LOUDOUNNOW.COM AUGUST 5, 2021

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 fi duciary 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.

Th e Clerk of Court’s Historic Records Division has done that work with the aid not only of state funding but local partners like the Ketoctin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Van Huyck family. Th e 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 givSupervisors 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. Th e 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.

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.

COLLECTABLES 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 that brought home national championships.

Ashburn Xtreme Hockey, based primarily at Ashburn Ice House, brought home the USA Hockey Nationals Tier II Championship title for both the 16U AA and 18U AA divisions.

According to the resolution passed unanimously July 20, the U16 AA team won the USA Hockey Tier II National Champions competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Monday, May 3, the same day the U18 AA won the same title in their division playing in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

“It was a great ride to have two teams win something like that,” said Coach Gary Pouliot, who led both teams. “It is very, very special.”

Th e U16s were ranked fi rst in the 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.

Th e 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. Th ree 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

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now The Ashburn Xtreme Hockey 16U AA and 18U AA teams gather in the county boardroom to receive a resolution marking their national championships.

ON THE Agenda

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.

Th e work will also include coming up with a way for players and leagues to reserve use of the courts,