Loudoun Now for Nov. 3, 2022

Silver Line Opening Set for Nov. 15

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

After four years of delays, Loudouners will finally be able to hop a Metrorail train on Tuesday, Nov. 15, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced Monday.

Metro announced the opening date with a video featuring the famous line from Lizzo’s song “It’s About Damn

Time.”

Nov. 15 will mark the opening of six new stations on the Silver Line, including three in Loudoun at Dulles Airport, Loudoun Gateway Station near the intersection of the Dulles Greenway and Rt. 606, and Ashburn Station near the Loudoun Station Development. In Loudoun, the tracks run along the median of the Dulles Greenway, with a detour for the stop near the airport terminal. In

Fairfax, new stations will open at Reston Town Center, Herndon, and Innovation Center.

The extension also includes what will be the largest rail yard in the system, the 90-acre Dulles Rail Yard on airport property, which is expected to employ nearly 700 people.

In a statement hailing the

Voters, Candidates Face Election Day on Tuesday

LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

After weeks of early voting, the 2022 political campaigns will come to an end Nov. 8 when the final ballots are cast.

On Election Day, Loudoun voters will take to the polls to pick their representative in Congress and depending on where they live, the School Board and the town councils of Leesburg, Hamilton, Hillsboro, Lovettsville and Purcellville. They will also be asked to authorize up to $394.3 million in borrowing by the county government.

Polls open in Loudoun County at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Anyone standing in line waiting to vote at 7 p.m. is entitled to vote. Voters in precinct 307, Middleburg, will vote at a new location this year, the Middleburg American Legion Post 295, located at 111 The Plains Road in

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Outside the Loudoun Gateway Metro stop. The stop is one of three opening in Loudoun County Nov 15 after four years of delays.

SILVER

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now Campaign signs crowd the grass around the Office of Elections and Voter Registration in Leesburg.

Secondary School Attendance Zone Changes Bring Out Proposals

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

The School Board on Tuesday night dived deeper into the chal lenge of redrawing elementary and middle school attendance zone boundaries across a broad swath of the county.

During their Nov. 1 work ses sion, six proposed maps were up for discussion, with potentially several more to make their way to the table.

Parents faced with the possibil ity of their kids soon being sent to different schools are submitting their own ideas for new school at tendance boundaries.

The school system has invited parents to come up with their own boundary proposals using a tool provided by Virginia Tech and the Sanghani Center for Artificial In telligence and Data Analytics.

Jonathan Weaver is one parent who has jumped at the opportunity to provide input.

The father of four kids, one in Loudoun County Public Schools, the rest to follow, lives in an area being looked at for attendance zone changes by the school divi sion, called CL06. It’s an area west of Leesburg that starts along Dry Mill Road and runs along Rt. 7 to the Rt. 9 interchange. It is made up of several subdivisions, including Roxbury Heights, Colts Run, Shen stone and Ketocktin Farm Estates.

He spoke up at an Oct. 18 pub lic hearing on the issue and asked School Board members to take a second look at his area for what he said were problems beyond just the secondary school boundary adjustment.

Currently, Weaver’s children are zoned to attend Kenneth Culbert Elementary School near Hamilton, and J.L. Simpson Middle School and Loudoun County High School in Leesburg. His physical address puts him in Leesburg just over a

ATTENDANCE ZONE continues on page 41

Future Service Dogs Land in Style at Leesburg Airport

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Five eight-week-old puppies bound for jobs as service dogs arrived in Lees burg in style Tuesday afternoon, stepping off a private jet after their cross-country journey.

Thoryn, Ticket, Verl, Lina and Landry came from the national headquarters of Canine Companions in California. It is the country’s largest service dog organi zation, serving adults, children, and vet erans with disabilities free of charge.

The puppies arrived at Leesburg Exec utive Airport at about 5 p.m. after a long day of flying with Jim Stewart, the chief operating officer of California-based ven ture capital firm True Ventures, aboard his Cessna CitationJet. They took off from Hayward Executive Airport near San Francisco at 7 a.m. Pacific Time— about 10 a.m. in Leesburg—and stopped in Wichita, KS, for fuel along the way, cruising along nearly 40,000 feet high and at more than 400 miles per hour.

They were greeted eagerly at the Lees burg airport by local volunteers Tom Newton, Jackie McCool, Emily Bracken, Sherie Bors-Koefoed, and Maggie Tom lin, who will provide homes for the next 18 months. They’ll teach the puppies ba sic commands and social skills. Then it’s off to school: the puppies will spend the next six months with Canine Companions professional instructors learning more

than 40 advanced commands geared to ward serving a person with disabilities, before being matched with a client at no cost.

Canine Companions trainees previ ously flew commercial, but the air traffic interruptions of the COVID-19 pandem ic caused the organization to seek help from private pilots like Stewart, a regular volunteer.

“At the beginning of COVID, all the commercial airliners stopped flying live animals, and they had no capacity,” he said. “And I got introduced by a really good friend who had one of the release dogs and said, ‘we’ve got a real need.’ And so we have now flown 29 trips and almost 200 dogs. It couldn’t be better.”

But despite riding in crates, in some ways the puppies are like most airplane passengers.

“There’s almost always one or two that make noise, and it’s always hilarious,” Stewart said. “The air traffic controllers hear it. They ask about it. It’s pretty fun.”

Learn more about Canine Companions at canine.org. n

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Canine Companions volunteer Sherie Bors-Koefoed holds future service dog Lina on the tarmac at Leesburg Executive Airport on Nov. 1.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Future Canine Companions service dog Lina explores the tarmac after landing at Leesburg Executive Airport on Nov. 1.

Loudoun

Board Sets Nov. 9 Hearing on Airport Noise Map Changes

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Next week, on Nov. 9, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on a new map of jet noise around Dulles Airport that has homeowners worried about dropping home values and growing noise.

The proposed new Airport Impact Overlay District is based on a 2019 study of aircraft noise around the airport, both now and in the future with plans for more air traffic and a fifth, east-west runway on the southern end of airport property. The overlay doesn’t control air traffic—an authority reserved for the federal government—but does have an impact on county zoning and development.

The county’s airport impact district has three tiers based on the average level of jet noise, and in the highest-noise areas, county policy forbids residential development. In the middle tier, prospective homebuyers must be notified of the airport noise and homes must be built with acoustic treatments to lessen the noise inside. In the lowest tier, a one-mile buffer around the other two, only the notification to homebuyers is required.

The revisions are meant to update

projections made almost 30 years ago in 1993. And since the current noise map was made, some things have changed— such as Dulles Airport building a new runway further west than planned in that map. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration is transitioning toward a new, more sophisticated air traffic control system, the Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NextGen, that is leading to new flight patterns across the country.

But while the proposed new district brings those noise contours closer to the airport in many areas, residents of Birchwood at Brambleton have seen their neighborhood moved from the lowest-tier one-mile buffer into the higher tiers. Residents of the development, which is already approved but still under construction, are worried about the noise, new jet routes, and their property values. They have organized into the Loudoun Aircraft Noise Mitigation Committee, pushing the county to work with them before signing off on the new map.

“I’ve lived in the DMV my entire life, I’ve dealt with flights, but I’ve never had flights go right over my head like this,” Carolyn McCulley, one of the committee’s organizers, said. “When you have

that Emirates jet going over your head, you’re like, ‘I’m not sure it’s going to make it.’”

The county government reports the proposed changes to the Airport Impact Overlay District are expected to impact around 47,000 property owners. McCulley is among the people most affected by the changes. As a podcast and film producer, excessive noise can be a real problem for her home office. She bought her home in early 2020, when air traffic was at a historic low, and so didn’t hear the jet noise problem despite repeated visits to the site while it was under construction. Under the airport noise district still in effect, her home is in that one-mile buffer, the lowest tier of the noise map, where homes are built without the additional sound insulation. But the new district moves her right into the highest tier of airport noise.

She said more recently that’s been reflected in the planes flying low over her home.

Much of the change to the noise map is attributable to planes flying along routes they hadn’t before. Where previously

AIRPORT NOISE continues on page 42

Supervisors Look to Expand Overnight Stay Tax

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Loudoun County supervisors are moving toward changes to the tax charged on overnight stays at hotels, bed and breakfasts and Airbnb rentals to require all hosts to pay the tax.

The Transient Occupancy Tax is a tax on the cost of short-term overnight stays, up to 29 consecutive days. Currently, Loudoun requires the tax only from lodgings that could accommodate at least four people at a time.

The proposed changes follow a recommendation from Visit Loudoun and the Loudoun County Bed & Breakfast Guild, which have long argued the tax should be levied on all stays. Based on a

study commissioned by Visit Loudoun, a county staff report notes, expanding the tax to include rentals beneath the fourguest threshold is estimated to bring in at least $180,000 a year. The staff report also notes that change may address complaints from the industry about disparity in pricing.

In fiscal year 2019, the tax brought in $6.4 million in tax revenues.

The Transient Occupancy Tax is levied at 8% of the price for the stay. Of those eight cents per dollar, two go to the county’s General Fund, three to the Restricted Use Transient Occupancy Tax Fund to promote tourism, and three to the state for the Northern Virginia Transportation District.

Of the funds for the Restricted Use Transient Occupancy Tax Fund, 75%

goes to Visit Loudoun as part of their agreement with the county. The remainder goes to grants; in July, the supervisors approved $99,500 in grants, including $25,000 grants to support Lovettsville Oktoberfest, the Middleburg Film Festival, and the Town of Middleburg’s Mille Miglia rally, along with smaller grants to support nonprofit Chhandayan’s Diwali festival, the Sweet Jazz Festival, and The Freedom Celebration at One Family Brewing.

The Transient Occupancy Tax is in addition to the 6% state Retail Sales and Use tax. One cent of that tax goes back to the county.

Supervisors on Oct. 18 voted unanimously to send the proposed changes to a public hearing, the next step before a final approval. n

ON THE Agenda

Public Input Translations Continue at Meetings

After deliberating new limits to the translation of public input by non-English speakers during county Board of Supervisors meeting, the board voted to make only technical changes.

Supervisors had stirred concern earlier in the year by considering not allowing additional time for interpretation of non-English-speakers’ remarks to the board. Instead, the change to their Rules of Order is largely technical—rather than allowing double the normal time to speak to account for the time spent translating, the new rules indicate the time required for translation will not count against the speaker’s allotted time to speak.

“I appreciated the input from the public; it is important that the Board of Supervisors hears the thoughts and concerns of every citizen—no matter the language they are speaking,” Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) stated. “We will revisit this issue when the Board Room receives its technological upgrade.”

In addition, supervisors directed county staff members to create an online form to sign up to speak at board meetings, which can be translated into more than 100 languages using the county’s website tools. That form is expected to go online soon.

Supervisors voted unanimously Oct. 18.

ON

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now The timer on one of the podiums for people speaking to the Loudoun Board of Supervisors.

ON THE Agenda

Members of the public may request an interpreter be provided at least 48 hours in advance; procuring an interpret er for less frequently spoken languag es may require more time. Members of the public can also provide input any time by email and phone; learn more at loudoun.gov/bos.

Learn more about signing up to speak at a county board meeting at loudoun.gov/SignUpToSpeak.

Commissioner of Revenue, Treasurer Move Sterling Offices

The Sterling offices of the Loudoun County Commissioner of the Revenue and Treasurer are moving out of the county’s Eastern Loudoun Service Center on Ridgetop Circle to another building a half-mile away in the same office park.

Beginning Monday, Nov. 14 those two offices will move to 46000 Center Oak Plaza. They will offer the same in-person services at the new location, including but not limited to accepting tax payments and issuing business licenses.

Both the Commissioner of the Reve nue and the Treasurer also have customer service counters on the first floor of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St. SE in Leesburg.

The Eastern Loudoun Service Center, at 21641 Ridgetop Circle, will continue to house services from the Department of Family Services at the Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and De velopmental Services.

Cooperative Extension to Host Ag Tech Field Day

The Virginia Cooperative Extension and its partners will host an Agricultur al Technology Field Day on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at the Middleburg Agricultural Research & Extension or MARE Center.

People of all ages interested in agri culture are invited to attend the free event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The field day will feature information about off-the-shelf digital tools apps and other services to help horse owners, livestock producers and row crop farmers complete everyday farm tasks and improve farm operations from technology industry representatives, extension agents, university faculty and administrators, and local farm and stable owners.

As one of the 11 Agricultural Re search and Extension Centers in Virginia, the MARE Center collaborates across ac ademia and industry to conduct research into animal sciences, specializing in equine nutrition and exercise physiology, equine health and disease, animal behav ior and psychology, ecosystem manage ment, & biodevice design.

Virginia Cooperative Extension Loudoun is collaborating with Virgin ia Tech’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, the Virginia Agriculture Exper iment Station, the Center for Advanced Innovation in Agriculture, the Common wealth Cyber Initiative Southwest Virgin ia, the Loudoun Department of Economic Development, and VCE Fauquier to host the event.

Those planning to attend are en couraged to sign up for event remind ers at loudoun.gov/agtechfieldday. For more information, contact VCE Loudoun at 703-777-0373 or go to loudoun.gov/extension.

The MARE Center is at 5527 Sulli vans Mill Road in Middleburg.

Ashburn North Park & Ride Permanently Closed

Loudoun County Transit has perma nently closed the Ashburn North Park and Ride lot, affecting Route 72 bus passen gers, and made changes to bus service.

Parking will no longer be provided at the lot. Carpool, vanpool and Route 72 bus riders who have been using the Ashburn North Park and Ride lot are en couraged to use the One Loudoun Park and Ride lot at 20360 Savin Hill Drive in Ashburn. This park and ride lot pro vides free parking. Commuters can also visit loudoun.gov/parkandridelots to find other lots.

Additionally, the Route 884 bus will no longer pick up passengers at 4 p.m. at the H and 4th Streets in Washington, DC. Instead, a new Route 885 trip will stop there at 4 p.m., with service to the Lees burg, Harmony and Purcellville Park and Ride lots. Also, a new Route 886 trip will stop there at 4 p.m. with service to the Dulles North Transit Center and Bram bleton Park and Ride lot.

The Route 884 bus at the stop at 4:30 p.m. will continue.

More information on lot closures, bus service changes and schedules is online at loudoun.gov/buschanges. n

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Leesburg

Cummings Proposes Affordable Housing Incentives

LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

Town Councilmember Zach Cummings this week proposed a package of potential incentives to help provide more affordable housing in town.

The proposal, which builds off some ideas under study or already underway by the county government, may provide a starting point for renewed discussions on the town’s role in addressing housing concerns. During recent Town Council campaigns, affordable housing has been a frequent topic.

“When our teachers, nurses, police officers, and many others cannot afford to live in the community they serve, we know we have an affordability problem,” Cummings wrote in a statement announcing his proposal. “I could no longer sit back and wait. It’s time to fight to provide housing for our residents and those that want to live in Leesburg.”

Among the suggestions is to establish a definition of affordable housing using Loudoun County’s Area Median Income, or AMI; to streamline the application process for affordable developments; and to waive town fees and provide density bonuses for developments that include

significant investment in affordable housing. He also suggested the town and county governments enter a formal agreement to promote affordable housing in Leesburg and cooperate in addressing the county’s unmet housing needs.

“We cannot simply expect the government to solve the affordability problem,” Cummings said. “We need to find a way to partner with developers and non-profit organizations that are on the frontline in the fight for affordable housing.”

The issue is expected to be discussed at the council’s Nov. 14 work session. n

Halloween On Parade

Cummings

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Costumed kids and their families lined King Street on Monday night to collect treats during the 66th annual Leesburg Kiwanis Club Halloween Parade. Back to full strength following the pandemic, the parade featured floats and entries by area businesses and community organizations, the Tuscarora High School marching band, an appearance by Santa—and lots of political candidates.

Marshall Center Hosts Veterans Day Program

The George C. Marshall International Center in conjunction with the town and county governments, will hold its 18th annual Veterans Day Commemoration starting at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11.

The keynote speaker will be retired Adm. Joseph D. Kernan, a former under secretary of defense intelligence and dep uty director of the U.S. Southern Com mand. The veteran-focused nonprofits Veterans Moving Forward, the VFW and Loudoun Therapeutic Riding will have displays. Vintage military vehicles will be on site for exploration.

The event is free to attend. Parking is recommended at the Loudoun County Government Garage on Loudoun Street.

Following the Ceremony, Dodona Manor will be open for public tours.

‘Super Snowman’ Wins Leesburg Plow Art Contest

Students from Evergreen Mill Elemen tary School created the winning entry in the Town of Leesburg’s annual “Paint the Plow” contest.

Two Leesburg schools participated in the project, sponsored by the Lees burg Commission on Public Art and the Friends of Leesburg Public Arts.

The 2022 theme was “Weather”. The two entries were Super Snowman, by Evergreen Mill Elementary School, and Snow Day, by Catoctin Elementary School. The winner was selected by the members of the public using an online survey.

The painted snowplow blades were featured in the Kiwanis Halloween Pa rade on Monday night.

Both plows will be seen during the town’s Christmas and Holiday Parade in December and, of course, when crews are clearing streets this winter.

Balch Library Presents History Awards Sunday

The 2022 Loudoun History Awards ceremony will be held at the Thomas Balch Library on Sunday, Nov. 6 begin ning at 2 p.m.

Two individuals will receive this year’s award along with one individual and one group who will be recognized as recipi ents in 2021.

This year’s honorees include Susan Pemberton Webber for her contributions

in support of Thomas Balch Library, Friends of the Thomas Balch Library, Black History Committee of Friends of the Thomas Balch Library, and member ship in heritage organizations. The second recipient will be Charles A. Johnston for his contributions to educational outreach and the preservation and documentation of Leesburg and Loudoun County history.

Honorees from 2021 are Michael R. Napper for his contributions to preserva tion and documentation of the memory of African Americans in Loudoun Coun ty’s history and the Family and Friends

of the Mount Sinai Cemetery recognized for their contributions to the conservation and documentation of African American cemeteries in Lovettsville.

There will also be a special recogni tion for The Black History Committee of Friends of the Thomas Balch Library for their commemorative efforts in connec tion with Frederick Douglass Elementary School.

The public is invited to attend. Seat ing is limited. To register or for more information, contact Library Director Alexandra S. Gressitt at 703-737-7195. n

Associates

One Smile At A Time

Education Board Unanimously Approves Changes to School Renaming Policy

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

The School Board unanimously approved Tuesday the revisions to the policy for naming of school facilities with a few last-minute amendments.

The policy was updated to include a section that allows the board to move forward with a recommendation by History Matters LLC and the Friends of the Thomas Balch Library’s Black History Committee to change the names of nine county schools as part of the division’s broader effort to combat systemic racism.

Originally, there were 10 school names up for review, but during the Oct 25 board meeting, John Champe High School, named for a Revolutionary War cavalryman, was removed from the list to allow for additional research by the Black History Committee.

Ian Serotkin’s (Blue Ridge) amendment to allow a renaming committee to choose the current school’s name as the preferred name or alternative was approved 6-2 with Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) and Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian) opposed and John Beatty (Catoctin) absent for the vote.

During discussion over the amendment, Serotkin pointed out the current policy didn’t say a renaming committee couldn’t keep the current name, and wanted to bring clarity to the policy by giving committee members a choice to keep it. He said it was his understanding that the committee was being formed to provide recommendations and “to say that a school was being renamed with 100 percent certainty without community input or recommendations from a naming committee would be premature.”

Sheridan noted the list of names already being sent to a committee to be renamed, but Serotkin said the names were up for “consideration,” not necessarily to go to the committee to be changed.

“For me that is different than saying for all of those names on the list that all of them should be renamed. We haven’t had a town hall with the community. We haven’t had any conversations with parents of those schools, teachers or community members,” he said. “We have reports

from the Black History Committee and History Matters but my understanding of the process is that until we come back and make a final motion at the end of the process after hearing the recommendation from the naming committee that we could choose anything we want at that that point so I’d like to know whether the committee we formed to evaluate the name of the school recommends changing the name of the school or not,” he said.

Chair Jeff Morse (Dulles) agreed, saying he thought it would be better to have community input before a naming committee was even formed and proposed an amendment that a town hall was needed to get community feedback prior to the forming of a renaming committee. His amendment passed unanimously.

Other amendments included making spots for two alumni on the renaming committee and clarification on who could be on the committee in place of a school’s principal to be a current school administrator.

With the new policy in place, the School Board can begin the review process of the nine schools including getting public comment on the renaming process.

Also at the Tuesday meeting, Chief Operations Officer Kevin Lewis presented a breakdown of the schools in different groups to start that process.

Up first is group A, Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School and Mercer Middle School, with review and public comment process to begin in January and go through April.

Group B, which consists of Belmont Ridge Middle School, Belmont Station Elementary School, Seldens Landing Elementary School, Sully Elementary School and Hutchison Farm Elementary School is slated to start in May and go through September.

Group C, Ball’s Bluff Elementary School and Emerick Elementary School will start in September and go through December.

John Champe High School, alone in group D, is subject to additional study.

The board voted on Tuesday to start with group A and see how the process goes before starting any of the other groups. n

Teacher, Principal of the Year Nominations Open

Nominations are now open for the 2023 Washington Post Teacher and Principal of the Year. The nominees for these awards will also become the 2023 Loudoun County Teacher and Principal of the Year.

Nominees must be certified, fulltime teachers in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 working for Loudoun County Public Schools with at least five years of teaching experience, three of which must be in Loudoun County Public Schools.

Nominees for Principal of the Year must be full-time principals and serving as an administrator in the 2022-23 school year, with a minimum of five years of experience as a principal, three of which must be in the division.

Learn more about the Principal of the Year by emailing POY@LCPS.org or Teacher of the Year by emailing TOY@ LCPS.org. For a nomination packet,

SCHOOL notebook

visit www.lcps.org/TOYPOYInformation.

Completed nomination packets are due by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22.

Elementary Dual Language Programs to Begin in Fall

Loudoun County Public Schools’ new Dual Language Immersion program will kick off Fall 2023 at Potowmack and Sanders Corner Elementary Schools.

The program will be implemented in kindergarten classes using a 50/50 model with Spanish as the partner language. The program will include 50% native Spanish speakers and 50% native English speakers, and students will spend half their day being taught in Spanish and the other half in English. Participating students will be decided by lottery.

Several informational meetings will be held through January at various county schools for parents/guardians of soon-to-be kindergarten students. The next meeting is Nov. 9 at Emerick Ele-

mentary School, followed by Nov. 29 at Mill Run Elementary School. For more information or upcoming meeting dates go to https://www.lcps. org/DLI or contact Luisa Quintero at luisa.quintero@lcps.org.

Students, Staff Raise Money for Breast Cancer Patients

Over 500 students and staff members at the Academies of Loudoun raised more than $2,000 for the Loudoun Breast Health Network.

The school held its inaugural pink out on Oct. 20 and 21 to raise awareness and donations for the nonprofit that provides support, resources and comfort to breast cancer patients and their families in Loudoun County. Students and the staff were encouraged to wear pink for the two days and invited to form a huge human pink ribbon on the lawn of the school.

Over 300 pink shirts were sold for the event, which coupled with dona-

Students and staff at the Academies of Loudoun form a giant, human pink ribbon on the lawn of the school.

tions totaled more than $2,000 going to LBHN.

“This first ever pink out event was a success because of the passion for serving others that our ACL students and staff exhibit regularly. It was truly inspiring to see so many involved in this fundraising effort,” Entrepreneurship Instructor Sandra Tucker stated. n

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Loudoun County Public Schools

School Board Approves New Strategic Plan Metrics

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

Loudoun County Public Schools is one step closer to implementing its strategic plan after the School Board voted unanimously to approve draft metrics and key performance indicators at its Oct. 25 meeting.

Chief of Staff Dan Smith and Assistant Superintendent Ashley Ellis presented the updated metrics, which were changed based on the feedback from the board at the Sept. 27 meeting.

They include more defined areas of focus within each of the four goals in the strategic plan: empowered students, exemplary staff, enriched division and engaged community.

For example, under goal one, empowered students, a metric was added for nutrition, and another revised the on-time graduation metric to maintain a 97% overall graduation rate and 95% for all subgroups. Ellis pointed to recent data showing four subgroups of students

in division schools—English Learners, Hispanic, economically disadvantaged and homeless students—are currently below a 95% graduation rate.

Other updates included a metric for collaborative learning teams in school as well as clarification to the support teams metric under goal two. Goal three added a transportation metric among others, and goal four included an optional workbased learning or job shadowing/internship opportunity and clarified translation services among others.

All four goals have baseline data for all metrics added as well.

Ellis said the vision, mission and core values approved by the board in June guided the development of the metrics and said they will continue to guide how data is analyzed. The metrics were developed by the Strategic Plan Implementation Steering Committee over the past few months.

She said when staff members set out to create metrics for the strategic plan, they used the guiding question outlined

in the strategic plan, “How do we know we are making progress toward the mission, vision and goals?”

Smith presented a month-by-month reporting structure with dates starting in November when board members can expect to hear updated information on each of the goals, metrics, baseline data and aligned targets. Board members will be updated on goal one Nov. 15, goal two Dec. 13, goal three Jan. 24 and goal four Feb. 28, according to Smith.

Updates will continue from March to June on the progress of each goal including successes and challenges, according to Smith.

Smith pointed out that about 22% of the data points would be based on surveys and recognized the concern over this expressed by board members in September. He said when they reviewed other strategic plans from other districts across Virginia the percentage was comparable.

“If you go back four weeks, the confusion up here was incredible, so I think

everybody got to sit down and really understand where we are headed,” said Chair Jeff Morse (Dulles).

“It’s been many, many, many months, so thanks to all of the staff and to my colleagues for all the hard work they did and for all the community involvement which is I think the most I’ve ever seen at LCPS,” Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian) said.

“I do think it’s a significant improvement from where it was a month ago. It’s much more clear to understand exactly what all the metrics and KPI’s are that are going to be evaluated as well as all the data points and the way we are going to slice and dice the data across all sub groups and how consistently we are going to do that,” Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) said. “I know it has been a difficult process, but I think it’s in good shape and I look forward to doing deep dives into each one of the goals over the next few months.”

The board voted 8-0-1, John Beatty (Catoctin) absent for the vote. n

SAFETY BriefsPublic Safety

Trial Opens in Brambleton Murder Case

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

A Loudoun Circuit Court jury on Monday began hearing evidence in the first of two trials planned for the suspects in the December 2021 fatal shooting of Najat Chemlali Goode, 57, in her Brambleton home.

Abdul Waheed is charged with conspiracy to commit first degree murder.

Waheed was arrested Jan. 21 and charged with being an accessory to murder before and after the fact—allegedly aiding the suspected shooter, Furqan Syed, by driving him to and from the scene.

During an earlier preliminary hearing in District Court, county prosecutors narrowed the charge to being an accessory after the fact, a charge that was confirmed by a grand jury indict-

ment. Last week, prosecutors secured a direct indictment from a grand jury on a new charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and dropped the accessory charge.

To secure a conviction, prosecutors will be required to prove that Waheed had advance knowledge of Syed’s plans and agreed to participate in the shooting—elements defense attorney Kelly King said Waheed denied in interviews with investigators.

Waheed’s trial is scheduled to last 10 days.

The conspiracy charge is a class 5 felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Syed is charged with first-degree murder, armed burglary, and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of felonies. His trial is scheduled to start April 21. n

Arlington Man Charged in Armed Abduction of Juvenile

The Sheriff’s Office has charged an Arlington man with the gunpoint abduction of a juvenile in South Riding.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, shortly before 8 p.m. Oct. 24 deputies responded to the 25000 block of Hartwood Drive for a report of an abduction. The preliminary investigation found a man wearing a mask forced the juvenile victim into their car at gunpoint.

Deputies found the suspect was known to the victim and worked with the Arlington County Police Department to locate and arrest the suspect shortly after 9 a.m. Oct. 26.

Joshua Patino, 20, of Arlington, has been charged with abduction, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, brandishing a firearm, preventing the summoning of law enforcement, unlawful use of a mask, and assault and battery. He was awaiting extradition back to Loudoun County.

“These efforts by our detectives and the Arlington County Police Department illus-

trate the value of collaboration and partnerships among law enforcement in Northern Virginia. I want to thank the Arlington County Police Department for assisting us in quickly apprehending this dangerous individual,” Sheriff Mike Chapman stated.

Sheriff’s Office Investigating Fatal Ashburn Crash

A 19-year-old Ashburn man died after an Oct. 26 crash at the intersection of Gloucester Parkway and Runnymeade Terrace.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded shortly before 10 p.m. for reports of a crashed white 2018 Honda Civic. The Crash Reconstruction Unit’s preliminary findings were that the driver, Asad Kaleem, was traveling west on Gloucester Parkway in the left lane when his car crashed into a pole in the center median. He was taken to Inova Loudoun Hospital and later pronounced dead.

No one else was injured in the crash, and according to investigators it does not appear that alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.

The Sheriff’s Office asked anyone with information about the crash to contact Investigator Mark Lotz at 703-777-1021 or Mark.Lotz@loudoun.gov. n

Michael Rivera is a public servant and parent.

"I will protect parents’ rights, guaranteed by law, and will refocus public schools on traditional academic instruction."

Nonprofit Crossroads Music Festival Raises $30K

LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

BENEFIT, the nonprofit organizer of the Sept. 17 Crossroads Music Festival in downtown Leesburg announced that $30,000 was raised from the event.

In its third year, the festival included performances from over 25 musicians and bands at multiple venues. This was the third year the event was held in downtown Leesburg. Proceeds will go toward grant funding to nonprofit organizations serving children in Loudoun County.

BENEFIT, established in 2017, is a coalition of musicians and community leaders with the mission of uniting people with music to raise funds and awareness for nonprofit organizations serving children in Loudoun County.

The 2022 festival set a record for the organization’s fundraising efforts.

“We are overjoyed with the success of the event this year,” Amy Bobchek, BENEFIT co-founder, said. “Each year, the engagement from our community members grows. We are so happy that we were able to bring the community together and give attendees an evening of fantastic live music that helps support nonprofits that serve children here in Loudoun County.”

Grants will be awarded in the spring to nonprofit organizations through a grant application process. More information about the grant application process, as well as the final total available for grant funding, will be available in February.

In May 2022, BENEFIT awarded a total of $24,000 in grant funding among seven nonprofit organizations from proceeds from the organization’s 2021 Crossroads Music Festival and its 2021 Hope for the Holidays online music special.

“Our 2022 Crossroads Music Festival would not have been possible without the musicians and bands, the sponsors and venues, our volunteers and team members, and the community members who attended and supported the event,” Ara Bagdasarian, BENEFIT co-founder, said. “We would like to thank everyone involved for making the event a success and helping us raise funds to support nonprofits serving children in Loudoun County.”

For more information, go to benefit.live. n

Habitat Earns Certifications, Launches R.E.D. Campaign

LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

Loudoun Habitat for Humanity has become a certified Housing Plus Aging in Place and Veterans Build Affiliate through Habitat for Humanity International.

Housing Plus Aging in Place is an international initiative that uses a holistic, person-centered approach to home repairs and modifications that can be utilized with older adults, veterans, and persons with disabilities so that they can affordably choose where and how they age.

Veterans Build is Habitat for Humani-

ty’s national initiative to provide housing solutions and volunteer and employment opportunities to U.S. veterans, military service members and their families.

Loudoun Habitat has committed to year-long opportunities to support troops and their family members, including support for R.E.D. Fridays. An abbreviation for “Remember Everyone Deployed,” R.E.D. Fridays are a way to raise awareness about and show support for deployed service members and their families by wearing red every Friday.

In honor of Veterans Day, Loudoun

Habitat for Humanity invites the community to wear red on Friday, Nov. 4. Shoppers wearing red at the Loudoun ReStore will receive a 20% discount on qualifying purchases. Donations will be accepted to address the lack of affordable housing for veterans and their families and shoppers will have the ability to stop by the education station to learn about the Veterans Build Program at LHFH. The Re-store is located at 700 Fieldstone Dr., Suite 128 in Leesburg.

Learn more at loudounhabitat.org. n

Announcements

Cestoni Named GM at Cascades Firewoods Pizza Sterling

resident Ron Cestoni is the new general manager in the Fireworks Pizza at Cascades Overlook Plaza, part of the Tuskies Restaurant Group.

Cestoni most recently served as manager of Mission BBQ. He also has served as general manager of Benihana and opening manager and trainer at The Cheesecake Factory.

Foggy Mountain Brings Local Flavors to Pasta

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

A business in Chantilly is taking one of Italy’s most famous exports, pasta, and making it the region’s own.

Foggy Mountain Pasta makes pasta with ingredients like eggs from a farm in North Carolina where the business was born, and grain from Hanging Rock Hay near Lovettsville here in its new home Loudoun County. It also comes from a lifelong love of food, and an urge to make quality pasta with local ingredients and local terroir.

Founder Gabriel Key started cooking when he was 11 or 12, he remembers. His mom had him take over cooking from his dad after a few too many meals got cooked for a little too long.

“He’d come home and light the barbecue and then go work in the garden, and this was his passion and he’d get a little lost in it. And you can imagine what hap-

pened to the meat,” Key said. “One night in particular my mom had purchased these

steaks and they were a really big deal, and we just torched them, like a hockey puck, and I remember my mom was just livid. And she just says, ‘you know what, starting today until we’re done, you don’t touch the barbecue husband of mine. Your son will take over. We know he can light the barbecue, and we know he’ll sit there and watch the food until it’s done, because he’s hungry.’”

And those little burnt pucks of steak ended up being the gateway to a lifelong passion. In college in St. Paul, MN, a friend needed help at a restaurant after a prep cook quit, and they called Key. That was when he fell in love not only with cooking, but with fresh, local ingredients.

“It was just a really great environment to be part of, but then also their focus on food was very ingredient-driven and very forward-thinking for the Midwest in 1994,” he said.

FOGGY MOUNTAIN

“As a resident of Loudoun County, I’m very excited to be able to live and work in the same county,” Cestoni said. “I believe that a good community restaurant should not only have great food, but also involvement in the community. I will make this a huge priority as the new general manager and I look forward to welcoming our guests personally.”

Fireworks Pizza Cascades is located at 21475 Epicerie Plaza #100 in Sterling. For more information, go to fireworkspizza.com.

Chung Promoted at St. John Properties

St. John Properties has promoted Alex Chung to assistant superintendent for its Virginia and Central Maryland Division. Formerly Maintenance Technician, Chung has worked for the company since 2020.

In his new position, Chung will support the company’s in-house construction division with tenant improvement management tasks involving new flex/R&D, commercial office, retail and warehouse buildings across the Vir-

Cestoni

Chung

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Foggy Mountain Pasta founder Gabriel Key makes spaghetti at his space in Frontier Kitchen in Chantilly.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Foggy Mountain Pasta founder Gabriel Key.

Foggy Mountain

After he graduated, he joined his par ents on a trip to Italy. In Florence, he asked a chef to take him under his wing. The chef told him to come back in the morning. The next morning, Key waited four hours to talk to him again, and the chef agreed to take him on. Soon after, Key came back to the U.S., sold his car, and returned to Italy to dive in headfirst.

“I didn’t just wade into the waters—I jumped into the deep end. It was just an amazing experience,” he said.

He decided to seek out more formal ized training in Europe, and among other things earned Le Grande Diplôme at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, the highest culinary qualification offered at the international network of French haute cuisine schools.

Since then, he has bounced among jobs and coasts, moving between the restaurant and technology industries, and moving to San Francisco during the dot com boom before getting a master’s degree in in ternational trade policy in Vermont. The graduate degree came after he burned himself out in the restaurant world.

“I loved being part of the food scene, but the restaurant life was really tough on me. I was working multiple jobs to make ends meet,” he said.

But he said some things have a way of pulling you back. He headed back to the West Coast with plans to work at a new restaurant—plans that collapsed along with the restaurant venture. That sent Key and his wife bouncing back east one more time to move in with family in Boone, NC.

On the long drive back, driving two vehicles, he and his wife talked over their life and plans, figuring out how to make it work. By the time they arrived in North Carolina, they had a plan, and Foggy Mountain Pasta was born.

“When we had to move across country and we ended up moving back to the East Coast, it was an opportunity to build this, because I could see what was happening with bread and flours in terms of more unique varieties of wheat, and not always buying the same bland, overprocessed stuff,” he said. “I was like, I can do this with pasta.”

Originally founded there in North Car olina, Foggy Mountain Pasta came to the Frontier Kitchen in Chantilly, an incuba tor where enterprising chefs experiment and build their businesses, following Key’s wife’s career.

Inside Key’s space in Frontier Kitchen, Key and his small staff make hand-craft ed pasta with organic and heirloom wheats, creating pasta that is both more

flavorful than most people are used to and that supports a diverse and sustainable local food ecosystem. He gave the exam ple of replacing the Italian-sourced sem olina flour he previously used with local wheat—”they were wonderful flours, but as an environmentalist, it kind of pains me that it’s being shipped across the ocean.”

And with the recent purchase of a small stone mill—bought with the help of a county economic development grant— Key has precise control over the flour he uses, and he can buy from farms that couldn’t otherwise sell to him and be cause they wouldn’t be able to mill to his

precise specifications. His approach to pasta is part art, part science, logging ev ery bit of data he can get his hands on with each batch of pasta, and experimenting with small batches to see what he can do. And like other local produce, every batch comes out subtly different.

“The long and the short of it is, we forgot a long time ago that there’s more than just all-purpose flour. And by giving us control over the mill, we can kind of make our own unique blends that come from Virginia varieties,” he said “… It’s really kind of terroir-driven.”

That sort of seasonal, local spin on pas

ta is not something found on many gro cery store shelves.

“I love making a pasta that’s both real ly good but also simple, because that way people go home and enjoy it, and that’s really what we want at the end of the day,” Key said. “We make a pasta that’s flavor ful and sustainable with each and every bite, but is also pleasurable.” n

Learn more, find shops and restaurants with Foggy Mountain Pasta or order a box of pasta at foggymountainpasta.com.

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Death Notices

, who retired as Loudoun County Public Schools’ assistant superintendent for instruction in 2014, died at age 77 on Friday, October 21, in Florida.

Mrs. Ackerman began her teaching career in Pine Bush, N.Y., before starting her LCPS career as a teacher at Aldie Elementary in 1972. In 1973, she became a reading resource coordinator. In this job, Mrs. Ackerman moved between several elementary schools in western Loudoun assessing the effectiveness of each school’s reading program. She was named assistant principal of Sully Elementary in 1976. (She also served as the interim principal of the former Round Hill Elementary after the principal suffered a heart attack.)

In 1977, Mrs. Ackerman was scheduled to come into the central office as an elementary supervisor. Before she began that 12-month position, then-Director for Personnel Robert Jarvis, called Ackerman into his office to say he wanted her to become the principal of Waterford Elementary. Waterford was an 11-month position, which meant Mrs. Ackerman would be taking a pay cut. “A lot of people said to me ‘I would try to sue them.’” In fact, Mrs. Ackerman said in an interview just prior to retirement, that the 11-month contract suited her. (She had a 3-year-old at home.)

Mrs. Ackerman served as Waterford’s principal until 1980 and as principal of Sterling Elementary from 1980 to 1985. “I will tell anybody that the principal is the plum position of all of the positions I’ve had. In many ways, that was the most enjoyable on a consistent basis because it’s a large enough setting for you to influence a lot of people… but it’s still a closer, more intimate, family kind of thing...

“You’re just a supermom there.”

It was during her time as principal that Mrs. Ackerman obtained a reputation for being intimidating. (Former Sterling staffers will speak about the hushed horror of hearing her high heels reverberating in the hallways.) This is not an image Mrs. Ackerman said she cultivated. “I’m fascinated every time I hear that. ‘People are afraid of you.’ I’m passionate about what our work is here. If that comes off as strong and somewhat intimidating… I don’t think I am mean to people… I’m not shy about saying ‘Here is what we need

to do for kids.’ It was never my intention to be intimidating. I think most of that’s a legend anyway.”

What isn’t a legend is that Mrs. Ackerman was exceptionally devoted to her work. Unwilling to leave the budget process while serving as assistant superintendent, she stayed on the job until her appendix burst. Mrs. Ackerman also worked through the initial treatments for the breast cancer that eventually took her life.

Mrs. Ackerman came into the central office in 1985 as supervisor of personnel and became director of personnel services in 1987. “I was the first female to be elevated above supervisor; the first female director.” (Mrs. Ackerman was sometimes called “Ackerperson” – in jest – in acknowledgement of her trailblazing role. “If I should have been insulted about it, I wasn’t.”)

From Personnel, Ackerman became director of elementary education in 1990, then assistant superintendent for instruction in 1998. In this role she influenced the philosophy of Loudoun’s curriculum at every level. “What I’m happiest about is that I had this vision that we’d be much more of an intentional learning organization.”

Mrs. Ackerman mentored many people through the career path she followed. She always had a warning, however, for those coming into the central office. “When people come to work here – particularly if they have been principals – I say to them ‘You need to be sure if you really want to do this, because there is a little hollow place in you that will never get filled because there aren’t kids here. You have to decide if the trade-off is worth it.’… You have to be willing to have really delayed gratification. The kind of things we set in motion from here are going to take years to see the results of. It’s a trade-off.”

Upon her retirement, Mrs. Ackerman was dubious about her place in LCPS’ history. “I don’t have any expectation that people are going to remember me at all. Things move too fast here. By the middle of next year, it will be ‘What was her name?’”

One has to believe this is wrong. Mrs. Ackerman is survived by her husband Irv (she died one week short of their 55th wedding anniversary) and daughter, Lea.

Announcements

continued from page 14

ginia and Central Maryland Region. His responsibilities will include overseeing and directing the efforts of third-party contractor groups, interacting with project managers, and maintaining schedules and budgets. Chung, who is fluent in both Korean and English, is pursuing a degree

with the University of Maryland Global Campus. He has also been active with the Developing Leaders program of NAIOP Northern Virginia, and holds a UAS Pilot’s Certification for drone operations.

St. John Properties’ development pipeline throughout Frederick, MD, and Northern Virginia exceeds 2.3 million square feet of space. In Loudoun, properties include Ashburn Crossing and the Leesburg Tech Park. n

People Who Work In Loudoun Should Be Able To Live In Loudoun

ONLY 3% OF HOMES

for sale in Loudoun today are AVAILABLE to those who earn BELOW $100,000.

The MEDIAN INCOME for a Loudoun teacher is $68,500 per year.

More housing options for Loudoun’s workforce is essential to the future of Loudoun. Workforce Housing isn’t an issue of charity. It’s about investing in Loudoun assets. Let’s shape Loudoun’s future. Won’t you join us?

WORKFORCEHOUSINGNOW.ORG

Workforce Housing Now is an initiative of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties.

50+ Residents Hope to Age in Place

BY AARP RESEARCH

A 2021 survey by AARP shows most Americans during the pandemic were able to adjust their lifestyles, stay connected to their communities, and maintain their health. And while older adults were more concerned about the impact of COVID-19, they reported feeling less isolated than younger respondents did.

The national poll of nearly 3,000 people in the U.S. conducted in June, 2012, found adults of all ages consider themselves relatively healthy: 85% say they are in good, very good, or excellent health, and just 15% describe their health as fair or poor. Many were able to remain safe in the last year by transforming their homes into centers of activity for remote work, shopping, and socializing.

Most older adults in the U.S. (79%) own their own homes and about half have paid off their mortgage. The sur-

vey indicates about three-quarters of those 50+ would like to stay in their current homes or communities for as long as possible, compared to about half of those ages 18–49 who feel the same.

To be able to age in place, 34% of older respondents recognize they may need to make physical changes to their house, such as modifying a bathroom or installing ramps in their homes. A quarter of those surveyed anticipate putting an addition on their house or doing some other major renovation.

American adults often live with others (83%) and rely on one another for support.

Sixty percent are married or living with a partner; just 17% live alone. About 13% of respondents say they are a family caregiver—meaning that they

AGING IN PLACE continues on page 20

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A reasearch study conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons found that nearly 3 in 5 adults 50 and over plan to stay in their homes for as long as possible.

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Tribute at One Loudoun Celebrates 5 Years

LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

Senior living community Tribute at One Loudoun celebrated its fifth anniversary with a “Loudoun Lights, Sapphire Nights” gala for residents and guests Oct. 20.

Attendees sampled hors d’oeuvres and desserts catered by Tribute’s on-site culinary team, champagne and sparkling wine, and live music by the band Accidental Red.

The evening also included raffles for various prizes like gift certificates, themed baskets and wine, with proceeds benefitting the Alzheimer Association’s National Capital Area Chapter and the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

“We are so excited to celebrate five years here as part of the Ashburn community,” Tribute at One Loudoun Executive Director Nancy Higgs stated. “We hope all our residents, their families, our neighbors and industry partners come out and celebrate with us at our anniversary party.”

Parks & Rec Launches Winter Programs

Registration opens Nov. 10 for the winter session of senior activities offered by the Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services.

In addition to the full roster of fitness, educational and fun activities offered at the five county-run senior centers, the agency offers a variety of daytrips and overnight adventures. The day trips include the opportunities to see plays at venues around the region as well as excursions to the Pennsylvania Christmas & Gift Show or to area casinos.

On tap for the overnight adventures this season are a five-day trip to the Rose Bowl Parade, Hollywood and a New Year’s Eve dinner and dance and 10-day tour of the history and music of New Orleans

and Mississippi. For details, go to loudoun.gov/1183/Senior-Trips.

For a full listing of the programs available this winter, go to loudoun. gov/prcs and click on “activity guide.”

Loudoun County Adult Day Centers For Seniors with Physical Limitations or Memory Loss

Our licensed adult day centers provide:

• A safe, social environment with therapeutic activities

• Respite for caregivers needing support & free time

• Reasonable sliding scale fees

Offering engaging activities, individualized personal care, nutritious lunch and snacks, exercise, medication administration, health monitoring and limited transportation.

Purcellville co-located w/ Carver Center 200 Willie Palmer Way 571-258-3402

Ashburn off Loudoun County Pkwy 45140 Bles Park Drive 571-258-3232

Leesburg near Leesburg Airport 16501 Meadowview Ct. 703-771-5334

Video online at: www.loudoun.gov/adultday Administered by Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging, Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services

Tribute at One Loudoun is one of five Tribute communities in the region, also including in Woodbridge; Germantown, MD; Bowie, MD; and Olney, MD. ❃

Contributed

Residents, staff and guests at senior living community Tribute at One Loudoun celebrate the community’s fifth anniversary with a gala Oct. 20.

Did You Know: Free College Classes

The Virginia Senior Citizens Higher Education Act allows Virginia residents who are 60 years of age or older to take college courses at public colleges and universities without paying tuition, subject to the admission requirements of the institution. If your federal taxable

Aging in place

continued from page 17

help an adult loved one regularly with

needs, visits, transportation,

medical care. Of those, 40% live with the person for whom they are caring.

Transportation can be a driver in decisions about living situations, with AARP reporting 87% of all U.S. adults drive cars themselves, including 65% of people ages 85 and older. With more public transportation options, people who live in urban are less apt to drive (83%). The population of American adults of all ages is distributed fairly equally between cities (28%), suburban areas (37%), and small towns or rural areas (33%).

As for relocating, residents of rural areas and small towns report wanting to stay in the same type of community (78%), while urbanites were more open to going to the suburbs or the country.

Looking into the future, most adults say they don’t want to move.

If they had an illness or disability, two-thirds of the survey respondents indicated they want to have a combination of help from family and paid professionals in their own homes.

Regardless of what they may want, 18% expect to relocate to a different residence in their community and 29% think they will likely go to a different community altogether, according to AARP. Of the various options, 44% would opt for a neighborhood with people of all ages while 32% like an

income does not exceed $23,850 per year, you may take courses for credit without paying tuition. Virginians with higher incomes may audit credit courses for no credit and pay no tuition. You may have to pay course fees, such as lab fees. n

active community designed for adults over age 55 and 32% prefer a continuing care community.

Most adults (69%) would consider sharing their home with a relative (other than their spouse) or a friend (54%) as they grow older, AARP finds.

As for the popularity of accessory dwelling units—small, residential dwellings located on the same lot as, but independent of, a primary dwelling unit—4% of respondents have one on their property and 26% would consider one if they had the space. (ADUs can be either detached or be part of the primary unit, such as with above-garage apartments or in-law suites.)

What matters in choosing a new place?

Top of the list is a home where a person can live independently as they age. Other factors include the cost of maintaining their current home and finding a house that’s easier to keep up. American adults surveyed most often look for areas that are safer, have a lower cost of living, have more affordable housing, and are located closer to family.

In selecting a community, AARP finds people want access to grocery stores, health care providers, safe parks, trails and streets, and opportunities for community engagement. n

The AARP research was based on 25-minute surveys with 2,826 Americans ages 18 and over.

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Falls, VA

Towns

Purcellville Town Council Weighs Fields Farm Survey Results

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The Purcellville Town Council last week reviewed the results of a recent survey sent to Mayfair residents regarding the county government’s planned Fields Farm sportsplex and commuter parking lot nearby.

The survey was sent to 262 residents. There were 81 responses, with 16 using duplicate addresses. This number makes up 23% of the neighborhood’s residents.

The results showed a variety of opinions without much consensus among the neighbors.

The survey focused on three elements of the project: transportation, including the controversial proposed extension of Mayfair Crowne Drive to Hillsboro Road; the athletic fields and lighting; and the proposed commuter parking lot.

On the question of extending Mayfair Crown Drive to connect with Hillsboro Road, 35% of respondents supported allowing only an emergency vehicles connection, 29% supporting moving ahead with plans to open the connection, and 20% wanted to allow only a pedestrian link.

A majority, 55% of respondents, supported the county’s plans to build eight sports fields and associated parking on the property. Another 44% opposed the fields or indicated support for fewer fields. Residents were more divided on whether lights should be installed, with 52% opposing them. There also was strong

support, 81%, for adding a playground to the park plans.

The final section asked about the proposed 257 space commuter parking lot. More than 75% of the respondents opposed the lot or a lot of that size.

Councilman Joel Grewe said the council should focus on where the residents agree and try to find a plan that works for as many people as possible.

“There is going to be a lot, there is a lot people involved in this process and everybody has a slightly unique version on what they think would be best here,” he said. “That’s normal in government. That’s normal in policy and politics. But let’s see if we can find the points here that actually provide the most wins with the least harm if at all possible. And I think

Fontaine Named Lovettsville Town Clerk

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The Lovettsville Town Council on Thursday appointed Elizabeth Fontaine, the wife of Mayor Nate Fontaine, to be town clerk following a closed-session interview during their regular meeting.

Previous Town Clerk Candi Choi resigned last month, leaving the position vacant.

Mayor Nate Fontaine’s term ends Dec.

HILLSBORO

Election Day Bakers Wanted for Fundraiser

Election Day in Hillsboro typically is a celebration of grass-roots democracy—from its all-write-in Town Council ballots to its polling place bake sale.

The town is seeking bakers to contribute goods to be offered to voters gathering at the Old Stone School on Tuesday to cast their ballots. Donations collected will be added to the town’s July 3 fireworks fund.

Learn more at oldstoneschool.org.

Council Allocates $10K

Cushion to Christmas Event

some of the obvious pieces are not putting the connection [road] through.”

Mayor Kwasi Fraser expressed concern that the Board of Supervisors is not taking into account the changes that Purcellville has undergone in the past 20 years since the project was first proposed, and said the county is pressing forward with outdated plans.

“There is an attempt to look at this through the lenses of 1999. What we have down here with this survey, we have looked at it through the lenses of current residents that weren’t even here or thought of in 1999,” he said.

The council planned a special meeting Nov. 2 to further discuss the survey results, zoning applications, and next steps. n

The Town Council last week approved a supplemental appropriation of up to $10,000 to Christmas in Middleburg to ensure organizers have the cash on hand needed to pay expenses in the weeks leading up to the Dec. 3 event.

The council previously allocated $10,000 to help pay for the shuttle busses that move visitors from remote parking lots to the downtown activities.

The funding request was made because of uncertainty among organizers about how efforts to limit the crowd size will impact revenues. Any unspent money from the second allocation is to be returned to the town or earmarked for next year’s event.

31, and he is not seeking reelection. He recused himself from the interviewing process as well as the discussion to select the replacement.

“I applied for the position of Town Clerk, because I am passionate about the town I live in,” Elizabeth Fontaine wrote

in an email. “I look forward to continuing my service in an official role and am grateful for the opportunity to make my passion into my job.”

Fontaine has been active in volunteering around the town, including helping to organize Love America, Lovettsville’s Summer on the Green, Love Winter, and the town’s “Return to the ‘Fest’” for Oktoberfest in 2022. She comes with a history of serving in the Virginia National Guard, owning a small business, and co-founding the Lovettsville American Legion Post.

Her role as new clerk began Monday, Oct. 31. n

After a scaled-back event during the pandemic last year, town leaders found the smaller crowd made the event more enjoyable than past events that featured packed streets throughout town. The goal is to limit the crowd to about 10,000 people.

This year, organizers plan to prohibit event parking on town streets, and instead bus in visitors from paid parking lots at Mickie Gordon Park east of town and Lost Barrel

MIDDLEBURG

Loudoun Now file photo

A view from the western terminus of Mayfair Crown Drive in Purcellville. Neighborhood residents oppose plan to extend the road, opening it to through traffic.

Fontaine

SAR Celebrates Ezekiel Potts’ Revolutionary War Contributions

Members of the Sgt. Maj. John Champe Chapter of Sons of the Ameri can Revolution on Saturday commemo rated the service of Ezekiel Potts, plac ing a patriot marker at his gravesite near Hillsboro.

Ezekiel Potts served as a private in Capt. Burgess Balls’ Company, 5th VA Regiment and provided 350 pounds of beef to Continental forces.

The Potts family members trace their Loudoun County roots to 1746 when Da vid Potts bought the land that largely re mains in the family today.

Next year, the SAR chapter plans to return to the Potts Cemetery to mark the graves of eight American Revolution patriots buried there. n

Purcellville’s Halloween Block Party

Hundreds gathered on the west end of town Saturday night to the annual Purcellville Halloween Block Party.

Participants competed for $2,500 in prize money awarded to those with the best costumes, most horrific scream, or spookiest werewolf howl. The event is organized by Discover Purcellville.

AROUND Towns

continued from page 22

Brewery on the west.

Parking passes should be purchased in advance and are expected to sell out. Parking passes are $40 to $100 per car. Learn more at christmasinmiddleburg.org.

PURCELLVILLE

Artisan Tour Includes 9 Stops

Area artisans will put out the welcome mat this weekend for the annual Purcell ville Artisan Tour, sponsored by the Pur cellville Arts Council.

Visitors on the tour will find art exhibi tions, art demonstrations, and artwork for sale. The Purcellville Train Station will host two guest artists.

Tour maps and brochures are available at Town Hall, Franklin Park Arts Center, 868 Estate Vineyards, Hunt Country Jew elry, Otium Cellars, and Blooming Hill Lavender Farm.

There are nine artisan sites on the

tour including eight artists and four agri-artisans.

The tour runs from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 and Sunday, Nov. 6.

For more information, go to purcellvilleartisantour.com.

Chick-fil-A’s Payne Recognized for Community Service

Purcellville residents last week said goodbye to its Chick-fil-A operator, Scott Payne, in an informal open house event at the restaurant.

Payne is moving to open a new Chickfil-A store in Clifton Park, NY. Families from all over town— including previous employees and parents of the teens who spend their afternoons working at the store— joined with current employees to wish him well.

The Purcellville Business Association presented Payne with a certificate and lifetime membership to the nonprofit in recognition of his service and dedication to the community and the association.

The Chick-fil-A in Purcellville will be run by an interim manager from Chickfil-A corporate until a new permanent

operator is chosen.

Longhouse Architecture Firm Opens in Purcellville

Longhouse Architects held a rib bon cutting ceremony Saturday to cel ebrate the opening of its first office in Purcellville.

Owners and architects Laura Ours, Nathan Webb, and Kevin Walker started the design firm in 2019, and have been growing the business from their homes since then. They work on both residen tial and commercial projects and have 20 years of experience among them.

Ours said it was important to them to keep sustainability in mind in the mate rials they use and the way they go about their designs. They also are looking for ward to working on projects that benefit the community and enrich the lives of the residents.

“We’d like to do more commercial things, kind of things that engage the community more,” Ours said.

As a Purcellville resident, Ours said she is excited to be working in the town her family is growing up in.

“We have really come to love the town, and have two kids growing up, and we’ve been now in all the schools,” she said. “Just, it’s an amazing place to live every day, and now I feel really lucky to work here every day.”

The office is located at 107 B East Main Street. n

Contributed

Laura Ours, Nathan Webb, and Kevin Walker celebrate the opening of their architecture firm with Purcellville Mayor Kwasi Fraser and other members of the Town Council.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

The “Prego Family” entry, including a baby covered in spaghetti and meat balls, won the Best in Show prize—and $500—during the 2022 Purcellville Halloween Block Party,

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Members of the Sgt. Maj. John Champe Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution pose at the gravesite of Ezekiel Potts after the installation of a patriot marker.

LoCo Living

The Jingle Jam Is Back Dec. 9 & 10 In-Person Ticket Sales Launch Friday

BY JAN MERCKER jmercker@loudounnow.com

Remember the good old days of camping out for concert tickets? Leesburg’s beloved Jingle Jam holiday concert has long been a last bastion of nostalgic predawn ticket queues. The legendary holiday concert is back Friday, Dec. 9 and Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Tally Ho Theater after a two-year hiatus. And yes, you still need to line up in person to grab a spot.

The Jingle Jam, launched by Loudoun musicians Todd Wright and Stilson Greene in 2007, has been a holiday mustdo for the Leesburg community, with fans lining up overnight and shows selling out in just hours. This year’s concert features two nights of performances for the first time, with another local favorite, Cal

Everett, stepping in as co-organizer after Greene’s retirement last year. Like a 21st century Bing Crosby and Dean Martin, Wright and Everett can’t wait to bring back one of the most joyful events of the season for musicians and audiences alike.

“Cal and I are both huge Christmas guys,” Wright said. “I love Christmas music. I love the guys in the [Jingle Jam] band, and I love playing with them. The Leesburg crowd is so into it. … They sing along. They’re all in the mood. Nothing gets me ready for the season like this show does. Having it out of our lives for two years, it still felt like Christmas, but it didn’t really feel like Christmas.”

Tickets go on sale in-person only at the Tally Ho Theater box office Friday Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. Lines will form well before. Sales continue Saturday, Nov. 5. Based on

past years, organizers warn that chances of a sellout are strong, even with an additional Friday night show. Wright and Everett said they’ll add a Saturday matinee if tickets for the evening shows disappear fast.

Everett, who has been involved with the concert for more than a decade as a part of the band, is embracing his new role as co-organizer and loves the sense of community the event brings to Leesburg. The Jingle Jam fits right in with the festive atmosphere of downtown Leesburg during the holidays and always follows the Leesburg Christmas and Holiday Parade, which takes place Saturday Dec. 10 this year.

“It’s so local. It’s so Leesburgian. It’s become this small-town thing, and there’s

JINGLE

THINGS to do

LOCO LIVE

Live Music: Something’s Brewing

Friday, Nov. 4, 5:30-9:30 p.m.

MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com

Enjoy classic rock, pop and folk, old and new from some of the area’s best musicians inside at MacDowell’s.

Live Music: Zach King

Friday, Nov. 4, 6 p.m.

Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville

Details: flyingacefarm.com

The Pennsylvania-based picker and singer brings his skills to Loudoun for a fun Friday night.

Live Music Mark Cullinane

Friday, Nov. 4, 6 p.m.

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro

Details: harvestgap.com

Cullinane serves up acoustic classic rock tunes for a fun Friday night.

Live Music: Chris Timbers

Friday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m.

Social House Kitchen and Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn

Details: socialhouseashburn.com

This NOVA Native plays alternative soul with jazz, blues, rock and country influences.

Live Music: The Ultimate Doors

Jim Morrison Tribute

Friday, Nov. 4, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg  Details: tallyhotheater.com

With great attention to detail, The Ultimate Doors provide audiences with an authentic looking and sounding tribute to Jim Morrison and The Doors. Tickets are $15.

Live Music: Mandatory Recess

Friday, Nov. 4, 8 p.m.

Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive #120, Sterling

Details: crookedrunbrewing.com Mandatory Recess brings the coolest covers from Tom Petty to Kings of Leon.

Live Music: Aguado Guitar Concerts

Saturday, Nov. 5, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Maverick Bikes and Cafe, 32 C Catoctin Circle SE, Leesburg

Details: revolutionsmaverickllc.com

Noted Loudoun-based classical guitarist Miroslav Loncar performs with members of his Aguado Guitar Concerts ensemble.

Live Music: Shag Duo

Saturday, Nov. 5, noon

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: Chris and Kerry

Saturday, Nov. 5, 1 p.m.

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg

Details: lostbarrel.com

Chris and Kerry return to Lost Barrel with THINGS TO

Photo courtesy of Sesha Smallwood

After a two-year hiatus, the Jingle Jam Band returns to the Tally Ho stage Dec. 9 and 10.

THINGS to do

tunes by the Dave Matthews Band, Tom Petty, The Avett Brothers and other favorites.

Live Music: Liberty Street

Saturday, Nov. 5, 2 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro

Details: breauxvineyards.com Kick back with soft rock favorites from Eric Stanley and Doug Wall.

Live Music: Chris Devine

Saturday, Nov. 5, 2 p.m.

Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn

Details: lostrhino.com

Celebrate Saturday with high-energy acoustic covers from Chris Devine.

Live Music: Jim Steele

Saturday, Nov. 5, 3 p.m.

Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville

Details: flyingacefarm.com Join local favorite Jim Steele for an afternoon of fun covers and originals.

Live Music: Steve George and Friends

Saturday, Nov. 5, 3:30-7:30 p.m.

MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg

Details: macsbeach.com Enjoy rock, country, blues and beyond from a local favorite.

THE ULTIMATE DOORS

Friday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m. (doors)

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Live Music: No Laughing Matter

Saturday, Nov. 5, 8 p.m.

Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg Details: spankyspub.com

Regional favorite NLM is back at Spanky’s with an evening of fun covers.

Live Music: Gold Dust Woman

Fleetwood Mac Tribute

Saturday, Nov. 5, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg  Details: tallyhotheater.com

Gold Dust Woman brings favorites from Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks with spot-on vocals. Tickets are $20.

Live Music: Doin’ Time

Sunday, Nov. 6, noon

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: lostbarrel.com

Doin’ TIme brings classic country favorites from Hank Williams Sr. and Jr., Johnny Cash, George Jones, Willie, Waylon and more.

Live Music: Chris Bone

Live Music: Tanner Bingaman

Saturday, Nov. 5, 5 p.m.

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights

Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing Bingaman brings original “folkmush” and mountain tunes featuring banjo, guitar and harmonica with musical explorations ranging from poignant folk-punk melodies to uncanny instrumental meditations.

Live Music: Famous Last Words

Saturday, Nov. 5, 6 p.m.

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 18294 Blue Ridge Mountain Road, Bluemont

Details: bearchasebrew.com

This acoustic duo made up of Chris Coutts and Maria Lynn brings favorite hits from the 60s to today.

Live Music: Joey Hafner

Saturday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m.

Elysium Axe Bar, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville

Details: elysiumaxebar.com

Local favorite Joey Hafner plays acoustic songs to sing along from the 70s through the 2000s.

Live Music: Eddie Pasa

Saturday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m.

Social House Kitchen and Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn

Details: socialhouseashburn.com

This well-known DMV drummer also rocks guitar and vocals for his solo acoustic shows.

Sunday, Nov. 6, 1 p.m.

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 18294 Blue Ridge Mountain Road, Bluemont

Details: bearchasebrew.com

Kick back with great tunes from Western Loudoun singer/songwriter and one-man band Chris Bowen of the Bone Show.

Live Music: Stephanie Ball

Sunday, Nov. 6, 1 p.m.

Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville Details: creeksedgewinery.com

This classically trained NOVA native is known for killer vocals and fun and engaging performances.

Live Music: Josh Sowder

Sunday, Nov. 6, 2 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro

Details: breauxvineyards.com

Sowder returns to Breaux with tunes from a range of genres from the 50s through the 2000s.

Live Music: Dylan Woelfel

Sunday, Nov. 6, 3 p.m.

Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville

Details: flyingacefarm.com

West Virginia’s Dylan Woelfel brings country tunes and beyond to Flying Ace.

BEST BETS

STEVE GEORGE AND FRIENDS

Saturday, Nov. 5, 3:30-7:30 p.m.

MacDowell Brew Kitchen macsbeach.com

LOCO CULTURE

LSO: Fate and Fantasy Saturday, Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m.

St. David’s Episcopal Church, 43600 Russell Branch Parkway, Ashburn

Details: loudounsymphony.org

This romantic program includes Jessie Montgomery’s “Starburst,” Sibelius’s “Night Ride and Sunrise,” Florence Price’s “Dances in the Canebrakes” and Tchaikovsky’s beloved Symphony No. 4. Tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for seniors. Children 12 and under are admitted free but must be ticketed.

NRBQ

Thursday, Nov. 10, 7 p.m. (doors)

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

Old World Christmas Market

Saturday, Nov. 5, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Bear Chase Brewing Company, 18294 Blue Ridge Mountain Road, Bluemont

Details: bearchasebrew.com

Bear Chase’s third annual Christmas market features 30 local makers with handmade holiday gifts. Enjoy beer and food while browsing, warm up with friends around cozy fire pits and enjoy beautiful mountain views while you shop.

The

Annual Veterans Day Commemoration

Friday,

FREE,

georgecmarshall.org • 703-777-1301

MARKET ST, LEESBURG

Parking

Hon.

Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience Opens At Morven park

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.com

Hippogriffs, unicorns and spiders, oh my! Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience opens this weekend at Leesburg’s Morven Park.

The nighttime walking trail inspired by magical creatures from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films takes visitors down an illuminated wooded path into the wizarding world of Harry Potter, “The Boy Who Lived.”

Throughout the 60 to 90-minute walk, guests can interact with characters, stumble upon unicorns and centaurs and even a giant spider. They can even conjure their own Patronus and participate in a wizards’ duel. Just over halfway through sits the village where visitors can buy goodies like butterbeer, hot chocolate and meat pies.

Heather McGill, producer and director at Unify, a company that specializes in creating large scale visitor attractions, said she loves to watch the faces of guests as they go through the experience.

“For me, being a producer and being able to see guests interact with what we’ve done is really important and watching each kid feel like they are right there in the middle of the action … that is the best bit,” McGill said.

She said after opening an experience in Manchester, England last year the team knew they had to bring it to the United States. She said they were looking at New York and Washington, DC, then fell in love with Loudoun County.

“We discovered Loudoun County and we discovered Leesburg and Morven Park

and genuinely, and I mean this genuinely, we could not have found a more beautiful forest to put this experience in,” she said. “Plus, the people of Loudoun County have been so unbelievably welcoming to us, they’ve been helpful and kind and helping us get this experience running.”

McGill, whose family is in England, said she was “desperate” to get them here to see Loudoun, especially during the fall.

“As a British person we do not have this, we have autumn but it’s not like this. The woods here, the forests here— it’s just incredible. I’ve loved being here during this season,” McGill said.

She said the experience was created during the COVID-19 pandemic and was created to keep guests safe.

“For people who are still a little nervous [about COVID], we are outdoors and you can socially distance throughout the entire experience, so it’s really super safe. It’s a great way to experience the natural environment, the wizarding world, and it brings it all together in a beautiful package,” McGill said.

After visiting the Forbidden Forest, guests can donate $1—the cost to plant one tree to One Tree Planted, a nonprofit working to building forests all over the world. Visit onetreeplanted.org for more information. n

Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience presented by Warner Brothers opens Oct. 29 at Morven Park, 41580 Sunday Morning Lane and runs through January 29, 2023. Ticket prices range from $36-75 for adults and $25-64 for kids depending on the date and time. Parking must be reserved at an extra cost. All ages are welcome. n

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now Guests walk through the illuminated wizarding world of Harry Potter on Oct 27 during a sneak peek at Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience. The event will run through the end of January 2023.

Assistant Director of Public Works and Capital Projects

Parks

Closing Date

$52,446 - $95,178 DOQ Open until filled

Public Works & Capital Projects $86,040-$156,137 DOQ Open until filled

Assistant Zoning Administrator Planning & Zoning $72,952-$132,386 DOQ Open until filled

Custodian Parks & Recreation $50,000-$63,626 DOQ Open until filled

Deputy Director of Public Works and Capital Projects

Public Works & Capital Projects $93,438-$169,567 DOQ Open until filled

Land Acquisition Manager Town Attorney $72,952-$132,387 DOQ Open until filled Maintenance Worker I Public Works & Capital Projects $50,000-$75,040 DOQ Open until filled

Management Analyst (Sustainability & Resiliency) Emergency Management $67,175-$121,947 DOQ Open until filled

Police Detective Police $68,356-$109,934 DOQ Open until filled

Police Officer Police $62,000-$109,934 DOQ Open until filled

Police School Resource Officer Police $68,356-$109,934 DOQ Open until filled

Police Traffic Officer Police $68,356-$109,934 DOQ Open until filled

Project Manager Utilities $76,426-$138,530 DOQ Open until filled

Senior Engineer Plan Review $70,374-$127,560 DOQ Open until filled

Senior Planner (Preservation and Zoning Administration) Planning & Zoning $67,175-$121,947 DOQ Open until filled

Stormwater and Environmental Manager

Transportation Engineer

Urban Forester/Landscape Management Specialist

Public Works & Capital Projects $82,999-$150,445 DOQ Open until filled

Public Works & Capital Projects $82,999-$150,445 DOQ Open until filled

Public Works & Capital Projects $67,175-$121,947 DOQ Open until filled

Utility Inspector II Utilities $56,956-$103,363 DOQ Open until filled

Utility Plant Technician or Senior Utility Plant Technician Utilities $50,000-$95,178 DOQ Open until filled

Wastewater Plant Operator Trainee, I or II Utilities $50,000-$95,178 DOQ Open until filled

The Town of Lovettsville seeks a dedicated, responsive, and experienced individual who will thrive in this small-town environment for the position of Treasurer.

The Treasurer position oversees the coordination and direction of all financial management and accounting for the town operations under the direction of the Town Manager, which includes overall supervision of accounting and finance, revenue and tax collection, debt administration and treasury, purchasing, assessing, and payroll and retirement operations.

The Treasurer position is a full-time position with generous benefits that is appointed and serves at the pleasure of the Mayor and Lovettsville Town Council.

For more details regarding the position and to find the employment application, please visit the Town's webpage at: www.lovettsvilleva.gov/careers

Pickwick Players Present ‘Scrooge! The Musical’

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Nonprofit musical theater troupe The Pickwick Players are kicking off the holiday sea son with “Scrooge! The Musical” Nov. 11-12 and Nov. 18-19.

The community group, notable for its large casts, ambitious all-volunteer productions and for do nating a portion of ticket sales to charity, has been around since 2005 putting on family-friendly musi cal theatre, plays, workshops and camps. This year they take on one of the best-loved holiday stories of all, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” adapt ed for a musical by Leslie Bricusse based on his soundtrack for the 1970 film “Scrooge.”

Bricusse’s was nominated for an Academy Award for the film score, most of which was car ried over into the musical. During a career in which he won two Academy Awards, and one Grammy, netted multiple Tony Awards and Academy Awards nominations, and was inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He scored for movies like 1967’s “Doctor Doolittle” and 1971’s “Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” Many other artists like Sammy Davis Jr., Nina Simone and Frank Sinatra had hits with recordings of his music. And among his early works: “Pickwick,” based on Charles Dickens’s The Pickwick Papers.

The Pickwick Players will present the two-act musical story of Ebenezer Scrooge in Victorian London, visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future who show him the times of his life and future.

The show will be at Capital Community Church, 20430 Ashburn Village Blvd. in Ash burn. Tickets and more information are online at thepickwickplayers.com, with group discounts available. n

Why I Love Loudoun

TODD MORRISON Owner of Dawson Gap Farm, Hillsboro

In 2009, Todd and Melissa Mor rison bought a 17-acre farm in the shadow of Short Hill Mountain near Hillsboro to grow healthy, all natural foods to feed their growing family of six children. They named it Dawson Gap Farm and from humble begin nings—a few laying hens in 2011 –they now produce grass fed, nonGMO, chemical free eggs, chicken, pork, beef and Thanksgiving turkeys for local markets. To order your turkey direct from the source, go to dawsongap.com.

How old is the farm?

We are first-generation farmers inspired by the all-natural local food movement and public figures such as Joel Salatin. While the farm is not old, it is named for the Dawson Gap Road that was used during the Civil War to travel over Short Hill Mountain.

What is the secret to raising a great Thanksgiving Turkey?

Fresh air, sunshine and grass. We move our turkeys on pasture in mobile shelters and electric fence, and they love to forage on chemical free grasses. We also supplement their diet with Dawson Gap Naturals premium non-GMO feed. The birds are available fresh and unfrozen prior to Thanksgiving.

What’s the best stuffing recipe?

We enjoy a family recipe that features old fashioned southern corn bread in it and we switch between my wife’s family recipe and my family’s. Our turkeys include giblets, so gravy is made the old-fashioned way without any packages from the grocery store.

Turducken – yes or no?

We have not personally prepared turducken, but our customers have and seem to like them. We have also had customers deep fry their turkey or brine them. There are many ways to prepare turkey, but we just oven roast ours and as long as they are not over cooked, they always turn out juicy and flavorful. … I never really enjoyed white meat on a turkey until we raised our own. Now it’s my favorite.

Your favorite place in Loudoun to eat?

There are so many. We are never disappointed by Magnolias in Pur cellville, and we were pleased the other night to try something different at Finn Thai in Purcellville. Often we enjoy breakfast or lunch at Stoney brook Farm & Market in Hillsboro.

Favorite place in Loudoun for a craft beverage?

We don’t drink alcohol but if I can include ice cream in the category of craft “beverage” I would have to men tion the Tipped Cow in Purcellville. Our family is filled with ice cream

connoisseurs now and we always enjoy the craft ice cream they make.

What’s a must-see place for an out-of-town visitor

There’s so much to choose from. It’s always nice to walk the streets of historic Middleburg. For children, Great Country Farms in Bluemont has pick-your-own, farm animals and activities throughout the year. We also usually take guests from out of town to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Dulles.

Favorite event in Loudoun to go to

Good food and community can be found each week at one of Loudoun’s local farm markets.

What’s a fun fact to share about Loudoun

Many people come to Loudoun to get married. Our sons do amazing videography for weddings, from pas toral scenes, vineyard backgrounds, high class historic barns and the culinary masterpieces of talented chefs. There is no better place to start a new family than by having a wedding in Loudoun. n

Visit Loudoun strives to bring tourists to the county, but locals can be tourists too. In this series we ask Loudoun residents to tell us about the joys, secrets and delights of their own backyard. Discover something new and share your local adventure with Visit Loudoun using #loveloudoun.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Actors with the nonprofit, all-volunteer Pickwick Players rehearse at the Purcellville Train Station for this November’s run of “Scrooge! The Musical.”

Visit Loudoun

The Morrison Family of Dawson Gap Farm

Jingle Jam

a comfort level in that. … It’s like a Hall mark movie without the cheese,” Everett said.

But both organizers admit there may be just a little bit of “cheese” and a strong sense of tradition in the warm vibes be tween musicians and audience.

“The show started as a concert, but be cause we kept the same group [of musi cians] together and we got to know each other, all this ad lib schtick and variety show stuff started filtering in. … It’s fun ny, there’s lots of jokes. It all seems to work.” Everett said.

Wright said there’s definitely an oldschool variety show feel with a contem porary vibe.

“We’re both fans of the old-style Bing Crosby holiday shows. … My whole life I always felt like I wanted to do one of those,” Wright said. “Now that we have the Jingle Jam, I feel like I get to be Lees burg’s Bing Crosby.”

Most of the band members have signa ture songs for the show. And a fan favorite is Wright’s rendition of “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” from the classic holiday special “How the Grinch Stole Christ mas.” And Wright always outsources the song’s famed “Stink. Stank. Stunk” line to a kid in the audience.

“We all have our signature songs,” Wright said. “I’ll be walking through a sandwich shop in Leesburg in July and someone will yell out, ‘Yo, Mr. Grinch!’”

One of Everett’s Jingle Jam standbys is the 1960s Charles Brown classic “Please Come Home for Christmas,” covered by the Eagles in 1978. Everett said he’s also busting out his ukulele for the 1950s kitsch tune “Mele Kalikimaka” made fa mous by Crosby.

For more than a decade, crowds lined

up at Ida Lee Recreation Center in the wee hours every November to buy tickets for the hottest show in town. Wright and Ev erett considered taking ticket sales online this year but decided to keep sales in-per son, mostly because of high fees charged by online ticket sales platforms—but also a sense of nostalgia for a Leesburg tradition.

“We just didn’t want to put [extra fees] on the consumers,” Everett said. “We de cided we can kind of rekindle a little bit of that Ida Lee vibe. You’ve got to buy your ticket in person at the box office. It’s a wink and a nod to tradition that a lot of people love.”

The beloved Jingle Jam band has also remained largely the same over the years and features Jon Carroll, Gary Small wood, Tobias Smith, Mark Williams, Kim Pittinger, and Prescott Engle onstage with Wright and Everett. The band looks forward to the event as much as the audi ence, the organizers said.

“We’re pumped. When we send the email out to everybody in the band and we’re like, ‘We’re doing it!’ we literally have resounding yeses from everybody in five minutes, which is really impressive for musicians,” Wright said.

And this year’s shows promise a few new twists and the joy of a return to the stage after two long years.

“We’re adding some more magic this year,” Wright said. n

The 2022 Jingle Jam takes place Friday Dec. 9 and Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Tally Ho Theater in Leesburg. Tickets go on sale Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tally Ho box office only. There is a limit of 10 tick ets per person. For more information go to facebook.com/jinglejamband or follow the event on Instagram at @jinglejamleesburg.

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity through out the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap.

All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderli ness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.”

This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-9753.

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

Legal Notices

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER SUBDIVISION VARIATION REQUEST TLSV-2022-0003

BIRKBY HOUSE

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 Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at 7:00 p.m., in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176 to consider a Planning Commission Subdivision Variation request, TLSV-2022-2003. This variation request is made on behalf of the applicant, The Birkby House, LLC. The variation request is associated with the pending Site Plan application TLPF 2022-0016 for the Birkby House Conservatory.

The applicant is requesting the Planning Commission’s approval of a Subdivision Variation to the Town of Leesburg’s Subdivision and Land Development Regulations (“SLDR”) Section 4.02(g) related to required road frontage improvements along Royal Street in conjunction with the re-development of a parcel of land identified in the Loudoun County Land Records as PIN# 231-37-5254.

The Subdivision Variation requests that the required frontage improvements of The Birkby House be waived with the re-development of this property, as any frontage improvements constructed by the ap plicant at this time would remove existing parking from Royal Street, create an unsafe pedestrian route at the southeast corner of the site where sidewalk would end abruptly mid-block, and would likely need to be removed and reconstructed at taxpayer expense when a future Capital Project is designed for this portion of Royal Street.

Copies and additional information regarding the Variation Request are available at the Department of Plan Review located on the second floor of Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) or by contacting William R. Ackman, Jr., P.E., Director of Plan Review at 703-669-3161.

At these hearings, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations at this Planning Commission meeting should contact the Clerk of Commission at (703) 771-2434 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

11/3/22 & 11/10/22

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE BIDS AND QUOTATIONS FOR:

CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS (CDD) CELL A2 LINER SYSTEM & INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS – COMMERCIAL ENTRANCE, RFQ No. 553784 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, December 8, 2022.

A Pre‑Bid Conference will be held virtually using GoTo Meeting software on November 3, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. for clarification of any questions on the drawings, specifications and site conditions.

PURCHASE OF NUTRIENT CREDITS FOR THE ARIANA AND HAMMOND CENTER PROJECT, RFQ No. C-3326 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, November 7, 2022.

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.

11/03/22

Legal Notices

NOTICE OF NOVEMBER GENERAL AND SPECIAL ELECTION November 8, 2022

A General and Special Election to elect Member House of Representatives, 10th District, Hamilton Mayor, members of the Hamilton Town Council, Hillsboro Mayor, members of the Hillsboro Town Council, Leesburg Mayor, members of the Leesburg Town Council, Lovettsville Mayor, members of the Lovettsville Town Council, Purcellville Mayor, members of the Purcellville Town Council, member of the Round Hill Town Council, and three Loudoun County bond questions will be held throughout Loudoun County on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

The polls – which are listed below – will open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. Officers of Election will take the name of any qualified voter who is in line at the polling place by 7:00 p.m. and all such voters will be permitted to vote.

107 Little River, Little River Elementary School, 43464 Hyland Hills St., South Riding

108 Mercer, Mercer Middle School, 42149 Greenstone Dr., Aldie

112 Freedom, Freedom High School, 25450 Riding Center Dr., South Riding

114 Dulles South, Dulles South Recreation & Community Center, 24950 Riding Center Dr., South Riding

117 Carter, Rosa Lee Carter Elementary School, 43330 Loudoun Reserve Dr., Ashburn

118 Moorefield, Briar Woods High School, 22525 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn (cafeteria)

119 Arcola, Arcola Elementary School, 41740 Tall Cedars Pkwy., Aldie

120 Lunsford, J. Michael Lunsford Middle School, 26020 Ticonderoga Rd., Chantilly

121 Town Hall, South Riding Town Hall, 43055 Center St., South Riding

122 Hutchison Farm, Hutchison Farm Elementary School, 42819 Center St., South Riding

123 Cardinal Ridge, Cardinal Ridge Elementary School, 26155 Bull Run Post Office Rd., Centreville

124 Liberty, Liberty Elementary School, 25491 Riding Center Dr., South Riding

125 Rock Ridge, Rock Ridge High School, 43460 Loudoun Reserve Dr., Ashburn

126 Goshen Post, Goshen Post Elementary School, 24945 Lobo Drive, Aldie

207 River Bend, River Bend Middle School, 46240 Algonkian Pkwy., Sterling

208 Algonkian, Algonkian Elementary School, 20196 Carter Ct., Sterling

209 Potomac Falls, Potomac Falls High School, 46400 Algonkian Pkwy, Sterling

210 Cascades, Potowmack Elementary School, 46465 Esterbrook Cir., Sterling

213 Countryside, Countryside Elementary School, 20624 Countryside Blvd., Sterling

214 Sugarland North, Horizon Elementary School, 46665 Broadmore Dr., Sterling

215 Sugarland South, Meadowland Elementary School, 729 Sugarland Run Dr., Sterling

216 Lowes Island, Lowes Island Elementary School, 20755 Whitewater Dr., Sterling

217 South Bank, Potomac Baptist Church, 20747 Lowes Island Blvd., Sterling

218 University Center, GWU Exploration Hall, 20101 Academic Way, Ashburn

219 Galilee Church, Galilee Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling

301 Purcellville, Emerick Elementary School, 440 S. Nursery Ave., Purcellville

302 Round Hill, Round Hill Center, 20 High St., Round Hill

303 Hillsboro, Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro

305 Philomont, Philomont Fire House, 36560 Jeb Stuart Rd., Philomont

*307 Middleburg, Middleburg American Legion, Post 295, 111 The Plains Rd., Middleburg

308 St. Louis, Banneker Elementary School, 35231 Snake Hill Rd., St. Louis

309 Aldie, Aldie United Methodist Church, 39325, John Mosby Hwy., Aldie

310 Mountain View, Mountain View Elementary School, 36803 Allder School Rd., Purcellville

311 Round Hill Elementary, Round Hill Elementary School, 17115 Evening Star Dr., Round Hill

312 Briar Woods, Briar Woods High School, 22525 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn

313 Pinebrook, Pinebrook Elementary School, 25480 Mindful Ct., Aldie

314 Legacy, Legacy Elementary School, 22995 Minerva Dr., Ashburn

315 Firehouse, Philomont Fire House, 36560 Jeb Stuart Rd., Philomont

316 Creighton’s Corner, Creighton’s Corner Elementary School, 23171 Minerva Dr., Ashburn

318 Madison’s Trust, Madison’s Trust Elementary School, 42380 Creighton Road, Ashburn

319 John Champe, John Champe High School, 41535 Sacred Mountain St, Aldie

320 Stone Hill, Stone Hill Middle School, 23415 Evergreen Ridge Drive, Ashburn

321 Brambleton Middle, Brambleton Middle School, 23070 Learning Circle, Ashburn

322 Buffalo Trail, Buffalo Trail Elementary School, 42190 Seven Hills Drive, Aldie

401 West Lovettsville, Lovettsville Volunteer Fire & Rescue, 12837 Berlin Turnpike, Lovettsville

402 Waterford, Waterford Elementary School, 15513 Loyalty Rd., Waterford

403 Lucketts, Lucketts Community Center, 42361 Lucketts Rd., Lucketts

407 Harper Park, Harper Park Middle School, 701 Potomac Station Dr. NE, Leesburg

408 Evergreen, Evergreen Mill Elementary School, 491 Evergreen Mill Rd. SE, Leesburg

409 Clarkes Gap, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 605 W. Market St., Leesburg

411 East Lovettsville, Lovettsville Elementary School, 49 S. Loudoun St., Lovettsville

413 Tuscarora, Tuscarora High School, 801 N. King St., Leesburg

414 Red Rock, Red Rock Community Center, 43131 Lake Ridge Pl., Leesburg

416 Hamilton, Hamilton Baptist Church, 16 E. Colonial Hwy., Hamilton

420 River Creek, Harper Park Middle School, 701 Potomac Station Dr. NE, Leesburg

421 Between the Hills, Between the Hills Community Center, 11762 Harpers Ferry Rd., Purcellville

422 Sycolin Creek, Sycolin Creek Elementary School, 21100 Evergreen Mills Rd., Leesburg

501 West Leesburg, Ida Lee Recreation Center, 60 Ida Lee Dr. NW, Leesburg

502 East Leesburg, Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School, 800 N. King St., Leesburg

503 Dry Mill, Loudoun County High School, 415 Dry Mill Rd. SW, Leesburg

504 Smarts Mill, Smarts Mill Middle School, 850 N. King St., Leesburg

505 Cool Spring, Cool Spring Elementary School, 501 Tavistock Dr. SE, Leesburg

506 Brandon Park, Frederick Douglass Elementary School, 510 Principal Drummond Way, SE, Leesburg

507 Greenway, J.L. Simpson Middle School, 490 Evergreen Mill Rd. SE, Leesburg

508 Balls Bluff, Balls Bluff Elementary School, 821 Battlefield Pkwy. NE, Leesburg

509 Tolbert, John W. Tolbert Jr. Elementary School, 691 Potomac Station Dr. NE, Leesburg

510 Heritage, Heritage High School, 520 Evergreen Mill Rd. SE, Leesburg

615 Hillside, Hillside Elementary School, 43000 Ellzey Dr., Ashburn

616 Eagle Ridge, Eagle Ridge Middle School, 42901 Waxpool Rd., Ashburn

617 Oak Grove, Oak Grove Baptist Church, 22870 Dominion Ln., Sterling

619 Ridgetop, Loudoun County Office Building, 21641 Ridgetop Cir., Sterling

620 Russell Branch, Ashburn Elementary School, 44062 Fincastle Dr., Ashburn

621 Dominion Trail, Dominion Trail Elementary School, 44045 Bruceton Mills Circle, Ashburn

622 Farmwell Station, Farmwell Station Middle School, 44281 Gloucester Pkwy., Ashburn

623 Weller, Steuart W. Weller Elementary School, 20700 Marblehead Dr., Ashburn

625 Mill Run, Mill Run Elementary School, 42940 Ridgeway Dr., Ashburn

626 Ashby Ponds, Farmwell Hall, 44755 Audubon Sq., Ashburn

627 Ashbrook, Ashburn Elementary School, 44062 Fincastle Drive, Ashburn

628 Moorefield Station, Moorefield Station Elementary School, 22325 Mooreview Pkwy., Ashburn

629 Discovery, Discovery Elementary School, 44020 Grace Bridge Dr., Ashburn

701 Sully, Sully Elementary School, 300 Circle Dr., Sterling

702 Park View, Park View High School, 400 W. Laurel Ave., Sterling

703 Rolling Ridge, Rolling Ridge Elementary School, 500 E. Frederick Dr., Sterling

705 Forest Grove, Forest Grove Elementary School, 46245 Forest Ridge Dr, Sterling

707 Claude Moore Park, Claude Moore Recreation Center, 46105 Loudoun Park Lane Sterling

708 Seneca, Seneca Ridge Middle School, 98 Seneca Ridge Dr., Sterling

709 Mirror Ridge, Sugarland Elementary School, 65 Sugarland Run Dr., Sterling

710 Sterling, Sterling Middle School, 201 West Holly Ave., Sterling

808 Stone Bridge, Stone Bridge High School, 43100 Hay Rd., Ashburn

810 Cedar Lane, Cedar Lane Elementary School, 43700 Tolamac Dr., Ashburn

813 Seldens Landing, Seldens Landing Elementary School, 43345 Coton Commons Dr., Leesburg

814 Newton-Lee, Newton-Lee Elementary School, 43335 Gloucester Pkwy., Ashburn

815 Belmont Ridge, Belmont Ridge Middle School, 19045 Upper Belmont Pl., Leesburg

817 Sanders Corner, Sanders Corner Elementary School, 43100 Ashburn Farm Pkwy., Ashburn

818 Broad Run, Broad Run High School, 21670 Ashburn Rd., Ashburn

819 Heritage Church, Broad Run High School, 21670 Ashburn Rd., Ashburn (cafeteria)

820 Belmont Station, Belmont Station Elementary School, 20235 Nightwatch St., Ashburn

822 Riverside, Riverside High School, 19019 Upper Belmont Pl., Leesburg

*Denotes a change in voting location for this election.

The last day for in-person absentee voting is Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.

The Leesburg Early Voting site, located at 750 Miller Dr. SE., Suite F, Leesburg 20175 (near the Leesburg Airport), will be open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, October 31 & November 4; Saturday, November 5, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Sterling Early-Voting site, located at the Loudoun County Government Office at Ridgetop, 21641Ridgetop Circle, Sterling, 20166 will be open October 31 to November 4, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, November 5, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Dulles Early Voting site, located at the Dulles South Recreation and Community Center, 24950 Riding Center Dr., South Riding, 20152 will be open October 31 to November 5, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, November 5, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Western Loudoun Early Voting site, located at Carver Senior Center, 200 E. Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville, 20132 will be open Saturday, November 5, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

All absentee ballots received by mail can be hand delivered to the Office of Elections or any Loudoun County polling place no later than 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, Election Day, to be counted. All absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day (November 8, 2022) AND be received by noon on Monday, November 14, 2022 (Friday, November 11 is a Holiday).

Inquiries concerning the election and questions regarding registration status may be directed to the Loudoun County Office of Elections, 703-777-0380, located at 750 Miller Dr. SE. Suite C, Leesburg 20175. Please visit www.loudoun.gov/NovemberElection for additional information.

Authorized by:

Judith A. Brown, Director of Elections Loudoun County Office of Elections

Legal Notices

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER SPECIAL EXCEPTION APPLICATION TLSE-2022-0003 COMPASS CREEK MINI-WAREHOUSE

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 Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Special Exception application TLSE-2022-0003, Compass Creek Self Storage.

The subject of the application is a vacant 3.008 acre parcel in the Compass Creek Shopping Center located at 585 Compass Point Plaza SE. The property is zoned B-3, Community Retail/Commercial, and is further described as Loudoun County Parcel Identification Number (PIN) 234-39-1457.

Special Exception Application TLSE-2022-0003 is a request by Leesburg Commercial, L.C. for a Special Exception to allow a 120,000 square foot mini-warehouse (self-storage) facility, pursuant to Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance (TLZO) Section 6.5.2, Use Regulations

In addition, the Applicant is requesting two (2) zoning modifications. The Applicant seeks to modify Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance (TLZO) Section 6.5.3, Density/Intensity and Dimensional Standards and Section 12.8.3 Buffer Yards

Additional information and copies of this application is available at the Department of Planning and Zoning located on the second floor of the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Richard Klusek, Senior Planner at 703-771-2758 or rklusek@leesburgva.gov

At these hearings, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations at the meeting should contact the Clerk of the Commission at (703) 771-2434 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

11/03 & 11/10/22

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TO CONSIDER RENEWAL OF A LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH LUMOS NETWORKS, INC. FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES WITHIN TOWN RIGHTS-OF-WAY

Pursuant to Virginia Code § 15.2-1800, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a Public Hearing on: TUESDAY, November 15, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Town Hall 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia to consider renewal of a license agreement authorizing Lumos Networks, Inc. to use certain Town rightsof-way and publicly owned property for telecommunications purposes to install, operate and maintain fiber optic cable, for a term of five years, upon certain terms and conditions.

Copies of the proposed Resolution, the proposed Renewal of License Agreement for Telecommunications Facilities between the Town and Lumos Networks, Inc., and additional information regarding the proposed renewal agreement, are available from the Clerk of Council, located in Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.); or by calling Eileen Boeing, Clerk of Council, at 703-771-2733.

At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views concerning 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.

11/03 & 11/10/22

NOTICE OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING BY THE TOWN OF HILLSBORO, VIRGINIA

Notice is hereby given that the Planning Commission and Town Council of the Town of Hillsboro, Virginia (the “Planning Commission” and “Town Council”) will hold a joint public hearing on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 7 p.m., to receive public comment and to consider adoption of an ordinance amending the Hillsboro Zoning Ordinance to modify signage requirements and add new fencing regu lations. A summary of these Amendments is provided below. Complete copies of the amendments are available for review on the Town website at: www.hillsborova.gov and also by appointment at the Town office at 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro, VA, 20132 between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.

Summary of draft Zoning Ordinance Amendments:

1. Amend ARTICLE IX, Signs, to clarify and add new requirements relating to signage. These amendments, in summary, add detail to and update: definitions; procedures for requesting a sign permit, including comprehensive sign plan applications; and identification of sign types excluded from regulation, are prohibited, or are permitted. The amendments modify the existing general sign standards, add new standards for specific sign types, and add standards when there are unusu al site constraints or the presence of a floodplain. Changes to the requirements for nonconforming signs, sign maintenance, and removal of unsafe or obsolete signs are also proposed.

2. Amend ARTICLE X, Regulations Applicable to All Districts, to add new requirements for fences and walls. These regulations, in summary, will require permits for fences and walls and add new requirements, to include height limits depending on the location of the fence or wall within the front, side, or rear yards, and prohibition of some building materials for fences in residential areas. Additional requirements for decks, porches, stairs, and landings attached to principal structures are also proposed.

The public hearing, which may be continued or adjourned, will be held before the Town Council and Planning Commission on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 7:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, at Hillsboro Old Stone School located at 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro, VA, 20132. Any person interested in the Amendments may appear at the public hearing and present their views. The Town Council may set time limits on speakers and other rules and procedures for the conduct of this public hearing.

Written comments regarding the Amendments may be delivered prior to the public hear ing in care of the Mayor at 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro, Virginia 20132, or e-mailed to mayorvance@hillsborova.gov

All comments received will be presented to the Town Council and Planning Commission during the public hearing.

TOWN OF HILLSBORO, VIRGINIA Roger L. Vance, Mayor

TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

11/03 & 11/10/22

LVZA 2022-0002 AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE 42, ZONING, TO AMEND Article 42-I, IN GENERAL, TO ADD A DEFINITIONS OF LIVESTOCK AND FOWL ARTICLE 42-VIII-2, ADDITIONAL STANDARDS, TO ADD SECTION 42-306, KEEPING LIVESTOCK AND FOWL

The LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 6 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia to consider the following amendments to the Zoning Ordinance.

The purpose of the amendment is to create definitions for “livestock” and “fowl”, and to establish standards for keeping certain livestock and fowl in Lovettsville. Proposed standards would limit the type and number of livestock and fowl, set minimum lot sizes and setbacks from neighboring properties, and establish requirements for storing feed, disposing of waste, and constructing enclosures.

All persons desiring to speak will be given an opportunity to do so at this meeting. Written comments can be submitted to clerk@lovettsvilleva.gov by 3:00PM on the day of the meeting. Members of the public may access and participate in this meeting electronically.

The proposed zoning amendment is available for review on the Town website at: www.lovettsvilleva.gov. You may also request a copy be sent to you via email by contacting John Merrithew, Planning Director at (540) 822-5788 between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm weekdays, holidays excepted. In the event the meeting is postponed, the public hearing will be convened on the next regularly scheduled meeting at the same time and place.

11/3/22, 11/10/22

Legal Notices

Loudoun County Public Schools November 10, 2022 Community Information Meeting

Spotlight on Eastern Loudoun Area Schools

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Department of Support Services has scheduled a community meeting for Thursday, November 10, 2022, to preview school project information that will be included in the Superintendent’s Recommended Fiscal Year 2024 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget –including for Park View High School.

Date & Time

Thursday, November 10, 2022 6:00 p.m.

Auditorium of Meeting Spotlight

Park View High School (400 W Laurel Ave, Sterling)

Eastern Loudoun Area (General Description: North/East of Rt 28, South of Potomac River, West of Fairfax County)

Following the meeting, the presentation will be posted on the LCPS website, at https://www.lcps.org/ Page/81470.

The CIP budget will be presented to the Loudoun County School Board at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 15, 2022.

Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate meaningfully in the community meeting should contact the Support Services office at 571-252-1385 at least three (3) days prior to the specific meeting.

Kevin L. Lewis, Chief Operations Officer

Loudoun County Public Schools, Department of Support Services 21000 Education Court Ashburn, Virginia 20148 Telephone: 571-252-1385

Email: LCPSPLAN@LCPS.ORG 10/27 & 11/03/22

TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO THE TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2229, and 15.2-2230 of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended, the LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at 7:00PM in the Town Council Chambers, 6 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia to consider revisions to the Town of Lovettsville Comprehensive Plan .

The Lovettsville Planning Commission has conducted its 5-year review of the Plan, and recommends revisions to the Plan’s text, policies, and maps. The proposed amendment rewrites, removes, and adds text to various chapters, which:

• Clarify goals and values

• Organize subtopics within chapters that align with policies

• Add more protection to the environment and infrastructure

• Reflect changing land use practices, and changes in the economy and demographics

• Introduce new policies concerning housing

• Modify, as appropriate, transportation goals

• Modify planned land uses on several parcels

Persons wishing to speak will be given an opporunity to do so at this meeting. Written comments may be submitted to clerk@lovettsvilleva.gov by 3:00PM on the day of the meeting. Members of the public may access and participate in the meeting electronically.

The proposed comprehensive plan amendment is available for review online at www.lovettsvilleva.gov/ government/planning-commission or at the Town Office between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm during weekdays or by special appointment, holidays excepted. You may also request a copy be sent to you via email by contacting John Merrithew, Zoning Administrator for the Town of Lovettsville at (540) 755-3004 or by email at jmerrithew@lovettsvilleva.gov. In the event the meeting is postponed, the public hearing will be convened at the next regularly scheduled meeting at the same time and place.

11/3/22 & 11/10/22

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Public Notice

An enforcement action has been proposed for Mr. Gurcharan Lail for violations of State Water Control Board statutes and regulations and applicable permit at the One Stop Trailer Park sewage treatment plant located in Leesburg, Virginia. The proposed Consent Order Amendment is available from the DEQ contact or at www.deq.virginia.gov/permits-regulations/public-notices. The DEQ contact will accept written comments from November 8, 2022 to December 8, 2022. DEQ contact: Jim Datko; email - james.datko@deq.virginia.gov; or mail - DEQ Northern Regional Office, 13901 Crown Court, Woodbridge, VA 22193.

11/03/22

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ045875-03-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Joseph Kevin O’Brien

Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. Patrick Kevin O’Brien

The object of this suit is to hold a permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Joseph Kevin O’Brien.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Patrick Kevin O’Brien appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before December 13, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. 11/3, 11/10, 11/17 & 11/24/22

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ041604-05-01; JJ043080-03-01

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Diana Gissel Medina Lainez, Gabrielle Medina Lainez

Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Jose Medina, Putative Father

The object of this suit is to hold a dispositional hearing for review of initial Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-278.2 and 16.1-281 for Diana Gissel Medina Lainez & Gabrielle Medina Lainez,

It is ORDERED that the defendant Jose Medina, Putative Father appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his interests on or before November 28, 2022 at 10:00 a.m 10/27, 11/3, 11/10 & 11/17/22

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ046340-02-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Zarabella Tucker

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

The object of this suit is to hold a foster care review hearing and review of foster care plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282 and 16.1-281 for Zarabella Tucker.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Jason Tucker, putative father, appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his or her interests on or before December 7, 2022 at 3:00 PM

11/3, 11/10, 11/17 & 11/24/22

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ046598-01-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Chloe Love

Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Willie Huff, putative father, and Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold an adjudicatory hearing pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-252 for Chloe Love; and hold a dispositional hearing for review of initial Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-278.2 and 16.1-281 for Chloe Love.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Willie Huff, putative father, and Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before October 19, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. (Adjudicatory); and November 16, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. (Dispositional).

10/20, 10/27, 11/3 & 11/10/22

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 Monday, November 14, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following:

REVIEW AND RENEWAL, MODIFICATION OR TERMINATION OF THE NEW LUCKETTS AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTAL DISTRICT

The current period of the New Lucketts Agricultural and Forestal District will expire on April 12, 2023. The District has a four-year period and a subdivision minimum lot size of 20 acres. Pursuant to Chapter 1226 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County, the Board of Supervisors has directed staff, the Agricultural District Advisory Committee (ADAC), and the Planning Commission to conduct a review in order to determine whether to continue, modify, or terminate the District. Parcels currently enrolled in the District are located within an area generally south of Lost Corner Road (Route 662) and Lucketts Road (Route 662), west and north of Hibler Road (Route 656), and south and east of Spinks Ferry Road (Route 657) and Lucketts Road (Route 662), in the Catoctin Election District.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Parcel Listings:

In accordance with Section 15.2-4307 of the Code of Virginia, the applications 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 703-777 0246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies or electronically at: https://www.loudoun.gov/adac (9-19-2022 ADAC Meeting under Agendas and Bylaws). Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: https://www.loudoun.gov/pc (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for Public Hearings Packet).

REVIEW AND RENEWAL, MODIFICATION OR TERMINATION OF THE OATLANDS AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTAL DISTRICT

The current period of the Oatlands Agricultural and Forestal District will expire on April 5, 2023. The District has a four-year period and a subdivision minimum lot size of 50 acres. Pursuant to Chapter 1226 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County, the Board of Supervisors has directed staff, the Agricultural District Advisory Committee (ADAC), and the Planning Commission to conduct a review in order to determine whether to continue, modify, or terminate the District. Parcels currently enrolled in the District are located within an area generally south of Shreve Mill Road (Route 653) and Diggins Court (Route 3047), east of James Monroe Highway (Route 15), southwest of the Dulles Greenway (Route 267), west of Evergreen Mills Road (Route 621), and north of Oatlands Mill Road (Route 650), in the Catoctin Election District.

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

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

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

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

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

PIN Tax Map Number

Acres Enrolled

PIN Tax Map Number Acres Enrolled 073-17-7117 /21/////////23A 24.91 105-20-2250 /31/////////6G 30 074-18-0740 /21////////20A 11.45 105-35-1481 /30///9////33/ 10.64 074-47-1437 /21/////////23/ 2.88 105-39-0209 /31///1/////2/ 50.52 075-45-5417 /21//12/////2C 5.78 105-48-1603 /31///1/////1/ 55.8 102-19-1992 /21////////29A 12.25 105-49-4257 /31///////6B1/ 17.89 103-15-9047 /20////////47C 39.41 106-25-1260 /30///3///3A2 13.7 103-20-1242 /21////////35/ 26.19 106-45-0312 /30///9////46/ 10.05 103-30-4672 /21////////32/ 14.29 106-48-6662 /31/////////6A 26.51 104-18-4159 /31///////6H1/ 20 137-10-6593 /20////////51B 23.94 104-18-8965 /31///////6H2/ 10 137-10-7148 /20////////47B 10.37 104-19-5046 /31/////////6H 25 137-38-8078 /20//17/////1/ 22.02 104-25-2785 /20//10/////1/ 13 137-47-8749 /20//17/////5/ 21.55 104-26-3555 /20///2/////5/ 10 139-10-8901 /30///9////43/ 10.12 104-27-0585 /20///2/////6/ 10 139-38-6386 /30//11/////1/ 10.01 104-27-2816 /20///2/////2/ 10 139-49-8870 /30///9////29/ 10.03 104-37-0190 /20////////45B 66.69 140-40-3241 /30///9////47/ 11.63 104-45-2967 /20////////47/ 15.1 *074-37-9155 /21////////22B 10 105-10-1882 /31/////////6K 51.51

* Indicates a parcel whose owner is withdrawing it from the District.

The ADAC held a public meeting on September 19, 2022, to review and make recommendations concerning whether to continue, modify, or terminate the New Lucketts Agricultural and Forestal District, and to review renewal applications and requests for withdrawal of land from the District. The report and recommendations of the ADAC will be considered by the Planning Commission, along with any proposed modifications, at its public hearing on November 14, 2022. The reports and recommendations of the ADAC and the Planning Commission, along with any proposed modifications, will be considered by the Board of Supervisors at its public hearing.

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

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

Parcel Listings:

PIN Tax Map Number Acres Enrolled

PIN Tax Map Number Acres Enrolled 276-35-1494 /59////////59E 10 316-38-8826 /59////////28A 2.87 276-45-1343 /59////////59D 10.99 316-48-0176 /59////////26A 8 315-18-0319 /59////////26B 10.31 *236-15-4010 /60///9/////2/ 5.13 315-18-7612 /59///2/////4/ 11.13 *236-15-4867 /60//10/////3/ 12.92 315-20-8147 /59////////58C 10 *236-16-2145 /60//10/////4/ 30.16 315-27-0588 /59//19//CON1/ 10.02 *236-17-9638 /60////////67A 31.31 315-29-6584 /59//12/////1/ 14.13 *236-27-7526 /60////////56A 37.79 315-30-7732 /59////////59/ 12.11 *236-38-7331 /60////////56B 107.92 315-39-2788 /59//18//B2-3/ 4.9 *236-46-5707 /60////////53A 122.75 315-49-6721 /59////////69A 22.59 *237-45-3679 /60///9/////1/ 6.63 316-16-3498 /76/////////5/ 250 *237-47-4657 /60////////67B 21.13 316-37-2474 /59////////22/ 3.08 **315-30-1366 /59///4/////A/ 10 316-37-2749 /59////////23/ 1.97

* 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.

Legal Notices

The ADAC held a public meeting on September 19, 2022, to review and make recommendations concerning whether to continue, modify, or terminate the Oatlands Agricultural and Forestal District, and to review renewal applications and requests for withdrawal of land from the District. The report and recommendations of the ADAC will be considered by the Planning Commission, along with any proposed modifications, at its public hearing on November 14, 2022. The reports and recommendations of the ADAC and the Planning Commission, along with any proposed modifications, will be considered by the Board of Supervisors at its public hearing.

In accordance with Section 15.2-4307 of the Code of Virginia, the applications 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 703-777 0246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies or electronically at: https://www.loudoun.gov/adac (9-19-2022 ADAC Meeting under Agendas and Bylaws). Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: https://www.loudoun.gov/pc (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for Public Hearings Packet).

SPEX-2022-0037

INTERCONNECTION SUBSTATION (Special Exception)

Virginia Electric and Power Company of Glen Allen, Virginia, has submitted an application for a Special Exception to permit an increase in the maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) from 0.6 to 0.63 for utility substation, distribution use in the PD-IP (Planned Development – Industrial Park) zoning district. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and the proposed use is permitted under Section 4-506(C). The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District and the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, between the Ldn 60-65 and outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contours, and located partially within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District) and has areas with Steep Slopes (moderately steep slopes). The subject property is approximately 10.18 acres in size and is located on the north side of Loudoun County Parkway (Route 607) and the east side of Beaumeade Circle (Route 3037) at 21529 Beaumeade Circle, Ashburn, Virginia, in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 042-15-2579. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Employment Place Type) which designate this area for Office, Production, Flex Space, and Warehousing uses at a recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) up to a 1.0.

ZOAM-2020-0002

PRIME AGRICULTURAL SOILS AND CLUSTER SUBDIVISIONS (Zoning Ordinance Amendment)

Pursuant to Virginia Code §§15.2-2204, 15.2-2285, and 15.2-2286, and a Resolution of Intent to Amend adopted by the Board of Supervisors on June 21, 2022, the Planning Commission hereby gives notice of proposed amendments to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance (“Zoning Ordinance”) in order to establish new, and clarify, revise and/or delete existing, regulations and definitions in regard to the preservation of prime agricultural soils, rural cluster development design, and rural economy uses under the Cluster Subdivision Option of the AR – 1 (Agricultural Rural – 1) and AR – 2 (Agricultural Rural – 2) zoning districts. The amendment proposes revisions to Article 2, Non-Suburban District Regulations, and Article 8, Definitions, and such other Articles, Sections, Subsections, and provisions of the Zoning Ordinance as necessary to implement and maintain consistency with the foregoing amendments or as otherwise necessary to correct typographical errors, section and subsection numbering, and formatting within, update cross-references to, and further clarify the requirements of, the above-mentioned section(s) of the Zoning Ordinance. The proposed text amendments under consideration include, without limitation, the following:

Amendments to Section 2-100 et seq., AR-1 Agricultural Rural-1:

• Section 2-101, Purpose and Intent: Revise to address the recognition, preservation, and protection of Prime Farmland Soils.

• Table 2-102 of Section 2-102, AR-1 Agricultural Rural-1 District Use Table: Revise to separately list the permitted, minor special exception, and special exception uses for the specific lot types under the Cluster Subdivision Option, and add new, and revise and/or delete the existing, permitted, minor special exception, and special exception uses for each of the said lot types.

• Section 2-103(C), Development Options, Cluster Subdivision Option:

o Revise, clarify, and reorganize existing regulations in regard to minimum size of the originating tract; maximum lot yield; creation of lots; further subdivision and boundary line adjustments; minimum percentage of originating tract required for lot types other than residential cluster lots; grouping of residential cluster lots; minimum and maximum lot size; maximum lot coverage; requirements for rural economy cluster lots, including when required, minimum lot size, maximum lot coverage, minimum lot width, and maximum length/width ratio; requirements for common open space lots, including lot characteristics and permitted accessory uses; perimeter and road setbacks; front, side, and rear yards; building height; utility requirements for water and sewer; maintenance of individual and communal water and/or sewage disposal systems; lot access; and fire protection.

o Establish new regulations in regard to requirements for preservation farm lots, including the minimum number of preservation farm lots and percentage of prime farmland soils to be located within the preservation farm lots; permanent open space easements, delineation of prime farmland soils, minimum lot size, and maximum lot coverage; pre-submission meetings; and advisory cluster subdivision siting and design guidelines.

• Section 2-104, Homeowners’ Association and Responsibilities: Revise and clarify the types of common

areas, facilities, or improvements that require the establishment of a homeowners association (“HOA”); mandatory HOA membership requirement, and exception to HOA requirements when the only common improvement is a private road subject to a private road maintenance agreement.

• Section 2-105, Recognizing Protection by Right to Farm Act: Clarify requirements.

• Section 2-106, Existing Lots of Record: Clarify requirements for certain existing non-hamlet lots.

Amendments to Section 2-200 et seq., AR-2 Agricultural Rural-2:

• Section 2-201, Purpose and Intent: Revise to address the recognition, preservation, and protection of Prime Farmland Soils.

• Table 2-202 of Section 2-202, AR-2 Agricultural Rural-2 District Use Table: Revise to separately list the permitted, minor special exception, and special exception uses for the specific lot types under the Cluster Subdivision Option, and add new, and revise and/or delete the existing, permitted, minor special exception, and special exception uses for each of the said lot types.

• Section 2-203(C), Development Options, Cluster Subdivision Option:

o Revise, clarify, and reorganize existing regulations in regard to minimum size of the originating tract; maximum lot yield; creation of lots; further subdivision and boundary line adjustments; minimum percentage of originating tract required for lot types other than residential cluster lots; grouping of residential cluster lots; minimum and maximum lot size; maximum lot coverage; requirements for rural economy cluster lots, including when required, minimum lot size, maximum lot coverage, minimum lot width, and maximum length/width ratio; requirements for common open space lots, including lot characteristics and permitted accessory uses; perimeter and road setbacks; front, side, and rear yards; building height; utility requirements for water and sewer; maintenance of individual and communal water and/or sewage disposal systems; lot access; and fire protection.

o Establish new regulations in regard to requirements for preservation farm lots, including the minimum number of preservation farm lots and percentage of prime farmland soils to be located within the preservation farm lots; permanent open space easements, delineation of prime farmland soils, minimum lot size, and maximum lot coverage; pre-submission meetings; and advisory cluster subdivision siting and design guidelines.

• Section 2-104, Homeowners’ Association and Responsibilities: Revise and clarify the types of common areas, facilities, or improvements that require the establishment of a homeowners association (“HOA”), mandatory HOA membership requirement, and exception to HOA requirements when the only common improvement is a private road subject to a private road maintenance agreement.

• Section 2-105, Recognizing Protection by Right to Farm Act: Clarify requirements.

• Section 2-106, Existing Lots of Record: Clarify requirements for certain existing non-hamlet lots.

Amendments to Article 8, Definitions:

• Establish new definitions for “Preservation Farm Lot”, “Prime Farmland Soils”, and “Rural Economy Cluster Lot”.

• Revise existing definitions for “Cluster Development (AR Districts Only)”, “Rural Economy Lot”, and “Rural Economy Uses”.

• Delete existing definition for “Rural Economy Conservation Lands”.

The public purposes of these amendments are to achieve the purposes of zoning as set forth in Virginia Code §§15.2-2200 and 15.2-2283, including, without limitation, furtherance of the public necessity, convenience, general welfare and good zoning practice and facilitating the creation of a convenient, attractive and harmonious community.

A complete copy of the full text of the above-referenced proposed amendments are on file and available for public inspection at the Office of the County Administrator, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call 703-777-0200. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at www.loudoun. gov/bosdocuments (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for “Board of Supervisors Business Meetings, Public Hearings and Special Meetings”).

Unless otherwise noted above, full and complete copies of the above-referenced amendments, applications, ordinances and/or plans, and related documents may be examined in the Loudoun County Department of Building and Development, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia, from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday or call 703-7770220, or electronically at www.loudoun.gov/lola. This link also provides an additional opportunity for public input on active applications. Additionally, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically the week before the hearing at www.loudoun.gov/pc. For further information, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246.

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 703-7770246 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. If written comments are presented at the hearing, please provide ten (10) copies for distribution to the Commission and the Clerk’s records. All members of the public will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. 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

Legal Notices

arrangements for additional speaking time and/or audio-visual 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

Loudoun County Public Schools Fall 2022 Secondary School Attendance Zone Change Process for Ashburn, Central Loudoun and Eastern Loudoun

The Loudoun County School Board has scheduled a series of meetings to facilitate the review of Ashburn, Central Loudoun and Eastern Loudoun area secondary school attendance zones. The current boundaries for Broad Run High School/Farmwell Station Middle School, Dominion High School/Sen eca Ridge Middle School, Heritage High School/Harper Park Middle School, Loudoun County High School/J. Lupton Simpson Middle School, Park View High School/Sterling Middle School, Potomac Falls High School/River Bend Middle School, Riverside High School/Belmont Ridge Middle School, Stone Bridge High School/Trailside Middle School and Tuscarora High School/Smart’s Mill Middle School will be reviewed in the attendance zone process.

Date Time Secondary School Attendance Zone Meeting

Thursday, October 13, 2022 6:30 p.m. School Board Attendance Zone Overview

Tuesday, October 18, 2022 6:30 p.m. Staff Briefing & School Board Attendance Zone Public Hearing

Tuesday, November 1, 2022 6:30 p.m. School Board Attendance Zone Work Session

Wednesday, November 9, 2022 6:30 p.m. Staff Briefing & School Board Attendance Zone Public Hearing

Monday, November 14, 2022 6:30 p.m. School Board Attendance Zone Work Session Tuesday, November 29, 2022* 6:30 p.m. School Board Review of Secondary School Attendance Zone Recommendations (Information Item)

Tuesday, December 6, 2022 6:30 p.m. Staff Briefing & School Board Attendance Zone Public Hearing

Tuesday, December 13, 2022* 6:30 p.m. School Board Adoption of Secondary School Attendance Zones

*Regular School Board Business Meeting

The meetings will be held at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building (21000 Education Court, Ashburn) and 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 (https:// www.lcps.org/webcast).

Attendance zone information and data, as it becomes available (including potential attendance zone plans being considered or reviewed by the School Board), will be posted on the ‘Fall 2022 – Secondary School Attendance Zone Change Process’ webpage (https://www.lcps.org/Page/246406).

Detail on how to sign up to speak at the hearings is provided at https://www.lcps.org/Page/223425. In-person sign-up will also be available between 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., on the evening 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 the School Board meetings or public hearings should contact the Superintendent’s Office at 571-252-1020 at least three (3) days prior to the meeting.

Beverly I. Tate, Director

Loudoun County Public Schools Division of Planning & GIS Services 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, Virginia 20148 Telephone: 571-252-1050

Email: LCPSPLAN@LCPS.ORG

10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 11/24, 12/1 & 12/8/22

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

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

10/27 & 11/03/22

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316 Case No.: JJ045837-04-00, 05-00; JJ045838-04-00, 05-00; JJ045839-04-00, 05-00; JJ045840-04-00, 05-00; JJ045841-04-00, 05-00; JJ045842-04-00, 05-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re

Zubayer Ekren, Sumeyyah Ekren, Asiyeh Ekren, Khadija Ekren, Fatima Ekren and Osama Ekren Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Unknown Mother and Unknown Father(s)

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

It is ORDERED that the defendant Unknown Mother and Unknown Father(s) appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his or her interests on or before November 16, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.

11/3 & 11/10/22

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#

2018 KAWASAKI NINJA JKAEXKG11JDA13990 D&M TOWING 703-471-4590

2003 GMC SIERRA 1GTGC13U93F154914 DOUBLE D 703-777-7300

2009 VOLKSWAGON EOS 20T WVWFA71F39V019001 ROAD RUNNER 703-450-7555

2002 DODGE DAKOTA 1B7HL38X02S537603 AL’S TOWING 703-435-8888

2007 LINCOLN CONT MKZ 3LNHM28T07R613271 ASHBURN 703-585-8770

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

FARM

NUMBERS 522-29-5928

522-29-6381

LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

The Town Council of the Town of Purcellville will conduct a public hearing on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022, at 7:00 PM for the purpose of receiving comments on, considering, and possibly voting on the following applications:

The County of Loudoun has submitted 5 applications, proposing to rezone parcel numbers 522-29-5928 and 522-29-6381 (“the Property”) so that it may be developed with two special uses: a Commuter Parking Lot, and an Outdoor Lighted Public Recreational Facility consisting of 8 athletic fields, all as follows:

(1) One Rezoning application (“RZ 20-01”), which proposes to amend the zoning designation of the Property from the existing “X - Transitional” designation, to the “Institutional and Public Use District” designation (“IP”). The existing X-Transitional zoning district is the zoning district assigned by the Town to land when it is annexed into the Town’s corporate limits, and therefore has been the zoning designation of the property since it was annexed into the Town in 2008. The proposed “IP” zoning designation is de scribed by the Town Zoning Ordinance as follows: “[The “IP”] district is intended to permit the location and growth of public and private educational, institutional, public, and semi-public uses in areas appro priate for such uses. The district is intended to encourage the retention or adaptive reuse of larger public and institutional uses on sites identified for such uses in the adopted comprehensive plan.” The zoning amendment is necessary in order to obtain the two Special Use Permit applications, described below.

(2) Two Special Use Permit applications (“SUP 20-01” and “SUP 20-02”) for the following special uses: (a) One Commuter Parking Lot with up to 260 parking spaces, and (b) Eight (8) Lighted Outdoor Public Recreational Fields.

While the entire Property to be rezoned to “IP” consists of about 226 acres, the portion of the Property to be developed with the two Special Uses consists of approximately 69 acres, and is shown in yellow on the map associated with this advertisement (“Special Use Area”). The Special Use Area currently has 2 exist ing soccer fields, with the remainder of the land being currently vacant. The Special Use Area is located north of Route 7, between Routes 690 and 611. The Special Use Area is immediately south of Woodgrove High School, and abuts the west side of the Mayfair residential and industrial subdivisions. The Special Use Area is proximate to the future interchange planned to be constructed at Route 690 and Route 7.

A full and complete copy of the proposed applications and all related documents are available for review on the town’s website at https://www.purcellvilleva.gov/1017/Fields-Farm-Park-Projects, and also in-per son at the office of the Town Clerk, or at the office of the Planning Department, both located within the Purcellville Town Hall, 221 S. Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. For questions, please call (540) 338-7421.

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ046599-01-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Briston Love

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

/v.

Emanuel Cobb, putative father, and Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold an adjudicatory hearing pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-252 for Briston Love; and hold a dispositional hearing for review of initial Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-278.2 and 16.1-281 for Briston Love.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Emanuel Cobb, putative father, and Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before October 19, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. (Adjudicatory); and November 16, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. (Dispositional).

10/20, 10/27, 11/3 & 11/10/22

At this public hearing, all persons desiring to present their views concerning this matter will be heard.

Remote Participation Through “GoToMeeting” -- If you have already installed the GoToMeeting app and wish to comment during the hearing but cannot attend in person, please join the Public Hearing remotely by going to the following:

Town Council Special Meeting

Nov 15, 2022, 7:00 – 10:00 PM (America/New_York)

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://meet.goto.com/456056709

You can also dial in using your phone. Access Code: 456-056-709

United States: +1 (571) 317-3122

Email Your Comments: In addition, all persons have the option of sending an email to the Town Clerk, at townclerk@purcellvilleva.gov, with written comments or questions concerning the proposed project. Emails sent by 6:00 PM the day of the Public Hearing will be part of the written record for the public hearing and project, but may not necessarily be read aloud into the record at the public hearing.

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Opinion

It Matters

While Tuesday’s elections are unlikely to begin healing the deeply fractured federal government, they will bring a wave of new leadership in our communities.

Voters in six of Loudoun’s seven municipalities will be filling a total of 18 Town Council seats. The mayors’ gavels will be passed to new hands in as

many as five towns. The races to fill two School Board seats not only will help set the tone for the final year of this board’s term, but also offer a preview to next year’s campaign when all nine seats will be on the ballot.

These local candidates will have a big say in your quality of life, from keeping the water and sewer systems flowing to helping determine how long your children sit on a bus each day—and

LETTERS to the Editor

countless of other factors in between.

If the debates over the past two years have accomplished little else, they have put the spotlight on the importance of elections as the foundation of our democracy. It’s one thing on which the polar-opposite partisans can find agreement.

In short, your vote matters. Make it count. n

On Target

Editor:

Gov. Youngkin is right on target with his energy initiative. It is thoughtful, science-based, and will enhance Virginia’s economy and keep energy prices affordable for all Virginians.

The governor proposes using all of Virginia’s and America’s energy resources, such as natural gas and oil, renewables and new, promising safe nuclear power produced by Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) possibly located on old coal sites.

Unfortunately, the energy policy we see coming out of Washington and what had been coming out of Richmond before Youngkin is detrimental to our well-being, our jobs and the environment. The Democrats in Virginia and DC have declared war on domestic energy

by attempting to phase out natural gas and oil. Perhaps they don’t understand that we can’t eat without the fertilizer produced by natural gas or that gas and oil are used to make medicines, plastics, resins, solvents, clothing, etc. Europe is fast learning the folly of this policy with the EU indicating that it is essential for Europe to have adequate supplies of natural gas and nuclear energy. Germany is even open to looking into fracking for natural gas production. Jamie Dimon CEO of JP Morgan Chase Bank said recently, “We should have been pumping more oil and gas.” Dimon told a congressional committee that his bank will not embrace a ban on investing in oil and gas. According to Forbes, he said: “Absolutely not, that would be the road to hell for America.”

Meanwhile President Biden, while curtailing domestic production, is

begging the Saudis, the dictators in Venezuela and even Iran for more fossil fuels. He is depleting our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to dangerously low levels.

I shouldn’t be surprised about these disastrous energy policies coming out of DC. I was a counsel to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee when Jimmy Carter was president. If you aren’t old enough to remember the Carter energy policy, just think of long lines at the pump, factories closed for lack of fuel, and ultra-high energy bills. Their answer to the crisis was more regulation. Believe it or not they banned clean natural gas in utility and industrial boilers. They said we were out of natural gas in the U.S. I don’t wonder why since they had price controls on the well head way below the cost of production. Like the Biden Administration, Carter proposed huge government subsidies for

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

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alternatives such as synthetic fuels which were not technologically viable and almost pushed through legislation that would have created an “energy czar” to oversee all US energy policy.

Thankfully, Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980 and promptly decontrolled oil and gas prices at the well head causing a gusher of gas production and substantially lower energy prices. And he also spearheaded the repeal of the Fuel Use Act that mandated the use of coal in industrial and utility facilities. Unleashing American natural gas production has done more than any other action to power the economy forward and to provide for cleaner air. I’m pleased to see that a leader here in Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, is paving the way (like Ronald

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR continues on page 39

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LETTERS to the Editor

Reagan did for the US) for more jobs, affordable energy and a cleaner environment.

— James E. Rich, Middleburg

Celebrate Veterans Day

Editor:

Veterans Day in America is Friday, Nov. 11. We citizens look forward to the grand parades and patriotic celebration ceremonies throughout the United States to honor the sacrifices made by our veterans of all war starting with the Revolutionary War.

Also, as we continue to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, thank and honor the veterans that fought in that war and their families that supported them.

Nov. 11, 2022, is the special day set aside to pay tribute and show love to our proud men and women of the Armed Forces who served selflessly for our great country.

I urge you to fly our beautiful American flag as we attend the patriotic parades and ceremonies held in Sarasota and throughout the United States.

God Bless America, one nation under God.

— Jean Maxwell Catsakis, Purcellville Sara De Soto Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution

Rt. 15 Help

Editor:

It appears that we are seeing a new chapter in the U.S. Rt. 15 issue. The Board of Supervisors have discussed a

“priority” list to address some short term (seven years) safety improvements.

In my opinion, U.S. Rt. 15 was never able to accommodate the demand placed on it by the BOS approving any new development prior to addressing the required infrastructure, so here we are.

It seems that the catalyst for the shortterm list is the anticipated completion date for the proposed U.S. Rt. 15 project is 2040, if all goes to current plan.

As for the short-term priority list, two of them really jump out at me as a taxpayer. It is presented to add right and left turn lanes for access to Vanish Farmwoods Brewery and seasonal Farmer John’s Market. These are private businesses.

Let me say here that I am all for business, especially local business. My issue dates back to the late ’80s, early ’90s. There were a number of left turn lanes constructed for safety and reduce congestion. They worked very well.

I met with Betsy Brown, the Catoctin District supervisor at the time, at the intersection of U.S. Rt. 15 and Spinks Ferry Road. We witnessed and discussed people passing on the south bound shoulder around people attempting to turn left onto Spinks Ferry Road. She said she would check into a possible solution. I asked that while she was checking into this, I directed her attention about 200 yards south and requested she also inquire as to why there was a left turn lane constructed into the Little Rock Motel and not Spinks Ferry Road. She was somewhat taken aback.

This question has been asked of all subsequent Catoctin District supervisors in some form or another and still waiting for a reason. One supervisor did get VDOT to install a sign to not drive on the shoulders, which I do believe is

already a violation in and of itself. To this day, I still have to yield to people passing on the shoulder, at a rather fast pace, when I sit behind someone turning left, as is dictated.

If the proposed turn lanes are to be accomplished, that is fine but a left turn lane on southbound U.S. Rt. 15 must be accomplished first if people are actually concerned about safety and congestion.

One item that could possibly be placed on the short-term list is mandatory headlight use, not just DRLs. Using your headlights during the day, regardless of the conditions, can improve visibility and safety. This is already in use in many places, just over the Point of Rocks Bridge comes to mind.

— Michael Donatelli, Lucketts

A Full Report

Editor:

At the Board of Supervisors meeting on Oct. 18, Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd, an attorney pointed out that the commonwealth’s attorney “failed to get a judicially signed order to keep the defendant (Stone Lee Colburn) in jail, and with no legal order to hold him, the Sheriff’s Office, had to release the defendant.” Further, she questioned Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj’s version of the facts “…to be incomplete, misleading or false” for the lack of a detention order or capias.

In my own limited research, this is not the first time this year that within the judicial system, Biberaj’s lack of clarity occurred. The last time was Sept. 2 when Judge James E. Plowman’s order removed that office from prosecuting a disorderly conduct case against a parent, with a similar previous misinformation incident occurring four months previously in a plea bargain matter.

The complications in this case are numerous since 2021, when Colburn was arrested and accused of fatally stabbing a woman in their Round Hill-area home and thereafter concealing her body in a trash container. Loudoun Circuit and District court judges have ruled on various legal filings, including the Oct. 6 request by the prosecutors for dismissal of the two most serious felonies against him hours before his release. It was not until the next morning, Oct. 7, when prosecutors returned to Circuit Court, successfully securing a capias warrant, and fortunately that evening Colburn was re-arrested in Georgia. On Oct. 17, a grand jury restored the charges of second-degree murder and stabbing in the commission of a felony and indicted him on the charge of concealment of a dead body.

Our Loudoun County law enforcement personnel are conscientious and dedicated to ensuring our safety, for which I am most grateful, especially over the past two years when staff shortages are at their highest level, and I believe they are too often not recognized for their many successes. It is my hope that in the weeks and months ahead, upon completion of the inquiry between the parties involved, an accurate review and official report is made available to the public fully clarifying the actions contributing to the unique release of a prisoner in custody at the Adult Detention Center, and policies and procedures modified, if necessary. We do know, however, there is no grace period that permits the Sheriff’s Office to keep incarcerated a prisoner for any period of time without sufficient official charges being filed against him.

— Rebecca Reeder, Leesburg

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Peoples’ Cons ution Can I Vote?

BY BEN LENHART

Voting is the lifeblood of our American democracy. With elections fast approaching, voting is more important than ever because all of the fundamental rights we enjoy as Americans depend on exercising our right to vote. But which Americans can vote? What if government creates obstacles that make it too hard to vote? Finally, who gets to set the rules for voting: is it the federal government or my state government, or even local city or county officials? This article tries to answer these questions using the Constitution as our road map.

No Overall Right to Vote in the Constitution

Strangely, there is no overall right to vote in Constitution. This was true when it was ratified in 1788 and it remains true today. While the Constitution addresses many aspects of voting and elections, it never comes right out and declares that Americans have the right to vote. Unlike the First Amendment, which broadly prohibits most laws restricting the freedom of speech, there is no similar clause protecting the franchise. At first glance, this seems like a mistake. How could such an important right—perhaps the most important right—fail to be included in the Constitution? To answer this, we first look at the key voting provisions in the Constitution when it was passed in 1788, and then see how the Constitution has evolved over the past 234 years in its treatment of voting.

1788 – Only A Few Can Vote

Our Constitution was ratified in 1788 after a bitter fight between the Federalist and the Anti-Federalist. The Federalists (including Alexander Hamilton and James Madison) favored a stronger central government, while the Antifederalists (including Patrick Henry and George Mason) wanted more power to remain with the states. To solve the dispute, the Constitution compromised on many issues, including voting. The Constitution gives the states the power to manage federal elections, but allows Congress

to step in if needed. Article 1, Section 4 states: “The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations.”

In other words, the Founding Fathers deliberately split between the states and federal government the power to establish the “rules of the road” for voting and elections. This federal/state split has long been at the heart of many voting disputes and remains so today.

Other voting provisions in the original Constitution include Article 1, Section 2, which gives “the people”—without defining which people—the right to elect their representatives to Congress. In contrast, the state legislatures (not the people) were given the right to elect senators (Article 1, Section 3) and the president (Article 2, Section 1.ii). Under the electoral college system set up by the Constitution, the state legislatures were (and still are) empowered to choose presidential electors who would then vote for the president—the people were originally given no direct role in the presidential vote.

With this framework the original Constitution gave very limited voting rights to the people. First, for elections to federal office, the people had the right under the Constitution to elect only representatives, but no right to elect senators or the president. Second, since the original Constitution lacked any voting rights for women or minorities, most states in 1788 gave the vote only to white, property-owning males over the age of 21. For example, Georgia limited suffrage to white males owning at least 50 acres of land. Connecticut only allowed those white males to vote who owed land worth an annual rent of $2 or livestock worth $40. However, big changes would come, with some changes taking a step forward in securing voting rights while others were a step backward.

Early 1800s – Step Forward

Rather than having their legislature choose, many states began allowing the

people to vote for president. This was not a change in the Constitution, which to this day still gives state legislature the right to choose presidential electors, but many states (and eventually all states) passed laws allowing the people to vote for president. Today in most states, whoever wins the popular vote in that state wins all that state’s electoral votes. And whoever wins the majority of electoral votes from the 50 states wins the presidency (and if no one wins an outright majority, then under the 12th Amendment, the House of Representatives gets to decide who will be president).

1828 – Step Forward

In the early days of our nation, many states imposed a religious test for voters. For example, some states, such as Georgia in the late 1700s, only allowed Protestants to vote. In 1828, Maryland removed its last religious restrictions on voting, joining all of the other states that, by then, had already ended such restrictions.

1841 – Step Forward

By this time, with increasing urbanization, many states had dropped the requirement that a man must own property to vote. Rhode Island nearly fought a war over this issue (known as the Dorr Rebellion in 1841) before that state’s propertied males finally gave its propertyless males the right to vote.

1857 – Step Backward

One of the Supreme Court’s most infamous rulings is Dred Scott v. Sanford, where the court ruled in 1857 that African Americans were not citizens, and thus enjoyed none of the voting rights contained in the Constitution. Dred Scott was a key factor in lighting the fuse for America’s most deadly war.

1870 – Step Forward

At the end of the Civil War, the Civil War Amendments forever changed America, and the Constitution, and represented a huge step forward in voting rights. The 13th Amendment (1865) abolished slavery, the 14th Amendment

(1868) mandated equal protection of the law for all people (and overruled Dred Scott), and the 15th Amendment (in 1870) forbid the denial of the right to vote based on race, color or previous condition of servitude. A few states had granted African Americans the right to vote well before the 15th Amendment (such as New Jersey, which gave suffrage to certain women and African Americans in the late 1700s, but removed that right in 1807). But the 15th Amendment mandated uniformity among the states—no state could deny suffrage based on race.

Post-Civil War – Step Backward

The promise of the Civil War Amendments was broken by Jim Crow. For nearly one hundred years, some states (mostly in the South) used a system of “Jim Crow” laws to deny African Americans the right to vote, including such measures as poll taxes, literacy tests, a requirement of “good moral character,” grandfather requirements (only those whose grandfathers voted in the 1860 election could vote) and “all white” primaries.

1882 – Step Backward

By banning many Chinese Americans from becoming citizens, the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act also denied them the right to vote. This would eventually change with such measures as the Magnusan Act of 1943 (and later the Voting Rights Act) which helped open the door to citizenship and voting rights for many Americans of Chinese ancestry.

1913 – Step Forward

The 17th Amendment gave to the people the right to vote directly for their senators (and took away the right from state legislators).

1920 – Step Forward

After an epic struggle stretching back to the American Revolution, women finally gained the Constitutional right to vote in 1920. The 19th Amendment banned the denial of the vote “on account

Can I vote?

of sex.” Some states had already granted this right, such as Wyoming in 1890, but the 19th Amendment guaranteed this right for women in every state.

1924 – Steps Forward and Backward

Up until this time many Native Americans could not vote in federal elections for a variety of reasons, including the fact that many were not allowed to be citizens. The Constitution (in Article 1, Section 2, and the 14th Amendment) singled out Native Americans, and declared that “Indians not Taxed” were not be counted when determining the number of representatives given to each State. The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 finally gave citizenship to many Native Americans, and opened the door to voting. However, even after this law some states continued to prevent them from voting by use of poll taxes, literacy tests and other restrictive voting measures. Most of these restrictions were eventually removed, especially after the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

1961 – Step Forward

The 23rd Amendment gave residents of Washington, DC, a vote in presidential election; DC gets the same number of presidential electors as the least populous state.

Early 1960s – Step Backward

Massive efforts to register black voter in the south were largely unsuccessful. One such effort was a series of marches from Selma to Montgomery, AL, in 1965 led by Martin Luther King and others. On “Bloody Sunday,” pro-vote marchers were beaten by police while crossing the Edmund Pettis bridge in Selma in March 1965. The resulting outcry quickly led to major changes in voting laws.

1964 – Step Forward

The 24th Amendment banned the payment of a poll tax as a prerequisite to voting.

1965 – Step Forward

The Voting Rights Act (VRA) was a landmark law passed with strong bipartisan support, and spurred on by the images of violence against those helping register African Americans to vote. The

VRA banned many of the old Jim Crow practices and gave more power to the federal government to supervise election rules and practices of the States. For example, for any state that had a history of racial discrimination in voting rights, the VRA imposed a “pre-clearance” procedure where such state would have to get federal approval before imposing any new voting requirements. The VRA had an immediate impact—within five years after its passage, the percentage of African Americans registered to vote in the South increased from less than 25% to more than 60%. In Mississippi, it went from 6.7% before the VRA to 76% by 2004.

1971 – Step Forward

The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age for federal elections to 18.

2013-2021 – Step Backward

Two recent rulings by the Supreme Court cut back on the Voting Rights Act. A 2013 ruling in Shelby v. Holder limited the voting protections of the VRA by finding unconstitutional the formula that had long been used to block certain states with histories of voting discrimination from changing their voting rules without first obtaining pre-clearance from the federal government. Against a strong dissent, the Shelby majority ruled that the formula was obsolete and violated constitutional principles of federalism and equal sovereignty among the states. A 2021 ruling in Brnovich v. DNC rejected a challenge under the VRA and allowed new voting restrictions in Arizona to stand even though they were shown to disproportionately hinder minority voters.

January 6, 2021 – Step Backward

The Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capital threatened the very core of democracy because it tried to set aside the legitimate vote of the people. Voting is important— democracy cannot exist if the results of the peoples’ vote are not respected. Most experts believe that elections in modern America are free and fair, and that voting fraud, while existing in small doses, is neither widespread nor generally large enough to have any impact on the outcome of national elections. President Trump’s allegations of fraud in the 2020 election—the predicate for the Jan. 6 attack—were examined and rejected by more than 50 courts, including by many judges appointed by Trump himself, by the U.S. Supreme Court, by state election officials including many who voted for Trump, by multiple recounts in swing

states, and by Trump’s own Justice Department. The issues around accurate vote count and election fraud are huge topics for another day,but suffice it to say that all the work described above—hard work by many people over many years to give the vote to most Americans—is for naught if the votes of the people are not accurately counted, and then accepted as final.

2022 – Steps Forward and Backward

Just in time for the mid-term elections in November 2022, some states have passed new voting laws going in both directions. As an example of a step forward, Virginia recently passed sameday voter registration, making voting easier for many Virginians who may have been barred from voting under old rules that required pre-registration days or weeks before election day. Recent examples of steps backward in voting rights, such as overly stringent voter ID laws, are common. Two recent examples: Georgia passed an infamous law banning anyone from offering water to people waiting in long voting lines, and Florida passed a law that limited the hours and locations for drop boxes where voters could return ballots.

Conclusion

The long history of voting in America is a story of two steps forward and one step backward. Voting is not a right that we win once and for all, and then stop worrying about. Instead, it is a constant struggle that has been fought by many Americans for more than two centuries and continues to this day. Martin Luther King understood the importance of the vote when he said: “the vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by human beings for breaking down injustice ….” But the right to vote is worthless if not used, a point that Thomas Jefferson made this way: “We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” Those who vote get to participate, and when they participate by exercising their right to vote they stand on the shoulders of so many Americans before them who fought to secure our most valuable right. n

Ben Lenhart is a graduate of Harvard Law School and has taught Constitu tional Law at Georgetown Law Center for more than 20 years. He lives with his family and lots of animals on a farm near Hillsboro.

Attendance zone

mile from Loudoun County High School, and closer to Catoctin El ementary School where his son is enrolled under special exception, something he will have to do yearly for each of his children to attend the elementary school that is closer to their home.

He said he’s been in the atten dance zone fight since 2020 when he first learned his son was slated to attend an elementary school over 9 miles away.

“Potentially, I’m looking at, es pecially if this high school thing goes though, 48 exceptions to get those schools that are a mile from my house,” Weaver said.

Weaver created his own atten dance zone proposal and submitted it to the School Board in the hopes that John Beatty (Catoctin), his School Board representative would sponsor it so it can be presented as a formal option.

But the School Board’s Nov. 1 debate illustrated there is more than just family convenience or closeness to a school to be considered.

Much of that session featured a debate around a map advocated by Beatty, who said he was seeking to shift as few attendance zones as possible to new schools. The plan brought objections from Tom Mar shall (Leesburg) who noted the proposal would leave Tuscarora High School and Smart’s Mill Mid dle School with more than 40% of students who qualify for free or re duced-priced lunch. He pointed to a study done in Fairfax County in co operation with the University of Vir ginia that found that any school with 40% free and reduced-price lunches would make it “virtually impossible for those schools test scores to ever improve.” He advocates spreading students from low-income house holds among Leesburg’s three high school clusters.

The next secondary attendance zone meeting is scheduled for Nov. 9. It will also be a public hearing.

Nov. 18 is the deadline for School Board members to give jus tification behind any plans they are supporting. The final slate of options is scheduled for discussion starting at the Nov. 29 meeting. n

Airport noise

continued from page 4

planes taking off and landing to the west of Dulles followed a fairly straight path up to a safe altitude, they are now turning sooner and flying low over homes that ar en’t used to seeing jets directly overhead.

“The updated Airport Impact Overlay District just recognizes the splay. What it doesn’t do is recognize the land use deci sion that have already been made off the 1993 decisions,” McCulley said.

She and her fellow committee mem bers have been trying to get government officials and their neighbors to hear their concerns, writing to the FAA and the county Planning Commission, producing new maps depicting changing noise maps and flight tracks around the airports.

They also launched an online petition, gathering 1,177 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon. In that petition, they acknowl edge that the county government has no control over where airplanes fly—but said the revisions to the Airport Impact Over lay district prompted them to take action as Dulles Airport plans for a new runway and increased numbers of flights.

“[W]e feel that Loudoun County res idents must register their objections now to excessive airplane noise,” they wrote. “The AIOD’s creation instigated our ef fort to protest both the low-flying aircraft from Dulles Airport and the county’s zon ing change that indicates this is somehow acceptable noise for specific Loudoun County residents.”

Election day

Middleburg. And voters in precinct 506, Brandon Park, will vote at Frederick Dou glass Elementary School, 510 Principal Drummond Way SE, Leesburg—a clarifi cation from the county Office of Elections and Voter Registration after state election officials earlier this year sent out post cards with an incorrect address.

Anyone who is not sure about where to vote on election day may check their voter registration, look up their polling place and find other information online at vote.elections.virginia.gov. And curbside voting is available at all polling places for people with mobility issues.

But Loudouners who want to avoid the crowd may still vote early through Saturday.

In-person early voting is underway at the Loudoun Office of Elections and Vot

They wrote they want to work with the FAA, the airports authority, and local and state government to change the airport’s flight patterns and limit the noise over homes.

“All of these concepts, the entire coun ty master plan, all of the planning that was done, was done around the idea that the aircraft would fly a straight-line trajecto ry,” Brian Beha, another committee mem ber who has used his GIS skills to create those new illustrations, said. “…A while ago, 2017-ish, MWAA implemented GPS tracking for all departures and arrivals. So that turned this straight line trajectory into something much different, and that’s real ly what we’re wrestling with today.”

Airports authority reports show a spike in noise complaints about Dulles Airport air traffic around that time, from 93 people making complaints in 2016 to more than twice that, 209 people, in 2017. Those complaints started to trail off be fore the pandemic, with 163 people com plaining in 2018 and 146 in 2019. Those figures dropped off dramatically again, along with air traffic, in 2020.

The noise complaints around NextGen at Dulles mirror those across the country where it has been implemented, including at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s other airport, Reagan Nation al. There, new flight paths under the new air traffic control technology generated outcry in previously quiet communities, which began seeing concentrated air traffic corridors overhead. MWAA re ports from the time the new routes were implemented around Reagan National in

2015 showed the number of individuals logging complaints about noise from the airport jumped from 149 people in 2014, through 330 people in 2015, to 836 people in 2016.

Airports Authority officials at the time conceded the rise in complaints was partly caused by new traffic patterns, but also said media coverage and more ear ly-morning and late-night flights also contributed.

Some people are particularly avid complainers; more than half of Reagan National’s 36,653 complaints in 2016 came from a single household, where one person logged 17,273 complaints and an other person 1,873.

Similar battles have been reported in Phoenix, San Diego, New York and Charlotte, NC.

Here, airports authority representatives have long warned that permitting homes in high-noise zones around the airport could lead to complaints to the FAA, which could lead to restrictions on flight paths and hours, limiting the airport’s business. That has already happened at Reagan. Historically the Loudoun County board has been protective of the airport.

“We’ve heard it over and over again, Dulles Airport is our greatest priority, but the people who pay your taxes and vote for you should be a factor I your deci sions, and you should be willing to listen to us,” McCulley said. “We would love it if the Board of Supervisors would return any of our emails or calls.”

“If we could wave our magic wand and be kings for a day, we would say ‘aircraft,

fly a straight line.’ An unbelievable num ber of downstream problems go away, and to the best of our knowledge it doesn’t hurt anything,” Beha said.

And they said working with the air port’s neighbors now could avoid those flight restrictions further down the line. They have asked the county to consid er a number of options, such as at least a 50% reduction in their property tax as sessments if they are moved into the noise zone. And they point out that because the airports authority did not use the FAA’s standard, nearer-term method for calcu lating noise impacts, they cannot get fed eral funding for noise insulation in their homes, as they would be able to do at oth er airports.

The Planning Commission recom mended the Board of Supervisors ap prove the proposed new overlay district over the objections of people at the public hearing. The Board of Supervisors will hold its own public hearing on Nov. 9, beginning at 6 p.m., in the County Gov ernment Center at 1 Harrison St. SE in Leesburg. The meeting can also be seen on Comcast Government Channel 23, Verizon FiOS Channel 40 and online at loudoun.gov/meetings.

A press release from the county Mon day advised the county has mailed letters and informational flyers to affected prop erty owners, and that residents living near the airport can expect get those notices in the mail soon.

The county has also set up a page on its website about the overlay district changes, at loudoun.gov/airportdistrict. n

er Registration, 750 Miller Dr. in Lees burg; the Dulles South Recreation Center, 24950 Riding Center Drive, South Rid ing; and the Loudoun County govern ment offices at 21641 Ridgetop Circle, Sterling. And on Saturday there will be weekend voting hours at all of those loca tions plus the Carver Center, 200 E. Wil lie Palmer Way in Purcellville. The Office of Elections and Carver Center will be open Saturday, Nov. 5 for voting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the Ridgetop offices and Dulles South Recreation Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Find more information at loudoun.gov/voteearly.

Loudouners who received an absentee ballot may mail it, postmarked no later than Nov. 8, or drop it off 24/7 at the Of fice of Elections and Voter Registration or any of the early voting sites.

And for people who planned to vote early, requested and received an absentee ballot, and then decided to vote in person on Election Day anyway, there are two

options. Those voters may either drop off their completed ballot at any polling place while polls are open or bring their unfilled absentee ballot to their regular polling place and exchange it for a regular ballot.

For the first time in Virginia, people who didn’t get their voter registration in on time may vote anyway—albeit a pro visional ballot that must be reviewed and approved by the local Electoral Board.

Virginia now offers same-day voter registration for people who missed the Oct. 17 deadline to register the chance to vote. Learn more about same day registration at elections.virginia.gov/ registration/same-day-voter-registration.

Voters headed to the polls on Tuesday or for early voting will be asked to show an acceptable form of identification such as a Virginia DMV-issued driver’s license.

Voters who do not have an acceptable form of ID may sign a statement affirming their identity, and they will be able to vote a regular ballot.

Learn how to vote, where to vote, when to vote and more at loudoun.gov/vote. Sample ballots and more information are online at loudoun.gov/ novemberelection.

On the Ballot

This year’s House of Representatives race will be the first test of the newly re drawn 10th Congressional District. Pre viously the district reached to Frederick County and McLean, and incumbent Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10)’s election in 2018 marked the first time Loudoun had been represented in the House of Rep resentatives by someone from Loudoun since before the Supreme Court ruled in 1964 that congressional districts must have roughly equal populations.

Now, the district reaches south from Loudoun to include Fauquier and

Silver Line

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announcement, Loudoun Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tony How ard called it “a historic event for Loudoun County.”

“For the first time, Loudoun County will be connected to the rest of the Na tional Capitol Region by mass rail transit, opening a world of economic and quality of life opportunities for our residents and our businesses,” he stated. “The Loudoun Chamber, and our Northern Virginia busi ness community partners, played a vital role in generating community support for this project, support that proved es sential in convincing the Loudoun Board of Supervisors in July of 2012 to include Loudoun in the Silver Line project. Those business leaders who spoke at public hear ings, wrote e-mails and letters of support, and who lobbied the Loudoun Board to support this project are the reason why fu ture generations of Loudouners will bene fit from the presence of Metrorail service in our community.”

“We appreciate our partners at MWAA, FTA, WMSC, Fairfax and Loudoun Coun ties who have worked collaboratively with us for several years to reach this moment,” Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke stated.

The service to Loudoun will come as Metro has announced that transit police officers will begin issuing citations for fare jumping. Fines in Virginia are up to $100, and up to $50 in Washington, DC. According to Metro, in Fiscal Year 2022, the system missed out on an estimated $40

Election day

Rappahannock counties, the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, and parts of Prince William and Fairfax counties, and Loudoun makes up the majority of its pop ulation. And both of this year’s candidates live here: Republican challenger Hung Cao lives in Purcellville, while Wexton lives in Leesburg.

Political analysts and poll watchers have described the district as still Dem ocrat-leaning, but Republicans have tar geted it for a possible flip as they seek to take control of the House of Representa tives this election, with investment from the Republican Congressional Committee and other national Republican groups and political action committees.

Much of the messaging in that attempt

million attributable to fare evasion. That loss is a focus area as Metro seeks to close a nearly $185 million shortfall in its up coming budget.

Loudoun supervisor and Metro Board of Directors member Matthew F. Letour neau (R-Dulles) said enforcing fares may help not only close a part of that budget hole, but make people feel safer on Metro, an ongoing priority for the system.

“We’ve deployed more police officers, we’ve announced a plan to hire crisis inter vention people that are going to be on the system, but we’re still battling that issue,” he said. “And hopefully, cracking down on fare evasion will have a follow-on effect of making the system safer overall, and definitely creating the impression for rid ers that it is safer. A lot of this is trying to get the riders back, and if they don’t feel safe, we can throw all the safety statistics at them we want—they won’t ride.”

The vote to bring Metro to Loudoun was one Letourneau made during the first year of his first term on the county board, in 2012. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority took responsibility for building the extension into Loudoun County, originally scheduled to open in 2018, and delivered it four years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dol lars over the original $2.8 billion budget amid repeated setbacks and construction quality problems.

The airports authority handed over the new construction to Metro in June, and since then Metro has been testing and training on the new tracks and equipment.

Metro service looked to be delayed yet one more time earlier this month as the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission rejected the WMATA’s plans for returning

its newest 7000-series trains to service with regular testing. Those trains had been out of service for a year, since October 2021, because of potential defects in their axles. Since then, limited numbers have been returned to service. With only older trains to rely on, Metro leaders said even though the Loudoun tracks and stations are ready, they did not have enough trains.

But on Oct. 25, the safety commission announced it had approved Metro’s revi sions to those plans. Those trains will be phased back in under a continued intensive schedule of inspections, based on data col lected by Metrorail and the ongoing Na tional Transportation Safety Board inves tigation of the axle problems.

“We’re inspecting these with regularity that does not exist anywhere else in the in dustry,” Letourneau said.

According to Metro, since June 694 rail cars have been inspected more than 72,000 times and have operated safely over 3 mil lion miles.

Since the 2012 vote, Letourneau has worked in a variety of roles trying to get the project across the finish line—in the county government, on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Northern Virginia Transportation Au thority. And he reflected on the substan tial changes in Loudoun the followed that vote—from new planning and zoning, to new development, to a vastly expanded lo cal transit system. Loudoun County opted out of using Metro’s bus service, continu ing to use its own Loudoun County Transit services.

“You can’t say enough about the fact that when the Silver Line starts, we’re go ing to be undertaking 21 new bus routes, 124 new bus stops. That’s the size of a

whole transit system for some places,” he said. “Even for residents who aren’t going to take Metro, they’re going to see a bene fit from the enhanced transit service in the county.”

Plans for Metro service guided much of the county government’s work in the 2019 comprehensive plan, including creating the county’s first-ever urban policy areas around those future stops. And they have already spurred development, with more expected—Loudoun Station was built a short walk from Ashburn Station, and the land around the station has already been bought up by other developers. In a press release Tuesday, the Loudoun Department of Economic Development touted 11,796 residential units and 12.6 million square feet of commercial space planned at devel opments around Ashburn Station alone.

Letourneau said there’s still work to be done, and more development that will hap pen, but, “It’s pretty cool to see it all come together.”

On opening day, Metro teams will greet passengers at the new stations with com memorative pennants, a Metro tradition that started when the first station opened in 1976.

New parking garages were also built near the Ashburn and Loudoun Gateway stations, with parking rates at $4.95 a day or $65 a month for a reserved space.

For more information, visit wmata. com/silverline. To learn more about cur rent Metro routes and schedules, buy or reload a SmarTrip fare card, or download the SmarTrip app, go to wmata.com.

To learn more about Loudoun County Transit, including commuter buses into Washington, DC, and to Metro stops, go to loudoun.gov/transit. n

to once again turn Loudoun red was born in the attacks on another office on the bal lot: the School Board. Voters in the Broad Run and Leesburg districts will vote in a special election. In Leesburg, three can didates seek to take the seat vacated by the resignation of Beth Barts and which the board appointed Tom Marshall to fill temporarily. In Broad Run, another three candidates are seeking election to a seat vacated by the death of Leslee King, and which one of the candidates, Andrew Hoy ler, was appointed to fill. Those elections will not be in the newly redrawn local districts, because they were ordered be fore those new districts were adopted. The winners will serve until Dec. 30 of next year, with county officials facing election again that year.

Unlike county, state and Congressional elections, the towns are not divided into election districts. Instead, the top vote-get

ters in town-wide elections win seats.

In Leesburg, three-term Mayor Kelly Burk will seek a fourth term while Town Council member Suzanne Fox seeks to unseat her. Three Town Council seats, including Fox’s, are up for election, and with Marty Martinez campaigning for next year’s House of Delegates election, there is only one incumbent running. The top three vote-getters in a five-way race will win seats on the Town Council.

Smaller town governments are also headed for a change: three town mayors will not seek reelection this year.

In Hamilton, following the retirement of three-term Mayor David Simpson re tiring, voters will pick a new mayor and three council members. In Purcellville, with two-term Mayor Kwasi Fraser retir ing, voters will also choose a new mayor and three council members, and the candi dates have sought to organize themselves

into two competing slates. And in Lovetts ville, two-term Mayor Nate Fontaine is re tiring, but voters will see only one choice on the ballot: current Town Council mem ber Christopher Hornbaker. They will also elect three council members.

Elections in Hillsboro and Round Hill will be a comparatively homey affair. Per longstanding tradition, there will be no names on the Hillsboro ballot, with vot ing conducted entirely by write-ins. And in Round Hill, voters will pick some one to fill the Town Council seat left by the resignation of Melissa Hoffman, and Isaac D. Pacheco will be the only name on the ballot. n

Read more about the candidates and their positions in the Loudoun Now election guide at loudounnow.com/news/politics.