Loudoun Now for Oct. 5, 2017 by Loudoun Now

LoudounNow LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE

[ Vol. 2, No. 48 ]

[ loudounnow.com ]

Another old school could get new life

[ Oct. 5 – 11, 2017 ]

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Vineyard workers pick the bounty at Fabiolli Cellars north of Leesburg. The late-season heat has made for a challenging harvest, but it may ultimately mean tastier wine.

Winemakers Wary of Fall’s Fickle Weather BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

he balmy start to fall may have prolonged the days of shorts and tank-tops, but it also had Loudoun’s winemakers on edge. The cool temperatures in August, followed by the hot September, made for some challenges this harvest season.

At Bluemont Vineyard, the first white grapes were ready for harvest on Sept. 11, about 10 days behind schedule. That left little time to turn around and begin the harvest for the red grapes, which is underway now. “It’s really kind of become a bit of spreadsheet management harvest,” said Scott Spelbring, winemaker at Bluemont Vineyard. “We started harvesting white grapes later than normal. Typically, we tend to see a

lot of whites come through and then a little bit of a lull where we can put those to bed and reset the processes for reds, but now they’re coming right on the heels of each other. So [the harvest is] slightly more condensed.” Doug Fabbioli, winemaker and owner of Fabbioli Cellars, said the unseasonably warm conditions in the HARVEST >> 47

Lansdowne Infant Fatality Case to End in Guilty Pleas BY NORMAN K. STYER There will not be a jury trial in the case against the driver charged with killing a Lansdowne infant who was being pushed through a crosswalk in a stroller last year.

There may not be a trial at all. Last month, a Loudoun Circuit Court judge approved prosecutors’ request to drop an involuntary manslaughter charge against the driver, John Miller. Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman

! LE W A O S N N O

said that while investigators initially believed Miller was distracted by his phone when he struck and killed 5-month-old Tristan Schulz, forensic studies turned up no evidence to support that theory. To win an involuntary manslaughter

conviction, prosecutors must prove that the driver’s conduct was “so gross, wanton, and culpable as to show a reckless disregard of human life.” Without that

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3 Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

Faulty brakes may be to blame for food truck crash

Union Street School’s Rebirth Moves One Step Closer

BY DANIELLE NADLER

he historic two-story building on Union Street, with its chipped paint and sloped floors, carries the stories of close to 150 years of education in Leesburg. It served as an education hub for the county’s black students from the early 1880s to 1958, first as the Leesburg Training School, Leesburg Colored School, and later as Douglass Elementary School. For the past 75 years, the school system has used it for storage. But school leaders are now taking steps to see that it is restored and returned to the students who spent their formative years there. A committee of the School Board is recommending that

the school system begin the complicated process of handing over the historic school building to the Douglass Alumni Association and the Loudoun Freedom Center. The community organizations have said they want to restore the building and reopen it as a museum of sorts, displaying artifacts on black education in Loudoun and a “Hall of Fame” that tells the stories of the teachers who taught at the school and the students who attended. The long-term plan also includes retrofitting part of the property for a preschool that focuses on STEM (science, technology, education and math) and a program that teach-

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Countywide ‘book club’ reads refugee’s memoir

UNION STREET >> 40

Schools Partner with Mental Health Pros for Wellness Symposium BY DANIELLE NADLER

Ann Masten, author and professor of child development at the University of Minnesota, will speak about resiliency at the Oct. 14 Navigating the Path to Student Wellness program.

Loudoun Gov..................... 6 Leesburg......................... 10 Public Safety................... 14 Education........................ 18 Nonprofit......................... 22 Biz.................................. 24 Our Towns....................... 28 LoCo Living..................... 32 Obituaries....................... 40 Public Notices................. 41 Classifieds...................... 41 Opinion........................... 44

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WELLNESS >> 39

INDEX

The surging suicide rate among Loudoun County’s teens has community members joining forces to talk about life-saving solutions. Loudoun County Public Schools is putting on a first-of-its-kind symposium for parents and other community members called Navigating the Path to Student Wellness. The free event is from 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, at Riverside High School, 19019 Upper Belmont Place in Lansdowne. While the symposium is the result of months of planning from the school system’s Pupil Services Department, organizers say that suicide—and general student wellness—is a community-wide concern that calls for a com-

munity-wide solution. With that idea at the forefront, the half-day program will feature speakers from private and public health providers, nonprofit organizations and law enforcement, as well as psychologists and social workers who work in Loudoun’s public schools. “We want parents and other community members to have knowledge about mental health and wellness strategies that support their children and build resiliency,” Kealy said. “It’s a complex word, but if we can build resiliency in students, they will be able to deal with bullying, suicide issues, substance abuse, and social and academic stresses that life throws at them.” Attendees can choose from more than

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

The building at 20 Union Street in Leesburg served the county’s black students from the early 1880s to 1958. It’s since been used for storage, but the school’s alumni have plans to make it an educational hub once again.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Could data centers desert Loudoun?

Oct. 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11, 2017

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Morven Park Moves On

Courtesy of Morven Park

Morven Park, run by the Westmoreland Davis Charitable Foundation, is undergoing a change in leadership.

Plans will continue with the core programs at Morven Park, including the civics partnership with Loudoun County Public Schools begun under previous Executive Director Frank Milligan; the robust preservation program headed by Jana Safajog; the field sports, this summer’s popular Polo in

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the Park program; and the extensive building and grounds work that will see five new arenas built at Morven Park. Also, steeplechase racing will return next fall. mmorton@loudounnow.com

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After the sudden firing of Stephanie Kenyon as Morven Park’s executive director last month, the board of directors has appointed Morven Park COO Cheryl Williams as its interim director. Clark Davis, president of the Westmoreland Davis Charitable Foundation Board of Trustees, in a Sept. 27 interview, said the pubic should be assured “our direction has not changed” at the historic estate just north of Leesburg. He said Williams would serve as the Morven Park head until the board decides how to move forward. Davis declined to comment further on Kenyon’s sudden firing. Kenyon was terminated after serving almost two years at the helm of the

nonprofit that operates the estate. “We were in shock,” Leesburg attorney and Loudoun Fairfax Hunt Master David H. Moyes said on first hearing the news. He and other leading equestrians said they had been impressed by Kenyon’s stewardship of Morven Park and her outreach to a wider audience for the estate. The trustees’ decision “was a surprise,” Kenyon said in a phone call, describing her termination as “without cause,” but she ended her stay at Morven Park on a positive note. “We parted amicably, and I wish them well,” she said. “I’m proud of my nearly two years here—we’ve made an awful lot of progress—welcoming back equestrians and the wider community—I’m proud of that.”

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Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Larry Stipek points to a map marking places people in his office have visited—although most of those pins are his.

27 Years Later, Loudoun’s Chief Mapper Retires

BY RENSS GREENE arry Stipek isn’t the guy who started Loudoun County’s high-tech mapping program, but he’s pretty close. Over his career with Loudoun, the soft-spoken geographer has overseen the county’s Geographic Information System’s growth from a way to keep track of environmental resources, like streams and trees, to become the backbone supporting work in almost every county department. He retired on Friday. Loudoun first bought GIS software in 1986, one of the first counties in the nation to do so. Stipek, who joined in 1990, said the software immediately paid for itself when the county used it

to help site an expansion to the landfill on Evergreen Mills Road. “If you made the wrong decision, there’s a huge cost associated with that,” Stipek said. It also gave the county the first clear idea of where things actually were. Loudoun has very old parcels of land, some surveyed by George Washington himself. But between age and the tools used at the time, those maps could be far from accurate. Early in Stipek’s career at Loudoun, the mapping department launched into a three-year effort to correct the land records. “A parcel had to be in the right place, it had to be within, I think, 15 percent of its recorded size, obviously it had to fit within the map,” Stipek recalled.

“And so we would research a whole bunch of parcels, and map them to those rules. If a surrounding parcel no longer fit within the rules, then we’d go research it.” Of course, that also meant that some property owners got a shock over what their property actually was. “There was a big debate at the time whether we wanted to release those on the world,” Stipek said. But the ultimate decision: there’s no better factcheck than publication. “You can’t think of a better quality control for your data than putting out to people,” said Mike Fauss, the GIS Land Records Manager. “Everybody MAPPER >> 9

County Leaders Wary of Data Center Exodus BY RENSS GREENE Loudoun’s Department of Economic Development is keeping an eye on the data center market to make sure it stays here in Loudoun. At a Board of Supervisors’ finance committee last month, supervisors considered lowering the property tax on computer equipment to forestall data center companies packing up for other counties and cities. Loudoun’s tax rate on computer equipment is $4.20 per $100 of assessed value. That’s competitive in Northern Virginia—Fairfax charges $4.57—but much higher than some competitors. Henrico County near Richmond recently lowered its tax on data centers to only $0.40, and Ohio and New York charge no computer equipment tax. State law also allows Loudoun to make a distinction in taxing general computer equip-

ment and data centers differently, which Henrico has done. Currently, Loudoun does not. Loudoun’s Economic Development Executive Director Buddy Rizer said his office will keep an eye on it, but there’s no need to act now. Loudoun has “a lot of advantages that they don’t.” “This has become the most important internet place in the market, or in the world,” Rizer said. “So if you have an Ashburn address or a Loudoun County address for your data center, everyone knows that you’re getting quality—you’re getting quality power, you’re getting quality services, you’re getting quality fiber, water that you know you can count on. … We’ve built everything that you could possibly want.” According to a report from the Department of Economic Development, the majority of expense and revenue in a data center comes not from the build-

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Loudoun’s Economic Development Executive Director Buddy Rizer estimates data centers bring in more than $9 of county revenue for every dollar the county government spends supporting them.

ing, but from the computer equipment inside. That equipment depreciates quickly on the tax rolls, and is replaced DATA CENTERS >> 8

The Loudoun Planning Commission has signed off on two applications to expand a natural g as pumping station off Evergreen Mills Road south of Leesburg. The property on Watson Road already includes a natural gas compressor station pumping gas through the pipelines that run underneath it. The applications are to add seven buildings and upgrade the equipment inside. The project faced opposition from neighbors and environmental groups, but found support among some other Loudouners, county planners, and the Planning Commission, who found the project fit in the county’s General Plan for the area. The project was approved through a commission permit, which if not overturned or affirmed by the Board of Supervisors within 60 days, becomes official approval.

Open Burning Law in Effect Effective through Feb. 14, 2018, open burning is permitted for the burning of leaves and trees, brush, yard and garden trimmings generated onsite, except in the town limits of Leesburg, Lovettsville, Middleburg, Purcellville, Round Hill, and subdivisions throughout the county. Fires must be reported to the Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center at 703-777-0637 prior to ignition and when the fire is extinguished. Fires must be attended at all times, with means to control and extinguish the fire. Open burning may be no closer than 50 feet from any structure and must pose no hazards to a roadway. Bonfires are allowed, provided that they consist of neatly piled seasoned wood, no more than five feet in diameter by five feet in height. The bonfire may be no closer than 50 feet from any structure. All land clearing or “pit burn” operations by contractors or land owners for development purposes must be approved by the Fire Marshal. Such burning of trees, stumps and brush will likely require a permit from the Fire Marshal’s Office and the State Air Pollution Control Board. The Loudoun County Fire Marshal may impose regulations at any time. For additional open burning information, call the Fire Marshal’s Office at 703737-8600 or go to loudoun.gov/ firemarshal. BRIEFS >> 7

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The next Loudoun County Business Hazardous Waste Collection Event is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 13. Businesses and organizations based in Loudoun County that qualify as “conditionally exempt small quantity generators” are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to dispose of their hazardous wastes at a reduced cost. The county covers the fees for contractor setup, material handling and hauling. Participants are only required to deliver their materials to the event and pay the disposal fee. Pre-registration by Monday, Oct. 9, is required in order to participate. To be eligible to participate in the Business Hazardous Waste Program, a business or organization must be located in Loudoun County; certify that it generates less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste and less than 2.2 pounds of acutely hazardous waste per calendar month; and certify that not more than 2,220 pounds or roughly five

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Construction Begins at Affordable Housing Community The first building permit for Kincora Village has been issued—to the Windy Hill Foundation’s project to build workforce housing at the future mixeduse development. The Windy Hill Foundation has been awarded more than $15 million in tax credit funding from the Virginia Housing Development Authority to build Heronview Apartments, 96 units of affordable workforce housing. It will be a 4-story, 120,000-square-foot apartment building with 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom apartments. They will be available for households making 50 percent of the area median income or less, with rents ranging from $915 to $1,135 per month. Heronview will also offer 10 fully handicap-accessible units available to households making 40 percent of area median income or less, with rents ranging from $505 to $965 per month. Numerous studies have found Loudoun critically short of housing for lower- and middle-income people. Most recently, an assessment of the needs of nonprofits in the county recommended Windy Hill coordinate the efforts to expand affordable housing options. Last year, Windy Hill estimated since 2006 the Virginia, DC, suburbs have received $358.32 million in housing grants. Only $17.62 million of that came to Loudoun—all for Windy Hill projects. In October 2017, the Loudoun Board of Supervisors revised the coun-

Data centers << FROM 6

people involved in the project gathered to celebrate the issuance of the building permit. Those included Andrea Gonzales, representing Flatiron Partners, co-owners and co-developers of Heronview Apartments; Edmund Delany, representing Capital One, tax credit investors, construction lender, and permanent lender; Kim Hart, consultant to Windy Hill Development Company; Mike Scott, representing NA Dulles Real Estate Investors, master developer of Kincora; Jackson Spivey, project superintendent; and Josh Nay, project manager, both representing KBS, the general contractor based in Richmond. Construction began Sept. 19 and will be completed before the end of 2018.

every three years—meaning data centers can very quickly shift to another jurisdiction if they find a better market. Data centers are a major leg of Loudoun’s budget. In fiscal year 2016, taxes on computer equipment brought more than $117 million to the county’s budget—while the data centers themselves put comparatively little burden on county resources. Although they can be power- and water-thirsty, they employ relatively few people at relatively high wages, meaning less impact on roads and schools. In this year’s budget, data centers are expected to bring in more than $155 million. The Department of Economic Development estimates they bring in more than $9 of county revenue for every dollar the county government spends supporting them. The finance committee directed Rizer’s office to keep an eye on the issue, but recommended no tax change at this time. The county government is currently facing down a major overhaul of its employee pay plan which is expected to stretch the county budget. “It’s a very difficult time for us to forgo a significant amount of revenue when we don’t have just the information I think we need to make that [decision,]” said Committee Chairman Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles).

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Windy Hill Foundation

From left, Andrea Gonzales, Edmund Delany, Kim Hart, Mike Scott, Jackson Spivey, and Josh Nay at the site of the future Heronview apartment building celebrate Kincora’s first residential building permit.

ty’s Affordable Dwelling Unit program to make it compatible with state and federal grant and financing requirements, opening the county to building more affordable housing. The Loudoun County Housing Office provided design assistance with HUD funding made available through the Community Development Block Grant Program. The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to forgive all County Building Permit and Land Use fees in related to the project. Heronview Apartments will be certified to platinum standards by Viridiant of Virginia for its earth-friendly design. Each unit will include ENERGY STAR energy-saving appliances and water-saving faucets and shower heads. At the building’s site, some of the

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knows everything about their own piece of property, and they are happy to tell you.” “What we decided was, OK, that’s fine, we’re going to release it to the world and if they find problems, we’ll fix them,” Stipek said. So Loudoun got its first-ever map accurate to modern standards. Now, that mapping is done in large part through aerial photography. Every year since 1979, Loudoun has commissioned new aerial photography of the entire county. The county also has historical aerial photography dating to 1937, and maps dating to 1853. Some are obtained from aerial photography firms downsizing and giving away their old film. One set of photographs from the 1950s came to the department through a fluke of good luck. “One of our former coworkers in another department walked in with an armful of aerial images he had found in a trash bin and asked if we want them,” said Kristin Brown, GIS Manager for the Development and Analysis Division. Today, the mapping is within feet or inches. It is also at the heart of almost every department. First responders’ computer-aided dispatch is built on the mapping department’s geographic information system. County planners and assessors use the department’s maps and databases. The department even shares data across the region. The

county’s GIS locates everything from streams, to fire hydrants, to zoning districts, to election districts. And the demand for the mapping department’s work only grows. “Three months ago, we had three web servers, and today we have 19, so the system is just growing exponentially,” Stipek said. The department is also rolling out more and more tools for Loudouners to use, like one to find out who is responsible for plowing the roads at a specific address. That’s at Loudoun. gov/roads. “One of the things Larry told me is that the data only have value if people can use it,” Brown said. With that legacy behind him, Stipek and his wife are off to do their favorite thing: travel. They have been to 60 countries together, and a world map in the office bristles with pins marking places he and the other mappers have visited. A glass cabinet is packed with proudly displayed souvenirs, sorted by tackiness. The Stipeks have seen pirates on the South China Sea, and been followed for two weeks by the Russian FSB. But for now: “We’re going to Chicago for Thanksgiving, and then Tennessee for Christmas, and then we go to Morocco in the spring,” Stipek said. “And then we go around the world.” He’ll see Fiji, Seoul, Kathmandu, Dubai, Bucharest, and London before coming back home to a place he knows better than anyone: Loudoun.

Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

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[ LEESBURG ]

[ BRIEFS ] VFW Celebrates 80 Years

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Loudoun County VFW Post 1177 in Leesburg is throwing a party on Saturday to mark its 80th anniversary. Veterans, their families and the community at-large are invited to the post at 401 Old Waterford Road, NW, for a day of food, music and comradery starting at 1 p.m. A formal program of remarks and speeches begins at 2 p.m. followed by music and a potluck supper until 5.

Cobb Theater Expansion Approved

Loudoun Now/File Photo

Downtown Leesburg bustles with activity on a weekday afternoon.

Inflexible Zoning, Regulations Cited as Key Obstacles in Leesburg

BY NORMAN K. STYER

n a series of weekly meetings through the summer, members of a town task force explored the challenges and opportunities facing the Leesburg business sector in unprecedented detail. The Leesburg Economic Development Steering Committee held nearly 20 hours of talks with property owners, business operators, developers and government representatives from near and far. The sessions often featured wide-ranging and frank conversations that aren’t possible in more formal settings where speakers frequently are limited in the length or focus of their remarks. The panel now is sorting through those comments to prepare a formal report for presentation to the Town Council by next month. Their recommendations will target updates to the economic development strategy outlined in the Town Plan—the panel’s central assignment from the Town Council—but will likely touch on other areas of town government, as well. What has been most surprising to the panel’s members is the commonality of issues raised by the various groups of speakers. That begins with optimism that Leesburg is on the cusp of something special. That is especially so in the downtown historic district, which has experienced a sharp increase in private sector investment—particularly in the restaurant industry—and in foot traffic. The popularity of the Crescent Place development on Harrison Street, brought new businesses to town, but also demonstrated the pent-up demand for housing within walking distance to the downtown core. But speakers agreed that building on—or even maintaining—that success would require significant work. At

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

A familiar sight through the summer, members of the Leesburg Economic Development Steering Committee huddle in the basement of Town Hall to meet with community representatives and staff members as they explore ways to promote economic growth in town.

the center of these concerns were the town’s zoning regulations, especially the Crescent Design District development rules, which developers said were cumbersome and unlikely to spur the type of redevelopment town leaders say they want in the areas around the historic district. “We heard that Leesburg’s zoning ordinances are outdated,” said Committee Chairwoman Sharon Babbin. “Opportunities are lost while we try to fix them piecemeal to respond to situations.” Other commonly cited challenges to sustaining economic growth downtown were shortages of workers and of parking, although there wasn’t agreement on whether the latter is a real or perceived problem. Creating opportunities for more affordable housing and the development of a public transportation system—one that is still running when restaurant workers end their shifts—were frequently suggested. Also, the investment made by the Fredrick, MD, government in building public parking garages was cited as an element in that community’s economic boom.

From the earliest meetings, it became clear that Leesburg continues to be hampered by a perception that it’s a difficult jurisdiction in which to do business. Speakers said the regulatory review processes are prolonged and provide an uncertain outcome—especially with so many decisions requiring approval by a Town Council that is frequently divided on development issues. As one developer put it, a single council member who “isn’t feeing it today” can derail years of work in a final vote. Another common theme was that the town was too rigid in its regulatory administration and that too often staff members feel unable to enact common sense solutions to even to address minor problems. The panel was created after the Town Council debated during its spring budget deliberations whether to earmark money to create a Main Street economic development organization in town. After meetings with representatives of jurisdictions that work with Main Street organizations and others that don’t, it remained unclear what the Leesburg committee would recommend on that topic. What was clear to members was that communities with robust businesses environments depend on public and private sector leaders working closely together. “We heard that the culture of the town government toward business leaders and development needs to be changed from ‘what will you do for the town’ to ‘what can we do together,’” Babbin said. “And to find ways to say ‘yes.’” The committee will continue to meet weekly through the month to finalize its report. Currently it is reviewing an 18-page summary of issues raised during its summer sessions. nstyer@loudounnow.com

The Village at Leesburg’s Cobb Theaters has received the green light from the Town Council to proceed with its expansion. The 13,000-square-foot expansion includes the construction of two more movie theaters, with an overall reduction of 100 seats in the complex. According to Scott Parker, senior planning projects manager, Cobb is planning to first renovate existing theaters and add larger seats. When complete, the total theater seating capacity will be 1,800. The additional square footage of the theater will be cantilevered over existing surface parking. No additional parking will be required because of the overall reduction in seats. Council members approved both a concept plan and proffer amendment and a special exception for Cobb to proceed with its expansion at its Sept. 26 meeting. The vote to approve both applications passed 6-0-1, with Councilman Tom Dunn absent.

LPD Plans Cop Chats The Leesburg Police Department is hoping to further engage the public with two events this month. On Thursday, Oct. 5, Chief Gregory Brown will be among those in attendance at Portside Coffee from 9-10 a.m. for “Coffee with a Cop.” It’s an opportunity for community members to get to know their officers, voice concerns or ask questions, and, of course, enjoy a cup of joe. Portside Coffee is located at 446 Madison Trade Plaza SE in the Crescent Place neighborhood. On Tuesday, Oct. 17, “Chat with the Chief ” will be held from 6:308:30 p.m. at department headquarters, 65 Plaza St. NE. Brown is inviting the public to come for an open community dialogue to help the department better learn about the needs and concerns of the town. For more information, contact Officer Sam Shenouda, the department’s public information officer, at 703-771-4538.

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Leesburg Airshow Takes Flight for an 8th Year

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The eighth annual Leesburg Airshow took off Saturday at the Leesburg Executive Airport. Everybody’s eyes were on the skies for the afternoon, watching performers in the flying circus, skydivers and other thrilling aerobatic demonstrations. Exhibits on the tarmac also offered plenty to see, including helicopters, biplanes and even a few classic cars.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

One of the Flying Circus’s wing walkers rides atop a plane as it makes a loop at the Leesburg Airshow.

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Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

One of the Flying Circus’s wing walkers returns to the ground to be greeted by a cheering crowd at the Leesburg Airshow.

Drew Essex, of Leesburg, poses with his 2-yearold daughter Emma at the Leesburg Airshow.

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[ PUBLIC SAFETY ]

Plowman: Sheriff Made ‘Untrue' Statement in Court Filing

BY RENSS GREENE declaration by Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman filed in federal court made a “partially untrue” statement to the court in describing a conversation between the two. Earlier this month, the attorney for Mark McCaffrey, the former Loudoun detective who is suing Chapman and the county government for wrongful termination asked for partial summary judgment, skipping a trial on certain facts of the case and proceeding directly to determining damages. McCaffrey claims he was not re-sworn as an act of political retaliation—and that that retaliation followed him after he left the Loudoun sheriff ’s office. Chapman’s attorneys argued against that in subsequent court filings, saying the defendants had not had “adequate time for discovery.” They argue federal court procedures prevents them from “being ‘railroaded’ into summary judgment by a ‘premature motion.’” “Indeed, Plaintiff has moved for summary judgment before Sheriff Chapman has even answered his Complaint,” Chapman’s attorneys wrote. Chapman argues that McCaffrey’s actions went beyond merely supporting Chapman’s political opponent in the Republican primary with a yard sign and a vote, and that despite his declarations McCaffrey “publicly expressed his dislike, disapproval, and criticism of Sheriff Chapman” to fellow officers and at least one crime victim’s family. Chapman’s attorneys also argued that as a lead major crimes detective, McCaffrey effectively had significant policymaking authority—a case Chapman must make to be protected by the doctrine of qualified immunity, which allows constitutional officers to fire employees in policymaking positions for political reason. In a sworn affidavit filed with those arguments,

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Sheriff Michael Chapman and Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman at a county Board of Supervisors Meeting in 2016

Chapman recounts a meeting with Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman. “I advised the [commonwealth’s attorney] that if Mr. McCaffrey was good at his job, he should have no problem getting hired locally by the Purcellville Police Department or the Leesburg Police Department, (LPD),” the affidavit reads. “The [commonwealth’s attorney] stated that McCaffrey might have problems getting hired by the LPD because he would have to take a polygraph examination.” McCaffrey’s response includes a declaration by Plowman, in which he said that was partially untrue. While he did have a meeting with Chapman after he was reelected in 2015—at the Leesburg IHOP—he says he did not make any statements about McCaffrey or a polygraph. “During that meeting I did express my displeasure that Mr. McCaffrey was not re-sworn because Mr. McCaffrey was the lead detective in one of the most high-profile murder cases in recent County history,” Plowman wrote, referring to the trial of Braulio M.

Castillo, who was later convicted of killing his wife and attempting to stage her death to look like a suicide. “I felt his unexplained dismissal could potentially jeopardize the integrity of the trial.” However, Plowman wrote: “At no time did I suggest that Mr. McCaffrey might have problems getting hired because he had to take a polygraph. I would have no reason to suggest that, and would have no reason to believe that Mr. McCaffrey would have any issue with polygraphs or any results therefrom.” Plowman would go on to hire McCaffrey to work in his office through the end of Castillo’s trial. Another declaration filed alongside that response adds a second former high-ranking officer to the people filing statements for the plaintiffs. According to his declaration, Marc Caminiti, a 27-year-veteran of the sheriff ’s office, recently retired as a captain and second-in-command of the Criminal Investigations Division. His declaration speaks to the control the county government exercises over the sheriff ’s purse strings, and adds his voice to the people testifying to McCaffrey’s good character. McCaffrey enjoyed consistent glowing performance reviews during his time in Loudoun, according to documents filed in the case. In early September, a declaration from former Lt. Col. Chris Harmison was also filed in support of McCaffrey’s case. Harmison was one of two chief deputies in the department, second in command to Chapman, and was not resworn at the same time as McCaffrey. Harmison also argued that McCaffrey did not have a policymaking position and that the county contributes the majority of the sheriff ’s funding each year and has authority and responsibility for his employment practices. The case is scheduled for a hearing Oct. 6 in federal district court in Alexandria. rgreene@loudounnow.com

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Did Brakes Fail in Food Truck Crash? BY NORMAN K. STYER The investigation is continuing into the Sept. 8 food truck crash that killed an Ashburn woman and seriously injured three of her family members. No charges have yet been filed. A key to the case will be the examination of the Dane’s Great American Hamburger food truck that slammed broadside into an Audi driven by Erin T. Kaplan, 39, at the intersection of Evergreen Mills Road and Watson Road. According to information submitted in support of search warrants, the driver of the food truck, which is a converted 2000 Thomas bus, told investigators the brakes failed on the vehicle. Prior to the crash, the food truck narrowly missed hitting students who were getting off a school bus on Watson Road. The food truck driver, Tony Dane, told investigators the brakes stopped

working as he approached the stopped school bus. He drove around the school bus, but was then unable to stop at the T-intersection at Evergreen Mills Road. Dane said he thought of crashing the food truck on the side of the road, but worried about his son and his son’s friend, both 16, who were riding in booth seats without restraints. In addition to permission to examine the food truck, a search warrant was executed to obtain video footage from the school bus camera system that is expected to show the food truck as it passed. Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman said he would meet with Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office investigators later to review the progress of the investigation and determine whether more evidence is needed.

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[ SAFETY BRIEFS ] Four Charged in Theft Spree Three adults and a juvenile have been charged in connection with an auto theft and vehicle tamperings case that occurred in Loudoun County last month. The suspects are believed to be connected to a series of larcenies and gunfire complaints in the region, according to the Sheriff ’s Office. On Sept. 11, Loudoun deputies responded to the area of Heather Mews Drive in the Grange at Willowsford neighborhood for a report of suspects entering vehicles. A vehicle reported stolen from Lady Fern Place in Ashburn was found in the area. A search, including use of the Fairfax County Police Department helicopter, ensued. Two suspects were located in the area. Justin E. Rubianes, 21, of Reston and the juvenile were charged with grand larceny auto theft; receiving stolen property, a firearm; and grand larceny from a vehicle. The continued investigation identified two additional suspects in the thefts. Onan G. Nunez, 19, of Ashburn, and Bryan H. Sandoval, 19, of Reston, also were charged with those three crimes. Since the initial incident, Loudoun detectives worked in coordination with the Fairfax County Police Department and conducted multiple search warrants in both Loudoun and Fairfax counties. The search warrants recovered multiple firearms, ammunition and other items that are believed to have been stolen from vehicles. In-

vestigators believe the suspects were involved in a series of larcenies over the past several months targeting vehicles in Loudoun and Fairfax. As part of the continuing investigation several more arrests have been made in Fairfax County. The case remains under investigation and additional arrests are likely, the agency reported.

dispute over money. Anyone with information on this suspect is asked to contact the department’s Homicide Unit at 301772-4925. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Leesburg Man Charged in Fatal Maryland Shooting

The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office is asking for the public’s help to identify the suspect in an auto theft and credit card fraud case. The suspect was caught on surveillance video in For- Asburn suspect est Hills, MD, driving a vehicle stolen from Chokeberry Square in Ashburn Farm and using credit cards that were stolen from a vehicle nearby on Powderhorn Court. The credit cards and the vehicle, a 2016 Honda HR-V, were both reported stolen sometime between Aug. 23 and Aug. 24. The suspect apparently stole the credit cards from a purse that was left in a vehicle parked in an open garage of a home. The Honda HR-V was parked in a parking space with the keys left inside. Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to contact Detective N. Campbell at 703-737-8707. You may

Cold Case Unit detectives in Prince Georges County have charged a Leesburg man with murder in a 2001 homicide in Temple Hills, MD. Antwan Green, 36, of Evans Green Ridge Terrace, is charged with firstand second-degree murder. Just before midnight on Oct. 9, 2001, patrol officers were called to Brinkley Road for the report of a shooting. They found 24-year-old Taj Noble, of Reston, in a field suffering from several gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Based on information from a witness, Prince Georges County detectives were able to identify Green as the main suspect. They said the fatal shooting may have stemmed from a

LCSO Seeks ID of Suspect in Ashburn Thefts

also submit a tip through the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office app.

Investigators Seek Suspect in South Riding Assault Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office detectives have released a composite sketch of the suspect involved in an assault last Tuesday in South Riding. The incident Pristers Assault happened at 9:40 a.m. Sept. 26 in the area of Priesters Pond Drive. According to the Sheriff ’s Office, a male suspect approached the victim from behind and struck her one time before fleeing on foot across a field near Sarazen Drive. The victim sustained minor injuries. The suspect was described as a white male, about 5-feet, 11-inches tall, with a stocky build and light, curly brown hair. He was wearing a dark or black polo shirt with white piping on the collar, dark tan or brown khaki pants and black shoes. Anyone with any information regarding the case is asked to call Detective S. Schochet at 703-777-0475. Tips may also be submitted through the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office app.

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[ E D U C AT I O N ]

Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

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Ivanka Trump greets students at Middleburg Community Charter School.

Trump Touts Coding at Middleburg Charter

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Juliana, a student at Middleburg Community Charter School, shows Ivanka Trump the coding work students have been doing in class.

BY RENSS GREENE resident Donald J. Trump’s daughter and White House advisor Ivanka Trump, Microsoft president Brad Smith, and Code.org founder Hadi Partovi came to Middleburg Community Charter School last week to talk about the importance of coding and computer science education in schools. “It is such an important, foundational skill for all of you to have, regardless of what you decide to do with your lives,” Trump told the students. “Technology is reinventing every industry.” The visit came two days after President Trump signed a memo instructing the Department of Education to spend $200 million every year “to the promotion of high-quality STEM [science, technology, engineering and

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Microsoft president Brad Smith talks with students at Middleburg Community Charter School.

math] education, including computer science in particular,” but does not come with any funding attached. “So that is very supportive, and it shows that this administration prioritizes this education as we think about creating amazing pathways to jobs to everyone in this room,” Ivanka Trump told the assembled 10- and 11-yearolds. Earlier last week, Ivanka Trump and Partovi were in Detroit to announce $300 million in funding for computer science education pooled from nearly a dozen large companies like Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and General

Motors. In the Middleburg classroom, every student had been learning to code through Code.org’s Hour of Code event—putting them among more than 100 million students worldwide, according to Partovi, or about one in every 10 students on the planet. “What that really means is, in most places that you go in the world, nine out of ten kids have not,” Smith said. “So you all have a head start, and I think that’s really exciting, because as Ivanka said, the future really is about boys and girls, it’s people of all backgrounds, people of every race.” “Most of your parents didn’t get a

chance to code or do computer science in school because computers were too new,” Partovi said. “And what’s happening in America right now—and all around the globe—is schools are deciding, we need to teach computer science just like we teach math, or English, or science or other things.” One enterprising student pulled Smith aside to give him her ideas for improving Minecraft—including creating different themes, such as under sea, in a forest, in the clouds, or in outer space, and other activities in the game like collecting coins in the game to spend on creations in-game. “I liked all of them except when she suggested that maybe we should have one world where everybody lived in sewage,” Smith laughed. “I was like, ‘I don’t know about that one.’ The rest, you sort of had me at hello.” As to whether those features could appear in the game: “You might be surprised. We’ll see. I mean we’re always taking in new ideas, and that’s one of the wonderful things about software— it can keep evolving, especially when you think about something like Minecraft.” The school gathered for a group photo with Trump, Partovi and Smith before they left. “We are fully committed to ensuring that every child across the country has the same access and same opportunity to STEM education that you’re so fortunate to get,” Trump said. rgreene@loudounnow.com

[ SCHOOL NOTES ]

Jeff Rounsley, an assistant principal at John Champe High School, has been named the principal of Willard Intermediate School. The Loudoun County School Board officially approved Rounsley for the post at its Sep. 26 meeting. His appointment is effective Nov. 1. Willard Intermediate School is scheduled to open for the 2018-2019 school year. For two years, it will operate as an intermediate school, housing grades eight and nine, while sixth and seventh graders attend Mercer Middle School, and 10th through 12th graders attend John Champe High School. If all goes as planned, in the fall of 2020, a

Loudoun’s Grad Rate Dips Slightly Loudoun County public high schools’ class of 2017 tallied an ontime graduation rate of 95.5 percent, according to the Virginia Department of Education. That graduation rate is slightly lower than the class of 2016’s, when 96.3 percent of the graduates completed high SCHOOL NOTES >> 21

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new high school (HS-9) will open and Willard will operate as a typical middle school. Rounsley will hold two Meet the Principal sessions on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The first will be from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Mercer Middle School, and the second from 7 to 8 p.m. at John Champe High School. Rounsley began his career as a social science teacher at Rocky Run Middle School in Fairfax County. He came to Loudoun County Public Schools as a social science teacher at Park View High School. He also worked for Loudoun’s Department of Instruction as a school improvement and student achievement programs coordinator prior to serving as one of the first assistant principals at John Champe High School when it opened in 2012. Rounsley holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in teaching from the University of Virginia. He earned a master of educational administration degree from George Mason University.

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Lucketts Elementary Gets Some Love

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Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Lucketts Elementary School, built in the 1970s, may be the next site for a classroom addition.

BY DANIELLE NADLER A “woo hoo” could be heard among the bystanders gathered for the School Board’s Finance and Facilities Committee last week. The committee voted unanimously to recommend that the full School Board request county funding to build a three-classroom addition at Lucketts Elementary School. The decision comes after parents and school staff members attended School Board meetings for the past five months to ask for more space. They held signs and lined up to speak at the meetings, detail-

ing just how crowded the 45-year-old building has gotten. “This is our art class at Lucketts. It’s a cart,” parent Alice Arnold told committee members during the Sept. 26 meeting. “As a teacher, it’s a little demeaning to teach from a cart.” She said, at this rate, her kindergartner will never get to experience an art or music classroom during her elementary years. As the school’s enrollment reached 321—the building was designed to hold 297—the art and music classroom was converted to a kindergarten classroom, so the art and music teach-

ers transport their supplies on carts. That means art and music take place in the general education classrooms, so grade-level teachers are left to spend their lunch and planning periods elsewhere. The teacher’s lounge is now used as a resource room where teachers give students remedial lessons, so teachers eat lunch on the stage in the gymnasium, while gym class is underway just beyond the stage curtain. “We have left no stone unturned when it comes to space,” Lucketts Elementary Principal Carolyn Clement told Loudoun Now in April. The plan being recommended by

the Finance and Facilities Committee would add three classrooms, for a cost of $3.1 million. As part of that plan, the school’s kindergartners may be temporarily reassigned to Waterford Elementary School in the fall of 2018. School Board Chairman Jeff Morse (Dulles) suggested that the board request that county supervisors allocate the money from fiscal year 2017 budget surplus. Supervisors had pressed School Board members to come up with a solution for Lucketts during a recent meeting of representatives of the two boards. E. Leigh Burden, assistant superintendent of Financial Services, agreed that would be a good option. “It is a small amount, relatively speaking, and it would relieve pressure on the CIP (Capital Improvement Program) as well.” If supervisors do not agree to earmark unspent fiscal year 2017 money for the project, the School Board will likely add the project to its Capital Improvement Program, which serves as a six-year road map for building projects. But, Morse noted, if supervisors OK spending fund balance on Lucketts, that means the project could be wrapped up months earlier because the money would be available in January. “I’m in support of that,” he said. The item will go before the full School Board at its Oct. 10 meeting. Board Vice Chairwoman Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) and Eric DeKenipp (Catoctin) also sit on the Facilities and Finance Committee. DeKenipp chairs the committee. dnadler@loudounnow.com

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[ SCHOOL NOTES ] school within four years. Still, Loudoun’s graduation rate was 4.4 points above the state average of 91.1 percent. The county ranked 18th among Virginia’s 131 school divisions in on-time graduation. Among the Northern Virginia divisions, only Falls Church City had a higher graduation rate, at 99.5 percent. Of Loudoun’s 5,419 graduates, 3,807, or 70 percent, achieved the rigorous standards for an Advanced Studies Diploma in 2017.

Loudoun County Public Schools is observing Virginia Farm to School Week. It is meant to highlight the relationship between local agriculture and schools that ensures fresh, local food is served in school cafeterias. Loudoun’s School Nutrition Services has created a number of partnerships with local farms. Several local farms provide produce to local public schools and, in some cases, the produce is served the same day it’s picked. The department’s most celebrated efforts was the creation of the Farmer Trading Cards, which feature Loudoun farmers. The farmers visit schools to sign their cards and teach students about agribusiness. To celebrate Farm to School Week,

The graduation rates by high schools were: • Briar Woods, 98.1 percent; • Broad Run, 97.9 percent; • Dominion, 89.8 percent; • Freedom, 99.1 percent;

Contributed

Loudoun students received trading cards featuring local farmers.

all across Virginia at 10 a.m. Wednesday, students and staff simultaneously took a bite of a Virginia apple. They

called it “The Crunch Heard ’Round the Commonwealth.”

• Loudoun County, 93.3 percent; • Loudoun Valley, 97.5 percent; • Park View, 83.4 percent; • Potomac Falls, 94.5 percent; • Riverside, 97.5 percent; • Rock Ridge, 98.4 percent; • Stone Bridge, 99.1 percent; • Tuscarora, 91.6 percent; and • Woodgrove, 97.5 percent.

Expo Features Simple Machines for Kids Golden Pond School will take over the parking lot of Whole Foods Market in Ashburn for its Simple Machines Expo on Saturday, Oct. 14. Golden Pond School, a private preschool and kindergarten in Ashburn, is hosting the free event. Owners Kathie and Stephen Burrell said the expo will bring the school’s “simple machines private kindergarten curriculum” to life. Young attendees can experiment with an array of simple machines, including a catapult, wheel and axle, pulley, balance board, inclined plane, and balance scale. The expo will also invite kids to peel their own apple snack with a simple machine, and take part in wheelbarrow and shopping cart relays. The Simple Machines Expo is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and geared toward children Wake ages 2 toup 8. with Whole Foods Market is at 19800 Belmont Chase Drive. More details can be found at goldenpondschool.com.

To ur C Lo ism ou u d Ev nty’ ou en s 2 n t o 01 ft 6 he Ye a

• John Champe, 99.7 percent;

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FACES OF LOUDOUN

Join the Blue Ridge Park Clean Up on Oct. 4

Over the next several months, as part of the Community Foundation’s Faces of Loudoun campaign, Loudoun Now will run monthly articles highlighting men, women and children who have found a helping hand when they needed it most. Learn more or donate to help End the Need at FacesofLoudoun.org.

Veronica’s Story

Down’s Syndrome Cannot Silence My Voice I was born in 1997 with Down’s Syndrome. All the time I was growing up, my mom found great places for me to go, do, and learn things. But when I became a teenager, everything seemed to change. High school is an awkward time for everyone, but I really had a hard time fitting in. I was bullied because I was different, so I just tried to stay out of sight. And, after school, there were just no good places for teens with disabilities. I felt all alone. I knew my mom worried about me. She didn’t know if I could ever be on my own. I felt like I could end up being a burden to my family. No teenager in Loudoun should have to face a lifetime of isolation.

The Next Chapter Things started to change for me in 2011 when I found a nonprofit really close to our home. I attended summer camp there, expecting nothing at all, really. Instead, I discovered music and theater, and I fell in love. Three

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As part of the Community Foundation of Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties’ Faces of Loudoun campaign, Veronica, a Loudoun County resident, shares her journey with a disability.

years later, I won the role of Ariel in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” I memorized all my lines, including all the songs, and I gave the performance of a lifetime.

I found myself on that stage. And, I found that I actually like myself. Best of all, I found I have a voice. I can speak up for what’s right—for me and for others. So now I mentor others who come to the group looking for a place to belong. I love being part of a community that accepts everyone and helps them feel accepted and loved. I also don’t have to hide anymore. I traveled to England all by myself last year. And, this past fall, I started college, where I will be studying music and theater. My mom doesn’t worry about my future anymore. She now knows that I have choices—that I can be independent—that I will follow my own path. I can graduate from college, get married, have a family, and be a productive member of society. She says that makes her feel “at peace.” I am so happy I found this group and they helped me to find my calling. I want to help others find their own way. Won’t you join us and help End the Need in Loudoun?

Pet Food Drive Oct. 21 Humane Society of Loudoun County will host a pet food drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Senior Center at Cascades. The donations will go to the Loudoun Pet Pantry, which accepts unopened and unexpired canned and dry cat and dog food between 4 and 8 pounds. Gift cards or cash donations are always welcome. A complimentary raﬄe ticket will be awarded for donations of 4-8 pounds of dry food or a case of canned food. See more information at humaneloudoun.org.

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Kona Blue greets the camera ahead of the Two by Four Race Against Childhood & Canine Cancer on Sunday. Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Judy Swain, of Purcellville, poses with Brooks at the race start line Sunday morning at Brambleton Town Center.

Hundreds Jog in Brambleton to Fight Cancer in Canines, Kids Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

The Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority are joining forces for an Autumn Stewardship Volunteer Day, held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21. Volunteers are asked to join the effort. They will gather at Blue Ridge Regional Park to clear invasive species to maintain the forest steward designation that the group’s efforts have earned. Volunteers are asked to wear long pants and long sleeves and bring work gloves, clippers and loppers. Refreshments will be provided. To get to Blue Ridge Regional Park, take Rt. 7 west to the top of the mountain, turn left on Mountain Road and proceed about 3 miles. The entrance is on the left (look for the Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains sign board). Learn more about the Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains at friendsofblueridge.org.

A crowd of two-legged and fourlegged walkers and joggers made their way to Brambleton Town Center on Sunday morning to break a sweat for a great cause. It was the inaugural Two by Four Race Against Childhood & Canine Cancer, an event that invited pups and people to run or walk and raise funds and awareness for cutting edge research in the cancers that impact kids and dogs. “We are so moved by the outpouring of support from the community,

on both sides, from people wanting to support canines and kids,” said Ulrike Szalay, founder of the Canines-N-Kids Foundation. “We planned this in two months, and we’re amazed at the turnout. This is such a caring and generous community.” The event was put on by the CaninesN-Kids Foundation and Smashing Walnuts Foundation. —Danielle Nadler

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Pups and people get out their pre-race jitters ahead of the Two by Four Race Against Childhood & Canine Cancer on Sunday.

Hike with Hope Saturday Friends of Loudoun Mental Health will host Hike with Hope from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Franklin Park in Purcellville. The event invites the community to gather with family and friends to hike the park’s scenic country trail. Snacks will be provided. No registration is needed, however donations will be accepted for Friends of Loudoun Mental Health, a local nonprofit organization that provides support and services to improve individuals’ mental health. For questions, call 703-4431380 or email friends@loudounfriends.org. Learn more about the organization at loudounfriends.org.

Oct. 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11, 2017 LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

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Bites’ courtyard dining is proving to be a popular South King Street gathering spot.

‘Señor Ramon’ Pleases the Palate Again with Bites Wine and Cheese Bar

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ owntown Leesburg’s restaurant scene welcomed its newest addition recently with Bites Wine and Grilled

Cheese Bar. Behind Bites is a familiar face in the historic district, who made his name known just a few blocks away from his newest restaurant. Not even two years ago, Damian Dajcz announced his entry into the Leesburg restaurant scene with the opening of Señor Ramon Taqueria at 15 Loudoun St. SE. The Ramon’s empire expanded east, with the opening of another eatery at Crooked Run Brewery’s Sterling location earlier this year. Moving quickly is second nature to Dajcz. A chef by trade, he has been in the hospitality industry for 24 years. He worked in major corporate chef posi-

tions before embarking on his own. He started with food trucks and within six months went from one to three. He had just as quick a start when he moved to commercial kitchens, also quickly going from operating one to three. It was when he decided he wanted to do something different “for fun” that he landed on the Señor Ramon concept. Now, Dajcz has added Bites to his offerings. The wheels began turning when downtown antiques purveyor, The Cottage, left its space on 105 S. King St. Not long prior Delirium Café had signed on to lease the space next door and Dajcz knew that corner would quickly become a destination for diners in and out of town and he did not want to miss out. “I decided I would rent the space, and figure out later what I wanted to do,” he said. “Their expertise is on beer, so I said I’ll do wine and what goes well with wine, cheese.”

A staple comfort food, Dajcz’s menu ranges from your everyday grilled cheese stepped up a bit—the King Street Classic features American house blend cheese and Cheddar cheese on sourdough bread—to the Azul, which features blue cheese, Gruyere blend, prosciutto and fontina fig spread on cranberry walnut bread. Other sandwiches feature ingredients like bacon, grilled mushrooms, and Señor Ramon’s famous grilled guacamole, in a sandwich named in homage to its Loudoun Street neighbor. Gluten-free bread is also offered for those with gluten intolerances. Fans of Señor Ramon will see some similarities between the two menus in that they carry items named after family members of both Dajcz and Operations Manager Ashley Saxon, a close famBITES >> 26

Chrysalis Vineyards to Add Creamery and Bakery LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT Chrysalis Vineyards near Middleburg will invest $478,000 and hire 12 people to open a creamery and bakery, giving visitors the chance to buy locally produced cheeses, breads, and wines on site. The winery also plans to purchase 100 percent of its agricultural ingredients from Virginia farmers. Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced the project Sept. 28 alongside $48,000 in matched funding from Loudoun County and the governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund. “All of us here are honored and proud

to be part of the long history of productive agriculture in Loudoun County,” said Chrysalis Vineyards owner Jennifer McCloud. “Over the last decades, unfortunately, much of the farming activity in the county has waned. This grant supports our mission to help restore this essential use of our lands.” McCloud said it’s smart for government to support businesses that bring healthy food, jobs, and economic activity in their communities. “It’s a win-win, not only for all the hard-working folks on this farm, but for our customers, suppliers and fellow local businesses, as well,” she said. “It’s certainly a smart way to increase eco-

Loudoun Clear Marketing celebrated its 15th anniversary in a big way Sept. 28. President and owner Sharon Wright was joined by the Loudoun and Leesburg political and business leaders to mark the grand opening of the firm’s new office at 24 N. King St. “It is such a fantastic feeling to be opening our first brick and mortar location in historic downtown Leesburg. As both a resident and business owner in Leesburg, being in the heart of the community we call home was the only logical place for our company,” Wright said. “It is a pleasure to serve our clients as well as numerous nonprofits across Loudoun County.” Learn more at loudounclearmarketing.com.

Vintage Magnolia Opens in Purcellville Vintage Magnolia, a locally owned and operated store specializing in antiques, home décor, gifts and reclaimed and custom-made furniture, has expanded to a new location at 600 E. Main St. in Purcellville. Owner Valerie Sikora opened the first location in the former Piedmont Motel on Rt. 15 south of Leesburg, filling the 10,000-square-foot building with 79 vendors offering antiques, home décor items, local art, upcycled furniture, wine and hunt country accessories and everything needed for DIY projects— old doors, windows, shutters, etc. Vintage Magnolia is also an authorized Fusion Mineral Paint dealer; Fusion is an all-in-one paint with zero volatile organic compounds offered in more than 50 different colors. The Purcellville location, Vintage Magnolia II, is mirrored after the original store, with a few new additions, including a country store section featuring locally made food products, and expanded gift selections. Vintage Magnolia and Vintage Magnolia II are open Sunday-Thursday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Loudoun Nursing and Rehab Earns Gold Chrysalis Vineyards

Soon, guests of Chrysalis Vineyards can purchase locally produced cheeses and breads on site to pair with their wine.

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Chrysalis << FROM 24 for the public to visit and enjoy.” McAuliffe said the news “under underscores the crucial role that agriculture plays” in Virginia. “Investments like this create jobs, tourism activity, and new markets for Virginia’s farmers,” McAuliffe said. “This new facility will be a unique addition to the rural agritourism assets in rural Loudoun County. Today’s announcement is a great win for Virginia’s agriculture industry and our ongoing efforts to build the new Virginia economy.” “Loudoun County wines compete on the global stage, and Chrysalis is no exception—they currently have the

largest planting of Norton wine grapes in the world,” Loudoun Economic Development Executive Director Buddy Rizer said. Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Basil Gooden said Chrysalis is the largest producer of the Virginia native grape, and “with a new creamery and bakery, the company is further highlighting the industry’s deep connection to the land.” “I am very proud of the commitment Jenny McCloud and her outstanding team at Chrysalis Vineyards has brought to Loudoun County, the Wine Country of the Washington Metropolitan Area,” Del. J. Randall Minchew (R-10) said. “Through her efforts, the Norton grape, Virginia’s historic native grape that thrives so well in our Commonwealth, is now yielding world-class wines at Chrysalis.”

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Bites << FROM 24 ily friend of Dajcz, as well as nods to destinations in Leesburg and Loudoun County. In addition to the delectable sandwiches, Bites’ menu features salads, soups and charcuterie boards that pair well with all the bar’s offerings. As far as libations go, Bites’ drink list is just as eclectic as its cuisine. Saxon and bar manager Katie Kavinsky have put together a menu of draft beer and cider, including selections from local breweries, as well as wines by the glass or bottle and house-made cocktails. Bites’ sangria is Saxon’s mother’s famous recipe that she concocted while the family was stationed in Spain. The staff kegs and makes it from scratch in the restaurant. The interior of the restaurant is just as impressive as the menu itself. Remarking on the “transformation” of the space, Dajcz has turned the former antiques store into a modern restaurant, with just fewer than 60 seats both indoor and outdoor. It even includes a bar that Dajcz says is always full of patrons. He said he will likely add a TV inside the restaurant to show sports games. Happy hour offerings are also anticipated. Saxon said the staff has aimed to make the space accommodating for families, and initial response has been through the roof. “It’s been crazy. It’s been the best kind of response from the town,” she said. Like Señor Ramon’s, Dajcz’s aim is to keep the prices low, but the quality high.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Early patrons at Bites have been drawn by the grilled cheese comfort food concept, but the eclectic offering of libations also has them coming back for more.

“We’re just trying to take price out of the equation without compromising on ingredients,” he said. “We don’t want to you to be a customer once every two weeks. I want you here every week.” And if anyone thinks Dajcz will sit back to take a break and reflect on the success the past two years have brought, think again. He is eying yet another Señor Ramon’s location, but this time outside of Loudoun County. He also believes he will reprise the Bites’ concept elsewhere. “The hardest part was the legwork in developing recipes,” he said of Bites’ start. “Once we figured that out, to build a place and set it up, is easy.” Bites is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. The restaurant is closed on Mondays. For more information, go to Bites Wine and Grilled Cheese Bar on Facebook or call 571-918-4643. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

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for Assisted Living for superior performance in the long-term and post-acute care profession. The award is the final of three distinct levels in the program, which recognizes organizations nationally that serve as models of excellence in providing high-quality care. “We are proud to be honored for our accomplishments,” said Elizabeth Kaeser, administrator of ILNRC. “The Gold award not only serves as recognition for our commitment to delivering quality care, but also as motivation to continue our progress in performance excellence.” Inova Loudoun Nursing and Rehabilitation Center was one of only three providers nationwide to receive the 2017 Gold award. Since the program’s inception in 1996, AHCA/NCAL has recognized only 31 organizations with awards at the Gold level.

Brookdale Sterling Nominated for Film Award Residents and associates at Brookdale Sterling have submitted a film for the inaugural Celebrate Aging Film Festival. The local team wrote, filmed, directed and edited the movie, one of 74 submitted for the competition and one of nine finalists. Brookdale’s film festival was created

to help change the perception of aging and to communicate a positive, uplifting or touching message that celebrates aging. The project was an opportunity for residents and associates to work together on a creative project using the iPad technology at each of the senior living communities. The festival was held Oct. 4 at the historic Franklin Theatre, in Franklin, TN. You can view the Sterling entry at youtu.be/Dhg9gtqlTNY/.

‘Challenge by Choice’ at NCC The National Conference Center in Lansdowne has introduced a new approach to teambuilding and leadership development. The National has partnered with The Browne Center to provide a variety of experiential learning programs. “Challenge by Choice” is a method of making learning fun that involves people of all capabilities to learn from a common physical and cognitive activity. The program was introduced during the recent Reston Herndon Meeting Planners Summer Camp. It featured a series of relationship building and competitive, collaborative activities. Concepts around positive brainstorming and best practices were highlighted. More than 100 planners and suppliers participated in the camp. Learn more at conferencecenter.com/ challenge-course.

Oct. 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11, 2017 LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

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Civil War Encampment at Mt. Zion

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Buildings in Purcellville’s historic downtown district will now be subject to new maximum heights.

Purcellville Council Enacts Additional Downtown Building Height Limits

BY PATRICK SZABO

uildings in historic downtown Purcellville are now subject to new maximum heights. In a 5-2 vote Tuesday night, the Town Council adopted zoning ordinance changes in the downtown C-4 zoning district that will limit both building heights and the town and zoning administrator’s authority. The amendments will affect buildings in the town’s central commercial district, which primarily encompasses the area between North 21st Street and North Hatcher Avenue in the town’s historic corridor. The changes were spurred by controversy over the

previous Town Council’s approval of the Vineyard Square development, a mixed-use project along North 21st Street envisioned five- or six-story buildings. Council debated whether measuring maximum building heights should be done using both feet and stories. Although the Planning Commission, which drafted the ordinance six months ago, rejected using both methods of measurement, town council decided to add a three-story limitation. “I’m in favor of having things being transparent,” said Vice Mayor Nedim Ogelman. “I’m in favor of specificity.” Councilmen Doug McCollum and Chris Bledsoe voted against the change. Although Bledsoe said he sup-

ported the height restrictions using measurements of feet, he was opposed to the story limitation. “When I talk to people, typically they refer to stories in terms of the height of a building,” he said. “They’re substituting story for height.” Nonpublic buildings in the district will now be limited to three stories and 45 feet in height. Buildings within 50 feet of a residential zoning district are restricted to 35 feet in height. Publicly owned buildings and places of worship could be as tall as 60 feet, providing their yards on all sides are increased by one foot from the property line for HEIGHT LIMITS >> 29

Waterford Gears Up for Fair Weekend BY MARGARET MORTON The Waterford Fair is set for its annual three-day run, starting Friday. Organizers have made a big change this year—eliminating the traditional different tickets for each day. Instead, fairgoers will buy a one-day ticket that can be exchanged at the ticket booths or the Welcome Center in the center of town. Tickets are $20 per person, with a student rate of $15 for ages 1321, while children 12 and younger are free. The fair’s new Welcome Center combines information, membership and registration for the Waterford Foundation’s new Craft School classes in traditional artisanship, which will be housed in a tent opposite the Corner Store. Crafters will demonstrate the kind of classes that will be available through the foundation during

the year. The talents of six chefs will be on display this year, one of whom will offer an interesting addition— the “Waterford Cake.” Fair Director Tracy Kirkman was contacted by a young chef at Chefscape who recalled seeing a framed clipping of the cake in the Corner Store last year. Visitors will be able to taste the Waterford Fair 2017 version. Chefscape tickets will be available at the Wine and Beer tent in the Meadow. Visitors also can browse the wares produced by 122 demonstrating artists—among them are pewter artists Karen and Stuart Helble, who will be celebrating their 36th appearance at the annual fair. Another old-timer, basket maker Jeffery Gale, was named the top 2016 demonstrator—in a reprise of the award he won at his first fair in 1986. The demonstrators will set

up around the village, and other artisans can be found in the Old Mill Shop. The Fine Art Exhibit will be at the Schooley Mill Barn along with the Art Mart. The Photography Exhibit will be on the upper level of the Red Barn. There will be plenty of other activities, including the popular house tour, music and dance, Civil War re-enactors, and plenty of food. For local history buffs there will be two views of Loudoun history. Neil C. Hughes, who came to live in the village in 1989, offers his book—“A Village in Time: 1660-1990, Discovering American History in a Small Virginia Quaker Village.” Eric Buckland, who has written six books on Col. John Singleton Mosby’s Rangers, will be signing books from his critically received series on Mosby’s men and his leadership.

Union Civil War reenactors will encamp at Mt. Zion Historic Park this weekend as part of a living history program. Members of Company D, 1st Minnesota will recreate life in camp, explain their uniforms and equipment, give musket firing demonstrations and explain how muskets work. They’ll also discuss the treatment of wounds and disease as practiced at Mt. Zion when it was used as a hospital by the Union Army in June 1863, following the Cavalry Battles of Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville. The public is invited to visit camp, step inside the church-turned-hospital, and stroll through the adjacent cemetery where several Civil War veterans are buried. Hours for this special program are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, and Sunday, Oct. 8. Admission is free, but donations are accepted to fund the historic site’s programs. The church is located at 40309 John Mosby Highway near Aldie. For more information, contact Historic Site Manager Tracy J. Gillespie at tgillespie@NVRPA.org or 703-327-9777.

LOVETTSVILLE Lecture: Mapping the Short Hill Loudoun County historian Eugene Scheel will discuss the making of his latest map on Sunday, Oct. 15, as part of the Lovettsville Historical Society’s monthly lecture series. The new map highlights historic features in the Short Hill area between Lovettsville and the Blue Ridge. Scheel began the project in April 2016, in the midst of the public controversy over AT&T’s plans to enlarge its telecommunications facility on top of the Short Hill mountain, just west of Lovettsville. With help from long-time residents, Scheel walked and drove the entire area, locating sites of historic interest, such as where skirmishes and fighting took place during the Civil War, and old roads, sawmills and graveyards. Having worked previously for TOWN NOTES >> 29

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each foot above 50 feet in height. “In urban architecture [publicly owned buildings and places of worship] tend to take a focal point in the community,” said Town Attorney Sally Hankins. “I think this reflects that acknowledgment of the cultural importance for certain buildings.” Conventionally taller structures, such as church spires, water towers and chimneys, will be limited to 125 feet. The ordinance will also prohibit the town and zoning administrator from granting modifications to maximum heights upon request from the Board of Architectural Review. In addition, the ordinance might make current and future buildings in the C-4 district nonconforming. The tallest building in the Vineyard Square project, located at the southeast corner of North 21st Street and East O Street, is projected to reach 69.5 feet in height. Little construction has taken place on the property and the development faces a deadline to get the project going. “The height change should not affect Vineyard Square since they have a valid site plan,” said Purcellville Zoning Administrator Patrick Sullivan. “If they do not start building before 2021 they will have to comply with the new height regulations and their original site plan will be void.” If built, the Vineyard Square structure would be deemed a legal nonconforming building. Two other downtown structures, The Magnolias at the Mill building and the John J. Dillon Building, are also estimated to be taller than 45 feet. According to town staff, current nonconforming buildings can continue to be used for lawful purposes and are allowed to expand within the new height standards.

National Geographic and Rand McNally, Scheel has devoted decades to map-making and historical research in the region. He has drawn more than 50 historic maps, and has written nine books on local history. He will have many of these maps and books available for sale and autograph at the Lovettsville lecture. The program will be held at St. James United Church of Christ, 10 East Broad Way, starting at 2 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are welcome to defray expenses of the program and to support the activities of the Lovettsville Historical Society.

tor, the position will help to maintain grant status with VDOT, produce monthly project status report for council, develop and manage project schedules, control project costs, develop and maintain a communications plan, provide quality management and quality assurance. The town is looking for candidates with a minimum of 10 years of experience managing projects in a Virginia municipality. Experience working with Loudoun County government and VDOT is required. Those interested should contact the Town Office at 540-338-7878 for a job application or email a résumé to bnicholson@roundhillva.org. The deadline for applications is Oct. 21.

29 Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

<< FROM 28

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Purcellville Council Eyes Refunds for Annexation Bids

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BY PATRICK SZABO Purcellville Town Council discussed Tuesday night the possibility of refunding town annexation application fees for property owners who don’t complete the process. Mayor Kwasi Fraser previously requested that Councilman Doug McCollum and Town Attorney Sally Hankins work with town staff to propose a refund policy, which they did throughout August. “I just want to make sure that we are positioned to respond to such requests for refund,” Fraser said. “I’m anticipating that we’ll have more requests for refunds.” McCollum and Hankins assessed three approaches under the town’s current annexation policy. One of these requires a single, large application fee and offers a partial refund upon failure to complete the review process. The other approach would institute a phased fee, which would require the applicant to pay smaller, incremental fee amounts as the review process moves forward. This option would not offer a refund, since the applicant would be paying for each completed step of the review process instead of an initial, large sum. A third approach requires a single large application fee and does not offer

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a refund. The staff is not recommending this approach. McCollum said if the town must adopt a policy, he prefers the phasedfee approach. All councilmembers expressed the need to examine the proposed policies further before determining which to adopt, if any. “I would look at it, digest it and try to see exactly how it works,” McCollum said. Fraser’s request for the creation of a refund policy came earlier this year after an applicant who was processed under the town’s former annexation policy requested a refund. James Roncaglione submitted an annexation application and paid a $13,106.50 review fee in 2007. The town then processed the application through 2008. Communication between Roncaglione and the town was intermittent until 2015. In 2016, he sold the property and, in May this year, requested a refund. The town staff then recommended $11,716.50 be refunded, with $1,390 retained to cover the staff time that had been dedicated to the application. Staff members identified only one prior refund. In that case, a 75 percent refund was issued in that case, with the rest used to cover review costs.

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BY PATRICK SZABO The Purcellville division of a national naval youth education program recently achieved top honors. The town’s Viking Division of the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps outranked 394 other divisions to win the designation of top unit in the country. The two-year-old unit’s achieve ment comes after a summer of training courses and an annual inspection that covers everything from cadet conduct to accuracy of personnel files and recruiting ability. “Having been designated the best unit in the country is a testament to all the hard work the cadets, their parents and our adult volunteers have put into our young program,” said Viking Division Executive Officer Chad Ellis. “Now that our program has matured and grown, we are looking forward to being a more visible presence in our community.” After being named the nation’s top unit, the division of 52 cadets was invited to the U.S. Navy SEAL East Coast Reunion in Little Creek in July. Cadets interacted with SEALs, observed operations and tried out the SEAL obstacle course. “It was an amazing experience to have the opportunity to meet guys who have worked so hard to be SEALs,” said Petty Officer Second Class Nathan Ellis, 16. “It isn’t something most teenagers ever get to do.” During summer, cadets attended 30 different trainings across the country, including courses in field operations, aviation and petty officer leadership. Two cadets were also chosen to represent the U.S. in an international exchange with Australian Sea Cadets. One of them was Chief Petty Officer and Viking Division Senior Cadet Skyler Powell, 17. The USNSCC is a federally-chartered, national youth program established in 1962 to “create a favorable image of the Navy on the part of American youth.” It is sponsored by the Navy League of the United States and jointly supported by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. The Viking Division was established in 2015 and is sponsored by the National Capitol Council of the Navy League of the United States.

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Courtesy of Loudoun County Public Library

Award-winning novelist Thanhha Lai comes to Ashburn Nov. 8 to discuss her novel “Inside Out and Back Again.”

Loudouners Curl Up with ‘Inside Out and Back Again’

BY JAN MERCKER etting Loudouners on the same page isn’t always easy. But sometimes all it takes is a good book. Around the county, readers from 10 to 100 are digging into Thanhha Lai’s poignant and funny novel, “Inside Out and Back Again,” as part of Loudoun County Public Library’s 1book 1community program. Now in its 14th year, the program is designed to promote discovery and conversation by offering free paperbacks and e-book downloads of a single novel to the entire community and providing lots of opportunities for group discussion. Lai will visit Loudoun Wednesday, Nov. 8, to share her story and discuss the book as part of a giant book club meeting. Lai’s image-rich novel in verse is based on the story of her own escape from Vietnam to Alabama in 1975. The novel follows a year in the life of the main character, 10-year-old Hà, and her family’s escape from wartime Saigon. The award-winning young adult novel came about after Lai’s unsuccessful attempt to write an adult novel in what she calls “a 15-year experiment that went nowhere.” That first draft included dozens of characters and spanned centuries, but Lai tapped into the magic of language by simplifying and condensing her story into a series of prose poems spanning just one year. The inspiration came during a visit to a New York City playground with her young daughter. “I’m sitting there and all these images came back to me in fragments, in Vietnamese English, in this weird mix,” Lai said. “I decided I’m just going to tell my story—one character in one year and use this language I thought I had invented—the prose poem. And it’s like the way the character is thinking.” The novel, published in 2011, was an instant hit and went on to be named a Newbery Honor Book and to win the prestigious National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Lai’s prose poems make for a short,

Accessibility for all ages but very rich read, accesis a big asset for Belmont sible to both adults and Thanhha Lai will discuss her Ridge Middle School liyoung readers. The novel’s brarians Annette Kessler accessibility and timelinovel at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8 and Linda Gwinn-Casey, ness made it the perfect who said the commitchoice for this year’s comat Briar Woods High School in Ashburn. tee’s selection of middle munity read-along, said school-appropriate books Susan VanEpps, division The event is free and open to the public. in recent years has allowed manager for programFree copies of the book are available them to bring 1book 1comming and community enat the county library branches, and free munity to their school in gagement for Loudoun e-book downloads are available at very meaningful ways. The County Public Library.] lcpl.overdrive.com. school has jumped into the The 1book 1communiprogram with both feet— ty program, launched in The library system has also planned a going way beyond encour2004, was the brainchild of series of smaller book clubs at branches aging students to read and VanEpps’ predecessor, Linaround the county throughout October discuss the book. da Holtslander, the fairy and November. “We feel that literature godmother of community can teach people about the engagement at Loudoun’s For more information, go to world around them and library system who retired library.loudoun.gov/1book. serve as a powerful platlast year. The program is form for larger issues and funded through an outdiscussion,” Gwinn-Casey reach fund created by a donation from the late Loudoun-based philanthropist said. “It really enriches our school. We know that the library is the heartbeat of the school and the comIrwin Uran in 1999. At the beginning of each year, a committee of librar- munity.” The librarians are not only promoting the book ians narrows the field from about 30 nominations and in the school library and making copies available makes a selection for that fall’s read-along. “Some of the things they look for are a book that ap- to classroom teachers in Belmont Ridge’s English peals to a wide range of readers from different back- department, they’re also developing interactive and grounds, a book that can connect with different age community service events to tie in with the program. groups, something that’s a manageable length that peo- The school is organizing an art and literary museum ple can read in a reasonable amount of time,” VanEpps of sensory poetry from teachers and students with a connection to family heritage. Students will also colsaid. lect books and blankets for Loudoun-based Mobile “Inside Out” had universal support this year. “It makes it kind of a nice lovely read. You can sit Hope and will fundraise for Lai’s Viet Kids nonprofit, down and read it in one sitting,” VanEpps said. “It’s a which buys bicycles for children in rural Vietnam, beautiful story. It’s got some funny parts, it’s got some sad parts. It’s so uplifting. The committee really liked INSIDE OUT >> 36 all of that.”

[ THINGS TO DO ] SHOCKTOBER Friday, Oct. 6 and Saturday, Oct. 7, 7-10 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 8, 7-9 p.m.; Paxton Manor, 601 Catoctin Circle, NE, Leesburg. Details: shocktober.org

Courtesy of The Waterford Foundation

WATERFORD FAIR Friday, Oct. 6-Sunday, Oct. 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Village of Waterford. Details: waterfordfairva.org This year’s fair features 122 demonstrating artists, tours of gorgeous homes in the historic village, top-notch food vendors and wine and beer gardens, along with an exciting music lineup. One-day tickets can be used any day and are $16 in advance, $20 at the gate. Student tickets are $11 in advance, $15 at the gate and children 12 and under are free. Three-day passes are $35. Advance tickets can be purchased at Wegmans, Bank of Clarke County locations in Loudoun or online.

NOVA WELLNESS AND YOGAFEST RETREAT Friday, Oct. 6-Sunday, Oct. 8, Morven Park, 17195 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg. Details: novawellnessyogafestretreat.com This weekend-long celebration of renewal includes yoga workshops in a range of styles, nature walks, guided meditation, delicious and healthy food and music. A range of passes are available from one day to all three. Check out the website for a full schedule, ticket pricing and registration.

LEESBURG FIRST FRIDAY Friday, Oct. 6, 6-9 p.m.; downtown Leesburg. Details: leesburgfirstfriday.com Enjoy tons of live music, art openings and fun activities at local businesses at this monthly downtown celebration.

GERMAN BRATS AND BEER FEST

Fifty-seven local authors will read from their works, sign books and discuss writing, while local food trucks serve up tasty fare.

JOSHUA’S HANDS FALL FESTIVAL Saturday, Oct. 7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Guthrie Farm, 38327 Charles Town Pike, Waterford. Details: joshuashands.org The 35th annual Joshua’s Hands festival features live entertainment by local and regional artists, mimes, puppets, Wildlife Ambassadors, fire trucks, a petting farm and 4-H animal exhibits, pony rides, kids’ crafts and tons of games. Admission is free. There will be a live auction at 2 p.m. in support of the Joshua’s Hands

nonprofit, which operates a range of scholarship and community service programs.

LOUDOUN MEN ARE COOKING Saturday, Oct. 7, 7-11 p.m.; West Belmont Place at The National Conference Center, 18980 Upper Belmont Place, Leesburg. Details: lmacooking.com This annual event features 40 professional and amateur chefs preparing gourmet fare for 300 guests. While sampling delicious food, guests can enjoy live music from Just’s Friends Band and Show. The evening supports the Educational Advancement Foundation nonprofit that provides scholarships to Loudoun County youth. Tickets are $70 per person.

Courtesy of Loudoun Men Are Cooking

THINGS TO DO >> 35

Loudoun’s scariest haunted house is now in its eighth year, with a brand-new theme in the basement attraction. The Carnival of Souls features crazed killer clowns in twisted underground carnival carnage. The event benefits Paxton Campus and runs weekends through Oct. 29. Admission is $35 in advance, $40 at the gate. Advance purchase is recommended.

cades Library, 21030 Whitfield Place, Potomac Falls. Details: library.loudoun.gov

Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

FALL FUN

Friday, Oct. 6, 5:30-9 p.m.; Blend Coffee Bar, 43170 Southern Walk Plaza, Ashburn. Details: blendcoffeebar.com It’s a mini-Oktoberfest at Blend with tasty brats and German cuisine from Lothar’s Gourmet Sausages and beers from Mustang Sally and Port City Brewing.

Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Town of Purcellville. Details: purcellvilletagsale.com The entire town of Purcellville gets on board with great finds at one of the region’s largest community sales.

EAT LOCAL, READ LOCAL FESTIVAL AND BOOK SALE Saturday, Oct. 7, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Cas-

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At Shocktober, Scaring Is Caring BY JAN MERCKER Paxton Manor’s Shocktober haunted house isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a scream-out-loud scary evening for a great cause. For the past eight seasons, the staff and volunteers have transformed Paxton Campus’ 140-year-old manor house into a terrifyingly fun scene of madness and mayhem. This 40-something mama took her tween on opening night and had a blast. The Paxton crew’s outstanding attention to detail in the sounds, sights and even (yes) smells of terror makes for a chillingly realistic scene. And a cast of enthusiastic volunteer actors, who clearly relish throwing themselves into their roles, get up close and personal for some serious scares. Some of our faves were the haunted hospital (full of deranged docs and nurses) and the fascinatingly disturbing creepy doll room. But the basement was the best part. Playing on the current scary clown zeitgeist, the Paxton team has transformed the manor’s basement into a haunted carnival—complete with evil clowns, a head-spinning funhouse tunnel and a super-cool psychedelic swamp. But Shocktober isn’t just for thrills— it’s for a great cause. The haunted house is a fundraiser for The Arc of Loudoun at Paxton Campus, a nonprofit provid-

Photos Courtesy of Paxton Campus

This year’s haunted house features a creepy hospital scene, complete with an autopsy.

ing services to people with disabilities and their families living in Loudoun. While the crowd trends young— Shocktober is big with teens and young adults—it’s also a great date night plan or group outing for GenX parents and professionals. The event features food vendors and non-alcoholic beverages for the teen set and Old Ox Brewery’s Oxorcist beer and wines from Tarara

Winery’s tasty Boneyard line on sale for the over-21 crowd. (I recommend eating after your tour just in case). It’s also a fun family outing for folks with older kids—I’d give it a solid PG13 rating. My seventh grader thought it was awesome and is ready to come back again next year, but another middle schooler in our group had to bail early after getting one scare too many—so parents should use their

judgment. Because of the scare factor, everyone needs to sign a waiver before going in. Shocktober runs every Friday and Saturday evening from 7-10 p.m. and Sundays from 7-9 p.m. through Oct. 29 at Paxton Campus, 601 Catoctin Circle NE in Leesburg (just look for the hearse parked out front.) Tickets are $35 online and $40 at the on-site ticket office.

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[ THINGS TO DO ] BEER, BOURBON AND BBQ FESTIVAL Saturday, Oct. 7, noon-6 p.m.; Village at Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: villageatleesburg.com Enjoy unlimited beer and bourbon samples, live music and great food from the area’s top barbecue vendors. VIP tickets allow entry at noon and are $75 in advance, $80 at the gate. General admission tickets start at 2 p.m. and are $39 in advance, $45 at the gate.

Saturday, Oct. 7, 4:30 p.m.; Michael And Sons Sportsplex, 21610 Atlantic Blvd., Sterling. Details: novarollerderby.com The Vineyard Vixens take on the Metro Misfits at NOVA Roller Derby’s fall bout featuring spills, chills and fun for the whole family. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Children 12 and under are free. Bring your own chair and a donation for It Takes a Village Baby.

BARN DANCE AT ALDIE MILL HISTORIC PARK Saturday, Oct. 7, 6-9 p.m.; Aldie Mill Historic Park, 39401 John Mosby Highway, Aldie. Details: novaparks.com Dance to tunes from Jake and The Burtones and enjoy tasty fare from Blue Heron Catering to benefit Friends of Ball’s Bluff Battlefield. Tickets are $35 for members, $45 for non-members. Advance purchase is required.

Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org

THE WHITE HOUSE BAND HURRICANE RELIEF CONCERT

The acclaimed vocalist L’Tanya Mari pays tribute to the immortal Ella Fitzgerald with gems like “A Tisket, A Tasket,” “Mack The Knife” and “Cotton Tail.” Mari will also tell stories about Fitzgerald’s colorful life and career. Tickets are $30 in advance for reserved seating.

Saturday, Oct. 7, 2-4 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org The nine-piece White House Band delights audiences with jazzed-up versions of Glenn Miller, Dixieland and beyond. Suggested donation is $20 with all proceeds going to communities rebuilding after hurricanes in Texas and Florida.

NIGHTLIFE LIVE MUSIC: STEAL YOUR PEACH Friday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m.; Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyhotheater.com

ELLA FITZGERALD TRIBUTE PERFORMANCE

A combo tribute to the Grateful Dead

Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane,

Courtesy of L’Tanya Mari

THINGS TO DO >> 37

NoVa Wellness & YogaFest Retreat October 6, 7 & 8 - Morven Park

They’ll all be here to care for you! Coming?

GET OUT LOUDOUN COMMUNITY MIXER Thursday, Oct. 12, 6-8 p.m.; Loudoun Brewing Company, 310 E. Market St., Leesburg. Details: getoutloudoun.com Join the Loudoun Now staff for the first in a series of monthly meet and greets to spotlight local entertainment venues and entertainers while raising donations for great causes. October’s mixer benefits the Loudoun Education Foundation and features music from Todd Wright and Tommy Gann. Tickets are $15.

LOCO CULTURE BELMONT SLAVE CEMETERY WREATH LAYING AND TOUR Sunday, Oct. 8, 2-4 p.m.; Lansdowne Town Center, 19350 Winmeade Drive, Lansdowne. Details: loudounfreedomfoundation.com Loudoun Freedom Center leads a group of interfaith leaders, community leaders, elected officials, students, historians and history lovers from the region on an oral history walking tour ending with a ceremony at Belmont Slave Cemetery.

THE HISTORY OF THE W&OD TRAIL Tuesday, Oct. 10, 7-9 p.m.; Leesburg Junction, 215 Depot Court SE, Leesburg. Details: leesburgjunction.com

NOVA ROLLER DERBY OCTOBER BOUT

ON STAGE

Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

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The latest in Leesburg Junction’s speakers series features Barbara Hildreth, known as the mother of the W&OD Trail, discussing how the popular bike trail stretching from Alexandria to Purcellville came to be. Event is free and open to the public.

Thursday, Oct. 12, 7 p.m. Mt. Zion Historic Park, 40309 John Mosby Hwy, Aldie. Details: novaparks.com Historian Deborah Brower discusses the 1855 escape of Frank Wanzer and five other enslaved people from a farm near Aldie. Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for students.

www.NoVaWellnessYogaFestRetreat.com

loudounnow.com

CONVERSATIONS IN HISTORY: DEBORAH BROWER

Inside Out

loudounnow.com

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throughout October. Lai, who is working on her third novel, will donate her speaker’s fee for her Nov. 8 talk at Ashburn’s Briar Woods High School to her nonprofit. Attorney Chuong Nguyen, the Dulles District representative on the Loudoun Library Board of Trustees, will moderate the discussion. Nguyen, who immigrated to the U.S. with his family at the age of 5 in 1978, said his own story has lots of parallels with Lai’s. Nguyen’s father was a physician practicing with the South Vietnamese Army, and like Hà’s father in the novel, was imprisoned by the North Vietnamese government. “It’s a great story and something that needs to be heard in a very personal way,” Nguyen said. “This is very much

a forum for her and for the audience to interact with her and really enjoy her story.” And while the book tells the singular story of one girl’s journey, there are universal themes that will hit home with middle schoolers and grown-ups alike, especially in the details of Hà’s struggles to fit in in her Alabama elementary school, where she’s the object of bullying and hides in a bathroom to avoid her school’s chaotic and segregated lunchroom. “You don’t have to be a refugee to be eating lunch in the bathroom,” Lai said with a laugh. “Hà is a 10-year-old girl. I have a 10-year-old girl,” VanEpps said. “It’s very universal. … There are parts of the book that will resonate with everybody who reads it.” jmercker@loudounnow.com

Call ahead for reservations

703-777-9554

Courtesy of Chuong Nguyen

Loudoun attorney and library trustee Chuong Nguyen will moderate the Nov. 8 discussion with Thanhha Lai.

1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com

and The Allman Brothers—what could be groovier? Tickets are $10 in advance.

Fun blues and acoustic rock from a regional favorite. No cover.

WINERY 32 SALSA NIGHT Saturday Oct 7, 8-10 p.m.; Winery 32, 15066 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. Details: winery32.com

LIVE MUSIC: BEATLEMANIA NOW

Courtesy of Tony Grasso

LIVE MUSIC: TONY GRASSO AND TOOKY Friday, Oct. 6, 9 p.m.; Smokehouse Live,

Saturday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m.; Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyhotheater.com This multimedia musical stage show is the ultimate celebration of the Beatles and the era that shaped them. Tickets for this fully seated performance are $20 in advance.

‘OKLAHOMA!’ Friday, Oct. 13 and Saturday, Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 15, 2 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center. Details: mainstreettheaterproductions.org Main Street Theater presents the classic story of Curly, the handsome cowboy, and Laurey, the winsome farm girl, set against the backdrop of the west at the beginning of the 20th Century. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, students and children. Performances continue Oct. 20-22.

Steal Your Peach-

Grateful Dead/Allman Brothers Tribute 10/6/17 Doors: 7:00PM

Beatlemania Now 10/7/17 Doors: 7:00PM

80’s Night

with the Reagan Years 10/13/17 Doors 7:00PM

Kix 10/14/17 Doors 7:00PM

Shovels & Rope 10/18/17 Doors 7:00PM

Living Colour 10/20/17 Doors: 7:00PM

Dave Matthews BAND Experience with Crowded Streets

10/21/17 Doors 7:00PM

Howard Jones 10/24/17 Doors: 7:00PM

Nick Fradiani & The Alternates

10/26/17 Doors: 7:00PM

Ballyhoo! 10/27/17 Doors 7:00PM

1st annual

Wiener dog dash & canine costume contest

Get moving with salsa night featuring instruction by Adam King of Leesburg’s Dance King Studios. Admission is $25 per person and includes a glass of wine. Advance reservations are recommended.

COMING UP

Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

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[ THINGS TO DO ]

10/28/17 12:30PM

loudounnow.com

Now Open Tues. through Sun. for Lunch & Dinner

loudounnow.com

BLESSING ANIMALS OF THE

Be one with God, friends, and family surrounded by nature. Bring your pets to receive a special blessing commemorating the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

Saturday, October 7th at 4pm The service will be followed by a potluck picnic.

St Gabriel’s Chapel in the Woods is located at the corner St. of Battlefield Pkwy & Fort Evans Road, across from the blue water towers towers.. Parking is available across the street at Middleburg Bank Bank. For more info: SaintGabriels.net or call (703) 779-3616 779 779-

Caring for dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, sheep, goats, alpacas, llamas, horses, and cattle.

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Courtesy of Focus Features

“Darkest Hour,” which follows Winston Churchill’s early days as prime minister, will be the feature film at the 2017 Middleburg Film Festival.

voices in filmmaking. “Especially in these divisive times, films have a way of bringing people together, expanding our understanding of the world and encouraging dialogue,” she added. “The festival also celebrates some of the film industry’s unsung heroes. One of my favorite events is our Symphony Orchestra concert honoring a renowned film composer—and this year we are thrilled to recognize Nicholas Britell.” For show times and festival information, go to middleburgfilm.org.

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The Middleburg Film Festival, now in its fifth year, will feature the riveting wartime drama “Darkest Hour” as its opening night film and “Lady Bird” as the Saturday evening centerpiece. The film festival runs Oct. 19 to 22. Featured guests this year include actor Ben Mendelsohn, who portrays King George VI in “Darkest Hour,” as well as screenwriter Anthony McCarten and producer Lisa Bruce. Actress Greta Gerwig will be on hand to screen her film, “Lady Bird,” which she wrote and directed. The comedy-drama stars Saoirse Ronan and tells the tale of a California nurse who works tirelessly to keep her family afloat after her husband loses his job. “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” starring Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell, is the festival’s Sunday centerpiece film. The festival also has selected three spotlight films: “Call Me By Your Name” and “Mudbound” will screen Friday, Oct. 20, and “I, Tonya” will screen Saturday, Oct. 21. Academy Award-nominated composer Nicholas Britell will be honored as this year’s Distinguished Film Composer. His scores include “Battle of the Sexes,” “Moonlight,” and “12 Years a Slave.” Sheila C. Johnson, founder of the Middleburg Film Festival and CEO of Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, said it’s been important to her from the beginning to present diverse

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aggravating factor of distracted driving, Plowman said that test could not be met and that it would be improper for him to continue to prosecute the charge without supporting evidence. Judge Stephen E. Sincavage agreed to drop that charge during a September hearing. Miller still faces charges of reckless driving and failure to yield to pedestrians in the case. Both charges are misdemeanors. A 10-day jury trial was scheduled to start Oct. 10, but Miller’s attorneys last week removed that from the docket and indicated he will enter guilty pleas to the remaining charges when they

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20 concurrent breakout sessions that cover a wide variety of topics, including substance abuse, identifying and treating anxiety, eating disorders, gangs and human trafficking, and effective sport parenting on and off the field. Author and professor of child development at University of Minnesota Ann Masten is the featured keynote speaker. Masten has spoken internationally about how to build resiliency in children, the subject of her book “Ordinary Magic.” In an interview this week, Masten described building resiliency almost like building immunity. “You don’t keep them immaculately clean—kids need exposure to optimize their immune system, and in the same way everyone needs experience with tumbling down and getting back up,” she said. “We don’t want to raise our children with no experiences with challenges or adversities or they won’t be equipped for life. Life is full of challenges and adversities.” The symposium comes as Loudoun County has seen a rise in suicides among young people. In the past two years, 11 people 18 years of age and younger have taken their own lives, according to Friends of Loudoun Mental Health. Parents of some of the teens who have lost their lives to suicide say the schools could have done more to prevent the tragedies. One set of parents is taking the school system to court. They say a school counselor should have let them know their son was considering suicide. Kealy, who oversees the division’s mental health services, said that the schools can and should play a “major role” in students’ mental health because they spend most of their time at school. And, she added, they are doing more. In the spring, her department recommended that the School Board dedicate more money to hire more psychologists, social workers and counselors. Starting this school year, every high school has a “mental health support team” made up of psychologists, social workers, school counselors, and student assistance specialists. The schools’ role is more preventative than to provide treatment, Kealy said. “If students’ issues are around academics, dating relationships, substance abuse, we have services and people who are specially trained to provide some of that support. If it’s more intensive and ongoing, we can refer to our community partners to make sure they’re getting the ongoing more intensive services that they need.” She specifically mentioned Friends of Loudoun Mental Health, Inova Loudoun Hospital, the Potomac Psychological Center, and the county’s Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Developmental Services as public and private groups that the school system regularly partners with. The Navigating the Path to Student Wellness symposium is designed to be an opportunity for parents to have access to experts from all of those groups. See the full list of speakers, breakout sessions, and representatives who will be on hand at the event’s resource fair at navigatethepath.com.

One public safety action has been taken since the Aug. 31, 2016, fatal crash. The Virginia Department of Transportation has changed the light sequence at the Riverside Parkway/Coton Manor Drive intersection where the crash occurred. At the time of the tragedy, the pedestrian walk signal and the drivers’ green light activated simultaneously—allowing pedestrians to enter the crosswalk at the same time cars were permitted to proceed through the intersection. Now, the signals have been altered to hold vehicles at a red light for 10 seconds after the walk signal has been displayed to pedestrians—giving the walkers a head start and potentially making them more clearly visible to drivers.

Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

Wellness

appear in court Tuesday morning. The reckless driving charge carries a maximum sentence of 12 months in jail and a fine of $2,500. A failure to yield conviction would result in a fine between $100 and $500. Plowman said there is no plea agreement in place. That would leave it to the judge to set the penalties. During the September hearing, Plowman acknowledged that the decision to drop the involuntary manslaughter charge would be publicly unpopular, given the high level of public interest in the case and the outpouring of support from the community that has rallied around the Schulz family in the year since the baby’s death. That has proven true in social media reaction, with many critics questioning whether the Schulz family would get justice.

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Union Street << FROM 3 es students how to grow their own food. The Loudoun Freedom Center also wants to establish a DNA lab at the site to process materials that may be found at the slave cemeteries it is working to protect. The Douglass Alumni Association includes many men and women, now in their 70s and 80s, who attended the school on Union Street. The building served as a school until 1958, when Frederick Douglass Elementary School opened on Sycolin Road. The Loudoun Freedom Center is working alongside those alumni with the hopes of eventually moving into the Union Street school. The move would be in line with the nonprofit’s mission to restore and preserve sites that were important to Loudoun’s black residents. “We have first-hand accounts of what it was like to attend school there,” said Michelle C. Thomas, founder and executive director of the Loudoun Freedom Center. “We want to help them tell their story.”

The Loudoun County School Board has taken the first steps to set that plan into motion. Late last year, it unanimously approved spending $3,500 to have the property at 20 Union St. surveyed. With the results of that survey in hand, the board’s Finance and Facilities Committee voted last week to recommend that the building and the land it sits on be handed over to the two community organizations sooner rather than later. “I don’t want to delay so they can begin to take care of the needs of that facility. The longer it sits, the more work it’s going to require to restore,” Chairman Jeff Morse (Dulles) said at the Sept. 26 committee meeting. The committee is recommending that the school system give the title of the property to the Douglass Alumni Association and/or the Loudoun Freedom Center, but that a second brick building next door remain school property for now. It is being used as office space. Giving a school site directly to a private organization free of charge would be a first for Loudoun County Public Schools, or at least the first in modern

history, according to county records. The Waterford Foundation Inc. purchased the 1910 Old Waterford School on Fairfax Street for $20,000 in 1966, according to the foundation’s Preservation Director Margaret Good. It purchased the one-room Second Street School, built in 1867, for $28,000 in 1997. It bought that school from Robert R. Milan Jr., who had originally purchased it at auction in 1966 for $4,000. Thomas, who also serves as the pastor of Holy & Whole Life Changing Ministries International, said her goal is to make the once-forgotten Union Street building a center for learning again. Similar to Waterford’s Second Street School, that is run by the Waterford Foundation, Thomas and others want the Union Street school to give visiting students a glimpse of what school would have been like for black children at the time. The process to hand over the property’s title is complicated and requires the blessing of three elected bodies. If the full School Board approves the move at its Oct. 10 meeting, the proposal will go to the county Board of Supervisors for

approval. Then, the School Board will request that the Leesburg Town Council approve a rezoning of the property. The 0.84-acre property has two zoning designations: R-HD (historic residential) and R-6 (moderate density residential) with H-1 and H-2 (historic district) overlays. The final step will require the School Board to declare the former school site as surplus and technically transfer ownership to the Board of Supervisors, which can then give it to the Douglass Alumni Association and the Loudoun Freedom Center. Several School Board members have expressed support for returning the Union Street school property to the black community to restore and care for it. “I think it makes total sense as a School Board to not be custodians of these historic sites,” Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) said. “A museum or foundation would do a better job.” dnadler@loudounnow.com

[OBITUARY] Newell J. Trask, Jr. Newell J. Trask, Jr. , 87, who retired in 1995 after 31 years as a geologist and hydrologist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) died September 25, 2017 at Inova Fairfax Hospital, surrounded by his loving family. Dr. Trask was born in Boston, Massachusetts and educated in the public schools of Newton, Massachusetts. He earned degrees in geology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Colorado, and PHD from Harvard University. He served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the Korean conflict. During much of his career with the

USGS, Dr. Trask studied the geology of the Moon and planets and was the author or co-author of over 30 maps and reports. He was a consultant to CBS television during the Apollo 11 first manned landing on the Moon in 1969 and a member of the Television Science Team on the 1974 flyby of the planets Venus and Mercury. Later in his career, Dr. Trask worked on the problems of high-level and low-level nuclear waste disposal and served on several interagency panels dealing with these issues. In 1983, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Award of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Dr. Trask was active in the Unitarian

Universalist Church. He was a founding member and first president of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun. He was also active in the Preservation Society of Loudoun County, Keep Loudoun Beautiful, and the Catoctin Creek Watershed Committee. Dr. Trask later joined the Congregational Christian Church in Winchester, VA. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Esther H. Trask of Purcellville, VA; his children Thomas W. Trask (Katherine) of Leesburg, VA; Ellen E. Carter of Purcellville, VA; Edward J. Trask (Kelly) of Richmond, VA; his grandchildren Christina Carter White (Logan); Emily L. Carter; Jeffrey W. Carter; Eleanor

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

Trask; Loudon J. Trask; and his great grandchildren; Esmae Carter White; Zion L. White. Services are private. Memorial contributions may be given to the Congregational Christian Church, 2908 Middle Road, Winchester, VA 22602.

[ D E AT H N O T I C E S ] Erica Patreese Edmonds, 42, of Manassas and formerly of Reston, died Sept. 26 at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. She is survived by her husband Jason Jermaine Edmonds; son Jaxon Tyles Edmonds of Manassas; mother Odette Lamar Harrison of Herndon; father Bernard Williams of Charleston, SC; sisters Tosha Nicole Williams of Herndon and Ebony Crystal Harrison of Raleigh, NC; and brother Daniel Walter Harrison of Herndon. A viewing will be held at 10 a.m. until the time of the service at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 at Oak Grove Baptist Church, 22870 Dominion Lane in Sterling. Interment will be at Chestnut Grove Cemetery in Herndon. [Lyles Funeral Service] Pauline Marie Jackson died Sept. 27, at her residence. She is survived by her husband of 43 years Silvanus Jackson Sr.; sons Silvanus Jackson Jr. of Garrisonville and Jeremiah Jackson of Martinsburg, WV; a stepdaughter Elizabeth Jackson Fletcher of Centreville; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; sisters Karen Robinson of Manassas and Dorothy Harris of Texas; brothers Richard Barbour of Manassas, Willie Barbour of Gainesville, Steve Barbour of Manassas, Lawrence Barbour of Fredericksburg, Ralph Barbour, and Thomas Williams of Manassas; and aunts Evelyn and Rosetta Barbour of The Plains. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 6, with visitation at 10 a.m., at First Mount Olive Baptist Church, 216 Loudoun St. in Leesburg. Interment will be private. [Lyles Funeral Service]

For Rent Lessons

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § § 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104 Case No.:

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § § 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104 Case No.:

110465

Loudoun County Circuit Court

110259

Loudoun County Circuit Court Laurel Ngozi Anyagaligbo /v. Tony Odili

The object of this suit is to:

Divorce. It is ORDERED that Gonzalo J. Serrano Gumucio appear at the above-named court and protect his interests on or before 11/03/17 at 10:00 am.

change name of child. It is ORDERED that Tony Odili appear at the above-named court and protect his interests on or before 11/03/17 at 10:00 am.

09/21/17, 09/28/17, 10/05/17, 10/12/17

Employment

Receptionist, Chiropractic Clinic

FT LPN or MA

Looking for a Full Time Receptionist to join our established, family wellness Chiropractic clinic. The ideal candidate must have a positive attitude, be dependable, friendly, and energetic.

Large family practice in Loudoun County seeking FT LPN’s or MA’s for our new site located in the professional building at Stone Springs Hospital in Aldie, VA.

Location: Leesburg, Virginia Job Type: Full Time, 35+ hours per week Job Responsibilities include, but are not limited to front desk duties, customer service, and basic office tasks. Must be able to prioritize and have computer skills.

Contact: cleggchiro@gmail.com with the Subject: Receptionist Position

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UNITED STONES INC., seeks Financial Analyst in Sterling, VA. Resumes: HR, 14 Bryant Ct., Ste. B & C, Sterling, VA 20166. No calls. Send by mail.

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PIANO LESSONS Experienced piano teacher is accepting new students for 2017/18 school year.

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* air *

SanD ◆ g◆ Work ◆

[ OPINION ]

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Meeting the Need When Loudoun supervisors approved the $2 billion Kincora development along Rt. 28 in 2010 they couldn’t have predicted that affordable workforce housing would be the first element of new community. That’s what is happening now with the nonprofit Windy Hill Foundation’s latest project, Heronview. Construction of the 96-unit complex began last month and will help address one of the county’s most pressing needs. Three years ago, Windy Hill opened a similar, 98-apartment complex in Brambleton. While these projects stand as the two largest efforts in Loudoun to provide apartments affordable to teachers, public safety workers and those in the service industries, they serve a small fraction of the need. The county’s main strategy to increase the inventory of price-controlled housing—a formula that provides residential developers a density bump in exchange for the construction of Affordable Dwelling Units— hasn’t nearly kept pace. The latest county government study cites the need for more than 11,000 affordable rental units. One need only to look at the number of “help wanted” signs displayed in business windows to gauge the economic development impact the housing shortage is having. Affordable housing has never been an issue addressed with urgency or ease in Loudoun. Innovative projects typically push the boundaries of standard regulations and require creativity among bureaucrats. That’s true of the next large workforce housing project in the pipeline—the first to follow a for-profit model that, if successful, will likely result in a more robust effort to address the need. There also is an emerging demand for more communal, dorm-like living arrangements favored by Millennials young in their careers—a housing type not currently envisioned in Loudoun’s inventory. Last spring, county supervisors pledged to embrace the challenge of providing workforce housing as an element of its broader economic development strategy. That’s a step in the right direction. Now, if they could tackle it with the same level of enthusiasm as their pursuit of Amazon’s next headquarters, they might really make a dent in that 11,000-home shortfall.

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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

Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

Margaret Morton Senior Writer mmorton@loudounnow.com

Renss Greene, Reporter rgreene@loudounnow.com Kara C. Rodriguez, Reporter krodriguez@loudounnow.com Douglas Graham, Photographer dgraham@loudounnow.com Contributors Samantha Bartram John McNeilly Jan Mercker Patrick Szabo

Advertising Director Susan Styer sstyer@loudounnow.com Display Advertising Tonya Harding tharding@loudounnow.com Production Electronic Ink Leesburg, VA 20175

[ LETTERS ] Punted Editor: On Sept. 20, the Loudoun Board of Supervisors voted against Chairwoman Phyllis Randall’s proposal to ask the General Assembly for greater discretion over war monuments and memorials within their jurisdiction. In the 4-4-1 vote against, four supervisors—Volpe, Buffington, Higgins and Buona—demonstrated that they don’t want the job they were elected to and are paid for. Supervisor Matthew Letourneau, who abstained, decided he wanted to eat his cake and have it, too, thereby abdicating his responsibility altogether. It is interesting in this day and age of so many so loudly espousing state and local control, that given the opportunity to simply make the request to Richmond, more than half of our board chose to punt. The board instead voted 7-2 in favor of Supervisor Higgins’ toothless Heritage Commission option. This is a plan to have the Heritage Commission decide how history should be dealt with on the courthouse grounds. And if the commission decides that the best option is to relocate the Confederate statue to, say, Ball’s Bluff Cemetery? Well, that will be too bad because five members of the board have decided that making our own decisions is someone else’s problem. — Neil Steinberg, Leesburg

Disappointed Editor: I was disappointed to learn that the Board of Supervisors decided not to attempt to change the state law restricting local authorities from removing monuments located in their jurisdictions. Who knows what the odds would have been of our representatives in Richmond ever agreeing to do so. It would at least have sent a message of necessary change. Virginia already has the Virginia Museum of the Civil War, a fitting location for monuments of Confederate

soldiers and military leaders. Citizens from Virginia and all over America are not demanding removal of these monuments because they wish to ignore the past. They have simply come to the realization that there is a time and a place for everything. Not being able to consider the real, honest, reasonable and true feelings of these citizens is unfortunate and will not serve us well going forward. Asking an African-American to ignore the presence of a Confederate soldier at the entrance to a courthouse where he or she seeks justice is unreasonable to put it mildly, and adding a Union soldier to the site completely misses the obvious point. It’s about the former oppressor (the Confederacy) and building monuments to them in front of a courthouse where the former oppressed seek justice today. This idea that there is some slippery slope to removing monuments of former slave owners like Jefferson and Washington is an irresponsible attempt to avoid the terrible truth. The Confederate flag and monuments to its soldiers and military leaders belong in museums, not to be ignored but rather to be put in proper perspective in the 21st century. The Confederacy was about taking up arms against your country, the highest crime possible. If that highest of crimes were not enough, it was, in large part, to preserve the practice of enslaving other human beings to assist in the continuation of a robust economy. And finally, it resulted in the deaths of more Americans than in all of our other wars combined. Worthy of historical preservation? Absolutely. But as I said earlier, there is a time and a place for everything. Public spaces and especially a courthouse are not the places and the 21st century is not the time. And not for nothing but, I don’t see sports teams holding ceremonies, handing out rings and raising banners for losing seasons. Do their fans remember those seasons? Sure they do. Do they memorialize them? Of course not. — Peter Homes, Leesburg LETTERS >> 45

[ LETTERS ] Protecting the Air

— Natalie Pien, Leesburg

Do Something Editor: When is our Board of Supervisors going to stop making speeches about Loudoun County being the fire service training center for our surrounding counties, the men and women of our fire service being among the lowest paid in Northern Virginia, and the need to modernize our antiquated pay

scale structure and finally do something about it? As our fire service continues to lose its professionally trained men and women to surrounding counties, it appears that our dinosaurian Board of Supervisors is spending its time making speeches, planning, plotting, discussing and strategizing how to fast track their own soon-to-be obscene pay raise. This old firefighter and former member of a Board of Supervisors in another jurisdiction continues to be amazed at the dedication, enthusiasm to seek excellence in their careers, and insight the men and women of Loudoun County’s fire and rescue service have. Despite the continuing lack of action by a Board of Supervisors that took immediate action to put our taxpayers in debt for generations to come when our taxpayers became a cash cow for the corrupt and mismanaged DC Metro system, and with the speed of light doled out over $1 million to local organizations, the men and women of our fire service are really inspiring. Before our taxpayers have to start protecting their homes and property with their garden hoses, before we spend another dime of taxpayers’ money training fire service personnel for surrounding counties, and before we lose some of the most professional, caring and dedicated firefighters, paramedics and EMTs this old firefighter has ever had the privilege of knowing, it is time for our Loudoun County Board of Supervisors to stop crowing about their leaving higher paid jobs to serve the folks of Loudoun Coun-

ty; start paying attention to the real professionals among us who are being severely impacted by all of you dragging your feet on this issue; and stop using taxpayer funds to have companies study the issue over and over again. Our elected Board of Supervisors should be a hive for action people, not a nest for drones. This old guy is far from being a pessimist of the issue of board members appearing to be more interested in their own pay raise than resolving one of our county’s critical issues. I am strongly in favor of any elected board member using common sense in decision making, honesty in speech making, and a recognition of urgency in resolving critical issues, which I guess would make me forever ineligible for public office in today’s political environment. — Lou Gros Louis, Lansdowne

Share Your Views Loudoun Now welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should include the name, address and phone number of the writer and should be a maximum of 500 words. Letters may be sent by email to letters@ loudounnow.com or by mail to PO Box 207, Leesburg, VA 20178.

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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.

Editor: Last week, the Loudoun County Planning Commission recommended approval of two natural gas infrastructure projects, CMPT—2017-0004 WB Express Project and CMPT-2017-003, Loudoun Compressor Station. Because of wide ranging adverse impacts to people, the environment, and the planet, several members of the environmental community spoke out to oppose the project. Regrettably, these impacts were not addressed in the staff report, resulting in a staff recommendation for approval that the commission followed. Under current regulations, land-use is the only factor to be considered. The federal government does have responsibility to review the environmental impacts of natural gas projects, but have failed. In August, a federal appeals court overturned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of three proposed natural gas pipelines in southeastern U.S. for lack of adequate environmental review regarding climate change inducing greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. Because the air that we all breathe is a common resource, the Public Trust Doctrine must be considered. The public trust doctrine requires the state to protect those resources necessary for public survival and welfare. The public trust doctrine views such resources as owned in common by the people and requires that they be maintained, pro-

tected, and preserved by the state for the public interest. Recently, the Public Trust Doctrine was successfully applied to our common resource—the air. The Atmospheric Trust Litigation provides a legal mechanism for courts to hold governments accountable for reducing carbon emissions. Eminent Public Trust Scholar Prof. Mary Christina Wood concludes that courts have the ability to enforce a fiduciary obligation to reduce carbon at all levels of government. Recently, young people sued the federal and state government for failure to act expeditiously to protect the earth’s atmosphere from the adverse impacts of climate-changing carbon emissions. The commission permits that the Planning Commission approved last week will increase climate-changing carbon emissions in Loudoun County. The Loudoun Compressor Station expansion is scheduled to be ratified by the Board of Supervisors on Thursday, Oct. 19 following the 6 p.m. public input session. Think globally and act locally. Voice your opposition.

Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

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Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

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The Peoples Constitution

Equal Protection Under Law BY BEN LENHART Equal protection ranks among America’s most important constitutional rights. It protects Americans from being treated unequally by the government absent justification for such treatment. In many areas—such as race or national origin—the Constitution creates an extremely high bar for such justification. A core purpose of the Equal Protection clause—when passed in 1868—was to eliminate discrimination against former slaves by state governments (and especially by the states of the former Confederacy). But since then, the scope of Equal Protection has greatly expanded and now protects Americans against many forms of unequal treatment whether based on race, gender, religion, alienage, sexual orientation, health status or other factors.

A Brief History of Equal Protection Equal Protection was not included in the original Constitution or the Bill of Rights. It took the Civil War, and the deaths of more than half a million Americans, for the passage of what came to be known as the Civil War Amendments: the 13th Amendment banning slavery (1866), the 14th Amendment guaranteeing due process and equal protection (1868), and the 15th Amendment ensuring that the right to vote could not be denied based on race or status as a former slave (1870). Here is the key language of the 14th Amendment: “… nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, with due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Note that the 14th prohibits action by states—in contrast, the First Amendment bans the federal government from abridging freedom of speech. Why the difference? After the Revolutionary War, many of the Founding Fathers saw the new federal government as the greatest threat to liberty, but after the Civil War many viewed state governments as the gravest danger to the important new rights set out in the 14th Amendment. Eventually the Supreme Court resolved this disparity by ruling that Equal Protection applies equally to all government actions— whether local, State or Federal.

Race Discrimination by the Government Itself Because race was the driving force for the Equal Protection clause, the law is most developed in this area. Two infamous cases set the early tone: Dred Scott (just before the Civil War) ruled that current or former slaves were not citizens under the Constitution and that slaves could not gain freedom by entering free territory. In 1896 Plessey v. Ferguson introduced the idea of “separate but equal” and held that segregation by race was constitutional. Both are now considered among the Supreme Court’s greatest mistakes. The Civil War effectively reversed Dred Scott. Plessey took longer to reject. For decades, the Court chipped away at separate-but-equal but finally and resoundingly rejected it in one of the most famous cases of all time: Brown v. Board in 1954, where a unanimous court held that racial segregation in schools was “inherently unequal” and thus violated Equal Protection. Similar rulings followed. Today, virtually all laws or government programs discriminating based on race are unconstitutional (but see below for possible exceptions). While banning race discrimination by the government itself was a crucial step forward for America, it left open many questions about other forms of discrimination.

Business Discrimination Through the efforts of Dr. King and others, the 1960s Civil Rights Legislation and other laws now ban most racial discrimination by private employers and private businesses. However, the constitutional “hook” is quite different for public vs. private discrimination: the Equal Protection clause bans the former while the Commerce Clause of Article I largely underpins the latter. Under the Commerce Clause, Congress can regulate businesses affecting interstate commerce. Citing this power, the Court has repeatedly upheld laws banning discrimination by many types of businesses and other enterprises. For example, in the 1960s the Heart of Atlanta motel refused to rent rooms to African Americans, and argued that the 1964 Civil Rights Act (which banned such discrimination) was unconstitutional. The Court disagreed, holding that the motel affected interstate commerce, that the Civil Rights

law was a constitutional exercise of Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause, and that the motel must abide by the law and stop discriminating.

Private or “Hidden” Discrimination Sometimes persons or organizations discriminate in ways that are not easy to prove. Yick Wo is a famous example where the Court ruled that even hidden, unofficial discrimination violates the Constitution. While no discriminatory law was “on the books,” nevertheless San Francisco had denied laundry permits for 100 percent of the applications from Chinese nationals, but had approved nearly 100 percent for non-Chinese. The Court inferred racial discrimination from the strikingly disparate statistics, and ruled the city’s actions unconstitutional. Yick Wo remains a potent tool to fight “unofficial” discrimination but only if proof of the “unofficial” discrimination can be found. Of course, some forms of racism are beyond the reach of the law. The Constitution does not ban—and indeed the 1st Amendment protects—the right to engage in racist speech (unless certain narrow exceptions apply). For example, we deplore the KKK’s racist propaganda, however it is not the Constitution that will stop such speech, but rather strong and compelling “counter speech” that lays bare the falsehoods and evils of racism.

Affirmative Action Affirmative action is a crucial exception to the Constitution’s ban on race discrimination. Here government actors (e.g., universities) openly discriminate based on race but with one vital difference—they do so with the express goal of helping rather than harming racial minorities. A sharply divided Court has struggled with the issue, with some Justices arguing that affirmative action is needed to address past discrimination while others argue it harms minorities and violates the very Equal Protection clause intended to help them. Among the latter group, Justice Thomas (currently the sole African American justice) stated in the Adarand case: “But there can be no doubt that racial paternalism and its unintended consequences can be as poisonous and pernicious as other forms of discrimination. So-called

‘benign’ discrimination teaches many that because of chronic and apparently immutable handicaps, minorities can’t compete with them without their patronizing indulgence.” Stay tuned—the constitutional fate of affirmative action is unsettled and could be decided by the appointment of the next Supreme Court Justice.

Korematsu and Strict Scrutiny After Pearl Harbor, and based on fears that Japanese spies and saboteurs had infiltrated the Japanese-American community, many Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps. In the famous Korematsu case, the Court wrestled with the question of whether this violated Equal Protection. First, the Court stated that any state discrimination based on race was “highly suspect” and would pass constitutional muster only if it met the “strict scrutiny” test, i.e., was the government action necessary to achieve a compelling interest? A sharply divided court held that the internment was constitutional because—based on the facts before the court—the threat to the American homeland was grave and immediate and there was no less discriminatory way to address that threat short of the internment camps. Justice Jackson and others strongly dissented, and Korematsu has been sharply criticized as bad law, but the case was never overturned. In fact, some argued after 9/11 that Korematsu could serve as the basis for race-based internments should additional terrorist attacks occur. Hopefully, this theory will never be tested, but if it is, the Equal Protection clause would serve as a powerful and hardto-overcome roadblock to any effort by the state to target a group based on race. Equal Protection is also a bulwark against many other forms of discrimination (e.g., discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation) and those will be addressed in another column.

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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Kellie Hinkle, who serves as the agricultural development officer for Loudoun’s Department of Economic Development, said every year is a different story when it comes to weather and its effects on the grape harvest. “It seems like the last couple of years we’ve been talking about hail and rain,” she said.

krodriguez@loudounow.com

‘A California Harvest’

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

past couple of weeks—when temperatures were still regularly reaching into the 90s—had him worried about being able to keep up with the harvest and pick the ripened grapes at just the right time. The challenge then becomes where to store all the grapes. But Fabbioli, who also chairs the Rural Economic Development Council, said thanks to the collaborative nature of Loudoun’s wineries, they can all help each other out. “We want to fill the tanks up. If vineyards have a little extra, we want wineries to say ‘I’ll make room.’ We don’t want anything hitting the ground,” he said. Local winemakers did luck out in dodging any major storm events. Spelbring and others in the industry expressed relief that all the hurricanes that have generated in the Atlantic Ocean in the past month stayed far away from Loudoun County. “One storm like that and we would’ve had to throw everybody into the field,” to pick the grapes off the vines, Spelbring said. And in the midst of the annual grape harvest, temperatures thankfully turned this week to more typical fall weather, with cool nights and mornings and dry daytime conditions. The cooler temps, on the heels of 90-degree days, have more than a few winemakers breathing a sigh of relief. “The weather right now is gorgeous as far as ripening goes—warm days but not crazy [hot],” Fabbioli said on Monday, when the high was in the mid-70s. “We don’t want 90s. Cool nights really change the flavors.”

47 Oct. 5 – 11, 2017

Harvest

Rain during the harvest drops sugar levels in the grapes, and that water then gets absorbed into the grapes, she explained, yielding perhaps a different result than winemakers may have anticipated. But that’s far from a negative, they said. “The sugars aren’t quite what we were hoping for, but it’s not everything,” Fabbioli said. “It’s about flavor and fruit maturity, and we’ve definitely hit that.” This year’s end of summer/beginning of fall warmer, drier weather will prevent concerns about mildew seeping into the grapes, but the weather conditions may hasten the harvest with not as much juice in the grape. “Being dry is incredibly helpful for us,” Spelbring explained. “It helps to concentrate a lot of flavors in the grapes. As long as it’s dry and sunny, [the grapes] are still producing sugars and flavors.” “[The wines] will be sweeter but not as much juice. Not as much juice means not as much wine,” Hinkle said. “It’ll be an amazing vintage with a limited supply. It might feel like more like a California harvest.” Fabbioli predicts it will be a B+ year for Loudoun’s wines, a $36 million industry as far as its wine production is concerned. And it will be an especially good year for whites. “It’s a little early to tell on the reds, but I do feel like everything we’ve brought in so far we’ve got it where we wanted it to be,” he said. Spelbring thinks the public will enjoy the end results. “It’s going to show the dynamics of what Virginia weather is,” he said. “What’s kind of nice and fun for me is every year is very reflective of what Mother Nature has given us. [The wines] are going to show completely different from last year.” “Every year is different—that’s the thing we always have to recognize as growers and winemakers,” Fabbioli said. “You play it out as best as you can.” “It’s agriculture,” Hinkle said. “You’re subject to the weather gods.”

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Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Workers at Fabiolli Cellars pick grapes early Monday morning. Winemakers say cool mornings and dry daytime conditions this time of year make for the best wine.

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