Loudoun Now for May 18, 2023

With No State Action, County Board Fills School

Funding Gap

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

With schools still short millions of dollars from the state and the General Assembly showing no signs of reconvening, the Board of Supervisors has stepped in to fill the school district’s $13 million gap in hopes the state will step up later.

This year, a Virginia Department of Education error meant school districts across the commonwealth were planning for more money than the state planned to send them—in Loudoun, a $7.4 million gap next year. That was compounded by the General Assembly’s action to pass a minimal, “skinny” budget for a total shortfall of $13 million compared with the information from the state Loudoun County Public Schools used to plan its budget.

Meanwhile, according to the county staff, school district staffers have indicated they will take the difference out of school employees’ paychecks.

“In our discussions with Loudoun County Public Schools staff, they’ve indicated that they will be reconciling their operating budget by holding back a portion of employee pay,” Deputy Chief Financial Officer Megan Bourke told the Board of Supervisors finance committee at its May 9 meeting. “I believe they’re

FUNDING GAP

continues on page 33

Students’ Pet Project Rocks School, St. Jude’s

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

Two fifth graders at Evergreen Mill Elementary School decided to turn their newfound love of making pet rocks into a way to help kids dealing with illness.

Griffin Vogel and Charlie Green created the Pet Rock Factory after learning about patents and the original pet rock in their gifted class. During class, the two

made their own pet rocks, which they named Chicken Nugget and George and began carrying them around school.

Vogel said after a few friends asked her to make one for them she came up with the idea to make them and sell them to raise money for a charity.

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Pet Rock Factory founders Charlie Green and Griffin Vogel, Evergreen Mill fifth graders, started painting and selling pet rocks to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

PET ROCK FACTORY continues on page 32

Owen Retires from Community Foundation

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

After of decade helping to lead Loudoun’s nonprofits and their financial supporters through a period of unprecedented growth—and challenges—Amy Owen is retiring as executive director of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties this month.

Since she took over leadership of the organization in 2012, the foundation’s assets have grown from $1.3 million in 25 funds to $10 million in 115 funds. And grantmaking grew from $149,000 a year to more than $2.6 million in 2023.

In addition to expanding the financial safety net for local charities, Owen focused on improving the nonprofit leadership infrastructure with programs to train nonprofit executives and the community volunteer board members who support them.

She will turn the reins over to Nicole Acosta, a veteran of Loudoun’s nonprofit community even before joining the Community Foundation in 2018. Acosta takes over as president and CEO on May 31.

Owen’s experience with the power of community foundations goes back to her work in the 1990s with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Harpers Ferry.

“We would get grants in from these things called community foundations

from all along the coast—Georgia to Maine,” she recalled.

She learned more about how the organizations worked and left to join

Expanded Metro Looks Ahead to Funding Hurdle

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

While Metrorail is emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic with new leadership, growing ridership and a safety overhaul, the regional transit system is still struggling with another problem it’s had since its creation: the complicated and often inadequate way it is funded.

At a May 10 Loudoun Chamber of Commerce event, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Agency General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke said after years of tumult, part of his organization’s work now is to rebuild faith.

“Our job is to bring back a level of trust and credibility to the organization that has gone through a rough period of time,” he said, pointing to extensive investment in improving reliability and safety and expanding service in the system.

Ridership is up on the system. In April, rail ridership was up 38% from last year, according to WMATA. The system’s busiest month so far was March with 285,753 average daily entries. But it’s nowhere near its pre-pandemic levels—

in 2019, the system’s busiest month was October with 568,975 average daily entries, almost double the figure in March 2023. December was the slowest, with 408,135 average daily entries, at that time

the slowest month in years amid a long slide in ridership pre-pandemic.

METRO CHALLENGE

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It’s Spring Farm Tour Weekend

Dozens of agricultural venues will be open for tours during this weekend as part of Loudoun County’s Spring Farm Tour.

All locations provide an educational component for visitors, and most will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

Launched in 1996, the annual free, family-friendly, self-guided tour is a showcase of western Loudoun’s rural industries. Farms on this year’s tour are leaders in the production of responsibly raised meat, vegetables, fruit, hemp, flowers and fiber, as well as artisancrafted wine, gifts and more.

The county offers an interactive mobile app to help visitors navigate the tour and rewarding them for making stops and interacting with the farmers. The app includes a map of farm locations with links for navigation, social media, and a chat feature to ask questions throughout the weekend.

Loudoun County is home to more than 1,200 commercial farms, according to the most recent Ag Census from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For full details on this year’s event, go to loudounfarmtour.com. n

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Christina Andreyko, a member of the Alpaca and Llama 4-H Club of Loudoun County, stands with Vicki Vale, an alpaca, at Double 8 Alpaca Ranch in Neersville during the 2022 Spring Farm Tour.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Loudoun County Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles), who also serves on Metro’s Board of Directors and chairs its Finance and Capital Committee, and Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke speak at a May 10 Loudoun Chamber breakfast panel discussion.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties Executive Director Amy Owen, left, is preparing to hand over the job to Vice President Nicole Acosta at the end of this month.

OWEN RETIRES continues on page 33

Airports Authority Warns of New Congressional Threat

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

As the Dulles Airport rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority officials are warning that an effort in Congress is once again threatening service and prices there and at its sister airport Reagan National.

Prior to the pandemic, after years of struggling with high prices and limited traffic, Dulles Airport was starting to grow again, with more passengers, new routes and new airlines. The pandemic all but stopped passenger air travel for a while, but ridership at Dulles has rebounded sharply, and is now on track to surpass pre-pandemic numbers. At a Loudoun Chamber of Commerce event May 10,

Yudd Plans Retirement; McLellan Named Deputy Administrator

Deputy County Administrator Charles Yudd, the second-most senior county administration official, plans to retire this summer after 26 years with Loudoun County government. Assistant County Administrator Erin McLellan has been appointed new deputy administrator, allowing for a transition period.

McLellan was previously one of the county’s four Assistant County Administrators.

“Erin has demonstrated great leadership throughout her 18-year career with Loudoun County, which has prepared her for this new role,” County Administrator Tim Hemstreet stated. “Her broad range of experience in public management and knowledge of this organiza-

Airports Authority President and CEO Jack Potter said so far, there are more passengers getting on a plane at an MWAA airport this year than there were in 2019.

But the airport is also facing potential headwinds from the federal government.

As Congress takes up a regular bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, some lawmakers and businesses are pushing to let Dulles’s sister airport, Reagan National, take over more of its long-haul flights. Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority officials warn that proposal threatens business and service at both airports.

The perimeter rule has long restricted flights from Reagan to within 1,250 miles, an area that covers all of the east coast and as far west as Kansas. That rule designates Reagan, just across the river

from Washington, DC, as the airport of choice for regional flights, and reserves long-haul and international flights for Dulles Airport.

“Going way back, people in transportation understood that DCA [Reagan National] would never be able to handle the growth in this region,” MWAA Noise Office Manager Mike Jeck said. “This goes back to the ‘50s. Fast forward to 1962, Dulles opened as the vehicle for providing jet transportation service to the region. When the airports authority was created, Congress kind of mandated that we work both these airports as a system.”

But over time, Congress has carved out exceptions to the rule—typically at the

AIRPORT THREAT

continues on page 6

Visit Loudoun Offers $50K in Sports Tournament Reimbursements

Visit Loudoun is accepting applications for its fiscal year 2024 Sports Tournament Grant Reimbursement Program, which offers a total of $50,000 in grant funding to eligible organizations that can host sporting events in Loudoun.

The competitive grants program was designed to support bids on sports tournaments and extend the Loudoun industry’s reach. Visit Loudoun will provide funding for tournaments that have the greatest return on investment in terms of visitor spending.

In 2022, the sports tourism industry contributed more than $11 million to Loudoun County’s economy, according to Visit Loudoun.

Applications are due by 4 p.m. Monday, May 29. Applications and more information are online at visitloudoun.org

Disability Services Board Seeks FAIME Award Nominations

tion and our community will serve her and Loudoun well as the county moves forward in the coming years.”

Among McLellan’s duties are overseeing the operation of the Office of the County Administrator, serving in the absence of the County Administrator, and serving as a liaison to the county’s public safety agencies and Constitutional Officers. She will also oversee the county’s federal and

state legislative programs as well as its public/private partnerships.

McLellan has spent almost all of her professional career with the county government, beginning with Loudoun County government in 2005 as a management fellow and later as a human resources policy and research analyst. She has been steadily promoted through

continues on page 6

The Loudoun County Disability Services Board is seeking nominees for the 2023 Full Accessibility and Inclusion: Moving toward Equity or FAIME Awards, which honor businesses and organizations that go above and beyond to recruit, hire, train and promote people with disabilities and that have an inclusive workplace and business model.

Nominees must demonstrate a commitment to hiring people with

ON THE AGENDA

continues on page 7

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Players compete at the 2020 Senior Softball USA Eastern Nationals at Potomack Lakes Sportsplex in Sterling.

McLellan

Yudd YUDD RETIRES

Visit Loudoun to Launch LoCo Adventure Trail

Visit Loudoun this summer plans to launch a campaign to draw visitors to Loudoun’s indoor and outdoor adventures from the casual to the extreme.

According to Visit Loudoun, while many may already know Loudoun for its hiking, the new LoCo Adventure Trail will highlight other adventures like zip-lining, cycling, horseback riding and kayaking. Indoor activities include everything from axe throwing and indoor skydiving to go-karting at Autobahn Indoor Speedway and the ropes course at Summit Ropes.

“From our research, we know that 56% of visitors to Loudoun are interested in scenic outdoor activities and that 68% of our residents surveyed are interested in the same. This campaign allows us to further position Loudoun as a must-visit destination while also showcasing what makes Loudoun such a great place to live,” Visit Loudoun President and CEO Beth Erickson stated.

The promotion will seek to bring in visitors from out of town with social media posts, blogs, and itineraries for the trail, joining the LoCo Ale Trail guide

to Loudoun’s breweries, the Wine Trail Guide tour of wineries, and itineraries for visitors exploring Loudoun’s architecture, history, arts and culture, and vibrant bicycling scene. The promotion is targeted at

bringing in visitors from key destinations like Philadelphia, Richmond, and Washington, DC.

And the campaign will include hosting a deaf influencer who is passionate about

promoting the accessibility of outdoor recreation.

The LoCo Adventure trail is bolstered by a $20,000 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation, one of two $20,000 grants for Visit Loudoun programs announced Monday. The other will support production of Visit Loudoun’s magazine-style Visitors Guide, which is distributed to visitors and across the state.

Visit Loudoun has garnered national recognition for its marketing initiatives this year, including a 2023 Hermes Platinum Award and 2023 Hermes Gold Award for its Think You Know Loudoun? Think Again campaign, and a 2023 Hermes Platinum Award for the visitors’ guide. The Hermes Creative Awards, now in its 17th year, is a national contest administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals.

“The Visit Loudoun team continues to be recognized for outstanding work and I’m extremely proud of their dedication and effort to promote Loudoun as a positive and welcoming destination,” Erickson stated. n

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Kayakers navigate “Bulls Falls” on the Shenandoah River during a whitewater trip near Harpers Ferry.

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LOVETTSVILLE SOLD

If you have been wanting to live in town, this sweet home is what you have been dreaming about. So much charm and warmth from the minute you enter from the inviting front porch. Original hardwood oors and two lovely built in corner cupboards in dining room. Kitchen offers white cabinets and stainless appliances. Sun lled eat in space makes ideal breakfast area. Two main level bedrooms and full bath. Upstairs offers two more bedrooms and a second full bath. What a surprise to have a nished basement ideal for work or play. The amazing views of open space out the back of the home overlook the new 90 acre Lovettsville park with trails, ball elds, horse riding rings and dog park. One car garage is another added bonus. Delightful rear yard is perfect for gardens or play area. Within walking distance to restaurants, shops, library, school, community center, pool and the new (opening 2023) co-op grocery store.

$499,000

Airport threat

continued from page 4

request of lawmakers from states outside the perimeter. Today, there are 20 round trips a day from Reagan outside the perimeter.

While Dulles has four runways and room to grow into a fifth, Reagan with its one runway and limited flight patterns is at capacity, MWAA Vice President for Communications and Government Affairs David Mould said.

“DCA particularly during the daytime areas is at capacity, so if you have 20some additional flights to the west coast or wherever, unless they’re going to fly at 2 o’clock in the morning—which is not good for any of the metrics that we look at, particularly noise—some other flights are going to have to go away to make room for them,” Mould said.

That would mean not only eating into Dulles Airport business, driving the price per passenger up there—the same spiral Dulles struggled to escape before—but cutting service from Reagan as shorter flights are cut to make room at the airport to make space for the pricier longer ones.

“There are a lot of cities inside the perimeter, state capitals in fact, that would not be as profitable for these airlines,” Mould said. “If they can go to Los Angeles or Akron, which one do you think they’re going to pick?”

This time, the push for more perimeter rule exemptions is backed by a major airline seeking to create those new exemptions mostly for itself.

The group lobbying for the exemptions, the Capital Access Alliance, is led by Delta Air Lines and is lobbying for more exemptions to the perimeter rule, backing legislation from Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA-4) and Utah Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT-4). Both represent states with Delta hubs—Georgia’s Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International

Yudd retirement

continued from page 4

the organization, becoming Budget Officer in 2013 and later head of the department. She later served as director of the Department of Finance and Budget and the county’s chief financial officer. McLellan was appointed as an assistant county administrator in 2020 and most recently supervised the Office of Emergency Man-

Airport and Utah’s Salt Lake City International Airport.

The new legislation as proposed would more than double the number of daily perimeter rule exemptions, with 20 of the 28 new round trips reserved for Delta itself.

Mould said the airports authority has the back of the Virginia and Maryland Congressional delegations and the major air carriers at Dulles and Reagan, United Airlines and American Airlines, and “many other people who understand the economic impact of knocking this two-airport system out of balance once again, all for the convenience of some people because they don’t want to stay in the car for the extra 15-20 minutes to get to Dulles.”

“All this economic and business disruption is a high price to pay for a few people’s convenience,” Mould said.

Perimeter rule exemptions aside, the airports authority is still figuring out what the air travel business will look like post-COVID.

“We don’t necessarily need people to come back to the office, but we need them to get on a plane and take a trip. Conferences have to come back, sales visits, have to come back,” Potter said. “So, we’re competing with Zoom, [Microsoft] Teams, we’re competing with the ability of people to do work in different ways than they have, and we’re not here to do battle with that… Our job is to monitor what’s happening and then figure out, alright, how do we best serve those folks, and how do we fit in?”

He said the authority is also pushing U.S. Customs and Border Protection to staff up customs at Dulles to bring down wait times.

“A lot of our agents are down on the border trying to help out with the situation at the border, but it’s not fair that folks coming into America, their first experience is to sit on a line for two to three hours or get stuck out in a concourse or a mobile lounge,” Potter said. n

agement and Departments of Fire and Rescue, Transportation and Capital Infrastructure, General Services and Information Technology.

Under the direction of the County Administrator, who is appointed by the Board of Supervisors, the Office of the County Administrator directs and supervises the day-to-day operations of all Loudoun County departments and agencies within its purview. n

ON THE Agenda

continued from page 4

disabilities, to providing accommodations in the workplace and to offering people with disabilities professional development opportunities so they can grow their skills. Nominees may be for-profit or nonprofit businesses and organizations, but may not be government agencies, nonprofits or businesses whose mission is to provide services to people with disabilities. Businesses and organizations may nominate themselves.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, June 23.

Winners will be notified in July and an awards reception will be scheduled in October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Find more information and make nominations at loudoun.gov/FAIMEAwards.

Library to Host Adults-only Lord of the Rings Night

Fans of The Lord of the Rings need not leave the Loudoun shire—Loudoun County Public Library will host its annual celebration Lord of the Rings Night

at Cascades Library in Sterling Saturday, May 20 from 7-10 p.m.

Adults 18 and older are invited to the event featuring a costume contest with cash prizes, trivia, cosplay demos, fiddle music, and eight local food trucks and vendors. The library encouraged attendees to “heed Gondor’s call for aid” by bringing nonperishable food to donate to Loudoun Hunger Relief, earning a raffle ticket for a prize.

“Libraries are for community, not just books anymore,” Programming Coordinator Aryn Dagirmanjian said. “It is great to see the fellowship among our customers. We even scheduled a themed night for teens at After Hours Teen Center the Friday before due to popularity.”

Last year’s Avengers Night drew almost 350 people, and the event generated 140 pounds of food donations for Loudoun Hunger Relief.

For more information go to library.loudoun.gov/lotr.

Energy and Environment Survey Open

The Loudoun County Environmental Commission is seeking public comment on policies and practices dealing with the environment, sustainability and the

management of energy. The commission’s Energy and Environment Survey is open through May 22.

The survey and more information about Loudoun County’s environmental initiatives are online at loudoun.gov/environment.

County Plans New Online Land Management System

Loudoun County is preparing to launch a new online land management system, LandMARC, to create a comprehensive online tool for accessing, managing and maintaining Loudoun County’s land-related information.

The county has not yet announced a launch date. Some services for land development customers will not be available for approximately a week leading up to the launch, including submitting or updating applications, scheduling inspections and submitting payments.

The new system will replace current systems including LOLA and e-Permits.

LandMARC will provide an online portal allowing visitors to submit permit, land development and legislative land use applications; submit electronic copies of plans and other required documentation; track the status of applications and land

development projects; request pre-application and pre-submission meetings; request inspections; pay application fees; and access public records related to permits and plans.

For more information and to sign up for updates go to loudoun.gov/landmarc.

County Offers Electronics Recycling Saturday

Loudoun County will host an electronics recycling event Saturday, May 20 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Leesburg Park and Ride commuter parking lot, 19730 Sycolin Road, Leesburg.

There is a limit of five items per vehicle. A 12” x 12” x 12” box or equivalent size container filled with smaller items such as computer mice, cables, phones, cameras, etc. will be considered one item. Fees will be charged for televisions, computer monitors and hard drive destruction services (upon request). Only credit cards will be accepted; no cash, no checks.

Some electronics such as household appliances, air conditioners, smoke alarms and batteries will not be accepted. On-site and off-site hard drive destruction will be provided upon request for a fee.

For more information go to loudoun.gov/electronics. n

WORKFORCE HOUSING IS ABOUT

$205,000 is the income needed to afford the median home price of $641,000 in Loudoun.

Housing affordability is typically thought of as a low-income household concern, but that’s no longer true.

Workforce Housing is not an issue about charity, it’s about the future economic prosperity of Loudoun.

Let’s shape Loudoun’s future.

WON’T YOU JOIN US? workforcehousingnow.org

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

Leesburg

Town Taps Fairfax Police Commander as New Police Chief

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

Leesburg Town Manager Kaj Dentler announced Monday that Thea Pirnat will serve as the town’s next chief of police.

Pirnat comes to the Leesburg Police Department following a 23-year career with the Fairfax County Police Department—working in nearly every facet of law enforcement.

She joined FCPD in 2000 and worked as a patrol officer and detective before being promoted to sergeant in 2012. As a supervisor, she oversaw patrol squads, assisted with accreditation, and served as an investigator in the Internal Affairs Bureau. Her past commands have included the Major Crimes Bureau, the Reston District Station, and the Resource Management Bureau overseeing the agency’s property and evidence, fleet, quartermaster, and facilities and security divisions. Her most recent command has been of the Organized Crime and Intelligence Bureau. She is a major in the department.

Pirnat, who lives in Loudoun County with her husband and three children, is slated to take over her Leesburg duties July 24. A swearing-in ceremony is being planned for mid-July.

“I am honored and thrilled to be selected to serve as the next Chief of Police of the Leesburg Police Department. I am looking forward to working with this wonderful community and enhancing the solid foundation of community engagement and public safety strategies that the fine men and women of the Leesburg Police Department have already established,” Pirnat stated.

In Fairfax, she also has commanded the department’s Language Skills Supplemental Unit and served as an adjunct instructor for the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy, where she helped develop and teach a course in domestic violence investigation and intervention. She also serves on a FCPD workgroup dedicated to increasing the recruitment and retention of women. She also serves as the co-chair for the Fairfax County Fatality Review Team and is a member

of Fairfax County’s Supervised Visitation and Exchange Advisory Board.

She earned a master’s degree in public administration from George Mason University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas in San Antonio. She is a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police, the Professional Executive Leadership School through the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, along with the Women’s Leadership Institute and Leadership in

Police Organizations curriculum by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. She is a member of the IACP, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, and the Police Executive Research Forum.

Pirnat was selected thorough an executive search process led by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the town’s Human Resources

NEW CHIEF continues on page 9

AROUND Town

Balch Library Opens Centennial Exhibit

Thomas Balch Library continues to celebrate its centennial with a capstone exhibit, “Highlights of 100 Years of Collecting.”

On display in the Margaret Mercer Room through May, the exhibit features items from the library’s collections suggested by researchers, volunteers, and staff members to showcases archives, artifacts, and books that stand out above the rest.

Among the featured items is a ship’s passport issued to the ship Rising Sun in 1819 and signed by both Presidents James Monroe and John Quincy Adams. There also are serendipitous family discoveries from the photograph collections, a detailed letter about a fatal duel, and favorite mementos from the Charles A. Johnston Collection.

The exhibit is viewable during the library’s operating hours: Monday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday from 2 to 8 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 703-737-7195 or email  balchlib@leesburgva.gov.

State of Town Address Rescheduled

Mayor Kelly Burk’s “State of the Town” address, originally planned for May 15, has been rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 7.

The address focuses on recent accomplishments, current projects, and what to expect in Leesburg for the remainder of the year.

The event will take place in the Council Chambers in Town Hall and also will be streamed live on the Facebook page.

Saturday is Kids to the Park Day

Leesburg’s Parks and Recreation Department will host a Discovery

AROUND TOWN

continues on page 9

Fairfax County Police Photo

Major Thea Pirnat is leaving the Fairfax County Police Department after 23 years of service to become Leesburg’s new chief of police.

Town Readies for Summer JAMS

The Town of Leesburg’s free downtown summer concert series returns starting June 3.

Rebranded this year from Acoustic on the Green, Summer JAMS will be held almost every Saturday through August. There will be no concert July 1 or Aug. 12.

The 2023 lineup includes returning favorites—such as guitar greats Gary Smallwood and Michael Fath sharing the stage on Aug. 5—and rising stars— notably old-school county singer Sela Campbell performing the series finale Aug. 19.

Concerts will be held on the Town Green, 25 W. Market St., beginning at 7 p.m. They are free and open to the public. No smoking, alcohol, or pets are allowed. Lawn chairs and blankets

New Chief

continued from page 8

Department. Top candidates for the position were required to pass evaluations from a panel led by the IACP, which included regional chiefs of police, and appear before several interview panels that included members of town staff and community stakeholders.

Following the Town Code, Dentler received the consent of the Town Council prior to offering Pirnat the post. Council members interviewed the top two finalists for the post, both described as strong candidates.

“Major Pirnat distinguished herself among a pool of talented candidates with her extensive background and knowledge of best practices in law enforcement, executive administrative capabilities, regional law enforcement knowledge, and the

AROUND Town

continued from page 8

Walk on Saturday to encourage families to explore the 138 acres of Ida Lee Park. The event is planned as part of the 13th annual Kids to Park Day.

Beginning on Friday, May 19, families may explore the “Discovery Walk,” which will be enhanced with fitness challenge stations. A guide and map will be available at bit.ly/KidsToParksDay2023. Paper copies will also be available at the Ida Lee

The full 2023 schedule is:

June 3 Lenny Burridge Trio

June 10 Lost Locals Acoustic

June 17 Levi Stephens

June 24 Robbie Limon

July 8 Juliet Lloyd

July 15 Todd Wright

July 22 Hilary Veltri

July 29 Caribbean Vibe Steel Drum Band

Aug. 5 Smallwood & Fath

Aug. 19 Sela Campbell

are suggested. In case of inclement weather, the show will be canceled. For more information, go to idalee.org. n

leadership she has shown on several important initiatives while in Fairfax County,” Dentler stated. “I believe she will lead the Leesburg Police Department to new heights and serve our community well.”

Dentler also commended the work of Major Vanessa Grigsby, who served as interim chief since retirement of former Chief Gregory Brown in December. Grigsby also served as interim chief following the retirement of Brown’s predecessor, Joseph Price.

Denter said Grigsby, a 24-year veteran of the department, served in that role “nobly and with great influence” and that she will help with Pirnat’s transition ahead of her anticipated retirement in 2024.

The Leesburg Police Department was established in 1758. It has an authorized staff of 90 sworn officers and 18 nonsworn personnel and an $18 million budget for fiscal year 2023. n

Park Recreation Center front desk.

Using the map and clues, kids will explore Ida Lee Park and answer a series of questions, as well as be encouraged to do a fitness-related activity. Responses may be submitted online or in person, during recreation center hours, no later than Sunday, May 21. Show the answers to your questions or present a selfie to the front desk staff.

The first 100 kids will receive a custom pair of Kids To Parks sunglasses.

More information is online at leesburgva.gov/idalee. n

Education School Board Adopts School Calendars for Next Two Years

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

In a 6-1-2 vote May 9, the School Board approved the student and teacher calendars for the next two years.

Chair Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) was opposed, and Jeff Morse (Dulles) and Denise Corbo (At-Large) were absent for the vote.

Under the approved plan, the 202425 school year will begin for students Thursday, Aug. 22 with the last day being Tuesday, June 17.

The calendar gives two weeks off for winter break, the Friday before Labor Day off as a holiday, and equal 45-day quarters. Veterans Day remains a school day, although that remains a point of contention.

In November during talks about the 2023-24 student calendar, board members had a lengthy discussion about whether to include Veteran’s Day as a student holiday. Morse, a 20-year U.S. Navy veteran and a son and grandson of veterans voted no, saying going into schools on Veteran’s Day with their children to celebrate is import-

ant to veterans.

Serotkin said he agreed that ceremonies put on by the schools are very powerful

CALENDAR ADOPTED continues on page 14

Judge Denies Byard Motion to Exclude Some Witnesses

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

A Loudoun County Circuit Court judge has denied a motion by an attorney for longtime Loudoun County Public Schools spokesperson Wayde Byard to exclude the testimony of several witnesses in his June 20 perjury trial.

Byard is accused of lying to the special grand jury convened last year to review the school division’s sexual assault scandal, in which a student accused of an assault was transferred to another high school where he assaulted a second victim. Byard has been on unpaid leave since the perjury charge was filed last year.

The motion, filed April 27, claimed the Attorney General’s Office’s special prosecutor violated Virginia code and a court order by “disseminating” copies of the special grand jury transcripts to witnesses.

It alleged Theo Stamos’s team violated a Jan. 17 court order by Judge James Plowman by providing Stone Bridge High School Principal Timothy Flynn and division Director of Communications Joan Sahlgren copies of the sworn testimonies they provided last year.

The motion argued the “court specified in its Order that the unsealed documents shall be used for preparation for trial, to include responding to court-ordered discovery… and shall not be disseminated to any other entity without further order of this court.”

The motion claims the special prosecutor’s office attempted to ensure the witnesses would testify consistently with their special grand jury testimony.

It claimed Byard was deprived of the ability to object to the action and explain his opposition in court. The motion also requested the court sanction prosecutors

for the alleged violation.

Stamos’s team said the complaint was “meritless” and dismissed it as a tactic to prevent the commonwealth from properly preparing for trial “and putting on relevant evidence.”

In a response filing, Stamos said they followed the Jan. 17 order and used the documents to prepare for trial and said that a separate unsealing order was obtained in anticipation of trials against Byard and former superintendent Scott Ziegler.

Prosecutors said they provided both Flynn and Sahlgren a copy of their sworn testimony through their individual attorneys and said, “neither witness was provided anything beyond a copy of what each had testified to at the SGJ.”

BYARD WITNESSES

continues on page 12

Board Adopts Last Two Grand Jury Recommendations

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

On May 9, the School Board amended the final two policies of seven that were recommended for revision by their attorney in response to a special grand jury report released in December.

The recommendations to the policies came from the jury’s investigation into the division’s handling of two sexual assaults in Loudoun high schools by the same student months apart in 2021.

Revisions to a policy that deals with safety and emergency-related communications added language to clarify how much information should be given to community members about incidents on school property or at school-sponsored events.

“To the extent permitted by law, LCPS shall provide as much relevant information as permissible to community members…” according to the updated policy.

The School Board also added language to require consultation with the division counsel before releasing any “safety and emergency related communications related to student privacy” to make sure confidential information is withheld in accordance with the law.

The safety and emergency communication policy passed 7-0-2, with Jeff Morse (Dulles) and Denise Corbo (At-Large) absent for the vote.

Revisions to the policy that deals with the disclosure of student personally identifiable information were more extensive, beginning with adding “and other educational records” to the title.

Additions to that policy note the division’s obligation to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It also defined “personally identifiable information” as the student’s name, parent’s name or other family members, the address, a student’s Social Security Number, date of birth, place of birth or mother’s maiden name, or information

JURY RECOMMENDATIONS

continues on page 34

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now The Loudoun County School Board on May 9.

Loudoun Student Named First Ever Virginia Poet Laureate

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

Kashvi Ramani, a high school junior and Ashburn resident, was recently named the first-ever Virginia Youth Poet Laureate.

The Virginia Youth Poet Laureate is a combined program from Teens with a Purpose, Hampton Roads Youth Poets and Urban World. The Virginia pilot program was launched this year with the goal of engaging Title I high school students throughout Virginia. The program aims to identify young writers who are “committed to civic and community engagement, performance poetry, leadership and education across the state of Virginia,” according to the Teens with a Purpose website.

“It’s such an incredible opportunity and I am eternally grateful. I am so excited I have been talking non-stop about it for weeks,” Ramani said.

She will compete with 44 other students in the 2024 National Youth Poet Laureate Program as the Virginia representative.

Many people are likely familiar with 2017 inaugural Youth Poet Laurate Amanda Gorman after her performance at the 2021 presidential inauguration. Other National Youth Poet Laureates include 2022’s Alyssa Gaines from Indianapolis, IN, and the recently announced 2023 National Youth Poet Laureate, Salome Agbaroji, a Nigerian-American student from Los Angeles.

Ramani, a former Rock Ridge High School student who currently attends Phillips Academy-Andover, a private boarding school in Boston, said she left Loudoun schools to attend the private school because it matched with her interest in becoming a filmmaker.

“I loved Rock Ridge, but I needed to be in a place where arts were more valued,” she said. “Every time you heard someone talk it was always praise for Thomas Jefferson [High School for Science and Technology] or the Academies of Loudoun and I went there. I love the county, but I had an opportunity to go into a program for the arts.”

Ramani has been writing and performing her poems for four years as part of the DC Youth Slam team and other organizations.

She said, although she has lived in Northern Virginia all of her life, she didn’t feel connected to it, saying she felt more Indian than American.

“The world is calling, and I must answer,” she said. “The reason I write is I can

pretend I am there even when I’m not.”

She first got interested in poetry during the COVID-19 pandemic and participated in virtual workshops and trainings where she and other participants had shared poetry before eventually participating in live poetry competitions.

She said to become a poet laureate you have to show what you have done in poetry.

“Because I started from the ground up, I had all these opportunities along the way,” she said. “I worked my way up to

building an impressive poetry resume and that is one of the big reasons I won.”

Ramani said she worked with various organizations to build her résumé including the Richmond Poet Laureates.

“Poetry is a process, you don’t wake up one day and decide to be the National Poet Laureate,” she said.

Part of that process for Ramani was attending open poetry mic nights and

Contributed by Kashvi Ramani Kashvi Ramani performs at the Virginia Youth Poet Laureate competition. RAMANI continues on page 14

School Board One Step Closer to Finalizing Law Enforcement Agreement

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

The School Board last week approved additional recommended changes made by the Joint School Board and Board of Supervisors Committee to the memorandum of understanding the division has with local law enforcement officers.

A lot of changes have been made to the MOU in collaboration with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and the Leesburg Police Department. According to Chair Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) the biggest is the ability for the division to conduct Title IX investigations jointly with law enforcement investigations.

“In the event of concurrent investigations involving employee or student misconduct of a criminal nature that is school-related, the [Sheriff’s Office and Leesburg Police Department] may collaborate, to the extent permissible under their own respective policies and regulations,” according to the MOU.

It states that if a joint investigation can’t take place, the division would notify law enforcement that it will move forward with an administrative review and law en-

forcement would agree to let the division know when it completes its investigation.

Serotkin said in an interview that the special grand jury report unsealed in December 2022 revealed there was confusion on the part of division staff on whether they needed to open a Title IX report after a student sexually assaulted two student’s months apart and whether a Title IX investigation could take place during a criminal investigation being conducted by the Sheriff’s Office.

One of the grand jury recommendations was to review and update the MOU, something he said had begun already.

In a Jan. 14, 2022, statement from the division about the sexual assaults, the School Board committed to updating its MOU with local law enforcement, expand its Title IX office, review Title IX complaints over the prior year to make sure they were handled properly, and provide additional mandatory training to ensure all school administrators understood their obligation in reporting allegations of sexual harassment and assault.

State code requires an MOU be updated every two years. The most recent signed MOU was from 2021.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the first additional recommended change from the committee removed the term “wherever feasible” under the required training and added a requirement for training on trauma informed policy tactics. The additional training is intended to help officers when talking to minors who may have been involved in sexual assault or domestic assault situations.

The other recommended change involved an SROs ability to stop questioning a student and to take “law enforcement action without prior authorization of the school administrator or contacting the parents or legal guardians.” The committee suggested replacing the language, so parents, guardians and school administration are notified before this happens.

“I don’t think that we should be telling the Leesburg Police Department or the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office how they should do their job. They don’t tell us how to do our job. We are partners but at the same time they are going to follow the law, so I do not support these changes,” said Tiffany Polifko (Broad Run), who along with John Beatty (Catoctin) voted against the changes. “According to my understanding Leesburg PD and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office are both in support of the MOU as it stands currently, and they have been able to work through the

MOU just fine.”

During the April 25 meeting, the MOU was brought before the board as an information item but had little discussion other than Erika Ogedegbe (Leesburg) say she appreciated and supported the recommended changes.

The MOU is an agreement between the School Board, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and the Leesburg Police Department intended to “promote a positive relationship between students, staff and law enforcement and to maintain safe, supportive and secure school environments,” according to the MOU. It also states that all parties agree that the majority of student misconduct can be handled through school strategies without law enforcement involvement.

The MOU clarifies the role and scope of the authority of the School Resource Officers, school administration and teachers.

Serotkin said the board has been working with law enforcement for “much of the last two years” to update the MOU.

The revised MOU will now go to the Leesburg Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office for their review. Once a final MOU is ready it will come back to the board for approval, according to Sertokin.

Jeff Morse (Dulles) and Denise Corbo (At-Large) were absent for the May 9 vote. n for

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Byard witnesses

continued from page 10

Stamos’s team said they did not provide any instructions to the witnesses when they gave them their transcripts, but simply followed standard pre-trial practices.

“The defendant’s basic complaint here is that the Commonwealth has engaged in standard trial preparation by providing witnesses with their prior statements for private review with their retained counsel,” they wrote.

Judge James P. Fisher agreed with the special prosecutor’s office and denied the motion on May 11.

In another motion filed May 11, Stamos’ team sought to declare Sahlgren, who was Byard’s supervisor, an adverse witness. That declaration would permit attorneys to ask her leading or challenging questions during the trial.

The motion stated Sahlgren refused to meet with Stamos’ team to discuss her

testimony and that it was conveyed to them that Sahlgren believed the special grand jury process was “one-sided” and “unfair.”

Prosecutors said in the motion that because Byard is on unpaid leave with no resignation to date, it is presumed he will return to his position if he is acquitted of his perjury charges. The motion also stated that Sahlgren testified she relied on Byard to help her understand school communications issues after coming into her job and that she and Byard supported each other.

“It is the specific nature of the close working relationship that the two individuals had, and that Mr. Byard would be returning to if acquitted, that makes Mrs. Sahlgren unique,” according to the motion.

Another pre-trial hearing is set for June 8, with a ruling on that issue expected at that time.

Byard is scheduled for a two-day jury trial starting June 20. n

703-956-9470

Ramani

continued from page 11

watching other poets perform without the constraints of being in a competition. She said it’s all about the community, and the more you attend and get to know others, the more known you become.

She said in poetry competitions you are judged on several things, including how well you have the poem memorized, how much or how little emotion you use to deliver it and how well you speak—points are deducted if you stumble too much.

She said she gets inspiration for her poems from anything around her.

“For me, anything I think about for longer than five seconds becomes an idea,” she said. “It’s finding your own style and being committed to that.”

Ramani said sometimes she does stream-of-consciousness writing, then will stop and say, “woah, where did this come from? This is really good!”

She said sometimes inspiration can come from reading another poem and writing a response. And she said there are different kinds of poetry.

“Many poets think there is only one

way to write poetry, to fit it into one category, but the reality is, most poems don’t fit into any of them,” she said.

Asked what advice she’d give to someone interested in writing poetry, she said “just start.”

“When you think about it as a chore or as something you have to do you feel so unmotivated. Just get it on paper,” she said.

Ramani comes from a family rooted in science and technology. Her mother is in finance, her father is in IT, and her younger sister is interested in the medical profession. She said it was hard for them at first when she decided to pursue the arts,

but she said they have been very supportive of her dreams.

“My mom has pushed me like no other person. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. Even if I wanted to give up, she wouldn’t let me,” she said.

Ramani hopes to attend a university in a big city after she graduates next year. Her dream is to attend Columbia University or University of Southern California and study film making.

“Wherever I go, poetry will always be there for me. Poetry can be anything you want it to be if you just let it,” Ramani said. n

Calendar adopted

continued from page 10

but wanted students to have the day off to spend with their veteran parents.

“Veterans Day is the only holiday where we send our students to school and make our employees work,” he said at the time. “Every year our veterans community reaches out and asks why and I never have a good answer for them. We don’t treat any other federal holiday like this.”

In the end, the calendar option that was adopted did not include Veteran’s Day as a student holiday with Serotkin voting against it.

For the 2024-25 school year, teacher’s start Wednesday, Aug. 14, with their last day being June 20.

For 2025-26, the board adopted a calendar that has students starting Thursday, Aug. 21 and ending Wednesday, June 16. The calendar gives two weeks for winter break, the Friday before Labor Day as a holiday, consistent quarters and Veteran’s Day as a school day.

Teachers’ first day in 2025-26 is Wednesday, Aug. 13, with their last day Thursday, June 18.

Both the 2024-25 and 2025-26 calendars provide 180 days for students and 194 for the staff.

The calendars were created using feedback from a school calendar option survey that was sent to staff and families April 10.

At the end of the calendar presentation, Serotkin asked division Chief Human Resource Officer Lisa Boland if adopting the calendars now meant they wouldn’t be discussing calendar options for a while.

Boland said the plan was to have the board vote on calendars three years out, meaning they will be selecting calendars for 2026-27 and 2027-28 next year. n

Herndon Man Charged in 3 Sterling Robberies

The Sheriff ’s Office has arrested a Herndon man in connection with three armed robberies in Sterling that occurred over a 23-hour period.

Brayams Andino-Linares, 26, of Herndon, was arrested Monday morning at a residence on West Church Road in Sterling.

He is the suspect in robberies at two businesses Sunday and another just after midnight Monday.

According to the report, the first robbery occurred at the 7-Eleven store on West Church Road at approximately 1:46 a.m. May 14. A man entered the store, displayed a knife and demanded money from the clerk. The suspect was described as a light-skinned Hispanic male, approximately 32 to 35 years of age, medium build, 5 feet 5 inches tall, with short black hair and a goatee. He was reported to be wearing a yellow LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers tank top, a dark-colored hat, black cargo shorts, black socks, white tennis shoes, and a watch on his wrist. He was

seen leaving the store, possibly in a gray Toyota Camry.

At approximately 8:18 a.m., a man entered the Sunoco gas station adjacent to the 7-Eleven store, displayed scissors, and demanded money from the clerk. The description of the suspect and vehicle in this robbery appears to be the same as the first robbery, except that he was reported to be wearing a mustard-colored T-shirt, according to the report.

The third robbery happened just after 12:30 a.m. May 15 at the Exxon gas station on Falke Plaza in Sterling. In that case, a man approached the clerk with his hand in his pocket, making it appear like he had a weapon, and demanded money, according to the report.

In all three robberies, the suspect was seen leaving the stores in a gray Toyota Camry.

Andino-Linares was transported to the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center where he is being held without bond. n

SAFETY briefs

County Gov’t Employee Charged with Embezzlement

The Sheriff ’s Office has charged a Loudoun County government employee with embezzlement after an internal review turned up allegations that she fraudulently billed more than 550 hours of work.

Theresa A. Smith, of Haymarket, is accused of embezzling approximately $29,000 from the Child Subsidy Program during her employment as a child care specialist with the Loudoun County Department of Family Services. The Sheriff ’s Office investigation covered the period from November 2021 through October 2022, according to the agency.

Smith surrendered at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on May 10 after being advised that warrants had been obtained for her arrest. She was released on an unsecured $5,000 bond.

Trials Set in Mall Shooting, Hamilton Murder Cases

After a Loudoun grand jury handed down felony indictments, Circuit Court trials have been set in September for the suspects in the Jan. 2 killing of a Hamilton man and the April 2 shooting at the Dulles Town Center mall.

Angus Brown, 24, is scheduled for a seven-day jury trial beginning Sept. 13. He is charged with second-degree murder after he allegedly killed his father with a hatchet in their Hamilton-area home.

Alan W. Colie, 31, faces a five-day trial starting Sept. 25. He is charged with aggravated malicious wounding and two other felonies after he allegedly shot a man who was harassing him at the mall’s food court during the filming of a pranking video.

Both men are being held without bond. n

Nonprofit

3 Join Loudoun Habitat Board of Directors

Loudoun Habitat for Humanity has announced three new members of its board of directors.

Allison Metzger, owner of Green Lawn Realty; Michael Butterfield, a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors; and Kristina Whittaker, retired attorney with the Office of Comptroller of the Currency join the board after serving as long-standing volunteers for the organization.

They join 15 other volunteer board members serving two-year terms.

Loudoun Habitat for Humanity was established in 1993 to provide adequate housing for Loudoun County residents in need. For more information, or to donate or volunteer, go to www.loudounhabitat.org.

Crossroads Jobs Lands Walmart Grant

Loudoun ‘Buy Fresh Buy Local’ Guide Arriving Soon

With spring growing season here, the Piedmont Environmental Council has released its 2023-2024 Buy Fresh Buy Local Loudoun County guide to help shoppers find fresh produce from local farmers and farmers markets.

The Loudoun guide has been mailed to almost 150,000 households and is expected to arrive this week.

The Buy Fresh Buy Local guide features about 200 area-specific farms, orchards, farmers markets, as well as wineries,

breweries, restaurants, and retailers. The guides also provide a travel map of locations patrons can visit, a fruit and vegetable availability calendar, a fact sheet explaining various common food labels, and a handful of local farm features.

“The Virginia Piedmont is known for its beauty and abundant agricultural resources. Our goal with these guides is to connect Virginians to locally grown and produced food, thereby helping farmland stay farmland and preserving the region’s

rural economy while supporting the local food economy as well,” PEC Buy Fresh Buy Local Assistant Faith Schweikert stated. “We hope Buy Fresh Buy Local encourages people to look to the local producers and businesses around them for their healthy and delicious foodstuffs before depending on a vast global food supply chain that is ultimately less friendly to

Crime Commission Awards Scholarships

The Loudoun County Crime Commission on May 12 presented two $500 scholarships to students in the Administration of Justice program at the Academies of Loudoun.

From left, scholarship winners Michael Lenderman and his parents and Larissa Nascimento pose with Crime Commission Director Brad Romanoff, and Chairman Frank Holtz. Contributed

Crossroads Jobs recently was awarded $500 from Walmart in Dulles through a community grant. The money will be used to provide bus passes or gas cards and to purchase clothing and shoes to give clients a hand up in the job-seeking process.

Last year, 98% of Crossroads Jobs’ clients were within the low to moderate income level of the area median income for Loudoun, and 88% fell within the extremely low-income level. Crossroads works to help them find and keep employment. So far in 2023, Crossroads Jobs has seen 25 new applicants with 10 placed in jobs and the rest awaiting interviews.

Crossroads Jobs’ mission is to provide free, individualized job placement and career development services to Loudoun area residents who are unemployed or underemployed and are experiencing barriers to employment. It offers a source of ready-to-work applicants for local businesses. It has offices in Leesburg and Sterling, and the program is offered in English and Spanish.

For more information, go to crossroadsjobs.org. n

Cindy Sabato

The Piedmont Environmental Council has released its 2023-2024 Buy Fresh Buy Local Loudoun County guide.

BUY LOCAL continues on page 17

Obituaries Buy local

continued from page 16

the environment and our local economy. Whether it’s meats, vegetables, specialty items or more, it’s already here in the Piedmont.”

The free Buy Fresh Buy Local guide is supported by community sponsors including the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, Wegmans, Finest Butcher, Farm Credit, and Oak Spring Garden Foundation.

“The Claude Moore Charitable Foundation recognizes the agricultural heritage of Loudoun County and the value of local food production,” Claude Moore Charitable Foundation Senior Deputy Executive Director Bill Hazel stated. “We are pleased to help connect citizens with fresh local food and a bit of history.”

The council also produces guides for other communities throughout the Piedmont. Find all three guides at pecva.org/buylocal, or browse the searchable guide online with an interactive map at buylocalpiedmont.org.

More information about the council’s local farms and food program is online at pecva.org/farmsandfood. n

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

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

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

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

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

John Aubrey Andrews

John “Jack” Aubrey Andrews, AKA “Papa Jack,” passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones at his home in Middleburg, Virginia, on the morning of May 12, 2023.

He was born in Lowell, Mass, Jan. 11, 1941, to Albert F. Andrews and Evelyn P. Andrews.

Jack overcame adversity early in life. At the age of 17 he fractured 3 spinal disks in his neck from a swimming accident. He spent 7 months in traction and surrounded by sandbags to restrict his movements. He was the rst person to fully recover from a neck spinal fusion operation. Jack signed up to serve in the military though while in bootcamp his neck injury caused him to be honorably discharged.

Jack was the rst of seven children and was married to his rst wife, Helen Monahan Andrews, when he was 19. His rst job supporting his young family was working in a dry-cleaning factory. He then worked for Sandvel, a precast concrete company in Worcester, Mass, as a laborer and moved up to be a manager. His imagination, mechanical skills were noticed by all and soon therea er, in 1968 he was o ered a sales manager job with WR Grace company selling concrete chemical additives. He moved his young family to Reston, VA, and for the remaining years of his life he lived in Reston and then Middleburg.

A er leaving WR Grace he worked at a precast company in Herndon for Hans Shultz. He worked on many of the new projects in the early years of growth in Reston.

Jack started his real estate career in the early 1970s rezoning industrial properties in Herndon. Around this same time, he started a ready-mix concrete company in Herndon with his wife Helen and friend Scott Meese. is company, CDC Concrete, grew to become Herndon Concrete with plants in downtown Herndon, Centreville and Newington. In the early 1980s, the main plant relocated to Rt. 606 next to

Dulles Airport and became AMAX Concrete. A small ve-truck operation had become the largest non-union ready mix concrete company in Northern Virginia and was sold to Titan America in 1989.

In the early 1980s, Jack returned to the real estate business starting the Intergate Company with Jerry O’Connell and Steve Hubert. e Intergate Company in uenced the creation of Ashburn Farms, Villages at Round Hill, Beaumeade, Loudoun Gateway, Dulles 28 Auto Mall and other ventures. Jack continued in the real estate business in Loudoun over the next 30 years. As he laid waiting to move on to his last deal, he was still talking about new real estate ideas and instructing his sons on what they should do.

Jack was very involved in the business community in Loudoun County over the years in di erent roles. He was one of the cofounders of the Rt 28 Tax District. One of his biggest contributions in that e ort was naming of Atlantic and Pacific Blvd. He was also heavily involved in the Loudoun County citizens committee Comprehensive Plan rewrite Called “Choices and Changes “. Jack also placed over 1,000 acres into open space easements in Loudoun County.

His business philosophy was “#1 - Do something you enjoy #2- Do something that contributes to society and #3 - Make a pro t so you can continue doing numbers 1 and 2.”

His other advice to overcome adversity: “It’s all in how you phrase the question.”

Jack’s hobby was real estate. A vacation in St. John USVI led to the prestigious community of Peter Bay. His friends and family knew him as a consummate Deal Junky.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his sisters Lyn Bell-Andrews, Kathleen Byrt and his brother Dana Andrews.

He is survived by his brother and life-long friend Albert “Bud” Andrews of Hampton, New Hampshire, and sisters Sarah Andrews and Susan Cline of Chelmsford, Mass.; children with Helen Monahan Andrews: John A. Andrews II of St Augustine FL, Mark E. Andrews of Middleburg and Christine E. Andrews of Del Ray FL; children with Wendy Lind of Middleburg VA: Alexander Andrews and Sophia Andrews of Middleburg VA; six grandchildren Jessica Andrews Of Phuket ailand, John A. Andrews III of Pinellas Park FL, Laura Andrews of

Sterling, Annamarie Andrews of Reston, Mark Andrews II of Ashburn VA and Amanda Burke of Orem, Utah ; and three great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Jack is fondly remembered by all his family for his many stories and generosity.

A memorial in Purcellville will be announced. Jack will then return home to be with his family at Saint Patrick’s Cemetery in Lowell Mass.

Death Notices

Peter Erik van Helden, 75, of Leesburg, VA, and Rehoboth Beach, DE, passed away on May 4, 2023. Peter is survived by his daughters, Tara Brokaw (husband Michael) of Lansdowne, VA, and Tracey Troiano (husband Kevin) of Aldie, VA, his grandchildren, Ryan, Kate, Wyatt, and Caleb, his brother, Ronald van Helden (wife Kathryn), his niece Angela, and his former wife and dear friend, Carol. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hendrik and Violet Angela van Helden, and his brother Hendrik “Henk” van Helden.

A celebration of Peter’s life will be held on May 18, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. at Vine & Branches Lutheran Church, 25615 Lennox Hale Dr, Aldie, VA 20105, with a reception to follow at his daughter Tracey’s home, 25987 Lilac Oaks Place, Aldie, VA 20105.  Karl Roger Phillips, 64, passed away on Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

Karl was married to Kathleen Je ries (Hugus) Phillips. He was one of seven siblings, and is survived by his two sons Sean James Phillips and Ryan Francis Phillips; his mother Nancy Sterrett Phillips, three brothers Albert Virgil Phillips, Jr., Stephen Wendell Phillips, Perry Douglas Phillips and one sister Mildred Annette Phillips; and an extraordinary group of nieces and nephews of whom Karl was always proud. He was predeceased by his father Albert Virgil Phillips, and a sister Teresa June Phillips and brother Neil Emerson Phillips.

e family will receive friends from 5 – 7 p.m. on Friday, May 19, 2023 and a funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at Hall Funeral Home; 140 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, VA.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Loudoun County Animal Services, 42225 Adoption Drive, Leesburg, Virginia 20175.

Towns Wrestle with Staff Compensation, Utility Rates

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

As budget season nears its end, a recurring topic of discussion among town council budget meetings has been employee compensation, specifically cost of living increases during a period of soaring inflation.

And for many towns, utility rates track with staff compensation since a significant portion of the towns’ staff is dedicated to running water and wastewater systems.

Lovettsville adopted its FY 2024 budget April 13 with a 5.75% cost of living and market adjustment raise for the town staff, combined with an average 3.5% merit-based compensation raise. The budget also includes a 3% increase in water and sewer user rates, and an increase of 5.6% in water and sewer availability fees.

Purcellville is expected to adopt its budget May 23, following more than a dozen work sessions. The budget proposed by former Town Manager John An-

zivino included a 5% COLA adjustment for town staff, however Mayor Stanley J. Milan has proposed a reduction to 4% based as a compromise between members supporting the original plans and those who wanted to reduce it more. A straw poll conducted by Milan also indicated a majority of the council supports changing the proposed pay for performance raise to a one-time bonus. Members Erin Rayner, Mary Jane Williams and Ronald Rise Jr. opposed the idea.

The Purcellville council has been considering two sets of water and wastewater rates. Initial modeling from the town’s utility advisor, Stantec Consulting, recommended a modified Capital Improvement Program combined with a water rate increase of 6.5% and a wastewater increase of 9%. After the council requested a remodel taking into account cuts the council was considering, the model showed that the budget could be balanced with a 5% increase in water rates and a 7.5% increase in wastewater rates and keep a fully

budgeted CIP. The models include reducing the utility reserves fund by 50% - an action that would require the council to vote a change to the town’s fiscal policy.

In Middleburg, Town Manager Danny Davis has proposed a 4% COLA and an average of 2% for performance-based raises. The council last week approved a 3% raise in utility rates.

Round Hill Administrator Melissa Hynes is working with plans for a 3% COLA, a 3% pool for merit increases for the utility staff and 4% for the administrative staff.  The differential is intended to balance raises between the utility employees who are generally more tenured and in the higher range of the pay structure and the office staff members who are generally newer and on the lower end of the scale. The Town Council is expected to vote Thursday on a new utility rates plan, which could include a hike as high as 24%

TOWN COMPENSATION

continues on page 35

Middleburg Balks at Plans for New Downtown Inn

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

A proposal to convert the former real estate office at 204 E. Washington St. to an inn with up to 20 rooms and a restaurant is under review by the town Planning Commission. But the neighbors—and the Town Council—aren’t lining up behind the concept.

Marc Chretien, the owner of Mount Defiance Cidery & Distillery, envisions additions to the rear of the building while leaving the front façade undisturbed. To operate an inn in the downtown district, the town would have to amend the Zoning Ordinance to allow the use and then approve a rezoning for part of the property and, under current plans, a special use permit.

After three months of discussions, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the Zoning Ordinance change to allow inns in the C-1 District with a special permit. Making inns a special exception use allows the commission and

council to review each proposal on a caseby-case basis.

The Town Council was briefed on the proposal Thursday night, ahead of a scheduled May 25 public hearing. It also got a preview of the public feedback, as several residents raised concerns the plan would change the character of the neighborhood that lies outside the core downtown business district, which is zoned C-2.

Although the proposed ordinance change will still go forward to a public hearing, council members indicated they don’t intend to support it.

Concerns centered on the size of inns that would be permitted and worries the town already relies too much on the hospitality industry.

Deputy Town Manager William M. Moore said the proposal to allow inns to

MIDDLEBURG INN

continues on page 35

LOVETTSVILLE

Town Seeks Economic Development Coordinator

The Town of Lovettsville has opened applications for a new staff position: community engagement and economic development coordinator.

The new hire will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with town business owners, nonprofits, community groups, governmental entities, residents, homeowner associations, and regional and local professional organizations. The coordinator is expected to serve as the focal point of contact for the town for coordinating and ensuring the highest level of customer service and assistance is provided.

More information and application details are available at lovettsvilleva.gov/careers.

MIDDLEBURG Special Treatment of Real Estate Office May End

The Town Council last week initiated a study of whether to drop a special category in the Zoning Ordinance for real estate offices. The action comes amid concerns that there are too many of them occupying the ground-floor office spaces downtown.

According to a May 11 briefing by Deputy Town Manager William M. Moore, when the Zoning Ordinance was adopted in 2003 the real estate community successfully lobbied to have their offices treated differently than other professional offices, which are required to undergo special exception review for groundfloor spaces in the C-2 district.

Moore’s report lists six groundfloor real estate offices, with another in the works. All but two of those have opened since the ordinance was adopted. The issue was discussed during a December meeting of the town’s Economic Development Advisory Commission, resulting in a consensus that “critical mass” had

AROUND TOWNS continues on page 19

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

The former Washington Fine Properties office at 204 E. Washington St. in Middleburg, where a 20-room inn has been proposed.

AROUND towns

continued from page 18

been reached and that the town should consider whether to end by-right authority for the use in hopes of attracting more pedestrian-oriented businesses.

Existing offices would not be impacted by any changes, Moore noted.

The council on May 11 agreed to consider the issue, sending it to the Planning Commission for study and recommendations.

Town Responds to Malicious Cyber Attack

The Town of Middleburg has reached out to 102 individuals whose personal identifying information may have been accessed by “malicious actors” during a data breach in late January.

According to a town notice, sometime between Jan. 25 and Jan. 31 an employee’s Outlook email account was accessed by someone who then impersonated a vendor to request payment from the town. Once the breach was detected, the town

worked with its IT contractor and cyber security experts to secure personal information and better protect the town’s network. No servers, systems, or other data was accessed.

The town sent letters to 102 people whose information could have been accessed from the account to provide an update on the case, information about resources to protect their interests, and contact information if they need additional assistance.

Among other steps taken to combat additional attacks, the town has installed a more robust cybersecurity solution across its network, strengthened its system’s architecture, and implemented stronger policies, according to the statement.

PURCELLVILLE Council to Hold Interviews for Town Manager

The Town Council is scheduled to hold special meetings on Friday, May 19 and Monday, May 22 at 8 a.m. to interview finalists for the town manager post.

The meetings will be held at Town

Hall in the Heritage Room and will move to a closed session immediately for the interview process.

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

The timeline proposed by former Interim Town Manager John Anzivino and agreed to by the council in February, envisions a permanent manager to be in the position by mid to late June.

Town Hosts Bike and Safety Day Sunday

The Town of Purcellville is hosting a free Bike and Safety Day Sunday, May 21 from noon to 4 p.m.

The event is organized by the Purcellville Police Department, the Parks and Recreation staff, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, the Purcellville Volunteer Fire Company and the Purcellville Volunteer Rescue Squad.

Activities will be held at the Purcellville Public Safety Center, at 500 N. Maple Ave. and will include a meet and greet with state, county and local first responders, a bouncy house and displays of police, fire

and rescue apparatus.

A bike safety rodeo will be held to help children learn and practice bicycle safety skills and will include helmet fittings and bicycle safety checks by Bike Loudoun. Free helmets will be given to children who do not have one.

Pedal Purcellville, a family fun ride and bike decorating contest will begin at 1 p.m. with check-in at 12:30 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for the top three winners. Contestants must have pre-registered by May 12. The fun ride will commence at 1:30 p.m. beginning at the Purcellville Safety Center back parking lot.

Library Book Sale Rescheduled

The Library Advisory Board book sale originally scheduled for May 13 was postponed because of rainy weather. It has been rescheduled for June 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event will be held in the staff parking lot. Only cash or checks will be accepted.

This event serves as a fundraiser for the library’s programs, especially the Summer Reading Program. n

GET OUT

LIVE MUSIC

CHRIS TIMBERS & MIKE ECHOLS

Thursday, May 18, 5 to 9 p.m. 1836 Kitchen and Taproom, 34 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville 1836kitchenandtaproom.com

JUSTIN SUEDE

Thursday, May 18, 6 to 10 p.m. Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg facebook.com/spankys.shenanigan

COWPOKE

Thursday, May 18, 7 to 10 p.m.

Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg facebook.com/spankys.shenanigan

DAVID GOODRUM

Friday, May 19, 5 to 8 p.m. Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg facebook.com/spankys.shenanigan

JASON MASI

Friday, May 19, 5 to 8 p.m. Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights harpersferrybrewing.com

DAN CHUTE

Friday, May 19, 5 to 8 p.m.

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

TODD ROWDY TOLBERT

Friday, May 19, 5 to 8 p.m.

Two Twisted Posts Winery, 12944 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville twotwistedposts.com

ACOUSTIC MOOSE

Friday, May 19, 6 to 9 p.m. Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville flyingacefarm.com

ROMANCE AT 90: Janet Taliaferro’s Writing the Books

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

“She thinks she knows all about him, this officious elder brother of her best friend from childhood. He regards her as a scatterbrained schoolgirl. When the parents insist he escort her to her debutante ball, neither are pleased. The evening begins a long discovery which can only end with them in each other’s arms and the bond of a passionate love.”

Thus reads the Amazon.com induction to “An Unreasonable Daughter,” the latest work by Ashburn’s Janet Taliaferro.

At age 90, she’s believed to be the oldest active romance novelist in the U.S. It’s a title she embraces as she continues to pursue her passion for writing and poetry after retiring from a career in political campaigning and running the family business.

GET OUT THIS WEEK

continues on page 22

The Oklahoma City, OK native first moved to Northern Virginia in 1967, when her husband joined the staff of the

National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders following the Washington, DC race riots that summer. Their one-year assignment turned into a 15-year stay as they raised their family here. Building on her activism in the civil rights movement and with Planned Parenthood, she worked on political campaigns—most notably those of Northern Virginia’s three-term Congressman Joe Fisher. They moved back to Oklahoma in 1980, when she took over her family’s commercial real estate and oil and gas business.

Finding herself with free time, Taliaferro enrolled in the University of Central Oklahoma and earned a master’s degree in creative writing—pursuing a new passion at age 55. Her master’s thesis was a collection of stories that landed the Geoffrey Bocca Memorial Award for Graduate Writing.

She then spent years working to get published, submitting stories to magazines across the country. Entering a Red-

book contest, she was told her piece barely missed the cut among the thousands of entries received.

“They picked 12, you know, and I got a lovely letter back from the editor saying that mine was 16,” she said. “But she liked the way I wrote, so I submitted a couple of other stories. One was a Christmas Story, which they said was too dark for them. And then they took a story. And the fiction department took one, and then the senior editor pulled it. Getting nice letters back, but never winning anything after that was sort of my M.O.”

After unsuccessfully trying to find an agent and a publisher, she released her first book, “A Sky for Arcadia”, as a printon-demand novel.

“Oddly enough, it sold quite well for an indie. It had to do with the recovery from addiction, and there was a treatment center that would buy them in great quantities because they gave them out to the women when they left,” she said.

That was followed by books of short stories and poetry. Her 2011, novel, “Virgin Hall,” explores the lives of women coming of age in the 1950s.

After that, Taliaferro had figured she’d finished her writing career. Then COVID hit.

“I was in our apartment, and I thought,

TALIAFERRO

continues on page 21

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Author Janet Taliaferro will hold a book-signing for her latest novel, “An Unreasonable Daughter,” Saturday at Barnes & Noble in Ashburn.

TALIAFERRO

continued from page 20

I’m going to go crazy if it’s just me and the television,” she said. “I had two and a half chapters of a Regency historical novel on my computer. I dug that thing out and thought, ‘I’ll see want I can do.’ So I wrote it.”

“A Reasonable Lady,” a romance novel set in early 19th century Britain, was published in 2021.

Her latest novel, “An Unreasonable Daughter,” follows the same family 18 years later, during a period of social and political reform including the abolishment of slavery and the adoption of child labor laws.

“It’s fascinating time in British history,” she said.

Her interest in historical fiction is lifelong.

“I love Jane Austen. My daughter loved to read romance novels, and when she got through, I used to read them,” Taliaferro said. ”I grew up in the days of the historical novel, you know, ‘Captain from Castile’ and all those wonderful historical novels that people wrote in the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s. So, I grew up reading that.”

Taliaferro has a few more novels in the hopper, although she’s not certain they’ll be published. She also has held a writing workshop for other residents living in her community, Waltonwood Senior Living in Ashburn.

She also continues her passion for social justice. During her book signing appearance at Barnes & Noble in One Loudoun on Saturday, proceeds from sales will be donated to Educando Con Amor, a Leesburg-based program offering bilingual literacy initiatives for children and teens that is organized by St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church.

“It’s a spiritual lift for me,” Taliaferro said of her writing. “I’m no different than anybody else. It’s kind of hard to get started, but once you do, yeah, it’s very satisfying.” n

Meet Janet Taliaferro on Saturday, May 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, 20427 Exchange St. in Ashburn. The book-signing event is organized by Adventures by Waltonwood, which showcases how seniors are empowered to follow their dreams and share their stories. Learn more about Taliaferro and her work at janetmtaliaferro.com.

GET OUT THIS WEEK

continued from page 20

SWELL

Friday, May 19, 6-10 p.m.

MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 Harrison St. SE. B, Leesburg macsbeach.com

NATALIE WILLIAMS AND CZARS OF LEISURE

Friday, May 19, 7 to 10 p.m.

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

MELISSA QUINN FOX MUSIC

Friday, May 19, 7 to 11 p.m.

Parallel Wine & Whiskey Bar, 43135 Broadlands Center Plaza # 121, Ashburn parallelwinebistro.com

TEJAS SINGH

Friday, May 19, 7 to 11 p.m.

Velocity Wings Potomac Falls, 20789 Great Falls Plaza, Sterling velocitywings.net

BIG GIANT

Friday, May 19, 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg facebook.com/spankys.shenanigan

BREAUX 80’S BASH

Saturday, May 20, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. $20. breauxvineyards.com

JUSTIN TRAWICK: BRAMBLETON BREWFEST

Saturday, May 20, 12 to 4 p.m.

Brambleton Town Center, 42395 Ryan Road, Brambleton brambletonhoa.com/BrewFest

STEVE GEORGE AND FRIENDS

Saturday, May 20, 1 to 4 p.m.

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

GUYS IN THIN TIES

Saturday, May 20, 1 to 4 p.m., Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts vanishbeer.com

MERCY CREEK

Saturday, May 20, 2 to 5 p.m. Lost Rhino Brewing Co, 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn lostrhino.com

JASON MASI

Saturday, May 20, 2 to 5 p.m. Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro doukeniewinery.com

Best Bets

Saturday, May 20, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Hillsboro Old Stone School oldschoolschool.org

JIM STEELE

Saturday, May 20, 2 to 5 p.m. Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville flyingacefarm.com

JOE DOWNER

Saturday, May 20, 2 to 5 p.m. Firefly Cellars, 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton fireflycellars.com

CARY WIMBISH

Saturday, May 20, 3 to 6 p.m. Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg facebook.com/spankys.shenanigan

SOMETHING COUNTRY

Saturday, May 20, 5 to 8 p.m. Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts vanishbeer.com

SELA CAMPBELL

Saturday, May 20, 5 to 8 p.m. Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights harpersferrybrewing.com

JUST SOUTH OF 7

Saturday, May 20, 5 to 8 p.m. Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg lostbarrel.com

80’S DJ DANCE PARTY

Saturday, May 20, 6 to 9 p.m. 868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro 868estatevineyards.com

COLLECTIVE

Saturday, May 20, 6 to 10 p.m. MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 Harrison St. SE. B, Leesburg macsbeach.com

TEJAS SINGH

Saturday, May 20, 7 to 11 p.m.

Social House Kitchen & Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza #145, Ashburn. socialhouseashburn.com

Saturday, May 20, 5-10 p.m. Loudoun Therapeutic Riding ltrf.org

TIM CINTRON PROJECT

Saturday, May 20, 8 to 11 p.m. Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville monksq.com

ZOSO: THE ULTIMATE LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE

Saturday, May 20, 8 to 9 p.m. Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. $15 to $35 tallyhotheater.com

HOMEY DON’T PLAY DAT

Saturday, May 20, 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg facebook.com/spankys.shenanigan

BEN REICHARD

Sunday, May 21, 1 to 5 p.m. Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville creeksedgewinery.com

PATTY REESE

Sunday, May 21, 1 to 5 p.m. Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts vanishbeer.com

THE RETRONES

Sunday, May 21, 1 to 4 p.m. Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg lostbarrel.com

LENNY BURRIDGE

Sunday, May 21, 2 to 5 p.m. The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

KEN WENZEL

Sunday, May 21, 2 to 5 p.m. Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro breauxvineyards.com

PETE LAPP

Sunday, May 21, 2 to 5 p.m. Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro doukeniewinery.com

Saturday, May 20, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

SHANE GAMBLE

Sunday, May 21, 2 to 5 p.m. Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville flyingacefarm.com

JOSH SOWDER

Sunday, May 21, 2 to 5 p.m. Firefly Cellars, 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton fireflycellars.com

DOIN’ TIME COUNTRY MUSIC

Sunday, May 21, 2 to 5 p.m. Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights harpersferrybrewing.com

WILL BASKING

Sunday, May 21, 3 to 7 p.m. Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg facebook.com/spankys.shenanigan

HOLLY MONTGOMERY W/LENNY STEVENS

Sunday, May 21, 5 to 9 p.m. DoubleTree by Hilton Dulles AirportSterling, 21611 Atlantic Blvd., Sterling hollymontgomerymusic.com

DUCK CHUCK GOOSE

Wednesday, May 24, 7 to 10 p.m. Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. facebook.com/spankys.shenanigan

SHANE & JACKSON’S VA SUMMERFEST

Thursday, May 25, 6 to 9 p.m. Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. facebook.com/spankys.shenanigan

JUSTIN SUEDE

Thursday, May 25, 7 to 10 p.m. Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. facebook.com/spankys.shenanigan

GET OUT THIS WEEK

continues on page 24

GARDENS IN THE GAP

BOOTS AND BRIDLES BARN DANCE

ZOSO: THE LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE

To review Ida Lee (Parks & Recreation) flexible part-time positions, please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs. Most positions will be filled at or near the minimum of the range. Dependent on qualifications. All Town vacancies may be viewed on Comcast Cable Channel 67 and Verizon FiOS Channel 35.

The Town of Lovettsville seeks a dedicated, responsive, and experienced individual who will thrive in this small-town environment for the position of Community Engagement and Economic Development Coordinator.

The Community Engagement and Economic Development Coordinator is responsible for developing and maintaining effective relationships with Town business owners, local non-profit organizations, community organizations, governmental entities, residents, Homeowner Associations, and regional and local professional organizations. The Community Engagement and Economic Development Coordinator will serve as the focal point of contact for the Town for coordinating and ensuring the highest level of customer service and assistance is provided.

For more details regarding the position and to find the employment application, please visit the Town’s webpage at: www.lovettsvilleva.gov/careers

The Lovettsville Cooperative Market is hiring part-time and full-time deli prep clerks.

This position is responsible to prep ingredients for use by kitchen production staff as needed and to assist in various kitchen responsibilities as directed by Deli/Kitchen manager. Competitive wages, benefits including paid time off, 401k and store discounts. Send your resume to employment@ lovettsville-grocery.com

continued from page 22

ON STAGE

“SHREK THE MUSICAL JR.”

Thursday, May 18, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 19, 7 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, May 20, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. $18. franklinparkartscenter.org

STAGECOACH BANDITS IMPROV COMEDY

Friday, May 19, 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. StageCoach Theatre Company, 20937 Ashburn Road, Suites 115 and 120, Ashburn. $10. stagecoachtc.com

Legal Notices

GET OUT THIS WEEK

“M” FROM FAILURE TO FREEDOM, ONE WOMAN’S TRUE STORY

Saturday, May 20, 7

Sunday, May 21, 7 p.m. StageCoach Theatre Company, 20937 Ashburn Road, Suites 115 and 120, Ashburn. $17.50. stagecoachtc.com

THE WINERY COMEDY TOUR

Saturday, May 20, 8 p.m. Hidden Brook Winery, 43301 Spinks Ferry Road, Leesburg. $8. herronentertainment.com

HAPPENINGS

VIRGINIA WINE HALF MARATHON

Saturday, May 20, 7 a.m. to noon

Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. $120. virginiawinecountryhalf.com

ELECTRONICS RECYCLING COLLECTION

Saturday, May 20, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Leesburg Park and Ride, 19730 Sycolin Road, Leesburg. loudoun.gov/Recycling

BOOTS AND BRIDLES BARN DANCE 2023

Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Fundraiser

Saturday, May 20, 5 to 10 p.m. 14490 Berlin Turnpike, Lovettsville. $150 ltrf.org

ADULTS-ONLY LORD OF THE RINGS NIGHT

Saturday, May 20, 7 to 10 p.m. Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Place, Potomac Falls library.loudoun.gov/lotr

2023 LOCO RIDE

Benefits the Boulder Crest Foundation

Sunday, May 21, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Transition Triathlon, 400 Madison Trade Plaza SE., Leesburg. $50. transitiontri.com/loco-ride

PURCELLVILLE BIKE AND SAFETY DAY

Sunday, May 21, 12 to 4 p.m.

Purcellville Public Safety Center, 500 N. Maple Ave., Purcellville purcellvilleva.gov

STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS

Wednesday, May 24, 6 p.m.

Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St. SE., Leesburg loudoun.gov

RACE FOR YOUR HEART 5K

Fundraiser for American Heart Association

Sunday, May 21, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Riverside High School, 19019 Upper Belmont Place, Lansdowne potomac.enmotive.com

Pursuant to VA Code Sec. 15.2-2506, notice is hereby given that the Hamilton Town Council will hold a Public Hearing, for the purpose of receiving comments on the following proposed budget, on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at 7:00 pm in the Town Office, 53 E Colonial Highway, Hamilton, VA. Public can attend via Virtual Meeting by going to https:// www.hamiltonva.gov Copies of the detailed budget may be obtained at the Town Office during regular office hours (or via email), Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, holidays excepted.

Legal Notices

TOWN OF HAMILTON PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED WATER/SEWER RATES & LAND DEVELOPMENT FEE'S (no changes)

The Town ofHamilton will hold a public hearing on Tuesday May 30, 2023, at 7:00pm at the Hamilton Town Office, 53 E Colonial Hwy, Hamilton, VA, for the purpose of receiving comment on the proposed water/sewer rates and the proposed planning/zoning fees for the FY24 budget year. Virtual meeting available for public attendance at: https://www.hamiltonva.gov. The Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, § § 15.2-2111, 15.2-2119, 15.2-2143 and 15.2-2122, authorize the adoption of water/sewer rates and fees. The Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, §§ 15.2-2241 and 15.2-2286, authorize the adoption of planning & zoning fees.

The Town of Hamilton will hold a public hearing on Monday May 23, 2022, at 7:00pm at the Hamilton Town Office, 53 E Colonial Hwy, Hamilton, VA, for the purpose of receiving comment on the proposed water/sewer rates and the proposed planning/zoning fees for the FY22 budget year. Virtual meeting available for public attendance at: https://www.hamiltonva.gov. The Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, §§ 15.2-2111, 15.2-2119, 15.2-2143 and 15.2-2122, authorize the adoption of water/sewer rates and fees. The Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, §§ 15.2-2241 and 15.2-2286, authorize the adoption of planning & zoning fees.

PROPOSED WATER RATES - ALL PROPERTIES

*IN TOWN PROPOSED RATES (no changes) ^ OUT OF TOWN PROPOSED RATES (no changes)

* $5.71

*$12.75per 1,000 gallons between 8,001 and 12,000 gallons

*$13.25

*$19.00

*IN Metered Rates Metered Rates per 1,000 gallons up to 8,000 gallons per 1,000 gallons over 12,000 gallons surcharge every 2 months

^ $7.71per 1,000 gallons up to 8,000 gallons

^ $17.21per 1,000 gallons between 8,001 and 12,000 gallons

^ $17.89per 1,000 gallons over 12,000 gallons

^ $19.00surcharge every 2 months

PROPOSED SEWER RATES - ALL PROPERTIES

changes)

*$10.88

*$26.25per 1,000 gallons between 8,001 and 12,000 gallons

*$28.88

*$13.00

*$76.50

*$13.00

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE MIDDLEBURG TOWN COUNCIL

The Middleburg Town Council will hold a public hearing beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 25, 2023 to hear public comments on the following:

Zoning Text Amendment 23-01 - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ARTICLE XI, PART I OF THE MIDDLEBURG ZONING ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO AN INN AS A SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE IN THE C-1 RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.

The hearing will take place at the Town Office, 10 W. Marshall Street, Middleburg, Virginia. The proposed amendment may be reviewed online at www.middleburgva.gov/313/Public-Hearings or in the Town Office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. Questions may be directed to Deputy Town Manager Will Moore at (540) 687-5152 or by email at wmoore@ middleburgva.gov

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

5/11 & 5/18/23

^ $14.68per 1,000 gallons up to 8,000 gallons

^ $35.44per 1,000 gallons between 8,001 and 12,000 gallons

^ $38.98per 1,000 gallons over 12,000 gallons

^ $13.00surcharge every 2 months

^ $103.28every 2 months

^ $13.00surcharge every 2 months

for 05/12/2022 and 05/19/2022 5/18 & 5/25/23

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TO CONSIDER A PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING ZONE ON CORNWALL STREET NW BETWEEN WIRT STREET AND NORTH KING STREET

The LEESBURG TOWN MANAGER will hold a public hearing in Lower-Level Conference Room 1 at Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia on Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. on a proposed Residential Permit Parking Zone designation on Cornwall Street NW between Wirt Street and North King Street. This Public Hearing is in accordance with Section 32-240(b) of the Town Code.

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

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

5/18 and 5/25

Legal Notices

OFFICIAL VOTING INFORMATION

The Constitution of Virginia requires that you be registered in the precinct in which you live to be qualified to vote. For the convenience of the citizens of Loudoun County, the Voter Registration Office at 750 Miller Drive, SE, Suite C, Leesburg, is open each week Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. To be eligible to vote in the Democratic Primary Election to be held on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, you had to register no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 30. Voters may register through Election Day, and vote using a provisional ballot.

Additional information regarding voter registration, registration status, absentee voting, what is on the ballot can be found by visiting www.elections.virginia.gov

EARLY VOTING

Effective July 1, 2020, all registered voters in Virginia are eligible to vote early in-person, no excuse required.

Please note: Our office will be closed on Monday, May 29 in observance of Memorial Day. Office of Elections - 750 Miller Drive SE, Suite C, Leesburg, 20175

• Early voting starts - Friday, May 5, 2023

• Early voting hours - Monday to Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 p.m.

• Extended hours-

o Saturdays - June 10 and June 17 - 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

o Weekdays – Tuesday, June 13 & Thursday, June 15 - 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Claude Moore Recreation and Community Center - 46105 Loudoun Park Lane, Sterling, 20164 and Dulles South Senior Center - 24950 Riding Center Drive, Chantilly, 20152

• Early voting starts - June 10, 2023

o Dates and hours:

■ Saturday, June 10, 2023- 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

■ Tuesday, June 13, 2023- 12:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.

■ Wednesday, June 14, 2023- 10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

■ Thursday, June 15, 2023- 12:00 p.m.- 7:00 pm.

■ Saturday, June 17, 2023- 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Carver Senior Center - 200 E Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville, 20132

• Early voting starts - June 10, 2023

o Dates and hours:

■ Saturday, June 10, 2023- 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

■ Saturday, June 17, 2023- 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Voters choosing to vote by mail are encouraged to apply immediately. Completed applications can be submitted by mail, fax, e-mail or online – www.elections.virginia.gov. The official deadline to request a ballot be mailed to you is Friday, June 9, 2023 at 5 p.m.

Voters are encouraged to mark and return their ballots early to ensure they arrive in time to be counted. Voters can hand deliver their ballot up until 7 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots arriving by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day AND be received no later than noon on the Friday following the election (June 23) to be counted.

Please feel free to give us a call at 703 777-0380 if you have any questions about absentee voting.

Judith A. Brown, General Registrar

750 Miller Drive, SE, Suite C

Leesburg, VA 20175-8916

703 777-0380

703 777-0622 FAX

Email: vote@loudoun.gov

Web: www.loudoun.gov/juneprimary

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, at 6:00 p.m. on WEDNESDAY, June 14, 2023, in order to consider:

ORDINANCE CREATING THE RIVANA AT INNOVATION STATION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Pursuant to Virginia Code § 15.2-5152, et. seq., and Chapter 1098 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors intends to consider a petition and proposed ordinance to create the “Rivana at Innovation Station Community Development Authority” (the “CDA”). DWC Holdings LLC and Origami RE Growth GP LLC have submitted a petition to establish the CDA for the purpose of financing various public infrastructure, facilities and services (“Improvements”) in connection with the development of a high-density, transient oriented, mixed-use project featuring hotel, retail, office, residential, parking, recreational and entertainment components. The proposed CDA district would encompass approximately 79.33 acres to include properties more particularly described as PIN: 035-25-8897, 035-26-4587, 035-25-7745, 035-26-2113, 035-17-3774, 035-26-7139 and 035-16-7202. The subject area is located south of Innovation Avenue (Route 209), east of Sully Road (Route 28), north of the Dulles Toll Road (Route 267), and west of the Fairfax County line. The proposed ordinance will (a) create the CDA; (b) establish the initial boundaries of the CDA district; and (c) approve in general terms a plan of financing for the Improvements, subject to further approval by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. Potential nominees to serve as initial board members of the CDA will be considered during the public hearing.

Copies of the above-referenced petition and the full text of the proposed ordinance and exhibits (excluding names of the potential nominees to serve as initial board members of the CDA) are on file and available for public inspection at the Loudoun County Government Center, Office of County Administrator, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday or call (703) 777-0200. Documents may also be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for Board of Supervisors Business Meetings, Public Hearings and Special Meetings”).

Board of Supervisors public hearings are available for live viewing on television on Comcast Government Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40, and livestreamed at loudoun.gov/meetings. All members of the public who desire to speak will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. Public input may be provided by electronic means at Board public hearings. Members of the public who wish to provide public input, whether electronically or in person, will be accommodated without advanced sign-up during the hearing, however, members of the public are strongly encouraged to sign-up in advance. For this public hearing, advanced sign-up will be taken after 8:30 a.m. on June 2, 2023, and no later than 12:00 p.m. on June 14, 2023. If you wish to sign-up in advance, call the Office of the County Administrator at (703) 7770200. Citizens will also have the option to sign-up during the public hearing. Citizens may also submit written comments by email sent to bos@loudoun.gov. Any written comments received prior to the public hearing will be distributed to Board members and made part of the minutes for the public hearing.

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

BY ORDER OF: PHYLLIS RANDALL, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 5/18, 5/25 & 6/1/23

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE MIDDLEBURG BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

The Middleburg Board of Zoning Appeals will hold public hearings beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 to hear comments on the following:

BZA 23-01 – Request of Doug Barbour for a variance of Section 120 D. of the Middleburg Zoning Ordinance pertaining to maximum building lot coverage at 403 Lincoln Rd zoned R-2 Single Family Residential District.

5/18/23

BZA 23-02 – Request of Stephen C. Price on behalf of Thomas and Marianne Dodson for a variance of Section 120 E. of the Middleburg Zoning Ordinance pertaining to maximum impervious lot coverage at 4 Locust St zoned R-2 Single Family Residential District.

The hearings will take place at the Town Office, 10 W. Marshall Street, Middleburg, Virginia. The application materials may be reviewed online at www.middleburgva.gov/313/Public-Hearings or in the Town Office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. Questions may be directed to Deputy Town Manager Will Moore at (540) 687-5152 or by email at wmoore@ middleburgva.gov

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

5/18 & 5/25/23

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:

Chantilly, Virginia

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 063-47-7734. 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 703-777-0220, or electronically at www.loudoun.gov/lola. The opportunity for public input via this link will be temporarily unavailable during the upgrade of the County’s online land management system. However, other opportunities for public comments remain available as described below. 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. Regularly-scheduled Planning Commission public hearings are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month. In the event the public hearing cannot be conducted on that date due to weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend the hearing, the public hearing will be continued to the next day (Wednesday). In the event the public hearing may not be held on that Wednesday due to weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend the hearing, the public hearing may be continued to the first Thursday of the next month.

Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings 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

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

Legal Notices

Loudoun County Public Schools

Proposed Elementary School Attendance Zone Change for Tuscarora Crossing

On May 9, 2023, the Loudoun County School Board initiated an abbreviated attendance zone process to change the elementary school that will serve the Tuscarora Crossing community.

The recommended elementary school attendance zone change would assign Tuscarora Crossing to John W. Tolbert, Jr. Elementary School, rather than Cool Spring Elementary School. No change is recommended for the secondary school attendance boundary.

The School Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed elementary school zone change on May 23, 2023, followed by action later the same evening.

Additional information on the proposed attendance zone change is posted on the Loudoun County Public Schools webpage (https://www.lcps.org/Page/241804), including detail on how to sign-up to speak at the May 23 hearing.

The May 23 meeting will be held at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building (21000 Education Court, Ashburn) and begin at 5:00 p.m. The meeting will also be broadcast live on Comcast channel 18 and Verizon Fios channel 43, as well as viewable via simultaneous webcast (https:// www.lcps.org/webcast).

Persons who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, in order to participate meaningfully in the May 23, 2023 public hearing and meeting, should contact the Clerk of the School Board at 571-252-1020 at least three (3) days prior to the meeting.

Beverly I. Tate, Director

Loudoun County Public Schools

Division

of Planning &

GIS Services

21000 Education Court, Ashburn, Virginia 20148

Telephone: 571-252-1050

Email: LCPSPLAN@LCPS.ORG

ABC LICENSE

PUBLIC NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) EMPLOYEE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The Town of Leesburg will accept sealed proposals electronically via the Commonwealth’s e-procurement website (www.eva.virginia.gov), until 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 29, 2023, for the following:

RFP NO. 100170-FY23-64

EMPLOYEE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The Town of Leesburg (the “Town”) is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified firms to provide a learning management system and online course library to support a comprehensive learning curriculum for Town employees.

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

5/18/23

Casa Mia Restaurant, INC. trading as Casa Mia Mexican Restaurant, 21430 Cedar Dr., Sterling VA, 20164.

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a BEER, WINE AND MIXED BEVERAGE ON PREMISES license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Julia N. Fernandez De Cordova, President

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.

5/11 & 5/18/23

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

4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18/23

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.

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

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

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

ORDER OF PUBLICATION COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

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

Case No.: CJ22-126 through CJ22-128; CJ22-130 & CJ22-131; CJ22-133 & CJ22-134; CJ22-136 & CJ22-137; CJ22-139 & CJ22-140; CJ22-142 & CJ22-143;

Loudoun County Circuit Court

18 East Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176

Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Allison Fluke-Ekren

The object of this suit is to hold a permanency planning hearing and review of foster care plan with a goal of adoption, pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Zubayer, Sumeyyah, Asiyeh, Khadija, Fatima and Osama Ekren; and Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of Unknown Mother and Unknown Father of Zubayer Ekren, and Allison Fluke-Ekren, mother of Sumeyyah, Asiyeh, Khadija, Fatima and Osama Ekren, pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-283. Unknown Mother and Unknown Father of Zubayer Ekren, and Allison FlukeEkren, mother of Sumeyyah, Asiyeh, Khadija, Fatima and Osama Ekren, are hereby notified that failure to appear on the hereinafter noticed date and time may result in the entry of an Order approving a permanency goal of adoption as well as the termination of residual parental rights with respect to Zubayer, Sumeyyah, Asiyeh, Khadija, Fatima and Osama Ekren. Unknown Mother and Unknown Father of Zubayer Ekren, and Allison Fluke-Ekren, mother of Sumeyyah, Asiyeh, Khadija, Fatima and Osama Ekren, are hereby further notified that if their residual parental rights are terminated, they will no longer have any legal rights with respect to said minor children, including, but not limited to, the right to visit Zubayer, Sumeyyah, Asiyeh, Khadija, Fatima and Osama Ekren, any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Zubayer, Sumeyyah, Asiyeh, Khadija, Fatima and Osama Ekren, or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Zubayer, Sumeyyah, Asiyeh, Khadija, Fatima and Osama Ekren. Further, Unknown Mother and Unknown Father of Zubayer Ekren, and Allison FlukeEkren, mother of Sumeyyah, Asiyeh, Khadija, Fatima and Osama Ekren will have no legal and/or financial obligations with respect to Zubayer, Sumeyyah, Asiyeh, Khadija, Fatima and Osama Ekren, and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Zubayer, Sumeyyah, Asiyeh, Khadija, Fatima and Osama Ekren for adoption and consent to the adoption of Zubayer, Sumeyyah, Asiyeh, Khadija, Fatima and Osama Ekren.

It is ORDERED that Unknown Mother, Unknown Father and Allison Fluke-Ekren appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before July 10-11, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

5/18, 5/25, 6/1 & 6/8/23

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.

YR. MAKE MODEL VIN

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.

4/13 – 5/25

Public Notice

The Town of Leesburg Board and Commission Vacancies

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

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS FOR:

CAPITAL PROJECTS PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING, RFP No. 599790 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, June 21, 2023.

SELF-MANAGED INSURANCE CREDENTIALING SOFTWARE, RFP No. 620791 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.

5/18/23

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISISON PUBLIC HEARING

TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLES 6 AND 10 FOR THE PURPOSE OF REVISING THE MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT IN THE I-1 DISTRICT

Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing on THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176 to consider Zoning Ordinance Amendment TLOA-2023-0002 to revise the following provision of the Zoning Ordinance:

Article 6, Section 7 I-1, Industrial/Research Park District – Amending this section to increase the maximum building height from 50 to 65 feet in the district, subject to standards to minimize the impact of the height increase on adjoining properties.

Article 10, Section 2 Nonresidential Zoning Districts - Amending the Density/Intensity Tables to reflect the increase in height in the I-1 District.

Copies and additional information regarding these proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments are available at the Department of Planning and Zoning located on the second floor of the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by calling 703-737-7920 and asking for Brian Boucher, Deputy Director. Mr. Boucher can also be reached by email at bboucher@leesburgva.gov. This Zoning Ordinance amendment application is identified as case number TLOA-2023-0002.

At this hearing all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of 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. 5/18 & 5/25/2023

NOTICE OF ABANDONED BICYCLES

Notice is hereby given that the bicycles described below were found and delivered to the Office of the Sheriff of Loudoun County; if the owners of the listed bicycles are not identified within sixty (60) days following the final publication of this notice, the individuals who found said bicycles shall be entitled to them if he/she desires. All unclaimed bicycles will be handled according to Chapter 228.04 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County.

Pet Rock factory

continued from page 1

“I was like, who could I ask? And I thought of course Charlie,” she said when she was thinking of who to team up with.

Green was equally invested in the idea, having created a swing set and play area for his pet rock George.

Vogel said after researching different charities, she settled on St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“We see the commercials and they make us sad, and I thought instead of saying ‘oh, that is really bad for those kids,’ I thought it would be a good idea to give them the money,” she said. “I like the idea that it’s kids helping kids and at St. Jude’s the family doesn’t owe anything.”

She said she liked the idea of the charity taking care of the sick kids and letting the families focus on their children getting better.

They pitched their idea to their principal, Daniel Lani, in November. He gave them the green light to create a Python Passion Project.

“We have a focus here at Evergreen Mill of showing care. That is our motto: ‘Pythons care,’” he said.

One of the ways the school puts that motto into action is through Python Passion Projects, named for the school’s mascot. Lani said they are student-led projects that seek to make a positive difference in the community or the world.

“I love it when fifth graders come up

Metro challenge

continued from page 3

An entry is counted when a person goes through a fare gate, so transferring between trains doesn’t count as a second entry, but a round trip such as commuting to and from work counts as two entries— one at the rider’s home station, and one at the station near their job.

And Metro is unique in the nation for the way it is funded. The system gets money from three jurisdictions—Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC—as well as the federal government, making funding Metro a complicated political discussion.

Loudoun County Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles), who also serves on Metro’s Board of Directors and chairs its Finance and Capital Committee, said the system for funding Metro through most of its history hasn’t been sustainable. And Metro now faces another funding

decorative specialty called “splattering,” and 25 cents for larger rocks. Each rock comes with a birth certificate and its own home made out of a small box.

They set out initially hunting rocks in their backyards, but when they ran out of rocks Lani ordered some from Amazon.

“When I agreed to the project it meant the school was supporting it by buying the materials,” he said.

He said the two did a great job creating a timeline, a budget and order forms, saying all he did was buy the materials and meet with them a few times.

Vogel said there is a difference between domestic rocks and wild rocks. Mainly that difference lies in where you get it, she said, laughing.

Green said the third graders at the school ordered the most, saying they likely painted over 100 rocks for that age group alone.

He said they spent Spring Break painting rocks to fulfill the third-grade class order.

Lani said each grade level was assigned a specific week they could order.

“One of the caveats was the project couldn’t interfere with their learning at school or with getting assignments done,” he said.

with projects that culminate their elementary school experience into something where they contribute to the school or the community or beyond that leaves a legacy and they make their mark in a positive way,” he said.

Vogel and Green created an order form so customers could customize their pet rock with colors, different eyes, the size of the rock and a personality. They also made a commercial and flyers using a customized logo Green made on his Chromebook using a coding program called Scratch.

They rolled out their sales in late February.

They set the price at $3 a rock with an additional fee of 25 cents for Vogel’s

shortfall with a deficit of more than $700 million projected in its $4.8 billion budget next fiscal year.

“It’s been Band-Aid after Band-Aid after Band-Aid,” he said. “We have a tremendous challenge with this operating deficit, but it’s also an opportunity to fix something that’s been broken since day one and actually put in place a sustainable funding solution.”

Clarke said it’s currently politically unlikely the system will get an infusion of cash from Congress, long the most delinquent of the system’s funders. The federal government helps fund the system’s capital budget but offers nothing for operating expenses.

“This is going to have to be the three jurisdictions mostly solving it,” he said. “If we get a little out of the federal government, great.”

It’s another conversation he hopes to change, with much of the Washington, DC, federal workforce riding WMATA buses and trains. He said that also makes WMATA service a topic of national security.

As the project enters its final week, Vogel and Green reminisced about the project and the time spent. Both have workstations set up in their homes for painting rocks.

Vogel said one rock that stands out to her the most was a rock she painted for someone’s little brother. She said he wanted a long rock painted blue with ‘angry’ eyes he named apple juice.

Green said he remembers one rock because he liked the way it fit in his hand.

“The main reason I like pet rocks is because there are so many sizes and they all sit differently in your hand,” he said.

Vogel said one of her favorite creations was painted recently. The customer wanted a Golden Oreo rock. She said she really liked how it turned out and wanted to keep it but gave it to the customer instead.

“We are also the national capital of this country. And so when you come to meet your member of Congress, if you come to see the best museums in the world that your tax dollars pay for, if you come to see the national parks, if you come to Arlington National Cemetery, you are on our system,” Clarke said. “So, I think that honestly there’s a little bit of a patriotic angle to our system that is a little different than everyone else. How we can maybe wave those flags and get everyone on board with that, I’m not sure, but hey, we’re going to keep trying.”

And WMATA is facing industry-wide difficulties hiring, particularly finding bus drivers and police officers.

“When you put those things together and you look at what our labor market has been, and then just where we as a region want to be in terms of service, they don’t match,” Letourneau said.

“The reality is, COVID hit at the same time as the biggest infrastructure investment in the history of America. At the same time, a bunch of people—mostly, the

As of May 11, Lani said 423 rocks had been sold. And with a student population of 585 kids at Evergreen Mill Elementary, he said noted that “a pretty good percentage of students supported the program.”

The project wraps up next week with a virtual meeting on Friday, May 19 between Vogel and Green and a representative from St. Jude’s.

Vogel and Green will present a check of their earnings—over $1,200 as of May 11—in front of their parents, members of the superintendent’s cabinet and some members of the School Board.

“As a principal, at the end of the day it’s important, on top of the academics and the importance of teaching the core skills and academic skills, that the students know how important it is to me when they walk out at the end of fifth grade that they are walking out as good citizens who are going to make a significant contribution to the world someday,” Lani said. n

data shows, 58 to 60 and over—said ‘yeah, I’m out, I can retire, so I’m not coming back,’” Clarke said. “You put all those together, we just we don’t have enough people in transportation in America in our workforce.”

The Silver Line Phase 2 extension into Loudoun, which opened in November, is a relatively small part of the system’s ridership. March saw the most rail ridership at the Loudoun stops so far, with 1,378 people getting on the train at the Ashburn or Loudoun Gateway stops a day on average. The Ashburn stop, which is nearer residential development, is much busier, with 1,142 average daily entries compared to only 236 on average at Loudoun Gateway.

The Dulles Airport stop, which lets people on and off the train at the airport terminal, is busier than both and continues to grow with 1,666 average daily entries in April. n

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now Charlie Green hold his pet rock, George.

Owen retires

continued from page 3

the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation, based in Martinsburg, WV, and serving five counties.

“They didn’t have a director of development and I was selling radio at the time, which I hated. But it did teach me to talk to people about cutting a check,” Owen said.

In her 11 years there, she grew the foundation’s assets from $1 million to $17 million.

When Karen Krei retired from leading the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties in 2012, Owen was recruited for the post.

“I came to Loudoun County. I’d heard all about the fastest growing county in America. I certainly came here to shop. I knew what it looked like. I thought it would be a piece of cake,” Owen said.

But the work has been challenging. She points to two trends.

First is the relatively low rate of charitable giving among Loudoun residents, a continuing point of frustration. Even the Give Choose campaign, annual day of giving that brought in nearly $800,000 for 143 charities this year, is not reaching its full potential.

“We’ve got about 2,100 unique donors, which is great, but we have a county of 430,000 here,” Acosta said. “Even if we could get 1%, that would more than double our participation. We haven’t quite cracked the code on how to do that.”

Also, there is a tendency of donors to use their commercial brokers to set up donor-advised funds rather than working with the local community foundation. “What they’re missing out on is fueling the

Funding gap

continued from page 1

holding back their COLA until they have more confirmation on what their revenue picture will look like.”

When they adopted the Loudoun County budget, supervisors initially declined to fill that state funding shortfall, hoping the General Assembly would reconvene before the next fiscal year begins on July 1 to fill that gap. But with no signs that state lawmakers will reconvene before their June 20 primaries, the county board has stepped in.

Under the staff members’ plan, the county will put up $13 million in local money with the idea that if the state fills the gap, that money will come back to the county government. The additional funding will let the school district reconcile its budget and execute teacher contracts.

local work,” Owen said.

Reflecting on the evolution of the community foundation over the past decade, Owen highlights a few important contributors.

She cites the “steadfast investment” of the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation. “It’s been a linchpin for the county that Claude Moore grew up in and loved—and for all the charities that are here now,” she said.

She also credits her dedicated staff. The foundation has grown from one employee to four full-time positions and three contractors. They’ve built important programs designed for people who are interested in charitable work as community board members and staffers. Last year, the foundation offered 13 such programs, ranging from two-hour training sessions to a six-month seminar series and covering the gamut from fundraising, to HR, to finances, to racial equity, to working with the media.

“Part of that programming has really focused on lifting up and supporting our nonprofit leaders, both from the board perspective and also the executive leadership,” Acosta said. “We’ve done executive coaching. We’ve hosted board chair roundtables, work best practices, and trainings. We wanted to provide spaces where those leaders can come together, get support, learn about best practices, health care, your leadership craft. And ultimately, we know that those leaders are the ones who are going to propel their organization’s mission forward.”

The community foundation’s impactful potential was most prominently on display in the early days of the COVID pandemic.

“We launched our Community Emergency Relief Fund in March [2020].

The finance committee on May 9 supported that proposal unanimously. Supervisors passed the item 8-1 on Tuesday with Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) opposed.

“This is a state shortfall, and the state keeps short-falling us in all these different departments that they normally fund, and if we just step in and fill the gap very time, then they’re going to keep doing it more and more,” he said.“I worry a little that it decreases, the pressure on the state to actually come through,” Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said during the finance committee meeting. “On the other hand, I kind of question how much pressure was on the state to come through anyway, And whether they even care, or whether enough people even care about this situation.”

“I’m going to support this because I don’t trust that we are going to get the

Schools shut down, and like that Thursday we came back from that Board of Supervisors meeting where we heard a report from [Health Department Director] Dr. [David] Goodfriend. We’re like, ‘we need to start this,’” Acosta said. That resulted in a more than $1.5 million grant making initiative supporting the emergency outreach of some nonprofits, keeping others afloat, and providing rental assistance to families in need.

“It was a perfect example of how a community foundation can step into a void of need, you know, to serve the community as a whole,” Owen said.

The Transition

As Owen prepares to step away, she’s confident the foundation is in good hands.

“It’s both thrilling and reassuring to know that someone who has the same degree of passion will take it over as president and CEO. I can’t tell you how many times I tried to take Nicole out for lunch and convince her to come to the community foundation,” Owen said.

“It’s reassuring to continue carrying on the work that Amy so very clearly and intentionally laid out,” Acosta said. “Amy and our board did a tremendous job building our organization to what it is today. And I’ve gotten an opportunity to learn so much from Amy and her past experience.”

Acosta is a veteran of Loudoun’s nonprofit community, formerly working for the Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter starting as a direct service provider and ending up as executive director.

“One of the things that was so rewarding about that job, in addition to just the impact we had on the survivors receiving the services, was becoming involved in this network of nonprofit

money from the state,” Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) said.

“The state continues to have a very, very, very healthy surplus, and the fact that we’re having this discussion is just beyond the pale to me,” County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said.

She has repeatedly criticized the Department of Education and the Youngkin administration for leaving the gap for months since an error was discovered in the calculations the state provides to let local school districts figure out how much state funding to expect, while Gov. Glenn Youngkin has also repeatedly trumpeted the state’s estimated $3.6 billion budget surplus. While the state budget filled the funding gap for the current fiscal year, it grew the gap in the upcoming fiscal year.

Randall has argued the long delay amounts to intentionally underfunding public schools.

leaders who really work well together,” Acosta said. “They are caring. They have sort of an open-door policy. They’re all there to support each other. I think there’s generally a sense of camaraderie, and we’re all in this together to make this a safe and healthy community.

“And that, I think, is what was so attractive about coming here, that I could be in a position to support those folks even more in different ways and connect donors in the community to those important issues. There’s just so much good stuff happening in our community,” she said.

Acosta said the top goal is to continue building the foundation’s donor base and funds. “That’s what community foundations do. That is our core mission, to build endowments for this community to support it forever. Amy has laid out a very successful path for that,” she said.

It also will be important to continue adapting to the needs of the nonprofit community with impactful programming.

“Like Amy said, when we first started there was a very small handful of development directors in this community. So, as they grow, we need to continue adjusting the programming to make sure that what we’re providing is useful. On the flip side, our nonprofit nonprofits continuously emerge, too. So we need to make sure that we’re—”

”…still doing fundamentals,” Owen said, finishing her sentence—and leaving little doubt about a continuity of leadership ahead for the organization.

Learn more about the foundation at communityfoundationlf.org. n

“When you have a billion-plus-dollar surplus and you have literally and very intentionally underfunded the state’s public school system, you can never call yourself a pro-public education elected official,” Randall said.

Letourneau on Tuesday pointed out with a Democrat-controlled Senate, both parties have a hand in the funding gap.

Loudoun County has the money to spend, thanks to current fiscal year revenues now forecasted to come in $124 million above the numbers assumed in the county budget.

Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) said if the state doesn’t step up, the county should advertise about the issue nationally.

“I think you’re going to be racing every other member of the board to the national media on this one,” committee Chair Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) said. n

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Opinion

It used to be that the biggest debate in setting the school calendar was whether classes would start before or after Labor Day. Starting before Labor Day was controversial in those days, but that’s no longer a factor as we creep ever closer to a mid-August start.

Instead, the point of contention among School Board members in recent years is whether to add Veterans Day to the growing list of school holidays. For some, that seems like a no-brainer. Currently, it’s the only time classes are held as normal on a national holiday.

But Veterans Day is not intended to be a normal national holiday. It’s rarely a three-day weekend to provide time for a quick family vacation. It’s a day to honor all those who have served in the miliary and to reflect on the sacrifices they—and their families—have made in the nation’s defense.

In our schools, the day is marked with special programs and tributes that often bring veterans into the classrooms or auditoriums. Sometimes it’s an opportunity to share their experiences.

Jury recommendations

continued from page 10

alone or combined that links to a student that someone within the community could identify with reasonable certainty or information “requested by a person who the educational agency or institution reasonably believes knows the identity of the student to whom the education record relates.”

The policy also defines what directory information is—information in a student’s educational record that is generally not “considered harmful or an invasion of privacy.” It states directory information may be released without written consent of the parent or student.

Other revisions include school officials’ responsibilities around the use and maintenance of educational records, stating that only school officials who have a “legitimate educational” need can access student information without parental consent, that school officials are under the direct control of the School Board when it comes to the use and

Other times, it’s just a rare opportunity to be able to visit their child at school. Regardless, it’s a valuable opportunity to build connections and learn the value of service.

Advocates of adding the school holiday have argued there’s more value in the kids being home to mark the holiday together and that the experience would be just as impactful.

There’s scant evidence of that.

On Monday, May 29, Loudouners will gather in the courthouse square and at other community gatherings around the county, to reflect—not on those who served in the military—but on those who gave their last full measure of devotion for the freedom of their neighbors. If typical, several hundred people will attend, some may bring their out-of-class children along.

The overwhelming majority, however, will be otherwise engaged—perhaps cooking up hotdogs or braving the season’s first chilly dip in the swimming pool.

Would students be better served on Nov. 11 by getting one more day out of class? It’s a tough case to make. n

maintenance of educational records and the division and board must use “reasonable methods” to make sure school officials can only access records they have a legitimate educational interest in.

Students who are 18 or older take over the rights and consent, however parents may still have access to their students’ records without their consent.

A section was added about communication pertaining to security incidents on division property and refers back to the policy about safety and emergency-related communication.

The policy further outlines a requirement to keep a record of who requests information and the reason behind it with the exception of parents, the student, a school official, someone who has the student’s consent, someone looking for directory information, or someone seeking records for a subpoena or court orders.

A new section was added under school transfer policy stating that disciplinary files should be transferred along with the students’ educational record “promptly.”

The final change involves sharing of information by the superintendent to school personnel if the physical safety of a student, students or school personnel is at risk. It was specified that the superintendent may consult with administration of the student’s school, the student’s prior school, someone from the Office of Safety and Security, or any outside law enforcement agencies and attorneys.

The revisions were adopted 7-0-2, with Morse and Corbo absent, and include a suggestion by Tiffany Polifko (Broad Run) to allow parents to opt out of disclosing their student’s directory information at any time.

The School Board held a work session Dec. 13 to review and discuss the recommendations of the special grand jury. Seven polices and one regulation were discussed at that meeting. The board already approved changes to policies dealing with school assignment, threat assessment for schools, the conduct of School Board members and one that deals with students using technology responsibly. n

READERS’ poll CHIPshots

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:

Are your kids missing more school days than in previous years?

• 46.5% Yes, that’s happening

• 27.9% About the same usual

• 25.6% No, near perfect attendance

Share

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

Should Veterans Day be a school holiday in Loudoun?

Middleburg Inn

continued from page 18

have four to 20 rooms came directly from the Zoning Ordinance’s definition for an “inn.” Council members said they might support the use at a lower intensity, something larger than a bed and breakfast use, which is capped at three rooms, but far less than 20 rooms.

With most town revenue generated by hotel and meals taxes, council members also cited the importance of diversifying the town’s tax base. Members have been raising concerns that a downturn in the tourism industry would have a significant impact on town operations.

Town compensation

continued from page 18

this year to be followed by more moderate annual increases.

Hamilton’s finance committee has proposed a 3% increase in wages for town staff. Its proposal maintains the current utility rates at $5.71 for in-town water users and $7.71 for out-of-town water users per 1,000 gallons bi-monthly and up to 8,000 gallons. Current wastewater rates are $10.88 per 1,000 gallons bi-monthly for in-town users and $14.68 for out-oftown users up to 8,000 gallons.

Leesburg’s budget, approved in March,

town’s economic development director before her election to the Town Council, asked whether the town needed more hotel rooms or another restaurant.

“If we want to keep this as a small town, at some point we’re going to have to say no,” she said.

Following the May 25 public hearing, the council could vote to approve or reject the ordinance change, or send the issue back to the Planning Commission for additional study.

The commission already has held a public hearing on Chretien’s project, including an application to rezone a portion of the property from R-1 to C-1 and for a special use permit for the inn. Action on those have been tabled, pending final action on the zoning ordinance change. n

includes 4% average staff raises along with a 3% cost of living adjustment, at a cost of $1.8 million. The decision to keep the 3% proposed by Town Manager Kaj Dentler came after some discussion and an initial straw poll in favor of cutting it to 2%. It also includes a 5% salary increase for all police officers and dispatchers, with another 5% for those with two or more years of experience with the department.

Leesburg’s approved budget includes a 4.5% increase in water and sewer rates, implementing the final increment of annual increases recommended in a previously adopted five-year rate plan.

Fiscal year 2024 begins July 1, 2023, leaving town councils just over a month to finalize and adopt budgets. n

Conservatives Raise Alarm Over Facebook Group

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

A closed Facebook group called Loudoun Love Warriors was thrown into the spotlight last week after a report by WJLA-TV highlighting violent rhetoric in the group and tying members of the group to elected Democrats.

Conservative media and political groups last week raised a furor over the posts, some of which contained violent rhetoric. The group included some campaign staffers for local Democrats, and Board of Supervisors

Dulles District candidate Puja Khanna appears to have been in the group until Dec. 18.

In posts between Dec. 2 and Dec. 31 since obtained by Loudoun Now, members talked mostly about local politics, including reacting strongly to a remark at a Loudoun County School Board meeting by a person who called LGBTQ+ people “immoral and typically not accepted in any civilized community” and referencing a Bible passage that “it would be better for a millstone to be put around their neck

and thrown into the lake.”

One Facebook group member wrote “Im soooo ready to show up with guns lol” and “they are prepping for violence and we are planting f— ing flowers” among other posts. That member later left the group after he was admonished for his rhetoric.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office had in December investigated those comments and found no criminal activity, but assigned extra patrols to the School Board meeting speaker’s house for several weeks. Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tom Julia last week said the office has begun fact-finding for a new investigation into the group unrelated to those comments and does not comment on open investigations. n

Editor’s note: A freelance writer who previously contributed regular features for Loudoun Now, Jan Mercker, was a member of the Loudoun Love Warriors Facebook group. In addition, a Loudoun Now reporter was named and criticized in the group, including by Mercker.

Cindy C. Pearson, who served as the

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