KUHN DONATION continues on

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LETTERS to the Editor

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century. Just ask India.

Don’t let them off the hook. — Nancy Spannaus Lovettsville, Virginia

Extreme Measures

Editor:

County Chair Randall imposed painful COVID policies on Loudoun County without any discernible upside. At the same time, she claims them to be of great success. Instead of honestly examining what she would have done differently, she chose to congratulate herself for her destructive actions.

Her restrictions followed most blue states’ approaches, which in the fi nal analysis produced similar COVID-19 health outcomes as the red states but without the fi nancial and mental health damages. We believe that her whole approach was a massive mistake that citizens paid dearly. Her failures must be examined to prevent them from happening again.

Ms. Randall locked down schools in mid-March 2020. They remained locked down pretty much through the end of 2021 and then re-opened on a limited basis with frequent testing of asymptomatic students and wearing masks (which Gov Youngkin had to fi ght to stop). However, by the end of April 2020, we already knew that for healthy kids, COVID-19 is much less dangerous than dying in car accidents. Kids were 3000 times less likely to die of COVID-19 than vaccinated 75-year-olds. Most who succumbed to COVID-19 were old, had several co-morbidities, and were in feeble health. Ms. Randall’s policies did not refl ect these known realities.

More unnecessary and arbitrary restrictions followed. Play areas were locked out; all surfaces were furiously scrubbed even though COVID-19 moved through the air. At one point, the Rust Library was closed with the idea to provide county employees’ childcare at citizens’ expense. One of the many poorly thought-out decisions. Decisions were not based on age risk-stratifi cation or science; they were based on panic, resulting in severe and unnecessary cumulative damage.

In the meantime, schools in many red states returned to normal and to in-person instructions very quickly. No, they were not experiencing mass deaths of children and teachers (who had lower death rates than other professions). Private schools opened in blue areas (with loud protests from county and state health offi cials).

But not LCPS. Ms. Randall continued extreme measures; Virginia ended up being the seventh most locked-down school system in the country. We knew early on, and now for sure, that these measures were all pain and no gain. All states with light or stringent restrictions ended up in the same spot. Lockdowns resulted in unnecessary mental and business costs. Ms. Randall ended up limiting our freedoms; she did not feel a need to explain and convince citizens about these measures. Instead, she and her lieutenants imposed restrictions and penalties for breaking them.

Today, Ms. Randall thinks she did a fantastic job. She conveniently forgot about all the mistakes she made, the length of the restrictions she imposed, and that states and counties without restrictions did much better. In times of crisis, she showed us that she would not hesitate to use dictatorial powers to impose useless policies that damaged the general population. She also revealed that she does not trust people to adjust their behaviors independently. People today wear masks on their own based on their preferences. Sadly, she is not going to learn anything from her failures, but we are not going to forget or forgive. — Scott Pio, Chairman Loudoun County Republican Committee

Kuhn donation

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the Potomac River near Point of Rocks, adjoins the 150-acre Kenslee Hill property previously donated by Robert and Kristin Santone to create a 278-acre park. The property is expected to open to the public as a passive park later this decade.

County Chair Phyllis Randall (D-At Large) said that although she is known for not being an “outdoorsy gal,” she understands the importance of protecting land in western Loudoun not only for conservation, but also to reduce the region’s carbon footprint in the face of global warming.

She said the efforts of the Kuhn family are “helping us preserve history by helping us preserve land.”

“It is not lost on us. I appreciate you and we appreciate you,” she said.

Chuck Kuhn said the June 28 dedication ceremony was the culmination of a four-year effort.

Noting that Randall often describes Loudoun as the best county in the country, Kuhn said he views it as one of the best in the world.

“We’re living and we’re driving and we’re acting in what I feel is truly a living museum in western Loudoun. I think it is a real jewel we need to work hard to protect. We have to fi nd that balance,” he said.

Kuhn said that conservation easements are invaluable in that effort. And while his family has been the most active in that realm in recent years, he noted their work has followed the efforts of others and the work will need to continue with future generations.

“We’ve tried to do our part. There are a lot of people who were here before us doing a lot of great things in this county. I’d like to thank them and I look forward to the people who will step up after us and continue to protect this county,” Kuhn said.

The purchase saves the property from residential development, as it was once destined to become a subdivision of 16 house lots. A top priority of NOVA Parks’ soon-to-be-fi nalized 2023-2027 Strategic Plan is protecting the environment, including actively acquiring and managing many of the largest intact natural areas in the region and restoring natural resources like riparian buffers to protect waterways and to plant trees to remove ozone-depleting carbon from the air.

Learn more at novaparks.com. n