n LOUDOUN
Pg. 4 | n LEESBURG
VOL. 6, NO. 46
Pg. 6 | n EDUCATION
Pg. 8 | n OBITUARIES
Pg. 18 | n PUBLIC NOTICES
We've got you covered. In the mail weekly. Online always at LoudounNow.com
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
No Vax, No Job? Employers and Employees Grapple with Vaccine Mandates BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com
As COVID-19 numbers began to decline locally, following a Delta variant that caused a spike in cases at the onset of the school year, many employers and employees are grappling with whether to institute, or abide by, a requirement to be
fully vaccinated against the virus. President Joe Biden announced in early September the largest-scale mandate to date—all federal employees and contractors must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 22. The mandate will also extend to all private sector employers with more than 100 employees, with an option for weekly testing. The im-
pacts of that mandate, with Loudoun a hotspot for federal workers and government contractors, has already begun its trickle-down effect. It’s coming at a time, Loudoun Chamber of Commerce President Tony Howard noted, when the job market is as competitive as ever, sparking an interesting tug and pull between employer and
employee when termination in lieu of vaccination is the consequence. “Employers are very reluctant to impose [a mandate] unless the government makes them do it because we’re in such a war for talent nowadays,” he said. “Some industry sectors really suffered [during the pandemic] and are still recovering; VAX MANDATES continues on page 39
Barts Recall Advances; Biberaj Disqualified from Case BY HAYLEY BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com
A Loudoun Circuit Court judge on Tuesday denied a motion to dismiss the voter petition to remove School Board member Beth Barts (Leesburg), and disqualified Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj from prosecuting the case. Barts is facing a removal effort spearheaded by the group Fight for Schools. The group alleges that Barts’ involvement in a private Facebook group violated open meeting laws and the School Board’s Code of Conduct, among other charges. During a four-hour hearing Oct. 5, Judge Jeanette Irby denied a motion to dismiss the pleadings on a technicality. Charlie King, the attorney for Barts, argued that the verbiage in the petitions did not make it apparent enough to signees that they were agreeing to grievances against Barts, under penalty of perjury. Irby said
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
it was clear to petitioners that by signing, they were affirming the allegations. She also denied a separate motion to dismiss the pleadings based on a claim that Fight for Schools lacked standing to intervene in the case. King argued that the only named parties in the case are the commonwealth and the defendant, and intervention they the activist group was not appropriate. In ruling that Biberaj should be removed from the case, Irby said that her decision was based on a perception issue because the public might not trust Biberaj’s impartiality. “I have the utmost respect for Ms. Biberaj … however if she continued on this case there would never be acceptance on this case,” Irby said. The attorney for Citizens of Leesburg, the plaintiff in the case, David Warrington presented a tweet by Biberaj, in which
Fight for Schools Executive Director Ian Prior and some of the group’s supporters celebrates victory in the first test of Barts removal petition in court.
BARTS RECALL continues on page 11
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
Supervisors Reject AT&T Short Hill Tower BY RENSS GREENE
Rgreene@loudounnow.com
Loudoun supervisors have voted overwhelmingly to deny AT&T’s application to build a telecommunications monopole at the company’s complex on top of Short Hill Mountain. The board on Tuesday voted 8-1 against the request, with only Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) supporting the proposal. The telecom giant is sought to build a 125-foot-high monopole at its secretive facility on top of the mountain, which their representatives said would improve AT&T wireless service in the area, provide space for other cell phone and wireless broadband carriers, and expand FirstNet, a separate wireless network dedicated to first responders. County staff members and the county Planning Commission recommended denying the application. Residents as well as a wide variety of conservation, historic preservation and other community organizations have voiced their opposition to the tower, recently including the Coalition of Loudoun Towns. The group of the county’s seven town mayors on Sunday sent a letter to supervisors asking them to vote against the tower project. “We request that the Board of Supervisors not overturn the Planning Commission’s recommendation for denial of the proposed AT&T monopole on the ridgeline of the Short Hill Mountain,” the mayors wrote. “There are other alternatives that should be evaluated, such as locating shorter towers on either side of Short Hill, allowing a lower structure by removing the requirement that the tower accommodate three carriers, locating on an existing structure elsewhere—and intensifying your ongoing efforts in expanding other broadband and fiber offerings, and more.” While acknowledging the need to improve broadband service for area residents and first responders, they suggest county leaders continue to develop a more impactful solution, rather than a “quick fix” that would provide only limited gains. AT&T has also faced continual distrust from the community around the application. AT&T TOWER continues on page 28
PAGE 3
500 Mile ‘Journey to Salem’ Crusaders Cross Loudoun BY RENSS GREENE
rgreene@loudounnow.com
The women on the 500-mile “Journey to Salem,” recreating the journey of a small group of women from Bethlehem, PA, to Winston-Salem, NC, which led to the founding of one of the oldest academic institutions for women in America, stopped in Leesburg on Tuesday. Salem Academy and College in Winston-Salem was founded in 1772 by Singler Sisters of the Moravian Church with, at the time, the revolutionary idea that women also deserve a rigorous education. This year, the boarding school and college celebrate their 250th anniversary with a series of events, including the Journey to Salem. Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Their journey follows the historic Walkers on the 500-mile “Journey to Salem” are greeted by Mayor Kelly Burk as they arrive in route outlined in the 1766 journal of Leesburg on Tuesday. 16-year-old Salome Meurer, which reat the time for Moravians in Germany, counts the journey of 18 women and as an attempted kidnapping. often derogatory]. We would rather not Meurer’s journal, written originally two men. And according to that journal, have stayed too long in this country.” in German, recounts the group’s arrival the last time they came to Virginia, the Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk met this in Leesburg on Oct. 11. Translated by group was not warmly welcomed. As a year’s walkers in front of the county scholar Aaron S. Fogleman, she wrote: party of mostly women and as members courthouse with a resolution honoring “The people all came out of their houses of a minority religious group that faced their walk in an effort to patch up old and said, ‘Where did you leave all of your prejudice in Virginia, they endured jeers men?’ Some said they thought we were and harassment during their time here, SALEM WALKERS continues on page 38 along with more serious incidents such a bunch of Zinzendorfers [a name used
Loudoun Stands to Gain Assembly Seats in Early Redistricting Options BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com
More state legislators would live in Loudoun under proposed new House of Delegates and state Senate maps under consideration by the Virginia Redistricting Commission. Currently, although parts of Loudoun are included in seven House of Delegates Districts and three Senate districts, only four state lawmakers live in Loudoun— Sen. John J. Bell (D-13), Del. Dave A. LaRock (R-33), Del. David A. Reid (D-32) and Del. Suhas Subramanyam (D-87). Meanwhile, Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA10)’s election in 2018 marked the first time that Loudoun’s representative in Congress lived in the county at least since before the Supreme Court’s 1964 ruling that districts must have roughly equal populations. The 10th Congressional District that to-
day covers all of Loudoun reaches across Winchester to the northern and western boundaries with West Virginia, while also reaching in to pick off pieces of Fairfax as far east as Manassas and McLean. That’s due to the meandering electoral districts in Virginia. The commonwealth formerly was subject to the edicts of the Voting Rights Act, a federal law meant to combat drawing voting districts to suppress minority votes, and which was based on a history of using voting districts to control the voting populace. That law saw critical elements struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013, but in March, Gov. Ralph Northam signed into law the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, recreating many of the provisions of that law in the commonwealth. State law calls for districts that are compact and “drawn to preserve communities of interest,” and that is being tested now with the work of the Virginia Redistrict-
ing Commission, the creation of which was approved by voters in a constitutional amendment last fall. That commission is considering Democrat and Republican-proposed district maps for the House of Delegates and state Senate. In both House maps, at least four delegates would have to live in Loudoun— because their districts would be entirely contained within the county boarders. A fifth delegate would be elected from a district that covers southeastern Loudoun as far east as Gum Springs Road and all of Clarke County, also picking up Round Hill, Purcellville and Middleburg. Both of those maps got overall high marks from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project run by Princeton University, although the reviewers noted the Republican proposal slightly favors Republicans— the Democrat proposal did not favor either REDISTRICTING continues on page 38
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PAGE 4
OCTOBER 7, 2021
Loudoun
County Supervisors Launch Energy Strategy Talks BY RENSS GREENE
rgreene@loudounnow.com
County supervisors last week kicked off their effort for a greener Loudoun with a workshop on updating the county’s energy strategy Wednesday. During the Sept. 29 session, supervisors got a briefing on where Loudoun and the region stand today from Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Senior Environmental Planner Maia Davis, COG Climate, Energy and Air Program Director Jeffrey King, and energy expert Steve Walz. That included an update on COG’s regional goal to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050, from 71.8 million metric tons in 2005 to less than 20 million by 2050. Across the region, the vast majority of carbon dioxide emissions are attributable to commercial energy and transportation, with residential energy coming in third. In Loudoun, that is weighted even more heavily. According to their presentation, Loudoun’s greenhouse gas emission since 2005 have grown from more than 3.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to almost 6.3 million metric tons in
Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now
The Panda Power plant south of Leesburg, a natural gas plant.
2018. And the biggest driver of Loudoun’s greenhouse gas emissions increase is not the growth in population, but the increasing size and energy demands of the commercial sector. The biggest offset to that growth is the mix of energy sources as electricity generation moves beyond fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. While residential energy usage across the region has held relatively flat and
grown slightly in Loudoun since 2005, commercial electricity usage has increased by more than five times. Loudoun’s commercial consumption of electricity grew form less than 2 million megawatt hours in 2005 to more than 11 million megawatt hours in 2020. In Loudoun, the biggest drivers of energy usage are data centers—an industry that both uses massive amounts of energy,
and has pushed energy producers to use more renewable energy sources. Loudoun supervisors varied on how tightly to control data center emissions, with data centers being one of the county government’s largest sources of revenue. Their presentation also pointed out that the poorest families spend the largest percentage of their income on electricity and gas, as much as 13%. “I think that is so important, especially when we talk about the different households who are able to afford to update their homes and make sure that they are saving energy,” said Supervisor Sylvia R. Glass (D-Broad Run). “Households with lower incomes may not be able to do that.” Supervisors now will try to figure out how that information—and the limits of their authority as a local government— will shape their strategies to tackle climate change. “I don’t think [we have] just have an opportunity to do something here in Loudoun County about it, I think we have a responsibility and an obligation to do something about it,” said Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian). “Because this is ENERGY STRATEGY continues on page 39
Health Officials Look Toward Child COVID-19 Vaccines BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com
During a Sept. 27 press conference, Gov. Ralph Northam’s characteristically soft-spoken demeanor did not mask his frustrations with the unnecessary toll taken by the COVID-19 pandemic. Northam said that a year after his own battle with COVID, he still cannot smell or taste anything. He pointed out that, even with the more dangerous Delta variant at large, almost everyone who has been infected with COVID-19 and virtually everyone who has died from the virus was unvaccinated. He pointed to the millions of people around the world who have been vaccinated, with serious side effects being rare. He presented a chart depicting $5 billion in costs to hospitalize unvaccinated adults since June. And, as a doctor, he spoke of the miserable experience of being put on a ventilator—like sticking a garden hose down your throat, he said—
Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now
Students arrive at Emerick Elementary School in Purcellville in February for their first day back at school since Christmas.
and lamented the strain being placed on the overworked staffs at hospitals. “So if you know that, and you still don’t want the shot, then I hope you give some thought to how your family will remember you,” Northam said. “Give some thought to what they’ll do without you. Think about how you want your obituary to read, because you’re taking a foolish, dangerous chance, and it affects many more people than just you.” He also looked ahead to vaccinations for younger children. Northam said he hopes those will be authorized in about six weeks, toward the end of October or beginning of November. And, he said, offering vaccinations in schools would be the easiest and most equitable way to offer shots to younger children. In Loudoun, the Health Department has been coordinating with schools throughout the pandemic to see how best to get vaccines to students, said Loudoun County Health Department Director Dr.
David Goodfriend. “While there’s no plans that are completed yet, likely the first line for doing that will be to get the word out once it does become available to 5-11 year olds where they can get vaccinated, and get vaccinated quickly,” Goodfriend said. “And fortunately we have our Dulles Town Center, which can be ramped up to see a large number of kids in a very short amount of time.” With that, he said, the Health Department would be able to see where there are lower vaccination rates, which he said will likely reflect today’s lower vaccination rates in Sterling and in western Loudoun. The Health Department could then make vaccination available in or around those schools for families who want it, to address concerns of equity and access to healthcare. “Some jurisdictions, for example, VACCINES continues on page 38
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
PAGE 5
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WHITENING Conveniently located in 703-771-9034 SPECIAL to receive the offer. TheFri:Village at8-1pm Leesburg facingPlease present coupon 8-1pm • Sat: (Once/month) Not to be combined with any otherbefore offer. the end 703-771-9034RouteVisit Use your benefits our website at: TheLeesburgVADentist.com 24hr Emergency Service 7 between Wegmans and ONDodona THE Agenda 1503 Terrace of the year and receive a FREE LA Fitness Visit our website at: TheLeesburgVADentist.com cover the daily operations at the facility Teeth Whitening Kit with every Loudoun Landfill Fees to See Suite toas210 well as its capital needs and debt ser- & Wed: 8-6pm Mon 10% Increase Oct. 18 scheduled cleaning or procedure. vice obligations. Leesburg, VA 20175 Tues & Thurs: 7-4pm Offer Expires January 1, 2016. The Board of Supervisors last week approved fee hikes at the county landfill, the first since 2012. Under the changes, homeowners hauling trash to the landfill south of Leesburg will pay at least $1 more per trip, with both the minimum transaction fee and the FastTrash service charge to hit $7 starting Oct. 18. Those bringing more than 225 pounds of municipal solid waste or household waste will see the rate increase from $62 to $68 per ton—68 cents per 20 pounds. Fees for construction debris and industrial waste also will see a $6 per ton increase. The cost of dropping off appliances, tires and propane tanks also will go up, with fees for those items ranging from $3 to $39. In its action, approved without discussion at their Sept. 21 meeting, supervisors also authorized the county administrator to establish all landfill fees as part of the annual budget process. Under the previous policy, while the staff could deal with the fees charged to contracted commercial waste haulers, the prices charged to homeowners and small users at the gate were set by the Board of Supervisors. The fee increases follow the recommendations of a consultant study to ensure the landfill operates on a revenue neutral basis, with fees collected expected
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Construction crews are expected to begin work on short-term improvements on Evergreen Mills Road and Watson Road by mid-October, with the work lasting over the next 12 months. Throughout the next year, construction crews will work on signs and pavement markings, advance-warning flashing beacons, traffic signal operations and timing improvements, above-ground retroreflective devices along the outside roadway edge, and trimming vegetation to improve sight distance. Construction work will begin during daytime hours. During construction, travelers can anticipate traffic stoppages, lane closures and flagging operations with little advanced notice. Members of the public will be informed about upcoming construction through the county’s communication channels, including the project page on the Loudoun County website, loudoun.gov/evergreenmillswatson and the county’s Facebook and Twitter sites. n
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PAGE 6
OCTOBER 7, 2021
Leesburg
Council Advances Talks of Main Street Program BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com
The Leesburg Town Council is again poised to consider whether downtown Leesburg should have its own Main Street organization. The council voted last week to authorize staff to submit an application to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development to move into its Tier 2, Exploring Main Street program. The county seat has explored numerous times over the years whether to move into the Main Street umbrella organization and, ultimately, form a 501(c)3 to provide a level of management of the downtown business area for promotions, events and establishing a unified voice and representation for business leaders. In the past, the debate
has ended with reluctance about funding, as annual costs for running a Main Street organization can top $150,000, much of which is borne by a locality in the early stages. The Virginia Main Street program recently debuted a tiered system for participation, said Russell Seymour, director of the town’s Economic Development Department. The level of staff and stakeholder involvement increases with each tier, and, ultimately, a full-fledged Main Street organization needs to be financially self-supporting. In a Sept. 27 presentation to the Town Council, Seymour encouraged council members to consider moving into the Tier 2 of the program, which serves as an opportunity without financial or overall commitment to see if a Main Street program could be a good fit for downtown Leesburg.
Tier 2 requirements are minimal, with only an encouragement that town staff attend at least one Virginia Main Street-sponsored training event. “The tiered approach gives us time to generate interest and provide better understanding” to local businesses, Seymour said. The timing is ideal, he said, as Leesburg and other localities had a lot of lessons learned from their business community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seymour cited all the feedback generated from business leaders in terms of how the town could assist them, from grants to closing downtown streets for outdoor dining, to enhanced signage. “Being able to have a Main Street program that would create and generate good ideas on a consistent basis … a Main Street program, once you get to
Tier 2 it allows you to start creating that environment so you’re generating that information from a platform,” he said. Seymour emphasized that, to move beyond Tier 2, there must be strong buy-in from the business community for running a Main Street organization. Moving forward, Seymour said a Town Hall meeting with a Department of Housing and Community Development and a Main Street program administrator from a locality of a similar size to Leesburg would be scheduled, to inform both the general public and local business owners what such a program could look like in Leesburg. “Based upon the feedback from meetings we can determine if there’s a desire or need to pursue Tier 3,” he said. If the council elects to move into Tier MAIN STREET continues on page 7
Burk Opens Mayor’s Office at Town Hall BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ
krodriguez@loudounnow.com
Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk has a place to call her own in Town Hall. The three-term mayor last week moved into dedicated office space on the second floor of the municipal center, with conference room space also available for use by other members of the Town Council. Burk had long been a proponent of finding an office space and had the backing of her council colleagues during this past spring’s budget deliberations. Prior to securing an office space, Burk had taken to setting up “office hours” at different businesses around town, where residents could pull up a chair and share feedback or concerns with her. “So many people were supportive of the whole concept of the mayor having an office,” Burk said. “I just want them to see the results of their support.” Initially the mayor’s office will be open by appointment only, but Burk said she may have set hours each week at some point down the road. n◗
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Mayor Kelly Burk sits in her new office in Leesburg Town Hall.
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
OCTOBER 7, 2021
Main Street continued from page 6 3 of the program, a few things would need to happen, Seymour said. Perhaps the biggest would be adding staff in his department, as he said setting up and running such a program is not something that his two-person department has the manpower or time to do. Tier 3 would also entail setting up a steering committee composed of town staff and downtown business leaders supportive of the program; developing a vision/mission for downtown based on town wants and business needs; developing goals and a work plan for accomplishing them; and developing a budget based upon that information. Moving higher up through the tiers would make Leesburg eligible for a number of state-funded programs and grants. Upon questioning, Seymour pointed out that one of the biggest hang-ups for the council in prior iterations of the Main Street debate was that it appeared that the downtown was thriving without such an umbrella organization. Since the pandemic hit, businesses across the board have struggled to get back to pre-pandemic levels of business, and the nature of retail and the consumer experience has changed, perhaps forever. Moving into Tier 3 and 4, Leesburg could be looking at $150,000 to $225,000 annually to run a Main Street program. Ultimately a self-supporting organization would run and fund that, with a dedicated staff member spending quite a bit of their time on fundraising, but typically localities still chip in 25% to 30% in annual funding. All but Mayor Kelly Burk cited a desire to move into the Tier 2 exploration phase, with Councilman Zach Cummings saying a Main Street organization could be a real boon to downtown businesses. “We need an organization that’s out there fighting for our businesses, especially in downtown,” he said. Burk said her reluctance stemmed from the fact that the Main Street debate is one she’s heard ad nauseum since she first joined the council in 2004. “We’re still at the same place we were; we’re still at the exploring stage. We’ve had the other Main Street people come to us. We’ve had the businesses meet. We’ve done all of this and now we’re going to do it again. This has been a long, long, long journey and I just don’t see an end to it,” she said. n
PAGE 7
Opinions Sought on Liberty Lot Redevelopment The public will have an opportunity this week to share their views about the future of the town’s Liberty Street parking lot. The town staff will hold a public input meeting at the parking lot at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, to solicit feedback on the potential redevelopment of the land.
In August, the Town Council directed the staff to begin exploring potential redevelopment options for the 2.03-acre town-owned parcel after receiving an unsolicited proposal for its redevelopment earlier this year. The parking lot is zoned B-1 Community (Downtown) Business District. Additional information, including an
aerial photo, a link to detailed information about the site’s zoning, and an online comment form, is available at leesburgva.gov/Liberty-Lot. Online comments will be accepted through Friday, Oct. 22. For more information, contact Economic Development Director Russell Seymour at 703-771-6530 or rseymour@leesburgva.gov. n
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PAGE 8
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
OCTOBER 7, 2021
Education
Blue Ridge Middle Celebrates Golden Anniversary BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com
One of the first middle schools in the county—and the nation—celebrated its 50th year with a rededication ceremony on Thursday. Blue Ridge Middle School opened in 1971, at a time when middle school education was a new concept, said former Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Edgar B. Hatrick III. Middle school combined the subject-focused education of high school with the student-focused education of elementary school. “Middle school education throughout the country was a really new thing in 1971, really new,” Hatrick said. “And Loudoun County was on the cutting edge of this new model for educating children.” Blue Ridge was a cutting-edge building when it was built, too, he said—it had air conditioning. Hatrick, a Loudoun County High School grad, came back home to Loudoun to teach in 1967. In 1975 he took over as principal of his old high school, and from 1991 to 2014 he oversaw Loudoun schools as superintendent during the most intense period of growth in the county’s history. He said middle schools gave students the chance to experience the range of possibilities in school.
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
Blue Ridge Student Council Secretary Julia Keeter, Treasurer Julia Miller, President Lily Poag and Vice President Sienna Dhillon and Principal Brion Bell unveil a new plaque for the rededication ceremony at Blue Ridge Middle School’s 50th anniversary celebration.
“So why did we do this? Why did we come to a middle school?” Hatrick said. “Well, look around you: the opportunity middle school gave our students for real science education in real science labs, for extended music education in music labs, for extended art education in art labs, for increased physical education as part of a student’s daily life.” And he said although the middle school model seemed like a gamble at the time, “middle school education here at
Blue Ridge Middle School, a lighthouse for middle school education, has been an absolute success.” Teaching and learning at Blue Ridge Middle School, with its bulldog mascot, is a family affair. Along with the parents who send their kids to their old school, 22 staff members including both assistant principals, Nancy Griffith-Cochran and Matt Bolen, attended the school. And Bolen’s mother also was an assistant principal at the school.
Principal Brion Bell said his three children are former Bulldogs During the Sept. 30 rededication ceremony, the school invited generations of students and parents into the building reminisce on its history, flip through old yearbooks and photos, and see how the school has grown. And people gathered in the library to celebrate with Sheila Lightner Nakles, who served as librarian in the school for 46 years. “Even during COVID, there was never a moment that I didn’t feel we’re giving 100% to every child, no matter what,” Bell said. “This community of educators always speaks in one voice, to raise every child up, and has done so since 1971.” Schools Superintendent Scott Ziegler said in western Loudoun, a building simply being 50 years old isn’t in itself remarkable. “What makes Blue Ridge Middle School’s half-century of existence worth celebrating is what has happened within these walls,” Ziegler said. “No institution does more to shape the community than the schools. The thousands of students and staff that have passed through these hallways and classrooms shaped the history and future of western Loudoun County, Virginia, and our nation.” The ceremony concluded with the unveiling of a new plaque, rededicating the school for the next 50 years. n
VEA President Meets with Local Teachers BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
Virginia Education Association President James J. Fedderman stopped in Leesburg last week to meet with Loudoun teachers about their COVID-era concerns. The Sept. 29 meeting with members of the Loudoun Education Association and Del. Wendy Gooditis (D-10) was part of a series of listening sessions Fedderman is holding around the commonwealth. He said that, although school districts vary greatly in size and available resources, there are many common concerns. Among the concerns of Loudoun teachers were uncertainty over the school division’s policies concerning paid leave for COVID-related absences and the problems caused by the shortage of available substitutes. Fedderman agreed teachers face a
daunting workload. “Many administrators are making the lives of educators extremely miserable as we navigate many of these things that remain unknown. Educators were stressed out before COVID. They were expected to do meetings after meetings after school. Some of them come early, stay late, don’t eat lunch, don’t go to the bathroom. Now they have to add in going through the drive-through to take a COVID test. It’s just a lot,” he said. He also expressed frustration over the lack of COVID protection policies in some areas. “For me, there is no difference in political persuasion when we’re protecting the health, safety and welfare of all. That should be bipartisan, but it is not,” Fedderman said. “There are elected officials who still believe COVID is not real. And as they believe it is not real, they are putting
students and educators in harm’s way.” “We’ve got to find a way that we can do the right thing for each other because that’s all we’ve got,” he said. Gooditis said she was confident that children would recover from the learning challenges brought on by the pandemic but said she was worried about protecting educators—from the virus and from burnout. “We can’t sacrifice our teachers,” she said. To address teacher shortage, she said there was a continued need for higher salaries for educators. She noted that not all school divisions took advantage to the recent General Assembly effort to provide pay increases. Gooditis also said she is considering legislation that would remove the prohibition on teachers serving on their district’s school board and asked for feedback on
Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now
Virginia Education Association President James J. Fedderman is flanked by Del. Wendy Gooditis and Loudoun Education Association President Sandy Sullivan during a Sept. 29 listening session in Leesburg.
that idea. “In a state where our teachers are being beaten down, I think that a teacher on a school board is not unusual,” she said. Gooditis noted her experience as a teacher in public and private school and homeschooling. “I’m happy to be a strong—and rather obnoxious—voice on behalf of the teachers,” she said. n
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
OCTOBER 7, 2021
PAGE 9
Committee Proposes Three Agencies Share Historic Douglass High School Building BY HAYLEY BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com
The Douglass High School Commemorative Committee is recommending that the historic building be a shared space for three agencies—the Edwin Washington Project, the Douglass High School Alumni Association, and the Loudoun Chapter of the NAACP. On Sept. 28 the panel shared prospective preservation plans for the site with the School Board. The Douglass High School building on East Market Street in Leesburg was the site of education for Black students in Loudoun County starting in 1941. After de-segregation in Loudoun County in 1968, the building was used as a middle school, and a special education and alternative school. This year, those operations have moved to the new North Star School on Catoctin Circle and the building is undergoing renovations. The commemorative committee was appointed to make recommendations on the future use of the property, the ownership of which has been transferred to
the county government. “Our mission is to determine how the history and importance of this high school will be shared. … We want to make sure we are able to tell a story about the school,” Committee co-chairwoman Erica Busch told the board. “Not just the building. But the story of those who founded the school. The teachers, the students, the parents those who worked in the school, and we want to tell a story that resonates with the community for years to come.” Possibilities for the outside space include an amphitheater, updated landscaping, statues, benches, pavers with names, and a time capsule. Inside the building, the committee is eying a diorama of Leesburg from the early 20th century, a photo display of Frederick Douglass, interactive booths with historic information, and guided tours. The committee is seeking a one-dollar bill from 1941, the year Douglass High School was founded. The bill would be a nod to the payment Black families received when they were forced to sell the land, which they had purchased for $4,000, to county leaders during the long battle to have the school built.
265 High Rail Ter SE, Leesburg
Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
The Douglass School in Leesburg is undergoing renovations, but the future use of the building remains under study.
The building’s cornerstone includes a time capsule buried in 1941, which committee co-chairman Charles Avery, a Douglass High School alum, said he is “burning with curiosity to open.” Avery told to the board that, under the committee’s recommended plan, the three organizations would collaborate to maintain the building’s displays and programming. Avery also praised the School Board for creating the committee. “I want to thank each of you for choosing to land on the right side of history with the commissioning of this committee,” Avery said. “We are historians who are commemorating history and legacy and partnering with you to make a mark in history.” n
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Registration is open for this year’s Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition, which challenges middle and high school students to create and implement projects to address issues and improve the community. Held annually since 2010, Step Up is a program of Loudoun Youth, Inc., in partnership with the Morven Park Center for Civic Impact and the Youth Advisory Council. Once registered, students work on their chosen projects individually or with teammates, teachers, and school counselors in preparation for the first round of competition in March 2022. This year’s first round will be held virtually, with the top 40 teams advancing to an in person Main Competition on March 24. The top 10 teams will advance to a final round of judging on April 7, to be held at the Winmill Carriage Museum at Morven Park. This year, Loudoun Youth, Inc. welcomes REI Systems as the Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition Premium Sponsor. As the sponsor, REI Systems will cover all prize money for the top 10 teams. For more information about this year’s competition, go to loudounyouth.org or email info@loudounyouth.org. n
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A former Leesburg lawyer has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in mismanaging several estates and embezzling those funds. J. Christopher Chamblin was sentenced in federal court Sept. 28 to 60 months in prison, with credit for time served, and an order to pay $691,385.81 in restitution. He will be on supervised probation for three years following his release. Chamblin was disbarred in the fall of Chamblin 2019 after admitting to misappropriating more than $850,000 from several estates for which he had been appointed by the Circuit Court to serve as administrator. He is the son of retired Loudoun County Circuit Court Judge James Chamblin and former son-in-law of District Court Judge Deborah Welsh. According to a June 16 federal court filing, Chamblin abused his position of trust as administrator of the estates to embezzle funds from at least five estates, including by writing himself checks drawn on the estates’ bank accounts, depositing those checks into his own bank personal accounts, and then spending the funds for his own personal benefit. He was also accused of embezzling funds from two unnamed civic organizations, for which he served as treasurer. The wire fraud charge stems from Sept.
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17, 2019, when Chamblin caused a check in the amount of $20,000 to be issued that was drawn on a bank account held in the name of one of the trusts he oversaw. Chamblin deposited the check into his business bank account, causing an interstate wire communication between Washington, DC, and Virginia. Court filings indicate that Chamblin repaid some of the funds he embezzled back to the trusts, with interest, but the repayments likely stemmed from embezzling from other estates. In the signed affidavit consenting to his law license revocation, Chamblin indicated that untreated depression was likely a contributing factor to his misconduct. In the restitution order, Chamblin is required to pay $109,865.38 to an estate listed as “A.B.”; $3,000 and $7,500, respectively, to the two unnamed civic organizations; and $571,020.43 to the Ohio Casualty Insurance Company after all other named parties are paid first. In her filing on sentencing recommendations, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Pedersen argued in support of a sentence on the higher end of sentencing guidelines, from 51 to 63 months. In spite of Chamblin’s lack of criminal history up until now, Pedersen pointed to the financial and emotional damage caused by his actions over a lengthy period of time. Chamblin would gain the trust of the estates’ decedents, she argued, due to his stature in the community as the son of a now-retired Circuit Court judge, and with his calm and friendly demeanor. However, when Chamblin would be challenged by CHAMBLIN continues on page 11
SAFETY briefs
A 22-year-old Sterling man has died following a motorcycle crash that occurred on Rt. 28 near the McLearen Road exit in Herndon on Thursday night. Herndon Police officers responded to the scene just prior to midnight Sept. 30. According to the preliminary report, Donald Baker was traveling northbound on Rt. 28 on a 2021 Suzuki GSXR 1000r. He accelerated and then lost control,
which resulted in him traveling off the right side of the road striking the guardrail. Baker was thrown from the motorcycle. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. Detectives found no evidence to indicate alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash. Anyone with information about this crash is asked to contact the HPD Crash Reconstruction Unit at 703-280-0543. Tips may also be submitted anonymously through Fairfax County Crime Solvers 866-411-8477. n
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
OCTOBER 7, 2021
Chamblin
Barts recall
continued from page 10
continued from page 1
the families to account for discrepancies in his accounting, he would often cut off communication, she said. Even after Chamblin was removed as executor and administrator of the estates in the summer of 2019 after failing to produce documentation requested by the Loudoun County Circuit Court Commissioner of Accounts, the court filing notes, he wrote three checks to his law firm from one estate, and the two restaurants owned by that estate, to the tune of $75,000. Since his crimes have been brought to light and guilt admitted, Chamblin has never accounted for how he used the misappropriated funds, and, other than indicating mental health issues as a contributing factor, has never provided justification for his actions, Pedersen said. Arguing in favor of a sentence below guidelines, Chamblin’s attorney Steven Webster pointed to Chamblin’s lack of criminal history and said his client was “highly unlikely to reoffend.” Webster’s sentencing memorandum was heavily redacted, citing confidential information related to Chamblin’s physical and mental health. n
she shared a letter to the editor published in Loudoun Now that supported the school district’s equity work. Warrington argued that the tweet exhibited Biberaj’s personal opinions. Fight for Schools has charged that the School Board has pushed a liberal agenda on students, framing curriculum through a lens of racial inequity. Biberaj is also the subject of a removal effort by the group Virginians for Safe Communities, of which Fight for School Executive Director Ian Prior is a board member. Biberaj was also listed as a member of the same closed Facebook group as Barts, Anti-Racist Parents of Loudoun, where members were accused of seeking to dox opponents of the school division’s racial equity work. Irby said that she would need about a week to find a special prosecutor to take on the case before any other court dates are scheduled. About 20 members of Fight for Schools were present in the courtroom, and they erupted in applause and hugs after Irby granted the motion to dismiss Biberaj and adjourned the hearing.
“I feel like the judge looked at the evidence and made a decision that was right,” Loudoun parent and Fight for Schools supporter Erin Dunbar said after the hearing. “I think she’s unbiased. She’s looking at the evidence in front of her and I think she’s actually going to give us a fair trial.” A similar recall effort in neighboring Fairfax County earlier this year was dismissed in court because a special prosecutor said that the case did not have a basis to move forward. Prior has tweeted concerns about Biberaj’s conflict of interest in the past. “The parents want a seat at the table. We’ve been saying we want a fair process and accountability, and I think today they got that,” Prior said. “They said we were just a group of angry parents that would never make a difference. This proves that parents just being involved—especially in anything involving children at any level—we can make a difference, we should make a difference,” Fight for Schools supporter Carrie Michon said. Barts was not present in court because she was preparing to participate in the School Board public hearing to appoint a new representative to the vacant Broad Run seat. This week, Fight for Schools announced
PAGE 11
meeting the signiture threshold to file the removal petition against School Board member Denise Corbo (At-large), 101% (10,902) of the signatures needed, while the petition for Serotkin has 125% (2,727). Other School Board members facing a removal effort are Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian) and chair Brenda Sheridan (Sterling). Petitions have 66% (804) of signatures needed to remove Reaser, and 79% (638) to remove Sheridan. To remove an elected official in Virginia, a petition must have a signature county equal to 10% of the votes cast in the previous election for that office. In the case of the effort to remove Corbo, that is still fewer signatures than the number of votes by which she won in 2019—in a three-way race, Corbo bested her nearest opponent, Julia Lee Sisson, by 10,588 votes, and the third challenger Kenya Savage by 40,345 votes. The petition is then reviewed by a judge, and, if accepted, the Commonwealth’s Attorney prosecutes the case. Removal is possible if a court finds “neglect of duty, misuse of office, or incompetence in the performance of duties when that neglect of duty, misuse of office, or incompetence in the performance of duties has a material adverse effect upon the conduct of the office,” or after conviction for some crimes. n
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
PAGE 12
OCTOBER 7, 2021
Announcements
Business
Mitchell Promoted at St. John Properties
Contributed
A rendering of the proposed Goodwin House campus at Avonlea.
Goodwin House Announces Plans for Loudoun Senior Living Campus
LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT
Goodwin House has announced plans to develop a new senior living campus in the Peterson Companies’ Avonlea project along Rt. 50 west of South Riding. “Over the next 20 years, the number of older adults needing high quality, financially accessible senior living in our country will nearly double, and Loudoun County will see its population of older adults grow faster than any other area in Northern Virginia,” Goodwin House President & CEO Rob Liebreich said in announcing the new project. “We see these growing demographics of older adults and believe our mission calls us
to find additional ways to support, honor and uplift the lives of older adults and those who care for them through the development of a not-for-profit senior living community at the Avonlea.” The nonprofit operates senior living communities in Alexandria and Bailey’s Crossroads, serving more than 2,200 residents. In addition to offering independent living, assisted living and memory support, the new community will feature a variety of wellness and brain health programs, including StongerMemory, Medicare-certified Home Health and Hospice, the company said. The 200-unit Loudoun campus is ex-
pected to open in spring 2025. For updates on the project, go to seniorlivingloudoun.org. Peterson’s Avonlea is a master-planned community slated to include retail and commercial businesses, market rate apartments and medical offices. “At Peterson Companies, we strive to create developments that benefit all who live and work in our region,” stated Taylor O. Chess, president of Development at Peterson Companies. “This exceptional senior living community and the related support services and programs by Goodwin House Inc. will fill an important need in Loudoun County.” n
Nominations Open for Community Leadership Awards The Loudoun Chamber has opened nominations for the 2022 Community Leadership Awards. The deadline to nominate a local business or community leader is Friday, Oct. 29. The awards recognize those who have demonstrated exemplary leadership to positively impact the quality of life in Loudoun County and to serve the needs of its residents. The top honorees will be announced at the Loudoun Chamber’s Annual Meeting & Community Leadership Awards gala, which will take place Jan. 21, 2022, at The National Conference Center in Lansdowne.
The finalists are selected in five categories: Large and Small Businesses, Nonprofit Executive, Executive Leaders and Young Professional Leaders. These finalists, and the eventual top honorees, are chosen by a panel of top business and nonprofit leaders. “Loudoun’s businesses and nonprofits are the backbone of our community, working non-stop to serve our neighbors in need, while creating a world-class quality of life and economy that serves us all. The Loudoun Chamber is proud to honor the best of these outstanding Community Leaders at our Annual Meeting, where we also
will honor own outstanding leaders for all they have done to make Loudoun a great place to live, work, play and grow a business,” said Chamber President & CEO Tony Howard. The 54th Annual Meeting & Community Leadership Awards also will recognize the leadership of outgoing board chairwoman, Stacey Metcalfe, who served two consecutive terms to provide the stability of leadership during the pandemic. To nominate and for more information on the Community Leadership Awards, go to LoudounChamber.org/ awards. n
St. John Properties has promoted Ryan Mitchell to senior project manager for Tenant Improvement Construction in the Virginia and Central Maryland Division. Mitchell joined the company last year and was formerly a project manager for interior construction. Mitchell will oversee the execution of tenant build-out activities throughout the St. John Properties portfolio in the Northern Virginia and Central Maryland region. This includes directing the efforts of the in-house project managers and field staff; overseeing budgeting/scheduling, permit expediting, planning activities, and process improvement efforts; and interfacing with customers, design and leasing professionals, and third-party subcontractors. Mitchell will follow all tenant construction activities to conclusion and assure their successful completion. Mitchell has more than 16 years of related commercial real estate and construction experience. Prior to joining St. John Properties, he functioned in several project management roles for The Wormald Companies, NVR, Inc. and H&H Drywall Specialties.
Ferrier Named Top Chef at Lansdowne Resort Chris Ferrier has been appointed executive chef of Lansdowne Resort. He most recently served at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center where he oversaw in room dining, ala carte dining, catering/banquets as well as Universit y-dr iven specialty events, including graduFerrier ation and meals for athletes. He also has worked for Hyatt Hotels, Airlie Resort, Boar’s Head Inn, National Conference Center and the Lodge at Pebble Beach. The South Riding resident is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. ANNOUNCEMENTS continues on page 13
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
OCTOBER 7, 2021
PAGE 13
27 Win Gold in Loudoun Wine Competition Maggie Malick led the field in the 2021 Loudoun Wine Awards, landing eight gold medals. The annual competition featured a record-setting 110 entries comprised of 100% Virginia grapes, with at least 75% grown in Loudoun. Judges awarded 27 gold medals and 79 silver medals. The top awards—for best-in-class, best-in-show, Winemaker of the Year, Winegrower of the Year and Wine Ambassador of the Year—will be announced the Grand Tasting celebration, Oct. 15 at Lansdowne Resort. “What an exciting year to have the most entries across the county than we ever have had in the last seven years of doing the competition. And to top that off, to have wines of such amazing quality winning more golds than ever before is such a rewarding outcome given all that has happened this last year with the pandemic,” said Aimee Henkle, chairwoman of the Loudoun Wineries Association and co-owner of The Vineyards and Winery at Lost Creek. “The hard work of farming the land, the dedication to the quality and the love of this industry shines through in all these wines. To showcase what Loudoun County can really produce from its terroir
WINNING GOLD Maggie Malick Wine Caves 2020 Albariño 2020 Rose Wine 2020 Albariño Reserva 2020 Viognier 2019 Mag’s Leap 2019 Fortissimo 2019 T-n-T 2020 Chardonnay Bluemont Vineyards 2020 Piquette Blanc “Blush” Sparkling Rose N/V 2020 Sauvignon Blanc Bleu Frog Vineyards 2019 Five Dog Night 2020 Cabernet Franc Doukenie Winery 2020 Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Viognier October One Vineyards 2020 Viognier 2019 Merlot
is what this competition is all about.” The public is invited to join the celebration and meet the leaders of the county’s
Zephaniah Farm Vineyard 2017 Cabernet Franc 2017 Three Captains Red Blend 868 Estate Vineyards 2019 Cabernet Franc Reserve Boxwood Winery 2020 Rosé Bozzo Family Vineyards 2019 Tish Carriage House Wineworks 2019 Winterfest Hillsborough Vineyards 2019 Onyx The Wine Reserve at Waterford 2019 “Steel Magnolia” Chardonnay Walsh Family Wines 2019 Merlot Willowcroft Farm Vineyard 2020 Traminette
wine industry at the Grand Tasting. For information and tickets, go to 2021loudounwineawards.eventbrite.com. n
Announcements continued from page 12
Sinha Joins StoneSprings Hospital Board Dr. Sangeeta Sinha has been named to the StoneSprings Hospital Board. For more than 15 years, Sinha has practiced obstetrics and gynecology surgery. She is experienced with the da Vinci robotic system and has specialized expertise in complex laparoscopic surgeries and urogynecology procedures. She has been at Sinha StoneSprings Hospital Center since 2016. She also is a board member of Service Beyond Borders and has led volunteer healthcare providers to provide medical care for underserved communities in India. “StoneSprings Hospital is growing in exciting new ways, including our focus on innovative robotic surgery,” she said. “I look forward to stepping into this new role and helping to guide the future of this great hospital.” n
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
McAuliffe, Emhoff Campaign for AAPI Vote in Loudoun BY HAYLEY BOUR hbour@loudounnow.com
Former governor and 2021 hopeful Terry McAuliffe was joined by Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff at an Asian-American Pacific Islander turnout campaign event near Leesburg on Saturday, where the two touted McAuliffe’s economic and social policy accomplishments from his first term. McAuliffe and Emhoff spoke to a crowd of about 150 people, and were joined by candidate for lieutenant governor Del. Hala S. Ayala (D-51), Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10), Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, state Del. Suhas Subramanyam (D-87), Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj, and School Board member Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian). McAuliffe, who served as the 72nd governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018, is seeking reelection in a race that, by many measures, appears neck-and-neck with Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin, with just a month to go until Election Day. McAuliffe trumpeted the progressive social change Virginia saw during his first term, including being the first U.S. governor to perform a gay marriage, and vetoing a bill in 2016 that would have prohibited state contracts with organizations that provide abortions. “We became an open and welcoming state, and our economy took off,” McAuliffe said. He stood behind his record on jobs, citing that his administration oversaw 1,100 new economic development projects, $20 billion in new capital, and 200,000 new jobs in the commonwealth. He also said that he would commit to raising teacher pay, and claimed that his opponent’s tax-cut plan would cost 47,000 teacher jobs. Youngkin has made education a central issue of his campaign, vowing to ban Critical Race Theory in schools, although it is not currently taught in schools. Youngkin frequently charges that reductions to K-12 accreditation standards during McAuliffe’s first term have hurt public education. McAuliffe pointed to his record on healthcare, including his advocating for Medicaid expansion. During his first term, Republicans in the state legislature blocked attempts to expand coverage, but in 2019, a bipartisan bill took effect to offer coverage to over half a million Virginians. “We fought like a dog for Medicaid ex-
Hayley Bour/ Loudoun Now
Former Governor Terry McAuliffe and 2021 candidate addresses a crowd at a Leesburg AAPI event on Saturday Oct. 2. He was joined by Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D–VA–10) and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.
pansion. Thanks to great leadership we finally got that passed. And thanks to that, 550,000 people have life-saving care. You know what Glenn Youngkin says about Medicaid expansion? He says it’s sad,” McAuliffe said. He also pointed to Youngkin’s opposition to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. “Glenn Youngkin spreads his anti-vax rhetoric. He goes on a right wing radio, he says, ‘if you don’t want to take it, don’t take it. There are many good reasons to not take it,’” McAuliffe said. “’He praises Ron Desantis and says Florida is the model. Well you know where we are in Florida today? 225,000 students are in quarantine today. 87 teachers dead.” “At a time when we are trying to come out of this pandemic, we’re ranked 44th in the nation in job recovery. We need those health care workers,” Youngkin said during the final debate between the two candidates on Sept. 28, arguing that retaining workers is paramount to ensuring the workforce is vaccinated. Before McAuliffe took the stage, Wexton emphasized the implications of the race in Virginia. “Everyone in Congress is looking to Virginia,” Wexton said. Earlier, Subramanyam said that Loudoun would be pivotal in gubernatorial race. “I was here a lot during the Biden-Harris campaign so I do feel like this is a second home for me,” Emhoff said of his familiarity with the commonwealth. Emholf, who served as a Biden-Harris campaign surrogate in Virginia ahead of the 2020 presidential election, urged Democratic voters to get to the polls. Early voting is underway in Virginia ahead of Election Day on Nov. 2. n
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
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The Loudoun Preservation Society presented grants to support five restoration projects during a Sept. 23 ceremony in Hamilton.
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Find us!
The Lovettsville Co-Op Market
Come Take a Look; I'll Be Here Next Year! One Lucky Winner Gets a Gift to Shop Here!
Groundbreaking Celebration
Saturday, October 9 Join Us! Noon to 3pm at our future store site, Lovettsville Square South, for a groundbreaking event welcoming a full-service Community owned grocery store. Meet the board, neighbors and future shoppers. See the new Co-op store, drawn in place with field paint, with each virtual department representing fresh local products. Stroll around our tents and enjoy the store departments, including prepared foods, bakery, beverage, produce, wellness, floral and meats. Products will be available for purchase from local Northern Virginia and Maryland producers. for information: www.Lovettsville-grocery.com Gift Certificate (name)
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Preservation Society Presents 5 Grants, Historic Home Plaque The Loudoun Preservation Society presented grants totaling nearly $7,000 to support five restoration projects during a Sept. 23 ceremony in Hamilton. Since 1973, the organization has contributed nearly $900,000 to support preservation efforts around the county. This year, the society presented the Evelyn Johnson Memorial Grant of $2,500 to the Aldie Heritage Association to help restore the brick wall along Rt. 50. The Jean Brown Memorial Grant, also for $2,500, will help the Friends of Grace Multicultural Center restore their 130-year-old church building in Lincoln. The Loudoun Clerk of the Court’s Historic Records program will get a $990 boost to continue efforts to digitize records associated with the county’s enslaved and African-American residents. The society also pledged $2,500 to help
the congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun to repair its building just south of Leesburg. And the Willisville Preservation Foundation received a $750 grant to help restore the community’s cemetery. Also during the ceremony, the society issued its first Loudoun County historic building plaque to Goshen Farm, the Aldie home of Bernie and Rumsey Light. The plaque program is an expansion of the historic marker recognition begun several decades ago in the Town of Leesburg. The Loudoun Preservation Society is dedicated to preserving the historic, cultural, and natural resources and heritage of Loudoun County, and developing public consciousness of and involvement in preservation issues. n
Virtual Philanthropy Summit Planned Thursday The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties will hold its annual Philanthropy Summit on Thursday, Oct. 14 in a virtual format. A yearly gathering of local philanthropists, nonprofit and government executives, and thought leaders, the Philanthropy Summit explores local needs and issues impacting the community. This year’s program, titled “REDI for Change,” will build awareness and discuss proactive approaches regarding the issue of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion in the areas of education, housing, and the workplace. The event is supported by presenting sponsor Google and is expected to host more than 100 individuals virtually via Zoom. “This convening will provide an important platform for learning about equity issues in our community and sharing best
practices,” Community Foundation President & CEO Amy Owen said. “We are excited to be able to support these critical and courageous conversations that explore more equitable access and awareness in our own backyard.” Panelists and presenters will include representatives from the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce, the Office of the County Administrator Loudoun County, HDAdvisors, Teach Hustle Inspire, Undone Education and Consulting, and Diversity Training Group. Closing remarks will be delivered by Ruth LaToison Ifill, President and CEO Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers. Open to all community members, the Philanthropy Summit will be held from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Oct. 14 and is free of charge. Registration is required; to register, go to communityfoundationlf.org. n
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
GIVING back Garden Club Awards Grants The Leesburg Garden Club is providing Lucketts Elementary School with a grant support to its Outdoor Classroom and Learning Lab. The $1,125 grant will fund the installation of a milkweed habitat, Monarch Waystation, weather station and a vegetable garden. Students will use the outdoor classroom to learn about native plants and the wildlife they support, collecting rainwater and composting for sustainability, as well as predicting and understanding weather patterns. Two additional recipients of recent grants were the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, to complete the installation of a pollinator meadow and purchase interpretive signs; and Tuscarora High School, to improve an existing courtyard with native plant installation, tree and shrub plantings and installment of a Monarch Waystation.
Lost Rhino to Host 10th Annual Cornhole Fundraiser On Oct. 17, Van Metre Companies Foundation will host the 10th annual Van
Metre Cornhole Challenge at Lost Rhino Brewing Company, raising money for the Children’s Science Center, HomeAid Northern Virginia and Stillbrave Childhood Cancer Foundation. The Cornhole Challenge has raised more than half a million dollars for local non-profits so far. This year’s Cornhole Challenge focuses on non-profit initiatives helping to educate young minds, shelter the homeless, and care for the needs of children in the community. Competing teams are encouraged to raise at least $300. The “King’s Court” format encourages higher fundraising—the more money a team raises, the closer their starting place to the King’s Court. Teams play a set number of games, and as they win or lose games, they move closer or further away from the King’s Court. The goal is to play and win the last game while in the court. That puts teams starting nearest the court at an advantage. The games will be played Sunday, Oct. 17 from noon to 4 p.m. Lost Rhino Brewing is at 21730 Red Rum Drive, Suite #142, Ashburn Teams can register to play and raise funds at mightycause.com/event/2021 vmcornholechallenge. n
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It’s time for a new season in senior living! Stop by our community and find out why we are the BEST Senior Living Community in Loudoun! SCHEDULE YOUR TOUR! 703-936-7300 LANSDOWNEHEIGHTS.COM
Since 1999, the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties has helped generous donors support a variety of charitable causes in our region. We salute the leaders who wrapped their vision and commitment—and arms—around this community to create and sustain a permanent charitable resource.
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
Obituaries October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Edwin Enoch Chamblin Edwin Enoch Chamblin of Locust Grove, VA passed away unexpectedly at home on Tuesday, September 28, 2021. “Eddie” was born on May 12, 1982 in Leesburg, VA to Dianne Schlegel Capilongo and Daniel Shreve Chamblin. He grew up in Lucketts with his Step-Dad Christopher Everett Capilongo and sisters, Amelia Everett Capilongo & Katherine McGuire Capilongo. Eddie graduated from Loudoun County High School in 2001 and went on to complete his college education at Longwood University where he met the love of his life, Kimberly Kieloch. Kim and Eddie were married in 2008 and went on to have three sons, Mason Riley, Liam Thomas Kieloch and Xander Finley Chamblin. In addition to his parents, Eddie is survived by his half-brother, Nathaniel Shreve Chamblin of South Carolina. He is also survived by his in-laws, Nancy & Dave Burket of Spotsylvania VA, his Uncles, Robert & Steven Schlegel and his Aunt Carmen Capilongo Walter of Minnesota. Eddie was one of the most humble, kind and caring souls. He always took the time to truly listen to anyone and everyone. His smile, laugh and sense of humor made him a friend to all. He loved the outdoors and earned the honor of Eagle Scout as a teen with his Boy Scout Troop in Leesburg. Eddie was a true DIY guy. If anything was broken, he almost always fixed it himself. He had an inquisitive nature and loved technology. He also loved animals, especially dogs and always had several at his home. Eddie was a valued employee with Wegmans for many years in various capacities and departments. He was a loving husband & father, and devoted most all of his time outside of work to his three sons. He will be forever missed by all. A memorial service will be held for Edwin at Noon on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021 at Tabernacle United Methodist Church in Fredericksburg, VA For those wishing to honor his memory, contributions can be made to the Epilepsy Foundation at epilepsy.com
For Hinova and Other Survivors, Mammograms Matter BY HAYLEY BOUR
hbour@loudounnow.com
To Dr. Elise Berman at Fairfax Radiology Centers, Milka Hinova is the perfect patient. Not because she is now cancer free, after beating breast cancer in 2019. Not because she sometimes brings Berman flowers and chocolate to express her gratitude for the doctor’s care and skill in detecting her illness. But because she is assiduous about undergoing her annual mammogram—something recommend-
ed for all women over 40 years old—after her mother died of the illness. According to the CDC, breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer in women in the U.S., as one of every eight women will develop the disease. Fairfax Radiology Centers, which opened a new state-of-the-art center in Lansdowne last year, partners with Inova Health System, and has 18 radiologists on staff, including Berman, who only do breast imaging. And, Berman said, they’re good at it.
Berman’s keen eye came might just have saved Hinova’s life. In the early stages, cancerous tissue can appear on a mammogram as a tiny grain of salt, making the illness challenging, if not impossible, to detect. Berman said FRC‘s positive detection rates exceed the national and regional benchmarks for breast cancer imaging. “When you only read breast imaging, MAMMOGRAMS MATTER continues on page 19
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
Mammograms matter
Walk 4 Mountains Planned Oct. 16
continued from page 18 you get really good at it,” she said. Having annual benchmarks to compare imaging helped the doctor noticed Hinova’s tiny tumor, which otherwise could have been overlooked, or chalked up to typically changing breast composition through weight loss or gain. “The whole goal of the mammogram is to find breast cancer early before you feel it, before there’s any symptoms so the treatment is easier,” Berman said. Hinova, she said, is a case in point. Hinova’s cancer was confirmed after a needle biopsy, and removed by a lumpectomy, a procedure that moves a portion of the breast tissue, as opposed to the entire breast. She was also able to avoid chemotherapy. “I was terrified,” Hinova said of learning she had breast cancer. Hinova is quick to point out that she’s now healthy, and can do anything that younger people can. She runs around with her grandchildren. She cooks. She gardens. The treatment, she said, was relatively mild, so, she hardly skipped a beat. “If the cancer sits around for too long, it gets aggressive. It goes to the lymph nodes, the arms, everywhere. … The longer it sits around the more aggressive it gets and then the more aggressive the treatment will be,” Berman said. While it is recommended that people with breasts get mammograms once a year, Berman said what holds some people back is fear of the process. “It really is not so bad,” Hinova said, waving it off with a laugh. “You go and you get a pinch, and you’re done. That bad part is not going and then you get sick.” Mammograms at FRC take less than a minute. With diagnostic imaging, results are even given on the same day. Berman said that women who are apprehensive about the testing should let her staff know, and her team will work to address their fears and provide a supportive experience. Aside from fears about pain, Berman said women are also reluctant to get mammograms because of radiation exposure. But, she said, the radiation from a single mammogram is equal to experiencing just seven weeks of atmospheric radiation, the same radiation people experience daily. n To learn more about Dr. Berman and FRC, go to: https://www.fairfaxradiology. com/news/welcome-our-breastdiagnostic-center
PAGE 19
The annual Walk 4 Mountains walk to raise money and awareness for charities that support women going through breast cancer treatment will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16 beginning at the Lovettsville Town Green. Organizers invite residents out to walk a 5- or 10-mile course around town and back to the town green,
where there will be live music and food and drink for purchase all day. Registration for an individual walker/runner is $40. For a team of four, registration is $85. For military personnel, first responders, teachers and students, registration is $30. Those who aren’t comfortable attending in person may donate through the event website, walk-
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4mountains.org. All proceeds benefit the Loudoun Breast Health Network, Our Perfect Warrior, and Step Sisters—charities that support women going through cancer treatment by helping them to pay bills, take care of their children, perform yard work and house cleaning, give them rides to chemotherapy and more. n
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Our Towns
OCTOBER 7, 2021
Purcellville Council Wrestles with ARPA Allocations NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
‘Remarkable’ ReThink9 Celebrated by VML With city and town leaders from around the commonwealth gathered in Loudoun this week for the Virginia Municipal League’s annual conference, Hillsboro’s ReThink9 project again enjoyed the spotlight. The town was awarded the VML’s Innovation Award in the Economic Development category. Judges cited the traffic calming and utility modernization project as “a remarkable story of economic revitalization, local volunteer civic leadership, community engagement, and extraordinary collaboration among engineers, designers, tradesmen, and construction workers.” Above, from left, Project Coordinator Alison Badger, Mayor Roger Vance and Vice Mayor Amy Marasco were on hand to accept the trophy. n
Pullen House Moves to Uncertain ‘Next Chapter’ BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com
The Purcellville Town Council last week abandoned, for now, its efforts to sell the Pullen House property it owns adjacent to the Fireman’s Field complex. After years of discussion about how to generate more revenue from town assets, the council solicited bids to purchase the property—a long-unmaintained home on a half-acre lot along South 20th Street. The town purchased the property in 2011 for $175,000.
Three bids were received, but only one was deemed a qualified response. According to the town staff, the highest bid, $303,000, was submitted before the council issued a bid amendment requiring the preservation of a large oak tree on the property and the bidder subsequently withdrew the offer. The second highest bid came in at $233,950, but lacked the required deposit and was deemed unqualified. That left a bid of $101,000, which the council and the staff deemed insufficient. At its Sept. 28 meeting, the council formally voted to reject all bids. What’s next? That’s not clear.
Councilman Tip Stinnette noted that options to repair or raze the home would be costly, and it wasn’t clear that the property would provide a significant amount of additional parking for the recreation complex. And, he said, there is still the possibility of listing the property for sale on the real estate market, rather than a bid process. “I look forward to the next chapter in this,” he said. Mayor Kwasi Fraser said he’ll be looking for creative ideas for the property and continued to hold out hope it could be a revenue generator for the town. n
The Town Council and the town staff continued to spar over the best way to allocate some portions of Purcellville’s $10.5 million federal American Rescue Plan Act allocation. During last week’s meeting, the council resisted a proposal by Town Manager David A. Mekarski to put $500,000 into a general use fund to offset revenues lost during the pandemic. He suggested the move to give the council broad discretion how to use the money, including the flexibility to direct it to several planned, but unfunded, community projects. Council members said the staff had not adequately documented the $500,000 loss figure and tabled consideration of Mekarski’s suggestion until it was worked through with the town auditor. The council also rebuffed the staff request to allocate up to $500,000 to replace the town’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which monitors the distribution and treatment function of the town’s water and wastewater systems. Mekarski said the replacement of the town’s obsolete equipment is now the town’s top utility system priority. After questioning the need for the upgrade at the previous meeting, council members last week said they agreed it was an urgent need. However, after raising concerns about how to manage the procurement process and questioning whether the staff had an adequate handle on the project cost, council declined to allocate the money. The staff will return with an estimate created by the town’s engineering consultants. n
OCTOBER 7, 2021
AROUND towns LOVETTSVILLE Lovettsville Coop Groundbreaking Arrives After a decade of planning and grassroots fundraising, the Lovettsville Cooperative Market will celebrate the groundbreaking for its grocery store on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. at the Lovettsville Square South. Profits from the community-owned and member-governed full-service store will go back into the community through support for local farmers, producers, and vendors as well as employment and taxes. Plans include a deli and grab-and-go meals. Organizers have raised $1 million dollars to date from members. The money will be used to hire a general manager, design and construct the store, purchase equipment, and provide working capital. During the Oct. 9 program, co-op board members will provide a presentation and answer questions. Local food vendors will be on hand to showcase and sell their products. Learn more at lovettsville-grocery. com.
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
ville Town Council is expected next week to award a 40-year lease to permit the construction of a telecommunications tower on the grounds of the Basham Simms Water Treatment Facility on South 20th Street. The project is expected to address two council priorities—improving cell phone service to the southern side of town and generating revenue from its public works properties. Even with the execution of the long-awaited lease agreement, the arrival of the service could still be more than
a year away. The next step will be for the company to secure deals with cellular companies who want to lease space on the tower. During a Sept. 28 public hearing on the lease, there were no speakers.
County Adds Pedestrian Link to Rt. 287 Interchange Project The Board of Supervisors has kicked in another $62,000 to planned improvements at the Rt. 7/Rt. 287 interchange to add a new trail between Eastgate Drive and the W&OD Trail.
PAGE 21
The 1,400-foot connection was not included in the original plan, which included other pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements to the W&OD Trail in the interchange area. The change came in response to public input on the project. Plans, resulting from a VDOT study in 2012, also call for the longer and wider ramps and expanded turn and through lanes. The design is expected to be complete next fall, with construction to be underway by fall 2023. n
LUCKETTS Wildlife Sanctuary Cleanup Planned for Nov. 6 The Lucketts Ruritan Club is partnering with Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy to provide volunteers for pond clean-up and restoration at the JK Black Oak Wildlife Sanctuary. The Nov. 6 event—scheduled to run from 8:30-11:30 a.m.—is rain or shine and limited to 30 people. Volunteers should bring sturdy shoes/boots, gloves, mosquito repellent, hats, shovels and rakes to haul trash from side of the pool. Before the work effort starts, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy will give an introduction to the property, why it is unique, and what the future plans are for this wildlife habitat. For more information, contact Barbara Scott at king.henri@hotmail.com.
PURCELLVILLE Town Nears Cell Tower Lease A year after selecting Wireless Edge from among seven bidders, the Purcell-
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Internship: Project Analyst/Project Assistant
OCTOBER 7, 2021
Round Hill Celebrates with FestiFall
Meridien Group, LLC is seeking a motivated, qualified individual with strong analytical skills. Duties include, but are not limited to:
After cancellations the past two Memorial Days because of COVID-19 restric• Creating, managing and disbursing reports related to the project • Maintaining project assets tions, the Round Hill Hometown Festival • Communications and related database(s) returns on Saturday as the Round Hill • Evaluating and monitoring the overall project “FestiFall.” • Reviewing & reporting the project’s budget and finances • Routinely performing complete or component analysis Taking COVID precautions into ac• Notifying the entire project team about abnormalities or variances count, the Oct. 9 FestiFall will feature The analyst/assistant will help the entire project team complete the project within its planned scope, schedule and family-oriented activity stations spread budget, while serving as a liaison for the project’s technical, functional and non-functional teams. Part-time to fullaround Town. time, and internship positions available immediately. Individual initiates, coordinates, and executes administrative and “The FestiFall is a chance for us to project support to the project manager/team. come together as a community to meet MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS our neighbors old and new and to cele• Education: Pursuing Bachelor’s Degree in the following fields: Business Management, Project Management & brate our small town,” said Mayor Scott Civil Engineering. Ramsey. “All events will be outside and CONTACT INFO Kathy Hicks socially-distanced in order to gather re208 South King Street Suite 303 • Leesburg, VA 20175 sponsibly.” www.meridiengroupllc.com • khicks@meridiengroupllc.com • Office: (703) 777-8285 The day will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the COLOR: Right click swatch, and find and replacetraditional with correct color town, start5K race through ing and ending at Round Hill Elementary
School, followed by a half-mile kids’ fun run, also at the school. The parade starts at 10 a.m. from the corner of Evening Star Drive and Collington Drive. It then proceeds south on Jackson Avenue through Hillwood Estates to Hampton Road and Main Street. From there it follows Main Street into the downtown Round Hill and ends at the Town Park on East Loudoun Street. Music, food, games and other socially-distanced activities to be held at the Round Hill Town Park, Round Hill Baptist Church and the Round Hill United Methodist Church. Activities will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather and COVID-19 conditions permitting. For details, go to hometownfestival.org.n
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.
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Knowing they can live in a community that embraces healthy living. Life in the Key of Beautiful® at Tribute at One Loudoun
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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.
Call to schedule a tour (571) 799-9511 • TributeAtOneLoudoun.com 20335 Savin Hill Dr, Ashburn, VA 20147 Tribute® operates by state and local health guidelines.
fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov • www. fairhousing.vipnet.org
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
PAGE 23
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Town of Leesburg Employment Opportunities Please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs for more information and to apply online. Resumes may be submitted as supplemental only. EOE/ADA. Regular Full-Time Positions Position
Department
Salary Range
Closing Date
Maintenance Worker I
Public Works & Capital Projects
$40,000-$65,186 DOQ
Open until filled
Police Officer
Police
$53,233-$89,590 DOQ
Open until filled
Senior Buyer/Contracts Administrator
Finance
$67,175-$115,044 DOQ
Open until filled
Senior Management & Budget Analyst
Finance
$72,952-$124,893 DOQ
Open until filled
Senior Zoning Analyst
Planning & Zoning
$61,857-$105,896 DOQ
Open until filled
Systems Analyst/Infrastructure & Asset Management
Public Works & Capital Projects
$70,374-$120,339 DOQ
Open until filled
Utility Plant Maintenance Worker
Utilities
$41,353-$70,792 DOQ
Open until filled
Utility Plant Technician: Trainee, Technician or Senior
Utilities
$44,905-$89,790 DOQ
Open until filled
Utility System Trainee or Technician
Utilities
$41,353-$76,882 DOQ
Open until filled
Wastewater Plant Operator: Trainee, I, II or Senior
Utilities
NHLEmployerCard2.pdf 1 $41,353-$89,790 DOQ Open until fi9/3/19 lled
• Accounting/Bookkeeping • • Parts Counter Sales • • Tire Repair Technician • • Road Service Technician • At Western Loudoun’s largest equipment service organization. Experience required. Full benefits package with healthcare and 401k.
BROWNING EQUIPMENT, INC. Purcellville, VA 540-338-7123 sales@browningequipment.com 10:58 AM
Regular Part-Time Position Position Assistant Outreach Program Coordinator
Department
Hourly Rate Parks & Recreation
$23.03-39.43 DOQ
Closing Date Open until filled
To review Ida Lee (Parks & Recreation) flexible part-time positions, please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs. Most positions will be filled at or near the minimum of the range. Dependent on qualifications. All Town vacancies may be viewed on Comcast Cable Channel 67 and Verizon FiOS Channel 35.
FULL TIME FLAGGER C
M
Y
CM
Traffic Plan seeks FT Flaggers to set up and control traffic around construction sites. A valid drivers license is a must, good pay, and benefits. MY
CY
DRIVERS NEEDED Regular & CDL Call 703-737-3011
CMY
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If interested please fill out an application at 7855 Progress Court Suite 103 Gainesville, VA on Wednesdays from 9 am to 12 pm or online at www.trafficplan.com
See the full job listings at
NowHiringLoudoun.com
PAGE 24
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
OCTOBER 7, 2021
THINGS to do
Loco Living
LOCO LIVE Live Music: Melissa Quinn Fox Trio
Friday, Oct. 8, 5:30 p.m. MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com Fox returns to Mac’s beach with her signature high-energy blend of rock and country.
Live Music: James Stevens
Friday, Oct. 8, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: lostbarrel.com Stevens’ ambitious yet widely accessible originals showcase an eye-opening vocal range with covers from Michael Jackson to Metallica to Maroon 5.
Live Music: Hilary Veltri
Friday, Oct. 8, 5:30 p.m. Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com Veltri’s repertoire of covers and originals spans generations and genres from Bob Dylan to Beyonce.
Live Music: Chris Timbers Trio
Photo by Sumser Photography
Loudoun Ballet Performing Arts Company reprises its original ballet “Deep in the Forest” in celebration of its fifth season and a return to the stage after COVID shutdowns.
A Magical Return to the Stage for Ballet Nutcracker Tickets on Sale Next Week BY JAN MERCKER
jmercker@loudounnow.com
For the past 18 months, Lindsay Yee and her fellow dancers at Loudoun Ballet Performing Arts Company have been putting in countless hours of training with few opportunities for public performance. That’s changing this fall as the troupe returns to the stage with two lavish in-person productions. “We’re all so thankful that we’ve been safe and healthy throughout the pandemic. Our studio has worked so hard this whole time, and it’s really made us stronger,” Yee said. “We love performing so much, and when we don’t have live performances and live audiences, you don’t get the whole experience.” Yee, a senior at Heritage High School and the Academies of Loudoun, stars in LBPAC’s fall show—the company’s first live performance since the COVID pandemic hit. “Deep in the Forest” is an original ballet written and directed by LBPAC’s artistic
director Maureen Miller and based on her childhood fascination with fairy folklore. The performance runs Saturday, Oct. 9 and Sunday, Oct. 10 at Loudoun County High School in Leesburg. LBPAC executive producer and founder Cherie Maroni said Miller’s ballet, first performed in 2005 and revived for LBPAC’s debut performance in 2017, is the perfect way to celebrate the company’s fifth anniversary season—and return to live performance after COVID shutdowns. Maroni, who owns the Loudoun School of Ballet, launched LBPAC in 2017 as a feeder company when the school ended its longtime relationship with the now-defunct Loudoun Ballet Company. Maroni said dance has been a lifeline for many of her young dancers during the pandemic. And now it’s time to get them back on stage connecting with audiences. “They were so stoic through COVID. Dance is their life. It’s sort of one of the only things that they continued to have that was normal through COVID,” she said. “They pushed through and they persevered and they kept working really hard, but it’s a little but lackluster when you don’t have an
audience because the kids really thrive on that. The dancers are really rejuvenated and looking forward to being in front of a live audience” Miller’s “Deep in the Forest,” set to the new-age music of David Arkenstone, tells the story of a fairy princess and her unicorn friend who live in a peaceful magic forest. Things get shaken up when a dragon arrives, until the fairy teaches her friends to see beyond the dragon’s prickly exterior. The show, which runs around an hour and 15 minutes, is intended to be family-oriented and create an opportunity for families to bring younger children back to live ballet. “The story is about kindness and forgiveness and understanding and love and friendship,” Maroni said. “It’s sort of what we saw with our kids while they were dancing through COVID. People had to learn to treat each other kindly and this story sort of encompasses all of that. It just was very fitting” Miller said inspiring audiences has always been a big part of this work, and she encourages children in the audience to NUTCRACKER continues on page 27
Friday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m. Social House Kitchen and Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn Details: socialhouseashburn.com Get the weekend started with soulful, chillaxed music vibes from the Chris Timbers Trio.
Live Music: The Reagan Years
Friday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m. Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com One of the region’s favorite 80s tribute bands returns to the Tally Ho for fall fun. Tickets are $20
Live Music: Karen Jonas Duo
Friday, Oct. 8, 8 p.m. Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville Details: monksq.com Jonas is a country and Americana songwriter and performer who’s released five acclaimed albums. Her live shows offer a mix of her award-winning originals, modern alt-country tunes and classic country standards.
Live Music: SideTracked
Saturday, Oct. 9, 1 p.m. Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing Celebrate Saturday with guitar-driven rock ‘n’ roll featuring hits and B-sides from the 60s through the 90s.
Live Music: Juliet Lloyd
Saturday, Oct. 9, 2 p.m. Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro Details: breauxvineyards.com Singer/songwriter/pianist Juliet Lloyd returns to Breaux with signature pop, rock and classic soul favorites.
Live Music: Mercy Creek
Saturday, Oct. 9, 2 p.m. Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn
THINGS TO DO continues on page 26
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
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Fall Highlights: Honoring a Wine Legend BY VISIT LOUDOUN
Last winter, guests at The Wine Reserve at Waterford had the chance to rent a “Wigloo” – a winterized retrofitted ski chalet style tent – in which to enjoy evening glasses of red with close friends at the winery. This fall, The Wine Reserve at Waterford has gone one better with the Twilight Tent, an elegant safari-style tent available for two-hour evening rentals through October. “The tent accommodates up to seven and it’s a lovely space for an intimate tasting in a beautiful setting,” said winery co-owner Cori Phillips. The tent is fully furnished and comes with a Bluetooth speaker for music, ambient lighting and fans to keep air moving. While the winery tasting room is in easy access, staff will deliver bottles of their leading vintages including the superb 2017 “Tenacity” Petit Verdot or the popular 2017 Cab Franc, “The Leap.” Meanwhile, over at the popular Quattro Goombas Winery in Aldie, fall visitors who try the winery’s flagship Piney River Chardonnay or Piney River
Photo by Claudia Pitarque
Quattro Goombas’ Piney River celebrates the Camden family’s deep roots in Virginia’s winemaking community.
White will have their own story to tell: that of co-owner David Camden’s great grandmother Willie Thomas Campbell – “Mama Cam” – quite possibly the first recorded female winemaker in Virginia. Born during the Civil War, “Mama Cam” eloped to Washington, D.C. in 1885 where she and her new husband dined at the famous Hay Adams Hotel. It was there she tasted her first ever glass of wine. She was smitten. She returned to rural Bedford County, Virginia where she began to grow grapes and make wine, supplying friends, family and local churches with communion wine. In honor of his trail-blazing ancestor David Camden named the wines Piney River after her birthplace. From ancient Virginia wine legend to modern ones… October is Virginia Wine Month, which means the annual Loudoun Wine Awards dinner is upon us. The event, which is open to the public, takes place October 15 at Lansdowne Resort & Spa with hundreds of entries and dozens of awards to be won. Enjoy dinner alongside award-winning wines while celebrating
Loudoun’s rich wine country. Tickets for the event are available online. But, it’s not just about wine this fall. October brings fall festivals and the return of one what has been deemed one of the scariest haunted houses in the country. After a hiatus last year, Shocktober is back: the spectacular haunted experience that raises money for the Arc of Loudoun. Join thousands of “fright fans” each weekend in October as they walk the dark and twisty corridors of the manor house built in 1872. Extra surprises this year include a whole new floor of the house, new secret rooms and a 10-foot-tall character named Scarestalker. Sounds charming. Of course, if a dark spooky house is not your idea of fall fun, you can stick to more cerebral pursuits. The weekend of October 16 is the annual Loudoun Farm Tour, which connects people to animals, farmers, demonstrations, pumpkin patches and more. October 14-17 is also the annual Middleburg Film Festival bringing star-studded films, directors and actors to the historic town. There’s more than enough to fill up your fall in Loudoun. n
OCT 1 6 & 1 7, 202 1 Visit LoudounFarmTour.com for more details
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
BEST BETS TICKETS ON (703) 777-1665 SALE NOW! wwww.TallyHoTheater.com
THE UNLIKELY CANDIDATES W/ BROTHER MOSES THE UFO
COWBOY MOUTH
WAILERS 10/07/21
FEB 1
FAREWELL TOUR
FEB 13
FEB 21
DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM
80’S NIGHT WITH
THE REAGAN YEARS
SOUL ASYLUM WITH LOCAL H
FEB 22
UNCLE 10/08/21 KRACKER
DOORS: FEB 28 7PM SHOW: 8PM
CARBON LEAF BROTHERS IN ARMS TOUR
FEB 29
ND 2/7 COBS BA CHRIS JA FIRE 2/8 TRIAL BY 2/14-15 o Nights ANIA Tw EAGLEM ARS 3/6 YE AN THE REAG
PASSAFIRE
19 W Market St., Leesburg, VA For a full schedule please visit
www.TallyHoTheater.com
PASSAFIRE Saturday, Oct. 9, 7 p.m. (doors) Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com
WITH OF GOOD NATURE, JOE SAMBO 10/09/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM
THINGS to do continued from page 24
HUNT COUNTRY CLASSIC BRITISH CAR SHOW Sunday, Oct. 10, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Willoughby Farm, 77397 Frogtown Rd., Marshall mgcarclubdc.com
The Georgia-based rock/reggae band Passafire hits the Tally Ho as part of an East Coast tour. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $50 for VIP seats.
Details: lostrhino.com Mercy Creek returns to the Lost Rhino beer garden with their signature earthy, edgy, aggressive folk-rock.
EVERCLEAR
10/13/21 | DOORS: 7PM | SHOW: 8PM
BLUE OYSTER CULT 10/15/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM
FOREPLAY:
A TRIBUTE TO THE 70’S ROCK 10/16/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM
TWO NIGHTS!
EMMET SWIMMING 10/22 & 10/23/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM
VANILLA FUDGE 10/26/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM
EDWIN MCCAIN 10/28/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM
Live Music: Derek Kretzer Trio
Saturday, Oct. 9, 5-8 p.m. Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: lostbarrel.com Derek Kretzer is a multi-instrumentalist most recognized for his banjo, lead vocal and songwriting duties in the popular progressive bluegrass group The Plate Scrapers.
Live Music: Jake Phillips
Saturday, Oct. 9, 5:30 p.m. Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com Jake Phillips is a singer/songwriter who has traveled the world. With a powerful voice and dynamic guitar skills, Phillips’s repertoire includes original music and an eclectic set of classic folk and alternative covers.
Live Music: Shag Duo
Saturday, Oct. 9, 6 p.m. Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts Details: vanishbeer.com The Shag Duo is back with their blend of British and European rock staples.
Live Music: We Up
Saturday, Oct. 9, 7 p.m. Saigon Outcast, 44921 George Washington Blvd., Ashburn Details: saigonoutcastva.com
Live Music: Ted Garber
Saturday, Sept. 9, 7 p.m. Social House Kitchen and Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn Details: socialhouseashburn.com Garber returns to the Social House with his genrebending, multi-instrumentalist BluesAmericanaRock.
Live Music: Passafire
Saturday, Oct. 9, 7p.m. Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com
EVERCLEAR Wednesday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m. (doors) Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com
Live Music: Everclear
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m. Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com The Tally Ho hosts 90s alt-rock superstars Everclear. Tickets are $49.75.
LOCO CULTURE
Live Music: Shannon Bielski and Moonlight Drive Saturday, Oct. 9, 8 p.m. Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville Details: monksq.com Bielski serves up acoustic renditions of bluegrass, country and pop favorites.
Live Music: Pool Boys
Sunday, Oct. 10, 1 p.m. Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing It’s an afternoon of alt rock from the 90s and early 2000s with The Pool Boys.
Live Music: Ken Wenzel
Sunday, Oct. 10, 2 p.m. Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro Details: breauxvineyards.com Wenzel returns to a favorite venue with his signature roots-rock, country-jazz take on love, learning and life in America.
Live Music: Liberty Street
Sunday, Oct. 10, 2 p.m. Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville Details: flyingacefarm.com Kick back with soft rock favorites from Eric Stanley and Doug Wall.
Live Music: Red, White and Blues
Sunday, Oct. 10, 4 p.m. MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com It’s an afternoon of rock and blues with a tuba for extra fun.
Shocktober
Friday, Oct. 8-Sunday Oct. 10 112 Church St. NE, Leesburg Details: shocktober.org Loudoun’s favorite haunted house is back with four floors of haunted horrors to benefit The Arc of Loudoun. General admission tickets are $40. The experience is rated PG-13. Hauntings continue weekends through Oct. 30. Advance purchase is required. Participants must wear a face covering.
Purcellville Tag Sale
Saturday, Oct. 9, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Town of Purcellville Details: purcellvillevatagsale.com Purcellville’s annual town wide tag sale is an October tradition with great finds all over town. Loudoun Veg Fest Sunday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Village at Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Boulevard SE, Leesburg Details: loudounvegfest.org Learn more about plant-based foods with speakers, cooking demonstrations, vendors, animal rescue organizations and family-oriented entertainment.
OCTOBER 7, 2021
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The Classics Return Downtown Crowds packed into downtown Leesburg for the 33rd Annual Leesburg Car Show on Saturday afternoon. More than 150 classic and unusual King Street was parked up all through downtown Leesburg on Saturday, Oct. 2 for the 33rd cars were parked along King Street, Annual Leesburg Car Show. Loudoun Street and Market Street. The event is a fundraiser for programs at the Academies of Loudoun.
A view of the dashboard of a 1938 Packard two-door convertible on display at the 33rd Annual Leesburg Car Show..
Photos by Renss Greene/Loudoun Now
The Pink Panther takes a ride in the backseat of a pink-and-white 1956 Lincoln Premiere.
Nutcracker continued from page 24 come in magical costumes. “The audience participation in a performance is so important,” Miller said. LBPAC is also bringing back a live “Nutcracker” this year after releasing a modified film version last year because of COVID restrictions. The full-length “Nutcracker” is scheduled for Dec. 3-5 at Loudoun Valley High School in Purcellville. LBPAC is bringing back its pre-COVID practice of hiring professional male dancers to partner with the company’s dancers in key roles including the Cavalier, Nutcracker and Arabian Prince. “We’re really excited to have the men back again. It always adds to the professionalism of the ballet,” Maroni said. Yee, who has also been cast as the Arabian Princess in the LBPAC “Nutcracker,” is looking forward to working with a professional in one of her final performances with the company. Yee is one of a group of high school seniors in the company who has been involved with the Loudoun School of Ballet since preschool. “They’ve all been dancing with us since they were 2 or 3 years old. They’ve grown up with us,” Maroni said. “Their home is
Mike Horton’s 1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass parked in front of Tally Ho Theater.
here with us, and we’re glad they can have a live performance for their senior year.” Yee shares the fairy princess role with senior Sarah Healy, and senior Daisy Denicore dances the role of the unicorn. For Yee, a return to a live audience is especially meaningful as she and her cohort wrap up their time with the company, some for a career in dance and others for college. “I always get this feeling of adrenaline when I think about performing on stage,” Yee said. “It’s something we’ve been working so hard on for the last few months, and now we get to showcase it for a live audience.” LBPAC’s “Deep in the Forest” runs Saturday, Oct. 9 and Sunday, Oct. 10 at 4 p.m. at Loudoun County High School in Leesburg. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children 12 and under. The company’s production of “The Nutcracker” is scheduled for Friday. Dec. 3 at 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 5 at 3 p.m. at Loudoun Valley High School in Purcellville. Ticket sales will open in mid-October. n All attendees age 2 and older are required to wear a mask when inside LCPS buildings, regardless of vaccination status. For tickets and information, go to lbpac.org.
A 1948 GMC Cabover truck at the 33rd Annual Leesburg Car Show.
PAGE 28
AT&T tower continued from page 3 “You can see the site all over western Loudoun, so it has huge visual impact for very little improved coverage, in the bestcase scenario, if AT&T is telling the truth this time,” said George’s Mill Farm owner Sam Kroiz, who was a leading figure in the fight against AT&T’s previous application on the site. He said the application could affect not only his views, but his family’s business. “I have partly an agritourism operation. I have a lot of folks come out on the farm all the time, and they came out to mountain, beautiful scenery that makes people hungry to eat cheese, and that’s a really great thing,” Kroiz said. “The [Loudoun] Farm Tour is coming up in a couple weeks. We’re going to have hundreds if not thousands of visitors out there, and they come to Loudoun for the scenery and the character.” “Western Loudoun has spoken. The mayor of the town has spoken. Can east and west find unanimity here? Can we come together and listen to each other and what each other’s needs are?” asked Peter Weeks, president of the Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains. “Is AT&T such a force for good in our society that we are to accept their arguments as altruistic?” It is not the first time that AT&T’s claims about connectivity have been called into question on that site. During a previous attempt to build a 35-foot-tall facility on top of the mountain, AT&T representatives also claimed that the building would improve connectivity in the area; the county Communications Commission’s research found no evidence that was true. This time, residents and some supervisors were suspicious of the company’s characterization that the cell tower would offer broadband internet service. Supervisors looked to the county’s longstanding prohibition on towers on ridgelines—although there are others on Short Hill Mountain, it has been nearly 30 years since a new one was approved. The county’s comprehensive plan specifically names Short Hill Mountain as one of the ridgelines to be protected. “We know how much lack of cell service, lack of broadband, is disruptive in our lives. We’ve seen that with schools over the pandemic,” said district Supervisor Caleb E. Kershner (R-Catoctin).” But at the same it’s also extremely hard to ignore the fact that this tower is right on top of the Short Hill ridgeline. He pointed out that the Board of Supervisors has been working to expand broadband coverage to the area, including
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
meeting that very night on the county’s ongoing rural broadband initiative. “It wasn’t an easy decision because of the public health concerns,” Kershner said. “I do think that I will continue to work, and I hope many of the businesses will continue to work, to bring the necessary coverage to those dark spots that do exist in the western part of the county.” “At some point, when the language in both the comprehensive plan and the telecommunication plan and the zoning ordinance—when all of that is very unequivocal and specifically cites this location as a place that we do not want monopoles, it’s just not in the latitude for me as the Transportation and Land Use [Committee] chair or me as a supervisor to just disregard that language,” said Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn). Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles), while noting the gaps in cellular coverage in the area, pointed to decades of consistent policy against building monopoles on top of ridgelines. “I didn’t see the overwhelming evidence in this case to overturn decades of fairly consistent land use planning,” Letourneau said. Umstattd said that she supported the project for its expected improvement for cell service for first responders in the area. “I can’t bring myself to put visual impact ahead of public safety,” she said. The tower’s shadow could fall on the mountain again nonetheless—despite the massive public outcry against the tower, state Sen. John J. Bell (D-13) has said that if the Board of Supervisors does not approve it, he will seek to override local authority by bringing the issue to the General Assembly. The Coalition of Loudoun Towns also joined the voices condemning Bell for threatening that unusual step, criticizing it as “highly inappropriate.” “As government has become more challenging and gridlocked at the state and federal level, local governments continue the daily work to deliver key services to our residents: water, public safety, land use and zoning, multi-modal transportation, and direct community engagement. The decisions at the local level, even more critically—land use decisions—should and must remain separate and distinct from the major issues of state and federal policy,” COLT wrote. “Local governments must be immediately responsive and focused on the local issues. As such, this decision should be made by the local governments and residents directly impacted by the decision.” n
OCTOBER 7, 2021
Legal Notices TOWN OF LEESBURG BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held by the Town of Leesburg Board of Zoning Appeals on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, second floor in the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 W. Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20176, to hear the following item: BZA Case number TLZV-2021-0002 – Keil Ritterpusch, Applicant, requests a Variance of 8 feet to the 100 foot building setback from a limited access highway yard area for a swimming pool (swim spa). The residence is located at 119 Dizerega Court, SW, Leesburg, Virginia, 20175. The property subject to this request is further identified as Loudoun County Parcel Identification Number (PIN#) 271-49-4472. Full and complete copies of the above-referenced application and related documents may be examined in the Leesburg Department of Planning and Zoning in the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 W. Market Street, 2nd floor, during regular business hours 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by calling (703) 771-2766 and asking for Mike Ruddy, Assistant Zoning Administrator or Debi Parry, the Secretary to the Board of Zoning Appeals. At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views regarding this matter will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Secretary to the Board three days in advance of the meeting date at (703) 771-2765. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 10/07 & 10/14/21
A message to Loudoun County Property Owners regarding the Land Use Assessment Program from Robert S. Wertz, Jr. Commissioner of the Revenue The Land Use Assessment Program provides for the deferral of real estate taxes on property that meets certain agricultural, horticultural, forestry, or open space use criteria. Real property owners who wish to apply for land use assessment for the first time must submit to my office an application along with the required fee by the filing deadline. Forms are available online, in my office, or can be mailed to you. Owners of real property currently enrolled in the land use assessment program must renew their land use status every 6th year by submitting a renewal form along with documentation corroborating the qualifying land use along with the required fee by the filing deadline. Renewal forms will be mailed the first week of September to those currently enrolled who are up for renewal. You may check your renewal year online at www.loudoun.gov/parceldatabase by entering the property’s address or parcel identification number and selecting the LAND USE STATUS tab. Properties renewed in 2016 are up for renewal this year. An additional deferral of taxes is available to current program participants if they sign and record an agreement to keep the property in its qualifying use for more than 5 but not exceeding 20 years. The commitment must be filed with my office by November 1, 2021 and recorded in the Loudoun County Clerk of the Circuit Court´s office by December 15, 2021. Please visit our website or contact my office for information or filing assistance.
DEADLINES
First-time Land Use applications and Renewal applications must be submitted to the Commissioner of the Revenue by Monday, November 1, 2021. Applications submitted after the deadline; November 2, 2021 through December 6, 2021, are subject to a $300 per parcel late filing fee in addition to with the standard filing fee. No first-time applications or renewal applications will be accepted after the December 6th deadline.
FILING FEES
For submissions received or postmarked by November 1, 2021 -$125 plus $1 per acre or portion thereof For submissions received or postmarked between November 2, 2021 and December 6, 2021 $125 plus $1 per acre or portion thereof plus a $300 per parcel late filing fee Online: www.loudoun.gov/landuse Hours: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, M - F Phone: 703-737-8557 Email: trcor@loudoun.gov Mailing Address Overnight Deliveries PO Box 8000 1 Harrison Street, SE, MSC 32 MSC 32 Leesburg VA 20177-9804 Leesburg, VA 20175-3102
Leesburg Office 1 Harrison Street, SE 1st Floor Leesburg, VA 20175
Sterling Office 21641 Ridgetop Circle, Ste 100 Sterling, VA 20166
09/09, 09/16, 09/23, 09/30, 10/7, 10/21 & 10/28/21
loudounnow.com
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
OCTOBER 7, 2021
PAGE 29
Legal Notices PUBLIC HEARING The LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room on the first floor of the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following:
ZRTD-2021-0002 THAYER ROAD
(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District) Nokes Plaza, LLC of Sterling, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 9.82 acres from the PD-IP (Planned Development-Industrial Park) zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance, to the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, in order to permit the development of all principal and accessory uses permitted in the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.45 (up to 0.60 by Special Exception). The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District. The subject property is approximately 10 acres in size and is located east of Sully Road (Route 28) and on the south side of Nokes Boulevard (Route 1793) and east side of Atlantic Boulevard (Route 1902) at 45564 Thayer Road, Sterling, Virginia in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 030-46-5708. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Mixed Use Place Type)) which designate this area for compact, pedestrian-oriented environments with opportunities for a mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural, and Recreational uses at a recommended FAR of 1.0.
ZMOD-2021-0018 BROADLANDS ASHBURN METRO SECTION 204 (Zoning Ordinance Modification)
Van Metre Broadlands Metro Apartments, of Fairfax, Virginia has submitted an application for a Zoning Ordinance Modification in the Planned Development – Transit Related Center (PD-TRC) zoning district to request the following Zoning Ordinance modification: ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION
PROPOSED MODIFICATION
§5-1403, Landscaping, Buffer Yards, Screening, and Landscape Plans, Road Corridor Buffers and Setbacks, General Provisions, and Road Corridor Buffer and Setbacks Matrix, Table 5-1403(B).
To eliminate the required 75-foot building setback and required 35-foot parking setback along Moorefield Boulevard.
The subject property is being developed pursuant to ZMAP-2016-0010, Broadlands Ashburn Metro, in the PD-TRC zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The subject property is located partially within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contour. The subject property is approximately 11.57 acres in size and is located along the east side of Mooreview Parkway (Route 2298), and south of the Dulles Greenway (Route 267), in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as follows: PIN 119-19-3412 119-19-7523 119-19-2497
PROPERTY ADDRESS N/A 43442 Moorefield Boulevard, Ashburn, Virginia N/A
The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Urban Policy Area (Urban Transit Center Place Type)), which designate this area for a range of Residential, Retail, Office, Entertainment, and Community Activity uses at a recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of up to 2.0.
ZMAP-2016-0011, SPEX-2016-0037, SPEX-2020-0002, SPEX-2020-0003 ZMOD-2021-0010, ZMOD-2021-0011, ZMOD-2021-0012, ZMOD-2021-0013 ZMOD-2021-0014 & ZMOD-2021-0048 AVONLEA II (Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exceptions & Zoning Modifications)
The Peterson Companies of Fairfax, Virginia, has submitted applications for the following: 1) to rezone approximately 15.54 acres from the PD-CC(SC) (Planned Development – Commercial Center (Small Regional Center)) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the R-24 (Multifamily Residential-24) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop up to 447 attached multifamily residential units, at a density of approximately 28.8 dwelling units per acre; and 2) Special Exceptions to permit a 300,000 square foot continuing care facility containing up to 220 beds, an automobile service station in the PD-CC(SC) zoning district, and to develop office uses which exceed 20% of the PD-CC(SC) zoning district. These applications are permitted by Special Exception under Section 4-204. The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s): ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION
PROPOSED MODIFICATION
§4-202(C) PD-CC Planned Development – Commercial Center, Purpose, Size and Location of Individual Districts, Small Regional Center (SC).
To allow a PD-CC(SC) district size less than 20 acres.
§4-205(C)(1)(c) PD-CC Planned Development Commercial Center, Lot Requirements, Yards, Adjacent to Roads, Small Regional Centers (SC).
To reduce parking setback from thirty-five (35) feet to twenty (20) feet from private streets in the PDCC(SC) zoning district.
And
And
§4-205(C)(2) PD-CC Planned Development Commercial Center, Building Requirements, Lot Requirements, Yards, Adjacent to Agricultural and Residential Districts and Land Bays Allowing Residential Uses.
To reduce building and parking setbacks in the PDCC(SC) district from one hundred (100) feet to allow building and parking no closer than 20 feet from the R-24 zoning district.
§4-206(C) PD-CC Planned Development Commercial Center, Building Requirements, Building Height.
To permit a building in Landbay 4 to be erected to a maximum height of 75 feet without an additional increase in yards or setbacks.
§3-702(A) R-24 Multifamily Residential, Size and Location.
To allow access from private roads.
§3-707(B) R-24 Multifamily Residential, Building Requirements, Building Height.
To permit a continuing care facility to be erected to a maximum height of 60 feet without an additional increase to yards.
§3-710(A)(1) R-24 Multifamily Residential, Development Setback and Access from Major Roads, Private Streets.
To allow private streets to serve commercial uses in R-24 Zoning District and to allow private streets to serve a continuing care facility.
The subject property is approximately 28.81 acres in size and is located on the south side of James Mosby Highway (Route 50), east of Pinebrook Road (Route 827) and southwest of Loudoun County Parkway (Route 606) in the Dulles Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 163-17-6609 and PIN: 163-17-5121. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area) in the Suburban Mixed Use Place Type which designate this area for a mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural and Recreational uses at recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0.
ZMAP-2020-0015 DULLES 28 TECHNOLOGY PARK (Zoning Map Amendment)
Long Drive Land Company LLC of Washington, DC, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 39.817 acres from the PD-CC(RC) (Planned Development-Commercial Center (Regional Center) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance and PD-CH (Planned Development -Commercial Highway) zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-IP (Planned Development-Industrial Park) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The proposed Zoning Map Amendment would allow up to 531,060 square feet of data center uses on the proposed Landbay 1, and up to 154,344 square feet on the proposed Landbay 2 of either 1) up to 100% of any by-right PD-IP district uses other than office and auxiliary service uses, or 2) up to 49% office uses and the balance being any by-right PD-IP uses other than office and auxiliary services uses. The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District, the Route 28 Corridor Business Optional Overlay District, the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60, aircraft noise contours, and partially within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District). The subject property is approximately 39.83 acres in size and is located on the north side of Waxpool Road (Route 625) and on the west side of Pacific Boulevard (Route 1036) at 45128, 45130, and 45136 Waxpool Road, Sterling, Virginia, in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as follows: PIN 043-37-2508
PROPERTY ADDRESS N/A
043-27-3683
N/A
043-27-4656
N/A
043-27-5728
N/A
043-17-8099
N/A
043-17-5778
N/A
043-17-2630
45128, 45130 & 45136 Waxpool Road, Sterling, Virginia
043-16-9304
N/A
044-47-0591
N/A
The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area) in the Suburban Mixed Use Place Type which designate this area for a mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural and Recreational uses at recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
Legal Notices ZMAP-2020-0013, SPEX-2020-0009, ZMOD-2020-0030 ZMOD-2020-0031 & ZMOD-2021-0019 COMMONWEALTH CENTER RESIDENTIAL (Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exceptions & Zoning Modifications)
The Peterson Companies, of Fairfax, Virginia, has submitted applications for the following: 1) to rezone an approximately 23.03 acre portion of a larger parcel from the PD-CC(SC) (Planned Development – Commercial Center (Small Regional Center) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the R-24 Affordable Dwelling Unit (Multifamily Residential with Affordable Dwelling Units) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop 507 residential units, consisting of a maximum of 222 stacked multi-family units and a maximum of 285 attached multi-family units, at a density of 22.01 dwelling units per acre; and 2) Special Exception to reduce the minimum front yard from 25 feet to 10 feet and reduce the minimum side yard from 10 feet minimum and 25 feet minimum on corner lots to 10 feet for corner lots for Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) developments in the R-24 zoning district. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The modification of the lot and building requirements for affordable dwelling unit developments is authorized by Special Exception under Section 7-1003. The Applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modifications: ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION
PROPOSED MODIFICATION
§3-707(B) R-24 Multifamily Residential, Building Requirements, Building Height.
Allow for building heights of 60 feet without additional setback requirements for a height over 45 feet for both the attached and stacked multifamily buildings.
§5-1403(B) Landscaping, Buffer Yards, Screening, and Landscape Plans; Road Corridor Buffers and Setbacks; Road Corridor Buffer and Setbacks Matrix, Table 5-1403(B).
Reduce the minimum building and parking setbacks for All other roads in nonresidential districts from 25 feet (parking) to allow for 10-foot building and parking setbacks along Commonwealth Center Drive.
§3-702(A) R-24 Multifamily Residential, Size and Location.
Modify requirement that access in locations abutting arterials and major collectors be provided only via minor collector roads to allow for access to lots created after rezoning to be provided by Category A & B private roads.
The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District and within the Route 28 Corridor Business Overlay District and is also located partially within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District) and minor floodplain. The property is located within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 noise contours. The subject property is an approximately 23.03 acre portion of a larger parcel and is located on the east side of Loudoun County Parkway (Route 607) and the south side of Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7) in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as a portion of PIN: 040-35-9407. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area), in the Suburban Mixed Use Place Type which designate this area for a mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural and Recreational uses at recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0.
Unless otherwise noted in the above notices, copies of the above-referenced amendments, applications, ordinances, and/or plans and related documents may be examined by request 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 703-777-0246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies, or electronically at www.loudoun.gov/lola. This link also provides an additional opportunity for public input on active applications. To arrange a time to view the file at the Loudoun County Government Center, please email dpz@loudoun.gov or call 703-777-0246, or you may view the file electronically at www.loudoun.gov/lola. For detailed instructions on how to access documents using LOLA, to request that documents be emailed to you, to receive physical copies of documents, or to arrange a time to view the file at the Loudoun County Government Center, please email DPZ@loudoun.gov or call 703-777-0246 (option 5). Additionally, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically the week before the hearing at www.loudoun.gov/pc. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, members of the public are encouraged to view the public hearing electronically; however, the Board Room will be open for any members of the public who wish to attend in person with appropriate physical distancing. Planning Commission public hearings are available for viewing on television on Comcast Government Channel 23, Open Band Channel 40, and Verizon FiOS Channel 40, and are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/webcast. All members of the public will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. Citizens are encouraged to call in advance to sign up to speak at the public hearing. If you wish to sign up in advance of the hearing, please call the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246 prior to 12:00 PM on the day of the public hearing. Speakers may also sign up at the hearing. Written comments are welcomed at any time and may be sent to the Loudoun County Planning Commission, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 3rd Floor, MSC #62, Leesburg, Virginia 20175, or by e-mail to loudounpc@loudoun.gov. Any individual representing and/or proposing to be the sole speaker on behalf of a citizen’s organization or civic association is encouraged to contact the Department of Planning and Zoning prior to the date of the public hearing if special arrangements for additional speaking time and/or audiovisual equipment will be requested. Such an organization representative will be allotted 6 minutes to speak, and the Chairman may grant additional time if the request is made prior to the date of the hearing and the need for additional time is reasonably justified. Citizens are encouraged to call the Department of Planning and Zoning on the day of the public hearing to confirm that an item is on the agenda, or, the most current agenda may be viewed on the Planning Commission’s website at www.loudoun.gov/pc. In the event that the second Thursday is a holiday or the meeting may not be held due to inclement weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend, the meeting will be moved to the third Tuesday of the month. In the event that Tuesday is a holiday or the Tuesday meeting may not be held due to inclement weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend, the meeting will be held on the following Thursday. The meeting will be held at a place determined by the Chairman. Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings at all other locations. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory or mental disability to participate in this meeting, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246. Please provide three days’ notice. BY ORDER OF:
FOREST HAYES, CHAIRMAN LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
PUBLIC NOTICE
TOWN OF LEESBURG
The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary record plat of subdivision for the following project.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
SBPR-2021-0014 Braddock Road Property Sunil Vundela of SVK SAI LLC of Brambleton, VA is requesting PRELIMINARY/RECORD plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately five (5.74) acres into six (6) residential lots and one (1) open space lot. The property is located along Braddock Road (Route 620), west of Ticonderoga Road (Route 613). The property is zoned TR-1LF (Transitional Residential - 1) under the provisions of the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as PIN 166-26-7839-000 in the Dulles Election District. Additional information regarding this application may be found on the Loudoun Online Land Applications System www.loudoun.gov/LOLA by searching for SBPR-2021-0014. Complete copies of the above referenced application(s) are also available for public review at the Loudoun County Department of Building and Development, Land Development File Room, 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, physical public access to the file may be interrupted. You may contact the project manager to arrange for alternative access to the file if necessary. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Eric Blankenship at eric.blankenship@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development, 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by November 12, 2021. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary/record subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.09 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO). 10/07/21
10/07 & 10/14/21
TLAP-2021-0001 CORNERSTONE CHAPEL PROFFER APPEAL Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 W. Market Street, Leesburg VA 20176 to consider an appeal of an administrative decision by the Zoning Administrator. The subject property is located at 650 Battlefield Parkway SE, and is identified by Parcel Identification Number 190-26-2026. Rezoning Application TLZM-2008-0001, Cornerstone Chapel, includes proffered building elevations. The owner of the property has submitted building elevations for a proposed building that the Zoning Administrator has determined are not in substantial conformance with the proffered building elevations. The owner has filed an appeal of this decision. Pursuant to Zoning Ordinance Sec. 3.15.5, Town Council shall hold a public hearing and render a decision. Copies and additional information regarding this proffer interpretation appeal are available at the Department of Planning & Zoning located on the 2nd floor of Leesburg Town Hall, 25 W. Market Street, Leesburg VA 20176 during normal business hours (Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or by contacting Michael Watkins, Zoning Administrator, via email at mwatkins@leesburgva.gov, or via telephone at 703-737-7920. This appeal case is identified by the application number TLAP-2021-0001. At this hearing all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 771-2773 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 09/30/21 & 10/07/21
OCTOBER 7, 2021
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Legal Notices The LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS will hold a business meeting in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, at 5:00 p.m. on TUESDAY, October 19, 2021 in order to consider:
MODIFICATION OF THE PERIOD BEFORE THE NEXT REVIEW OF, AND EXCLUSION OF PORTIONS OF CERTAIN PARCELS FROM, THE NEW ROCKLAND AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTAL DISTRICT The current period of the New Rockland Agricultural and Forestal District will expire on November 15, 2021. The District currently has a 10-year period before its next review and a subdivision minimum lot size of 20 acres. Pursuant to Chapter 1226 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County, the Board of Supervisors has directed staff, the Agricultural District Advisory Committee, 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 north of White’s Ferry Road (Route 655), south of Limestone School Road (Route 661), west of the Potomac River and east of and along James Monroe Highway (Route 15), in the Catoctin Election District. The Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on September 14, 2021, in order to determine whether to continue, modify or terminate the New Rockland Agricultural and Forestal District. At the public hearing, the Board of Supervisors indicated its intent to establish a new 4-year period before the next review of the District, which is different from the current 10-year period established when the District was created or most recently continued. The Board also indicated its intent to modify the land area of the District to exclude from renewal any land area located within parcels proposed for renewal in the District that may be needed for planned road improvements along the Route 15 corridor as anticipated by the 2019 Countywide Transportation Plan (2019 CTP), Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-FY 2026 Amended Capital Improvement Program (CIP), and other prior Board directives, and to accommodate the potential acquisition/improvements of the White’s Ferry landing/right-of-way for the White’s Ferry transportation project. Specifically, the following land area will be excluded from the renewal of the parcels identified as Parcel Identification Number (PIN): 143-36-5724 (7.67 acres to be excluded) and 183-28-8314 (22.99 acres to be excluded), as shown on the map below.
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE §§ 1-211.1, 8.01-316, -317, 20-104
Case No.: CA 20-36
Loudoun County Circuit Court 18 East Market St., Leesburg, Va 20176 Robert Goodson v. Brian C. Daniels The object of this suit is to adopt Jasmine A. Daniels by Robert Goodson, her stepfather (in re: Adoption of Jasmine A. Daniels It is ORDERED that Brian C. Daniels appear at the above-named Court and protect his interests on November, 19 2021 at 2:00 pm. 09/16, 09/23, 09/30 & 10/07/21
Landowners of the following parcels, currently enrolled in the New Rockland Agricultural and Forestal District, were notified by first class mail of the modification to the District’s current period. PIN
Tax Map Number
Acres Enrolled
142262282000
/30////////19A
26.65
142365964000
/30////////20B
24.29
*, ***143365724000
/40/////////1C
485.75
144350845000
/40///1////15/
10.44
***183288314000
/40/////////1A
117.72
**185407705000
/40///1////14/
11.6
Parcel Listings * Indicates a parcel whose owner is withdrawing a portion of the parcel from the District. ** Indicates a parcel containing at least 5 acres but less than 20 acres whose owner did not properly apply for renewal. *** Indicates a parcel with land area being excluded from renewal that is needed for Route 15 corridor improvements and/or the White’s Ferry transportation project. The Board of Supervisors is anticipated to act to renew the New Rockland Agricultural and Forestal District, and establish a new 4-year period before the next review of the District and exclude the above-described land area needed for Route 15 corridor improvements and/or the White’s Ferry transportation project, at its Business Meeting on October 19, 2021. A map showing the renewed District may be examined by request at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 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 (5-20-2021 ADAC Meeting under Agendas and Bylaws). Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the Business Meeting at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments (for Business Meeting documents, follow the link for “Board of Supervisors Business Meetings, Public Hearings and Special Meetings”). 9/30 & 10/7/21
LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS FOR: ON-DEMAND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES - REISSUE, RFP No. 441782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, October 28, 2021. Solicitation forms may be obtained 24 hours a day by visiting our web site at www.loudoun.gov/ procurement. If you do not have access to the Internet, call (703) 777-0403, M - F, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. WHEN CALLING, PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ANY TYPE OF DISABILITY IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCUREMENT. 10/07/21
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
Legal Notices The LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS will hold a business meeting in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, at 5:00 p.m. on TUESDAY, October 19, 2021 in order to consider:
PIN
Tax Map Number
Acres Enrolled
PIN
Tax Map Number
Acres Enrolled
425401044000
/58////////18/
10.25
494454041000
/56///6/////9/
15.02
425405442000
/58////////17/
5.89
494459679000
/56///6/////7/
10.01
MODIFICATION OF THE PERIOD BEFORE THE NEXT REVIEW OF THE NEW MOUNT GILEAD AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTAL DISTRICT
425456705000
/57////////46A
31.76
494460223000
/56///6/////8/
10
The current period of the New Mount Gilead Agricultural and Forestal District will expire on December 6, 2021. The District currently has a 10-year period before its next review and a subdivision minimum lot size of 20 acres. Pursuant to Chapter 1226 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County, the Board of Supervisors has directed staff, the Agricultural District Advisory Committee, 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 Hughesville Road (Route 725), west of James Monroe Highway (Route 15), east of Silcott Springs Road (Route 690), and north of Snickersville Turnpike (Route 734) in the Blue Ridge and Catoctin Election Districts. The Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on September 14, 2021, in order to determine whether to continue, modify or terminate the New Mount Gilead Agricultural and Forestal District. At the public hearing, the Board of Supervisors indicated its intent to establish a new 4-year period before the next review of the District, which is different from the current 10-year period established when the District was created or most recently continued. Landowners of the following parcels, currently enrolled in the New Mount Gilead Agricultural and Forestal District, were notified by first class mail of the modification to the District’s current period.
Parcel Listings PIN
Tax Map Number
Acres Enrolled
PIN
Tax Map Number
Acres Enrolled
388353823000
/58////////15/
7.32
493187455000
/56///3/////4/
10.29
389255169000
/58////////25A
38.12
493277802000
/56///3/////6/
6.52
389354528000
/58////////25/
15.45
493277835000
/56///3/////7/
10.12
389354963000
/58////////25C
31.54
493285062000
/56///3/////8/
12.91
389455836000
/58////////26/
41.38
493287001000
/56///3/////5/
10
424106194000
/58///8/////1/
10
493368965000
/56///3////12/
10.02
424157224000
/57////////46B
28.79
493377501000
/56///3////10/
10
424294402000
/57//21/////8/
62.37
494100868000
/56//15/////6/
10.53
425178473000
/57////////51D
49.05
494201489000
/56//15////22/
12.94
425268364000
/57////////50/
13.56
494253940000
/56///7////11A
4.47
425301174000
/58////////19A
6.23
494256325000
/56///7////11B
5.45
425370341000
/57////////46/
40.51
494294115000
/56//15/////7/
20.07
425393728000
/57////////45/
12.89
494302670000
/56//15////23/
10.85
425398911000
/57/A/1/////A/
2.01
494402858000
/56//15////24/
14.4
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
Case No. CL-21-2265
Case No. CL-21-2993
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE §§ 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE §§ 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104
LOUDOUN COUNTY Circuit Court
LOUDOUN COUNTY Circuit Court
18 EAST MARKET ST., LEESBURG, VA 20176
18 EAST MARKET ST., LEESBURG, VA 20176
STEPHANIE VILLALOBOS
GEORGINA MENDOZA
v.
v.
FRANKLIN O. CORDOVA
EWVIN NAJERA
The object of this suit is to:
The object of this suit is to:
UNCONTESTED DIVORCE ONE YEAR SEPARATION
UNCONTESTED DIVORCE SIX MONTH SEPARATION
It is ORDERED that Franklin O. Cordova appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before 11/19/2021 at 2:00 PM. 10/07, 10/14, 10/21 & 10/28/21
It is ORDERED that Ewvin Najera appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before 11/19/2021 at 2:00 PM. 10/07, 10/14, 10/21 & 10/28/21
425496500000
/58////////19/
5.75
494466227000
/56///6/////3/
10.32
456264401000
/45///7/////A/
16.36
494472331000
/56///6/////6/
6.39
457261326000
/45////////47/
119.47
494478435000
/56///4/////1/
8.04
458107561000
/57//20////18/
17.02
494480383000
/56///3/////2/
8.52
458256717000
/57/////////5/
52.15
495179718000
/56//19/////9/
10.04
458454271000
/45//13/////4/
20.05
495187629000
/56//19////13/
14.83
459101578000
/57///6/////4/
10.01
495474679000
/56//15////14/
14.23
459107374000
/57///6/////5/
10.51
495484478000
/56//15////10/
10.19
459194070000
/57///2/////D/
10
527189190000
/44////////23A
112.63
459202520000
/57////////47D
3
528484773000
/44////////24A
16.51
459254218000
/57//23/////1/
35.25
528499083000
/44////////24B
10
459258283000
/57//23/////2/
18.55
529208759000
/56///7////12/
9.63
459352627000
/57//23/////3/
27.92
529301433000
/56///7////14/
10
459454463000
/57//23/////5/
23.01
529406516000
/56//20////16/
16.55
492361990000
/44///9////13/
12.61
*459205171000
/57////////47E
31.29
492385314000
/44////////32/
14.88
**493390590000
/56////////65A
10.9
492470300000
/44///9/////1/
14.82
**493481923000
/56////////65/
16.44
493178268000
/56///3/////3/
5.97
**529307348000
/56//20////17/
14.96
* Indicates a parcel whose owner is withdrawing it from the District. ** Indicates a parcel containing at least 5 acres but less than 20 acres whose owner did not properly apply for renewal. The Board of Supervisors is anticipated to act to renew the New Mount Gilead Agricultural and Forestal District, and establish a new 4-year period before the next review of the District, at its Business Meeting on October 19, 2021. A map showing the renewed District may be examined by request at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 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 (5-20-2021 ADAC Meeting under Agendas and Bylaws). Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the business meeting at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments (for Business Meeting documents, follow the link for “Board of Supervisors Business Meetings, Public Hearings and Special Meetings”). 9/30 & 10/7/21
ORDER OF PUBLICATION COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316 Case No.:
JJ044218-04-00
Don’t miss the show.
Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Isabella S. Montenegro Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. Jeffrey Wayne McGowan, putative father The object of this suit is to hold a 2nd permanency planning review hearing pursuant to Va. Code Sections 16.1-282.1, 63.2-906 and 63.2-910.2 for Isabella S. Montenegro. It is ORDERED that the defendant Jeffrey Wayne McGowan, putative father appear at the above named Court and protect his interests on or before October 26, 2021 at 3:00 pm. 09/23, 09/30, 10/07 & 10/14/21
GETOUTLOUDOUN.COM GetOutLoudoun.com
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
OCTOBER 7, 2021
PAGE 33
Legal Notices TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Loudoun County Public Schools
APPROVAL OF A BOUNDARY LINE AGREEMENT TO CHANGE THE BOUNDARY LINE BETWEEN THE TOWN OF LEESBURG, VIRGINIA AND LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA Pursuant to Virginia Code § 15.2-3106, et seq., notice is hereby given that on: Tuesday, October 12, 2021, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA the Town of Council of the Town of Leesburg will hold a public hearing to consider the following: Approval of a Boundary Line Agreement with Loudoun County, Virginia, (“County”) to change the existing boundary line between the Town of Leesburg (“Town”) and the County. The proposed boundary line change would incorporate into the municipal limits of the Town a land area containing 35.13 acres, more or less, being all of the property identified as Loudoun County Parcel Identification Numbers (PINs) 234-39-2601-000, owned by Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust; 234-29-0522-000, owned by CC Outparcel, LC; PIN 234-29-4515-000, owned by Compass Creek Parkway, LLC; and a portion of the abutting right-of-way of Compass Creek Parkway fronting along the western side of PIN 234-392601-000, and containing 2.65 acres, more or less, of existing right of way dedicated for public street purposes. The new location of the boundary line between the Town and the County would correspond generally from the existing municipal limits at Compass Creek Parkway and along the west right-of-way line of Compass Creek Parkway for a distance of approximate 1,100 feet, and crossing Compass Creek Parkway to the east right of way line of Compass Creek Parkway and along the east right of way line of Compass Creek Parkway for a distance of approximately 570 feet and leaving the Compass Creek Parkway right of way and along the southern boundary line of PIN 234-29-4515-000 to the existing municipal limits of the Town. The property to be incorporated into the Town is located along Compass Creek Parkway between Compass Creek Parkway and the Leesburg Municipal Airport, in the Catoctin Election District, and as depicted on the map.
Elementary School Attendance Zone Change Process Elaine E. Thompson Elementary School (ES-23) is scheduled to open in fall 2022, with the start of the 2022-2023 academic year. The school is located within the Arcola Center development at 24200 Pissarro Drive in Sterling. In establishing an attendance zone for Elaine E. Thompson Elementary School, the current attendance boundaries for Arcola, Creighton’s Corner, Goshen Post, Legacy, Madison’s Trust, Rosa Lee Carter and Sycolin Creek Elementary Schools will be reviewed. The Loudoun County School Board has scheduled a series of meetings to facilitate the necessary elementary school attendance zone changes. Date
Time
Elementary School Attendance Zone Meetings
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
7:00 p.m.
School Board Attendance Zone Overview
Monday, October 18, 2021
7:00 p.m.
Staff Briefing & School Board Attendance Zone Public Hearing
Thursday, October 21, 2021
7:00 p.m.
School Board Attendance Zone Work Session
Wednesday, October 27, 2021
7:00 p.m.
Staff Briefing & School Board Attendance Zone Public Hearing
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
7:00 p.m.
School Board Attendance Zone Work Session
Tuesday, November 30, 2021*
6:30 p.m.
School Board Review of Elementary School Attendance Zone Recommendations
Tuesday, December 7, 2021
7:00 p.m.
Staff Briefing & School Board Attendance Zone Public Hearing
Tuesday, December 14, 2021*
6:30 p.m.
School Board Adoption of Elementary School Attendance Zones
*Regular School Board Business Meeting All attendance zone meetings will be held at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building (21000 Education Court, Ashburn). The meetings will also be broadcast live on Comcast channel 18 and Verizon FIOS channel 43, as well as viewable via simultaneous webcast on the Loudoun County Public Schools website (www.lcps.org). In-person and virtual comment will be accepted at the three designated public hearings. Detail on how to sign up to speak at an attendance zone public hearing is posted on the LCPS webpage (https://www.lcps.org/Page/226240). Individuals may sign up to speak, in advance, by emailing Public.Comment@lcps.org or calling 571-252-1030; walk-up speaker registration will also be accepted at the LCPS Administration Building beginning at 6:30p.m., until five minutes before the start of the meeting, on the day of each attendance zone public hearing. Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, in order to participate meaningfully in School Board meetings or public hearings, should contact the Superintendent’s Office at 571-252-1030 at least three days prior to the meeting. Beverly I. Tate, Director Loudoun County Public Schools Division of Planning Services 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, Virginia 20148 Telephone: 571-252-1050 Email: LCPSPlan@lcps.org 10/07/21
A copy of the draft Boundary Line Agreement is on file in the Town Clerk’s office, 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 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. 09/30 & 10/07/2021
NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLES This notice is to inform the owner and any person having a security interest in their right to reclaim the motor vehicle herein described within 15 days after the date of storage charges resulting from placing the vehicle in custody, and the failure of the owner or persons having security interests to exercise their right to reclaim the vehicle within the time provided shall be deemed a waiver by the owner, and all persons having security interests of all right, title and interest in the vehicle, and consent to the sale of the abandoned motor vehicle at a public auction. This notice shall also advise the owner of record of his or her right to contest the determination by the Sheriff that the motor vehicle was “abandoned”, as provided in Chapter 630.08 of the Loudoun County Ordinance, by requesting a hearing before the County Administrator in writing. Such written request for a hearing must be made within 15 days of the notice. YR.
MAKE
MODEL
VIN
STORAGE
PHONE#
2005 2002 2003 2012 2020 2006
FORD SUZUKI AUDI FORD FORD CHRYSLER
FREESTYLE SUV A4 FOCUS ECOSPORT 300
1FMZK01135GA47963 JS3TX92V524118824 WAULC68E23A341144 1FAHP3F25CL172106 MAJ653KL3LC321715 2C3KA53G86H109116
AL’S TOWING AL’S TOWING AL’S TOWING ROADRUNNER D&M TOWING BATTLEFIELD
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LOUDOUNNOW.COM
PAGE 34
Legal Notices The LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS will hold a business meeting in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, at 5:00 p.m. on TUESDAY, October 19, 2021 in order to consider:
MODIFICATION OF THE PERIOD BEFORE THE NEXT REVIEW OF THE NEW HUGHESVILLE AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTAL DISTRICT The current period of the New Hughesville Agricultural and Forestal District will expire on December 6, 2021. The District currently has a 10-year period before its next review and a subdivision minimum lot size of 25 acres. Pursuant to Chapter 1226 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County, the Board of Supervisors has directed staff, the Agricultural District Advisory Committee, 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 Hughesville Road (Route 725), east of Telegraph Springs Road (Route 611), west of Shelbourne Glebe Road (Route 729), and north of North Fork Road (Route 728) in the Blue Ridge and Catoctin Election Districts. The Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on September 14, 2021, in order to determine whether to continue, modify or terminate the New Hughesville Agricultural and Forestal District. At the public hearing, the Board of Supervisors indicated its intent to establish a new 4-year period before the next review of the District, which is different from the current 10-year period established when the District was created or most recently continued. Landowners of the following parcels, currently enrolled in the New Hughesville Agricultural and Forestal District, were notified by first class mail of the modification to the District’s current period.
Parcel Listings PIN
Tax Map Number
Acres Enrolled
PIN
Tax Map Number
Acres Enrolled
423465298000
/45//38/////A/
200.51
491207761000
/45////////29/
5.33
457300111000
/45//50////B1/
25
492401152000
/45//17/////3/
3.84
457464769000
/45//17/////2/
50.07
492406871000
/45//17/////1/
50.07
459295147000
/57//12/////1B
12.91
*457393105000
/45//50////B2/
32.65
459394908000
/57///2/////B/
15
* Indicates a parcel whose owner is withdrawing it from the District.
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A map showing the renewed District may be examined by request at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 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 (5-20-2021 ADAC Meeting under Agendas and Bylaws). Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the business meeting at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments (for Business Meeting documents, follow the link for “Board of Supervisors Business Meetings, Public Hearings and Special Meetings”).
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OCTOBER 7, 2021
Opinion Core Needs Something refreshing—and, unfortunately, unusual—happened during Tuesday’s School Board meeting. As the board worked to select a resident of the Broad Run District to fill the vacant seat, a conversation about educational priorities happened. Although the seven community members offering to serve in the post represented a wide spectrum of political leanings, business and cultural backgrounds, and levels of previous public service experience, each was able to present a vision for improving the school division without the shouting and insults that have come to dominate the board’s meeting room over the past year. For several hours, they talked about how to achieve excellence in education, how to recruit top-tier educators, how to prepare students to make meaningful impacts on the future, how to be better stewards of the taxpayer’s purse, and even how to improve on-time graduation rates. It was a stark departure from the disruptive, unproductive conduct to which we have become accustomed in that chamber. And it was illustrative of the progress that could be made if the community can move beyond the vitriol that has filled the spaces where dialogue once lived. Certainly, there are some who hope to score partisan points by keeping the controversies stirring, but the community would be better served by returning the focus to core educational needs—like the ones discussed at length during this week’s session. If the members are able to put politics aside, the School Board’s selection of temporary appointment to fill the vacant seat just might offer an opportunity to promote such a reset. n
Norman K. Styer, Publisher and Editor nstyer@loudounnow.com
Published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC
EDITORIAL Renss Greene, Deputy Editor rgreene@loudounnow.com
15 N. King St., Suite 101 Leesburg, VA, 20176
Jan Mercker, Reporter jmercker@loudounnow.com
PO Box 207 Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723
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LETTERS to the Editor Selfish Tone Editor: The article “Leesburg Council Holds Off on Vaccine Mandate Vote” regarding police officer objections is very, very disturbing. The objections to COVID mandates have a highly partisan, political echo to ones we’ve heard across the country. They seem to ignore the public health crisis. The objectors are misinformed and have a strongly selfish ring to them. I’ve been part of the Leesburg community from the time when the Mighty Midget Kitchen was built from B-29 parts to recent years when I had a business at Leesburg Airport. This whining and veiled threats over resignations and leaving the police force shorthanded is a new and troubling trend. Where were their objections to school entry mandates for children to have Hepatitis, TDAP, Measles-mumps-rubella or polio vaccines prior to starting school? Are those diseases somehow more lethal than COVID-19 and deserve more respect or fear? COVID cases are filling ERs and ICUs across the country that put people with other medical emergencies at risk. What are the objectors watching when those news reports fill the evening news, or don’t they watch those news shows? Where would we be if they
objected to the smallpox vaccine? How is the Leesburg police force so much more at risk from the vaccines than employees of major companies like United Airlines and Disney who have implemented—and enforced—vaccine mandates? Is it really a matter of risk or do they just object to being told what to do? It looks like their news sources avoid telling them that the vaccinations are safe. Covid vaccines are safe, help prevent the spread of Covid and lessen the chances of new, more deadly variants benefits for those around us. These mandates along with those for school children are the result of careful, reasoned analysis from our best and brightest doctors and epidemiologists, the ones we’ve hired to guard our health and far, far better informed than a bunch of TV pundits, politicians and social media “experts” lacking peer review and self-checking. The whining over mandates has a deep selfish tone about their rights and nothing about the health rights of their neighbors. This has gone too far. Roll up your sleeve, get vaccinated and help your neighbors. — Dan Stapleton, Aldie LETTERS TO THE EDITOR continues on page 37
LOUDOUNNOW.COM
OCTOBER 7, 2021
Readers’ Poll
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:
The Board of Supervisors is updating the county government’s energy strategy. What should be the top priority?
Should local governments and businesses require vaccines or frequent testing for employees?
LETTERS to the editor continued from page 36
A Safe Space Editor: I am not surprised by the negative comments about the School Board’s transgender policy (Policy 8040) made by some of our residents and those across the country who feel the need to weigh in. Generally speaking, when people don’t understand something rather than attempt to educate themselves they rush to judgment and at times, resort to hatespeech. I have read about some LCPS staff saying that they refuse to follow the policy because in doing so they are lying to children. Using a student’s preferred pronouns is not lying to them. Not using their preferred pronouns is denying children of perhaps one of the few places where they feel safe—school. Feeling comfortable enough to share their pronouns and their authentic selves is one of the purposes of this policy. These students want to feel they matter; that they are included. As a mother of a transgender daughter, I can attest to the fact that despite what some people might think she did not “decide” to become transgender. In fact, she has expressed to me that if she had a choice she would not have chosen this for her life. Having people who love and support her has been paramount in her accepting of herself as who she is. Many of the students across the county for a number of reasons rely on school as being the one place where they feel safe. I do believe that the comments made by some of the teachers about how they care about their students while not agreeing with the policy are true. However, if they truly care they will educate themselves on gender identity
PAGE 37
Share your views at loudounnow.com/polls
specifically gender dysphoria. If they are still uncomfortable because of religious reasons, maybe teaching in a parochial school would be best. If they are opposed to the policy not for religious reasons, they should consider a new profession. — Francine Works, Leesburg
Do More Editor: I read with interest the recent opinion piece on the need for Board of Supervisors to do more to increase the supply of attainable housing. While I disagree on some aspects of the piece, I do believe the Board needs to increase the supply of “for sale” attainable housing. A variety of “for sale” housing will offer our local fire and rescue workers, Sheriff ’s Office employees and others the opportunity to live in the county where they provide a vital service to us. Many of our first responders live outside Loudoun County and drive quite a distance because they cannot afford to buy a home in the county in which they serve. The Board of Supervisors has to do a better job of encouraging “for sale” homes that are affordable to our hardworking first responders as well as others who work in Loudoun County but cannot afford to live here. — Mark Sell, Leesburg
Harming Children Editor: We are concerned that the Loudoun County School Board is harming children while minimizing visibility of their own actions and of citizen objections. At the Sept. 28 meeting, some members of the press were apparently denied access, and therefore speakers (admitted one at a time to address the board) were only filmed by selected media. Meanwhile, the official LCPS video feed did not
show the speakers. It seems quite clear what is going on: Damage control. LCPS has been caught implementing an agenda that is way out of line with what most citizens and parents know to be right. To take just one example, angry parents at recent meetings read lewd and obscene content from books currently in the schools, sometimes even displaying visuals. LCPS, in the fall of 2019, with approval from Loudoun Democrats, adopted a “Diversity Classroom Library Initiative,” placing hundreds of books into all LCPS libraries. When I reviewed these lists in 2019, I noted their quite heavy emphasis upon LGBTQ-related issues. Clearly, we are in a culture war. Those on the Democrat side seem to insist that kids should be exposed to sexually explicit content from an early age and taught to see the world through Marxist CRT glasses, that equality under the law is wrong, that everyone (or at least those with approved opinions) should do what they wish, that truth and moral law do not exist, and that might makes right. If these are good ideas, they should be argued openly. But they ought not be implemented under cover of darkness. Nor should our institutions be weaponized against citizens and taxpayers. Following are my remarks delivered at the School Board meeting: Members of the press, today I speak to you because those people aren’t listening. My name is Daniel Brubaker. I’m
father to three LCPS daughters. One was Woodgrove High School’s co-valedictorian this year. Another, now an Air Force cadet in engineering at Virginia Tech, was Woodgrove’s only National Merit Scholar in 2020. Our third is a sophomore and vice president of Woodgrove’s student council. We have a good record as parents. But this school board, destroying in the name of “equity,” breaks my heart for others. Rather than encourage achievement, they eliminate class rankings, end Homecoming Courts, and scrap advanced math. They continue to pass policies that harm children. The answer to injustice is justice. But these critical racists are stuck on skin tone. By enshrining “equity,” LCPS teaches CRT, telling all kids that their race defines them, and trains them to see others the same way. Kids need opportunity, not hate—challenge and reward for true achievement following serious effort. Furthermore, those who expose children to pornography, dull kids’ moral conscience rather than develop it, force teachers to lie in service of politics, teach kids to ignore science that harms a leftist political agenda, and who then have the audacity to target parents who object have no place in our schools. — Daniel Brubaker, Lovettsville
Share Your Views Loudoun Now welcomes readers’ comments on issues affecting our community. Letters may be emailed to letters@loudounnow.com or mailed to the newspaper office at 15 N. King St., Suite 101, Leesburg, VA, 20176. Letters should be no more than 500 words and must include the writer’s name, address and contact information for confirmation purposes.
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Vaccines they’ll routinely do flu vaccinations in schools for exactly that purpose,” Goodfriend said. “In Loudoun County, we don’t have a history of doing it because we’re somewhat different in access to care, but we do know where people so far tend to be under-vaccinated.” That, too, could create a backlash among a vocal minority. In Loudoun, anti-vaccine parents have swarmed School Board meetings in particular. “This is my 11th grade daughter at Woodgrove High School. She has natural immunity. She doesn’t need your shot, she doesn’t need your testing, for sure,” Loudoun father Clayton Thomas said to the School Board on Sept. 26, speaking about their decision to require teachers and student athletes to get vaccinated. “This is the most unequitable decision yet, and so divisive. We all know the vaxxed still carry the virus, yet the unvaxxed have the natural antibodies to ward it off.” Public health officials have said it’s those same unvaccinated people and their families who have been hard hit during the most recent pandemic spike. While breakthrough cases in vaccinated people have grabbed the headlines, the vast majority of COVID-19 cases are among
unvaccinated people. In Virginia, according to the Virginia Department of Health, one-half of one percent of people who have been fully vaccinated have developed COVID-19. Among fully vaccinated people, 0.0054%—about one-half of one-hundredth of one percent—have died of COVID-19. Meanwhile over the week ending Sept. 25, the most recent week for which numbers are available, unvaccinated people were 82.3 times more likely to develop COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people. And they are the ones dying from it—that week, no fully vaccinated people died of COVID-19. The state Health Department reported 121 confirmed deaths from COVID-19 that week. An anticipated increase in demand when kids aged 5 to 11 become eligible has prompted a renewed recruiting push for the volunteer Loudoun Medical Reserve Corps. “Vaccination is critical to keeping our children safe and our schools open as we head into an expected winter surge in cases,” Goodfriend stated in a press release calling for volunteers. “Loudoun MRC volunteers who are comfortable vaccinating young children will be valuable partners to the county as we work to meet the demand for vaccination of those who are unable to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through their pediatrician or
Salem walkers
Redistricting
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wounds. “It was just so awesome to us that the mayor wanted to make things better for our journey, and so that puts a spring in our step today,” said one of the walkers, Debbie Stansberry Faires. And this time, she said, the Old Dominion has been very nice, complimenting the scenery on their walk down Old Waterford Road as they made their way south from the Potomac River. The walk this year began on Sept. 28 and is planned to end on Oct. 26 in the Salem Square in Winston-Salem, NC. The walk will stop first at the Single Sisters’ original destination in Bethabara, NC. “I began my time at Salem in its 200th year, and am so excited to be able to walk to celebrate not only my own history with the college, but my great-great-great grandmother’s as well, who was a resident of Halifax, County, Virginia, and was the 55th student to register at Salem Academy in 1804,” organizer Lee Coffman stated. n
party according to their analysis—and showed some signs of packing the Black vote, a gerrymandering tactic that crowds a population into fewer electoral districts to limit their influence in the legislature. The most recent state Senate proposals put only two districts in Loudoun. One district would be contained entirely in eastern Loudoun, guaranteeing Loudoun at least one resident senator. The other would cover Loudoun from parts of Ashburn west, as well as all of Clarke County, making another Loudoun senator possible. In that case, statewide, Republicans produced a much more unfair map, according to the Princeton project. While the Democrat proposal got high marks with no partisan advantage, the Republican proposal was given an “F” grade for its significant Republican advantage. People who offered feedback during a virtual Northern Virginia hearing on the proposals Monday also offered up concerns that the maps were being drawn to protect incumbents. “I know this is very, very hard for the
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local pharmacy.” The corps is looking for registered nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed practical nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists and physicians with a current Virginia license who are comfortable vaccinating children as young as 5 years old. “We encourage anyone with the prescribed medical training and some extra time to volunteer to sign up to support this important vaccination campaign to keep our children safe,” Loudoun Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator Francis Rath stated.
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But while the dire news dominated the governor’s press conference, Northam started with some hopeful signs. Since the middle of September, cases have started to trend downward for the first time since May. A few days after the case counts began their slide, hospitalizations also began dropping off. And Northam said Virginia has the best vaccination rate in the South—71.6% of the adult population of the state is fully vaccinated, and 60.2% of the population overall is vaccinated, with children 11 and younger not yet eligible for vaccination. In Loudoun County, the numbers are even better, with 76.2% of the adult population fully vaccinated, and 62.4% of the
total population vaccinated. Those figures also do not include people who were vaccinated at federal facilities such as military bases. And this was also the week that the Virginia Department of Health authorized local health districts to begin administering booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine for some people. Booster shots are now available to people aged 65 years and older, residents of long-term care facilities, people with underlying medical conditions, and people who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional settings, such as health care workers and caregivers for frail or immunocompromised people. For now, those recommendations do not include people who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines, and people who received those vaccines should not seek Pfizer booster shots. That could change as more data becomes available. Visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccination site. To make a vaccine appointment at the county’s Dulles Town Center vaccination site, visit loudoun.gov/covid19vaccine. More information about the Loudoun Medical Reserve Corps, including an online volunteer registration form, is online at loudoun.gov/mrc. n
political members of the commission, but as I’ve been listening over the last few weeks, many conversations start with concerns about incumbent addresses, and I really request—I know you put that at the bottom of your criteria list, and I request it as one of the last things you look at,” said Janet Martin of Springfield. “We are basically undoing 400 years of history in Virginia,” she added. “It’s been a long, long history in Virginia, and just to sort to paraphrase Martin Luther King, it is high time to the hard work that it takes to bend the arc of history toward justice.” The commission heard no feedback on Loudoun specifically—although some Loudouners did tune in to watch—but did also hear from Lois Maiden-McCray, of the National Black Nonpartisan Redistricting Organization. That group is headed by Loudoun attorney and former Loudoun NAACP President Phillip Thompson. Maiden-McCray joined other voices urging the commission to keep communities together—“the area that I live in, the common interest for us is mainly, for me, church and shopping,” she said. “I can go to church and I can shop, I’m good.” And several others lifted up a map pro-
posal from the public: New Virginia Majority’s proposal. That map is similar in Loudoun, although only three House of Delegates districts are contained entirely in the county. Two western districts both reach into Clarke County, and one into Frederick County. The group’s Senate proposal is more complicated, with three districts in Loudoun. Two of those would also reach into Fairfax, and the third wends its way down to include Fauquier, Rappahannock, and parts of Prince William and Culpeper Counties. The Princeton Gerrymandering Project gave the group’s House of Delegates map a high grade comparable to the Democrat and Republican-proposed maps, but a lower grade to the Senate proposal. The commission had planned to have a single, consensus map ready for public comment for the input sessions, but the panel—evenly divided between Democrat and Republican appointees—has so far been unable to reach an agreement. If it fails to produce maps by Oct. 10, the job will fall to the state Supreme Court. The commission hasn’t yet put forth new maps for Virginia’s 11 Congressional Districts. n
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Vax mandates continued from page 1 others are doing quite well and are struggling to find talent. You don’t want to impose something on employees that would risk any brain drain.” Howard, like others, noted that there are several factors in play for both imposing, and abiding by, such a mandate. Most who have imposed mandates allow exceptions for medical reasons or religious beliefs. Others offer the option of weekly testing and/or abiding by other COVID-19 safety protocols for those employees who choose to forego a vaccine. The Chamber president himself recently imposed a vaccine requirement for his 11-person staff, who returned to the office in June following a 14.5-month closure during which the work completely remotely. He also announced in late August that the Chamber would require attendees at its in-person, indoor networking and educational events to be fully vaccinated, or show proof of a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours of the event. Howard said he was expecting much more pushback from Chamber members and even his board of directors on the policy than he ultimately received. The policy led only to a “handful” of Chamber members leaving the organization. “In the single digits,” he said. A number, he said, that was “dwarfed by the number of folks who thanked me for adopting the policy.” Vaccine mandates locally have not always been so warmly received. Vocal resistance was heard during last week’s Leesburg Town Council meeting, when three Leesburg Police officers spoke up at a meeting and said many officers would leave the town force if the council went through on a vaccine mandate it was discussing for town employees. Should Leesburg go through on enforcing such a mandate—a council majority fa-
Energy strategy continued from page 4 a climate crisis based on energy emissions, and Loudoun County is through the roof right now.” While Loudoun’s government has quietly been making its facilities greener for years, with measures such as energy-efficient buildings and lighting, County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said the Loudoun County government should lead by example—and that it’s hard to ask the business community to do things that the
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vored a 90-day timeline for complying with the mandate, with no option for weekly testing—the officers warned the town could lose a sizable portion of its sworn officers. Officer William Butterfield said the vaccine mandate would cause the department to have an even harder time attracting and retaining good officers, at a time when police departments nationwide are having difficulties hiring employees. He noted what the town would be losing if he left town employ, pointing to all the money Leesburg has invested in him as a member of the police department’s bike team and SWAT team, in addition to other certifications. “I think we’re all big boys, grown adults, that can make decisions for ourselves,” he said. Both Butterfield and Officer Josh Carter, who also spoke against the mandate during the Sept. 28 meeting, declined to be interviewed for this article. Should the Town of Leesburg move forward with a vaccine mandate—with discussion expected to continue at the council’s meetings next week—it would join Loudoun County government, which has imposed a vaccine mandate for its thousands of employees. Loudoun’s constitutional officers also have the option to join. Of the county’s top 10 largest employers, at least seven have mandated COVID-19 vaccines for their employees or are subject to Biden’s federal mandate. Included in that number is the county’s largest healthcare provider, Inova Health System, which was the first hospital system in the commonwealth to mandate vaccines for its employees. All of the healthcare system’s employees, including its contractors and remote workers, had to have their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 1 and their second dose by Oct. 1, according to hospital spokesperson Renee Brohard. Of the healthcare system’s thousands of employees throughout the region, 89 chose not to comply with the requirement and were terminated, she said. That number represents
0.4% of the system’s workforce. There was no option for employees to receive weekly testing in lieu of a vaccine. Fellow Loudoun hospital system HCA StoneSprings has not mandated vaccines for its employees, although many of them have voluntarily opted to be vaccinated, said Suzanne Kelly, StoneSprings Hospital’s director of marketing and communications. “While at this time StoneSprings Hospital has not required its colleagues to be vaccinated for COVID-19, the majority of StoneSprings Hospital colleagues are fully vaccinated. StoneSprings Hospital helps ensure a safe environment by following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Inside our hospitals and other care settings, we continue to have universal protections in place requiring all staff in all areas to wear masks regardless of vaccination status. That includes requiring them to wear all recommended PPE, including N95 respirators, when caring for those with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection. In our non-care settings, we require unvaccinated staff to wear a mask,” Kelly said in a prepared statement. The county, for its part, has expanded its twice-a-month COVID-19 testing events to weekly, beginning Tuesday, Oct. 12. The drive-through events are scheduled for Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at alternating locations across the county. “I encourage anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to COVID-19 to get evaluated and tested promptly, either privately or through one of the county’s testing events,” Loudoun County Health Director Dr. David Goodfriend said. “You should get tested if you are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue and a new loss of taste or smell or if you have been potentially exposed to someone with COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status.”
Goodfriend advised that while waiting for COVID-19 test results, “you should stay home and away from others if you have symptoms of COVID-19, regardless of your vaccination status; or if you have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 and you are not fully vaccinated.” The testing events will move around to different locations each week, rotating among Claude Moore Park in Sterling, Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park near Leesburg and Franklin Park in Purcellville. While, as of yet, local vaccine mandates have not led to widespread terminations or resignations, one local place of worship is providing a form letter for residents to document their religious objections to the vaccine. Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg states on its website that it does not have an official stance on the COVID-19 vaccine but provides those with “personal and legitimate religious objections to a vaccine mandate” to use a PDF letter to provide to employers. The letter cites several Bible passages in making the case for a religious exemption. “I am responsible to God for my body— how I treat it, how I use it, how I take care of it, and what I put into it. My body is considered a ‘sacred temple’ that is devoted to God for sacred purposes. I am to honor God with my body. It would be dishonoring to God for me to put something into my body for which I had a conscientious objection. Therefore, on religious grounds I believe I would be violating a sacred trust to honor God with my body if I were to allow the COVID vaccine to be injected into my body,” the letter reads in part. The letter also provides a section for an optional pastoral signature. Cornerstone Chapel Pastor Gary Hamrick did not respond to a request to be interviewed for this story. To see the schedule of free testing events and other places to get tested, visit loudoun. gov/covid19testing. Visit vaccines.gov to find places to get vaccinated. n
government hasn’t invested in itself. “When I said government by example, what I meant is, there are some things that we’re asking the community to do but we’re not doing yet ourselves, [electric vehicle] charging stations being a great example,” Randall said. And a big part of tackling the climate change problem even locally will be finding ways to fund the solutions. “It costs money on the front end to do energy efficient things,” Randall said. “It saves money on the back end, but it costs money from the front end, and how does that work, and what’s the financing, how
soon can that money be returned—and all those issues.” Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) compared some current solutions to rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. “Not to put too fine a point on it, but we’ll get what we’re getting now,” Turner said. “I think if this is going to be meaningful, we really need to step up the game in a major, exponential way, and let’s not kid ourselves: it’s going to cost us money.” And he said emissions from transportation and the built environment will be “the key to the game.” But supervisors also all agreed that they
will need much more information to make any policy decisions, such as which of those decisions would have the most impact. “I think that it can’t be only carrots, to be frank,” Briskman said. “I think that we are going to need something in our zoning ordinance rewrite that addresses these issues.” For next steps, county staff members will conduct more research on the feasibility and cost of different strategies and begin work to draft a new energy plan. They are expected to bring that work back to the Board of Supervisors for further discussion in mid-2022. n
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