Loudoun Now for Aug. 22, 2024

Welcome Back

New Start Times, New Teachers, New Programs

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.org

More than 83,000 students headed back to class today as the new school year kicked o at 7:30 a.m. for some of the county’s youngest learners.

Some students will enjoy a slightly later start this year. In May, the division sta proposed adding a third standard start time and moved 10 elementary schools with the earliest bus pick up times to a 7:45 a.m. start this year a er parents objected to having students boarding a bus before 6:30 a.m.

No other school start times have changed since the initial shi in 2022 when the division implemented staggered

start times to help with bus driver shortages. Nineteen elementary schools still start at 7:30 a.m., while 30 others start at 8 a.m. Middle schools start at 8:30 and high schools start at 9:30 a.m. e year begins with 615 new licensed teachers, with 52.8% holding master’s degrees and 3.6% holding doctorates. e division is also welcoming 40 ambassador teachers from countries including the Philippines, Kenya, Columbia and Jamaica. e ambassador teachers are part of a new partnership with a company called Participate Learning that brings teachers from all over the world to the U.S. to teach for three years.

Director of Recruiting Bob Phillips said Participate Learning helps the teach-

ers secure their visa a er they are hired by the division and assigned a school. e

Loudoun Opens 100th School This Week

BACK TO SCHOOL continues on page 33

As school starts for the 2024-2025 school year, Loudoun County is opening its 99th and 100th schools, including the division’s only primary school and a middle school opening to 540 sixth graders only this year.

At Henrietta Lacks ‘Kids Can’

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.org

Henrietta Lacks Elementary School, the division’s 99th school, opens this fall to over 800 students in kindergarten through second grade. e 115,000-square-foot building will have

12 kindergarten classes, 11 rst grade, 12 second grade and six pre-school classes.

Named a er Henrietta Lacks, a Virginia woman whose immortal cancer

LACKS continues on page 32

4 Stories at Watson Mountain

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.org

Watson Mountain Middle School, the division’s 100th school, opens this week under the leadership of Principal Lenny Compto and assistant principals Gela Russell and Kjersti Oliver. e 211,000-square-foot building is

the rst four-story school in the division and will open with 540 sixth graders its rst year, with plans to extend to seventh grade next year and add eighth grade by the fall of 2028. e school is named for an area that

continues on page 35

MOUNTAIN

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now Ambassador teacher Jacinta Maundiko, who is teaching fourth grade at Sterling Elementary School, assembles a culture corner in her classroom featuring her home country of Kenya in preparation for the rst day of school.

Push to Underground Rt. 7 Power Line Continues in SCC Testimony

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Three weeks ahead of the Sept. 5 hearing to consider an application by Dominion Energy to build a transmission line along Rt. 7, all groups formally participating in the case have submitted their statements.

The proposed 9.4-mile line would run from southeast of Leesburg along the highway before cutting south and paralleling Loudoun County Parkway. A virtual hearing was held Aug. 6 by the State Corporation Commission with eight public speakers supporting a proposal by the Lansdowne Conservancy to bury a portion of the line underground.

The conservancy has raised concerns about the impact an above-ground line would have on the historic Belmont Manor, Inova Hospital, Lansdowne Resort, Community Church and residential neighborhoods.

In addition to the conservancy, those formally participating in the case include the Loudoun County government, Loudoun Water, JK Land Holdings, and a labor union.

Some documents filed by the Aug. 14 deadline support the conservancy’s proposal to underground, including a submission by Manager of Power System Studies for RLC Engineering Brian Conroy. RLC is a third-party consultant, that was hired by the conservancy to determine if undergrounding is possible.

In Conroy’s testimony, he states that the company developed the underground concept that was shared with Dominion and subsequently updated based on the company’s feedback.

“We concluded that this hybrid alternative mitigated negative impacts to facilities in the area and was feasible,”|

roadways within the viewshed of the proposed overhead transmission route,” his testimony states.

Giglio said undergrounding the segment is in line with the county’s electrical policies in its 2019 General Plan and that it would limit the impact on Heritage Resources, identified as resources, both man-made and natural, from the past that exist to inform present and future generations of our history as a society.

Director of Loudoun Economic Development Buddy Rizer said the proposal was a “forward thinking initiative.”

he stated.

In turn, Dominion conducted a feasibility study and found undergrounding the lines to be “infeasible or impractical despite the perceived advantage of mitigating visual impacts,” according the third volume of the company’s SCC application.

The company states that there are only a few examples worldwide of long distance, underground high voltage transmission lines.

“The cost of an underground option would be unprecedented,” according to the submission. “Comparing transmission costs alone, the project is estimated at approximately $170 million for an overhead solution compared to over $1 billion for buried 500-230 kV XLPE lines based on preliminary estimates.”

However, other submitted testimonies urged the commission to approve building the segment underground.

“The Conservancy is concerned about the entire line and believes it should be installed underground to the greatest extent

possible,” Conservancy President Tom Jeavons stated.

He said because the demand for power is continuing to increase, it is the perfect time to begin undergrounding transmission lines, rather than continuing to build them above ground.

“A pilot program to collect data regarding underground lines will benefit the public by allowing all stakeholders to learn more about reliability and cost issues, among others,” he stated. “At the same time, the Conservancy believes that the undergrounding plan put forward by Loudoun County will minimize adverse impacts to the greatest extent reasonably practicable for the entire community.”

Loudoun Senior Planner Pat Giglio also submitted testimony supporting the conservancy’s initiative.

“The proposed transmission poles will be the tallest structures in the vicinity and will have a significant visual impact on residents and businesses, heritage resources, as well as motorists utilizing the

“The pilot program will produce data and observational insights that will provide electrical providers with critical technical experience and familiarity with undergrounding high-voltage transmission lines. This is going to be critical for the long-term economic prospects of an expanding data center industry in Virginia,” according to his testimony.

Testimony from real estate appraisers William Harvey and Richard Olsen supported concerns by residents that above ground lines would affect their property values. The $3 billion valuation of properties along Rt. 7 would likely lose $252 million in value as result of the line’s construction, he stated.

Properties along the 3-mile segment proposed to be undergrounded are valued at $1.6 billion. If the line is built above ground, they are estimated to see a value loss of $133 million.

Marshall Brown, representing the Philadelphia-Baltimore-Washington Laborer’s District Council, stated in his testimony that the organization also supported undergrounding the line.

“In our view, undergrounding these transmission lines promotes safety, resilience, economic stability, and overall well-being of our communities and workforce,” he stated. n

Loudoun Schools to Start Monitoring Students with T1D Through Apps

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.org

For the first time this fall, division elementary students with Type 1 Diabetes who have continuous glucose monitoring devices will be watched by school nurses using apps downloaded to devices in the health office after the School Board voted unanimously Aug. 13 to approve a new policy.

The policy deals with diabetes manage-

ment and other health related topics, but the regulation created to go along with the policy, which is also new to the division, outlines the use and monitoring of CGM apps.

According to division spokesperson Dan Adams, iPads with special protective cases have been purchased for all 37 elementary school health offices and will be in place by the first day of school, all relevant staff has been trained on the apps and feedback from families has been positive.

“We are ready to go day one,” he said.

Lauren Valentine, the parent of a rising second grader who has been working to get the division to monitor students using the apps for two years said she is thrilled.

“I am thrilled to be on the other side of the table to collaborate with LCPS to follow through with the CGM Follow apps at our schools,” she said via text.

Valentine said her son is fully reliant on an adult for his diabetes care.

She said she met with Office of Stu-

dent Services Director Kirk Dolson and Student Health Services Supervisor Jeannie Kloman in July as the regulation was being drafted and was able to see it along with two other parents before it was made public.

Valentine also said she recently met with the administration at her son’s elementary school and said they have

GLUCOSE MONITORING continues on page 33

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

A view of a portion of the area along Rt. 7 planned by Dominion Energy for its Aspen to Golden transmission line and proposed to be undergrounded by the Lansdowne Conservancy.

Loudoun

After Debby, County’s Drought Status Upgraded

After the remnants of Hurricane Debby brought up to 8 inches of rain to some areas of Loudoun, the county’s drought status has improved to “severe” after several weeks of “extreme” conditions.

According to the National Drought Monitoring Project, the entire county remains in drought conditions. Most of Loudoun is classified as experiencing severe drought, while conditions in the

northeast corner have been upgraded to moderate.

Loudoun County has experienced drought conditions since early June. Before the rains brought by the tropical storm system last week, 86% of the county was classified as experiencing extreme drought.

The region remains in a drought watch, with utilities urging for voluntary water

conservation.

Municipal utility systems that rely on groundwater wells continue to closely monitor their supplies. Round Hill and Middleburg remain under mandatory conservation orders that prohibit most outdoor water use. Even if precipitation returns to normal amounts, it is expected to take weeks or months for the groundwater aquifers to fully recharge. n

Youngkin Appoints Wittmann to Crime Commission

Gov. Glenn Younkgin on Friday appointed Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Nicole Wittmann to the Virginia State Crime Commission.

The commission is comprised of 13 members— nine legislative, three non-legislative and one state official. Wittmann’s term is for two years.

The commission is charged with ascertaining the causes of crime and recommending ways to reduce and prevent it, exploring and recommending methods of rehabilitation for convicted criminals, studying compensation of persons in law enforcement and related fields and studying other related matters.

“Nicole Wittmann has dedicated her career to prosecuting violent crimes and committed herself to a lifelong service of supporting victims of crimes. I cannot think of a better person for this appointment,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Bob Anderson stated in an announcement.

Whittmann joined the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office in 2005 as head of the Victim Witness Assistance Program. She also served for two

months as Commonwealth’s Attorney in 2019.

Venkatachalam Selected for Science Museum Board

Ram Venkatachalam has been appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin as the first Indian American to serve on the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum of Virginia.

Venkatachalam served as chair of the Loudoun County Transit Advisory Board and was a 2023 candidate for the Little River District seat on the Board of Supervisors.

The museum was established in Richmond in 1977. The 223,000-square-foot building features hands-on exhibitions about wellness, innovation and physical sciences.

Learn more at smv.org.

Dulles District Town Hall

Planned Tuesday

Supervisors Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) has scheduled a district town hall Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m.

It will be held at Elaine E. Thompson Elementary School and will focus

Vacancies Open on Economic Development Commission

Applications have opened to fill vacancies on the county’s Economic Development Advisory Commission.

The body was created to advise the Board of Supervisors on policies impacting the county’s economy. Its mission is to promote longterm and short-term growth and economically sustainable development that expands the commercial and industrial tax base.

on the Arcola Town Center residential development application. The item is expected to appear before the Board of Supervisors on Sept. 11.

The application proposes 595 units along with commercial and public spaces.

Applicant representatives will attend the meeting to discuss the proposal and answer questions from community members.

Letourneau will provide an opportunity for residents to speak about other issues concerning them.

Juvenile Court Hosts Youth and Family Workshop

The county’s Juvenile Court Services Unit is hosting a Youth and Family workshop Aug. 22 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The event is scheduled to take place at the Youth and Family Resource Center at 42055 Gourley Transit Drive in Leesburg and will cover why attendance at school matters and what support services are available.

Families with children aged 5-17 are invited to join this workshop, which will include a 30-minute presentation followed by a Q&A session. Dinner will be provided.

Register online at loudoun.gov/ familyresourcecenter, by emailing YFRC@loudoun.gov or by calling 571-367-8450. n

EDAC works in partnership with the Economic Development Department on projects assigned by the county supervisors as well as through a work plan that supports the board’s vision and the business development and marketing goals of the department.

Residents interested in volunteering on the commission must apply by Aug. 28 at onboard.loudoun. gov/application/board/3594.

“Loudoun County is an international economic success story, thanks in part to the insights of our advisory boards, which inform the leadership of the Board of Supervisors. We look to EDAC to work with staff and elected officials to ensure a diverse and growing economy,” Loudoun Economic Development Executive Director Buddy Rizer said. “New EDAC members, with diverse backgrounds and fresh perspectives, will play an influential role in achieving our ambitious goals.”

Commission members may serve two three-year terms, meeting six times per year, every other month starting in January. The meetings are open to the public.

EDAC leadership will review applicants and recommend nominees to the Board of Supervisors for appointment by the end of the year. Terms begin Jan. 1. A list of the commission’s members, bylaws, agendas and other documents are available at biz.loudoun.gov. n

Wittmann

Venkatachalam

AROUND town

DED Launches Business Celebration Program

The town’s Department of Economic Development is offering a new promotional service to businesses that are new or celebrating special milestones.

The Celebrate Your Business package offers ribbon cuttings, visits from elected officials and promotional assistance.

“This free initiative is a part of the town’s commitment to supporting the business community,” Assistant Director Melanie Scoggins stated. “By taking advantage of these benefits, local businesses can enhance their presence, attract new customers, and strengthen their ties within the community.” Learn more at chooseleesburg.com.

COPA Readies for Art in Your Yard Event

The Commission on Public Art invites residents and artists to participate in this year’s “Art in Your Yard” event on Sunday, Sept. 29.

Kites & Crafts

Families spent Saturday at Leesburg’s Ida Lee Park for the annual Festival of Kites and Crafts. Vendors offered visitors a variety of products ranging from slushies and milkshakes to handcrafted jewelry and home decor. In addition to flying their kites, children also had the opportunity to try out crafts and moon bounces.

From 1 to 4 p.m. that day, town residents may share or sell their photography, paintings, drawings, sculptures or other works in their front yard. Performance artists are also welcome to participate.

The deadline to register is Sept. 7. COPA will create a map promoting each location to provide visitors a self-guided tour.

Learn more at tinyurl.com/ COPAyardart2024. n

Education Student Speech Policy Sent Back to Committee

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.org

A policy dealing with student expression and speech was sent back to committee once again by the School Board last week, but not before being adjusted by the full board.

The policy outlines where and when students may exercise their freedom of speech at school and states specifically that it is to take place during non-instructional times. It also states what is considered free speech—oral and written communications and advocacy for social or political issues—and lists what freedom of speech does not include, including obscene or pornographic material, hate speech or speech that advocates for the commission of a crime, or policies that lead to “substantial disruption” with school activities.

In its review of the policy, the School Board’s Student Behavior and Accountability Committee added that student freedom of speech can’t invade the rights of others.

The revised policy was scheduled for final approval at the Aug. 13 School Board meeting but was sent back for more work after Anne Donohue (At-Large) proposed two amendments after saying she had issues with it.

Donohue’s first amendment changed the policy to say that students have the right to freedom of speech anytime and anywhere while at school and added more

context around how and what the students could do to exercise their free speech, including on global issues, through clothing and on social media.

The former policy stated that freedom of speech applied only during non-instructional times and outside of the classrooms and didn’t specifically state clothing or social media could be used to express it.

“I think that we all agree that our students and our entire LCPS community enjoy their First Amendment rights to free-

dom of speech and expression at all times and in all places. That those rights are subject to appropriate restrictions,” she said. Her amendment was questioned by Deana Griffiths (Ashburn), who asked about enforcement of the change to the policy.

“Who is deciding which advocacy is harmful by wearing buttons or political clothing? What are reasonable restrictions per the policy, timing and location? In this political climate, can students wear a Harris shirt? A Trump shirt? Are we

going to be equal on political advocacy?” she asked.

Donohue noted there was already a policy about student dress code and her amendment was to make it clear “if a statement or comment would violate the policy by being spoken aloud, it similarly can’t be printed on a shirt,” she said.

The division’s policy on student dress code allows for clothing with slogans as long as it doesn’t “reinforce or increase marginalization or oppression of any group based on race, color, national origin, caste, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, age or genetic information.”

Students are allowed to wear hats, including religious headwear, any religious or ethnically specific or significant clothing, head covering or hairstyle, according to the policy. Violations include clothing that depict or promote illegal, violent or lewd conduct, promote the unlawful possession of drugs, or paraphernalia, alcohol, weapons and include language, slogans, profanity, symbol, icons or images that are “reasonably foreseeable to cause a material and substantial disruption or invade the rights of others and amount to hate speech,” among others. That policy was last revised in 2021.

Superintendent Aaron Spence said the

SPEECH POLICY continues on page 8

Board Approves Brambleton-Area Elementary School Boundary Change

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN Agustin@loudounnow.org

After a 30-minute discussion Aug. 13 on a staff proposed plan to shift three Brambleton-area elementary school planning zones in new developments, the School Board approved the change with an 8-1 vote despite numerous residents speaking out against it.

The change will shift three planning zones in three developments—Parkside Village, Fleetwood North and a section of West Park at Brambleton— from Madison’s Trust Elementary School to Sycolin Creek, about 5.7 miles away.

The change takes place immediately.

During the public hearing for the at-

tendance zone change, over 20 people spoke in opposition to the plan.

Many were new residents of housing developments being built in Brambleton who said they bought their home with the expectation their children would attend Madison’s Trust Elementary School.

Tina Kapoor, a resident of the West Park neighborhood, asked that her neighborhood be excluded from the rezone because the homes are within walking distance of Madison’s Trust.

“For the child’s wellness and mental health, it is not in the best interest of the child to commute to school every day for well over 20 minutes,” she said, arguing that the commute would lead to less sleep and more absenteeism.

“We feel that the current recommenda-

tion is a short-term solution that will not fix capacity issues. We recommend that neighborhoods that are further away from Madison’s Trust be rezoned instead and the number of special permissions be reduced so our local neighborhood children be given the opportunity to attend their home school.”

Other parents also urged the board to move students from neighborhoods further away into Sycolin Creek.

Josiah Surface, a father of two students, said the division knew the developments were coming for at least 10 years and didn’t do anything to address potential overcrowding until now.

“Instead of expanding Madison’s Trust or constructing another elementary school within Brambleton, you just

thought you would move our children to attend whatever school and wherever,” he said.

Other parents said they moved specifically to the area to avoid long bus commutes and to be in one of the best schools in Loudoun County.

One parent mentioned how her daughter gets severe motion sickness and struggles with a four-minute commute and worried how she would handle a 20-minute one to go to Sycolin Creek.

In June, the School Board was presented with the plan and told it would alleviate overcrowding at Madison’s Trust which is expected to open for the first day of school

ATTENDANCE ZONE continues on page 7

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now Woodgrove High School students hold signs during a planned walkout last November. The School Board voted Aug. 13, 2024 to send a policy dealing with student speech and expression back to a committee for more work.

Attendance zone

continued from page 6

at 94% capacity. The school is projected to be at 124% capacity with 1,249 students by the 2029-2030 school year. Sycolin Creek on the other hand will open this year at 53% capacity and is projected to be at 50% by the start of the 2029-2030 school year. Staff told the board that new homes were being built in the three attendance zones and didn’t affect any current students and that only two had registered at the time.  During Tuesday’s meeting, the tally was updated to 18 students.

The plan was to reassign the zones before more homes were built and families moved in. The staff used the abbreviated attendance zone change process because it would allow the change to happen without affecting the entire area and because it involved new development, according to the policy.

“Madison’s Trust Elementary School is approaching overcrowded already and there are about 288 students coming from those neighborhoods for which there are 50 open seats,” Chief Operations Officer Kevin Lewis said Tuesday.  Lewis’ number refers to how many students are projected to move in once all

homes are built in the three zones.

Lewis said in particular, the third grade was very close to being overenrolled. If it got to that point, Lewis said they would have to assign third graders to other nearby schools.

Start times for the schools make it an even harder pill to swallow for parents as Madison trust starts at 8 a.m. while Sycolin Creek starts at 7:45, meaning students will have an earlier bell schedule and will have to get up earlier to get to school on time.

School Board members debated different options, including adding modular

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classrooms, building an addition to the school and excluding a neighborhood closest to the school zone changes. Superintendent Aaron Spence suggested allowing students who already moved in to stay at Madison’s Trust, at least for this year.

“They understood they were going there, so [you could] go ahead and grandfather those 18 students and figure out how to accommodate them and then move the rest of the zones we recommended.”

Spence noted his suggestion might not be the best solution because as more homes are built in the neighborhoods, other families would find themselves in the same situation.

“This is an issue that School Boards in Loudoun County have been dealing with for decades, that they will continue to deal with, and you will continue to deal with,” Spence said.

“It’s really not fair that the community has to go through that. If anything, I really feel that it’s very important to at the least consider those students that have, I guess a medical issue of some sort where they could seek special permission,” Sumera Rashid (Little River) said.

As the board debated the grandfathering idea, Arben Istrefi (Sterling) said he felt relying on the special permission process wasn’t the best way to operate.

“We’ve seen these appeals, seen what

these situations can cause… we’ve seen situations where an older sibling has access to the school when there is not enough space at that grade level for their younger sibling and they are in different schools. I don’t think we should utilize this as a long-term solution at all,” he said.

Asked if Legacy Elementary School, which is 1.6 miles away, would be a better fit, Lewis said Sycolin Creek had the space for the long term and it matriculated into the same middle and high schools as Madison’s Trust. He said he didn’t know if Legacy had space long term.

Lewis also addressed comments from parents who stated they were within walking distance of the school and said per policy, the property line of a student’s home has to be within a mile of the front door of the school to be considered in the walk zone.

“We did double check the walk zone map and they are outside of the walk zone for Madison’s Trust,” Lewis said.

Building onto the school wasn’t an option because Lewis said it was a three-year process and the overcrowding needed to be addressed now. Adding trailers was also not an option because there were nearby schools that had space.

In the end the board voted 8-1 to approve the change, with Deana Griffiths (Ashburn) opposed. n

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now The School Board voted 8-1 Aug. 13 to rezone three Brambleton area elementary school planning zones within new housing developments to avoid overcrowding at Madison’s Trust Elementary School.

Google, GMU Expand Partnership for Loudoun Lab School

Google has doubled its financial commitment to launch a Loudoun County Public Schools lab school in partnership with George Mason University and Northern Virginia Community College. The project aims to help at-risk students transition from high school to college or high demand careers.

The Accelerated College and Employability Skills Academy announced in April will be located at Potomac Falls High School for the start of the 2025-2026 school year.

After Google provided seed funding to the Virginia Department of Education last year, the company recently doubled its commitment, totaling $400,000 to date. The additional funding will go to research design and evaluation, as well as toward a summer bridge program, according to an announcement.

Loudoun’s Chief Academic Officer Ashley Ellis said the division was grateful for the partnership with Google to support the academy.

“ACCESS Academy is an innovative program to help prepare students with workplace skills that will help set them on a pathway for career and educational success,” Ellis said.

gence,” she said in an announcement.

The College of Education and Human Development also will be incorporating AI learning into the ACCESS Academy program, including two self-paced online courses created with MIT. Google plans to work with the college to design hands-on field experience for academy students, according to the announcement.

Roberto Pamas, a faculty member of the college, will serve as the director of ACCESS Academy and will work with Google and other lab school partners to develop the curriculum and course offerings as well as staffing requirements.

“We are proud to be a partner in the ACCESS Lab Academy to expand access to computer science education and tech career pathways,” Director of Google’s Education for Social Impact Team Shanika Hope said “The collaboration across George Mason, NOVA, and LCPS will ensure students are not only equipped with core computing skills but will thrive in high-demand jobs of the future. Together we are working to close equity gaps in computing education and give all students the opportunities they deserve to succeed.”

George Mason University College of Education and Human Development Dean Ingrid Guerra-Lopez said Google helped make their vision for ACCESS Academy a reality.

“This collaboration is pivotal in our mission to equip the future workforce with essential skills and knowledge to excel in high-demand careers. We engaged Google early in the planning process to ensure that the ACCESS vision and plan was well-aligned to the rapidly changing job market, including artificial intelli-

Speech policy

continued from page 6

dress code policy included enforcement procedures.

Donohue’s amendment passed 5-4, with Linda Deans (Broad Run), Griffiths, Kari LaBell (Catoctin) and Sumera Rashid (Little River) opposed.

Donohue’s second amendment, which also received pushback from Griffiths, would have added language that said, “speech or other expressive conduct shall not be deemed obscene, pornographic, or harmful to juveniles based solely on reference to a person’s or group’s sexual orientation or gender identity.”

The current draft of the policy does not include this language.

Approved by the Virginia Board of Education earlier this year, the ACCESS Academy lab school for students in grades 9-12 was created by George Mason in partnership with Northern Virginia Community College and Loudoun County Public Schools. ACCESS Academy will provide students with an alternative education pathway that emphasizes future-ready employability skills, innovative teaching and learning methods, and immersive experiences developed with industry partners, researchers, and instructional faculty. n

Deans moved to have the policy sent back to the committee rather than to hash out the working of changes during a full board meeting. She said she wanted to fully understand how the proposed changes would impact the policy.

Donohue expressed frustration over the idea saying said she had issues with the policy in June and had emailed the committee members then sent her proposed amendments to every board member prior to the meeting. Several board members stated they had not seen the amendments prior to that night.

Dean’s motion passed 5-4 with herself, Donohue, Arben Istrefi (Sterling) and Lauren Shernoff (Leesburg) opposed. The amended policy will be discussed by the panel at its next meeting. n

First Class of HAMSci Academy Receives White Coats

Students in the new Health and Medical Sciences Academy received their white lab coats during an Aug. 15 ceremony at Briar Woods High School.

Sheila Alzate, principal of Briar Woods and Pamela Croft, principal of Tuscarora High School, where the programs will take place for the first time this year, presented the white coats to the 150 rising freshman in the program.

According to division spokesperson Dan Adams, more than 750 students applied and the participating students were selected by lottery.

Family and friends were on hand to celebrate and witness the students recite a modified version of the Hippocratic Oath before starting the program this fall.

Also on hand were Dr. William Hazel, chief executive director of the Claude Moore Foundation, Susan Carroll, president of Inova Loudoun Hospital and senior vice president of Inova Health System, and Michael Grubbs, director of the

division’s Career Technical Education and Adult Education.

The HAMSci Academy connects student interest with workforce needs. In 2022, the division surveyed parents asking what academic areas their children would be interested in studying. Health and medical sciences had the greatest interest, with 44% of respondents saying they were interested. That same year, the Loudoun Education Foundation in partnership with the division began hosting round table events with industry leaders in the health and medical field to understand how best to create student programming that aligned with their workforce needs. Through ongoing conversations, the curriculum and pathways were created, according to a release.

Funding partners including Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, Loudoun Education Foundation, Inova Health System, and Google contributed $400,000 to bring the HAMsci Academy to fruition. n

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Public Safety

Sheriff’s Office Identifies Suspect in GOP Office Break-In

The Sheriff ’s Office has identified a suspect in the Aug. 11 burglary at an Ashburn office that houses the local Trump for President 2024 campaign and the Virginia 10th District Republican Committee.

A warrant has been secured for Toby Shane Kessler, 39.

The incident was captured by surveillance video inside the office. Kessler allegedly forced entry through a back door and spent a brief period of time inside before leaving, according to the report. It is unknown if he took anything from the building.

The Sheriff ’s Office is working with other law enforcement agencies to locate Kessler and is asking the public’s assistance. He is a white adult male, and was wearing dark clothing, a dark cap, and a backpack when he entered the office.

Sheriff’s Office Charges 14 Vape Shops with Underage Sales

The Sheriff ’s Office has brought charges against 14 local vape shops after conducting an undercover operation.

The two-day operation targeted 32 of the county’s vape shops and was one of the largest vaping-related operations the department has conducted. It was prompted by rapid growth of the market for liquid nicotine and vaping products as well as concerns from parents and teachers, according to an announcement.

Each of the 14 employees charged received a summons for the violation of selling, distributing, purchasing for, or allowing the purchase of any tobacco or hemp product to a person under 21 years of age. A violation comes with a civil penalty recently increased to $1,000 to $10,000 for the person or business caught, based on whether it is a first or subsequent offense in a 36-month period.

Anyone who believes they have seen Kessler or has additional information about the burglary is asked to contact Detective Franks at 571-918-1869.

Leesburg Man Charged in ‘Irresponsible’ Swatting Call

On a Saturday night in July, Leesburg Police converged on the Safeway store on South King Street where a caller reported the someone was robbed by two people armed with knives.

Officers responding to the July 13 call found no evidence of an altercation and ultimately determined the call was a hoax.

This week, Caleb Wolfe, 18, of Leesburg, was charged with making a false emergency communication to emergency personnel. A conviction for the Class 1 misdemeanor would come with a penalty of up to 12 months jail and a fine of up to $2,500.

The locations charged are Ashburn Cigar and Tobacco, Ashburn Cigar and Vape, Imperial Tobacco, Tobacco Hut in Ashburn, Smoke N Vape in Broadlands, Tobacco Hut in Broadlands, Diamond Tobacco & Vape in Lansdowne, Tobacco Hut in Leesburg, Tobacco King & Vape in Leesburg, EZ Tobacco in Lovettsville, Imperial Tobacco in Sterling, Sterling Smoke, Sterling Vape Shop and Tobacco King in Sterling.

Driver on W&OD Trail Suspected of DWI

The Leesburg Police Department has charged an 18-year-old Maryland resident with driving while intoxicated, hit and run and other crimes after he allegedly drove his vehicle on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail on Saturday.

At approximately 11:29 a.m., Aug 17, officers responded to reports of a vehicle driving on the trail and almost hitting several pedestrians in the area of Crosstrail Boulevard. The grey Ford Escape was located a short time later along the trail near Lawson Road, about 1.5 miles away.

No injuries were reported.

“Filing a false report not only wastes valuable resources but also creates a significant safety issue by diverting emergency personnel away from where they are truly needed,” Leesburg Police Chief Thea Pirnat stated. “This irresponsible behavior generates unnecessary fear and anxiety within our community and undermines the trust that we work hard to build with those we serve.”

Investigators determined that Luis D. Funez Medina of Columbia, MD, was operating the vehicle without a valid driver’s license. He was arrested and charged with DWI, possession of illegal drugs, hit and run, and driving without a license.

Funez Medina is held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. n

Health & Wellness

‘Labor of Love’: Inova Blood Donor Gives 47 Times

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Angela Porter was 17 the first time she sat down to donate blood. Years later, she’s gone through that process 47 times, donating nearly six gallons of life-saving blood.

She’s very familiar with the process once she walks through the doors of Inova Blood Donor Services Dulles Town Center donation center. She’ll be checked in, fill out paperwork, have her finger pricked to test the iron levels in her blood, have her heart rate recorded and finally have a needle inserted into her arm where a pint of life-sustaining fluid that flows through her veins is taken to be held for another community member in crisis.

Porter said, unlike some repeat donors, her story doesn’t start with a tragic accident or near-death experience—she simply got a taste of giving back into the community and she’s never wanted to stop.

process, she said sometimes her heart rate

“If it’s like under 55 they say, ‘We can’t take your blood.’ So, we’ll wait a couple

“I’ve never had a bad experience. I’ve seen people on the floor pass out, but I’ve

Recently honored at Inova’s Donor Dinner, Porter said the feedback from people that heard her story encourages

“It was just really cool to have people reach out to me and say, ‘thank you for doing that. It might not have been your blood but thank you,’” she said, adding that it also motivates her to give even

lowed to give blood every eight weeks,

Studies Have Shown

May Help or Prevent

totaling six times a year.

“I want to say this last year if I look at my history. It’s like, ‘OK, she’s consistent.’ The years before, I wasn’t consistent and I kind of kick myself in the butt about that,” Porter said.

Inova Marketing Manager Allison Frenkel said it’s community members like Porter who keep the donation center running. To provide blood that the health system needs, the donation center should be accepting 200 donors each day—a goal that’s especially hard to meet during the summer, she said.

“Schools are closed, and we rely on our high schoolers,” Inova Blood Donor Services Medical Director Dr. Grace Sese said.

When the blood supply gets critically low, the health system sends out an alert as an “appeal for help” so the hospitals can continue to provide care through a variety

BLOOD DONOR continues on page 12

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Angela Porter, center, stands with staff at Inova Blood Donor Services Dulles Town Center donation center.

Blood donor

continued from page 11

of programs.

“We are the largest hospital-based blood center in the country, which is good, because the inventory that we have, really the volume, speaks also to the volume of patients that we serve,” Sese said.

A blood donation can be used to provide care in emergency surgery from a car accident on Rt. 7, or it can be given to patients in the hospital’s oncology depart-

ment, both adults and children. It could be used in the labor and delivery suite for a hemorrhaging mother, or for a patient undergoing cardiac surgery or an organ transplant.

While the majority of blood donated at the Sterling center is used for local patients in the Inova Health System, in times of crisis, it can also be sent to communities facing disasters through a program called the Blood Emergency Readiness Corps.

“It’s like a national network of independent blood centers, like Inova, and we go on rotation every three weeks, in case

there’s a mass casualty, a natural disaster, we’re on call,” Frenkel said. “We put some blood in reserves when we’re on call and then if something was to happen, we then ship that blood to a center that needs it.

For instance, in Florida during Hurricane Debby, a blood center in Florida needed blood because they were low because of the hurricane so we shipped blood down.”

Inova also partners with fire and rescue crews in Loudoun and other jurisdictions to provide blood for first responders to administer in the field.

“By giving whole blood on the site of

the accident, you reduce their risk of mortality,” Sese said. “… They have that whole blood in their ambulances and then is given to the patient on the site of trauma, because the first hour is called the golden hour. If you don’t address that, the patient’s risk of dying is very, very high.”

Wherever a donation ends up, it’s part of critical, life-saving treatment.

“That’s why the engagement of the community is very, very critical for us. It’s really a labor of love, because we have patients that are needing this for them to survive, whether it be pediatric or adults,” Sese said.

Because of the teamwork at the Sterling center, a blood donation can be ready to be transfused as early as noon the day after it was given.

A team of experts works behind the scenes to test each donation for diseases and compatibility, often arriving at the center as early as 3 a.m. to prepare yesterday’s donations for today’s patients.

While 38% of the country’s population is eligible to donate blood, less than 10% do. Earlier this month the health system once again alerted residents that the hospitals had reached a critical level of blood supply citing a surge in cardiac patients. Type O+ is the most urgent need, and at the time of the Aug. 2 announcement, the hospital only had a one day reserve supply.

To learn more about donating go to inovablood.org. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Bags of donated blood are stored at Inova Blood Donor Services Dulles Town Center donation center after undergoing testing and before being transported to patients in need.

Mobile Hope Helps Over 500 Ahead of New School Year

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Mobile Hope on Saturday set up its annual Back-to-School Village in Leesburg providing over 500 children with school supplies, haircuts, food, household necessities, hygiene items, clothes and shoes.

As the school year kicks off Aug. 22, 1,545 Loudoun County Public School students are considered homeless under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, according to the nonprofit.

A student is defined as homeless if they don’t have a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence. It includes children and youth who are sharing homes with others because of the loss of housing or economic hardship.

The event is designed to help families face the growing costs associated with sending children back to school. On average, families spend $875 on clothing, shoes, school supplies and electronics for children in elementary through high school each year, according to the Nation-

GIVING back

LTF Gears Up for Heroes First Fair

Loudoun Therapeutic Riding will hold its third annual Heroes First Fair on Sunday, Sept. 15 from 2 to 5 p.m.

Organized for veterans, first responders, and active-duty military, the event is an opportunity to learn about the support organizations available in the area.

Participating organizations include CJ3 Foundation, Hogs and Heroes Foundation, Loudoun County CVEB and Honor Flight Top of VA, as well as several American Legions and Loudoun County VFWs with their veterans’ service officers. There will be live music provided by Guitars for Vets, beer will be provided by One Family Brewing, and Zell’s Kitchen Truck will be onsite. This event is free for all to attend.

LTR’s Equine Services for Heroes program was started in 2011 and gives veterans the opportunity to work with horses in a safe environment at no cost to them.  LTR has worked with over 40 veterans and the program is expanding to include first responders, supported by a grant awarded by 100WomenStrong in 2024.

al Retail Federation. K-12 shoppers are budgeting $309 on average for electronics, $253 for clothing and accessories, $142 for school supplies and $170 for shoes.

Bartel Foundation Opens Applications for Teen Mental Wellness Facilitator Training

The Ryan Bartel Foundation is seeking 10 to 12 candidates who are passionate about promoting mental health and resilience in teens to participate in the second cohort of its Teen Mental Wellness Facilitator Training program and help expand programs that support and empower youth, families, and the community.

The deadline for applying is Sept. 3.

The training program includes in-person and online instruction, group discussions, and skill-building activities. The first cohort recently completed training and are facilitating the foundation’s after-school, evening, and weekend programs for teens in and around Loudoun County.

“These trained facilitators are essential to our ability to successfully create a safe and trauma-informed space for teens to be their authentic selves and learn resiliency skills,” Executive Director Val Walters said. “They are critical to fostering a community of acceptance, compassion,

and inclusion where all young people feel connected and hopeful and have the will to live.”

TMW facilitators engage teens during THE FORT, a safe, healing community space for young people to connect. They lead creative, resilience-based workshops that explore mindfulness, expressive arts, nature, animals, relationships, and social-emotional support.

They also help Loudoun area teens learn coping skills to manage stress, anxiety, and depression; develop a growth mindset from exposure to new modalities for learning stress management; practice healthy ways of communicating when life is challenging; establish connections with peers and adults in a safe, healing, inclusive community; and develop self-awareness of existing strengths.

The foundation is seeking candidates with at least three years of experience working with teens and bring skills that align with its interactive workshops ex-

The organization works to empower at-risk, homeless and precariously housed youth up to age 24 to become self-sufficient and improve well-being. n

ploring mindfulness, expressive arts, nature, animals, physical activity, and social-emotional support as strategies to promote resilience in teens. The fees for the 20-hour TMW training will be waived for participants who commit to facilitating 10 to 12 workshops in the 12 months following their certification.

Training starts on Sept. 24 and ends in late October. It includes:

• Youth Mental Health First Aid to enhance mental health literacy and skills for supportive conversations and crisis response.

• Grounding in RBF’s Mission to promote resilience in teens while using trauma-informed and culturally responsive facilitation techniques.

• Creating Safe Spaces that foster acceptance, connection, resiliency, and hope in teens.

• Skill Development from peer learning, feedback, and coaching to advance teen facilitation skills.

Applications must be submitted by Sept. 3 at ryanbartelfoundation.org/ tmw-facilitator-training. n

For more information about attending the event or having a vendor table, go to ltrf.org/event/heroesfirst-fair-copy or call 703-771-2689.

Dulles Rotary Readies for Opportunities Open

The Rotary Club of Dulles International Airport will hold its annual Opportunities Open golf tournament at Raspberry Falls Golf and Hunt Club on Sept. 16.

In its 28th year, the event has raised over $1 million for charities. This year’s event will support The Arc of Loudoun, the ARC of Northern Virginia, ECHO, ServiceSource, and The Loudoun-Dulles Fraternal Order of Police’s Cops for Kids program.

Sponsorship opportunities include verbal recognition at the Award Luncheon and recognition on the Opportunities Open website, and many sponsorships also include course signage, lunch tickets and foursomes. Learn more at opportunitiesopen.org or by contacting Andrew Wade at andrewdwade@gmail.com.

Golfers receive free breakfast, 18 holes of golf on a private championship course, golf cart, and an award luncheon with live auction, raffle and presentation. This event often sells so early registration is encouraged. Sign up at opportunitiesopen.org. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Families shop at Mobile Hope’s Back-to-School Village sorting through supplies, clothing, shoes and household items Aug. 17.

Towns 2 Candidate Slates Lined Up for Purcellville Election

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Two unofficial slates have lined up to run for the five seats on Purcellville’s Town Council up for election this November.

One is led by incumbent Mayor Stanley Milan with the candidates associating themselves with him defending a decision by the council majority to increase utility rates in fiscal year 2025, pushing for a revitalized downtown area, and keeping the current administration’s momentum going.

The second is led by Council Member Christopher Bertaut, who is challenging Milan for the mayoral seat and whose slate is challenging high utility rates, cautioning against a growing “metropolis,” and opposing an application by Chuck Kuhn to have 117 acres annexed into town.

In April, the Town Council adopted its fiscal year 2025 budget including 16% water and 18% wastewater rate increases. Town staff and consultants told the council the increases were necessary to offset utility debt.

In March, Milan and Vice Mayor Erin Rayner pitched a vision for Purcellville’s downtown area as a “gas lamp” district that would encourage economic and tourism growth.

The council has also been considering an application by Chuck Kuhn to annex 117 acres into the town, voting last month to proceed with more studies about how the plan would impact the town’s water system, traffic and revenue.

Loudoun Now reached out to candidates to hear about their platforms, reasons for running and positions on issues around town.

Stanley Milan

Milan was first elected to the council in 2020 after serving on the Planning Commission. He won the mayoral seat in 2022 in a contest with Joel Grewe after former Mayor Kwasi Fraser decided not to run again.

Milan’s first year in office was marked with controversy as two key members of staff—the town attorney and zoning ad-

ministrator resigned—followed by the departure of three town managers and battles with the county government over multiple capital projects.

Milan said he had been operating during that time under “misinformation” from those he trusted. After hiring now Town Manager Rick Bremseth, he removed the “visors off that were blinding” him and learned that information he was told during his prior terms in office was false.

Now, he’s confident in the work the council has done “making tough decisions,” including raising utility rates to address financial stability of water and wastewater systems. If the decision to do that had been made earlier by previous councils, the high utility rate increases implemented this year could have been avoided, he said.

“We had to make those changes and people understood that,” he said.

Milan also touted his partnership with Bremseth, saying their combined leadership efforts have brought efficiency back into the council meetings.

“Now things are running smoothly,” Milan said. “We have meetings that run an hour or two hours and we’re getting stuff done in my first year and a half.”

If elected to another two-year term, Milan said he wants to focus on preparing Purcellville for the future, saying the age demographic has shifted in the town.

“I’m running again to make sure that I keep the momentum going and reeducate and reinform the citizens about what’s really going on and what’s really happening in the western Loudoun area. We can still grow and we can still maintain the small town charm,” he said.

Christopher Bertaut

Christopher Bertaut was first elected to the council in 2020 and served as vice mayor under both Fraser and Milan.

He has lived in Purcellville since 2005 and works in the telecommunications and IT industries. Bertaut also serves as the Town Council liaison to the Planning Commission, working with that body to develop and adopt a new

Zoning Ordinance last month.

Bertaut opposed the decision by the current council majority to increase utility rates in fiscal year 2025, instead calling for other funding sources to support capital projects rather than relying on increased utility rates.

Bertaut has opposed the recent decision by council to look further into an application by Chuck Kuhn to annex 117 acres into town. During a July 23 council meeting, he said the town’s Comprehensive Plan does not support annexing new land.

Loudoun Now reached out to Bertaut for comments but did not receive a response.

COUNCIL SEATS

Brian D. Dean

Brian Dean has lived in town with his family for six years and works as a producer, writer and media executive. He currently serves on the town’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

Dean said he’s running for council because he loves Purcellville and wants to represent families in every stage of life.

“I really believe that we need to come together with common sense solutions for every generation that lives here,” he said.

Dean said he supports the council’s decision to raise utility rates in fiscal year 2025 saying it was necessary to combat mistakes from years ago.

“When you take on a 10-year refusal to do what the experts say, you really create a problem and that’s where we’ve had to look at how to solve the problem at this time,” he said. “I am committed to listening to our award-winning town staff.”

Dean said at the same time he understands concerns from residents about utility prices.

“I bring to this issue a very open mind,” he said.

Dean said he is cautious about the

AROUND towns

LOVETTSVILLE

Town Hires Long as Utility Services Manager

The town has hired Rebekah Long as its new Utility Billing and Administrative Services manager.

Long grew up in Clarke County and has worked for 30 years in a variety of logistics and office positions, including the past five at the county treasurer’s office.

“I look forward to working in a department that has the same hometown vibe I grew up in and I look forward to getting to know the people I will service and work with face to face,” she stated in an announcement.

EZ Tobacco Now Open

Lovettsville’s first tobacco shop opened Aug. 14 as town leaders gathered to celebrate with a ribbon cutting.

The shop sells tobacco and vape products as well as cigars. It is located in the town’s newest shopping center shared with the co-op grocery store across the from the Squirkle.

Mayor Christopher Hornbaker and Council Member Stuart Stahl as well as Loudoun Economic Development representative K.C. Tregoning welcomed EZ Tobacco with a certificate and plaque.

“Congratulations to the EZ Tobacco team for their hard work, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit. Opening a new business is no small feat, and it takes vision and a lot of determination,” the town posted in an announcement Wednesday.

The shop is open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

MIDDLEBURG

Town Seeks County Support for Projects

The Town Council on Thursday was

PURCELLVILLE ELECTION continues on page 16

Milan

Bertaut

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Town of Lovettsville

Lovettsville leaders gathered to celebrate the opening of EZ Tobacco Aug. 14

Dean

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expected to approve requests for the county government to help fund two town construction projects.

The requests are part of the county staff ’s work to prepare the Capital Improvements Plan for the Board of Supervisors’ review. The incorporated towns are invited to propose projects to be included in that element of the county’s budget.

The council will consider resolutions to request $1.5 million to support sidewalk and streetscape improvements along South Madison Street and $1.5 million to help renovate the historic Asbury Church.

The council already has allocated town funds to both projects—$750,000 for the sidewalk work and $1 million for the restoration of the church.

The county funding is requested for fiscal year 2027.

PURCELLVILLE

‘Walk in the Woods’ Sunday

The town’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is hosting its “Walk in the Woods” with John DeMary at the Chap-

man DeMary Trail on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The trail opened in 2009 in a 10-acre area considered to be the last stand of old growth forest in the town. It runs along South Fork Catoctin Creek and is open to the public for environmental exploration, education and recreation.

Register for the walk online at purcellvilleva.gov.

WATERFORD

Applications Open for Fair Art Show

The Waterford Foundation has opened applications for the Waterford Fair’s “Art at the Red Barn” Fine Art Show & Exhibit and the Art Mart.

The deadline for entries is Sept. 13.

The Waterford Homes Tour & Crafts Exhibit will be held Oct. 4-6 throughout the village of Waterford. In its 80th year, the event is the oldest juried crafts fair in the state and one of the oldest in the nation.

Proceeds from the fair support the preservation and education efforts of the Waterford Foundation.

For the application and more information, go to waterfordva.org. n

Purcellville Election

continued from page 14

proposal by Kuhn to annex property into town, saying that, while he has not reviewed all the facts, he cannot see how annexing the property would benefit the town.

He said he is in favor of revitalizing the downtown area and working through challenges associated with plans for the Vineyard Square project on 21st Street.

“I’m running to put Purcellville first, not politics,” Dean said. “I’m committed to preserving our small town and making it safe and affordable for families.”

Dean is running as part of Milan’s unofficial campaign slate.

John Mark E. Gardner

John Mark Gardner has lived in Purcellville for three years moving with his family into a “fixer upper” near Dillon’s Woods.

He said he’s running for the town’s people—his children, his neighbors and Purcellville residents.

Gardner said he can relate to concerns about increased water rates, noting his water bills with three teenagers at home regularly reach $400.

“It’s unsustainable for me to see 10% or higher water rate increases each year,” he said.

At the same time, Gardner said the increase that the council adopted this year was necessary to catch up with deferred increases from years ago.

“All solutions are on the table,” he said. “If somebody has a great idea and it’s legal and works and is beneficial for the town, let’s do it. I have no preconceived notions one way or the other, on potential resolutions,” he said.

Gardner said annexing Kuhn’s 117acre property would give the town, rather than the county government, control over what is built there and continuing to move forward with the process would give the council control over the timeline.

“So long as the developers are stuck in our annexation process, then that stops the development,” he said.

Gardner said he is concerned about the draft Zoning Ordinance that was recently adopted by the Planning Commission, specifically citing proposal to expand the

Historic Overlay District and increases the reach of the Board of Architectural Review.

“I see this as unnecessary government action,” he said. “It’s a lot of extra regulations and hoops that homeowners have to jump through.”

Gardner is running as part of Milan’s unofficial campaign slate.

Brian C. Green

Brian Green has lived in Purcellville for over seven years and serves on the town’s Planning Commission for a term that expires Sept. 30, 2026. He was appointed to the position in January 2023.

Green works in the IT field using skills such as team management, project planning, execution, controls compliance and government oversight.

During his time on the Planning Commission, Green opposed the county’s plans for the Fields Farm sports complex and the Rt. 7/Rt.690 interchange. He voted to approve the draft Zoning Ordinance last month.

Loudoun Now reached out to Green for comments but did not receive a response.

Green is running as part of Bertaut’s unofficial campaign slate.

Susan F. Khalil

Susan Khalil moved to Purcellville in 2000 to raise her two children in a small town with a close community.

She has worked in mortgage banking asset management, overseeing multimillion dollar portfolios of commercial, industrial, and multi-family real estate. Currently, she works in finance for a nonprofit.

Kahlil cites integrity as an important value and said losing it is something from which you cannot recover.

She’s running “because Purcellville is special, and I want to keep it that way. It is necessary to keep the environment of this town a low key, welcoming and a relaxing place to come home to, whether it be after a workday or just for a visit,” according to a press release.

Khalil opposes “nonsensical annexations” amid concerns that it will cause the town to lose its hometown atmosphere to aggressive housing, commercial and industrial growth.

Her vision is to always be moving towards bringing Purcellville into tomorrow, “but doing so without compromising our town’s charm and traditions, and most importantly, without creating any further financial burden for our town residents. The potential financial effect on our residents will always be my first consideration when evaluating existing and new projects,” she stated.

Khalil is running on a slow growth platform and said the way to manage that is through the new Zoning Ordinance.

Khalil is running as part of Bertaut’s unofficial campaign slate.

Carl B. Nett

Carl Nett works for the Purcellville Police Department, joining the force in 2022 and earning the Sheriff’s Office’s Meritorious Action Award for spearheading a recent investigation.

Before joining the department, Nett worked as a member of the Presidential Protective Division of the U.S. Secret Service, contract intelligence officer with the CIA and Director of Military Commissions Privilege Team at the U.S. Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In a press release, Nett stated his work with the police department is approved by the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council which cites state code outlining the rights of First Responders to engage in political activity.

“Purcellville is my home. It’s where Ilive, where I work, and where my wife and I have chosen to raise our children,” he stated.

Nett lists his priorities as reducing the town’s debt, funding public safety, revitalizing the town’s many dilapidated structures, improving the flow of traffic, investing in infrastructure, and streamlining license and permit practices for the benefit of new small-business development.

“Above all, I intend to preserve Purcellville as a small-town community of neighbors. I oppose the construction of data centers, industrial parks, high-rise office buildings, subsidized housing, and other hallmarks of mass urbanization that invariably lead to an increasingly transient population and, with that, higher taxes, higher utility rates, more drugs and more crime,” he stated.

Nett is running as part of Bertaut’s unofficial campaign slate.

Caleb J. Stought

Caleb Stought was elected to fill a vacant seat on the Town Council during a special election in 2023 against incumbent Ron Rise Jr. He also ran in a regular election in 2022 coming in fifth.

Stought said he is happy with the direction the council has taken this year including vacating an easement to make way for the Rt. 7/Rt. 690 interchange, reducing council infighting and its friction with the staff, and moving increase utility rates to cover increasing debt payments. He hopes to continue that work in the next four years.

“We’ve taken an extremely realistic and pragmatic approach to water rates, which hasn’t been seen in a while,” he said.

Stought said he supports the initiative led by Milan and Rayner to revitalize downtown. As part of that, he said the council should continue to work with CaseCo to re-envision the controversial Vineyard Square project on 21st Street which has been approved to be 30,000 square feet of commercial space and 40 condominiums in a 65-foot-tall building.

“The option is, do you want to see that or do you want to work with the property owner to pursue something smaller and more in scale and try to work together to come together? I’m in the camp that says let’s put that hand out and work on scaling the project back,” he said.

Stought said he opposed the council majority’s decision to move forward with learning more information about Kuhn’s annexation application, saying looking at the pros and cons of the project led him to believe it’s not worth further staff time.

“We have a really good thing going,” he said. “Last year was a very controversial year and I think we’ve seen a lot of that subside this year.”

Stought is running as part of Milan’s unofficial campaign slate.

In December 2023, Council Member Mary F. “Boo” Bennett resigned from her seat which expires Dec. 31, 2024. Kevin Wright was appointed in January to fill the vacancy until a special election could be held Nov. 5.

PURCELLVILLE ELECTION continues on page 18

Gardner

Green

Khalil

Nett

Stought

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Purcellville Election

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Jonathan Arnburg is challenging Wright for the seat.

Jonathan D. Arnburg

Jonathan Arnburg has lived in Purcellville with his wife and four children since 2021. He works as the system senior director of Public Safety and Emergency Management at the Inova Heath System.

Tell them you saw it in Loudoun Now.

“As a candidate for Town Council, I am focused on promoting slow, responsible growth, always ensuring the residents’ best interests are at heart. I believe that maintaining the town’s unique character is essential to preserving its charm and ensuring a high quality of life for all residents,” according to a press release.

Arnburg said he would carefully consider growth opportunities and balance progress with protecting the community’s

heritage and values.

“I am driven by a desire to create a bright future for my children and all the town’s youth. My dedication to service, combined with my strategic mindset and community-oriented values, make me an ideal candidate to represent and lead the town toward a prosperous, well-balanced future, that values family, community, and the preservation of the town’s unique character for generations to come,” he stated.

Loudoun Now reached out to Arnburg for comments but did not receive a response.

Arnburg is running as part of Bertaut’s unofficial campaign slate.

Kevin B. Wright

“Nobody else was sort of stepping up so I said, ‘well maybe I need to reevaluate this.’ … It was just a matter of wanting to not have the town regress back to what I felt we sort of started making a groove out of and looking to the future of the town,” he said.

Wright said his top concern in the town is traffic and that the town needs to work with local and regional leaders to address it. He is specifically concerned about the impact the new western Loudoun Recreation Center will have on the town’s traffic.

Kevin Wright has lived in the town for over 50 years. Initially, Wright said he would not run for the seat he holds, but as the Aug. 16 deadline to register for the special election approached, Wright said he couldn’t find anyone to run whose outlook for the town matched his.

“There hasn’t been a lot of growth that’s happened in the town of Purcellville in the last five or ten years. Mayfair was the last subdivision and it’s slowly been built out, but it’s all the growth outside the town limits that have really had the biggest impact on the town and we really need to get a plan for that with the county,” he said.

Wright also said raising utility rates to pay off debt was an unfortunate but necessary decision. Continuing to use reserve funding to pay debt will affect the town’s credit rating, he said.

“The only possible answer to this was to increase the rates and we’ll need to increase the rates over the next couple of years until we get this debt paid off,” he said.

Wright is running as part of Milan’s unofficial campaign slate. n

Arnburg

Wright

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MacDowell's Beach, 202 Harrison St. SE., Leesburg. macsbeach.com

ADAM PHELPS

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

TEJAS SINGH

6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22

Spanky's Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

THE POP CHICKS

6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. $20. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

BLUEGRASS JAM

5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23

Notaviva Farm Brewery & Winery, 13274 Sagle Road, Hillsboro. notaviva.com

HILARY VELTRI

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

NATHANIEL DAVIS

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23

Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com

CARY WIMBISH

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23

Spanky's Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

BENJAMIN WEIMER

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com

THE BLUEMONT RAMBLE

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23

Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont. dirtfarmbrewing.com

DAN FISK

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23

Lark Brewing Co., 24205 James Monroe Hwy., Aldie larkbrewingco.com

LIVE MUSIC continues on page 20

Loudoun’s Pioneering Farm Restaurant Celebrates 20 Years

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

Three decades ago, long before the farm-tofork movement gained traction in the culinary community, Beverly Morton Billand was inviting people to her barn where she served up seasonal meals created from produce grown in her backyard garden.

“I was just growing vegetables and lots of herbs. I literally was sitting in the garden one day and I looked around and I said, ‘Oh my goodness, what am I going to do with all this produce?’” she recalled. “Well, I like to cook, so maybe if I have a dinner once in a while I'll be able to earn enough money that I can continue farming.”

“And it just kept growing,” she said. Today, The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm is an acclaimed dining destination.

Located on a Catoctin Mountain ridge overlooking the Potomac River near Point of Rocks, the restaurant is renowned for its back-to-nature approach and its “nourish the soul and excite the palate” mission.

“We never realized that this would be a very successful restaurant in Loudoun County. …

We've taken a restaurant and put it in the middle of basically nowhere,” she said. “I think it is the experience that people are wanting.”

In the beginning, she cooked the meals herself in her home kitchen.

“Everything was seasonal and I was just pulling things out of the garden,” she said. “I was doing all the cooking, and I was trying to it figure out. I'm not

a chef so it was very interesting because what they can do in one day it took me a week to figure out what I was going to do the following week.”

The operation quickly outgrew the barn space to a patio and tent. When she started making plans in 2000 to build a brick-and-mortar restaurant on the property, the county’s zoning regulators initially balked. Loudoun’s now celebrated “rural economy” had not yet been conceived. The restaurant opened four years later.

With the growth of the enterprise came the hiring of professional chefs to continue its evolution and elevation.

For the past two years, Colby Janowitz had led the creative effort. The Carrol County, MD, native arrived on the farm after rising to sous chef positions at the 3 Michelin starred Singlethread Farm Restaurant and Inn in Sonoma, CA.

“Colby brings a whole new dynamic to it. He has a lot of Japanese influence in what he does. I think every chef brings something new, but Colby, of all the chefs, has really raised it to a new dynamic,” Billand said.

Janowitz said an important part of his focus is to get people more connected to their food and build connections with the past.

“It’s as close as we can get to how our ancestors had to create their meals,” he said. “I enjoy the fact that all the inspiration starts with the ingredients.”

And those ingredients are constantly changing— controlled not just by the seasons, but also by the peculiarities of weather patterns.

This year, the farm’s fig trees will be producing fruit earlier than expected and more than usual. That means his fig-based creations, which started with

the use of fig leaves in the spring, will move from appetizer bites to dessert plates, with some of the fruit preserved for servings this winter.

Likewise, a staff favorite from the summer menu, the tuna and watermelon entrée, will be replaced by a Spanish mackerel dish pickled and served with plums.

Most of the ingredients are grown on the farm or sourced from area growers. An exception on the current menu is the bison, which is raised on the Great Plains and favored by Janowitz both to help sustain the once-endangered species and because of its high nutritional value.

Billand and Janowitz are gearing up for a special service on Sunday as they mark the 20th anniversary of the restaurant’s opening.

“It’s just a celebration,” Janowitz said, with patrons invited to hang out, take in nature, enjoy music, and experience the aromas as the food is prepared outdoors.

And it’s a time for reflection.

“I had no idea that this would turn out to be an award-winning restaurant. I was having so much fun. We took a chance. We built this, and we hoped that it would be successful, and it's been successful beyond my dreams,” Billand said.

“I'm still excited to be doing this. I think it's an honor for me to be able to continue to do this restaurant and to have so many people that are not guests of ours, but they become our friends, too.”

The anniversary event will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25. Reservations are required through opentable.com. The cost is $185 per person.

Learn more at patowmackfarm.com. n

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Beverly Morton Billand stands ready to welcome patrons to the 20th anniversary celebration of The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm on Sunday.

NEW YORK’S FINEST

Friday, Aug. 23, 7 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Take in a multi-media live musical tribute to the hit songs of the ’70s and ’80s iconic rock artists Sting and The Police.

GET OUT

LIVE MUSIC

continued from page 19

ACOUSTIC SOUL

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com

SEAN TRACY

5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, 38906 Mount Gilead Road, Leesburg. willowcroftwine.com

JUST SOUTH OF SEVEN

6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 MacDowell's Beach, 202 Harrison St. SE., Leesburg. macsbeach.com

MELISSA QUINN FOX

BAND

6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 Plaza Party, 1604 Village Market Blvd. SE., Leesburg. villageatleesburg.com

STELLAR RIDE

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

FREDDIE LONG

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville. flyingacefarm.com

MELANIE PEARL

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

VOLUME'S 11

6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 Old Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive, Ashburn. oldoxbrewery.com

BEST BETS

GONZO’S NOSE

Saturday, Aug. 24, 6 to 9 p.m. Tarara Winery, 13648 Tarara Lane, Lucketts. tararaconcerts.com

The popular party band regroups for one more reunion show on the Shadow Lake stage.

THE COOZIES

Saturday, Aug. 24, 6 to 9 p.m. 868 Estate Vineyards 868estatevineyards.com

The beach bar band puts you in a vacation state of mind during the special Music Under the Stars performance.

NEW YORK'S FINEST

7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. $15. tallyhotheater.com

TEJAS SINGH

7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 Velocity Wings Potomac Falls, 20789 Great Falls Plaza, Sterling. velocitywings.net

ROYAL HONEY

9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, Aug. 23 Spanky's Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

ROWDY ACRES

9 to 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 Monk's BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville. monksq.com

RON HAMRICK

12 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Cana Vineyards, 38600 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. canavineyards.com

ROWDY ACE BAND

12 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

LAURA CASHMAN

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Stone Tower Winery, 19925 Hogback Mountain Road, Leesburg. stonetowerwinery.com

TOMMY GANN

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Creek's Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville. creeksedgewinery.com

MATT METZ

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro. 868estatevineyards.com

DAVE MININBERG

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Otium Cellars, 18050 Tranquility Road, Purcellville. otiumcellars.com

ROOK RICHARDS

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday,

Aug. 24

Bleu Frog Vineyards, 16413 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg. bleufrogvineyards.com

GRAYSON MOON

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford. 8chainsnorth.com

GARY SMALLWOOD

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Sunset Hills Vineyard, 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville. sunsethillsvineyard.com

KEVIN GRIFFITH

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

50 West Vineyards, 39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. 50westvineyards.com

CALLER N’ DOC

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com

HILARY VELTRI

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Lark Brewing Co., 24205 James Monroe Hwy., Aldie larkbrewingco.com

MARK CULLINANE

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. old690.com

JUNKYARD JONES

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Lost Rhino Brewing Co, 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn. lostrhino.com

MURPHYS LAW

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

BRAD THE GUITAR GUY

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Firefly Cellars, 40325 Charles

Town Pike, Hamilton. firefiycellars.com

JASON MASI

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. doukeniewinery.com

ANTHONY SEMIAO

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Cana Vineyards, 38600 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. canavineyards.com

STEVE BOYD AND FRIENDS

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

TIM MARCUM

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Bozzo Family Vineyards, 35226 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. bozwines.com

EVAN ROSS

3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Old Farm Winery at Hartland, 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie. oldfarmwineryathartland.com

JULIET LLOYD TRIO

4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com

JUSTIN SUEDE

4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

The Lost Fox, 20374 Exchange St., Ashburn. lostfoxhideaway.com

THE WALKAWAYS

5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

MO & MARY MAC

5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com

TOMMY & KIM

5:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane,

Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

FRONT PAGE

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

MacDowell's Beach, 202 Harrison St. SE., Leesburg. macsbeach.com

BERLIN CALLING

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Old Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive, Ashburn. oldoxbrewery.com

6 SHADES OF GRAY

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

THE NIGHTHAWKS

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont. $20. dirtfarmbrewing.com

THE COOZIES

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro. 868estatevineyards.com

THE LEGWARMERS

6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Loudoun Station, 43751 Central Station Drive, Ashburn. loudounstation.com

GONZO'S NOSE –REUNION SHOW

6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Tarara Winery, 13648 Tarara Lane, Leesburg. $25. tararaconcerts.com

THE HUME-FRYE DUO

6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive, Sterling. crookedrunfermination.com

TRIAL BY FIRE

7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. $15. tallyhotheater.com

TEJAS SINGH

7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

The Bungalow Lakehouse, 46116 Lake Center Plaza, Sterling. bungalowlakehouse.com

AIRMONT ROAD

7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Rai's Rendezvous, 44042 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn. raisrendezvous.com

LIBERTY STREET

8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Monk's BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville. monksq.com

THE NEW DOMINION BAND

9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Spanky's Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

JASON MASI

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 Creek's Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville. creeksedgewinery.com

STEEL DRUMS BAND 12 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 MacDowell's Beach, 202 Harrison St. SE., Leesburg. macsbeach.com

THE COLD NORTH

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 Stone Tower Winery, 19925 Hogback Mountain Road, Leesburg. stonetowerwinery.com

MICHELLE HANNAN & ONE BLUE NIGHT

1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

JOSH SOWDER

1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 Firefly Cellars, 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton. fireflycellars.com

CARY WIMBISH

1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

LIVE MUSIC continues on page 21

GET

continued from page 20

SCOTT KURT

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com

TOMMY BOUCH

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

Lark Brewing Co., 24205 James Monroe Hwy., Aldie larkbrewingco.com

HUBIE G FROM

THE CORNER VAGABONDS

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 Bleu Frog Vineyards 16413 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg. bleufrogvineyards.com

KIMBERLY BURKE

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford. 8chainsnorth.com

BRAD THE GUITAR GUY

2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

Old Farm Winery at Hartland, 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie. oldfarmwineryathartland.com

CHRIS HANKS

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. old690.com

ANDREW ODAY

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

THE HOLLOW TRUTHS

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com

JOEY HAFNER

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville. flyingacefarm.com

DEANE KERN & ERIC SELBY

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. doukeniewinery.com

RYAN FRANKO

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro. 868estatevineyards.com

LENNY BURRIDGE

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

ANDY CARIGNAN

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux

Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com

HUME & FRYE

3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

Spanky's Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

DAVE MININBERG

4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

The Bungalow Lakehouse, 46116 Lake Center Plaza, Sterling. bungalowlakehouse.com

MELISSA QUINN FOX TRIO

5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

MacDowell's Beach, 202 Harrison St. SE., Leesburg. macsbeach.com

JASON MASI

6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28

The Lost Fox, 20374 Exchange St., Ashburn. lostfoxhideaway.com

DYLAN WOELFEL

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

JUSTIN SUEDE

6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29

Spanky's Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

TEJAS SINGH

6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29 1757 Golf Club, 45120 Waxpool Road,

Ashburn. 1757golfclub.com

HAPPENINGS

AUDITIONS: A CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL

6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23,15 N. Reid St., Hamilton.

2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Road, Ashburn. thepickwickplayers.com

FARMER FOR A DAY

1 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23

1 to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23

1 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29

Temple Hall Farm Regional Park, 15855 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. novaparks.org

BIRDING SWEET RUN

8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Sweet Run State Park, 11661 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro. loudounwildlife.org

BECOME A HAM RADIO OPERATOR

8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Eastern Loudoun Sheriff’s Station, 46620

E. Frederick Drive, Sterling. qsl.net/sterling

IMPROV FOR EVERYONE WORKSHOP

10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 24

Ashburn Senior Center, 20880

Marblehead Drive, Ashburn. $25. refleximprov.com

DOG DAYS

11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

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

DOGUST FIDO FEST

12 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford. 8chainsnorth.com

HSLC ADOPTION EVENT 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Pet Supplies Plus Sterling, 21800 Towncenter Plaza, Sterling. humaneloudoun.org

TICK TALK

2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24

Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, 21085 The Woods Road, Leesburg. loudounwildlife.org

LOUDOUN UNITED FC VS. RHODE ISLAND FC

7:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, Segra Field, Leesburg. loudoununitedfc.com

HILLSBORO FARMERS MARKET

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 Hillsboro Old St one School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. oldstoneschool.org

HAPPENINGS

continues on page 22

KICKOFFFRIDAYNIGHTEVENT 6pmTALLYHOwithEVERYECHO &JULIANAMACDOWELL!

artist FULL LINEUP & TICKETS

GET OUT

LIVE MUSIC

continued from page 21

AIR AND SPACE FAMILY DAY

12 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25 Loudoun Museum, 16 Loudoun St. SW., Leesburg. loudounmuseum.org

AMATEUR RADIO FCC LICENSE EXAM SESSION

1 to 2:45 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

Eastern Loudoun Sheriff's Station, 46620 E. Frederick Drive, Sterling. qsl.net/sterling

SUNDAY SKETCH

2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

National Sporting Library, 102 The Plains Road, Middleburg. sportinglibrary.org

LEESBURG

YOUTH SUMMIT

6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

Ion International Training Center, 19201 Compass Creek Parkway, Leesburg. allieguzulaitis@icloud.com

HAITI BENEFIT

CONCERT & BBQ

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25

St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 201 E. Frederick Drive, Sterling. stmtts.org

SCREEN SIRENS II: LEADING ACTRESSES IN 1950S HOLLYWOOD

6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27 Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Place, Potomac Falls. loudoun.gov/Cascades# READ! PLANT! GROW! BOOK CLUB

7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27 Birch Tree Bookstore, 11 W. Market St., Leesburg. birchtreebookstore.com

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.

fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov www.fairhousing.vipnet.org

ABC LICENSE

Saigon Bistro VA LLC, trading as Saigon Bistro, 47100 Community Plaza 124, Sterling, VA 20164. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC)

AUTHORITY for a Retail Restaurant or Caterer Application - Restaurant, Wine, Beer, Mixed Beverages, Consumed On and Off Premises.

Thang Nguyen, CEO/Owner

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.

8/22 & 8/29/24

VEHICLE AUCTION

MD Repo Vehicles For Public Sale at ADESA Washington, DC. All Makes and Models Running Weekly Details can be found at www.adesawashingtondc.com

Terms: State and local orders will be strictly enforced at the sale, including social distancing and limits on the number of people permitted to gather in certain areas. All attendees must comply with such procedures or will be required to leave the premises. We strongly recommend that all attendees wear face coverings for the protection of themselves and our staff. Bidder agrees to register and pay a refundable $500 cash deposit plus a non-refundable $20 entry fee before the Sale starts. The balance of the purchase is due in full by 5:00pm on sale day. vehicles are AS-IS and are subject to a buy fee based on the sale price of the vehicle. Only cash or certified funds will be accepted. No vehicle will be released until Payment is made in full. Children under the age of 18 are not permitted.

VEHICLE AUCTION

20+Chase repossessions will be offered to the public sale (monthly) on Wednesdays (9/11/24, 10/9/24, 11/6/24, 12/4/24). Auction doors open at 8:00 a.m. Sale starts at 9:50 a.m. ET. Registered persons may preview/inspect vehicles on the day of the sale before bidding. Bids accepted only when a vehicle is presented for sale. The auctioneer will conclude the sale when bidding stops. All results will be final by 5:00 p.m. Terms: Cash or Certified Check.

Legal Notices

LOUDOUN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED

VEHICLE

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

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

MAKE MODEL VIN STORAGE PHONE NUMBER 2017 KIA SORENTO 5XYPGDA35HG270843 BATTLEFIELD TOWING 703-378-0059

1992 DODGE RAM 3B7KC26Z2WM275263 AL’S TOWING 703-435-8888

2001 BMW 740 WBAGH83411DP31466 BLAIR’S TOWING 703-661-8200

2005 HONDA CYL 1HFSC55065A103078 BLAIR’S TOWING 703-661-8200 8/15, 8/22/2024

COUNTY

OF LOUDOUN, VIRGINIA IS SEEKING PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION REPORT (CAPER) FOR FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024

The Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development has prepared a Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2024 on the performance of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Programs within the County for the period of July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Copies of the draft CAPER for FY 2023-2024 will be made available starting Friday, August 16, 2024, through Friday, September 6, 2024, and may be examined at the office of the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, 106 Catoctin Circle, SE, Leesburg, VA 20175, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The CAPER is also available online at https://www. loudoun.gov/housing. Written comments on the CAPER may be submitted to the attention of the Housing Program Manager, Johnette Powell, at johnette.powell@loudoun.gov. For questions, please call 703-737-8755.

8/15 & 8/22/2024

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ048199-03-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Diana Aljanabi Loudoun County Department of Family Services v.

Dalya Alkhkree, Mother

The object of this suit is to hold a permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-282 and 16.1-281 for Diana Aljanabi.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Dalya Alkhkree, Mother, appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before September 10, 2024 at 3:00pm.

8/1, 8/8, 8/15 & 8/22/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: 107CL2400300300

Circuit Court of Loudoun County YADALKIRIS CISNERO v. MICHEL A. SOHO

The object of this suit is to: Divorce. It is ORDERED that MICHEL A. SOHO on 09/27/2024 at 2pm appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before this date.

8/15, 8/22, 8/29 & 9/5/24

A MESSAGE TO ELDERLY AND DISABLED LOUDOUN COUNTY RESIDENTS FROM

Robert S. Wertz, Jr. Commissioner of the Revenue

Residents 65 years of age and older OR totally and permanently disabled who wish to apply for 2024 Personal Property (vehicle) Tax Relief for the first time must submit an application to my office by the September 3, 2024, filing deadline.

Please visit our website or contact my office for information or filing assistance.

Leesburg Office 1 Harrison Street SE First Floor

Sterling Office 46000 Center Oak Plaza

Internet: loudoun.gov/taxrelief Hours: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, M - F Phone: (703) 737-8557 Email: taxrelief@loudoun.gov

Mailing Address: PO Box 8000, MSC 32 Leesburg, VA 20177-9804

8/1, 8/8, 8/15, 8/22 & 8/29/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ047165-02-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Ivory Green Loudoun County Department of Family Services v. Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold a Foster Care Review hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-282 and 16.1-281 for Ivory Green.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, Unknown Father, appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before September 10, 2024 at 10:00am.

8/1, 8/8, 8/15 & 8/22/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: CL24-3989

Circuit Court of Loudoun County CHELSEA MENJIVAR v.

STEVE VASQUEZ

The object of this suit is to: Santiago Menjivar to change middle and last name. It is ORDERED that STEVE VASQUEZ appear at the abovenamed court and protect his/her interests on or before September 27, 2024 at 2pm.

8/15, 8/22, 8/29 & 9/5/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ048304-03-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Gustavo Adolfo Constante Anaya

Loudoun County Department of Family Services v.

Jose Ricardo Portillo Mejia, putative father, and Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold a permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-282 and 16.1-281 for Gustavo Adolfo Constante Anaya.

It is ORDERED that the defendants Jose Ricardo Portillo Mejia, putative father, and Unknown Father, appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before September 10, 2024 at 3:00pm.

8/1, 8/8, 8/15 & 8/22/24

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case Nos.: JJ049277-01-00; JJ049278-01-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Aydan Allaberg and Abram Allaberg

Loudoun County Department of Family Services v.

Dildora Ali and Malika Sultanova

The object of this suit is to hold a dispositional hearing for review of initial Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-281 for Aydan Allaberg and Abram Allaberg.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Dildora Ali and Malika Sultanova appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his or her interests on or before September 18, 2024 at 1:30 pm. 8/15, 8/22, 8/29, & 9/5/24

Legal Notices

PUBLIC HEARING

The LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, at 6:00 p.m. on WEDNESDAY, September 11, 2024, in order to consider:

AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 1460 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF LOUDOUN COUNTY GRANTS OR LOANS FOR RENTAL PROPERTY AND CERTAIN OWNER OCCUPIED PROPERTY

Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-1427, the Board of Supervisors gives notice of its intention to propose for passage amendments to Chapter 1460 Grants or Loans For Rental Property and Certain Owner Occupied Property, of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County.

The proposed amendments clarify that the disposition of real property owned by the County is an option included in the definition of “Grant” that may be approved by the Board for the public purpose of preserving existing housing in safe and sanitary condition or producing new housing for persons of low and moderate income. In addition, the proposed amendments include the following changes (underlined below):

Amendment to Section 1460.01, The Purpose of Grants or Loans: Clarifies language and states that the enabling legislation for the Ordinance is Virginia Code §15.2-958 and that the purpose of the grants or loans for the benefit of certain owner-occupied property is the rehabilitation of an owner-occupied residence.

Amendment to Section 1460.02, Definitions: To amend the following definitions:

[a] “Applicant:” To clarify that the term “Applicant” means an owner of residential rental property that consists of at least two rental units occupied, or to be occupied, by persons of low and moderate income or a person or entity who seeks to improve certain owner-occupied dwelling units, who submits a completed application for the purposes stated in section 1460.01.

[c] “Grant:” To clarify that the term grant also includes the disposition to an applicant of County owned real property occupied, or to be occupied, by persons of low and moderate income to be used for the public purpose of preserving existing housing in safe and sanitary condition or producing new housing for persons of low and moderate income as set forth in section 1460.01.

Amendment to Section 1460.04, Conditions and Restrictions: To make some stylistic changes to improve the flow of language in this section, and to update the reference to Virginia Code § 6.1-125 to current §6.2-604.

Amendment to Section 1460.05, Administration by the County Administrator; Approval of Certain Loans, Grants, and New Programs by the Board of Supervisors: To clarify in the title that Section 1460.05 includes approval of loans, and grants as well, and that the reference to Multi-family Housing Loan Program Guidelines dated July 3, 2018, not only includes the first amendment on July 13, 2019, but any other successive amendment.

A complete copy of the full text of the above referenced proposed amendments may be examined at the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, Front Desk, 1st Floor, 106 Catoctin Circle, S.E., Leesburg, VA 20175 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding holidays or call (703) 737-8213 to request hard copies or electronic copies, A complete copy of the proposed amendments are on file and may be examined at the Office of the County Administrator Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200 to request hard copies or electronic copies. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/ bosdocuments

AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 1450 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF LOUDOUN COUNTY AFFORDABLE DWELLING UNITS

Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-1427, the Board of Supervisors gives notice of its intention to propose for passage amendments to Chapter 1450, Affordable Dwelling Units, of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County.

On September 8, 2021, the Board of Supervisors (Board) unanimously adopted the Unmet Housing Needs Strategic Plan (UHNSP). Within the UHNSP, Objective 4, Strategy 4.1, Key Action C, calls for the County to “extend the ADU covenant affordability control period beyond 15 years to retain affordable housing stock.” Chapter 1450 of the Codified Ordinances administers the County’s Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) Program.

The proposed amendments for consideration include: to extend the control price affordability period for the ADU Program for Purchase and Rental, from 15 years to 30 years and from 20 years to 50 years,

respectively; to renew of the control price affordability period for ADU Purchase units, any time an existing ADU unit is sold within a control price affordability period; and to update terms and clarify text to make the provisions more comprehensible. Additionally, amendments to the Housing Trust are proposed to support potential rehabilitation needs of existing ADUs in the future pursuant to a prospective loan program that will be brought to the consideration of the Board.

A complete copy of the full text of the above referenced proposed amendments may be examined at the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, Front Desk, 1st Floor, 106 Catoctin Circle, S.E., Leesburg, VA 20175 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding holidays or call (703) 737-8213 to request hard copies or electronic copies, A complete copy of the proposed amendments are on file and may be examined at the Office of the County Administrator Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200 to request hard copies or electronic copies. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/ bosdocuments

SBEX-2020-0003 CROSSTRAIL INDUSTRIAL PARK (Subdivision Exception)

Crosstrail Industrial Land Condominium is requesting a subdivision exception (SBEX) pursuant to Section 1245.01(2) of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO) to amend the Development Conditions as approved with SBEX-2009-0001 to reflect changes that have taken place since the approval of SBEX-2009-0001. The proposed Conditions of Approval would require the Owners convey or obtain conveyance of all dedicated right-of-way and/or easements necessary for their Condominium unit or Parcel to access Crosstrail Boulevard, if any, prior to or concurrent with approval of the first site plan, or site plan amendment, whichever is first in time, and require the Owners to vacate the existing right-of-way reservation in its entirety, prior to or concurrent with approval of the first site plan or site plan amendment, whichever is first in time. The Crosstrail Industrial Land Condominium is located south of Crosstrail Boulevard (Route 896), north of Cochran Mill Road (Route 653) in the Leesburg Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as:

150-26-4327-000 19473 Samuels Mill Ct. /61/E/1CM/PH1/

150-27-1504-000 19430 Samules Mill Ct. /61/E/1CM/PH2/ 150-27-9990-000 N/A /61/E/1CM/PH3/ 150-26-8040-000 19431 Samules Mill Ct. /61/E/1CM/PH4/ 150-26-6169-000 N/A /61/E/1CM/PH5/ 150-36-9787-000 19383 Samuels Mill Ct. /61/E/1CM/PH6/ 150-37-2312-000 N/A /61/E/1CM/PH7/ 150-37-3700-000 N/A /61/E/1CM/PH8/

150-27-0553-000 19397 Samuels Mill Ct. /61/E/1CM/PH9/ 150-27-2717-000 19422 Samules Mill Ct. /61/E/1CMPH10/

ALEGI-2024-0002, REVIEW AND RENEWAL, MODIFICATION OR TERMINATION OF THE NEW LOVETTSVILLE AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTAL DISTRICT

The current period of the New Lovettsville Agricultural and Forestal District (District) will expire on January 2, 2025. The District has a 4-year period and a subdivision minimum lot size of 20 acres. Pursuant to Chapter 1226 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County, the Board of Supervisors (Board) has directed staff, the Agricultural District Advisory Committee (ADAC), and the Planning Commission to conduct a review in order to determine whether to continue, modify, or terminate the District. Parcels currently enrolled in the District are located within an area generally bounded by Harpers Ferry Road (Route 671) to the west, Morrisonville Road (Route 693) to the south, Berlin Turnpike (Route 287) and Milltown Road (Route 673/681) to the east, and the Potomac River to the north, in the Catoctin Election District.

During this review, land less than 5 acres, or 20 acres or greater, in size that is currently enrolled in the District will be automatically renewed. However, any parcel containing at least 5 acres, but less than 20 acres will be ineligible for renewal and inclusion within the District unless the owner submits an application on forms provided by the Department of Planning and Zoning and one or more of the following criteria is met:

1. Management Plan that specifically states that the property owner(s) are accumulating the required 5-year production records in order to qualify for agricultural, to include horticulture,

Legal Notices

land use tax deferral

2. Animal Husbandry including Equine uses (commercial or non-commercial) with a Management Plan that relates the pasture carrying capacity to limit the number of animals allowed.

3. Forests and woodlands with a management plan that specifies the actions required to maintain and enhance the stands.

4. Wetlands, flood plains, streams and/or rivers that have Management Plans that set forth the terms for their maintenance and enhancement.

During this review, land within the District may be withdrawn, in whole or in part, at the owner’s discretion by filing a written notice with the Board at any time before the Board acts to continue, modify, or terminate the District.

Landowners of the following parcels, currently enrolled in the New Lovettsville Agricultural and Forestal District, were notified by certified mail of the District’s review.

Parcel Listings:

332-45-6758-000 //9////////92/ 2.12 408-17-2553-000 /16//49/////2/ 3.64

332-47-0153-000 //9///9/////1A 6.9 408-17-3189-000 /16//49/////1/ 7.15

334-15-3609-000 //9//11/////2/ 10 408-35-7146-000 /16///1/////2/ 10

335-15-6108-000 //9////////72D 10 408-35-8282-000 /16///1/////1/ 10

335-15-9934-000 //9////////72E 10 409-47-4462-000 /16////////95A 10.59

335-25-0663-000 //9////////69/ 2.27 437-15-7050-000 //2/////////4A 14.02

335-25-3278-000 //9////////70A 3.17 437-18-6110-000 //2///////109/ 4.06

335-25-6496-000 //9////////70/ 3 437-25-2747-000 //2/////////4B 14.02

335-36-3975-000 //9////////71/ 34.97 438-15-4243-000 //2////////92/ 25.97

335-46-4474-000 //9////////65B 10.23 438-17-0237-000 //2////////94A 4.6

336-45-2262-000 /17//24/////G/ 10 438-17-4252-000 //2////////94/ 3.07

367-17-2567-000 //3///6/////6B 10.2 438-20-9261-000 //2//14/////3/ 6.43

367-17-9949-000 //3///3/////3/ 10 438-27-3301-000 //2////////95/ 3

367-18-7208-000 //3///3/////1A 2 438-40-2019-000 //2///3/////2A 3.66

367-26-4625-000 //3///6/////6/ 19.07

439-10-5210-000 //8//24/////5/ 10.23

367-27-6067-000 //3///3/////4/ 25 439-10-6966-000 //8//24/////1/ 10.3

367-35-4219-000 //3//11////11/ 10.22 439-15-4818-000 //8///////155/ 9.2

367-35-9790-000 //3/////////8/ 57.25 439-15-7959-000 //8////////14/ 17.64

367-45-4695-000 //3/////////9B 10.65 439-15-8491-000 //8////////11A 18.2

367-49-5702-000 //3////////18/ 35.19

368-40-8141-000 //9////////99/ 4.95

439-19-4182-000 //8//24/////3/ 10

439-25-9194-000 //8/////////6/ 25.91

368-48-6786-000 //3///3/////2B 2 439-27-6405-000 //8///////121/ 72.01

370-15-8588-000 //9////////35/ 71.11

370-36-1745-000 //9//13/////7/ 15.1

370-37-2253-000 //9//13/////9/ 13.82

371-27-2763-000 //9////////54/ 20.57

371-29-6476-000 //9///2/////2A 4.83

371-47-9326-000 //9////////47/ 30.78

372-19-2882-000 /17//25/////4/ 15.75

372-29-2298-000 /17//26/////E/ 5.02

372-29-2461-000 /17//25/////3/ 10.11

402-20-7603-000 //3/////////3/ 70.42

403-20-4175-000 //3//11////14/ 10.4

403-27-2792-000 //3///9////20/ 10.6

403-28-8065-000 //3///9////17/ 20.14

403-29-3411-000 //3//13////27/ 10.62

439-29-3368-000 //8//17/////2/ 3

439-35-8423-000 //8///////147/ 23.68

439-36-9594-000 //8/////////1/ 3.07

439-37-2366-000 //8///////127/ 0.5

439-37-8236-000 //8///////121A 1.07

439-47-1866-000 //2////////96A 18.49

439-47-8210-000 //2///////101D 10

439-48-5151-000 //2///9////PT/ 47.56

440-10-6645-000 //8///////140/ 12.34

441-19-6273-000 //8////////88/ 162.5

441-26-5866-000 //8////////97/ 12.18

443-30-8447-000 /16//25/////2/ 13.51

472-29-8903-000 //2////////11/ 71.42

472-30-2654-000 //2/////////5/ 19.38

403-29-4096-000 //3///9////16/ 10.42 474-10-3827-000 //8////////20C 5.75

403-29-9088-000 //3//11////15/ 10.4 474-19-6261-000 //7///2/////8/ 22.13

403-40-5043-000 //3//11/////7/ 10.24 474-28-8300-000 //7////////98B 24.94

404-15-1994-000 //8//23/////1/ 3.41 474-29-4442-000 //7///2/////9/ 18.22

404-15-2036-000 //8//24/////6/ 10.3

474-30-3888-000 //8///////146/ 13

404-30-4836-000 //9/////////1A 48.43 474-39-2526-000 //7////////95A 24

405-28-1327-000 //8///////138/ 6 474-39-9015-000 //8///////156/ 5.63

405-36-7116-000 //8//21/////8/ 10.04 474-40-7528-000 //8/////////4/ 21.26

405-39-5091-000 //8///3/////4/ 10.24 475-40-4084-000 //8////////20A 11.5

406-46-7192-000 //8///5/////7/ 15.89 *403-30-4696-000 //3//11/////8/ 10.05

407-20-8723-000 //9//41/////1/ 21.16

407-30-5782-000 //9////////49/ 82.35

*406-38-8529-000 //8//22/////2/ 15

*479-48-9241-000 /15////////98/ 6.47

*Indicates a parcel containing at least 5 acres but less than 20 acres whose owner did not properly apply for renewal.

The reports and recommendations of the ADAC and the Planning Commission, along with any proposed modifications, will be considered by the Board at its public hearing.

In accordance with Section 15.2-4307 of the Code of Virginia, the applications are available for inspection at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling 703-7770246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies or electronically at:https://www.loudoun.gov/adac (6-10-2024 ADAC Meeting under Agendas and Bylaws). Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for Public Hearings Packet).

ALEGI-2024-0003, REVIEW AND RENEWAL, MODIFICATION OR TERMINATION OF THE NEW MOUNTVILLE AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTAL DISTRICT

The current period of the New Mountville Agricultural and Forestal District (District) will expire on January 2, 2025. The District has a 4-year period and a subdivision minimum lot size of 50 acres. Pursuant to Chapter 1226 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County, the Board of Supervisors (Board) has directed staff, the Agricultural District Advisory Committee (ADAC), and the Planning Commission to conduct a review in order to determine whether to continue, modify, or terminate the District. Parcels currently enrolled in the District are located within an area generally south of the Goose Creek and Beaverdam Creek, west of Lime Kiln Road (Route 733), Oatlands Road (Route 650) and Sam Fred Road (Route 748), east of Pothouse Road (Route 745), Foxcroft Road (Route 626), and Leith Lane (Route 733), and north of Little River Turnpike (Route 50), in the Little River Election District.

During this review, land less than 5 acres, or 20 acres or greater, in size that is currently enrolled in the District will be automatically renewed. However, any parcel containing at least 5 acres but less than 20 acres will be ineligible for renewal and inclusion within the District unless the owner submits an application on forms provided by the Department of Planning and Zoning and one or more of the following criteria is met:

1. Management Plan that specifically states that the property owner(s) are accumulating the required 5-year production records in order to qualify for agricultural, to include horticulture, land use tax deferral.

2. Animal Husbandry including Equine uses (commercial or non-commercial) with a Management Plan that relates the pasture carrying capacity to limit the number of animals allowed.

3. Forests and woodlands with a management plan that specifies the actions required to maintain and enhance the stands.

4. Wetlands, flood plains, streams and/or rivers that have Management Plans that set forth the terms for their maintenance and enhancement.

During this review, land within the District may be withdrawn, in whole or in part, at the owner’s discretion by filing a written notice with the Board at any time before the Board acts to continue, modify, or terminate the District.

Landowners of the following parcels, currently enrolled in the New Mountville Agricultural and Forestal District, were notified by certified mail of the District’s review.

Parcel Listings:

391-25-5852-000 /75A1/1////26/ 10.45 498-27-9840-000 /73///2/////3/ 10

391-26-6668-000 /75A1/1////24/ 10.35 499-25-1613-000 /73//21/////2/ 100

391-27-2834-000 /75A1/1////22/ 11.41 499-36-5927-000 /73//17/////2/ 50

391-37-4204-000 /75A1/1////21/ 11.51 499-46-8984-000 /73////////35/ 2.33

393-18-4162-000 /75///8/////2/ 31.16 500-10-8875-000 /74///1/////1/ 3

426-17-9754-000 /75A2/1////64/ 15.2

427-17-0166-000 /74///8/////2/ 19.9

427-20-0840-000 /75A2/1////30/ 13.79

Legal Notices

500-10-9206-000 /88//21/////1/ 6.77

500-17-7473-000 /87////////57/ 77.32

500-29-9671-000 /74////////13A 96.03

427-27-1326-000 /74////////39B 26 500-30-5992-000 /74/B/1/////3R 18.42

428-38-5924-000 /74////////42/ 355.44

462-10-2124-000 /74///2/////1/ 15.64

463-40-0861-000 /74///2/////2/ 24.3

465-15-4047-000 /74///1/////2/ 10

500-47-9968-000 /73//17/////1/ 168.48

501-27-3719-000 /87////////53/ 434.41

501-38-8451-000 /87////////56/ 40.68

501-46-8702-000 /87////////55/ 27.1

465-15-4311-000 /88/////////3B 3 532-10-7739-000 /73////////17A 16.69

498-16-7892-000 /73///2/////5/ 11.96

498-17-7351-000 /73///2/////1/ 11.52

498-17-8304-000 /73////////28C 17.57

498-26-8239-000 /73///2/////6/ 10

498-26-9874-000 /73///2/////7/ 12.5

498-27-7302-000 /73///2/////2/ 12.5

533-27-9786-000 /73///3////13B 27.06

534-19-3347-000 /73//21/////1/ 225.27

535-46-9524-000 /73////////42/ 145.85

536-46-5841-000 /87/////////8A 55.29

537-20-3377-000 /87////////58A 40

*427-10-6142-000 /75A2/1////16/ 10.83

*Indicates a parcel containing at least 5 acres but less than 20 acres whose owner did not properly apply for renewal.

The reports and recommendations of the ADAC and the Planning Commission, along with any proposed modifications, will be considered by the Board at its public hearing.

In accordance with Section 15.2-4307 of the Code of Virginia, the applications are available for inspection at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling 703-7770246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies or electronically at: https://www.loudoun.gov/adac (6-10-2024 ADAC Meeting under Agendas and Bylaws). Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for Public Hearings Packet).

LEGI-2023-0066, LAKEVIEW CENTER PLAZA:

SPEX-2023-0009 (Special Exception)

Consolidated Petroleum, LLC, has submitted an application for a special exception (SPEX) for a 1.99acre property located north of Leesburg Pike (Route 7) on the southeast corner of Lakeview Center Plaza and Riverside Parkway (Route 607) in the Algonkian Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as 20070 Lakeview Center Plaza, Ashburn, Virginia, PIN 057-40-6876-000, Tax Map # /63/E19/////2/. The Subject Property is zoned PD-RDP (Planned Development – Research and Development Park) under the 1972 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance (1972 Zoning Ordinance). The applicant seeks a special exception, per the 1972 Zoning Ordinance, to allow an automobile service station in the PD-RDP Zoning District.

LEGI-2023-0038, GOOSE CREEK VILLAGE WEST:

ZMAP-2022-0013, SPEX-2022-0034, ZMOD-2022-0046, ZMOD-2022-0047, ZMOD-2022-0048, ZMOD-2022-0049, ZMOD-2023-0030, ZMOD-2023-0044, ZMOD-2023-0045, & ZMOD-2023-0047 (Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exception, and Zoning Ordinance Modifications)

Goose Creek Commercial LLC has submitted applications for zoning map amendment (ZMAP), special exception (SPEX), and zoning ordinance modifications (ZMODs) for approximately 20 acres of land located west of Belmont Ridge Road (Route 659) on the north side of Sycolin Road (Route 625) and east side of the Dulles Greenway (Route 267) in the Ashburn Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described 20851 Century Corner Dr.. Ashburn, PIN 153-17-2472-000, Tax Map #78/U/1////AL/. For ZMAP-2022-0013, the applicant seeks to rezone the Subject Property from PD-OP (Planned Development - Office Park) to the R-16 ADU (Townhouse/ Multifamily Affordable Dwelling Unit) Zoning District in order to permit 221 residential dwelling units, including 103 single-family attached dwelling units, 46 multifamily stacked dwelling units, and 72 multifamily attached dwelling units. For SPEX-2022-0034, the applicant seeks to reduce the minimum lot width for single-family attached units, and reduce the minimum front, and side yard setbacks, and reduce the minimum front, side, and rear yard setbacks for multifamily stacked, and multifamily attached dwelling units. For ZMOD-2022-0046, ZMOD-2022-0047, ZMOD-2022-0048, ZMOD2022-0049, ZMOD-2023-0030, ZMOD-2023-0044, ZMOD-2023-0045, & ZMOD-2023-0047, the applicant seeks zoning ordinance modifications for various regulations affecting the Subject Property including but not limited to: allow dwelling units to front onto open space instead of a street, increase the maximum number of single-family attached dwelling units from eight to ten dwelling units per building, increase the maximum building height from 45 feet to 50 feet for single-family attached buildings, increase the maximum building height from 45 feet to 55 feet for multifamily stacked buildings, increase the maximum building height from 45 feet to 60 feet for multifamily attached buildings, reduce the minimum building setback from Sycolin Road from 75 feet to 15 feet, eliminate the street tree requirement along the garage side of private streets, eliminate the required Type 1 Buffer require-

ment along the garage side of private streets, reduce the minimum building setback from 150 to 75 feet and minimum parking setback from 100 to 35 feet from the Dulles Greenway, eliminate the required Type B Buffer adjacent to a portion of the larger property to remain in the PD-OP zoning district, and reduce the minimum lot width for single-family attached end units from 22 feet to 19 feet. The applications are being processed under the land use and development regulations of the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Grandfathering Resolution dated December 13, 2023.

LEGI-2023-0030, ARCOLA TOWN CENTER RESIDENTIAL: ZCPA-2022-0001, ZMOD-2022-0013, ZMOD-2022-0014 & SPMI-2023-0016 (Zoning Concept Plan Amendment, Zoning Ordinance Modifications, and Minor Special Exception)

Arcola Residential Development, LLC has submitted applications for: a zoning concept plan amendment (ZCPA), zoning ordinance modifications (ZMODs), and a minor special exception (SPEX) for approximately 38.20 acres of land located south of Arcola Mills Drive (Route 621), north of north of Little River Turnpike (Route 50), and east on Stone Springs Road (Route 659) in the Dulles Election District and more (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as a portion of PIN: 162-26-6525-000, Tax Map # 101///////G1A/. For ZCPA-2022-0001, the applicant seeks to amend the Concept Development Plan and Proffer Statement associated with ZMAP-2012-0004, Arcola Center, and other subsequent approvals, to allow for the development of up to 70,000 square feet of commercial uses and up to 595 residential units at a density of 15.58 dwelling units per acre. For ZMOD-2022-0013 and ZMOD-2022-0014, the applicant seeks to allow the maximum percentage of residential uses to exceed 50 percent of gross floor area and to eliminate the minimum requirement for ground floor pedestrian-oriented business in the PD-TC (Planned Development –Town Center) zoning district, and to allow residential lots that do not have frontage on a Class I, Class II, Class III road, or private access easement to front on open space when private street access is provided at the rear of the lot. For SPMI-2023-0014, the applicant seeks to reduce the minimum building setback from Arcola Boulevard from 75 feet to 35 feet. The applications are being processed under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Grandfathering Resolution, dated December 13, 2023.

LEGI-2023-0059, GREENLIN PARK: ZMAP-2022-0024

(Zoning Map Amendment)

Cammack Brothers, LLC, has submitted an application for a zoning map amendment (ZMAP) for approximately 81.17 acres of land located on the north side of the Dulles Greenway (Route 267), south side of Shreve Mill Road (Route 653), and west side of Sycolin Road (Route 625) in the Leesburg Election District (the Subject Property). and the Subject Property is more particularly described as a portion of PIN: 237-39-5293-000, Tax Map # /60////////55/. The applicant seeks to rezone an 81.17-acre portion of the larger 467.1-acre property from the Transitional TR-10 (Residential – 10) zoning district and the JLMA-20 (Joint Land Area Management – 20) zoning district to the IP (Industrial Park) zoning district in order to develop data center and utility substation uses. The application is being processed under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Grandfathering Resolution, dated December 13, 2023.

Copies of the proposed plans, ordinances, and amendments for each land use application listed above may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center; Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call 703-7770246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies. Additional project files related to land use applications for public hearings may be reviewed electronically at loudoun.gov/landmarc. In addition, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: loudoun. gov/bosdocuments.

Board of Supervisors public hearings are held in the Board Room of the Government Center. Meetings are televised on Comcast Government Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40. Meetings also are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/meetings.

Members of the public desiring to do so may appear and present their views regarding those matters listed for public hearing. Members of the public who wish to provide public input, whether electronically or in person, are encouraged to sign-up in advance; however, speakers may sign-up during the public hearing. If you wish to sign-up in advance, call the Office of the County Administrator at (703) 777-0200. For this public hearing, advanced sign-up will be taken after 8:30 a.m. on August 30, 2024, and no later than 12:00 p.m. on September 11, 2024. Members of the public may also submit written comments by email sent to bos@loudoun.gov. Any written comments received prior to the public hearing will be distributed to Board members. Members of the public may also submit comments on land use items electronically at loudoun.gov/landapplications.

Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory, or mental disability to participate in this meeting, please contact the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200/TTY-711. At least one business day of advance notice is requested; some accommodations may require more than one day of notice. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings.

BY ORDER OF: PHYLLIS J. RANDALL, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

08/22 & 08/29/24

Legal Notices

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING

TO CONSIDER REZONING APPLICATION TLZM-2023-0003 AND SPECIAL EXCEPTION APPLICATION TLSE-2023-0002 CRESCENT SYCOLIN

Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.22205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Rezoning application TLZM-2023-0003 and Special Exception application TLSE-2023-0002 Crescent Sycolin.

The Subject Property is located at 23 to 33 Sycolin Road SE and consists of 6 parcels totaling approximately 3.56 acres (Loudoun County Property Identification Numbers (PINs) 188-151721, 188-15-1715, 188-15-1708, 232-40-9196, 189-45-1396, and 189-45-0586). The Subject Property is zoned CD-MUO (Crescent Design –Mixed-Use Optional).

Rezoning Application TLZM-2023-0003 is a request by Big T Properties, LLC to allow multifamily residential dwelling units (52 units) and 5 stories building height in the CD-MUO zoning district.

Special Exception Application TLSE-2023-0002 is a request to allow “other activities that cause no increase in flood height” in the Floodplain Overlay Zoning District.

The Subject Property is located in what the Legacy Leesburg Town Plan (LLTP) describes as an “Area to Transform or Evolve” on the Area

Based Land Use Initiatives Map (LLTP pg. 72).

The property is further designated within LLTP as “Crescent Area” on the Character Areas for Preservation and Change Map (LLTP pg. 76).

The application includes requested three (3) modifications to the requirements of the Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance (TLZO) regulations for mix of uses required, ground floor use requirements, and building occupy 66% of the Build to Line. The application also includes a modification to the requirements of the Design and Construction Standards Manual (DCSM) for minimum entrance spacing requirements.

Additional information and copies of these applications are available at the Department of Community Development located at 222 Catoctin Circle SE, Suite 200, Leesburg, Virginia 20175 during normal business hours (MondayFriday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Christopher Murphy at (703) 737-7009 or cmurphy@leesburgva.gov.

At these hearings, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodation at the meeting should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 771-2733 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

8/22 & 8/29/24

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

MIDDLEBURG PLANNING COMMISSION

The Middleburg Planning Commission will hold public hearings beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, August 26, 2024 to hear comments on the following:

Zoning Text Amendment 24-01 - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ARTICLES II, VIII, X AND XII OF THE MIDDLEBURG ZONING ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO DEFINITIONS; PERMITTED AND SPECIAL EXCEPTION USES, LOT REQUIREMENTS AND BUILDING HEIGHT IN THE R-2 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT; NONCONFORMING LOTS OF RECORD; AND PERMITTED EXTENSIONS INTO REQUIRED YARDS

Special Use 24-05 - Request of Aleco Bravo-Greenberg for a special use permit for self-storage at 104-106 S Pendelton St zoned C-3 General Commercial District.

Special Use 24-06 Request of Salamander Resort, LLC to modify existing Special Use Permit 06-03 for a rural resort at 500 N Pendleton St zoned A-C Agricultural Conservancy District. The modification would entail the enclosure of 1700 square feet of additional space on the north side of the resort building.

Special Use 24-07 Request of Margaret Fortier for a special use permit for a Short-Term Rental at 609 Martingale Ridge Dr zoned R-3 Residential District.

The hearings will take place at the Town Hall, 10 W. Marshall Street, Middleburg, Virginia. The application materials may be reviewed online at www.middleburgva.gov/313/Public-Hearings or in the Town Hall from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. Questions may be directed to Deputy Town Manager Will Moore at (540) 687-5152 or by email at wmoore@middleburgva.gov

The Town of Middleburg strives to make its hearings accessible to all. Please advise of accommodations the Town can make to help you participate in the hearing.

08/15 & 08/22/24

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER MINOR SPECIAL EXCEPTION APPLICATION TLSPEX2024-0009 CORNWALL COMMONS ARCHITECTURE

Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.22205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Minor Special Exception application TLSPEX2024-0009, Cornwall Commons Architecture.

The subject of the application proposes minor site changes and an update to the previously approved Special Exception condition regarding architecture. The property is zoned MC, Medical – Hospital Center and is further described by Loudoun County Parcel Identification Number (PIN) 230-17-6511-000.

Minor Special Exception Application TLSPEX2024-0009 is a request by Gibson –Cornwall LLC to allow for minor site changes and an update to the previously approved Special

Exception condition regarding architecture pursuant to Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance Section 3.4.15.

Additional information and copies of this application are available at the Department of Community Development located at 222 Catoctin Cir. SE, Suite 200, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Ashleigh Goedeke, Zoning Analyst by telephone at 703737-2395, or by email at agoedeke@leesburgva. gov.

At these hearings, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations at the meeting should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 771-2733 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

8/22 & 8/29/24

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

AN ORDINANCE VACATING A PORTION OF PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF OLD TOLBERT LANE AND MILLER DRIVE AND AUTHORIZING A BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT WITH ADJACENT TOWN PROPERTY

Pursuant to Virginia Code § 15.2-2006, notice is hereby given that the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg, Virginia, will hold a public hearing on: TUESDAY, September 10, 2024 at 7:00 p.m., in the Council Chambers at Town Hall, 25 W. Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176 to consider an ordinance vacating the use of a portion of old Tolbert Lane, at the southwest corner of old Tolbert Lane and Miller Drive, for public street right-of-way purposes. The proposed ordinance will also authorize a boundary line adjustment to consolidate the vacated right-ofway with the adjacent property of the Town.

The portion of the right-of-way proposed to be vacated is a portion of area dedicated for public street purposes that has never been in use and is no longer necessary for future planned road

improvements.

A copy of the proposed ordinance and additional information are available from the Clerk of Council, located in Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by calling Eileen Boeing, Clerk of Council, at 703-771-2733.

At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views concerning this matter will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at 703-771-2733, three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/ TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

8/22 & 8/29/24

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TO CONSIDER A STANDARD LEASE AGREEMENT WITH TEXTRON AVIATION INC. FOR OFFICE SPACE IN THE STANLEY CAULKINS TERMINAL AT THE LEESBURG EXECUTIVE AIRPORT

Pursuant to Virginia Code § 15.2-1800, notice is hereby given that the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg, Virginia, will hold a public hearing on:

Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA at which time the public shall have the right to present oral and written testimony on the proposed lease agreement with Textron Aviation, Inc. for a 240 square-foot office space owned by the Town of Leesburg and located at 1001 Sycolin Road SE, Suite #4 in the Stanley Caulkins Terminal at

the Leesburg Executive Airport, for a term of one year with four one-year renewal options, upon certain terms and conditions.

A copy of the proposed Resolution and the proposed Lease are available from the Town Clerk, located in Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.); or by calling Eileen Boeing, Town Clerk, at 703-771-2733.

At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring reasonable accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at 703-7712733, three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

8/22 & 8/29/24

Loco Service Providers

Lewis S. Wiley, a widely-respected horseman and cattle farmer and longtime Fauquier County resident, passed away peacefully at his family’s home, Gordonsdale Farm in The Plains, Virginia, on Sunday, August 11, 2024. He was 86. Born in Salem, Virginia, on June 30, 1938 to James Langhorne Wiley and Camille Dawson Wiley Sullivan, Lewis attended North Cross School with the very first class of students. He briefly attended Andrew Lewis High School prior to his four years at The Hill School in Pottstown, PA where he thrivedplaying football, wrestling and running track. He graduated Hill in 1957. He attributed his years at Hill as instrumental in shaping him into the man he would become. He went on to graduate from The University of Virginia in 1962 where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Fraternity and a member of the Ribbon Society— Eli Banana. Gordonsdale, a Thoroughbred horse farm where his father and stepmother, Molly, settled in 1965, became Lewis’s home for more than 50 years. In 1966, he

Obituaries

Lewis Wiley

and his first wife, Helen Calvert Wiley, married and raised their two daughters at the farm. A second marriage to Carol Pierson followed. Lewis spent many mornings at the Middleburg Training Center watching and training horses and the facility provided some of his favorite memories. He also was a fixture at the local steeplechase races - as an owner, trainer, steward, and a spectator - one of the few events that could get him to leave his beloved leather chair. He was on the board of Marshall National Bank and was Vice Chairman of Oak View Bank. Lewis was heavily involved with the Middleburg Spring Race Association since the early 1970s. His love of bird hunting with friends was one of his favorite pastimes. Whether it was shooting skeet, dove in a corn field, ducks at the marsh, pheasant in South Dakota or quail in Georgia - next to horses, that’s where he was happiest. Lewis also loved watching a good John Wayne western as well as a musical, particularly his favorite, “Guys & Dolls.” Monday nights were reserved for watching his

Stephanie Wishmyer

much loved train program on TV with friends. Lewis knew how to have fun and was known for his sense of humor, kindness, quiet generosity and support of local organizations. He also was a loyal friend. One of his closest friends was the late Sandy Young; they traveled to the yearling horse sales at Saratoga Springs, NY, to the Potomac River at Coles Point, VA and to the marshes of Port Micou near Loretto, VA. They were known to “work hard, and play harder” and coined the phrase “Come on Weekend!” Lewis took care of his friends and the people closest to him he saw every day at the farm. He was grateful to them and did not take their loyalty for granted. His family offers many thanks to his nurses, caregivers and to Jean Rofe for their help, support and love. He is survived by his daughters Elizabeth Wiley of The Plains, VA and Sheila Wiley Harrell (Martin) of The Plains, VA, grandchildren Molly Clayton Harrell and William Buchanan Harrell of The Plains, VA and stepbrother Lewis B. Pollard of Warrenton, VA. He was predeceased by his parents,

his stepmother Mary LF Wiley, his brother James L. Wiley, stepsister Karen Dudley Vaughn, half-sister Langhorne Wiley Canning and stepbrother Nelson Pollard. The family will have a private burial with a celebration of life at a date to be determined. Memorial donations can be made to The Fauquier SPCA (www.fauquierspca.com), your local hospice, or The Salem Museum (www. salemmuseum.org). Arrangements by Royston Funeral Home, Middleburg, VA. Please visit www.roystonfh.com to express online condolences to the family.

Stephanie Wishmyer, age 36, of Harpers Ferry, WV, passed away unexpectedly/suddenly in her home during the recent tropical storm, and entered into the presence of the resurrected Christ on Thursday, August 8, 2024. Born on May 11, 1988 in Salisbury, MD; the beloved daughter of Deborah Godwin Wishmyer and James Norman Wishmyer. Stephanie leaves her family to cherish her memory, including her husband, Peter West Twigg; her parents; a sister and brother-in-law, Chrissy (Will) Waite; a nephew and niece: Liam and Emma Waite; her in-laws: Mike and Sandy Twigg; her maternal grandmother:

Jean Godwin; a brother-in-law Jack Twigg and Ava Afghahi; several uncles and aunts; 10 cousins, 2 step-cousins. Stephanie was a graduate of North Stafford High School (2006) and Randolph Macon College (2010), BA-English, Minor Journalism. She recently began a master’s degree in special education at Shenandoah University. She was employed by Inova Healthcare and worked as a Special Education teacher for Loudoun County Public Schools at Round Hill Elementary. She previously taught in private schools for 6 years; worked in pool management for the Reston YMCA and the Silver Spring, MD YMCA;

more recently, as activities director/ assistant director for two area elder care facilities. A memorial service will be Saturday, Sept. 7, 2:00 pm, at Leesburg United Methodist Church, 107 W Market Street, Leesburg, VA; with a time for visitation from 1:00 pm to 1:50 pm. www. leesburgumc.org. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to www.shirleysanimals.org; www. autismspeaks.org, or Leesburg UMC Memorial Fund, www.leesburgumc. org. Please see her complete obituary and share condolences with the family at www.LoudounFuneralChapel. com.

Please

Lacks

continued from page 1

cells unbeknowst to her lead to numerous advances in the medical field after she died.

Its partner school, Hovatter Elementary—which houses third through fifth grades— sits about 150 feet away on the same campus.

The school was built to relieve overcrowding at Hovatter, which also has over 800 students.

Both schools share a campus with Lightridge High School.

The schools have the same 7:30 a.m. arrival time and same 2:15 p.m. dismissal time and the same drop off location for both car and bus riders so siblings attending either school can still arrive to school together.

“We have a lot of systems developed and in place for the first week and a half of school to make sure that the students that belong in Henrietta Lacks Elementary are identified and brought here,” Principal Leigh Boyd said.

The school community, which is made up of both schools, voted to keep the same color scheme—blue and green—and mascot as well as to have a joint PTA. The mascot is the honeybee with slight differences in the color of the bee’s glasses and the titles of the three books held by the bee. The bee for Henrietta Lacks holds a book about plants that has the same flower print from the dress worn by Lacks in the portrait of her hanging in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, a book about geometry that also is carried by Hovatter’s bee to show continuity between the schools, and a book called “Heroes of Health” that commemorates Lacks’ contributions to the field of cervical cancer.

“We are creating one school community, just in two separate buildings,” Boyd said.

She said the schools will hold several community events, as well as ones that cater to the demographic and age group of each school.

“We have the unique opportunity to really hone in on meeting the needs of these particular students here at this school,” she said.

The school will have 70 teachers, including three international teachers who are part of the new Ambassador Teacher program, and 120 staff members in total. The ambassador program is a partnership with Participate Learning and has brought

40 teachers from around the world. The three teaching at Henrietta Lacks are from Jamaica and the Philippines.

Boyd said half of the staff moved from other Loudoun schools and half are brand new to the division or are first-year teachers.

Boyd said their goal is to implement technology into the curriculum in meaningful ways starting with kindergarten. Every classroom is equipped with a new Promethean board—or interactive whiteboard—that students can cast their Chromebook to, making presentations easier.

She said their motto for the year is “kids can” and said that even the youngest learners can do amazing things if they have the tools.

“We are looking forward to taking all of the learning experiences that are available for our older students, grades three and into secondary schools and figuring out how to apply them in the K to two schools so that our students are really building a strong foundation so they can go into their next adventure in life and be able to make meaningful contributions,” Boyd said.

She said they plan to do that by making sure kindergarten students are using the latest platforms to learn from and do research and by encouraging open ended questions to spark curiosity and help students engage in conversations together.

She said instead of having a pencil and paper worksheet to show their knowl-

“We want to be the model school for all those concepts that they start doing in those upper elementary grades.”

— Leigh Boyd

edge, they will offer other tools like podcasts, presentations or infographics made using platforms like Canva, and coding technology.

“We want to be the model school for all those concepts that they start doing in those upper elementary grades,” she said.

Boyd said because the oldest students at Henrietta Lacks are second graders, there will be a lot of opportunities for the fifth graders from Hovatter to come over and demonstrate leadership skills.

They also plan to have Lightridge students help out in many ways, including with the morning news show.

The school has a “H”-style layout, with the main entrance, cafeteria, gymnasium and music room on one side, a media center and the administrative offices in the center and classrooms on the other side.

Some of the features of the new school

include a cushioned wooden floor in the gym that all new schools in the division will have, Bluetooth capabilities for music and video, an electronic scoreboard and a library with flexible seating, reading nooks, and over 20,000 books.

Classes are grouped by grade and have collaborative spaces outside for students to work together on projects with other classes. There are also collaborative teacher workrooms within each grade level so teachers can work together, hold meetings and eat lunch.

Because it’s a primary school, all 41 classrooms on both floors have their own bathrooms, designed to cut down on kids missing instructional time because they can stay inside the classroom.

The playground, which will be accessible to kindergarteners, will also be inclusive so students of all abilities can play. Most division elementary schools have separate playgrounds for kindergarteners.

It features wider ramps, padded flooring instead of mulch so students in wheelchairs can easily maneuver the playground, and an inclusive merry-go-round and swing. The playground, along with all elementary school playgrounds this year, will be fenced.

Boyd has been with the division since 2010, starting her career at Meadowland Elementary and recently serving as assistant principal at Pinebrook Elementary School. This is her first year as a principal. n

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Henrietta Lacks Elementary School Principal Leigh Boyd sits in a reading nook in the school’s library. The school is the 99th to open in the county and is the division’s only primary school.

The library of Henrietta Lacks Elementary School.

A staircase leading to the second floor of Lacks.

Back to School

continued from page 1

initial visa allows them to stay up to three years with the option to extend for two more. He said they are division employees who will be evaluated at the end of every year like all other teachers.

“The cool thing about this program is that these teachers, if they survive this year and make it as we hope many of them will, they will become advisors to the next 40 that come over next year,” he said.

The 40 teachers are teaching across 15 elementary schools.

Phillips said the division’s participation in the program helps fill teacher vacancies in the division and is a creative recruiting process. As of Aug. 14, the division had an over 98% fill rate, which compares to typical hiring rates at this time in the past, according to division spokesperson Dan Adams.

Also new this year, students will have restrictions on using their personal electronic devices while in school due to a new policy adopted by the board in June. The policy restricts the use of cell phones, earbuds and other electronic devices in schools unless “explicitly allowed by their classroom teacher.” Smartwatches are allowed but the student may be asked to remove it for tests unless a specific accommodation exists.

According to the policy, high school

Glucose monitoring

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created their plan and are ready to go once the iPads arrive. She said staff seemed equally excited to incorporate the tool.

“It’s a pioneering effort in our county,” she said.

During Tuesday night’s School Board meeting, Chair Melinda Mansfield amended the policy to ensure both the student’s doctor and parent give permission for an employee who is not a registered nurse or nurse practitioner to administer insulin or glucagon to a student and to add a reference to state code.

Mansfield said she made the change to keep the wording in the policy consistent with the state code.

The new policy was presented to the Student Services Committee in February and was discussed multiple times, culminating in parents asking for more supports, like the ability for nurses to monitor an app for their children for their safety.

students must put their phone in a storage device in a classroom, while middle school students must keep theirs in their locker on silent. Personal devices may be used before or after school. Elementary aged students are not allowed to use personal technology while at school. Students with documented medical reasons will be allowed to keep their phone on them. Parents who need to contact their student

Valentine was one of those parents who argued that allowing a school nurse to monitor a student’s CGM app would provide greater safety, fewer visits to the nurse and more time in the classroom and more peace of mind for parents and the nurse.

During a committee meeting in May, Mansfield said she wasn’t comfortable voting for the policy without more in place to protect the students and asked the staff to do more research. Initially, administrators had recommended against having nurses monitor students blood sugars through CGM apps, citing worries about privacy and time constraints within the health office.

That extra research paid off and parents won support from School Board members and division staff in June when Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Tedra Richardson presented research that showed several districts in Virginia as well as several across the country allowed CGM monitoring. Richardson said the division would incorporate the policies for CGM app monitoring used in other school districts into a new regulation that deals

July issuing an executive order directing the Virginia Department of Education create guidelines for cell phone use with parents, students, teachers and school leaders by Aug. 15. Those guidelines were released last week and propose cell phonefree education, with a “bell to bell” prohibition, including at lunch time and in between class periods. The guidance is up for public review until Sept 15.

Other programs starting this year include the Health and Medical Sciences Academy. That will be offered at Tuscarora and Briar Woods high schools and give students a pathway to the medical field outside of the Academies of Loudoun, which often has long waitlists. This year will welcome 150 rising freshman who recently received their white coats and took a modified Hypocritic Oath during a ceremony Aug. 15. The program is funded by the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, Loudoun Education Foundation, Inova Health System and Google.

need to call the school office.

The policy, which only applies to personal devices and not division-issued computers, codifies personal device use across the county, although most schools were already asking students keep their phones in lockers or pouches in the classroom.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin took division personal device policies a step further in

A continuous glucose monitor attached to the back of a young boys arm. The device monitors glucose continually rather than monitoring it periodically by drawing blood. Many people with diabetes use the device and an app that alerts them or their family that their levels are too high or too low.

The division is also offering an alternative education program in a non-traditional learning environment for students in the disciplinary process in sixth through 12th grades.

Also, this year the celebration of Loudon County High School’s 70th anniversary continues with a homecoming parade planned for Sept. 19. Students will get to participate in a spirit week leading up to the parade, followed by the homecoming football game Friday night and homecoming dance Saturday, Sept. 21. n

with emergency first aid, CPR, AED, and diabetes management.

“I’d like to thank the parents who advocated for this overall change of monitoring students CGM’s and provided the research from other districts who were monitoring CGM’s. This helped staff with their research come up with a process for LCPS,” Mansfield said Tuesday. “And I’m super, super proud of the work that was done.”

A continuous glucose monitor is a device that is attached to a person’s body and monitors glucose continually rather than periodically by drawing blood. Parents say the CGM apps show trends and can help avoid serious emergencies. Parents were advocating for nurses to be allowed access to the app data so they could prevent serious medical emergencies and cut down on the time to get assistance to the student. Often parents receiving an alert from an app must call the school and be transferred to the nurse to alert them of their student’s glucose numbers. n

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now AmbassadorteacherJanenGuldianoprepareshersecondgradeclassroomforthefirstdayofschoolat Sterling Elementary School.

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Nw

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EDITORIAL

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Loudoun Now is mailed weekly to homes in Leesburg, western Loudoun and Ashburn, and distributed for pickup throughout the county. Online, Loudoun Now provides daily community news coverage to an audience of more than 100,000 unique monthly visitors.

Leave Them

Opinion

It was just a few years ago that Loudoun’s school leadership joined the pioneering efforts to incorporate electronic devices into the classroom environments. The goal was to provide a next-level opportunity to tap the power of the internet and expand lesson plans beyond their traditional boundaries.

It is hard to fathom now, but back in those olden days Loudoun’s local government spending still had limits. The effort to purchase enough tablets to put one in the hands of every student was viewed as an overwhelming expense. Instead, administrators developed and promoted a “bring your own technology” strategy.

Yes, the smart phones and similar devices that are now identified as distractions from academic pursuits and generators of youth anxiety were invited enthusiastically onto campus.

LETTERS to the Editor

The Neighbors

Editor:

The photo in the Aug. 8 article about the proposed Telos property data center is very outdated. It does not accurately show the neighboring area that would be impacted.

The data center would not, as the photo suggests, be next to vacant woodland. Rather, an age 55+ residential community and a family housing complex are immediately across Ashburn Road. They would be in very close proximity to the proposed data center.

The massive data center would hover over living spaces and walkways of these existing, adjacent residential communities to the west and the Community Church and Virginia Academy to the east.

— Richard Allen, Ashburn

Starting this week, students instead will be met with a “leave your own technology” policy.

Loudoun’s new restrictions don’t yet go as far as some other school divisions, or as far as state policy makers ultimately may recommend. Between classes there will be opportunities for students to keep up with their TikTok and Instagram feeds, or to check in with Mom or Dad—no doubt a lesser priority.

But even without imposing a total prohibition, the policy should reduce distractions and promote a greater focus on the lessons of the day. Can the forced time-out from screen time also begin to mitigate the mental health challenges attributed to online interactions? That also would provide a tremendous boost to the educational environment. n

Statistically Speaking

BY STEVE ROBIN

I’m a numbers person. My head just seems to work that way when asked. But lately I notice a trend toward statistics that I find a bit over the top, and I wonder if you do, too.

Case in point: the Washington Nationals played a rookie at third base the other day and, as luck/skill would have it he hit three doubles in a row in his first game with the team. In writing up this remarkable feat the Washington Post pointed out that this was only the third time since 1901 that a major league player hit three doubles in a row in his first major league game, and went on to detail that the first time was in 1997 and performed by Ben Grieve of the Oakland Athletics and the second time was in 2008 and was accomplished by Nick Evans of the New Yok Mets. Who keeps records like that? And to what purpose?

Being sensitized now to the issue of keeping unusual statistical records, I set off to do a little research.

I like to start with ice cream (just ‘cause I like ice cream). Sure enough my favorite creamery was able to tell me that a record eight purchases in a row of

chocolate mint ice cream in a waffle cone had occurred on June 10, 2021. And before that, they reported, the record was the six chocolate mint ice cream in waffle cones that were purchased on July 11, 2016. And these stats were readily available with about 20 seconds of clicking the right buttons behind the shop’s glass partition.

On to the local car wash. Question: “Any idea when you washed the largest number of vehicles displaying antique car tags in a two day period?” No problem. Answer: That was August 8 and 9 in 2008. Five cars (no, actually three cars and two trucks).” No kidding!

Finally, my dentist. Question: “Which of your adult patients has the fewest natural teeth in his or her lower jaw?” Answer: “Just a minute. On both sides of the lower jaw or just one side?”

Well, I thought I was a numbers person, but I seem have been overtaken, as they say, by events—well documented events at that.

Steve Robin is a retired attorney, a resident of Loudoun for over 45 years, and an observer of life for considerably longer than that.

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Mountain

continued from page 1

once was the largest community of free Blacks in Loudoun County,” according to History Matters LLC. During the 20th century, it was a mixed-race village that had a general store, post office and both a Baptist Black church for Black congregants and a Presbyterian Church for White congregants.

The students attending Watson Mountain would have been assigned to Brambleton Middle School, but because of overcrowding at that school and potential overcrowding at nearby Independence High School, the School Board voted in 2023 to open Watson Mountain to sixth graders only this year. This means they’ll be separated from their seventh and eighth grade classmates.

But Russell said there will be close collaboration between Watson Mountain and Brambleton.

“Even though they have the pleasure of being Yetis [the Watson Mountain mascot], they first come from that Brambleton home. So together we form a full school. We have families who have students at Brambleton and students here. So that partnership is really critical for us,” Russell said.

The school is built near the site of a high school planned to open in 2028 and near the site of a future elementary school.

The selection of the Yeti mascot came about after polling the five elementary

schools that feed into Watson Mountain. Compton said they received about 78 ideas that were narrowed down to the top 10 most common. Graphic design students at the Academies of Loudoun created mascots based on those choices.

Compton said it was a Shark Tank-like presentation.

He said the majority of the students, all juniors and seniors, designed a Yeti—a bit of a surprise because Compton said the students wanted to be mountain goats.

“The design of the Yetis just inspired us, and we showed it to the kids and they said ‘yes, let’s be Yetis.’”

The staff refers to the school as “the mountain” because of its four-story design. It is divided into a house system with each grade attending core classes in a specific hallway or section of the school. While that division is common in Loudoun’s middle schools, the difference at Watson Mountain is instead of the grades being separated on one floor, they are stacked on top of each other on different levels. Sixth grade classes are on the third floor, next year seventh graders will occupy the fourth floor. When eighth graders begin attending the

shots

school in a few years they will be designated to the second floor.

Down the hall from the main entrance on the third floor is a terrace with a succulent garden that provides natural light to the upper levels as well as to the lower-level hallway and library through solar tubes. Eventually the school will be equipped with solar panels and be 100% solar powered, according to Compton.

All of the core classrooms have windows.

“You get light throughout your entire experience,” Russell said.

Along the third-floor hallways are builtin benches near the windows looking out onto the terrace for students to gather and work. The school’s auditorium is on the third floor and has a separate entrance for performances.

Down the hall from the auditorium and main entrance is an overlook of the main gym, which is on the second floor.

The second floor also houses the auxiliary gym, classrooms and collaborator spaces, the library, lockers, conference rooms and house offices. This same design is mimicked in the other houses on the other floors, minus the gyms and library. Lockers have either a digital keypad or a traditional padlock.

The library houses the IT offices of the school and a high-tech studio where the students can do their morning news show. It also has flexible seating, over 9,000 books, and a bay of windows that overlooks a first-floor hallway.

On the first floor is the cafeteria, art rooms, career and technical education

classes, a space for robotics and a family and consumer sciences kitchen.

The school will open with 34 teachers, including one first-year teacher, and a total of 64 staff. The school is piloting a unique bell schedule this year that allows students to go to their classes more often, helps with consistency and avoids “cognitive fatigue” where students’ focus and engagement diminishes in the afternoon.

Watson’s A-E schedule, takes the traditional A/B day block schedule that splits up eight classes over two days and gives students another chance to have those classes on a C and D day, which are the same classes as the A/B day but in reverse order. Classes on A-D days are all 82 minutes long. There will also be an E day, which is an anchor day and includes all eight classes on a shorter—42 minute—schedule. The school has digital displays with clocks to remind students which class day it is.

School starts at 8:30 a.m. and dismisses at 3:18 p.m., students who ride the bus catch it outdoors on the second floor that leads to the bus lot and those picked up by parents leave out the main doors.

The school cost $117 million to build and was constructed on a 22-month fast track schedule. Construction began in 2022.

Compton joined the division in 2017 and served as the principal at J.L. Simpson Middle School until moving to Watson Mountain. Oliver was an assistant principal at Simpson and Russell was an assistant principal at Willard Middle School. n

— By Chip Beck

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now Watson Mountain Middle School.