Loudoun Now for May 4, 2023

Purcellville Appoints New Interim Manager

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The Purcellville

Town Council voted unanimously April 26 to appoint Glen Adams as its third town manager of the year.

Adams most recently served as the city manager for Sante Fe, TX, and before that as chief of staff for White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, according to his résumé. He has a bachelor’s degree in general studies and psychology from Washington State University and served in the Armed Forces.

The appointment came two weeks after the abrupt resignation of the previous interim town manager, John Anzivino, on April 11.

After settling in over the weekend, Adams attended the council’s budget work session Monday night.

“Welcome aboard for your first meeting and hopefully many more,” Mayor Stanley J. Milan said at the May 1 meeting.

Student Champions Playgrounds For All

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

For Madelyn Diluigi, a senior at Independence High School, helping people with special needs is something she is passionate about. She volunteers for her school’s Unified Sports program that brings students with and without

disabilities together to compete in sports. She is an attendant to a student with disabilities at her school, and she regularly donates to a charity that provides service dogs to people with disabilities.

So, when she learned last year about a school playground in another county that had a wheelchair-accessible swing she wanted to learn more and if Loudoun

schools had anything like it. After researching the issue over the summer and speaking with members of the school division’s support services department, she learned the difference between an inclusive playground and an accessible playground.

MISSION ACCESSIBLE

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As of Tuesday, his employment contract had not been finalized.

“I am looking forward to integrating back into a small-town community, teaming with the Council and Staff in moving the Town forward in a positive direction,” Adams wrote in an emailed statement. “I was able to participate in [Saturday’s] Music and Arts Festival and absolutely loved it! It was awesome seeing

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Independence High School Senior Maddie Diluigi stands at the inclusive playground at Discovery Elementary School. She created Mission Accessible to bring awareness to the need for more accessible and inclusive playgrounds in the division.

Adams

Visit Loudoun Recognizes Tourism Leaders; Unveils ‘Welcome Here Sensory Kits’

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Visit Loudoun celebrated leaders and changemakers in the hospitality industry and reported on their commitment to inclusivity during the 27th Annual Meeting and Tourism Awards on Friday.

This year’s top award, the 2022 Judy Patterson Award, went to Kevin Malone, founder of Tuskie’s Restaurant Group, which opened Leesburg’s Tuscarora Mill, South Street Under, Fireworks and Birkby House, and Purcellville’s Magnolias at the Mill.

At both Tuscarora Mill and Magnolias at the Mill, Malone worked with developer Bruce Brownell to renovate historic mills to create iconic restaurants of their respective towns, and at a time when there were far fewer restaurants in the county. Visit Loudoun Board of Directors Treasurer Esther Turner said Malone “preserved a key part of Loudoun’s story.”

Malone’s son, Colin Malone, said “the region and the man seem to have walked in step with each other,” telling the story of Tuscarora Mill’s founding in 1985.

“Nowadays it’s difficult to walk past three doors in downtown [Leesburg] and two of them not be restaurants. In 1984, that really wasn’t the case,” Colin Malone said. “That year, Kevin was meeting with

locals for lunch to discuss the plans for the restaurant. He asked them to pick the best spot in town for lunch to have their meeting. As he pulled into the parking lot of the bowling alley, he recalls thinking maybe he made a mistake.”

He also pointed to his father’s early support of local producers and work to get ingredients from local farms into his restaurants.

“When Tuskie’s set out to bring Loudoun to the table, it was not so easy, but the relationship blossomed, and farmers were soon asking what to grow in order to support the menus. When a man came to the kitchen door with an alligator snapping turtle, my dad knew that word had gotten out,” he said.

He said Malone wanted to be supportive, so he did buy the turtle—then later dropped it off at a pond near his house, where the turtle “lived happily ever after decimating the local fish scene.”

“Kevin Malone and the Tuskie’s Restaurant Group has helped define Loudoun

This year’s other award winners were:

2022 TOURISM MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Danijela Mihajlovic, Homewood Suites by Hilton Leesburg

2022 BACK-OF-THE HOUSE HERO: Allen Stoudt, Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum

2022 FRONT-OF-THE-HOUSE HERO: Shama Khan, Washington Dulles Airport Marriot

2022 LOUDOUN CERTIFIED TOURISM AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR: Lori Wiegand

2022 DIVERSITY IN TRAVEL: The Family Reunion, Salamander Resort and Spa

2022 TOURISM EVENT OF THE YEAR HARRY POTTER: A Forbidden Forest Experience at Morven Park

2022 TOURISM MARKETING PROMOTION/PR CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR: TASTE Leesburg

2022 NEW TOURISM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: October One Vineyard Tasting Shop

2022 STEVE HINES PARTNER OF THE YEAR: Walsh Family Wine

Lemonis Kicks Off Small Business Summit, Buys from Local Businesses

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Small business owners and hopefuls attending the Small Business Summit Tuesday got their day started with an inspirational talk—and some investment—from the other side of the scale, multi-millionaire and reality TV personality Marcus Lemonis.

He said relationships are key.

“The key to me in business is understanding the relationships with people, and once you establish those relationships, the reason that matters because once you establish that relationship and you build that rapport, when we get down to business, this interaction is built on trust,” he said.

He also urged the audience to be vulnerable and share their personal stories and motivations for starting a business beyond the urge to make money. He pushed audience members to be aware and open about their insecurities and doubts.

“This morning, I’m going to share a few things with you that are not public,

not information that I, normally share, so please don’t record it,” Lemonis said, with three video cameras rolling from different

angles in the room and a fourth following him as he roved through the audience. He shared about his insecurities rooted in his

childhood and long struggle with an eating disorder.

“I’ll tell you that my motivation to do it and be where I am today was largely driven by the fact that they always felt alone. Always. And business was the one thing that gave me the ability to be different,” Lemonis said. “I was always awkward, I was always the fat kid with big hair and no friends. I was always the kid who was alone all the time. But I could do math, and according to my mother I had a very big mouth, and when you put those two things together you have an opportunity to do great things.”

Some businesses also got another leg up in the form of some spending. Lemonis pledged to buy $10,000 of the ECHO Barkery’s dog treats to be donated to local animal shelters and spend another $10,000 on a digital marketing business in attendance to create a video following the treats as they are created and introducing the ECHO’s clients. The nonprofit

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Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Visit Loudoun President and CEO Beth Erickson speaks at the 27th Annual Meeting and Tourism Awards on Friday, April 28, 2023.

VISIT LOUDOUN

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Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Marcus Lemonis talks with Robyn James about her invention, the InfusenClip, before buying one for everyone in the audience at the Small Business Summit at Claude Moore Park Recreation & Community Center in Sterling Tuesday, May 2, 2023.

Groups March for Housing, Living Wage on International Workers’ Day

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

More than 60 people marched through downtown Leesburg on Monday, May 1 for International Workers’ Day, calling for a living wage and a stop to ever-increasing rents.

The march brought together several groups, among them New Virginia Majority, the SEIU Local 512 union that represents county employees, the Loudoun Education Association that represents

County Unveils ‘Launch Loudoun’ Small Business Programs

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Loudoun Economic Development kicked off Small Business week Monday by introducing a new program to help entrepreneurs get started: Launch Loudoun.

The program entails targeted programs, advisory services, personalized networking and events. With the campaign, the county seeks to support small business

county teachers, and Virginia Freedom, which advocates for access to affordable healthcare, education and other needs.

“Today is a very historic day, because we have multiple organizations coming together,” New Virginia Majority organizer Sofia Saiyed said.

Demonstrators marched from the Office Depot parking lot, along the Market Street sidewalk to a rally in front of the county government center for speeches and a performance by singer Eric Enriquez.

“We get so much press for being one of the wealthiest counties in America,” Virginia Freedom organizer Vanessa Borg said. “…And we know that the headlines help sweep under the rug so much of the suffering and struggle that comes with being a member of the working class in a high-income area, where the cost of living is often astronomical.”

International Workers’ Day in the US traces its roots to the May 1, 1886 general strike among workers pushing for an eight-hour work day. n

Public Info Meeting Set on Rt. 50 Goose Creek Bridge

The Virginia Department of Transportation will hold an online information meeting Monday, May 8 on plans to replace the Rt. 50 bridge over Goose Creek, which was built in 1954.

In 2019, the bridge averaged 7,600 vehicles a day. The $16.6 million project plans include corrosion-resistant steel to reduce long-term maintenance, wider shoulders and aesthetic treatment of the bridge parapets and rails to pay homage to the surrounding historic area.

Comments are also accepted through Monday, May 22 through an online comment form, by email to meetingcomments@vdot. virginia.gov, or by mail to Mr. Sharif Ramsis, Virginia Department of Transportation, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030.

The recorded meeting will also be posted to the project web page. Learn more, provide comments and register for the meeting at virginiadot.org/route50goosecreek.

Friday is Personal Property Tax Deadline

The deadline for first-half personal property tax payment is Friday, May 5.

Payments received or postmarked after May 5 will incur a 10% penalty plus 10% annual interest. Personal property taxes unpaid after 60 days will incur an additional 15% penalty.

Payments can be made online at loudounportal.com/taxes, in person at a Treasurer’s Office, by telephone to 1-800-269-5971, or mailed to County of Loudoun, P.O. Box 1000, Leesburg, Virginia 20177.

With questions or if you have not received your bill, call the Treasurer’s Office at 703-777-0280 or email taxes@loudoun.gov. Taxpayers having financial difficulties can contact the Office of the Treasurer’s Collections Team at 703-771-5656.

For information on tax

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Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

More than 60 people marched along Market Street in downtown Leesburg on Monday, May 1 for International Workers’ Day, calling for a living wage and affordable rent.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Supervisors Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian), Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg), Loudoun Economic Development Executive Director Buddy Rizer, Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large), and Supervisors Sylvia R. Glass (D-Broad Run) and Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) celebrate the launch of Launch Loudoun Monday, May 1 2023.

SMALL BUSINESS

ON THE Agenda

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exemptions or deferrals, email the Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office at taxrelief@loudoun.gov, call 703-7378557 or go to loudoun.gov/taxrelief.

Extension Graduates 22 Master Gardeners

The Virginia Cooperative Extension Loudoun has welcomed 22 new graduates into the Extension Master Gardener program, and two new Beginner Horticulturalist Farmers.

Master Gardeners completed more than 65 hours of instruction in horticulture and natural resource management. Their next step will be a 75-hour internship. The countywide volunteer organization has more than 140 active members.

The Beginner Horticulturalist Farmer Program includes 60 hours in classroom and lab learning to provide a thorough understanding of horticulture, including topics like botany, soils, plant disease, vegetables, turf grasses and water quality.

Master Gardeners are trained to serve Loudoun County through a variety of programs, including a landscape help desk, garden clinics, and the demonstration garden at Ida Lee Park. Learn more at loudouncounty mastergardeners.org.

FY24 Tourism Grant Applications Online

Loudoun County’s annual Tourism Grant competitive process is underway with the posting of the Fiscal Year 2024 grant application at  loudoun.gov/tourismgrant.

Nonprofits, municipalities and businesses located in Loudoun County are invited to apply for up to $25,000 in funding for tourism, marketing and hospitality-related projects. The grants are designed to support initiatives that bring more visitors to Loudoun, increase overnight stays in Loudoun hotels, and enhance the overall attractiveness and marketability of Loudoun County as a destination.

Grant applications are due by 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 31. More information and the online application form are at loudoun.gov/tourismgrant.

Silver Line Bus Service Tweaked

Beginning Monday, May 1, Loudoun County Transit extended hours for some Silver Line bus routes to 11 p.m. while shortening others. And some routes will see more frequent buses.

Routes 332, 333 and 391 which will end earlier in the evening. Routes 312, 321, 351, 381, 382, 391 will get more frequent bus service to give riders more flexibility in their commute.

Silver Line bus routes provide weekday service to and from local stops including the Ashburn and Loudoun Gateway stations in Loudoun, the Innovation and Reston Town Center stations in Fairfax, and some of the county’s park and ride lots.

All bus route changes are posted at loudoun.gov/buschanges. Information about riding Metro is online at loudoun.gov/silverline. For more information about Loudoun transit and commuter services, go to loudoun.gov/transit. n

Cochran Family Dental

Visit

1 Million Acres Protected with Conservation Easements Statewide

More than a million acres of land in Virginia have been protected through conservation easements, Staunton Sen. Emmett Hanger (R-24) announced at the Virginia Land and Greenways Conference in Harrisonburg Wednesday, April 26.

That adds up to more than five times as much land as all of Shenandoah National Park, according to Virginia’s United Land Trusts which organized the event.

“The land preservation tax credit was a joint effort coming out of the Commission on the Future of Virginia’s Environment,” Hanger said. “None of us imagined that it would be as big as it would be.”

Many of those acres are in western Loudoun. In February, the Piedmont Environmental Council reported almost 68,000 acres in voluntary conservation easements in Loudoun. The county government, which also includes easements created through development applications, counts more than 75,000 acres under conservation easement across Loudoun.

“My grandparents purchased this beautiful property in 1939. I was fortunate to grow up here helping my grandmother with all the farm chores such as milking the cows, feeding all the farm animals and tending to the garden,” Kathy Wilt said. She created a conservation easement with the Land Trust of Virginia, protecting 12 acres in the Taylorstown Historic District. “This donation of easement was a very emotional decision made on my part

and satisfying that the land will be kept in open space for perpetuity and continue with the same stewardship of my ancestors. Due to the location of my property within the Village of Taylorstown and the zoning, there was potential for high density development, so donating the easement is peace of mind that this will not happen.”

The United Land Trusts and Hanger credited the Virginia Land Conservation Incentives Act of 1999 and the Land Preservation Tax Credits it created as the

single largest factor the growth in conservation easements. The act provides landowners with tax credits in exchange for voluntarily limiting future development on their land and conserving natural, cultural, scenic and historic resources. The tax credits are also transferable, allowing easement donors to sell those tax credits. That has played a role in the creation of a conservation easement industry, with wealthy landowners like Loudoun’s Chuck Kuhn turning a profit by putting

Sterling Teen Wins 10th District Art Competition

Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) has announced the best-in-show winner of the 2023 Congressional Art Competition for the 10th District, the painting “Little Hope” by Sterling resident and Potomac Falls High School freshman Linyue Tong. The paining will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year and featured on the House of Representatives Congressional Art Competition web page.

“I’m amazed by the talent, passion, and creativity of so many young artists who participated in this year’s Congressional Art Competition,” Wexton stated. “Congratulations to Linyue Tong on winning our best in show for her painting ‘Little Hope’ which masterfully portrayed the threat posed by climate change and the importance of remaining hopeful in the fight to save our planet. I want to thank all of the young artists who put the time and dedication into their art pieces for this year’s competition—you’ve made our district proud through your work.”

This year’s competition featured 81 drawings, paint-

ings, photographs, digital graphics, and mixed media pieces. A panel of local expert judges chose a best in show and first and second place pieces in each category at a reception Monday evening at George Washington University’s Ashburn campus. The three judges, pulled from across the district, included Purcellville arts patron Liz Tenney Jarvis, who for six years chaired the Town of Purcellville’s Arts Council. Under her leadership the arts council put forward initiatives like art installations and the annual Cabin Fever Film Festival.

Although the district extends from Winchester to McLean, young Loudoun County artists dominated the competition.

thousands of acres under easement.

The United Land Trusts cited Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation data that in the 35 years before the Act, roughly 175,000 acres had been put under easement. In the 22 years since, more than seven times that amount, more than 1.2 million acres, has been conserved across the state.

“When the bill was introduced in 1999, we had no idea that we could in such a short time, within our lifetimes, preserve one million acres,” Charlottesville Sen. Creigh Deeds (D-25) said. “The impact of the Land Preservation Tax Credit on our environment is immeasurable, and I am humbled to have played a role in reaching this remarkable achievement.”

Although he unseated Hanger in the House of Delegates in 1991, he was co-patron of Hanger’s 1999 Virginia Land Conservation Incentives Act.

“The LPTC is arguably the most successful conservation program in the United States, an incentive that brings together private landowners and conservation organizations to protect our land and water resources in a way that delivers tangible public benefits—productive farm and forest land, clean water, scenic vistas, public recreation—to everyone in the commonwealth,” Piedmont Environmental Council President Chris Miller said. “The LPTC makes it possible for families to join with thousands of other families in this common endeavor.” n

Virginia’s United Land Trusts Kathy Wilt, who created a 12-acre conservation easement with the Land Trust of Virginia in the Taylorstown Historic District, with Chase.

Right, Potomac Falls High School freshman Linyue Tong’s painting “Little Hope,” which was the winner of the 2023 Congressional Art Competition.

Linyue Tong via the Office of Sen. Jennifer Wexton

Small business

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owners to learn about financing, legal and human resources questions, workforce, sales and marketing, and leadership.

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said Launch Loudoun grew out of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the department realized that it wasn’t receiving applications for relief funding from small and minority-owned businesses. That lead to outreach efforts through subsequent waves of COVID-19 business relief funding trying to make sure small businesses could access that funding, and new small business-oriented programs at the Department of Economic Development.

“The reality is that the experiences surrounding those women- and minority-owned businesses is unique,” Loudoun Economic Development Executive Director Buddy Rizer said. “Our goal is to be responsible and to reach out in a proactive way to make sure that they have what they need to survive.”

During a rollout event Monday, several

county supervisors told their own small business stories, including Supervisor Sylvia R. Glass (D-Broad Run), who said her father owned a body shop and her mother ran a beauty salon; Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn), who said he owned a small business for three years, and Randall, who recalled her husband’s story of launching a small business to provide software training and winning the contract to provide that training at AOL.

“We provide a place where they can make a success and hire people and thrive,” Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) said.

Launch Loudoun adds to other small business programs like 1 Million Cups and Seeds for Success. And the first major Launch Loudoun event was the next day—on Tuesday, the department hosted the Small Business Summit, featuring a keynote address from business TV personality Marcus Lemonis. Rizer said tickets sold out, but the department will make materials from the summit available publicly.

Learn more about Launch Loudoun at launchloudoun.com. n

Ryan, Eve, Mike, & Jessica

Welcome Center Wins BAR Approval

Police Give Teens Traffic Stop Practice

NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

There was a heavy police presence at Loudoun County High School on Saturday morning with young drivers getting some educational face time with Leesburg officers.

It was part of a Mock Driving Scenario program sponsored by the Loudoun County High School PTSA and the Leesburg Police Department to help new drivers know what to expect if they see flashing blue lights in the rearview mirror.

PTSA President Tiffany Hawkins said she got the idea after seeing a similar program offered to special needs students last year. “I thought it would be beneficial for all teenagers,” she said.

Officer Josh Carter, the school resource officer at LCHS, jumped at the chance to interact with students and explain what happens during the frequently stressful situations.

“Anytime

educated on anything that involves law enforcement, that’s a good thing,” Carter said. “And if we’re going to do it, I thought it was a great opportunity to have the parents

Prince Edward Visits Morven Park

Prince Edward, the youngest brother of England’s King Charles III, visited Morven Park on April 25 for a meeting on expanding The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award into the Washington, DC, region.

Edward became Duke of Edinburgh earlier this year, following his late father and, briefly, his oldest brother, Charles.

According to a press release, the meeting at Morven Park focused on the recent announcement that the program would expand into the Washington, DC, region, and how to do that. The award offers a framework for structured, non-formal education for young people ages 14 to 24, who develop their own programs with support from adult volunteers. Through a program combining volunteer service, skills development, and physical recreation, they work toward Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards. The award operates in more than 130 countries.

Edward holds the Gold Award himself and is the patron and chairman to the global Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation. The award was founded in 1956 by his father, Prince Philip. The

award expanded into the U.S. in 2016 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Chicago, and today is offered in Maryland at Holton Arms School, in Virginia through the Boy Scouts of Tidewater Boy Scout Council and in Washington, DC, at the British International School of DC.

“We are excited to grow the availability of the Award in the DC metro area,” Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award USA CEO Buffy Higgins-Beard stated. “As always, we are working to be sure the cost to participate and undertake activities is not a barrier as the Award is open to all young people inclusive of their background, circumstances, and self-defined interests.”

“We were honored to host HRH and the members of Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award USA in Morven Park,” Morven Park Executive Director Stacey Metcalfe stated. “Their mission resonates deeply with our Morven Park Center for Civic Impact’s goal of empowering children to find a confident voice that will inform the actions of engaged and motivated citizens. We are inspired by the long-term commitment to young people around the globe exemplified by the Duke

with them so they can see exactly the steps that we take and sometimes the questions

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

A plan to build a welcome center on the grounds of George C. Marshall’s Leesburg home, Dodona Manor, cleared review by the town’s Board of Architectural Review last week.

That clearance allows the George C. Marshall International Center to begin the fundraising needed to make the expansion a reality.

Because Marshall’s home is not easily accessible to visitors with disabilities or mobility issues, the new building is proposed to allow some interpretation of artifacts in an ADA accessible setting, bringing some of the history of the house museum to a wider audience. The building also is expected to allow for larger gatherings for lectures, Veterans Day ceremonies, and other programs.

“As visitors arrive at Dodona Manor, this new museum will be their initial stop. They will learn about George C. Marshall, his global impact, and then become oriented with what they will see at the Manor and come to understand his life as a soldier and private citizen,” GCMIC Chair Tom Greenspon wrote in the application. “The building will also support administrative functions and operations of the GCMIC, which currently compromise the home and its historic holdings. Building this new structure will create a space for those necessary operations to run concurrently with tours and visitation at Dodona Manor, allowing Dodona Manor to fully function as a house museum. It will also provide a space to hold meetings, events and educational activities, without disrupting tours at the Manor or causing excessive wear and tear.”

The building’s design required BAR review because of its location in the town’s historic district. n

of Edinburgh’s International Award.”

The private, unannounced meeting was hosted by Lara and Eric Major. Other attendees included Metcalfe, Higgins-Beard, and Award USA Chair Ryan Ruskin.

Learn more about the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award USA at usaward.org and about Morven Park at morvenpark.org. n

we can get our students to be

George C. Marshall International Center A rendering of the welcome center planned at Dodona Manor, the Leesburg home of George C. Marshall that today operates as a house museum.

Contributed

Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, takes part in a meeting Tuesday, April 25 about expanding The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award into the Washington, DC region.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Leesburg Police Sgt. Ryan Martin explains a Virginia uniform summons to a teen driver during an April 29 Mock Driving Scenario program at Loudoun County High School.

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Traffic stops

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we ask or the questions that their young driver might ask.”

Carter was joined by Officer Mike DaRin, the SRO at Simpson Middle School, and. Sgt. Ryan Martin for the demonstrations. Teens, with their mother or father in the passenger seat, drove through the school parking lot, followed by an officer in a marked cruiser who activated the emergency lights and pulled them over. The officers then approached the driver’s side window and spent time working with each driver to explain the process.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for them to understand that we have a job to do. We’re not always giving a ticket, but we’re taking our Virginia uniform summons up there and showing them exactly how we would fill it out, exactly what it would look like for their court date, whether they can pay online, whether they have to show up to court, and then if they do show up to court, what that looks like,” Carter said.

Carter said the officers also explained what they’re looking for as they approach a vehicle during a traffic stop, starting with looking to see “if you have your hands on the wheel the whole time, because let’s be honest, hands are what harm officers.”

Students and parents expressed appreciation for the lesson.

“It’s nice to be able to do this in a lowstress environment and to know what to expect,” one student said after completing her traffic stop. “It felt like the exact experience it would be out on the road. It is good to have that prior knowledge.”

Carter said the young drivers asked good questions.

“I had, this young lady ask me if I could search her vehicle or take her out if it smelled like marijuana, which was a great question—because I can’t,” Carter said. “With the new laws, I have to see it in plain view to be able to do anything. I can walk up to their vehicle, and they can smell like marijuana all day long. I can ask them ‘Have you been smoking marijuana? Are you impaired right now?’ Those can start leading into other questions, but other than that, if I don’t see anything, and I have to make that judgment call whether they’re impaired or not to be able to let them continue to drive.”

Carter said parental involvement also is important.

“I’m also explaining to the parents that anytime that I have interaction with a juvenile, I call a parent. That’s because me as a parent, I want them to know that, look, your child just had an interaction with the

police. Here’s how it went,” Carter said. “I don’t want a kid to get a ticket, have a court date, and their parents literally have no clue and then all of a sudden their insurance has skyrocketed, then it’s because of a ticket. So just having that interaction with the parents and having that understanding for me it’s huge.”

“I’m working with these students every single day. I see the parents that are here. We want to let them know we’re out here we’re not necessarily giving them a ticket just to give them a ticket, but we’re educating them as well,” Carter said. n

Sales Open for Military Tribute Banners

The Town of Leesburg has been added to the Military Tribute Banners website following its recent partnership with the Loudoun County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #1177 on a Hometown Hero banner program.

Banners may be purchased from the Military Tribute Banners website, militarytributebanners.org/banner-programs. html, to honor Leesburg and Loudoun County residents who have served, or are serving, in the U.S. Armed Services. The

sponsorship fee is $175 per banner.

Payments can be made on the website or by check payable to VFW Post 1177, Attention Commander, and mailed to 401 Old Waterford Road, NW, Leesburg, VA 20176.

Space is limited to 56 banners, which will be installed around Freedom Park between July 4 and Veterans Day this summer. In future years, they will be displayed from Memorial Day through Veterans Day.

For more information on the program, email the VFW at  info@vfw1177.org. n

Middleburg Charter School Placed on Probation

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

After a lengthy discussion April 25, the School Board voted 5-4 to place the Middleburg Community Charter School on probation for failing to take corrective measures to its financial books.

This is the second time the full board discussed the item after the action was recommended by a School Board committee on March 21.

Jeff Morse (Dulles), John Beatty (Catoctin), Tiffany Polifko (Broad Run) and Denise Corbo (At-large) opposed the action.

The charter could be revoked, and the school could be closed if its leadership doesn’t fix the issues, according to Chair Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge).

Charter School leaders are confident that the bookkeeping-related concerns cited by school division administrators are being adequately addressed and have launched an effort to recruit a chief of staff operations manager to assist Principal Stephen Robinson.

Before last week’s School Board vote, Morse expressed surprise that the school just had its second of two unannounced internal audits implemented in the School Board’s Jan. 10 corrective action plan.

“I’m somewhat shocked about that because we are right in the middle of the process of voting over the probation and now we have an outstanding audit and

we don’t have the results tonight,” he said. “So, I’m somewhat concerned that the information we have to make this decision tonight is not available.”

Morse said it would be embarrassing for the school to be placed on probation that night only to find out at the next meeting that the school passed the audit and recommended postponing the item indefinitely.

Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) said passing the audit would not necessarily remove the need for extra scrutiny.

“I think that we would want to continue

to monitor,” she said. “I’m not going to make an assumption first of all that they will pass this second audit or that the board would then immediately remove them from probation. There is cause to continue to monitor the charter school for some time to ensure that they not just pass one, but that they perhaps pass several audits and years of being monitored.”

Polifko and Corbo sided with Morse on holding off. Polifko expressed concern that the action plan didn’t list specific

PROBATION

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Virtual Elementary School to Close at End of Year

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

A School Board majority April 25 voted to not explore ways to keep Virtual Loudoun Elementary School open after the current school year ends.

The decision to shut down the COVIDera program was opposed by Tiffany Polifko (Broad Run), Denise Corbo (Atlarge) and Erika Ogedegbe (Leesburg).

Corbo asked the superintendent and division staff during the April 11 School Board meeting to explore ways to keep the program open, saying it wasn’t properly evaluated before it was put on the chopping block. She requested the item be brought back to be further discussed

on April 25 with the hopes the findings could be discussed more during the May 24 School Board meeting.

That will not be the case.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Corbo argued the program has been highly successful since its creation and that it supports the division’s most vulnerable students—those who have complex medical issues.

“Prior to COVID this learning model had not been explored. Now we know it’s possible to provide a quality education through virtual means and we have the data that proves there can be academic achievement in the virtual environment,” she said.

During a budget work session last

October, the division decided elementary distance learning was not a priority and cut it from the superintendent’s proposed budget. Division staff members cited low enrollment, low stakeholder engagement and argued in-person learning was better for students.

The division decided to keep virtual learning in both middle and high schools.

Corbo said parents, teachers and students were caught off guard by the decision to close the program and asked the board to reconsider its decision, evaluate the program and try to find ways to keep it going.

VIRTUAL SCHOOL

continues on page 13

Odyssey of the Mind Teams Head to World Finals

Teams from eight Loudoun County Public Schools are heading to The Odyssey of the Mind World Finals this month.

The schools include, in Division III, Tuscarora High School, which took first place in the state finals April 15 in “The Most Dramatic Problem Ever,” and Riverside High School, which took second place in “Classics …the walls of Troy.”

In Division II, Belmont Ridge Middle School took first place in “Classics …The Walls of Troy,” Harper Park Middle School took first place in “Because iCan,” and Harmony Middle School took second place in “Classics …The Walls of Troy.”

For Division I, Hamilton Elementary School took second place in “Because iCan,” Round Hill Elementary School took second place in “Pirates and the Treasure,” and Rosa Lee Carter Elementary School took second place in “Where’s the Structure.”

The Harmony Middle School team is conducting a few fundraisers to help pay for travel and competition expenses. The team, which has been together since the students were in third grade at Round Hill Elementary School, is holding a bake sale during Round Hill’s Bingo night May 5. They also have a gofundme page. This is the team’s first time going to the World Finals.

For a full list of Virginia winners, go to odysseyofthemind.com.

World Finals will be held May 24-27 at Michigan State University.

Rockridge High School Recognized for Theatre Education by EdTA

Rockridge High School was recognized as a Premier Community for Theatre Education by the Educational Theatre Association. The school was one of 25 nationwide and the only school

SCHOOL NOTEBOOK continues on page 15

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now MCC Board Chair Vito Germinario addresses the Loudoun County School Board on April 11.

Board Member Defends Decision to Withhold Sexual Assault Report

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

Leesburg District School Board member Erika Ogedegbe has issued a statement on the reasons behind her Feb. 14 vote to not release the independent report created by Blankingship and Keith.

The report was created by the law firm at the request of the School Board after two sexual assaults occurred at two different schools by the same student assailant in 2021.

“The impact and trauma of sexual violence lasts a lifetime,” Ogedegbe stated. “It is the survivor’s story, and not ours to tell. As a board, we have the responsibility to make student-centered decisions.”

Asked why she decided to speak now about her decision, she said in an interview, “I have heard people say I broke a promise and I wanted to be clear that I never made a promise. I never made it a central issue in my campaign because I felt like I didn’t know enough and for people to put it out there that I broke a promise, it’s just not true.”

She said in a television interview in

October, “I think that we do need to know what the results were. I understand there’s obviously, you have to figure out how to release information that then doesn’t compromise the privacy of students. So especially when you’re talking about minors, you have to be very cautious about that. But something went wrong and I think everybody wants to understand what broke down that allowed this to happen where there was a second assault that occurred.”

She said in her statement that while

she was running for office as a community member and parent, releasing the report could be an important way to build back trust if the privacy of the students was protected.

“Politicizing a tragedy without knowing all the facts is not how I operate and doing so adds to the pain and suffering of the victims of these cases,” she said.

Once she read the report, she determined that to protect the identity of the minors a large portion of the report would need to be redacted, which she said would only lead to more skepticism and more questions about what was not being shared. She also said that simply releasing an executive summary of the report wouldn’t address the calls for full transparency and would only result in more questions.

“The special grand jury report laid a lot of information out there and as I read the other report, and it was a hard decision and I didn’t come by it easily, but I didn’t see that we would get to that point of having that trust rebuilt,” she said in an interview.

She talked about the recent work

being done on a draft revision to the Memorandum of Understanding between the school division, the Sheriff’s Office and the Leesburg Police Department to improve protocols on concurrent investigations and clarify communication, the policy work being done by the board after the special grand jury report, made public in December suggested updates to several division policies to increase safety for students and her efforts to reach out to Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter to expand the division’s partnership with the domestic violence and sexual assault crisis center to develop a sexual violence prevention program.

“That is where we can really make substantive and lasting change, to help to build a culture where we’re making sure we are talking about what healthy relationships look like, what healthy boundaries look and what consent means,” she said in the interview.

The School Board is seeking community feedback on the MOU before a scheduled May 9 vote.

Go to lcps.org/policyreview to leave feedback. n

Board Adopts FY23 Salary Scales, Waits for State Budget Reconciliation

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN Agustin@loudounnow.com

The School Board April 25 voted unanimously to adopt the current Fiscal Year 2023 salary scales as a temporary measure until the division hears from Richmond on what funding it can expect from the state for Fiscal Year 2023-2024.

As it stands, the school division is looking at a $16 million budget shortfall, but according to Chair Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) that could vary “based on what the final adopted state budget is and whether they correct the VDOE error for education funding.”

The division learned earlier this year it would be short $7.4 million for its fiscal year 2024 budget after the Virginia Department of Education admitted in January it made a mistake in calculating state money for K-12 schools.

The $7.4 million loss added to another state funding shortfall of $5.6 million in the General Assembly’s “skinny budget.” And the Board of Supervisors will send the school district roughly $3.2 million less in local funding than the School Board requested.

Usually, the state budget process is

done by April or May but the General Assembly did not adopt a final budget during its regular legislative session and is not expected to take action on the education budget until June, putting the division’s budget reconciliation on hold.

Serotkin made the motion to provide some level of pay raise to eligible employees with a step increase effective July 1.

“This guarantees each eligible employee a step increase compared to their FY23 step, but defers other salary increases until

budget reconciliation when we know what is happening with state funding,” Serotkin wrote in an email.

“We’ve been here before in previous years and obviously we don’t want to do this, but given the uncertainty with the state budget as in some previous years, we have to get job offers out the door as we get further into the spring and leave ourselves room to then adjust the salary scales once we know what the state budget has been finalized at and what reconciliation is

going to look like,” Serotkin said April 25 of the temporary plan.

Serotkin said in years past they’ve been able to make good on their promise and restore what was previously adopted.

“I’m hopeful that we will be able to do so again this year,” he said.

Serotkin said even with the worst-case scenario from the state he believes they will be able to adjust “upward somehow, hopefully the full amount that we adopted back in February.”

Acting Superintendent Daniel Smith said if the General Assembly is called back for a special session, it would be the later part of June.

“The intent of the board is to take another look at it once we get more information from the state,” he said. “This is why we wanted to do something now and get it into place, then we’d come back and do that.”

Smith added that if it happened after July 1, when the new fiscal year begins, the board would try to make the adjustment retroactive to July 1.

Smith said emails to staff about the temporary salary scale adoption for universal, auxiliary and licensed salary employees will be sent out starting April 26. n

Ogedegbe

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now Chair Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) and Vice Chair Harris Mahedavi (Ashburn) at the April 25 School Board meeting.

Virtual school

continued from page 10

“As I met with some of the stakeholders it became clear to me there was no other virtual learning option on par with what we have created here in Loudoun and it’s something we can be very proud of,” she said.

Deputy Superintendent Ashley Ellis said options that are available to students coming out of Virtual Loudoun Elementary include returning to their home elementary school, or using Virtual Virginia or home bound instruction if the student was medically fragile and could not do in person learning.

Ellis said the division would cover the cost of Virtual Virginia if that were to be the best option for a student. She noted the Virtual Virginia program requires division staff to manage a student’s Individualized Education Program, and 504 plan—a plan that includes accommodations, aides and/ or services for students with disabilities to have equal access to activities and programs.

“I will say one size does not fit all and I do recognize there are students for which in person learning is not appropriate,” Ellis said.

She said, to date, only two families had requested other virtual options.

Acting Superintendent Daniel Smith said the division is working with families to help them transition to in person learning including giving students tours of schools that some have never set foot in.

Ellis said the division reached out to other school divisions to see what they were doing. She said of the ones that responded three didn’t have a K-5 distance learning option, four used Virtual Virginia and five had their own unique program, although she stated she wasn’t sure if they were fully synchronous like Loudoun’s. She said next year some of those divisions were moving away from distance learning, were planning to use Virtual Virginia and a couple were continuing their own program.

The Virtual Loudoun Elementary program was created to help students transition out of the pandemic and never meant to be a long-term program, according to Smith.

During its first year, the 2021-22 school year, Ellis said there were 325 students enrolled. She said that dropped to 261 by the time the school year ended. This year, 122 were enrolled but to date only 81 remain. She said those who cited the reasons for leaving said they preferred

in person learning.

Several board members expressed frustration at the ask to discuss keeping the program after the budget process was nearly done and the division was possibly facing a $16 million deficit.

“I just want to be clear that the board made the decision to discontinue Virtual Elementary. We were asked to identify budget priorities and we removed Virtual Loudoun Elementary from the budget and then we passed the budget without it,” Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) said. “I personally think it is cruel to continue this discussion. With the amount of money that it

will take to fund this, where are we pulling it from when we are already $16 million in the hole if we are not made right by the state? Where are we taking it from? None of that has been discussed.”

Corbo said she wanted the division staff to explore that to see what the budget impact would be, if any, and if there were ways to consolidate classes and use staff better.

“We are talking about specific students with specific needs. And this program is truly unique, you cannot compare it to Virtual Virginia. It’s not the same by any means. And also, you can’t dispute

the academic progress these students have made. And I think when you look at the validity of this program, if there is no value in virtual elementary then how can there be value for middle school and high school virtual programs?” she asked.

“There is value here and there is truly a need and what I’m asking for and what the community is asking for is for the staff to do its due diligence, go back, look at the program, look at the need and see if there is a possibility of continuing this program.”

In the end, board members voted not to explore ways to keep the program going beyond the school year. n

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Probation

continued from page 10

items or a timeframe those items needed to be addressed before the school was placed on probation.

Division Chief Financial Officer Sharon Willoughby explained the reasoning behind the second audit being done while probation was on the table.

She said the audit is a lengthy process and given the time frame that both audits needed to be complete by June 30 and the two-month process to get information to the full School Board—via an information item then action item to the committee, then information and action to the full board—she said her team decided to do the second audit in April.

She said the internal audit team was at the school last month and was still processing the audit.

Willoughby compared the situation with the charter school’s financial records to the division’s other 98 schools, saying the division’s standards for bookkeeping are high and wouldn’t allow for so many years to go by without repercussions to a principal and bookkeeper.

Sheridan said the charter school has had issues with its books for five years and has gone through six audits.

What could be easier than giving away money?

for

“If there have been five to six years and six failed audits, I’m not even sure what we are talking about at this point,” Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian) said. “If you stand for transparency and accountability there is no way you can vote in favor of giving Middleburg Charter School more opportunities to make financial mistakes. If you stand for transparency and accountability, it’s time to hold them accountable.”

Middleburg Mayor Bridge Littleton, who is a nonvoting member of the charter school board, said they have hired a firm to recruit a chief operating officer for the school with a goal to have someone in place by July. The Town Council last week

approved a $5,000 grant to assist in that search.

Littleton said the school also hired an outside forensic accounting and systems controls firm, VML/VACO Finance, a nonprofit that works with Virginia jurisdictions with their financial services and plan to keep them on retainer.

“We are, as a community and as a town, incredibly proud of the charter school and the great work that is done there. I believe in every grade we have a waiting list that is almost as large as the number of seats in the class and that is all about the quality of the education the kids get,” Littleton said. At the end of the day, it is all about the kids, not to diminish that we need to run the school and bookkeeping in accordance with practices, but overall the goal should be between the board and the charter school we should be looking to help each other and assist one another for our mutual success because our mutual success means the success of the kids.”

MCC Board Chair Vito Germinario told the council the school was being responsive to the division’s concerns, which he said include items like bookkeeping differences for how some transactions are tracked and when two signatures are required for checks. “We are moving forward and we’re going to take all the excuses away,” he said.

Germinario said the school is looking forward to continued growth, including the creation of a middle school program. According to the charter agreement, the School Board must provide a written notice of the “deficiencies, violations or breaches” once the school is placed on probation. The charter school then has 30 days to submit a written remediation plan, according to Serotkin.

The school will stay on probation until the School Board lifts it according to Serotkin.

There is no timeline as of now for when the remediation plan will be drafted and approved. n

From personalized family foundations, to memorial funds, to scholarship funds, to donor-advised funds,

SCHOOL notebook

continued from page 10

in Virginia to receive the designation.

Rock Ridge Theatre Teacher and Producing Artistic Director Tony Cimino-Johnson said its because of the leadership of the school principal John Duellman, “that allows us to create and innovate, while providing the best possible theatre education for our students.” Cimino-Johnson said they were honored to be among “the first 25 schools designated as Premier Community for Theatre Education.”

The Premier Community for Theatre Education distinction is awarded to schools and districts that provide teachers and students with the resources to achieve at or above the standard as suggested by the National Core Arts Standards in Theatre. The award is a given on a rolling basis for three-year terms. This year’s distinction is for 2022-2025.

Go to schooltheatre.org for more information. n

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

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

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

Leesburg — Michael Karl Egan, 75 of Sterling, Virginia died on Thursday, April 27, 2023, in Reston, Virginia.

Born Sunday, November 23, 1947, in Trenton, New Jersey, he was the son of the late Thomas Joseph Egan and the late Helen Emilie nee Kaiser Egan. He was the husband of Victoria Viteritto Egan.

Mr. Michael K. Egan was a U.S. Coast Guard veteran. He was a business owner in Hawaii, an international ferry pilot and was a retired senior captain from ExxonMobil Corporation aviation department. He was employed by ExxonMobil for 26 years; 23 of those years had been with Mobil Corporation prior to the corporate merger. He still holds 16 world records for Polar Flite, attempting to circumnavigate the world pole to pole. He has been involved in aviation for over 42 years.

He had a globe-trotting life, having lived in American Samoa, The Kingdom of Tonga, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Indonesia, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His last position prior to retiring in January 2003 was as an international senior captain flying the Gulfstream IV.

Michael also ran a small private foundation called “The Egan Family Charitable Gift Fund” and operated a part-time international aviation consultancy business working for select clients. He had a myriad of interests to include international travel, music, golf, museums, and the study of African masks. He served as a contractor for Catholic Work Camp for almost 20 years. Additionally he was a Super Comp drag racer, a competitor in pole sport, having won 3 medals. Michael Egan has also served as president of the Loudoun Symphony Board of Directors for several years and was the President Emeritus of Loudoun Symphony. He was a mentor to many.

Obituaries

The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at Loudoun Funeral Chapel, 158 Catoctin Circle, SE, Leesburg, Virginia.

A Funeral service will be at 11:00 AM on Friday May 5, 2023 at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church located at 46639 Algonkian Parkway Potomac Falls, Virginia 20165.

Flowers will be accepted but in lieu of, please consider making a donation in Michael’s honor to the Loudoun Symphony (P.O. Box 4478, Leesburg, VA 20177) or the Work Camp of the Arch Diocese of Arlington.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.loudounfuneralchapel.com

don, VA. The family will be receiving friends at the Hall’s Funeral Home, 140 S. Nursery Ave., Purcellville, VA 20132 Thursday, May 04 2023, from 6pm - 8pm with Funeral services to be held at Hall Funeral Home Friday, May 05, 2023 at 1 pm. Graveside service will be at Mount Comfort Cemetery 6600 S. Kings Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22306, Saturday May 06, 2023 at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Round Hill Baptist Church, 7 W Loudoun St., Round Hill, VA 20141 in memory of Randy Jones.

James Donald Aylor

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

Michael leaves behind many to cherish his memory including his wife, of 54 years, Victoria Ann Egan, son, Michael Egan (Elizabeth), grandsons, Zachary and Connor, sister, Michelle King of Hamilton, NJ.

Harrison “Randy” Jones

April 25, 1928 - April 26, 2023

Jones, Harrison “Randy”, 95 of Round Hill, VA passed away on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at Sunrise Villa Assisted Living in Henrico, VA., where he resided with his wife. Randy is survived by his wife Alberta “Bertie” Jones. Daughter Candy Lewis of Manakin Sabot, VA. Son James Jones of Odessa, FL (Jonnelia). 6 Granddaughters Gloria “Dee” Dorrough (Mark) of Lake Hills, TX, Kelly Ventura (Luis) of Culpepper, VA, Megan Rickard (Steve) of Shepherds Town, WV, Jessica Jones of Arlington, VA., Rhonda Long (Richard) of Fairfax, VA and Kerry Huston (Mike) of Bowling Green, VA. 12

Great Grandchildren and 9 Great Great Grandchildren. Several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son Harrison “Rudy” Jones, Mother Emma Mae Huber, brother Beverly “Bay” Jones, son-in-law Darrel “Chopper” Lewis and Grandson Edwin Lewis He retired after 30+ years from Virginia Power. He was a member of the Round Hill Baptist Church, Andrew Jackson Masonic Lodge No 120, Mount Vernon Masonic Lodge No 219, Eastern Star McKinley Chapter No 19, Sons of the American Legion Purcellville, VA, Fraternal Order of Eagles Winchester, VA, Moose Lodge Woodbridge, VA and Moose Lodge Hern-

James Donald Aylor, 62 of Middleburg, Virginia died on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland. Born Wednesday, September 28, 1960, in Leesburg, Virginia, he was the son of the late James Aylor and the late Iva Deneal Aylor. James leaves many to cherish in his memory including his blended family, sisters, Carla Aylor (Purcellville, VA) and Virginia Scott (Aldie, VA), brothers, Steve Scott (Middleburg, VA) and Kenny Scott (Sterling, VA). He was survived by several special friends, Joseph Lincoln, Tony Anderson, Mickey Grayson, Andre Fox, Joe Jones, and Donald Coates. He was predeceased by brothers, Wayne Scott, Timothy Scott, and John Scott. The family will receive friends from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM on Friday, May 5, 2023, at Loudoun Funeral Chapel, 158 Catoctin Circle, SE, Leesburg, Virginia. A Funeral service will be at 3:00 PM on Friday at Loudoun Funeral Chapel located at 158 Catoctin Circle, SE Leesburg, Virginia 20175 with the Rev. Roy Trammell and Rev. Lewis Christian officiating. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.loudounfuneralchapel.com

Michael Karl Egan

Public Safety

Loudoun Chamber Honors Lifesaving Heroes

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

The Loudoun Chamber of Commerce on Thursday honored the unsung heroic and lifesaving actions of first responders— and those who were just the right person in the right place at the right time—of 2022 at the 38th Annual Loudoun County Valor Awards.

“Today we honor not just our Valor Award recipients. We honor all first responders for the service and sacrifice they offer to every community,” Chamber President and CEO Tony Howard said.

This year, the Stu Plitman Award First Responder Community Service Award went to Ed Williams, who has chaired the Loudoun First Responders Foundation Chair for 10 years and served on the board for 13. It is the first time the award has been presented to someone who is not a first responder, Howard said.

The Foundation provides immediate financial support to first responders and their families in times of need, such as due to injury or illness, as well as supporting education for fire, rescue and law enforcement agencies. Under Williams’ leadership, the foundation has expanded its eligibility to offer support to more first responders, eliminated red tape for that support, began offering scholarships to their children, and built relationships

with local businesses to support the foundation’s mission.

The award is named for the late founder of the Loudoun First Responders Foundation.

The awards ceremony also offers an insight into some of the dangerous and lifesaving actions of both first responders and civilians which public safety agencies do not announce throughout the year.

That includes incidents such as in November, when a team of Loudoun dispatchers, sheriff ’s deputies, rescue personnel, state police officers, a Virginia Department of Natural Resources K-9 team and a Fairfax County helicopter worked to find a mother after her two children reported she had left their home in crisis. After following pings from her cell phone, thermal and night vision imaging, and an extensive search on foot they found her in the shallow portion of the Loudoun reservoir, soaked, hypothermic and unresponsive. They were able to save her life.

Another award went to the collection of Loudoun Fire-Rescue personnel who responded to a vehicle that had been in a wreck involving a downed tree, trapping the adult driver and child passenger. A branch of the tree had crashed through the window of the vehicle and partially impaled the driver. Crews were able to rescue the child, remove the roof, and save the driver, who was airlifted to the

hospital and ultimately released in good condition.

There was also the story of the firefighters and dispatchers who helped rescue a 14-year-old girl trapped inside a burning home. Dispatchers guided her to a window, and firefighters on an aerial ladder outside found her, broke the glass, and had to come inside to rescue her after she lost consciousness due to the heavy smoke.

Or there were the three Leesburg Police officers who responded to a townhouse where a 53-year-old man was wielding a power drill, destroying the house, being aggressive toward family members, and had begun to set the townhouse on fire. They breached the door, which was barricaded, and the man attacked one of the officers with the drill, although the officer was uninjured. They pushed into the kitchen, subdued the man with a taser and let firefighters put out the fire.

And a number of civilians were honored, such as the group of people who helped pull a fourth-grader from a flooded creek in Aldie, with Curt Ehlers risking his own life and become trapped in the creek’s rushing waters until first responders arrived. And in May, a grandfather watching his grandson play baseball at Riverside High School suffered a heart attack, and the combined efforts of orthopedic surgeon and team physician Dr. David Johnson, pediatrician Dr. Kimberly Kolb

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Loudoun First Responders Foundation Chair Ed Williams was the first person to receive the Stu Plitman Award First Responder Community Service Award who is not a first responder. Williams was among the 110 people honored at the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce’s 38th Annual Loudoun County Valor Awards Thursday, April 27, 2023.

and athletic trainer Ed Renehan worked quickly to administer CPR and then use an automated defibrillator until first responders arrived, saving his life.

And in June, pediatric emergency room nurse Samantha Cruz was on her way home from work at around 3 a.m. when she came across a car engulfed in flames. Another person on scene had already gotten the driver out of the car, and Cruz immediately began rendering aid although the driver was covered in blood, combative and coughing up blood.

They were among the 110 people who were recognized at the Valor Awards. n

Commonwealth Attorney’s Office Hosts Victim Services Awards

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Loudoun County’s Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney and Victim Witness Program on April 28 hosted the 2023 Victim Services Award Ceremony.

The ceremony honored victims, families and survivors and recognized the support and assistance rendered to victims by law enforcement and members of the community.

Kimberly Nelson, whose pregnant daughter, Bethany Decker, was missing for 12 years before the man charged with her murder confessed, gave the keynote address.

She shared how her family suffered for years as they searched for Decker and the many members of the community that supported her along the way.

“It was so unreal that I felt like it wasn’t even my life,” Decker said, recalling when her daughter first went missing. “How could this be happening? And there were people who were there with us along the way. And it was so important because we didn’t even know what to expect … we really needed those people to elevate us during that time.”

Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj thanked her staff for their hard work, and the many volunteers and law enforcement officers that support victims of crimes every day.

“We’re responsible to one another,” she said. “Because the system is not equipped to solve everything, but our community is. We just have to be able to get engaged.”

Community members who were honored at the event included Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office Detectives Mark Bush, Eric Cote, and Sean McCormack; Deputy Donald Wilhelm; Loudoun County Animal Services Officer Patrick Breslin; Kimberly Nelson; Department of Community Corrections Probation Officer Jeanne Mullane; and Nitza Medina Peralta, Trey Goldizen, Emily Rodriguez and Esmerelda Ortiz from LAWS Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Loudoun County Sheriff’s Detective Mark Bush was honored at the 2023 Victim Services Award Ceremony for his work on the missing person’s case of Bethany Decker, whose family Bush worked closely with.

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Inova Inks Naming Deal at D.C. United Training Center

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

D.C. United and Inova Health System have expanded their partnership with the announcement Tuesday that the team’s Leesburg-area training center will be named the Inova Performance Complex.

The 40,000-square-foot, 30-acre facility opened at Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park in 2021 and includes four outdoor practice fields and a training center equipped with a weight room and recovery facilities for the club’s performance and medical staff.

Since March, Inova Sports Medicine has supported D.C. United as its official sports medicine partner supporting the team with a group of sports medicine physicians, orthopedic surgeons, advanced practice providers, neuropsychologists, athletic trainers, and physical therapists.

Dr. Peter MacArthur serves as the team’s chief medical officer.

“Our team is there every step of the way to ensure patients can perform at their best, and we really strive to treat all of our patients just like we treat the worldclass athletes here at D.C. United,” he said. “I’m looking forward to this partnership with D.C. United. I’m thankful for their commitment to Inova. They’re helping us to reach fans and future patients so we can educate and share orthopedic and sports medicine programs, along with the numerous other offerings, including their programs for low-income residents, our investments in cutting-edge research, our free educational programming, and really our goal to serve as Northern Virginia’s leading nonprofit health care provider.”

“Our partnership with D.C. United will

continue to highlight the work that Inova does in the community and the dedication we have to sports medicine,” Inova Loudoun CEO Susan Carroll said.

She noted that the team joined with Inova last year to conduct community blood drives, a campaign that will continue this year.

“Partnerships like the one we have with D.C. United strengthen the services we both provide in our community, improve the care we deliver to athletes large and small who have taken great advantage of our sports medicine programs over the years—and provide a platform for two great organizations to come together to care for all patients,” she said.

“We are excited to further strengthen our relationship with Inova and have them become the naming rights holder for our training facility in Loudoun County,” D.C. United President of Business Operations Danita Johnson said. “As our official sports medicine partner, our relationship with Inova will continue to help the team perform both on and off the field.” n

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Dr. Peter MacArthur, D.C. United’s chief medical officer, speaks during the ceremony renaming the team’s training center as the Inova Performance Complex.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now County Chair Phyllis Randall and Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk pose with representatives of Inova and D.C. United during the May 2 ceremony renaming the team’s training center.

A special section, in partnership with the Loudoun Education Foundation, recognizing Loudoun County Educators

PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR: LORI MERCER

Lori Mercer, who’s career in education started in Loudoun County 29 years ago, was named the 2023 Loudoun County Public Schools Principal of the Year.

Mercer, now serving as principal of Hovatter Elementary School, is known by students, parents, and her colleagues for her warm, engaging, and upbeat demeanor.

“Mrs. Mercer’s interpersonal skills and dedication to her school is inspiring,” one parent wrote in her nomination packet. “She manages to be present and personally engaged in all aspects of the school, from celebrations to problem-solving, especially in these challenging times in education.”

An Overdue Ode to Teachers

I’ll admit it: before I worked for the Loudoun Education Foundation, I never paid much attention to Teacher Appreciation Week. I have no excuse; my mother was a public school teacher, my father was a regular substitute in our local high school, and I covered education as a journalist for 15 years. But it still was not on my radar.

Now, I look forward to Teacher Appreciation Week all year. A key part of our mission at the Loudoun Education Foundation is finding ways to celebrate, equip, inspire, and lift up our teachers. This work has never been more important, as it’s become increasingly challenging to convince talented educators to stay in the profession. A 2022 survey by the National Education Association showed that more than half of U.S. teachers intend to leave the profession earlier than they planned.

The LEF recently adopted a new Strategic Plan that empowers our team to prioritize resources — from our staff’s time and energy to the fruits of our fundraising — to support Loudoun County educators. This was a conscious addition to our mission by our Board of Trustees, which believes a school division’s success hinges on its educators and the community that supports them.

The LEF is an independent nonprofit organization that raises about $3.5 million annually to fund

innovative and critical programming for the students and educators of Loudoun County Public Schools. We connect local businesses, individuals, and organizations with opportunities to invest in programs that matter to them — programs like the K-12 Computer Science Pipeline that creates classroom-tocareer pathways, or Backpack Coalition that provides food-insecure students with weekend meals, or the Innovation in Education grants that fund out-of-thebox lessons that stick with students.

Together, we invest in educators, equipping them with the tools, training and support to do their best work in the classroom, which helps students reach their full potential.

On a personal note, I believe the quality of my son’s education is only as good as the teachers he spends his weekdays with. Education is the key to unlocking his dreams, and classrooms should serve as an incubator of innovation. His time in the classroom should inspire him to unlock his potential and change his little corner of the world.

So this week, it’s time for me to encourage his teachers to please, keep at it. For his sake and all of ours.

I’m sure it’s no coincidence that Teacher Appreciation Week falls in the first week of May. It’s strategically positioned a few weeks after spring break, just as the weather begins to warm, when it’s more difficult to keep students focused on their studies. If there was ever a time teachers needed a Crayola masterpiece from their student, a high-five in the carpool line, a Target gift card and a tall latte, or just a

TEACHER OF THE YEAR: STEVE HICKS

Dominion High School social studies teacher Steve Hicks was named the 2023 Loudoun County Public Schools Teacher of the Year. Hicks has taught at Dominion since the school opened in 2003.

His nomination packet lauds Hicks for all of the ways he encourages students to push themselves academically and personally. One former student wrote, “Mr. Hicks’ mentorship prepares students for the future, helps them generate the meaning of the past, and empowers them to use their knowledge and passions outside the classroom.”

handwritten thank-you note, it’s now.

As we do every Teacher Appreciation Week, the Loudoun Education Foundation is hosting our annual Outstanding Educators of the Year Banquet this Friday. Heck, I’m calling it a big “Thank You Party” for all 45 of the educators that were nominated for Teacher of the Year or Principal of the Year honors, plus our two winners of the New Teacher of the Year Award.

I wish we could throw a party for all 6,000-plus Loudoun County teachers, not to mention the teacher’s assistants, bus drivers, custodians, substitutes, attendance officers, cafeteria workers, and so many others who impact the quality of our children’s education. But, alas, space and funds are limited.

Instead, I’m counting on you to support, and challenge you to encourage and uplift the teachers who mean so much to you, your children, and your community. Please show up and demonstrate your appreciation, and encourage others to do the same. Thank the educators in your life — those who are in your immediate circle today and your former teachers — who no doubt directed the trajectory of your life.

If you’re interested in joining LEF’s ongoing effort to create and retain an exemplary teaching workforce, visit LoudounEducationFoundation.org. You’ll see opportunities to support our Innovation in Education grants, or provide a gift that we can use to surprise a randomly selected educator each month. You can also fill out the contact form, and I’ll get you plugged in.

But first, I want to say to all of the teachers who give so much of themselves, beyond their job descriptions: thank you. We could all say it more often.

Danielle Nadler Executive Director, Loudoun Education Foundation

Photo credit: ©LCPS 2023

Lori Mercer, principal of Hovatter Elementary School, is known for inspiring students to apply what they’ve learned at school to their passions outside of the classroom.

Photo credit: ©LCPS 2023

Steve Hicks, social studies teacher at Dominion High School, accepts his 2023 LCPS Teacher of the Year award.

2023 Teacher/Principal Nominees

NEW ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Parie Ahmady

Sterling Elementary

First year teaching

Subject area: Fifth grade

“Ms. Ahmady is a person of high character and formed many positive relationships with students, staff, and parents. She is compassionate and has a genuine love and concern for her students. She has the patience, love, and instructional skill set to reach all students.” — Assistant Principal

Tara Ballenger

Emerick Elementary

24 years in education

Subject area: Second grade

“Each year Ms. Ballenger’s classroom is decorated in such a way that creates a homey feeling, sending each student the message that they are loved and accepted for who they are when they enter each day. Pictures of each child’s family are framed and displayed around the room. On one wall the words ‘Home Sweet Classroom’ are prominently displayed.” — Colleague

Rhapsody Barbrow

Lightridge Ridge High

19 years in education

Subject area: Social Science / Global Studies

“Mrs. Rhapsody Barbrow cares deeply about the individual stories of her students. She is limitless in her ability to find ways to connect to the kids.” — Administrator

Carrie Bauer

Emerick Elementary

20 years in education

Subject area: First grade

“Mrs. Bauer fueled our child’s love of learning with open-ended, student-driven projects that were infused with choice and creativity. She masterfully balanced delivering content with having fun, and by doing so, she increased engagement and cemented learning.” — Parent

Dawn Blevins

Hovatter Elementary

20 years in education

Subject area: Third grade

“Ms. Blevins student conferences and check ins throughout the year always encompassed thoughtful information about the personal growth, selfesteem and individual needs of our son. She helped foster self-advocacy, independence, and accommodation skills for my son that will continue to serve him throughout his life.” — Parent

Leeann Brockway

Sanders Corner Elementary

23 years in education

Subject area: Kindergarten

“Mrs. Brockway views the children for who they can become, which fuels a desire in the child’s mind to grow and do better. The positive language in class lends to improved student behavior on all levels, essentially paving the way for concepts to be taught and understood effectively.” — Parent

Jessica Burdick

Meadowland Elementary

9 years in education

Subject area: Grades 1-5

“Mrs. Burdick’s students are risktakers because they know their teacher believes in them. She pushes them to try their best in a safe environment and they have fun while learning in her class.”— Colleague

Tamara Carter-Nemish

Leesburg Elementary

21 years in education

Subject area: Physical Education

“Growing up I had a very bad experience with all my physical education teachers, and it has affected my lifetime view of fitness and sports. I only wish I had a teacher like Mrs. Nemish. She embraces all students, and she accepts them where they are and encouragement is offered to all students for achieving even the smallest of goals.” — Colleague

Yuliel Cruz Colon

Eagle Ridge Middle

16 years in education

Subject area: World Languages & Cultures

“Senora Cruz has made me feel welcomed and helped me want to better myself and do the best I can do without feeling pressured. Her attitude towards her students and teaching has helped prepare me for challenges outside her classroom.” — Student

Lauren Cunningham

Madison’s Trust Elementary

6 years in education

Subject area: Grades 1-5

“Mrs. Cunningham is a dynamic and organized teacher. She is relatable and genuinely connects with her students. She takes the time to get to know the children and provides them with the opportunity to be the best students they can be. I am continuously amazed by her enthusiasm, patience, kindness, compassion and dedication to her students.” — Parent / Classroom Volunteer

Marykirk Cunningham

Frederick Douglass Elementary

19 years in education

Subject area: Kindergarten

“Over the years, Mrs. Cunningham has transformed the garden at Frederick Douglass Elementary with her father’s help and uses this space all year for real world lessons. Her students have spent the last few months learning about different crops and bringing some home to share with their families.” — Parent and Educator

Benjamin Freeman

Riverside High

18 years in education

Subject area: Social Science / Global Studies

“Mr. Freeman is a visionary leader in the world of educational social media with his creation and consistent expansion of freemanpedia.com. His website, which now extends to content and skills-based videos featuring Mr. Freeman’s love of world history as well as his sense of humor, has far-reaching positive impacts in education, not only for Riverside and LCPS, but for the entire AP World History community of teachers and students around the globe.” — Colleague

Rebecca Glaab

Sterling Elementary

11 years in education

Subject area: English Language

“Mrs. Glaab possesses many wonderful qualities and one that stands out is the importance she places on heritage. She mentioned how though learning the English language is important, it is just as important not to forget your native language. As a minority parent, it was so comforting to hear.” — Parent

Shawn Grove

Woodgrove High

28 years in education

Subject area: Art

“Mr. Gove’s artistic instruction is, at times, truly mesmerizing. Observing him instruct while he demonstrates artistic techniques is fascinating to behold and a true joy.” — Administrator

Jennifer Herrin

J.L. Simpson Middle

17 years in education

Subject area: Social Science / Global Studies

“Ms. Herrin’s whole teaching approach involves finding and using students‘ unique strengths to help them overcome their struggles and develop a positive self-image.

An example of this dedication is her initiative to create the Empowered Girl group for Latina and African American girls in sixth through eighth grade with a mission to ignite the power in girls by teaching them the skills to strive and believe in their ability to be unstoppable.” — Colleague

Tracy Hurst

Mill Run Elementary

7 years in education

Subject area: Grades 1-5

“Tracy is always up for trying something new to improve her students’ understanding of lesson objectives. Her energy and passion to make enriching lessons for her students is apparent to her colleagues and her students. Because she makes learning so fun, she is fostering deeper learning with her students.” — Colleagues (5th grade team)

Alisa Kinney

Rosa Lee Carter Elementary

15 years in education

Subject area: Fourth grade

“For an upcoming science unit, Ms. Kinney found hands-on ways for the students to model and see the relative sizes of the planets. However, she did not stop there. She then figured out how to take the project to turn it into a hallway display the entire school will be able to learn from and engage with.” — Colleague

Kelly Larivey

Emerick Elementary

20 years in education

Subject area: Third grade

“Mrs. Larivey is the kind of teacher who pays attention to student needs, wants and finds ways to connect. She attends after school activities that allow students to see her outside of school and always has a positive thing to say. She is approachable, hilarious and challenging.” — Parent

Jessica Lysholm

Mercer Middle

7 years in education

Subject area: Mathematics

“Ms. Lysholm has a unique ability to connect with students and create a positive, engaging learning environment in the classroom. She consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that enthusiasm for teaching is infectious, and it is clear that she truly cares about the success of each and every one of her students.” — Parent

Melanie Manning

Mercer Middle

9 years in education

Subject area: Music

“Mrs. Manning plays an integral role on our school’s deeper learning team where she has provided professional development series, centered upon our school’s instructional vision, to which she imparted various tools and methodology that has built our instructional capacity.” — Principal

Caroyl Massullo

Liberty Elementary

40 years in education

Subject area: First grade

“Caroyl consistently creates and nurtures an environment of love, personal growth, and individuality in her first-grade classroom each year and each day. Her students feel a sense of warmth and compassion from the moment they enter her room.” — Colleague

Jennifer McManus

Cool Spring Elementary

15 years in education

Subject area: Kindergarten

“Mrs. McManus sees the potential in each child. She praises children when they do something well, giving them the confidence they need to continue to want to do great things. ” — Colleague

Kelly Merritt

Blue Ridge Middle

5 years in education

Subject area: Family and Consumer Science

“Kelly is consistently a leader within the Belmont Ridge community. She is a role model for students and colleagues alike through her professionalism, academic intellect, and her altruistic nature.” — Administrator

Holly Myers

Blue Ridge Middle

10 years in education

Subject area: Family and Consumer Science

“Mrs. Meyers is committed to academic excellence. She provides challenging learning opportunities to her students both inside and outside the classroom.” — Parent

Erin Nesheim

Cedar Lane Elementary

18 years in education

Subject area: Fifth grade

“At the core of Mrs. Nesheim and her success is a heart that deeply cares about doing everything she can to reach out and make a positive difference in the lives of those she serves.” — Administrator

Carolyn Peterson

Evergreen Mill Elementary School

28 years in education

Subject area: Third grade

“Carolyn always keeps everyone around her laughing. The joy she spreads radiates through her classroom, and you can see how happy those kids are to walk into her room every single day.” — Colleague

Cathy Polanski

Arcola Elementary

16 years in education

Subject area: Kindergarten

“Cathy Polanski’s commitment to her students far surpasses her job description. She is constantly seeking ways to support and enrich the lives of every student. In doing so, she has enriched the lives of the entire Arcola community for years.” — Administrator

NEW SECONDARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Sarah Proper English Teacher

First year teacher

River Bend Middle

“Sarah is the collaborator all teams want. She is receptive to new ideas and not afraid to introduce new ideas. She is mindful of time if someone gets off track. If something needs to be done, she is always volunteering.” — Colleague

Fernando Rodriguez

River Bend Middle

5 years in education

Subject area: English

Language

“As an English Language teacher, Mr. Rodriguez has the dual responsibility of teaching English and mentoring Newcomer English students. Many of Mr. Rodriguez’s students are new to the United States and require support beyond the classroom. This support is where Mr. Rodriguez excels as an educator and as a mentor to students.” — Colleague

Linda Staneart Harmony Middle

29 years in education

Subject area: Mathematics

“Linda uniquely stands out as an amazing teacher due to her dedication to inspire students to achieve, willingness to help others, and her leadership. She does more and above what is expected of teachers. She offers morning help sessions every single morning for students who want to learn, improve, and excel.” — Colleague

Bethany Thiele

Brambleton Middle

16 years in education

Subject area: Art

“Bethany is a warm, engaging individual who teaches others by example, is inclusive, and consistently exhibits a broad knowledge of the Visual Arts world. She demonstrates curiosity and motivation to learn by trying new and innovative projects with her students.” — Colleague

Continued on next page

2023 Teacher/Principal Nominees

Kimberly Tomaseski Pinebrook Elementary

9 years in education

Subject area: Kindergarten

“Her classroom is dynamic and exciting. Students learn about the world while progressing with the Her classroom is dynamic and exciting. Students learn about the world while progressing with her drive to help her students become the best learners possible.” — Administrator

Michelle Warner Discovery Elementary

5 years in education

Subject area: Third grade

“Ms. Warner’s classroom always bristles with fun, energy, and various activities. She consistently demonstrated high ideals, professionalism, knowledge, and the ability to help students become the best they can be in the classroom and the community.” — Parent

Emma Weber

J. Michael Lunsford Middle

5 years in education

Subject area: Mathematics

“Emma is an innovator who is not afraid to try different activities or methods when teaching students to help them learn in ways most suited to their personal needs. She recognized early in her teaching career that Personalized Learning greatly benefits her students. Ms. Weber spends much of her personal time creating videos and materials to help her students learn and excel in math.” — Colleague

Kathryn Zangara Seneca Ridge Middle

10 years in education

Subject area: Social Science / Global Studies

“Overall, Katie’s approach to each student, colleague, and family member is one of sheer positivity and joy. She understands that she is not teaching a subject; she is teaching students. Each student matters to her. She truly understands the heart of what it means to be a student, a learner, and a vital member of a school community.” — Colleague

PRINCIPAL NOMINEES

Principal Doug Anderson

Riverside High

“Mr. Anderson is driven by a true passion to create and provide the best school for students, staff, and the community. His vision is clear - focus on communication and relationships and make the ‘schoolhouse’ a place everyone wants to be.” — Administrator

Principal Brian Blubaugh Algonkian Elementary

“Brian Blubaugh is one of the most effective and capable communicators I have encountered at Loudoun County Schools. Principal Brian Blubaugh is forthright and clear in his communication to staff, students, and parents. His humble and confident persona makes parents, students, staff and teachers at ease.” — Parent

Principal John Cornely Mill Run Elementary

“John takes leadership seriously, not only concerning himself with each child at his school, but also taking careful notice of what his teachers need. Besides the fact that he is one of the most authentic and genuine people I have had the privilege of working with professionally, John knows that behind every successful school is a happy and motivated staff.” — Teacher

Principal John Duellman Rock Ridge High

“In the time I’ve worked at Rock Ridge HS I have come to understand some key features of an excellent and well-run school. At the core of this experience are strong relationships, modeled by an effective administrative team. I am extremely fortunate to work with a leader, Principal John Duellman, who daily exhibits grace, compassion, rigor, and fairness in support of these relationships.” — Teacher and Department Chair

Principal Ryan Hitchman Lightridge High

“Dr. Hitchman holds parent coffees twice each month, one virtual and one in person. I try to attend as many as possible, and during each meeting, it is evident that he isn’t just checking a box. He truly and sincerely listens to parent comments and concerns. He then works with his staff to make the best possible adjustments for the students and Lightridge community. ” — Parent

Principal Michelle Luttrell Loudoun County High

“This same core value of service extends to how she leads our student body as well. Dr. Luttrell gives our students high expectations and many opportunities to grow in their education and their service to our school and local community. ”

— Teacher

Principal Derek Racino Sycolin Creek Elementary

“Mr. Derek Racino is committed to not only include all staff in his mission to improve education at Sycolin Creek, but highly values parents and other community members as well as part of the learning family. He always strives to keep parents up to date and included in the happenings at the school.” — Principal / Peer

Principal William Shipp Woodgrove High

“[Dr. Shipp] is supportive, encouraging, compassionate, and, arguably most importantly, he shows genuine care in each and every student’s endeavors both in and outside of the classroom. … It is not unusual to see him conversing with students in between classes, catching up on the important things going on in that individual’s life. Though the effort to connect with every student in a school with people may seem futile, his genuine want to be a principal that knows his students personally makes it happen.”

— Student / SCA President

The Loudoun Education Foundation would like to thank our generous sponsors of the Outstanding Educators of the Year Annual Recognition Banquet

• Apple Federal Credit Union

• Mike & Kristi Huber

• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

• Cigna

• Donald Cooper

• Virts Miller Foundation

• Artistic Concepts Group

• Howard Shockey & Sons, Inc.

• Wade & Natalya Tetsuka

• Bow Tie Strategies

• Maid Brigade

• Backflow Technology, LLC

• Moseley Architects

• Cana Vineyards

• Fortessa Tableware Solutions

• The Loudoun County Social Collective

GETOUT

LOCO LIVE

FIDDLIN’ DAVE AND MORGAN

Friday, May 5, 5 p.m.

Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont

Details: dirtfarmbrewing.com

Celebrate Friday with great tunes from the husband-and-wife duo who make up half of Furnace Mountain Band.

BENTON AND MCKAY

Friday, May 5, 6 p.m.

Loudoun Brewing Company, 310 E. Market St., Leesburg

Details: loudounbrewing.com

Ry n Benton and Casey McKay return to LBC with their full band for a fun First Friday evening.

SAVASH

Friday, May 5, 6:30 p.m.

Schmidt’s BBQ, 14 Loudoun St. SE, Leesburg

Details: facebook.com/schmidtsbbq

Rock out with favorite hard rock and metal covers from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.

GAELIC STORM

Friday, May 5, 8 p.m.

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

Details: tallyhotheater.com

One of the world’s best-known Celtic bands returns to downtown Leesburg. Tickets are $35.

PANIC FOR THE VIBE

Friday, May 5, 8 p.m.

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

Details: spankyspub.com

Chill out with bass-driven grooves and soulful-cadenced rhyme schemes with elements of funk, R&B and rock.

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

Friday, May 5, 8 p.m.

Nick’s Taverna, 42395 Ryan Road, Ashburn

Details: nickstaverna.com

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

GET OUT THIS WEEK

continues on page 24

Growing Up GCF A New Generation Takes the Lead at an Agritourism Institution

BY JAN MERCKER jmercker@loudounnow.com

Thirty years ago, agritourism pioneers Kate and Mark Zurschmeide launched Great Country Farms in Bluemont. Now, a new generation of Zurschmeide cousins from the sprawling Western Loudoun clan are taking on leadership roles at the farm and its sister craft beverage operations—with fresh ideas and big plans.

Kate and Mark’s daughter, Hailey Zurschmeide, and her cousin, Andrew Taylor, were born in 1993, the year GCF was launched. The 30-year-old cousins have both taken on pivotal roles in the family business.

“If we were to hone in on our focus, it’s really that family experience and connecting people to the farm again, getting them out here, getting fresh air and all of that. Loudoun’s

thought we would be where we are now. It kind of came to fruition as we were both in college,” Hailey said.

It was an hours-long conversation during a drive back to Virginia after a family reunion in Indiana during their senior year in college that the spark of returning to the family farm was lit.

different than when we started,” Hailey said. “This is a really great way for us to refocus energy on the onsite experience.”

Hailey, who grew up on the farm, is the family business’s chief vision officer, charged with making sure the farm works smoothly with its nearby sister properties: Bluemont Vineyard, Dirt Farm Brewing and Henway Hard Cider. Andrew, who grew up in nearby Round Hill, is general manager of Great Country Farms. Like many of the cousins in their generation, both started out helping with pony rides and kettle corn as kids.

Hailey and Andrew said they didn’t necessarily envision going into the family business. Andrew graduated from Christopher Newport University with an economics degree and Hailey is a Virginia Tech grad.

“I don’t know if either of us

“We were so jazzed about what they were doing out there and the opportunities we had in the year we were graduating—so much so that we took a wrong turn and ended up in Tennessee rather than Virginia,” Hailey said. “I think that’s when we were both starting to envision what it could look like as the next generation coming in and what kind of things were important to us.”

Hailey said. “I think that’s when we look

For Andrew, the idea of farming as a career dawned on him as a college student.

“I never thought of this as a unique experience growing up until I went to college and realized not everybody grows up on a farm,” he said. “I could either go away from it or I could embrace it. It’s the best life. I love what I do. I think people chase that their whole lives.”

Andrew started out running the farm’s CSA program after college and moved on to orchard management before working his way to the GM spot. Since taking over farm operations, he’s overseen a shift in focus to the agritourism experience.

“What we were witnessing was that people weren’t coming for the food itself, but the experience,” he said. “I started realizing that with our sunflowers, people were coming for the feeling that they’re having walking through the sunflower field, to get the picture for Instagram. It’s a family event.”

Andrew, who is the father of two young children, has helped ramp up innovative family-oriented fun at the farm, including educational farm play and a farm ninja obstacle course. GCF will be adding a splash pad this summer to boost the experience for young visitors. This year, GCF has let go of the CSA program that got the farm up and running in 1993 and shifted to on-farm pick-your-own and family-oriented experiences.

“We’re kind of at the point now where we are our own customer,” said Andrew, who loves experiencing the farm through his 4-year-old son’s eyes “Since we’ve had kids, my perspective on the farm has changed. It’s kind of like a nonstop

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Cousins Hailey Zurschmeide and Andrew Taylor were both born in 1993—the year their family’s business Great Country Farms was launched. Today they’ve taken on leading roles in what has become a generational business that also includes Bluemont Vineyard, Dirt Farm Brewing and Henway Hard Cider.

GET OUT THIS WEEK

continued from page 23

JAKE PHILLIPS

Friday, May 5, 8p.m.

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

Details: monksq.com

Jake Phillips is a singer/songwriter who has traveled the world. With a powerful voice and dynamic guitar skills, Phillips’s repertoire includes original music and an eclectic set of classic folk and alternative covers.

PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY

Saturday, May 6, 5 p.m.

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts

Details: facebook.com/vanishbrew

This Rochester, New York-based altcountry/indie Americana act features five musicians blending distinctive songwriting, spectacular vocals and incredible instrumentals.

MORRIS AND MORRIS

Friday, May 6, 6 p.m.

Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950

Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville

Details: flyingacefarm.com

Morris and Morris is a father/son duo performing standards, jazz, classic rock and blues.

ACOUSTIC SOUL

Saturday, May 6, 1 p.m.

The Barns at Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton

Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

Acoustic Soul’s Steven Shaffer and Bruce Turner are a guitar and vocals duo who pay tribute to legendary classic rock, blues, R&B and American roots artists.

THE KIRSCHKES

Saturday, May 6, noon

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights

Details: facebook.com/ harpersferrybrewing

Matt and Kelly Kirschke play favorite covers spanning the decades.

FREDDIE LONG

Saturday, May 6, 3 p.m.

Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950

Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville

Details: flyingacefarm.com

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

STEVE GEORGE AND FRIENDS

Saturday, May 6, 4 p.m.

MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg

Details: macsbeach.com

Celebrate Saturday with classic rock, country, blues and beyond from a local favorite.

Best Bets

GAELIC STORM

Friday, May 5, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

SCOTT KURT AND MEMPHIS 59

Saturday, May 6, 5 p.m.

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg

Details: lostbarrel.com

Southern by way of the Rust Belt, Scott Kurt’s brand of country blends old-school outlaw grit with elements of guitar-driven rock.

THE CROWN JEWELS

Saturday, May 6, 7 p.m.

Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive #120, Sterling

Details: crookedrunbrewing.com

Seasoned performers from some of the region’s favorite bands join forces for a dynamic sound.

GROOVE MANDATE

Saturday, May 6, 8 p.m.

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

Details: spankyspub.com

The Groove Mandate plays hits from the 70s, 80s and beyond. There will be dancing.

GOLD DUST WOMAN

Saturday, May 6, 8 p.m.

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

Details: tallyhotheater.com

This top-notch tribute band plays favorites from Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac. Tickets are $20.

PICTROLA

Saturday, May 6, 8 p.m.

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

Details: monksq.com

Pictrola gets Monk’s dancing with a fun mix of traditional and modern bluegrass.

TOUCH A TRUCK

Saturday, May 6, 10 a.m-3 p.m. StoneSprings Hospital virginiatouchatruck.com

JEFF TAULTON

Sunday, May 7, 1 p.m.

Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville

Details: creeksedgewinery.com

Taulton’s solo show features a fun mix of covers and originals from a range of genres.

RYAN HOLLANDER

Sunday, May 7, 2 p.m.

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights

Details: facebook.com/ harpersferrybrewing

Vocalist and bandleader Ryan Hollander has deep roots in the jazz tradition, bringing in elements of pop, R&B and rock.

LIBERTY STREET

Sunday, May 7, 2 p.m.

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

Details: flyingacefarm.com Round out the weekend with soft rock favorites from Eric Stanley and Doug Wall.

SHANE GAMBLE

Sunday, May 7, 2 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro

Details: breauxvineyards.com

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

DAVE MININBERG

Thursday, May 11, 5 p.m.

MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg

Details: macsbeach.com

Well known for his work with the band 7th Son of WV, Mininberg brings a unique blend of classic rock, blues and country.

MASTER SINGERS OF VIRGINIA

Saturday, May 6, 7 p.m.

St. Peter’s Episcopal, Purcellville

Sunday, May 7, 7 p.m. St. David’s Episcopal Church, Ashburn msva.org

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

VANISH CINCO DE MAYO

Friday, May 5, noon

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts

Details: facebook.com/vanishbrew

Vanish’s celebration features Hacienda beer release, spicy mango margaritas and a taco truck from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

CINCO DE RHINO

Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6 Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn

Details: lostrhino.com

Lost Rhino hosts two days of fun with lime-infused Rhino Chasers pilsner, Mexican cuisine and live music. Mama’s Black Sheep play Friday evening, and Something’s Brewing plays Saturday afternoon.

LOCO CULTURE

WLAST PREVIEW EXHIBIT OPENING

Friday, May 5, 5-7 p.m. Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville

Details: franklinparkartscenter.org

FPAC’s latest exhibit previews the upcoming Western Loudoun Artists Studio Tour. The opening night reception gives visitors a chance to meet Loudoun’s top artists ahead of the tour. Admission is free.

HEADLINERS LIVE DRAG CABARET

Friday, May 5, 7:30 p.m.

StageCoach Theatre Company,20937

GET OUT THIS WEEK

continues on page 26

Why I

LO VE Loudoun

Greg Moore

Chief Distiller, Flying Ace Distillery & Brewery, Lovettsville

BY VISIT LOUDOUN

Born and raised in Loudoun, Greg Moore got a degree in automotive management technology and race car construction, originally wanting to work on a pro racing car team. Instead, after a brief apprenticeship, he became assistant distiller to Becky Harris at Catoctin Creek Distilling Company in Purcellville. In 2020, he was offered the head distiller position at fledgling “field-to-bottle” distillery and brewery Flying Ace Farm, where he has since won numerous awards for his bourbon-focused spirits.

FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT IN LOUDOUN?

Monk’s BBQ in Purcellville is like country boy heaven when it comes to food. Not to mention they have a massive whiskey selection and a relaxed atmosphere. They have just opened an outpost at Flying Ace, so I am even more at home.

FAVORITE PLACE FOR A CRAFT BEVERAGE (ASIDE FROM FLYING ACE)?

There’s no way I can name just one. How about six? For wine, Fabbioli Cellars in Lucketts—there is a reason Doug Fabbioli is the “godfather” of Loudoun wine—and Walsh Family Wine near Purcellville where Nate and Sarah are absolutely killing it with their expressions. Beer-wise, Adroit Theory in Purcellville produces some of the funkiest brews I’ve ever tasted, Wheatland Spring has delicious craft beer, and Harvest Gap is a family-friendly atmosphere on a gorgeous, working farm. Finally, Catoctin Creek Distilling in Purcellville. No explanation needed.

BEST HIDDEN GEM IN LOUDOUN?

I’m not so sure it’s hidden anymore but Buford’s Biscuits in Leesburg has the best biscuits this side of anywhere. Amazing chicken, biscuits and cocktails. There’s nothing missing.

WHAT’S A MUST-SEE PLACE FOR AN OUT-OF-TOWN VISITOR?

Anywhere that you can enjoy the view. I think the land itself is the main attraction here in Loudoun. There are just too many places to list so just find a good hill, grab a chair and a dram and enjoy the vista.

FAVORITE EVENT IN LOUDOUN TO GO TO?

Oktoberfest in Lovettsville. German food, beer and tons of Lederhosen. The main event for me is the wiener dog race. It is truly something to behold.

WHAT’S A FUN FACT TO SHARE ABOUT LOUDOUN?

Loudoun was once a popular meeting place for the Virginia arm of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which helped to usher in Prohibition. Today, it’s home to more than 50 vineyards, 30 plus breweries and five distilleries with more on the way. I always find that to be an entertaining nugget of history.

WAS THERE A BIG WHISKEY SCENE HERE BEFORE PROHIBITION?

For sure, but none of it was necessarily legal. Most taverns in those days had a still in the back room that would be used to make their own brand of hooch that could be sold under the table for a much higher profit.

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT FLYING ACE FARM?

We are Loudoun’s first farm distillery and brewery. We also boast 40 acres of Bloody Butcher corn, a variety of heritage corn native to

LOVE LOUDOUN

continues on page 26

Visit Loudoun Loudoun native Greg Moore is an award-winning distiller at Flying Ace Farm.

GCF

continued from page 23

experiment. I’ll see a trend and I’ll say let’s try it.”

Andrew has also moved the farm in the direction of regenerative and sustainable farming practices.

“You start looking at that next generation and it makes you realize you’re not trying to just get by this year, you’re really trying to build for the future and that really starts with the soil. We’re confident we’re offering a better, healthier product to our customers too. We have been in the community for the last 30 years. We want to make sure we’re going to be here for another 30 years,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’re just stewards of this beautiful property in Loudoun County. It’s our job to take care of it.”

Meanwhile, as the family-owned business has expanded to craft beverages over the decades, Hailey focuses on keeping the farm and craft beverage businesses working in harmony. She started as the wine club coordinator at Bluemont Vineyard and took over as the

winery’s general manager before moving into her current role.

“We had a really cool opportunity to look at how the businesses can better support each other. What product lines can we expand on by having a focus on the farm?” Hailey said.

This year, the Zurschmeides are expanding their winery operation to Texas. After one cousin spent time in Austin, the entire family fell in love with the surrounding Hill Country. Bluemont Vineyard Texas opened last month, and Hailey’s sister, Carly Zurschmeide, will head to Austin to run it after graduating from Virginia Tech this spring.

“We realized there’s this really cool wine community there. It’s very different from here. It was a community we wanted to be a part of,” Hailey said.

Running the farm and the sister properties has always been a family affair for Kate and Mark and the six GenX Zurschmeide siblings who grew up on a farm near Lincoln—and their 19 millennial and Gen Z children, several of whom now have children of their own. Hailey’s brother Nick works for Bluemont Vineyard on

the culinary side, while her brother Jake works in vineyard operations. Another cousin Sean Zurschmeide oversees construction projects on the family properties. Around half of the 19 cousins in Andrew and Hailey’s generation work for the family business, but everyone pitches in on busy weekends when help is needed—from driving a tractor to selling doughnuts.

“Everyone’s involved whether they want to or not,” Andrew said. “You’ve got to laugh every day. If you take yourself too seriously out here, there’ll be a cousin ready to make fun of you.”

“I think the biggest thing is to recognize that everyone brings something to the table, whether that is like Andrew and I putting our full time or [family members] coming in and being that saving grace as needed,” Hailey said. “That openness and recognition among the family that everybody is bringing something to the table.”

For more information about Great Country Farms and upcoming events this spring and summer, go to greatcountryfarms.com. n

LOVE LOUDOUN

continued from page 25

Virginia, but almost extinct because of its difficulty in production and the cost to grow it. We are one of a handful of distilleries in the U.S. that is fortunate enough to have access to this delicious grain.

WHAT MAKES LOUDOUN APPEALING FOR THE DISTILLING BUSINESS?

The proximity to DC and its suburbs is a massive advantage to any business that relies on tourism dollars. Check out any busy tasting room on a sunny Saturday and you are sure to see a parking lot full of DC tags. n

GET OUT THIS WEEK

continued from page 24

Ashburn Road, Suites 115 and 120, Ashburn

Details: stagecoachtc.com

Anja Dick and Domingo bring an evening of music, mirth and musings from two of DC’s brightest live-singing drag sensations. Tickets are $25. The performance is recommended for people 18 and over.

“M”

Saturday, May 6, 7 p.m.

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

Details: stagecoachtc.com

Loudoun playwright Terry Smith’s new work explores his wife’s death by suicide and his own reaction to the loss. Tickets are $25 for in-person or livestream tickets. The production is recommended for adult audiences.

LAST HAM STANDING COMEDY IMPROV

Saturday, May 6, 8-9:30 p.m.

Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville

Details: franklinparkartscenter.org

This hilarious show is full of laughs for the whole family as performers take suggestions from the audience to create wacky scenes and improv games. Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and $10 for children.

LOUDOUN LATINO FESTIVAL

Sunday, May 7, noon

102 Heritage Way NE, Leesburg

Details: facebook.com/loudounprcs

This free community event is a celebration of Latino culture in the DMV, featuring live music and entertainment, delicious food and giveaways.

INTERFAITH COMEDY NIGHT

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

Sunday, May 7, 5-7:30 p.m. ADAMS Center, 46903 Sugarland Road, Sterling

Details: loudouninterfaithbridges.org

Loudoun Interfaith Bridges hosts an evening of laughter with comedians from diverse backgrounds with witty jokes and relatable anecdotes. Admission is by donation. Advance registration is requested. n

Purcellville Eyes Reserves to Hold Down Utility Bills

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The Purcellville Town Council on Monday heard from the town’s financial advisors on suggested utility rate increases for the coming fiscal years and the state of the town’s bond rating.

The town is facing dramatic water and wastewater rate increases beginning in fiscal year 2025 when its debt services payments increase sharply. The wastewater debt service alone increases over $1.3 million in FY 2025.

A presentation by David Hyder, a principal with the town’s utility advisor Stantec Consulting, showed town water expenditures for the next nine years to steadily increase including from $3.53 million in FY 2024, to $3.78 million in FY 2025 and $3.9 million in FY 2026. His model for wastewater shows even steeper increases, with expected expenditures of $4.02 million in FY 2024, $5.36 million in FY 2025, and $5.48 million in FY 2026.

Expected revenues for those years at the current utility rates fall below expenditures with water bringing in $2.72 million in FY 2024, $2.67 million in FY 2025 and $2.60 million in FY 2026 and wastewater bringing in $3.46 million in FY 2024, $3.9 million in FY 2025 and $3.62 million in FY 2026. Those figures include the offset achieved by the council’s decision earlier this year

to use $990,000 in revenue from selling nutrient credits to help hold down rate increases.

In FY 2024, the town faces an $810,000 deficit in the Water Fund and a $560,000 deficit in Wastewater Fund at the current utility rates.

Assistant Director of Finance Connie LeMarr told the council that residential water usage was on the decline, while commercial water usage was increasing—a trend Stantec was seeing in other communities as well. Hyder said water usage declined almost 3% between 2020 and 2023 and going forward the company was planning for a 1.5% decline each year for the next three years. The trend only contributes to the need to raise utility rates, he said.

Hyder presented the council with three different suggested rate models for both water and wastewater—the first without taking the town’s capital improvement plan into account, the second with the budgeted CIP, and the third with a modified CIP that pares back spending.

For water rates, with a modified CIP, he suggested a 6.5% rate increase in FY 2024 and a 13% increase each year increase through FY 2023. For wastewater, with a modified CIP, he suggested a 9% increase in FY 2024 and a 14% percent annual increase until FY 2029. The rates were higher in the model using the council’s full-budgeted CIP.

For residents in town, the rate plan using the modified CIP translates to an estimated monthly water bill of $46.20 in FY 24, $52.20 in FY 25 and $59 in FY 26, assuming usage of 4,000 gallons of water. Estimated wastewater costs under the same usage translate to a monthly bill of $82.70 in FY 2024, $94.30 in FY 25 and $107.50 in FY 26. The plans also included using the town’s reserve funds to help finance CIP projects and to balance the budget. The town’s current fiscal policy requires a reserve of at least 100% of annual operating expenses and debt service. Under the plan proposed by Stantec, the Town Council would have to modify that policy to require only 50% coverage.

Director of Finance Elizabeth Krens warned that lowering the amount below 50% was risky.

Council Member Erin Rayner asked how low the reserve funds could go before it would affect the town’s bond ratings, adding that she was worried about that.

Senior Vice President Kyle Laux, of the town’s financial advisor Davenport and Company, said that the town currently has excellent credit ratings from the three major ratings agencies. Standard and Poor’s Global Ratings currently rates the town at the highest

UTILITY BILLS

continues on page 36

Debate Continues Over Raises in Purcellville

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Following a dozen work sessions on the proposed fiscal year 2024 budget, the Purcellville Town Council on April 26 held its first mark-up session but made no formal changes.

Compensation increases for the town staff remain a key point of contention.

Vice Mayor Christopher Bertaut and Council Member Mary F. “Boo” Bennett again pushed to reduce the proposed 5% cost of living adjustment.

Bertaut recommended a COLA decrease to 3.5%, and replacing performance-based raises with one-time bonuses. Those he proposed reducing from the proposed 4% maximum rais-

es to 2% maximum bonuses.

Bennett recommended a COLA reduction from 5% to 2%, the same suggestion she made at an April 11 meeting, just before Interim Town Manager John Anzivino resigned. She also took Bertaut’s performance raises reduction a step further, suggesting a reduction to a 1.5% one-time bonus. Her suggestions would cut more than $500,000 from the budget.

Purcellville Police Chief Cynthia McAlister, Director of Public Works

Jason Didawick, Director of Finance

Elizabeth Krens and Director of Human Resources Sharon Rauch warned the council that reducing the COLA would make retaining employees and hiring new ones more difficult in an already competitive market.

“You know we’re in a very difficult recruiting market right now and we are having a difficult time finding experienced staff in all departments,” Rauch said. “Right now, we have a current attrition rate of 13% and if you annualize that it’s going to be 16%. … Given our 10 departures so far, year to date, this dollar amount of loss could be $321,000 to $487,000. So, my request or suggestion would be, what is the possibility of removing the pay for performance budget and then leaving that COLA whole at 5%?”

McAlister said recruitment costs for a police officer—from interviewing a potential employee to when they are

PURCELLVILLE RAISES

continues on page 35

BLUEMONT

Finch Work Selected for Fair Poster

Organizers of the 53rd annual Bluemont Fair have selected artwork by Michelle Finch for this year’s fair poster.

Her graphic depicts stone walls, a field of sunflowers, and the Blue Ridge mountains rising in the distance—an image judges found to capture much of what makes Bluemont such a special place in Northern Virginia.

The artwork will be featured on the poster, T-shirts, and other promotional material.

This year’s fair will be held Sept. 16-17. For more information, go to bluemontfair.org.

HILLSBORO

Gardens in The Gap Returns May 20

Hillsboro is gearing up for its spring celebration—Gardens in The Gap event.

The May 20 event will feature two seating’s for a formal tea in the Hill Rose Garden, free self-guided tours of the historic town and a Spring Garden Market with nearly 20 vendors offering plants, garden accessories, crafts, food and more on the grounds of Hillsboro’s Old Stone School. Tea times, with light food service and a complimentary drink served on site, are 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $50, $25 for children 14 and under.

On Friday, May 19, author, horticulturist, podcaster and filmmaker Catherine Zimmerman will speak on Native Plants and Meadowscaping in All Places during an Eat, Drink & Be Literary event. Zimmerman’s seminal book, “Urban & Suburban Meadows,” will be available for purchase and signing. Doors and The Gap Bar open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and include locally sourced light hors d’oeuvres.

Information and tickets for all Gardens in The Gap events are available at oldstoneschool.org.

LOVETTSVILLE Council Appoints Bass as Town Attorney

The Town Council voted to confirm the appointment of Matthew Bass as its next town attorney at a meeting April 27.

AROUND TOWNS continues on page 28

AROUND towns

continued from page 27

Bass works for Harrison and Johnston, PLC located in Winchester, and also serves on the Clarke County Board of Supervisors.

“I know the firm, each one of us, looks forward to serving you in whatever capacity you can,” Bass said. “I do think Harrison and Johnston can be your one-stop shop in whatever capacity you need.”

Mayor Christopher Hornbaker disclosed that he and Bass attended high school together in Clarke County and council member Brandon Davis abstained from the vote because he and Bass attended the same law school, with Bass graduating a year before Davis.

“I do appreciate it, and full disclosure, this was the only candidate that was interviewed … We definitely appreciate you stepping forward and helping us here in the Town of Lovettsville,” Hornbaker said.

Bass previously worked for Burnett and Williams and the Walker Law Firm PLC in Leesburg, according to his LinkedIn profile.

MIDDLEBURG

Council Eyes New Options to Limit House Sizes

The Town Council continues to search for the best way to protect neighborhoods from the redevelopment trend that involves razing homes to build larger ones.

The town last year enacted new restrictions aimed at limiting the size of homes in its R-2 zoned neighborhoods, but the council wants to do more.

During last week’s council meeting Deputy Town Manager William M. Moore presented three new options.

The first would reduce the building envelope on lots—reducing the permissible lot coverage, increasing setbacks, and further limiting building heights. A second option would take those steps and also establish a maximum floor-area ratio that would restrict the amount of space permitted on multiple stories. FAR is typically used for commercial development.

A third option, not recommended by the town staff, would be to establish an architectural control board that could review construction projects on a case-bycase basis.

The council is expected to vote May 11 to direct the staff and the Planning Commission to develop Zoning Ordinance amendments to address the concerns. n

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE INVITATION FOR BID (IFB)

The Town of Leesburg will accept bids electronically via the Commonwealth’s e-procurement website (www.eva.virginia. gov), until 3:00 p.m. on May 18, 2023 for the following:

IFB NO. 15303-FY23-51

EAST MARKET STREET (ROUTE 7) & BATTLEFIELD PARKWAY INTERCHANGE LANDSCAPING

The Town is soliciting bids from qualified contractors to provide landscaping services including, but not limited to tree plantings, mulching, maintenance including watering, any necessary traffic control and all incidentals related thereto.

For additional information, visit: http://www.leesburgva.gov/bidboard

5/4/23

COMBINED PUBLIC NOTICE

(1) NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS (NOI-RROF); AND

(2) NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (FONSI)

DATE OF NOTICE: May 4, 2023

GRANTEE NAME: County of Loudoun, Virginia

GRANTEE ADDRESS: 1 Harrison Street, SE

Leesburg, VA 20175

TELEPHONE: (703) 737-8323

TO ALL INTERESTED AGENCIES, GROUPS AND PERSONS: The purpose of this notice is to satisfy two (2) separate, but related, procedural notification requirements for activities to be undertaken by the County of Loudoun, Virginia.

(1) NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS (NOI-RROF)

On or about May 22, 2023, the County of Loudoun will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended (P.L. 93-383), to undertake a project funded by the FY 2015, FY 2016, and FY 2018 CDBG Programs for the purpose of installing sewer lateral lines at 21011 Greengarden Road, Bluemont, VA 20135.

ASSESSED PROJECT

Howardsville Lot 1 – Sewer Laterals: CDBG funds under Federal Grant Agreements B-15UC-51-0006, B-16-UC-51-0006, and B-18-UC-51-0006 will be used to provide public sewer service to two (2) single-family dwellings on the same lot, that are currently served by a failing septic system, by installing two (2) on-site lateral sewer lines that will connect at a grinder pump to the Loudoun Wastewater system. The project budget is approximately $40,000.00 through a grant of the Loudoun County CDBG Program (FYs 2015, 2016, and 2018). The project is anticipated to start in Calendar Year 2023 and be completed in Calendar Year 2023.

(2) NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (FONSI)

The County of Loudoun has determined that the above-identified project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. The subject project is assessed under HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, 106 Catoctin Circle SE Leesburg, VA 20175 and is available for public examination and copying, upon request, during normal business hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ABC LICENSE

Black Walnut Brewery LLC trading as Black Walnut Brewery, 212 S King St, Leesburg, Virginia 20175.

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Retail Wine and Beer On and Off Premises and Mixed Beverage license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Patrick Wilt, Owner

Note: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

5/4 & 5/11/23

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, via email to housing@loudoun.gov or via mail to CDBG Program Manager, PO Box 7000 Leesburg, VA 20177. All comments received by May 19, 2023, will be considered by the County of Loudoun prior to authorizing submittal of a request for release of funds to HUD. Commenters should specify which Notice provided herein they are addressing.

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION

The County of Loudoun certifies to HUD that Ms. Valmarie Turner, in her capacity as Assistant County Administrator, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process, and these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the County of Loudoun to use CDBG funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the County of Loudoun’s certification for a period of fifteen (15) days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following basis: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the County of Loudoun; (b) the County of Loudoun has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations 24 CFR Part 58; (c) the County of Loudoun or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Section 58.76), and shall be addressed to the CPD Director, HUD Washington, DC Field Office, via email to Michael.D.Rose@hud.gov, or by calling (202) 275-6266. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Ms. Valmarie Turner, Assistant County Administrator Loudoun County

1 Harrison Street, SE Leesburg, VA 20175

5/4/23

Legal Notices

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE

The PURCELLVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing in the Council Chambers of Town Hall located at 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia on TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2023 at 6:00 PM for the purpose of receiving comments on, considering, and possibly voting on the following item:

FIRST AMENDMENT TO WATER TOWER COMMUNICATIONS SITE

Westwind Drive Extension

from Loudoun County Parkway to Old Ox Road

LEASE AGREEMENT

The prior Tower Site Lease Agreement between the Town of Purcellville (“Lessor”) and New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Lessee”) has an effective date of June 1, 2019. The Lessee desires to enter into a new Water Tower Communications Site Lease Agreement with the Lessor to make certain changes, additions, and modifications to the Existing Facilities which occupy a portion of the Town’s water tower (“Water Tower”) and the grounds below, for an expiration date of May 31, 2024. The Water Tower is located on a 1.7 acre parcel, owned by the Town and addressed as 311 North Maple Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia (“Property”), further identified in the Loudoun County land records as Tax Map Number /35A2/8/////1A and Parcel Identification Number 488-40-5578-000. Under the proposed lease, the Lessee will occupy a portion of the Property, to include space on the Water Tower, to which the Lessee shall install a back-up power supply, and electrical cables connecting the generator for backup power supply to their existing facilities for their antennas and ancillary equipment. In addition the Lessee will deliver electrical power to the radio communications equipment operated by the Lessor.

Information related to this Lease, including a copy of the Lease, is available for review on the Town’s website at www.purcellvilleva.gov, and also at the Purcellville Town Hall, 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia by appointment, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.

At this public hearing, all persons desiring to present their views concerning this matter will be heard. All persons have the option of sending an email to the Town Clerk, townclerk@purcellvilleva.gov, with written comments or questions concerning the public hearing item. Emails may be sent by 4:00 PM the day of the Public Hearing.

5/4/2023 & 5/11/2023

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION

NOTICE is hereby given that the Loudoun County Board of Equalization of Real Estate Assessments (BOE) will hear appeals for 2023 Real Estate Assessments at Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, between 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. beginning on July 27 2023, and continuing through December 29, 2023, with the exception of September 4th, October 9th, November 7th, November 10th, November 22nd, November 23rd, November 24th, December 22nd, and December 25th, 2023. The BOE scheduled hearings will be posted on the County calendar at www.loudoun.gov. Hearing dates are subject to change. Please also refer to the County calendar for cancellations.

The BOE will sit and hear all appeals timely presented for consideration. Following the hearing, the BOE shall equalize the taxpayer’s assessment by increasing, decreasing, or affirming such assessment.

The BOE will continue to hear appeals until the last day needed to complete all necessary action regarding such appeals, or December 28, 2022, whichever comes first.

If you require a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate in a public meeting, please contact the Board of Equalization at 703-777-0289. At least one business day advance notice is requested; some accommodations may require more than one day of notice.

Kevin Kuester, Chairman Board of Equalization

Location & Design Public Hearing

Monday I June 5, 2023 I 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Stone Hill Middle School 23415 Evergreen Ridge Dr, Ashburn, VA 20148 www.loudoun.gov/westwind

Learn about the planned roadway improvements to extend Westwind Drive from Loudoun County Parkway (Route 607) to Old Ox Road (Route 606), which will serve to directly link the roadways between two Metrorail Silver Line stations, Loudoun Gateway Station and Ashburn Station. The project includes a new roadway connection between State Street and Ladbrook Drive; a new bridge over Broad Run; expanded pedestrian access between Loudoun County Parkway and Old Ox Road; and a new traffic signal at State Street.

The Location & Design Public Hearing for the Westwind Drive Extension project will be held in person at Stone Hill Middle School, located at 23415 Evergreen Ridge Dr, Ashburn, VA 20148. The project team will make a short presentation outlining the project overview, details, and proposed schedules beginning at 6:30 p.m. and answer questions following the presentation. Right-of-Way relocation assistance information and A Guide for the Property Owner and Tenants will be available.

Review project information and Location & Design Public Hearing details on the webpage above or during business hours at the Loudoun County Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure’s Office, 101 Blue Seal Drive SE, Suite 102, Leesburg, VA 20177. Please call ahead at 703-737-8624 or TTY/TDD 711 to make an appointment with appropriate personnel.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 23 CFR 771, an environmental document in the form of a Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared as per an agreement between the Federal Highway Administration and the Virginia Department of Transportation. In compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 and 36 CFR Part 800, information concerning the potential effects of the proposed improvements on properties listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places will be available with the EA.

Give your comments during the hearing, or by June 19, 2023, via the comment form on the project website, by mail to Yuliya Esmond, P.E., Loudoun County, 101 Blue Seal Drive, SE, Suite 102, Leesburg, VA 20177 or by email to dtci@loudoun.gov. Please reference “Westwind Drive Extension” in the subject line.

Loudoun County 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. If you require an accommodation for any type of disability or need language assistance in order to participate in the Location & Design Public Hearing on June 5, 2023, please call 703-7378035 (TTY/TDD 711). Three business days advance notice is requested.

Loudoun County CRCP: 2021-0009  State Project: 2988-053-175, PE101, RW201, C501

5/4 & 5/11/23

UPC: 111670

Federal: STP-5B01

To learn more about the Westwind Drive Extension project and stay informed about opportunities to provide feedback and get involved in the public process, visit our website at: www.loudoun.gov/westwind

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, May 23, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following:

ZCPA-2022-0011

LOUDOUN WEST

(Zoning Concept Plan Amendment)

Nova 1 Owner LLC c/o TA Realty of Boston, Massachusetts, has submitted an application to amend the existing proffers approved with ZCPA-2018-0003, Loudoun West, to remove ZCPA-2018-0003 Proffer XIII.33 limiting building height in relation to a former property line and to amend ZCPA-2018-0003 Proffer XIII.34.8 to allow proposed generator location to be ground level or elevated/stacked. The subject property is located partially within the AIOD (Airport Impact Overlay District) between the Ldn 60-65 and outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contours. The subject property is approximately 145.02 acres in size and is located on the east side of Sycolin Road (Route 625), northwest of the Dulles Greenway (Route 267) at 42049 Nova Park Dr, Leesburg, Virginia, in the Leesburg Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 193-27-9018. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Transition Policy Area (Transition Light Industrial Place Type)), which designates this area for predominantly data center, contractor service establishments, and small-scale assembly production uses.

ZMAP-2022-0014,

ZMOD-2022-0051, ZMOD-2022-0052, & ZMOD-2023-0019 DEFENDER WEST

(Zoning Map Amendment)

JLB Realty LLC of Bethesda, Maryland has submitted an application to rezone approximately 20.77 acres from the PD-H4 (Planned Development – Housing 4) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the R-24 ADU (Multifamily Residential, inclusive of Affordable Dwelling Units) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop up to 262 multifamily attached units at a density of up to 25.3 units per acre. The subject property is located within the AIOD (Airport Impact Overlay District), between the Ldn 60-65 aircraft noise contours, the QN (Quarry Notification) Overlay District, Chantilly Crush Stone Note Area, and partially within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District), Minor Floodplain. The Applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s):

ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION PROPOSED MODIFICATION

§3-707(B), R-24, Multifamily Residential, Building Requirements; Building Height.

§7-1003(E), R-24 Multi-family Residential District, Lot and Building Requirements, Active Recreation Space.

§5-1408(B)(2)(d), Landscaping, Buffer Yards, Screening, and Landscape Plans, General Landscape Provisions, Plant Unit Requirements

Increase the maximum building height from 60 feet to 70 feet, with an additional 1-foot setback for each 1-foot over 45 feet in height.

Reduce the required active recreation space requirement from 50,000 square feet to 38,155 square feet.

Modify the Type 2 Road Corridor Buffer requirements along Defender Drive to permit up to 75 percent of the required landscaping to consist of shrubs.

The subject property is approximately 20.77 acres in size and is located on the south side of Defender Drive (Route 1279), east side of Elk Lick (Road Route 621), and the west side of South Riding Boulevard (Route 2201) in the Dulles Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as:

Corridor Business Optional Overlay District, the AIOD (Airport Impact Overlay District) within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 noise contour, and partially within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District) minor floodplain. The subject property is approximately 32.52 acres in size and is located north of Dresden Street (Route 1119), and east of Broderick (Route 1070) in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as follows:

The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Mixed Use Place Type), which designates this area for a mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural and Recreational uses at recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0.

ZRTD-2022-0006

BROAD RUN BUSINESS CENTER

(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District)

BCal PCP PROPERTY II LLC, of Boston, Massachusetts, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 32.52 acres from the PD-IP (Planned Development - Industrial Park) zoning district under the 1993 Zoning Ordinance, to the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, in order to permit the development of all principal and accessory uses permitted in the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.6 (up to 1.0 by Special Exception). The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District, the Route 28

The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Employment Place Type)) that support a broad array of employment uses at a recommended FAR of up to 1.0.

ZMAP-2022-0008, SPEX-2022-0024, SPMI-2022-0024, ZMOD-2022-0028, & ZMOD-2022-0083

ALIGNED ENERGY DATA CENTER

(Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exception & Zoning Modifications)

Aligned Data Centers (Relo) PropCo., LLC, of Plano, Texas, has submitted applications for the following: to rezone 10.14 acres from the R-1 (Single Family Residential-1) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-OP (Planned Development – Office Park) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to develop a data center. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and the proposed uses are listed as Special Exceptions under Section 4-306(C) and 5-1403(B). The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modifications:

ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION

§4-306(B) PD-OP Planned Development – Office Park, Building Requirements, Building Height.

§5-664(D)(1) Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities, and (E)(2) and (E)(3) Landscaping/Buffering/ Screening

PROPOSED MODIFICATION

To allow a 99.5-foot building within the 75-foot setback.

To remove the required sidewalk along South Sterling Boulevard, replacing the Buffer Type 3 and six-foot berm for Data Centers with the road corridor buffer types required under Section 5-1403(B) for South Sterling Boulevard (Type 2 Buffer) and Relocation Drive (Type 1 Buffer) and by providing plant types and percentages of plant units required under Section 5-1408(B)(2) in lieu of the required plant types and percentages of plant units specified for Data Centers.

The subject property is approximately 10.14 acres in size and is located within the Route 28 Taxing District, within the Route 28 Elected Overlay District, within the Route 28 Optional Overlay District Corridor Industrial (CI) and within the AIOD (Airport Impact Overlay District within the Ldn 60-65 aircraft noise contour. The property is located on the west side of Relocation Drive (Route 869) and north of Executive Drive (Route 885) in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN 045-27-9612. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Industrial/Mineral Extraction Place Type)) - which designates the area for 100% non-residential and a maximum floor area ratio (FAR) 0.6.

ZMOD-2022-0076

THE HUMAN BEAN (Zoning Modification)

J & P Coffee LLC., of Fairfax, Virginia, has submitted an application for a zoning modification to allow an increase in the number of signs along with an increase in the aggregate sign area for an existing drivethrough restaurant (The Human Bean) in the C-1 (Commercial-1) zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance. The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District, within the Route 28 Optional Overlay District Corridor Office (CO) and partially within the AIOD (Airport Impact Overlay District) between the Ldn 60-65 and within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60, aircraft noise contours. The subject property is approximately 0.85 acres in size and is located on the north side of West Church Road (Route 625) and west of Atlantic Boulevard (Route 1902) in the Sterling Election District. The subject property

Legal Notices

is more particularly described as PIN: 044-40-8989. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Mixed Use Place Type)), which designate this area for a mix of residential, commercial, entertainment, cultural, and recreational uses at a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of up to 1.0.

ZMAP-2021-0024, SPEX-2021-0060, ZMOD-2021-0093, ZMOD-2022-0073

ZMOD-2022-0074, ZMOD-2023-0002 & ZMOD-2023-0003

LANSDOWNE BOULEVARD REZONING

(Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exception & Zoning Modifications)

ESC Lansdowne LLC, of McLean, Virginia, has submitted applications for the following: 1) to rezone approximately 9.22 acres from the PD-OP (Planned Development – Office Park) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the R-16 ADU (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential-16, ADU Development Regulations) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop 120 Residential units, consisting of a maximum 48 multifamily units and a maximum of 72 single family attached units, at a density of approximately 13.02 dwelling units per acre; and 2) a Special Exception to permit the modification of the minimum yard requirements to decrease front yards for rear loaded single family attached units from 15 feet to 4 feet, rear yards for rear loaded single family attached units from 15 feet to 5 feet, and side yards for corner lots for multi-family units from 25 feet to 10 feet in the R-16 ADU zoning district. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance and the proposed modification of the minimum yard requirements for ADU developments in the R-16 ADU zoning district is listed as a Special Exception under Section 7-903(C)(3). The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s):

ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION

§7-903(D)(2) R-16 Townhouse/Multi-family District, Lot and Building Requirements, Lot Coverage.

§5-1101(A) Off-Street Parking and Loading Requirements, Compliance Required, General Requirement.

§5-200(A)(6) Permitted Structures in Required Yards and Setbacks, In all yards or setbacks, including a front yard.

§5-1408(C)(1) Landscaping, Buffer Yards, Screening, and Landscape Plans, General Landscape Provisions, Use of Buffer Yards and Road Corridor Buffers.

§5-1404(B) Landscaping, Buffer Yards, Screening, and Landscape Plans, Buffer Yards, Use Buffer Yard Matrix, Table 5-1404(B).

PROPOSED MODIFICATION

Increase lot coverage from 75 percent to 85 percent for rear-loaded single family attached dwelling units.

Permit two on-street parking spaces to meet zoning requirements instead of one on-street space.

Increase the permitted projection of enclosed or unenclosed porches from 3 feet to 4 feet provided that they do not extend closer than 1 foot from a lot line.

Permit active recreation areas within buffer yards, provided that plant unit requirements are met.

Permit development of residential uses adjacent to active recreation without a buffer yard on the residential side.

The subject property is approximately 9.22 acres in size and is located on the west side of Lansdowne Boulevard (Route 2400) and north of Riverside Parkway (Route 2401) in the Ashburn Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 082-28-1875. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area) in the Suburban Mixed Use Place Type which designate this area for a mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural and Recreational uses at recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0.

CMPT-2022-0001 & SPMI-2023-0001

DTC SUBSTATION (Commission Permit & Minor Special Exception)

Dominion Energy of Richmond, Virginia has submitted an application for Commission approval to permit development of one Utility Substations (Distribution) in the PD-OP (Planned Development - Office Park) zoning district. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance and requires a Commission Permit in accordance with Section 6-1101. The subject property is located within the AIOD (Airport Impact Overlay District) within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contour, and located within the Route 28 Taxing District. The subject property also contains minor floodplain and moderately steep slopes. The modification of the Additional Regulations applicable to the proposed Utility Substations is authorized by Minor Special Exception under Section 5-600, Additional Regulations for Specific Uses (the Minor Special Exception application is not subject to consideration by the Planning Commission and requires approval only by the Board of Supervisors), pursuant to which the Applicant requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s):

ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION

§5-616(D), Additional Regulations and Standards, Utility Substations

PROPOSED MODIFICATION

Substitute the required Type 4 buffer yard with a 12’ tall 95% opacity architectural screen wall.

The subject property is approximately 8.17 acres in size and is located east of Sully Road (Route 28) and south of Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7) in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN 029-45-5622. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County

2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Mixed Use Place Type), which designates this area

for a mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural and Recreational uses at recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0.

CMPT-2022-0009

PRENTICE DRIVE SUBSTATION

(Commission Permit)

Dominion Energy, of Richmond, Virginia, has submitted an application for Commission approval to permit the installation of a Utility Substation (Distribution) in the PD-OP (Planned Development –Office Park) zoning district. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance and the proposed uses require a Commission Permit in accordance with Section 6-1101. The subject property is located within the AIOD (Airport Impact Overlay District) within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60-65 aircraft noise contour and in the AIOD Ldn 65 or higher noise contour. The subject property also contains major floodplain and very and moderately steep slopes. The subject property is approximately 75.70 acres in size and is located on the south side of Shellhorn Road (Route 643) and west of Lockridge Road (Route 789) in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN 06347-7734.

The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Urban Policy Area (Urban Employment)) where a range of employment uses included office, research and development, and data center uses are envisioned at an FAR of 1.0.

Unless otherwise noted above, full and complete copies of the above-referenced amendments, applications, ordinances and/or plans, and related documents may be examined in the Loudoun County Department of Building and Development, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia, from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday or call 703-7770220, or electronically at www.loudoun.gov/lola. This link also provides an additional opportunity for public input on active applications. 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.

Citizens are encouraged to call in advance to sign up to speak at the public hearing. If you wish to sign up in advance of the hearing, please call the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-7770246 prior to 12:00 PM on the day of the public hearing. Speakers may also sign up at the hearing. Written comments are welcomed at any time and may be sent to the Loudoun County Planning Commission, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 3rd Floor, MSC #62, Leesburg, Virginia 20175, or by e-mail to loudounpc@loudoun.gov. If written comments are presented at the hearing, please provide ten (10) copies for distribution to the Commission and the Clerk’s records. All members of the public will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. Any individual representing and/or proposing to be the sole speaker on behalf of a citizen’s organization or civic association is encouraged to contact the Department of Planning and Zoning prior to the date of the public hearing if special arrangements for additional speaking time and/or audio-visual equipment will be requested. Such an organization representative will be allotted 6 minutes to speak, and the Chairman may grant additional time if the request is made prior to the date of the hearing and the need for additional time is reasonably justified.

Citizens are encouraged to call the Department of Planning and Zoning on the day of the public hearing to confirm that an item is on the agenda, or, the most current agenda may be viewed on the Planning Commission’s website at www.loudoun.gov/pc. In the event that the second Thursday is a holiday or the meeting may not be held due to inclement weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend, the meeting will be moved to the third Tuesday of the month. In the event that Tuesday is a holiday or the Tuesday meeting may not be held due to inclement weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend, the meeting will be held on the following Thursday. The meeting will be held at a place determined by the Chairman.

Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings at all other locations. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory or mental disability to participate in this meeting, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246. Please provide three days’ notice.

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

Legal Notices

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS FOR:

ROADWAY & CIVIL DESIGN SERVICES FOR ARCOLA MILLS DRIVE, SEGMENT 1 – BELMONT RIDGE ROAD TO STONE SPRINGS BOULEVARD, RFP No. 603794 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, June 8, 2023.

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

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

5/4/23

NOTICE

Pursuant to Virginia Code §57-38.1, the owner of that property located at 25964 Auburn Farm Road in Aldie, Virginia, and is also generally identified as Loudoun County Parcel ID #250291275000 seeks to relocate that abandoned graveyard known generally as the Buckner Cemetery, containing the graves of Ariss Buckner (1771-1847), his wife, Lucy Buckner (1775-1885) and their son, Spencer Ariss Buckner (1818-1874) and any other unmarked graves to the cemetery at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Haymarket, Virginia so that the said graves might receive perpetual care and maintenance. Any direct descendants of the following individuals are requested to contact the undersigned for more information and so that they might be made parties to the Petition to relocated the said graves: Ariss Buckner (17711847), Lucy Buckner (1775-1885), Richard Bernard Buckner (1794-1939), Ella Alice Buckner (18301887), Phillip Smith (b.1850), Richard Bernard Smith (b. 1865), Edward Warren Smith (b. 1865), Thomas Turner Smith (b. 1866), Eliza Ariss Buckner (b. 1833), Louisa Bernard Gallaher, Richard Pratt Buckner (b. 1833), Louisa Berryman Buckner (b. 1839), Thomas Hooe Buckner (d. 1871), Bettie Buckner (1833-1901), Lyman Aldrich (b. 1868), Sarah Davenport Aldrich (b. 1873), Lyman Aldrich Smith (b. 1873), Frances Elizabeth Smith (b. 1898), Davis M. Buckner (b. 1841), Mattie Buckner (b. 1851), Jessie Buckner Robb, Anna Robb, Helen Robb, Florence Robb, Ida Robb, Joseph H. Robb, Jessie Buckner (b. 1875), Bernard Hooe Buckner, Margaret Buckner, Jane Augusta Washington Thornton (1825-1887), Margaret Buckner Beck (1849-1870), George Thornton Beck (b. 1856), James Burnie Beck (b. 1858), Mary Clark, Susan Clark Thompkins, Richard Clark, Mary Buckner, Caroline Rebecca Buckner, Bettie Blair, Spencer Ariss Buckner (1818-1874), Spencer Ariss Buckner, II (1871-1960), John Fitzhugh Buckner (d. 1931).

John E. Rinaldi, Esq. Walsh Colucci Lubeley & Walsh PC

4310 Prince William Pkwy., Suite 300, Prince William, VA 22192 Phone: (703) 680-4664, Fax: (703) 680-6067

jrinaldi@thelandlawyers.com

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ046179-04-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Starh Rahimi

Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Mohamad Wali, putative father

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

It is ORDERED that the defendant Mohamad Wali, putative father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before June 13, 2023 at 2:00 pm

5/11, 5/18 & 5/25/23

Loudoun County Public Schools

Western Loudoun Community Information Meeting on Future School Facility Projects

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Department of Support Services has scheduled a community meeting for Thursday, May 18, 2023, to share information on funded, planned and proposed school capital projects in western Loudoun County. Additional community meetings for other areas of the county will be scheduled and announced.

Thursday, May 18, 2023 6:00 p.m.

Emerick Elementary School, Cafeteria/Multipurpose Room (440 S Nursery Avenue, Purcellville)

Western Loudoun Area (General Description: North of Fauquier County, East of Clarke County/West Virginia, South of Potomac River, West of Catoctin Mountain Ridgeline)

Following the meeting, the presentation will be posted on the LCPS website, at https://www.lcps.org/Page/81470.

Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate meaningfully in the community meeting should contact the Support Services office at least three (3) days prior to the meeting.

Kevin L. Lewis, Chief Operations Officer

Loudoun County Public Schools

Department of Support Services

21000 Education Court

Ashburn, Virginia 20148

Telephone: 571-252-1385

Email: LCPSPLAN@LCPS.ORG

5/4 & 5/11/23

PUBLIC NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ046978-01-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Jimmy Mendez Jr.

5/4/23

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

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

Case No. CL23-2473

LOUDOUN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT 18 East Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re

J. GREGORY HOLMES VS SPENCER C. BRAND, ET AL.

The object of the suit is to: clarify ownership and interests in 20934 Trinity Square, Sterling, Virginia 20165

It is ORDERED that John Doe appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before June 23, 2023 at 9AM

The Town of Leesburg will accept proposals electronically via the Commonwealth’s e-procurement website (www.eva.virginia. gov), until 3:00 p.m. on May 23, 2023 for the following:

RFP No. 100417-FY23-59

MICRO-BULK CARBON DIOXIDE FOR IDA LEE RECREATION CENTER

The Town of Leesburg is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified firms to furnish all labor, tools, materials, chemicals and equipment necessary for the supply of microbulk Carbon Dioxide (CO2) for three swimming pool facilities. Chemicals will be delivered to the Town’s AV Symington Aquatic Center located at 80 Ida Lee Drive, Leesburg, VA 20176 and Ida Lee Recreation Center located at 60 Ida Lee Drive, Leesburg, VA 20176.

For additional information, visit: http://www.leesburgva.gov/bidboard 5/4/23

Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Taya Selner, mother and Jimmy Mendez, father

The object of this suit is to hold an adjudicatory hearing in Child in Need of Services matter pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-228 and 16.1-241 for Jimmy Mendez Jr.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Taya Selner, mother and Jimmy Mendez, father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before June 7, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.

5/4, 5/11, 5/18 & 5/25/23

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER REZONING APPLICATION TLZM-2022-0006; VILLAGE MARKET BOULEVARD (VILLAGE AT LEESBURG)

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 PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing on THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Rezoning application TLZM-2022-0006, Village Market Boulevard (Village at Leesburg).

The subject property consists of approximately 1.16 acres of land within, and adjacent to, the existing “Retail Unit 1” land bay within the Village at Leesburg. The property is zoned PRC, Planned Residential Community, and is further identified as Loudoun County Property Identification Number (PIN), 14928-0225.

Rezoning Application TLZM-2022-0006 is a request by CRP/TRC Leesburg Retail Owner, LLC (applicant) to amend the approved Village at Leesburg Concept Plan to allow a new right-in only vehicular access point from Village Market Boulevard into the Retail Unit 1 land bay. This land bay is at the northeast corner of Russell Branch Parkway and Village Market Boulevard.

The Eastern Gateway District Small Area Plan designates this property as “Regional Retail” on the Planned Land Use Map with a recommended density of between 1.0 and 3.0 FAR (Floor Area Ratio). The proposed amendment for vehicular access redesign does not affect the existing residential and commercial densities on the property.

Additional information and copies of the application are available at the Department of Planning and Zoning located on the second floor of the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Scott E. Parker, AICP, at 703-771-2771 or sparker@leesburgva.gov.

At these hearings, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations at the meeting should contact the Clerk of the Commission at (703) 771-2434 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

5/5 & 5/12/23

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.

BROADLANDS SPRING COMMUNITY YARD SALE

Come shop at the Broadlands Community Wide Yard Sale on Saturday, May 6, 8:00am-2:00pm, Rain or Shine at private residences throughout the neighborhood.

To see an online listing of addresses please visit broadlandshoa.org/yardsale. Not all participants are registered. The Broadlands community is located in Ashburn, VA.

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 17 through May 31st, 2023. 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. 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.

Construction

Mission accessible

continued from page 1

“Inclusive playgrounds have ramps, sensory panels and things for many students to play with,” she said. “But for a school to have accessible equipment, it’s when you can physically put a wheelchair on the piece of equipment, and you don’t have to remove the child from the wheelchair.”

Out of the division’s 61 elementary schools, there are two wheelchairaccessible playgrounds—one in Leesburg and one in Sterling, and nine inclusive playgrounds.

She learned funding for those playgrounds was provided by PTAs, PTOs and the division’s Capital Improvement Plan and the Capital Asset Preservation Program.

All of the playgrounds in the division are handicap accessible but don’t necessarily allow a child in a wheelchair to participate in all the activities, according to Chief Operations Officer Kevin Lewis. He said the division’s goal is to replace old playgrounds with inclusive ones and to build new schools with inclusive playgrounds. He said that is likely the reason schools in Ashburn don’t have as many as other areas because Leesburg and Sterling have older playgrounds and they are in the process of being replaced.

The division has replaced six playgrounds in the past two years with inclusive playground equipment, according to

Purcellville raises

continued from page 27

deemed ready to be completely on their own—add up to about $62,000.

“So, when an officer walks out the door, we lose all that and have to start over again to get another one on-boarded,” she said.

Retaining current officers is cheaper for the town, she said.

McAlister said that one officer left in December, one will leave in May to join the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, and there is the possibility of two more officers leaving soon.

“Just know that I’m really, really worried that I’ll see our younger officers especially, that don’t have a lot of time vested within the town, go,” she said.

“It’s up to the department to figure out how to retain [the officers],” Mayor Stanley J. Milan said. “We can afford you the finances, but what is it in the department that makes them want to stay? What is in the town that makes them want to stay? I

Director of Management and Coordination within the Department of Support Services Brian Stocks. He said it is the division’s plan going forward, as well.

Working with her DECA advisor Rachael Vessely, Diluigi decided to do something to increase the number of inclusive and accessible playgrounds at Loudoun schools.

“I also wanted to raise awareness at my school about the issue because high schools also have special education playgrounds and a lot of them are not wheelchair accessible,” she said.

She started the Mission Accessible project at Independence High School to “correct the imbalances in accessible playground equipment through new playgrounds and policy adaptions.”

Driven by the motto, “every student deserves a place to play,” the goals of her project included raising money to install a wheelchair-accessible piece of equipment at Independence High School, speak to School Board members about implementing an accessible playground at an elementary school in Ashburn, and discuss policy changes with the School Board to include wheelchair accessible equipment as a requirement for inclusive playgrounds.

Last fall, Diluigi conducted a survey of students, teachers and community members and received 500 responses that showed the respondents believed it was important to not only having elementary schools with inclusive and accessible playgrounds, but also that it should be the School Board’s responsibility to provide it.

can tell you a few things that would make them want to leave. The constant antagonistic atmosphere up here on this dais is one example.”

Didawick also said that retaining good staff members was something he was concerned about and that recently a new employee had informed him that he was looking for other job opportunities.

“Of course, I asked why, and he said, ‘I just don’t know where the future is right here,’ and that’s hard because I can tell you that we went through a couple employees to get this one,” he said. “Because this person has every ingredient that we want to be a sound employee.”

Council members Mary Jane Williams and Erin Rayner said cutting the proposed COLA was not a negotiable budget item. Rayner added that she was still thinking over options for performance raises based on Rauch’s comments.

Milan said he agreed with the proposals made by Bertaut and Bennett.

Bennett said she appreciated the conversation but felt the weight of responsi-

With that data, she and other DECA students planned a fundraiser for the swing—a student teacher flag football game. She also presented her project and its goals to the School Board’s Finance and Operations Committee in February.

During her presentation, she acknowledged the cost and said she felt it was a worthwhile investment.

“I have been in this public school system since kindergarten and I’m happy to say that I am proud to be a student of Loudoun. This is a county that not only preaches inclusivity, but takes action. My purpose is driven by this desire to take action,” she said in her presentation.

“I hope one day each Loudoun populace city can have a wheelchair accessible playground and today I begin this goal by working to catapult Ashburn Elememtary schools into a place for all,” she said.

Committee members Jeff Morse (Dulles) and Harris Mahedavi (Ashburn) were both impressed with her presentation and discussed with Lewis and Stocks ways to execute the project. They found that even though the Capital Improvement Plan is complete for the year, there are several playground replacements in the division’s maintenance program that could be looked at and could include inclusive designs.

“So, we don’t have to wait until next year’s [CIP] to have that discussion, we can start considering adding those types of pieces of equipment into the fiscal year 2024 design,” Stocks said.

“LCPS has been dedicated to building inclusive playgrounds for the last 10

bility to spend tax money wisely.

“There’s a balance. You exist and they exist,” she said. “So, I don’t have any formal study, but I did knock on a lot of doors in this town, night after night. And we talked to people and nobody said, ‘raise my taxes.’”

Williams said that the staff had initially asked for an 8.7% COLA, matching the Social Security increases, but had only included a 5% COLA in the proposed budget, saving the town $3,500 per employee.

“We’ve tried to skin this cat a thousand ways … I think you have to be realistic that 85 [employees] can’t subsidize 9,000 [residents],” Krens said.

Other proposed changes were administrative, with Williams suggesting a 20% reduction in office supplies for every department and eliminating stipends for the Planning Commission and Board of Architectural Review, a savings of about $15,000.

Bertaut and Bennett said commissioners deserved the stipend for the many hours they worked.

years,” division spokesperson Dan Adams said. “Maddie’s project brought to light the ability to build playgrounds with equipment that does not require students with mobility devices to have to leave their device in order to use the equipment. LCPS is now incorporating those pieces of play equipment beginning with four playground renovations that are taking place this summer due to age and condition.”

“Plans were implemented in the division to increase the number of inclusive and accessible playgrounds, mine was just more of an aggressive plan, specifically targeting Ashburn because we are one of the most populous areas in the county and we only have one inclusive playground and no accessible playgrounds, so that helped Ashburn get the security for it,” she said. “I’m very, very grateful for the people on the committee for not only accepting my project and supporting me but expanding it.”

She said the flag football fundraiser in early April was played bracket-style with two teacher teams and three student teams. She said ticket sales and concessions were going toward buying a glider swing for Independence High School. She said the total hadn’t been counted yet, but she believes it will be enough to get it.

She hopes the Mission Accessible project will keep going after she graduates.

“I would love to see something keep going and I would love to see, one of my younger [Unified Sports] teammates pick up the project,” she said. n

“I overheard a resident ask one of the planning commissioners earlier this year how many hours they put in,” Bennett said. “And the gentleman said, ‘well, this past year, 30 to 35 each week,’ and that’s just a true answer.”

Williams said members of other committees also put in a lot of work without any form of compensation. Milan noted that, like members of other advisory boards, planning commissioners undergo special certification.

“I don’t see any need to eliminate any stipends that they’re getting or the [Board of Architectural Review] or the [Board of Zoning Appeals]” he said.

He said that the town could look into finding a different way to show its appreciation for other board and committee members. Bertaut also suggested adding funding to hire a grant writer.

The council was scheduled to hold its next markup session May 3, with a final vote planned May 23. n

Visit Loudoun

continued from page 3

as a must-see, must-visit destination for great food and service, and for that, the entire industry is grateful,” Turner said.

In addition to the luncheon and awards, Visit Loudoun unveiled the new “Welcome Here Sensory Kits,” created with Katie Schneider, TMMG Services and Inclusive Solutions by the nonprofit ECHO.

The kits include noise-canceling headphones, a weighted lap pad, quiet toys and non-verbal communication cards, and a limited number will be provided to each hotel and bed-and-breakfast, with more kits going out to attractions, wineries, breweries, and restaurants.

Visit Loudoun President and CEO Beth Erickson said they’ve made 250 kits so far and need more, challenging attendees to contribute to the campaign.

“What we have found is that there’s a lot of people who could use what are in these kits,” Erickson said. “Whether they are veterans that may have noise sensitivities, children and adults with sensory processing disorders—there’s a lot we can do with this.”

Erickson also recalled the Operations

Business

summit

continued from page 3

provides employment for people with developmental disabilities.

Among other purchases, he also pledged to buy everyone in the audience an InfusenClip, inventor and golf pro Robyn James’s bug-repellent hat clip for golf ball markers. And he pledged to buy one business’s floral arrangements for another business’s next networking breakfast.

“Business is scary because numbers are intimidating, and for those folks who have not been afforded the same opportunities as others, to educate themselves because society doesn’t make it a level playing field, it’s even more stressful,” Lemonis said. “If you are a person of color in this country, it is very difficult to be successful in business. If you are a female person of color, it’s even harder. That’s not an excuse to do a half-ass job.”

Lemonis also had a different path to success than the small businesses represented at the conference. Adopted from an orphanage in Lebanon, his business

Allies Welcome at the National Conference Center, which shut the conference center down to the public for months as it served as a first stop in the U.S. for evacuees from Afghanistan as they prepared to settle into new homes. Erickson said the operation “put an important spotlight on the role of our industry.”

career started at the family-owned auto dealership and moved up with the help of wealthy and connected family friends, like Ford Mustang developer and former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca. Today he is the CEO of Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises and appears on the CNBC reality TV show “The Profit.” He acknowledged some of the myth of his self-made mythos.

“My path to get here was a lot easier than other people’s. I was given a roof over my head and food on the table, a great education. And I didn’t always appreciate it until I got older and I realized there was a lot of people who worked harder than me, that were smarter than me, that were better than me, but they weren’t given the same opportunities,” he said.

He said for the attendees of the conference, business is about opportunity.

Lemonis’s keynote address kicked off a day of workshops and networking as the first major event of Loudoun Economic Development’s new Launch Loudoun initiative targeted at small businesses. The event was at capacity, but Economic Development Executive Director Buddy Rizer said materials from the event will be made available publicly. n

of Access Beth Ziebarth. Ziebarth said in the DC-Maryland-Virginia region, one in five people have a disability, and said the Americans with Disabilities act isn’t about building code—it’s a civil rights law.

“Remember that standards are minimum requirements, and then try to exceed those minimums and enrich and expand areas not covered by the requirements,” she said. “And the reason why this is important is because you are starting to think about the wide range of people who are using the facility.”

“Visit Loudoun is dedicated to creating an inclusive destination that is welcoming and accessible to all,” Erickson said. “We want anybody with disabilities, visible or non-apparent, to feel welcome and included in our community.”

And the keynote speaker was Smithsonian Head Diversity Officer and Director

Utility bills

continued from page 27

achievable level of AAA, with Moody’s rating at Aa2 just two notches below the highest tier, and Fitch at AA+ just one notch below the highest available.

However, the companies have cited significant declines in liquidity and reserves, significant debt service, and a change in the sustainability of the utility system as reasons those ratings could be lowered.

“We talk a lot about these credit ratings for really two reasons,” Laux said. “One is, much like your credit score in your personal life, the better your credit rating, the lower your cost when you go borrow … In the town and local government, the higher, the better the credit rating, the lower our interest rate when we need to borrow for new projects or refinance our existing debt for savings purposes which you’ve been able to benefit from numerous times.”

He also said having a high credit rating signals to outside business owners that the town is a well-run location to open a new business.

The council is scheduled for its next budget meeting Wednesday, May 3 at 5:30 p.m. n

Visit Loudoun also commissions a different artist to create artwork for its awards each year. This year was a little different—Visit Loudoun board member and award nominee Rusty Foster suggested using artwork from his friend Kris Loya, the painter, instructor and manager of Leesburg’s Tryst Gallery who died from breast cancer. Foster said “her contagious laugh, kind heart, and love of animals and the environment only touch the surface of who this remarkable lady was.”

The awards this year bore Loya’s watercolor illustration of a pineapple, a symbol of hospitality. Since her husband Steve refused payment for the rights to the image, Visit Loudoun instead made a donation on behalf of the Loyas to the nonprofit Cancer Can Rock. n

Town manager

continued from page 1

families enjoying the activities and you could feel how special this town truly is.”

“I believe the start of my preparation for city/town management goes back to 2002 and 2003 when I contracted for and built the equivalent of 3 cities and 2 airfields for 20,000 Soldiers in Kuwait. Recently I served as the City Manager of Santa Fe, Texas, and truly loved doing things that improved the quality of life within Santa Fe. I am thankful for the opportunity to help Purcellville move in a positive direction as part of the Town’s leadership team,” he wrote.

Town leaders are continuing to work through the process of selecting a candidate to serve as the permanent town manager, replacing David Mekarski, who resigned in January.

According to the town’s Human Resource Department, 37 applications for the position were received by the April 17 deadline.

The timeline proposed by Anzivino and agreed to by the council in February envisions a permanent manager to be in the position by mid to late June. n

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Honorees at Visit Loudoun’s 27th Annual Meeting and Tourism Awards on Friday, April 28, 2023 gather for a group picture.

Algonkian Park Might Have Been a Power Plant

BY PAUL MCCRAY AND PHIL EHRENKRANZ

People today enjoy the green surroundings of Algonkian Park in eastern Loudoun, and the W&OD Trail stretching across the County to Purcellville. But the land on which these open-space recreational resources stand could have been devoted to industrial uses if mid-20th Century plans had been implemented. Loudoun’s face and nature would be fundamentally different had those plans not been ill-fated.

The story starts with a 1954 proposal by Potomac Electric Power Co. (PEPCO) to build a power plant on 500 acres the company bought along the Potomac River near Sterling. To construct and operate the facility, PEPCO needed three main things: governmental permits and endorsements, a supply of coal to fire the steam-generation units, and a supply of water for cooling them.

In the mid-1950s, Loudoun was a sparsely populated place of farms, with about 23,000 residents on its 520 square miles. (In comparison, the County currently is home to almost a half-million people.) With nearly all open Loudoun ground in agriculture, local leaders could not imagine the future development of the County, given that open land seemed in endless supply. In any case, the lure of potential tax revenues nearing $ 1 million per year made PEPCO’s proposal highly popular in the County.

Governmental Actions

PEPCO was awarded a required permit from the State Corporation Commission, and the Loudoun Board of Supervisors voted to “heartily approve the action of the County Board of Zoning Appeals” in granting PEPCO a use permit for the power plant. “Ninety-eight percent of the people in the County favor having PEPCO here,” said Loudoun Board Chairman H.C. Thompson.

Groups expressing their approval of the power plant included the Purcellville Town Council, the Loudoun and Leesburg Chambers of Commerce, the Loudoun Bar Association, and the Loudoun Farm Bureau. The Round Hill Volunteer Fire Department offered its “full support in doing anything possible to help get the plant.” Apparently, no concerns about environmental issues, including air and water pollution, were voiced locally.

The Water Supply

Adjacent to the power plant, the Potomac would be the obvious water provider. In operating the steam generation units, following the continuous cooling function,

the plant would pump back to the river approximately several eight hundred thousand gallons of warm water per minute.

Critics of the plant spoke of the environmental damage to the river, because the huge amounts of warm water would raise its temperature. PEPCO engineer L.W. Cadwallader recognized that fact, but claimed the increase would be less than one degree at normal flow, and only seven degrees at minimum flow. “We don’t consider it a serious matter,” he said, and “frankly, the water is so polluted now, we can’t use it without purifying it. The water will return to the river in better condition than when we took it.,” Despite those assurances, public works officials in Washington, DC and others were concerned the warm water would promote bacteria growth, especially in the summer, endangering the city’s water supply; the expressed apprehensions were shelved. The Army Corps of Engineers, the regulatory agency of the nation’s waterways, never reached the point of ruling on PEPCO’s plan. While they said PEPCO’s discharge would likely affect the taste of the water, they didn’t believe it would be unhealthy.

The Coal Supply

In 1956, the C&O Railroad purchased the W&OD Railroad, a quiet, short line railway running from Rosslyn and Alexandria to Purcellville in western Loudoun. The system would serve the new power plant with 40 carloads of coal daily via a connector track from the W&OD in old Sterling. Significantly, the C&O also bought 1,550 acres of land around the plant site, planning to offer that property at low cost to brick manufacturers, steel companies, and other heavy industries, which would ship their products on the trains leaving the plant.

The power plant would expel exhaust, including microscopic particulates, from the coal-burning process through several 400-foot towers, with a 700-foot tower to be added later. Yet, there was only limited discussion reported in hearings, or the media, about air quality. Health effects of emissions from fossil fuel-burning power plants were just starting to be recognized; the first federal air quality legislation was enacted in 1955, but only provided funding for research on the issue. Eight more years would elapse before the Environmental Protection Agency was empowered by the Clean Air Act of 1963 to establish air pollution controls through Air Quality Implementation Plans adopted by the states. Pollutants also would have emanated from the ancillary manufacturing plants on the C&O’s 1,550 acres, but plans for those factories were too incomplete to evaluate their potential air quality effects.

The Reality

The concept thus was not just a power plant; it was an integrated, major industrial complex coordinated by PEPCO and the C&O Railroad on 2,050 acres of riverfront and nearby land in eastern Loudoun. But there was an anomaly in PEPCO’s plan: the electricity generated in Virginia was intended for customers located in Maryland. Why, then, did PEPCO not propose to build the plant on Maryland’s Potomac shoreline? That’s what resentful Maryland interests wanted to know. In their view, expressed in a letter to PEPCO by Gov. Theodore McKeldin, PEPCO’s Maryland customers essentially would be providing tax revenues to Loudoun County. The pressure Maryland applied succeeded, and PEPCO “rerouted” the plant. In 1959, the Dickerson Power Plant commenced business across the river, 3.6 miles from

Lucketts. It operated for about 60 years, until shut down in 2020. Part of its legacy is troublesome: A 2011 study by the nonprofit Clean Air Task Force calculated that Dickerson plant emissions were responsible annually for 32 deaths, 53 heart attacks, 20 incidents of chronic bronchitis, and 520 asthma attacks.

The Aftermath

The C&O Railroad kept the W&OD, which was foundering, and used it as part of an executive training program. In 1968, the W&OD was abandoned, its right-ofway sold to Dominion Power. Ten years later, NOVA Parks purchased the rightof-way, and converted the railbed to the W&OD Trail.

PEPCO used the 500 acres for an employee golf course and recreation park. When this interim use became too expensive to maintain, PEPCO sold the property to NOVA Parks, which renamed it Algonkian Regional Park, saving the land from development.

The 1,550 acres planned for industrial uses near the plant eventually were sold by the C&O, and became the community called Cascades.

It is not difficult to imagine eastern Loudoun’s appearance and nature had the PEPCO/C&O plans materialized. Instead of Algonkian Park, there likely would be an abandoned power plant, looking much like the Dickerson Plant, with its prominent smokestacks. Instead of residential/commercial Cascades, there possibly would be Loudoun’s own rust belt of abandoned factories. The W&OD tracks likely would have been removed, and the W&OD Trail established, but much later, assuming NOVA Parks could purchase the right-ofway. In the end, the 2,050 acres involved in the PEPCO/C&O plans were saved from development. Just how the land became available for purchase and preservation, at the least, is an unconventional story. n

Paul McCray has lived in Loudoun County for 31 years. He managed various NOVA Parks in Loudoun, including the W&OD Railroad Regional Park for 20 years, and continues to work parttime for NOVA Parks as a historian researching and telling the stories of park history. He is a 2011 recipient of Thomas Balch Library’s History Award. Phil Ehrenkranz is editor of In Our Backyard, which is sponsored by the Loudoun County Preservation and Conservation Coalition. For more information about the organization, go to loudouncoalition.org.

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Missing Opportunities

School Board member Harris Mahedavi took significant flack last week following his vent of frustration over being “beaten up” by public criticism while the division fails to communicate effectively the positive achievements of its educators and students. We don’t disagree, but the failures are largely selfinflicted.

It’s not just that the division’s leaders have continued to promote the bunker mentality they adopted during the barrage from critics of their handling of COVID closures. And it’s not just that they’ve seemingly thrown gasoline on the culturewar fires at nearly every opportunity. For some inexplicable reason, they make it difficult to celebrate simple successes.

In two recent cases we’ve experienced—a story highlighting how students from schools known for their very different socio-economic demographics formed a new bond, and another this week putting the spotlight on a student seeking to address inequities she has seen on the playground—we’d expect the meritorious conduct to be celebrated by school leaders. Instead, the response was defensive—

making it clear that both issues were being addressed somewhere in the division’s $1.6 billion budget. The reaction misses both the point and the opportunity. Other opportunities have been missed as well. This year’s Regional Spelling Bee and Science and Engineering Fair—in pre-Covid days, events where the public would be encouraged to see first-hand the accomplishments of the county’s brightest students— seemed to pass with little fanfare.

And there continues to be a lockdown on media access. Beyond the ridiculous procedure seeking to have reporters register in advance to attend School Board meetings, their work also is hampered by attempts to control the narrative—every narrative— by limiting access to staff members who know best how to tell the stories and instead insisting on funneling questions through official channels inside the buttresses of Education Court.

Mr. Mahedavi is worried that the other stories aren’t being told. He should be. n

Denied Opportunities

Editor:

“We’ve taken a beating”—the words that has lit a fire among the special education community from School Board member Harris Mahedavi. He does not grasp the gravity of that word considering this is how special education parents feel 365 days a year advocating for their children’s rights under IDEA, a law created so that all children of disabilities receive the right to free and appropriate public education.

It continues to be a grueling process for families to get LCPS to be compliant with our children’s IEPs and 504s. Part of that battle is because we are already short on staffing and now they want to take more from this community and give $11 million toward bathrooms all in the name of equity. This goes beyond insulting to special education families. This solidifies that LCPS cares nothing for this vulnerable demographic of 10,000 students who are already at a disadvan-

tage due to circumstances beyond their control.

What about how this will affect our special education teachers? LCPS will be jeopardizing the integrity of good teachers wanting to help these students by increasing their caseloads and making sure they will be unable to deliver services to these children. I would not be surprised if parents of children with IEPs will suddenly see a drop in service minutes and be given an excuse that their child suddenly doesn’t need all these minutes without the data to support that statement. Let us not forget about the hundreds of families waiting to be eligible for services. They will most likely be denied due to bureaucratic budget constraints and therefore furthering this demographic of children to slip through the cracks in this government institution called school.

May I remind the community that Mehadavi is running for reelection. It is clear where is his priority lays,

bathrooms not education. By not supporting special education students and choosing modern day building aesthetics he has turned his back on these children and families.

Education should always trump building advancement not the other way around. Did you know that The DOE is investigating the VDOE for being in noncompliance? And in case you were wondering, the VDOE must ensure that local education agencies are compliant with FAPE and services for special education students. Perhaps this is why Mehadavi feels he can make such a bold statement with no accountability. However, IDEA has a maintenance of effort clause that prohibits education agencies for cutting special education budgets. They are boldly violating the federal law.

It is time that this community of students receive the opportunity and education guaranteed to them under IDEA and

READERS’ poll CHIPshots

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:

What’s your solution for addressing noise concerns around Dulles Airport?

• 69.2% Stop building homes there

• 17.3% Concerns are unwarranted

• 8.3% Change the flight patterns

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

What’s your position on the nation’s debit ceiling crunch?

LETTERS to the Editor

continued from page 38

receive the support from the leadership of our local education system. This is not a Republican or Democratic issues, this is an education issue.

— Erin Roselle Poe, Broadlands

Support All Students

Editor:

Befuddled Ashburn School Board member Harris Mahedavi shocked parents at the recent School Board meeting, where parents from both sides of the political aisle hammered the board for putting politics over kids.

“We’ve gotten beat up tonight. And for the last month we’ve been beaten up because some how we cannot communicate all the good things we are doing. Tonight was really sad for me getting beat up for things we are doing above and beyond. We are trying to do our best,” decried Mahedavi.

While Mr. Mahedavi has heard a deluge of complaints from the community in-person and online for years, he appeared incredulous with upset parents demanding better for their students.

• 3.8% Increase construction requirements

• 1.3% Reduce flights

Share your views at loudounnow.com/polls

Despite years-long pleas, Mr. Mahedavi has not pursued merit-based academic policies over policies furthering equal outcomes, nor has he voted against policies having unintended safety consequences.

The board’s “best” has resulted in many lawsuits, at taxpayer expense, requiring defense of actions described as recklessly indifferent to the safety of children.

As if waking from slumber, Mr. Mahedavi reacted as if he somehow missed parents sounding alarms about the Board’s wrong focus and lack of transparency and accountability.

Mahedavi was indeed at the infamous June 22, 2021, meeting where hundreds of community members came out to speak about dangers of allowing boys in private spaces of girls. The meeting made headlines after the arrest of a father of a rape victim.

Yet, Mahedavi is shocked at push back against the board’s latest decision to research gender-neutral bathrooms costing $11 million to renovate, potentially growing to a quarter of a billion dollars should the pilot expand district-wide to accommodate the 67 nonbinary students within the 80,453 student population. This disregards the privacy and comfort

of 99 percent of students who do not identify as transgender.

The board claims this plan will create an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ students. It is essential to support all students, including those who identify as LGBTQ+, but this shouldn’t come at the expense of other students’ rights and privacy.

With hundreds of millions of dollars needed to address pressing issues, spending $11 million on bathrooms is simply not a priority. It is a slap in the face to the special education community. The board’s decision to prioritize bathrooms over essential educational needs is a failure of leadership that harms our most vulnerable students.

Parents of SPED students say their children are not receiving accommodations required by their Individualized Education Plans, a violation of federal law. Instead of investing in these critical services, the board may waste millions building unnecessary bathrooms.

We need school board candidates who will put students first, prioritizing essential educational needs over unnecessary and divisive projects. Your money should be spent on resources to ensure safety, improve educational excellence, hire more SPED teachers and support

staff, purchase much-needed classroom supplies, and improve facilities.

We can support all students while also being fiscally responsible and responsive to the needs of the community. It’s time for a change in leadership.

— Deana Griffiths, Ashburn

A Failure

Editor:

I find it interesting that the county now is worried about noise in the Brambleton area when they should have considered that a problem when they allowed residential development in that area.

Dulles Airport was built “out in the country” partly years ago so it would not have any issues with noise and people’s homes. There were no homes around it when it was built. It was the county that allowed the building of homes that it should have known would be a noise issue.

Everyone wants to make out that the FAA and Dulles Airport are the bad guys when in fact it is the county’s failure to do its due diligence that has caused this problem.

— Jeffrey Brannok, Leesburg

A season of fun is just ahead in The Gap!

SATURDAY, MAY 20

Self-guided Garden Tours

Elegant Teas in the Garden Spring Garden Market, Plants & More

FRIDAY, MAY 19 —

Eat, Drink & Be Literary!

Author Catherine Zimmerman: Native Plants & Meadows in All Places

SATURDAY, JUNE 10 — 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

A CELEBRATION OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL — Vendors, Food, Demonstrations, Kids’ Activities & More!

Live Music All Day on The Gap Stage Featuring:

Mink's Miracle Medicine, Justin Trawick & The Common Good, Short Hill Mountain Boys, Shannon Bielski & Moonlight Drive

FRIDAY, JUNE 9 —

Eat, Drink & Be Literary!

Author Jeffrey Ryan: The History & Lore of the Appalachian Trail

SUNDAY, JUNE 25 — 3 - 10 p.m. —

MUSIC FESTIVAL & FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR! —

Joey & The Waitress, Circa Blue, Calgary

Local Beers, Wines & Great Food

SATURDAY, JULY 1 — Eat, Drink & Be Literary!

FREE!

Constitutional Scholar Ben Lenhart: The Declaration v. The Constitution

FRIDAY NIGHTS MUSIC IN THE GAP — 6 - 10 p.m. —

June 30

July 7

July 14

July 21

July 28

The Darby Brothers

Born Cross-Eyed

Texas Chainsaw Horns

Dunlap & Mabe

Jules & The Agreeables

SATURDAY, AUG. 19 — 3 - 10 p.m.

A BLUEGRASS CELEBRATION —

The Carroll County Ramblers

King Street Bluegrass Band

The Furnace Mountain Band

Local Beers, Wines & Food

INFO: OLDSTONESCHOOL.ORG

FREE!

Aug. 4

Aug. 11

Aug. 25

Sept. 1

FREE!

The Dara James Band

Rick Reaves Jazz Band

Don’t Look Up

Mostly Fab

FARMERS MARKET EVERY SUNDAY

1 to 3 p.m.

FARM-FRESH FOOD

MOO-THRU

FORD’S FISH SHACK

Old Stone School