Loudoun Now for Aug. 5, 2021

n LOUDOUN

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VOL. 6, NO. 37

Pg. 6 | n PUBLIC SAFETY

Pg. 10 | n OBITUARIES

Pg. 24 | n PUBLIC NOTICES

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Masking Up Again

Pg. 24

AUGUST 5, 2021

FUN TIMES AT THE FAIR

LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

Loudoun County hit an unwanted threshold last week, climbing back into the list of communities with significant spread of COVID-19’s potent Delta variant.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the county last week reported more than 51 new cases per 100,000 in population. That rate of infection puts Loudoun into the category of “substantial” community transmission— and that comes with a recommendation that residents return to wearing masks in indoor public spaces. And, because of the highly contagious nature of the Delta variant, that recommendation also applies to fully vaccinated individuals.

The CDC reports that about 80 percent of all the counties in the United States now qualify as having “substantial” or “high” rates of community transmission where masks should be worn indoors.

According to the CDC, 54% of the 183,000 Loudoun residents eligible for the vaccine—those age 12 and older—are fully vaccinated. Just over 60% have had at least one dose.

The largest segment of the unvaccinated community in Loudoun are children under age 12 who do not yet qualify for vaccines.

That puts the focus on Loudoun’s MASK UP continues on page 23

Photo by Douglas Graham

Vincent Morar was working hard at the watermelon eating contest at the Loudoun County Fair. Vincent went on to win his age group category. See more County Fair photos on page 23.

School Board Returns to Pitched Battles

BY HALEY MILON BOURR hbour@loudounnow.com

Controversy over School Board members in a Facebook group investigated by the Sheriff ’s Office, a looming deadline to implement contested transgender student protections, and national speculation surrounding Critical Race Theory are just a few of the issues that the embattled School

Board faces as it returns to the boardroom on Aug. 10, after a month-long summer absence.

Last week, the Sheriff ’s Office announced that a four-month long investigation into the infamous group, “Anti-Racist Parents of Loudoun County,” in which members allegedly targeted opponents of the school division’s social equity work, yielded no criminal charges.

The closed Facebook group, in which participants must be individually approved, became notorious when it was reported that some members discussed compling lists of parents in the county who opposed racial equity efforts. According to the Sheriff ’s Office, the FBI also looked into the group, but did not pursue a criminal invesSCHOOL BOARD continues on page 30

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Seymour Warns of Leesburg Land Crunch

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

The Town of Leesburg has come a long way in the past decade when its commercial occupancy is concerned.

Economic Development Director Russell Seymour on July 26 offered an update to the Town Council on the town’s commercial vacancy rates.

The office market in Leesburg has picked up strongly. SeySeymour mour compared the second quarter of 2013 to the same time period of 2020, prior to COVID’s arrival. Office vacancy dropped from almost 30% in Q2 2013, to 10.5% in the second quarter of 2020. But, of course, the pandemic changed that situation over the year, with the second quarter of 2021 showing office vacancy almost doubling to 19%.

“When COVID hit one of the things we saw was a lot of one-office businesses found out now you could actually work from home, so you noticed the uptick,” Seymour said.

In all of Loudoun County, office vacancy stands at just below 30%, he added.

It’s been a different story for retail vacancy. In the second quarter of 2013, retail vacancy in town stood at 13.3%. It had jumped to 16.4% in the second quarter of 2020, and a year later, had grown to 23.7%.

The trend of growing retail vacancies started before COVID, Seymour emphasized, but the proliferation of the online retail marketplace, accelerated during the pandemic, has played a big role in that. Another big piece of that trend is that the retail market has become over-saturated, something he said in talks with his economic development peers that other localities are LAND SHORTAGE continues on page 30

Photos by Douglas Graham

94-year-old farmer Russell Brown, of Waterford, during an interview about his days farming at Rouges Hollow Farm off of Old Waterford Road. Brown spent most of his life farming, using horses to plow fields, cut hay and plant crops.

The Making of Farmer Brown

BY DANIELLE NADLER Americas Routes

“Most call me Farmer Brown,” he starts. His clean plaid shirt tucked into beat-up jeans. His gray facial hair freshly shaven. He pours steaming Folgers into a John Deere mug and, with a “hush now,” directed at his border collie, he takes you back there.

Back there. When Loudoun County’s cattle outnumbered its breweries and wineries. When the nation’s capital felt a world away, rather than a daily destination for half your neighbors. And when the gravel roads were main thoroughfares rather than the place for Sunday drives.

Russell Brown starts with the early years. The late 30s, early 40s, when he cut his teeth working on “Grandpap’s farm” near Lovettsville. As he begins, you can almost taste the fresh cream from handmilked cows, see the gold dust set free by cropped hay, and feel the rough terrain of Old Waterford Road beneath your feet.

“This county has changed some since then,” the old farmer says dryly, with a trouble-making smile.

With some prodding, he slows down

and gives up more details.

He was born in 1927, in a little house in Wheatland. He wasn’t raised on a farm, but he knew early on that farming was what he wanted to do with his life. At 9 years old, he went to live on his grandparents’ farm, a property on Quarter Branch Road. He spent three years there and, as far as he can remember, he worked every minute of it. He got up before sunrise to milk seven cows by hand. Then, he hurried the jars of milk inside, before catching the bus to school. In the evenings, he picked up where he’d left off, mucking stalls, processing hogs, preparing the fields for planting—whatever needed to be done.

Grandpap wasn’t too keen on paying his grandson for his help on the farm, so Russell relied on trapping to make enough cash for occasional sodas and candy bars from the general store. He caught muskrats, racoons, and skunks—and anything else that found its way to one of his traps.

One morning before school, he hurried down to the creek to check his trap.

Sure enough, a skunk was waiting for him.

Before Russell could take the thing out, the skunk soaked him. The boy, clinching

his nose, waded into the creek to try to rinse off the stench, before hoofing it to the bus stop.

“Well, I wasn’t at school two minutes before the teacher said, ‘Russell, go home.

Come back when you’re smellin’ better.’

My Grandpap was just fine with that because then I could work for him. He expected a lot out of you and he never gave you nothin’.”

Russell went on to work odd jobs, sawing wood and bailing hay. At 15, he even took a job at a bowling alley just over the river in Brunswick, MD, where he’d set up pins for a penny a game. After high school, he served two years in the U.S. Army just as the nation was cleaning up from World War II. He took jobs as they came, but he always found his way back to farming.

~~~ It was 1948 when he started working for Albert D. Lueters, on a property known as Rogues’ Hollow. The name sounded like something out of an adventure novel, but Russell thought it suited the place—more than 300 acres of rolling hills that seemed FARMER BROWN continues on page 31

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AUGUST 5, 2021

ON THE Agenda

Loudoun

Clemens Highlights Historic Records, Introduces Collectable Cards

BY RENSS GREENE

rgreene@loudounnow.com

Clerk of the Circuit Court Gary Clemens last week rolled out a set of collectable cards highlighting Loudoun’s central role in American history and the nearly unparalleled collection of historic records at its courthouse.

“Loudoun is one of the few jurisdictions in Virginia that has all their historic records intact since the origin of that respective county or city,” Clemens said during a July 27 press conference on the step of Loudoun’s historic courthouse. “So we have a real fiduciary responsibility to make sure we are protecting, and we are preserving, and we are promoting the value of our historic records here in Loudoun County.”

Loudoun also played a central role in much of Virginia and American history— such as when the Declaration of Independence was read from the Loudoun courthouse steps in August 1776.

The Clerk of Court’s Historic Records Division has done that work with the aid not only of state funding but local partners

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Circuit Court Historic Records Manager Eric Larson displays a pair of the collectable cards that highlight Loudoun County’s role in American history.

like the Ketoctin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Van Huyck family. The Van Huycks recently contributed $12,000 through the Community Foundation for Loudoun and

Northern Fauquier Counties, which was used to digitize records, and the Daughters of the American Revolution have givCOLLECTABLES continues on page 5

Supervisors Recognize State, National Champs

BY RENSS GREENE

rgreene@loudounnow.com

Loudoun supervisors have adopted resolutions recognizing some of outstanding young athletes in the county— including three teams from Dominion High School that this year won state championships, and two hockey teams Renss Greene/Loudoun Now that brought home national champion- The Ashburn Xtreme Hockey 16U AA and 18U AA teams gather in the county boardroom to receive a ships.

Ashburn Xtreme Hockey, based pri- resolution marking their national championships. marily at Ashburn Ice House, brought home the USA Hockey Nationals Tier II Championship title for both the 16U AA in their division playing in Green Bay, Wisconsin. and 18U AA divisions.

“It was a great ride to have two teams According to the resolution passed unanimously July 20, the U16 AA team win something like that,” said Coach won the USA Hockey Tier II National Gary Pouliot, who led both teams. “It is Champions competition in Grand Rap- very, very special.”

The U16s were ranked first in the ids, Michigan on Monday, May 3, the same day the U18 AA won the same title country most of the year, and won their

last game in overtime.

“And as I told them both, as they received their national championship rings, it’s something you can always look back on and say, you were the best in the country for that particular year and in that age group,” Pouliot said.

The same night, supervisors recognized the Dominion High School boys’ and girls’ lacrosse teams and the girls’ soccer team, all three of which won their state championships.

According to the resolution, the girls’ soccer Titans won the Virginia Class 4 state championship in Newport News on June 23 following an undefeated season.

Three days later, the girls’ lacrosse team won their second Virginia Class 4 state championship in three years in Crozet, and that same day the boys’ team won in Lynchburg, also capping off an undefeated regular season. n

Supervisors Head to August Recess County supervisors do not plan to hold any meetings during August, their typical recess.

During the break, County Administrator Tim Hemstreet has expanded authority to conduct county business without individual votes by the board. And while the county board and its committees will not meet, other county commissions and committees will continue their work, and county supervisors may also continue their work outside of the boardroom.

Supervisors will return to the dais Sept. 8 for a business meeting.

The county government’s meeting calendar is at loudoun.gov/calendar.

In 2020, supervisors did meet in August to address the county’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the county government’s legislative priorities at an upcoming session of Virginia General Assembly.

Tennis Courts Could Convert for Pickleball Parks and recreation staff members are set to work coming up with options to make school tennis courts convertible to use for pickleball.

County supervisors on July 20 voted unanimously to start that work, following a recommendation by the Joint Board of Supervisors and School Board Committee, on a project proposed and pushed by Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian).

Doubles tennis courts are 78 feet long and 36 feet wide; pickleball courts are the same size as doubles badminton courts, at 20 feet by 44 feet. With additional striping and a way to change the height of the net, which is lower for pickleball, the school system’s outdoor tennis courts could accommodate at least one pickleball court each.

The work will also include coming up with a way for players and leagues to reserve use of the courts, ON THE AGENDA continues on page 5

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AUGUST 5, 2021

PAGE 5

yet another check to help the Historic Records Division’s work.

“The restoration of all of our old doccontinued from page 4 uments brings to life the historic past of en nearly $25,000 over the past four years this place and especially promotes the to help preserve minute books and other history of individuals who created our nation,” Brown said. “This is more than a court records dating to the 1700s.

Al Van Huyck, a former Loudoun Plan- simple birth or death record of our foundning Commission chairman and longtime ers—these provide a fuller story of daily planner and preservationist in Loudoun, interactions.”

Clemens introduced a set of 13 baserecalled inheriting an 1800s memoir through his mother. It was the story of his ball card-style cards with some of the ancestor Alfred Ashfield, who started a notable records in Loudoun’s extensive coal company in West Virginia, mention- collection—including one actual baseball ing in the memoir that a street was named player, Maurice Dailey “Toby” Atwell, a after him there. More than 100 years later, Leesburg native who played Major League Welcoming Welcomingallallnew newpatients! patients!

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Get Your Business Back To Work! tive Education program, is scheduled for More information on recommendcompletion in late 2022. The community ed vaccination schedules for children Our Patented Product MDF-500® center’s exterior features, including the and adults is available from the Centers pavilion, rink, playground and the Doufor Disease Control and Prevention at glass Dunes sand play area, will remain Mold / Spores / Allergens / Bacteria / Viruses / Odors / Covid-19 cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules. Questions closed throughout the renovation. about vaccinations can also be directed to the Loudoun County Health Department August is National at health@loudoun.gov.

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Leesburg

AROUND town

Leesburg Council Approves $25K to Complete Cemetery Transfer

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

After months of trying, the Leesburg Town Council last week finally found a majority to support a donation to the Loudoun Freedom Center.

During its July 27 meeting, the council voted to award $25,740 to the Freedom Center, to put toward work needed at the Sycolin Cemetery.

In May, the council approved a land transfer of the 1.6-acre Sycolin Cemetery property to the nonprofit, but the Freedom Center waited on signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the two bodies in hopes that the council would also help pay for improvements on the land, particularly to address the poor drainage and water ponding on the gravesites.

Located along Sycolin Road near the Leesburg Executive Airport, the cemetery land includes 65 gravesites associated with the Sycolin Baptist Church, with the earliest recorded burial in 1913 and the latest in 1959. The town purchased the land more than 30 years ago for the federally mandated Runway Protection Zone for the municipal airport. According to a staff report, there is no historical research

Town of Leesburg

‘We Are Leesburg’ Video Debuts

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Councilwoman Suzanne Fox last week won support for a $25,740 town contribution to help the Loudoun Freedon Center make improvements at the Sycolin Cemetery.

that has shown it to be a cemetery for the enslaved; however, some who are buried in the cemetery were born prior to the Civil War. Since the land transfer was approved by the council, there has been back and forth between council members and Freedom Center representatives on what financial

contribution, if any, the council should make to defray the cost of drainage improvements. Town staff has estimated that these improvements could cost upwards of $100,000. In preparing for the transfer, the town also had to expend more than CEMETARY TRANSFER continues on page 29

Leesburg Council Votes to Form Police Task Force

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Seven members of the public will ultimately play a large part in determining whether a commission supporting the Leesburg Police Department is a good move for the county seat.

The Town Council officially voted July 27 to form a task force that will study whether the town should move forward in creating a resident-led police department advisory commission.

The vote came about two weeks after the council discussed the formation of such a task force during a work session,

and a majority indicated it was in support of the idea.

Leesburg has the ability to create an advisory commission, but not a civilian oversight board for the police department. Legislation signed into law by Gov. Ralph Northam last fall creates authority for certain civilian oversight bodies with direct regulatory authority over law enforcement agencies. But, towns are not authorized to create such oversight bodies. Localities in the legislation are defined as either cities or counties and, while town police departments are subject to oversight, only the county Board of Supervisors, not the Town Council, is authorized to create

an oversight board for the town’s police department.

Those in support of creating the task force to explore the formation of an advisory commission said it was a unique opportunity to educate the public on police policies and procedures, and to provide for more community engagement. All members of the council, whether in support of the task force or not, praised the department for its high regard both locally and regionally, as well as the leadership of Police Chief Gregory Brown.

While not opining directly on the TASK FORCE continues on page 29

The Diversity Commission and Commission on Public Art have released the “We Are Leesburg” video, a project delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Compiled from submitted video clips and videos recorded at April’s Flower & Garden Festival, the video seeks to capture and celebrate the diversity of the town’s residents.

“We wanted to show Leesburg’s diversity, not just in terms of race and ethnicity, but also age, language spoken, and ability,” stated Linda McCray, chair of the Diversity Commission. “Our message with this video is that everyone is welcome here and is part of our community.”

Videographer José Villatoro of V. Visuals LLC donated his time to record and edit the video.

The video is available on the town’s YouTube channel.

Leesburg Town Attorney Receives 3% Raise Almost a year into his tenure in Leesburg, Town Attorney Christopher Spera has received a vote of confidence from the Town Council.

The council unanimously approved a 3% pay raise for Spera as part of its July 27 consent agenda.

The town attorney is one of two positions, along with the town manager, that serve at the pleasure of the Town Council, which means the council has the sole authority to hire or terminate them. Typically both the town manager and town attorney have annual performance evaluations conducted in closed session by the council.

The 3% pay increase is effective Aug. 17, his official one-year work anniversary with the town government, and will bump Spera’s annual salary to $190,550.

AUGUST 5, 2021

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

Town Breaks Ground on New Tennis Center ty Martinez, and council members Neil Steinberg and Zach Cummings. krodriguez@loudounnow.com Parks & Recreation Commission Chairman Brody McCray and comVisitors to Ida Lee Park will missioners Laurie Burke and Kirsten be seeing double next March, Shabanowitz joined them in moving when the latest addition to the dirt. Burk even enjoyed a few swings Parks and Recreation Departon the tennis court afterwards, with ment’s tennis program debuts. her high school tennis racquet in Leesburg leaders broke tow, with Ida Lee’s tennis pro Mark ground July 21 on the town’s Elliott. second tennis bubble, which, Parks and Recreation Departcombined with its neighboring Kara C. Rodriguez/Loudoun Now ment Director Rich Williams said 2007 predecessor, will add to the Leesburg leaders and Parks & Recreation Commissioners broke ground on the new tennis bubble construction over three of Ida Lee Park’s plans are to shift some of the tennis tennis program’s indoor offerexisting outdoor courts.

Joining in July 21 were, from left, Commission center’s current programming to the ings. The new bubble will cover Chairman Brody McCray, Councilman Zach Cummings, Mayor Kelly new indoor courts once they open three existing outdoor courts at Burk, Councilman Neil Steinberg, Commissioner Kirsten Shabanowitz, next year, freeing up court time at Ida Lee Park.

Vice Mayor Marty Martinez, and Commissioner Laurie Burke. the existing indoor tennis center, The Town Council awarded which currently boasts a utilization a construction contract for the cient because of the addition of insulation. rate hovering just below 100%. The reve$1.5 million project in the spring. While Site construction is expected to benue generated from the new tennis bubble the project was initially envisioned to be gin within four to six weeks of securing is expected to cover its annual operating merely a seasonal air structure to go over building permits, said Renee LaFollette, costs and debt service, he added. the outdoor courts, a decision was instead director of the town’s Public Works and Madigan Construction, Inc., will lead made to create a permanent, year-round Capital Projects Department. The target the building, while Yeardon Domes, the facility to complement the existing tennis date for opening of the new tennis bubble manufacturer of the 2007 tennis bubble, bubble. A permanent facility is expected is March 9. will provide the air structure. to have a longer lifespan than a seasonal Last week’s ceremonial groundbreakTennis players who would still prefer a air structure—approximately seven to 13 ing included members of the Town Coun- game in the open air need not fear—four additional years—and is more energy effi- cil—Mayor Kelly Burk, Vice Mayor Mar- outdoor courts will remain at Ida Lee. n

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

PAGE 7

New ‘Corner’ Coming to King Street

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

More retail is coming to King Street, and the new addition may be familiar to some.

The Corner Store, a Waterford favorite, has announced plans to open a second location at 26 N. King St., in partnership with their new next-door neighbor, Cowbell Kitchen.

Sarah Holway took over operation of The Corner Store in the village of Waterford at the beginning of 2020 with former business partner Kathy Middleton.

“It really is at the center of the community in Waterford, and you don’t have a lot of commercial activity there.

There’s no real space where people can come and sit and have a cup of coffee; that’s something I heard from the community they really wanted. The NEW CORNER continues on page 31

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 8

AUGUST 5, 2021

Education

Alternative High School to Open Near Lucketts HAYLEY MILON BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com

Kathy Shipley

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An alternative high school experience, called the Loudoun Field Center, will be offered at the Freedom Center near Lucketts beginning this fall, giving students an education in academia and trade skills, while immersed in the nature of the 100acre Christian retreat grounds.

The seed program will begin with 25 learners this fall, which organizers hope will evolve to a 100-student community in coming years. Students will learn from a core curriculum provided by Bridgeway Academy, a homeschooling service, but the education goes beyond conventional courses such as history, mathematics and science.

“We’re going to teach kids how to communicate effectively with a lot of people.

Hayley Milon Bour/Loudoun Now

Freedom Center Co-executive directors Paul Gernhardt and Jessica Hutchinson, and Interim Field Center Director Butch Porter outside of the chapel that will serve as the school’s headquarters.

There’s a lot we can learn from books … but most of what we learn comes from conversations,” Interim Field Center DiLUCKETTS SCHOOL continues on page 9

Loudoun Laurels Foundation Awards 2 $40K Scholarships

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The Loudoun Laurels Foundation has selected Carla Martinez Borja and Wendy Ramirez as the recipients of its 2021 Loudoun Laurels Stewardship Trust scholarships Martinez is a graduate of Heritage High School who will study nursing at George Mason University. Ramirez is a graduate of Park View High School who will major in social work at George Mason University. Both were participants in the Loudoun County Public School’s College Achievement Minority Program for Unique Students, CAMPUS, during their years in high school.

Each Loudoun Laurels Stewardship Trust scholarship is awarded in the amount of $40,000 and is distributed in $10,000 annual increments to the Virginia college or university the students attend during their four-year undergraduate studies. Since 2013, the Loudoun Laurels have awarded $920,000 in scholarships to 23 Loudoun graduates.

The Loudoun Laurels Foundation honors exceptional community service for the benefit of Loudoun County

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

2021 scholarship winners Wendy Ramirez and Carla Martinez are flanked by Loudoun Laurels Foundation leaders, from left, Elaine Attridge, Joe T. May, Pat Daly and Edgar Hatrick.

citizens and works to develop future civic leaders through scholarships and mentorships.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Loudoun Laurels postponed its annual gala to honor its 2020 laureate and scholar. They, together with the 2021 laureate and scholars will be honored at the 2021 Gala on Sept. 24 at Lansdowne Resort.

For more information on sponsorship of the event, go to loudounlaurels.org. To receive an invitation to the event email info@loudounlaurels.org. n

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 5, 2021

Hearing Date Set for Teacher Who Lucketts school Won’t Affirm Transgender Students continued from page 8 HAYLEY MILON BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com

The Loudoun County Circuit Court has set a Sept. 7 start to the case involving the Leesburg Elementary School PE teacher who was removed from his post after saying he does not support the district’s proposed protections for transgender students.

Byron “Tanner” Cross was placed on paid administrative leave days after he told the School Board during a meeting in May that he did not support the district’s proposed protections for transgender students. Policy 8040, which provides protections and accommodations for transgender and gender expansive students, is meant to comply with the Virginia mandate that all school districts implement such safeguards for students before the start of the 20212022 school year.

“I love all my students, but I will never lie to them regardless of the consequences. I’m a teacher, but I serve God first and I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl, and vice versa, because it is against my religion, it’s lying to a child, it’s abuse to a child, and it is sinning against our God,” Cross said during the May 25 meeting.

After several parents of Cross’ students

complained to the district, he was placed on leave May 27.

His legal team, from the Alliance Defending Freedom, sued for his reinstatement to his teaching position. Circuit Court Judge James E. Plowman granted his reinstatement, ruling that Cross’ First Amendment rights had been violated.

The school division filed an appeal, arguing that Plowman’s decision failed to acknowledge the district’s responsibility to protect students superseded Cross’ right to free speech.

“While LCPS respects the rights of public-school employees to free speech and free exercise of religion, those rights do not outweigh the rights of students to be educated in a supportive and nurturing environment,” the district said in a statement.

In a brief filed in response to the district’s appeal, Cross’ attorney Tyson Langhofer asserted that Plowman was correct in his original ruling to reinstate Cross.

“Judge Plowman’s opinion ordering Tanner’s reinstatement was a well-reasoned application of these facts to clear-established law,” Langhofer said.

There is still not a hearing date set for the district’s appeal of the injunction from the state Supreme Court. n

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rector Butch Porter said.

Students will learn from area business owners, tradespeople, and artists who visit the campus and share their experiences.

“This is life school. We’ll give them a wide exposure to vocational things. Electric wiring, construction, plumbing, first aid,” Paul Gernhardt, executive director of the Field Center, said. “All of these things have dual use. You can learn plumbing, and if you don’t want to get into plumbing, you at least know how to unclog your drain.”

Gernhardt, a former telecommunications executive and investor, said society pressures students to make a life-altering financial commitment to attend college, although a college degree is often an unnecessary credential for many industries.

Gernhardt tapped Porter, a Loudounbased education entrepreneur, to assist in launching the program.

The two joked that the Loudoun Field Center’s final exam would be handing students a student loan application.

“If they sign it, they fail,” Porter said.

While he is kidding about the exam,

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teaching financial literacy will be a focus of the program.

“The point is they need to be able to read that document and understand the consequences of a $100,000 loan,” Gernhardt said The Field Center experience will come with a Christian education, which the organizers hope will foster interpersonal skills.

“The idea is to create a high school that prepares kids for that moment when they turn 18. The way schools work is they are very input driven … we just have a slightly different view, in order to be prepared to succeed kids have to know what it means to pursue good and be a person of character,” Porter said.

The facility has a lake, baseball fields, volleyball courts, and an 18-hole disc golf course. Students will utilize the retreat center’s grounds for physical education classes.

The program currently has 15 students set to begin in the fall, with space for 10 more. Tuition is set at $16,500, although Porter said that the rate will likely be lowered.

Learn more at loudounfieldcenter.org. n

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AUGUST 5, 2021

Public Safety

Chamber Honors, Heroic Lifesaving Actions This year’s Loudoun County Valor awards recognized more than 80 fire-rescue staffers, law enforcement officers and civilians involved with 22 incidents demonstrating extraordinary courage or lifesaving actions.

The program, sponsored by the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, was held July 26 at the National Conference Center.

This year’s event featured 35 Bronze Medal of Valor awards and 18 Lifesaving Awards.

“While the Chamber takes great pride in honoring our public safety and civilian heroes, the truth is these courageous individuals honor us far more than we could ever begin to repay,” Chamber Chairwoman Stacey Metcalfe said. “These are the folks who run toward danger, who charge into burning buildings, face down dangerous assailants and regularly confront situations of unknown circumstances and uncertain outcomes. Each time they do, they do it with one thought in mind: there is someone there who needs my help.”

In addition to recognizing individuals for their responses during specific

Courtesy of Marty Shoup/Blue Lion Multimedia

Longtime emergency services chaplain Charlie Grant, accompanied by his son Stephen, is presented with the Stu Plitman Award by Barbara Plitman during the 36th annual Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Valor Awards.

incidents, the chamber presented the Stu Plitman Community Service Award to Charlie Grant, who served as an emergency CHAMBER continues on page 11

Families, Music and Fun at National Night Out Families packed the streets of Leesburg’s Sycamore Hill neighborhood for a block party-style National Night Out on Aug. 3 with music, food, games, and a chance to climb into some heavy equipment.

The Leesburg Police Department rolled out the Mobile Command Center and police cars on display, along with trucks from Loudoun County Fire and Rescue and the Town of Leesburg’s Streets Division. Kids and families had the chance to come out and meet police, firefighters, and the Leesburg Streets Division workers and even clamber into the driver’s seat of some of their vehicles.

That was on top of the food, raffle, balloon artist, face painting, and live music with young artists.

National Night Out is meant to reinforce crime and drug prevention aware-

Photo by Renss Greene

Corey McNeill spins cotton candy for visitors to Leesburg’s National Night Out Tuesday, Aug. 3.

ness, generate support for local police and foster relationships between communities and law enforcement.

Similar events sponsored by other law enforcement agencies were held throughout the county Tuesday night. n

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 5, 2021

SAFETY briefs Leesburg-area Man Charged in Mother’s Homicide A 23-year-old man was arrested at a home outside of Leesburg last week after Maryland authorities charged him with killing his mother.

The body of 58-year-old Juanita Koilpillai was found July 25 outside her Anne Arundel County home. The cybersecurity executive and programmer had been fatally stabbed.

After finding her car and the suspected murder weapon at the Thomas Mill Road home the next day, investigators charged her son, Andrew Weylin Beavers, with first- and second-degree murder. He was taken into custody on Saturday and held pending extradition to Maryland.

Man Charged with Taking Photos in Mall Bathroom Following a two-month investigation, the Sheriff ’s Office has charged

PAGE 11

Chamber continued from page 10

Alexander R. Mobasser, 21, of Sterling with obscenity unlawful filming in connection with an incident reported in a bathroom at the Dulles Town Center mall.

The report of a man shooting photos under the stall wall of a ladies’ bathroom at the mall was made just before 6:30 p.m. May 25. It occurred in the bathroom outside the Macy’s store. Mall security officers were notified and they contacted the Sheriff ’s Office. At the time, the suspect was described as a white male, approximately 5 feet, 10 inches tall with a heavy build, wearing a blue-grey hooded sweatshirt, jeans, and round-toe leather boots.

Sheriff ’s Office investigators were able to identify the man and Mobasser turned himself in to the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. He was released on an unsecured bond.

He is scheduled for an Oct. 5 trial in Loudoun County District Court.

services chaplain since 1979 and founded the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue’s Chaplain program. He also founded Grace Baptist Church, the Grace Christian Academy, the Good Shepherd Alliance, and served as a county supervisor. With the award, Grant was recognized for helping to shape Loudoun’s sense of volunteerism and charity.

The chamber also recognized healthcare workers who served during the pandemic.

“As a former hospital employee, I witnessed, first-hand, how hard our healthcare heroes work, driven by their passion for healing and their compassion for the sick and injured. At their own risk and peril, these heroes cared for our sick and comforted the dying, and their loved ones, while working long hours on the front lines in the battle against this deadly virus,” Metcalfe said.

A full listing of this year’s honorees and

Courtesy of Marty Shoup/Blue Lion Multimedia

Leesburg Police Office Josh Carter was presented a Lifesaving Award for his efforts to control the severe bleeding of a stabbing victim found outside a 7-Eleven store on July 26, 2020.

the descriptions of their actions can be viewed in the program available at loudounchamber.org/events/valor-awards-2021. n

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AUGUST 5, 2021

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DIRAK North America CEO Greg Breads, center, presents a check to Katrina Cole and Colleen Lovelace of Friends of Loudoun Mental Health, the first in what they hope will be a continuing partnership.

Since 1999, the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties has helped generous donors support a variety of charitable causes in our region. We salute the leaders who wrapped their vision and commitment—and arms—around this community to create and sustain a permanent charitable resource.

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Company Pledges to Share Profits with Friends of Mental Health

BY AILI HOU

A partnership has emerged between two seemingly disparate entities: DIRAK, Inc., a global manufacturer of access control hardware, and Friends of Loudoun Mental Health, a local nonprofit that serves to assist Loudoun residents living with mental illnesses.

In late May, the German-based DIRAK presented Friends of Loudoun Mental Health with a $5,000 check and pledged to donate 2% of their future profits to the organization each year.

“I hope this just allows [Friends of Loudoun Mental Health] to live out their purpose, their mission, and their vision more successfully: help more people in the community locally that are struggling to get by for a variety of reasons,” said Gregory Breads, CEO of DIRAK’s North American branch and initiator of the sponsorship.

Shortly after stepping into the CEO position around two and a half years ago, Breads sought to develop a mission statement for the North American branch that aligned more with its own regional values, rather than simply adopt a statement from DIRAK’s other international branches.

“One of the things that came out of that project was interviewing all of our employees and asking them what they see as the purpose of DIRAK, and the phrase that came up in I think all but two responses was ‘peace of mind’ or something along those lines,” Breads said. “So it just kind of naturally fit that that became DIRAK’s purpose statement—to provide peace of

mind in whatever it is we’re doing.”

It was this new drive toward promoting peace of mind, with an emphasis on increased community outreach, that prompted DIRAK to search for area nonprofits and charities to contribute to and what ultimately caused them to select Friends of Loudoun Mental Health.

“Mental health ties in really well to our ‘peace of mind’ purpose statement. I also really like that [Friends of Loudoun Mental Health] have a lot of different programs that they do, so they’re not just kind of doing one thing,” Breads said.

DIRAK’s support has been welcomed

by Friends of Loudoun Mental Health.

According to Katrina Cole, the president of the volunteer-based nonprofit, their excitement stems from “wanting to get new, energetic people involved” in the organization, as well as “fresh ideas.” “We’re the only mental health nonprofit that works with the whole county ... so we need to be out there,” she said.

At DIRAK’s request, this year’s $5,000 donation was put toward Friends of Loudoun Mental Health’s “A Place to Call Home” program, which offers financial assistance for housing to people currently undergoing treatment through the Loudoun County Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Developmental Services and who make below 150% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. For a family of four in 2021, that is $39,750.

According to Cole, the program currently provides $350 a month to approxDIRAK continues on page 13

AUGUST 5, 2021

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 13

Claude Moore Foundation Contributes $500K to Free Clinic Renovations Claude Moore Charitable Foundation has committed $500,000 to help the Loudoun Free Clinic undertake a major renovation and expand its facilities.

The clinic, located at 224-A Cornwall St. in Leesburg, serves approximately 1,100 community members while more than 16,000 county residents potentially qualify for its free services.

“It is an extraordinary gift that will enable us to take the clinic to a higher level, allow us to serve more people in need and provide an enhanced environment so we can continue to be a leader in providing

primary care to the county’s most vulnerable,” stated Executive Director Maribeth Sheehan.

Enrollment at the clinic increased by almost 40% following the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to rise.

“The Loudoun Free Clinic fills a critical healthcare need in the county,” stated Dr. William A. Hazel Jr., the foundation’s senior deputy executive director. “They provide much needed healthcare to county residents and the foundation is pleased to provide funding so they can not only continue their good work but also increase the

number of residents served.”

The project will increase the number of exam rooms by 40% and provide renovated lab space and a larger waiting room.

Sheehan said the donation will have a far-reaching impact.

“In addition to this gift, over the last year the foundation has truly been a guiding light that, through its leadership, has enabled us to navigate the many issues we have faced throughout the pandemic,” she said.

Founded in 1998, the Loudoun Free Clinic provides healthcare services to adult

residents of Loudoun County who are without health insurance or Medicaid. The nonprofit is funded entirely by grants and donations. Learn more at loudounfreeclinic.org.

The Claude Moore Charitable Foundation’s mission is to provide assistance exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. Since 1987, the foundation has pledged or donated more than $23.6 million in charitable grants to nonprofits in Loudoun County. For more information go to claudemoorefoundation.org. n

DIRAK continued from page 12 imately 23 patients for up to half a year and is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis through an application. DIRAK’s donation has allowed Friends of Loudoun Mental Health to accommodate at least two more patients in the program so far.

While DIRAK will continue to support Friends of Loudoun Mental Health financially, Breads has a much larger vision for the partnership between these two organizations. Eventually, he hopes, their relationship will extend far beyond simply a financial capacity.

“It’s really important to me that when finding a group to partner with, we’re going to be doing more than just writing a check,” Breads said. “I want it to be an activity, and I wanted it to really be part of our company culture as well.”

With that goal in mind, DIRAK is set to provide a team of employees to participate in Friends of Loudoun Mental Health’s annual Walk for Hope this September. Walk for Hope serves to increase awareness about mental health while raising money for the nonprofit’s “A Helping Hand” program, which offers mental health patients funds to cover one-time utility expenses.

To Friends of Loudoun Mental Health, this partnership has been particularly meaningful because it is the first time that a company has reached out to them with the intention of both donating funds and becoming active participants in their mission.

“Being as small as we are, having people who really want to get in there and help is awesome because there are a lot of people that want to just write you a check...but they’re not willing to give their time,” Cole said. “The team at DIRAK is.” n Aili Hou is a rising sophomore at Columbia University interning at Loudoun Now.

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LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 5, 2021

Business

Davis

Stewart

Sudow

MWAA Announces Key Staff Departures, New Chairman The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which oversees operations at Dulles and Reagan National airports as well as the Dulles Airport Access Highway, the Dulles Toll Road and construction of the Silver Line project, has announced the retirement of a top executive and the departure of Dulles’ airport manager.

Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Jerome L. Davis announced July 21 that he plans to retire in September after a seven-year tenure. As the Airports Authority’s highest-ranking executive under President and CEO Jack Potter, Davis has overseen the Office of Revenue, which includes marketing and consumer strategy, concessions, airline business development, real estate, commercial parking, communications and government affairs.

Under Davis’ leadership, overall passen-

ger traffic at Reagan National and Dulles airports increased by more than 9%, led by growth at Dulles through the addition of 30 new international routes and 15 new airlines. Davis’ efforts to increase non-airline revenue boosted it to an unprecedented 57% of total revenue, a $90 million increase since 2015. In addition, he led a 2015 rebranding of the corporation, including the creation of a new logo to more closely tie the organization to the air travel industry and the National Capital Region.

Davis also led an expansion and upgrade of the airports’ concessions program, recruiting popular global and local brands to provide a greater “sense of place” for the Washington region. His accomplishments in this area included the redevelopment of MWAA continues on page 15

AFib Ablation Procedure Debuts at Inova Loudoun

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

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krodriguez@loudounnow.com

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Inova Loudoun Hospital recently announced that atrial fibrillation ablation procedures may now be performed at the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute – Schaufeld Family Heart Center on the hospital’s Lansdowne campus.

AFib is a heart rhythm problem that causes an irregular pulse. It’s a common condition, affecting approximately 2.7 million Americans, according to the American Heart Association. Untreated, AFib can cause symptoms including palpitations, fatigue, and shortness of breath and can lead to serious health issues, such as an increased risk of stroke and heart failure.

AFib ablation is the most advanced treatment for AFib and has been performed for years at Inova’s Fairfax Hospital.

AFib ablation—also called heart ablation or cardiac ablation—uses a catheter to apply heat or cold energy to a small amount of heart tissue, interrupting the abnormal electrical impulses in the heart to restore a normal heartbeat. It has been shown to reduce or eliminate AFib episodes and improve outcomes for many patients.

The arrival of the procedure at the Lansdowne campus has its four credentialed providers pleased.

“This opens up the opportunity to provide the highest level of care for our patients,” said Dr. Brett Atwater.

AFIB continues on page 15

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 5, 2021

AFIB continued from page 14 Atwater, along with his colleagues Dr. Vineet Kumar, Dr. Chirag Sandesara, and Dr. Jeff Lee, has already been performing AFib ablations at Inova Fairfax.

“In Fairfax we typically do five to 10 Afib ablations a day, five days a week. It’s one of the most common procedures we do to take care of patients with arrythmia problems,” he said.

Patients who undergo the procedure report great improvements in their over-

all quality of life, Atwater said. Typically, post-procedure patients are able to engage in exercise or physical activity that they may not have had the endurance for prior to an AFib ablation.

Atwater said he expects the volume of AFib ablations performed at Inova Loudoun to pick up quickly following its July 1 arrival. He also believes the close proximity of the hospital to many of his patients’ homes will serve as an incentive to move forward with the procedure, as the drive to Fairfax may have been a deterrent.

“The travel time and hassle that goes along with it resulted in patients not willing

to have the procedure done, so that’s suboptimal care,” he said. “People obviously use medical therapy, pills instead of procedural therapy but those lead to inferior outcomes unfortunately. The goal of the whole program to offer to patients is to take optimal care of arrythmia.”

As the program settles in at Inova Loudoun, initially patients will spend one night in the hospital following the procedure. Eventually, though, it will move to same-day discharge, as the procedure occurs on an outpatient basis already in Fairfax, said David Reich, director of the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute–Schaufeld

MWAA continued from page 14 TM

more than 180 concessions locations at the airports.

Dulles Airport Manager Mike Stewart is leaving MWAA after 14 years to become executive director of the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport in September. Stewart also serves as MWAA’s vice president.

“I’ve been extremely fortunate to have worked with so many talented people at the Airports Authority and having the opportunity to work on so many different aspects of the aviation business,” Stewart stated. “I’ll miss the challenges and rewards of leading one of the busiest international airports in the world. I thank the leadership and my colleagues at the Airports Authority, and I look forward to working with a great team in Roanoke.”

Stewart, who became manager of Washington Dulles International Airport in 2017, has served in a number of executive and management positions at the Airports Authority, including vice president of Airline Business Development, recruiting new airlines and destinations to the Washington area’s airports and promoting travel and tourism in the region; manager of Airline Affairs, serving as liaison between the Airports Authority and airlines; and manager of Dulles Airport Administration, overseeing airport leases, contracts and permits for airport tenants and businesses, including ground transportation and parking.

Also at the July 21 meeting, MWA’s Board of Directors announced that William Sudow will serve as its new chairman, effective immediately. Sudow succeeds Earl Adams, Jr., the immediate past chairman, who has stepped down from the board to accept a position within the federal government.

Sudow, the immediate past vice chairman, will serve through the end of the year. Election of a new vice chairman will take place at the September board meeting. n

THE STANDBY POWER PEOPLE

PAGE 15

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It was a six-year journey to bring the procedure to Inova Loudoun, said Reich.

That included ensuring the clinical expertise was in place; training nurses and hospital staff; and capital investment, including a new procedure room. On the latter point, he particularly praised the Schaufeld family for their investment in strengthening the cardio care offerings in Loudoun.

“It’s been a phenomenal effort … and of course we needed to take the time to do the right things the right way and we’ve done it that way the whole time,” he said. n

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LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 16

AUGUST 5, 2021

TOWN notes

Our Towns

MIDDLEBURG Middleburg Hires Finance Director/Town Treasurer

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Members of the Town Council and town staff are flanked by members of community organizations that made contributions to the new town office complex during Tuesday’s formal dedication ceremony.

New Lovettsville Office Complex Named in Finz’s Honor

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

For the past 16 years, when the Town of Lovettsville got into a pinch, Samuel Finz usually got the call.

He has served the town in some way or other since 2005. The veteran municipal manager served as the town’s planning director, four times as interim town manager, once as the town manager, and in various roles as a consultant and advisor. He led the recruitment effort each time the town has sought to hire a new town manager— including the current effort aimed at finding a permanent replacement before he retires, once again, in October. The Town Council interviewed candidates for the post last week.

On Tuesday, the Town Council paid tribute to his service by formally naming the town’s newly completed municipal complex in his honor.

It was a surprise announcement kept secret from Finz until the unveiling of the sign. That effort required the council to convene a special meeting during the dedication ceremony to adopt the resolution formally naming the complex in Finz’s honor and voting to adopt it in front of the large crowd of community members gathered for the dedication ceremony.

While Finz’s influence can be found on virtually all aspects of the town’s government—from its strategic plan to its restructured town ordinances—the expand-

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Interim Town Manager Sam Finz is presented with a copy of the Town Council resolution naming the town’s municipal center in his honor.

ed town hall project has been among the most challenging of his tenure. The need was first acknowledged 13 years ago when a temporary office trailer was leased to provide more staff space. Subsequent town councils couldn’t find the money or support the debt service to move an expansion project forward. It was only when the trailer manufacturer warned the structure was subject to collapse that the project moved forward.

In addition to a town resolution listing Finz’s accomplishments, County Administrator Tim Hemstreet was invited to speak, recounting the time 28 years ago when he was a young budget analyst in Hollywood, FL, where Finz was then the city manager.

While he described Finz as an exacting taskmaster, Hemstreet also recalled the career advice he shared, including learning the inner workings at every level of

government by doing the work.

“Understand that you need to know everything that goes on in the government,” he said. “You need to know and understand what everybody does because that is a key component of knowing what the answers are at the time the council or the elected body is going to ask you a question. You also need to know when the staff is telling you something that doesn’t make sense.

And the only way to do that is to do everything yourself at one point in your career.”

Both men ultimately returned to local government service in Northern Virginia.

“You couldn’t have a finer individual as your on again, off again interim manager,” Hemstreet said.

Finz said he was incredibly surprised by the honor.

He first came to the town in 2005 and helped Mayor Elaine Walker create the post and hire the first town’s first manager. He was soon back to help find his replacement and then the replacement for him. “We hired one town manager and then when that person moved on we hired the second, and then the third and the fourth, and it seemed to be never-ending. But that’s OK folks. In this profession you don’t stay for hundreds of years; you stay for a period of time, you make your contribution and you move on,” Finz said.

“I’ve done the same thing. I’ve moved on, but in this case, I’ve come back several times,” he added. “I’ve given it my best and my all and I hope it was good enough. I’m honored.” n

Tina Staples is returning to M i d d l e b u r g ’s town staff as its new finance director and town treasurer.

Staples has more than 12 Staples years of professional experience, including nearly two years of prior experience with the town as its office manager and interim treasurer.

For the past two years, she has served as the treasurer in the Town of Hamilton.

She was selected following a nationwide recruitment.

“We are excited to have Ms. Staples return to the Middleburg team. She has demonstrated continued dedication to public service and professional development, and she brings the ideal set of skills and experience for Middleburg,” Town Manager Danny Davis said. “Ms. Staples’ knowledge of the Town and its operations was an additional benefit for the town.”

The finance director/treasurer is responsible for the day-to-day management of the town’s finances, utility billing, receipt of taxes, employee payroll, budget development, and financial reporting.

It’s Sidewalk Sale Weekend in Town Many of the town’s retailers on Washington, Madison and Federal streets will be moving discounted items to the tree-lined sidewalks for the 15th annual Summer Sidewalk Sale this weekend.

The sale, sponsored by the Town of Middleburg and the Middleburg Business and Professional Association, will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday as posted by the shops.

Many of the shops in town will offer discounts on everything from TOWN NOTES continues on page 17

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 5, 2021

TOWN notes continued from page 16

shoes to children’s clothes to home decor, as well as specials in the town restaurants.

Colorful balloons will be located outside participating stores.

Also, Emmanuel Episcopal Church will be hosting a sale featuring new and used items from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

For more information, go to visitmiddleburgva.com or contact the Middleburg Town Office at 540-687-5152.

LOVETTSVILLE Light Testing at Community Park Loudoun County plans to conduct light level testing for ballfields at Lovettsville Community Park during the week of Aug. 16, weather permitting. Residents will notice increased activity at the park prior to the testing date.

During the light level testing, ballfield lights will be turned on and off and dimmed. The county will begin testing at dusk and will continue for several hours.

If inclement weather delays testing, plans call for tests to begin on each successive workday following Aug. 20 until the testing can be completed.

The light level testing is part of the ongoing project to construct the 90-acre park facility located near East Broad Way, Lovettsville Road and Milltown Road.

Construction is scheduled for completion by this fall. For more information about the construction project, visit the project page at loudoun.gov/lovettsvillepark.

The Happy Batch Pop-up Opens Lovettsville’s Cathy Owens launches her new bakery The Happy Batch with a grand opening pop-up Friday, Aug. 6 at the Blikken Hut in Lovettsville.

The event features handmade baked goods including gourmet cookies, brownies, cinnamon rolls and Owens’s locally famous Mini-Mac individual mac and cheese loaves.

The pop-up also features Oracle Readings with Kris and henna hand designs by Soul Case Art for $20.

The pop-up launch takes place Friday, Aug. 6 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Blikken Hut, 27 S. Loudoun St. in Lovettsville. For

PAGE 17

details, go to The Happy Batch on Facebook.

PURCELLVILLE VDH Awards Water Protection Grant The Virginia Department of Health has awarded Purcellville’s Water Department with a $32,942 grant for source water protection.

The funds will be used to install protective fencing around four town wells to prevent contamination from trespassing, vandalism, theft, graffiti and physical damage.

ROUND HILL Appalachian Trail Festival Returns Round Hill Outdoors is gearing up for the Round Hill Appalachian Trail Festival, to be held at B Chord Brewing Sept. 11-12.

The free, family-oriented event celebrates the trail—and all the great outdoors—with speakers, live music, food, fun games, a silent auction and raffle,

camping and hiking demos, vendors, and crafts.

The Town of Round Hill was designated an A.T. Community in 2019 by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Communities in the program are recognized for their commitment to promote and protect the trail.

On Saturday, Sept. 11, the festival opens at 11 a.m. with brews and bites, tunes and talks. Visitors can expect a day of bands, speakers, activities for all ages, food trucks and vendors—and they can talk with representatives from environmental and hiking groups, including Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, Piedmont Environmental Council, Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Center for Wilderness Safety, A.T. Museum, Virginia Master Naturalists and more.

On Sunday, Sept. 12, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., visitors may choose from a slate of hands-on activities and workshops. Learn about native plants, go on an “edibles” hike, experience “forest bathing,” cook over the campfire, sketch from nature, pick up first aid and photography tips, learn how to plant a tree and hear tales from the trail.

For details, go to roundhillat.org.

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LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 5, 2021

Loco Living

THINGS to do SUMMER TUNES VAL Plaza Party: Delta Spur Duo

Friday, Aug. 6, 6-9 p.m.

Village At Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg Details: villageatleesburg.com The Delta Spur duo serves up acoustic versions of the band’s signature contemporary country hits from Zac Brown, Keith Urban and other top acts.

Music In The Gap: Jon Spear Band

Friday, Aug. 6, 7 p.m.

Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro Details: oldstoneschool.org The Jon Spear Band is known for red hot live shows and unique arrangements of blues standards. Tickets for verandah seating are $20 for a table of four.

Tarara Summer Concert Series: Turnstiles Billy Joel Tribute

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Patrick Burns poses with his latest work, a sculpture of marine life created from an 8,000-pound piece of maple.

Chainsaws and Chisels: For Sculptor Patrick Burns, The Joy is in The Detail

BY JAN MERCKER jmercker@loudounnow.com

For sculptor and woodworker Patrick Burns, it’s all about listening to the wood.

Burns has been quietly running his studio west of Leesburg for several years. But last month, Burns caught the attention of the county’s arts community with a mesmerizing large-scale aquatic-themed sculpture.

When Burns got his hands on an impressive 12-foot, 8,000-pound slab of maple, he immediately thought of an octopus.

“It just spoke to me,” Burns said. “The size of it allowed me to do this.”

The result is a large but stunningly intricate piece, featuring a detailed octopus and other marine life, including a dolphin, a sea turtle and small fish.

As with most of his projects, the process starts with an idea and a chainsaw and gets more detailed from there. It’s a process that’s both physically demanding and detail-oriented.

“I grab a chainsaw and put on some good music and try to get a basic roughout,” Burns said.

Then Burns turns to his prized set of

chisels to get down to the fine details. Tackling those details isn’t always easy, as he found while working on the sea turtle in his latest piece, one of his favorite but most challenging elements. Sometimes it takes a few days of reflection and letting the wood speak to him.

“There were days when I wouldn’t touch it. I’d sit there and try to get the courage to detail the turtle,” he said. “It’s one of those things—you just need to do it.”

The self-taught artist runs his studio on commission work, including sculptures, signs and furniture pieces. But a couple of times every year, he finds the perfect slab of wood for a large-scale personal project like the octopus, his largest and most complex piece to date.

Burns, 34, grew up on his parents’ blackberry farm near Leesburg. One of six children, he learned his way around power tools and chainsaws as a teen helping around the farm. He was always drawn to art but didn’t make college plans when he graduated from Loudoun County High School in 2005.

Burns went straight to work out of high school, with a series of jobs including restaurant work, while honing his wood-

working skills. Seven years ago, when a pastry chef friend died, he did a carving of a cake to remember her. Friends saw that piece and asked about other commissioned work.

As commissions started to flow, Burns’ parents let him turn a barn on their property into a woodworking studio, and he launched Tree Life Art as a full-time business. Burns has grown his studio based on commissions for sculptures, signs, furniture and other pieces based on word-ofmouth referrals.

“It’s what I’ve been searching for for the longest time,” he said.

He has also become one of a group of Loudoun artists and woodworkers who get calls from arborists when historic trees need to be taken down. Property owners often want to commission a special piece—a bench, a table or a sculpture—from a beloved tree.

Last month, Burns got a call from the owner of a 200-year-old tree in western Loudoun, did a site visit and made plans with the owner to make a bench as a way to preserve a part of a landmark.

CHAINSAWS AND CHISELS continues on page 22

Saturday. Aug. 7, 6-9:30 p.m.

Tarara Winery, 13648 Tarara Lane, Lucketts Details: tararaconcerts.com Turnstiles recreates Billy Joel’s classics so faithfully even hardcore fans will be on their feet. Tickets are $20 for adults 21 and over, $10 for people under 21. Admission for children 7 and under is free.

Acoustic On The Green: Gary Smallwood

Saturday, Aug. 7, 7 p.m.

Leesburg Town Green, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: leesburgva.gov AOG favorite Gary Smallwood returns to the stage with classic rock, country rock and blues rock.

LOCO LIVE Live Music: Jim Steele

Friday, Aug. 6, 7 p.m.

Black Walnut Brewery, 212 S. King St., Leesburg Details: facebook.com/blackwalnutbrewery Fun covers and originals from a longtime winery/brewery favorite.

Live Music: California Bob

Friday, Aug. 6, 5-8 p.m.

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Hieghts Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing Bob Hale brings a classic rock acoustic sound with covers from the Beatles, Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan and beyond.

Live Music: Jake Phillips

Friday, Aug. 6 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com Jake Phillips is a singer/songwriter who has traveled the world. With a powerful voice and dynamic guitar skills, Jake’s repertoire includes original music and an eclectic set of classic folk and alternative covers.

THINGS TO DO continues on page 22

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 5, 2021

FREE CONCERT FRIDAY, AUGUST 6!

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Grab a cold beer and get ready for spicy hot blues from this internationally acclaimed, chart-topping blues band live on the Gap Stage!

Local Beer, Wine, Food

Fordʻs on t he Road Food Tr uck Moo Thr u Ice Cre am Doukénie Wine r y Walsh Family Wine Two Twis te d Pos ts Old 690 Bre we r y

For details or to reserve a table visit oldstoneschool.org

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For more information, visit www.idalee.org

PAGE 19

PAGE 20

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 5, 2021

Get Crafty with Virginia Craft Beer Month

BY VISIT LOUDOUN

On a recent Friday afternoon, a collection of Loudoun farmers, winemakers, beer enthusiasts, county officials and yeast scientists gathered at the shaded bench tables of scenic Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery outside Waterford to drink a beer.

No ordinary beer. Wheatland’s new “Loudoun Grown Farmhouse Ale”–a hoppy, fruit-forward saison with hints of pepper and herb – was made entirely with ingredients grown in Loudoun, much of them on the farm itself.

“When people talk about ‘local’ beer in the U.S. it almost always has ingredients from elsewhere, be it grain or hops or fruit,” said John Branding, who established Wheatland with his wife Bonnie two years ago. “True local craft beer means ingredients should all come locally.”

Incredibly, that’s the case with Loudoun Grown, where everything in the beer from the grain (Three Monkeys Farm and Hanging Rock Hay & Grain) to the hops (Fabbioli Cellars) to the spring water (Wheatland) and even the yeast (extracted from Wheatland strains by Sterling-based yeast scientist Jasper Akerboom) is Loudoun grown.

August is Virginia Craft Beer Month—a great time to try new beers, new breweries and celebrate the communal, creative spirit that’s driving Loudoun’s dynamic beer culture.

No less than three new breweries have opened in Loudoun in the past six months, all of them adding a variety of tastes, styles and experiences to the scene. At Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery near Taylorstown you can dine on scallops and pork belly from gourmet food truck Polished Foxx while sampling craft fermentations such as Air Boss Pilsner with its hints of hay and honey; Harvest Gap Brewery in Hillsboro offers stunning views of grain fields and Blue Ridge Mountains to enjoy with your German style helles lager; and sleek new Lost Barrel Brewing in Middleburg hosts live music, quiz nights, art classes and

Construction Project Manager Meridien Group, LLC is seeking a motivated, qualified individual to handle all aspects of construction project management. Responsibilities include controlling the time, cost and quality of construction projects. Project managers will be expected to plan and coordinate all aspects of the construction process, including hiring contractors and working with engineers, architects, and vendors.

Managers will be responsible for determining the scheduling of different phases of a project based on established deadlines. Project managers will be expected to negotiate contracts with architects, vendors, contractors and other workers. The securing of building permits and licenses and delivery of materials and equipment to construction sites will be the responsibility of the project manager. Construction managers will confer with supervisors or other managers to monitor construction progress, including worker productivity and compliance with building and safety codes.

PREFERED QUALIFICATIONS • College degree in construction management or relevant field. Years of experience in a similar or related position will be considered in lieu of degree.

• Strong knowledge and understanding of construction field preferred • Ability to work in an office environment as well as in the field as requested.

• Intermediate to advanced skill level in Microsoft Office products including MS Project.

• Familiarity with Procore construction management software preferred, not required.

• Ability to learn company specific software as needed or required. (Familiarity with Procore preferred, but not required) • Prior experience in construction or relative field preferred.

• Proven track record working with people, teams, and projects.

• Ability to work independently, within a team and in a diverse workforce.

• Ability to travel as needed • Must be able to pass a background check for clearance to Federal buildings CONTACT INFO

Contributed

A glass of Loudoun Grown Farmhouse Ale at Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery.

even auto shows to experience while sipping hand-crafted IPAs and hard seltzers.

Throughout August, many of Loudoun’s 30-plus breweries will celebrate with live music, yoga classes, beer releases and more. To get a taste of several local breweries at once, attend “Taste Leesburg” on Saturday, Aug. 14 on the Town Green by the courthouse. This day-long culinary festival will feature scores of Loudoun restaurants, food trucks, farm markets, wineries and breweries offering “tastes” of their finest fare. More than a dozen local breweries including Old Ox, House 6, Beltway Brewing Company and Leesburg’s own urban brew pub Loudoun Brewing Co. are taking part. n For information on Virginia Craft Beer month events and a list of Loudoun breweries, check out visitloudoun.org.

Kathy Hicks 208 South King Street Suite 303 • Leesburg, VA 20175 www.meridiengroupllc.com khicks@meridiengroupllc.com Office: (703) 777-8285

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As journalism business models evolve in the wake of shifting advertising and subscription trends, it is clear that readers like you will play an increasingly important role in underwriting the costs of operating our newsroom.

Across the country, newspapers big and small are cutting back on content or closing down altogether. We know that Loudoun residents and businesses value—and expect—comprehensive coverage of local governments, our neighbors, and issues affecting our quality of life.

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AUGUST 5, 2021

PAGE 21

HELP WANTED

Pearson Construction Carpenters and helpers wanted $16-20hr Call Tim Pearson 540-244-4018

The Loudoun Convention & Visitors Association (Visit Loudoun) is seeking a part-time visitor center host, approx. 20 hrs/wk whose primary role will be to assist visitors in its state certified Visitors Center located at Market Station in Downtown Leesburg.

Position will also work with sales team to fulfill group service needs, staffing mobile visitor centers and delivery of welcome bags and promotional literature throughout the County as needed. Knowledge of Loudoun County and its towns & villages is desirable. Proficient with Microsoft Office software package is a plus. Position closes COB August 13, 2021. Please submit resume/bio along with cover letter to Hannah Oliver at Oliver@VisitLoudoun.org.

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. Regular Full-Time Positions

For more information, including a full job description, go to:

Position

Department

Salary Range

Closing Date

www.visitloudoun.org/tourism-industry/about-us/jobs/

IT Systems Administrator

Utilities

$70,374-$120,339 DOQ

Open until filled Open until filled

Bonus paid upon completion

Police Officer

Police

$53,233-$89,590 DOQ

Project Manager

Utilities

$76,941-$131,689 DOQ

Open until filled

Senior Buyer/Contracts Administrator

Finance

$67,175-$115,044 DOQ

Open until filled

Senior Zoning Analyst

Planning & Zoning

$61,857-$105,896 DOQ

Open until filled

Systems Analyst/Infrastructure & Asset Management

Public Works & Capital Projects

$70,374-$120,339 DOQ

Open until filled

Training and Development Coordinator

Utilities

$52,446-$89,790 DOQ

Open until filled

Utility Plant Technician: Trainee, Technician or Senior

Utilities

$44,905-$89,790 DOQ

Open until filled

Utility System Trainee or Technician

Utilities

$41,353-$76,882 DOQ

Open until filled

Wastewater Plant Operator: Trainee, I, II or Senior

Utilities

$41,353-$89,790 DOQ

Open until filled

Regular Part-Time Position Position

Department Outreach Program Coordinator

Hourly Rate Parks and Recreation

$23.03-39.43 DOQ

Closing Date Open until filled

Flexible Part-Time Position

No experience necessary. Will train.

Free classes starting Sept. 6th.

Day and evening classes available.

Small fee for books

Call or text 571-306-1955

Position

Department Customer Service Representative III

Hourly Rate Utilities

$23.03-39.43 DOQ

Closing Date Open until filled

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.

HELP WANTED AT FAMILY PRACTICE

FULL TIME FLAGGER Traffic Plan seeks FT Flaggers to set up and control traffic around construction sites. A valid drivers license is a must, good pay, and benefits.

If interested please fill out an application at 7855 Progress Court Suite 103 Gainesville, VA on Wednesdays from 9 am to 12 pm or online at www.trafficplan.com

DRIVERS NEEDED Regular & CDL Call 703-737-3011

See the full job listings at NowHiringLoudoun.com

Large family practice in Loudoun County with 6 locations and 28 providers looking for FT LPN’s or MA’s with a dedication to excellence. New LPN graduates welcome to apply. Pediatric and or family practice experience preferred. EHR experience highly recommended. We offer competitive pay rates, health, dental and vision insurance as well as direct deposit, 401K and many other benefits. Please send your resume to: lgray@lmgdoctors.com or fax to 703-726-0804 attention Lisa

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 22

Chainsaw and chisels continued from page 18

TICKETS ON (703) 777-1665 SALE NOW! wwww.TallyHoTheater.com

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FEB 1

THE WAILERS

Burns is also looking to take his artistic projects to the next level—working to build connections in the Loudoun arts community and connect with galleries as his studio enters the next phase. He’s currently talking

UFO FAREWELL TOUR

FEB 13

AUGUST 5, 2021

with potential buyers for the octopus sculpture and plans to connect with environmental and other nonprofits to talk about potential donations for charity auctions or sales.

“Without nature, this wouldn’t be possible. There would be no inspiration,” he said.

And just like with the octopus sculpture, he’ll keep listening to the wood and waiting

FEB 21

for it to guide him.

“There’s a relationship there,” he said.

“There’s definitely some chemistry. ... I feel like I know this wood like the back of my hand.”

For more information about Patrick Burns and Tree Life Art, go to facebook.com/patburns32. n

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BAND 2/

www.TallyHoTheater.com 08/07/21

AN EAGLEM S 3/6 AN YEAR THE REAG

DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM

EYES OF THE NILE-A TRIBUTE TO IRON MAIDEN 08/08/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM

YACHT ROCK NIGHT WITH BOAT HOUSE ROW 08/14/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM

JON SPEAR BAND Friday, Aug. 6, 6 p.m.

Hillsboro Old Stone School oldstoneschool.com

TURNSTILES—BILLY JOEL TRIBUTE Saturday, Aug. 7, 6 p.m.

Tarara Winery tararaconcerts.com

THINGS to do continued from page 18

WITH NATTALI RIZE

08/19/21 | DOORS: 7PM | SHOW: 8PM

(HED) P.E.X. DROPOUT KINGS 08/20/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM

JOHN 5

WITH JARED JAMES NICHOLS AND BLACK SATELLITE 08/21/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM

TAB BENOIT

W/ALASTAIR GREENE 08/26/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM

Singer/songwriter/pianist Juliet Lloyd embraces the best of pop, rock and classic soul.

Live Music: Juliana MacDowell Duo

Friday, Aug. 6, 6-10 p.m.

MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com The guys from Something’s Brewing join forces with John Clancy (Odell‘s Knife) for an exciting night in downtown Leesburg.

Saturday, Aug. 7, 2-5 p.m.

Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com MacDowell’s earthy vocals and moving originals connect her with listeners in unique and memorable ways.

DC Improv Presents Comedy

Live Music: Shag Duo

Live Music: Freek Flag

MIKE LOVE

GARY SMALLWOOD Saturday, Aug. 7, 7 p.m.

Leesburg Town Green iIdalee.org

Friday, Aug. 6, 7 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com It’s an evening of laughs with Umar Khan, Sandi Benton, Robert Mac, Tim D. Miller and Sahib Singh.

Tickets are $22.

Saturday, Aug. 7, 3-6 p.m.

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts Details: vanishbeer.com The Shag Duo is back with their blend of British and European rock staples.

Live Music: Rowdy Ace

Jerry’s Birthday Bash with Cris Jacobs and Larry Keel

Saturday. Aug. 7, 1 p.m.

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing Kick back with country music that rocks from a local favorite.

Live Music: Ted Garber

Saturday, Aug. 7, 1-4 p.m.

The Barns At Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com Garber returns to The Barns with his genre-bending, multi-instrumentalist BluesAmericanaRock.

Live Music: Juliet Lloyd

Saturday, Aug. 7, 2-5 p.m.

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

Saturday, Aug. 7, 4 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 8, 11 a.m.

B Chord Brewing, 34266 Williams Gap Road, Round Hill Details: bchordbrewing.com Celebrate Jerry Garcia with great tunes from The Cris Jacobs Band and Larry Keel Experience. Tickets are $35 for Saturday, $25 for Sunday and $50 for a two-day pass.

Live Music: Justified

Saturday, Aug. 7, 6-10 pm.

MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com It’s another fun Saturday night on the beach with country rock and a few Top 40 hits from Justified.

Live Music: Ten: A Tribute to Pearl Jam

Saturday, Aug. 7, 7 p.m.

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

EYES OF THE NILE – IRON MAIDEN TRIBUTE Sunday, Aug. 8, 7 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Details: tallyhotheater.com It’s back to the 90s with this authentic Pearl Jam tribute. Tickets are $15.

Live Music: Will Baskin

Sunday, Aug. 8, 1-4 p.m.

The Barns At Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com Baskin was raised on Elvis, Johnny Cash and the Beatles and mixes jazz, Motown and contemporary music into his sets.

Live Music: Jason Masi

Sunday, Aug. 8, 1 p.m.

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing Masi returns to HFB for a mellow Sunday with his signature brand of acoustic soul and R&B.

Live Music: Scott Clark

Sunday, Aug. 8, 2-5 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro Details: breauxvineyards.com Clark is a classically trained bass-baritone who brings out his repertoire of jazz standards and pop tunes for fun local shows.

Live Music: Eyes of the Nile Iron Maiden Tribute

Sunday, Aug. 8, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com With explosive energy, intensity, and complete accuracy, EOTN captures the spirit of Maiden with fists in the hair, heads banging and huge crowd singalongs. Tickets are $15.

AUGUST 5, 2021

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

Mask up

Fun at the Fair

continued from page 1 public schools, which are planning to return to full-time, in-person learning on Aug. 26. Since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, students have taken classes at home or had only parttime access to on-campus classes.

While there are no plans to curtail in-person learning this fall, the school division announced Monday that all students and school staff members will be required to wear masks this fall, regardless of their vaccination status.

Under the newly announced guidelines, students may remove masks while outside, and while eating and participating in physical education. For indoor athletic activities, students will wear masks while on the sidelines, but can remove them during play.

“Please know this is not a decision I made lightly. … We considered multiple data points, including community transmission rates, percent positivity rates, vaccination rates by age group and schoolbased data from the spring,” Superintendent Scott Ziegler said in a statement to families.

The CDC had previously advised in mid-July that fully vaccinated students, teachers, and staff members should not be required to wear masks during class. However, last Tuesday, the CDC reversed its guidelines following an analysis of data concerning the spread of the Delta variant.

As for the possibility of a returning to a mask mandate for the general public, local leaders this week were looking toward state officials in Richmond for guidance.

So far, the spike in cases driven by the Delta variant has resulted in a more robust push for unvaccinated individuals to get the shots needed to protect themselves from serious illness and to better protect those around them and to inhibit the development of additional virus variants.

Vaccines are widely available.

For details, go to loudoun.gov/ covid19vaccine. n

PAGE 23

The 83rd Loudoun County Fair drew visitors over its five day span from July 28-Aug 1 to the Loudoun County Fairgrounds, just outside of the Town of Leesburg.

The fair, which benefits Loudoun County 4-H, first began in 1936, and boasted over 40 sponsors this year. The fair featured a livestock auction, a carnival, a petting zoo, the Miss Loudoun County Fair Pageant, and live entertainment including “True Grit Rodeo” and a bike stunt performance by Dialed Action Sports.

BMX riders perform tricks high above fans at the Loudoun County Fair during some pretty perfect weather over the weekend.

Becca Little prepares to enter the dairy barn to show her brown swiss milking cow at the Loudoun County Fair.

Fairgoers wait for the poop to fall on a number to see who wins the “chicken poop bingo” contest at the Loudoun County Fair.

Kids and cows take it easy in the shade before the dairy cow showmanship contest at the Loudoun County Fair.

— Photos by Douglas Graham Nothing but fun and cool temperatures at the Loudoun County Fair.

doun.com

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 24

AUGUST 5, 2021

Obituaries Robert E. Tatum, Sr. Robert E. Tatum Sr., 85, of Leesburg, VA died peacefully at home July 7, 2021. He is survived by his loving wife Nancy Wills Tatum, daughters Rhonda Tatum-Harrell and Jaymie Tatum Crider and spouse Donald Crider.

Also left to cherish his memory are his grandchildren, Ryan Athey, Jacob Athey, Leah Harrell and Camille Crider as well as serveral nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by son Robert E. Tatum Jr., and daughter Julie Tatum-Athey and son-in law Clyde E. Harrell.

Lives are like rivers: Eventually they go where they must, not where we want them to.

Mr. Tatum was a career Air Traffic Controller with the Federal Aviation Administration, Leesburg Center. He retired in 1996.

LoudounNow To place an obituary, contact Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or email: sstyer@loudounnow.com

As per his wishes, there will be no funeral. Arrangements provided by Hall Funeral Home, Purcellville, VA.

Legal Notices TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TLOA-2021-0007 AND ZONING MAP AMENDMENT TLZM-2020-0005 TO EXPAND THE H-1 OVERLAY, OLD AND HISTORIC DISTRICT, TO INCLUDE THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROPERTY AT 20 UNION STREET NW Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021 AT 7:00 P.M. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Rezoning application TLZM-2020-0005 and Zoning Ordinance Amendment TLOA-20210007 to include the entirety of the property at 20 Union Street NW, in the H-1, Overlay, Old and Historic District while removing portion of the same property from the Gateway District (Overlay).

The subject property consists of 0.84 acres. That portion affected by the proposed amendment is zoned R-6, Moderate Density Residential District, and further described as Loudoun County Parcel Identification Number (PIN) 230-18-5465.

Rezoning/Application TLZM-2020-0005 is an amendment initiated by the property owner (Loudoun County Board of Supervisors) to amend the official zoning map to extend the H-1, Overlay, Old and Historic District, to include approximately 0.60 acres of the subject property.

The Town Plan designates this property as “Downtown” on the Land Use Policy Map and specifically identifies the property as one that may be eligible for inclusion in the H-1 Old and Historic District Overlay.

NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLES This notice is to inform the owner and any person having a security interest in their right to reclaim the motor vehicle herein described within 15 days after the date of storage charges resulting from placing the vehicle in custody, and the failure of the owner or persons having security interests to exercise their right to reclaim the vehicle within the time provided shall be deemed a waiver by the owner, and all persons having security interests of all right, title and interest in the vehicle, and consent to the sale of the abandoned motor vehicle at a public auction.

This notice shall also advise the owner of record of his or her right to contest the determination by the Sheriff that the motor vehicle was “abandoned”, as provided in Chapter 630.08 of the Loudoun County Ordinance, by requesting a hearing before the County Administrator in writing. Such written request for a hearing must be made within 15 days of the notice.

YR.

MAKE

MODEL

VIN

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PHONE#

UNK.

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ASHBURN TOWNING

703-585-8770

08/05 & 08/12/21

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 15.2-2100 et seq., notice is hereby given that the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg, Virginia, will hold a public hearing on: Tuesday, August 10, 2021, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA

Zoning Ordinance Amendment Case Number TLOA-2018-0006 is an amendment to the text of Section 7.5.3 to add a description of the land proposed for this addition to the H-1, Overlay, Old and Historic District.

to consider the adoption of the following ordinance:

Additional information and copies of these applications are available at the Department of Planning and Zoning located on the second floor of the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Christopher Murphy, Senior Planning Project Manager, at 703-737-7009 or cmurphy@leesburgva.gov.

The proposed ordinance initiates a Town Council process for the grant of non-exclusive telecommunications facility franchise(s) in the manner prescribed by law, and sets forth the process for soliciting, receiving, and evaluating bids for such non-exclusive franchise(s).

At these hearings, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard.

Persons requiring special accommodations at the meeting should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 771-2733 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

07/29 & 08/05/21

AN ORDINANCE INITIATING AND ESTABLISHING A PROCESS FOR SOLICITING PROPOSALS AND GRANTING NON-EXCLUSIVE TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY FRANCHISES

A copy of the proposed ordinance is available from the Town Clerk, 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, Town Clerk, at 703-771-2733.

At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring reasonable 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.

07/29 & 08/05/21

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 5, 2021

PAGE 25

Legal Notices Loudoun County Public Schools

Proposed Middle School & High School Attendance Zone Change On June 8, 2021, the Loudoun County School Board initiated an abbreviated attendance zone change process that proposes to assign the Hartland and Lenah Circle East communities to the Mercer Middle School/John Champe High School attendance zone – prior to the start of the 2021-2022 academic year.

Additional information on this proposed attendance zone change is posted on the Loudoun County Public Schools webpage (https://www.lcps.org/Page/236732).

The School Board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the attendance zone change on August 10, 2021, to be followed by action on the proposed change later the same evening. Persons may sign up to speak at the August 10 meeting by calling 571-252-1020. Written comment may be sent to lcpsplan@lcps.org; all correspondence and information received will be shared with the School Board.

The August 10 meeting will be held at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building (21000 Education Court, Ashburn) and begin at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will also be broadcast live on Comcast Channel 18 and Verizon Fios Channel 43, as well as viewable via simultaneous webcast on the Loudoun County Public Schools website (www.lcps.org).

Persons who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, in order to participate meaningfully in the August 10, 2021 public hearing and meeting, should contact the Superintendent’s Office at 571-252-1020 at least three (3) days prior to the meeting.

Beverly I. Tate, Director Loudoun County Public Schools Department of Support Services, Division of Planning Services 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, Virginia 20148 Telephone: 571-252-1050 Email: lcpsplan@lcps.org 06/24, 07/01, 07/08, 07/15, 07/22, 07/29, & 08/05/21

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TLOA-2020-0004 REVISING USE REGULATIONS DENSITY/INTENSITY AND DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS IN THE GC-GOVERNMENT CENTER ZONING DISTRICT Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176, to consider Zoning Ordinance Amendment TLOA-2020-0004 to amend the following sections: 1.

Sections 7.3.1, 7.3.2, 7.3.3.A, 7.3.3.D, and 7.3.3.E to revise the use regulations, density/ intensity and dimensional standards in the GC, Government Center Zoning District.

Additional information including copies of the full text of this proposed Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment are available at the Department of Planning and Zoning located on the 2nd floor of the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Christopher Murphy, Senior Planning Project Manager, via email at cmurphy@leesburgva.gov, or via telephone 703-737-7009. This Zoning Ordinance amendment application is identified as case number TLOA-2020-0004.

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.

07/29 & 08/05/21

VIRGINIA IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LOUDOUN COUNTY ABIODUN OTARU Plaintiff, v.

ADEWALE OTARU, et al Defendant

) ) ) ) ) ) )

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING

TO CONSIDER REZONING APPLICATION TLZM-2021-0001, 20 UNION STREET NW Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021 at 7:00 P.M. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Rezoning application TLZM-2021-0001 20 Union Street NW. The subject property consists of 0.84 acres situated at 20 Union Street NW at the intersection of Union Street NW and Wirt Street NW. The parcel is split-zoned, with a portion zoned R-HD, Historic Residential District, and a portion zoned R-6, Moderate Density Residential District. The property is further described as Loudoun County Parcel Identification Number (PIN) 230-18-5465-000.

Rezoning Application TLZM-2021-0001 is a request by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors to rezone the entire subject property to the GC, - Government Center District. The purpose of the rezoning is to restore and preserve the c. 1880’s former African-American Douglass School, and convert the building into a museum/cultural center. The c. 1964 office building will continue to be used for government administrative purposes. The site is located in the Central Planning Area of the Leesburg Town Plan, and the Planned Land Use Policy Map further designates the Subject Property as “Downtown”. The recommended density range is 0.35 to 1.0 FAR whereas the existing density of 0.21 in two separate buildings is intended to remain. The Heritage Resources Chapter specifically identifies the Subject Property for preservation through inclusion in the H-1, Overlay, Old and Historic District.

Additional information and copies of this application are available at the Department of Planning and Zoning located on the second floor of the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Christopher Murphy, Senior Planning Project Manager, at 703-737-7009 or cmurphy@leesburgva.gov.

At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard.

Persons requiring special accommodations at the meeting should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 771-2733 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

07/29 & 08/05/21

Town of Leesburg Continues Water Valve Exercise and Maintenance Program Public Notification The Town of Leesburg is continuing a preventative maintenance program to protect the longevity and operation of the water system infrastructure and valves. This valve exercise program requires closing, then opening each main line valve and service line valves in specific distribution areas.

The purpose of the program is to exercise main line valves throughout the distribution system to assure reliable operation and maintain water quality. During this program, crews will exercise the valves by operating each valve through a full cycle and returning it to its normal position. Where valves are exercised, a fire hydrant will be flowed to ensure that the water in the main remains clear.

During the valve turning exercise, customers may experience some sediment or discolored water for a short period of time. Water is safe to drink and safe to use during this period. If this condition is noticed, we recommend running several cold water taps at full force for a period of 1-2 minutes. It may be necessary to repeat this process after 30 minutes. In addition, the closing and opening of valves may introduce air into water lines which can cause temporary erratic water flow. If this occurs, open your cold water tap until a clear steady flow of water is observed.

The valve exercising will occur June through November during the hours of 7 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Town regrets any inconvenience the maintenance program may cause. If you have any questions regarding our valve exercising program, or have any concerns about water quality, please call the Utilities Department at 703-737-7075. For after-hour emergencies, please call the Leesburg Police Department at 703-771-4500.

05/27/21 08/05/21

Case No. 21-4205

ORDER OF PUBLICATION COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE §§

ORDER OF PUBLICATION THE OBJECT of the above-styled suit is to partition real property located at 42577 Highgate Terrace, Brambleton, VA 20148; and IT APPEARING by affidavit filed according to law that the Defendant ADEWALE OTARU in the above-titled cause does not reside in the Commonwealth of Virginia; it is therefore ORDERED that the said ADEWALE OTARU, appear on or before the 1st day of October, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. in the Circuit Court of Loudoun County, located at 18 E. Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 and do what is necessary to protect his interests; and it is further ORDERED that this order be published once a week for four successive weeks in LOUDOUN NOW, a newspaper of general circulation in the County of Loudoun; that a copy of this order be posted pursuant to Virginia Code § 1-21 l .1. and a copy mailed to the Defendant at his last known address as stated in the affidavit filed herein.

08/05, 08/12, 08/19, & 08/26/21

1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104

Case No. CL-21-2965 LOUDOUN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT 18 EAST MARKET ST., LEESBURG, VA 20176 STEPHANIE VILLALOBOS v. FRANKLIN O. CORDOVA The object of this suit is to: UNCONTESTED DIVORCE - SIX MONTH SEPERATION It is ORDERED that Franklin O. Cordova appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before 9/17/2021 at 2:00 PM. 07/29, 08/05, 08/12, & 08/19/21

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 26

Legal Notices

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE BIDS/PROPOSALS FOR: HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION & DISPOSAL SERVICES, RFP No. 422782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, September 8, 2021.

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316 Case No.: JJ040484-09-00 JJ040484-10-00

PUBLIC NOTICE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) The Town of Leesburg will accept proposals electronically via the Commonwealth’s e-procurement website (www.eva.virginia.gov), until 3:00 p.m. on August 31, 2021 for the following:

RFP No. 100124-FY22-12 Sponsorship Coordination for Major Town of Leesburg Special Events The Town of Leesburg is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to provide services to create sponsorship packages and seek sponsorship donations for the four main Town of Leesburg Special events, specifically, the Annual Flower and Garden Festival, the Independence Day Celebration, TASTE Leesburg and the Leesburg Airshow.

For additional information, visit: http://www.leesburgva.gov/bidboard 08/05/21

ABC LICENSE

Fifty Leven, LLC, trading as Fifty Leven, 623 Warrenton Ter NE, Leesburg, Loudoun, VA 20176-2466 The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for an Internet Wine Retailer - In State license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

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.

AUGUST 5, 2021

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Christian Carter Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

David Craig Johnson, father

ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE PROGRAM, RFP No. 424782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, August 31, 2021.

REPLACEMENT OF CHILLERS AT ADULT DETENTION CENTER, IFB No. 426782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, August 31, 2021.

Two (2) Mandatory Pre-Bid Conferences for clarification of any questions regarding the plans and specifications will be held at the Adult Detention Center located at 42035 Loudoun Center Place, Leesburg, Virginia 20177. The first Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will be held on August 5, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. and the second on August 9, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Attendance at one of the Pre-Bid Conferences is mandatory for all bidders. Failure to attend one of these conferences will result in your bid being deemed non-responsive and rejected. Bidders must be present prior to the beginning of the conference. Bidders must sign in with the Procurement Representative as record of attendance. Late entry to the Pre-Bid Conferences will not be permitted.

The plans and specifications for this project are contained in a Microsoft One Drive folder. A Geotechnical Report Release form must be signed and submitted prior to obtaining access to the One Drive folder.

The object of this suit is to hold a permanency planning hearing and review of foster care plan with goal of adoption, pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Christian Carter and Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of David Craig Johnson, father, pursuant to Virginia Code §16.1-283 for Christian Carter. David Craig Johnson is hereby notified that failure to appear on the hereinafter noticed date and time may result in the entry of an Order approving a permanency goal of adoption as well as the termination of his residual parental rights with respect to Christian Carter. David Craig Johnson is hereby further notified that if his residual parental rights are terminated, he will no longer have any legal rights with respect to said minor child, including, but not limited to, the right to visit Christian Carter; any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Christian Carter; or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Christian Carter. Further, David Craig Johnson will have no legal and/or financial obligations with respect to Christian Carter, and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Christian Carter for adoption and consent to the adoption of Christian Carter.

Resource Directory

It is ORDERED that the defendant David Craig Johnson, father appear at the above-named Court and protect his August 10, 2021 at 2:00 pm.

Bobcat BOBCAT

07/15, 07/22, 07/29 & 08/05/21

07/29 & 08/05/21

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. 08/05/21

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE §§ 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104 Case No. CL-21-2993

LOUDOUN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT 18 EAST MARKET ST.,LEESBURG, VA 20176 GEORGINA MENDOZA v. EWVIN NAJERA

The object of this suit is to: UNCONTESTED DIVORCE - SIX MONTH SEPERATION It is ORDERED that Ewvin Najera appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before 9/17/2021 at 2:00 PM. 7/22, 7/29, 8/5 & 8/12/21

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PAGE 27

Resource Directory CONSTRUCTION Construction

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PAGE 28

AUGUST 5, 2021

Opinion Protecting the Opportunities Leesburg’s economic development director last week sent up an alarm over the growing scarcity of commercial land as the town moves ever closer to full buildout. It’s valid concern, but not one town leaders have made a priority.

In fact, there is very little guiding the town’s economic development strategy. The Town Plan devotes only four pages to this key aspect of community life, while the town Economic Development Commission’s guiding strategic plan is a one-pager with six summary bullet points.

In recent years, most town planning has focused on mixed-use developments that ostensibly include a balanced blend of residential, retail and office uses. On the ground, those tend to provide far more housing than employment. In general, very little land is set aside solely for commercial use in the policy documents used to guide the plans of developers and the decisions of government leaders.

If, as the director suggests, the town is not doing enough to meet the needs of businesses interested moving in, a more comprehensive study is merited.

There are some obvious questions to address relatively recent changes to the commercial market. Should Leesburg be more aggressive in the lucrative data center market? Have the needs of retailers changed since the Town Plan was adopted in 2012 and online giants tapped into the home shopping market? How much office space will companies want in the post-COVID recovery?

Now is the time to ensure the town has a clear long-term business development strategy. If town leaders don’t save room for such opportunities, these companies—and jobs—will certainly find space elsewhere. n

Norman K. Styer, Publisher and Editor nstyer@loudounnow.com

Published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC

EDITORIAL Renss Greene, Deputy Editor rgreene@loudounnow.com

15 N. King St., Suite 101 Leesburg, VA, 20176

Jan Mercker, Reporter jmercker@loudounnow.com

PO Box 207 Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723

Kara C. Rodriguez, Reporter krodriguez@loudounnow.com Hayley Milon Bour, Reporter hbour@loudounnow.com ADVERTISING Susan Styer, Advertising Manager sstyer@loudounnow.com

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LETTERS to the Editor Pork As Usual Editor: This newspaper recently reported that Rep. Jennifer Wexton is bringing home almost $5 million in federal funding for projects in Loudoun County. Readers should know where the money is coming from.

Call them what you want—earmarks, pork, “Community Project Funding,” politically-self-interested-cash-grabs— these funnels for federal funding have been resurrected by this year’s Congress after being dead for 10 years. In this year’s budget, politicians will grab money from taxpayers all over the country for their pet projects in their home districts.

It’s how congressional members from Oregon, for example, can use taxpayer money from Virginia, and every other state, to buy votes back home by building bridges, walking paths, or teapot museums (real example). This is where the pork is coming from.

Loudouners can cheer for their new pedestrian crossing at Lawson Road, and other projects. But they should also remember that politicians all over the country are spending their money on projects like a new dog park in Monte-

bello, CA, and a trolley system in Canandaigua, NY, to name a couple. Some of these projects may be needed in their communities, but money for trolleys in New York shouldn’t come from a fisherman in Alaska.

In total, members racked up the earmark requests to almost $17 billion. The distribution of these funds is undoubtedly politically motivated. Rep. Kim Schrier (D-WA-8) grabbed the most pork, securing $892 million in total. A WSJ editorial points out that Rep. Schrier is “among the most vulnerable Democrats in 2022.”

Whether you like it or not, both Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi are using your money to buy votes in districts they want to keep.

In February, Congress ended an earmark moratorium that was established in 2011. Now, we’re back to business as usual. Perhaps it was too much to ask our congressmen and women to stay away from the pork-barrel buffet for more than 10 years.

Local projects should be built with local funding. When Rep. Wexton returns, ask her why your taxpayer money should go to teapot museums and trolleys in other states.

— Thomas McKenna, Lovettsville

Loudoun Now welcomes readers’ comments on issues affecting our community.

Letters may be emailed to letters@loudounnow.com or mailed to the newspaper office. Letters should be no more than 500 words and must include the writer’s name, address and contact information for confirmation purposes.

AUGUST 5, 2021

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Task force continued from page 6 task force, Brown said there was “nothing wrong with further engagement to ensure the community continues to have trust in the Leesburg Police Department.”

But, he cautioned the council during its meeting, “We have to be very careful and use caution to ensure that what we are doing fits and is tailored to the needs of our community.”

The adopted resolution states that the purpose of the task force is to evaluate whether the establishment of an advisory

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commission will help to enhance public trust, increase public communication and transparency, and promote public education on police procedures to ensure the fair and equal treatment of all citizens by the department. Task force members will review the department’s policies, procedures, and protocols; police training guidelines; educational outreach and citizen engagement programs; and police reform measures. The task force will have no involvement or responsibilities associated with human resources.

Each Town Council member will be responsible for making an appointment to

Cemetery transfer continued from page 6 $80,000 on maintenance, a cemetery delineation study, and survey and plat work.

Several motions have been brought up on the council dais, with varying amounts of money to award to the nonprofit, but none have had the necessary four votes to pass.

But that changed last week. Councilwoman Suzanne Fox brought up at the end of the July 26 work session that she intended to offer a motion the following evening to award $25,740 to the Freedom Center. She calculated that number based on the estimated annual maintenance the town currently expends on the property, estimated by Town Manager Kaj Dentler to be around $3,300 in staff time costs.

“I asked Kaj how much less we would pay when we gift some of this land, and he said it would be about 26% less. [That amounts to] $858 a year savings so I looked forward about 30 years, and that came out to $25,740,” Fox said.

While the Freedom Center will take

PAGE 29

“I feel very strongly that we made an honest commitment to the Loudoun Freedom Center to move forward and to give them the cemetery.”

— Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk over maintenance of the cemetery land once the MOU is signed, the town must continue to maintain the remaining RPZ land surrounding it.

Fox said the money was to go toward preservation efforts, and not any revenue-producing enhancements.

On July 27, her motion was supported by all members of the council, save for Mayor Kelly Burk and Councilman Neil

the task force. Each appointee must be a town resident with experience and/or familiarity with police policies, procedures, law enforcement operations, and/or a legal background, according to the resolution.

Staff from the Town Manager’s Office, Town Attorney’s Office and police department will provide administrative support to the task force.

The date at which the task force will convene has not yet been established, but expectations are that it will operate for no more than six months, with a report and recommendations then presented to the council.

The vote to establish the task force passed by a 4-3 measure, with Mayor Kelly Burk and council members Kari Nacy and Suzanne Fox opposed.

“I think that our council members are trying to be very proactive and have only the very best intentions, but I do feel very strongly this is not the right time to be doing this,” Burk said. “We have to be very careful what we do and how we do it so we’re not trying to give the impression that there’s anything wrong. [But] if this helps with the community and if that makes engagement possible maybe the education part of it could be useful.” n

Steinberg.

“I feel very strongly that we made an honest commitment to the Loudoun Freedom Center to move forward and to give them the cemetery,” Burk said in explaining her dissent. “We have spent a great deal of taxpayers’ money to get to this point. I think [$25,740], although I understand how Ms. Fox got to it, I don’t think that’s the way we should go at this point.”

Burk also said she did not believe it would be the last time the council would be asked for funding for the cemetery land from the Freedom Center.

Toward the close of the meeting, and following the passed motion, Burk attempted to find support for a future work session discussion on requiring the awarded funding to be issued in the form of reimbursements to the nonprofit for work they will have completed at the cemetery.

She said in her reasoning that it would be a good accounting for taxpayers’ money.

Councilman Zach Cummings stated that the mayor should have offered that stipulation as an amendment to the motion, rather than proposing a work session

on the topic. Vice Mayor Marty Martinez added that, in other donations to nonprofits, the council has stipulated in the passed resolution if accounting for the funding was a requirement.

“It’s a grant to do what they need to do to the cemetery,” he said. “It’s a misuse of staff time to sit there and verify their spending.”

Only Fox and Councilwoman Kari Nacy joined Burk in supporting the scheduling of such a work session.

Ron Campbell, Executive Director of the Loudoun Freedom Center, expressed his appreciation to his former council colleagues the morning after the vote. He particularly singled out Fox and Cummings for their support in pushing for funding for the cemetery project. “I look forward to a wonderful partnership [with the council] as we move forward,” he said.

Campbell said he was not sure when Michelle Thomas, the Freedom Center’s founder, would sign the MOU, but she has previously indicated that she will sign the document for the land transfer. n

PAGE 30

School board continued from page 1 tigation. The School Board members listed as having access to the group were Denise Corbo (At-Large), Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian), Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge), Leslee King (Broad Run), Beth Barts (Leesburg), and Brenda Sheridan (Sterling).

In March 2020, a mailer was sent out to families, stating that the school division “has recently teamed up with an extremist organization to teach your children to hate you.” The mailers are only signed “Concerned Parents of Loudoun County.”

Jamie Neidig-Wheaton, the group’s founder, said the Facebook group formed as parents worked to determine who was behind the mailers.

“They clearly had lists with our names and home addresses and were sending postcards,” Neidig-Wheaton said.

The “extremist organization” is The Equity Collaborative, which the district contracted to assess racial inequity in its hiring practices, teaching of students, and social impact after the Virginia Attorney General’s Office opened an investigation into racial discrimination. Both found evidence of systemic racism. However, some of the steps taken to address those concerns—including heightened staff training on racial and cultural competency—gave rise to a new set of criticisms from parents and national conservative media claiming students were being indoctrinated with progressive ideology rooted in Critical Race Theory.

The Facebook group members identified and discussed parents throughout the county who were vocal opponents to the school division’s equity work. Group members also discussed the merits of continuing distance learning throughout the pandemic, while many community members criticized the district’s handling of reopening schools.

Critics objected to elected officials discussing matters in a private group. The six board members have been targeted in a recall effort led by the group Fight for Schools.

Land shortage continued from page 3 seeing as well.

The key for the council, he said, is protecting the available commercial land it has left. Seymour said he was troubled by the amount of commercial land that is being rezoned to accommodate residential development.

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

Fight for Schools found that School Board members belong to multiple private Facebook groups, and alleged they violated open meeting laws by participating in the closed forums.

“What you see here is a pattern and practice of the LCPS of operating without transparency, without accountability, and they keep getting caught,” Ian Prior, executive director of Fight for Schools, said.

The latest update from Fight for Schools, from three weeks ago, showed that the petition to remove Beth Barts had 93 percent of the signatures needed to file the petition in court.

While there is little precedent for the removal of a School Board member via the state’s recall statute, Prior, a former Trump Department of Justice spokesman, said “there is as strong a case as any you will see in Virginia to remove Beth Barts.”

A Sheriff ’s Office statement on the investigation said that complainants “believed that ARPLC’s posts were evidence of organized criminal activity intended to infringe upon First Amendment rights, and violated certain laws surrounding the crimes of stalking, harassment, and racketeering.”

In the group, some members discussed “hacking” to identify possible opponents of the equity work, although the investigation found no illegal evidence of hacking.

Barts told detectives she “went on the site and asked for advocacy to share that LCPS is not supporting critical race theory.”

While the investigation ended with no charges, Neidig-Wheaton moved her family from Loudoun County to the West Coast after the threats and harassment over her involvement became unbearable.

While Neidig-Wheaton does not appear to have been involved in the threads identifying parents, she is being sued by The Virginia Project for discussing the PAC within the Facebook group. TVP also published a tweet containing Neidig-Wheaton’s home address.

“It’s destroyed my faith in people who claim to love their neighbors,” Neidig-Wheaton said of the fallout surrounding the group. “I spent months having to worry about my children’s safety, while listening to people whose home addresses

were never disclosed support the people who publicly tweeted mine.”

Reaser, the School Board’s vice chairwoman, said she also has been the recipient of hate messages for her involvement in the group. She shared publicly one message suggesting that she be “hanged by the neck until dead by the righteously angry parents of your community.” ”We’re pretty disappointed that the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office decided not to charge anybody. We certainly have more than adequate reason to believe that they could have and should have,” David Gordon, director of the Virginia Project, said.

The Sheriff ’s Office told people who brought forward concerns about the group that they may still pursue misdemeanor charges and civil grievances against group members.

“We plan to pursue anything and everything allowed under the law,” Gordon said.

“From an economic development standpoint, I have to fight tooth and nail for every piece of commercial space we have left, and it concerns me when I see it flipping because it’s a pattern being repeated over and over,” he said.

Seymour said the piece that’s missing from the town is employment.

“I don’t think we have to go after retail.

Retail’s here, it follows the money,” he said.

“We need to generate employment oppor-

tunities. If you find a way to do that you’re going to benefit retail across the board more than simply building houses.”

The way the council can address that problem, he said, is by avoiding residential re-zonings.

“Developers’ primary focus is going to be residential first, retail second. Don’t try to change back to residential anything that’s been zoned already commercial. But I would make sure that as development proj-

Transgender Protections The biggest item on the School Board’s agenda on Tuesday will be the vote on Policy 8040, which provides protections for transgender and gender expansive students, complying with a Virginia mandate that school boards implement such safeguards by the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

Under the policy, transgender students will be entitled to be addressed by their chosen names and pronouns, and to use the bathroom and locker room that correspond with their gender identity.

Controversy surrounding the policy was punctuated when a Leesburg Elementary School teacher was placed on paid administrative leave after telling the School Board he would not observe the policy during a public comment session.

Byron “Tanner” Cross, represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, sued the district for his reinstatement. A circuit court judge awarded him his reinstatement, arguing that the district violated the teacher’s First Amendment rights. In an appeal, the School Board argued that the ruling erroneously overlooked the district’s responsibility to provide students with a safe learning environment. A hearing is set for

AUGUST 5, 2021

Sept. 7 and 8 in circuit court, but a date for the state Supreme Court trial has not been set.

The Aug. 10 meeting is the final chance the School Board has to adopt the policy before the school year starts. If it fails to do so, the district assumes all liability relating to treatment of transgender students in the system.

Grading Changes The Board will vote on updates to the district’s grading policy, with the proposed changes mostly applied to homework assignments. Under the proposed changes, homework will be used as more of a learning tool, as opposed to a graded assessment.

In a committee meeting reviewing the policy, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Ashley Ellis analyzed focus group feedback from parents and educators.

“Focus group feedback is that homework is practice, and an opportunity for application, and should not be graded,” Ellis said.

The policy differentiates homework assignments from “summative assessments,” such as research papers and projects, which may also take place outside of the classroom. Summative assessments may not count for more than 10 percent of a quarter grade under the revised policy. The updated provisions also will not permit a single assignment to count for more than 25 percent of a quarter grade.

Dress Code to be Discussed While an updated dress code will not be voted on during the Aug. 10 meeting, board members will discuss proposed changes to the current guidelines for student attire.

The changes include banning hoods overheads during class, pajama tops, midriff bearing tops, and tube tops. According to Douglas Fulton, director of School Administration, Policy 8270, Student Dress Code, spurred more input than any other issue since the division’s new public feedback procedure was implemented.

“My philosophy is that we should limiting student’s freedom of expression to the least extent possible,” said board member Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge). n ects come in that the Town Council take a long, serious look at what’s needed, not that it has to be rezoned because it’s the best option for the development community,” Seymour said.

The problem, he said, isn’t interest from developers.

“Leesburg doesn’t have problem getting developers in. We do have a problem of space and we have a limited amount left,” he said. n

AUGUST 5, 2021

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 31

Farmer Brown continued from page 3 to glow emerald green nearly half the year.

You could say the year he started working at Rogues’ Hollow was the year Russell became Farmer Brown. He was 21 years old, skinny but strong, and eager to work.

He and Mr. Lueters not only had a love of farming in common, but also military service. Lueters had recently retired as an Army captain, so he helped his new farm hand get into government-sponsored classes on the agriculture business.

“They held the classes up there in Lincoln,” Russell recalls, “and the government paid you 93 dollars a month to learn farming. It was really somethin’.”

It didn’t take long for Farmer Brown to consider the farm more than his place of employment, but his home. He moved into a small tenant house on the property and got to work.

“At first, I put out twenty acres of corn. I cut it and shucked it by hand, then shoveled it into the corn crib. Everything was done by hand at first. Nothing was easy,” he recalls. “I used horses to cut the hay, rack the hay. … The cows were milked by hand. It was nothing how you picture farming today. Eventually—thankfully—that all improved.”

Photo by Douglas Graham

Brown spent most of his life farming, using horses to plow fields, cut hay and plant crops.

By 1950, machines changed the pace of the work for most farmers in Loudoun County—and made Farmer Brown’s life a lot easier. Decades later, the farmer still talks about the day an M International Tractor arrived at Rogues’ Hollow. It was the day everything changed.

“Oh hell, with the horses, you had to keep ’em clean, keep ’em fed, keep ’em healthy. This tractor, aside from maintenance every once in a while, I basically just

turned it on in the morning and turned it off at night.”

That tractor became his calling card.

Anyone who lived or regularly drove along Old Waterford Road got to know Farmer Brown, always atop the M International, dressed in a plaid shirt, baseball cap, with a border collie at his side.

The property was bought and sold over the years—Mr. Lueters sold it to Leonard Dyke, who later sold it to Neil Nichols—but

New corner continued from page 7 way that The Corner Store in Waterford has evolved has been based on community feedback married with my interest in design and estate sales, and rearranging and sourcing interesting things from different places,” she said.

Customers should come to expect the same thing from Holway and The Corner Store with its impending arrival in Leesburg.

“The way that I work is, I don’t come up with five-year plans; things kind of evolve organically based on my relationships,” she said.

The relationship that brought Holway to Leesburg was her friendship with Cowbell Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Kitchen owners Cheryl Strasser and Bre Sarah Holway is bringing The Corner Store to 26 N. King St., as part of a partnership with next-door Grant.

“I had developed a relationship with neighbor Cowbell Kitchen. downstairs rooms are unthemed. On the Cheryl through our mutual appreciation she said.

For Holway, the new space gives her an- ground floor, which boasts a living room for the local farming community. This space became available—they wanted space other opportunity to market her unusual feel, shoppers can expect to find home defor an office and indoor dining room, and finds. The Corner Store’s inventory is spread sign items like rugs, lamps (a personal fawe felt like it would be mutually benefi- throughout four rooms in the building. The vorite of Holway’s), furniture and more.

All of The Corner Store’s items are vincial. I’m excited for all the possibilities that top two floors contain garden and kitchen we haven’t thought of or planned out yet,” and pantry-themed items, while the two tage or used.

for nearly 70 years, the farmer, with his border collie and tractor, remained a constant.

In the winters, Farmer Brown and his tractor pushed snow off Old Waterford and the other narrow roads that split off into farmland and horse pastures. The man-and-machine duo spent warmer months haying the properties between Waterford and Leesburg. At first, they hayed just Rogues’ Hollow. Then, they hayed neighboring farms.

When those open fields were replaced with master-planned housing, many of the new homeowners decided to keep small hay fields, mostly to qualify for a tax cut. But still, Farmer Brown and his tractor kept up their work, haying the sloped fields that surrounded the new homes.

Farmer Brown eventually, and reluctantly, left Rogues’ Hollow. It was 2017. He, and his canine companion, now live in a small home near Lucketts. The farm now operates under a new owner and new name, but if you drive by slowly, you can almost spot the tracks from Farmer Brown’s M International carved into the course gravel of Old Waterford Road. n This story was originally published by America’s Routes, an organization dedicated to capturing the images and stories of Loudoun County’s historic gravel roads, with the ultimate goal of preserving them.

See more of the group’s work at AmericasRoutes.com.

“I don’t buy anything new,” she emphasized. “I’ve never bought a new piece of furniture in my life—for myself or the store.”

She describes the vibe of the store as bohemian, mid-century, with a hint of upstate New York. While Holway said she mixes “all eras,” she has a particular soft spot for the upstate New York region, specifically the areas of Ithaca and Cooperstown, and its signature old, wooden furniture. Her family is from that area, and she has spent a lot of time antiquing in those parts, she said.

As far as future collaborations with Cowbell Kitchen, Holway said the possibilities are numerous. The owners have already chatted about utilizing some of The Corner Store space to host private events, like bridal showers or rehearsal dinners, and even collaborating on work for weddings, given Holway’s flower-arranging skills and Cowbell’s handmade cakes and delicacies.

A grand opening celebration is planned for 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, and the store will officially open for business the following day.

For more information on The Corner Store, go to thecornerstores.shop. n

PAGE 32

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AUGUST 5, 2021

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