n LEESBURG
Pg. 6 | n PUBLIC SAFETY
VOL. 5, NO. 38
Pg. 10 | n BUSINESS
Pg. 14 | n OBITUARIES
Pg. 18 | n PUBLIC NOTICES
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AUGUST 13, 2020
School Board Approves Overhaul of Academies Admission Process BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
A divided School Board on Tuesday approved a new plan designed by administrators to increase the diversity of the students selected to participate in the county’s top STEM programs. The division came under fire last year, when a complaint by the Loudoun NAACP alleging that only very few Black and Hispanic students were being selected for the Academy of Science and Academy of Engineering programs, sparked a still-continuing investigation by the Virginia Attorney General’s Office. Superintendent Eric Williams and his staff, after consulting with an attorney specializing in segregation and discrimination issues, in June proposed changing the admission requirements and procedures to remove barriers that could hamper minority students and students from low-income families from gaining admission. This week, they also outlined a proposal to ensure students from all middle schools are more equitably represented in the programs. For the 2020-21 school year, the percentage of Black students applying to participate in the Academy of Science and the Academy of Engineering and Technology was proportional to the percentage of Black students overall in the school system. However, fewer than 10 Black students were selected for admission to either program. The admission figures show that Asian students, who make up 23 percent of Loudoun’s enrollment, represent the largest portion of the Academies applicant pool—at least 50 percent. At the Academy of Science this fall, 103 students will be Asian, 19 will be white and the number of Black students will be under 10. No Hispanic students were admitted among the 51 who applied. At AET, 82 students will be Asian, 51 white and fewer than 10 Black and Hispanic. Among the changes that will go into effect this year are reducing the number of applicant assessment tests from four to ACADEMIES continues on page 31
Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now
All Points Broadband Field Technician Brandon Kingan begins his ascent to the top of a cell tower in Berryville to install a microwave point-to-point radio link that will connect with another atop Mt. Weather and provide more Loudouners with internet access.
Partnership Launched to Expand Rural Broadband BY RENSS GREENE AND PATRICK SZABO
rgreene@loudounnow.com pszabo@loudounnow.com
Internet usage after the COVID-19 pandemic struck was anything but typical, with usage spiking all through the day rather than primarily at night.
Although many households in more populated areas of the county are responsible for that usage increase, others with little or no internet access are left behind. More is being done to help those teleworkers, as well as the students who desperately need better access when schools open for virtual classes Sept. 8.
Leesburg-based All Points Broadband has met with Loudoun County Public Schools and offered to partner with the school district to prioritize educational content and deploy more infrastructure in areas RURAL BROADBAND continues on page 30
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Middleburg Commission Approves Plans for 38-Home Subdivision BY PATRICK SZABO
pszabo@loudounnow.com
Loudoun Now File Photo
A view of Ashburn’s Data Center Alley, at the core of an industry largely fueling Loudoun’s tax revenue growth amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Data Centers Only Bright Spot in Local Tax Revenue Forecast
BY RENSS GREENE
rgreene@loudounnow.com
Less than a month into the fiscal year, as is customary, supervisors on the board’s finance committee and county staff members have begun work on the next annual county budget—one that will be shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on the economy and tax collections. The county government’s main sources of funding—real estate and personal property tax revenues—could both see significant dips as the county and country navigate the pandemic’s fallout. In particular, said Assistant Director of Management and Budget Caleb Weitz, commercial real estate values could be vulnerable. In addition, homes prices and property values are both expected to take a dip in the next fiscal year while unemployment is expected to stay up. But one source of tax revenue is still growing at record rates: data centers. In 2019, according to county staff members, Loudoun’s data center industry had one of its biggest years yet, with an estimate 6.4 million square feet of space added. Weitz said that amounted to about a 50-percent increase in square footage. The $4.20 per $100 of assessed value tax that
the county levies on the computer equipment, including the acres of server racks inside Loudoun’s data centers, accounts for nearly $395 million in the current fiscal year’s $1.7 billion in local tax revenues. Next year, Weitz said, that number could be $130 million to $200 million higher. Although revenue projections a year out are very preliminary and Loudoun’s budget picture unclear, supervisors have already begun to lay out where they may like to spend tax dollars. Among those are a veterans’ court, akin to the current mental health docket or drug court; expanding mental health services; adding resources to the Department of Economic Development; and taking another look at body-worn cameras for sheriff ’s deputies. The last time that came to the Board of Supervisors, in 2016, Sheriff Michael L. Chapman and then-Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman, now a Circuit Court Judge, advised that bodyworn cameras come with significant costs—as much as $1,200 per camera per year for data storage, maintenance, and replacement, along with a need for more attorneys to manage the increased workload of reviewing footage. Chapman at the time also said he would not release all footage to Freedom of Information Act requests. n
After a months-long battle with neighbors and preservation interests, a Middleburg-area developer is a step closer to construction of a 38-lot subdivision. The Middleburg Planning Commission on Monday night voted 5-1 to conditionally approve the Banbury Cross Reserve preliminary subdivision application, which includes plans to build on a portion of a 571-acre property about a mile east of town. That would include 28 cluster lots ranging from 2-4 acres and 10 rural economy lots of 25-70 acres, along with close to 70 acres of preserved open space. Ed Fleischman was the only commissioner to vote against approval. The vote followed two weeks of meetings between commissioners and the applicant—development company Middleburg Land 1, which is managed by Andrew Hertneky. Planning Commission Chairman Terence Cooke said the commission has been “very appreciative” of Hertneky’s “extraordinary responsiveness.” “I believe the applicant has … been very responsive and forthcoming in all respects,” he said. “It is abundantly clear to me that the applicant has met all the county and town requirements for its preliminary subdivision plat.” Before the town officially approves Hertneky’s application, Hertneky will be required to conform with regulations related to fire hydrants and obtain approval from the county Fire Marshal’s Office; comply with requirements outlined in a June 3 memorandum by Loudoun County Archaeologist Steve Thompson; and identify certain offsite easements for ingress and egress. The subdivision is located within the county’s Agricultural Rural 2 Zoning District and partially within the town’s extraterritorial subdivision control area, meaning county and town planners must approve the application. The county already conditionally approved it. Under Virginia law, if a preliminary subdivision plat application complies with town and county regulations, a town’s Planning Commission is obligated to approve it, as a ministerial action. Deputy Town Manager Will Moore on three occasions— during a Sept. 23 meeting, a July 27 public hearing and on Monday night—recommended the commission vote to approve Hertneky’s application. But the commission voted to deny the project on Sept. 23 last year and voted to table the vote two weeks ago after a threehour public hearing during which 40 area residents addressed the project, most of whom spoke in opposition to it. They argued that the development could deplete the area’s water supply, diminish its rural character, take away agricultural land forever, infringe on a suspected slave burial ground, undermine properties’ eligibility for historic designation and adversely affect road safety. At that hearing, Nick Albu, a land use attorney representing Middleburg Land 1, told the Planning Commission that if it BANBURY continues on page 31
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AUGUST 13, 2020
Loudoun
Study Documents 277 Miles of Missing Sidewalks; Eastern Loudoun Projects Planned BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com
About five and a half miles of missing links in the county’s sidewalk and trail network could start to fill in next year. Loudoun supervisors have prioritized 12 sections of sidewalks and shared use paths to start the work of finishing out the county’s patchwork network. The 2019 Countywide Transportation Plan, part of the county’s new comprehensive plan, calls for 6-foot-wide sidewalks, 10-foot-wide shared use paths, on-road bicycle lanes or a combination of those on arterial and collector roadways. Previous plans, such as 2003’s Loudoun County Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility Master Plan, also called
Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now
The half-mile stretch along Ashburn Road from the W&OD Trail crossing to Gloucester Parkway could see sidewalks installed on each side sometime next year.
for sidewalks and trails to be built with new roadways. But by comparing the 2019
plan to what actually exists or is programmed in the county’s capital budget or a developer’s proj-
Board Finds Partisan Split on Police Reform BY RENSS GREENE
rgreene@loudounnow.com
Loudoun supervisors were split along party lines on whether to support the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus’s priorities for anti-racist police reform and combating the COVID-19 pandemic. When the General Assembly returns to Richmond for a special session Aug. 18, police reform is expected to be among the topics they will legislate. Following the most recent series of high-profile police killings of Black people— and months of protest—state legislators will have their first chance to pass new laws, and the Black caucus has become a leading voice in ideas for reform. Those overall priorities include addressing and combating racism; increasing accountability, regulation and transparency for law enforcement; preventing excessive force by law enforcement; shifting some responsibilities for law enforcement to mental health professionals; criminal justice reform; and extending relief for people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) asked supervisors to formally endorse those goals when the General Assembly—and the county’s legislative staff members and lobbyists—return to Richmond. “There are none among us who haven’t seen the evidence of unchecked police brutality in our county that has been an unfortunate part of life for our African-American brothers and sisters since the inception of our nation,” Briskman said. “What is different today is that we can no longer pretend not to see it.” But the specifics of those priorities gave some Republicans on the Board of Supervisors pause—and some asserted there is no systemic racism in law enforcement. “I do not see racism as a public health crisis amongst our law enforcement,” said Supervisor Caleb A. Kershner (R-Catoctin). “Perhaps some jurisdictions have some problems, and they need to address those, for sure, but I’ve not seen it in Loudoun County.” POLICE REFORM continues on page 19
ect, the county transportation staff found 1,124 missing links in the county’s trail network. That
amounts to 277 miles of missing sidewalks and trails, places where the plan calls for a path, but none exists or is planned. The county will start chipping away at that with $1.1 million anticipated in the county’s next Fiscal Year 2022 budget. Supervisors last month unanimously approved the staff ’s recommendation for 12 eastern Loudoun projects, amounting to about 5.52 miles. The sections were prioritized based on factors like how close they are to places that may see a lot of foot traffic like schools, community centers, parks, and shopping centers; how close they are to transit stops; the road’s characteristics and history of bike or pedestrian crashes; and how much they are anticipated to help people move around. n
Census Sets Sept. 30 Deadline; Home Visits Begin in Loudoun With the decision last week by the U.S. Census Bureau to wrap up data collection by the end of September, states and localities are pressing residents to get their forms submitted. In Loudoun County, census employees have begun in-person visits to households where residents have not yet responded. Enumerators will be required to wear masks and to display identification credentials that residents can verify with a phone call. Statewide, only 68 percent of households have responded, according to the bureau’s latest tally. The response rate in Loudoun County is significantly better, at nearly 79 percent. Loudoun is one of only nine Virginia jurisdictions exceeding 70 percent. During the 2010 census,
Loudoun tallied a 76 percent self-response rate. Getting a full count is important as the tallies will be used to draw election district lines and allocate federal funding for services such as Head Start, free/ reduced-cost school lunches, food stamps, affordable housing and health care. Hampered by the response to CENSUS DEADLINE continues on page 19
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AUGUST 13, 2020
Intersection Improvements Planned Across Loudoun rgreene@loudounnow.com
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Loudoun County transportation staff members have identified the Claiborne Parkway and Marshfield Drive/Crossroads Drive intersection as being the second most important intersection needing safety improvements in Loudoun.
construction schedule and budget. Supervisors have budgeted around $15 million a year on intersection improvements, starting with Fiscal Year 2022, which begins July 2021. Projects with traffic lights and turns lanes are generally expected to begin construction in the third year of the phased plan, or the fifth year for roundabouts. Staff members pointed out in a report to county supervisors that the section of Sterling Boulevard between Shaw Road and Williamsburg Road is scheduled for work on a number of intersections—Shaw, Glenn Drive, Davis Drive, the W&OD Trail, Williamsburg Road, and bicycle and pedestrian paths alongside the road. That will mean that work needs to be coordinated for the best effect and least disturbance for drivers on the road—who could potentially see years of constant work on the road if those projects are not aligned. Supervisors unanimously approved the list of 10 priority intersections at their July 21 meeting. n
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Loudoun County transportation staff members have picked out the next 10 intersections that will see work in an ongoing improvement program. The program is the result of studies to rank Loudoun’s intersections that began in 2017 with an aim toward finding the ones that are most congested and see the most crashes. The first intersections up for work, in ranked order, are: Sterling Boulevard and Glenn Drive; Claiborne Parkway and Marshfield Drive/Crossroads Drive; Tall Cedars Parkway and Nations Street; Ashburn Road and Faulkner Parkway; Old Ox Road and Douglas Court; Old Ox Road and Dulles Summit Court; Ryan Road and Cotton Grass Way/Legacy Park Drive; Sugarland Road and Church Road/East Frederick Drive; Claiborne Parkway and the Dulles Greenway westbound ramp; and Sterling Boulevard and West Laurel Avenue. Improvements to those intersections range from adding stoplights and restricting turns to a mini-roundabout at Sugarland Road and Church Road. Conceptual designs have already been laid out by a consultant. They range in expected price from $6.5 million for a signal at Ashburn Road and Faulkner Parkway to around $200,000 for projects where the county does not need any additional right-of-way, such as at Ryan Road and Cotton Grass Road where a county consultant recommended only new signs and pavement markings. The next step for supervisors will be when they take up the next fiscal year’s capital budget, when they will decide how those road projects fit into the county’s
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Leesburg Council Awards CARES Grants, Readies for More Funding
Leesburg
BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ
krodriguez@loudounnow.com
Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now
Mom’s Apple Pie owner Avis Renshaw stands in front of the Mighty Midget Kitchen, which she’ll soon move from Harrison Street back to its original location next to her shop at the corner of East Market and Loudoun streets.
Mighty Midget Returns Home Lease of Iconic Structure Awarded to Mom’s Apple Pie BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ
krodriguez@loudounnow.com
One of Leesburg’s most unique historical assets is headed around the block to its original location. The Town Council on Tuesday night voted 4-2 to award a new 20-year lease of the Mighty Midget Kitchen to Mom’s Apple Pie owner Avis Renshaw. It will be a return to its original setting following an almost 30-year absence. Made from part of a World War II B-29 bomber, the Midget operated as a carryout restaurant from 1947 to 1994 at the intersection of East Market and Loudoun streets, where Mom’s Apple Pie now sits. After operations there ceased, the Town of Leesburg received title to the Midget and moved the structure into storage. The town issued a request for proposals for the relocation and use of the Midget, which was awarded in November of that year to Gordon MacDowell and The MacDowell Companies. A 20-year lease between MacDowell and the town was agreed upon in February 1996 at a rate of $10 annually. The lease expired in 2016. The Town Council never approved a new lease and there is no clause in the lease that dictated surrender of the structure. At the Harrison Street location, the restaurant use was revived by Chef Brian Devaux, who operated a barbecue eatery from the small hut. From 2008 to the summer of 2019, the Midget served as the main kitchen for Döner Bistro when the restaurant was located at MacDowell’s Harrison Street property. Döner moved to a new location in the Virginia Village shopping center last summer, and the Midget has not been used since. The council authorized town staff to issue an RFP
AUGUST 13, 2020
for a new 20-year lease of the structure last June. Renshaw made her interest known shortly ahead of the RFP issuance last summer. For her, the lease is the fulfillment of a promise. She recalled an encounter in her pie shop in 1998 with Herman Costello, whose wife previously ran the Midget. “He said to me, ‘Get the Midget back’,” she recalled. “It wasn’t something I was thinking about at all, but it cued me up to look at it.” In addition to fulfilling Costello’s wish, it’s meaningful for Renshaw for a number of reasons. Her father is a former B52 pilot, and she said she has enjoyed hearing stories over the years about area residents’ connection to the Midget. “It’s meaningful to people and I just hope we can do justice by it, and make it a fun stop,” she said. Renshaw said she plans to place the Midget on the concrete pad to the right of her storefront, where it stood for many years. While she has not finalized what the Midget’s menu offerings will be, she wants to focus on locally made, Loudoun County products. Mini sliders made with local beef or poutine made with potatoes from her Lost Corner Farm are some of her initial ideas. She emphasizes that there are a lot of logistics that will go into moving the Midget and a lot of work that will need to go into getting its kitchen up and running again. In her RFP response last September, Renshaw noted that the Midget was not in good working order and needed to be brought up to Health Department standards. An extensive rehabilitation of the Midget’s interior and other work is expected, she said, which could run into the thousands of dollars. She does not expect the Midget to be up and runMIGHTY MIDGET continues on page 7
Although the Town of Leesburg has not yet been able to spend its first round of $4.7 million in CARES Act federal funding, the Town Council voted Tuesday night to accept a second round of equal funding from Loudoun County. The vote was a reversal of sorts from Monday night’s work session discussion when the staff recommended that the council consider asking the county to keep the town’s portion of CARES funding and distribute it itself to small businesses and nonprofits. Town Manager Kaj Dentler said he learned new information earlier Tuesday that Congress is considering changing its criteria in how CARES funding can be spent, and recommended the council not reject the additional funding. No funding would be distributed by the county until the Board of Supervisors’ first meeting in September. One million dollars of the additional $4.7 million will be dedicated to nonprofit grants, and the council will determine how to distribute the remaining $3.7 million when it returns from its late-August recess. The town has had a difficult time giving away the initial $4.7 million it received. Both of its grant application processes, one for small businesses and another for nonprofits, yielded fewer applications than there was money available during oneweek grant application periods in July. Of the little more than $3 million earmarked for small business grants of either $2,500 or $5,000 based on a business’ gross receipts, only $665,000 was awarded by the council this week. That
breaks down to 30 grants of $2,500 for businesses with annual income between $25,000 and $100,000, and 118 grants of $5,000 for businesses with income up to $1 million. That leaves more than $2.3 million still unspent. The council adopted new funding tiers for small business grants that would make both smaller- and larger-grossing operations eligible for the remaining $2.3 million in small business funding. Small businesses now will only need to demonstrate a 15-percent loss in revenue, down from the initial stipulation of a 25-percent revenue loss. The application period for businesses to apply for a grant will also be longer, at three weeks, and businesses will have the opportunity to come into good standing with the town, by way of catching up on fees and licenses, before applying. The new funding criteria will allow businesses with gross annual receipts of between $2,500 and $9,999 to be eligible for a $1,000 grant; businesses between $10,000 and $24,999 in annual sales are eligible for a $2,000 grant; $5,000 grants for businesses between $25,000 and $100,000 in income; $10,000 grants for businesses between $100,001 and $1 million in income; and businesses between $1,000,001 and $2.5 million can secure a $15,000 grant. Those businesses that received funding in the first round would receive matching funds from the new criteria set Tuesday, Deputy Town Manager Keith Markel said. The council also has around $197,000 remaining in CARES funds earmarked for CARES FUNDING continues on page 7
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AUGUST 13, 2020
Mighty Midget continued from page 6 ning at its new, former location for at least six months. The lease of the Midget will run Mom’s $50 a year, which was the minimum bid for the RFP. Three proposals were received in response to the RFP, including one from MacDowell, who apparently offered a higher annual lease rate. Another proposal came from Scarps Breatfast Joint. A staff report notes that the recommendation to sign a lease with Mom’s was made because “from a historic preservation perspective, the proposal submitted by Mom’s will maintain Leesburg’s historic town feel” by returning the structure to its original location. Council members Tom Dunn and Su-
CARES funding continued from page 6 nonprofits that serve town residents and address the medical and financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The council on Tuesday made initial grant awards in varying amounts, up to $50,000, to 26
zanne Fox were the only two council members to dissent on the vote to award the lease. Dunn asked several questions about the procurement process, which had several delays staff members attributed to holidays and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. He suggested there was miscommunication between the staff and MacDowell that may have caused MacDowell’s proposal to be considered invalid when he did not verbally agree to an extension to the town’s deadline. Both MacDowell’s proposal and the one from Scarps were not disclosed ahead of Tuesday’s vote because of a provision of the Virginia Public Procurement Act that allows proposal records to remain closed to public inspection until after award of the lease. n local nonprofits. Markel said staff would reach out to those 26 nonprofits to see if there would be interest in receiving additional grant funding from the remaining $197,000, and ensuring the nonprofits would be able to spend the funds on COVID-related expenses by Dec. 30, as stipulated by federal CARES Act legislation. n
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Voting is underway for the final selection of a new Loudoun County High School mascot. School leaders have narrowed the choices to three: Bears, Captains and Colts. Those were selected from among 72 suggestions submitted by the school community. Members of the Student Council Association and school staff members cut the list to10 selections on July 29. On Aug. 5, administrators and the SCA’s leadership selected the top three choices for a final vote. The final decision will be made by the school’s students, faculty and staff, with
voting continuing through Aug. 24. Principal Michelle Luttrell announced the finalists on Monday. A Google form link was sent to the school community to collect their votes. Beginning Aug. 24, school administrators and Student Council Association sponsors will review the completeness of the voting process and then work to select the image of the winning mascot. The final product will be revealed the week of Aug. 31 and work will begin creating new uniforms and transitioning out the former Raider iconography. The School Board on June 29 voted to remove the Raider mascot because of its NEW MASCOT continues on page 9
School Board Looks to Nix Columbus Day Following a national trend, the School Board is considering a proposal to cease the celebration of Christopher Columbus’ map-expanding voyages of discovery and instead focus on the original inhabitants of the New World. Under the proposal, the schools will celebrate the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. According to the draft School Board resolution, Columbus’ discovery of the Americas—land previously unknown to Europeans searching for an alternate trade route to Asia—opened the door to the destruction of the Indigenous peoples’ communities. Indigenous Peoples’ Day will highlight
the progress society has accomplished through the contributions of the Indigenous culture. The change would be intended to reflect Loudoun as a community that values diversity, equity, inclusion, and history. As part of the commemoration, the public schools “will actively engage in the collective responsibility to teach and affirm Indigenous Peoples’ culture and community.” The resolution calls on community members, businesses, public and private organizations to also recognize and promote the wellbeing and understanding of the contributions of Indigenous communities. n
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AUGUST 13, 2020
New mascot continued from page 8 ties to the Confederacy. According to Luttrell’s message, the rationale supporting the three finalists is:
BEARS: Native to Northern Virginia, bears are intelligent, gentle, tolerant, industrious, protective and family-oriented. Bears have a strong physical presence, and while they don’t back down from predators, they aren’t unnecessarily aggressive and they show gentle care and respect for their own. Bears roam confidently in their natural habitats, bravely leading their cubs through dangerous terrain. Bears are powerful animals with a natural ability to persevere in difficult conditions. Bears build the capacity of their young cubs as they teach them to survive with power, resourcefulness, skill and good sense.
CAPTAINS: A captain is the leader of a vessel, navigating their team through both peaceful and tumultuous times. A captain possesses qualities like those embodied by LCHS students: leadership, resourcefulness,
pride, charisma, strong character, honor, service, dedication and thoughtfulness. A nod to the LCHS NJROTC program and maritime tradition, captains take full responsibility for their team and their vessel and commit to being the last one off their ship in dangerous or even fatal circumstances. Captains earn respect by making difficult decisions with the best interest of all in mind.
COLTS: Long known as “Horse Country,” Loudoun County has a rich tradition of breeding and raising colts into rugged, successful and mighty horses. Colts are strong in mind, body and will. They are fierce competitors, quick learners and powerful performers. When racing, colts are high-spirited, persistent and disciplined. They will push past exhaustion with grit and grace. Colloquial terms like horsepower and workhorse indicate the contributions horses have made in the development of the United States of America. Colts are adaptable, hardworking, quick and intelligent. Despite their power and imposing size, colts are caring, supportive, gentle and affable. Like the students at LCHS, colts are victorious yet sportsmanlike, bright yet life-long learners and fierce yet friendly. n
PAGE 9
Baseball Field Renamed for Loudoun’s Original Star Athlete Before there was Allen Pinkett or Billy King, before there was Larry Izzo or Jeff Lageman and before there was Trace McSorley and Jonathan Allen there was Toby Atwell. On Tuesday, the School Board voted to rename a Leesburg baseball field in honor of Maurice Dailey “Toby” Atwell Jr., Loudoun’s first major league pro athlete. As a student at Leesburg High School, he played basketball, baseball, and football. After serving three years in the U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II, he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers’ organization in 1948. He played catcher for the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburg Pirates and Milwaukee Braves during a five-year MLB career. He was named to the National League All-Star Team in 1952, although the game was rained out. After returning home, he remained active in the community contributing to baseball clinics and volunteer coaching. He died in 2003.
A 1952-53 Toby Atwell baseball card.
The request to rename the Leesburg Annex baseball field, located along Old Waterford Road next to the former Leesburg High School Building, in Atwell’s memory was made by the Town of Leesburg and other community members. Under the School Board action, the property will be named Toby Atwell Field for the next 10 years. n
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AUGUST 13, 2020
Public Safety Charges Reduced in Ashburn Stabbing Case BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com
A General District Court judge last week agreed to reduce charges filed against an Ashburn man who stabbed three people earlier this year. Erick A. Joya-Morales, 18, was charged with three counts of Joya-Morales aggravated malicious wounding following an altercation in May. During an Aug. 5 hearing, Substitute General District Court Judge Robert P. Coleman, from Prince William County, agreed to a deal approved by county prosecutors to not prosecute two of those charges and to reduce the final one to unlawful wounding. Joya-Morales is expected to formally plead guilty to that charge in Circuit Court on Sept. 10. Aggravated malicious wounding, a
PUBLISHER’S NOTICE We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-9753.
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Class 2 felony, carries a punishment of 20 years to life in prison. Unlawful wounding, a Class 6 felony, carries a punishment of one to five years in prison. The case surrounds a May 8 incident in which Joya-Morales stabbed three men before fleeing the scene. According to the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office, deputies were called to Blossom Hill Terrace in The Grove at Flynn’s Crossing neighborhood in Ashburn shortly after 9:15 p.m. that day. They later apprehended Joya-Morales.
Two of the three men who were stabbed were treated and released from the hospital within a day. The other man remained in the hospital longer. Joya-Morales’ defense attorney, Tony Paracha, said Joya-Morales acted in self-defense in two of the three stabbings, but is viewed as the aggressor in the remaining one. Joya-Morales has been held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center since May. n
Former Ashburn Resident, Pro Hockey Player Dies in Motorcycle Crash The Sheriff ’s Office is investigating a fatal motorcycle crash that happened just before 1:30 a.m. Saturday in Leesburg. According to the report, Adam R. Comrie, 30, formerly of Ashburn, was riding a 2019 Honda CB1000 northbound on North King Street near the Leesburg Bypass when he drove into the median, striking several signs. He died at the scene. A female passenger also was seriously injured and
remained hospitalized Monday. High speed was cited as a possible factor in the crash. Born in Kanata, Ontario, Canada, Comrie attended elementary, middle and high school in Ashburn. In 2008, he was drafted by the Florida Panthers NHL team. He also played for several teams in the AHL and ECHL. He most recently played for Klagenfurt AC in the Austrian Erste Bank Hockey League. n
Running Back Released After Domestic Violence Arrest The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office on Friday filed five criminal charges against Derrius K. Guice, 23, of Ashburn, in connection with three domestic abuse incidents alleged to Guice have occurred at his Ashburn home in February, March and April. After he turned himself into authorities and was released on a $10,000 bond, the third year running back was released by the Washington Football Team. The investigation was conducted by the Sheriff ’s Office’s Domestic Violence Unit in coordination with Montgomery County where the incidents were reported by the victim. The investigation began July 22. The charges stem from altercations on Feb. 14, March 13 and April 17. Guice is charged with one count of
strangulation, a felony; three counts of assault and battery; and one count destruction of property. According to court documents, the victim described assaults when she was strangled into unconsciousness, thrown to the ground, and her cell phone was thrown and shattered. An arraignment on the charges is scheduled for Aug. 28 in Loudoun County District Court. The LSU star was Washington’s second-round draft pick in 2018. In a statement, the team said it learned of the allegations on Thursday. Initially, Guice was suspended from team activities pending review of the allegations. “Upon review of the nature of these charges and following internal discussions, we have decided to release Derrius immediately,” the team stated Friday. Guice’s attorney Peter D. Greenspun criticized both the Sheriff ’s Office and the football team for acting too hastily to draw conclusions in the case. n
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AUGUST 13, 2020
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Thomas Family Proposes Pubic Safety Reforms Following Drowning Supporters of the family of Fitz Thomas will take to the streets Saturday morning to kick off a campaign for spur reforms to the county’s 911 call system, advocate other public safety initiatives, and establish permanent memorials to honor the teen who drowned while swimming with friends near Confluence Park in the River Creek neighborhood June 4. The Justice 4 Fitz March & Rally will begin at 10 a.m. at Lansdowne Village Greens Open Field & Center Stage on Winmeade Drive and end at the African American Burial Ground for the Enslaved at Belmont, where Thomas was buried. The program is being led by Thomas’ mother, Pastor Michelle C. Thomas, a community activist and president of the Loudoun NAACP who is working to identify systematic changes that could prevent such a tragedy in the future. A delay in the response of emergency crews—in part caused by confusion that resulted in Maryland responders first receiving the 911 calls—is believed to have played a factor in Thomas’ death. Among the proposals are the installa-
tion of cell towers along bodies of water to better route calls, the posting of mile markers along the river to show water depths, requiring parks to be mapped to the 911 systems; updating equipment and training for county dispatchers, and increasing public training on how to make effective 911 calls. The reform package also proposes requirements for CPR training and drug testing for student athletes, programs in grades K-12 to educate parents and students about the social norms of different races, and to provide mentors who match the demographics and interests of students. Also proposed are a number of community initiatives, including the preservation of the Black history of Confluence Park; the renaming of the park property, the trail at Kephart Bridge Landing Park, or the Riverside High School football field in memory of Fitz Alexander Campbell Thomas; improving community grief counseling; and creating the Fitz Thomas Football League. More information about the efforts is available at facebook.com/Justice4Fitz. n
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AUGUST 13, 2020
Nonprofit Cardinal Bakery Helps Keep Loudoun Hunger Relief Rolling LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now
A crew from TJT Construction installs the sewer line connection to VFW Post 1177 along Old Waterford Road in Leesburg.
VFW Post 1177 Makes a New Connection BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
Thanks to quite a bit of community help, the Loudoun County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1177 in Leesburg is now hooked into the town’s sewer system, providing new revenue opportunities for the organization. It is the latest upgrade at the 65-year-old meeting house on Old Waterford Road, which got an interior facelift last year. Connecting to the town’s system will allow the post to offer the building for more rentals and community events. Past Post Commander Phil Rusciolelli supervised the project. Over the past 16 months, the post has been raising funds, getting a deed approved and recorded, and securing town and county permits. Rusciolelli noted the project would not have been possible were it not for a neighbor who deeded some of her property to the post to allow the sewer line connection. The post members’ contributions were enough to cover survey and engineering expenses, Rusciolelli said. From there, several community organizations stepped in to help. Hero Homes, TJT Construction, The Kaufman Group, the Town of Leesburg, Superior Paving, Home Depot, Pfizer Corporation, Luck Stone, and H2 Land Company jumped in to bring the project to fruition. n
Among those who have stepped up to help meet community needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Politano family and their staff at Cardinal Bakery has been donating fresh bread to the Loudoun Hunger Relief food pantry since the spring. The 35-year-old Sterling bakery has been delivering hundreds of packages of small hero rolls each week. When the stay-at-home orders went into place, the supply chain was interrupted, and many stores had a hard time keeping stock. According to LHR managers, there were some weeks when the rolls from the bakery was the only bread on the shelf available to add to patrons’ meal packets. In all, staff members said the bakery has contributed nearly two tons of bread. LHR distributed 1.6 million pounds of food last year. Since mid-March, LHR
Contributed
Cardinal Bakery has been donating hundreds of packages of small hero rolls to Loudoun Hunger Relief each week.
has served more than 14,000 people and distributed more than 672,000 pounds of food, a significant increase during the pandemic. Loudoun residents in need of
food may make appointments for food on the website or call the pantry at 703-7775911. Learn more at loudounhunger.org. n
NONPROFIT notes Virtual Run Raises $234K for Children’s National Health Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the 28th annual Van Metre 5K was held virtually June 15-30. Participants were asked to choose any 5K or 1-mile course to be completed at their leisure and submit their times online. More than 250 runners, walkers, strollers and pets from all across the country participated. The event raised more than $234,000 for Children’s National Health System. Since the event’s inception, Van Metre Companies has generated over $2.5 million dollars for Children’s National Health System. Cash prizes were awarded in 11 categories, including Most Creative Race Outfit (Youth & Adult), Most Creative Pet Outfit, Best Pre-Race Photo/Video (Youth & Adult), Best Post-Race Photo/Video (Youth & Adult), Best Memory Lane Photo/Video, Oldest Memory Lane Photo/ Video, Best Finish Line Photo/Video, and Most Creative Use/Display of Race Swag.
Next spring, organizers look forward to debuting a new USATF-certified 5K course for the event. Learn more at vanmetre5krun.org.
KWVA Seeks New Members Those who served in Korea as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces anytime since Sept. 3, 1945 or served outside of Korea between June 25, 1950 to Jan. 31, 1955, are invited to join the Korean War Veterans Association. The Shenandoah Valley Chapter 313 of the KWVA is recruiting new members, including Korean War and Korean Defense Veterans. The club honors aging vets who served in the war, while also taking an active role in growing the organization for the future. The association participates in many events in the region, including visiting hospitalized and shut-in veterans, participating in parades and ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and the National Korean War Memorial, and support the Veteran community at large. For more information, contact Loudoun/Clarke County Coordinator
Doug Hall at DHallKWVA@gmail.com or go to KWVA.us.
Lovettsville American Legion Auxiliary Installs Officers Members of Lovettsville American Legion Auxiliary Unit 1836 met July 13 at the Walker Pavilion for an unprecedented social distancing meeting. It was the first meeting since the pandemic began in March and included a tribute to two members—former Mayor Elaine Walker and Unit President Rena Baker—who recently died. New officers elected were: President Jo Robertson, Vice President Sarah Markel, Secretary Lizzy Fontaine, Treasurer Claudia Mazur, Chaplain Anita Serna, Historian Erin York, Sargent-At-Arms Sarah Moseley, Executive Committeewoman Diane Chang, and Executive Committeewoman Alisha Holdcroft. The Unit meets on the second Monday of the month. Learn more at alaforveterans.org or by emailing ala.va.unit1836@ gmail.com.
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AUGUST 13, 2020
PAGE 13
Loudoun County Government Announces CARES Act Distribution LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
Loudoun County has allocated $2.3 million to 53 community nonprofit and faith-based organizations that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The allocation is part of the federal funding made available through the commonwealth from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Organizations were invited in June to submit funding requests in one of four categories: emergency food assistance, expansion of services due to COVID-19, interruption of services due to the pandemic; and a combination of expanded services and emergency food assistance. The grant awards were announced Aug. 7. Food Assistance (Total: $166,650) Backpack Buddies at Galilee Church . . . . . . . . $4,250 Capital Caring Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12,750 Salvation Army - Loudoun Corp . . . . . . . . . . $115,600 St. Moses Coptic Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30,000 The Humane Society of Loudoun County . . . . . $4,050 Food Assistance and Service Expansion (Total: $948,176) All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS). . . . . $37,500 BDesh Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $31,662 Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington. . . . . $298,248 HOPE International Learning Center. . . . . . . . $13,115 Loudoun Hunger Relief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $340,000
Mobile Hope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $135,000 Equus CAN Educate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seven Loaves Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $38,250 Freedom Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. . . . . . . . . . . $54,400 Legal Services of Northern Virginia . . . . . . . . Loudoun Basketball Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum. . . . . . . . . . Service Expansion (Total: $845,737) Loudoun Symphony Association. . . . . . . . . . . . A Place To Be. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $31,874 Loudoun Therapeutic Riding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BRAWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $21,250 Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy. . . . . . . . . . . . . Destiny Church Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $42,500 Northern Virginia Dental Clinic. . . . . . . . . . . . INMED Partnerships for Children. . . . . . . . . $195,942 Opportunities, Alternatives, and Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice Inc./ Resources (OAR). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LAWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $244,712 Project Horse Empowerment Center. . . . . . . . Loudoun Literacy Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,820 Ride-On Ranch Equine Assisted Therapies. . . Loudoun Cares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $21,825 Sprout Therapeutic Riding and Northern Virginia Family Service . . . . . . . . . . . $7,663 SCAN of Northern VA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $90,210 Education Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Arc of Loudoun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St Gabriel’s Episcopal Church . . . . . . . . . . . . $73,055 The Fenwick Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,375 The Good Shepherd Alliance, Inc. . . . . . . . . . The Ryan Bartel Foundation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . The New Ag School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,456 Tree of Life Ministries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $64,303 Virginia Rides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area . . . . . . . . . . . $1,000 Waterford Foundation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Women Giving Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29,750 YMCA Loudoun County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zakaria Islamic Academy (ZIA). . . . . . . . . . . . .
$10,112 $14,000 $25,000 $2,000 $16,400 $3,000 $8,811 $2,962 $15,300 $25,782 $33,711 $28,013 $4,391 $37,232 $16,839 $10,076 $3,600 $5,153 $10,000 $4,000
Service Interruption (Total: $350,72) All Ages Read Together. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,164 American Turkish Friendship Association . . . . $18,067 Artists in Middleburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12,000 Crossroads Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,395 Embark Center for Self- Directed Education . . . $3,714
The grants to nonprofits and faith-based organizations followed an earlier round of grants provided to businesses and the incorporated towns to help offset expenses related to the coronavirus pandemic response and its economic impacts. n
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AUGUST 13, 2020
Inova Loudoun Children’s ER Earns Lantern Award
Business Milk Producers Cooperative Honors Dogwood Farm for Century of Membership LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative last week recognized Dogwood Farm LP in Lincoln for achieving 100 years of membership. The family was recognized during its 100th Annual Meeting/Virtual Honors Ceremony. Loudoun’s last active dairy operation, Dogwood Farm, has been a family farm for over 200 years. Mike and Nancy Potts are the third-generation owners. The farm, established in the early 1800s, was owned by the family of Mike’s grandmother, Mary Brown, who married Jennings Potts. It passed on to their son Robert and his wife Sarah, and then to Mike. The farm is home to 90 registered Holsteins and is one of the top BAA herds in the state. “Thank you to the Potts family for all you do to produce a quality product for our customers for the last 100 years,” said MVMPC Douglas Graham First Vice President Kevin Satterwhite during Nancy Potts feeds calves at Dogwood Farm near Purcellville. The Potts’ dairy farm is passing the the award presentation. n dairymen lifestyle down through the generations.
The Children’s Emergency Room at Inova Loudoun Hospital has been selected as a recipient of the Emergency Nurses Association’s 2020 Lantern Award for demonstrating exceptional and innovative performance in leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research. The Children’s Emergency Room is one of only 25 hospital ERs internationally and the only ER in Virginia to receive the award in 2020. “Our Children’s ER team is extremely dedicated, working with compassion and providing excellence to each patient and family member they are privileged to serve. We appreciate and are honored by this recognition,” stated April Brown, Senior Director of Inova Loudoun Hospital Emergency Services. The Lantern Award showcases the emergency department’s accomplishments in incorporating evidence-based practice and innovation into emergency care. n
Contributed
The staff at Inova Loudoun’s Children’s Emergency Room has been cited by the Emergency Nurses Association for exceptional performance.
BUSINESS Announcements Health Center Seeks Bilingual Candidates at Job Fair HealthWorks for Northern Virginia is planning a job fair Saturday, Aug. 22 to fill 10 full-time support positions located at its Leesburg, Herndon and Reston health centers. Positions include front desk representatives, call center receptionists and registration assistance coordinators. Bilingual English-Spanish fluency is required for these positions. Managers will be on hand to conduct interviews with candidates, as well as provide applications and information about employment at HealthWorks. The event runs from 9 a.m. to noon. No appointment is necessary. CDC guidelines for COVID-19 will be followed. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Reservations are requested to hr@hwnova. org.
HealthWorks for Northern Virginia, a nonprofit providing affordable medical, dental and behavioral health care, is located at 163 Fort Evans Road NE in Leesburg.
McAlister’s Deli Opens in Ashburn
Founded in 1989, the McAlister’s Deli franchise restaurant chain includes more than 450 restaurants in 27 states. Learn more at the “McAlister’s Deli in Ashburn” Facebook page.
Farm Credit Leesburg Branch McAlister’s Deli opened Monday in Pays $3.3M in Dividends
Ashburn, at 44155 Ashbrook Marketplace, Suite 100A. The fast-casual restaurant offers handcrafted sandwiches, fresh salads, stuffed potatoes, and its Famous Sweet Tea. The deli will be open 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. A new app and award program allows patrons to place their orders in advance of their visit. “We look forward to building long-lasting relationships in our new community,” said McKaye Darling, the owner of the Ashburn franchise.
The Leesburg branch of Farm Credit of the Virginias paid approximately $3.3 million in cash to their customer-owners in the form of a patronage dividend. As a benefit of its customer-owned framework, FCV distributes a portion of its profits to its borrowers on an annual basis. Because of the association’s strong financial performance in 2019, the board voted to issue $35 million in cash dividends across Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. Since 2001, FCV has paid more than $318 million in patronage dividends to its cus-
tomer-owners. “We’re proud to be one of the few financial institutions that reward our customers for their loyalty in the form of a cash dividend. In addition to offsetting the cost of borrowing, sharing our profits with our customer-owners is our personal and tangible thanks for entrusting us with their business. It is one of the many benefits of borrowing from a cooperative that you own,” CEO Brad Cornelius stated. “This year, in particular, we were pleased to distribute funds to our customer-owners facing disruptions and financial hardships due to the pandemic. We are committed to being here for agriculture and our rural communities when they need us, in good times and bad. This patronage payment is our way of showing it.” The Leesburg branch is located at 27 Fort Evans Road NE. Learn more at farmcreditofvirginias.com.
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AUGUST 13, 2020
PAGE 15
HELP WANTED AT FAMILY PRACTICE
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.
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:
Regular Full-Time Positions Position
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Controller
Finance
$79,227-$135,636 DOQ
Open until filled
Utility Plant Operator: Trainee, I, II or Senior
Utilities – Water Pollution Control or Water Supply
$41,353-$89,790 DOQ
Open until filled
$41,353-$76,882 DOQ
Open until filled
Utility System Trainee or Utility System Technician Utilities
To review Ida Lee (Parks & Recreation) flexible part-time positions, please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs. Most positions will be filled at or near the minimum of the range. Dependent on qualifications. All Town vacancies may be viewed on Comcast Cable Channel 67 and Verizon FiOS Channel 35.
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AUGUST 13, 2020
Our Towns
TOWN notes HILLSBORO Rt. 9 to Partially Reopen on Friday
Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now
Lovettsville town leaders celebrated the groundbreaking for the town office expansion project last Friday, Aug. 7.
Lovettsville Breaks Ground on New Town Office BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com
After years of growth and creative desk shuffling, the Lovettsville town staff will be pressed for workspace no longer. Lovettsville town leaders held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday afternoon to mark the beginning of a nearly $500,000 project that will see Fuog/InterBuild install a 2,125-square-foot addition adjacent to the existing town office. Fuog/InterBuild will begin prefabrication manufacturing and pour the foundation and install utility rough-ins this month. It will place the building on the foundation in early September. Crews
Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now
Lovettsville Mayor Nate Fontaine speaks during the Aug. 7 groundbreaking ceremony for the town office expansion project.
will then take four weeks to install the exterior, the ADA-compliant ramps, the front porch and other interior features. The town is funding the project via reserves and loans with annual payments that match the amount the town was spending annually on rent for the singlewide trailer that previously housed a pair of town employees. The project has been a top priority among town staffers for years. The current 1,250-square-foot town office doubles as a Town Council chambers. In 2008, the quarters were so cramped that LOVETTSVILLE OFFICE continues on page 18
Virts Family to Open Harvest Gap Brewery BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com
A new brewery is coming to western Loudoun—this one on property that thousands of people have already visited. Mike Virts, the son of the couple behind the Virts Family Farm roadside farm store off Rt. 9 near Hillsboro, is working to open the Harvest Gap Brew-
ery on the same location by Labor Day weekend. Virts said he and his brewer, William Jones of the now-closed Wicked Barn Brewery in Culpeper, are busy brewing a nitro milk stout, a double IPA and an American brown ale. Next, they’ll be brewing a seasonal pumpkin ale and a Märzen Oktoberfest. They’re also looking to collaborate with a couple of Loudoun favorites, Lost Rhino Brewing Co. and Beltway Brewing Co.
The beer is being brewed using the barley Virts has been growing on the property to feed his cattle for the past decade, since he got out of the military after two deployments to Iraq while in the U.S. Marines. Virts and Jones are using a small-barrel brewing system with only three fermenters. They’re also HARVEST GAP continues on page 18
Rt. 9 through Hillsboro will reopen to westbound traffic at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14. The highway through town will remain open only to westbound traffic until 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 16. Traffic patterns will shift at 6 p.m. on Sunday to allow only eastbound traffic to pass through the town until 9:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 17. From Tuesday to Friday, only eastbound traffic will be allowed to pass through from 4-9:30 a.m. The cycle will then repeat beginning at 2 p.m. next Friday. Drivers will have to navigate twists and turns and a partially unpaved surface with dirt and gravel. They will also drive around newly installed roundabouts—one at the Stony Point Road intersection on the west end of town and another at the Hillsboro Road intersection on the east end of town. The reopening follows more than three months of full highway closures through Hillsboro in which crews completed the town’s $3.2 million water project and continued work on the $14.33 million traffic calming and pedestrian safety project. For road project updates, go to ReThink9.com.
Scout Installs Benches at the Old Stone School The Town of Hillsboro has new cedar benches for residents to rest on when visiting the Old Stone School. Josh Derrow, a rising senior at Woodgrove High School and a member of Boy Scout Troop 961, made and installed three cedar benches outside the building, along with a separate bench that surrounds the oak tree planted between there and the Hillsboro Charter School. He was assisted in his Eagle Scout project by the manpower of 15 other scouts and wood from Loudoun Lumber. TOWN NOTES continues on page 17
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AUGUST 13, 2020
PAGE 17
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TOWN notes continued from page 16
Discounts Available For Patients
Welcoming have received an application in their waWelcomingallallnew newpatients! patients! Without Insurance! ter bills late last month. To apply, fill that Dr. Brian Cochran and his staff at Welcoming allallnew patients! Welcoming new patients! Conveniently located Cochran Family Dental are in application out with a brief description of The Village of Leesburg 2020 Welcoming new patients! committed to providing a comprehensive dental Dr. Brian Cochran and his staff at office What weall offer 1503 Dodona Terrace #210 any hardship encountered, such as losing FAVORITE Conveniently located in with aCochran caring andFamily gentle style that will Dental areserve most all of • Cheerful, serene, Cochran state of thestaff artand officehis Dr. Brian and his at Leesburg, VA 20175 Dr. Brian staff at Leesburg income, a significant increase in water Cochran or your family’s dental needs under one roof. Insurance The Village of • Digital x-rays (reduces radiation by 90%) to providing a comprehensive dental office committed 703-771-9034 Cochran Family Dental are friendly office offering budget wise payment options. Dr. sewer usage or increased cleaning Family and 1503 Dodona Terrace #210 Cochran are • WeDental file all dental benefi t claims withhasa provided caring and gentle style that serve most all of Cochran trusted dental care to thewill citizens committed to providing a comprehensive dental office Leesburg, VA 20175 Dr. Brian Cochran and his staff at subsequent water usage. The town will • Cosmetic Dentistry (veneers, whitefamily’s fifor llings, Zoom Whitening) of Loudoun 13 and years. your dental needs WHITENING under one roof. Insurance HOURS: SPECIAL committed aalland comprehensive dental office withand a caring gentle style that will serve most all of WHITENING 703-771-9034 • Crowns Bridges, Family phases of & Implants, Rootoffering Dentures review applications and provide qualifiedto providing Conveniently located inCanals FREE Teeth Whitening Kit options. Dr. Cochran Dental friendly office wise payment Mon. Wed.: 8am -are 6pm and budget SPECIAL with every scheduled The Village Leesburg facing your family’stherapy dental needs under one roof. Insurance • We offer periodontal to restore your oral health asUse well as oral cancer screening. Tues. - at Thurs.: - 4pm utility customers withwith a $45 a grant that and your benefits before the end to the citizens Cochran has7am provided trusted dental care cleaning or procedure. Route 7providing between Wegmans andcomprehensive caring gentle that will serve most all of office 1503committed Dodona Terrace style to a dental of the year and receive8/31/16. a FREE Fri.: 8am 1pm Offer Expires LA Fitness friendly office offering budget wise payment options. Dr. Teeth Whitening Kit with every will be put toward their accounts. The Suite 210 Conveniently located in(once/month) the Village of Leesburg of 8am Loudoun for 13 years. Please present coupon to Sat.: 1pm Mon & -Wed: 8-6pm HOURS: scheduled cleaning or procedure. WHITENING SPECIAL with a20175 caring and style that will serve Leesburg, receive the offer. Not to bemost all of Cochran hasTerrace provided trusted dental care the citizens TuesEmergency & Thurs: 7-4pm 1503VA Dodona #210 •gentle Leesburg, VA 20175 • to 703-771-9034 WHITENING your needs under one roof. Insurance Expires January 1, 2016. 24hr Service deadline to apply is Dec. 4. family’s dental Conveniently located inOffer FREE Teeth Whitening Kit Please coupon to w/any receive the offer. Mon. &4pm Wed.: 8am -present 6pm combined other Fri: 8-1pm • Sat: 8-1pm (Once/month) Mon. & Wed.: 8am 6pm • Tues. Thurs.: 7am • Fri.: 8am 1pm • 24hr Emergency Service Notfacing to be combined with any other offer. SPECIAL 703-771-9034 with every scheduled The Village Leesburg 24hr Emergency ofyour Loudoun for 13 years. family’s dental needs under one roof. Insurance The grant money is coming from the Tues.Service - at Thurs.: 7am - 4pm
Cochran Family Dental Welcoming all new patients! Welcoming all new patients!
“We value the partnership we have always had with the scouts and we have lots of Eagle Scout and service projects in the queue,” said Mayor Roger Vance.
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Dr. Brian Cochran and his staff at Cochran Family Dental are LOVETTSVILLE committed to providing a comprehensive dental office friendly officeand offering budget wise payment options.most Dr. all of Route 7 between Wegmans and serve County Rebids Lovettsville with a caring gentle style that will 1503 Dodona Terrace Visit ourwebsite: website at: TheLeesburgVADentist.com Visit our TheLeesburgVADentist.com Fri.:Fitness 8am WHITENING - 1pm Conveniently located in LA town’s newly established $45,000 Essenfriendly office offering budget wise payment options. Dr. 210 at Leesburg SPECIAL Community Center Project TheSuite Village facing Sat.: 8am - 1pm (once/month) Cochran has trusted dental care to the citizens tial Services Fund, which comes from a provided Use your benefits before the end Leesburg, VA 20175 Cochran hasWegmans provided trusted dental careInsurance to the citizens Route 7 between your family’s dental needs under one roof. 24hrand Emergency Service 1503 Dodona Terrace of the year and receive a FREE The Loudoun County government on portion of the town’s $187,372 CARES LA Fitness Teeth Whitening Kit with every of Loudoun for 13 years. Suite 210 703-771-9034 of Loudoun for 13 years.scheduled cleaning or procedure. Aug. 4 issued an invitation for bids to Act allocation from the federal governMon & Wed: 8-6pm friendly office offering budget wise payment Leesburg, VA 20175 Tues & Thurs: 7-4pm at:WHITENING If youoptions. value Dr. WHITENING solicit contractors interested in complet- ment. Visit our website TheLeesburgVADentist.com Visit our website: TheLeesburgVADentist.com Conveniently located in Conveniently located in Fri: 8-1pm • Sat: 8-1pm (Once/month) ing construction of the new Lovettsville 703-771-9034 SPECIAL Emergency The24hr Village at Service Leesburgdental facing SPECIAL Cochran hasatprovided trusted care to the citizens The Village Leesburg facing Use your benefits before the end Community Center. quality local Route 7 between Wegmans and Use your benefits before the end 1503 Dodona Terrace Visit our website at: TheLeesburgVADentist.com of the year and receive a FREE MIDDLEBURG Route 7 between Wegmans and Companies seeking to respond to the Dodona Terrace LA Fitness 1503 of the year and receive a FREE Teeth Whitening Kit with every of Loudoun for 13 years. Suite 210 invitation must do so by 4 p.m. Sept. 15. LA Fitness Mon & Wed: 8-6pm Mon & Wed: 8-6pm Tues & Thurs: 7-4pm Fri: 8-1pm • Sat: 8-1pm (Once/month) 24hr Emergency Service
Use your benefits or before the end cleaning procedure. of the year and receive8/31/16. a FREE Offer Expires Teeth Whitening Kit with every Please present coupon to scheduled cleaning or procedure.
receive offer. Not to be Offer Expiresthe January 1, 2016. Please present coupon to w/any receive the offer. combined other Not to be combined with any other offer.
Offer Expires January 1, 2016. Please present coupon to receive the offer. Not to be combined with any other offer.
journalism ... WHITENING SPECIAL Tell them you saw it in
scheduled cleaning or procedure. Teeth Whitening Kit with every Leesburg, VA 20175 The community center project will Suite 210 Offer Expires January 1, 2016. Mon & Wed: 8-6pm Tues & Thurs: 7-4pm scheduled cleaning or procedure. Bidding in Middleburg Art Please present coupon to receive the offer. Fri: 8-1pm • Sat: 8-1pm (Once/month) eventually replace the nearly 100-yearLeesburg, VA 20175 Tues & Thurs: 7-4pm Offer ExpiresNot January 1, 2016. to be combined with any other offer. 24hr Emergency Service Auction Begins Aug. 17 old existing community center with a Please present coupon to receive the offer. Fri: 8-1pm • Sat: 8-1pm (Once/month) new, 18,134-square-foot center. It will Not to be combined any otherbefore offer. the end Bidding in the Middleburg CommuUse yourwith benefits 24hr Emergency Service feature a full-size gymnasium, five class- nity Center Art Auction Fundraiser will of the year and receive a FREE rooms, a multipurpose room, a kitchen, open at 9 a.m. next Monday, Aug. 17. Teeth Whitening Kitonline with every administrative offices, meeting space and In your home weekly, always. The auction’s main item will beMon a set of& Wed: 8-6pm storage areas. It will also renovate the exscheduled cleaning or procedure. also be isting 1,200-square-foot pool house by 38 Adirondack chairs. There willTues & Thurs: 7-4pm Offer Expires January 1, 2016. a variety of local services and other items adding 600 square feet. Please present coupon to receive the offer. Fri: 8-1pm • Sat: 8-1pm (Once/month) The project began in July 2019 under from more than 35 local artists. All items Not to be combined with any other offer. 24hr Emergency Service center’s a $10.8 million contract with Meridian will be listed on the community Construction Co. On Jan. 17 this year, website by Aug. 14. The center will host the county terminated that contract be- socially distant open house chair precause crews weren’t performing work at a views from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from quick enough pace. Aug. 24-29. Bidding will close at 8 p.m. Phase one of the five-phase project on Aug. 29. was completed in June 2020 and included To view items and bid, go to middlethe installation of a sediment basin, riser burgcommunitycenter.com/auction. structure, pond access road, fencing and the temporary access road connecting ROUND HILL East Broad Way to the gravel parking lot. In all, the project is costing the county nearly $14 million, according to the Department of Transportation & Capital In- Council Member, 2 Planning frastructure’s most recent Capital Project Commissioners Appointed Report. The Round Hill Town Council last The county staff expects construction week voted to appoint Jesse Howe to the to resume later this year and wrap up by Town Council and Peter Buxton and forspring 2022. For updates on the project, go to mer mayor Frank Etro to the Planning loudoun.gov/5227/Lovettsville-Commu- Commission. Howe, who replaces Amy Evers, will nity-Center. remain on the council until a special elecTown Providing Utility Credits tion is held Nov. 3 to select a member to serve June 30, 2022. to Affected Customers Buxton, who replaces Stephan Evers, Lovettsville utility customers finanwill remain on the Planning Commission cially affected by the coronavirus crisis are encouraged to apply for financial re- until Dec. 31, 2022. Etro, who replaces Beth Caseman, will remain on the comlief from the town. Water and sewer customers should mission through Dec. 31, 2023.
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PAGE 18
AUGUST 13, 2020
Obituaries Mary Patricia Potts Benoit
Mary Patricia “Pat” Potts Benoit, 84, of Leesburg, Virginia, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at INOVA Loudoun Hospital with her daughter by her side. Born June 21, 1936 in Paeonian Springs, Virginia. She was the daughter of the late George Raymond and Bartolia Louise Beach Potts of Adamstown, Maryland. Mary was a proud graduate, Class of 1954, of Frederick High School in Frederick, Maryland. Mary was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who loved spending time with her family, dancing, listening to country music, and was a faithful member of the Leesburg Baptist Church (Leesburg Community Church) where she taught Sunday School for over 30 years. She enjoyed working at Drug Fair, Peebles, and the Hyatt Regency.
She is preceded in death by her husband, William E. Shanholtzer, Sr.; sisters, Margaret Louise Potts Boatwright, Georgia May Potts Myers, and LouAnn Potts Keyser. Those left to cherish her memories include children, Patricia Benoit Foster of Leesburg, Virginia and George Norman Benoit, Jr. of Clifton Forge, Virginia; grandchildren, Rusty Foster, Brett Benoit, Amanda Benoit, and Derek Benoit; great-grandchildren, Brady Benoit and Beckham Benoit; sister, Alice Marie Potts Hargett of Frederick, Maryland, and brother, George Franklin Potts of New York. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date due to COVID-19. In lieu of flowers, please make donations of sympathy to Friends of Homeless Animals, 39710 Goodpuppy Lane, Aldie, Virginia 20105 or at www.foha.org. Arrangements were made by Colonial Funeral Home, Leesburg, Virginia.
Roberta Lillie Ford, Age 82, of Sterling, Virginia.
Departed this life on Saturday Aug. 8, 2020 at the Adler Center for Caring Inpatient Center, Aldie, Virginia. She is survived by her beloved husband of 60 years, Frank Maurice Ford, Jr., sons, Frank Maurice Ford, III . (Catherine) of Chesapeake, VA and Duwayne R. Ford of Sterling, VA; grandchildren, Benjamin Ford, Rylee Ford and Shawn Ford; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and other relatives
and friends. Viewing and visitation will be held at 10:00 am till time of “Home Going” service 11:00 am on Friday Aug. 14, 2020 at the Beacon Hill Missionary Church, 2472 Centreville Road in Herndon, VA 20120. Interment will be held at Fairfax Memorial Park, 9900 Braddock, Road, Fairfax, VA 20170. Arrangements By: Lyles Funeral Service, Serving Northern Virginia, Eric S. Lyles, Director, Lic VA, DC, MD. 1-800-388-1913
Malik Carl Williams age 25 of Reston, VA .
Departed this life on Saturday Aug. 08, 2020. He leaves to cherish his memory his, Mother, Joy Williams,(Christopher) of Reston, VA, Father, Steven Crawford of New York, Children, Isabella, and Arabella Williams; sisters, Qualiyah Cannady, Lavasia Morris and Zaria Reid; brothers, Melquan Morris and Robert Morris; aunts, Cynthia Morris (Lawrence) of Bronx, NY, Johniesha Martinez of Harlem, NY, and Valerie Ward (Kim) of Reston,VA ; uncles, John Coleman, Michael Coleman, James Cotton and
Keewan Brodhurst (Lavon) of Reston, VA; and other relatives and friends. Private funeral services will be held on Saturday Aug. 15, 2020 at 11:00 a.m., viewing and visitation starting at 10:00 a.m. untill time of service at Lyles Funeral Chapel, 630 South 20th Street, Purcellville, VA 20132. Rev. Tony Smith, Officiating Interment: Private Arrangements by Lyles Funeral Service, serving Northern Virginia and surrounding areas, Eric S. Lyles, Director, Lic. VA,MD,DC 800-388-1913
Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now
The property along Rt. 9 that formerly was home to the Virts Family Farm will soon become home to the Harvest Gap Brewery.
Harvest Gap continued from page 16 going to plant hops on the property for brewing next spring. Visitors to the brewery can still expect a taste of the former Virts Family Farm, since they’re still planning to sell ice cream, root beer and other popular items from the farm store, including the beef Virts raises. Inside, there will be seating for up to 80 people, depending on COVID-19-related regulations. That’s not all visitors will have. Eventually, Virts wants to make cider and in-
Lovettsville office continued from page 16 the town rented a 720-square-foot trailer to provide the town engineer and utilities director with office space. The manufacturer of that trailer recommended it be replaced in 2010, but the town kept it in place until this summer. The existing town office has also been
clude a winery on the property. To do that, he said he would collaborate with area wineries. Virts said that when his family closed their farm store last December after about two years of operation, he realized the time was right to move forward with the brewery project—an idea he’s had for about a year and a half. While Virts is planning to open Harvest Gap Brewery the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, Sept. 5, he said that date could get pushed back a week or so depending on how much progress he gets done between now and then. n a tight fit for residents during popular town meetings, like the Feb. 7 Town Council meeting when dozens of residents showed up to voice support and opposition to the council’s vote to support the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The office features a seating area next to the interim town clerk’s desk that sits about 15 people—anyone else present at meetings is forced to stand in the entryway hallway. n
AUGUST 13, 2020
Police reform continued from page 4 “It talks about combating systemic racism in law enforcement, I personally believe there isn’t systemic racism in law enforcement,” said Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge), a Capitol Police officer. “Is there racism in law enforcement? I’m sure there is. But it’s not a systemic problem, in my opinion.” The motion had unanimous support from Democrats, including the board’s three Black members. “We’re talking about excessive force. We’re talking about things such as chokeholds, strangleholds, because maybe you haven’t seen it. … Because I’m in this
Census deadline continued from page 4 COVID-19, the Census Bureau initially requested a delay until April to complete the count. On Monday, the agency said it would instead end the count Sept. 30 and
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community, I hear things,” said Supervisor Sylvia R. Glass (D-Broad Run). “So, I hear things do occur, and so they are more afraid to talk about it, but some of these things do occur. So, I appreciate what Sup. Briskman is trying to do. She’s trying to let folks know that we need to hold our police accountable.” In particular, Republican members objected to specific priorities such as rolling back qualified immunity that gives police officers broad protections from lawsuits, replacing School Resource Officers with mental health professionals in schools, and creating a civilian review board for police with subpoena power. Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) also objected to the vague nature of Briskman’s motion, arguing it
would not give county staff members clear direction on which bills specifically to support or oppose. “I think some of these are things obviously that we would all support, obviously, but a lot of the details on this, we would not,” Letourneau said. Supervisors voted 7-3 to support the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus’s priorities, with Kershner, Buffington and Letourneau opposed. Supervisors had earlier in the meeting voted to direct the staff to return to them for straw poll votes during the General Assembly session. The county board typically does not meet during August. Supervisors will instead determine the county’s position on General Assembly bills by informal votes via email. n
report final numbers by year’s end. Enumerators should be carrying a bag with the U.S. Census Bureau logo, a Census-Bureau-issued phone, and an ID badge with a photograph and Department of Commerce logo. Residents may verify the identity of a census employee by calling 844-330-2020. The census
employees will make several in-person attempts to collect responses and will leave information notifying the resident the visits. Residents who have not yet responded may do so online at 2020Census.gov. More information and resources are online at loudoun.gov/2020census. n
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Voters Encouraged to Apply Online to Vote Absentee Loudoun County election officials are encouraging voters to apply online now to cast an absentee ballot by mail in the upcoming November general election. Some third-party organizations, such as the Center for Voter Information, are distributing vote-by-mail applications, however those are not from a voter registrar and some contain wrong information, including in Fairfax County a wrong return address. Instead, Loudoun County election officials encourage voters to apply online through the Virginia Department of Elections. Applications may also be downloaded from the Virginia Department of Elections and, once completed, mailed, faxed or emailed to the Loudoun County Office of Elections and Voter Registration. All registered voters are eligible to vote absentee in the Nov. 3 election. The ballots will not be available to be mailed to voters until Sept. 18, but voters may apply now to receive one. Voters who have already applied for an absentee ballot do not need to submit a new application. Go to loudoun.gov/novemberelection for more information about voting in the November general election in Loudoun. n
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AUGUST 13, 2020
THINGS to do
LoCo Living
LOCO LIVE Live Music: Andrew O’Day Friday, Aug. 14, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont Details: dirtfarmbrewing.com O’Day is known for soulful tunes with influences from R&B to country.
Live Music: Emi Sunshine Friday, Aug. 14, 8 p.m. B Chord Brewing, 34266 Williams Gap Road, Round Hill Details: bchordbrewing.com B Chord and the Barns of Rose Hill join forces to present country/Americana rising star Emi Sunshine. Tickets are $20 in advance. $25 at the door.
Live Music: Spruce Brothers Saturday, Aug. 15, noon-5 p.m. Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro Details: doukeniewinery.com Doukenie celebrates bluegrass as part of its Saturday Sounds series with great tunes from the Spruce Brothers. Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now
Todd and Aimee Henkle earlier this summer opened the Echelon Wine Bar in the basement of the building that used to house the Leesburg Antique Emporium in the heart of downtown Leesburg.
Sipping and Learning Downtown at Echelon Wine Bar BY JAN MERCKER
jmercker@loudounnow.com
Aimee Henkle couldn’t figure out why a bustling town in the heart of Virginia wine country didn’t have a wine bar. “There was no wine in Leesburg—it’s all beer,” Henkle said. “Leesburg to me is the gateway to DC’s wine country. ... There are 45 wineries in Loudoun County, and most people have to come through Leesburg to get to these areas.” Henkle and her husband, Todd, the owners of The Vineyards & Winery at Lost Creek north of Leesburg, decided to fix that. The couple opened Echelon Wine Bar in the heart of downtown Leesburg earlier this summer, a showcase for Lost Creek wines and cool grower-produced bottles from all over the world. The wine bar is located in a portion of the basement of the building that used to be home to the Leesburg Antique Emporium. The Henkles got the project rolling two years ago and initially explored the idea of an in-town tasting room for their
Loudoun-made wines—inspired by practices from the West Coast. “If you go to California or Oregon, the vineyards are out in the countryside, so to get in front of more people, they’ll do tasting rooms in the more urban areas,” Henkle said. “We’ve been watching Leesburg really starting to flourish.” The concept evolved into a full-on wine bar with 100 bottles from across the world and more than 30 wines by the glass. Echelon also features wine-friendly small plate dishes from Chef Landon Barnes, who also runs the culinary operations at Lost Creek. For Aimee Henkle, Echelon’s wine director, the decision to move away from a Lost Creek tasting room grew from a sense of exploration and a desire to showcase Loudoun wines in the context of great wines from across the country and world. “What I really like to talk about and teach with is what our wines look like in the context of the world,” she said. “When you can showcase these great local wines right alongside that French rose, or right alongside something fun like a Spanish Albarino, it’s very eye opening for people I
think and that’s what makes it a lot of fun.” Henkle has carefully curated Echelon’s wine list with a focus on independent winemakers around the world. “We wanted producers that were like us, like Lost Creek. Small, focused on sustainable farming, natural winemaking techniques, that are family owned, boutique,” Henkle said. “There are so many opportunities to find neat wines you wouldn’t have heard of or tried.” The Henkles also wanted to create a space where consumers could learn about wine and where the region’s growing cadre of wine professionals and wine educators can get training without going into DC Echelon already has a range of fun consumer-oriented sessions on the calendar and will also offer official Wine & Spirit Education Trust classes for wine pros, filling a big need for local training, Henkle said. “We’re finding on the winery side that we have a lot more sophisticated wine drinkers coming out to our tasting rooms,” ECHELON continues on page 21
Live Music: Jim Steele Saturday, Aug. 15, 1-4 p.m. The Barns At Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com Fun covers and originals from a longtime winery circuit favorite.
Live Music: Jessica Paulin Saturday, July 15, 1:30-4:30 p.m. 50 West Vineyards, 39060 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: facebook.com/50westvineyards Enjoy covers from the ‘60s through today with Paulin’s signature style.
Live Music: Moonstone Saturday, Aug. 15, 1-5 p.m. Bear Chase Brewing Company, 18294 Blue Ridge Mountain Road, Bluemont Details: bearchasebrew.com Feel-good acoustic rock from two members of the Baltimore-based band Firekite.
Live Music: Mike Clement Saturday, Aug. 15, 2-5 p.m. Bozzo Family Vineyards, 35226 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro Details: bozwines.com Clement serves up original and classic rock tunes from West Virginia.
Live Music: Wim Tapley Saturday, Aug. 15, 2-5 p.m. Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn Details: lostrhino.com
THINGS TO DO continues on page 22
AUGUST 13, 2020
Echelon continued from page 20 Henkle said. “By adding certification courses for our staff, it really does elevate the entire experience as a whole for anybody who’s coming out to the tasting rooms.” Opening a wine bar during a global pandemic hasn’t been without bumps, Henkle said, but as Northern Virginia moves through Phase Three reopening, the word is getting out. Echelon was initially slated to open in early April, but COVID-related restrictions pushed the opening back to late June. The wine bar has been operating indoors only with reduced seating capacity. But Henkle said Leesburg’s plans to close down their block of King Street on Friday and Saturday evenings through late October will allow them to add some outdoor seating. Aimee and Todd Henkle are both engineers with a long history in the tech sector. But a passion for wine has always been part of their lives together. The couple, who have been married for 22 years, connected over a shared passion for wine and took their honeymoon to the wine mecca of Bordeaux, France in 1998. “From the beginning of our relationship, wine’s always been there,” Henkle said. The Henkles came to Loudoun in 2007 for technology jobs and started exploring the area’s burgeoning vineyard scene as wine lovers. For two scientists, the idea of running a winery was appealing, and when Lost Creek came up for sale in 2012, they jumped at the chance and hit the ground running. As Todd Henkle shifted gears from en-
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gineering to winemaking with some hardcore, on-the-job training, the couple hired a consultant for their first three vintages. Todd hit a home run with his first solo vintage in 2015: the Lost Creek 2015 Reserve Chardonnay earned Best in Class honors at the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The Henkles have also put a big emphasis on vineyard management over the past eight years, focusing on high-quality fruit and sustainable growing practices. “We’re very focused on our vineyard quality. We’re very focused on sustainability,” Aimee Henkle said. “We really believe that the vineyard is where the wine is made, and in the cellar we’re just kind of curators of that.” This year’s vintage is looking good, Henkle said, despite damage from mid-May frosts that wreaked havoc on Loudoun’s agricultural landscape. Lost Creek lost around a third of its chardonnay harvest from that late frost. But a recent summer dry spell has brought end-of-season optimism for a robust and flavorful vintage. Henkle said support from fans and followers cultivated at Lost Creek over the past eight years has set Echelon off on a firm footing downtown—despite less than ideal circumstances. And summer street closures offer more positive news as Leesburg’s new wine bar carves out a niche. “What did help us is that we have a strong presence in the community through Lost Creek,” she said. “There’s nothing else like it in downtown.” n
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Echelon Wine Bar is located at 32 S. King St. in downtown Leesburg. For more information, go to echelonwinebar.com. For information on the Vineyards & Winery at Lost Creek, go to lostcreekwinery.com.
Tribute at One Loudoun 20335 Savin Hill Drive Ashburn, VA 20147 571.252.8292 ThriveSL.com/OneLoudoun Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now
Todd and Aimee Henkle take a moment to talk about the dozens of different types of wines they have ready to sell from the cellar of their newly opened Echelon Wine Bar.
Now offering hosted virtual tours.
Although we’re in this turbulent time known as the COVID-19 pandemic, our innovative spirit keeps us moving forward. It all started with a desire to keep our residents closely connected with their loved ones. Enter Clear Connection — a simple, clear panel that lets residents safely be within mere inches of their visitors. We’re not letting COVID-19 bring us down; in fact, in some ways, it’s bringing us closer together than ever before. Please reach out and let us know how we can help you.
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THINGS to do continued from page 20
AUGUST 13, 2020
Fox blends the spirit of rock and Americana with the candor of country music to create a distinctly powerful and versatile sound.
Live Music: Cris Jacobs Check out this rising star teen singer/songwriter from South Riding outside at Lost Rhino for a second weekend.
Live Music: Skins and Strings Saturday, Aug. 15, 2 p.m. Maggie Malick Wine Caves, 12138 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville Details: maggiemalickwinecaves.com Eric Campbell and Joey Reed return to Maggie’s with fun tunes on guitar and drums.
Live Music: Sundog Ritual Saturday, Aug. 15, 3:30-6:30 p.m. Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing Enjoy a mellow afternoon of favorites from the ’90s and 2000s with a few classics thrown in.
Live Music: Kenny Ray Horton Saturday, Aug. 15, 4-7 p.m. Fleetwood Farm Winery, 23075 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg Details: fleetwoodfarmwinery.com Horton makes his Fleetwood Farm debut with bluegrass, country and Americana.
Live Music: Rowdy Ace Saturday, July 15, 5-8 p.m. Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts Details: vanishbeer.com Country, rock, blues, Americana and pop for a fun brewery afternoon.
Live Music: Cary Wimbish Saturday, Aug. 15, 5:30 p.m. Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro Details: old690.com Richmond-based Wimbish returns to Old 690 with traditional country, bluegrass, classic rock, and blues songs along with crowd-pleasing originals.
VALFresco: Pebble To Pearl Acoustic Saturday, Aug. 15, 6 p.m. Village at Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg Details: villageatleesburg.com Pebble to Pearl creates a unique blend of funk, rock and powerful blues fused and delivered with soulful grooves and captivating vocals.
Live Music: Tropical Attitudes Saturday, July 15, 6 p.m. 868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro Details: 868estatevineyards.com It’s a Parrot Head party as Tropical Attitudes brings Margaritaville to 868’s Music Under the Stars series. Bring a blanket or beach chair. Food will be available for sale.
Live Music: Melissa Quinn Fox Band Saturday, Aug. 15, 6-10 p.m. MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com
Saturday, Aug. 15, 7 p.m. B Chord Brewing, 34266 Williams Gap Road, Round Hill Details: bchordbrewing.com Cris Jacobs brings his distinctive blend of rock, folk, soul and funk to the lawn at B Chord. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
Live Music: Sharif Saturday, Aug. 15, 7 p.m. Social House South Riding, 25370 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly Details: socialhousesouthriding.com The world-traveling independent artist Sharif brings his top-notch originals and a few covers to the DMV.
Live Music: Shut It Down Saturday, Aug. 15, 7 p.m. Crooked Run Brewing, 22455 Davis Drive, Suite #120, Sterling Details: crookedrunbrewing.com Rock ‘n’ roll classics from the ‘60s through today with bold set lists and unexpected mash-ups.
Live Music: Joe Downer Sunday, Aug. 16, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sunset Hills Vineyard, 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville Details: sunsethillsvineyard.com Originals and covers from the alternative and neofolk genres from Joe Downer.
Live Music: Matt Johnson Sunday, Aug. 16, 2-5 p.m. Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro Details: breauxvineyards.com Central Virginia’s Matt Johnson is an alumnus of “The Voice” with a unique sound and tons of talent.
Live Music: Mosby Territory Sunday, Aug. 16, 2 p.m. Maggie Malick Wine Caves, 12138 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville Details: maggiemalickwinecaves.com Will and Alona Williamson return to Maggie’s with a mix of blues, bluegrass, classic rock, folk and country favorites, along with fun originals.
Live Music: Robbie Limon Sunday, Aug. 16, 5 p.m. MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com MacDowell’s Sunday Sundowner Series features Robbie Limon and favorites from ‘70s-era songwriters including The Eagles, John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Roy Orbison, The Doobie Brothers, Jim Croce and Willie Nelson.
Live Music: Kenny Reym Sunday, Aug. 16, 6-10 p.m. Bungalow Alehouse Ashburn, 44042 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn Details: ashburnalehouse.com Enjoy a relaxing evening of rock and pop standards from Kenny Reym.
AUGUST 13, 2020
ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM
PAGE 23
ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM
PAGE 24
AUGUST 13, 2020
Legal Notices
ABC LICENSE 7-Eleven Inc and Maate LLC, trading as 7-Eleven 34507B, 502 S King Street, Leesburg, VA 20175-3905, Loudoun County The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Wine and Beer Off Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. David Seltzer, VP, 7-Eleven Inc and Gagan Sekhon, Manager Member, Din Raat LLC 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. 8/6 & 8/15/20
ABC LICENSE
ABC LICENSE Taco Zocalo LLC, trading as Taco Zocalo, 44927 George Washington Blvd Ste 110, Ashburn, Virginia 20147-4290
7-Eleven Inc and Din Raat LLC, trading as 7-Eleven 21325C, 503 S King Street, Leesburg, VA 20175-3905, Loudoun County
The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Wine and Beer On Premises Mixed Beverage Restaurant license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.
The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Wine and Beer Off Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.
ABC LICENSE X & M Deli Inc, trading as Beer Wine and Grocery Shop, 44927 George Washington Blvd Ste 125, Ashburn, Virginia 20147-4290 The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Wine and Beer Off Premises/Delivery Permit license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.
Basir Ahadi, Owner
David Seltzer, VP, 7-Eleven Inc and Gagan Sekhon, Manager Member, Din Raat LLC
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.
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.
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.
8/13 & 8/20/20
8/6 & 8/15/20
8/13 & 8/20/20
Sandra P. Burgos - President
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE §§ 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104 Case No.: CL 20-3937 , Loudoun County Circuit Court 18 East Market St., Leesburg VA 20176 Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Lyric Neal v. Name Change The object of this suit is name change of a minor. It is ORDERED that Spencer G. Neal appear at the above-named Court and protect his interests on or before September 18, 2020 at 10:00 am. 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, & 8/27/20
NOTICE OF ABANDONED BICYCLES Notice is hereby given that the bicycles described below were found and delivered to the Office of the Sheriff of Loudoun County; if the owners of the listed bicycles are not identified within sixty (60) days following the final publication of this notice, the individuals who found said bicycles shall be entitled to them if he/she desires. All unclaimed bicycles will be handled according to Chapter 228.04 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County.
Description
Case Number
Recovery Date
Recovery Location
Phone Number
18 inch black and red Razor Black Label bicycle, model #21860
SO200011835
7/22/2020
43000 block Chesterton St., Ashburn
703-777-0610 08/06 & 08/13/20
ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM
AUGUST 13, 2020
Legal Notices
ORDER OF PUBLICATION COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316
Case No.:
JJ043128-04-00
Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
,
Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Tyson Curtis Holt Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. Shane Curtis Holt, putative father and, Laurel Elizabeth Veto, mother
It is ORDERED that the defendant Laurel Elizabeth Veto natural mother, and Shane Curtis Holt, putative father appear at the above-named Court to protect their interests on or before September 15, 2020 at 2:00 pm.
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316
Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Isaiah Matos Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. Earl Marshal, putative father The object of this suit is to hold a foster care review hearing and review of foster care plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282 and 16.1-281 for Isaiah Matos. It is ORDERED that the defendant, Earl Marshal, putative father appear at the above-named Court and protect his interests on or before September 8, 2020 at 11:00 am. 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, & 8/27/20
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
STORAGE
PHONE#
2003
FORD
MUSTANG
1FAFP40403F399550
DD TOWING
703-777-7300 08/06 & 08/13/20
Leesburg Office 1 Harrison Street SE First Floor
PUBLIC NOTICE
Sterling Office 21641 Ridgetop Circle Suite 100
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD INTENT TO ISSUE A SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY PERMIT BFI TRANSFER SYSTEMS OF VIRGINIA, LLC TRANSFER STATION AND MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITY
Internet: www.loudoun.gov/taxrelief Hours: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, M - F Phone: 703-737-8557 Email: trcor@loudoun.gov Mailing Address: PO Box 8000, MSC 32 Leesburg, VA 20177-9804 8/6, 8/13, 8/20 & 8/27/20
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316
JJ040484-06-00
Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court ,
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.
Please visit our website or contact my office for information or filing assistance.
Case No.:
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
Residents 65 and older or totally and permanently disabled who wish to apply for 2020 Personal Property (vehicle) Tax Relief for the first time must submit an application to my office by the September 1, 2020 filing deadline.
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
8/6, 8/13, 8/20, & 8/27/20
JJ024579-09-00
NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLES
A message to elderly and disabled Loudoun County residents from
Robert S. Wertz, Jr. Commissioner of the Revenue
The object of this suit is to hold a 2nd 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 Tyson Curtis Holt and Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of Laurel Elizabeth Veto, natural mother, and Shane Curtis Holt, putative father pursuant to Virginia Code §16.1-283 for Tyson Curtis Holt. Laurel Elizabeth Veto and Shane Curtis Holt, are hereby notified that failure to appear on the hereinafter noticed date and time may result in the entry of an Order approving a permanency goal of adoption as well as the termination of their residual parental rights with respect to Tyson Curtis Holt. Laurel Elizabeth Veto and Shane Curtis Holt are hereby further notified that if their residual parental rights are terminated, they will no longer have any legal rights with respect to said minor child, including, but not limited to, the right to visit Tyson Curtis Holt; any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Tyson Curtis Holt; or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Tyson Curtis Holt. Further, Laurel Elizabeth Veto and Shane Curtis Holt will have no legal and /or financial obligations with respect to Tyson Curtis Holt, and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Tyson Curtis Holt for adoption and consent to the adoption of Tyson Curtis Holt.
Case No.:
PAGE 25
,
Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Christian Carter Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. David Craig Johnson, putative father The object of this suit is to hold a foster care review hearing and review of foster care plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282 and 16.1-281 for Christian Carter
The Loudoun County Department of Planning and Zoning in accordance with Chapter 1080, Solid Waste Management Facilities, Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County, Virginia, hereby declares its intent to issue a solid waste management facility (SWMF) permit to BFI Transfer Systems of Virginia, LLC,(“BFI”) to operate an existing Transfer Station and Materials Recovery Facility to accept and process a maximum of 1,500 tons per day of municipal solid waste and construction and demolition waste. The subject property is 7.13 acres in size and is located on the north side of Cochran Mill Road (Route 653), and west of Durham Court (Route 862) at 42228 Cochran Mill Road, Leesburg, Virginia, Catoctin Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN# 15018-7679 and Tax Map Number /61///1/////4/. Pursuant to Chapter 1080, no permit shall be issued prior to completion of a 30-day public participation process. Written comments will be accepted for thirty calendar days following the first advertisement of intent to issue an SWMF permit to BFI. The public is hereby invited to submit written comments on the proposed permit regarding any aspect of alleged non-conformance contained in the proposed permit. Written comments must be submitted to the Department of Planning and Zoning, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177, Attention: Keith Fairfax, by regular mail or fax to 703-777-0441. Any and all comments must be received by no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 11, 2020. A complete copy of the full text of the above-referenced proposed resolution, as well as a plat and vicinity maps serving to further identify the subject property, is on file and available for review and may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday or call (703) 777-0200 to request hard copies or electronic copies 8/13 & 8/20/20
LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE BIDS/PROPOSALS FOR: CONSTRUCTION OF THE LOVETTSVILLE COMMUNITY CENTER, IFB No. 259782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, September 15, 2020. Pre-bid conferences and site visits will be held on August 14, 2020 at 1 p.m. and August 17, 2020 at 11 a.m. at Lovettsville Community Center, 57 E Broad Way, Lovettsville, Virginia 20180 for clarification of any questions on the drawings, specifications, and site conditions. OPERATION & MAINTENANCE OF THE COMBINED TRANSIT SYSTEM, RFP No. 143782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, September 3, 2020.
It is ORDERED that the defendant, David Craig Johnson, putative father appear at the above-named Court and protect his interests on or before September 8, 2020 at 3:00 pm
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.
8/6, 8/13, 8/20, & 8/27/20
8/13/20
WHEN CALLING, PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ANY TYPE OF DISABILITY IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCUREMENT.
ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM
PAGE 26
Legal Notices
AUGUST 13, 2020
Resource Directory BOBCAT Bobcat
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Br am
SEALED BID SALE SALE OF REAL ESTATE
TAX MAP #043-10-9468-000 STERLING, VIRGINIA VDOT Parcel 006, PMI 1001115 Sealed bids will be accepted by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in the office of the Northern Virginia District Right of Way and Utilities Division located at 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, until, but no later than, August 24, 2020 12:00 pm, for the following property: Property consisting of 3.1231 acres, more or less, land, located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Atlantic Boulevard and Ruritan Road, Sterling, Virginia and identified as Tax Map #043-10-9468-000 in the County of Loudoun, Virginia.The value placed on this parcel is $581,000.00 Employees of VDOT, their immediate families or any person employed with the valuation and/or acquisition of this property are ineligible to bid. The property is being sold “as is” with conveyance by deed without warranty. For further information and proposals, contact Jordan Cheresnowsky by phone at (703) 259-2971 or by email at Jordan.Cheresnowsky@VDOT.Virginia.gov.
hall Trucking
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GENERAL CONTRACTORS
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Licensed • Insured • bonded
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Decks Cristian Arias C & BROTHERS
contractor VA, DC HIC LISENCE
• Best Asphalt Crack Filling • Patchwork • Best Oil-Based Heated Sealcoating • The Real Asphalt Preservative is Oil-Based Sealer • Not Just A Cosmetic Sealer Like Others • Oil-Based Sealer Preserves Asphalt • Offering Brand New Asphalt Driveways (Small driveways only) • 2" Overlays/Resurfacing
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AUGUST 13, 2020
PAGE 27
Resource Directory
Fencing
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20 Years of Experience FRE Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling, ESTIMATEE S! Decks, General Handyman Services Cristian Arias 240-413-5827 | 240-413-5673 candbrothers@gmail.com
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PAGE 28
AUGUST 13, 2020
Opinion Building on the Investment When Loudoun’s school and business leaders more than a decade ago set in motion plans to establish a magnet-caliber STEM educational center, their goal was to provide the county’s most talented students with opportunities then available to very few. For years, School Boards and Boards of Supervisors debated the merits of the Academies of Loudoun project and the significant public investment it would require. Now that it is finally up and running, there remains confusion over what its role should be. While many supporters expected the program to allow the county to cut ties with Fairfax County’s elite Thomas Jefferson High School, that is not the direction school leaders have gone. Today, it is not even clear whether the academies are intended just for the top-level STEM-driven scholars, as an extension of gifted and talented programs, or simply to offer more advanced courses to students seeking challenges not available at their home school. There is not an identity on which nine School Board members have agreed. That alone is reason to reassemble a special School Board committee to oversee its continued development. Such a panel also will be better equipped to address the campus’ shockingly inadequate diversity. Steps taken by administrators this week may help in the short term to incorporate more Black and Hispanic students into the program, but more needs to be done to identify and inspire those students at a much younger age. It is important work that should go beyond the classroom to include participation by a broad spectrum of community and business leaders willing to invest their time and resources to raise the achievement expectations of students who too often are left behind. That is an investment we cannot afford not to make. 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 Patrick Szabo, Reporter pszabo@loudounnow .com
Loudoun Now is delivered by mail to more than 44,000 Loudoun homes and businesses, with a total weekly distribution of 47,000 .
ADVERTISING Susan Styer, Advertising Manager sstyer@loudounnow .com Tonya Harding, Account Executive tharding@loudounnow .com
LETTERS to the Editor Consolidating Power Editor: The Board of Supervisors’ interesting proposition to switch from a sheriff ’s office to a police department has a good number of people in the county concerned, and with good reason. Whether or not the implications are understood completely, what seems to be at issue here is control. Sheriff Chapman, the now elected official of the department since 2012, has been running the department with very little in the way of complaint from constituents. Loudoun County has the lowest crime rate among Northern Virginia counties, with many of the other counties around us having a county-wide police force instead of a sheriff. Of course, this is an elected position, and in our case, Sheriff Chapman is not a kind of “lame duck” in office, and we don’t seem to be in an alternate reality in which Loudoun is ridden with crime and law enforcement is ineffectual. You don’t hear too much ranting or raving about a bumbling, struggling sheriff. On the other hand, with the recent uproar and activism across the country regarding the methods of, or indeed, law enforcement as a whole being at issue, perhaps the Board of Supervisors felt some sort of need to step in with this proposal. Obviously, the board is just as elected to their positions as the sheriff is to his, but
that is about where similarities between both of these systems end, aside from the existence of law enforcement in the county. The way many people see it, the board and the sheriff are elected to do two very different things, and personnel elected to these positions tend to have very different backgrounds. The Board of Supervisors is a group of elected officials. This is all most people in the county tend to know about them, for better or worse. They make decisions regarding planning, zoning, regulations, et cetera. The sheriff is elected to be the gun-toting, star-shaped-badge-having, law-enforcement-policy-making sheriff. Someone with great background and experience in the world of policing and law enforcement, they are there to keep that apparatus functioning properly, with perhaps decades of experience and training under their belt. This is their specialty. So in the eyes of many, it would seem that a group of policy makers is attempting to consolidate a little more power into their group, at the expense of removing entirely the office of an official whose sole purpose, in being elected to that office, is to lead county law enforcement. This is just what a guy sees when the issue crops up on a local web article or the paper. People seem to enjoy having a sheriff in charge. It seems to work better LETTERS continues on page 29
AUGUST 13, 2020
ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM
Readers’ Poll
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Do you feel your household is adequately prepared for online learning next month?
LAST WEEK'S QUESTION: What is your preference for the new name of the Washington Football Team?
LETTERS to the Editor continued from page 28
in the imagination, lest you will be taking your cattle-rustling problem or highwayman encounter to the local Board of Supervisors. - Dean Griffith, Leesburg
Sustainability Goals Editor: On July 28, the Loudoun County Planning Commission approved the H&M Property rezoning ZMAP 2019-0017 enabling Amazon to build a 1.75 millionsquare-foot data center. While the H&M Property location in an industrial area is appropriate, Loudoun should be concerned about the extremely large energy demand and the type of energy used by data centers. In Loudoun, electricity is generated using fossil fuels. In addition, data centers’ bank of diesel back-up generators release so much air pollution that a permit from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is needed. Northern Virginia is an air quality non-attainment area. Even though in 2014, Amazon committed to use 100% renewable energy to power its cloud, a February 2019 Green Peace analysis revealed that less than 12% of the energy consumed was renewably generated. In September 2019, Amazon co-founded The Climate Pledge, setting goals to meet the Paris Climate Agreement 10 years early. Amazon Web Services promotes six new solar farms in Virginia and three wind farms as evidence of its commitment to renewable energy. These facilities gener-
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ate 718 MW of renewable energy. But, as reported in the 2019 Green Peace report, Amazon consumes 1.7 GW (1700 MW) of energy in Virginia. 718 MW renewably generated electricity amounts to just 42% of the 1700 MW energy consumed in Virginia. Amazon has assisted Arlington County’s sustainability goals through partnership in the Amazon-Arlington solar farm. It will fulfill most of the county’s pledge to rely on renewable energy. In order for Loudoun to meet new sustainability goals in Loudoun 2019 Chapter 3, Loudoun County needs the same level of commitment from Amazon. Amazon has the resources to meet its own 2014 renewable energy commitment and to honor its own 2019 Climate Pledge. In the first quarter of 2020, Amazon Web Services reported a record $10 billion in earnings. Currently in Virginia, data centers’ huge consumption of fossil fuel generated electricity exacerbates the climate change crisis. If data centers were powered by renewables, they could be part of the solution. A recent Industry Perspective article discusses this issue, “The Data Center Dilemma: Is Our Data Destroying the Environment?” The short answer is “Yes.” The author concludes, “The technologies to counter this growing data center dilemma are available and ready to use, and they deliver the double advantage of optimizing performance while also reducing environmental impact. Our data centers don’t have to harm the environment, if we take the proper actions today.” Amazon must meet its renewable energy commitment in Loudoun County. Amazon has new plans for three more data centers in Loudoun. - Natalie Pien, Leesburg
Tumultuous Times Editor: In our struggle for a more perfect union, there will never be a season suitable for the sunshine patriot. The valiant efforts of “liberty and justice for all” are too worthy of our best efforts, and will therefore disallow us to shrink from our righteous pursuit despite exhausted frustration, continuous shortcomings, or worst of all—indifference. Yet, in the wake of recent challenges, I hope to invoke a few reputable principles which will allow us to exit these events with greater strength and unity. American exceptionalism is often misunderstood. Many would identify our military prowess as evidence of exceptionalism, while others might laud our entitlement and benefits system (IE: 75% of federal budget earmarked for human services [2017, Pew Research Center]), or the benevolence we show to citizens and non-citizens alike through heroic humanitarian efforts. However, American exceptionalism is not rightly identified by our actions. Contrarily, our actions are a reflection of our national understanding, and the personification of our values. It is, for this reason, I am troubled by certain responses to current events. American exceptionalism is established by our unabated dedication to justice, as fundamentally expressed through individual liberty. Instances involving injustice and a failure by the government to secure the blessings of liberty for all citizens are antithetical to America and must be reported, protested, and petitioned for change. However, when we entertain suggestions of a need to obliterate the foundations of our union, we remove the bedrock which built America and allowed
us to progressively become the most free and diverse society in all history. Although I recognize the imperfections of our nation, and eagerly desire injustices to be corrected with greater speed and efficacy, our nation’s foundation should always breed optimism for our future. Many readers may be tempted to cynicism by the notion of American exceptionalism; however, I do not believe this is a belief derived from a Pollyanna perspective. I, too, am deeply bothered by our initial understanding of liberty that still permitted slavery. I cannot fathom how Union soldiers of African descent must have felt upon learning they would receive only a fraction of the pay their comrades received. Nonetheless, I celebrate Dr. King’s patriotism and delight in his words: “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir … But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.” Therefore, I ask all dissatisfied citizens considering fundamental change: if our foundation is shaken, and freedom fails here, to whom will you appeal for justice? What governing philosophy recognizes and protects individual freedom with greater tenacity? America stands alone— exceptional—as the greatest experiment of hope and promise to the world. An experiment suggesting liberty will prevail, not in spite of our diversity, but because of it. - Thomas Black, Leesburg
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AUGUST 13, 2020
Girl Scouts Work to Save Wildlife from Cigarette Butts BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com
A group of Ashburn-based Girl Scouts understands that while adults are free to smoke, some are unaware of the impacts cigarette butts have on the environment. They have a solution. Eight elementary school girls from Ashburn Girl Scout Troop 4507 recently completed a Bronze Award project that recycles tin cans into cigarette butt receptacles. Those “Frenzie Cans,” which the girls decorated with river rocks, are free for smokers to pick up at Ashburn Farm’s Breezyhill, Summerwood and Windmill pools. The girls hope people use the cans when discarding their cigarette butts rather than flick them on the ground, where wildlife can become affected by the nicotine and nonbiodegradable filter material.
Troop Leader Alex Yarbrough said the girls—rising sixth-graders Amanda Bond, Ada Bradley, Layla Davis, Lizzie Grotski, Paige Lynch, Leah Richardson, Piper Shealy and Nikki Yarbrough—got the idea to make the Frenzie Cans from a trip they took to Savannah, GA, last summer. There, they visited the Tybee Island Marine Science Center and saw thousands of cigarette butts collected from the ocean that adversely affect marine life, especially sea turtles. “They were shocked,” Yarbrough said. “They learned that they can help their community and the animals in their community.” Yarbrough said her daughter, Nikki, also told the other girls about a time when she saw her neighbor flick a cigarette butt into her yard, setting her lawn and deck on fire. During a campout last fall, the girls
Rural broadband continued from page 1 where students don’t have broadband internet access, according to CEO Jimmy Carr. And on Tuesday, All Points and the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative announced a partnership that will extend fiber optic service to more than 1,000 homes in northern Loudoun by building off NOVEC’s existing 333-mile fiber optic network it built to monitor its own 7,446 total miles of infrastructure. Carr said the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the timeline to announce that project. “The reality of COVID has opened a number of new doors for us, for people who are much more interested in partnering and finding ways to get to ‘yes’ than they might have been in the past,” he said. “That’s not because they were trying to be unhelpful or anything of the sort. It’s just, they understand that we’ve all got to work together to solve this problem.” During the announcement event at Lovettsville’s Walker Pavilion, County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) emphasized that providing more Loudouners with broadband is more critical than ever, since public school students will be learning entirely from home for at least the first month of the school year, and then perhaps mostly from home for the rest of the
“We are investing private capital to serve what is, in my opinion, the most pressing public policy problem not just in Loudoun County but in America.” — Jimmy Carr CEO, All Points Broadband school year. “Education is the way up and the way out,” Randall said, noting that education can’t happen without internet access these days. Through Sept. 15, All Points will contact eligible households by mail to encourage them to pre-register online at fiber.allpointsbroadband.com. If demand is high enough, All Points will begin construction in early 2021. Carr stressed to residents that they should contact All Points within the next 30 days. “There’s really no reason to wait,” he said. Aside from its efforts to provide rural
asked the person in charge of making peach cobbler to keep the large tin peach cans. Each of the eight girls later coated some of those cans in grout and stuck river pebbles to the sides for decoration and dropped them off at Ashburn Farm Association pools. They even drafted a set of directions for others to make their own Frenzie Cans, all in an effort to help save the environment and its diverse wildlife by encouraging the proper disposal of cigarette butts. The girls hope the cans keep many cigarette butts off the ground, out of bird nests and out of the stomachs of animals like squirrels, rabbits, foxes, skunks, geese, fish and turtles as far downstream as the Atlantic Ocean. Self-proclaimed ecosystem educators, the girls love to help animals any way they can, Yarbrough said. They even visit the animal shelter each fall to visit with
Loudouners with improved internet access, All Points also is working to manage the increased usage students in more populated areas of the county will put on the infrastructure when they begin to attend class entirely from home. Carr said his company has been making investments to respond to what it learned during the spring when classes went from in-person to online. In general, he said the All Points’ network was able to absorb that extra internet traffic with few hiccups because it’s designed to handle peak-hour traffic. While that peak traffic, Carr said, typically hit between 8 and 10 p.m. before the pandemic, those high levels of usage aren’t as apparent anymore since internet traffic is more constant all day long. “And so the rest of the day’s traffic started to look a whole lot more like what we would usually expect to see only in the peak hour,” Carr said. Beyond the solutions being thought up to aid students as they return to the virtual classroom, providing all rural Loudoun households with higher quality internet service has been a long-pushed priority among local and state leaders who represent those less-populated areas. Supervisor Caleb Kershner (R-Catoctin), who noted Tuesday that NOVEC provides his rural Loudoun home with electricity, said bringing broadband to western Loudoun is the number-one pri-
Contributed
Girls from Girl Scout Troop 4507 in Ashburn made “Frenzie Cans” and dropped them off at Ashburn Farm pools for smokers to pick up and use to dispose of their cigarette butts.
the dogs and cats. The girls are headed to middle school this fall and will soon be working on their Silver Awards individually or in pairs. Yarbrough said their projects for that award will inevitably be aimed to help local wildlife. n
ority of his office. “It’s time to get our residents in western Loudoun the coverage they need to exist,” he said. Looking even farther out, past the newly announced partnership, Del. Dave LaRock (R-33) suggested broadband coverage should eventually extend outside the boundaries where the All Points/NOVEC partnership is working. “Our work has just begun,” he said. Those boundaries roughly stretch from the Potomac River northeast of Lovettsville, southwest past the village of Taylorstown and west past the village of Morrisonville to Mountain Road. Sen. John Bell (D-13) agreed with LaRock and added that internet speed correlates to economic development speed. “This should be the start, not the finish,” he said. And All Points has more plans in the works for other projects to keep expanding broadband access. “We are investing private capital to serve what is, in my opinion, the most pressing public policy problem not just in Loudoun County but in America,” Carr said. “We need ongoing support at a policy level and, occasionally, there are ways that governments can make investments that help bridge the gap for the private sector to help us achieve the level of coverage and service that I think everybody wants for their neighbors.” n
AUGUST 13, 2020
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Virginia Rolls Out COVID-19 Contact Tracing App LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
Gov. Ralph Northam last week announced the rollout of a new smartphone app designed to help identify individuals who may have been exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. The COVIDWISE app is available for download in Apple’s App Store and at Google Play. Northam stressed that the app is designed to protect individual privacy, while providing another tool in the effort to curb the spread of the virus. “No one is tracking you. None of your personal information is going to be saved,” he said of the app.
Banbury continued from page 3 voted to deny the application, the developer would sue the town. Since then, Hertneky and commissioners talked through project details. Hertneky has told the town that he would be open to limiting more than 30 uses on the property that are already allowed in the county’s AR2 Zoning District. He said he could achieve that by imposing restrictive covenants on the land. Hertneky has also resolved to help the town if it ever experiences a water-related emergency—whether caused by the development or not—by allowing the town to drill a well on the Banbury Cross property. He said his consultants have found that the town could take 10,000 gallons of water daily if needed. He also said he would help any neigh-
Academies continued from page 1 two, creating a racially and ethnically diverse selection committee, and taking steps to achieve a better geographical balance in the student selections. During Tuesday’s meeting, more than 60 parents and students joined the School Board’s call-in public comment session to oppose the changes. They characterized the plan as hastily and poorly conceived, and one that would reduce the caliber of the programs by admitting lower performing students. Williams said the selection system would continue to be merit-based, but would provide opportunities for more,
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The app, based on technology developed by Google and Apple at the onset of the pandemic in April, works in the background using the telephone’s Bluetooth signal. Each phone is assigned a unique key, and the app records the keys of other phones running the app that come in close range. If a user tests positive for the disease, he or she would have the option to share that information in the app. Then an alert would be sent to other app users who were recorded to have been in close contact with the patient during a period when the infection could have spread. Those who receive such notifications will be urged to get tested and self-quarantine.
“This app doesn’t know who you are or where you are. And it will never know that,” State Health Commissioner Norman Oliver said, stressing the privacy parameters put in place. Northam noted that the ability to get timely test results was a key element in the effort to curb the spread. Last week, Virginia joined with six other states to purchase 3.5 million rapid tests—500,000 per state. Made by Becton Dickinson and Quidel, the tests detect the presence of viral proteins, or antigens, and deliver results in 15-20 minutes. They differ from more common PCR tests, which require samples to be sent to a laboratory for processing. In recent weeks, as cases have spiked in many
southern states, processing times for PCR tests have increased from a day or two to a week or more. It is expected that the rapid tests will first be rolled out for use in hospitals, in senior living centers, and by first responders. In Loudoun, the COVID-19 situation continues to be stable, with about 35 new cases reported daily and 5 percent positive rate among the more than 500 tests conducted each day. Overall, as of Aug. 11, Loudoun has recorded 5,346 cases, with 352 patients requiring hospitalization and 115 deaths. Of the total hospitalizations, nearly half were patents age 59 or younger. Of the fatal cases, 100 were residents age 70 and older. n
bors who show him that their water supplies have been adversely affected by the subdivision. “We want to be good neighbors,” he said. “We certainly would do all we could do to help them.” Still, Fleischman on Monday night argued Hertneky could not prove that the subdivision would have no adverse effects on the town’s water supply and cautioned the commission not to move ahead too quickly with the vote. His motion to deny the application was seconded by Commissioner Don Woodruff but received no further support. Cooke said that there was no legitimate basis to deny approval of the application and that speculation as to what could happen years down the road did not provide legitimate grounds to vote to deny the application. “This application has to be considered on its own merits,” he said.
According to an Aug. 11 town statement, Hertneky’s application met all requirements of the applicable ordinances. “This is not a discretionary land use decision, in which the Planning Commission could express preference for or against the proposal,” the statement reads. John Lovegrove, among the vocal opponents of the project, said he was “very disappointed in the Planning Commission and their reverence for a developer who just threatened to sue them.” “I found that to be very disheartening,” he said. Although commissioners discussed the matter in a half-hour closed session prior to the vote, they did not publicly discuss whether a recent lawsuit filed against the Banbury Cross Reserve property owner, Thomas Nelson Gunnell, would factor into the vote. In that lawsuit, Jane Page Gunnell Thompson is pushing for Gunnell, her
brother, to be removed as the sole trustee of the Gunnell Family Dynasty Trust, which could restrict Gunnell’s access to the Banbury Cross property, since the property is included as an asset in the trust. Thompson also alleges that Gunnell might not even be the real owner of the property, alleging he has “wrongfully transferred, titled or otherwise alienated [assets] from the Dynasty Trust.” Thompson charges that Gunnell has retitled properties into newly formed corporations multiple times, most recently into Middleburg Land 1 and Middleburg Land 2. Hertneky must now submit an application outlining construction plans with the county. Upon county approval, Hertneky will need to apply for a final plat with the county, which the Middleburg Planning Commission will also need to vote to approve or deny. n
equally qualified students to compete for the coveted slots while also resulting in more diverse classes. The package of changes was initially opposed by a five-member School Board majority, which instead backed a proposal to reassemble an ad-hoc committee to provide oversight of the Academies programs and to more thoroughly study options to improve admissions procedures. A previous committee, established to guide the design and opening of the new campus, was dissolved by the prior School Board. “Increasing the diversity at AOS and AET is a laudable goal and I agree that changes may be needed and probably will be needed to the admissions process,” Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) said. “However, I am deeply concerned that we are rushing
these proposed changes without having sufficient data about the impact and consequences, either intended or unintended.” Jeffrey Morse (Dulles) agreed that more study was needed, but said that extra work wouldn’t get in the way of improving diversity. “Loudoun County is making huge strides to provide racial and ethnic equality across all our programs,” he said. Other members said urgent action was needed. Beth Barts (Leesburg) said students in her district are underrepresented in the programs. “We have to take steps now. We have to make equal opportunity for all students in Loudoun County,” she said. “I don’t be-
lieve that leveling the playing field is going to tarnish the image of the Academies. … I find that offensive and I think it is time to stop that.” “I think it is time for us to make some changes and not just talk about it,” Barts said. Serotkin’s motion to have a new committee study the options initially passed on a 5-4 vote. However, after a recess in the meeting, Denise Corbo (At Large) called for a reconsideration and Williams’ plan was approved on a 5-2-2 vote, with John Beatty (Catoctin) and Jeffrey Morse (Dulles) opposed and Serotkin and Harris Mahedavi (Broad Run) abstaining. A separate motion to create a new adhoc committee was approved unanimously. n
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AUGUST 13, 2020
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