Loudoun Now for June 1, 2017 by Loudoun Now

LoudounNow LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE

[ Vol. 2, No. 30 ]

[ loudounnow.com ]

June 1 – 7, 2017 ]

Spotlight On Grads

Schools Consider 2nd Officer Training Corp

CULTIVATING CHANGE

BY DANIELLE NADLER

Loudoun County’s agriculture tradition will soon nourish the inner city. Husband-and-wife team Kasey Clark and Tonya Taylor are planting the first seeds at Bainum Foundation Farm near Middleburg, which will grow fresh produce for children living in Washington, DC’s urban food deserts. Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Marking History

70 Years Later, Marshall Plan’s Global Milestone Celebrated

70 Years Ago

BY MARGARET MORTON n June 5, the George C. Marshall International Center will celebrate the 70th anniversary of The Marshall Plan. About 300 people will gather at The Marshall House in Leesburg for a day-long symposium, featuring former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright as the keynote speaker. The evening will feature a free public concert performed by the U.S. Army Brass Quintet of the U.S. Army Band at the Marshall House. Find details at georgecmarshall. org.

It was on June 5, 1947, that Gen. George C. Marshall made a speech at Harvard University that resulted in one of the most significant and generous efforts by the U.S. government to help the nations of Europe recover from six years of devastation during World War II. Marshall, who had been a crucial voice for the Allies as U.S. Army Chief of Staff to President Franklin Roosevelt, spoke of the urgent need to help European countries get back on their feet through a far-reaching economic stimulus plan. In speaking of the remedies he sought to effect, Marshall said, “With foresight,

! LE W A O S N N O

George C. Marshall

and a willingness on the part of our people to face up to the vast responsibility which history has clearly placed upon our country, the difficulties I have outlined can and will be overcome.”

Classroom space is tough to come by in Loudoun County, still home to one of the fastest-growing school divisions in the nation. But soon space will open up at Dominion High School in Sterling, as the Academy of Science moves out in 2018 and into the new Academies of Loudoun. School system staff recommended to the School Board last week opening a National Defense Cadet Corps JROTC in that space. Right now, the county operates a Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program out of Loudoun County High School in Leesburg. The program is open to any high schooler in the county. It’s at capacity, with 206 students enrolled, and hundreds of students are turned away each year. “We really see this as an opportunity to provide more students access to this program,” Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Cynthia Ambrose told the School Board. Loudoun has relatively few offerings for young people interested in military careers. Loudoun has 78,348 public school students and just the one Navy JROTC program, while Prince William County has 89,000 students and nine programs (four Air Force, two Army, two Navy and one Marine); Chesterfield County has 60,000 students and five programs; Fairfax County has 187,467 students and eight programs; and Virginia Beach has 69,345 students and five programs, all Navy. It would cost about $400,000 to renovate the nine classrooms at Dominion into space for a JROTC program, and another $400,000 in annual instructional costs. But most School Board members sounded open to the idea. Beth Huck (At Large) credited the Navy JROTC program with providing her husband exceptional education and career opportunities he wouldn’t have had otherwise. “I support providing the same opportunities to more students,” she said. Chairman Jeff Morse (Dulles), who served in the U.S. Navy and retired as commander in 2006, and Jill Turgeon

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LOUDOUN MOMENT

INSIDE

3 June 1 – 7, 2017

At community gatherings all across Loudoun on Monday morning, residents paid tribute to those who have died in military service. The largest Memorial Day event was held in Leesburg’s Courthouse Square where hundreds gathered to hear remarks by retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Susan S. Lawrence and witness the laying of wreaths at the monuments honoring Loudoun’s war dead.

Lawrence highlighted the heroic sacrifices individuals made on the battlefields in defense of their country throughout its history. “In today’s world, freedom comes cloaked in uncertainty. America still relies on its sons and daughters to defend its liberty,” Lawrence said. “The costs of independence remain high but we are willing to pay it. We do not pay it gladly, but we pay it with deep reverence and thanks to those who have sacrificed their lives for America.”

15 schools get later start times

Inova Loudoun changes hands

Purcellville budget holds rates level

A PHOTO ESSAY BY DOUGLAS GRAHAM/LOUDOUN NOW

Court battle begins in Lansdowne infant death

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Remembering the Fallen

County honors black leaders

INDEX

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Loudoun Gov..................... 4 Leesburg........................... 8 Public Safety................... 12 Education........................ 14 Biz.................................. 18 Our Towns....................... 24 Spotlight on Grads...... 27-30 LoCo Living..................... 32 Obituaries....................... 36 Classifieds...................... 37 Opinion........................... 40

June 1 – 7, 2017

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[ LOUDOUN GOV ]

Randall: Loudoun ‘On the Cusp of An Exciting Future’ BY RENSS GREENE

ounty Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said Loudoun is “standing on the cusp of an exciting future full of opportunities, challenges and innovations” in her second State of the County address May 24. “Loudoun’s economy is robust, diverse and growing,” Randall said. “Our first responders are capable and committed, our government is sound and effective, our nonprofit and faith-based communities are engaged and stand ready to assist, and most importantly, Loudoun’s citizens are caring, and will organize to help a neighbor or community.” In a speech attended by elected leaders from across Loudoun, Fairfax Chairwoman Sharon Bulova, and Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser, Randall touched on some of her priorities so far and her goals for the next two and a half years in Loudoun’s highest elected office. Those covered a wide range of topics, including housing affordability, small business, supporting nonprofits and at-risk communities, boosting pay for firefighters, doubling tuition reimbursements for volunteers, bringing Metro “back to good,” and the ongoing rewrite of the county comprehensive plan. Randall challenged county government, businesses, developers, and nonprofits to tackle housing affordability “before it becomes a crisis.” Loudoun, with low unemployment and one of the highest median incomes in the country, also has some of the nation’s highest housing costs. County economic development leaders and businesses have begun to treat housing costs as an economic development problem as businesses struggle to find workforce in Loudoun’s high-income, high-employment, highly educated population. She also touched on the death of Christina Fisher, a Leesburg mother

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) speaks to a crowd gathered at the County Government Center at her second State of the County address.

of three who was fatally shot in April 2016. Fisher’s former boyfriend has been charged with first-degree murder in that case. At a candlelight vigil for Fisher, Randall met Derek Summers, who organized the It Takes Our Village Community Awareness Day with law enforcement, nonprofits, county staff, and the faith community. “The event represented a remarkable example of what a single Loudoun County community can and will do when faced with a crisis,” Randall said. A row of seating at the speech was reserved for It Takes Our Village. Randall also pointed out her goal to double the money in the tuition reimbursement fund for fire and rescue volunteers. She hopes to bring it from $22,500 to $50,000 by the end of the current board’s term, and pointed to the board’s vote to put $8,000 toward

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser was in the front row of seats for Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large)’s State of the County address.

that goal this year. The mental health system, she said, has not kept up with the county’s growth. Nonprofits, she added, have filled the gap, and the county has a responsibility to support the most at-risk people. “Every day our nonprofit and faithbased communities answer the 3 a.m. phone call from the woman who has left an abusive situation,” Randall said. “They respond to the father who lost his job and cannot feed his family or the teen who is overwhelmed and is starting to feel a sense of hopelessness.” She also said it is in the best interest of all Loudouners to get Metrorail back in shape, since it supports major workforces in the DC area, including the federal government. rgreene@loudounnow.com

The Hub Hopes to Kickstart Development with Residential BY RENSS GREENE Dulles World Center, now branding itself as The Hub, is hoping to kickstart development after years of pouring millions into the area without any construction on their property. The Hub’s 69-acre property sits at the intersection of Rt. 28 and the Dulles Greenway, on the border with Fairfax County. It is only half a mile from the future Innovation Station Metro stop across the Fairfax line, and across Rt. 28 from Dulles Airport. Despite this prime location, and despite pouring millions into road improvements around the site, including building Innovation Avenue, the development has been sitting for six years without breaking ground. Representatives for The Hub’s owners said the development team has approached almost 700 potential investors, and been universally rejected. They blame the terms of the rezoning agreement in which the developers promised to have office buildings in place before residential construction begins. “Every single one of them said this phasing, which requires the delivery of office upfront, makes the land virtually worthless for the foreseeable future,” said

Cooley LLP attorney Colleen Gillis. The property’s owners, DWC Holdings LLC, now want more flexibility to develop residential units. They also want to shift away from a county-imposed requirement to first build office space—a market that left many empty spaces in Loudoun—to other commercial uses. It’s not the first time plans at Dulles World Center have changed to try to find a market fit. County supervisors approved the first concept plan for Dulles World Center in 2011, then an amendment to its proffer agreement in 2014. Currently, The Hub is required to build at least 150,000 square feet of office space before building any residential units. Under its latest application, it would instead incorporate at least 42,000 square feet of commercial space into its first residential buildings. The Planning Commission on Tuesday recommended the Board of Supervisors approve that application, with the added condition that The Hub also build at least 125,000 square feet of office space in its first phase of development. The developer would also have to begin offering bus and shuttle service after building its 475th residential units.

A rendering of the future mixed-use development, The Hub. The development is approved for up to 1,265 apartments, 400,000 square feet of commercial space and 3.2 million square feet of office space.

The first phase of the project allows up to 1.5 million square feet of office space, 200,000 square feet of commercial space and 695 residential units. In total, The Hub is approved for up to 1,265 apartments, 400,000 square feet of commercial space and 3.2 million square feet of office space. rgreene@loudounnow.com

George Washington University Defends Development Study institution.” That developer is Zebra Ventures LLC, which one of its founders described as a landholding entity. It controls the Dupont Fabros property. That founder, Hossein Fateh, is a founder of both Zebra Ventures and Dupont Fabros and sits on the Board of Advisors of George Washington’s Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis, which produced the study. Both Fateh and George Washington School of Business Dean Linda Livingstone have written back to Letourneau, standing by the study. Livingstone defended the study on all fronts, and wrote that the question of airport noise and the airport’s impact on the Loudoun economy are out-

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side the scope of the study. She said the center is committed to academic integrity, and believes that was followed in the report. Fateh responded to George Washington University the day after Letourneau’s letter, and to Letourneau only two days after. He wrote he felt “it is necessary to respond to you expeditiously so as to avoid further mischaracterization of our interests.” He also said the center will be producing a more in-depth study before supervisors vote on their Metrorail-area plans on June 22.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

The dean of The George Washington University School of Business is standing behind a Metrorail-area development study despite strong criticism from county finance committee chairman Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). The study analyzed the tax revenue impacts of data centers versus mixeduse development at Dupont Fabros’s 202-acre property near Loudoun’s future Metro stops. Under proposed zoning for that area, the county would restrict residential development on about half of that property because of the county’s rules around airport noise at Dulles International Airport. That

would preclude mixed-use development, which combines residential and commercial space into the same buildings. Letourneau criticized many of the methods Letourneau and assumptions in that study. “It seems clear that it was commissioned by a developer seeking a particular outcome by excluding key data,” Letourneau said. “Such an effort is never commendable, but is especially egregious when it is done by an academic

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County Honors Black Scholars Drummond, Thompson BY RENSS GREENE County supervisors have honored two pioneering black scholars who left their mark on Loudoun’s difficult racial past. Fred E. Drummond Jr. studied at St. Paul’s Polytechnic Institute; Indiana University; Hampton Institute, now known as Hampton University; Virginian State University; and George Washington University, in addition to serving in the Army Air Force’s 447th Bombardment Group—a bomber group of the famed “Tuskegee Airmen,” which trained in the B-25 Mitchell but did not see combat. In 1953, Drummond joined the Loudoun County school system, which at that time was still racially segregated. He was both the principal and seventh-grade teacher at Banneker Elementary School. In 1958, he became the first principal of Frederick Douglass Elementary School in Leesburg. In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in schools was unconstitutional. Loudoun schools, following the trend of other Virginia schools, began desegregating only in 1963 by allowing black students to apply to transfer to white schools. In 1967, a federal judge ruled that practice did not go far enough, and desegregation work continued through 1969. At the same time, after 10 years at Frederick Douglass Elementary, Drummond went on to work as an assistant principal at Broad Run High

School and Leesburg Elementary School, then retired in 1989 after 18 years as principal of Catoctin Elementary School. He served as an assistant principal and principal for 36 years, longer than anyone in Loudoun County Public Schools history. In 2012, he was named a Loudoun Laurel. Drummond died on March 13. Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) said Drummond “was probably one of the most revered educators in Loudoun County in its entire history.” The school system this year contemplated naming a new high school after him, but opted not to. Supervisors also honored author, historian and Loudoun native Elaine Thompson. Thompson held a master’s degree from the Hampton Institute and authored “In the Watchfires: The Loudoun County Emancipation Association, 1890-1971,” a Purcellville history, among other works. Thompson served on the Loudoun Museum Board of Directors from 1997 to 2000, and received the Thomas Balch Library Advisory Commission’s History Award in 1998. In 2000, she won approval to erect a Virginia Department of Historic Resources highway marker at the Emancipation Grounds in Purcellville, and mounted an exhibit on the Loudoun County Emancipation Association for Purcellville Heritage Day. Some of those artifacts later found their way to a Library of Virginia exhibition. Also in 2000, she helped found the

Loudoun County Public Schools

Former Superintendent Edgar B. Hatrick III and Fred E. Drummond Jr. at a dedication ceremony for Frederick Douglass Elementary School in Leesburg.

Thomas Balch Library’s Black History Committee. “For those of us who had the chance to sit at Elaine Thompson’s knee and learn, what an amazing woman she was, and what an amazing blessing to all of us she was,” said County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large), who brought both ceremonial resolutions. One month before her death on Oct. 9, 2016, Thompson donated artifacts from her own Loudoun County histo-

ry to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. “This is an amazing night, and kind of, for me, a tough night, because it feels like a little bit of a passing of the torch,” Randall said. “And what I know for certain is, were it not for Ms. Thompson, Mr. Drummond, I wouldn’t even be allowed to ever run for an office, let alone be chair of the board.” rgreene@loudounnow.com

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Design plans are getting underway for the Ashburn Senior Center, and county leaders are asking for the public’s input. The Loudoun County Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure and the architecture firm of Grimm + Parker will host an informational meeting about the center’s conceptual design at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 7. The meeting will be held at Steuart W. Weller Elementary, 20700 Marblehead Drive in Ashburn. The 15,000-square-foot senior center will be built on a five-acre site near the intersection of Marblehead Drive and Granite Run Terrace near the Regency at Ashburn neighborhood. The land was given to the county by the developer of the Regency at Ashburn. The center will be operated by the Loudoun

June 5, 2017 ~ 6:00 pm

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June 1 – 7, 2017

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Kara C. Rodriguez/Loudoun Now

Members of the Parks and Recreation Commission, left, participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday morning, along with Eric Brown and his mother Wanetta Langley, Jim Kershaw, Councilman Hugh Forsythe and Mayor Kelly Burk.

New Leesburg Skatepark Opens, Finally BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

he rain clouds held off just long enough for Leesburg’s loyal boarders, bikers and in-line skaters to break in the new Eric Brown Skate Plaza at Catoctin Park. Saturday morning’s ribbon-cutting ceremony also served as a time to honor Brown. Two decades ago, he was a 15-year-old frustrated with the lack of safe places to skate. His vision, along with the guidance of town resident Jim Kershaw, rallied support for the town’s first skatepark, which opened in 1998. The outdated skatepark was rebuilt this year. At a cost of $880,000, the new, 12,000-square-foot concrete skatepark features some major upgrades, including a bowl, vertical wall and street elements. “Without Eric’s vision and Jim’s support of Eric’s vision we probably wouldn’t be here today for Phase II,” Parks and Recreation Department Director Rich Williams told the crowd gathered at Saturday’s ceremony. Rob Fulcer, the long-time chairman of the town’s Parks and Recreation Commission, credited Mayor Kelly Burk with helping to see this project through to completion. “This was Mayor Burk’s baby,” he said. Burk recalled receiving an email from a young skateboarder a few years ago calling attention to the disrepair at town’s skatepark. When she toured the site with Williams and some young skatepark users, Burk said she was “shocked” at the state of the facility. When it was found that simply repairing the skatepark would be just as expensive as replacing it altogether, the Town Council put the project in the Capital Improvements Program. That, she noted, did not come easily. There was a renewed debate about

Kara C. Rodriguez/Loudoun Now

Eric Brown delivers remarks during Saturday morning’s ceremony.

Jim Kershaw, left, and Eric Brown were given commemorative boards from the Town of Leesburg. The two have been credited with being the driving force behind the opening of the original skatepark in 1998.

whether the skatepark was needed at all. Some council members wanted to see it moved to Ida Lee Park or elsewhere in town. Others simply wanted to repair it instead of replacing it. When the project costs escalated because of soil conditions on the site, further debate ensued. To make the project even more complex, a boundary line adjustment with the neighboring Loudoun County Volunteer Rescue Squad was needed to allow both for the relocation of the skatepark, and to aid in the future expansion of the rescue squad. “It was a long fight,” Burk remarked. “This really is a dream come true.” Fulcer also made sure to recognize

Brown’s mother, Wanetta Langley, during the ceremony. Langley was the one who encouraged Brown to reach out to his former baseball coach, Frank Buttery, who at the time of was serving on the Town Council. It was that exchange that got the ball rolling to seek out funding for a skatepark. Harkening back to his days at Loudoun County High School, where he attended school with Langley, Fulcer joked how she often would pass him on the track. While she didn’t make it to the Olympics, “you’re a gold medal mom,” he said to her. Brown, now in his 30s and living in Hawaii, was also in attendance Saturday. He thanked those behind the

design, construction and implementation of the new skatepark, which he called “a masterpiece” that was “bigger than my vision.” Among those he recognized was the late John Johnston, a long-time planner with the Town of Leesburg who was behind the design of the original skatepark. Johnston recently died after a battle with cancer. “I’m here on behalf of the 15-yearold version of myself wearing JNCO jeans and a chain wallet,” he said to laughs. “Back in 1995, I was just a spark. But it took the whole community to make a spark a flame.” krodriguez@loudounnow.com

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Debate over a proposal that Councilman Ken Reid said was designed to save time at council meetings took up nearly one-fifth of last week’s 2.5-hour session. Reid proposed that the council drop its procedure to have each council member sign the ceremonial proclamations presented to residents and organizations to commemorate achievements or events. He said the mayor should sign them and that a formal reading of the declarations during the meetings was unnecessary. Reid said the council used 8 minutes of its May 23 meeting for the work. His suggestion, however, triggered a half hour of debate during which council members defended the recognition process as an important civic activity or criticized it as pandering to political supporters. In the end, there was no council majority to implement Reid’s suggestion and some related suggestions were ruled out of order for consideration during the meeting. While no action was taken, council members are pre-

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

The Leesburg Town Council last week launched the review of three town policies that could have big impacts for downtown businesses and restaurants. In separate motions, the council agreed to consider allowing temporary tents and shade structures in the historic district, to change the restrictions on where food trucks may set up shop in town, and to study options to the town’s downtown parking requirements. The ability to erect tents for outdoor dining has been raised before without winning support of a council majority. Town Manager Kaj Dentler said that several businesses have asked for permission to add shade structures and he has agreed to hold off enforcement of the Historic District rules that forbid them until the end of the year. That would give the council time to consider changing the rules, he said. “I just cleared the deck to keep the waters calm for a while,” he said. Councilman Tom Dunn was the lone opponent to the concept, saying the concept would leave the area looking like a shantytown. “I can’t believe we can even consider putting tents up downtown.” Supporters said they were only agreeing to consider changes. Councilman Marty Martinez said the town needed to provide opportunities for businesses to succeed. “We have to adapt. We can’t

just say no to everything,” he said. “I’m keeping an open mind.” All three issues now held for months of study by the town staff and the advisory boards. The parking review will be aided by a consultant, with the goal of speeding that review.

June 1 – 7, 2017

Tents Downtown? Dunn Says No

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD FUTURE OF LOUDOUN PARTICIPATE IN THE SECOND ROUND OF PUBLIC INPUT FOR THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. Our Board of Supervisors has provided for public input sessions, but it is up to us to take advantage of this opportunity. If we do not define our future — other interests will.

loudounnow.com

Envision Loudoun This is What YOU Said at the Envision Loudoun First Round of Public Input

Hundreds of County Residents turned out for the first round of public input sessions in November, 2016. From the 4,800 comments from the public, here are the major opinions: 1. Overwhelming sense that Loudoun needs to slow the rate of development and improve its design quality. 2. Support for the Silver Line Metro Plan as the location for high density residential and mixed use projects to provide a new exciting urban environment with entertainment and ultural options. 3. Majority supported keeping the Transition Policy Area as a lower density residential area with 50% open space.

6. Massive support for maintaining a permanent Rural Policy Area based on building a sustainable rural economy with no increases in allowable residential density 7. Re-planning to preserve green infrastructure and environmental features, and incorporate public facility sites and recreation opportunities to be shared with Suburban residents. 8. Tremendous support from eastern Loudoun residents for more park land, trails, and green space.

4. Traffic congestion is a huge problem. Traffic needs to be fixed for existing residents and businesses, with improved bus service and creation of bike paths and trails.

9. Equal support from western Loudoun residents for the preservation of the Green Infrastructure, the rural landscape, the historic villages, roads, and sites that make the area a special place.

5. Revitalization of older neighborhoods in the eastern Suburban Policy Area was a priority.

If you agree with these comments be sure and support them at the next round of Envision Loudoun Sessions.

TO MAKE YOUR OPINIONS MATTER

attend one or more of the meetings below, write letters to the media, and make your views known to your District Supervisor.

ENVISION LOUDOUN WORKSHOPS Attend the Sessions Most Convenient to You Mon., June 5: Harper Park MS at 701 Potomac Station Drive, Leesburg Wed., June 7: Cascades Senior Center, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling Mon., June 12: Board Run HS, 21670 Ashburn Road, Ashburn Tues., June 13: Harmony MS, 38174 W. Colonial Highway, Hamilton Thurs., June 15: Mercer HS, 42149 Greenstone Drive, Aldie Registration opens at 6:30 PM, meeting starts at 7:00 PM To access to the full comments from the November 2016 Envision Loudoun public input sessions go to our website at www.loudouncoalition.org. Prepared by the New Comprehensive Review Committee of the Loudoun County Preservation and Conservation Coalition.

Maddox Announces Run for Leesburg Council Seat BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ Thirteen-year town resident Vanessa Maddox has officially thrown her hat in the ring for November’s Town Council special election. The election will fill the one year remaining on Kelly Burk’s council term, prior to her election to the mayor’s seat last November. The seat will be on the ballot again in November Maddox 2018, for a new four-year term. Hugh Forsythe was appointed earlier this year to fill the seat until the special election winner has been sworn in. He announced last week that he would not be running to retain the seat. Running for office is not something that just dawned on Maddox, who in professional life works full time for an IT company in Herndon as well as running her own consulting business, VR Maddox Consulting. “I knew one day I would run for office. I just didn’t know when,” she said. The native Washingtonian began working on Capitol Hill as a junior in high school and imagined herself as a lobbyist one day. She was even being mentored for her future job by Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin’s chief of staff. But when she began working on a database project, “the IT bug bit me,” and her political aspirations fell to the wayside—at least for the time being. “Fast forward 25 some-odd years later I’m living in a town called Leesburg and this opportunity just kind of fell in my path,” she said. “And I couldn’t resist it.” When Maddox heard about the special election, she decided the time was right to begin her political career. Raising two school-age sons in the Parkview Estates neighborhood with her husband Roger, “it’s very important for me as their mother for them to see me finally realizing a dream and a goal. That’s going to show them they can do absolutely anything they want in this world. That’s critical for us,” she said. “The political bug never went away. It was always there in my gut,” she said. “This is that window of opportunity people wait for their entire lives. I would’ve been a fool not to take it.” Maddox also makes her intentions for 2018 crystal clear—win or lose this November, you can expect to see her name on the ballot for a new four-year term in 2018. “This is the start of something bigger,” she said. Noting that there is “a lot of good stuff going on in town,” Maddox hones in on three areas she would like to see enhanced, and what some of her initial priorities as a council member would be. Hearkening back to her time serving on two town boards and commissions—the Technology & Communications Commission and the Economic Development Commission—Maddox sees the “infusion of technology” into

the town as a possible enhancement. The Technology & Communications Commission has previously discussed the creation of a town-wide Wi-Fi system, which she sees as an attraction for millennials and their families to the town. Secondly, Maddox wants to be an advocate for four marginalized groups in society: the elderly, women, children, and veterans. “Whatever is affecting those groups in our community is where I need to be,” she said. Finally, Maddox notes her concern for the environment. “I want to enhance or implement whatever green projects are critical to the town,” she said. “I think we have the infrastructure and knowledge base to think way outside the box on ways we can help green the town.” One initial idea is the implementation of a bikeshare-type system— where bike racks and payment kiosks are placed around town with bicycles available for rent—to encourage bicycle use and an alternative to driving, or just another recreation amenity. Hosting eco-friendly car rentals in town is another option, she said. Maddox said her election to the council would bring a needed “fresh pair of eyes” to the dais. “I have a very forward-thinking kind of mindset,” she said. “Since I’ve lived here so long and seen what I’ve seen I think I can bring a brand new, fresh perspective to the council. They need someone like me.” Maddox said she has already been able to establish herself as a community advocate throughout different avenues. She made many connections running a women’s networking group, drew attention as a TEDx curator, and has gained some local notoriety as of late with her YouTube series “Live from the Minivan.” The video series takes places every weekday morning for three to five minutes and features Maddox talking about “whatever pops into my little brain.” “I don’t plan or rehearse it,” she said. “It’s fresh, new, funny.” On Saturdays, she features a guest in her minivan whom she interviews. Guests can include local leaders and other political candidates. The popular video series has gone viral several times, she said, and her interview slots for Saturday mornings are filled through the end of September. Maddox is hosting an initial campaign event this Saturday, June 3, from noon to 2:30 p.m. at the Mason Enterprise Center. The event, which will focus on creating a vision board and include light food and music, is open to the public and tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.com. For more information about Maddox, find #vanessa4towncouncil on Facebook. A campaign website is also under development. Maddox joins another Economic Development commissioner, Josh Thiel, on November’s ballot. Photoworks owner Neil Steinberg has also announced his candidacy. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

[ TOWN BRIEFS ] pared for the debate to continue at some future council meeting.

Brew Crawl Business Launches Downtown

rights” as a town councilman. Forysthe said his five months on the council had been “educational” and he commended Town Manager Kaj Dentler and the town staff Forsythe for their work. He also said he enjoyed working with Burk, while acknowledging that he did not sup-

port her in last year’s election. He also pledged to stay involved in town activities, including participation in the town economic development committee first proposed by Councilman Ron Campbell. Campbell thanked Forsythe for his integrity and willingness to serve the town. Forsythe’s work is far from over, however. He will continue to serve until Dec. 31 when the candidate elected in November will take over until the end of 2018.

For residents worried about identity theft, the town’s Department of Public Works & Capital Projects is offering a free community document shredding event on Saturday, June 10, at Leesburg Elementary School. Between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. residents may bring up to three boxes of documents to be destroyed at the school, 323 Plaza St NE. Typically, nearly 10,000 pounds of documents are shredded and recycled during the events.

Loudoun Now is adding to its small, dedicated newspaper team. We’re looking for advertising sales executives who value the mission of community journalism and the marketing power the newspaper’s print and online products offer to area businesses.

If that’s you, contact Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sstyer@loudounnow.com

LOUDOUN NOW READERS, share your expertise with others in the community.

Polls close June 30. VOTE TODAY AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM/FAVORITES LoudounNow loudounnow.com

There’s a veteran support team in place to help, but we’re looking for self-starters and go-getters.

HAVE YOU SHARED YOUR FAVORITES YET?

Free Document Shredding Offered June 10

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

The inaugural tour of the Leesburg Brew Crawl will begin Thursday, June 1. Organizer Mary Jo Murphy plans to offer 2.5 hour adventures at three downtown breweries. The guided tour includes a 4-ounce pour at each brewery and a packaged snack. Each guest will receive a souvenir Leesburg Brew Crawl beer glass. Tours depart Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m.; Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. from the corner of Loudoun and Church streets. Participants must be 21 or older. The cost is $35 per person. For more information, go to leesburgbrewcrawl.com.

Councilman Hugh Forsythe announced last week that he will not seek election in November to retain the seat to which he was appointed in January. The retired U.S. Air Force general was selected from among five applicants to fill the seat held by Kelly Burk after she was elected mayor last November. In announcing he would not run, Forsythe endorsed Joshua Thiel, who began campaigning for the seat in March. Thiel, 27, was a college football kicker and Forsythe said he was confident he could “kick it through the up-

11 June 1 – 7, 2017

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Forsythe Won’t Run in Leesburg Council Election

June 1 – 7, 2017

loudounnow.com

[ PUBLIC SAFETY ]

Judge Denies Defense Motions in Infant Manslaughter Case BY CAROLINE BORAS

oudoun Circuit Court Judge Douglas L. Fleming last week denied two pre-trial motions in the case of a Leesburg man charged with involuntary manslaughter of 5-month-old Tristan Schulz. Investigators say, on Aug. 31, 2016, John Miller IV drove through the intersection on Riverside Parkway and Coton Manor Drive in Lansdowne, crashing into Mindy Schulz as she was pushing her infant son in a stroller through the crosswalk. Tristan was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after. Mindy Schulz was injured and released from the hospital after three days of treatment. A witness said Miller was holding his phone at the time of the accident.

In the May 24 hearing, Miller’s attorneys sought to eliminate forensic reports of Miller’s phone records from being entered as evidence as part of the jury trial, scheduled for October. The defense argued that the reports showed Miller was not using his phone to make a call, send a message, open a browser or use social media. They said the accident had nothing to do with the phone, and using the phone records as evidence in the trial would confuse and mislead a jury. The prosecution argued that the reports corroborated the witness’ account that Miller had his phone in his hand, and that the forensic report “is one piece of the puzzle the commonwealth plans to present.” Fleming denied the motion, saying striking this evidence would take away the ability of the jury to decide whether

the phone played any role in the accident. Miller’s attorneys also sought a Bill of Particulars that would force the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office to provide more details about the specific facts prosecutors plan to argue to meet the standard for involuntary manslaughter conviction. Fleming denied that motion, ruling that the information contained in the grand jury indictment was sufficient to explain the nature of the offense. A second motion hearing is set for July 19. Miller’s trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 10. Caroline Boras is an intern for Loudoun Now. She’s studying journalism and Russian studies at Washington & Lee University.

John Miller, IV faces involuntary manslaughter charges in the death of 5-month-old Tristan Schultz.

[ SAFETY BRIEFS ] CBP Seizes Counterfeit Earbuds at Dulles

LCSO Seeks Suspect in Attempted Armed Robbery The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office has released surveillance video in the attempted robbery of a Sterling convenience store early Thursday morning. About 12:26 a.m. May 25, the suspect entered the 7-Eleven store in the Towncenter Plaza, brandished a firearm, and demanded cash. The suspect fled the scene without taking any money. Surveillance video from the robbery can be viewed at sheriff.loudoun.gov/ Towncenter9292. The suspect was wearing a mask over his face, a black jacket, jeans and black shoes. The suspect fled the scene in a light-colored vehicle. Investigators say the robbery is possibly related to similar cases that occurred along Rt. 7 in Fairfax County. Anyone with any information regarding this case is asked to contact Detective M. Grimsley at 703-7770475.

LCSO: Sleeping Resident Groped by Burglar The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office is investigating an early morning burglary that happened May 24 at a Sterling home in which the suspect groped a female resident while she slept. The incident happened about 4:45 a.m. last Wednesday at a Clarion Ter-

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers busted a shipment of 60,000 counterfeit Samsung earbuds at Dulles Airport. It was a big haul for CBP; the earbuds, if they were genuine, would hold a list price of about $360,000. The shipment of 120 boxes came from China and was in transit to Brazil. The customs manifest listed the cargo as headsets, but when CBP opened the boxes in April, they found 500 earbuds with Samsung branding on them. Inspectors detained the shipment and contacted CBP’s Electronic Center for Excellence and Expertise in Los Angeles. CBP has 10 centers across the nation specializCBP Photo ing in different products. The report A sample of the counterfeit Samsung earbuds seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection came back from the West Coast: the officers at Dulles Airport. earbuds were Samsung in name only. cal year 2015. CBP seized about $3.8 Security Intellectual Property Rights This bust is a larger example of million worth of counterfeit goods Statistics for fiscal year 2016, 45 perCBP’s increased activity at Dulles. on an average day. The busts led to cent of seizures were Chinese prodIn fiscal year 2016, CBP seized more 451 arrests, 304 indictments, and 272 ucts, and 16 percent of seizures were than 31,560 shipments suspected convictions by ICE Homeland Secu- of consumer electronics. of violating Intellectual Property rity in fiscal year 2016. —John Patterson Rights, a 9 percent increase from fisAccording to the U.S. Homeland race home. The victim reported she was awakened by a man who was touching her as she slept in her bed. He fled the home without saying anything to the victim. The suspect was described as a black male, medium height, with a stocky build and short hair. He was wearing a black sweatshirt and baggy blue jeans. There were no signs of forced entry into the home. Deputies established a perimeter and searched the area with the assistance of a K9 unit. The suspect was not found. Anyone with any information about the case is asked to contact Det. J. Oksanen at 703-777-0475 or to submit a tip through the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office app.

Suspects Sought in Purcellville Vandalism The Purcellville Police Department is investigating a rooftop vandalism that caused significant damage to a commercial building. Officers last week released video stills of the suspects and their vehicle in hopes that someone can provide information in the case. The incident happened between 2-3 a.m. May 1. At least two individuals went on the roof of the building at 1020 E. Main St. and destroyed several HVAC units. Most of the damage happened to the Papa John’s Pizza space. Anyone can identify the individuals in these pictures is asked to contact Corporal P. Kakol at pkakol@purcell-

Purcellville Police Department

This surveillance video still shows the suspect vehicle in the May 1 vandalism of a Purcellville business.

villeva.gov or call the Purcellville Police Department at 540-338-7422.

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Over the weekend, Bernhard Langer became the first golfer to win all five major tournaments on the Senior PGA circuit. On Sunday, 59-year-old Langer shot a 4-under 68 to finish at 18-under 270.

have a local partner like Visit Loudoun to help us connect with this community over the last two years,” said Championship Director Bryan Karns. “Their support for our Championship has been critical in nearly every facet of our operations and we are thrilled to be able to showcase the beauty of Loudoun County to our fans, volunteers and national television audience.” The event also saw protests. Members of grassroots Indivisible organizations demonstrated both outside the event and on the Potomac River by the golf course. They said their intent was not to disrupt the golf championship, but protest allegations of President Donald J. Trump’s conflicts of interests and pressure KitchenAid and the PGA to sever ties with Trump’s properties. “The Senior PGA Tournament occurring at the Trump National Golf Course is a prime example of the conflicts of interest that persist between President Trump and the Trump Organization,” stated Indivisible District 10 co-founder Guy Potucek. “There are many fine golf courses in Northern Virginia that could host this event that wouldn’t financially benefit our elected officials and their families. As long as President Trump is connected to the Trump Organization, his properties and business are part of his presidency and cause for peaceful protests.”

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As Bernhard Langer battled Vijay Singh in the final holes of the Senior PGA Championship on Sunday afternoon in route to a historic victory, Loudoun’s hospitality leaders were enjoying the benefits of the international attention. With his two-stroke win at Trump National in Lowes Island, Langer became the first golfer to complete the senior grand slam, winning all five major tournaments on the Senior PGA circuit. While unseasonably chilly and wet weather kept crowd sizes down during the tournament, the event delivered on promises to give the region an economic boost. Loudoun hotels saw their occupancy up 14 percent during the tournament, according to Visit Loudoun. “In bringing the 2017 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship to Loudoun County, Visit Loudoun was able to showcase the county as a world class sports destination, and not only leverage the opportunity to reach a national television audience, but also provide unique local experiences for those that visited throughout the event,” stated Jackie Saunders, Visit Loudoun’s vice president of marketing. Visit Loudoun helped recruit volunteers and use the publicity around the Senior PGA to showcase Loudoun as a golf destination. This year also brought a first for the Senior PGA and for Loudoun breweries: The Senior PGA partnered with Lost Rhino Brewing Company as the official craft beer sponsor of the event and featured the brewery’s Double Bogey Blonde Ale. “Lost Rhino is excited to be the first brewery in PGA’s history to brew a beer specifically for one of their historic events,” said Matt Hagerman of Lost Rhino Brewing. “Golf is the international language of business, and having the Senior PGA Championship in Loudoun helped raise awareness of this county and its assets with business leaders around the world,” said Loudoun Economic Development Executive Director Buddy Rizer. “We were incredibly fortunate to

2017

Reach Your in

13 June 1 – 7, 2017

SPGA Brings Hotel Business Bump, Protests

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loudounnow.com

Bella Beagle, 7 years old, special needs

[ E D U C AT I O N ]

[ SCHOOL NOTES ] Lottery Open for 150 Kindergarten Seats

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Loudoun Now/File Photo

Students board a bus at North Fork and Shelburne Glebe roads in western Loudoun.

15 Schools Get Later Start Time Ahead of Bus Route Changes BY DANIELLE NADLER tudents, go ahead. Hit that snooze button. The school day for students at every high school and four middle schools will start 15 minutes later next school year to give the Transportation Department more flexibility in planning bus routes. The Loudoun County School Board was asked last week to endorse the Transportation Department’s plans to consolidate bus routes, reduce lengthy rides and maximize bus space—all with the goal of improving the level of service to Loudoun students, according to Assistant Superintendent Kevin Lewis. He said decisions on the specifics of how routes will be changed will be made this summer. But School Board members said that they did not want to give a blanket endorsement of a general plan when they do not yet know what it will entail. Plus, they noted, the board should not get into a practice of approving

detailed decisions such as specific bus stops, but should leave that to school system staff. Instead, the board voted only on a motion to shift back the start time— and end time—at all 15 high schools and four middle schools by 15 minutes. That motion passed unanimously, with Debbie Rose (Algonkian) absent. The start time will be pushed back at every high school and Blue Ridge, Harmony, J. L. Simpson and Smart’s Mill middle schools. That move will give Lewis and his staff more room to adjust routes. Right now, in part because of a shortage of bus drivers, the routes include 105 “second loads,” which means drivers pick up students, drop them off at school and make a second run to pick up and deliver a second bus-load of students to school. “Right now, we have an unacceptable level of service,” Lewis said. “One way to improve is to eliminate the second loads that have students showing up to class late or missing the breakfast service at school, and trying to reduce

the unacceptable long rides. We want to make sure we give the students the best chance to be successful in school.” The school system has vacancies for 55 drivers under the current model, with more than 100 “second loads.” Without those, Lewis said the department is short 160 drivers. But, he sounded optimistic that interest in the bus driver positions is gradually increasing. Twenty-seven drivers are in training, 19 are scheduled for training, 43 have been trained and are waiting for the results of background checks. An open house for those interested in working as bus drivers or attendants is planned for June. The Transportation Department will develop a new route model by July 1, spend the next month driving and reviewing the routes, and notify parents of the changes by Aug. 18. “We want to do this with a scalpel, but not a hatchet,” Lewis added. dnadler@loudounnow.com

Community Honors Graduates Who ‘Beat the Odds’ BY CAROLINE BORAS

Caroline Boras/Loudoun Now

Briar Woods graduating senior Favour MacJones accepts her Beat the Odds scholarship May 25.

The Loudoun Bar Association awarded four high school seniors with scholarships during its annual Beat the Odds ceremony, held May 25 at the Loudoun County courthouse. The students—all nominated by teachers and school counselors—were selected for their resilience in overcoming hardships. “I’m grateful for all of you. I’m grateful for your stories, I’m grateful for your life,” keynote speaker Yasmine Arrington said. Arrington, who established a schol-

arship fund for students with incarcerated parents while she was applying to college, spoke about keeping the faith—the theme of this year’s event. “I encourage you to recognize your own light. And when those doors close, you can open them,” she said. “And not only that, but you can open the doors for others. Be a force of positivity.” Park View High School graduating senior Anthony Portillo-Guevara was awarded a $2,500 scholarship and a computer. His physics teacher nominated Anthony after he tore his ACL BEAT THE ODDS >> 15

About 150 full-day kindergarten seats are up for grabs. Loudoun County Public Schools is holding a division-wide lottery for the seats that are available at 12 schools for the 2017-18 school year. The seats are at the following elementary schools: Algonkian (11 seats), Emerick (11), Evergreen Mill (23), Frederick Douglass (23), Guilford (8), Horizon (7), Meadowland (9), Mountain View (14), Newton-Lee (6), Rolling Ridge (17), Round Hill (7) and Sterling (14). The lottery is open for incoming kindergarten students who: are registered at one of the 16 elementary schools that do not already offer every kindergartner a full academic day; do not already qualify for a full-day program; and will otherwise be placed in half-day kindergarten class. Parents who participate in this lottery must be willing to provide transportation for their child to the school. Interested parents can complete an online entry form at bit. ly/2sh8c1d by 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 31. The drawing will take place a 2 p.m. Friday, June 2; parents do not have to be present for their child to be selected. The school system is working toward one day providing universal full-day kindergarten. By this fall, the county school system will provide 4,600 students, or 82 percent of all kindergartners, with full-day kindergarten.

Schools’ Music Program Recognized Nationally Loudoun County Public Schools has again been named one of the 2017 Best Communities for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation. The school system has received the designation every year since the 2008-2009 school year. Now in its 18th year, the awards program recognizes outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of the curriculum. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment to music education. “Studying music has intrinsic benefits and, on its own, is core to learning. Also, the links between student success and music education have now been demonstrated by brain researchers in multiple studies,” said Mary Luehrsen, executive director of the NAMM founSCHOOL NOTES >> 15

[ SCHOOL NOTES ] << FROM 14

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dation. “The schools and districts our foundation recognizes are building on that connection between music and academics.”

Sheridan, Minkin Named ‘Friends of Education’

Caroline Boras/Loudoun Now

Rasheem Thornton, a senior graduating from Loudoun Valley High School, accepts his Beat the Odds scholarship May 25.

came ill and couldn’t afford to care for Rasheem, he was taken in by a Purcellville family. At the close of the ceremony, Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judge Pamela Brooks spoke about where some of the past Beat the Odds recipients are now: they’re in law school, pursuing graduate degrees, working as engineers and teachers.

The Loudoun County Chapter of Beat the Odds was founded by the Loudoun County Bar Association and the Sheriff ’s Office. Since 2005, Beat the Odds has given out 55 scholarships, totaling over $151,000. Caroline Boras is an intern for Loudoun Now. She’s studying journalism and Russian studies at Washington & Lee University.

The Loudoun Education Association recognized School Board member Brenda Sheridan and former school bus driver Tammy Minkin with its Friend of Education Award. Sheridan represents the Sterling District on the board, where she often advocates for the overlooked needs of her community. As the president of the Virginia Parent Teacher Association, Sheridan also lobbies for public education needs on the state level. “Mrs. Sheridan is a tireless advocate for children and families who sees public education as an essential tool to students to bring them into the middle class,” LEA President David Palanzi stated. Minkin is a former 10-year bus driver, trainer and team leader for Loudoun schools. This school year, she worked with LEA to help advocate for transportation department employees. “Tammy was invaluable with research; her leadership skills and knowledge helped employees advocate for themselves,” Palanzi stated. “Tammy Minkin is a true friend of education.”

in December. A planned weeklong absence turned into a month as he recovered from his injury. His physics teacher and principal commended him for asking for help to maintain his A/B average while missing so much class. John Champe High School graduating senior Janay Jackson was awarded a $4,000 scholarship. Janay founded the Black Student Union at Champe, and has worked to break down stereotypes and educate the school community. Her guidance counselor said she values “authenticity, inclusion and a strong work ethic.” Briar Woods graduating senior Favour MacJones was awarded a $6,000 scholarship. In her acceptance speech, Favour said she chose to move out of her home for personal reasons. On finding herself homeless, she found support in an “army of moms” in the Briar Woods community. The Beat the Odds award—which comes with a $13,000 scholarship— was presented to Rasheem Thornton, a senior at Loudoun Valley High School. At the end of his acceptance speech, a representative from Shenandoah University, where Rasheem will play football this fall, presented him with an additional $10,000 scholarship. After his father was arrested for dealing drugs and, years later, his mother be-

June 1 – 7, 2017

Beat the odds

loudounnow.com

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Marshall << FROM 1 And they were. As Secretary of State after the war, Marshall campaigned for and carried out the aid plan. President Harry Truman signed the European Recovery Act on April 3, 1948, channeling $13 billion toward 18 countries in Europe. Great Britain received the most—26 percent, followed by France at 18 percent and Germany at 11 percent. Ever since, it has been known as The Marshall Plan. And it’s the relevance of Marshall’s historic initiative to modern times that the George C. Marshall International Center seeks to champion and explore in a day-long symposium Monday, June 5, at Marshall’s Leesburg home on East Market Street. The event has been named “The Relevance of George C. Marshall’s Vision to Transatlantic Relations Today.” It is a collaboration between the George C. Marshall International Center, the George C. Marshall Foundation in Lexington, and the Virginia Military Institute. Marshall Center President and CEO Patricia Magee Daly said the response to the program has been overwhelming. The event has attracted interest across a wide spectrum—from Washington think tanks to ambassadors, government representatives and area residents—as well as from a range of major sponsors. As of this week, her office is running a wait list to attend the symposium. An evening concert that begins at 6 p.m. that day is designed to be for the community at large.

The Inception The symposium is the brainchild of foreign affairs specialist Les Janka, who serves on the Marshall International Center board of directors, and Laurie Van Hook, who is the center’s vice president for history programs and museum operations. The duo packs a formidable intellectual punch. Janka has deep experience of government and foreign affairs. He held high-level positions in the White House, on the National Security Council and in the Department of Defense under three presidents. He lectures frequently on the Middle East. Van Hook worked for several years as a historian with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the U.S. Department of State. She has also taught history at George Washington University and the University of Virginia. Janka, who with his wife has volunteered at the center since 2014, said, “I remember that Laurie and I mentioned at a board meeting in the fall of 2015 that the 70th anniversary of [the plan] was coming up—the idea gelled with them.” With that backing, the two set about thinking how best to transform it into reality. “We exchanged various ideas, and it evolved into holding a conference at the house—and the board that liked that idea.” The two went public with the plan, and it caught the attention of other organizations that wanted to know more about the Marshall Center and its work. The Marshall Center board support-

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

The Leesburg home of George C. Marshall will be the at the center of a daylong program Monday, June 5 reflecting on the long-term global impact of his 1947 speech that launched the American effort to help European allies rebuild following World War II.

ed the idea of introducing the work of the center and the Marshall House to a wider public. Both Janka and Van Hook emphasized the importance of applying what Marshall said then to help solve the problems of today. “It’s his spirit and magnanimity we would think of,” Janka said.

The Event The June 5 symposium would have made the late B. Powell Harrison proud. It represents the kind of high-level interaction envisioned by Harrison, the preservationist and civic activist who led the community push to acquire Marshall’s Leesburg home, Dodona Manor, in 1988. That quest ultimately took until 1995 to achieve. For those with a taste for international diplomacy, there are opportunities to be immersed in talks given by top foreign affairs experts, including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, touching on various aspects of the Marshall Plan and its consequences. The day kicks off at 9:30 a.m. when Daly will introduce George C. Marshall International Center Board Chairwoman Susan Lawrence, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general who now serves as a senior vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton. She will be joined by David O’Sullivan, European Union ambassador to the United States. The morning session will explore the history and origins of The Marshall Plan as well as new findings during a panel discussion moderated by Erik Brattberg, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Panelists include Barry Machado, retired history professor at Washington & Lee University; Nico Lange, director of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung USA; and Günter Bischof, history professor at University New Orleans.

During lunch, Dirk Wouters, Belgium’s ambassador to the United States, and John B. Adams Jr., chairman of the George C. Marshall Foundation board, will introduce keynote speaker Madeleine Albright. The afternoon panel session will explore the relevance of The Marshall Plan, moderated by Washington Post author and columnist David Ignatius. The panelists include Derek Chollet, with the German Marshall Fund of the United States; Eliot Sorel, clinical professor at George Washington University; and Stephen Gannon, independent food security consultant. Closing remarks will be given by retired U.S. Army Col. David Gray, director of the Center for Leadership and Ethics at Virginia Military Institute, and Dr. Heinz Fischer, immediate past president of Austria, will provide the closing keynote address. After a reception for participants on the Marshall House patio, the day will close with a public concert by the U.S. Army Brass Quintet from The U.S. Army Band.

Looking Ahead For the Marshall Center’s board of directors and small staff, the symposium will be a validation of the organization’s push to be more than a house museum. For the past 11 years, it’s run a flourishing international high school student exchange program, the Student Partnership Exchange Program, and more recently launched an exchange geared toward students interested in STEM fields. Daly said the aim is now to reach out to middle school students. Run by Van Hook, the center’s “brown bag” monthly luncheon discussions—held at noon on the third Thursdays of each month—and speakers’ program are finding a growing

audience in the county. “They want to know more about both past and contemporary history,” she said. The sessions have spawned the idea of a foreign affairs book club, and has the support of Loudoun County Library Administration Director Chang Liu, who helps provide books. There is also an evening formal speakers program, that is well regarded by attendees. “We’re trying very hard to show the underlying purpose—that Leesburg, and the Marshall House, is a place for serious discussion,” Janka said. The organization has seen some rough patches since the struggle to acquire Dodona Manor began in 1988. It has overseen a meticulous restoration to return its appearance to when Marshalls lived there, survived a name, and adopted a comprehensive reorganization plan in 2012 that has whittled down its crushing debt service from more than $4 million to $1.9 million on the way to eliminating it and putting the organization on a sound financial footing for the future. The Marshall Center leaders now see a future that seeks to forge international cooperation through its public education and student exchange programs, community events and the continuing restoration and preservation of the Marshall House. Above all else, the center seeks to “advance the enduring legacy of General George Catlett Marshall by interpreting and propagating its relevance to our time.” More information on speakers and sponsors is available at georgecmarshall.org under Events & News/70th Anniversary Celebration. For more information, email 1vanhook@georgecmarshall.org. mmorton@loudounnow.com

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UDig Settles in at One Loudoun

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

As Deborah Addo takes the helm at Inova Loudoun Hospital, she said she’s focused on setting the 105-year-old hospital for its next century of care.

Inova Loudoun’s Culture Key Tenet for New CEO

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

eborah Addo’s new office in the administration suite of Inova Loudoun Hospital in Lansdowne has a large blackboard covered in notes and strategies for the new CEO. But you won’t see profit and loss statements or any kind of profitability goals for the year there. Instead, your eyes are immediately drawn to one word that stands at the top: culture. “We think about true north—what are the governing principles for us in terms of success? It all still has to tie into our mission,” she said. “It really does start with what are the unique needs of the people we serve, and then what are we doing to make sure we’re delivering that care. It has to start with quality, safety, experience. All of those things will drive everything else. I think if you flip that pyramid you’re operating from the wrong sphere.” And the “bedrock” of that, Addo says, is Inova Loudoun’s 1,600-plus employees. “It says something when people come to a job and stay on the job,” she said, pointing to the long list of employees who have spent a bulk of their careers at Loudoun’s largest hospital system. “People stay when they’re inspired, motivated, have good leaders, believe in their mission, and that’s what we do here.” And although Addo is one of Inova Loudoun’s newest employees, having just been appointed as its new CEO within the last month, she has made it her goal to continue that winning tradition. Addo, who takes over for outgoing CEO Patrick Walters, inherits a

hospital system that continually ranks as one of the top performing in Inova’s system. While the hospital system has long been established in the community, Addo also comes to her job in the midst of a major renovation project at the Lansdowne campus, which began in earnest not long after renovations at Inova’s Cornwall Campus in downtown Leesburg were completed. While the situation may overwhelm some, it’s nothing Addo hasn’t seen before. Prior to her most recent stint—a three-year run as CEO of Inova’s Mount Vernon Hospital—Addo was the COO of Washington Hospital in Hagerstown, MD. The similarities to her current role are uncanny. At the time of its large-scale renovation

project, the Hagerstown hospital had recently turned 100, had undergone renovations and additions, and was considered a well-respected hospital system. In that project, Addo oversaw the move of the hospital to a new 115-acre campus two-and-a-half miles away. And now in Loudoun, “we find ourselves here at 105 years old. We have inefficiencies with where and how we’ve grown, but did what we needed to do to service the community. Now, we have the opportunity to right-size and build for the future,” she said. “When I left Hagerstown, I left there knowing that what we had put in place ADDO >> 20

Inova Loudoun Earns Trauma Center Designation A longstanding goal of Inova Loudoun Hospital leaders has been achieved with the formal designation of the Lansdowne campus as a trauma center. As a Level III trauma center, the hospital is required to demonstrate an ability to provide prompt assessment, resuscitation, surgery, intensive care and stabilization of injured patients and emergency operations. It is the 18th Virginia hospital, and third in Northern Virginia, to be designated as a trauma center. Reston Hospital is a Level II trauma center and Inova Fairfax Hospital is a Level I trauma center, the highest level. In Virginia, the trauma center designation process is voluntary on the part of the hospital. It identifies hospitals that will make a commitment to provide a higher level of care for multiple injured patients. Inova Loudoun submitted paperwork six months ago. State health officials reviewed the care provided for patients during that period and completed an on-site visit. The new emergency facility will be called the Inova Virts Miller Family Emergency and Trauma Center at Inova Loudoun Hospital.

Technology consulting company UDig has moved its Northern Virginia operation to One Loudoun, expanding from its Ashburn office and almost tripling its footprint. “This space is a game changer for our team,” said Wahid Osmani, the firm’s director of talent acquisition. “Not only do we have room to grow, but the access to amenities and flexible work space are attractive to current and prospective employees.” The company provides technology solutions covering digital, data and engineering projects and has partnered with companies across the region in the health care, financial services and retail business sectors. “From here, we can service clients across the Northern Virginia region, expand our team and continue to deliver interesting technology solutions,” UDig founder Andy Frank said. CFO Susan Frank said the new office and One Loudoun’s amenities were important to the company’s efforts to attract talent. “We work hard to provide an environment our teams enjoy, including benefits, wellness programs, training, office snacks and fun events. This larger, modern space allows us to continue to invest in our culture and our team,” she said.

Atoka Expands Commercial Services Atoka Properties has expanded its real estate services by adding two agents to promote commercial activity, including sale listings, buyer representation, leases and property management/build out. David Haddock and Paul Smith have been working together in the commercial arena for 12 years and their most recent local transactions include representing the seller/buyer for the Blackthorne Inn in Upperville, as well as the Montessori School, King of Kings Worship Center and West End Restaurant in Purcellville. They also undertake commercial management activity across Northern Virginia. Prior to their commercial partnership, David Haddock was vice president with a large general contracting firm and Smith handled real estate activity for the Royal Bank of Scotland in the UK. BIZ BRIEFS >> 22

June 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7, 2017 LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

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Addo << FROM 18 would position [them] for the next 105 years. That’s exactly what I think we need to do here.” While Walters was at the helm of the organization to usher in the large-scale project, he believes he is leaving it, and the organization as a whole, in extremely capable hands with Addo. “At the baseline, she has the right personal makeup,” he said. “She cares about the patients deeply, she is engaged and cares about the staff. She has the right mindset.” For Walters, too, a key cornerstone of his legacy has been a focus on the culture of the organization. His five years as CEO saw some of the largest growth in the hospital system’s history, and he recalls a laundry list of enhancements to both campuses in Loudoun. Most recently, Inova Loudoun took an important step with its certification as a Level III trauma center. The new certification means Inova Loudoun will be able to treat patients with more serious, potentially life-threatening, injuries and establishes the hospital as the first trauma center in Loudoun County. “The issue is having the services that serve a community that will be 500,000 people here in the next five to 10 years,” he said. “That’s a very different community in terms of needs profile than a community of 90,000 people 25 years ago.” Walters, who is heading into unofficial retirement at the beginning of June,

Douglas Graham/LoudounNow

Inova Loudoun Hospital enters its 105th year under new leadership.

plans to stay plenty involved in Inova’s affairs. Although his post as CEO has ended, he will be taking up the chief human resource officer position on an interim basis and assist with the recruitment of the new director, expected to take several months. He also says there are “key roles” for him to play in helping with the Inova Ladies Board’s annual Rummage Sale. He gleefully shares he is one of a very small group of men to be named an honorary member of the Ladies Board. But even after his temporary assignment is completed, “I’ll continue to be connected to Deborah and what we’re doing in Loudoun. I’ve done a lot in my career with Inova. I’ve been engaged with virtually all of our operations from

one time or another in various ways,” he said. Although Addo was already familiar with Inova’s systems from her time at Mount Vernon Hospital, Walters has been helping her acclimate into the community, bringing her around to Chamber of Commerce functions and meeting with local government representatives. Addo says she has been amazed at the high regard to which the community holds the hospital system. “It’s good when you can walk into a community and almost everybody loves it. I didn’t feel like I have to overcome a negative reputation,” she said. But the goal now, she said, is, “how do we take that positive to the next level?” Part of that will be navigating the

inconveniences generated by Inova Lansdowne’s renovation project and, past that, preparing the hospital system for its next 100 years. While there are no immediate plans to plant a campus elsewhere in the county, Addo plans to keep a pulse on what Loudouners are demanding for the next wave of health care services. She borrows a quote from Stephen Covey—”begin with the end in mind”—to stress her point. “What is that end or at least that pause that we will take and be able to look back and say, ‘this really did hit the mark?’ That’s some of what motivates me.” krodriguez@loudounnow.com

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Join others who care about the future Loudoun and provide insight on enhancing our quality of life, making great places, improving economics; and bringing our community together.

Envision LOUDOUN will have a lasting impact on the Loudoun community, helping to promote a continued high quality of life in the county. The workshops are a great opportunity to get involved in the process and shape the future. Registration is not required but requested to help prepare. To learn more and register, visit:

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Attend the session most convenient to you

Monday, June 5 Harper Park MS 701 Potomac Station Drive, Leesburg Wednesday, June 7 Cascades Senior Center 21060 Whitfield Pl, Sterling Monday, June 12 Broad Run HS 21670 Ashburn Road, Ashburn Tuesday, June 13 Harmony MS 38174 W Colonial Highway, Hamilton Registration 7:00, meeting at 7:30pm

Thursday, June 15 Mercer MS 42149 Greenstone Drive, Aldie *Registration opens at 6:30, meeting starts at 7pm unless noted otherwise

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<< FROM 18

Vets Employment Program Offered June 6

A Virginia Employment Commission Veteran Services representative will visit the Loudoun Workforce Resource Center in Leesburg on Tuesday, June 6, to provide information on employment and training assistance. All military veterans are eligible for job referral, job training and job placement assistance through the VEC. The VEC also serves active-duty personnel who are currently transitioning out of the military. To reserve an appointment between 1-4 p.m., June 6, call the VEC’s Ashley Moslek at 571-814-0320. The Loudoun Workforce Resource Center provides resources, employment counseling, workshops and equipment to conduct a thorough job search. Businesses may advertise vacancies, conduct job fairs and be connected with potential candidates. There is no charge for services provided to either job seekers or businesses. The center is at 102 Heritage Way, NE. Learn more about the Workforce Resource Center by calling Shelley Rodriguez at 703-777-0150 or going to loudoun.gov/wrc.

Award-winning piece by designer Alina.

Local Designer Wins Jewelry Award ake mm a S ncle rs Let U our floo ! l y

ifu

ut Bea

A designer at White and Ivory jewelry store in Leesburg won the 2017 CASE Awards for her 18k Rose Gold ring. Alina, the designer for Avalina, created the piece, which features a black Australian doublet opal and a 0.53ct marquise-shaped blue sapphire.

CASE stands for creativity, artistry, style and excellence in jewelry design. Each year, owners and employees of Jewelers of America member stores submit original jewelry designs for consideration in the CASE Awards. Entries are divided into categories by retail price and a panel of judges then select four winners.

Five Stones Offers Lyme Seminar As part of its effort to transform the health of individuals and communities, Five Stones Institute is offering a day retreat focused on the benefits of mindfulness in dealing with Lyme disease. Lyme disease is an epidemic in Loudoun County. In addition to medical protocols—including those offered at the Integrative Functional Medicine Center—mindfulness can be a critical tool in healing from a challenging illness. The retreat will be held 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, June 10, at the former Graydon Manor estate in Leesburg. It is part of a quarterly offering of retreats, as well as other workshops and classes focused on stress management tools centered on mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of focusing attention purposely on the present moment and accepting it without judgment. It has been shown to improve physical and emotional symptoms associated with Lyme disease, as well as high blood pressure, chronic pain, insomnia, depression and anxiety. The retreat will be led by Dr. Martha Calihan and Five Stones Institute instructors Turi Nevin-Turkel and Christine Reeley. They will teach transformational tools for mindfulness in dealing with a chronic illness with practices such as meditation, mindful movement and eating, guided imagery and breath awareness. Participants will leave ready to incorporate mindfulness into their path to healing. The retreat cost $125 and includes lunch. Limited scholarship slots are available. Register by calling 703-6696118 or going to fivestoneswellness. com.

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23 June 1 – 7, 2017

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Purcellville Council Holds Tax, Utility Rates Level

BY NORMAN K. STYER

[ TOWN NOTES ]

he Purcellville Town Council formally wrapped up its work on the fiscal year 2018 budget last week, adopting a spending plan that avoids increases in tax rates or utility fees. It took the council only 15 minutes to adopt the budget during its May 23 meeting, but that action followed nearly six months of work and 10 meetings during which members delved deep into the town’s service offerings and debt obligations. The $9.8 million General Fund budget represents a 1 percent increase over the current budget and includes 3 percent raises for town employees. The council’s key achievement was nixing plans for 7 percent increases in water and sewer service rates by rolling back administrative chargebacks, pursu-

ing additional revenue from the sale or lease of town properties, and initiating plans to restructure as much as $30 million of the town’s $41 million in outstanding utility debt. The budget was adopted in a 5-1-1 vote, with Councilman Doug McCollum opposed and Ryan Cool absent for the meeting. The council majority said the end product represented a re-stabilization of town operations while maintaining the town’s strong financial standing. Mayor Kwasi Fraser said members spent “a lot of sleepless nights working line item by line item to try to get it right.” McCollum, who opposed many of the line-item General Fund budget reductions that were required to avoid the utility rate increases, said the final plan was structured with a short-term view and failed to reflect the realistic needs of the town.

While the town’s 22-cent real estate tax rate will remain unchanged, many homeowners will see their tax bills increase because of rising property values. While utility rates won’t increase this year, annual hikes remain in the town’s future—even if the debt restructuring plan moves forward as expected. The plan, as explained to the council last week, would still require rate increases between 2 and 3.1 percent annually for the next 10 years. Among the town construction projects that should advance next year are improvements to Hirst Road and Nursery Avenue, a roundabout at the 32nd Street/A Street intersection, an A Street sidewalk between Blue Ridge Middle School and Maple Avenue, and the replacement of the North Maple Avenue water line. nstyer@loudounnow.com

LOVETTSVILLE

Co-op Plans June 10 Market The Lovettsville Cooperative Market’s sixth annual Outdoor Market will open Saturday, June 10 at the Lovettsville Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company. The market will operate Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. through August. The outdoor market will feature locally grown and sourced seasonal fruits, vegetables, lamb, beef, bacon, sausage, chicken, baked goods, coffee, maple syrup, elderberry products, and honey as well as local handcrafted products. Suppliers include Catoctin Coffee, Georges Mill Artisan Cheese, Milcreek Farm, Potomac Vegetable Farm, The Parsonage, Leesburg Center Apiaries, and more. As in previous years, local nonprofit organizations will also be invited to set up as guests to promote their services and provide information to the general public. Local producers, especially those providing eggs and fruit, who would like to sell products at the market, are encouraged to contact the Co-op at farmmarket@lovettsville-grocery.com. The Co-op plans to move into the fire-rescue building after a new station is built next door. Learn more at lovettsville-grocery.com.

ROUND HILL Council Readies FY 2018 Budget

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Scouts from Troop 163 raise the flag on the new pole at the Hamilton Town Park.

Hamilton Scout Builds New Home for Old Glory at Town Park After five months of planning, fundraising and project supervision, the work of Boy Scout Dustin Loving paid off Monday when Hamilton leaders gathered for the first flag-raising ceremony at the town park. Loving, an Eagle Scout candidate, coordinated with the Town Council to erect a flagpole at the entrance to the park and completed the work in time for a Memorial Day ceremony. The nearly $1,900 project was supported by more than a dozen donors, including Tom Pappas Construction, which contributed the concrete work; Mike Wines, who handled the electrical work, and Home Depot, which provided sand. The 17-year-old is a student at Loudoun Valley High School and at Monroe Technology Center where his is studying health and medical sciences at Inova Loudoun Hospital’s Cornwall Campus. He hopes to pursue a career in the medical lab.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Dustin Loving explains his Eagle Scout service project to a crowd gathered for the first flagraising ceremony at the new Town of Hamilton flagpole.

The Round Hill Town Council held a public hearing Wednesday night on its proposed FY 2018 budget. The council is eyeing a slight real estate tax rate reduction— to 18 cents from 18.066 cents last year—and utility rate increases of 3 percent. It also might become more expensive for smokers in town, with the town’s cigarette tax slated to go from 20 cents to 30 cents per pack. The General Fund budget is slated to nearly triple next year to $3 million, but more than two-thirds of that total is for capital projects largely funded by transportation grants. The Utility Fund will be about $1 million higher next year because of $1.3 million in planned construction projects.

25 June 1 – 7, 2017

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

A damp and dreary Saturday did not wash out the community spirit in Round Hill. The annual Hometown Festival kicked off with a 5K race and a parade and continued throughout the day with carnival rides, games and performances at the Town Park.

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JROTC << FROM 1 (Blue Ridge) also said they liked the idea. “We have a lot of students who wish they could get into that program,” Turgeon said. “It’s one of those rare programs that can really have an immediate effect straight out of high school.” She also suggested that the board consider providing transportation for JROTC students. Right now, JROTC students who live outside of the Loudoun County High School attendance zone must find their own transportation to school. Ambrose presented two other options for that space. One is to give the space back to Dominion High School,

Department of Defense/U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Sean K. Harp

Loudoun County High School Navy Junior ROTC color guard members march into a ballroom during opening ceremonies of the 2013 Joint Women’s Leadership Symposium.

W O N N! E P O Y-IN U B NO

and the other is to house a welcome center for English Language Learner students, something school system leaders have said for years that they need. The center would be a one stop shop for screening and identifying students who need ELL services and connecting families with community resources. Ambrose is recommending the School Board hold off on opening an ELL welcome center at Dominion because of the hefty construction costs to renovate the space for that use, estimated at $925,000. Plus, the ELL program would outgrow that facility in just a few years, she added. Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) suggested the board consider renting space in eastern Loudoun for an ELL welcome center, where more families who receive the services could access it. Most of the ELL services now are housed at the school system administration building in Broadlands. Any decision about the Dominion space needs to be made quickly, Assistant Superintendent of Support Services Kevin Lewis told board members. In order to have a JROTC program—or any other program for that matter—up and running by fall of 2018, the board needs to decide what it wants by this summer. The design work would need to happen this fall, followed by the bid process. “So we can start construction the minute Academy of Science moves out and have it ready to go by next fall,” Lewis said. The School Board is expected to make a decision next month. dnadler@loudounnow.com

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We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-9753.

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Congrats, Class of 2017, from the team at Loudoun Now. Our Spotlight on Grads series is our way of highlighting just a few of the graduating seniors who have changed the cultural landscape in our corner of the world. As part of this special section, we met and interviewed students who have experienced homelessness, the death of parents or severe illnesses and come out on the other side. Others have launched mentoring programs, aced the SATs and led efforts to curb suicide among their peers. Each of these graduates has left their communities better than they found them, and they’re just getting started. Join us in congratulating these exceptional individuals, their families and classmates—their resilience and perseverance is inspiration for us all.

Meet Briar Woods’ Nadia Al-Akhras The opportunity to have an education is something Nadia Al-Akhras isn’t taking for granted. As a child, Nadia lived in Jordan for four years. She grew up in a different culture, where she learned to read, write and speak Arabic. Every summer, she returns there with her siblings. She said she feels blessed to have grown up in the minimalistic lifestyle that Jordan offered because it’s given her a unique perspective on the privileges she has here in the United States.

Meet Broad Run’s Alejandra Roman

Meet Dominion’s Camryn Shulsinger If there’s anyone who’s earned a summer break, it’s Camryn Shulsinger. During her time at Dominion, she played volleyball, basketball and softball, and took part in DECA and student council. She balanced all of this, plus a job, volunteer work and the typical high school course load. The intensity of all she’d taken on came to a head her junior year. “Softball season my junior year, I had

“I’m here because I tried hard to be and because I had people supporting me through,” she said. “I get to look

school math tutor at Kumon. “It was a major challenge trying to fit extracurricular activities as well as my studies in one day,” she said. “Sometimes I wished there were more hours in one day to get everything done.” Alejandra, a first-generation American, says her hard work in and out of school is fueled by an appreciation for the life her parents have made for her. “I have seen the struggles my parents have gone through and I think that’s what motivates me most,” she said. “I’m glad that my parents have sacrificed so much for me.” Her work hasn’t gone unnoticed, ei-

ther. “She is extremely driven and motivated to succeed,” Broad Run guidance counselor Jennie Kroll said. “I am so

such a large workload, so much stress, so much going on,” she said. “I think it was our last game before playoffs, so it was a game that mattered. I screwed up the last play and I completely broke down. But it wasn’t just that play, it was all the things that were going on junior year.” Despite the challenges, Camryn maintained a high GPA, kept her teammates laughing and was selected for the All-Conference softball team. “I didn’t pitch for softball freshman and sophomore year, so it was kind of

crazy getting All-Conference my first year pitching for high school,” she said. Camryn doesn’t plan on playing softball in college, but does want to stay active. She loves all things fitness and would be interested in working as a personal trainer in the fall when she gets to school. Camryn will attend the University of South Carolina to study international business and risk management. But, with one caveat. “I love sushi,” she said with a smile. “If South Carolina doesn’t have a good

Meet Freedom’s Lelaina Silvester Lelaina Silvester knew she’d be separated from her mother as soon as they heard the “cop-knock” at the door, right in the middle of watching “The Little Mermaid.” Recognizing the police was just one of her tasks as a 4-year-old. Her mother was steeped in drug abuse when Child Protective Services took Lelaina into foster care. She went through five foster homes before returning to her mother, now living in a halfway house. In rehab, Lelaina’s mother met Joe, who would become

Lelaina Silvester

Lelaina’s father in all but the biological sense of the term. Her mother started using again,

Alejandra Roman

leaving Lelaina to care for her new half-sister. Their mother deteriorated, and Lelaina missed sixth and seventh grade taking care of her family. Every day she would bring breakfast to her mother in bed, and find it untouched hours later. Joe later won custody of his daughter and Lelaina. One year into the new arrangement, Lelaina’s mother had another child. “That baby is still out there,” Lelaina said in a recent interview over frappés at McDonald’s. “I tried to look.” Two years in Joe’s custody, Lelaina, at 13, saw her mother for the last time, in the hospital. “I promised I’d live my life

me and if it weren’t for her I would have never even considered it,” Nadia said. Nadia has not decided on a major yet, but does have an idea about what she’d like to do after college. “I don’t really want to be behind a desk, behind a computer for the rest of my life,” she said. “I’d rather make little differences on the people around me, and maybe that can have a butterfly effect into something greater. Who knows? Anything’s really possible.” —Caroline Boras

proud of her accomplishments and have no doubt that she is someone who will make a positive impact in this world.”’ Alejandra was accepted to University of Virginia and Georgetown University, but chose to attend Liberty University, a Christian university, because of her faith. She plans to follow that calling and work as a pediatrician. “That’s really what I’m focusing on more is being able to have the opportunity to get an education,” she said, “so that I can serve others who might not have the same opportunities that I did.” —Patrick Szabo

Camryn Shulsinger

sushi bar, I may transfer.” —Caroline Boras

for her, and make her proud.” Lelaina’s mother passed away shortly after. Joe and the girls drove from Verona Beach, CA, to South Riding where Lelaina started high school at Freedom as a freshman. “I still look up to her in some ways. She is still my mother,” Lelaina said. “I want to be all the good parts of my mom.” Lelaina has lived up to her promise. She’ll be attending Virginia Commonwealth University this fall, where she wants to study social work. Lelaina is the first in her family to go to college. —John Patterson

CONGRATULATIONS GRADS!

Broad Run High School senior Alejandra Roman is a rarity not just because she is a Loudoun native, but also because of what she has accomplished. Alejandra, 18, will soon graduate and head to Liberty University to study biomedical sciences. Although her 4.17 GPA reflects her diligence in school, Alejandra has also worked hard out of the classroom. Throughout high school, she held down two jobs to save for college— working at Chick-fil-A and as an after-

Nadia Al-Akhrus

back and really appreciate it all because I know that in places like Jordan, a lot of the girls don’t even have the opportunity to go to school.” Because of this, Nadia said she honed in on her academics and her involvement within Briar Woods’ Career Center to make the most of her high school experience. She credits career resource assistant Jan Develli for giving her guidance each step along the way: whether it was applying for a standardized test or college application, or direction in general. “I should be going down to VCU in the fall. And that was a huge deal for

June 1 – 7, 2017

Spotlight on Grads

<< SPOTLIGHT ON GRADS FROM 27

Meet Heritage’s Weini Kelati Frezghi Strength and determination sum up the drive to succeed for Heritage senior Weini Kelati Frezghi, according to her guidance counselor Cheryl Barr. “When I first met Weini, she stated her primary goals in life were to graduate from high school, graduate from college with a nursing degree, and train for the Olympics,” Barr said. These are challenging goals for anybody, but even more so for a teenager who risked everything three years ago to leave her family to ask for asylum in the United States.

CONGRATULATIONS GRADS!

Meet John Champe’s Mary Kamara Most students would be satisfied graduating high school and college being lightly fluent in a single foreign language. Mary Kamara intends to be proficient in three: French, Spanish and Italian. Mary, who this fall will attend the American University in Rome, Italy, has a mature, laser-like focus on working for the United Nations, an organization she says requires staff to be fluent in at least three languages. Her goal is to be proficient in Spanish and Italian by the time she graduates college, then go on

“I came here to change my life,” Weini said of her decision to leave her native African country of Eritrea. Acclimating to a new culture and new to study French. In addition to participating in several school clubs and editing John Champe’s literary arts magazine, Mary studies Italian and Spanish for an hour each day. But it wasn’t always easy. She went to 12 schools in 12 years, primarily because of numerous changes in her family life, making getting grounded in a school’s culture, and making lasting friends, difficult. But she persevered. “I did have an epiphany,” she said. “I was trying to run away from things that could really happen anywhere and so I decided to stay and face my fears.” She found a home at John Champe,

Meet Loudoun County’s Parker Barrett Parker Barrett is a typical student-athlete. He played basketball at the JV and varsity level as a guard. He worked out in the weight room with his teammates, who recognized him as a leader on the court. He won Loudoun County High School’s prestigious Raider Award. But in playing basketball, Parker overcame a hurdle that his teammates didn’t: He was born with deformed hands. Despite this, Parker never asked for any accommodation or special treat-

Meet Woodgrove’s Puneet Kaur

June 1 – 7, 2017

Weini Kelati Frezghi

The term “renaissance woman” can easily apply to Woodgrove senior and future George Mason University student Puneet Kaur. “She’s amazing,” Woodgrove counselor Geri Fiore put simply. “Great person, athlete and student.” A four-year varsity standout for both track and basketball, Puneet was one of 20 winners from a pool of 36,000 applicants for the Foot Locker Scholar Athletes scholarship program. The $20,000 she receives will go toward her education at George Mason, where she hopes to study information systems and possi-

Parker Barrett

ment from the school. When asked why he didn’t, he shrugged. “It’s the way my parents raised me,” bly cybersecurity. During her high school career, Puneet was also a member of Athlete to Athlete, a group started several years ago that pairs student athletes with special-needs students. The setting gives the two groups opportunities to share the common thread of playing sports together. “It’s a group that’s near and dear to my heart,” she said. “I love helping people out.” That love of helping others, and a desire to address the scourge of teen suicide, is what propelled Puneet and a group of friends to begin the We’re All Human club. They’ve partnered with Suzie Bartel, the mother of a Woodgrove senior who took his own life in October

language has been tough. Her English teacher, Colleen Dobbs, said Weini has been an inspiration considering all the struggles she has had to endure in her high school career. She’s asked to take courses and pass state-mandated tests that cover topics her classmates have studied most their life, Dobbs said. “This, coupled with the addition of the newness of the language, creates an incredibly difficult task for Weini academically. Yet, Weini never complains or gets discouraged. She simply continues to work hard in school and tries to improve.” Her work ethic extends beyond the classroom. Her junior year, Weini

Mary Kamara

where she’s excelled in honors and advanced placement classes. She also manages to work part time at Ashby he said. “I have two brothers. They let me do everything they do. So I’ve always tried to do everything they do without any help from outside resources.” Parker’s coach Mark Alexander said his teammates didn’t think Parker was different. “Kids looked up to him, and he was a great leader for us,” Alexander said. “He was a good ball player. He played a lot of games for us and he helped us out a lot.” On top of being involved in basketball, Parker maintained a heavy course load. This year, five of his classes were advanced placement, and combined with AP exams passed last year, he

Puneet Kaur

2014. “I wanted to address the problem head on,” Puneet said of her jump to start We’re All Human. The program offers students the op-

The members of LSG’s Class of 2017 (a total of nine students) have been offered over $1,500,000 in scholarships from prestigious colleges and universities. And 90% of these students were accepted by their first choice college.

helped take Heritage to the state championship in cross country and, what’s more, shattered the national indoor track 5K record, running it in 16:08.33. As if that wasn’t enough, she also holds down a part-time job. “I manage my time,” Weini says matter-of-factly. Weini received a scholarship to attend the University of New Mexico where she hopes to check the latter two goals off her list: a college degree and an Olympic career. Of what she’s achieved so far and more on the horizon, Weini said, “This is a dream come true.” —Kara C. Rodriguez Ponds in Ashburn. During the past two years, she’s worked her way up from a restaurant server to a trainer for new employees. She’s also enjoyed getting close with several senior residents, including a 102-year-old man, WWII veterans, and a woman who fought for the Equal Rights Amendment of 1972. “Mary is one of the best students I have ever worked with. She’s respectful, humble and intelligent,” John Champe guidance counselor Andrew Taforo said. “She has overcome so much in her life and everything she has accomplished has been through hard work, dedication and determination.” —John McNeilly maxed out on the number of transferrable credits for college. Parker said the workload was sometimes overwhelming, but he always managed to “tough it out.” “I feel like I almost have a chip on my shoulder, sometimes, because of my situation,” he said. “So I’ve always tried to adapt to my situation, and that’s where my drive comes from.” Parker will attend Virginia Tech this fall, where he plans to study biomedical engineering. —Caroline Boras portunity to create awareness about depression and other causes of suicide. Puneet and her friends organized an initial school-wide walk that attracted more than 2,000 people. The imitative has spread to other schools and created a ripple effect that will last beyond Puneet’s high school career. And while depression and suicide continue to be major issues for today’s high schoolers, Puneet hopes that We’re All Human and its efforts will have a lasting impact. “It’s been nice....telling the kids there is somebody there at school to help you out,” she said. “Sometimes you walk by kids in the hallway and a smile can make a difference.” —Kara C. Rodriguez

http://www.loudoungifted.org/college

Meet Park View’s Matt Walter Matt Walter’s high school career had a jarring interruption halfway through. As a sophomore, he went to the doctor to find out why he wasn’t growing. A series of referrals landed him in a kidney specialist’s office, who told him his kidneys hadn’t developed, likely due to his premature birth. At 17 years old, he was diagnosed with kidney failure. After a trip to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Matt thought he was on the priority list for a transplant. He spent his entire junior year waiting for his operation; eating healthy, exercising,

Meet Potomac Falls’ Christian Tessman

monitoring his blood pressure, all while dealing with traditional high school challenges like the Standards of Learning tests and the SAT. mean, trial by fire. And it got easier as time went on.” It’s no surprise that Christian is looking forward to the break graduation from Potomac Falls High School offers. “I’m looking forward to sleeping in,” he said. “Where I can stay up late, wake up late and think ‘wow I don’t have to worry about getting these projects done, or getting these assignments done.’” While Christian said he liked the academic pressure that went along with attending AOS half of the week, playing on the football team was one of the most rewarding parts of his high school

Meet Riverside High School’s Severin Yao As if working full time while maintaining good grades wasn’t hard enough, Riverside High School senior Severin Yao is pushing the limits of what a high school student can do. Severin, 20, emigrated to the U.S. from Togo, a West African nation, in 2014 to be with his father. He now works more than 65 hours a week at four different jobs to pay for his living expenses, all while attending Riverside full time. Throughout the week, Severin is

Meet Rock Ridge’s Emily Sola Amid the lunchtime chaos at Rock Ridge High School, Emily Sola is easy to find. You’ll see her every day in the corner of the cafeteria with a group of special education students that many dismiss. Her friendship with these students started her sophomore year on her first day at Rock Ridge, after being reassigned from Briar Woods. She didn’t know where to sit in the crowded cafeteria, until she noticed a freshman boy she’d later learn has autism. “So I took a risk and asked to sit with

Severin Yao

busy either going to school, working or doing homework. “I don’t have time at all,” he said. him,” she said. “And I’ve done that every day since.” Kevin Terry, Rock Ridge’s director of guidance, said Emily’s subtle acts of generosity have made a big impact on the school. “She doesn’t do things on a giant scale, but does small things every day like eat lunch with kids who often go overlooked. She’s doing all the little things that mean so much to these kids.” And she knows what it’s like to have physical challenges. She had a stroke at 10 years old and had to relearn basic skills—how to walk, talk, write and ride a bike. Her grueling experience and having a younger brother who has

stuff, like spirit week,” he said. Matt will have to take pills the rest of his life, he can’t sit for long in direct sunlight and he’ll always need to strictly monitor his diet. But the 18-year-old said he feels at peace. He credits his friends to helping him adjust to a different, more fragile lifestyle. “They tell me to eat healthier, to work out a lot. They do a lot of things to keep me motivated,” Matt said. “That’s really stuck with me a lot.” As he graduates in a couple of weeks, the one thing Matt knows for sure is he wants to do his part to raise awareness of kidney failure. —John Patterson

Christian Tessman

“We went 10 and 3 this past year. We tied the record for wins in a season, we got to the regional semis [finals]— which we had never done before at Potomac Falls,” he said. “So seeing all that work that I put in, getting progressively better. It was a very tangible reward for how much effort I was putting in.” Christian will be attending Johns Hopkins University this fall. He said he is interested in studying either material science or chemical engineering.

experience. The best part, he said, was watching the team’s record improve with each season.

— Caroline Boras

The majority of Severin’s work is at Walmart, where he has been an overnight stocker for two and a half years. He works there from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. five days a week. When he gets a onehour break at 2 a.m. he does his homework. “That’s the toughest hours that I work,” he said. Severin’s other jobs include working at Chick-fil-A two days a week, as a tollbooth operator on the weekends and as an Uber driver three days a week. When the staff at Riverside became aware of Severin’s schedule, they were quick to help out.

“We were able to provide him with some resources and modify his class schedule,” said Riverside guidance counselor Amy Burgess. Now focused on attending Northern Virginia Community College in the fall, Severin will have to scale back his workload to 40 hours per week so he can work toward an associate’s degree. His goal is to study aerospace engineering and work as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He’s already eager to get started. “I think the Air Force is a good one for me,” he said. —Patrick Szabo

Emily Sola

autism have made her especially sensitive to young people facing developmental challenges. “My niche has always been special

education,” she said. “It’s like we have this unspoken connection and an understanding.” It’ll come as no surprise that she plans to work as a special education teacher. She’ll first pursue her bachelor’s and master’s degree at James Madison University and spend her summer working at the arts therapy nonprofit, A Place to Be. Earlier this year, she performed in its production of “Behind the Label,” meant to encourage people to look beyond diagnosis. “I kind of just brought that attitude here to Rock Ridge,” she said, “and ran with it.” —Danielle Nadler

CONGRATULATIONS GRADS!

Christian Tessman has had a busy four years. He played football, participated in student government at the Academy of Science, became an Eagle Scout and completed 405 hours of community service through Boy Scouts, tutoring, working as a camp counselor and coaching Special Olympics. When asked if he ever felt overwhelmed by all he took on, Christian laughed. “Yes, at first,” he said. “From there, I

Matt Walter

“Junior year I was supposed to have it but I didn’t. I wasn’t even on the list— at all,” Matt said. His kidneys declined the following summer, prompting his 20-year-old sister to donate her kidney. And in December 2016, five days before Christmas, Matt got a new kidney. “She’s a really healthy person. She works out a lot,” a thankful Matt said of his sister. While the rest of his class went through senior year together, Matt spent two months recovering. He studied through the school system’s Homebound program, where his teacher Ms. Fissmer came to his house every day to keep him up to pace in all his classes. “I kind of missed the senior

June 1 – 7, 2017

<< SPOTLIGHT ON GRADS FROM 28

<< SPOTLIGHT ON GRADS FROM 29

Meet Stone Bridge’s Alaina Bowen Graduating from Stone Bridge High School is a family affair for the Bowens. In June, Alaina Bowen will be the fourth member of her family to don a blue cap and gown at the Ashburn school, after three older brothers preceded her. But her path to finishing was far more complicated. On the first day of her senior year last August, Alaina felt nauseous, a piercingly painful migraine, and later, numbness. She was rushed to a hospital where doctors found she’d had a stroke

June 1 – 7, 2017

CONGRATULATIONS GRADS!

Meet Tuscarora’s Kush Patel Kush became president of Tuscarora’s robotics club at possibly the worst time. The club’s faculty sponsor, Ms. Owens, had to leave the school suddenly. Without an active sponsor, the club couldn’t host meetings on campus. Membership dwindled from 20 to six students. Instead of closing the club he had been in since 10th grade, freshly elected president Kush arranged for the club to work in the attic of a Lansdowne clubhouse, a 20-minute drive away. The all-senior team made a robot

Meet Loudoun Valley’s Rasheem Thornton At first glance, Rasheem Thornton seems like any other outstanding Loudoun County student. He excels on the football field and track, and in the classroom. He’s quick to make friends, hardworking and considers himself pretty fortunate. But his life wasn’t always like this. After spending his early years in an upper-middle class Lansdowne neighborhood, his father was arrested and found guilty of drug dealing. At 7 years old, he moved with his mother to Charles Town, WV, to find affordable housing. Rasheem gave up on school, which at one point landed his mother

2017 LCPS Graduation Speakers Set The speakers have been set for the Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) 2017 graduation and completion ceremonies. Following (in alphabetical order by school) are the speakers: Academy of Science June 9, 7:30 p.m. Guest Speaker: Alex Gagliano

Alaina Bowen

caused by a blood clot on the brain. “It’s a miracle I’m alive,” she said. She had to have an immediate implant of a cardiac catheter and, she later

learned, she’d have to be on blood thinners the rest of her life. She was told she’d have to quit cheerleading—her passion. She ended up missing the entire first semester of school. Her doctors encouraged her to take a year off to heal and adjust. She declined. “I wanted to graduate with my friends and prepare for college,” she said. “Nothing was going to stop me.” “She’s a remarkable young lady,” said Tim Lucas, Alaina’s guidance counselor at Stone Bridge. Her mother, Shannon, said, “Every day I tell her she’s my inspiration. She never complained, never gave up. She

that picks up and catapults objects over a fence. However, in the end, the club didn’t enter the robot into the high school competition because the event fell on the same night as their senior prom. Even without the competition, they learned how to work together to create an impressive machine. Since the entire club is graduating, the group will disappear at the end of this school year. “This is the last year. We just accepted it,” Kush said. The 18-year-old has had a busy senior year. Beyond robotics, two studies he has conducted have been published, “Teens’ Self vs. Others’ Decisions on Saving vs. Spending Money” is in the Mediterranean Journal of Social Sci-

ences and the Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies; and “The Effects of Playing Cooperative and Competitive Video Games on Teamwork and Team Performance” is featured in the International Journal of

behind bars on truancy charges. She later became sick and lost her job, and eventually got to a point where she couldn’t afford to care for Rasheem. In January 2013, she asked the mother of Rasheem’s good friends, Kyle, Tyler and Autumn Brown, if she could take him in. “I’ve known them since I was 9, and they really brought me into the family,” he said. Trevor and Amanda Brown became like surrogate parents for Rasheem, and their children like siblings. When he started high school, first in West Virginia and later at Loudoun Valley, he didn’t care much about grades. “I wanted to go into the military so I didn’t think I needed to try hard and get good grades,” he said.

But the Browns told him that if he kept his grades up and excelled in sports, he could earn a college scholarship. That was the nudge he needed. He got his GPA up to a 2.9 and helped carry the Loudoun Valley football team to the playoffs last fall. Just as the Browns predicted, he earned a scholarship to play football for Shenandoah University. There, he’ll study physical therapy or athletic training. But first he’ll accept his high school diploma to the applause of his family—both the Browns and his biological mother. “I call both of them moms,” he said of his biological mother and Amanda Brown. “It means the world to me, honestly, to have both my moms there on

Briar Woods High School June 12, 9:30 a.m. Guest Speaker: Nicole E. Ivey Broad Run High School June 11, 7 p.m. Guest Speaker: Shannon Sheppard John Champe High School June 13, 10 a.m. Guest Speaker: Susan McCormick, Dominion High School June 11, 2 p.m. Guest Speaker: Corey Burns Douglass School

Kush Patel

June 1, 10 a.m. Speaker: Superintendent Dr. Eric Williams Freedom High School June 11, 2 p.m. Guest Speaker: Andrew Flagel Heritage High School June 11, 1 p.m. Guest Speaker: J. Randall Minchew Loudoun County High School June 12, 8 a.m. Guest Speaker: Stephen Patrick Cypher Loudoun Valley

just worked through it, focused and stayed positive.” While tackling a semester’s load of missed classes, Alaina also raised $10,000 for the Children’s National Hospital this year. And since she couldn’t exert the level of physical energy cheerleading required, she instead took on the role of school mascot, donning a Bulldog costume for games and rallies. Alaina now heads to North Carolina State University, where she’ll study forensic accounting. “I’m grateful for every day I have,” she said. “It’s a perspective I’ll never lose.” —John McNeilly Humanities and Social Science Research. He also formed a new committee within Tuscarora’s Key Club focused on canned food collection, which just achieved its goal of collecting 1,000 pounds of food for Loudoun Hunger Relief. Kush will take what he’s learned through the ups and downs of the robotics club with him this fall, as he enters the engineering school at the University of Virginia. He plans to double major in computer science and finance. —John Patterson

Rasheem Thornton

graduation day.” And next year, his father’s prison term is up, and Rasheem hopes to again have a relationship with him. “I want to connect with him again. I think he’ll be proud of how I turned out.” —Danielle Nadler

June 12, 9 a.m. Guest Speaker: Claudia BolenSullivan Monroe Technology Center June 8, 7 p.m. Guest Speaker: Wayde Park View High School June 12, 7 p.m. Guest Speaker: Mario Zangla Potomac Falls High School June 13, 9 a.m. Guest Speaker: Eileen Fauteux Riverside High School June 12, 10 a.m. Guest Speaker: Lynn Davies

Rock Ridge High School June 11, 5 p.m. Guest Speaker: Leslie Morgan Steiner Stone Bridge High School June 12, 2 p.m. Guest Speaker: Muoka Musau Tuscarora High School June 13, 8 a.m. Guest Speaker: Kevin McCarthy Woodgrove High School June 13, 8 a.m. Guest Speaker: Richard Treat Gillespie

Congratulations to Loudoun’s 2017 Graduates! 525 East Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176 • 703-443-2105 www.meltgourmetcheeseburgers.com

June 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7, 2017

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June 1 – 7, 2017

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LOCO CULTURE LEESBURG FIRST FRIDAY Friday, June 2, 6-9 p.m.; downtown Leesburg. Details: leesburgfirstfriday.com Enjoy live music, art shows, book talks, wine tastings and food from downtown restaurants. Check out the website for the June schedule.

ARTIST’S RECEPTION: LARR KELLY Friday, June 2, 6-8:30 p.m.; GWU Enterprise Hall, 44983 Knoll Square, Ashburn. Details: virginia.gwu.edu/art Fine art photographer Larr Kelly shows off his latest exhibit: “Elements: Water, Fire, Air and Earth.” Reception is free and open to the public.

WE’RE GOING WILD YOUTH AND FAMILY NATURE WALK Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

The first season of planting is well underway at Bainum Foundation Farm. Kasey Clark and Tonya Taylor, husband and wife, are managing the property that was donated by the owner of the surrounding Dinwiddie Farm estate, with the goal of growing and distributing fresh food to low-income families in Washington, DC.

Sowing the Seeds of Community at Bainum Farm BY JAN MERCKER

n Loudoun’s southwestern corner, an idealistic young couple and a foundation on a mission to help low-income kids are transforming a historic hunt country estate into a working farm. Husband-and-wife team Kasey Clark and Tonya Taylor are the farmers-in-residence at the Bainum Foundation Farm near Middleburg. The farm is kicking off its first growing season this year, with a mission of bringing fresh produce to low-income children in DC food deserts, while working to make connections with Loudoun-based hunger relief organizations and local schools. A year ago, while the Bethesda, MDbased Bainum Family Foundation was laying out plans to create a working farm from scratch, Clark and Taylor were building an on-site farm at a boarding school in Connecticut. The couple responded to the foundation’s search for skilled farmers to break ground on the new project. Stewart Bainum Sr., founder of the Maryland-based Choice Hotels Chain and owner of the Dinwiddie Farm estate in Loudoun, launched the Bainum Family Foundation in 1968, and in recent years, the nonprofit has narrowed its focus to serving low-income children in Washington, DC. When Bainum died in 2014, he left a 260-acre tract on the 640-acre estate to the foundation, with a goal of boosting access to high-quality foods in underserved neighborhoods. Foundation staff decided that launching a working farm would be the best way to meet that goal

and started their search for a farmer to run it. They wound up getting two in the bargain. Taylor, 35, and Clark, 41, met while serving in the Peace Corps in Malawi in southeastern Africa, where they developed an interest in agriculture and nutrition. “At the time, Malawi was the poorest country in the world, so nutrition and food security and all those things were huge issues no matter what you were doing,” Taylor said. “That’s definitely where we got focused on that and interested in it.” The couple returned to Taylor’s home state of Mississippi where Clark taught sixth grade and Taylor worked for a nonprofit organization. But, they couldn’t shake the thought that working the land was their true calling. Taylor and Clark found a series of farm apprenticeships in New England, working for low wages while learning the trade before being hired by the South Kent School in Connecticut to create and maintain a farm on the school’s property as part of its sustainability initiatives. While the young farmers were developing their agricultural chops, the Middleburg farmland was transferred from Bainum’s estate to the foundation in late 2015, and its staff began making plans for using the gift to further the foundation’s mission. The foundation identified nutrition as an important component in fostering educational achievement and decided that launching a working farm was the best way to use the land, said Leila Otis, senior director of the foundation’s farm program.

The foundation brought in the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture—which operates an educational farm in Alexandria and distributes fresh food to underserved DC neighborhoods through its Mobile Market program—to help get the farm’s growing and distribution programs rolling. Arcadia’s team also helped the foundation find Taylor and Clark. “They bring an amazing skillset to the table having worked at a school before. They have this education training component that we know is going to be an asset to success at our farm because growing the food is only a piece of the puzzle,” Otis said. The foundation will work with the nonprofit Community Foodworks to deliver Community Supported Agriculture boxes to early childcare centers in four low-income wards in DC and with Arcadia Center to reach families through community markets in the city. Otis has also reached out to Loudoun-based organizations like Loudoun Hunger Relief and the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties to explore opportunities to help locally. The timing was perfect for Taylor and Clark, who had a successful launch under their belts and were looking to transition to the nonprofit world. “It became time to move on to something new,” Clark said. “We were growing food for kids that were paying $60,000 a year to go to school, which was rewarding, but at the same time we wanted to do something more positive, more impactful.” BAINUM FARM >> 33

Friday, June 2, 6-8 p.m.; Morven Park, 17195 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg. Details: loudounwildlife.org Join the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and local naturalist Brian Balik to explore the natural world through the wonder-filled eyes of children. This month’s walk explores the sights and sounds of habitats and wildlife at night. For children 6 and older. No strollers or pets. Advance registration is required.

WESTERN LOUDOUN ARTISTS STUDIO TOUR Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Details: wlast.org Now in its 12th year, this self-guided tour allows visitors to meet 62 Loudoun artists at 34 locations across Western Loudoun. Featured artists work in a range of media, including paintings, digital art, pottery, wood, jewelry, photography, metal sculpture and fiber and wearable art. The tour is free and open to the public.

WINE COUNTRY HALF MARATHON Saturday, June 3, 7 a.m.; Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Purcellville. Details: destinationraces.com/ runvirginia This 13.1-mile race through gorgeous wine country scenery also features a 5K. The race is followed by a wine and music festival from 9:30 to noon. Registration is $115 for the half-marathon, $40 for the 5K.

HAMILTON DAY CELEBRATION Saturday, June 3, all day, downtown Hamilton. Details: town. hamilton.va.us This fun, family-oriented event

MORE TO DO >> 34

Bainum Farm Conversations in History: The Gettysburg Campaign The Mosby Heritage Area Association welcomes historian Dan Welch for its June 11 Conversations in History series program. Welch, a park ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park, is the co-author of “The Last Road North: A Guide to the Gettysburg Campaign, 1863.” Tapping his familiarity with the Gettysburg Campaign, he will talk about sites and stories in the Mosby Heritage Area relative to the Union and Confederate armies’ northward marches, ultimately to Gettysburg. The program will be held at historic Mt. Zion Church, itself a piece of the Gettysburg Campaign, at 40309 John Mosby Highway near Aldie. Tickets can be purchased at the door and are $10 for adults and $5 for students. For more information, call 540-687-5188.

DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO OWN A NEW MODERN TOWNHOME IN THE HEART OF THE LANSDOWNE TOWN CENTER

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Kasey Clark checks on the hives at the Bainum Foundation Farm near Middleburg. Clark and his wife Tonya Taylor keep bees on the property, have so far planted two acres, and will begin building facilities later this year to support the farming operation.

For more information on the Bainum Family Foundation’s farm program, go to bainumfdn.org/farm. jmercker@loudounnow.com

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“We’re not just growing crops, we’re growing the infrastructure as well,” Clark said. After working on a busy school campus, moving to a two-person operation can get a little lonely. And Taylor and Clark are looking forward to hosting local school groups and bringing the farm’s educational component to life. “Part of the reason that we have searched out this kind of set up is because a big part of the focus for us is food justice and equalizing the food system and making that accessible for people who don’t have access,” Taylor said. “A huge part of creating the buy-in and interest in that is exposing people to farms and nature and reconnecting them with those things that maybe they haven’t had those connections in generations.” And Otis says the foundation hopes to start bringing in local schools, scouts and other groups as early as next year to provide hands-on learning opportunities. “Experiential learning is a huge aspect of what we want to do. We know that behavior changes and healthy food habits take a while to take root and it’s important to get kids involved as early as possible, as young as possible in that process,” she said. “This is where the local community can really connect.”

Taylor and Clark moved to a house on the Middleburg farm at the end of last year, and have started planting on a small scale this spring, growing a wide range of vegetables on three acres, where everything but the tilling is done by hand. Taylor and Clark started seedlings in the property’s new greenhouse and do all the planting, weeding and watering themselves. This year, both the farmers and foundation staff are getting a sense of what crops will grow well and meet demand. “With farming as with anything, you’re learning every day,” Taylor said. “I don’t think you ever reach the status of expert.” They’re also working with staff to build facilities at the farm in its first year of operations.

June 1 – 7, 2017

<< FROM 32

[ THINGS TO DO ]

loudounnow.com

<< FROM 32 starts at 8 a.m. with a point-to-point race for children. The parade starts at 11 a.m., followed by a party in Hamilton Park featuring live music from 22 Late and IBNH, children’s activities, cornhole and food for sale.

LEESBURG CLASSIC CAR SHOW

Saturday, June 3, 5-9 p.m.; downtown Leesburg. Details: lcps.org/mtc Monroe Technology Center hosts this annual show featuring more than 200 classics, street rods and muscle cars (1991 and older) with owners on hand to answer questions. Event is free and open to the pubic. Downtown streets close at 4 p.m.

MEET JAMES MONROE

The fourth annual benefit for Boulder Crest Retreat features live music, barbecue, beer, wine and a silent auction. Tickets are $100 per person.

ECHO TENNIS CLASSIC Sunday, June 4, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; Ida Lee Tennis Center, 60 Ida Lee Drive SW, Leesburg. Details: echoworks.org This annual mixed-doubles tournament is a fundraiser for Every Citizen Has an Opportunity, which supports adults with developmental disabilities. $45 entry fee includes lunch.

ON STAGE ROCK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL BENEFIT CONCERT

Saturday, June 3, 7-9 p.m.; Aldie Mill Historic Park, 39401 John Mosby Highway, Aldie. Details: novaparks.com

Friday, June 2, 7-9:30 p.m.; Rock Ridge High School,43460 Loudoun Reserve Drive, Ashburn. Contact: rockridgetrim@gmail.com

Living history interpreter James “Jay” Harrison embodies the fifth president with a look back at his career and retirement at Oak Hill near Leesburg. Tickets are $20 and advance purchase is required.

Rock Ridge’s Tri-M music honor society presents “Music Around the World,” featuring culturally diverse student performances to benefit VH-1’s Save The Music Foundation. Admission is $5 at the door.

FUN FOR A CAUSE BOULDER CREST HOEDOWN FOR OUR HEROES Saturday, June 3, 5-9 p.m.; The James A. Clark Lodge, 18370 Bluemont Village Lane, Bluemont. Details: bouldercrestretreat.org

THE ROGUES WITH LOUDOUN SYMPHONIC WINDS Saturday, June 3, 7:30 p.m.; John Champe High School, 41535 Sacred Mountain St., Aldie. Details: lcbandinc.org This national touring group, known as America’s Celtic band, joins LSW for an

‘SWAN LAKE’

Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com The former guitarist for New Orleans’ Dirty Dozen Brass Band, McLean is now the front man for his own Americana, roots and rock ‘n’ roll band. No cover.

Saturday, June 3, 5 p.m.; Northern Virginia Community College Loudoun Campus Waddell Theater, 21200 Campus Drive, Sterling. Details: avemariaballet.org The Ave Maria Academy of Ballet presents Tchaikovsky’s classic, starring studio owner Maria Koo. Tickets are $20-$30.

LIVE MUSIC: SLIPPERY WHEN WET BON JOVI TRIBUTE Saturday, June 3, 7 p.m.; Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyhotheater.com The best of the ’80s icon from a dead ringer—both in looks and musical style. Tickets are $15 in advance.

NIGHTLIFE LIVE MUSIC: JANET EMMA & SEVEN WEST

LIVE MUSIC: THE BLUES BUCKETS

Friday, June 2, 8 p.m.; Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St, Purcellville. Details: monksq.com

Saturday, June 3, 8:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com

The alt-country powerhouse led by Janet Emma Garbe is joined by Kevin Dudley, Michael Aubin, Colin Thompson and special guest Tony Denikos for what promises to be a full-on hootenanny.

Texas and Chicago-style rhythm and blues from a Virginia favorite. No cover.

SIP AND GROOVE LIVE MUSIC: PETE LAPP

LIVE MUSIC: 80S NIGHT WITH THE REAGAN YEARS Friday, June 2, 7 p.m.; Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyhotheater.com

Sunday, June 4, 1:30-4:30 p.m.; The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton, Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

The region’s favorite 80s tribute band plays the best in pop, rock, new wave and heavy metal. Tickets are $15 in advance.

Lapp is a winery circuit favorite, specializing in acoustic interpretations of classic and alternative rock songs from Bon Jovi to Foo Fighters.

LIVE MUSIC: JAMIE MCLEAN BAND MORE TO DO >> 35

Friday, June 2, 8:30 p.m.; Smokehouse

Tarara Winery 13648 Tarara Lane, Leesburg, VA

Class of 2017

Saturdays, 6:00pm-9:30pm Gates Open at 5:00pm Tickets - $15 online or $20 at the gate tarara.com/2017concertschedule

June 3 - The Reflex (Ultimate 80s Band) June 10 - Dave Mathews Tribute Band (Who Doesn't Love Dave?) June 17 - Boy Band Review (Synchronized Dancing and Harmonizing at Its Finest)

evening of lively tunes. Tickets are $15.

Visit http://www.loudoungifted.org/college for more information on our one-of-a-kind college admissions program.

June 24 - New Romance (Ultimate 80s Band) July 1 - LoVeSeXy (Prince Tribute)

Picnics are encouraged. Food is available for purchase. No outside alcohol is permitted. No pets allowed. Blankets and Chairs are recommended. All Concerts are Rain or Shine. Tarara Summer Concert Series is Produced and Managed by Events by Bow Tie A Division of Bow Tie Strategies.

[ THINGS TO DO ] LIVE MUSIC: STEVE GEORGE AND FRIENDS Friday, June 2, 6 p.m.; Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Purcellville. Details: doukeniewinery.com Enjoy an evening of classic rock and country favorites at Doukenie’s weekly bistro night. Food from Mediterranean Breeze will be available for sale.

Don’t Miss the Show

HILLSBORO MUSIC IN THE GAP: JOEY AND THE WAITRESS Friday, June 9, 6:30, lawn opens, 7:30, music begins; Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Purcellville. Details: oldstoneschool.org The Town of Hillsboro launches its new weekly summer concert series, with concerts most Friday evenings through Aug. 25. Concerts are free. Food, beer, wine and ice cream will be available for sale.

THE VALLEY DRIFTERS

THE REFLEX

June 2 @ 5:30-8:30 p.m. TGIF @ North Gate Vineyard northgatevineyard.com

June 3, 6-9 p.m. Tara Summer Concert Series tarara.com/concerts

U.S. ARMY BAND BRASS QUINTET June 5, 6–7 p.m. The George C. Marshall House georgecmarshall.org

ACOUSTIC ON THE GREEN: TODD WRIGHT Saturday, June 10, 7-9 p.m.; Leesburg Town Green, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: acousticonthegreen.com One of the region’s best-loved concert series kicks off with noted local singer/ songwriter Todd Wright, with special guest Kim Pittinger. The event is free and open to the public. Pets, alcohol and smoking are prohibited.

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COMING UP

June 1 – 7, 2017

<< FROM 34

Saturday, June 3 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Contact: Lindsay (703) 770-9723

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Loudoun Now Classified

[OBITUARIES]

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In Memoriam David Alexandre (“Alex”) Cudaback (1974 – 2017)

Alex Cudaback, a communications advisor who worked passionately with clients to explore the economic, social and cultural impact of technology, died in Falls Church, VA on Monday, May 22. He attended St. Mark’s School in Southborough, MA and Denison University in Granville, OH, where he majored in creative writing. Among his many achievements, he was a driving force behind the creation and operations of the Computerworld Smithsonian Awards Program and the Computerworld Honors, the University of North Carolina Journalism School’s Knowledge Trust, and the Loudoun Laurels. Following his experience as a co-founder of the Jamestown Exploration Company in VA, and serving as an executive director at Techonomy Media in NY, Alex founded Promethean Communications. Alex is survived by his wife Margaret Clare and son N. Finnegan of Leesburg, VA, his father David of New York City, his stepfather Dan Morrow of Reston, VA, his sister Peyton of Philadelphia, and his stepmother Diane Hersey and stepbrother Cannon Hersey of New York City. He was predeceased by his mother, Glenda Cudaback Morrow. Those who care to make a donation in his name are encouraged to contribute to the Animal Welfare Institute. A memorial service to honor Alex’s life is planned to be held at a later date.

[ D E AT H N O T I C E S ] Eloise C. Bury, 91, of Winchester, VA, Captain Meyer will be buried at Arlington

formally of Loudoun County, VA died peacefully on Tuesday, May 23, 2017. Eloise was predeceased by her husband of 55 years, John R. (Jack) Bury, Jr. She is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Carol and Steve Williams, of Belleview, FL, son and daughter-in-law Rick and Mary Bury, of Machiasport, ME, and daughter and son-in-law Susan and David Saxton, of Berryville, VA. She is also survived by her 7 grandchildren and 9 great-granddaughters. Graveside service was held May 30, 2017 at Hillsboro Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be sent to the following organizations American Heart Association: donatenow. heart.org/ The Arthritis Foundation: arthritis.org (then click donate) The Epilepsy Foundation of Virginia: epilepsyva.com/donate

Jane Virginia Bridge, of Winchester,

VA and formerly of Purcellville, VA, died May 15, 2017 in Heritage Hall at the age of 80. She is survived by her husband of 63 years Charles L. Bridge of Winchester, VA; son Michael Bridge of Hillsboro, VA; Susan Linden Maggard of Airmont, VA; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A funeral service was held May 18th. Interment followed in Hillsboro Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be given to the Purcellville Rescue Squad.

Captain Meyer was born on a small

June 1 – 7, 2017

Isabelle Duval

farm near Oak Center, Minnesota. He is survived by his wife, Linda Meyer; sons, Richard and Robert Meyer; daughter, Lyn Holmes; step-daughters, Nicole Galletta and Michelle Workman; and a total of 10 grandchildren. Following his retirement from the Navy he started a second career in Real Estate in Northern Virginia where he remained active until his “2nd Retirement” in 2008. Captain and Mrs. Meyer and most of their family have been Northern Virginia residents for many years.

National Cemetery. Donations can be made to Adler Center, 24419 Millstream Drive, Aldie, VA 20105.

Isabelle Duval, 41, of Winchester, Virginia, died Tuesday, May 16, 2017 in Washington, DC. Ms. Duval was born June 1, 1975 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the daughter of Pierre Duval and Yvette Gervais Duval. She was a graduate of James Madison University. She was a dog handler who was devoted to the care and affection of all the dogs she attended. Surviving with her husband, Raymond P. Jones Jr. of Leesburg, VA are her parents of Winchester, VA; a paternal grandfather, Marcel Duval of Montreal, Canada; a brother, Stephan Duval of Lansdowne, VA; a sister, Julie Duval of Winchester, VA; and her devoted blue pit, Luna. Services will be private and held at a later date. Arrangements are being handled by Enders & Shirley Funeral Home, Berryville. To view the obituary and send condolences online, please visit endersandshirley.com.

To Place an Obituary, Memoriam or Death Notice Contact: Lindsay Morgan (703) 770-9723 lmorgan@loudounnow.com

Fountains of Living Water

(Non-denomination, Full Gospel)

Meeting at: Sterling Middle School 201 W. Holly Ave. Sterling,VA 20164 Sunday 10:15am www.fountainsoflivingwater.org (703) 433-1481 “Whoever believes in me (Jesus)... streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7:38

Call To Worship In Print & In Our Online Resource Directory Contact: Lindsay Morgan (703) 770-9723

Part-Time Spanish Teacher Loudoun Country Day School

Email resume to employment@lcds.org

Hiring? Share the opportunity in LoudounNow We’ve Got You Covered

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[ OPINION ]

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Expanding Opportunities With the amount of effort Loudoun school district leaders have devoted to providing state-of-the-art opportunities to STEM and vocational students, it came as a surprise last week that the county lags behind its peers in another important area. In a region where so many residents have participated in military service, Loudoun has relatively few offerings for young people interested in careers in the armed forces. About 200 students participate in the Navy JROTC program housed at Loudoun County High School and many more are turned away, school leaders said last week. On its face, that situation may not be surprising; many of the school district’s specialized programs have more demand than space. However, a look across the county border indicates that

[ LETTERS ]

other school systems are doing more to prepare students for these important careers. Prince William County, with relatively

A Regional Solution

the same enrollment as Loudoun, operates nine JROTC pro-

Editor: Your recent article concerning possible improvements to Rt. 15 North is worthy of further exploration. That there is a problem no one can deny, but solutions and root causes are a different matter. I am of the firm opinion that we cannot build ourselves out of this situation. We’ll spend millions to ameliorate the current situation but, if the past is any guide, we will take minimal action to address volume and thus the problem will invariably grow. For instance, when zoning allows for a large suburban development to be dropped in the middle of nowhere such as was done on St. Clair Lane north of Lucketts and continues unabated along the corridor, the resulting gridlock is completely predictable. Apparently, we can’t do much about the traffic flowing over the river from Maryland but we can and should do something about the zoning between Leesburg and Point of Rocks. The county’s “rural hamlet” approach may be working elsewhere but it’s too permissive for this historic byway. Leesburg is the chokepoint and traffic enhancements without concurrent initiatives to reduce volume will be pointless. Another impact of volume is road noise. The roar of traffic off the bypass, especially from big trucks, can be heard clearly and unpleasantly well into the heart of downtown. It was nearly 20 years ago, I reckon, that I sat in a meeting where the late Powell Harrison advocated for another bridge across the Potomac. Although a great preservation and environmental advocate, he was pilloried for his sug-

grams. Larger Fairfax County offers eight. Loudoun has one. Establishing a new program in space that will become available at Dominion High School once the new Academies of Loudoun campus opens is a good start to addressing the demand. Just as school leaders should be working closely with representatives of Loudoun’s high-tech companies to develop the curriculum and training opportunities to be offered at the academies, there is an ample pool of military talent available to help expand JROTC offerings. In both educational offerings, there are more than tax dollars available to help them succeed. On Monday, many in the community paused to reflect on the commitment and sacrifice demonstrated by America’s military men and woman over the course of the nation’s history. Expanding the training opportunities for students at the high school level is one more way to honor that calling.

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Published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC 15 N. King St., Suite 101 • Leesburg, VA, 20176 PO Box 207 • Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723 Norman K. Styer Editor nstyer@loudounnow.com Danielle Nadler Managing Editor dnadler@loudounnow.com Margaret Morton Senior Writer mmorton@loudounnow.com Renss Greene, Reporter rgreene@loudounnow.com

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gestion. I’m starting to see, however, that we do indeed need to do something significant to take the pressure off Leesburg. I don’t know if another bridge at a different location is the answer or even feasible (given all the infill above Rt. 7 and Rt. 28) but it seems we need to ask Maryland back to the table and deal with the facts as they currently exist. Like Loudoun, Montgomery and Frederick counties both have a stake in this, albeit for different reasons, and a fair-minded regional solution is worth revisiting. The alternative is ill-conceived partial solutions to “fix” Rt. 15 that will deliver no lasting improvement and destroy what charm remains. — Scott Billigmeier, Leesburg

Be Involved Editor: Recently, we have been hearing a lot about what the developers, their friends and their hired consultants want. They want more single-family houses. They see our future as houses covering all of Loudoun from border to border. But what do the people of Loudoun want? They have spoken clearly during the Envision sessions, and they have spoken clearly to the researchers from UVA in a recent survey. In the Envision sessions residents of Loudoun provided almost 5,000 individual statements. They said: • We want to preserve and protect what makes Loudoun special and unique—our convenient suburban neighborhoods and our spectacular rural and historic ambiance; • We want to keep our open green space and we want more parkland and LETTERS >> 41

Correction In last week’s article, “Supervisors Say Dulles Greenway Not Following Agreement,” the quote beginning, “If they verify the same thing again…” is misattributed. It was said by Supervisor Tony R. Buffington Jr. (R-Blue Ridge), who, with Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles), brought the Board Member Initiative in question. Loudoun Now regrets the error.

[ LETTERS ]

— Mitch Diamond, Round Hill

Major Changes Editor: The following three major changes need to be made during the ongoing work on the Loudoun County Comprehensive Plan in order to save West-

— Henry Plaster, Bluemont

We Can Do It Editor: Regarding Mr. Ihara’s letter to the editor, “Mischaracterized,” in the latest edition of Loudoun Now, he states, “I

must admit to being surprised at the venous responses to my letter on the passage of the Republican Healthcare bill. They were penned by M.B. Crenshaw of Aldie and Dale Everett of Ashburn, and testimony to the blind, rigid partisanship and the depths to which our political discourse has fallen lately.” In this sentence alone he proves he is a hypocrite since he wrote far and away the most venomous and partisan letter involved in this matter. Please note that I did not attack Mr. Ihara in any personal way and simply pointed out that it would behoove all of us to wait for the finished bill before rendering a decision of its value. Mr. Ihara is dead wrong when he says, “The ACA has flaws that need to be addressed, but it does not set insurance premiums.” Just exactly how does he think the insurance industry sets its premiums. They base premiums on the medical procedures and provisions that they must cover in accordance with the medical requirements and procedures established by the ACA. Thus, premiums flow directly from the mandatory requirements established by the ACA. While I have never held such an exalted position as a member of the leadership staff in the U.S. Senate and certainly have never been an active participant in several conference committees, I did learn many useful things while growing up on a farm in Oklahoma (I’m just a good only country boy). One of those is, “you can’t make chicken salad out of chicken manure.” There is no fix that will make the ACA acceptable to the American people.

Mr. Ihara also states that the many derogatory comments he made in his first letter were among the findings of the analysis of the Congressional Budget Office, “the accepted nonpartisan referee on proposed legislation.” I should not need to point out that the CBO has been very wide of the mark in its analysis of many government programs and it is wrong at least as often as it is right. In addition, the CBO must work with the data and information it is given and this often leads to totally erroneous conclusions. Again, from an old country boy it appears to me that information provided by the CBO is as useful as teats on a boar hog. In closing, I would like to address something that most Americans seem to miss: The ACA and the ACHA only apply to approximately 11 percent of the American people. All others are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, employer plans, etc. and are not covered by the ACA/ACHA. Of this 11 percent, the CBO has forecasted that 23 million will not be insured by the Republican bill as now written. My opinion is that most of these will be young adults who do not want nor will they buy insurance since they are relieved of having to do so by the Republican bill. Let’s get about coming up with a bill that will satisfy the needs of these few who are left without insurance. We can do it and I hope it can be bipartisan. — Dale Everett, Ashburn

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recreatonal space; • We want our terrible traffic problems solved; and • We want the promise of Metro fulfilled with vibrant urban spaces and great new forms of housing. And, in the UVA survey, the people of Loudoun said too much growth is our worst problem; too much traffic is our second worst problem; we love our convenient suburban communities; and we love our rural landscape. The people of Loudoun clearly did not say they want more single-family houses covering the county, bringing more traffic, covering more green space and damaging our rural and historic landscape. Don’t let the special interests define our future. If you agree with the many who participated in these surveys and discussions, you need to tell our leaders what you want. Come to the Envision sessions in June and demand clear goals for Loudoun that address our problems and preserve what we love. Write or call your supervisors and tell them what is important to you. Be involved.

ern Loudoun County: 1. Delete the Agricultural Residential District 1 (AR-1) and combine it with Agricultural Residential District 2 (AR-2), i.e., all of western Loudoun County would come under the requirements for AR-2. Why should there be two separate districts, one allowing more houses than the other? 2. Delete all references to “clustering.” The idea of clustering new houses was originally conceived (naively) as a means of conserving “open space.” It has turned out to be a very bad idea. Why should a developer be allowed to build four times as many houses if he is allowed to spread them out (cluster them?) anywhere he wishes? A cluster was never defined; neither was “open space” adequately defined. 3. Delete Minor Special Exceptions. Why should some land owner wanting to convert his property into an events center not have to go through a normal Special Exception process? The new Comprehensive Plan needs to strengthen the requirements/limitations of what an events center is before they engulf western Loudoun County. Realistically, does Loudoun County have the intestinal fortitude to do any of the above?

June 1 – 7, 2017

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n today’s world, the Constitution is more relevant than ever, with almost daily headlines in many hot areas ranging from gun rights, abortion and freedom of religion to the power of the President and the division of war powers. Welcome to a new column on the Constitution of the United States. Americans can truly be proud of this amazing document, which has endured for more than 200 years and has safeguarded the country through thick and thin. Each column will look at one of today’s most urgent Constitutional topics, and explain how our Supreme Court has interpreted it. My goal is to explain the Constitution without taking sides or offering political opinions. I have taught Constitutional Law at Georgetown Law Center for more than 20 years, and my hope is that over time this column will give the reader a solid understanding of our nation’s most important document.

Here are some key facts about the Constitution. The Oldest Constitution. Drafted in

The People’s Constitution BY BEN LENHART Philadelphia in 1787, the Constitution is now 230 years old and is widely regarded as the oldest written constitution in the world in use today. While a few countries (such as England) have older documents that form part of their founding principles, no country has an older constitution still in use contained in a single written document. Short and Stable. At just 10 pages the Constitution is stunningly short, especially when its goal is nothing less than laying out the fundamental governing principles for our nation. It gets right to the point. For example, many books have been written on freedom of speech, but the Constitution cuts to the

chase by stating: “Congress shall pass no law … abridging the freedom of speech.” Those 10 words are a core part of what it means to be an American. With very few exceptions, Americans can say what we want even if it means sharply criticizing those in power. In many countries around the world, you would be thrown in jail or worse if you dared to criticize the President or other powerful leaders, but in the U.S., that right is fiercely protected by the Constitution. The Constitution is remarkably stable. The Bill of Rights—the first 10 Amendments—was added in 1791, very soon after ratification. Since then, the Constitution has been changed a mere 17 times in more than 225 years. Two of those 17 Amendments banned and then “un-banned” “intoxicating liquors,” four of the Amendments extended voting rights, and many of the other amendments dealt with election procedures and political succession. Two of the most significant Amendments resulted from the Civil War, with the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery, and the 14th Amendment—probably the most important Amendment since the Bill of Rights—ensuring that all Americans would have equal protection of the law and due process of law (more on these in later columns). Virginia’s Big Role. Virginians can be doubly proud of the Constitution—no state played a bigger role in shaping our founding document. Key Virginians include George Washington (who presided over the Constitutional Convention), Thomas Jefferson (whose ideas on liberty and small government were important influences in forming the Constitution), George Mason (who attended the Constitutional Convention as Virginia delegate and demanded that the Constitution include a list of fundamental rights), and, last but not least, James Madison (who had a leading role in drafting the Constitution and is often called the “Father of the Constitution”). Other Virginians who influenced the Constitution or its ratification include Patrick Henry, Edmund Randolph and Richard Henry Lee. With its outsized role, Virginia could easily be called the “Constitution State” (although Connecticut has already claimed that mantle). The Second Constitution. Our current Constitution is actually our second.

Our first, the Articles of Confederation, was ratified in 1781 and replaced by the current Constitution in 1788. Its short lifespan can be chalked up to its many shortcomings: no executive or judicial branches, no effective way for the federal government to collect adequate revenue, no real power to enforce a “common market” among the states, and no Bill of Rights. These flaws were all fixed in the new Constitution. Slavery. As great as our Constitution is, it is not perfect, and one of its most glaring flaws is slavery. While the word “slavery” appears nowhere in the Constitution, there are no less than four provisions in the Constitution dealing with slavery, and in fact slavery is singled out for favorable treatment in Article Five, which prohibits any amendment that would ban the importation of slaves prior to 1808. Many founding fathers fought to abolish slavery, or at least to eliminate its recognition in the Constitution, but those efforts failed in the face of intense political pressure in the opposite direction. In the end, most of those involved came to realize that for the new Constitution to have any chance of ratification, they would need to compromise on slavery. The question of slavery would finally be resolved 70 years later in the bloodiest war in nation’s history. Liberty. Liberty is a central principle enshrined in the Constitution, and is guaranteed by the very fabric of the Constitution. The 5th and 14th Amendments promise that your “liberty” can’t be taken away without due process of law. The Preamble tells us that a core purpose of the Constitution is to secure the “blessings of liberty.” The Constitution separates the powers of government into different branches and gives each branch checks and balances over the others. It does this to avoid tyranny, corruption and the unjust exercise of power, but in so doing it also protects the liberty of each American. But liberty is not free, and is often the first victim to fall when the dictator takes power or the rule of law is lost—a lesson taught time and again by troubled nations around the globe. That is why Americans must be eternally vigilant in protecting and upholding our Constitutional safeguards. Without them, we risk losing the fundamental rights and liberties that we have come to take for granted in America. Ben Lenhart is a graduate of Harvard Law School and has taught Constitutional Law at Georgetown Law Center for more than 20 years. He lives with his family and lots of animals on a farm near Hillsboro.

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