traffic has been increasing, up from 55,558 annual operations in 2019, the airport is “built out” with a waiting list for hangar space and tie-downs. There 273 aircraft based at the airport: 222 single engine planes, 25 multi-engines, 21 jets, and five helicopters.

The airport also has five flight schools operating there, generating a majority of the local operations as trainees circle the airport and practice takeoffs and landings.

Mayor Kelly Burk asked if the town could restrict flight school operations and Council member Todd Cimino-Johnson suggested raising the schools’ lease rates to discourage them.

Coffman said he’s worried about the

concerns of nearby residents and is looking for ways to help them.

He has been working with the flight schools to limit operations early in the morning and late at night, but there are few restrictions that can be mandated. The Federal Aviation Administration, which funds most of the investment at the airport—including most of the cost of the new tower—expects the investment to be fully used. And, he said, the FAA expects localities to keep residential development away from flight paths.

The council is planning a joint meeting with the Airport Commission to delve deeper into the future of the airport. On Tuesday, Burk won agreement from the council to have a briefing with legal experts on the town’s limits of the ability to control airport operations prior to that meeting. n

According to the town, a method for certification of an exclusive bargaining agent is if 75% of the bargaining unit submits written authorization to request representation by that proposed agent, bypassing the need for an election. In this instance, 75% of the eligible police officers submitted written authorization requesting the SSPBA’s recognition as bargaining agent.

Under the Town Council’s approved collective bargaining resolution, negotiations between the town and the union are limited to wages and benefits. Because the fiscal year 2025 budget has been adopted, any negotiated terms would apply no sooner than fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1, 2025.

According to its website, the Southern States PBA represents 65,000 law enforcement officers at the federal, state, and local level. Services provided to members include legal representation and accidental death benefits.

Council Authorizes Arts Center Study

After a year of talks about a potential public-private partnership to build a performing arts center on the town-owned Liberty Street parking lot property downtown, the Town Council is taking a broader look at the concept.

The future of the PPP project remains uncertain, in large part because the parking lot is built atop a former dump site that could cost as much as $17 million to fully remediate. If the

AROUND TOWN continues on page 10

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Leesburg residents listen as Chuck Kuhn speaks to the Planning Commission during an April 4 public hearing on his rezoning application to convert 7.58 acres from B-3 zoning to Planned Employment Center District, which would allow an 86,400-square-foot flex industrial/business park or a 202,600-square-foot data center, April 4.

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“This could be our third [data center], correct? So, why do we need another one? Just for the money? Are we selling out just to get money? These data centers are like a cancer that just keep growing and growing and growing in this county. When will it stop?” Debra Dalby asked.

Another resident asked commission members if they knew what kind of longterm health impacts data centers have on communities.

“I look at this piece of land and I say, ‘this is not the building for this piece of land at this time, this data center,’” neighboring resident Paul Manning said, adding that the neighborhood where he lives, behind where the proposed building would be constructed is beautiful.

A 55-foot-tall building would be an eyesore, he said.

But Kuhn’s team said a data center would be unlikely to be built there and the flex industrial/business park is more desirable. They said preliminary plans for a data center were submitted at the request of the town staff, a statement refuted by Klusek.

On Tuesday, Mayor Kelly Burk said she had been notified by Kuhn that he would withdraw the data center option.

“It is more likely to be a flex industrial, but we wanted to keep that data center project [as a possibility],” Walsh Colucci Land Use Attorney Sasha Brower said.

She said the team had worked hard to develop a project that fit with the Legacy Leesburg Town Plan.

“[The plan] specifically calls out this site as ripe for commercial development due to the visibility from the Leesburg bypass as well as the preserved open space on the park parcel,” Brower said.

Kuhn purchased the former golf club in 2020 in the wake of neighborhood objections to a developer’s plans to build homes on the 142-acre property. After putting most of the land under a conservation easement, Kuhn sold the golf course land to the county government. It now is a public park.

He retained ownership of the commercial land that once housed the golf club

AROUND town

continued from page 8

property remains undisturbed, the town envisions no significant cost obligations. However, the council has not ruled out undertaking a cleanup of the dump site.

“We’re just looking at this eight-acre parcel for the commercial redevelopment that we’re proposing,” Brower said, adding that the park served as a buffer between the neighboring residents and the proposed project.

The closest home would be more than 300 feet away from the building, she said.

Kuhn added that a hotel is the only byright use currently allowed on the property. That use, he said, would drive far more traffic to the area than a data center.

Commissioners said they felt that there were too many unresolved issues and not enough specificity in the plan.

Commissioner Brian McAfee said the staff had not recommended denial of a rezoning application in the last seven years.

“The concerns that were listed, those are significant concerns,” he said. “These are concerns I believe should have been addressed with town staff before moving the application before the Planning Commission. They’re very grand in size and scope and I don’t believe that the Planning Commission is necessarily qualified to address concerns such as the infrastructure, the wastewater management,” he said.

Commissioner Earl Hoovler agreed that the commission did not have enough information and asked if an electrical substation would be required to power a data center there.

Kuhn said no substation would be built on site but that he could not say where the power for a data center would come from because Dominion Energy needed the parcel to be zoned to allow a data center before working with Kuhn’s team to talk about power sources.

“It seems like at a public hearing we would have a lot more of our T’s crossed and I’s dotted,” Hoovlar said.

The motion to deny passed 5-1-1, with Vice Chair Ron Campbell opposed and Jennifer Canton absent.

Campbell said he was not opposing the motion because he was in favor of the application but advocated having the commission take more time to work through the unresolved issues and have better set of facts on which to make a decision.

“It is inconclusive what we’re voting for. We’re not given an opportunity to understand what we’re voting for or against is the problem I have,” he said. n

With continued interest in pursuing an arts center, the council agreed to shift money from the Liberty Street project and allocate more money to pay for a $52,500 feasibility study that will examine three potential sites in town. The study is expected to take three to six months to complete. n

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‘The Need for Speed:’ Rock Ridge High Schoolers Build F1-Style Car

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.org

Rock Ridge High School juniors Neel Chethan and Fady Melk were big fans of Formula 1 racing. They liked the speed, the precision, but they especially liked the cars.

One day last May, Melk was talking with one of his teachers, Peter Johnson, when he decided he wanted to build a gokart just for fun. Both Melk and Chethan were also into engineering and creating things.

Melk said he Googled go-kart designs and stumbled upon a Formula Society of Automotive Engineers car and thought it was a “pretty nice go-kart” without knowing what it was.

FSAE is an international collegiate competition in which teams of about 80 students design, build and race an openwheel Formula 1-style race car. Teams follow guidelines to build their cars then earn points in a series of static and dynamic events, including design, cost, acceleration, skidpad, endurance and efficiency. Over 4,000 students from all over the world compete in FSAE competitions.

That chance online encounter led the two to create the first ever high school FSAE club, Phoenix Motorsports and to be the first high school to build

The Rock

an FSAE car.

High School

Motorsports

The goal of the club is to build an FSAE car over the next year and race it in two competitions— one in Michigan, the other in Germany—against other collegiate FSAE teams.

“Phoenix motorsports team at Rock Ridge High School is a student-led program. Our main purpose is to give kids an experience they haven’t had before and really branch out into as many aspects of engineering as possible,” Chethan said.

They reached out to Virginia Tech’s FSAE team for guidance.

“To get a grasp on our competition, we looked at the Virginia Tech FSAE team because they are one of the world’s most renowned teams and when we emailed them, we were looking for advice and stuff and they’ve been really nice with helping out, helping us fundraise and stuff like

NEED FOR SPEED

continues on page 14

Expanded Walk Zones Proposal Could Impact 265 Students

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.org

More than 260 students from eight schools will either lose a bus stop or gain one next school year based on the division’s annual review of walk zones.

Director of Transportation Scott Davies presented the proposed changes to the School Board’s Finance and Operations Committee on April 2.

At Buffalo Trail Elementary School and Moorefield Station Elementary School changes were prompted by the divisions annual review which looks at new construction and unsafe areas. Seven Buffalo

WALK ZONES

continues on page 13

River Bend Middle School Teacher Named 2024 VMSA Teacher of the Year

Lorraine Stewart was named the 2024 Virginia Middle School Association Teacher of the Year.

The sixth-grade math teacher at River Bend Middle School was chosen for her “outstanding dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment to her students and the teaching profession,” according to an announcement.

“I am lucky to work in such an amazing building with phenomenal coworkers and outstanding students,” Stewart said. “Our supportive admin team at River Bend is truly the best, and the fact that they nominated me for this award means so much.”

Stewart has over 23 years of experience in the classroom. She has touched the lives of countless students, colleagues, and families according to the announcement.

Increased AP Tests, Security Costs Prompt School Budget Shuffle

A School Board committee April 2 heard plans from the division’s budget team to transfer money within the FY2024 budget to cover higher than expected budgeted costs associated with Advance Placement test fees and contract costs for school security personnel.

The Finance & Operations Committee was presented with a plan to move $1.1 million from support services from projected savings in fuel costs to cover $590,000 for AP test fees and $500,000 to cover security costs that are projected to go over

Continues on page 13

Loudoun County Public Schools River Bend Middle School sixth grade math teacher Lorraine Stewart is surrounded by colleagues. Stewart

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Ridge

Phoenix

leadership team next to their chassis mockup.

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Students use a cross walk with the help of crossing guard Courtney Markowski. Over 260 division students could be impacted by proposed expanded walk zones that will go before the School Board April 23.

Walk zones

continued from page 12

Trail students and 222 from Moorefield Station would lose bus transportation under the proposed expanded walk zones.

Davies said residents living in townhouses south of Moorfield Station Elementary School have been requesting a crosswalk to be installed and the addition of a crossing guard to make walking to school safer.

The recommended distance for students to walk to school is up to one mile from the front door of the school to the student’s property line for elementary aged students, and 1.25 miles for secondary students. The longest walks in the proposed changes for a Buffalo Trail student is 0.89 miles, and the longest for a Moorfield Station student is 0.84 miles.

Five other schools walk zones are being expanded because of new construction, and one, Madison’s Trust Elementary School, is being reduced, according to Davies’ presentation. The reduction

at Madison’s Trust impacts one student who will be assigned a bus stop next year, according to Davies.

Twenty-two students from Catoctin Elementary School will be designated as walkers next year thanks to a paved path to the school that was added by the White Oaks Farm development. The longest distance for a student in that expanded walk zone is 0.64 miles.

Construction of the White Oak Farm neighborhood is also leading to an expanded walk zone for Loudoun County High School. Davies said 11 students will be impacted by the proposed changes. The longest distance in the expanded walk zone is 1.25 miles but Davies noted that most of the students who walk to Loudoun County High School take a shortcut over Dry Mill Road although the longer route, which takes students around Catoctin Elementary School, is safer.

Six students at Elaine E. Thompson Elementary School will be added to the proposed expanded walk zone, with a crosswalk expected to be installed by a developer and the addition of a crossing guard. The longest distance in the expanded zone is 0.27 miles.

Two students attending Pinebrook Elementary School will be designated as walkers, with the longest distance being 0.38 miles. A new sidewalk connection built at the back of the school gives access to walkers, according to Davies.

One additional student will become a walker at Independence High School where the longest route is 1.37 miles.

Walk zones at three other schools will be expanded, but won’t have an impact on current students, according to Davies. They are Sully Elementary School, Farmwell Station Middle School, and Hillsboro Charter School.

The proposal will go before the School Board on April 23. The division is required to notify all impacted families of the changes by June 1.

There are currently 34 crossing guards at 29 elementary schools and 16 at seven middle schools. Currently six sites don’t have a designated crossing guard and are staffed by county deputies. There are no crossing guards for high schools. Crossing guards are hired by the Sheriff ’s Office as part of their Crossing Guard unit. n

SCHOOL notebook

continued from page 12

what was budgeted in the FY 2024.

According to the presentation the rising cost in security services is due to a five percent increase in the vendors hourly rate for a cost-of-living adjustment, 10 additional school days and a significantly improved fill rate for assigned jobs.

The division covers the fees for up to four AP tests per student, according to division regulation. The FY24 adopted budget includes $1.7 million to cover the costs of those tests, however the division has seen a 20% increase in students taking AP classes last year.

There are 3,300 division students in AP classes which is causing the division to exceed that four average test by a total of 8,904 exams over. That equals about $2.3 Million or $590,000 over the FY24 estimate according to the presentation.

The division’s budget team said it’s common for the team to move things around as costs increase in some areas and decrease in others after the budget is adopted.

The committee will vote on the item at its next meeting before it goes before the full board. n

Play to Save Lives.

Need for speed

continued from page 12

that,” Marketing Team Lead Aryan Kapoor said.

Kapoor said the team seemed happy to help and even excited that a high school was trying to participate.

“Not only are they our competition, but they are also the people guiding us through this process which is kind of a cool coming together in the FSAE community,” he said.

“Most people like Formula 1 because of the drivers, but we liked it because of the cars and while those cars cost $100 million to $250 million each, we wanted to find something where we could replicate that on a smaller scale,” Chethan said.

He said they learned the Virginia Tech team built their car in one year for $60,00 to $100,000 and they decided they would try to build theirs in two years for half that cost.

The two formed the club under Johnson as their faculty advisor. They then began recruiting students to join. The team is led by the co-presidents and six lead engineers, each overseeing a specific element of the car—suspension, powertrain, chassis, aerodynamics, electronics and ergonomics. The team also has a marketing team to help with fundraising and social media. They then recruited about 50 students to join the team during the school’s club week in the fall using a chassis mockup they made out of PVC pipe last year.

“Last year between classes Neel and I would run into the lab and cut PVC pipe in the angles we needed and tape it up,” Melk said.

“The main thing I was telling people was, ‘do you want to build a car?’ and they were like ‘yeah,’” marketing team member Akhil Devarakonda said about his recruiting efforts.

The team has been busy fundraising for the car, collecting about $3,000 a few weeks ago by going door to door and planning several other events. They also offer various sponsorship packages, the largest being the Phoenix package starting at $5,000. That level gets a company four of the largest logos on the most prominent areas of the car and allows the car to be available for company expos or events.

Chethan said the car will be about seven feet long and two to three feet wide. The chassis will be made of steel with an estimated cost of $1,600. Other expenses include an estimated $4,000 for electronics, $9,600 for the powertrain and $3,000 each for aerodynamics, ergonomics and suspension.

Chethan said he thinks they can build it for $18,000, but their goal is to raise

$25,000 by the end of the summer.

The team is building each element of the car right at Rock Ridge, using the school’s woodshop that has several welding stations.

They are also being guided by the published reports from previous teams.

“We aren’t reinventing the wheel,” Melk said adding that the whole team has access to see the reports on every aspect of their car.

“The reports are very comprehensive and thick so it’s a lot of research,” he said.

Driver and ergonomics team lead Advait Kakkereni said, although they are using guidance from the reports of other teams, they are also trying to do their own thing. He said they are taking meticulous notes at each step of the process so if something goes wrong, they can back track through the process to see where it went wrong. He said it will be helpful to other teams too because team Phoenix plans to publish their report when they are done next year.

Melk said they don’t anticipate the club ending once the car is complete.

“After the seniors graduate, that is not where the club ends. Basically, we want to lay down the foundation for this program to keep running and running and getting better and better,” he said.

Melk said Johnson encourages his students to leave a legacy and to make an impact. He said this club will be their legacy.

“For me and Neel, initially it was, we want to build a car. Mr. Johnson is all about leaving a legacy,” he said. “We found this was the best opportunity to both fulfill our desire of building, to teach people engineering and teach people there is a lot of stuff with this that is not strictly engineering and leaving a legacy.”

Chethan said their goal is to have a steel chassis on wheels and an engine installed by the end of the year.

He said Virginia Tech is giving them a Yamaha Cross Country dirt bike engine to use.

After that he said he hopes they can get the electrical work done and test it early next year with the aerodynamic package then make any needed adjustments with a goal of entering the competition in May 2025.

“Not only is our goal to build a car but it’s to build a legacy, not only for Rock Ridge students to be able to participate in a program like this but for other Loudoun County schools even the state of Virginia or even worldwide, to make this a thing where high schools can join in on something like this,” Kapoor said.

To donate, go to lcps.schoolcashonline. com/Fee/Details/31602/371/False/True

Follow their progress on Instagram at phoenixmotorsports_team. n

School Board Approves Contract for Woodgrove Second Entrance

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.org

A School Board committee April 2 voted 2-0 to approve a contract to William A. Hazel Inc. to build a second entrance to Woodgrove High School and Mountain View Elementary School in Purcellville by connecting Rt. 690 through the county owned Fields Farm property.

The project, now known as the Centerfield Farm Drive Project, became part of the division’s Capital Improvement Projects last June after the School Board voted to authorize construction of the additional entrance after the Board of Supervisors decided to cancel its plans to build a sports park and commuter lot on the property. The Board of Supervisors April 18 voted 7-0-2 to terminate the project and transferred the road project and associated funding of $5,937,951 to the division.

In October the School Board approved supplementary funding in the amount of $8,815,000 to complete the project and the road was renamed to Centerfield Farm Road.

Two firms submitted bids for the project in March, Dewberry and Hazel. Hazel was awarded the contract for $8,495,000.

After a decades long battle to put sports fields on the property after the county purchased the land in 2000, which at that time was outside of town limits, the project evolved in 2020 to include a park. The battle came to a head in 2022 with members of the Town Council, Planning Commission and residents of the adjacent Mayfair neighborhood strongly opposed to the county’s plans to build eight lighted ballfields and a 260-space commuter parking lot on the property

In October 2022 the Purcellville Planning Commission voted unanimously to deny two planning commission permits and recommended denying all of the county’s applications, sending those applications to the Town Council.

The Town Council surveyed residents of the Mayfair community to gauge their views on the county’s plans for the property. That eventually lead to county staff amending their plans, including removing one soccer field and replacing it with pickleball courts and a tot lot, moving the school access road further from the Mayfair neighborhood, eliminating a throughroad extension of Mayfair Crown Drive and adding more landscaping to buffer the neighborhood and athletic complex. The amended proposal was later

recommended by the Planning Commission to be denied over continued issues over lighting and the commuter lot.

County Administrator Tim Hemstreet withdrew the county’s applications for the sports complex in February, instead opting to potentially build it on a site outside of town near its western boundary where the county plans to build the Western Loudoun Recreational Center.

The badly needed second entrance to

the schools remained and the division took on the cost after incorporating it into its six-year construction plan.

Finance and Operations Committee members Melinda Mansfield (Dulles) and Deana Griffiths (Ashburn) voted in favor of approving the contract. Committee chair Arben Istrefi (Sterling) was absent for the vote.

It was approved by the board April 9th on its administrative consent agenda. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

A view of the end of a single lane road that runs from Woodgrove High School to a field behind the school and adjacent to the Mayfair neighborhood.

Public Safety

Ashburn Porch Pirate Sentenced to Community Service

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

An Ashburn resident charged with seven cases of petty larceny may be convicted on only one count of trespassing if she complies with an agreement made by her lawyer and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office this morning.

Brandi Lowry was arrested in November after she was seen by surveillance cameras taking packages that had been delivered to homes. Leesburg Police officers found stolen packages and clothing in her car at the time of her arrest.

On April 4, General District Court Judge William R. Fitzpatrick agreed to the terms signed by both Lowery and

the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office reducing one charge of petty larceny to trespassing and declining to prosecute four other charges.

Lowry pleaded guilty to the trespassing and remaining two larceny charges. Fitzpatrick found her guilty of trespassing and said he would defer ruling on the two larceny charges if Lowry agreed to fulfill 20 hours of community service for each charge, attend faith-based therapy, agreed to take medication, and participated in supervised probation.

Lowry faces 120 days of jail time for the trespassing charge if she does not comply with the terms within 12 months. Combined, she is required to serve 60 hours of community service. n

SAFETY briefs

Leesburg Man Charged with Impersonating Law Enforcement

A Leesburg man is charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer for the second time in three years.

James Griggs, 70, of Leesburg, was arrested by Leesburg Police on April 4 following a report that he claimed to be a federal officer and was threatening a person at a McLeary Square home.

According to the Leesburg police, responding officers located Griggs outside where the suspect implied he had a weapon, became combative, and assaulted an officer trying to take him into custody. Griggs was arrested and held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.

In addition to the charge of impersonating an officer, Griggs is charged with felony assault on an officer and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

Griggs was arrested on Jan. 7, 2022, on a charge of impersonating law enforcement, displaying a metal badge while in an argument with another individual. In that case, he pleaded guilty on May 12, 2022, and was granted a deferred finding. Under that agreement the charge would be dismissed if he had no additional criminal acts for the following six months and completed 24 hours of community service. The charge was dismissed on May 12, 2022. He paid $91 in court costs, according to District Court records.

Southern States Cleared to Resume Propane Deliveries

The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office announced April 2 that the Southern States Cooperative, Inc.–Leesburg–Fairfax Petroleum Service has been approved to resume the transport and delivery of propane following a temporary restriction that was ordered following the Feb. 16 home explosion in Sterling.

The limit on the company’s propane service in Loudoun County was ordered March 12 as part of the investigation into the Silver Ridge Drive explosion that involved a gas leak from a 500-gallon underground residential tank. One fire fighter was killed, and 13 other people were injured in the incident.

The investigation into the circumstances triggering the explosion continues.

According to the agency, the company has complied with requirements to update its “necessary fire prevention code-related information.” The Fire Marshal’s Office continues to work with Southern States as part of its investigation.

Armed Robbery Reported on W&OD Trail

The Sheriff ’s Office is investigating an armed robbery on the W&OD Trail in Sterling on April 2.

According to the report, the victim reported that while she was taking a walk just after 5 p.m. a man threatened her with a handgun and demanded her purse. She gave him the purse and reported the incident to law enforcement when she returned to her home.

The suspect is as a Hispanic male in his early 20s, approximately 5-feet, 10-inches tall, with black curly hair. He was wearing a black hooded jacket and riding a red bicycle with a blue and white seat.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Detective A. Perry at 703-777-1021. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Loudoun County Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919 or submit a tip through the LCSO app.

Leesburg Man Charged in Fatal I-95 Crash

A 59-year-old Leesburg man will be charged with failing to maintain control of his pickup as a part of the Virginia State Police investigation into a fatal crash that occurred at 3:30 a.m. Monday on Interstate 95 northbound near Quantico.

According to the report, Kenneth L. Combo, Jr. was driving a 1986 GMC pickup northbound on I-95 when he ran off the road on the left, struck the guardrail, overcorrected and then struck a northbound 2023 Kia Telluride. The GMC pickup then rolled over twice.

A passenger in the pickup, Nora L. Butler, 48, was ejected and died at the scene.  She was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the report. Combo was seriously injured.

The driver of the Telluride, a 73-yearold man from Savannah, GA, was not injured.

The crash remains under investigation.

‘Unafraid’ Documentary Showcases Tree of Life Housing Impact

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

While Tree of Life Ministries is most known for its food pantry headquartered in Purcellville, the organization recently released a documentary highlighting the impact of a lesser-known branch of its services—housing for individuals with disabilities.

“Unafraid” tells the story of Sam Mason, a Loudoun County resident who first became involved with the organization when it began a respite program for families of children with special needs, providing parents a safe place to drop of their child twice a month, free of charge.

The eight-minute film was made by creator of Hero and Heart Films, Ethan Weitz, who specializes in telling the stories of nonprofits in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC.

Still Waters is the name of TOL’s program that focuses on individuals with disabilities, or partners, as the nonprofit calls them. Launched as a twice-a-month service, it soon transformed into support for the entire family as volunteers found that parents were looking for advice, encouragement and support from other parents facing the same challenges.

“The best thing about it is it just creates these friendships that are lacking especially as you become an adult and you have a disability and you’re out of school and unemployed,” Program Director Cindy

Welsh said.

Director of Communications Jennifer Del Grande said TOL began looking into an expansion of the program as they saw the great need for work opportunities for individuals with disabilities once they graduate high school.

“We’ve always been focused on just finding what the needs are and then filling them as best we can,” Del Grande said.

In response, TOL opened SimplyBe Coffee in Leesburg in 2020. Mason became one of its first employees. Since then, SimplyBe has provide 30 individuals with work experience, including many who have worked at the shop since the beginning. Welsh said TOL is hoping to grow that number even more by opening a second coffee shop in Purcellville.

But the organization didn’t stop there. In 2021, Welsh, a former director of the county’s Parks and Recreation Department whose own daughter has Down-Syndrome, joined the nonprofit and soon began directing the Still Waters program.

“I used to work at the county and then I was a special ed teacher. And I couldn’t stop what I was doing. I just had to keep going in retirement,” Welsh said.

She said she prayed asking God where she should go next and within a week, she was at a training for TOL volunteers.

“She volunteered on the spot,”

TREE OF LIFE

continues on page 18

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Sam Mason, left, and Ethan Weitz pose for a photo at the premier of “Unafraid,” a documentary created by Weitz about Mason’s journey to independent living with support from Tree of Life Ministries.

Youth Leaders Award $4K in Grants Through Forward Turn

Forward Turn Youth Philanthropy

Project of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties provided $4,000 in mini-grants to five nonprofits supporting youth-led and youth-benefitting projects.

Forward Turn is a youth-led charitable grantmaking program run in partnership with the Loudoun County Youth Advisory Council. Student members of the YAC review grant applications submitted by youth who often work in partnership with local nonprofits, schools, or other organizations. Funding is provided by the S. Murray and Mary H.C. Rust Student Philanthropy Project endowment fund of the Community Foundation.

The year’s Forward Turn Grants Committee was comprised of high schoolers and Youth Advisory Council members Nikitha Raju, Hailey Chan, Charles Brumskine, Pierson Lee, Taylor Grande, Monica Goswami, Ellie Vander Heyden, Hyeyong Caitlyn Jeon, Jaden McCarney, and Sunny Chen.

They recommended the following grants for the 2024 Forward Turn grant cycle: $500 to Loudoun Youth to support their program to empower youth by connecting them with local volunteer opportunities; $500 to Loudoun County Magazine to support Loudoun Youth Poet Laureate; $500 to Princess Pack-

Tree of Life

continued from page 17

Del Grande said.

Under Welsh’s leadership, the twice-amonth events became multiple weekly activities ranging from sports, fitness, crafts, cooking and games to popular seasonal dances. The organization continue to expand its services to provide support for families placing their adult children with employment at other businesses, schools, nonprofits and county facilities.

“Unafraid” premiered March 22 and shows the personal side of Mason’s journey, including challenges that his community faces daily and the impact that support, encouragement and opportunity can have in facing those challenges.

“It just shows kind of how that support can really help someone grow and reach their potential. [Weitz] called the film “Unafraid” because he saw Sam’s development from being anxious about things— where would his life go, what would he do—to really blossoming and becom-

ages to support craft kits for children in homeless shelters and hospitals, made by high school volunteers; $1,000 to Ryan Bartel Foundation to support a peer-led, teen mental wellness support group in Loudoun County; and $1,500 to Dulles South Food Pantry to support their Backpack Buddies program to fight childhood food insecurity in Loudoun County.

“I really love learning about new nonprofits and the impact these grants will have in our community,” stated Nikitha Raju, 11th grader at John Champe High School and member of the Youth Advisory Council.

Learn more at communityfoundationlf. org/forwardturn. n

ing unafraid and facing the future,” Del Grande said.

Welsh isn’t ready to settle yet though, saying that she wanted to have programs like Still Waters all over Loudoun County. The need is so great that community members from Woodbridge drive to Purcellville for the services, she said.

“We know the communities in Loudoun are all different, but based on the needs in other jurisdictions that we serve … it would be so awesome to have a like Still Waters program,” Welsh said.

Del Grande said community members in eastern Loudoun are welcome at the organization’s western Loudoun events, but the distance barrier can make it hard for residents to attend, which is why expanding further east is on TOL’s bucket list.

“We need some volunteer leadership in that area to really get that off the ground,” Del Grande said.

The film can be found online at tolministries.org/unafraid. To volunteer with Tree of Life or learn more about the nonprofit, go to tolministries.org. n

Images tell stories.

Douglas Graham is a master storyteller.

The Forward Turn Grants Committee poses with its 2024 donation check.

SATURDAY APRIL 20

SUNDAY APRIL

LIFE IS IN FULL BLOOM AT SVWC!

If you’re looking for a home you’ll love in a community where you’ll feel a strong sense of belonging, SVWC is for you! SVWC is a Life Plan Community offering a wide range of activities and a maintenance-free lifestyle for active seniors while providing a full continuum of care through life’s changing health conditions. With Phase Two Pre-sales of The Villas underway, now is the time to take advantage of choice floor plans and an unmatched timeline for becoming a resident. You’ll love the assurance of a fixed move-in date that gives you time to plan your future at Winchester’s finest Life Plan Community.

Connect with us to find your place at SVWC.

CONNECT. SVWC.ORG | (540) 665-5914

Flower & Garden Festival Returns April 20-21

Leesburg’s downtown historic district will be in full bloom April 20-21 as the Flower and Garden Festival returns for its 34th year.

The award-winning event doubles as a Loudoun County celebration of spring’s arrival and the area’s largest annual tourism event, typically attracting 30,000 visitors and locals during the weekend.

Inside:

Festival Map Page 10

Entertainment Schedule Page 5

Leesburg’s Weeklong

Flower & Garden Celebration Page 8

Holly Heider Chapple Honored with Rose Page 12

Virginia Historic Garden

Week Spotlights Hillsboro Page 18

More than 125 vendors will fill the streets with seasonal blooms, herbs, gardening supplies, outdoor furniture, and more. In addition to those exhibits, festival goers may enjoy music, entertainment and activities for the kids, a rooftop beer garden, and festival food.

The free festival is produced by Leesburg’s Parks and Recreation Department, with support from the Leesburg Police and staff from the Public Works and Utilities departments.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, rain or shine. Pets are not permitted.

Portions of King, Market, and Cornwall Streets will be closed for the event, however parking will be available in the Town Hall parking garage using the Loudoun Street entrance. Additional parking will be available throughout downtown and a free shuttle service, from Ida Lee Park, will run continuously throughout the day.

This year’s sponsors are Loudoun Medical Group, Loudoun Credit Union, Renewal by Andersen, John C. Flood of VA, Kitchen Saver, Firefly Acupuncture and Wellness, Power Home Remodeling, Country Buick GMC, Loudoun Now, Harris Teeter, Mountcastle Medical Spa and Laser Center, Yield Bookkeeping, State Farm–Cynthia Michitsch, Wegmans Food Markets, and Washington Gardener magazine.

On Stage at the Festival

The festival features live shows from some of the Loudoun music scene’s most popular performers on two stages.

Main Stage — Courthouse Lawn

Saturday, April 20

10 a.m. Hilary Veltri

noon Levi Stephens

1:30 p.m. Tree City USA Presentation

2 p.m. Julia Kasdorf

4 p.m. Lil’ Maceo

Sunday, April 21

10 a.m. Gary Smallwood

11:45 Juliet Lloyd

1 p.m. People’s Choice Award Announcement

1:30 p.m. Scott Kurt

3:15 p.m. Ken Wenzel

Rooftop Beer Garden — Town Hall Parking Garage

Saturday, April 20

noon Doin’ Time

2:30 p.m. Scott Hetz Clark

3:30 p.m. Doin’ Time

Sunday, April 21

11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Duck Chuck Goose

Children’s Activities

The Town Hall green will feature children’s activities during both days of the festival, including arts and crafts, kids’ entertainment, performances by community groups, live music and dancing.

Providing hands-on activities will be representatives of Headway Church, Meadows Farms Leesburg, NOVA Creative Reuse Center, Save Soil and Harris Teeter.

Garden Patch Family Stage — Town Hall Green

Saturday, April 20

11 a.m. WOW Hour with Rocknoceros

12:30 p.m. Blue Ridge Thunder Cloggers

1:30 p.m. Kim’s Tae Kwon Do

2:30 p.m. WOW Hour with Blue Ridge Wildlife Center

4 p.m. Bella Ballerina

5 p.m. The Catoctin School of Music

Sunday, April 21

11 a.m. A Place to Be

noon WOW hour with Earthquest’s Birds of Prey

1:30 p.m. Loudoun Ballet Performing Arts

2:30 p.m. WOW hour with The Science Guys of Baltimore

3:30 p.m. Interactive games with DJ C Squared

4 p.m. Bull Run Cloggers

Leesburg’s TREE COMMISSION

Established in 1995, the Leesburg Tree Commission is comprised of seven members appointed by the Town Council for their interest and knowledge in urban forestry.

This commission’s vision is to provide leadership to enhance, expand, and preserve the tree canopy for the benefit of the community.

They are dedicated to promoting tree preservation and planting within the Town, providing a healthy and diverse tree canopy, as well as ensuring an aesthetic quality of life for all citizens.

The Town’s Urban Forestry Management Plan was approved in 2006 to guide Leesburg’s efforts to recover the loss of tree canopy and enhance all tree-related benefits by recommending strategies and actions to improve their urban forest management in an equitable, economic, and sustainable manner.

At this year’s Flower and Garden Festival

OLeesburg’s TREE COMMISSION

Established in 1995, the Leesburg Tree Commission is comprised of seven members appointed by the Town Council for their interest and knowledge in urban forestry.

This Commission’s vision is to provide leadership to enhance, expand and preserve the tree canopy for the benefit of the community.

At is Year’s Flower and Garden Festival

On Saturday, April 27th, Leesburg will celebrate Arbor Day, when Mayor Kelly Burk accepts Leesburg’s 30th Tree City USA Award during the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival.

n Saturday, April 20th, Leesburg will celebrate Arbor Day when Mayor Kelly Burk accepts Leesburg’s 35th Tree City USA Award during the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival.

They are dedicated to promoting tree preservation and planting within the Town, providing a healthy and diverse tree canopy as well as ensuring an aesthetic quality of life for all citizens.

is annual award will be presented by the Virginia Department of Forestry on behalf of the Arbor Day Foundation.

A 1:00 a ernoon ceremony is scheduled for the festival’s stage on the Loudoun County courthouse courtyard.

The award will be presented by the Virginia Department of Forestry, on behalf of the Arbor Day Foundation, beginning at 1:30 p.m. at the Loudoun County Courthouse stage.

AThe Town’s Urban Forestry Management Plan was approved in 2006 to guide Leesburg’s efforts to recover the loss of tree canopy and enhance all tree-related benefits by recommending strategies and actions to improve their urban forest management in an equitable, economic, and sustainable manner.

30TH ANNIVERSARY LEESBURG SINCE 1989

lso stop by the Tree Commission’s booth (located in front of East Market Street post o ce), to:

• Learn more about proper ways to plant a tree with a FREE copy of “Caring For Your Seedling”

Also stop by the Tree Commission’s booth: (located at booth #313 on East Market Street near post office)

• And get your FREE give-away tree seedling: Swamp White Oak.

• To learn more about proper ways to plant a tree with a FREE copy of “Caring For Your Seedling.”

• Plus a SPECIAL DRAWING chance for festival attendees to win one-of-four, large potted Swamp White Oak trees.

• Get your FREE give-away tree seedling: Red Bud, Flowering Dogwood, Lobolly Pine, or Red Oak.

Ra e trees courtesy of TreeLife Arborists and Northern Virginia Tree Experts.

WWW.LEESBURGVA.GOV

Trees make communities livable for all. ere are many ways to grow your town’s tree canopy … ...It all starts with a tree seedling!

• Plus a SPECIAL DRAWING for festival attendees to win one of four, large potted Red Bud trees.

Raffle trees courtesy of Northern Virginia Tree Experts.

Trees make communities livable for all. There are many ways to grow your town’s tree canopy...

...It all starts with a tree seedling!

Leesburg Launches Flower & Garden Week

More than three decades after launching the Flower and Garden Festival, the Town of Leesburg is expanding its celebration of spring this year with its inaugural Flower & Garden Week, which will take place from Saturday, April 13 through Sunday, April 21.

During the week-long event, residents and visitors can join in a range of activities and promotions that highlight the beauty of the season.

At least 18 town businesses will participate as part of a collaborative initiative between Leesburg’s departments of Economic Development and Parks and Recreation.

The week-long promotion will include garden-themed events, special offers, and interactive activities for all

ages, including garden tours, live music, floral-inspired culinary delights, and DIY workshops.

“We are thrilled to introduce Flower & Garden Week to the Leesburg community,” said Allison Wood, Small Business Development & Tourism Specialist of the Department of Economic Development. “This exciting new program not only celebrates the arrival of spring, but also showcases the creativity and vibrancy of our local businesses. It’s a fantastic opportunity for residents and visitors to explore all that Leesburg has to offer while preparing for the upcoming Flower & Garden Festival.”

For more information, go to  chooseleesburg.com/event/ flower-garden-week.

LIGHTFOOT LOT

SOUTH KING STREET

UPPER NORTH

EAST MARKET STREET

Festival vendors

APRIL 19-22

Hillsboro’s Gardens inThe Gap & Historic Garden Week Tours

FRIDAY, APRIL 19—EAT, DRINK & BE LITERARY!

The Living Landscape—Wildly Beautiful & Resilient

An Evening with Rick Darke——Plant Explorer, Horticulturist, Visionary

Book Signing / Hors d’oeuvre Served / Local Wines & Beers on Sale

$15 in Advance/$20 at the Door/Doors open 6 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 20—WELCOMING HOPE

Hope’s Garden Dedication—Noon

Historic Hillsboro Walking Tours/Native Plant & Spring Garden/Crafts Market——10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

FREE Concert on The Gap Stage—5 p.m.

Featuring The Furnace Mountain Trio

SCAN FOR MORE ABOUT GARDENS IN THE GAP EVENTS & TICKETS

GardensinTheGap.com

SCAN FOR TICKETS

SUNDAY, APRIL 21—TOURS & TEA

Garden Club of Virginia Historic Garden Week Tours—Noon-5 p.m.

Gardens in The Gap High Teas—11 a.m. & 1 p.m.

Historic Hillsboro Walking Tours/Native Plant & Spring Garden/Crafts Market——10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

MONDAY, APRIL 22—CELEBRATE EARTH DAY IN THE GAP

Garden Club of Virginia Historic Garden Week Tours—10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Historic Hillsboro Walking Tours/Native Plant & Spring Garden/Crafts Market——10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Visit vagardenweek.org for Historic Garden Week Tour Tickets

SCAN HERE TO BECOME A FRIEND OF HOPE’S GARDEN

HillsboroPreservation.org

Alexandra Farms Honors Local Grower with New Rose Variety

The owners of a boutique rose farm in Bogotá, Colombia are paying tribute to Loudoun floral designer Holly Heider Chapple by naming a new variety in Princess Garden Roses Collection in her honor: the Princess Holly’s Hope.

The rose pays tribute to her accomplishments and years of close collaboration with the farm.

Holly Heider Chapple has been a fixture at the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival since its inception 34 years ago, with a booth displaying her renowned floral designs near the King and Market Street intersection. She’ll be returning to that spot during this year’s event.

Princess Holly’s Hope, featuring an imposing peach-colored bloom, was selected by Heider Chapple as her signature garden rose during a visit to the farm in early 2020. It is described as transition-

ing from a soft peachy-toned center to creamy outer petals with a sizable ruffle-cup bloom that is classified as “very full” in terms of petal count. It has over 80 petals.

“Princess Holly’s Hope opens fully and holds astoundingly well with a strength and resilience that reminds us of our friend,” the owners said.

The rose is available through floral wholesalers, with limited availability. Production is expected to increase throughout 2024.

A floral designer, author, and educator, Heider Chapple says that when she first immersed herself in the floral industry, garden roses were her “first love.” She was especially enamored with David Austin Wedding Roses Juliet (Ausjameson) and Patience (Auspastor). Alexandra Farms is the world’s largest licensed fresh cut

grower of Austin’s roses. After encountering the varieties in 2009, Heider Chapple spent years designing and teaching with Alexandra Farms’ garden roses at conferences and her own designer gatherings.

She attributes much of the acclaim she received in the early years to the use of Alexandra Farms garden roses in her design work.

“Juliet and Patience made me fall in love with garden roses and really established my brand and changed the trajectory of my company because we started focusing on these luxury flowers,” she said.

Heider Chapple first visited Alexandra Farms in early 2020 and was introduced to several test varieties in the greenhouse— paying particular attention to one rose in particular. It was the first encounter with the garden rose that would ultimately be-

come her namesake.

What she particularly loves about Princess Holly’s Hope is how the variety opens, mimicking a large and striking star.

“Her nuance in shape and variations in shades” are thrilling, she said. “I’m a lover of the ‘in-betweens’ and rarely look for a single-tone flower. [Princess Holly’s Hope] is a jewel in the industry.”

The name “Holly’s Hope” was selected by her husband, Evan Chapple, who died in 2022 after a years-long battle with cancer. “It’s always been a shared world,” Heider Chapple said. “And everything I do still has a part of Evan in it.”

Learn more about Holly Heider Chapple and her Hope Flower Farm near Waterford—including plans for the April 13-14 Tulip Days events—at hopeflowerfarm.com.

Contributed

Holly Heider Chapple and Alexandra Farm President Joey Azout pose with Princess Holly’s Hope roses.

Historic Garden Week is coming to Hillsboro this year

As part of America’s largest “open house,” the Leesburg Garden Club invites the public on a walking tour of three historic properties, the renovation of Hillsboro’s main street, and a celebration of Hope’s Garden, Loudoun County’s first public native-plant garden

Sunday, April 21 and Monday April 22.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the town dates back to 1752, and serves as a rest stop along the Appalachian Trail. From an early public-school building to a 250-year-old restored colonial inn, and Hillsboro’s only architect-designed home/art

studio, guests will be offered a rare glimpse into spectacular privately owned homes and gardens. Properties on the tour are the Hillrose Cottage, Janney Purcell House and Fieldstone Farm.

Also, during Earth Day on April 22 Bartlett Tree Experts will be offering free tree saplings.

Each year for one week in April, over 25,000 visitors worldwide tour beautiful homes and gardens across Virginia during Historic Garden Week organized by the Garden Club of Virginia. The 2024 event encompasses 30 plus tours organized by the 48 clubs. Nearly

Hope’s Garden Dedication

200 private homes, gardens and historical sites will be open.

Tickets for the tour are $45 in advance and $55 at the door. The tours run 1-5 p.m. April 21 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April 22, starting at the Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike.

Proceeds from the tours support the restoration and preservation of the commonwealth’s historic gardens, provide research fellowships for building comprehensive records of historic gardens and landscapes, and support the mission of the Garden Club of Virginia.

File photo

Above left, the gardens at Rose Cottage will be open for visitors during the Virginia Garden Week celebration in Hillsboro on Saturday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22.

At noon Saturday, the town will formally dedicatee Hope’s Garden, an all-native plant public garden located behind the 1760 Lawson-Goodrich House, future site of The Gap visitor center. The garden was inspired by Doukénie Winery matriarch Hope Bazaco, who died in January at age 99. On Sunday and Monday, Hope’s Garden will be only open to Historic Garden Week ticket holders.

Cover of this year's Virginia Garden Club Tour booklet.

GARDENS IN THE GAP: An Appalachian Spring Celebration

In addition to welcoming visitors for the Virginia Garden Club’s Historic Gardens Week tours, the Town of Hillsboro will offer its own celebration of spring April 19-22 for its annual Gardens in The Gap programs.

“We are honored that the Garden Club of Virginia selected Hillsboro to be on their prestigious Historic Garden Week tours this year and thankful to the residents who’ve opened their properties,” said Mayor Roger Vance. “In collaboration with the Hillsboro Preservation Foundation, we’ve coupled the Historic Garden Week tours with our annual Gardens in The Gap for a great weekend of activities.”

The town’s events will be built around the theme of “An Appalachian Spring,” with a special focus on the importance of native plants to ecological balance and resiliency.

On Friday, April 19, the Eat, Drink & Be Literary! lecture series features internationally renowned horticulturist and author Rick Darke. The landscape design consultant, author, lecturer, and photographer is based in Pennsylvania and known for blending art, ecology, and cultural geography in the creation and conservation of livable landscapes. His projects include scenic byways, public gardens, corporate and collegiate campuses, mixed-use conservation developments, and residential gardens. Darke served on the staff of Longwood Gardens for 20 years, and in 1998 he received the Scientific Award of the American Horticultural Society.

During the weekend there also will be a garden, crafts and plant market and free self-guided tours of Hillsboro’s native-plant streetscape and historic sites. The Spring Garden, Crafts & Plant Sale will be ongoing throughout the weekend on the Old Stone School grounds with vendors and exhibiters including Gardens in The Gap sponsors Southern States and Tree Movers. Food trucks during the weekend will include Ford’s Fish Shack, Kovi Kitchen, Pattie Party and Moo Thru, and The Gap Bar will offer local wines and Old 690 craft beers.

A special free Appalachian Spring Concert featuring the Furnace Mountain Trio, starts at 5 p.m. Saturday.

The weekend also features a formal High Tea on Sunday presented by the Hillsboro Preservation Foundation. There will be two seatings, with musical accompaniment by the dulcimer and strings ensemble The Dulcetones.

“The HPF is delighted to again partner with the Town to present this elegant tea and support the creation and development of Hope’s Garden as part of our mission to preserve landscapes and landmarks in western Loudoun,” said President Paul Hrebenak.

Tickets for the Friday lecture and the tea seatings, as well as complete information about the weekend are available at OldStoneSchool.org.

Renowned horticulturist and author Rick Darke will speak at Hillsboro’sa Old Stone School on Friday, April 19th to kick off Virginia's Club’s Historic Gardens Week.

Towns

Purcellville Council Makes No Changes to Proposed FY 2025 Budget

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

A straw poll taken at the end of the Purcellville Town Council’s April 3 budget markup session indicated that Town Manager Rick Bremseth’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget will be adopted unchanged.

If the council had voted on it that night, the budget would have been adopted with a 5-0-2 vote, with members Carol Luke and Christopher Bertaut abstaining.

In his initial presentation, Bremseth told the council that the $30.6 million budget was a “lean” one and that it did not include 70% of the enhancements requested by department heads.

Luke and Bertaut said they were not prepared to vote because Luke had not finished reading the budget and Bertaut wanted more time to review the staff ’s answers to budget questions.

Bertaut said he had only received answers to his questions about the budget an hour before the meeting. Mayor Stanley J. Milan said he and Luke on Friday evening had submitted 60 questions for staff to answer. Bremseth said town staff had worked Monday through Wednesday to answer the questions as quickly and accurately as possible.

The council heard again Wednesday night that the most significant challenge facing the town is the high debt payments owed from the water and wastewater funds.

Director of Finance Liz Krens said that in FY 2024 the water fund will operate at a deficit of $811,721 and the wastewater fund at $450,788. Even with the proposed 16% and 18% rate increases this year, the funds will operate at a combined deficit of $1.5 million.

“Cash on hand is declining at a rapid pace. We are drawing down cash to cover this deficit,” she said.

The council heard during the previous budget meeting that had prior council’s enacted smaller gradual rate increases over the past several years—as recommended by the town’s utility and financial advisors—the town would not be facing such a significant shortfall this year.

In a letter to Loudoun Now, Kwasi Fraser, who opposed rate increases during his eight years as mayor, continued to urge town leaders to find other sources to pay

LOVETTSVILLE

for the town’s utility operations.

“The Town Council and management staff should demonstrate fiscal prudence and embrace innovative solutions. Reliance on raising utility rates—and seeking annexations—is not a sustainable policy practice. The former leads to water use reduction, and the latter is constrained by limited land and finite resources,” he wrote.

Fraser also said the council should consider alternative methods to pay off debt such as congressional advocacy, moving meals tax revenue from the General Fund to cover utility expenses, and hiring a third party to run the town’s utility system.

Milan said that hiring a third party would not save taxpayers any money. He noted Middleburg uses a third party to manage their utility system and currently, they have the highest utility rates of the western towns.

“Through the good nature of our public works personnel, we assist them in managing and maintenance of their facilities as they’re managed by a third-party company,” he said, adding that Middleburg serves a 10th of the customers that Purcellville does.

Krens has repeatedly warned council members over the years that drawing down the cash reserve funds and failing to maintain structural balance in the utility funds could affect the town’s credit

ratings. She said during a meeting April 9 that Fitch Ratings, one of the three major credit rating companies, had put the town on an Under Criteria Observation notice following an update in its criteria model. The town has held an AA+ rating from Fitch since 2019.

Purcellville is among 21 other localities in Virginia to receive the notice.

“They gave no comment however, just so you know, why they made that decision,” Krens said. “I will say however, it’s been a number of years since Fitch performed a comprehensive rating review, so it’s likely time for a review.”

She said Fitch’s regular monitoring would have noticed the decline in the town’s cash reserves.

“The agency will also recognize the large increase in the annual debt service requirements beginning in FY 2025, and we expect them to ask us what the town’s plan is to increase enterprise revenues to make sure we remain solvent,” she said.

Krens said the key to positioning the town in the best possible way for its next credit review would be for the council to commit to a multiyear rate plan.

Council member Caleb Stought said, while the town does not know what prompted the UCO designation, it does know what actions will hurt its

PURCELLVILLE BUDGET

continues on page 21

Scheel Explores Loudoun’s Post-Civil War Ag History

The Lovettsville Historical Society on Sunday will feature a lecture by historian Eugene Scheel on his latest book, “The Catoctin Farmers’ Journals, Volume One, 1868-1920.”

The book covers the half-century after the Civil War when Loudoun County, was Virginia’s agricultural leader, with heavy plantings of corn and wheat. The book is heavily drawn from the detailed minutes of the Catoctin Farmers’ Club—Virginia’s oldest ongoing agricultural organization.

Included are vignettes from laborer’s songs from slave times; 1870s reminiscences 104-year-old Allin Tibbs, an African-American farm laborer; stories of the 1889 “Johnstown Flood;” the years of farming parity in the early 1900s; the World War I farm scene; and the bootlegging years that followed.

The presentation will be held at St. James United Church of Christ, 10 E. Broad Way in Lovettsville. Admission is free, with donations welcome.

For more information, go to LovettsvilleHistoricalSociety.org. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Purcellville director of Finance Liz Krens answers questions by the Town Council about the town’s credit ratings during a meeting April 9.

Contributed Eugene Scheel

Round Hill Council Eyes Another Steep Utility Rate Increase

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

A year after a tumultuous community debate over sharp utility rates increases, the Round Hill Town Council is gearing up for another round.

In an analysis of the town’s water and sewer system funding needs presented April 3, Mayor Scott Ramsey outlined options to increase rates by 5% to 15% this year. And council members are leaning toward the higher option—potentially matching last year’s rate hikes.

Town leaders—and their 1,830 utility customers—were hoping for a more modest increase this year after the Board of Supervisors approved an unprecedented $3.7 million capital investment to help build a new water tank.

A year ago, that financial boost was expected to cover much of the remaining cost of that long-planned project. However, with still increasing prices for concreate and steel, the project is expected to cost almost $2 million more when construction bids come in later this year.

The town’s utility system also is taking a hit from its successful push to promote water conservation during last year’s severe drought. A year ago, system users consumed an average of 142 gallons per day; this year the projection is for 135 gallons. The prospect of selling 4.7 million fewer gallons of water next year represents

a big potential hit to the revenue stream needed to cover the system’s fixed costs.

The council last spring entered its budget talks looking at utility rate increases of up to 30% as it prepared to undertake several major capital projects, including the then-$4.2 million southern water tank and a then-$3.4 million replacement of a 30-year-old water treatment plant, with more on the horizon—a $12 million todo list. Last year, the town took out a $2.5 million 20-year loan to help move them forward, nearly doubling its annual debt service payments. It may need to borrow another $2 million this year and $4 million more in 2027.

In the face of strong public criticism, especially from out-of-town customers whose rates are 50% higher than town residents, the council adopted a 15% rate increase, with plans to increase rates by 15% again this year to comply with the town’s fiscal policies and avoid depleting its cash reserves.

Round Hill’s utility system is unique among Loudoun’s seven towns in that nearly 90% of its costumers live outside the town boundaries. Two large developments—the 1,200-home Villages of Round Hill rezoning and the 140-acre Stoneleigh subdivision—were approved by the county government in the early 1990s. Under the plans, the developers built the utility systems and turned them over to the town.

Three decades later, the town’s utility operators increasingly are wrestling with

Council Incorporates Annexation Area into Town Plan

Following a joint public hearing with the Planning Commission on April 3, the Town Council adopted new Western Planning Area policies that lay out goals for the future of use of the 18 parcels annexed by the town in January 2023.

The commission spent a year studying the area, which includes land along West Loudoun Street, including the Sheriff’s Office substation and land for the new fire-rescue station; the Hill High commercial complex; and the former Round Hill Elementary School.

Among the recommendations are for constructing of traffic calming measures and a trail connecting the Hill High complex with downtown, traffic safety improvements at Hill High, and the conversion of the former school into a community center. The plan also supports use of undeveloped parcels to provide affordable housing opportunities. n

outdated, failing or poorly designed infrastructure. And there are increasing worries about the operational integrity of the critical infrastructure.

The new water tank, to be built on the southern side of town, will provide redundancy to the town’s tank on Evening Star Drive. The new water treatment plant will replace a 30-year-old system that can’t be expanded to handle the additional capacity of a new town well. This year, the town staff is working to renovate portions of the plant with the goal of keeping it running for another three years until its replacement can be brought online.

Those are the circumstances that last year led Supervisor Caleb Kershner (R-Catoctin) and County Administrator Tim Hemstreet to support a contribution to the town’s construction program. As Town Council members look at the capital needs ahead and future utility rates, a key question is whether the county’s support will continue.

Town Project Manager Rob Lohr said the county can help in two areas—additional financial support and help moving plans and permits more quickly through the approval process.

On the capital side, “we’re asking for things that should have been handled differently,” he said of the flawed, county-approved systems the town inherited from the developers.

For expedient plans review, Lohr noted the county has special processes for oth-

er priority projects. “This is critical infrastructure. I want that to be as important as data centers,” he told the council.

Ramsey and other council members said there is another way the county can help—expanding the town’s boundaries to bring in more of their utility customers. They say the action would provide lower utility rates for those customers and also allow the town to claim a larger share of state and national revenue that is distributed to municipalities based on population. For example, the town received an American Rescue Plan Act grant based on its 700-resident population, not including the other 5,000 people in its service area. In that case, Round Hill received $600,000; Purcellville got $9.2 million. The town has contracted for an analysis of potential boundary expansions that is expected to be presented this summer.

As for this year’s utility rates, the council is scheduled to have a more detailed discussion at its April 17 meeting. Asked for their early feelings last night, most council members said they were leaning toward a 15% increase as the best alternative to ensure the system is adequately funded.

Under that scenario, the monthly bill for the average in-town customer would increase from $92 to 105.50. For out-ortown customers, the bill would increase from $137.50 to 158.50, according to calculations in the last year’s rate study, which was based on the higher consumption rate of 142 gallons per month. n

Amendments to Round Hill’s town plan include five planning areas for land that was incorporated through a boundary line adjustment last year, including the Hill High retail complex in Area 2, the Sheriff’s Office substation and new firerescue station in Area 3, and the potential for new homes in Area 4.

Purcellville budget

continued from page 19

credit rating.

“Things that can hurt our credit rating include the following: pursuing an un-rate-funded or semi-funded [capital improvement] plan. This approach is unrealistic. … Two, continuing to draw down cash reserves. Our rating agency will likely raise questions on this as we are currently on track to dip below the town’s fiscal policy threshold. This is an unsustainable and dangerous trajectory and we put our credit rating at risk if not remedied.”

Council member Christopher Bertaut has proposed looking at what utility rate increases would be if they did not take costs from CIP into consideration.

But Krens said that approach is unrealistic.

“The rating agencies will immediately ask us, ‘what type of infrastructure needs does your system require?’ And to omit those from your rate modeling really understates the cost of operations and the cost of maintaining your system,” she said.

During the April 3 meeting, the council also heard from Human Resources Director LaDonna Snellbaker that, because of decisions by the council in the FY 2022 and FY 2023 budgets to offer one-time bonuses to staff members instead of merit increases, the town is running behind other localities in employee compensation.

“We are trending approximately $9,000 behind,” she said. “… The option to pay merit increases as a bonus negatively impacts our ability to keep pace with the salaries of our competitors, which puts us further behind.”

The town’s proposed cost of living increase in FY 2025 averages to $2,800 per employee, while the market average is $4,100, Snellbaker said.

Police Chief Cynthia McAlister said the one-time bonuses were also affecting her ability to retain officers.

“The department has recently lost three officers to other local departments. In conducting their exit interviews, I learned not having a reliable compensation plan, and specifically the bonuses given instead of salary additives, was instrumental in their decision to find work elsewhere,” she said.

The budget is based on a real estate property tax rate of 20.5 cents per $100 of assessed value with recent assessments increasing 5.82% over 2023. With the average residential assessment at $587,691, the homeowner will pay $1,205, an increase of $65.48 over last year.

The council is expected to vote on the budget April 23. n

Don Dramstad

Don Dramstad passed away in Ormond Beach, Florida, on March 28, 2024. A proud son of Montana, Donald Lee Dramstad was born in Glasgow in the northeastern part of the state on September 2, 1944, to Albert and Etta Dramstad. Fourth in a family of 10 children, Don was raised in the tiny town of Saco until age 12, when the family moved to Kalispell in the Flathead Valley near Glacier National Park.

Continuing a family tradition of service in the Navy, Don enlisted after graduating high school and learned the skills to become a dental technician, later settling in the Washington, D.C., area. He owned his own dental lab, Dramstad Dental Design, for 45 years and was renowned for his fine work in a demanding field.

Don served his community as a volunteer; he was a member of the Loudoun County Rural Economic Development Council and the Loudoun Valley Farmers Market Association board of directors. In the mid-1990s, he developed a passion for dahlias, growing countless blooms over the years in his home garden and helping to introduce new varieties at trial gardens. The hybrid “Crazy 4 Don” was named in his honor. He served two terms as president of the National Capital Dahlia Society and two terms as president of the American Dahlia Society, where he shared his knowledge with many aspiring growers, and his flowers were displayed in the White House.

After Don’s marriage to Janice del Monte in 1965, the pair had three children: Jeffrey, Melissa, and Amanda (Wil). Marrying Judith McGinnis Ledbetter in 1978, Don became a second father to her son, Kyle. Together the couple managed Don’s business; enjoyed cooking, gardening, and traveling; and built their dream

Obituaries

home in Loudoun County. Their time was cut short by her passing in 1991.

With his marriage to Rhonda Desmedt in 1999, Don welcomed her children — Daniel (Sarah), John (Mara), and Adrienne (Tim) — to the family as well. Over the years, Don and Rhonda kept family (including lots of grandchildren) and friends very well fed and entertained, hosting multiple weddings and other gatherings at their homes in Virginia and Florida. Together they grew flowers and vegetables, kept honeybees and enjoyed five Sussex Spaniels, took an epic trip to New Zealand, and sold Don’s Dahlias at the Leesburg Farmers Market and to the cut-flower trade for 17 years. Don loved music, including the songs of John Prine, good food and wine, and the magic in a good batch of compost; his family and friends will miss his sense of humor, welcoming nature, and the beauty he brought to the world. A celebration of life will be held in the fall when the dahlias bloom.

Valerie Ruth Stalnaker

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Valerie Ruth (Gray) Stalnaker, who passed away on April 1, 2024, at the age of 72. Born on June 22, 1951, in Alachua County, Gainesville, Florida, she grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and later moved to the metro Washington D.C. area. She was a dedicated and loving wife to her late husband, Thomas Lee Stalnaker, who passed away in 2001. She remained a devoted mother to her two children: Kelly Hoag (Andrew) and Alexander Stalnaker (Brandi) and grandmother to her four granddaughters Kathryn, Lauren, Isla and Kenna. She is also survived by her six siblings: Cheryl Pitt (Harry), Judy Andrews (Paul), Kimberly Cykman, Allison Braddock (Craig), Dawn Bliss

(Mike), and Wayne Gray (Katie). Valerie lived a fulfilling life and was a woman of many talents. She had a passion for reading, family and her faith. Her belief in the Lord was the bedrock of her life and she displayed its importance daily. She had a gregarious laugh, sense of humor and loved family gatherings with her six siblings. She played French horn in high school, earned her bachelors’ degree and taught high school English and history for several years. Valerie and Tom then moved to Leesburg, VA in 1996 and became business partners with Greg Wigfield and Bill Nickerson at National Church Group Insurance Agency (NCG). She retired as a Vice President at NCG in 2021. Valerie was a kind and generous soul, always putting others’ needs before her own. She served as a member of the Washington Reginal Transplant Community’s Doner Family Counsel. Her love and compassion extended to all those who knew her, and she will be remembered for her infectious smile and warm personality. At the family’s requests, donations can be made to the Washington Reginal Transplant Community or Kids Konnection in memory of Valerie Ruth Stalnaker. Rest in peace, mom. You will forever be in our hearts and memories.

GET OUT

LIVE MUSIC

TOMMY BOUCHE

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

HOLLY MONTGOMERY

6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, April 11

Plaza Azteca Mexican Restaurant, 1608 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. plazaazteca.com

ALEX THE RED PAREZ OPEN MIC NIGHT

6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, April 11

Dynasty Brewing, 21140 Ashburn Crossing Dr., Ashburn. dynastybrewing.com

THE 69 EYES

8 to 11 p.m. Thursday, April 11

Tally Ho Theater, Leesburg. $30 to $60. tallyhotheater.com

CHRIS BOWEN

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 12

Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 Little River Turnpike, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com

DENNIS WAYLAND

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 12

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

JASON MASI

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 12

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com

HERB & HANSON

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 12

Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont. dirtfarmbrewing.com

THE BRUNO SOUND

5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 12

Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, 38906 Mount Gilead Road, Leesburg. willowcroftwine.com

BRAHMAN NOODLES

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, April 12

Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. old690.com

ONE BLUE NIGHT

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, April 12

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com

LIVE MUSIC continues on page 23

ONE NIGHT ONLY: Maggie Miles Returns for Hometown Show

BY DANA ARMSTRONG

“I’ve played the Tally Ho [Theater] I think twice—maybe three times—and the last time I played there, I told myself ‘The next time I do, I’ll headline it.’”

As it turns out, that thought by Maggie Miles was prophetic. The 24-year-old Round Hill-raised singer/songwriter headlines the venue for the first time on April 28, accompanied by other Loudounbased special guests Ryan Wright and Shallow Planet.

When Get Out Loudoun last interviewed Miles in 2019, she had recently moved from Loudoun to Nashville and released her first EP. Now, five years later, she is still happily based in Nashville, tours with her band as an independent artist, and has two full-length albums under her belt.

What is becoming an illustrious musical career for Miles started as a worship group nightmare. She only began singing in front of people at age 18, held back by her fear of potentially “being bad.”

“The story is I was at church one day and I used to only play instruments and not sing. There happened to be a mic

in front of me that day and somebody didn’t show up to sing harmonies. So, the guy who sings, he turned to me and said, ‘Hey, would you mind just singing some harmonies?’” Miles said.

“I remember feeling this toad in my throat of like ‘oh my gosh, there’s no way!’ But I did it, and no one laughed. Even though that was such a small moment, it was so purely defining. That’s kind of where I learned to sing—in this awkward gray room in front of fellow teenagers.”

By her senior year, Miles found herself daydreaming in the math classrooms of Woodgrove High School about touring as a musician. Her first major step occurred in June 2018, one year after high school graduation, when she played her first show with original music at Jammin’ Java in Vienna.

Not long after that, she’d move to Nashville and started work on her first full-length album, “Am I Drowning or Am I Just Learning to Swim.” Released in the summer of 2020, the album is an indie rock pop exploration punctuated by the groovy track “Move” and searching and self-reflective songs like “Swim” and the

ending “Sanitized Things.”

“My first album feels to me—maybe because I’m me—but it feels more safe. There’s less risk being taken, and it’s more kind of pop in the melody and in the structures whereas “The Lack Thereof,” the second album, feels more definitive. I went into it knowing how it was going to end, what I wanted to say, and there’s more answers,” said Miles.

The album picks up where “Sanitized Things” left off, with a grainy, alternative rock sound influenced by ‘90s grunge. Using a multitude of amps, synthesizers, and other analog components to alter the sound and deeply personal yet still widely resonate lyrics, the result is an edgy and authentic statement work.

In the song “Asthma,” her vocals easily shift between gentle inflections and harsh spoken-word pleas. “Close” opens with soft piano runs before Miles’ even softer, vulnerable voice breaks through. Later, the song shifts into a cacophony of sound after the hard-hitting line, “I’m so afraid of being used.”

Contributed

After leaving for Nashville five years ago, Maggie Miles will be back in Leesburg to rock out on the Tally Ho Theater stage on Saturday, April 28 MAGGIE

GET OUT LIVE MUSIC

continued from page 22

MORRIS & MORRIS

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 12

Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville. flyingacefarm.com

RUBY JONES

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 12

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

BRYAN STUTZMAN

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 12

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

EMMA ROWLEY

Loudoun County High School 70th Anniversary

6 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 12

Loudoun County High School, 415 Dry Mill Road SW., Leesburg. lcps.org/domain/35751

FALLING HOME

6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, April 12

Old Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive, Ashburn. oldoxbrewery.com

HILARY VELTRI

7 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 12

Social House Kitchen & Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn. socialhouseashburn.com

SIDEPIECE

8 to 11 p.m. Friday, April 12

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

THE AMISH OUTLAWS

8 to 11 p.m. Friday, April 12

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. $20. tallyhotheater.com

DAVE GOODRUM

12 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Cana Vineyards and Winery, 38600 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. canavineyards.com

DUCK CHUCK GOOSE

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Fabbioli Cellars, 15669 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. fabbiolicellars.com

LINDA ANDERSON AND FRIENDS

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 13

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

NOT THE FATHERS

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

DAVID BRADLEY

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Otium Cellars, 18050 Tranquility Road, Purcellville. otiumcellars.com

DAVE MININBERG

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Fleetwood Farm Winery, 23075 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg. fleetwoodfarmwinery.com

BRUCE EWAN

1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville. creeksedgewinery.com

GDR

1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

GARY SMALLWOOD

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13

50 West Vineyards, 39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. 50westvineyards.com

JASON MASI

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Bleu Frog Vineyards, 16413 Little River Turnpike, Leesburg. bleufrogvineyards.com

STANLEY WHITAKER

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13

8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford. 8chainsnorth.com

FREDDIE LONG

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com

CHRIS DESANTIS

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Firefly Cellars, 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton. fireflycellars.com

DAN FISK

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 Little River Turnpike, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com

WILLIE WHITE

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. old690.com

AS U WISH BAND

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

THE LOST CORNER VAGABONDS

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. doukeniewinery.com

HILARY VELTRI

3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville. flyingacefarm.com

JESS PAULIN

3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Notaviva Farm Brewery & Winery, 13274 Sagle Road, Hillsboro. notaviva.com

STEVE BOYD & FRIENDS

4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com

BETHANY GATES

5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Honor Brewing Company, 42604 Trade W. Drive, Sterling. honorbrewing.com

MICHELLE HANNAN & ONE BLUE NIGHT

5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

MELISSA QUINN FOX

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

LIVE MUSIC continues on page 24

Best Bets

GET OUT

LIVE MUSIC

continued from page 23

JULIET LLOYD TRIO

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

Superstar: The Carpenters Reimagined Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Franklin Park Arts Center franklinparkartscenter.org

Acclaimed vocalist Helen Welch presents The Carpenters’ catalogue of 1970s hits in a style all her own in this Gold Star performance. Tickets $25-$40.

LEESBURG CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT

7 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 605 W. Market St., Leesburg. holytrinityleesburg.org

TEJAS SINGH

8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Nick’s Taverna, 42395 Ryan Road, Ashburn. nickstaverna.com

THE REAL INTELLECT

8 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Johnny Ray’s Sultry Soul Food, 101 Executive Dr., Sterling. johnnyraysva.com

Salsa Night with DJ Angel Saturday, April 13, 8 p.m. Lu’s Bar and Grill, Ion Arena ionarena.com

Shimmy and shake into spring with beats from DJ Angel that will keep you grooving all night long. Enjoy mini dance lessons from 8 to 9 p.m. and a night of dancing from 9 p.m. to midnight. Cover Charge $20.

CHRIS HANKS

7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Social House Kitchen & Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn. socialhouseashburn.com

NEW DOMINION BAND

8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 13

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

THE GATHERING GLOOM-THE CURE TRIBUTE

8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. $15. tallyhotheater.com

DAVID THONG

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Firefly Cellars, 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton. fireflycellars.com

BRITTON NIESSLEIN

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

BOWLEY & BRAGANZA

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, 38906 Mount Gilead Road, Leesburg. willowcroftwine.com

BENJAMIN WEIMER

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Fleetwood Farm Winery, 23075 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg. fleetwoodfarmwinery.com

GUNNER HEATHE

1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

JIM STEELE

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike , Middleburg. lostbarrel.com

GRAYSON MOON

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Bleu Frog Vineyards, 16413 Little River Turnpike, Leesburg. bleufrogvineyards.com

LUKE JOHNSON

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com

The Gathering Gloom Saturday, April 13, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhoteather.com

JESSICA PAULIN

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville. flyingacefarm.com

KEN WENZEL

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 14

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

JOE DOWNER

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

MATT & MATT

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com

NATHANIEL DAVIS

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. doukeniewinery.com

THE COLD NORTH

3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 14

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

JUSTIN SUEDE

7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, April 17

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

KOHANNA MCCARY

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

TEJAS SINGH

6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 18

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

HAPPENINGS

PROM PHOTOSHOOT

3 to 6 p.m. Friday, April 12 Davis Mansion at Morven Park, 17269 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg. $25 to $100. morvenpark.org

A tribute to The Cure that gets as close as possible to the sound, feel and vibe of a show by the English rock band, including the lights, the fog, the hair and the lipstick. Tickets $15-$35. LIVE MUSIC

GET OUT HAPPENINGS

continued from page 24

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

7 p.m. Friday, April 12

1 p.m. & 7 p.m. Saturday, April 13

1 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Loudoun Valley High School, 340 N. Maple Ave., Purcellville. $10. lvhstheatre.com

DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR.

7 p.m. Friday, April 12

2 p.m. & 7 p.m. Saturday, April 13

2 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Harmony Middle School, 38174 W. Colonial Highway, Hamilton. $9.25. lcps.org/Page/248904

SPRING WILDFLOWERS AT BALL’S BLUFF

8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, April 13

Balls Bluff Park, Leesburg. loudounwildlife.org

BIRDING BANSHEE

8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, April 13

Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, 21085 The Woods Road, Leesburg. loudounwildlife.org

ASHBURN GROWLER RELAY

8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 13

Old Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive #114, Ashburn. $65. oldoxbrewery.com

LEESBURG FARMERS MARKET

9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 13

30 Catoctin Circle SE., 30 Catoctin Circle SE., Leesburg. loudounfarmersmarkets.org

SPRING NATIVE PLANT SALE

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Morven Park Grounds, 17339 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg. loudounwildlife.org

MIDDLEBURG HUMANE FOUNDATION

GALA

6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 13

The Middleburg Barn, 23320 Foxchase Farm Lane, Middleburg. $400. middleburghumane.org

COURAGE DAY 5K

8 a.m. to noon Sunday, April 14 Franklin Park, 17501 Franklin Park Dr., Purcellville thecouragecloset.org

GOOD DEEDS DAY

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, April 14 Congregation Sha’are Shalom, 19357 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg. shaareshalomleesburg.org

JCFM SCHOLARSHIP CHARITY CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 14 ResQ BBQ, 528B E. Market St., Leesburg. $20 to $40. cfmscholarship.com

LOVETTSVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

LECTURE

2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 14

10 E. Broad Way, 10 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville. lovettsvillehistoricalsociety.org

TREFOILS AND TEATIME

2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 14

Loudoun Museum, 16 Loudoun St. SW., Leesburg. $10. loudounmuseum.org

CREEK CRITTERS OF LOUDOUN

2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 14 Lovettsville Community Park, 12565 Milltown Road, Lovettsville. loudounwildlife.org

Legal Notices

Town of Middleburg, Virginia

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITATION TO BID ON AN EXCLUSIVE LEASE/ FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT, INSTALL, MAINTAIN, EXTEND AND OPERATE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING EQUIPMENT ON PROPERTY OWNED BY THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBURG

Notice is hereby given that the Council of the Town of Middleburg, Virginia, a Municipal Corporation of the Commonwealth of Virginia, pursuant to § 15.2-2102 of the Code of Virginia, as amended, and after advertisement required by § 15.22101 of the Code of Virginia, as amended, and in the mode prescribed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, intends to receive bids and adopt an Ordinance for the lease/ franchise of Town-owned property located at 12 South Liberty Street and along the roadway of 17 West Federal Street for electric vehicle charging equipment and associated facilities for a term of up to 20 years. Bids shall be in writing and delivered to Council Chambers, Town Office, 10 West Marshall Street, Virginia on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., local time, in open session of Council, to the Clerk of Council. All bids shall be opened in public session and marked for identification by the mayor or other presiding officer

Notice is hereby given pursuant to §§ 15.2-1800 that the Town Council will hold a public hearing to receive comment on the proposed lease at the same date, time, and location.

If an acceptable bid is received, the Town Council may adopt an Ordinance to grant exclusive use of the Town’s property to the successful bidder. Such Ordinance shall include required terms, such as, monthly lease amount, length of lease, and tenant’s obligations. A copy of the full Ordinance is available at the Town Office, 10 West Marshall Street, Middleburg, Virginia, from 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

The Town reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

The Public Hearing is being held at a facility believed to be accessible to persons with disabilities. Any person with questions on accessibility should contact the Town Clerk.

Trowbridge M. Littleton, Mayor Town of Middleburg 4/4 & 4/11/24

Public Notice

Additionally, Miles goes experimental with tracks like “Dona,” which begins with the recording of a phone call and transitions to a dreamy, existential soundscape. According to Miles, the song was an effort that took two years to finally come together in the way she wanted and was the final piece to the album.

“It feels like a return to where I came from almost. Even though it’s the hometown theater, there’s something about that theater in particular that is so nostalgic and very formative for me. I’ve seen a lot of shows there. I’ve played a couple of shows there. It just feels like this is kind of the hometown heroes date.”

“I’m really stoked about having Zach Jones [of Shallow Planet] and Ryan Wright on the bill—people that are there in Virginia still and doing the dream relentlessly. … That takes another level of bravery of sticking it out and creating a [musical] culture [in Leesburg].”

Jones and Miles are longtime friends, and Miles learned about Wright through connections to her father, producer Todd Wright. Ryan Wright opened for one of Miles’s shows in 2021, and she describes

her music as “stellar.” With Wright’s indie dream pop and Shallow Planet’s alternative rock—they’re currently recording their second album—it’s sure to be an unforgettable evening.

The one-night-only show is a rare chance to see Miles perform in her hometown before taking the country and, eventually she hopes, the world by storm.

She performs at her first music festival—SoWhat in Fort Worth, TX—this June. (In a full circle moment, she even shares the bill with Switchfoot—the first concert she ever attended.) But her biggest goal is to become a world-touring artist playing in Australia, Japan, South America, Europe, and everywhere in between.

Miles hints that new music is coming very soon. When asked if she has anything else to share, she leaves off with this cryptic message.

“I think I just want everyone to know that my favorite color is yellow.” n

Maggie Miles’ concert with Ryan Wright and Shallow Planet takes place at Tally Ho Theater on April 28. To buy tickets, visit Tally Ho’s website. Follow Maggie Miles on Instagram (@_maggiemiles) to stay updated on upcoming music and shows.

The Town of Leesburg

Tree Commission Vacancy

The Town of Leesburg is soliciting applications for a vacancy on the Tree 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

4/4/2024 & 4/11/2024

Legal Notices

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ046179-06-00; 07-00; 08-00; 09-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Starh Rahimi

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

v. Ahmad Wali, putative father and Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold a third permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Starh Rahimi and hold a hearing on the Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of Ahmad Wali, putative father and Unknown Father, pursuant to Virginia Code §16.1-283 for Starh Rahimi. Ahmad Wali, putative father and Unknown Father, are hereby notified that failure to appear on the hereinafter noticed date and time

may result in the entry of an Order approving a permanency goal of adoption as well as the termination of their residual parental rights with respect to Starh Rahimi. Ahmad Wali, putative father and Unknown Father, are hereby further notified that if their residual parental rights are terminated, they will no longer have any legal rights with respect to said minor child, including, but not limited to, the right to visit Starh Rahimi; any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Starh Rahimi; or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Starh Rahimi. Further, Ahmad Wali, putative father and Unknown Father, will have no legal and/or financial obligations with respect to Starh Rahimi, and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Starh Rahimi for adoption and consent to the adoption of Starh Rahimi.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Ahmad Wali, putative father and Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before May 8, 2024 at 10:00 4/11, 4/18, 4/25 & 5/2/24

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.

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS FOR:

INSURANCE CREDENTIALING SOFTWARE AND MANAGEMENT, RFP No. 648816 until prior to 4:00 p.m., May 2, 2024.

ROADWAY PLANNING AND CIVIL DESIGN SERVICES FOR ROUTE 15 LUCKETTS BYPASS, RFP No. 646814 until prior to 4:00 p.m., May 2, 2024.

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

4/11/24

NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLES

This notice is to inform the owner and any person having a security interest in their right to reclaim the motor vehicle herein described within 15 days after the date of storage charges resulting from placing the vehicle in custody, and the failure of the owner or persons having security interests to exercise their right to reclaim the vehicle within the time provided shall be deemed a waiver by the owner, and all persons having security interests of all right, title and interest in the vehicle, and consent to the sale of the abandoned motor vehicle at a public auction. This notice shall also advise the owner of record of his or her right to contest the determination by the Sheriff that the motor vehicle was “abandoned,” as provided in Chapter 630.08 of the Loudoun County Ordinance, by requesting a hearing before the County Administrator in writing. Such written request for a hearing must be made within 15 days of the notice.

YR. MAKE MODEL VIN STORAGE

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF CAPITAL INTENSITY FACTORS

The Leesburg Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on: Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chamber

25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176

The Planning Commission will review and consider proposed Capital Intensity Factors (CIFs), perhousing-unit dollar amounts, by unit type, that reflect the cost of capital facilities needed to support Town services provided to residents, in the following categories: Parks and Recreation, Public Safety (Police), and Transportation. The Planning Commission will make a recommendation to the Town Council regarding the use of the proposed CIFs in the evaluation and negotiation of cash proffers associated with residential rezoning applications.

Copies of the proposed Capital Intensity Factors and supporting documents are available at the Town Manager’s Office, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Digital copies will be available on the Town of Leesburg website (www.leesburgva.gov/government/boards-and-commissions/planning-commission) when the Planning Commission agenda packet is published, typically by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the meeting date.

4/11/24

TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLE 11 FOR THE PURPOSE OF REVISING PARKING SPACE DIMENSIONS AND TRAVEL AISLE REQUIREMENTS, AND ARTICLE 12 INTERIOR PARKING LOT LANDSCAPING IN THE B-1 DISTRICT

Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176 to consider Zoning Ordinance Amendment TLZNOA2023-0007 to revise the following provision of the Zoning Ordinance: Article

Copies and additional information regarding these proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments are available at the Department of Community Development located on the second floor of the Jewell Building, 222 Catoctin Circle S.E., Suite 200, Leesburg, Virginia 20175 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by calling 703-771-2774 and asking for Brian Boucher, Deputy Director. Mr. Boucher can also be reached by email at bboucher@leesburgva.gov. This Zoning Ordinance amendment application is identified as case number TLZNOA2023-0007.

At this hearing all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 771-2733 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

4/11 & 4/18/2024

Legal Notices

PUBLIC HEARING

The LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room on the first floor of the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following:

LEGI-2023-0083, TRAILSIDE PARK: CMPT-2023-0009 & SPEX-2023-0020

(Commission Permit and Special Exception)

Milestone Tower Limited Partnership IV has submitted applications for: a commission permit and special exception on a 20.22-acre property located south of Gloucester Parkway (Route 2150) and west of Claiborne Parkway (Route 901) in the Ashburn Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as: 20375 Claiborne Parkway, Ashburn, Virginia, PIN 115-171969-000, Tax Map # /79/J11////PK/. The Subject Property is zoned Planned Development – Housing 4 (PD-H4) under the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance (Zoning Ordinance). For CMPT-2023-0009, the applicant seeks a commission permit per the Zoning Ordinance, as amended, to allow a 150-foot telecommunications monopole and associated equipment compound on the Subject Property. For SPEX2023-0020, the applicant seeks a special exception to allow a 150-foot telecommunications monopole and associated equipment compound in the PD-H4 Zoning District.

LEGI-2023-0101, ATLANTIC

BOULEVARD RESIDENTIAL REZONING:

ZMAP-2023-0013, SPEX-2023-0041, ZMOD-2023-0069, ZMOD-2023-0070 & ZMOD-2024-0001 (Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exception, and Zoning Modifications)

AtlanticBlvdDominionStation LLC has submitted applications for: a zoning map amendment, special exception, and zoning modifications for approximately 3.12 acres of land located east of Sully Road (Route 28) on the northwest side of Atlantic Boulevard (Route 1902) and east of the W&OD Trail in the Sterling Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as PIN 043-10-9468-000, Tax Map # /80//////VDOT6. For ZMAP-2023-0013, the applicant seeks to rezone the Subject Property to the R-24 ADU (Multifamily Residential 24 Affordable Dwelling Unit) Zoning District in order to permit 80 residential multi-family attached dwelling units. For SPEX-2023-0041, the applicant seeks to reduce the minimum rear yard setback required for multifamily attached dwelling units from 25 to 15 feet. For ZMOD-2023-0069, ZMOD-2023-0070 & ZMOD-2024-0001, the applicant seeks zoning ordinance modifications for various regulations affecting the Subject Property including but not limited to: increase the maximum building height from 45 feet to 55 feet for multifamily attached buildings, reduce the minimum parking space requirement for affordable dwelling units and affordable housing units to 1.3 parking spaces per unit, and eliminate the Type 2 Road Corridor Buffer required along the northern portion of the Subject Property’s Atlantic Boulevard frontage. The applications are being processed under the land use and development regulations of the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in accordance with the ZOR Grandfathering Resolution, dated December 13, 2023.

LEGI-2023-0030, ARCOLA TOWN CENTER RESIDENTIAL: ZCPA-2022-0001, ZMOD-2022-0013, ZMOD-2022-0014 & SPMI-2023-0016 (Zoning Concept Plan Amendment, Zoning Modifications, and Minor Special Exception)

Arcola Residential Development, LLC has submitted applications for: a zoning concept plan amendment, zoning ordinance modifications, and a minor special exception for approximately 38.20 acres of land located south of Arcola Mills Drive (Route 621), north of north of Little River Turnpike (Route 50), and east on Stone Springs Road (Route 659) in the Dulles Election District and more (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as a portion of PIN: 162-26-6525-000, Tax Map # 101///////G1A/. For ZCPA-2022-0001, the applicant seeks to amend the Concept Development Plan and Proffer Statement associated with ZMAP-2012-0004, Arcola Center, and other subsequent approvals, to allow for the development of up to 70,000 square feet of commercial uses and up to 595 residential units at a density of 15.58 dwelling units per acre. For ZMOD-2022-0013 and ZMOD-2022-0014, the applicant seeks to allow the maximum percentage of residential uses to exceed 50 percent of gross floor area and to eliminate the minimum requirement for ground floor pedestrian-oriented business in the Planned Development –Town Center (PD-TC) Zoning District, and to allow residential lots that do not have frontage on a Class I, Class II, Class III road, or private access easement to front on open space when private street access is provided at the rear of the lot. For SPMI-2023-0014, the applicant seeks to reduce the minimum building setback from Arcola Boulevard from 75-feet to 35-feet. The applications are being processed under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance pursuant to the Board’s ZOR Grandfathering Resolution, dated December 13, 2023.

LEGI-2023-0038, GOOSE CREEK VILLAGE WEST: ZMAP-2022-0013, SPEX-2022-0034, ZMOD-2022-0046, ZMOD-2022-0047, ZMOD-2022-0048, ZMOD-2022-0049, ZMOD-2022-0050, ZMOD-20230027, ZMOD-2023-0028, ZMOD-2023-0030, ZMOD-2023-0044, ZMOD2023-0045, ZMOD-2023-0046, & ZMOD-2023-0047

(Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exception, and Zoning Modifications)

Goose Creek Commercial LLC has submitted applications for: a zoning map amendment, special exception, and zoning modifications for approximately 20 acres of land located west of Belmont Ridge Road (Route

659) on the north side of Sycolin Road (Route 625) and east side of the Dulles Greenway (Route 267) in the Ashburn Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as PIN 153-17-2472-000, Tax Map # /78/U/1////AL/. For ZMAP-2022-0013, the applicant seeks to rezone the Subject Property to the R-16 ADU (Townhouse/Multifamily Affordable Dwelling Unit) Zoning District in order to permit 221 residential dwelling units, including 103 single-family attached dwelling units, 46 multifamily stacked dwelling units, and 72 multifamily attached dwelling units. For SPEX-20220034, the applicant seeks to reduce the minimum lot width for single-family attached units, increase the maximum lot coverage for single-family attached units, and reduce the minimum front, side, and rear yard setbacks for single-family attached, multifamily stacked, and multifamily attached dwelling units. For ZMOD-2022-0046, ZMOD-2022-0047, ZMOD-2022-0048, ZMOD-2022-0049, ZMOD-2022-0050, ZMOD-2023-0027, ZMOD-2023-0028, ZMOD-2023-0030, ZMOD-2023-0044, ZMOD-2023-0045, ZMOD-2023-0046, & ZMOD-2023-0047, the applicant seeks zoning ordinance modifications for various regulations affecting the Subject Property including but not limited to: allow dwelling units to front onto open space instead of a street, increase the maximum number of single-family attached dwelling units from eight to ten dwelling units per building, increase the maximum building height from 45 feet to 50 feet for single-family attached buildings, increase the maximum building height from 45 feet to 55 feet for multifamily stacked buildings, increase the maximum building height from 45 feet to 60 feet for multifamily attached buildings, allow decks and balconies to be constructed to the rear property line, reduce the minimum parking space requirement for affordable dwelling units and affordable housing units to 1.3 parking spaces per unit, reduce the minimum building setback from Sycolin Road from 75 feet to 15 feet, provide a Type 1 Road Corridor Buffer instead of a Type 2 Road Corridor Buffer along Sycolin Road, allow existing trees preserved and located within the open space areas of Goose Creek Village West to be allocated to and county toward the canopy requirements for each subdivision/site plan filed for development areas within the ZMAP area as development occurs, eliminate the street tree requirement along the garage side of private streets, eliminate the required Type 1 Buffer requirement along the garage side of private streets, reduce the minimum building setback from 150 to 75 feet and minimum parking setback from 100 to 35 feet from the Dulles Greenway, eliminate the required Type B Buffer adjacent to a portion of the larger property to remain in the PD-OP (Planned Development – Office Park) Zoning District, and reduce the minimum lot width for single-family attached end units from 22 feet to 19 feet. The applications are being processed under the land use and development regulations of the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in accordance with the ZOR Grandfathering Resolution dated December 13, 2023.

Copies of the proposed plans, ordinances, or amendments for each item listed above may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center, Office of County Administrator, Information Desk, First Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday or call 703-777-0246 (option 5), to request hard copies or electronic copies. Additional project files related to land use applications and land use ordinances may be reviewed electronically at loudoun.gov/landmarc

Additionally, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically the week before the hearing at www. loudoun.gov/pc. For further information, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246 (option 5).

Planning Commission work sessions and public hearings are held in the Board Room of the Government Center. Public hearings and work sessions are televised on Comcast Government Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40, and are also are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/meetings

Members of the public desiring to do so may appear and present their views during the public hearing. Public comment will be received only for those items listed for public hearing. Members of the public who wish to provide public input, whether electronically or in person, are encouraged to sign-up in advance; however, speakers may sign-up during the hearing. If you wish to sign-up in advance, please call the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246 (option 5) prior to 12:00 PM on the day of the public hearing; however, speakers may also sign-up at the public hearing. Written comments concerning any item before the Commission are welcomed at any time and may be sent to the Loudoun County Planning Commission, P.O. Box 7000 Leesburg, VA 20177-7000, or by e-mail to loudounpc@loudoun.gov. If written comments are presented at the hearing, please provide ten (10) copies for distribution to the Commission and for the Clerk’s records. Members of the public may also submit comments on land use items electronically at loudoun. gov/landapplications. Any individual representing and/or proposing to be the sole speaker on behalf of a citizen’s organization or civic association is encouraged to contact the Department of Planning and Zoning prior to the date of the public hearing to request additional time to speak on behalf of such organization.

Regularly scheduled Planning Commission public hearings are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month. In the event the public hearing cannot be conducted on that date due to weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend the hearing, the public hearing will be continued to the next day (Wednesday). In the event the public hearing may not be held on that Wednesday due to weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend the hearing, the public hearing may be continued to the first Thursday of the next month.

Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory, or mental disability to participate in this meeting, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246 (option 5). Three business days advance notice is requested.

BY ORDER OF: MICHELLE FRANK, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION

Legal Notices

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE

32ND STREET AND MAIN STREET INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS

UPC 122887

The Town of Purcellville is in the process of designing planned improvements at the 32nd Street and Main Street Intersection. The Town will be holding a Design Public Hearing to gain additional input on design elements from the community at the following date and time:

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

6:00 p.m.

Town Hall Council Chambers

221 S. Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, VA 20132

Project Description: Improvements will include installing a sidewalk, improved storm sewer system and minor roadway improvements to address vehicular safety. Americans with Disabilities (ADA) compliant sidewalks will provide safe pedestrian access along the corridor. The project will also include the addition of a dedicated left-turn lane from westbound Main Street onto 32nd Street. The Town of Purcellville received project funding from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA). The Town received $674,980 in NVTA funds and $585,342 in Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Revenue Sharing funds that will go towards the anticipated total project cost of $1,260,322.

Review project plans, information about property impacts, right of way policies, the tentative construction schedule and environmental documents at the hearing. This information will be available 30 days prior to the public hearing at 221 S. Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, VA 20132. Community input is requested on the design details. If you are unable to attend the public hearing, comments can be sent to Jessica Keller, Project Manager via phone 540-751-2330 or email at jkeller@purcellvilleva.gov

All comments must be submitted to Jessica Keller by Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

Consistent with Memorandum of Agreement pursuant to Code of Virginia § 10.1-1188-B., VDOT has determined the ROW acquisition will not have significant impacts to the environment and is exempt from the State Environmental Review Process. In compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 and 36 CFR Part 800, information concerning the potential effects of the proposed project on properties listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places is also available.

The Town of Purcellville ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. All Town government offices can be contacted by dialing 540-338-7421. 3/28/24

4/11/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ048199-02-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Diana Aljanabi

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

v.

Dalya Alkhkree, 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 Diana Aljanabi.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Dalya Alkhkree, Mother appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before May 14, 2024 at 3:00pm 4/4, 4/11, 4/18 & 4/25/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ048304-02-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Gustavo Adolfo Constante Anaya

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

v.

Jose Ricardo Portillo Mejia, 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 Gustavo Adolfo Constante Anaya.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Jose Ricardo Portillo Mejia, putative father, and Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before May 15, 2024 at 3:00pm 4/4, 4/11, 4/18 & 4/25/24

TOWN OF LEESBURG

DEPARTMENT OF UTILITIES

NOTICE OF WATER MAIN FLUSHING

The Town of Leesburg will conduct controlled flushing of water mains throughout the Town beginning April 15 through May 31st , 2024. This preventative maintenance program is essential for maintaining the Town’s high standards of water quality.

Water mains are flushed by opening fire hydrants and allowing them to flow freely for a short period of time. The flushing cleans out sediment, removes air which may accumulate in the water mains and restores chlorine levels in areas of limited water use.

Water is safe to drink and safe to use during flushing. However, flushing may result in temporary discoloration and sediment in the water. If discoloration or sediment is evident, the Town recommends residents avoid doing laundry until the discoloration subsides. Flushing may also introduce air into the water, which may temporarily cause erratic flow or a milky look. If this occurs, open your cold water tap until a clear steady flow of water is observed.

Some residents and businesses may experience lower than normal pressure during the flushing in their neighborhood. The Town regrets any inconvenience the flushing operation may cause.

Please call the Utilities Department at 703-737-7075 for further information. For after-hour emergencies, call the Leesburg Police Department at 703-771-4500.

4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, 5/30

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE MIDDLEBURG TOWN COUNCIL

The Middleburg Town Council will hold public hearings beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, 2024 to hear comments on the following:

Special Use 24-01 Request of Salamander Farms, LLC for a special use permit for a Short-Term Rental at 800 Old Saddle Drive zoned R-1 Single-Family Residential District

Special Use 24-02 Request of Alexander Perdikis for a special use permit for a Short-Term Rental at 606 Martingale Ridge Drive zoned R-3 Residential District

Special Use 24-03 Request of Mary and Thomas Gillespie for a special use permit for a Short-Term Rental at 601 Martingale Ridge Drive zoned R-3 Residential District

Special Use 24-04 Request of Daree Goodman for a special use permit for a Short-Term Rental at 700 W. Washington Street zoned R-2 Single-Family Residential District

The hearings will take place at the Town Hall, 10 W. Marshall Street, Middleburg, Virginia. The application materials may be reviewed online at www.middleburgva.gov/313/Public-Hearings or in the Town Hall from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. Questions may be directed to Deputy Town Manager Will Moore at (540) 687-5152 or by email at wmoore@ middleburgva.gov

The Town of Middleburg strives to make its hearings accessible to all. Please advise of accommodations the Town can make to help you participate in the hearings.

4/11 & 4/18/24

ABC LICENSE

May Estella Barraclough (sole proprietor), trading as May’s Spa, 319 Evergreen Mill Road SE, Leesburg, VA 20175.

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Marketplace license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

May Estella Barraclough

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. 4/4 & 4/11/24

Dgms

ABC LICENSE

LLC, trading as Battlefield Sunoco, 1017 Edwards Ferry RD NE, Leesburg, Virginia 20176.

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Retail Specialty Establishment Application - Convenience Grocery Store, Wine, Beer, Consumed Off Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Dgms LLC

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. 3/28 & 4/4/24

Legal Notices

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

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

Case No. CL 23 5170-00

LOUDOUN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

18 EAST MARKET ST., LEESBURG, VA 20176

Creed v.

Auda Alicia Ramirez Aquilar

The object of this suit is obtain a divorce.

It is ORDERED that Auda Alicia Ramirez Aquilar appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before June 7th, 2024 at 2PM.

4/4, 4/11, 4/18 & 4/25/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

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

Case No. 22-1446

LOUDOUN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

18 EAST MARKET ST., LEESBURG, VA 20176

Sharron E. Brent Corley v.

DeMarcus D. Corley

The object of this suit is to divorce.

It is ORDERED that DeMarcus D. Corley appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before May 24th, 2024 9:00 AM.

3/28, 4/4, 4/11 & 4/25/24

PUBLIC NOTICE

Section 4(f) de minimis Impact

Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park

Sterling Boulevard – W&OD Trail to Shaw Road

Loudoun County

Pursuant to the requirements of 23 CFR 774.5, notice is hereby given that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is accepting written comments regarding NOVA Parks’ preliminary concurrence with the Federal Highway Administration’s Section 4(f) applicability criteria for de minimis impact for a 0.04-acre temporary easement and 0.02-acre right of way acquisition from the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad Regional Park for the captioned project.

Review the Section 4(f) de minimis documentation online at https://www.loudoun.gov/SidewalkandTrail or by appointment only during business hours at VDOT’s Northern Virginia District Office, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030. Please call 703-259-1729 or TTY/TDD 711 to make an appointment with appropriate personnel

Submit your written comments to Mr. Arun So at the above address by April 29, 2024. You may also email Arun So@vdot.virginia.gov Please reference “Sterling Boulevard – W&OD Trail to Shaw Road” in the subject line.

VDOT ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. If you need special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact VDOT Civil Rights at 703259-1775 or TTY/TDD 711

State Project: EN22-053-266, C501, P101, R201

UPC: 121558

Federal: TAP-5B01 (543)

TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

LVRZ 2024-0001, 32 SOUTH LOUDOUN LLC

REQUEST TO REZONE 32 SOUTH LOUDOUN STREET FROM THE C-1, COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL, TO THE R-1, RESIDENTIAL, ZONING DISTRICT

Pursuant to Sections 15.2-2204 and 15.2-2286 of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended, and Section 42-34 of the Lovettsville Zoning Ordinance, the LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing at 6:30 pm on Thursday, April 25, 2024, in the Lovettsville Town Council Chambers, 6 East Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia. Written comments regarding this item can be submitted to clerk@lovettsvilleva.gov by 3:00PM on the day of the meeting. Members of the public may access and participate in this meeting electronically.

The purpose of the hearing is to consider an application filed by 32 South Loudoun LLC of Lovettsville, Virginia, to rezone the property from the C-1, Community Commercial, Zoning District to the R-1, Residential, Zoning District to permit residential development of the property. The 4.22-acre parcel is identified as 32 South Loudoun Street, and as Loudoun County Parcel Identification (PIN) Number: 370-30-2180.

All people wishing to speak will be given the opportunity to do so at this meeting. Written copies of statements are requested but not required.

The rezoning application is available for review on the Town website at: www.lovettsvilleva.gov/ government/planning-commission/. You may also request a copy be sent to you via email by contacting John Merrithew, Planning Director at (540) 822-5788 between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm weekdays, holidays excepted. In the event the meeting is postponed, the public hearing will be convened at the next regularly scheduled meeting at the same time and place. 4/11/24, 4/18/24

Auctions

VEHICLE AUCTION

MD Repo Vehicles For Public Sale at ADESA Washington, DC. All Makes and Models Running Weekly Details can be found at www.adesawashingtondc.com

Terms: State and local orders will be strictly enforced at the sale, including social distancing and limits on the number of people permitted to gather in certain areas. All attendees must comply with such procedures or will be required to leave the premises. We strongly recommend that all attendees wear face coverings for the protection of themselves and our staff. Bidder agrees to register and pay a refundable $500 cash deposit plus a non-refundable $20 entry fee before the Sale starts. The balance of the purchase is due in full by 5:00pm on sale day. vehicles are AS-IS and are subject to a buy fee based on the sale price of the vehicle. Only cash or certified funds will be accepted. No vehicle will be released until Payment is made in full. Children under the age of 18 are not permitted.

VEHICLE AUCTION

ADESA WASHINGTON DC

44475 OLD OX ROAD

DULLES, VA 20166

705-996-1100

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Youngkin Amends Parental Notification of Overdose Bills

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.org

Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Friday amended several bills and sent them back to the General Assembly for further work, including two that deal with requiring school division superintendents to notify parents within 24 hours of any school-connected overdose.

HB 1504 and SB498 were sponsored by Del. Holly Seibold (D-12) and Sen. Jennifer D. Carroll Foy (D-33). The versions sent to the governor required the Board of Education to establish guidelines for school-connected overdose response and parental notification policies. The bills require a model action plan for each school board to follow including communicating with the VDOE, law enforcement agencies that hire school resource officers, and criteria for issuing notification to make sure student information private. Both passed the respective houses at the end of March.

The governor’s amendment includes language to require schools to send “as much information as possible to parents about suspected overdoses, including the cause, the name of the drug that caused the overdose and any common street names used , whether the drug was a combination of a controlled substance and if so the name of those controlled substances, any identifying features about the drug like color, markings and form, circumstances surrounding the overdose, including the immediate response to the overdose by emergency responders and school employees, according to the governor’s press secretary Christian Martinez.

The amendment states as much information should be given to parents “to the extent that the disclosure of any such information is not prohibited by any applicable law, rule or regulation relating to the disclosure and protection of a minor’s personal, confidential or otherwise sensi-

tive information.”

Asked for a statement about the governor’s proposed amendments to the bills, division spokesperson Dan Adams referred to a March 6 press release that stated division leaders have been advocating for broader notification of suspected overdoses within the community. Administrators sought clarifications on how community notifications would occur if they were not school-related.

“The opioid epidemic is a community issue and deserves a community response,” Superintendent Aaron Spence stated. “If we can understand how and when we might notify our community of non-school related overdoses, not only would parents, decision-makers and the community be more aware of what is happening in Loudoun County, this would allow for easier information sharing among responders.”

Spence said there have been a number of juvenile overdoses in the county in the past year that have not been school-related and said without the added language and expanded reporting parents and the community wouldn’t know that.

“It’s important we share when this happens in our schools–and also when this is happening outside of our schools and in our community–so that parents are able to have those important conversations in their homes with their children.”

The amended legislation will now go back to lawmakers.

The bills were created after nine suspected overdoses involving students at Park View High School happened during a matter of weeks in October and early November. The governor issued an Executive Order Nov. 1 requiring parents be notified of any school-connected overdose within 24-hours.

According to the Sherriff ’s Office, four of the initial eight Park View overdoses happened in the school, with Narcan— medication designed to rapidly reverse

opioid overdose—being administered in three of those cases and CPR administered by school personnel in two of those cases.

The division has been partnering with the Sheriff ’s Office to teach fentanyl awareness education at schools since last spring.

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid that is relatively inexpensive to produce and distribute. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, seven out of 10 pills seized contain a lethal dose of the drug.

All of the Park View overdoses appear to involve fentanyl, which is commonly found in the form of a counterfeit 30 mg oxycodone pill that is blue, circular and may be stamped “M30,” according to the Sherriff ’s Office.

Sheriff ’s Office spokesperson Thomas Julia said in an email earlier this year that the Sheriff ’s Office had not seen a lot of juvenile overdoses until 2022 when fentanyl became more prevalent in the county and across the country.

In Loudoun County in 2023 there were 22 nonfatal opioid related overdoses, half of which involved students at Park View High School, according to the Sheriff ’s Office.

Youngkin also acted on SB142, which directs the VDOE to allow school boards to issue a one-year, nonrenewable teaching license to anyone with a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning and who has experience or training in a subject area, sending it back a recommended amendment. The bill is designed to help school divisions hire professionals with years of experience in various subjects who have decided to switch careers.

Education bills that have been signed by the governor from the Loudoun delegation, include HB1231 by Del. Geary Higgins (R-30) requiring the VDOE notify School Boards that they must allow

homeschool students to participate in Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps programs. Homeschool students who live in the Loudoun County High School boundary can participate in NJROTC, according to division spokesperson Dan Adams. Student who do not live within the boundary need to apply to the program to participate. HB919 sponsored by Kannan Srinivasan (D-26) which directs the VDOE, Developmental Services and the Department of Medial Assistance Services to develop, adopt and distribute a model memorandum of understanding between each School Board and a nationally recognized school-based telehealth provider. The bill also sets parameters for the provision of health teletherapy in public schools and asks schools to increase the accessibility of school-based mental health services, according to Srinivasan in an email. And SB707 sponsored by Sen. Suhas Subramanyam (D-32) that allows middle and high schools to establish career and technical education student organizations, regardless of whether the school offers CTE courses.

Other education bills that have been signed include SB283 sponsored by Sen. Danica A. Roem (D-30), which requires a stakeholder group to study the impact of offering free school meals statewide. The group is expected to begin its work July 1 and report its findings November 1, HB 732 sponsored by Briana D. Sewell (D25) which requires secondary schools to have two doses of Narcan at each school and gives immunity for any disciplinary action or civil or criminal liability to any staff who administers it regardless of whether they were trained in the administration of it or not. It also expands the list of who can administer the mediation.

Youngkin on April 8 completed action on the 1,046 bills sent to him during the 2024 General Assembly Session, signing 777, amending 116 and vetoing 153. n

Powerlines

continued from page 1

preservation groups, have expressed concerns. Joining this case is an important move for the county to ensure residents and business owners in Loudoun have a seat at the table and a voice in the room as the SCC considers this application. Numerous challenges, such as weighing costs and the need for power in Loudoun, need to be addressed.”

“The board wants to protect our environmental and heritage assets that are located around this proposed project, which is why we are supportive of burying the transmission lines along Rt. 7,” Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) stated.

Turner serves as chair of the board’s Transportation and Land Use Committee.

“We also recognize that the SCC must weigh a number of factors before making a decision. The board’s action will help us protect the interests of the Loudoun community by ensuring the SCC hears all the relevant evidence regarding this project,” he stated.

Dominion’s proposal, known as the Aspen-Golden 500-230 kV Electric Transmission Project, includes a 9.4-mile double circuit overhead transmission line, both 500 and 230 kV, between the proposed Aspen and Golden substations and other associated infrastructure. It filed an application with the SCC on March 7.

The lines would run from the Aspen substation along Goose Creek, to Belmont Ridge Road, the south side of Rt. 7, and parallel Loudoun County Parkway to connect with the Golden substation.

In its application, Dominion stated the lines were necessary to continue providing reliable electric service to its customers.

“Based on load flow studies performed by PJM and validated by [Dominion], the Company anticipates that projected load growth in the area will produce multiple contingency conditions that would cause thermal overloads in several parts of the system by summer 2028. If not relieved by this proposed Project combined with others proposed or planned in the near term, the identified reliability violations will severely impact the transmission system’s ability to provide reliable service to Dominion Energy Virginia’s customers in the Eastern Loudoun Load Area,” according to the application.

The Lansdowne Conservancy, a property owners association that has raised concerns about the transmission line project, released a statement commending the board’s support.

“We’re looking forward to working collaboratively with the board to push the

undergrounding proposal forward,” Conservancy General Counsel Bryan Turner told Loudoun Now.

The conservancy includes Inova Loudoun Hospital, the National Conference Center, Lansdowne Resort and Spa, Lansdowne on the Potomac HOA, Lansdowne Village Greens HOA and Lansdowne Woods.

The group commissioned RLC Engineering to review Dominion Energy’s proposed lines and provide alternate recommendations.  RLC evaluated alternate construction methods for a portion of the proposed line to run along Rt. 7, including the possibility of undergrounding.

“[RLC] found it to be not only feasible but an ideal location to protect valuable community landmarks,” according to the April 4 statement.

The proposal by RLC includes undergrounding 1.96 miles of the roughly 10-mile-long proposed project and is estimated to cost $275 million more than the original project.

“The costs identified in this study, for the underground portion of the hybrid routing, are estimated costs for the design, procurement, construction, and commissioning of a 500kV and 230kV dual circuit underground transmission line. This

is a conceptual grade estimate that will be refined as the projects progresses through the design process,” according to the cost estimate.

Dominion engineers have said during past community meetings that they had looked into undergrounding the lines but found that the circuits involved and thermal capacity concerns made undergrounding impractical.

Electric Transmission Underground Engineer Shane Moulton said during a January meeting that the underground option was not cost efficient either. Infrastructure improvements are reflected in ratepayers’ bills across Virginia.

In its application, Dominion said it reviewed the proposal by RLC Engineering and “determined that several of the underlying assumptions used by RLC Engineering, LLC were not applicable to the Project.”

“The assumptions used in the study by RLC Engineering, LLC did not appear to allow for the underground segment to meet the [Dominion’s] construction and operations standards or the electrical requirements of the Project from a planning perspective. As a result, [Dominion] did not believe that a hybrid project as presented in the report was viable,” according

to the March 7 application.

Dominion also stated that burying the lines would not reduce the impact on the surrounding community.

“Based on the location of the transition stations, the underground route would likely exacerbate visual impacts to several resources, particularly Janelia [Research Campus] and the African American Burial Ground for the Enslaved at Belmont,” the application states.

More than a decade ago, county leaders succeeded in an effort to bury another Dominion power line, along the W&OD Trail between East Colonial Highway and Dry Mill Road west of Leesburg.

In Virginia, the SCC must approve any proposed high voltage transmission lines prior to construction. More information about the status of the application is posted on the SCC’s website (Case #PUR2024-00032). The SCC is expected to hold public hearings for the proposal.

More information from Dominion about its proposed project is available at dominionenergy.com/nova.

Florida-based NextEra Energy is also planning a 500 kV transmission line project through western Loudoun to Leesburg and is in the process of preparing an application to be submitted to the SCC. n

RLC Engineering, LLC

A map showing Dominion Energy’s proposed Aspen to Golden transmission line project with possible changes by RLC Engineering that would place nearly two miles of the lines underground.

The Balance

Opinion

As Loudoun County and Leesburg leaders struggle with constituent complaints about noise from aircraft overflights, the General Assembly and Gov. Youngkin took away a valuable local tool in their efforts to limit those conflicts.

For decades Loudoun County had been held up as a national model for its efforts to prevent the encroachment of residential development on Dulles Airport, one of the few American aviation gateways with significant room to expand its operations. Beyond prohibiting housing construction in the high noise zones, county leaders enacted policies requiring extra protections, such as special construction standards and avigation easements.

Another tool was a disclosure requirement ensuring that every new homeowner around the airport’s high noise zones would be specifically informed of the potential impacts. The extra paperwork at the settlement table may not have prevented future complaints, but it laid down an important distinction: The airport was here first, and you are moving in to its neighborhood.

What Matters

Editor:

As I have observed the increase in division between the political parties, it has become clear to me that one of the root causes for this division is a fundamental difference in opinion about whether the “ends justify the means.” I recently spoke with a Loudoun County Republican political leader. He expressed that he believed that the Republican political objectives should be pursued regardless of what it takes. This position is dangerous for several reasons.

The representative democracy that governs our country gives all citizens a voice in determining who their political leaders are. But it also carefully defines how those leaders must work together to build consensus about laws and policies. The methods of limited power, oversight and controls are inefficient and require compromise. But that inefficiency is one of the fundamental aspects of our democracy to protect us from a person or party usurping power, and to ensure that laws reflect the desire of the majority of the citizens. If the founding fathers believed that the ends justified the means, then our government would be organized to maximize efficiency.

Under a new state law that will take effect in July, that local disclosure requirement will no longer be permitted.

Long before data centers emerged on the scene, Dulles Airport was the undisputed economic engine of the county and a vital resource for the commonwealth. The quickest way to choke its potential is with constituent complaints.

Just as Dulles-area residents are pushing for new flight patterns, many living near Leesburg Executive Airport are pressing to scale back air traffic over their homes. Restrictions at Leesburg may not pose barriers to international travel but could undermine efforts to stave off a looming shortage of commercial pilots by limiting an increasingly important service the local flight schools provide.

Protecting the public service potential of airports requires a delicate balance, especially in fast-growing areas like Loudoun and Leesburg. It is an immense and continual challenge, and a critical responsibility for local leaders. Our state representatives just made their work even harder. n

LETTERS to the Editor

It matters to me that we preserve our democracy’s means of limited power that requires collaboration and compromise.

It also matters to me how we treat all people in our democracy. There simply is no supremacy between any class, religion, race, or ethnic group. To claim otherwise is bigoted and biased. Any political objective that is achieved without respect for all people is flawed. Degrading others is a means that does not justify the ends.

The character of our leaders is fundamental to proper governing and to preserving dignity and respect for all people. Character matters. Our government leaders set the tone for how all people are treated. It is dangerous to overlook character flaws in a political leader because one agrees with that leader’s political priorities. To blatantly ignore overt expressions of dishonesty, disrespect, selfishness, and greed for the promise of political ends is unwise. Although all people are flawed, it is our duty to elect the best possible people without excuses.

History has repeatedly shown that nations who select leaders with flawed characters and who believe that the ends justify the means have been subjected to authoritarian repression. This could

happen to us. In this election year, we must open our eyes to clearly see the dangers that are before us. Let us select leaders with character who will work collaboratively and respectfully with all people to govern in the true spirit of our democracy.

— Dan Fairholm, Ashburn

A Rebuke

Editor:

I cannot recall a time when the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, which is the Jewish advocacy and relationship building organization for the Washington region called out the statements or actions of any Loudoun County elected official— until now.

Last week, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Supervisor Juli Briskman issued denunciation of Israel’s handling of the war against Hamas in Gaza and the JCRC followed with a stinging rebuke.

In a news release issued on county letterhead that Briskman placed on she called attention to the IDF’s bombing

READERS’ poll CHIPshots

Eclipse Mania: Are you In?

— By Chip Beck

•

• 48.3% Planning to watch

•

• 45.0% Not really interested

• 5.4% Traveling to experience totality

• •

• 1.3% Going to a viewing party

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:

Should underground electrical transmission lines be required?

Share your views at loudounnow.com/polls

LETTERS to the Editor

continued from page 34

of a food aid vehicle that killed seven.  She writes that Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas “has gone beyond proportional. The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have demonstrated a disdain for human life.” She then condemned Israel for taking out top Iranian military leaders who help Hamas and the terrorist group Hezbollah, which is attacking Israel from Lebanon. She also stated Israel had killed 30,000 “innocent lives,” although this number includes Hamas fighters and is likely inflated by Hamas, according to a Wharton School of Business analysis.

While Briskman condemned the Oct. 7 attack and says Israel “has a right to defend itself,” nowhere in the letter does she mention Hamas’ attack killed 1,200 innocent people, including 32 Americans, and are still holding 133 people hostage, including six Americans. Hamas continues to fire rockets at Israel and has refused to release any more hostages nor allow the Red Cross or UN to examine them.  In addition, about 100,000 Israeli citizens have been displaced by the conflict in the South and from Hezbollah attacks in the North.

The JCRC, which like Briskman, leans left with support for many liberal social issues, issued a great statement in response.

I would like to add that while Briskman calls out Netanyahu in her letter, the reality is that military and other decisions are being made by a unity government that includes the Netanyahu opposition parties and Labor Party leader Benny Gantz.

Her justification for sending out this release on county letterhead is “I have heard from many members of our community who are experiencing extreme pain and anguish over these events.”

But it sure seems like Ms. Briskman did not take into the account the views of the Loudoun Jewish community, of which I was a part for 20 years, and the larger community that supports Israel’s efforts to wipe out Hamas.

I hope my fellow Jews and other supporters of Israel in Loudoun will support the JCRC and go a step further and demand Ms. Briskman retract her statement and sit down for a briefing with the organization or local rabbis to get some facts about the conflict.

When I was on the board, I agreed to meet with the Anti-Defamation League in December 2012 over some inappropriate remarks I made about a local atheist group, which I said behaved like a “bunch of terrorists,” even though I apologized three times for those words. I

think Briskman and other supervisors owe it to their constituents to show the same courtesy to the Jewish community in Loudoun and the JCRC.

If Briskman fails to retract this statement and meet with Jewish officials, my feeling is the board should replace her as vice chair with someone less divisive and more focused on the local issues that are actually within the board’s purview.

— Ken Reid, McLean

[The writer was the Leesburg District supervisor from 2012 to 2015.]

Not Inconsequential

Editor:

Apparently, Supervisor Juli Briskman is auditioning for the Emily Litella part on the board. For the record, property taxes have indeed been on the rise.

For the property I’ve owned over 30 years, my tax bill increased 14.46% for 2023 after increasing 5.83% for 2022. For 2024 applying the new rate to my updated assessment results in an increase of 8.30%. That is a total of 28.59% over three years in actual tax bills.

For this average homeowner that is quite a bit above what I’d consider inconsequential.

— Harrington Ricker, Waterford

No Camera Needed

Editor:

On March 12, members of the School Board further restricted the use of

cameras during public comment.

The board should have voted to restore the viewing of a commenter’s face, but its failure to do so is not a violation of free speech.

The original decision to not show public speakers was made before any of the board’s current members were elected. Even the previous board is not deserving of censure. Blame for the decision lies on those who, preening and pandering, postured for the possibility of replays on televised programs and social media likes.

Though there is little doubt that some will again speak not to the board but for media attention, it is time to televise faces again. Speakers should now understand that poor behavior has consequences, and those consequences include camera restrictions.

The board’s decision was myopic, but it was not an attack on free speech. The words of those speaking remotely are no less compelling than those speaking to the board in person. Speaking to the board should not be a pretense for political sound bites

The power is in the words, not the camera. Patrick Henry needed no camera to create the war cry of an emerging nation. If the pen is indeed mightier than the sword, surely words are more powerful than a camera.

— Andrea Weiskopf, Ashburn

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