n LOUDOUN
Pg. 5 | n LEESBURG
VOL. 7, NO. 30
Pg. 10 | n EDUCATION
Pg. 12 | n OBITUARIES
Pg. 24 | n PUBLIC NOTICES
We’ve got you covered. In the mail weekly. Online always at LoudounNow.com
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JUNE 16, 2022
County Broadband Project to Begin Installations BY RENSS GREENE
rgreene@loudounnow.com
Crews this month are getting to work installing hundreds of miles of fiber optic cable as Loudoun County hits a major milestone in its project to extend broadband internet to all its residents. In December 2021, the county won more than $17.5 million in Virginia Telecommunication Initiative, or VATI, grant funding from the state for its plans in partnership with All Points Broadband to extend fiber optic internet service throughout the county. With the grant funding secured and the agreement in place, this month All Points Broadband crews are expected to begin work installing the more than 600 miles of middle- and last-mile fiber connections to unserved areas of the county. The project, also in partnership with the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative and Dominion, runs fiber optic cable along existing powerline routes. Assistant Director of Information Technology Dave Friedrich said the project is expected to take 24-30 months to complete, but that residents will start seeing connections before then. And he said it’s also important for people to sign up at fiber.allpointsbroadband.com—both to get updates from All Points on its progress, as well as find any last spots that the project may miss. So far, he said just under 3,000 residents, about a third of those eligible, have responded on the website, and the county staff has identified fewer than 20 homes that the All Points Broadband project will miss. “We knew that the VATI project as meant and intended to cover all unserved residents with a fiber solution today and provide them service. We knew that there were possible pockets of homes that, because of SCC mapping and things of that nature, were not included in the VATI project but yet are still unserved,” he said. “The importance of getting residents COUNTY BROADBAND continues on page 43
Olivia Ausnehmer/Loudoun Now
Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties President and CEO Amy Owen speaks during Tuesday’s kickoff for the foundation’s new Workforce Housing Now campaign.
Community Foundation Launches ‘Workforce Housing Now’ BY RENSS GREENE
rgreen@loudounnow.com
The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties is hoping to move the needle on one of the most foundational elements of a community’s health and wellbeing. The foundation works to build the community through grants, fundraising and partnerships. When one of the foundation’s donor-advised funds, the Loudoun Community Cabinet, sought a high-impact way to invest a million dollars, they decided that housing is foundational—leading
ultimately to the kickoff of Workforce Housing Now, a broad push to build support for tackling Loudoun’s housing cost problems. President and CEO Amy Owen called on the campaign’s supporters—who range from business owners and nonprofit leaders to elected officials—to use their voices. “Today, we’re going to use our philanthropic voice with a new community service campaign: to share the absolute need for workforce housing now in Loudoun County,” she said Tuesday. “Our goal is to ensure that Loudoun has a dedicated and WORKFORE HOUSING continues on page 43
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Loudouners Call for Gun Reforms BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj meets with reporters Tuesday afternoon to refute claims that her office misled a county judge.
Judge Disqualifies CA’s Office from Burglary Cases; Biberaj Alleges Judicial Overreach BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
A Circuit Court judge has removed and disqualified the Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office from prosecuting charges against a burglary suspect after finding misrepresentations in a plea agreement that had been made in the case. The action is being challenged by Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaji as unjustified and unauthorized, amid an escalating battle with Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. In his June 9 order, Judge James E. Plowman appointed the Fauquier County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office to prosecute the two felony burglary charges and three misdemeanor charges against Kevin E. Valle. The charges stem from a spree of break-ins that happened May 18, 2021, in which two men were charged with smashing the glass doors of Sterling
businesses and stealing cash registers and other items. In December, Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Michelle Burton submitted a plea agreement and supporting proffer of facts that were accepted by Plowman in late March. While the felony breaking and entering charges carry sentences of one to 20 years in prison, the plea agreement proposed a six-month active sentence on the two felonies and the additional charges of destruction of property and giving false identification to law enforcement. He also would be required to pay $2,289 in restitution to the Halal Asian Market, the Sterling Smoke Shop, and the Delhi Bazaar. “The accused has no prior adult convictions on his record and has not been convicted of a felony,” Burton wrote in the proffer of facts of the case. “The co-conspirator is older and has a significant criminal history leading the Commonwealth to believe that this accused
was being negatively influenced and that he was not the primary actor in these crimes. Each of these crimes as charged occurred within hours of each other and not over the course of days or even weeks. The accused is taking responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty to felony and misdemeanor offenses.” However, shortly after the plea agreement was introduced, Valle was prosecuted in Fauquier County on three additional burglary charges—cases that were not disclosed to the judge in the Loudoun cases. Plowman in April set a hearing for Loudoun prosecutors to explain the “inconsistencies” in their filings. After that session proved unsuccessful, a second hearing was planned in May, but was continued. Last week, the judge closed the door on that outreach without a hearing. In his order, Plowman objected to OVERREACH continues on page 42
Loudoun residents Saturday joined in the national March for Our Lives protests calling for stricter gun laws following a series of mass shootings. The crowd gathered at the Stone House Pool in Cascades and marched with a Sheriff’s Office escort to Potomac Falls High School. The protest, which followed shooting deaths of 10 people in a New York grocery store and 21 in a Texas elementary school, was organized by Moms Demand Action, Loudoun 4 All and the Loudoun Chapter of the NAACP and led by Algonkian District Supervisor Juli E. Briskman. Speakers during the event criticized the nation’s inability to curb gun violence and called for supporters to be more active pushing elected leaders for solutions, termed commonsense gun law reform. “We say ‘never again’ but it happens every day,” said Kylie Miller, a graduating senior at Rock Ridge High School, pointing to reports of more than 200 school shootings so far this year. “America for sure has an epidemic and it is gun violence. You cannot be pro-life and stand by and let this happen,” she said. “America is not more innately evil than the rest of the world—or that is at least what I choose to believe—the difference is that our country enables this violence.” Christian Yohannes, third vice president of the NAACP Loudoun Chapter and Riverside High School graduate, recalled regular classroom drills for lockdowns and tornadoes that are part of life in Loudoun’s schools. “I have been an LCPS student my entire life and for all that I can remember since kindergarten I have been hiding under desks for drills that anticipate these very moments,” he said, noting that he always feared tornadoes more. “With the direction our nation is headed, a tornado is seemingly the least of a current student’s worries. Those were not the GUN REFORM continues on page 42
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JUNE 16, 2022
live
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For information on COVID-19 testing
and/or vaccines, call the Loudoun County Health Department’s COVID-19 information line: 703-737-8300 For information about programs and services for older adults in Loudoun County, call the Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging: 703-777-0257
Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging
JUNE 16, 2022
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
Loudoun
ON THE Agenda
Supervisors Approve New Election Districts BY RENSS GREENE rgreen@loudounnow.com
The Board of Supervisors last week formally approved the county’s new local election districts. The vote, taken unanimously and without discussion June 7, capped off a year of effort that began at a meeting last June when supervisors voted to stick with eight districts and one chair-at-large, keeping the board at nine members, and to set Loudoun’s guidelines for how new districts would be drawn. The county government solicited proposals from the public with an online mapping tool, but supervisors ultimately built the new districts on a map devised between Supervisors Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) and Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). The new districts satisfy a requirement that, as of the 2020 census, they have roughly equal populations, but after a
final round of edits earlier this year could be out of proportion again before the next election. The new southwestern Little River District—roughly replacing the current Blue Ridge District—is forecasted to be Loudoun’s fastest-growing, echoing the problems with today’s district. The current Blue Ridge District is by far the most populous district in the county, with more than double the population of some other districts. In drawing the new districts, supervisors sought to keep neighborhoods, towns and communities of interest together. Other than Little River, the new districts will inherit their names from the current districts they replace–Algonkian, Ashburn, Broad Run, Catoctin, Dulles, Leesburg, and Sterling. Redistricting efforts at every level were also delayed after COVID-19 pandemic-related delays to the 2020 decennial census. But unlike state redistricting, Loudoun’s local electoral maps come
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well in advance of their next regularly scheduled election, in 2023. Based on the 2020 census, the population of each adopted district ranges between 50,468 and 54,881 residents. The new districts will now go to the Office of the Attorney General for review of compliance with redistricting law; if there is no objection, they will become final. There remains one more election under the older maps. The Loudoun Circuit Court ordered the county’s Electoral Board to conduct special elections this Nov. 8, 2022, to fill the School Board seats vacated by Beth Barts (Leesburg), who resigned, and Leslee King (Broad Run), who died. Those elections will be held under the existing maps, since they were in effect when the court ordered the special election. View the new maps at loudoun.gov/redistricting. n
County Invites Input on Naming Old Courthouse Members of the public are invited to offer input on naming the historic Loudoun County Courthouse in downtown Leesburg. The county’s Heritage Commission has recommended the courthouse be named in honor of Charles Hamilton Houston, who assembled and led an all-African American legal defense team for a murder trial there in 1933. The defense team, which included law student and future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, challenged the all-white jury selection process, setting a historic legal precedent. Two years later, the Supreme Court ruled racially biased jury selection unconstitutional. Individuals may offer comment on that name or suggest additional names at loudoun.gov/courthousehistory. ON THE AGENDA continues on page 8
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County Board Adopts Pride Month Resolution Over Kershner’s Objections BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com
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Supervisor Caleb E. Kershner (R-Catoctin) on June 7 mounted an objection to the ceremonial resolution recognizing June as Pride Month in Loudoun. The resolution was removed from among seven other ceremonial resolutions on the Board of Supervisors’ consent agenda, a package of noncontroversial votes taken without discussion at the same time, including Race Amity Day, Homeownership Month, and recognizing the Loudoun Foster Parents of the Year and the Cool Spring Elementary PTA. Any single supervisor may pull an item from the consent agenda. Supervisor Sylvia R. Glass (D-Broad Run) said she was disappointed to see the resolution pulled from the consent agenda once again. “There’s never been an issue with a Black History Month proclamation, Women’s History Month proclamation, the AAPI Heritage Month proclamation, or any other general group proclamation. So I’m always perplexed as to why recognizing the LGBTQ+ community is somehow a problem,” Glass said. “Especially this last year, the LGBTQ community has been continually attacked. Transgender people were used as scapegoats and scare tactics for a tragic event that occurred in a Broad Run District school with the transgender aspect later turning out to be a
fabricated piece of information. I have also continually seen gay literature skewed as evil books that must be banned.” Kershner said the resolution violated the board’s Rules of Order, which hold that resolutions should be non-controversial. “I think what we’re trying, in many ways, I think the books in our schools, resolutions that are adopted by governing bodies like this, are really two-fold. And one is, of course, to normalize certain sexual activity that many people don’t agree with, and that makes it in and itself controversial,” Kershner said. “The gay-lesbian community play a very vital part in our, in America, they truly do, and quite frankly they should not be treated any different than anybody else,” he added, despite arguing “normalizing” them is controversial. Other supervisors pointed to high incidences of discrimination against LGBT people. “We call ourselves the land of the free and the brave, but how free is LGBTQ+ community or individual when the government is literally trying to disappear them, take them out of the books, take them out of our movies, take them out of anywhere?” said Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian). Supervisors passed the resolution 6-12, with Kershner opposed and Supervisors Tony R. Buffington (R-Catoctin) and Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) absent. n
Winners Announced in Voting Sticker Design Contest LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
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After reviewing nearly 80 submissions, the Loudoun County Office of Elections and Voter Registration on Thursday, June 9 announced winners of its first-ever “I Voted” Sticker Contest. The three winning designs will be distributed to voters who cast their ballots at early voting and Election Day polling locations in Loudoun, as well as those who vote by mail for the November 2022 General Election. The entries were judged on the overall aesthetics or eye-catching abil-
ity; clarity, strength, and effectiveness of design; and uniqueness of the design in relation to Loudoun County. The competition was narrowed to eight finalists that advanced to an online public vote. The top winner, designed by Torrey McGlenn, features an image of Dulles Airport and a dairy cow and will be distributed to Election Day voters. Julie Beacham’s design, a red, white and blue sticker with the shape of Loudoun County at its center, was selected for early voters. Nicole McGee designed the “I voted by mail” sticker. n
JUNE 16, 2022
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
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NOTICE OF RESPECT EARNED Little did Katherine (“Kate”) Gordon, President of Loudoun Commercial Title, LLC, realize in late 2019, when she signed up for an Executive MBA Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, how intense the next couple of years would be. She already had a law degree from the University of Virginia and ten years of work and law experience. Just as the program got going, the COVID-19 Pandemic hit us. We struggled with all the challenges of COVID, while dealing with an explosion of commercial transactions. The workload was so intense for two years that I thought it would break me. Kate did her share and more, managed the company to record profits, and worked on her Darden MBA on nights and weekends, for two years. On May 22, 2022 Kate received her Darden MBA-we don’t know how she did it all. As her business partner, and father, I salute Kate on her perseverance and achievement. Robert M. Gordon
WE JOIN IN CONGRATULATING KATE GORDON ON HER PERSEVERANCE AND ACHIEVEMENT IN EARNING A MASTERS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEGREE FROM THE DARDEN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Don Knutson, President, The Knutson Companies. Brian J. Cullen, Virginia Village, Ashburn Ice House Chuck Kuhn, JK Moving & Storage Patrick M. Via, Esq., Reese Broom PC Benjamin D. Leigh, Esq. Atwill, Troxell & Leigh PC John Wolff, Bia Kitchen, Loudoun Insurance Group & Wealthspire Advisors Pamela Pine, CEO, Loudoun Insurance Group Thomas J. Colucci, Esq. Walsh Colucci et al. Randy Minchew, Esq., Walsh Colucci et al. Sara Howard O’Brien, Loudoun County Public Schools Leo Rogers, Esq,, Loudoun County Attorney Theresa Fontana, Esq., Deputy Loudoun County Attorney Brian Benninghoff, Buchanan Partners Greg and Candy Fazakerley, Cottura Capital LLC Kevin Goeller, KLNB Bob Gibbs, Executive Vice President, CBRE Cathleen A. Mullen, Esq., Mullen Law PLLC Eric Major, Bia Kitchen & Major Advisory Group John Adler, Area President, Dream Finders Homes Karen Schaufeld, 100 Women Strong Pamela Ray, and your fellow 100 Women Strong members Stacey Metcalfe, CEO, Morven Park Jaime Pearson, VP Branch Manager, Atlantic Union Bank Thomas R. Petty, Esq., Miles & Stockbridge Alice Frazier, President, Bank of Charles Town Kevin Ash, President, Ellisdale Construction Hasan Ibrahim, HMI Property LLC Theresa Scafate, Buchanan Partners Kelly Shooshan, Shooshan Company John Shooshan, Shooshan Company Mary Gayle Holden, Esq., Holden Law Darya Thompson, Deputy Comm’r Revenue, Loudoun County Patrick Flickinger, Branch Manager, Bank of Charles Town David H. Moyes, Esq., Moyes & Associates PLC
Chris Giragosian, Esq., Hunton Andrews Kurth PLLC Mildred F. (“Bucky”) Slater, Esq., Slater Law Firm Norbert J. Prigge, Esq., Fidelity National Financial Gary Fuller, Esq., Stewart Title & Guaranty Company Frank J. Baltz, Esq., Clark Construction Group Chris Kammler John Coles, Thomas & Talbot Real Estate Wyatt Bethel, Esq., Odin Feldman & Pittleman JoAnn Bitner, Esq., Odin Feldman & Pittleman Kristina J. Bouweiri, Reston Limousine Mike Breen, Breen Titles RJ Davis, Esq., Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman Peter C. Burnett, Esq., Burnett & Williams Samuel H. Busey, Lost Barrel Brewery Antonio J. Calabrese, Esq., DLA Piper Lou Casciano, Pearson Smith Realty David Gunter, CGR-Commercial Group Realty Gorham S. (“Rory”) Clark Esq., Legacy Elder Law Center Gary S. Clemens, Clerk, Loudoun County Circuit Court Bob Wertz, Commissioner of the Revenue, Loudoun County, Virginia. Eric D. Combs Esq., Combs & Taylor LLP David Culbert, Esq., Culbert & Schmitt, PLLC. John W. Daniel, Standard Properties, Inc. Leland Mahan Esq., Mahan Law Thomas A. Murray, Community Wireless Structures Kevin O’Connor, Senior Associate, Urban Ltd. John R. Roberts, Esq., former Loudoun County Attorney Leonard S. “Hobie” Mitchel, Clear Springs Development Kishor Karki, Regional VP, Apple Federal Credit Union Randal B. Kell, Esq., Retired, The Mark Winkler Company Patty Brown, Marathon Realty Group, Inc. Peter Hutchinson, Marathon Realty Group, Inc Vincent Keegan, Esq., Keegan & DeVol PLC Gifford Hampshire, Esq., Blankingship & Keith PC
Raymond C. Knott, Market President, Atlantic Union Bank Matthew Pallo III, Senior VP, Truist Bank Steven C. Price, Esq., McCandlish Lillard PC Justin W. Holmberg, Manager, The Community Church Charles Whitlow, Pastor, The Community Church Your Friends and Clients at Village at Clear Springs Churchill Hooff Esq., Hooff Law Jack Hanssen Esq., Moyes & Levay Carolina Lucci, Mama Lucci’s Mark and Ellyn Miller, Long & Foster Realtors Bob Montgomery, McLean Properties Jill Roberts Esq., Tramonte, Yeonas & Roberts PLLC Stan Settle, Settle Land LLC Mark Nelis Esq., Nelis Law Cheryl Settlemyer, Sandy Spring Bank Jack Lavoie & all at Cooley LLP (Reston) David W. Parker, Parker Real Estate Advisors Anthony Nozzoli Gifford R. Hampshire Esq., Blankingship Keith James Saad, Saad Realty Partners Bill Horan, Realty Exchange Corporation G. Kimball Hart, Good Works VA Dean Yeonas, Yeonas & Shafran Real Estate Rich Vaaler, Vaaler Commercial Real Estate Roger Zurn, Treasurer, Loudoun County Joe Serafin, Serafin Real Estate Greg Phillips, Five Wirt Street LLC Victor Kazanjian, Kaz Brothers L.C. Treavor Lord, Headmaster, Hill School John Muir, Esq., Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC Eric W. Erickson, J2 Engineers John Mashack, Loudoun Commercial Title Jeanne Custard, Loudoun Commercial Title and Geoff Hoffman, Loudoun Commercial Title
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
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JUNE 16, 2022
Supervisors Approve 246 Homes on Fleetwood Road BY RENSS GREENE
rgreene@loudounnow.com
The county board has approved plans to build 246 homes next to Willowsford near Evergreen Mills Road, despite warnings from some supervisors that approval would abandon the comprehensive plan in that area and overburden schools and roads. “I really am not sure why we seem, some of us, to be pushing so hard to increase density in this undeveloped area with insufficient infrastructure, especially, really, roadway infrastructure, by eight and a half times from what they can already do,” said Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge), whose district includes the property. The developer applied to rezone approximately 87 acres off Fleetwood Road with reduced setbacks and increased lot coverage, a proposal both the Planning Commission and county planners recommended against. The developer agreed not to obtain occupancy permits for more than 70 units before 2026 shortly before the board’s vote June 7, and to include 32 price-controlled units, but the shortage of other proffers troubled supervisors opposed to the application. Buffington pointed to the other ongoing construction in the area, the projected overcrowding in schools, and the poor condition of the only road to the development— Fleetwood Road, a Virginia Department
ON THE Agenda continued from page 5
The comment form is open through Friday, June 24.
Supervisors Could Back Oak Hill Historic Site Request Loudoun supervisors will decide whether to endorse a letter and assign the county’s lobbyists to designate Oak Hill, home of President James Monroe, as a National Historic Site. That would enable the National Park Service to acquire and preserve the property as a national park open to the public. Supervisors were expected to vote on June 7, but deferred the topic to their meeting June 21 meeting. According to a staff report, the DeLashmutt family, who have owned the 1,200-acre Oak Hill Farm near Aldie for four generations, now seek the NHS designation and hope to see it opened to the public by the park service. The family has
Loudoun County
A map of the site of the planned Fleetwood South development.
of Transportation pave-in-place project that involved simply paving over an existing two-lane gravel road without widening the road or installing curbs, gutters or shoulders. The developer also has not offered to make the full capital offset contribution calculated by county ordinances, coming up $49,212 short. The current zoning on the land would allow 29 single-family homes in the Transition Policy Area that was planned for a phased approach to development in the 2019 General Plan. The plan envisions allowing denser development in the area
only after adequate infrastructure is in place. When it does arrive, development is planned to be smaller units to encourage more affordable housing. Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said, “We have just lived through 15 years of insanity in this part of the county” with rushed traffic lights and shifting attendance boundaries in schools. He said with this plan approved—and with the standard set for denser development in the area—the school system will end up asking the Board of Supervisors to find room in the capital budget for a new high school, since the schools in the area
already written to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland asking her to exercise her authority under the Commemoration of Former Presidents Act to designate the land a National Historic Site. The land is already a National Historic Landmark.
In 1972 the property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places and designated as a County Historic and Cultural Conservation Site. The new stewardship plan envisions rehabilitating the toll house to its historic appearance along with a potential archaeological survey. The fiscal impact for rehabilitation of the property was last projected in February 2022 by a county contractor at $3.67 million, but county staff have advised that with uncertainty in construction costs, the cost should be reevaluated during plan development for the proposed park site. The vote last Tuesday begins a planning process that also includes a zoning Special Exception application for park use.
Broad Run Toll House Preservation Plan Passed Loudoun supervisors on June 7 adopted the Broad Run Toll House Stewardship Plan, with plans to make the historic property a trailhead in the county’s Linear Parks and Trails network. The Broad Run Bridge and Toll House were constructed by the Leesburg Turnpike Company in 1820 per an 1809 act of the General Assembly, providing direct access to and from Leesburg and the wharfs in Alexandria. The steel and concrete bridge that in 1949 replaced the original stone bridge was partially destroyed by Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and never reconstructed. The Toll House was occupied as a private residence until the mid-20th century.
Loudoun Launches ‘Stroke Smart’ Awareness Campaign Loudoun County is launching a public awareness campaign about the importance of recognizing symptoms of a stroke and the need to call 911 immediately. “On behalf of my fellow stroke survivors, our families, our caregivers, we
will already be over capacity. He dismissed the idea that the development’s proffered size restrictions will encourage affordable housing. “If you really think a between 3,000and 4,500-square-foot single family home in this area is going to be affordable, then I have a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you— or at least over the Broad Run,” he said. But the four-member majority of supervisors present and voting said it is an attractive project and questioned the accuracy of the school enrollment projections. Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) pointed out by-right development does not have to contribute to infrastructure costs, and said he thinks the infrastructure and enrollment problems will be solved. “What we’re basically saying is, we’re going to deny a very attractive planned community because all the by-right developments have not had to proffer any of the transportation infrastructure that a legislative application would have required them to proffer,” he said. Supervisors approved the application 4-3-1-1, with Turner, Supervisors Caleb E. Kershner (R-Catoctin) and Sylvia R. Glass (D-Broad Run) and Vice Chairman Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) in favor; Buffington, Letourneau and Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) opposed; Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) abstaining and County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) absent. n thank you for recognizing the devastating impact that strokes can have on families and for raising awareness through this proclamation,” said Larry Dilworth, a stroke survivor who joined members of the Board for a ceremonial proclamation June 7. “I truly appreciate the chance to be here to share my story about how a stroke can affect anyone.” A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when something blocks blood flow to the brain or a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Symptoms can include sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body, which can show signs such as a droopy smile or the inability to raise one arm; sudden confusion, trouble speaking or difficulty understanding speech; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking, dizziness loss of balance or lack of coordination; or sudden severe headache with no known cause. The window of time for treatment is very short; patients with the best outcomes call 911 immediately after the signs begin. n
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JUNE 16, 2022
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JUNE 16, 2022
Leesburg
Town Contemplates Electric Vehicle Fleet BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com
The Leesburg Town Council is considering how to add hybrid or full-electric vehicles to the town fleet and the costs of doing so. Hybrid and electric vehicles, as town staff found for the report presented to the council Monday night, tend to cost more up front but with savings down the line in gas costs. Councilman Neil Steinberg pointed out electric vehicles also have lower maintenance costs over their lifetimes. But in addition to the up-front cost, bringing in hybrid or electric vehicles would require charging stations, new staff training and new tools. Public Works Assistant Director of Operations Christopher Kohr told the council that staff members had reached out to Loudoun County, the City of Manassas and the City of Fairfax to see what their experience has been. All three have been using hybrid vehicles for some time, with
AROUND Town
Loudoun Now File Photo
Crush Funk performs at a Juneteenth celebration in 2021.
Leesburg Festival, March Commemorate Juneteenth Two events are planned in Leesburg this weekend to mark the Juneteenth holiday. On Saturday, June 18, the BURG Family Reunion Club will hold a festival at Ide Lee Park. From noon to 6 p.m., the event will feature living music—including a performance by the Chuck Brown Band—food vendors and kid’s activities. Christian Yohannes will be the
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
A Town of Leesburg-owned truck parked in town.
City of Fairfax preparing to buy its first all-electric vehicle in the next fiscal year. Those jurisdictions also reported they are replacing those vehicles more quickly, while they are still under warranty, to avoid possibly having to take on the cost of replacing their batteries. But the town currently counts 204 vehicles in its fleet, and already isn’t keeping up with replacing them under staff recommendations. According to a staff report, keynote speaker. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the gate. Learn more at thebfrc.com. On Monday, June 20, a march, coordinated by the NAACP and Loudoun Freedom Center, will be held in downtown Leesburg. Marchers will gather on the Loudoun County Courthouse lawn at 9 a.m. and will proceed on East Market Street to the Orion Anderson Memorial on Harrison Street. Roads in the area will be closed during the event. Government offices will be closed Monday in observance of Juneteenth, which marks the day in 1865 when emancipation was proclaimed in Texas, the last state of the Confederacy with institutional slavery. It will be the first time the Town of Leesburg closes its offices for the holiday. Juneteenth became a state holiday in June 2020 following an executive order by then-Gov. Ralph Northam, with the Leesburg Town Council following suit in September 2020. This will be the first year the holiday is officially observed by the town. The Town Council also adopted a ceremonial proclamation June 14 recognizing
each year town staff create a list of vehicles needing replacement based on age, mileage, engine hours, and maintenance costs, and each year the list of vehicles is larger than the available funding. Kohr said taking out the types of vehicles for which there are no good electric options today, and vehicles that can’t be down for long charging periods such as emergency vehicles, there are about 22 fleet vehicles that could realistically go all-electric. The town also found studies by the Electrification Coalition of municipalities’ experiences deploying electric fleets in Des Moines, IA, and Charlotte, NC. In Des Moines, those vehicles were found effective despite the cold temperatures, and the city is on track to an all-electric fleet by 2050. Charlotte has found electric options even for heavy-duty vehicles, and has found switching to electric vehicles to be a way to bring their costs down. The city is moving toward an all-electric fleet by 2030. However, the staff report set coun-
cilmembers talking not in years, but in decades. “Not in five years, not in 10 years, maybe in 30 or 50 years we can save our taxpayers dollars by not paying for gasoline that’s only going to get more and more volatile in pricing, but also we can do our part to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and just keep pushing towards the future,” said Councilman Zach Cummings, who first raised the idea of electrifying Leesburg’s fleet. A UN climate report released earlier this year calculated that to limit global warming to around 2.7 degrees, the target set in the 2015 Paris Agreement, greenhouse gas emissions would have to peak before 2025 and be cut nearly in half by 2030. “I think as council this is something that for most of us, we strongly would like to push forward with,” said Councilman Neil Steinberg. “I know it’s not tomorrow, but it’s definitely a conversation we want to continue because in the end it’s somewhere we have to get to.” n
Juneteenth, presenting it to BURG Family Reunion Club President Irvin Greene and Steve Williams, president of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation. The council also voted to waive the normal special event fees for the Juneteenth March and Celebration up to $1,500. According to town staff members, the estimated cost for staff from the Police Department and the Streets Division is $1,335 and could increase or decrease depending on needs that arise on the day of the event.
respect, honor, and celebrate our diverse community, and to continue building a culture of inclusiveness and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community,” the resolution reads.
Town Marks Pride Month The Leesburg Town Council on Tuesday approved a proclamation recognizing June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month. The proclamation was presented to Todd Cimino-Johnson, recognized in the proclamation as an LGBTQ+ activist in the community. June is commonly recognized is Pride Month to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots. “The Town of Leesburg remains committed to protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and invites everyone to
Taylor to Technology and Communications Commission Business owner and new Leesburg resident Ben Taylor has been appointed to the town’s Technology and Communications Commission, following nomination by Councilwoman Suzanne Fox. “Since relocating to Leesburg last year, I have been immensely charmed by the town and impressed by the work the Council has done to continue improving it. I am therefore seeking the opportunity to serve the town as a member of the Technology Commission,” he wrote in a letter of interest to the council. “While my background is primarily in finance and data analytics, I believe that I could bring a valuable perspective to the Commission, both as an independent business owner and also as a new town resident.” The council approved Taylor’s appointment June 14. n
JUNE 16, 2022
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
The Leesburg Town Council has authorized the first step toward implementing new control system for the town’s water and wastewater system to protect it against cyberattacks. Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now
Town Moves to Protect Water Supply from Cyber Attack The Leesburg Town Council has authorized a $426,896 contract to design a new monitoring system at the town Water and Wastewater Treatment plant, to help protect the town’s water supply from cyber attack. The funding to design the new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, or SCADA, System is available in the town’s current Fiscal Year 2022-2027 Capital Improvements Program. Once Stantec Consulting Services has finished that work, town staff members plan to propose its implementation and deploy-
ment to the Town Council. The SCADA upgrade is expected to be put in place in Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025 with an estimated budget of $2.6 million. The current SCADA system, which allows town staff to control all of the water plant and system’s processes, has been in place since 2002, with upgrades in 2008 and 2020. Town staff hope to modernize to a system commonly used today, which should provide both more efficient operations and better security, as well as allowing for future system growth and new technology. n
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LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JUNE 16, 2022
Education
SCHOOL notebook
School Employees May See $1,000 Bonuses BY HAYLEY MILON BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com
The School Board is scheduled to vote June 28 on a recommendation to give $1,000 bonuses to full-time employees. During the June 7 meeting, Chief Financial Officer Sheron Willoughby presented the plan, which would cost $16.9 million to carry out. The bonuses are contingent upon state government funding, which administrators foresee allowing for the plan, although a budget has not yet been adopted in Richmond. The money would come from $5.2 million in unspent fiscal year 2022 funds, and $5.2 million from the fiscal year 2023 budget. “This is a delicate plan, we will continue to watch what happens at the state level,” Willoughby said, likening the plan to a house of cards. Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) asked whether bonuses could be awarded on a sliding scale if the total amount of funding is not available from the state. Willoughby indicated that if the full amount is not available for the initiative, the board could move forward with an alternate plan. On May 24, the board voted to award $1,000 bonuses to special education teachers, teaching assistants, and staff members working in self-contained classrooms, as well as to custodians and school nutrition workers.
Loudoun Now file photo
Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge). The School Board will vote on a recommendation to award bonuses to all fulltime staff during its meeting on June 28.
Last school year, nine high-level administrators received bonuses totaling $105,600. Principals, assistant principals, and several other staff members received $2,000. Many teachers were outraged when they were awarded challenge coin mementos instead of bonuses. Denise Corbo (At Large) suggested that administrators who received bonuses during fiscal year 2021 should be omitted from consideration for bonuses.
“I think that part of the concern has been that we have not given our educators and support staff bonuses,” she said. Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) said that the functionality of the school division is contingent upon all employees doing their jobs, and that she would not vote on awarding bonuses to only some employees. The board voted to table action on the recommendation until June 28. n
6 High School Teams Earn State Titles Six Loudoun County Public Schools varsity athletic teams earned state titles this spring season. The Briar Woods High School girls soccer team won the Class 5 state championship, while the Broad Run girls soccer team won the Class 4 title. In lacrosse, the Dominion High School girls team took the Class 4 championship, and the Riverside High School boys nabbed the Class 5 trophy. The Freedom High School baseball team won the Class 6 state title. The Stone Bridge High School softball team won in the Class 5 division. LCPS Athletic Director Derek Farrey praised the teams’ victories. “We are very proud of the high level of play and sportsmanship demonstrated by our student-athletes this past weekend,” Farrey said. “These accomplishments are attributed to many hours of training, sacrifice, strategy and planning by LCPS student-athletes and coaches. We also appreciate the parents and booster clubs who support our sports programs.”
Two Former Teachers Claim Retaliation from LCPS BY HAYLEY MILON BOUR Hbour@loudounnow.com
Loudoun County Public Schools is accused of retaliating against two women who say they were assaulted by elementary school special education students, but the superintendent is denying those allegations. During the June 7 School Board meeting, two teachers delivered public comment, claiming that they were assaulted by students in their special education classrooms. One teacher said that she experienced “fondling, groping, sexualized
facial and hand gestures toward me, other teachers, and students” while working in a special education classroom. During her comment, she began to identify the action taken by administrators, including that the student had been moved to another classroom. Chairman Jeff Morse (Dulles) interrupted, indicating that her comments were bordering on violating students’ privacy rights. Members of the crowd jeered and shouted, “let her finish.” “If we have interruptions, I will have you escorted out,” Morse said. The teacher said that she was fired after a “smear campaign” was launched
against her. She also said that she was subpoenaed to testify to the special grand jury investigating the division’s handling of multiple sexual assaults in two different Ashburn high schools. Her comments were followed by those of her teaching assistant. The assistant said that prior to the pair sharing the incidents in the classroom, she had received excellent reviews from her supervisor, until a meeting regarding her termination. “At that meeting my principal said, RETALIATION continues on page 13
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Cool Spring PTA Recognized for New Playground The Board of Supervisors honored the Cool Spring Elementary PTA for its fundraising to build the school’s new playground with a ceremonial resolution June 7. The playground was funded with a $190,000 proffer from the Town of Leesburg and $30,000 raised by the PTA through Raise Craze. The money was raised mostly during SCHOOL NOTEBOOK continues on page 13
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JUNE 16, 2022
Retaliation continued from page 12 “it didn’t have to look like this, but you made choices,” the assistant said. Executive Director of Fight for Schools Ian Prior told the board during the March 22 School Board meeting about the teachers being inappropriately touched. “I believe I’ve given you all the information to track this down and solve it tonight, but if you don’t, you know how to get in touch with me,” he said. He added that the situation was a hostile work environment. During the meeting, Superintendent Scott Ziegler made a statement alluding to the allegations of retaliation.
SCHOOL notebook continued from page 12
the pandemic through a donation drive rewarding students for more than a thousand acts of random kindness. According to the school division, the playground is built on a synthetic surface with features including a panel with
“While our obligations regarding confidentiality and student privacy preclude us from providing additional details regarding this matter, LCPS investigates and addresses all concerns that are brought to our attention,” he said. The teachers’ and elementary school names are not being published to protect the identities of the special education students involved in the allegations. No reports were filed with law enforcement following the incidents involving students. While no explanation was provided from LCPS to the public about the firings, teachers speaking out about specific incidents involving their students may violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. n common words posted in Spanish and American sign language. It also has “Buddy Benches,” where, when a student has no one to play with, they can sit and someone can ask them to join an activity. The PTA worked with PE teachers, speech therapists, and occupational therapists on the design, according to the resolution. The playground supplements a 28-year-old playground at the school. n
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JUNE 16, 2022
SAFETY Briefs
Public Safety
Bank Robber Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
The 66-year-old Winchester man charged in the Nov. 19, 2021, robbery of a Leesburg bank was sentenced Tuesday to serve four years in prison. According to evSencindiver idence in the case, on that day Kenneth W. Sencindiver approached a teller at the M&T Bank on East Market Street, handing her a note demanding cash from her drawer and claiming there were armed accomplices watching. He left the bank with about $525 in cash, but a dye pack exploded before he got to the car where his son was waiting for him nearby. The two men were arrested the next night following a police chase that started in Frederick County and ended in Purcellville. In March, he pleaded guilty to charges of robbery with threat or intimidation, and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Both charges are class 6 felonies that carry maximum sentences of five years in prison. In the plea agreement with
county prosecutors, Sencindiver faced a maximum active sentence of five years in prison. In developing a sentence, Judge Douglas L. Fleming Jr. said he took into account Sencindiver’s age, serious health conditions and traumatic upbringing, but also the inherent danger of committing a bank robbery and the trauma inflicted on the teller he threatened. Fleming noted that dispite being raised in an abusive family, Sencindiver largely led a productive life, with no criminal history through age 60 and even securing a top-secret government clearance. “You were a law-abiding citizen for most of your life,” he said. In earlier hearings, testimony indicated that Sencindiver had planned to scan the nearby McDonalds restaurant for purse-snatching opportunities, but then got the idea to rob the bank and wrote out a note for the teller. Sencindiver said he didn’t know why he did that, citing a blood sugar imbalance from his diabetes as a potential contributing factor. Fleming agreed the last-minute strategy change was a poor decision. “This was a ham-handed job. It wasn’t professional,” Fleming said. “It was sad.”
But the judge said it was important to send a message to the community about the serious nature of bank robberies, which, along with home invasions, represent the most dangerous situations. “That is how people get shot,” he said, also noting that the teller could have suffered a heart attack or stroke while being threatened. “Words have impact on people and the words you used were violent words,” Fleming said. And, the judge said, if Sencindiver actually was suffering from a blood sugar imbalance, a better option may have been to steal a sandwich. Sencindiver was sentenced to three years in prison on the robbery charge and one year on the ammunition charge, to be served consecutively. He also will serve one year of post-release incarceration, an alternative to conventional probation. The sentence was above that recommended in the state sentencing guidelines report, which called for a sentence of two years and one month in prison. Sencindiver also faces charges in Clarke and Frederick counties. Charges against his son, Kenneth W. Sencindiver II, in the Leesburg bank robbery case were dismissed during a District Court hearing. n
Former Deputy Sentenced in Online Solicitation Case BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
The former Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office deputy charged with soliciting a minor was sentenced Monday to three years of supervised probation during which he is to be banned from social media and the internet. Dustin Amos, 34, of Herndon, was indicted by a grand jury in February on two felony solicitation charges. According to State Police, an undercover detective assigned to the Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigator’s Task Force came into contact with Amos online in December 2021. Amos, who was on duty at the county jail, identified himself as a Sheriff’s Office deputy
while communicating with a supposed 15-year-old girl and discussing sexual acts with her using the Whisper app. The task force reported the case to the NOVA-DC Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force on Dec. 17, 2021. He was arrested later that day. In March, he pleaded guilty to one felony solicitation charge and appeared before Circuit Court Judge James P. Fisher on June 13 for sentencing. He faced up to 10 years in prison on the charge. The state’s sentencing guidelines called for a period of probation, but the Attorney General’s Office, which prosecuted the case, sought prison time because of the severity of the offense, the results of a psychological examination that rated him an above
average risk for recidivism, and the violation of public trust by a law enforcement officer. Amos’ attorneys said that he made no attempt to meet the purported juvenile and that he repeatedly told the State Police investigator that he was simply engaging in role play as the online conservation turned sexual. They said that, while his status as a jail deputy may be “titillating for the media,” his law enforcement status should have no bearing on his case. Speaking to the judge, Amos apologized to his wife and many family members gathered in the courtroom to support him. After reaching AMOS continues on page 15
3 Injured in Sterling Saturday Night Shooting The Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Saturday night shooting in the area of North Fillmore Avenue and Fletcher Road in Sterling. Deputies responded to the scene shortly after 7:30 p.m. June 11 where an adult female victim was located. She was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries described as serious but not life-threatening. Two additional victims later returned to the scene. They were treated for injuries described as minor, according to the agency. The Sheriff’s Office is working to determine the circumstances that led to the shooting. There is no indication of any further threat to the community. Residents in the area who have not already talked with law enforcement are asked to review exterior surveillance video for any suspicious activity. Anyone with any information regarding this case is asked to contact Detective R. Schmidt of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office at 703-777-1021. You may also submit a tip through the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office app.
Elementary School Teacher Arrested for Intoxication An elementary school music teacher was arrested after a school administrator reported he seemed intoxicated at work Monday morning. According to the Sheriff’s Office, a school administrator at Mill Run Elementary School contacted a school resource deputy to report a teacher who may be intoxicated at work. The deputy found the teacher, Todd R. Snead, 51, of Ashburn, seemed to be under the influence of alcohol. He was charged with public intoxication and held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. Snead joined Loudoun County Public Schools in 1997.
Leesburg PD Seeks Suspect in Reported Sexual Assault The Leesburg Police Department is asking for the public’s help idenSAFETY BRIEFS continues on page 15
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JUNE 16, 2022
SAFETY Briefs continued from page 14
tifying the suspect in a sexual assault reported early Sunday morning. According to the report, a woman reported that at approximately 12:30 a.m. June 12, a black two-door vehicle stopped alongside her as she was walking through the parking lot along Wilkinson Drive NE in the Avana Fieldstone apartment complex. She said the driver forced her into the vehicle and sexually assaulted her. He then fled the area. The suspect was described as a darkskinned Hispanic male, who was wearing a facemask and sunglasses. Residents of the Avana Fieldstone apartment complex are asked to check their residential video surveillance systems for footage of the incident. Anyone who has not already spoken with law enforcement and has information about the incident is asked to contact Detective M. Taylor at 703-771-4500 or at mtaylor1@leesburgva.gov. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call the Leesburg Crime Line at 703-443TIPS (8477). Information can also be sent using TIPSUBMIT via text. Text 274637 (CRIMES) and begin your message with LPDTIP.
Amos continued from page 14 “rock-bottom” on the day of his arrest, Amos said treatment and medication have helped him better deal with his childhood trauma and depression. His use of the Whisper app was for fantasy and role-playing—an escape from reality, he said. Fisher said it was a difficult case. He noted Amos quickly accepted responsibility, and surrendered plausible defense
PAGE 15
theories when deciding to plead guilty. However, he characterized his use of his status as a law officer during the chat with the purported juvenile as “stolen honor.” Fisher said the evidence indicted the defendant was a troubled person, but not a predator. The judge sentenced Amos to five years in prison, but suspended four years and six months of that time. As Amos has already served six months in jail, he will be released and placed on three years of supervised probation. During that time, Fisher ordered that he make no use of so-
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cial media and not use the internet except as may be required for a job. He also must comply with any recommendations for mental health treatment. The conviction also requires a contribution to the Virginia Victims Fund. Prior to his arrest, Amos worked for eight years as a Sheriff’s Office deputy, serving at the Adult Detention Center since his hiring in 2013. He was placed on administrative leave following his arrest and is no longer employed by the Sheriff’s Office. n
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Man Accused of Filming Under Ida Lee Shower Divider A Leesburg man has been charged with one count of attempted unlawful creation of an image of another and one count of disorderly conduct, after a report of a man filming an adult female under a shower divider at Ida Lee Recreation Center. Lester Galves Reyes, 20, of Leesburg, was charged and released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on a $3,000 unsecured bond. Leesburg police received a report at around 3:30 p.m. June 11 of a man filming under the shower divider, and detained Galves Reyes without further incident. The Leesburg Police Department Criminal Investigation Section continues to investigate the incident. Anyone who has relevant information, or who believes that they may also be a victim is asked to contact Detective M. Pacilla at 703-7714500 or at mpacilla@leesburgva.gov. Anonymous tips can be called into the Leesburg Crime Line at 703-443-TIPS (8477). Information can also be sent using TIPSUBMIT via text; text 274637 (CRIMES) and begin your message with LPDTIP. n
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JUNE 16, 2022
Nonprofit
Baha’i Race Amity Day Highlights Progress, Challenges BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
Building on a century-old tradition, the Northern Virginia Baha’i Center on Saturday hosted a Race Amity Day program that focused Loudoun County’s efforts to promote diversity and mutual understanding. While the Baha’i efforts to influence public discourse on race in the United States can be traced to a May 1921 amity event in Washington, DC, Sunday’s program resulted from a Loudoun NAACP program promoting community allyship and urging participants to take action. The five-week program, designed by Jan Wilson, was just one of the community outreach efforts highlighted during the event. Others included the county government’s hiring of a chief equity officer; the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce’s formation of a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Committee; and County Administrator Tim Hemstreet’s Multicultural Advisory Committee. Anthony Vance, of the Baha’i Office of Public Affairs, highlighted efforts of the religion’s leaders to build racial unity following the Red Summer race riots in 1919, in starting with interracial conferences held in several cities around the nation. He noted the progress that has been
Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now
Anthony Vance, of the Baha’i Office of Public Affairs, speaks during the June 12 Race Amity Day program at the Northern Virginia Baha’i Center.
made over the ensuing century and that many racial justice movements and protests today are collaborative efforts, joined or led by large groups of young, white community members. “Today, with so much despair
resulting from the proliferation of hate groups, the corruption of the internet and social media, the undermining of democratic norms, the spread of terror, legislative gridlock, heightened partisanship among our citizenry, the increase in law-
lessness and violence, the widening of the gap between rich and poor, and the continuation of systemic and institutional racism, it is important to keep in mind that AMITY DAY continues on page 17
Hunger Nonprofits Launch Website to Help Residents Find Help LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
The Loudoun Food Providers Group, a group of emergency food providers, has launched the new website LoudounFeeds.org for residents who need help getting groceries but don’t know where to turn. The website indexes food resources in Loudoun County, provides locations and operating hours, and describes what to expect during a food pantry visit. It is also available in multiple languages. “It became apparent at the beginning of the pandemic that easily accessible information for community resources was both vital and lacking. Many peo-
ple who never needed human services were suddenly faced with finding help,” Loudoun Hunger Relief CEO Jennifer Montgomery said. “The good news is that there are numerous places to get food assistance in Loudoun County, and LoudounFeeds.org will be an up-to-date resource. This website is the only URL they will need to know to get connected to the numerous charitable food resources available throughout Loudoun County. “If you need food, know someone who needs food, or you want to volunteer to get food out into the community, LoudounFeeds.org makes it easy to connect with organizations doing this
essential work.” The Loudoun Food Providers Group is an alliance of charitable food providers sharing information among each other. Founded by Loudoun Hunger Relief in 2018, it was modeled after a similar group in Fairfax County, to foster communication and cooperation among Loudoun’s charitable food providers. The LoudounFeeds.org website is modeled after Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s similar collaborative websites in other counties served by the food bank. “We’re grateful to be a part of LoudounFeeds.org,” said Jacob Matz, partner engagement manager for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. “By
working together, we can more effectively offer assistance for families experiencing food insecurity. We share a commitment to making sure that everyone in Loudoun County has enough to eat.” “We’re thankful for the collaborative efforts of the Food Bank and planning committee which includes Loudoun Hunger Relief, Dulles South Food Pantry, Backpack Buddies Galilee Church, and Loudoun Education Foundation’s Backpack Coalition for their help in getting this resource built and into the community. We encourage organizations to link to the site and share the information broadly,” Montgomery said. n
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Nerantzis Joins Claude Moore Foundation LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
Stephanie C. Nerantzis is joining the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation to serve as its grants manager. Among her other duties, Nerantzis, a CPA, will be working closely with Loudoun County nonprofits to assist in capacity building to serve the needs of Loudoun County residents. Nerantzis, a Leesburg resident, has
been active in Loudoun’s nonprofit community, having served as the board chair and treasurer of Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter and remains active in the nonprofit sector in the county volunteering with several local organizations. “Stephanie will bring a depth of knowledge of nonprofits in Loudoun County,” stated Executive Director J. Hamilton Lambert. “Her professional expertise and financial acumen will be
an asset to the Foundation as well as the nonprofit community in Loudoun County.” Nerantzis has been a certified public accountant for more than 33 years. For the past 10 years, she has worked as an audit manager and principal overseeing the audits of commercial entities, nonprofits, and employer benefit plans. She will officially start her position Aug. 8. n
Nerantzis
Amity Day continued from page 16 much racial progress has actually been made even though it has been at times partially reversed,” Vance said. He said the Baha’i writings depict the United States as suffering from “an excessive and binding materialism,” “one of the most virulent and longstanding forms of racial prejudice,” and “political corruption and lawlessness.” “And yet at the same time, in what appears to be a paradox, the Baha’i writings also indicate that the destiny of America is to ‘lead all nations spiritually,” he said. Program emcee Mitchell Jacobson said the Race Amity Day event resulted from a call to action put to participants in Wilson’s The Power of Allyship program. Wilson said she launched her course after realizing she could not sit idle in the fight against injustice. “We see so much evil, backlashes against progress that we’ve made, so much injustice and heartbreak—so there is a lot of work to do, but that also means we have a lot of opportunities,” she said. “Yes, we have made progress on race relations, but every day we see how much work is needed to get to racial justice,” she said. “And a minority can’t get there so we need allies to change hearts and minds and law and norms and language. We need everyone working together to do that. And diversity makes that work stronger.” A new The Power of Allyship program begins June 15, and runs online Thursdays through July 14. For registration and information, email thepowerofallyship@gmail.com. Learn more about the Northern Virginia Baha’i Center at novabahaicenter.org. n
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Business
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Nurse Manager Sara Towne stands inside one of the procedure rooms in the new Schar Cancer Institute in Loudoun.
Inova Loudoun Unveils Schar Cancer Institute
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LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
On Monday Inova opened the doors for tours of the new Schar Cancer Institute Loudoun, a department of Inova Fairfax Hospital but housed at Inova Loudoun. Although it has been open since February, pandemic precautions prevented Inova from holding a public grand opening for its long-awaited Schar center. On June 13, for the first time the hospital system got a chance to show off the new 18,000-square-foot treatment facility, which includes an infusion clinic, a multidisciplinary clinic with exam and procedure rooms, “Life with Cancer” programs to support the emotional and physical needs of cancer patients and their families, and a compounding pharmacy to mix patients’ medications on-site. Infusion and Life with Cancer therapy rooms are private and brightly lit with windows, and the walls are decorated with works by local artists. Inova Loudoun President Susan Carroll said, “the most important thing is that you can get the best care as close to home as possible.” She said the resources of the Schar
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
One of the private therapy rooms inside the Life with Cancer section of the new Schar Cancer Institute Loudoun.
institute allow specialists of all types to coordinate, along with allowing the treatment to be delivered close to home. “Our team is passionate about treating patients in the Loudoun community,” stated Inova Schar Cancer Institute Loudoun Medical Director Dr. David Lee. “Each patient will work with a multi-disciplinary team of cancer experts to develop a personalized treatment plan for the whole person. This coordinated, patient-centered approach yields a better patient experience and better outcomes.” n
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Chamber Seeks Nominations for Small Business Awards The Loudoun Chamber has opened the nomination process for the 28th Annual Loudoun Small Business Awards, where the Loudoun community will celebrate the achievements and contributions that local small businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofits. Nominations will be accepted through July 22. Access the nomination form at loudounchamber.org/SBA. Finalists for the awards will be announced in September and the winners celebrated during a Nov. 4 gala at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles. “For 28 years, the Loudoun Chamber has been privileged to honor the many outstanding small businesses and entrepreneurs that are creating jobs and economic opportunities for our community here in Loudoun County,” stated Chamber President and CEO Tony Howard. “In spite of
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the historic challenges of a global pandemic and worldwide economic turmoil, Loudoun’s small businesses and entrepreneurs have made truly heroic contributions to keep our economy and our quality of life strong. We are honored to salute these real American heroes, whose vision, work ethic and innovation are needed more than ever in the face of new challenges to our prosperity.” Tickets to the Small Business Awards Ceremony are on sale, and sponsorship packages are available. For more information go to l o u d o u n c h a m b e r. o rg / S B A , or contact Paige Romanow, Senior Events Manager, at promanow@loudounchamber.org or call 571-209-9025. n
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RECEPTIONIST Provides general information about The Salvation Army’s operations and services. Processes a variety of documents necessary for office operations, and Corps program activities. Knowledge of Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, & PowerPoint). Bilingual (English/Spanish), preferred.
Post your job listings at NowHiringLoudoun.com
To apply go to: https://us62e2. dayforcehcm.com/CandidatePortal/ en-US/tsa/Posting/View/65398
Town of Leesburg Employment Opportunities Please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs for more information and to apply online. Resumes may be submitted as supplemental only. EOE/ADA.
You can also find us on Indeed.com.
Regular Full-Time Positions Position
Department
Salary Range
Closing Date
Assistant Aquatics Supervisor
Parks & Recreation
$50,000-$76,882 DOQ
Open until filled
Management Analyst (Sustainability & Resilience)
Emergency Management
$67,175-$115,044 DOQ
Open until filled
Police Officer
Police
$62,000-$89,590 DOQ
Open until filled
Project Manager
Utilities
$76,426-$130,688 DOQ
Open until filled
Recreation Center Supervisor
Parks & Recreation
$52,446-$95,178 DOQ
Open until filled
Small Business Development and Tourism Specialist
Economic Development
$67,175-$121,947 DOQ
Open until filled
Utility Plant Operator: Trainee, I, II or Senior
Utilities
$50,000-$97,512 DOQ
Open until filled
Utility Plant Technician or Senior Utility Plant Technician
Utilities
$50,000-$89,790 DOQ
Open until filled
Utility Systems Technician Trainee
Utilities
$50,000-$76,882 DOQ
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Hourly Rate Utilities
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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.
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REPORTER
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Come join the Summit team! For complete job description and to complete an application please visit our website at: www.MySummit.bank Summit is an Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
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JUNE 16, 2022
Towns
Middleburg Council Weighs 2 Proposals for Asbury Church Renovation BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
The Middleburg Town Council last week heard public briefings on two proposals to renovate and reuse the historic Asbury Church. One offered by the Loudoun Freedom Center envisions using the North Jay Street building as an educational center telling stories of the town’s Black community and the Civil War. Another would use the building as a yoga studio and community center. Both would aim to preserve the historic integrity of the 193-year-old structure. The 2,660-square-foot Asbury Church was established in 1829 and has been used as a Methodist Episcopal church, a storehouse, a government depot and hospital during the Civil War, and a Methodist Episcopal church for the town’s Black residents. The building has been vacant since 1994. It was donated to the town in 2014 and the Town Council has invested more than $174,000 to stabilize the building. The Town Council previously solicited bids from entities seeking to preserve, restore and reuse the church in 2018 and
Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now
Two groups are proposing to give the historic Asbury Church new life under proposals pitched to the Middleburg Town Council last week.
in 2020, but those efforts closed without a decision to transfer the property. This new round of talks resulted from the submission of two unsolicited bids. The Loudoun Freedom Center and its founder Pastor Michelle Thomas first proposed taking over the property in
2019. According to their submission, the nonprofit envisions a six-year restoration with $600,000 of construction costs. Plans to open the building to school tours, teacher training sessions and community events are expected to generate $385,000 annually in operational revenue, making a small profit. In her June 6 presentation to the council, Thomas said the intent of her organization is to preserve and restore the building and to highlight the town’s shared history of community support, religious unity, and integration in its educational programs. The second proposal was submitted by 105 Jay Street LLC, a partnership of Bradley and Melinda Gable and Brian and Bridget Wilson. They propose renovations are estimated to cost $326,000 and to be completed within nine months of the transfer. The building would be leased to Bridget Wilson’s Native Barre Studios, a fitness center currently housed in a nearby building. The owners also plan “to honor and celebrate the history of this historic church structure and the congregation ASBURY CHURCH continues on page 23
Lovettsville Council Again Nixes LGBTQ Proclamation BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
A second effort to have the Lovettsville Town Council adopt a proclamation supporting the LGBTQ community during June failed June 9. Following a May meeting during which a proposed proclamation to recognize June as Pride Month did not make it to a vote, the council this week was divided on whether to consider a proclamation marking the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall clashes between protesters for gay rights and police in New York City. Three council members voted to add the proclamation to the next meeting agenda for discussion and three opposed it, stating it did not comply with town’s policy for such ceremonial recognitions. Lacking support of a two-thirds majority, the motion failed. As in the May meeting, the action fol-
lowed a public comment session during which speakers lined up to urge the council to show support of LBTGQ residents in the hopes of reducing the threat of suicides and curbing bullying, and to point out that other local government bodies in Loudoun already have adopted Pride Month resolutions. Councilwoman Renee Edmonston, who last month found no support among her colleagues to consider the Pride Month declaration, made the motion to add the Stonewall Riots Remembrance Day proclamation to the next meeting agenda. This time she got support from Councilmen Buchanan Smith, who seconded the motion, and Tony Quintana, who said he learned more about the concerns earlier in the week after attending a School Board meeting where a Pride Month resolution was debated and adopted. Edmonston said it was important for the community to find common ground and to
promote kindness, understanding and civility. “We are all guilty. We are all guilty of judgment and we are all guilty of our own selfish gains. But we must seek to let go,” she said. While supporting the proclamation in concept, Smith said the wording of the document would need further tweaking to conform to the town’s policies before an adoption vote. He said while many people may not support every element of the national LBGTQ political platform, there should be a way to show support their neighbors in town. He also objected to criticism from some speakers that a failure to adopt the Pride Month resolution had demonstrated intolerance or hatred. “It can’t be disputed that this is a controversial matter,” he said. However, Smith said he once worked near the Stonewall Inn and said that a PRIDE PROCLAMATION continues on page 24
AROUND towns HILLSBORO Council Approves Pride Month Proclamation The Hillsboro Town Council last week approved a proclamation in support of June Pride Month, recognizing and supporting “the rights of all people the freedom to live without fear of prejudice, discrimination, and hatred based on their gender identity or sexual orientation.” The proclamation, proposed by Councilman Paul Hrbenak, was passed by a unanimous vote. “I am very proud of our Town Council and our residents for vocally supporting and standing up for the rights of all citizens,” Mayor Roger Vance said. “We believe it is vital that our voices and actions demonstrate that prejudice and discrimination in any form, including against people because of gender identity or sexual orientation, will find no safe haven in our town.”
Friday Night Talk Explores Underpinnings of Roe On Friday, June 17, the Town of Hillsboro and the Hillsboro Preservation Foundation offer an opportunity to learn more about the constitutional underpinnings of Roe v. Wade and the seminal ruling’s potential undoing in a forthcoming Supreme Court decision. The Eat, Drink & Be Literary! Presentation will feature constitutional scholar Benedict Lenhart for an evening devoted to an objective analysis of the constitutional arguments used by those supporting, and those opposing, abortion rights. Learn more at oldstoneschool.org.
Reservations Open for Independence Day The Town’s Independence Day the Hillsboro Way celebration will be held Sunday, June 26. The town has begun selling pre-order drink tickets and taking table reservations online oldstoneschool.org. AROUND TOWNS continues on page 24
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Round Hill Expansion Plan Moves to Hearings
continued from page 22
LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
The Board of Supervisors last week advanced the annexation request by the Round Hill Town Council to a public hearing. That action, approved unanimously on the board’s June 7 consent agenda, follows the Town Council’s vote in April to seek incorporation of 125.5 acres west of its border through a cooperative boundary line adjustment. Included in the 18 lots are three county properties—the Sheriff’s Office Western Loudoun substation, a future fire-rescue station site next door and the School Board’s Round Hill Support Center, the former elementary school assemblage. The expansion also would take in the Hill High Marketplace complex along with seven residential properties where the landowners have consented. The expansion is the first of several the Town Council is considering to incorporate land within the designated Joint Land Management Area and within its utility service area. The first phase annexation would rep-
Asbury Church
Loudoun County
The rust-colored area depicts the proposed addition to the Round Hill town boundary, in purple.
resent a 53% increase in the town’s size. Round Hill covers 237 acres and has 700 residents. The BLA process requires both the Board of Supervisors and the Town Coun-
SCAN ME
cil to hold public hearings on the expansion before sending the request to the Circuit Court for final approval. The public hearings have not yet been scheduled. n
that met in it, as well as the communities those congregations supported, by offering creative programs, community activities, partnerships with local groups and organizations, and historical celebrations to include the involvement of key members of the community,” according to the submission. After listening to the presentations, Mayor Bridge Littleton asked questions that had been raised by council members. Both groups were asked how they would address stormwater runoff that already is a problem on the lot and how they would deal with the limited parking available there. The council also questioned a provision in the Freedom Center’s proposal that would require formal mediation with the town in the event the nonprofit had not completed the renovations within 15 years of the property transfer. Thomas said the provision was intended to address unforeseeable obstacles, such as those experienced over the past two years during the pandemic. The council will continue to evaluate the proposals in closed session. n
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Obituaries Death Notices
Leona Violet Cooper Atwell, 94, of Bessemer, NC (formerly Lovettsville VA) died on June 6, 2022 at Caromont Hospital. Mrs. Atwell was born January 3, 1928 in Lovettsville, VA to Jacob E. Cooper and Katie Lorena Pearson Cooper. Leona was a graduate of Lovettsville High School. She met and married the love of her life, John Arnold Atwell (Tickle) on April 15, 1949. They were married for 53 years until his death in 2003. She was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church her entire lifetime. Her priority in life was her family, friends and church. She loved to tend to her flowers, work jigsaw puzzles, play cards and read. Leona was an accomplished seamstress and enjoyed knitting. She and Tickle were members of the Beaux and Belles square dancing club and also enjoyed round dancing. She loved entertaining friends and family for dinners, picnics and holiday gatherings. Leona is preceded in death by her husband; parents; her sisters Margaret Brown and Frances Orrison; and brothers Ed, Clifton,Harvey, Aubrey, and Carlton Cooper; and son-in-law Ben Hayes. Surviving are her daughters, Andrea Hayes of Bessemer, NC, and Cindy Atwell of Stephens City, VA; her grandsons, Mark Hill and Calvin Hayes, Granddaughters Christina Boucher (Wes) and Candice Pitcock; her great-granddaughter Makayla Lee (Dev); 2 great-great grandsons, Jaxon and Jayce Lee; and multiple nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at Zion Lutheran church on July 12, 2022 at 11:00 followed by a graveside service at Lovettsville Union Cemetery. A reception will follow at the New Jerusalem social hall. Family will receive family and friends before the memorial service at Zion Lutheran Church from 10 - 11. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Zion Lutheran Church, 38011 Morrisonville Road, Lovettsville, VA 20180. An online obituary can be seen at legacy.com
passed away suddenly on June 10, 2022 after a relatively short illness. Born in Washington State on 21 November 1945. He is survived by his beloved wife of 21 years Dana Long-Gould, and the family of his two children, Jerry and Hanh, and Charles Junior, grandchildren Megan and Vy, as well as many good friends and dear acquaintances. A viewing will be on Thursday, June 16, 2022 from 10:30am-11am with a service following at 11am at Loudoun Funeral Chapel & Crematory 158 Catoctin Cir SE, Leesburg, VA 20175. All are invited to attend. Memorial gifts can be made in his name to the Navy Relief Society of Arlington, Virginia. Full military burial honors would be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date to be announced when finalized. , 94, of Leesburg, Virginia, formerly of Silver Spring, MD and Sarasota, FL, passed on Friday, June 10, 2022. Edward was born on August 13, 1927. Edward leaves his family to cherish his memory, including his son Larry and wife Lisa of Ashburn, VA; daughter Sareen and husband Dan of Highland Beach, FL; grandson Josh and granddaughter Hana; grandson Michael and his wife Blakely; granddaughter Michelle and her wife Megan; and a great-grandson. Interment services will be held at Union Cemetery in Leesburg, VA at 11 am on Friday, June 17. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Roosevelt University general scholarship fund, at alumni-giving. roosevelt.edu. passed away June 5, 2022. Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife Pamela, two devoted daughters Dana and Lana and their spouses, along with his three grandchildren whom he loved beyond measure, Heathcliff, Olivia and Helen. He is also survived by his adoring mother-in-law Helen, his brothers-in-law, sister-in-law, nephews, nieces, grand-nephews and nieces, cousins and dear friends. While the funeral and burial are private, friends are welcome to join in a virtual celebration of life which will be held after his interment at Quantico National Cemetery. An Evite will be sent shortly. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the COPD Foundation, 3300 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Miami FL 33134; email- donations@copdfoundation.org.
AROUND towns continued from page 22
LOVETTSVILLE Council Picks South Loudoun Streetscape Plan The Town Council last week unanimously selected its preferred design option for improvements to South Loudoun Street. The option, known as Concept 2, extends the sidewalk to the Lovettsville Elementary School, includes curb and gutter drainage improvements, lighting and utility upgrades and would restrict a portion of the street—between Broad Way and South Locust Street—to one-way traffic. The option can be constructed within the current right of way. Overall, the project is expected to cost $6.4 million. The town, with the support of $2 million from the county government, already has the funds needed to complete the designs. Town Manager Jason Cournoyer said having the project in shovel-ready mode puts the town in good position to secure financing through Virginia’s SmartScale program. “I like our chances,” he said.
LUCKETTS Ruritans Award Youth Grants to School Through the Lucketts Ruritans Youth
Pride proclamation continued from page 22 proclamation recognizing the riots as a significant event shouldn’t be controversial. But Councilwoman Joy Pritz said the proposed proclamation was controversial and violation of the council’s policy. Councilman David Earl raised concerns that making an exception for the LBGTQ proclamations could open the door for even more controversial declarations to reach the council. Vice Mayor Christopher Hornbaker, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Mayor Nate Fontaine, said the proclamation was not needed to demonstrate Lovettsville’s support for all its residents. He pointed to two speakers criticizing the council’s actions who said they recently moved to town, saying that demonstrated that Lovettsville was welcoming community where people want to raise their
JUNE 16, 2022
Grant program, $2,300 was awarded to the Lucketts Elementary School. The grant will fund the purchase of the Reflex Math computer program for one year to help all students learn their math facts.
PURCELLVILLE Town Leaders Review County Development Plans Long-planned county facilities on land next to Woodgrove High School are advancing. On June 16, the Town Council and Planning Commission will hold a joint meeting be briefed on new applications filed by the county government to build a 260-space park-and-ride lot and a fivefield sportsplex on 70 acres. The session is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.
Re-Love It Prepares for Move A longtime downtown retail anchor is preparing for a move. After the lease at the store’s N. 21st Street location was not renewed, owner Michael Oakes faced a July 15 deadline to move to another location or shut down. Last week, he announced plans to move to 701-D W. Main St. across from the entrance to the Loudoun Golf and Country Club. The current store will close July 3 and the business plans to launch operations in the new space by mid-July. Learn more at reloveit.com. n families. He also read the three pillars of the town’s adopted values statement, including support for a “cooperative community where we support and welcome new businesses organizations and residents into the community, treating our neighbors with dignity and respect and promoting volunteerism, community service and cooperation.” “That is what Lovettsville still stands for. While I can’t speak for everybody, that’s why I moved here. That’s why I’ve remained here,” he said. “These are friends. These are our teachers. These are our families … and the support and acceptance that we show in our lives doesn’t need to be judged by whether we adopt a proclamation or not. It’s judged how we treat members of any community and that’s why I will continue to treat members of any community, including the LGBTQ plus community, with dignity and respect,” Hornbaker said. n
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Loco Living ‘I Decided We Were All In’
THINGS to do SUMMER TUNES VAL Plaza Party: Laura Farrell
Friday, June 17, 6-9 p.m. Village At Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg Details: villageatleesburg.com Farrell has built a following around the DMV thanks to her powerful vocals and lively performances covering favorite hits.
Local Farm Shifts Gears to Hemp and CBD
Middleburg Concert in the Park: The Crooked Angels
Friday, June 17, 6-8 p.m. Middleburg Community Center, 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg Details: middleburgcommunitycenter.com Middleburg celebrates the end of the school year with an outdoor concert from husband-and-wife duo Jamie and Amy Potter rescheduled from May. Admission is free. Food, wine and beer will be available for sale.
BY JAN MERCKER jmercker@loudounmnow.com
Loudoun has conquered the DMV craft beverage scene. Is craft cannabis next? Over the past four years, Loudoun farmers have been legally growing hemp and producing locally grown CBD products. But there are still plenty of misconceptions about what CBD is all about. No–it’s not pot, and yes, it’s legal. Jeff Boogaard planted his first hemp crop in 2019 as an experiment after nine years running one of the commonwealth’s largest Asian water buffalo farms. Three years after launching Cannabreeze Hemp Farm & Company, Boogaard is “all in,” with plans to expand his operation to include a members-only private club focused on “all things cannabis.” In the past two months, Boogaard and his team have opened a CBD tasting room on his scenic farm near Lovettsville and launched a retail kiosk at Dulles Town Center. He plans to start a private membership-based club at the farm later this summer. “We understand that there is a lot of mystery behind where CBD comes from, what it is and how it may or may not affect you,” Boogaard said. Hemp and marijuana are two different species of the cannabis plant. CBD stands for cannabidiol, a substance derived from hemp, which advocates say offers wellness benefits without the psychoactive properties of marijuana. For Boogaard, a Navy vet and former real estate agent turned farmer, cannabis culture was a mystery before his first crop. But extensive research and his daughter’s cancer diagnosis and recovery made him a believer. “I didn’t know anything about this industry and didn’t believe half of what people were telling me,” he said.
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Alex Bach and Jeff Boogaard set up lab equipment inside Cannabreeze Hemp Farm & Company.
But when the 2018 federal Farm Bill legalized growing hemp, Boogaard began thinking about making a shift. When a third-party investor approached him as part of an initiative to find local farms as hemp growers, Boogaard started doing his own research. He submitted an application to the state in July 2019 and had his license two weeks later. “I was in my truck at 6 a.m. that Friday morning driving down to Nags Head to a nursery that had started germinating clones for hemp,” he said. Boogaard put 420 hemp plants in the ground in the summer of 2019 as an experiment, harvested them two months later and dried and cured his first crop in the barn. Then his 22-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma on Christmas Eve 2019. Boogaard had read about potential benefits of CBD oil for cancer patients, and his daughter started taking CBD oil when she began her cancer treatments in January 2020. “As that progressed, I realized that this is what I was supposed to be doing,” Boogaard said. “That was my catalyst. … I decided we were all in.” Boogaard’s daughter is now two years cancer-free. He and his team have spent the past two years growing their business, with a focus on producing high-quality, locally grown CBD products while educating consumers and dispelling myths. Cannabreeze produces topical CBD products, including balms and rollons for acute pain, and edible products from gummies to mints and water-soluble infusers. Cannabreeze also has launched a partnership with Lost Rhino Brewing to produce non-alcoholic CBD-based seltzers, available on tap at Lost Rhino and
in cans at the Cannabreeze tasting room. For Boogaard, hemp production is simply the next step in his evolution as a farmer. And, as with water buffalo or wine grapes, there’s an agricultural learning curve, including finding cannabis strains that work well with Loudoun’s soils and humid climate. “At the end of the day, your number one enemy outside of bugs is moisture and mold,” he said. Boogaard has built a buzzing business with what he calls a “seed to sale” approach, from cultivation to production. Boogaard’s cultivation manager, Justin Everhart, is a Lovettsville native who started using cannabis as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, seeking a natural approach after years of pharmaceutical medications. Everhart became a passionate cannabis grower and worked on a commercial cannabis farm in Oregon before returning home to start a family and help a hometown hemp farm get off the ground. On a gorgeous June afternoon, the farm’s grow room echoes with classical music as Everhart and his staff prepare young plants to go in the ground on five acres in a few weeks. Boogaard is also investing in greenhouses for year-round growing in coming years. With the farm’s public tasting room opening in May, Boogaard is also planning to launch a private members-only club in late August. Cannabreeze’s 420 Club, run by Western Loudoun service industry veteran Michaela Cooley, will give members access to the farm’s scenic outHEMP FARM continues on page 27
VAL Plaza Party: All Jammed Up
Saturday, June 18, 6-9 p.m. Village At Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg Details: villageatleesburg.com All Jammed Up serves up fresh and familiar rock and pop hits with a focus on upbeat, high-energy tunes.
Tarara Summer Concert Series: 7 Bridges Eagles Tribute
Saturday, June 18, 6 p.m. Tarara Winery, 13648 Tarara Lane, Lucketts Details: tararaconcerts.com With no backing tracks or harmonizers, 7 Bridges faithfully recreates the experience of an Eagles concert from the band’s most prolific period. Every show features one hit single after another. Tickets are $20.
Live at Lucketts: Circa Blue
Saturday, June 18, 6 p.m. Lucketts Community Center, 42361 Lucketts Road, Lucketts Details: luckettsbluegrass.org Bluegrass is back in Lucketts with a free outdoor concert from Circa Blue. This contemporary bluegrass band from Martinsburg, WV, is known for creative and dynamic arrangements, clean instrumentation and tight vocal harmonies.
Acoustic on the Green: Calista Garcia
Saturday, June 18, 7 p.m. Leesburg Town Green, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: leesburgva.gov As seen on Season 16 of NBC’s “The Voice,” Garcia’s style hearkens back to ’70s classic acts such as Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell with a fresh, modern twist. Admission is free.
LOCO LIVE Live Music: Deane Kern and Eric Selby
Friday, June 17, 2-5 p.m. Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro Details: doukeniewinery.com Check out modern acoustic roots music from one of Loudoun’s most dynamic duos.
THINGS TO DO continues on page 26
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JUNE 16, 2022
BEST BETS
ROWDY ACE BAND Friday, June 17, 6-10 p.m. MacDowell’s Beach macbeach.com
CHRIS JONES AND THE NIGHT DRIVERS Friday, June 17, 7 p.m. Barns of Rose Hill barnsofrosehill.org
THINGS to do continued from page 25
Live Music: Summer and Eric
Friday, June 17, 5:30 p.m. Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: lostbarrel.com This DMV duo plays a fun, eclectic and unexpected mix of music from the past and present, as well as original tunes.
JUMPTOWN Saturday, June 18, 1-4 p.m. Vanish Farmwoods Brewery facebook.com/jumptownband
Live Music: Rowdy Ace Band
Friday, June 17, 6-10 p.m. MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com Kick back with a fun mix of country and rock tunes from Rowdy Ace. DC Improv Comedy Night Friday, June 17, 6:30 and 9 p.m. Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com DC Improv Comedy is back with host Eric Barbalance and regional favorites including Kasha Patel, Mike Brown, Matt Deakins and Elena Torres. Tickets are $22-$32.
7 BRIDGES WITH ELIZABETH’S FURNACE Saturday, June 18, 6 p.m. Tarara Winery tararaconcerts.com
Live Music: The Luke Johnson Band
Friday, June 17, 7 p.m. Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive #120, Sterling Details: crookedrunbrewing.com This high-energy ensemble thrives on improvisation and conscious lyrical hooks, blending elements of jazz, roots, rock and funk with original grooves.
Live Music: Shannon Bielski and Moonlight Drive
Friday, June 17, 7 p.m. B Chord Brewing, 34266 Williams Gap Road, Round Hill Details: bchordbrewing.com
The Disposable Plastic Bag Tax Starts July 1
Prepare Your Business Get ready at Biz.Loudoun.gov/bags
CALISTA GARCIA Saturday, June 18, 7-8:30 p.m. Leesburg Town Green loudounnow.com/AOTG
BOAT HOUSE ROW Saturday, June 18, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com
Bielski is back with acoustic renditions of bluegrass, country and pop favorites. Admission is free.
Live Music: Chris Mangione
Friday, June 17, 7 p.m. Tarbender’s Lounge, 10 S. King St., Leesburg Details: tarbenderslounge.com It’s a jazzy evening at Leesburg’s downtown speakeasy with tunes from Chris Mangione.
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JUNE 16, 2022
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Polo in the Park Opens with Ambassadors’ Cup On Saturday evening Morven Park will host the Ambassadors’ Cup Invitational Polo Match, the inaugural event of the polo season. Played on the Morven Park Polo Field, the match celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Chief of Protocol trophy, originally created by the U.S. State Department as a tool of international diplomacy. The Chief of Protocol trophy was created in 1972 by Ambassador Marion Smoak, then Chief of Protocol of the United States. An avid polo player, Smoak sought to create an opportunity for friendly international exchange, inviting teams from other nations. Over the ensuing years, it evolved into an exchange between Great Britain and
Hemp farm continued from page 25 door spaces (complete with hammocks) and a climate-controlled 2,000-squarefoot geodome known as “the hangar.” Cooley has plans for activities for members including live music, karaoke, trivia, games, and yoga. Because Virginia legalized home cultivation of up to four marijuana plants and possession of one ounce or less by adults 21 and over in 2021, the 420 Club will also allow members to bring their own homegrown pot. “We’re kind of modeling it after a country club,” Boogaard said. “It’s really going to be focused around all things cannabis.” While BYO marijuana will be allowed for private club members only, Cannabreeze’s public tasting room and retail kiosk sell only CBD products legally allowed for retail under current state law. And Boogaard says there are still hurdles in dispelling myths about what CBD is and how it’s different from marijuana. “Public perception still sways to the old way of thinking,” Boogaard said. “80 percent of our time is spent on educating consumers on what this is and how it might help you.” Cannabreeze currently sells CBD products at 15 farmers markets around the DMV, but Boogaard wanted to establish a permanent retail presence in Loudoun. The new kiosk at Dulles Town Center offers a way to get their products in front of
the United States, attended by the Diplomatic Corps. Gates open at 10 a.m., with preshow entertainment featuring the Loudoun Hunt Hounds, a trick riding performance by KJM Enterprises, and carriage driving demonstrations by the Piedmont Carriage Club and the USEF Developing Driving team. During halftime we will enjoy the classic Divot Stomp, one of the oldest traditions in this Sport of Kings sponsored by Veuve Clicquot, and award the Best Tailgate, the Snazzy Hat Award sponsored by Carter Braxton Properties, and the Dapper Dresser Award sponsored by Clegg Chiropractic. For more information and tickets go to PoloInThePark.org. n
consumers. While CBD products are legal at both the state and federal level, they are not FDA-approved, so producers are limited in their ability to advertise. “We needed to find another way to grow our name,” he said. “In this industry, it’s very difficult to successfully market your company.” Another hurdle is the poor quality of some CBD products, Boogaard says, with many unvetted CBD products coming from outside of the US. That’s why the “seed to sale” model is so important, he adds, with Cannabreeze focusing on a high-quality, locally grown agricultural product. The venture remains a local farm at heart, he says, and he’s excited to finally open the doors to the public as curiosity grows and misconceptions decline. “It’s going to take some time and we understand that,” Boogaard said. “We would like to think that at some point in your life if you realize that CBD is right for you, that you would seek us out.” n Cannabreeze Hemp Farm & Company is located at 13554 Breezy Meadow Lane near Lovettsville. The public tasting room is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Dulles Town Center retail location is open daily. The farm is also accepting registrations for charter memberships for its private 420 Club. For more information and a list of farmers markets, go to cannabreezehemp.com.
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The Town of Leesburg’s Award Winning Free Summer Concert Series
2022
Town Green 25 West Market Street Official Radio & Social Media Partner
Presents:
THINGS to do continued from page 26
Open Mic with Laurie Blue
Friday, June 17, 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. King’s Tavern and Wine Bar, 19 S. King St., Leesburg Details: kingstavernandwinebar.com Laurie Blue hosts a hopping open mic night at King’s.
Live Music: Nate Clendenen Official Media Partner
“One of the Summer’s best concert lineups.” -The Washington Post Washingtonian Magazine’s Best Bet for Summer Concerts.
Saturday, June 18, noon Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing Maryland-based singer/songwriter Nate Clendenen has deep Virginia roots and influences from bluegrass, rock, country, reggae and blues.
Live Music: Jumptown
Saturday, June 18, 1 p.m. Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts Details: vanishbeer.com Jumptown is back with Motown, funk and soul sounds.
Live Music: Bobby Riggs Acoustic
Calista Garcia Saturday, June 18 7:00 - 8:30 pm Lawn chairs and blankets are recommended. No smoking, alcoholic beverages, or pets allowed. In case of inclement weather, the show will be cancelled. For more information, visit www.idalee.org
Saturday, June 18, 2-5 p.m. Forever Farm & Vineyard, 15779 Woodgrove Road, Purcellville Details: foreverfarmandvineyard.com Riggs brings the groove to Forever Farm and Vineyard.
Live Music: Blues City Shakedown
Saturday, June 18, 2 p.m. Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn Details: lostrhino.com This new blues and roots jam band makes its Loudoun debut at Lost Rhino.
Live Music: Scott Kurt Trio
Saturday, June 18, 5 p.m. Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: lostbarrel.com Kurt serves up country tunes that blend old-school outlaw grit with guitar-driven rock.
Live Music: Shane Gamble
Saturday, June 18, 5:30 p.m. Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com Rising country music star Shane Gamble returns to Flying Ace.
Live Music: Steve George and Friends
Saturday, June 18, 6-10 p.m. MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com Saturday on the beach means classic rock, country, blues and beyond from a local favorite.
JUNE 16, 2022
Live Music: Boat House Row Saturday, June 18, 8 p.m. Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com Boat House Row is back with yacht rock favorites for a groovy Saturday night. Tickets are $20.
Loudoun Jazz Jam Sunday, June 19, 1 p.m. Chefscape, 1602 Village Market Blvd. # 115, Leesburg Details: chefscapekitchen.com Join the Loudoun Jazz Society every third Sunday for a fun jazz jam.
Live Music: Stuart Frye Sunday, June 19, 2 p.m. Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com Stuart Frye of Wall & Frye is back at Flying Ace for a rocking afternoon.
Live Music: Chris Timbers Band Sunday, June 18, 4:30-8 p.m. MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com Wind down the weekend with Timbers’ alternative soul blend.
LOCO CULTURE Loudoun Shops Black Pop-up Market Saturday, June 18, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Blend Coffee Bar, 43170 Southern Walk Plaza, Ashburn Details: loudounshopsblack.com Kick off Juneteenth weekend with vendors from Loudoun Shops Black showcasing handmade products, including jewelry, home goods and gourmet food.
PEC Community Farm Open House Saturday, June 18, 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Piedmont Environmental Council Community Farm, 39990 Howser’s Branch, Aldie Details: pecva.org Check out the Piedmont Environmental Council’s Community Farm at Gilberts Corner. Tour the farm and learn more about its role providing healthy local produce to food-insecure families. This familyoriented event will feature face painting, a scavenger hunt, a pollinator habitat creation station, food trucks and ice cream.
Live Music: Half Past 3
Saturday, June 18, 7 p.m. Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive #120, Sterling Details: crookedrunbrewing.com Original alt-rock, Americana and classic rock from Leesburg.
Live Music: West King Street
Saturday, June 18, 7 p.m. B Chord Brewing, 34266 Williams Gap Road, Round Hill Details: bchordbrewing.com Cultivated on the porches and back yards of St. Augustine, Florida, West King String Band draws from countless genres of music to create a unique homegrown sound they call blues-grass. Admission is free.
Tales and Ales Friday, June 24, 6:15 p.m. doors open, 7 p.m. showtime Old Ox Brewery, Ashburn A curated storytelling show where everyday people tell true, extraordinary stories. Live music and food truck goodness begins at 6:15 p.m. Proceeds benefit The Arc of Loudoun. Cost: $20 Tickets at TalesandAles.org
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Legal Notices NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION In accordance with Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2229, and 15.2-2230 of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended, the LOVETTSVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing on the following item at their meeting at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, in the Town Council Chambers, 6 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia: Amendment to the Town of Lovettsville Comprehensive Plan Upon completion of its 5-year review of the Comprehensive Plan of the Town of Lovettsville (Plan), the Planning Commission recommends revisions to the Plan’s text, policies, and maps. The proposed amendment rewrites, removes, and adds text to various chapters, which: • Clarify goals and values • Organize subtopics within chapters that align with policies • Add more protection to the environment and infrastructure • Reflect changing land use practices, and changes in the economy and demographics • Introduce new policies concerning housing • Modify, as appropriate, transportation goals • Modify planned land uses on several parcels All persons desiring to speak will be given an opportunity to do so at this meeting. The proposed Comprehensive Plan amendment is available for review online at www.lovettsvilleva. gov/government/planning-commission or at the Town Office between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm during weekdays or by special appointment, holidays excepted. In the event the meeting is postponed, the public hearing will be convened at the next regularly scheduled meeting at the same time and place. If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact John Merrithew, Zoning Administrator for the Town of Lovettsville at (540) 755-3004 or by email at jmerrithew@lovettsvilleva.gov.
LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE BIDS/PROPOSALS FOR: CONSTRUCTION OF ALGONKIAN PARKWAY/LOWES ISLAND BOULEVARD INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT, IFB No. 523783 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, July 14, 2022. JOB ORDER CONTRACT (JOC) FOR GENERAL CONSTRUCTION WORK, RFP No. 523782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, July 27, 2022. PAINTING SERVICES, IFB No. 517783 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, July 13, 2022. WATERFORD MILL RESTORATION, IFB No. 521782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, July 27, 2022. 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. 6/16/22
6/9 & 6/16/22
TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING LEESBURG TOWN CODE AMENDMENT CHAPTER 32 (TRAFFIC AND VEHICLES); ARTICLE IV (OPERATION OF VEHICLES GENERALLY); SECTION 32-122 (DESIGNATION OF PUBLIC STREETS IN TOWN FOR GOLF CART OPERATION) In accordance with Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, sections 15.2-1102; 15.2-1427, 46.2-916.1, 46.2-916.2, and 46.2-916.3, the Leesburg Town Council will hold a public hearing on:
Create Local Jobs
Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA at which time the public shall have the right to present oral and written testimony on the proposed amendment to Town Code Section 32-122 (Designation of Public Streets in Town for Golf Cart Operation) to consider an expansion to the area where commercial shuttle golf carts may operate and the number of golf carts on the road at the same time.
Shop LoCo
A copy of the proposed ordinance is available from the Clerk of Council, located in Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.); or by calling Eileen Boeing, Clerk of Council, at 703-771-2733. At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at 703-771-2733, three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 6/16 & 6/23/22
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JUNE 16, 2022
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, June 28, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following: ZMAP-2021-0012 COMPASS CREEK SECTION 4 (Zoning Map Amendment) Leesburg Commercial LC of Fairfax, Virginia has submitted an application to rezone approximately 10.03 acres from the PD-CC(SC) (Planned Development – Commercial Center – Small Regional Center) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-IP (Planned Development – Industrial Park) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to permit 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 0.60 (up to 1.0 by Special Exception). The subject property is located within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contour and the Limestone Overlay District. The subject property is approximately 10.03acres in size and is located south of Battlefield Parkway on the east side of the Dulles Greenway (Route 276) and the west side of Compass Creek Parkway in the Catoctin Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 234-38-2596. The area is governed by the policies of the 2019 General Plan (Leesburg Joint Management Area (Leesburg Joint Land Management Area Employment Place Type)) which designate this area for a range of light and General Industry uses at a recommended FAR of up to 1.0. ZCPA-2021-0006 MERRITT AT ASHBROOK LOT 4 (Zoning Concept Plan Amendment) Merritt-AB4, LLC of Baltimore, Maryland, has submitted an application to amend the existing proffers and concept development plan (“CDP”) approved with ZMAP-19940012 in order to reduce the building setback from Route 7 from 300 feet to 200 feet so that an additional 34,000 square-foot building can be constructed on the property. The property is currently developed with a 72,492 square foot, two-story office building with associated surface parking. The resulting change would increase the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) from approximately 0.24 to 0.35. The subject property is located within the Planned Development – Industrial Park (PD-IP) zoning district and within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 noise contour. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The subject property is approximately 7.07 acres in size and is located south of Harry Byrd Highway (Route 2020) and on the east side of Ashbrook Place in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 057-47-2346 with an address of 2009 Ashbrook Place, Ashburn, Virginia. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 Comprehensive Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Mixed Use Place Type)), which designate this area for compact, pedestrian friendly mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural and Recreational uses at a recommended FAR of up to 1.0. ZMAP-2021-0005, SPEX-2022-0022 ZMOD-2021-0015 & ZMOD-2021-0046 BELMONT PARK (Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exception & Zoning Modifications) Belmont Gym Building, LLC, of McLean, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 12.16 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 163 residential units, consisting of a maximum 106 multifamily units and a maximum of 57 single family attached units, at a density of approximately 13.4 dwelling units per acre. The applicant is also requesting a Special Exception to permit the modification of the
minimum yard requirements for ADU (Affordable Dwelling Units) developments 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 Special Exception under Section 7-903(C)(1)(a). The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s): ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION
PROPOSED MODIFICATION
§3-607(B) (2) R-16 Townhouse/ Multifamily Residential, Building Requirements, Building Height, Multifamily.
Increase maximum permitted building height for multifamily buildings from 45 feet to 55 feet without additional setbacks.
§5-1403(B) Landscaping, Buffer Yards, Screening, and Landscape Plans, Road Corridor Buffers and Setbacks, Road Corridor Buffers and Setbacks Matrix, Table Section 5-1403 (B).
Reduce the required building setback from 200 feet to 80 feet and the parking setback from 125 feet to 50 feet along Harry Byrd Highway and Reduce the required building setback from 75 feet to 33 feet and the parking setback from 35 feet to 13 along Russell Branch Parkway.
The subject property is approximately 12.16 acres in size and is located on the east side of Russell Branch Parkway (Route 1061), west of Claiborne Parkway (Route 901) and south of Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7) in the Ashburn Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 083-46-9403. 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 recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0. SPEX-2021-0046, SPEX-2021-0048, ZMOD-2021-0065 & ZMOD-2021-0067 21800 BEAUMEADE CIRCLE (Special Exceptions & Zoning Ordinance Modifications) H5 Capital – Ashburn, LLC of Beverly Hills, California has submitted an application for Special Exceptions to permit an increase of maximum lot coverage in the PD-IP (Planned Development-Industrial Park) zoning district up to from .45 to .55 and to permit an increase in the maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in the PD-IP zoning district from 0.60 to 1.0. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The proposed increase in maximum lot coverage is permitted by Special Exception under Section 4-506 (A). The proposed increase in maximum FAR is permitted by Special Exception under Section 4-506(C). The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modifications:
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Legal LegalNotices Notices LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING continued from previous page ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION
PROPOSED MODIFICATION
§5-1404(D), Landscaping, Buffer Yards, Screening, and Landscaping Plans, Buffer Yards, Buffer Yard Widths and Plant Requirements.
To eliminate the east (rear) buffer yard.
§5-1303(A)(1), Tree Planting and To reduce the required site tree canopy Replacement, from 10% to 7%. Canopy Requirements, Site Planning. The modification to §5-1404(D) has been amended since this notice was first advertised, and a third modification has been removed from the proposal. The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District and the Route 28 CB (Corridor Business) Optional Overlay, within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, between the Ldn 6065 aircraft noise contours, and is located within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District). The subject property is approximately 5.25 acres in size and is located on the east side of Beaumeade Circle (Route 3037), north of Waxpool Road (Route 625) and east of Loudoun County Parkway (Route 607) at 21800 Beaumeade Circle, Ashburn, Virginia, in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as follows: PIN
PROPERTY ADDRESS
061-30-7718
21800 Beaumeade Circle, Ashburn, Virginia
043-35-0507
N/A
061-20-8870
N/A
Amendments to Chapter 3 – Natural, Environmental, and Heritage Resources: • Revise the title reference to the map depicting the adopted airport noise contours from “Airport Impact Overlay District” to “Airport Noise Impact Area.” • Establish new, and clarify, revise and/or delete certain existing policy and criteria for the evaluation of airport noise impacts. • Revise the map depicting the adopted aircraft noise contours. Specifically, consider adopting revised noise contours for Washington Dulles International Airport. Amendments to the Reference Map of the Airport Impact Overlay District: • Establish new, and clarify, revise, and/or delete as necessary to implement and be in accordance with foregoing amendments. Amendments to Chapter 7 – Implementation: • Revise the list of key implementation actions to indicate that consideration of the noise contours in the 2019 Washington Dulles International Noise Contour Map Update has been implemented. • Revise the Implementation Matrix in accordance with foregoing amendments. Amendments to the Glossary: • Revise the definition of “Airport Noise Impact Area.”
The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Employment Place Type)), which designate this area for a mix of office, production, flex space, and warehousing uses at densities up to 1.0 FAR. CPAM-2021-0001 AIRPORT IMPACT OVERLAY DISTRICT UPDATE (Comprehensive Plan Amendment) Pursuant to Virginia Code §§15.2-2225 and 15.2-2229 and a resolution adopted by the Board of Supervisors on February 2, 2021, the Planning Commission hereby gives notice of a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPAM) to amend the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (adopted June 20, 2019, as amended) in order to establish new, clarify existing, revise, and/or delete certain existing policies and guidelines and maps in regard to airport noise around Washington Dulles International Airport. The amendment proposes revisions to Chapters 2, 3, and 7, the Glossary, the map used to depict and administer said policies and guidelines, and such other Chapters, policies, and provisions of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (2019 GP) as necessary to implement and maintain consistency with the foregoing amendments or as otherwise necessary to correct typographical errors, section and subsection numbering, and formatting within, update cross-references to, and further clarify the policies of, the above-mentioned section(s) of the 2019 General Plan. The proposed CPAM would apply Countywide. The proposed text amendments under consideration include, without limitation, the following: Proposed 2019 General Plan Amendments Amendments to Chapter 2 – Land Use: • Establish new, and clarify, revise, and/or delete certain existing terminology pertaining to airport noise impacts to be more consistent with terms used in the Zoning Ordinance. • Clarify and revise the description of the Suburban Policy Area (SPA), to remove references to Washington Dulles International Airport’s Ldn 65 noise contour.
(CPAM-2021-0001, AIRPORT IMPACT OVERLAY DISTRICT UPDATE will be heard in conjunction with ZMAP-2021-0011 & ZOAM-2021-0002, AIRPORT IMPACT OVERLAY DISTRICT UPDATE)
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Legal Notices LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING continued from previous page ZMAP-2021-0011 & ZOAM-2021-0002 AIRPORT IMPACT OVERLAY DISTRICT UPDATE (Zoning Ordinance Amendment and Zoning Map Amendment) Pursuant to Virginia Code §§15.2-2204, 15.2-2284, 15.2-2285, and 15.2-2286, and a Resolution of Intent to Amend adopted by the Board of Supervisors on March 1, 2022, the Planning Commission hereby gives notice of proposed amendments to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance (“Zoning Ordinance”) in order to establish new, clarify existing, revise, regulations and definitions to the AI-Airport Impact Overlay District (AIOD). These amendments are being proposed pursuant to the 2019 Washington Dulles International Airport (Dulles International Airport) Aircraft Noise Contour Map Update. The amendment proposes revisions to Article 4, Special & Overlay Districts, Section 4-1400, AI-Airport Impact Overlay District and such other Articles, Sections, Subsections, and provisions of the Zoning Ordinance as necessary to implement and maintain consistency with the foregoing amendments or as otherwise necessary to correct section and subsection numbering, and formatting within, update crossreferences to, and further clarify the requirements of the above-mentioned section(s) of the Zoning Ordinance. The proposed text amendments under consideration include, without limitation, the following: Amendments to Article 4, Special & Overlay Districts, Section 4-1400, AI-Airport Impact Overlay District: • Add the basis for the AOID boundaries based on the Washington Dulles International Airport Aircraft Noise Contour Map Update, May 2019. • Amend the AIOD boundaries as reflected on the AIOD Map. • Clarify the disclosure statements for prospective purchasers of properties within (1) mile of Ldn 60 and for properties within Ldn 60-65. • Add for previously approved residential that designated residential uses located outside of the Ldn 65 or higher aircraft noise impact area at the time of approval but subsequently became located within the Ldn 65 or higher aircraft noise impact area as a result of amendments to the AIOD map shall continue to have all applications processed in accord with the approved rezoning and the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in effect prior to the adoption of the amendment. • Add exceptions for properties that are relocated to a Ldn 65 or higher area where residential uses and structures and additions are not permitted, as a result of the adoption of ZMAP-2021-0011 & ZOAM 2021-0002. • Amend the Zoning Ordinance text throughout Section 4-1400 et. seq. to clarify applicability and maintain consistency with the Zoning Ordinance. In addition to the ZOAM, pursuant to the Resolution of Intent to Amend adopted by the Board of Supervisors on March 1, 2022, the Planning Commission hereby gives notice of proposed amendments to the Loudoun County Zoning AI-Airport Impact Overlay Map around Washington Dulles International Airport. Adoption of the new aircraft noise contours may result in a change in a property location within a new noise impact area (within one (1) mile of Ldn 60, Ldn 60-65, or Ldn 65 or higher). Adoption of new aircraft noise contours will result in some properties being subject to Ldn 65 or higher area zoning restrictions, which prohibits new residential uses and structures and additions, unless previously approved, or existing. Also, the adoption of new aircraft noise contours would result in some properties, currently restricted, to permit residential development. The total size of the area proposed to be subject to ZOAM-2021-0002 and ZMAP-2021-0011 is approximately 36,102 acres. The area proposed as the Dulles International Airport Impact Overlay District is generally east of Watson Road and Belmont Ridge Road, north of Seven Hills Drive, and encompasses properties up to the northern and eastern County boundaries. The area proposed as the Leesburg Executive Airport Impact Overlay District is not proposed to change but is subject to proposed text amendments. That area continues to include properties south of Harry Byrd Highway, north of Loudoun Academy Drive, generally east of South King Street, and west of Belmont Ridge Road.
The public purposes of these amendments are to achieve the purposes of zoning as set forth in Virginia Code §§15.2-2200 and 15.2-2283, including, without limitation, furtherance of the public necessity, convenience, general welfare and good zoning practice and facilitating the creation of a convenient, attractive and harmonious community. (ZMAP-2021-0011 & ZOAM-2021-0002, AIRPORT IMPACT OVERLAY DISTRICT UPDATE will be heard in conjunction with CPAM-2021-0001, AIRPORT IMPACT OVERLAY DISTRICT UPDATE) ZOAM-2018-0001 SHORT-TERM RESIDENTIAL RENTALS (Zoning Ordinance Amendment) Pursuant to Virginia Code §§15.2-2204, 15.2-2285, and 15.2-2286, and a Resolution of Intent to Amend adopted by the Board of Supervisors on October 17, 2019, the Planning Commission hereby gives notice of proposed amendments to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance (“Zoning Ordinance”) in order to establish new, and clarify and revise, regulations and definitions to add “Short-Term Rental – Residential Accessory” as a new accessory use to residential uses and to establish “Short-Term Rental – Commercial Whole House” as a Permitted Use, Minor Special Exception Use or a Special Exception use in zoning districts permitting residential uses. In addition, the amendments propose adding additional use regulations; definitions; and process requirements for the Short-Term Residential Rental uses. The amendment proposes revisions to Article 2, Non-Suburban District Regulations, Article 3, Suburban District Continues on next page
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Legal LegalNotices Notices LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING continued from previous page Regulations, Article 4, Special and Overlay Districts, Section 5-100, Accessory Uses and Structures, Section 5-600, Additional Regulations for Specific Uses, Section 6-700, Site Plan Review, Article 8, Definitions, and such other Articles, Sections, Subsections, and provisions of the Zoning Ordinance as necessary to implement and maintain consistency with the foregoing amendments or as otherwise necessary to correct typographical errors, section and subsection numbering, and formatting within, update cross-references to, and further clarify the requirements of, the abovementioned section(s) of the Zoning Ordinance. The proposed text amendments under consideration include, without limitation, the following: Amendments to Article 2, Non-Suburban District Regulations: Establish new, and clarify and revise, existing, regulations to: • Add “Short-Term Rental – Commercial Whole House” as a Permitted use, subject to Additional Use Regulations, in the following zoning districts: AR-1 (Agricultural Rural – 1) (Section 2-100), AR-2 (Agricultural Rural – 2) (Section 2-200), A-10 (Agriculture) (Section 2-300), A-3 (Agricultural Residential) (Section 2-400), RC (Rural Commercial) (Section 2-900), JLMA20 (Joint Land Management Area – 20) (Section 2-1300), TR-10 (Transitional Residential – 10) (Section 2-1400), and TR-3 (Transitional Residential – 3) (Section 2-1500). • Add “Short-Term Rental – Commercial Whole House” as a Minor Special Exception use, subject to Additional Regulations, in the following zoning districts: CR-1 (Countryside Residential – 1) (Section 2-500), CR-2 (Countryside Residential – 2) (Section 2-600), CR-3 (Countryside Residential – 3) (Section 2-700), CR-4 (Countryside Residential – 4) (Section 2-800), JLMA-1 (Joint Land Management Area – 1) (Section 2-1000), JLMA-2 (Joint Land Management Area – 2) (Section 2-1100), JLMA-3 (Joint Land Management Area – 3) (Section 2-1200), TR-2 (Transitional Residential – 2) (Section 2-1600), and TR-1 (Transitional Residential – 1) (Section 2-1700). Amendments to Article 3, Suburban District Regulations: Establish new, and clarify and revise, existing, regulations to: • Add “Short-Term Rental – Commercial Whole House” as a Minor Special Exception use, subject to Additional Regulations, in the following zoning districts: R-1 (Single Family Residential) (Section 3-100) and R-2 (Single Family Residential) (Section 3-200). • Add “Short-Term Rental – Commercial Whole House” as a Special Exception use, subject to Additional Regulations, in the following zoning districts: R-3 (Single Family Residential) (Section 3-300), R-4 (Single Family Residential) (Section 3-400), and R-8 (Single Family Residential) (Section 3-500). Amendments to Article 4, Special & Overlay Districts: Establish new, and clarify and revise, existing, regulations to: • Add “Short-Term Rental – Commercial Whole House” as a Permitted use, subject to Additional Use Regulations, in the following zoning district: PD-RV (Planned Development – Rural Village) (Section 4-1200). • Add “Short-Term Rental – Commercial Whole House” as a Minor Special Exception use, subject to Additional Regulations, in the following zoning district: PD-CV (Planned Development – Countryside Village) (Section 4-900). • Add “Short-Term Rental – Commercial Whole House” as a Special Exception use, subject to Additional Regulations, in the following zoning districts: PD-TC (Planned Development – Town Center) (Section 4-800) and the PD-MUB (Planned Development – Mixed Use Business District) (Section 4-1350).
Additional Regulations for Specific Uses: Establish new, and clarify and revise, existing, regulations to: • Add additional use regulations for the “Short-Term Rental – Residential Accessory” use and the “Short-Term Rental – Commercial Whole House” use. Amendments to Article 6, Development Process and Administration, Section 6-700, Site Plan Review, Section 6-703, Sketch Plan: Establish new, and clarify and revise, existing, regulations to: • Add “Short-Term Rental – Commercial Whole House (with less than 5,000 sq. ft. of disturbance)” to the list of uses requiring a sketch plan as a part of a zoning permit application. Amendments to Article 8, Definitions: Establish new, and clarify and revise, existing, regulations to: • Add definitions for the “Short-Term Rental – Residential Accessory” accessory use and the “Short-Term Rental – Commercial Whole House” principal use. The public purposes of these amendments are to achieve the purposes of zoning as set forth in Virginia Code §§15.2-2200 and 15.2-2283, including, without limitation, furtherance of the public necessity, convenience, general welfare and good zoning practice and facilitating the creation of a convenient, attractive and harmonious community. ZOAM-2022-0002 & ZMAP-2022-0011 PROPOSED SOLAR PROJECT AT DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (Zoning Ordinance Amendment and Zoning Map Amendment) Pursuant to Virginia Code §§15.2-2204, 15.2-2285, and 15.2-2286, and a Resolution of Intent to Amend adopted by the Board of Supervisors on May 17, 2022, the Planning Commission hereby gives notice of proposed amendments to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance (“Zoning Ordinance”) in order to establish new, and clarify and revise, regulations and definitions to add “Utility generating plant and transmission facility, ground-mounted solar energy generation facility only” as a permitted use, subject to new “Use Limitations” in the Planned Development-General Industry (PDGI) zoning district. These amendments are being considered to permit Dominion Energy to establish a utility-scale solar generation and storage project (Solar Project) at Washington Dulles International Airport (Washington International Airport). The amendment proposes revisions to Article 4, Special & Overlay Districts, Section 4-600, PD-GI Planned Development-General Industry, Section 4-603, Permitted Uses, Section 4-607 Use Limitations, and such other Articles, Sections, Subsections, and provisions of the Zoning Ordinance as necessary to implement and maintain consistency with the foregoing amendments or as otherwise necessary to correct typographical errors, section and subsection numbering, and formatting within, update cross-references to, and further clarify the requirements of, the above-mentioned section(s) of the Zoning Ordinance. The proposed text amendments under consideration include, without limitation, the following: Amendments to Article 4, Special & Overlay Districts, Section 4-600, PD-GI Planned Development-General Industry, Section 4-603, Permitted Uses: • Add “Utility generating plant and transmission facility, ground-mounted solar energy generation facility only, pursuant to Section 4-607(L)” to the lists of permitted uses.
Amendments to Article 5, Additional Use Regulations and Standards, Section 5-101, Permitted Accessory Uses and Structures, Subsection (A), Residential: Establish new, and clarify and revise, existing, regulations to: • Add “Short-Term Rental – Residential Accessory” to the list of permitted accessory uses and structures for residential uses.
Amendments to Article 4, Special & Overlay Districts, Section 4-600, PD-GI Planned Development-General Industry, Section 4-607, Use Limitations: • Add new use limitations for the “Utility generating plant and transmission facility, ground-mounted solar energy generation facility” use.
Amendments to Article 5, Additional Use Regulations and Standards, Section 5-600,
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JUNE 16, 2022
Legal Legal Notices Notices LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING continued from previous page In addition to the ZOAM, pursuant to the Resolution of Intent to Amend adopted by the Board of Supervisors on May 17, 2022, the Planning Commission hereby gives notice of proposed amendments to the Loudoun County Zoning Map to rezone certain property of the Dulles International Airport property from the Residential Single Family (R-2) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the Planned Development-General Industry (PD-GI) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to permit Dominion Energy to establish a ground-mounted solar energy generation facility on approximately 835 acres of land at Dulles International Airport. The subject property is located within the Airport Impact (AI) Overlay District, partially within the Ldn 65 or higher, Ldn 60-Ldn 65 and outside of the Ldn 60 noise contours. The subject property is also located partially within the Route 28 Taxing District, the Floodplain Overlay District (FOD) and the Quarry Notification Overlay District. The subject property is approximately 7,507 acres and is located north of Route 50 and west of Route 28 at 23546 Autopilot Drive, Sterling, Virginia in the Dulles Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 067-37-9924. The area is governed by the policies of the 2019 General Plan which designate this area for airport related uses. The public purposes of these amendments are to achieve the purposes of zoning as set forth in Virginia Code §§15.2-2200 and 15.2-2283, including, without limitation, furtherance of the public necessity, convenience, general welfare, and good zoning practice and facilitating the creation of a convenient, attractive, and harmonious community. 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. This link also provides an additional opportunity for public input on active applications. Additionally, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically the week before the hearing at www. loudoun.gov/pc. For further information, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246.
hearing. Speakers may also sign up at the hearing. Written comments are welcomed at any time and may be sent to the Loudoun County Planning Commission, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 3rd Floor, MSC #62, Leesburg, Virginia 20175, or by e-mail to loudounpc@loudoun.gov. If written comments are presented at the hearing, please provide ten (10) copies for distribution to the Commission and the Clerk’s records. All members of the public will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. Any individual representing and/or proposing to be the sole speaker on behalf of a citizen’s organization or civic association is encouraged to contact the Department of Planning and Zoning prior to the date of the public hearing if special arrangements for additional speaking time and/or audio-visual equipment will be requested. Such an organization representative will be allotted 6 minutes to speak, and the Chairman may grant additional time if the request is made prior to the date of the hearing and the need for additional time is reasonably justified. Citizens are encouraged to call the Department of Planning and Zoning on the day of the public hearing to confirm that an item is on the agenda, or, the most current agenda may be viewed on the Planning Commission’s website at www.loudoun. gov/pc. In the event that the second Thursday is a holiday or the meeting may not be held due to inclement weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend, the meeting will be moved to the third Tuesday of the month. In the event that Tuesday is a holiday or the Tuesday meeting may not be held due to inclement weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend, the meeting will be held on the following Thursday. The meeting will be held at a place determined by the Chairman. Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings at all other locations. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory or mental disability to participate in this meeting, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246. Please provide three days’ notice. BY ORDER OF: ERIC COMBS, CHAIRMAN LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
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 703-777-0246 prior to 12:00 PM on the day of the public
6/9, 6/16 & 6/23/22
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE MIDDLEBURG PLANNING COMMISSION
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316
The Middleburg Planning Commission will hold a public hearing beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, June 27, 2022 to hear public comments on the following: Zoning Text Amendment 22-01 - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ARTICLES II, IX, X AND XI OF THE MIDDLEBURG ZONING ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO DEFINITIONS OF BUILDING LOT COVERAGE AND IMPERVIOUS LOT COVERAGE AND ASSOCIATED REGULATIONS THEREOF. The proposal is to define building lot coverage and impervious lot coverage, to regualate a maximum percent of impervious lot coverage in the R-2 District, and to regulate absolute maximum building lot coverage and impervious lot coverage, regardless of lot size, in the R-2 District. The hearing will take place at the Town Office, 10 W. Marshall Street, Middleburg, Virginia. The proposed Zoning Text Amendment may be reviewed online at www.middleburgva.gov/313/PublicHearings 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. 6/9 & 6/16/22
Case No.:
JJ044816-01-00
Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Alexander Beers Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. John Beers, putative father The object of this suit is to hold a dispositional hearing for child in need of services case, pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-278.4 and to review the initial Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-281 for Alexander Beers. It is ORDERED that the defendant John Beers appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before July 1, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. 6/2, 6/9, 6/16, & 6/23/22
ABC LICENSE
Mizata LLC, trading as La Perla Restaurant, 119 Fort Evans Rd, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Mix Beverage Restaurant license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Jose Barahona, LLC Member Note: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200. 6/09 & 6/16/22
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Legal Notices TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE TO CONSIDER A SECOND AMENDMENT TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE, VIRGINIA AND APC REALTY AND EQUIPMENT COMPANY (SPRINT) Pursuant to §§ 15.2-1800; 15.2-2100 et seq., of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended, the LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, June 23, 2022, at 6:30 p.m., in the Town Council Chambers, 6 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia, to consider a Second Amendment to the Town of Lovettsville’s Lease Agreement with APC Realty and Equipment Company (Sprint). The proposed Second Amendment to the Lease Agreement concerns property owned by the Town, identified by property identification number (PIN) 333-45-9227-000, Tax Map number //9A3/1////45/, being the site of the Town of Lovettsville’s Water Tank, located at 14A Quarter Branch Road, Lovettsville, Virginia. The proposed Second Amendment will: • • • • • •
Reduce the monthly rent to $4,000, commencing on January 1, 2023; Reduce the escalator to 2.5 percent, beginning January 1, 2024; Amend the term of the Lease Agreement so anticipated extensions are automatic, but not increase the original term; Allow the Tenant to install three (3) additional antennas and ancillary equipment at no cost to the Tenant, conditioned upon structural analysis, radio frequency survey and Town approval of any applicable designs; Allow the Tenant to terminate the Lease Agreement under specific terms; Update addresses for notice requirements
All persons desiring to speak will be given an opportunity to do so at this meeting.
APPROVAL OF A BOUNDARY LINE AGREEMENT TO CHANGE THE BOUNDARY LINE BETWEEN LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA, AND THE TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE, VIRGINIA The LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, June 23, 2022, at 6:30 pm, in the Town Council Chambers, 6 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia to consider the following matter: Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-3106 et seq., the Lovettsville Town Council hereby provides notice of its intention to approve a Boundary Line Agreement with Loudoun County, Virginia, (“County”) to change the existing boundary line between the County and the Town. The proposed boundary line change would incorporate into the municipal limits of the Town a land area containing 30.3815 acres, more or less, being all of the property identified as Loudoun County Parcel Identification Numbers (PINs) 37149-5463 (West End Motors) and 371-39-4189 (One Family Brewing), plus a 999-foot section of Berlin Turnpike (Route 287) from the current Town boundary on the north (“Subject Property”). The new location of the boundary line between the County and the Town would correspond generally to a line extending southeasterly from a point located along the Town’s eastern boundary, which point also is located along the northeastern corner of a parcel owned by the Lovettsville District Fire and Rescue Company, Inc., southeasterly across Route 287 to the northwestern boundary of land owned by Wheeler and Wheeler Inc., then generally southeasterly and southerly along the southern right-of-way of Lutheran Church Road (Route 676) and northern boundaries of land owned by Wheeler and Wheeler Inc. and One Family Brewing LLC (PIN 234-49-1255 and 234-50-6397), then curving northeasterly to a point and then southeasterly and southerly, then northwesterly and then southwesterly, then westerly along the southern boundary of One Family Brewing LLC to the eastern right-of-way of Route 287, then proceeding northeasterly to a point along the western boundary of One Family Brewing LLC and then crossing Route 287 to the western right-of-way of Route 287 and southeastern corner of a Lovettsville District Fire and Rescue Company, Inc. parcel, then heading northeasterly to the northeastern corner of the Lovettsville District Fire and Rescue Company, Inc. property. The Subject Property to be incorporated into the Town is located adjacent to the southeast side of the current municipal limits of the Town, in the Catoctin Election District, and is depicted on the below map.
Copies of the current Lease Agreement, First Amendment and proposed Second Amendment are available for review at the Town Hall between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm weekdays or by special appointment, holidays excepted. Call 540-822-5788 for more information or visit www.lovettsvilleva. gov. In the event the meeting is cancelled, the public hearing will be convened at the next regular scheduled meeting at the same time and place. 6/9, 6/16
TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE TO CONSIDER A SECOND AMENDMENT TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE, VIRGINIA AND NEW CINGULAR WIRELESS PCS (AT&T) Pursuant to §§ 15.2-1800; 15.2-2100 et seq., of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended, the LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, June 23, 2022, at 6:30 p.m., in the Town Council Chambers, 6 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia, to consider a Second Amendment to the Town of Lovettsville’s Lease Agreement with New Cingular Wireless PCS (AT&T). The proposed Second Amendment to the Lease Agreement concerns properties owned by the Town, identified by property identification number (PIN) 333-45-9227-000, Tax Map number //9A3/1////45/, being the site of the Town of Lovettsville’s Water Tank, located at 14A Quarter Branch Road, Lovettsville, Virginia, and PIN 333-45-9794-000, Tax Map number //9A3/9/////I/, adjacent to the site of the Water Tank. The proposed Second Amendment will: • Reduce the monthly rent to $4,100, commencing on January 1, 2024; • Reduce the escalator to 2.5 percent, beginning January 1, 2025; • Amend the term of the Lease Agreement so anticipated extensions are automatic, but not increase the original term; • Update addresses for notice requirements All persons desiring to speak will be given an opportunity to do so at this meeting. Copies of the current Lease Agreement, First Amendment and proposed Second Amendment are available for review at the Town Hall between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm weekdays or by special appointment, holidays excepted. Call 540-822-5788 for more information or visit www.lovettsvilleva. gov. In the event the meeting is cancelled, the public hearing will be convened at the next regular scheduled meeting at the same time and place. 6/9, 6/16
A copy of the draft Boundary Line Agreement and draft Sewer and Water Agreement may be examined at the Lovettsville Town Office, 8 Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia from 8:30 to 4:30 Monday through Friday. Documents also may be viewed at: https://www.lovettsvilleva.gov/government/ planning-commission/ All persons desiring to speak will be given an opportunity to do so at this meeting. In the event the meeting is cancelled, the public hearing will be convened at the next regular scheduled meeting at the same time and place. Call 540-822-5788 for more information or visit www.lovettsvilleva. gov. If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact John Merrithew, Zoning Administrator for the Town of Lovettsville at (540) 755-3004 or by email at jmerrithew@lovettsvilleva.gov. 6/9 & 6/16/22
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Legal Notices LOUDOUN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMUNITY INFORMATION MEETING NOTICE Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) will hold a community information meeting to review a proposed public utility service center on June 23, 2022, in Room 1101 of The Academies of Loudoun (42075 Loudoun Academy Drive, Leesburg, VA 20175) at 6:30 p.m. Commission Permit and Special Exception applications are being filed to allow a public utility service center with outdoor storage on the rear portion of The Academies of Loudoun property. The 119-acre site located on the west side of Sycolin Road, to the east of Gulick Mill Road and to the southwest of the Dulles Greenway, in Leesburg, is in the Catoctin Election District. Access to the site will be from Sycolin Road on Loudoun Academy Drive with an emergency access only to Gulick Mill Road. The site is more particularly identified as Tax Map Number /77////////34B (PIN# 194-16-6764) and is zoned TR-10-UBF (Transitional Residential-10). The property is located partially within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District) and partially within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contour for the Leesburg Airport. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance and the proposed use requires a Commission Permit and Special Exception in accordance with Section 6-1101 and Section 1301. The proposed public utility service center site is governed under the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 Comprehensive Plan (2019 GP). The subject property is designated for Transition Large Lot Neighborhood. This place type includes low density residential communities (one unit per ten acres) with significant open space and public facilities as conditional uses. The proposed use is identified in the School Board Adopted FY 2023 – FY 2028 Capital Improvement Program as a Joint Use Dry Bulk Storage Facility. The primary purpose of the public utility service center, with outdoor storage, is to house the grounds and inclement weather maintenance operations of LCPS. The site would be used to store grounds maintenance equipment (trucks, trailers, mowers, snowplows, salt spreaders and similar equipment) as well as sand, salt, and similar materials to be accessed during inclement weather for treatment of LCPS and County of Loudoun owned properties (i.e., driveways and parking lots). The proposed use would also include a small engine repair shop of approximately 5,000 square feet that would service equipment. The purpose of the meeting is to share information with the surrounding community on the proposed site. Please contact our office if you are unable to attend the meeting and would like more detail on the applications. Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate meaningfully in the meeting should contact the Planning Services office at least three (3) business days prior to the meeting. Beverly I. Tate, Director Loudoun County Public Schools, Division of Planning Services 21000 Education Court Ashburn, Virginia 20148 Phone: 571-252-1050 Email: LCPSPLAN@LCPS.ORG 6/9/22 & 6/16/22
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION APPLICATIONS FOR REZONING, SPECIAL USE PERMITS, & COMMISSION PERMITS PARCEL 522-29-5928 - OWNER: LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS The Planning Commission of the Town of Purcellville will conduct a public hearing on THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2022, at 7:00 PM for the purpose of receiving comments on, considering, and possibly voting on the following applications for parcel number 522-29-5928: (1) Rezoning application RZ20-01, and (2) Two Special Use Permit applications (SUP 20-01 and SUP 20-02) for the following uses: (a) a 260-space commuter parking lot, and (b) 5 new public recreational fields, and (3) Two Commission Permit applications (CP 20-01 and CP 20-02), for the purpose of assessing whether the proposed rezoning and special use permits, described above, are in substantial accord with the Town’s adopted Comprehensive Plan. This parcel is located north of Route 7 and between Route 690 and 611. The parcel is currently zoned X, Transition, and the existing use is vacant. The proposed zoning is IP, Institutional and Public Use.
A full and complete copy of the proposed zoning documents, special use permit and location map, is available for review on the town’s website at https://www.purcellvilleva.gov/1017/Fields-Farm-ParkProjects, and also in-person at the office of the Town Clerk, or at the office of the Planning Department, both located within the Purcellville Town Hall, 221 S. Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. For questions, please call (540) 338-7421. At this public hearing, all persons desiring to present their views concerning this matter will be heard. Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Town Council Chambers. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation to participate in this meeting as a result of a physical, sensory or mental disability, contact the Town Clerk at 540-751-2334; please provide notice of the accommodation at least three days in advance of the meeting. GoToMeeting If you have already installed the GoToMeeting app and wish to comment during the hearing but cannot attend in person, please join the Public Hearing remotely by going to the following: Planning Commission Special Meeting-Public Hearing Thu, Jun 30, 2022 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (EDT) Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto.com/996674469 You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (872) 240-3311 Access Code: 996-674-469
LoudounNow.com
Email In addition, all persons have the option of sending an email to the Recorder, Heather Spadaccini, at hspadaccini@purcellvilleva.gov, with written comments or questions concerning the proposed project. Emails may be sent by 6:00 PM the day of the Public Hearing. The Recorder, or another employee or officer of the Town, will read those emails into the public record before the Planning Commission Public Hearing on the project is closed. 6/16 & 6/23/22
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Legal Notices IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LOUDOUN COUNTY
A series of community meetings are being scheduled by Loudoun County Public Schools’ Department of Support Services to provide a forum to share information on funded, planned, and proposed school capital projects across the county. To focus the discussion and public involvement, each meeting will include a general overview of the Fiscal Year 2023 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and Capital Asset Preservation Program (CAPP) budgets and then spotlight on a specific geographic area of Loudoun. The first three meetings will be in June. Additional community meetings for other areas of the county will be scheduled and announced. Date & Time
Auditorium of
Thursday, June 16, 2022 6:00 p.m.
Brambleton Middle School (23070 Learning Cir, Ashburn)
Thursday, June 23, 2022 6:00 p.m.
Park View High School (400 W Laurel Ave, Sterling)
Thursday, June 30, 2002 6:00 p.m.
Loudoun County High School (415 Dry Mill Rd SW, Leesburg)
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
VIRGINIA:
LOUDOUN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMUNITY INFORMATION MEETINGS
IN RE: ESTATE OF HARRY RUSSELL GRAY ) FIDUCIARY 19616 SHOW CAUSE ORDER AGAINST DISTRIBUTION It appearing that the Personal Representative has petitioned this Court to enter a Rule to Show Cause against Distribution; that the debts and demands against is estate has been filed, that the First and Final Account has been filed with the Commissioner of Accounts, and the six months have elapsed since the qualification, on Motion of the said Personal Representatives; It is ORDERED that the creditors of, and all others interested in, the Estate do show cause, if any they can, on the 22nd day of July, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. before this Court in its Courtroom, against the payment and delivery of the Estate of Harry Russell Gray, deceased, to the payees without refunding bonds.
Meeting Spotlight
Dulles North Area (General Description: North of Rt 50, East of Goose Creek, South of Rt 267, West of Rt 28)
Eastern Loudoun Area (General Description: North/East of Rt 28, South of Potomac River, West of Fairfax County) Central Loudoun/Leesburg Area (General Description: North/West of Goose Creek, East of Catoctin Mountain Ridgeline, South of Potomac River)
6/16 & 6/23/22
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA Virginia Code § 8.01-316
Case No.: JJJ045837-02-00; JJ045838-02-00; JJ045839-02-00; JJ045840-02-00; JJ04584102-00; JJ045842-02-00 Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Zubayer Rafik Ekren, Sumeyyah Nadiya Ekren, Asiyeh Hanan Ekren, Khadija Ulka Ekren, Fatima Zahra Ekren and Osama Othman Ekren Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. Unknown Father(s) The object of this suit is to hold a foster care review hearing and review of foster care plan pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-282 and 16.1-281 for Zubayer Rafik Ekren, Sumeyyah Nadiya Ekren, Asiyeh Hanan Ekren, Khadija Ulka Ekren, Fatima Zahra Ekren and Osama Othman Ekren It is ORDERED that the defendant, Unknown Father(s) appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before July 6, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. 6/9. 6/16, 6/23 & 6/30/22
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
Subsequently, each meeting presentation will be posted on the Loudoun County Public Schools website: https://www.lcps.org/Page/81470.
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104 Case No.:
Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate meaningfully in the community meetings should contact the Support Services office at least three (3) days prior to the specific meeting.
CL21004658-00 LOUDOUN COUNTY Circuit Court
18 East Market St., Leesburg VA 20176
Kevin L. Lewis, Chief Operations Officer Loudoun County Public Schools, Department of Support Services 21000 Education Court Ashburn, Virginia 20148 Telephone: 571-252-1385 Email: LCPSPLAN@LCPS.ORG
Kimdara, LLC v Kevin Falkner, et al. The object of this suit is to seek monetary relief and equitable relief to address the wrongdoings of Defendants. It is ORDERED that Kevin Falkner appear at the above-named court and protect his interests on or before August 5, 2022 @ 10:00 a.m.
6/9/22, 6/16/22, 6/23/22
6/16, 6/23, 6/30 & 7/7/22
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.
Description
Case Number
Recovery Date
Recovery Location
Phone Number
Black & red Schwinn bicycle
SO220008022
5/7/2022
Nations St/Lyon Terr Chantilly, VA
571-367-8400
Black Mongoose 21 Speed Mountain Bicycle
SO220009120
5/23/2022
Cameron Walk Pl/Tulip Poplar Pl Aldie VA
571-367-8400 6/9 & 6/16/22
LoudounNow.com
PUBLIC NOTICE INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) The Town of Leesburg will accept bids electronically via the Commonwealth’s e-procurement website (www.eva.virginia. gov), until 3:00 p.m. on July 14, 2022 for the following:
IFB NO. 20006-FY22-36 EDWARDS FERRY ROAD NE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS The Town is soliciting bids from qualified contractors to provide construction services, including, but not limited to excavation, storm drainage, waterline, curb and gutter, brick sidewalk, asphalt pavement, minor grading and all incidentals related thereto. For additional information, visit: http://www.leesburgva.gov/bidboard 6/16/22
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PAGE 38
Legal Notices ORDER OF PUBLICATION
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA Virginia Code § 8.01-316
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA Virginia Code § 8.01-316
Case No.:
Case No.:
JJ041604-05-00; JJ043080-03-00; JJ043081-03-00; JJ043082-03-00
Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Diana Gissel Medina Lainez, Gabrielle Medina Lainez, Adrienna Medina Lainez, and Karen Elizabeth Medina Lainez Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. Jose Medina, Putative Father The object of this suit is to hold a status hearing in Child in Need of Services matters pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-228 and 16.1-241 for Diana Gissel Medina Lainez, Gabrielle Medina Lainez, Adrienna Medina Lainez, and Karen Elizabeth Medina Lainez. It is ORDERED that the defendant Jose Medina, Putative Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his interests on or before June 22, 2022 at 3:00 pm. 5/26, 6/2, 6/9 & 6/16/22
ORDER OF PUBLICATION COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104 Case No.:
22-2470 LOUDOUN COUNTY Circuit Court
18 East Market St., Leesburg VA 20176 Christopher Kasean King v. Name change The object of this suit is to change name to Christopher Rasean King Peterson. It is ORDERED that the Charles Ricardo King appear at the above-named court and protect his interests on or before July 15, 2022 at 2PM. 6/2, 6/9, 6/16 & 6/23
ABC LICENSE
Maxime Rabineau, trading as Pollo Campeon, 46950 Community Plaza, Sterling, Virginia 20164 The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Beer and Wine license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Maxime Rabineau 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. 6/09 & 6/16/22
JJ040959-26-00; JJ040959-27-00
Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Madison Bartlett Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. Melanie Healey, mother and Unknown Father The object of this suit is to hold a foster care review hearing and review of foster care plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282 and 16.1-281 for Madison Bartlett, and; hold a hearing on placement in a qualified residential treatment program pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-281(E) for Madison Bartlett. It is ORDERED that the defendant Melanie Healey, mother and Unknown Father appear at the above-named court and protect his or her interests on or before July 6, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. 6/9. 6/16, 6/23 & 6/30/22
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Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Marjorie Cruz Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. Unknown Father The object of this suit is to hold an adjudicatory hearing regarding child protective order pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-253 for Marjorie Cruz, and; hold a dispositional hearing regarding child protective order pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-278.2 for Marjorie Cruz. It is ORDERED that the defendant Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before June 2, 2022 at 10:00a.m. (Adjudicatory) and June 27, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (Dispositional).
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Opinion Joining the Conversation The announcement Tuesday that Loudoun’s philanthropic community will step up the push for solutions to the county’s workforce housing shortage has the potential to provide new energy—and innovation—to a conversation that has droned on for decades. Increasingly community leaders are understanding that it isn’t just supply chain problems and rising costs that are limiting the recovery of our local businesses. Without viable access to a qualified workforce, their sustainability is threatened. Many boards of supervisors—including the
current one—have touted affordable housing as a top priority. There have been new requirements placed on developers, a variety of subsidy and grant programs, and various pilot projects. Despite those efforts, the concerns have little changed. It’s not a problem the government alone will solve. At best, the bureaucracy can put in place policies to provide a catalyst for action. The Loudoun Community Cabinet, the group of public service investors leading the Workforce Housing Now initiative, formed in 2019 with the goal of addressing unmet human service needs. Its mission was quickly put to the test as the destabilizing impact of the pandemic swept through
the county. The cabinet, and the broader Community Foundation and its leadership, rose to that unprecedented challenge—and did so with speed, flexibility, and creativity. Those three words rarely describe a governmental response to critical challenges. Aside from the influx of money—a million dollars can get things done—the Workforce Housing Now initiative opens the conversation to a new group of entrepreneurial thinkers who are focused on making a significant impact. And they come to the table with high expectations of success—and a track record that tends to validate their optimism. It’s optimism we share. n
LETTERS to the Editor Keep Them Coming
A Blight
A Celebration
Editor: I am a retired attorney. It has been 50 years since I sat in my 1L constitutional law class. But I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed your contributor Ben Lenhart’s article in this week’s edition of Loudoun Now in which he so deftly explains our Constitution’s basis for its “unnamed rights” as it relates to the leaked draft opinion in the abortion rights challenge. Whatever your personal views on this highly charged issue, you would do yourself a favor by reading Mr. Lenhart’s well-crafted explanation of the bounds in which the Supreme Court operates when it considers such matters. This was just the latest in what I have come to look forward to in Mr. Lenhart’s legal critiques. Please keep him among your contributing columnists. — Terence Cooke, Middleburg
Editor: In the debate about data centers in Loudoun County, there has been little mention of how ugly these buildings are. They are a blight on the landscape. They have no redeeming architectural features. They are huge, windowless concrete boxes, one-story high, gobbling up ground. In 20 or 30 years, when technology will likely have made data centers obsolete, they will be useless reminders of a time when people worshipped the god named Information. Maybe they’ll get converted into apartments with lots of windows. In the meantime, we are stuck with these temples of the Internet in all their loathsome darkness. Let’s not approve the building of any more of them in Loudoun County.
Editor: As a proud ally of the LGBTQ+ community and a Loudoun resident for over 32 years, these past years have been tough on the LGBTQ+ community. We have seen a dramatic uptick in hate and violence against the queer community across the United States, demonized by bad-faith actors and demonized in service of political agendas. At a time when many would have expected the LGBTQ+ community to shrink backward, Equality Loudoun is pushing forward. Loudoun’s largest and oldest LGBTQ+ nonprofit is hosting Loudoun Pride on June 26, a festival slated to bring in thousands of community members and allies from across the DMV area to celebrate our shared humanity. With all its community and family activities, I believe that the event will
— Denis Cotter, Middleburg
give our community a much-needed celebration of our shared humanity, and I can’t wait to attend. — Lynn Davis, Sterling
The Mission Editor: The tragedy in Uvalde, TX, last month is a shocking reminder of the vulnerability of school children everywhere in the U.S., heightened by today’s toxic mix of social hostility and the availability of guns. Meaningful gun control legislation is years away, but the hostility can be controlled now. Yet, the use of hostile techniques of parental rights extremist groups continues to expose us to risk and hamstrings our elected officials’ ability to keep us safe. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR continues on page 41
Norman K. Styer, Publisher and Editor - nstyer@loudounnow.com EDITORIAL
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Renss Greene, Deputy Editor rgreene@loudounnow.com
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Readers’ Poll THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:
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PARENTING WITH PURPOSE
LETTERS to the Editor
Too Much Parenting
continued from page 40
Over the past year, the very public and vitriolic attacks by these groups against the Loudoun County School Board and its members have been a dangerous distraction. And because of these destructive allegations, School Board members have received threats of physical harm and death to themselves and their families—one member was forced to resign. As it turns out, these allegations did not have teeth: in April, two prominent court cases against the School Board were dismissed. Despite these stunning defeats the hostile strategy continues, dismissing the safety of our students and community in favor of political capital. Today, it is as critical as ever that the Loudoun County Public School system continue its mission and use our resources to protect and support students without frivolous and harmful interference from political operatives. — Kathryn Smith, Leesburg
What happened? Local news, online always.
LoudounNow.com
BY NEIL MCNERNEY
Over the past 20 years or so, parents have significantly shifted their priorities. Instead of focusing a large portion of their lives on themselves and their interests, they have devoted more time, money, and energy on their children in hopes that it will help launch them into stable and successful adults. Previous generations were not nearly as involved. I grew up in Northern Virginia in the late ’60s and early ’70s. I played a couple of sports, but most of my time was spent quite detached from my parents. I generally knew what time to come home for dinner, but my parents seemed blissfully unaware of my whereabouts. My parents had a full life that had little to do with my life. My mother played bridge, bowled on a league, went to bingo, ran her own small business, and had friends over regularly. My father, always the introvert, spent his time reading and researching his various interests. He also stayed involved in his men’s church groups. This was very common for that era. My parents’ generation had 51% more friends, had 3 times more social organization memberships, and spent much more time as a couple socializing with
others. Most of those social connections had nothing to do with their children. We orbit our lives around our children more than any generation before us. Our social lives tend to be focused on our children’s activities. Many of my friends were somehow related to my children’s activities, sports, and interests. Would I naturally gravitate toward these parents? Maybe some of them, but not the majority. Did I sacrifice too much of my interests for my children? I wouldn’t call it a sacrifice, since I enjoyed spending time with them, travelling to their games, watching them participate, etc. I was the team videographer for many teams and enjoyed getting skilled at video editing. I did, however, spend much less time doing the things I enjoy, such as fishing, hiking, and other outdoor activities. There were just too many games on the weekend to spend the time doing something just for myself. The important questions is: Has it made a difference for our children? Are they better off due to our involvement? In some respects, the parent/child relationships are stronger than any other previous generation. Although it is hard to measure, the evidence points to young adults feeling closer to their parents than in the past, and parents report that they are much closer to their adult children than they were to their parents. But this could come at a cost, with
our children feeling more obligated to stay close to us since we sacrificed our own social networks for their sake. The empty nest syndrome, in my opinion, is much worse for those parents that have neglected their own interests and friends during childrearing. Are our children better off? I am skeptical. Youth mental health issues, especially anxiety, are at an all time high. As a family counselor, I believe a significant portion of anxiety is based on parental expectations. In my counseling practice, I hear more and more students worry about disappointing their parents vs. making them proud. For many children, the intense parental involvement feels more like pressure and less like support. Should we go back to my parents’ generation and barely focus on our children’s lives? I don’t think so. There are many benefits to our involvement in their lives. I do think, however, that we are gone too far and have lost ourselves in the process, and I think that has negatively affected the parents and the children. n Neil McNerney is a licensed professional counselor and author of Homework – A Parent’s Guide To Helping Out Without Freaking Out! and The Don’t Freak Out Guide for Parenting Kids with Asperger’s. He can be reached at neil@neilmcnerney.com
PAGE 42
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
Overreach continued from page 3 Burton’s portrayal that the crimes had occurred within a period of hours, when, in fact, Valle was a suspect in a series of up to 12 break-ins committed over 10 days in four different counties. He described the filings as “misleading representations and entirely inaccurate.” He also objected to Burton’s characterization that Valle had no prior criminal history, despite numerous pending felony charges in the other jurisdictions and Valle having entered a guilty plea to three felony counts in Fauquier County just days before the documents were filed in Loudoun. Plowman disputed the characterization that Valle had fallen under the influence of an older suspect with a longer criminal history. He wrote that Valle, at age 19 years and five months at the time of the crimes, was only 13 months younger than his alleged co-conspirator. And, he wrote, both had extensive juvenile records, with Valle having 15 charges and eight convictions and the second suspect 11 charges and 11 convictions. “The representations contained herein are specifically drafted to mislead the reader and lack the appropriate level of candor which the Court requires of Virginia attorneys,” Plowman wrote. He concluded that county prosecutors “entered the plea negotiations and entered into a plea agreement absent a full review of the facts, and without exercising due diligence to the performance of her duties in preparation for the case and/or that the commonwealth is deliberately misleading
Commonwealth‘s Attorney Buta Biberaj
the Court, and the public, in an effort to ‘sell’ the plea agreement for some reason that has yet to be explained.” The actions “reflect an inability of the Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office to properly prosecute this case with the detail and attention required of a criminal prosecutor and consistent with the professional standards and obligations of a prosecutor,” Plowman wrote. Biberaj called a press conference Tuesday afternoon to refute Plowman’s claims and to announce two avenues to reverse the action, with an appeal planned to the State Supreme Court and a motion to reconsider at the Circuit Court level. “The documents we filed were fully accurate and consistent with the facts that were at the time of the agreement in August as well as the time of the signatures on Dec. 22,” she said. And, she said, the proposed six-month jail sentence and restitution requirement fit the crimes that occurred in Loudoun. “Mr. Valle is a 19-year-old boy, a teen-
JUNE 16, 2022
ager. He could be your son. He could be your brother. He could be your child’s playmate. He is 19 years of age. Guess what? Back in the period of May [2021], he made some knucklehead decisions,” she said. Jail time and fines aren’t the only penalties offenders face, she said. “One of the harshest things we can do to young emerging adults is to have them as convicted felons.” In addition to disputing Plowman’s characterizations, Biberaj said the judge lacked the statutory authority to remove her office from the case, saying that can only be done as a recusal because of a conflict or by upholding a defense allegation of bias. And to make the order without a hearing was extraordinary, she said. But Biberaj focused her sharpest remarks on making charges that the controversy was being stirred in a broader political play. While Plowman’s order assigned the Fauquier County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office to pick up the cases, on Monday, Attorney General Jason S. Miyares wrote to Chief Judge Douglas L. Fleming Jr. to offer his office’s support. Miyares has targeted Biberaj as being among the state’s progressive prosecutors criticized as being too lenient on criminals. “It is clear from the order that the Court has rightfully lost confidence in Ms. Biberaj, her deputies and her office’s ability and willingness to effectively seek justice in this matter. This is a situation of first impression for most in the legal community. Considering the unprecedented development, I wanted to offer to the
Gun reform continued from page 3 drills we should have been afraid of coming to fruition.” Rasha Saad, of Loudoun 4 All, said the majority of Americans support reform measures including background checks, bans on the sale of assault-style weapons and large magazines, federal tracking of gun sales, limiting sales to those with mental health concerns. “Guns are killing our youth. This is not a right or left statement. This is not an opinion. This is a fact. 4,357 children were killed by firearms in 2020 alone,” Saad said. “We regulate driving. We have laws about seatbelts. We have laws banning drinking and driving. We have fines for texting and driving. In order to drive a car
Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now
Participants in the June 11 March for Our Lives rally walk down Cascades Parkway.
you need hours of practice, pass multiple tests before you’re even allowed to get
behind the wheel. And even with all these regulations, when our kids get in a car be-
Court the services of the Office of the Attorney General to either prosecute these cases or assist the Fauquier County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office in that prosecution,” Miyares wrote. “This is a specific message to Attorney General Miyeres: Stay in your lane,” Biberaj said. “Your lane is Richmond. Your lane is you’re the attorney general for Virginia. You are not an elected commonwealth’s attorney and definitely not for Loudoun County.” She said Miyares has been working to undermine the work of progressive prosecutors since he took office. “We are lowering crime in our communities, contrary to the stories that he chooses to tell. We are lowering the rate of incarcerations in our communities, so we do not unnecessarily keep people locked up in a jail, in a box, in a cell, in a cage who are not a threat to our community.” She compared the attacks on her office to the Jan. 6 riots at the capitol. “We’ve seen on Jan. 6 where the rule of law was set aside and it was set aside because somebody thought that their interests trumped the interest of the people. They do not,” she said. “The people rule by voting. The people rule by being engaged in the election process. The people rule by being registered voters and being citizens of the community. And the people here elected me to represent them, to be commonwealth’s attorney.” “For him to attempt to insert himself is not an appropriate use of his power. It is a misuse of his power, because what he is doing is he is dividing our community,” she said of Miyares. n hind the wheel, we worry. But your child is more likely to die by gunshot than in a car accident. That is fact,” Saad said. Paster Michelle C. Thomas, president of the Loudoun NAACP, said the solution will come as more people make gun reform a priority when they head to the polls and meet with elected leaders. “As a pastor, I stand here and say hold your thoughts and prayers, because thoughts and prayers alone are not enough to save anybody,” she said, calling for supporters to step up the political pressure. “We are not gathered here to take or infringe on your Second Amendment rights. We are asking that you don’t infringe on our inalienable rights,” she said. “Too many Americans have died because we’re not brave enough to put policies in place.” n
JUNE 16, 2022
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
PAGE 43
County broadband continued from page 1 registered on All Points Broadband, too, is it helps flush out individuals that we think are served but are not.” For those who fall through the cracks, he said, there is a new source of help available. He briefed supervisors on the new Line Extension Customer Assistance Program or LECAP Directive, a General Assembly decision to direct $8 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to help offset the cost of extending broadband to unserved homes of low- to moderate-income residents. Homes that will be covered under the VATI program are not eligible for the LECAP program, and income limits apply. Links to more information about LECAP and to an application are on the county’s broadband expansion webpage, loudoun.gov/broadbandexpansion. n
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Power lines on Bolington Road in rural western Loudoun.
Workforce housing continued from page 1 sustainable source of funding, that it can have impacts and move the needle, and that our community takes advantages of the various tools and innovations available to us.” Housing is both one of the biggest predictors of a person’s well-being and one of the biggest drags on Loudoun businesses. Tony Stafford, founder of Ford’s Fish Shack, said he is short about 40 employees across three restaurants—employees who can’t afford to live in Loudoun, increasingly can’t afford to commute to Loudoun, and pass many other restaurants on their way into Loudoun. “It’s never been a tougher time than now to find employees,” he said. Loudoun Habitat for Humanity President and CEO Therese Cashen said she has seen homes make all the difference both for individuals and communities through the nonprofit’s work to help people attain their own home. “Those of us involved in this work know that a hand up is long-lasting and life-changing,” she said. “Study After study draws a direct line between housing availability and the well-being of our communities through great economic stability, access to quality education, increases civic and social engagement, and better health. We see these results here in
“This especially affects our teachers, first responders, frontline workers, and young professionals who want to make Loudoun home.” — Allison Metzger,
Community Foundation Director of Community Engagement Loudoun with our homeowners because they now have the stability and security to live and work in Loudoun County.” “We can literally predict your lifespan based on your ZIP code. Where you live makes all the difference in your health and education outcomes,” Owen said. “And so for the Community Foundation to weigh in on this issue, with our philosophy of growing charitable giving to build common good—the intersection is pretty real.” Some of that outreach also will be led by Sharon Wright and her company Loudoun Clear Marketing, who have partnered with the Community Foundation to get the message out. Much of the progress will depend on tough decisions for local government. And Supervisor Sylvia R. Glass (D-Broad Run), who attended the kickoff, said
she’s on board. As a teacher, she said it would be impossible today to move into Loudoun with her job. “It’s also impossible for people who are our custodians, people who are bus drivers, the teacher’s assistants, to find a place here as well,” she said. “So having those conversations with those folks also makes me want to work even harder to have workforce housing.” She also said it will be important to increase the stock of for-purchase attainable housing, and that she’s heard from many people who have been renting for years and can’t save up the money to buy their own home. “I think we’re going to have pushback, because when we talk about infill housing, people become concerned about traffic on the roadways, they’re concerned about the schools being full to capacity—
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
A sign displays the logo for the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties’ Workforce Housing Now campaign.
all of those issues have to work as well,” she said. The county has adopted an Unmet Housing Needs Strategic Plan, and supervisors and staff members continue to examine both funding sources and zoning ordinances to encourage attainable housing. “Loudoun County is a great place for residents to live, work, and play, but many households are spending more than 30% of their monthly income on housing costs which is making it harder and harder for them to stay in the county,” stated Community Foundation Director of Community Engagement Allison Metzger. “This especially affects our teachers, first responders, frontline workers, and young professionals who want to make Loudoun home.” Learn more at workforcehousingnow.org. n
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LOUDOUNNOW.COM
JUNE 16, 2022
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Congratulations to the Class of 2022 from the Loudoun Education Foundation
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