Loudoun Now for Dec. 21, 2023

n LOUDOUN

4 | n LEESBURG

6 | n EDUCATION

8 | n OBITUARIES

22| n LEGAL NOTICES

23

CELEBRATING YEARS IN BUSINESS

VOL. 9, NO. 6

We’ve got you covered. In the mail weekly. Online always at LoudounNow.com

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Honoring Service

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Corp. Rebecca Wolfe, USMC ret., presents a wreath in memory of those who served in the U.S. Navy during a Dec. 16 ceremony at the Kectotin Cemetery north of Purcellville.

The Ketoctin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution joined with community groups across the nation Saturday morning to participate in the Wreaths Across America tribute to military veterans. The DAR invited volunteers to lay wreaths at gravesites in the Ketoctin Baptist Church Cemetery north of Purcellville. Veterans of nearly every American war are buried at Ketoctin Cemetery, which dates back to before the formation of Loudoun County in 1757. Fourteen Revolutionary War soldiers, 32 veterans of the War of 1812, and 30 veterans from the American Civil War are buried in the cemetery. n

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

A wreath is laid at the grave of a military veteran during a Dec. 16 ceremony at the Kectotin Baptist Cemetery north of Purcellville.

New Loudoun Zoning Ordinance Enacted

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

The Board of Supervisors celebrated the culmination of its term Dec. 13 with the adoption of a new Zoning Ordinance aimed at implementing the mixed-use and transit-related development policies contained in the comprehensive plan adopted four years ago and imposing new regulations on data centers.

The ordinance was approved with a unanimous vote of board members and the support of a wide range of community groups who helped craft the regulations over the past four years.

The effort to write a new ordinance started in 2020 and included 40 meetings

of a community stakeholders group and 25 Planning Commission work sessions before it was presented to the Board of Supervisors in July. However, criticism of that document from a broad range of interest groups threatened to delay final passage until 2024, with community leaders and several supervisors saying it was more important to get the policies right than to meet the board’s self-imposed end-of-term deadline.

Chair Phyllis Randall (D-At Large) insisted on pushing the project forward, and last week was credited by her board colleagues and community groups with leading an extraordinary and collaborative effort to resolve the outstanding concerns quickly.

That process, also led by Supervisor

Mike Turner (D-Ashburn), who chairs the board’s land use committee, involved a series of meetings with community group leaders over the past three months to walk through each point of contention and resulted in dozens of detailed policy changes—from how many parking spaces should be required to the wall design of data centers.

Among the more than 40 speakers who participated in the final public hearing Dec. 13, many praised that process, saying they may not have gotten the outcome they wanted but felt the supervisors heard and considered their concerns.

“It is time to approve the Zoning ZONING ORDINANCE continues on page 28

The Next Steps

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

Before the applause quieted from the celebration of the new Zoning Ordinance adoption last week, county government and community leaders already were looking ahead to the next urgent tasks.

There are two clearly at the top of that list.

One is a comprehensive plan amendment that would examine a host of rural development issues NEXT STEPS continues on page 29

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Waterford Commemorates 20 Years of Phillips Farm Conservation

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Community members gathered in the Old School in Waterford on Sunday to commemorate 20 years of preserving the historic nature and viewshed of the village with the purchase of Phillips Farm in 2003.

As a proposal to bring 500 kV transmission lines through the heart of western Loudoun threatens that viewshed again, residents reminisced on the work they invested in the project 20 years ago.

Cate Magennis Wyatt said that in 2003 when 144 acres on the western edge of town known as Phillips Farm was sold to a developer, after being previously promised to the Waterford Foundation, the organization was told they could purchase the land for $4 million in cash within four months.

“We were about 120 people that lived in the village then,” Wyatt said. “… They planned to build 14 mansions along the property. Not only would that obviously ruin the viewshed, but we would have lost our National Historic Landmark status.”

Wyatt said she and a team including Beth Erickson began a fundraising campaign and soon found that as word spread,

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Cate Magennis Wyatt remembers the efforts Waterford residents underwent 20 years ago to purchase Phillips Farm and preserve the town’s view shed during a celebration Dec. 17.

financial support came in from all over the world.

“We had to change public opinion and change people’s support,” Wyatt said.

Donations came in from middle school students pooling their lunch money, letters of support arrived from all 50 states, she said all while the Waterford residents were designing T-shirts, flyers and posters

to spread the word any way they could.

Residents even organized a “silent witnessing” designed after the tradition of Quakers, who were early settlers in the village, where families would line up in silence to observe something they disapproved of, Wyatt said.

The Waterford silent witnessing occurred when developers made plans to meet with county staff to conduct a site viewing, but eventually canceled when they learned of the planned opposition.

Ultimately, the deadline to raise the funds was extended an additional two months, and nearly $4 million was raised for the foundation to purchase the land.

“It was the collaboration of the little town that could,” Wyatt said.

Miriam Westervelt, a member of the county’s Environmental Commission, on Sunday walked attendees through the measures the Waterford Foundation had taken during the past 20 years to conserve the land and provide much-needed support to its ecosystems.

“We wouldn’t be here today, that farm would not be here today if it weren’t for you,” she told Wyatt.

Erickson, now the president of Visit Loudoun, agreed adding, “If you want to

preserve the view, you have to own the view.”

Waterford Foundation President Sue Manch told community members that they would be leading the charge now that Waterford was once again facing threats to its viewshed from the power line plans.

“We’re trying to organize the fight, so to speak,” she said. “We’re putting together all the information that we can. We are working with our easement holders the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and the National Park Service, the Department of Interior to make sure that we are bringing them in on the fight.”

She said the foundation had spoken with each of member of the Board of Supervisors as well as state and federal legislators.

“We are trying to raise awareness in the community so that people know to come to us and get as much information out as we can,” she said, adding that residents should reach out to their representatives and express their concern about the transmission lines.

“We can’t become complacent because it’s going to be a long fight. And they’re moving fast. That’s what is really frightening,” she said. n

Loudoun Fire and Rescue’s 44th Recruit Class Readies to Graduate

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpamapaloni@loudounnow.com

Loudoun County Fire and Rescue’s 44th Recruit Class faced the “pinnacle” of their training this week as they approach graduation after nearly six months of strenuous physical, mental, and academic training.

During the six-month-long academy, recruits spend time learning how to become Emergency Medical Technicians through classroom lectures and handson training while preparing physically for the firefighter training that they will undergo next. The trainees must pass a series of tests and meet several qualifications in order to advance to firefighter training. They are even required to shadow nurses for a shift to reach the required number of real-patient contacts.

If they pass the EMT portion of the academy, recruits advance to firefighting training where they learn everything from how to extinguish fires to rescuing trapped civilians and everything in between. They also learn how to respond

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

A Loudoun Fire and Rescue recruit takes part in a Nance Drill; a scenario based on a real-life emergency that resulted in an Ohio firefighter’s death. Recruits must work together to reach an injured firefighter on the floor below by lowering a member down through a break in the floor and then lifting both of them back to safety.

when their own are in trouble. That training is referred to as Mayday training and Recruit Training Captain Christo-

pher Kordek said it is the toughest week of the academy. He said it is the “pinnacle of their basic training.”

“This week highlights firefighters in an emergency, so it’s less about civilians and its more about what happens when one of us gets in trouble,” Kordek said.

“So, we really put an emphasis on that.

It’s four and a half consecutive days of training through practical exercises and through lectures.”

During Mayday week, recruits are faced with a series of scenarios based on real-life events where firefighters’ lives were in danger.

One simulation called the Denver Drill, is based on the 1992 death of a Colorado firefighter who became trapped in a tight storage room when the floor collapsed beneath him. Firefighters were unable to save him. Now recruits train for the situation, so that when faced with it, or something similar, they’re prepared.

Another scenario called the Columbus or Nance Drill, was created after an Ohio firefighter died after becoming

trapped in the basement of a building when the floor collapsed.

Now recruits practice lowering a rescue firefighter through a narrow hole with ropes so he can attach them to the injured firefighter before the first responders above must lift the injured firefighter, then the rescuer, back up through the same break in the floor.

But Kordek said the academy is more than just learning how to put out fires, render medical aid and rescue community members from buildings and vehicles.

“We really put an emphasis on the human, on it being a human job, a problem-solving job. … Recruit school is a basic indoctrination program that gives you the opportunity to grow and learn to help people across all cultures,” he said.

The 44th Recruit Class is scheduled to graduate Dec. 29 before they will finish their probationary year with another six months at a fire station.

To learn more or find information about working for Loudoun Fire and Rescue go to loudoun.gov/fire. n

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PAGE 4

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Loudoun

ON THE Agenda

Commission Backs Philomont Fire-Rescue Station Plan

Supervisors Approve 10Acre Data Center Project

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

The Loudoun County Planning Commission last week approved the controversial plans to build a new Philomont fire-rescue station on a seven-acre lot on the edge of the village.

The county government is proposing a $22 million project to replace the current fire-rescue station on Philomont Road with a new 18,800-square-foot facility a half mile away on Snickersville Turnpike.

The project seeks to provide a larger station to handle modern equipment and provide more amenities, including bunkrooms, a training/break room, restrooms, showers, food preparation, dining areas, laundry and decontamination areas, supply storage, a gear/hose drying area, a breathing apparatus air compressor room, fitness room, offices, repair shop, and other ancillary functions.

The commission voted 5-2, with two members absent, to approve a commission permit for the project and recommend approval of a special exception. The applications will move to the Board of Supervisors for public hearing and final action.

The project has been criticized by residents who advocate redevelopment of the existing firehouse site and the continued preservation of the proposed development site as community open space. It has been championed by others who say the larger station is needed to meet the requirements of today’s fire-recuse service and to safe-

County of Loudoun

A rendering of the proposed Philomont Fire and Rescue Station.

ly accommodate the staff assigned to the station. Supporters also said attempting to renovate and expand the current station would be detrimental to the village, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places earlier this month.

During a second commission public hearing on the project Dec. 14, those competing views continued to be on full display.

The proposed building site is owned by the volunteer fire company. During the hearing, the tract was called the “horse show grounds” by community members who pointed to the events that were held there from 1962 to 2019 and said the land was purchased for such community uses.

Representatives of the volunteer company referred to the land as the “fire training grounds” and said it had long been envisioned as the location for a new station.

Project critics said expanding the current building could adequately accommodate the emergency response needs perhaps at a lower cost and also would meet the county’s planning goals of preserving its historic villages. Several noted that the bond referendum to borrow money for construction of the new building was opposed by a majority of local voters even as it passed countywide by a wide margin.

They also challenged the fire company’s authority to offer the horse show grounds for the project and called for the company to rebuild its volunteer roster by reopening community memberships.

Supporters, including former County Chair Dale Polen Myers and retired county Fire-Rescue Chief Keith Brower, urged the PHILOMONT STATION continues on page 5

Cascades Marketplace Revitalization Plan Approved

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

The Board of Supervisors on Dec. 13 approved the rezoning of the 34.5-acre Cascades Marketplace commercial center to permit construction of up to 755 dwelling units and up to 263,000 square feet of commercial uses.

The application was viewed as a revitalization plan for the declining retail center and was strongly supported by Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian), who worked with the developer over the past four years to secure the new investment.

“It was clear the retail and dining op-

tions were struggling,” she said.

Briskman said the new owners already have brought in new restaurants and are working to spruce up the shuddered shops and that the addition of residential uses would provide a better balance as the county deals with a glut of unused retail space.

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) commended Briskman for her proactive involvement after watching store after store close.

“It is a completely dead shopping center,” Randall said.

Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) cast the lone vote against the rezoning. She opposed the conversion

of commercial land to residential use. She cited the staff ’s calculation of the project’s fiscal impact on schools, requiring $4.3 to $4.9 million more in annual operating costs and $16-$18 million in capital costs.

Originally developed in 1993, the center was the central shopping district for the 6,500-home Cascades development. It is anchored by a Giant food store under a long-term lease, and a Home Depot, which owns its lot. The rezoning permits construction of up to 685 multifamily attached dwelling units and up to 180 single-family attached and/or multifamily stacked dwelling units at a total density of 22 dwelling units per acre. n

The Board of Supervisors last week approved a rezoning to permit the expansion of a Sterling data center.

The board rezoned 10 acres of residential land to PD-OP (Office Park) to permit a 95,000-squarefoot addition to a 306,000-squarefoot data center along Relocation Drive. The property is surrounded by industrial uses with electrical substations nearby.

Amid a growing community debate about the location and scale of Loudoun’s data center development, Supervisor Tony Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) notes, “This is a perfect place for a data center.”

The applications were approved on a 7-1-1 vote, with Supervisors Juli Briskman (D-Algonkian) opposed and Supervisor Sylvia Glass (D-Broad Run) absent.

County Changes Bus Service for Silver Line Twenty of the 21 local bus routes serving the Silver Line Metrorail stations in Loudoun and Fairfax will be adjusted beginning Jan. 2 with the goal of improving service for riders going to Silver Line Metrorail stations.

The only route that will be unchanged is Route 333 serving Quantum Park and Pacific Boulevard with stops at the Loudoun Gateway Metrorail Station.

All routes are evaluated for timeliness and efficiency on a quarterly basis with a goal to reduce wait times and better serve riders who need to make connections at the Metrorail stations.

Riders are encouraged to review the new bus schedules closely as the changes in departure times are significant, ranging from a five to 20-minute difference, depending on the route.

County Transit will also relocate one bus stop on Rt. 351 from the park and ride lot located at Segra Field to the park and ride lot located at 41951 Gourley Transit Drive in Leesburg to provide a midday connection to the Gourley Transit Drive lot from the Ashburn Metrorail Station.

Learn more about transit changes at loudoun.gov/buschanges. n

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Philomont station continued from page 4 commission to approve the project as the best way to meet the needs of residents living in the 42-square-mile first due area and the staff members who will be housed at the station on a 24/7 basis. And, they said, the ultimate reuse of the existing fire station, located between the historic general store and the community center, for other civic purposes would better preserve the character of the village core than putting a large fire station there.

The commission majority backed that view, with Mark Miller (Catoctin) making the motion for approval.

He said attempting to rebuild on the current site would irreversibly change the character of the village.

John Merrithew (Sterling) said he disagreed with those who said the project conflicted with the county’s planning policies for its villages.

“None of these plans intended that the villages would be stagnate museums of existing buildings,” he said, but instead they promoted compatible development.

He said the project’s architects stepped up to meet that expectation with an agricultural-themed design that should blend

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

well with the community.

He also warned against the redevelopment option.

“I don’t think people understand the devastation that would cause in that particular area, which to me is the heart of the village,” Merrithew said.

Commissioner Roger Vance (Blue Ridge) and Jane Kirchner (Algonkian) opposed the motion for approval.

Vance said he supported providing the best firehouse for the community and the first responders, but worried about the impact of the project.

“I am in support of the rural historic villages and the protection of those villages,” he said. “Clearly this does not fit the development and uses in the rural historic villages that must be compatible.”

Kirshner said she learned a lot during a recent tour of the village and the existing station. She said the proposal did not meet the vision of the county’s comprehensive plan, but acknowledged a new station was needed. She said more work should be done to get it right.

Vance also lamented the community battle the project has caused.

“The rift we have in the community is quite problematic, but I hope that with the decision that is made the community can come together,” he said. n

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DECEMBER 21, 2023

Leesburg

Town Annexation Bid Proposed for Mediation

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday authorized the county administrator and county attorney to pursue mediation in the Town of Leesburg’s contested annexation petition under review by the state Commission on Local Government.

The action provides both sides with the opportunity to find agreement on the annexation prior to the start of formal hearings by the commission in March.

In an email sent to the board by Mayor Kelly Burk prior to the vote, she wrote that the town was willing to entertain mediation talks but would not delay the scheduled commission hearings.

County Attorney Leo Rogers said talks between county and town representatives before a third-party mediator could begin as early as the second week in January.

The town is seeking to annex 402 acres of the Compass Creek development, a retail and commercial center that includes a 323-acre Microsoft data center campus. The land borders the town’s southern boundary and is within the county-designated Joint Land Management Area.

The town filed its adverse annexation petition with the state after extensive negotiations with the county failed to develop an agreement.

Both sides have filed hundreds of

pages of arguments and exhibits with the commission.

The town’s case centers on decades-long county planning policies that delineated a growth area around Leesburg where the town would provide public utilities and eventually incorporate land within the service area. The town argues that the town invested in its utility system based on that concept, that property owners within the targeted annexation area would benefit from other municipal services, and that the town needs land for economic development opportunities.

The county, in its filings, denied that there was a commitment to support annexation of the utility service area and

characterized the town’s expansion efforts as seeking to impose “additional and burdensome municipal taxes” on the property owners without providing “any meaningful benefit” to them. The town has not demonstrated the need for additional tax revenue or additional land for commercial or industrial development, the filing stated.

The Town Council was briefed on the proposal for mediation during a closed session on Dec. 11. Town Attorney Christopher Spera said the town was willing to engage in facilitated negations and looked forward to reopening a MEDIATION continues on page 7

Leesburg Downtown Shops Plan Shop Late Event Dec. 23

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Downtown Leesburg stores have coordinated a Shop Late Program Dec. 23, as part of the new Leesburg Movement Main Street program.

Fifteen businesses will push their closing times by one to four hours with each of them staying open until 8 p.m. Saturday to provide more convenient hours for last-minute Christmas shoppers and to help boost local purchasing.

Leesburg Movement board member Stephanie Slochum said she has been part of main street programs before and felt a Shop Late night would be a great way to help small businesses.

“These business owners to me are so amazing,” she said. “They’re so dedicated to the vitality of downtown.”

She said she hopes the extended hours will give community members a chance to visit shops they aren’t aware of because they might usually be closed by the time shoppers pass by.

“Let’s increase accessibility. We know there are maybe a lot of people who on Dec. 23 are still looking for gifts and why don’t we help make that more viable for people to come out until 8 o’clock that night,” Slochum said.

Wldwst owner Lori Tran said she had seen a trend of residents shopping later than usual this year and she’s hoping that by pushing her store’s closing by two hours

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Fifteen downtown Leesburg businesses will push their closing times to 8 p.m. Dec. 23 as part of a Shop Late Program to help boost local last-minute Christmas shopping.

on Saturday, she’ll be able to serve more shoppers in a pinch right before Christmas.

“We’re just hopeful that people will keep downtown in mind,” she said. “We’re just trying to compete a little bit with the outlets in the mall and things like that that are usually people’s go to and just give them a little bit more time to spend downtown.”

Tran said it was helpful that so many businesses had joined in because deciding to stay open late as a single business usually doesn’t promote much extra foot traffic.

“The town will overall look closed [after the shops are closed] if you’re looking down the street and the street is dark,” she

said. “So, that is what we were hoping to do by getting a bunch of different retailers involved. Obviously, the restaurants are open anyway but having the shops all sort of agree, ‘let’s be in it together guys’ that’s kind of the hope.”

She said wldwst will continue to offer 20% off on holiday items through the Dec. 23 event.

Madisonbelle owner Shelley Scheerschmidt and The Global Local owner Tyra Flynn agreed that having a group of businesses join together will improve the experience for shoppers and, hopefully, benefit their businesses as well.

Flynn said with her shop being close to the town’s holiday light show display, she’s hoping that shoppers will be able to “really experience the night” by getting to see downtown Leesburg in a new way.

Her store of items from all over the world usually closes at 4 p.m. and Flynn said she’s hoping to help people who might never have made it to her store before, find the right gift for that person in their life who is really hard to buy for.

Scheerschmidt said she hopes the Shop Late Program will give individuals and families a chance for a night out right before Christmas while still getting their shopping done.

“We thought that right before Christmas is a good opportunity for people to just come downtown on Saturday, maybe have dinner and complete their last-minute shopping,” she said.

Madisonbelle, which usually closes at 5 p.m. on Saturdays, is running a special deal gifting a $25 gift card with any purchase.

“The husbands are usually thrilled because they have an extra stocking stuffer opportunity,” she said.

Downtown shops that will extend their hours to 8 p.m. include Range Global Goods, The Global Local, Birch Tree Bookstore, Foliage, wldwst, Medlin Art Gallery, District Hemp Botanicals, Mocatinas, Madisonbelle, Very Virginia Shop, 529 Kids Consign Loudoun, Books and Other Found Things, La Taqueria, Delirium Café and October One Vineyard Wine Tasting Shop. n

DECEMBER 21, 2023

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

Town Awarded Tree Planting Grant The town has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Virginia Trees for Clean Water through the Virginia Department of Forestry.

The money will be used to plant additional trees and offset the loss of the town’s tree canopy.

The state grant program is intended to increase tree cover as a way to enhance water quality across the state and in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

In June, the Town completed its

Mediation continued from page 6 dialogue with the county but would oppose any effort to delay the commission’s review of its petition.

While approving mediation, supervisors did not vote on other elements included in the material prepared for the board to consider during its Dec. 19 meeting, including the potential to request a stay in the commission’s proceedings following the mitigation and to appoint two supervisors to attend the mediation sessions.

10-year tree canopy study, finding the loss of 27 acres of trees during the period from 2005 to 2015 because of development. To offset the impact, the town has stepped up preservation efforts and planted new trees on Battlefield Parkway and medians.

The Town Council will formally accept and appropriate the grant next month and the additional planting are expected to be complete in the spring. n

Under state law, the Commission on Local Government may, with the agreement of the parties, appoint an independent mediator. Offers and statements made during the mitigation talks are prohibited from being used in the litigation of the case before the commission.

Barring a successful mediation, the Commission on Local Government is scheduled to convene in Leesburg starting March 5 for four days of public hearings and oral arguments on the request. Under the published schedule, a commission report is due by May 3. n

PAGE 7

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DECEMBER 21, 2023

SCHOOL notebook

Education

LCPS

Riverside High School DECA Chapter members hold a check they donated to HOPE FASTER. The chapter raised and donated over $40,000 to various charitable organizations.

Riverside High Gives Big Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

The School Board voted 8-1 Dec. 12 to approve the staff plan that moves four Dulles South elementary attendance zones into Hovatter and Henrietta Lacks Elementary Schools.

New Dulles South Elementary School Boundaries Approved

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN

agustin@loudounnow.com

In an 8-1 vote Dec. 12 the School Board approved the staff proposed plan to move students in four Dulles South elementary school attendance zones into Hovatter and Henrietta Lacks elementary schools despite requests by parents to delay the change.

Tiffany Polifko (Broad Run) was the only member to oppose the plan.

The staff plan established attendance

zones for Hovatter and Henrietta Lacks elementary schools—which is currently being built— and was intended to relieve overcrowding at several elementary schools. The changes will move elementary students from four attendance zones and three separate elementary schools— Goshen Post, Elaine E. Thompson and Aldie—into the schools.

Chair Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) amended the staff plan by adding that rising fourth graders could stay at their current school if they wanted to. That

grandfathering protection was in addition to allowing rising fifth graders to stay in place under the School Board’s standard policy.

Serotkin acknowledged concerns raised by parents during public hearings that their children have been moved to multiple schools over the past few years.

He said he considered allowing grades down through second to be exempt from DULLES SOUTH continues on page 10

School Board Adopts K-2 Literacy Curriculum

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN

agustin@loudounnow.com

The School Board on Dec. 12 voted unanimously to adopt Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Into Reading Literacy as the division’s kindergarten through second-grade core literacy resource.

The adoption of a core literacy resource is a requirement of the Virginia Literacy Act and must be implemented by fall 2024.

The division began the process this fall by forming a review committee in September tasked with looking over all eight Virginia Department of Education

approved curriculum resources. In October the committee chose its top three: Benchmark Advance, HMH Into Reading, and McGraw Hill Wonders. Those choices were placed in all elementary schools for the community and staff to review in November. Once all the community reviews were submitted, the administrators reviewed the feedback and presented their top choice to the School Board on Nov. 28.

Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Neil Slevin said the feedback favored HMH Into Reading, which received a score of 107 compared to 67 for both Benchmark Advance and

McGraw Hill Wonders.

Slevin said one of the main reasons HMH Into Reading is a good fit for the division is because it has been approved by the VDOE for K-third grade, with approval expected for fourth and fifth grades.

He said it also provides plans for small group instruction and assessment data that will help drive instruction and provides support and training for all levels of teachers from novice to veterans.

LITERACY CURRICULUM continues on page 10

Riverside High School’s DECA chapter raised and donated over $40,000 to several organizations Dec. 14 on its Day of Giving in addition to food and toy donations.

The chapter donated $26,198 to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Student project managers of the event were Bella Mandanis, Sophia Stavrou and Hailey Peterson.

Of the amount raised, $11,540 was raised by the Step4CF walk.

The Loudoun Breast Health Network received $9,000, which was raised through Pink Week and the school’s Powder Puff Football Game, under student project managers Sahana Rao, Emma Chua and Mariam Marountas.

The managers for the Powder Puff event were Liv Coulther and Isabelle Wallen. This money will be used to cover the expenses of those being treated for breast cancer, including the payment of rent and mortgages.

Project managers Georgia Richey, Fiona Strokes and Elika Bahrambeigui raised $4,900 for HOPE FASTER, an all-volunteer sports and fitness organization focused on pediatric cancer fundraising and awareness.

The chapter also collected 160 food items for Mobile Hope and collected 503 toys for 148 children and 73 families from Sterling Elementary School. The project managers for the toy drive were Amanda Martin, Grant MacBean SCHOOL NOTEBOOK continues on page 9

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

DECEMBER 21, 2023

SCHOOL notebook continued from page 8

and Brady Peterson. Project managers for the Rams for Hope food drive were Tisa Tavakolian and Iman Sheikh.

DECA is a school club made up of marketing students and is under the direction of Career and Technical Education Department Chair Cheryl Daley, Donna Celio, Wes Anderson, Jessica Winans and Greg Fenner.

Tutoring to Begin Next Month for Grades 3-8 Thousands of students in third grade through eighth grades will receive math and reading tutoring from the division beginning in January as part of the Virginia Department of Education’s All in VA plan.

Starting next month, each elementary and middle school will reach out to the families of the students eligible for tutoring services, with the program beginning Jan. 23. Details about how and when tutoring will be administered will also be shared at that time.

The tutoring services plan follows Gov.

Glenn Youngkin’s Sept. 7, announcement of the ALL in VA plan. The plan provides funding to combat chronic absenteeism, address learning gaps in reading and math for third through eighth grade students and accelerate the expansion of the Virginia Literacy Act, according to an announcement about the services.

The Loudoun County School Board approved the Division’s ALL in VA spending plan Nov. 15. Of the $13.6 million allocated to the division, $9.6 million, (70%) will go toward high-dosage tutoring. Of the remaining funds, $2.73 million, will be devoted to literacy initiatives and $1.36 million, will go toward combating chronic absenteeism.

This high-dosage tutoring does not replace the programs to provide support and remediation to address individual student needs, according to the division.

Additionally, all students, regardless of whether they have been identified to receive tutoring services will have access to free online services.

For more details, go to lcps.org/tutoringva. n

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PAGE 10

Dulles South continued from page 8 the move but that as he looked at the numbers it would have caused capacity problems at Elaine E. Thompson Elementary School for several years.

“I don’t think I can support going down that far but I think going to fourth graders in addition to fifth graders is something we’ve done in the past with other attendance zone redistricting and I think it makes sense in this case,” he said.

The amendment passed 8-0 with Harris Mahedavi (Ashburn) absent.

Polifko said she couldn’t support the plan even with the amendment after hearing the parents talk about the lack of continuity their children have had in elementary school the past few years.

Several parents in the Hartland neighborhood—an area that will change under the staff plan—have spoken out against it and asked administrators to amend or delay the plan and then realign the area later, citing concerns over stability after some have switched schools up to five times in four years.

Parents also proposed an alternative plan that would free up 90 seats at Elaine

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

E. Thompson by moving students into Arcola Elementary School.

The division’s official enrollment report for the school as of Sept. 30 lists 796 students at Arcola, down from its peak enrollment of 1,014 in 2017. The division lists Arcola Elementary’s base building capacity as 960 students. According to an Oct. 19 staff presentation, the school will be at 71% capacity during the 2029-2030 school year.

Jamie Musson, a Hartland resident with students in fourth and second at Elaine E. Thompson, said the change is going to divide their home.

She said her rising fifth grader wants to stay at his school but her rising third grader doesn’t have that option, meaning if she doesn’t get granted a special exception to stay her children will be attending different elementary schools next fall.

“She’s devastated right now,” she said of her daughter, adding that the window to apply for special exception doesn’t open until April and they may not have a resolution until May or June.

“Now what do we do? The split sibling situation disrupts our entire house,” she said.

Another concern the parents brought up was that their students wouldn’t be

DECEMBER 21, 2023

matriculating to the same middle and high schools as the rest of their peers at Hovatter and Henrietta Lacks. Their neighborhood would be going to Mercer Middle School and John Champe High Schools while the rest of their classmates will go to Willard Middle School and Lightridge High School.

“The whole being in a different elementary school then a different middle and high school from your peers, you might as well just move to another area,” Musson said.

According to the division website, this isn’t the last time a boundary change will take place in the southern part of the county. Another attendance zone change for secondary students will take place before the opening of HS-14, which is scheduled fall 2028. According to its website, secondary attendance zone changes will take place for both Dulles North and Dulles South area schools at that time.

The elementary school changes take effect next fall. n

Literacy curriculum

several board members and community members had expressed concerns with the McGraw Hill Wonders program, which at the time was the only choice available.

Tiffany Polifko (Broad Run) at the time expressed a long list of concerns, including a lack of explicit instruction and time spent on phonemic awareness, insufficient practice time to develop fluency, and a lack of opportunities for repeated reading of text.

She said, as a former special education teacher who spent a lot of time in the classroom with children focusing on direct instructional reading, she couldn’t support the program.

“The big things for me are phonemic awareness, fluency practice, and without fluency there is no comprehension,” she said.

Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words.

Several board members wanted to wait until more options were available from the VDOE. Erika Ogedegbe said Dec. 12 she was glad they waited and said they made the right choice.

The division will begin ordering materials in early 2024. n

continued from page 8 Early Literacy and Elementary Reading and Writing Supervisor Kathryn Neal said with the adoption and implementation of the new resource in 2024 and with English Standards of Learning tests currently being revised the division plans to form a workgroup of elementary teachers, reading specialists and administrators to help align the new core resource with the new SOL’s.

She said there will be multiple professional development days offered to help teachers with the new curriculum.

Denise Corbo (At-Large) thanked the board and the staff for “doing the right thing” in reassessing the current curriculum that led to them choosing this reading program, then waiting to select a literacy core resource based on VDOE recommendations.

She said ensuring all students could read has been a passion of hers since taking her seat on the School Board and being told by teachers that kids were not learning how to read under the division’s current curriculum.

The board decided a year ago to hold off on a vote for a literacy program after

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Some of the members of the Loudoun County School Board at a work session in November.

DECEMBER 21, 2023

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

703-956-9470

PAGE 11

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 12

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Business

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Doctor Faranak Mahjour stands with her husband and Purcellville Mayor Stanley J. Milan during the ribbon cutting ceremony for her practice Dec. 18.

Purcellville Welcomes First Endodontist

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Purcellville’s first endodontics practice celebrated its opening Monday night with a ribbon cutting with members of the Town Council and Loudoun Chamber of Commerce.

Doctor Faranak Mahjour said it was a dream come true to open her own practice after working to earn scholarships to attend college, complete her residency, and practice in offices in Lynchburg and Reston.

“My team and I, we’re so excited to be part of the town of Purcellville and Loudoun County and we’re here to serve the community here,” she said.

Mayor Stanley J. Milan welcomed Mahjour and said he was pleased that she had chosen Purcellville as her business’ home.

“A community is valued by how long it takes a dollar to leave the community and by you opening your doors in Purcellville, that dollar stays here a little lon-

ger,” he said.

Mahjour received her doctorate of dental surgery in 2011 and entered the Ph.D. program in Oral Biology at Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine.

Her practice utilizes state-of-the-art, limited field of view Cone Beam Computer Tomography technology, an innovative medical imaging technique that provides highly accurate, 3-D radiographic images for the diagnosis, planning and treatment of endodontic disease.

Purcellville Endodontics also uses surgical operating microscopes, electronic dental injection for controlled anesthetic administration, digital imaging technology and noise-canceling headphones for patients during procedures.

The practice provides root canal treatment, endodontic microsurgery and offers treatment for traumatic injuries such as chipped or cracked teeth or dislodged teeth.

To learn more Purcellville Endodontics, go to purcellvilleendo.com. n

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

DECEMBER 21, 2023

PAGE 13

Mobile Hope Gives 10K gifts to Children in Need at Christmas Village

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN

agustin@loudounnow.com

Mobile Hope provided over 10,000 presents to 2,500 kids in need Friday and Saturday at its 12th annual Christmas Village Event at its Leesburg headquarters.

The two evening event provided each child with a Christmas experience including a visit with Santa Clause, “snow,” a petting zoo, Carolers, a craft table, hot chocolate, presents, raffles, the Grinch and more.

“Every year we try to do something special for our folks that we serve on our bus,” Mobile Hope CEO and Founder Donna Fortier said adding that they had 125 volunteers for the event this year.

Raffles were done every 20 minutes with prizes like bikes, an electric skateboard, crockpots and toy ride in jeeps.

Food, coats, warm clothing and other basic needs were also given out to families who attended.

Attendees were invited to the private event and lined up outside the gates starting around 2 p.m. for the 5:30 start time, according to Mobile Hope Director of Development Allyson Ruscitella.

Volunteers with Mobile Hope’s Santa’s workshop kept busy wrapping and replenishing the bins of gifts as families made their way through with an elf volunteer.

Elves took each child to meet Santa then through the bins of gifts marked with ages to select several wrapped presents before being reunited with their parents.

After they picked up their gifts there were various craft stations to make cards for Santa, reindeer food, a place they could pick up gifts for their parents and more.

Hundreds of volunteers from the community, as well as corporate and civic groups collected, wrapped and sorted gifts for the event. Youth (18-24) in Mobile Hope’s crisis care program helped plan and volunteered at the event.

Nonprofit Partners & Event sponsors included Amazon, Google, QTS, Aetna and more.

Fortier said they began receiving donations from multiple community organizations including Toys for Tots in November and began wrapping the gifts with many corporations holding wrapping nights for team building exercises.

“Our community is awesome,” she said.

Mobile Hope is a nonprofit headquartered in Loudoun that supports precariously housed, homeless and at-risk youth, empowering them to become

Nonprofits self-sufficient. Mobile Hope provides access to daily essentials like food, clothes, hygiene products, school supplies and more at its Leesburg headquarters as well through the Mobile Hope bus program.

For more information on Mobile Hope go to mobile-hope.org. n

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

A child sits with Santa and an elf at the 12th annual Mobile Hope Christmas Village Dec. 16. Mobile Hope gifted over 10,000 gifts to 2,500 kids in need.

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PAGE 14

Towns

AROUND towns

Middleburg Council Adds $300K to Charitable Fund

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

The Town of Middleburg’s effort to transition the philanthropic legacy of Paul Mellon to a standalone charity got another boost last week when the Town Council approved a $300,000 grant to expand the nonprofit’s first year grant giving.

That fund dates back to a 1939 agreement when Mellon directed that rents from the Health Center building be used by the town government for community charitable purposes in perpetuity. Since 1979, the programs have been administered by the Health Center Advisory Committee, which made grant recommendations to the Town Council. For decades, the center operated as a loss for the town, as the town was responsible for maintaining the property, but was required to dedicate the rental income to charity. In 2018, the Town Council approved the recommendation of the advisory committee to sell the property and use the $750,000 proceeds for charitable giving. The money remained in the Health Center Fund under the control of the council.

The Middleburg Charitable Foundation was created earlier this year with the goals of separating the Town Council from the annual responsibilities of weighing grant requests from the area, and to allow the holdings to be invested more aggressively than government rules allow.

The fund contained just under $850,000 at the time of the transfer in

March. The council required that the principal remain untouched and that the foundation’s annual disbursements come from donations, fundraising and interest income. The investment portfolio has grown to more than $895,000.

The foundation board sought the additional town funding to allow it to distribute the full list of awarded grants totaling $59,000, while maintaining a best-practice goal of spending less than 5% of its funds.

Foundation representatives told the council that policy was important to the foundation’s sustainability and to attracting support from significant donors—work that is only beginning.

Typically, the council provides grants of $30,000 to $60,000 per year, so the $300,000 request—an amount that equates to more than half of the town’s annual real estate tax collection—was a shock to some members. And members said they were worried that their effort to divest themselves of the grant allocations wasn’t working out as they thought it would.

Foundation Chair Erik Scheps and Vice Chair Howard Armfield said the additional town funding would be a onetime request so that the organization can meet the community needs during its startup year. They wouldn’t be making annual funding requests, they said.

“We’re not coming back,” Armfield assured the council.

Council member Darlene Kirk, who served on the Health Center Advisory Committee and is one of two council rep-

resentatives on the foundation board, said she initially wasn’t a supporter of the additional allocation but has been swayed by the caliber of the foundation’s leadership.

“I think it is a good, solid team,” she said.

Philip Miller, the other council representative, said the additional investment would further the mission the council established for the foundation and promote a strategy that focuses on fundraising.

“This will put us a step in the right direction,” he said.

Ultimately, the council voted unanimously to approve the allocation.

The money will come from the town’s substantial pot of unassigned funds built by budget surpluses in recent years. The town has fully funded its fiscal reserve, with $5.6 million set aside to cover 125% of annual General Fund expenditures. It has an additional $3.6 million in unassigned funds about that.

Mayor Bridge Littleton noted that the town may look to use those funds for other uses, including to support the restoration of the Asbury Church and potentially to buffer the impacts of increasing utility costs.

Organizations approved for the inaugural round of grants from the Middleburg Community Foundation are: A Place to Be, American Legion Post 295, Artists in Middleburg, Backpack Buddies, Cherry Blossom Breast Cancer Fund, Middleburg FISH, Middleburg Library Board, Seven Loaves Ministries, and the Windy Hill Family Services Program. n

Reed Resigns from Lovettsville Town Council

BY HANNA PAMPALONI

hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Jennifer Reed has resigned from the Lovettsville Town Council, effective Dec. 8, after missing nearly a dozen meetings since August.

In a letter to Mayor Christopher Reed Hornbaker, Reed said she was stepping down because of personal reasons. She also apologized for not being available to

contact over the past few months.

“Due to personal reasons and obligations, I have had to focus my time and energy on other matters while continuing to work,” according to the emailed letter.

“I also apologize to my constituents for not being able to complete the full term for which I was elected,” she stated.

Her term expires Dec. 31, 2026.

Hornbaker said the town will move forward with the same process it just underwent following the resignation of Bobby Merhaut in October.

Applications are open for an appointment to fill the vacancy until a special election can be held Nov. 5, 2024. Inter-

DECEMBER 21, 2023

ested parties can find an application for the appointment on the town website at lovettsvilleva.gov.

This will leave six out of seven seats on the council up for reelection next year as Hornbaker’s term ends Dec. 31, 2024, as well as the terms of Vice Mayor Joy Prtiz, Tom Budnar and David Earl. Stuart Stahl was recently appointed to fill the vacancy left by Merhaut and the town will hold a special election to fill that seat in November, as well.

The town is also advertising for two vacant Planning Commission seats for terms that expire June 30, 2025 and June 30, 2027. n

LOVETTSVILLE 30 Tritapoe Wins Kincaid Award The Town Council on Thursday announced winners in the town’s annual Light Up Lovettsville decorating contest with 30 Tritapoe Place winning the Kincaid Award for the second year in a row.

Mayor Christopher Hornbaker said the home was “two displays in one” as visitors had the opportunity to push a button changing a more traditional light display complete with a sleigh and a real-life Santa on the roof to a red and green display with an inflatable Grinch.

Other first-place winners include: • Most Festive Business Award: Willows Vintage Charm • Chevy Chase Award (most lights): 8 Daniel Keys Lane • Bing Crosby Award (most traditional): 6 S. Loudoun St. • Rudolph Award (first-time winners): 39 S. Berlin Pike • Costco Award (most inflatables): 17 Stocks St. • Juniper Award (best-decorated street): Stone Jail Street First-place winners received gift cards donated by Velocity Wings and second and third-place winners received gift cards donated by the Love Winter Committee as part of the town’s new Community eGift Card Program.

PURCELLVILLE Trash, Recycling Schedule Changed for Holidays Due to the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays, trash and recycling collection will occur on Thursday instead of Wednesday during the two holiday weeks.

Trash and recycling pickup will take place Thursday, Dec. 28th and Thursday, Jan. 4. Christmas trees will be collected by American Disposal the first two weeks of January.

Town offices will also be closed from noon Friday, Dec. 22 until Wednesday, Dec. 27 and Monday, Jan. 1.

AROUND TOWNS continues on page 15

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Elysium, View of Heaven, Rayner Honored by PBA

PAGE 15

AROUND towns continued from page 14

Middleburg Feels Unexpected Drought Impact

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

The Purcellville Business Association held its annual awards dinner Dec. 14 at the Loudoun Golf and Country Club to name the best business, nonprofit, and volunteer of the year.

View of Heaven Farm, a farm that proHanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now vides employment to people of differing Elysium Axe Bar owners Erin and Dan Green pose for a photo with former Purcellville Business Association mental and physical abilities, earned the President Erin Rayner and Purcellville Mayor Stanley J. Milan during the PBA’s award dinner Dec. 14 .

Dan and Erin Green PBA’s Nonprofit of the Year Award.

Mary Sue and Vernon Conaway said Elysium Axe Bar earned the Business of ganization’s president by Grant Wetmore they started the organization when their of Serafin Real Estate. the Year Award. son, Thomas, graduated from Loudoun “It has been an honor and a pleasure to “The owners of this business have been Valley High School. serve you as the president of this great orso integral in our town over the last year, ” “We realized a lot of his friends didn’t PBA President Erin Rayner said.

“They ganization over the last two years,” Rayner have a place to go. They didn’t have an inhave shown up to the PBA every single said. terest and a lot of them wanted to be outThe Purcellville Business Association is side and working. … So, we decided to meeting. Everything we’ve asked of them a nonprofit organization of businesses and start the farm and employ adults whether they’ve said, ‘Yes.’” “We love being a part of this small com- individuals who come together to prothey’re neuro-diverse, they’re physically disabled or have other kinds of disabling munity,” Owner Dan Green said. “Thank mote the economic, industrial, professionyou for this award.” al, cultural, and civic welfare of Purcellissues,” Mary Sue said.

Rayner earned the Volunteer of the ville and western Loudoun, according to The farm now employs 24 adults, Year Award and will be replaced as the or- its website. n she said.

LOUDOUN NOW

As the utility systems in several western Loudoun towns wrestle with the impacts of the sustained regional drought, the Town of Middleburg also is experiencing changes in its flows.

That’s not a concern for costumers.

Town Manager Danny Davis told the Town Council last week that the town’s wells continue to operate as normal with no loss of production.

It may be a concern for the Town Council, however.

As the town experiences below normal amounts of rainfall, it also has seen declines in flows to its wastewater treatment plants, even as customers’ water usage remains normal. That’s an indication, Davis said, that the town has significant inflow and infiltration that allows stormwater to enter the sewage system. High levels of I&I typically drive up cost of wastewater treatment.

The town treated just over 2.5 million gallons of wastewater in October, down from nearly 4 million gallons in May. n

YEARS IN BUSINESS

DECEMBER 21, 2023

In Recognition of ...

Years in Business

In every community, small businesses provide the economic foundation. That’s certainly true here in Loudoun County.

In this special section, we celebrate the milestones of local companies big and small, and those celebrating decades (or centuries) of service or just getting started on their entrepreneurial journey.

Joins us in congratulating them next time you stop in for a visit. n

252 251 YEARS YEARS

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142 YEARS

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YEARS IN BUSINESS

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Phone: (540) 338-5561 140 S. Nursery Ave., Purcellville, VA 20132 www.hallfh.com

62 YEARS Founded in 1961, the Fairfax Christian School is an award– winning, independent, university–preparatory school providing a world-class education for our students in four-year-old kindergarten through twelfth grade.

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42 YEARS

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We specialize in buying and selling quality used vehicles and customer service we also will sell your vehicle on consignment. We have truly enjoyed serving Loudoun County for the past 60 years.

Browning Equipment since 1980

Full Service Farm, Lawn, and Garden Equipment Dealership 800 E Main St Purcellville, VA (540) 338-7123 BROWNINGEQUIPMENT.COM

49 YEARS

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Our Customers are Important to us!

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540-338-4161 purcellvillefloristva.com

42 YEARS

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41 & 52 YEARS King’s Tavern

220 LOUDOUN ST SE, LEESBURG, VA 703.771.8590 35246 LEESBURG PIKE, ROUND HILL, VA 540.338.1800 momsapplepieco.com

40 YEARS

The Leesburg Colonial Inn 19 South King Street Leesburg, Virginia 20175 703-777-5000

The Old Brogue Great Falls Now owned by The Tuskies Group VILLAGE CENTRE 760 Walker Rd. • Great Falls, VA 22066 (703) 759-3309

39 YEARS

innkeeper@theleesburgcolonialinn.com.

38 36 YEARS YEARS

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121 N. Bailey Lane Purcellville, VA 20132 Phone: 540-338-1840

28 YEARS

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hall Trucking

540-822-9011

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21 YEARS

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DECEMBER 21, 2023

Public Safety Hamilton Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Fatally Stabbing Father

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

A Loudoun Circuit Court judge last week sentenced a Hamilton-area man to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to killing his father with a hatchet after consuming psychedelic mushrooms.

Angus Brown entered guilty pleas to the charges of voluntary manslaughter and stabbing during the commission of a felony as part of a plea agreement accepted by Judge Matthew P. Snow on Sept. 7.

During a Dec. 14 hearing, Snow sentenced Brown to 10 years in prison for the manslaughter charge, with five years suspended, and five years for the stabbing charge. He also mandated a mental health evaluation for Brown at the time of his release.

Snow said the incident was a “tragic scenario all around” and that he recognized from what he had seen and heard that Brown “loved his father dearly.”

He said that despite that, Brown willingly consumed psychedelic mushrooms.

“This is a scenario based on certain choices made … and I want to make sure there is an incentive for those choices not to be made again,” Snow said of the sentence.

Brown’s mother gave a victim impact statement during the sentencing hearing where she encouraged her son to not let the incident “hold him back.”

“His dad would not want him punished,” she said. “He would want him to get the help he needs.”

Brown also made a statement, saying he took full responsibility for his actions.

“If I was of sober mind, I never would have harmed my father,” he said.

According to prior testimony in the case, Brown returned home the night of Jan. 2 from a double shift at a Leesburg restaurant and interacted with family members normally before going upstairs to his bedroom where he ate mushrooms that had been recommended by coworkers to aid his anxiety. Around 3:50 a.m. family members were awakened by noise and found Brown to be agitated and delusional, fearing he was under attack. He was carrying a camping hatchet. While working to calm Brown in the kitchen, his father tried to take the hatchet and Brown

LOUDOUNNOW.COM struck him at least once in the neck before running from the house.

Deputies were called shortly before 6 a.m. and arrived to find 62-year-old David Eugene Brown inside suffering from life-threatening injuries. He died at the scene.

Mental health evaluators concluded Brown was under substance-induced psychosis at the time the attack.

Leesburg Man Arrested for Felony Hit & Run and DWI The Sheriff ’s Office has charged a Leesburg man after he fled from deputies who

attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Friday, Dec. 8.

Rodkeem R. Ceasar Green, 23, of Leesburg, was charged with driving while intoxicated, two counts of felony hit and run, one count of misdemeanor hit and run, driving without a license, and failure to stop for law enforcement.

At approximately 4:50 p.m., Dec. 8 deputies in the Sterling area initiated a traffic stop on a white 2012 Chevrolet Impala based upon suspicion that the driver was intoxicated. When deputies activated their emergency equipment for the traffic stop, the driver fled at a high rate of speed.

PAGE 19 Deputies initiated a pursuit, during which the driver struck multiple occupied vehicles and recklessly endangered the public.

The driver exited the vehicle in the 700 block of Fieldstone Drive in Leesburg and fled into an apartment. He exited the apartment a short time later and was arrested.

A search warrant for the vehicle and the residence was obtained and deputies located narcotics, as well as items indicative of drug distribution. Deputies also located multiple firearms, including one with the serial number removed. n

PAGE 20

T U O GET

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

DECEMBER 21, 2023

LIVE MUSIC JUSTIN SUEDE 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21 Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com CONNER HITCHCOCK 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com MICHAEL KELLY 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22 Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont. dirtfarmbrewing.com SELA CAMPBELL 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com SUMMER & ERIC 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22 Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com TEJAS SINGH 7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22 Social House Kitchen & Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn. socialhouseashburn.com JUSTIN SUEDE 7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22 Velocity Wings Potomac Falls, 20789 Great Falls Plaza, Sterling. velocitywings.net THE AMISH OUTLAWS 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22 Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. $20. tallyhotheater.com ALEX KERNS 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22 Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville. monksq.com AUDREY HARRIS 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Fabbioli Cellars, 15669 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. fabbiolicellars.com THIRSTY DRIFTERS 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com BRIAN FRANKE 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Bleu Frog Vineyards, 16413 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg. bleufrogvineyards.com

LIVE MUSIC continues on page 21

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Koyo Ramen Chef Jag Deemai serves up ramen dishes at Purcellville’s newest restaurant Dec. 13.

Koyo Ramen Opens in Purcellville

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

Finn Thai restaurant owners Willy and Punchita Chaokrajang have joined forces with “Captain” Adison Tumma to open Purcellville’s newest restaurant, Koyo Ramen.

Willy Chaokrajang said he made the transition from Thai food to Ramen because he’s seen an uptick in interest in noodle dishes and Asian cuisine in general over the past few years.

Walking in on Wednesday evening, less than a week after opening, visitors would have seen a packed house with every table filled with community members enjoying a hot bowl of soup.

While other Japanese restaurants in Loudoun County serve ramen noodle soup, most focus on sushi or other Japanese-style dishes. Koyo Ramen is the only restaurant in the county dedicated primarily to the dish.

In addition to that, Willy said his restaurant stands apart because of the pride he and his primary chef Jag Dee-

mai take in their soup broth, the heart of the dish. He said they make a stock from bones and vegetables that takes 7-8 hours to prepare.

“We really want to serve food the way people cook it at home,” he said adding that often ramen restaurants will use a paste mixed with water to make their broth.

Making it from scratch over a long period of time creates a richer flavor, he said.

“The broth is a big deal,” Willy said noting that the commitment to quality was hard work because of the extra time and effort it took to prepare.

He said another difference between Koyo Ramen and other restaurants he had seen was his decision to import fresh noodles straight from Japan.

“Other people sometimes use dried noodles, but we import fresh from Japan,” he said.

The restaurant opened Dec. 8 and Willy said the reception so far has been encouraging including getting a raving review from some customers who were from Japan and had not been able to

find a ramen noodle dish like the ones they were used to at home.

“Purcellville is different,” Willy said.

“They’re warm-hearted and a small town.

So they’re cheering for us saying, ‘You’re doing a great job’ even if there is a little wait.”

For those unfamiliar with ramen soup, Willy said it originated in China approximately 1,000 years ago.

“Then Japan perfected it,” he said laughing.

The broth in ramen soup is the star of the dish and is accompanied by noodles.

In addition to those two staples, eggs, green onions, meat, seaweed, corn and other vegetables can be added. As a special addition to the menu, Willy and Deemai have created truffle ramen and spicy truffle ramen dishes.

Koyo Ramen also offers rice-based dishes and appetizers as well as bubble tea. They are open Sundays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. It is located at 609 E Main St. For more information go to koyoramen.com. n

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

GET OUT LIVE MUSIC

continued from page 20 DARRYL MARINI 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford.

8chainsnorth.com BRAD THE GUITAR GUY 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. ol690.com WAYNE SNOW 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com EMMA BAILEY 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com DANNY KENSY 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Lost Rhino Brewing Co, 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn. lostrhino.com DAN CRONIN 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. thebarnsathamiltonstation BRAHMAN NOODLES 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Two Twisted Posts Winery, 12944 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville. twotwistedposts.com CHUCK DARDEN 2 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Old Farm Winery at Hartland, 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie. oldfarmwineryhartland.com MATTHEW BURRIDGE 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville. flyingacefarm.com ANDREW RENNER 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Chrysalis Vineyards, 39025 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. chrysaliswine.com ANGELS ON FIRE 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont. dirtfarmbrewning.com ROBERT MABE BAND 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com ROB HOEY 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23

Best Bets

DECEMBER 21, 2023

AMISH OUTLAWS AMAZING HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR Friday, Dec. 22, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com The Amish Outlaws return to Leesburg with their special brand of holiday cheer.

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com GABE MATTHEWS 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Social House Kitchen & Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn. socialhouseashburn.com DOC MARTEN AND THE FLANNELS 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St. SW., Leesburg. $15 to $35. tallyhotheater.com COLIN THOMPSON AND FRIENDS 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville. monksq.com GABE MATTHEWS 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24 8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford.

8chainnorth.com

HAPPENINGS THE NUTCRACKER - LOUDOUN BALLET PERFORMING ARTS COMPANY 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22 1:30 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 5:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Loudoun Valley High School, 340 N. Maple Ave., Purcellville. $25. lbpac.org JUNIOR CLAUS 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 StageCoach Theatre Company, 20937 Ashburn Road, Ashburn. $20 stagecoachtc.com BLUE CHRISTMAS 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21

If you value quality local journalism ...

Tell them you saw it in Loudoun Now.

PAGE 21

COLIN THOMPSON AND FRIENDS 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville. monksq.com Thompson returns to Monks for night of Christmas Eve-Eve jams.

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 37018 Glendale St., Purcellville. stpetes.net FREE IMPROV COMEDY SHOW 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21 Old Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive, Ashburn. oldoxbrewing.com CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24 Faithway Baptist Church, 75 Lawson Road SE., Leesburg. faithwaybaptistchurch.com

OLD-FASHIONED BOREDOM BUSTERS Marbles!, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 26 Thaumatrope!, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 27 Yarn Dolls!, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28 Heritage Farm Museum, 21668 Heritage Farm Lane, Sterling. $5. heritagefarmmuseum.org CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28 Countywide loudounwildlife.org

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 22

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Obituaries

Jean D. Vorous Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Jean D. Vorous, passed away December 14, 2023, at the age of 96.

She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she lived until her teenage years when her family moved to White Post, Virginia. She attended Mary Washington College after which she married her beloved husband of 76 years, Jacob Vorous.

After marrying, the couple moved to Front Royal, Virginia and then to Winchester, Virginia before settling in Leesburg, Virginia, the place Jean considered home. Jean was an excellent homemaker and seamstress, sewing many of her children’s clothes. She substituted and volunteered at the local elementary schools and distinguished herself to such an extent that she was hired to teach at Leesburg Christian School. She loved teaching there and never missed a day during her fiveyear tenure.

She was a member of Leesburg United Methodist Church for over 60 years and enjoyed participating and volunteering in women’s circles and youth activities. In retirement, Jean pursued her great interest in folk art, traveling to many conventions to home her skills. She also became an active member of the local Women’s Club.

In addition, she generously cared for her own parents in their later years and was always the preferred babysitter for her grandchildren.

In addition to being survived by her devoted husband Jacob, Jean is survived by her three daughters: Patricia Chamblin (Jim), Linda Sedighzadeh, Debbie Buttery (Frank); seven grandchildren: Christopher Chamblin, Laura Chamblin, Shahnaz Morton (Brett), Matthew Buttery (Amanda), Bijan Sedighzadeh, Katherine Lewis (Ryan), and Ali Sedighzadeh; and 10 great grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, December 21 at 11:00 am at the Loudoun Funeral Chapel located at 158 Catoctin Circle, SE, Leesburg, VA 20175.

The family will receive friends prior to the service from 10 to 11 am.

Interment will follow in Union Cemetery, 323 N. King Street, Leesburg, VA 20176.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation.

Please share online condolences to the family at www.loudounfuneralchapel.com

Charlie Grant Chaplain Charlie Grant, 87, passed away of natural causes on December 6, 2023. “That is the day to which I most look forward,” he once said, “when I will sleep in the arms of Jesus, knowing that when I wake up, I will see Him face to face.”

When Chaplain Grant was honored in 2012 by the Loudoun Times-Mirror as “Citizen of the Year,” they wrote: “Charlie Grant is a larger-than-life local legend.

Standing approximately 5-feet-tall yet toting a personality that can easily fill a room, Grant has been among the most influential men Loudoun County has seen in the last 40 years. His emergency radio, like an extension of his body, always blares. It’s always with him due to his (decades-long) work as a senior chaplain for the Sterling Volunteer Fire Department.”

The then-chief of the Sterling Rescue Squad, Byron Andrews, was quoted as saying: “Not surprisingly, many call Chaplain Charlie Grant a saint. He is the hardest-working and most compassionate man I have ever encountered.”

Charlie was born in Mount Pleasant, Pa., on February 11, 1936, and graduated from Jeannette High School in 1954. He attended Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, W.V., and worked as an orderly at Broaddus Hospital during his college years.

When he first saw his bride, fellow hospital worker Virginia (Ginny) Rexrode of Rainelle, W.V., he thought she was “the most beautiful girl in our school.” Then he found she was just as committed to charitable work among the poor as he was,

and he fell forever in love with her. They married in 1955, and happily served the Lord in partnership for the next 68 years.

After completing training at the Baptist Bible Seminary in Johnson City, N.Y., Charlie, with Ginny at his side, led congregations in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, before moving to Sterling, Virginia, in January 1969. He founded Grace Baptist Church and was its pastor for 54 years. Over those years, his ministry included a school, Grace Christian Academy, which operated for 26 years. He also started a youth ministry/Bible study course at Broad Run High School.

As a businessman, he and Ginny started GAM Printers, Inc., on Church Road in old Sterling in 1976. It not only survived but continues to thrive today under the management of his children.

County-wide charitable work began in 1972 when, in cooperation with other churches, he helped found LINK, which originally stood for Loudoun Interdenominational Network for LINK, which maintained a food pantry for the poor, and assisted them with cash from church collections. Whenever someone was found to be homeless, the county sheriff ’s office would take them to Charlie and Ginny’s house. “He would let them live in his house for a few days or a few years,” The Gazette reported in a Grant profile entitled “Loudoun County’s Guardian Angel.”

Charlie went on to found Good Shepherd Alliance of shelters and thrift stores to support the poor. To assist the underserved with transportation, Charlie also helped found the Virginia Regional Transit Authority, and guided its early years and where, until his passing, he served as Chairman Emeritus.

Charlie’s passion for serving the community involved many years of chaplain support for the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office, Sterling Volunteer Fire Company, Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad, and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Fire & Police. Charlie joined the Sterling Rescue shortly after his sons had joined the squad. It was during this time that he saw the need for better support of first responders, either on the scene of calls or supporting them afterwards. This included the delicate task of responding to families in need during difficult times following a critical emergency, fire, or heart-wrenching traffic accidents -- all of which often involved fatalities.

His work eventually led to the establishment of the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Chaplain’s Program where, until his passing, he served as Chairman Emeritus.

Not all of Charlie’s activities were associated with traumatic events. He had the honor of marrying many first responders or providing words of comfort at numerous funerals.

Among other tributes, Charlie’s service was recognized with the Gold Life Membership with the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company, Life Member of the Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad, the Clark J. Deener Memorial Award, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Hall of Fame and the ICMA National Chaplain of the Year Award. “Not bad for a young old guy!” he would laugh.

Charlie also served one term on the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (1991-1995).

Charlie is survived by his wife of 68 years, Virginia (Ginny) Grant; their ten children, Cheryle Livermon (Dr. Jeff Livermon) of New Tazewell, Tn.; David (Vicki) of Port Charlotte, Fl.; Daniel (Michelle) of Folsom, Ca.; Faith, James (Diane), Stephen (Carrie) and Susanna of Sterling; Dr Joel (Kim) of Stephens City, Va.; Samuel (Chadney) of Goodyear, Az.; and Nathaniel of Ashburn, Va. He is also survived by two sisters, Charlotte “Betsy” Dunn of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and Leona Mangan of West Palm Beach, Fl. He is preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Caroline Grant; his sister, Jeannie Immesberger; his brother, Dr. Lester Grant, and his great granddaughter Sarina Parsa.

Charlie considered it to be his “great privilege and joy” to father his ten children, who “in return” gave him 24 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren at the time of his passing.

A “Celebration of Life” will be held at Reston Bible in Sterling on February 9 at 1 p.m. A public visitation will start at noon.

A reception will be held at Patton Hall in Sterling following the service. A private family interment will be held on February 10 the following day at Sterling Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking donations to be made to one of Charlie’s favorite charities: Sterling Volunteer Fire Company, Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad, or the Charles Grant Charities (https://www.charlesgrantcharities.org/).

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Legal Notices

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE The Purcellville Town Council will hold a public hearing in the Town Hall Council Chambers located at 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 6:00 PM for the purpose of receiving comments on, considering, and possibly voting on the following item:

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE The PURCELLVILLE TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing in the Town Council Chambers located at 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia on TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2024 at 6:00 PM for the purpose of receiving comments on, considering, and possibly voting on the following item: LEASE OF PUBLIC PROPERTY TO UPPER LOUDOUN YOUTH FOOTBALL (ULYF), INCORPORATED Pursuant to § 15.2-1800 (B) of the Code of Virginia, as amended, the Town of Purcellville proposes to lease to Upper Loudon Youth Football, Inc., for a term of 5 years, an approximately 3000 square feet portion of the 40.99-acre property owned by the Town and addressed as 1001 South 20th Street, Purcellville, Virginia and further identified in the Loudoun County land records as Tax Map Number /44//26/////2/ and Parcel Identification Number 489-18-2311-000. Under the proposed lease, ULYF will be permitted to use the leased area for the installation of up to a total of five temporary “Conex” type storage containers and an eight foot high chain-link fence around the leased area.

Information related to this Lease, including a copy of the proposed Lease Agreement, is available for review on the Town’s website at www.purcellvilleva.gov and also at the Purcellville Town Hall, 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.

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

In addition, all persons have the option of sending an email to the Town Clerk, Kimberly Bandy, at kbandy@purcellvilleva.gov, with written comments or questions concerning the proposed application.

Emails sent by 4:00PM the day of the Public Hearing will be part of the written record for the public hearing, but may not necessarily be read aloud into the record at the public hearing.

Stanley J. Milan, Sr. Mayor

12/21/23 & 12/28/23

ABC LICENSE

Avaani LLC trading as Train to Mumbai - Farm Indian Kitchen, 11 Town Center Drive, Suite 185, Lovettsville, VA 20180-8569.

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Beer & Wine license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Sanjay Gusain, Owner Note: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices.

Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

12/21 & 12/28/23

A Message to Elderly and Disabled Residents of Loudoun County from

Robert S. Wertz, Jr. Commissioner of the Revenue

First-time applicants for 2023 Real Property Tax Relief must submit an application to my office by the January 2, 2024, filing deadline. To apply, residents must be at least 65 years of age OR totally and permanently disabled.

For information or filing assistance, please visit our website or contact my office.

Leesburg Office 1 Harrison Street SE First Floor Sterling Office 46000 Center Oak Plaza Internet: loudoun.gov/taxrelief Hours: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, M - F

Support Local Shop LoCo

PAGE 23

Phone: 703-737-8557 Email: taxrelief@loudoun.gov Mailing Address: PO Box 8000, MSC 32 Leesburg, VA 20177-9804

An Ordinance of Vacation, titled “ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF VACATION A PART OF A PLAT ON WHICH IS SHOWN A 100-YEAR FLOOD PLAIN EASEMENT” as shown on the plat identified by the Town as “ESMT-2006,” and further identified by Loudoun County as RPB-1586-LC. The Ordinance of Vacation would vacate the Town of Purcellville’s Floodplain Easement (DB 1502 PG 1216) over the identified .4968 acre (21,643 sq. ft) portion of Parcel A of Catoctin Meadows. Parcel A of Catoctin Meadows is further identified in Loudoun County land records as Parcel Identification Number (PIN) 522-106773-000 (“Property”).

Additional information regarding the Ordinance of Vacation is available for review at the Purcellville Town Hall, 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.

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

In addition, all persons have the option of sending an email to the Town Clerk, Kimberly Bandy, at kbandy@ purcellvilleva.gov, with written comments or questions concerning the proposed application. Emails sent by 4:00PM the day of the Public Hearing will be part of the written record for the public hearing, but may not necessarily be read aloud into the record at the public hearing.

Stanley J. Milan, Sr., Mayor Town of Purcellville

12/21/23 & 12/28/23

TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE SOLITICATION OF INTERIM APPOINTMENT TO TOWN COUNCIL The LOVETTSVILLE TOWN COUNCIL currently has a vacant Council Member seat with a term that expires December 31, 2026. An interim appointment is to be made by Town Council in anticipation of a special election on November 5, 2024. Any person qualified to vote in town elections is eligible for appointment. Council Members appointed to fill vacancies on the Town Council shall have the rights, privileges, powers, duties, and obligations of an elected member.

All interested parties must complete an Application for Town Service that can be found on the Town’s website at www.lovettsvilleva.gov/government/council-subcommittees and submit to the Town Clerk before 4:30PM on Friday, December 29, 2023. Submission can be made via email at clerk@ lovettsvilleva.gov or in-person at the Lovettsville Town Hall, 6 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia between the hours of 8:30AM and 4:30PM weekdays, holidays excepted.

12/21/23, 12/28/23

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE The Purcellville Town Council will hold a public hearing in the Town Hall Council Chambers located at 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 6:00 PM for the purpose of receiving comments on, considering, and possibly voting on the following item: The sale of real property owned by the Town of Purcellville. The Town is considering selling real property owned by the Town of Purcellville located at 301 South 20th Street, also known as the Pullen House, and further identified in Loudoun County land records as Parcel Identification Number (PIN) 488-277834-000. The property consists of approximately 0.49 acres and was listed at a sale price of $349,900.

Additional information regarding the sale of real property is available for review at the Purcellville Town Hall, 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.

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

In addition, all persons have the option of sending an email to the Town Clerk, Kimberly Bandy, at kbandy@ purcellvilleva.gov, with written comments or questions concerning the proposed application. Emails sent by 4:00PM the day of the Public Hearing will be part of the written record for the public hearing, but may not necessarily be read aloud into the record at the public hearing.

Stanley J. Milan, Sr., Mayor Town of Purcellville

12/21/23 & 12/28/23

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 24

Legal Notices

DECEMBER 21, 2023

NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLES

TOWN OF LOVETTSVILLE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FISCAL YEAR 2025-2029 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN Pursuant to Va. Code § 15.2-2239, the LOVETTSVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers, 6 East Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia, to solicit public comment on the proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2029 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

The final requested funding amount of the CIP will be included in the Town Manager’s Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Budget scheduled to be presented to Town Council during their regular meeting the evening of January 25, 2023, at 6:30 P.M. All persons desiring to speak will be given an opportunity to do so at this meeting.

Copies of the proposed CIP with a complete list of projects are available for review at the Town Hall between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm weekdays or by special appointment, holidays excepted. You may also request a copy be sent to you via email by contacting John Merrithew, Planning Director at (540) 822-5788 for more information or visit www.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.

12/21, 12/28/23

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS FOR: PRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, DISPLACEMENT SUPPORT AND HOMELESSNESS AND DIVERSION SERVICES REISSUE, RFP No. 642818 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, January 17, 2024.

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. 12/21/23

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#

1983 1994 2011 2002 2012 2006 2012 2003

BMW BMW BMW BMW FORD CADILLAC CHEVROLET DODGE

320I 325I 535I 745I FOCUS DTS VAN DURANGO

WEAAG4304D8075999 WBACB3327RE17454 WBAFR7C55BC605520 WBAGL63452DP55760 1FAHP3M22CL462791 1G6KD57976U118548 1GCWGFCA0C1199630 1D4HR48Z13F626857

BLAIR’S TOWING BLAIR’S TOWING DOUBLE D TOWING BLAIR’S TOWING BLAIR’S TOWING LCSO IMPOUND LOT LCSO IMPOUND LOT LCSO IMPOUND LOT

703-661-8200 703-661-8200 703-777-7300 703-661-8200 703-661-8200 571-367-8400 571-367-8400 571-367-8400 12/21 & 12/28/23

ORDER OF PUBLICATION COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316 Case No.:

JJ046978-02-00, 03-00, 04-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Jimmy Mendez Jr. Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Taya Selner, mother and Jimmy Mendez, father The object of this suit is to hold a permanency planning hearing and review of foster care plan with goal of adoption, pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Jimmy Mendez Jr. and Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of Taya Selner, mother, and Jimmy Mendez, father, pursuant to Virginia Code §16.1-283 for Jimmy Mendez Jr. Taya Selner, mother, and Jimmy Mendez, father, are hereby notified that failure to appear on the hereinafter noticed date and time

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

NOTICE OF ABANDONED BICYCLES Notice is hereby given that the bicycles described below were found and delivered to the Office of the Sheriff of Loudoun County; if the owners of the listed bicycles are not identified within sixty (60) days following the final publication of this notice, the individuals who found said bicycles shall be entitled to them if he/she desires. All unclaimed bicycles will be handled according to Chapter 228.04 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County.

Case No.:

JJ042687-07-00, 08-00, 09-00, 10-00 JJ042688-07-00, 08-00, 09-00, 10-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Jaxon Jenkins and Ashton Jenkins

Description

Case Number

Recovery Date

Recovery Location

Phone Number

Silver in color Terra Z-6 bicycle

SO230018085

9/28/23

24915 Mineral Springs Circle Aldie, VA

571-367-8400

Loudoun County Department of Family Services Abigail Laura, mother and Samuel Jenkins III, putative father, and Unknown Father

/v.

Schwinn Voyager GS bike/ white body brown seat

SO230018727

10/7/23

20279 Doswell Pl. Ashburn, VA

571-367-8400

Red/black Hyper Shocker 2G mountain

SO230019039

10/12/23

44505 Atwater Dr. Ashburn, VA

571-367-8400

Black Roadmaster mountain bike with broken break cable

SO230020942

11/9/23

42393 Unicorn Dr. Chantilly, VA

571-367-8400

Red bike

SO230022175

11/28/23

42361 Astors Beachwood Ct. Chantilly, VA

571-367-8400

12/21 & 12/28/23

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 16.1-281for Jaxon Jenkins and Ashton Jenkins and hold a hearing on the Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of Abigail Laura, mother, and Samuel Jenkins III, father, and Unknown Father, pursuant to Virginia Code §16.1-283 for Jaxon Jenkins and Ashton Jenkins. Abigail Laura, mother, and Samuel Jenkins III, father, and Unknown Father, are hereby notified that failure to appear on the hereinafter noticed date and time may result in the

may result in the entry of an Order approving a permanency goal of adoption as well as the termination of their residual parental rights with respect to Jimmy Mendez Jr. Taya Selner, mother, and Jimmy Mendez, father, are hereby further notified that if their residual parental rights are terminated, they will no longer have any legal rights with respect to said minor child, including, but not limited to, the right to visit Jimmy Mendez Jr.; any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Jimmy Mendez Jr.; or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Jimmy Mendez Jr. Further, Taya Selner, mother, and Jimmy Mendez, father, will have no legal and /or financial obligations with respect to Jimmy Mendez Jr., and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Jimmy Mendez Jr. for adoption and consent to the adoption of Jimmy Mendez Jr. It is ORDERED that the defendants Taya Selner, mother and Jimmy Mendez, father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before January 24, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.

12/14, 12/21, 12/28/23 & 1/4/24

entry of an Order approving a permanency goal of adoption as well as the termination of their residual parental rights with respect to Jaxon Jenkins and Ashton Jenkins. Abigail Laura, mother, and Samuel Jenkins III, father, and Unknown Father, are hereby further notified that if their residual parental rights are terminated, they will no longer have any legal rights with respect to said minor child, including, but not limited to, the right to visit Jaxon Jenkins and Ashton Jenkins; any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Jaxon Jenkins and Ashton Jenkins; or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Jaxon Jenkins and Ashton Jenkins.

Further, Abigail Laura, mother, and Samuel Jenkins III, father, and Unknown Father, will have no legal and /or financial obligations with respect to Jaxon Jenkins and Ashton Jenkins, and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Jaxon Jenkins and Ashton Jenkins for adoption and consent to the adoption of Jaxon Jenkins and Ashton Jenkins.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Abigail Laura, mother and Samuel Jenkins III, putative father, and Unknown Father appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his or her interests on or before January 17, 2024 at 3:00 p.m 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/23 & 1/4/24

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

DECEMBER 21, 2023

PAGE 25

Legal Notices ORDER OF PUBLICATION COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316 Case No.:

JJ047051-04-00, 05-00, 06-00, 07-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Tristin Jenkins Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Abigail Laura, mother and Samuel Jenkins III, putative father, and Unknown Father The object of this suit is to hold a second permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Tristin Jenkins and hold a hearing on the Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of Abigail Laura, mother, and Samuel Jenkins III, father, and Unknown Father, pursuant to Virginia Code §16.1-283 for Tristin Jenkins. Abigail Laura, mother, and Samuel Jenkins III, father, and Unknown Father, are hereby notified that failure to appear on the hereinafter noticed date and time

may result in the entry of an Order approving a permanency goal of adoption as well as the termination of their residual parental rights with respect to Tristin Jenkins. Abigail Laura, mother, and Samuel Jenkins III, father, and Unknown Father, are hereby further notified that if their residual parental rights are terminated, they will no longer have any legal rights with respect to said minor child, including, but not limited to, the right to visit Tristin Jenkins; any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Tristin Jenkins; or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Tristin Jenkins. Further, Abigail Laura, mother, and Samuel Jenkins III, father, and Unknown Father, will have no legal and /or financial obligations with respect to Tristin Jenkins, and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Tristin Jenkins for adoption and consent to the adoption of Tristin Jenkins.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Abigail Laura, mother and Samuel Jenkins III, putative father, and Unknown Father appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his or her interests on or before January 17, 2024 at 3:00 p.m 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/23 & 1/4/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

Case No.:

Case No.:

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

: JJ043080-10-00

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

JJ046598-05-00

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

Case No.:

Case No.:

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

JJ044933-05-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Nariah Swales Loudoun County Department of Family Services

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

JJ046599-05-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Briston Love

/v.

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

Whitney Settles aka Whitney Swales, mother and Darius Swales, father

Unknown Father

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

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Whitney Settles aka Whitney Swales, mother, and Darius Swales, father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before January 10, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.

11/30, 12/7, 12/14 & 12/21/23

v.

The object of this suit is to hold a third Permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Briston Love.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before February 7, 2024 at 3:00pm 11/30, 12/7, 12/14 & 12/21/23

PURCELLVILLE TOWN COUNCIL SEAT VACANCY

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Gabriela Medina Lainez

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Chloe Love

The Purcellville Town Council is asking for interested residents of the community who wish to serve in an interim capacity as a Town Council member, until the upcoming special election is held on November 5, 2024, to complete and submit an online application at the following link: https://www.purcellvilleva. gov/forms.aspx?FID=78. In order to be considered for the vacancy, we must receive your application, letter of interest and resume by 5:00 PM on Friday, December 29, 2023. To serve on Town Council, a person must be a qualified voter in the Town of Purcellville.

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

The Town Council will review the applications, conduct interviews and make the appointment at a Town Council Special Meeting to be scheduled during the first week in January 2024.

Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

v.

Jose Medina, Putative Father

Willie Huff, putative father, and Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold a second Permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Gabriela Medina Lainez.

The object of this suit is to hold a third Permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Chloe Love.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Jose Medina, putative father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before January 9, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Willie Huff, putative father, and Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before February 7, 2024 at 3:00pm

11/30, 12/7, 12/14 & 12/21/23

11/30, 12/7, 12/14 & 12/21/23

VIRGINIA:

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF LOUDOUN COUNTY RE: ESTATE OF LANCE 0. SHAFFER, deceased ) PROBATE FILE NO. 19445 SHOW CAUSE ORDER

IT APPEARING THAT a report of the account of Karen E. Fletcher, Administrator of the Estate of Lance 0. Shaffer (the "Estate") and of the debts and demands against the Estate has been filed in the Clerk's office and that six months has elapsed since her qualification, on motion of such Administrator; IT IS ORDERED that the creditors, beneficiaries and all other interested parties in the Estate do show cause, if any they can, on Friday, January 5, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., before this Court at its Courtroom against the payment and delivery of the Estate to the creditors, claimants and beneficiary in the amounts stated in the accounting filed with the Clerk of the Loudoun County Circuit Court.

12/21 & 12/28/23

Town citizens are welcome to contact Kimberly Bandy, Town Clerk with any questions at 540-751-2333 or by email at kbandy@purcellvilleva.gov.

12/21/23

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Resumes may be submitted as supplemental only. EOE/ADA. Regular Full-Time Positions Position

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Salary Range

Closing Date

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Open until filled

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Police

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Engineering Technician, Engineer I or Senior Engineer

Department of Community Development

$58,241-$140,614 DOQ

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Events Coordinator

Parks & Recreation

$55,650-$104,900 DOQ

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Groundskeeper

Parks & Recreation

$52,000-$96,200 DOQ

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Library Director

Executive

$99,044-$186,698 DOQ

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Public Works & Capital Projects

$51,000-$94,350 DOQ

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Police

$65,000-$104,000 DOQ

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Public Works & Capital Projects

$74,596-$140,614 DOQ

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Utilities

$87,979-$165,840 DOQ

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$63,248-$119,223 DOQ

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Salary Range

Closing Date

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Thomas Balch Library

$20.51-$33.42 DOQ

Open until filled

Flexible Part-Time Positions

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PAGE 28

Zoning ordinance continued from page 1 Ordinance. It is as good as it can be for now,” said Maura Walsh-Copeland, who led the advisory stakeholders group and offered a trophy and medals to supervisors to mark the accomplishment.

Speakers during the hearing said the new ordinance would lower barriers to the development of affordable housing; better control the location, design, and impact of data centers; better protect wildlife; require the use of native plants and help root our invasive species; and address new technologies like battery energy storage.

Several supervisors pointed out that under the new regulations, data centers proposed on land zoned of office space and research and development parks will have to under-

go special exception review; previously the projects were permitted by right, without having a Board of Supervisors vote.

But the accomplishment of the ordinance adoption was overshadowed by concerns about plans for new power transmission lines crossing the county and the need to do more to protect the rural areas and farmland—topics that drew the most comments during the public hearing.

Supervisors plan to begin more detailed work on data center policies and rural planning starting early next year as the top priorities on a list of still-needed planning and zoning tweaks that were identified through the process.

Randall thanked the community members who worked with the county staff and the board, especially during the final run of stakeholder meetings.

“It was like a continuous conversation,”

she said of that process that was critical to achieving the board’s goal.

Randall noted that the rarely aligned Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce and Piedmont Environmental Council both supported adoption of the ordinance.

“Hear that,” she said.

Turner promised to design superhero uniforms for the staff members who worked on the project and highlighted Randall’s dedication to completing the work.

“You were the captain of this ship,” he said, calling it a “crowning achievement” of her eight years on the board.

“It will never be appreciated by the citizens of Loudoun County to the extent that it should be, but it was just an amazing achievement,” Turner said But he also acknowledged the work still to be done.

DECEMBER 21, 2023 “I wish I could say it was all over, but it isn’t,” Turner said.

Randall said the biggest accomplishment was bringing the community together.

“I think what was the crowning achievement is the relationships that were built during this process and the fact that we built this process to say how collaborative we could be with our constituents, with our staff, and with the board,” Randall said. “So, it is not so much the product itself, but what we did—all of us together—what all of us did to get to this space and this moment that is the crowning achievement, not of one person but the entire, entire board and every single person who was part of that effort.”

The ordinance was adopted on an 8-0-1 vote, with Supervisor Sylvia Glass (D-Broad Run) absent. n

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LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 29

Next steps continued from page 1 that largely have been on hold for much of the past eight years.

When the previous Board of Supervisors began the development of a new General Plan in 2020, they worked to make it clear that planners were not to tinker with policies that could open the countryside to new development. Subsequently, the new Zoning Ordinance that implemented the new plan’s policies also left rural rules largely untouched.

However, during the past two board terms a host of issues have emerged, including neighborhood conflicts with rural businesses such as wineries, breweries, and wedding venues; calls to curtail cluster zoning or reduce development densities; and the need to do more to protect farmland.

While those issues and others are likely to be wrapped up in a broad comprehensive plan amendment that is expected to launch in February, one rural zoning element is already in process. The county Planning Commission last week opened its review of a Zoning Ordinance amendment that is designed to promote opportunities for farming by requiring developers to keep houses off areas of properties designated as having prime agricultural soils. That measure is expected to be ripe for board action early next year.

If the rural issues comprehensive plan amendment has been the most anticipated follow up item, the other priority item—a targeted effort to revamp the county’s planning and zoning policies concerning data centers— has emerged as the most urgent. That’s in large part because of the recent controversies over proposals for new power lines needed for their operation—including one slated to cross western Loudoun.

The debate over data centers won’t just be about where they should go and what they should look like; the capacity of the power grid is now central to the conversation.

“That has become more urgent and more complex,” Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) said of the data center plan during Monday night’s meeting of the Land Use and Transportation Committee. “The western 500-kV power line just popped up out of nowhere and PJM approved it as their submission. That was in three months.”

Turner said he and his staff have been digging more deeply into the power issue.

Among the findings is that the county has 175 data centers requiring 2.64 gigawatts of power, with that demand expected

“I will do all in my power, which is not that much, to not see a power line through western Loudoun come to fruition.”

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and a wonderful New Year as we close the chapter on 2023.

— Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large)

Loudoun County Chair

to double in the next five years. And, he noted during a recent hearing on another data center application, artificial intelligence applications require five times the amount of power than conventional data centers.

“The power constraints on the Loudoun County data center community are far, far, far more compelling than I thought they were three months ago,” Turner said.

“I would really like to see how we can get board oversight and managerial control and reign in by-right data centers development—not necessarily to stop data center development but just have visibility of what’s going on so we can have some sense of what the power consumption is going to be and how it is going to project,” Turner said. “I don’t even know if that is possible. I don’t know what that mechanism might be.”

At the same time, supervisors have pledged to help fight power lines planned in western Loudoun.

“I will do all in my power, which is not that much, to not see a power line through western Loudoun come to fruition,” County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (DAt Large) said last week.

She said putting large transmission lines through any part of western Loudoun, especially the historic district of Waterford was “ridiculous.”

Planning Director Daniel Galindo said both top priority planning projects should be able to advance simultaneously starting in February.

But they aren’t the only items on the short-term agenda.

The staff also is planning for a new batch of Zoning Ordinance amendments that would capture a list of errors, omissions and unintended consequences that are expected to be discovered as planners and developers begin working with the newly adopted regulations. n

This season offers us a chance to reflect on the past year and set new g oals for the one ahead.

However, it’s most importantly a time to gather with family & friends and to recognize the true significance and blessings of the season.

Tony Nerantzis Managing Principal / Financial Advisor

Erik Rinehold Financial Advisor

Kathleen Swanson Client Service Manager

From all of us at Raymond James / Leesburg, we wish you joy, peace, and prosperity in the coming year.

201 Loudoun Street SE, Suite 100 • Leesburg, VA 20175 703-737-0030 | www.RaymondJames.com/Leesburg Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.

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DECEMBER 21, 2023

s y a d i l o h Happy

Published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC 15 N. King St., Suite 101 Leesburg, VA, 20176

s g n i t ee r g s ' n o s and sea rf om the staff at Loudoun Now.

PO Box 207 Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723

NORMAN K. STYER Publisher and Editor nstyer@loudounnow.com EDITORIAL ALEXIS GUSTIN Reporter agustin@loudounnow.com HANNA PAMPALONI Reporter hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

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Online always at LoudounNow.com

Loudoun Now is mailed weekly to homes in Leesburg, western Loudoun and Ashburn, and distributed for pickup throughout the county.

Online, Loudoun Now provides daily community news coverage to an audience of more than 100,000 unique monthly visitors.

LETTERS to the Editor Tremendous Work Editor: Congratulations! Loudoun County has a new Zoning Ordinance adopted by the Board of Supervisors on Dec.13.

Everyone involved should be proud—the county planning staff, the Planning Commission, the Board of Supervisors and the hundreds of organizations, businesses and individual citizens who invested the time and energy to follow, understand, and comment on the intricacies of an exceedingly complex ordinance.

It is not a perfect document, and many organizations, businesses and citizens feel that their interests are not adequately reflected, but almost all agree it is a significant improvement over the previous ordinance adopted in 2014.

As with any ordinance of this complexity and scope there will be many attempts to amend it in the coming years.

Undoubtedly, the new county Board of Supervisors will authorize several Zoning Ordinance amendment studies.

In 2024 and beyond Friends of the

Blue Ridge Mountains will be joining with many other organizations to strengthen the zoning protections against over-development in the Mountain Overlay District.

Specifically, we will be concentrating on three objectives: 1) Prohibits new commercial development in the Mountain Overlay District.

While zoning ordinance imposes many welcome restrictions on commercial development in the MOD, the ordinance will still permit new commercial development such as sit-down and fast food restaurants, rural retreats, amphitheaters.

These types of new commercial development are inappropriate for the steep slopes, thin soils, and heavily forested areas of the MOD. 2) Strengthen zoning enforcement. Require that zoning violations resulting in substantial environmental damage must be corrected by returning the land to its condition before the violation. It is not sufficient to stop the violation. In addition, the county must

accept direct responsibility for Identifying zoning violations. It is not sufficient to leave identifying violations solely as responsibility of citizens and neighbors.

3) Incorporate consideration of the impact of development on greenhouse gases. CO2 is a major component of greenhouse gases which contribute significantly to climate change. Trees are a CO2 sink and there is considerable data regarding the ability of different tree species of various sizes and age to capture CO2 gases. Applications for tree clearing should be required to specifically include data regarding the impact on CO2 gases.

Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains recognizes and applauds the tremendous work that has gone into the new Zoning Ordinance. Over the next several years we will be working with many other citizens groups to make it even better.

— Peter Weeks, President Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains LETTERS continue on page 31

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DECEMBER 21, 2023

READERS’ poll

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CHIPshots

What is your holiday shopping outlook this year?

Plan to spend less •• 53.2% than last year Plan to spend about •• 36.7% the same as last year Plan to spend more •• 10.1% than last year

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:

How do you rate the Board of Supervisors’ performance this term?

LETTERS to the Editor continued from page 30

Ukraine Support Editor: Vladimer Putin this week said that Russia will not end its war against Ukraine until his country achieves “denazification,” “demilitarization,” and neutrality in Ukraine. That statement does not mean merely keeping what Russia now controls; it means taking all of Ukraine, and his history and the words of those closest to him show that Putin’s and Russia’s ambitions also include full control of Georgia, Moldova, the three Baltic states, Poland, etc.; i.e., Russia’s ambition is to reinstate its control over eastern Europe as it had during the Soviet Union.

A victory in Ukraine will embolden Putin to press ahead with this ambition and that would likely drag the United States into conflict, not merely with weapons and funds, but with lives. In that sense, Ukraine is merely a test case of the West’s resolve to keep Russia within its boundaries, and right now Putin is clearly sensing weakness. The United States support is hobbled in Congress and Europe’s support hobbled by Hungary’s Orban.

There is understandable weariness in the West. The war is nearing the two-year point and people want to move on and deal with other priorities—the border in the United States, for example. The problem is that while both are seriously important, they are separate issues. But the border is a here and now problem, while Russia’s threat to Europe is “merely” a potential and future problem. But the magnitude of the risk of a war in Europe approaches existential because of the possibility that nuclear weapons would be used. And even if a European war would remain conventional, the cost in money, lives, and destruction of economies would be enormous.

And even if we set aside the threat of wider war in Europe, other adversaries around the world will see the United States as weak and abandoning its longheld position of leadership in the world.

That opens the door to China’s ambitions for retaking Taiwan; North Korea may be emboldened to move on South Korea; Iran is already attacking U.S. forces using proxies – it may escalate. And a new threat has arisen in South America with Venezuela possibly making a move against Guyana. All of these risks are heightened when the United States is perceived by our adversaries to be weak and isolationist.

I support Ukraine because Russia’s war is illegal and the suffering of the Ukrainian people is horrific. But even

Share your views at loudounnow.com/polls more horrific is the potential for a wider war and for dictators around the world to seize an opportunity to emulate Vladimir Putin’s attack on his neighbor.

For these reasons, the United States and Europe must provide the weapons and other support that Ukraine needs to win its war against Russia and force Putin to re-think his ambitions.

— Oscar McNeil, Waterford

National Champs Editor: I want to properly congratulate the local 9U Travel Football team, The DMVU Ferrari Boyz, on their win at the recent 2023 AYF National Championships in Naples, FL. The DMVU Football organization is a Loudoun County-based, nonprofit, elite travel football program that attracts players at the highest level, including my son,

Brayden Beets, a 10-year old Loudoun resident.

The group of boys on the Ferrari Boyz team worked tremendously hard all year to qualify for the National Championship, no easy task among the best youth football teams in the nation. On top of that, the players and parents spent countless hours fundraising to support the team travel expenses.

Overall, it was an amazing experience that gave this group of young men the confidence that they can achieve big goals, not just in sports but in life.

They won the Championship game 38-7 against a reputable team from Ohio, bringing the championship trophy back to the DMV area and Loudoun County.

And, they’re already looking to build on this momentum for next year.

Please support me in congratulating this unique group of athletes.

— Jennifer Beets, Aldie

Send us your letters to the editor at editor@loudounnow.com

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DECEMBER 21, 2023

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“

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Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year!

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