Loudoun Now for Nov. 19, 2015

LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE IN COURT: Battered wife gets 15 years

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VINO POWWOW: Wine elite hit Loudoun

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LOCO LIVING: Dig in with the Delta Spurs

LoudounNow

Vol. 1, No. 2

loudounnow.com

November 19, 2015

Loudoun Deputy Convicted of Assaulting Cuffed Man

BY NORMAN K. STYER

Photos by Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Nelson Lassiter gives Sterling resident Ken Hills a trim at Robinson’s Barber Shop, one of a handful of longstanding downtown Leesburg businesses. The shop has operated on West Loudoun Street since 1968.

On the Happy Corner of King and Loudoun Downtown Leesburg anchors stand witness to ever-changing streetscape

BY MARGARET MORTON The more things change in downtown Leesburg, the more some things stay the same.

That’s particularly true on one corner where four business

owners have watched neighboring storefronts change over three decades or more.

Nelson “Mutt” Lassiter, who turned 80 in August, has owned Robinson’s Barber Shop at 4B W. Loudoun St. since 1968.

KD Kidder and Neil Steinberg opened their Photoworks business in 1979 at 2A Loudoun St. Mike Carroll is the youngster of the group, having opened the HAPPY CORNER continues on page 6

A Loudoun County deputy was found guilty Tuesday of assaulting a handcuffed man in his custody.

John Wayne Gregory, a 10-year Sheriff ’s Office veteran who has been on paid administrative leave since the investigation began into the June 14 incident, was fined $500.

His attorney, Caleb Kershner, immediately appealed the case to John Wayne Gregory Loudoun County Circuit Court.

District Court Judge Norman deVere Morrison handed down the verdict after a two-hour trial.

According to the testimony, the case began when Sgt. Brett Philips was waved down by a woman in front of Mighty Mike’s Bar and Grill in Sterling. She said she was worried about an inebriated man sitting in a pickup in the parking lot. Philips found Lyle Murphy Grenoble slumped behind the wheel of the truck, in a condition described as obviously intoxicated and possibly passed out.

Grenoble said he was waiting for a roommate to pick him up. The keys were not in the ignition. As Philips pressed him for information on when his friend would show up, Grenoble became agitated and then aggressive. Gregory joined Philips on the scene as his supervisor made the decision to arrest Grenoble, charging him with public intoxication.

He was handcuffed and placed in the back of Gregory’s cruiser. Grenoble became more agitated as he waited for officers to complete the search of his pickup, complaining frequently that the cuffs were too tight.

The altercation happened in the secure garage at the Loudoun Adult Detention Center in Leesburg. When Gregory opened the door to let Grenoble, who was still handcuffed, get out, the two stood together and then the deputy suddenly forced the suspect to the ground on his back and held his head DEPUTY CONVICTED continues on page 12

INDEX CRIME

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LOUDOUN NOW

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November 19, 2015 |

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Wife Gets 15 Years for Fatally Shooting MWAA Officer

BY DANIELLE NADLER The woman convicted of manslaughter after killing her husband, a Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police officer, will spend 15 years behind bars following a sentencing hearing in Loudoun County Circuit Court on Tuesday.

Rosangela Spradling, 46, was convicted of fatally shooting her husband, Steve Spradling, in their Sterling home on May 17, 2013.

Judge Benjamin N. A. Kendrick passed down the sentence after a twoday hearing during which attorneys presented witness testimony and evidence.

Rosangela Spradling was convicted of four felonies: voluntary manslaughter, two counts of discharging a firearm in an occupied dwelling and firing a firearm in commission of a felony. She was sentenced to the maximum of 10 years for voluntary manslaughter, plus 10 years for the two counts of discharging a weapon and another five years for firing

a weapon in commission of a felony. The judge suspended 10 years.

Leading up to the shooting, the Spradlings were involved in a physical altercation during which Rosangela Spradling was on the floor being strangled by her husband. He released his grip when their children came into the room. She retrieved his firearm from an upstairs bedroom and shot him, according to evidence in the case.

Defense attorneys Robert Bruce and Elizabeth J. Lancaster said Spradling was the victim of frequent violence and abuse at the hands of her husband, a 6-foot-2 trained law enforcement officer who had a drinking problem. Loudoun County deputies were called to the Spradlings’ home seven times in 10 years for domestic violence. Bruce and Lancaster argued that Spradling was acting in self-defense.

“He attacked her, he choked her and was on on top of her when [her daughter] came into the room,” Bruce said.

“That’s deadly force.”

He described Rosangela Spradling as mentally ill, but he said she would not be a threat to others in the future because this situation was “a perfect storm” of violence and chaos.

Prosecutors argued that Spradling had plenty of opportunity to call 911 or flee the home ahead of her decision to shoot her husband.

Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Gigi B. Lawless said Spradling ran upstairs to get the gun from the master bedroom closet, realized she couldn’t reach it and went to another room to retrieve a chair. After getting the gun, she ran back downstairs to get the keys to the gun case and returned upstairs to unlock the case. She then fired two practice shots before heading back downstairs, where she shot her husband in the head, according to Lawless.

Lawless said evidence shows that after the first shot, Spradling did not run away but instead shot her husband in the head a second time from a different angle.

“This demonstrates that this was not

Rosangela Spradling

an act of fear but an act of rage,” said Lawless, who was joined by Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Angela L. Vernail. dandler@loudounnow.com

Community Gives 52 Tons During Scout Food Drive On Saturday, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts throughout Loudoun County joined in the annual Scouting for Food drive, collecting 104,619 pounds of donated food from area residents.

It was the highest collection total in the past three years. Claudia Wolfson, the event chairman for the Goose Creek District’s collection, attributed the success to relatively calm weather (so collection bags weren’t blown away) and to increased advance media coverage and social media outreach to raise awareness. Last year, the collection netted 97,634 pounds.

Supplies were distributed to eight area food pantries: Loudoun Interfaith Relief, Catholic Charities, the Dulles South Food Pantry, LINK, Messiah’s Market, Seven Loaves, Tree of Life, and the Western Loudoun Food Pantry.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Scouts unload, weigh and sort donations at Loudoun Interfaith Relief’s collection center in Leesburg on Saturday.

Incoming School Board Members Focus On Shared Priorities

BY DANIELLE NADLER At first glance, it seems the soonto-be members of the Loudoun County School Board have their fair share of differences. Two of the four were endorsed by the Loudoun Democrats and the Loudoun Education Association. The other two were backed by the Loudoun Republicans.

But the incoming board members say they have plenty of shared priorities that they’re eager to start working on.

The four who will be sworn in as new members in January are Tom Marshall (Leesburg), who won his seat back from Bill Fox; Joy Maloney (Broad Run), who

Joy Maloney

Tom Marshall

unseated first-term incumbent Kevin Kuesters; Eric DeKenipp (Catoctin), who takes the seat vacated by Jennifer K. Bergel who did not seek a third term; and Beth Huck (At Large), who steps in following the retirement of three-term member Thomas Reed.

Eric DeKenipp

Beth Huck

First Up: Full-Day Kindergarten Even though Election Day has come and gone, those newly elected to the board say they’re upholding their most repeated campaign promise to take steps toward expanding full-day kindergarten. They may take

those steps more slowly than their constituents want, however.

Loudoun County is one of three school divisions in Virginia that do not offer every kindergartner a full school day. In the last year, the Loudoun school district expanded the program and 1,536 kindergartners, or 34 percent, now attend for a full day.

Incoming members acknowledged that bringing that figure up to 100 percent is important, but it will not be cheap or happen overnight.

“Full-day kindergarten is a reasonable expectation for the residents of Loudoun County,” said Marshall, who returns to the board in January after serving from INCOMING BOARD continues on page 8

LOUDOUN NOW

loudounnow.com

November 19, 2015 |

3

Wife Gets 15 Years for Fatally Shooting MWAA Officer

BY DANIELLE NADLER The woman convicted of manslaughter after killing her husband, a Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police officer, will spend 15 years behind bars following a sentencing hearing in Loudoun County Circuit Court on Tuesday.

Rosangela Spradling, 46, was convicted of fatally shooting her husband, Steve Spradling, in their Sterling home on May 17, 2013.

Judge Benjamin N. A. Kendrick passed down the sentence after a twoday hearing during which attorneys presented witness testimony and evidence.

Rosangela Spradling was convicted of four felonies: voluntary manslaughter, two counts of discharging a firearm in an occupied dwelling and firing a firearm in commission of a felony. She was sentenced to the maximum of 10 years for voluntary manslaughter, plus 10 years for the two counts of discharging a weapon and another five years for firing

a weapon in commission of a felony. The judge suspended 10 years.

Leading up to the shooting, the Spradlings were involved in a physical altercation during which Rosangela Spradling was on the floor being strangled by her husband. He released his grip when their children came into the room. She retrieved his firearm from an upstairs bedroom and shot him, according to evidence in the case.

Defense attorneys Robert Bruce and Elizabeth J. Lancaster said Spradling was the victim of frequent violence and abuse at the hands of her husband, a 6-foot-2 trained law enforcement officer who had a drinking problem. Loudoun County deputies were called to the Spradlings’ home seven times in 10 years for domestic violence. Bruce and Lancaster argued that Spradling was acting in self-defense.

“He attacked her, he choked her and was on on top of her when [her daughter] came into the room,” Bruce said.

“That’s deadly force.”

He described Rosangela Spradling as mentally ill, but he said she would not be a threat to others in the future because this situation was “a perfect storm” of violence and chaos.

Prosecutors argued that Spradling had plenty of opportunity to call 911 or flee the home ahead of her decision to shoot her husband.

Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Gigi B. Lawless said Spradling ran upstairs to get the gun from the master bedroom closet, realized she couldn’t reach it and went to another room to retrieve a chair. After getting the gun, she ran back downstairs to get the keys to the gun case and returned upstairs to unlock the case. She then fired two practice shots before heading back downstairs, where she shot her husband in the head, according to Lawless.

Lawless said evidence shows that after the first shot, Spradling did not run away but instead shot her husband in the head a second time from a different angle.

“This demonstrates that this was not

Rosangela Spradling

an act of fear but an act of rage,” said Lawless, who was joined by Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Angela L. Vernail. dandler@loudounnow.com

Community Gives 52 Tons During Scout Food Drive On Saturday, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts throughout Loudoun County joined in the annual Scouting for Food drive, collecting 104,619 pounds of donated food from area residents.

It was the highest collection total in the past three years. Claudia Wolfson, the event chairman for the Goose Creek District’s collection, attributed the success to relatively calm weather (so collection bags weren’t blown away) and to increased advance media coverage and social media outreach to raise awareness. Last year, the collection netted 97,634 pounds.

Supplies were distributed to eight area food pantries: Loudoun Interfaith Relief, Catholic Charities, the Dulles South Food Pantry, LINK, Messiah’s Market, Seven Loaves, Tree of Life, and the Western Loudoun Food Pantry.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Scouts unload, weigh and sort donations at Loudoun Interfaith Relief’s collection center in Leesburg on Saturday.

Incoming School Board Members Focus On Shared Priorities

BY DANIELLE NADLER At first glance, it seems the soonto-be members of the Loudoun County School Board have their fair share of differences. Two of the four were endorsed by the Loudoun Democrats and the Loudoun Education Association. The other two were backed by the Loudoun Republicans.

But the incoming board members say they have plenty of shared priorities that they’re eager to start working on.

The four who will be sworn in as new members in January are Tom Marshall (Leesburg), who won his seat back from Bill Fox; Joy Maloney (Broad Run), who

Joy Maloney

Tom Marshall

unseated first-term incumbent Kevin Kuesters; Eric DeKenipp (Catoctin), who takes the seat vacated by Jennifer K. Bergel who did not seek a third term; and Beth Huck (At Large), who steps in following the retirement of three-term member Thomas Reed.

Eric DeKenipp

Beth Huck

First Up: Full-Day Kindergarten Even though Election Day has come and gone, those newly elected to the board say they’re upholding their most repeated campaign promise to take steps toward expanding full-day kindergarten. They may take

those steps more slowly than their constituents want, however.

Loudoun County is one of three school divisions in Virginia that do not offer every kindergartner a full school day. In the last year, the Loudoun school district expanded the program and 1,536 kindergartners, or 34 percent, now attend for a full day.

Incoming members acknowledged that bringing that figure up to 100 percent is important, but it will not be cheap or happen overnight.

“Full-day kindergarten is a reasonable expectation for the residents of Loudoun County,” said Marshall, who returns to the board in January after serving from INCOMING BOARD continues on page 8

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November 19, 2015

loudounnow.com

This was the scene at 3 a.m. in the parking lot of the Ida Lee Recreation Center in Leesburg as people lined up waiting for tickets to go on sale at 5 a.m. The Jingle Jam evening show sold out at 5:30 am.

A Loudoun Moment A photo essay by Douglas Graham Loudoun Now

Early Birds Get the Jingle Jam Tix

Blankets, friendly conversation, a mini performance by Todd Wright, donuts and coffee helped people in line stay warm and entertained.

The clock read 3 a.m. and the thermometer read 41. But that didn’t stop dozens from lining up Monday to purchase tickets for Jingle Jam. The beloved annual concert, set for Saturday, Dec. 12, showcases the talents of 10 musicians who collaborate to bring audiences their favorite holiday tunes with a rock ’n’ roll twist. The evening show sold out just 30 minutes after sales opened Monday morning, according to Jingle Jam founder Stilson Greene.

Some tickets for the matinee show at 2:30 p.m. and the 11:30 a.m. Junior Jam remained available Tuesday. Admission to the afternoon and evening concerts is $25 per person, and $5 per person for the Junior Jam. All proceeds from the shows benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

This year’s Jingle Jam band includes Grammy Award-winner Jon Carroll; acclaimed singer-songwriter Todd Wright; Leesburg’s own Gary Smallwood; Grammy Award-nominee Michael Sheppard; sought-after studio guitarist and producer Mark Williams; blues singer Mary Ann Redmond; drummer Dan Garvin; songwriter and guitarist Prescott Engle; and songwriter and Jingle Jam founder Greene.

For show details, go to tallyholeesburg.com.

David Carter of Garret County, MD, was first to get his tickets as he arrived in line at 12:15 a.m.

November 19, 2015 |

loudounnow.com

Oatlands, Two Other Nonprofits Awarded County Tax Breaks Three Loudoun nonprofits have been awarded new local property tax-exemptions.

Before Thursday’s Board of Supervisors’ vote, 31 organizations had been granted local property tax exemptions, totaling $4.7 million in 2015.

Added to that list following a Nov. 12 public hearing were Oatlands Inc., the Mobile Hope Association and the Faith and Family Foundation. Together, the three paid $31,593 in taxes during 2015.

Oatlands was granted a real estate and personal property exemption because of its status as an historic site. In tax year 2015, Oatlands was assessed $12,964 in real estate taxes and $203 in personal property taxes.

Mobile Hope provides services including food, clothing, school supplies and medical care to homeless and at-risk youth in Loudoun. The nonprofit only requested a personal property exemption; it paid $788.55 in tax year 2015.

The Faith and Family Foundation was founded in 1999 by Mark Forrest, an internationally known Irish tenor, and his wife, Muriel, to support children with special needs and their families. The organization has expanded at Wheatland Farm, where it operates therapeutic riding and educational programs and other

services including adaptive equipment loans and repair and a hair salon. Supervisors granted a real estate exemption for the organization, which was assessed $17,636 in real estate taxes in 2015.

Two board members opposed the exemptions.

Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said he opposed any additional local tax exemptions. Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) also voted against the motion, but he directed his criticism at an exemption granted to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute several years ago. HHMI holds the largest exemption, valued at $2.8 million in 2015.

However, Board Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) defended the HHMI and the other exemptions.

HHMI, he pointed out, donates $1 million to Loudoun schools each year and last month contributed $5 million to the construction of the Rt. 7/Ashburn Village Boulevard interchange.

Allowing an additional $31,000 in tax exemptions would have little impact on the county’s $1.98 billion budget, he said. “It’s not going to break the bank.

These organizations provide a very direct and significant benefit for Loudoun citizens.”

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HAPPY CORNER

continued from page 1

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Leesburg Vintner on the corner of South King and West Loudoun 27 years ago.

Their longevity stands out as several tenants in storefronts adjacent to theirs have turned over in recent months.

One common denominator of their business tenures is the stable relationship all four have enjoyed with their landlord—first Herb Pearson, then his widow, Shirley Pearson.

“He always said he wanted people to come in and be there for a while, to stay,” Lassiter said of Herb Pearson who died in 1998.

“Simply put, Shirley and Herb were the nicest, most fair landlords. If something goes wrong and it’s Shirley’s responsibility, she doesn’t hesitate to make it right. And her rents are extraordinarily fair,” Steinberg said this week.

Robinson’s Barber Shop A former U.S. Marine, who learned to cut hair on a military base in Tennessee, Lassiter said, “I figured I was a good hair cutter.”

When he finally settled down to work for Mr. Robinson in the early 1960s, Lassiter came back to his birthplace. He was born in the original Leesburg Hospital on West Market Street.

He bought the business from Robinson’s widow in 1968, and he’s been in the same location ever since. The small shop has only a few chairs and Lassiter, who now manages operations by himself, insists on a few simple rules, including a prohibition posted on the wall: “No cell phone use while in the barber’s chair.”

Lassiter said the Robinsons, although black themselves, would not serve black customers out of concern of offending their other clientele.

That didn’t stop him. “I don’t care; if I lose a white client, I’ll get two black ones,” Lassiter figured. “I’ll cut anyone’s hair.”

Robinson’s is a gathering place as much as a cuttery. Neighbors and friends drop in to chat with Lasstier at all times. Still trim and dapper at 80, he says business is good. “I’m here, people come on in, I still pick up new people.”

He says he doesn’t plan to retire until “the Good Lord up there tells me to stop.”

Photos by Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Mike Carroll poses for a photo at his shop, Leesburg Vintner, which opened on the corner of South King and West Loudoun 27 years ago.

sured.

The secret, Steinberg said, is that “we offer a range of services. We have a very different focus [from the large chains].

We’re very specialized. In the end, it’s the work that we do—we have a range of clients.”

Leesburg Vintner Carroll, who opened in 1988, has built a well-regarded business, dispensing wide knowledge about the wine trade while offering advice on good buys.

His rent has tripled since he opened 27 years ago, but “It’s still a very fair price,” Carroll said.

Although the number of outlets selling wines has grown exponentially over the past decade, Carroll’s customers appreciate his personal touch and extensive knowledge. “We’re doing, very, very well, with good local support,” he said.

Like Steinberg, Carroll says the secret of success is to have a good product—in his case it is the range and quality of his inventory and his well-rooted advice.

“Don’t complain, do your homework so you make sure you have a product people want,” he advised.

The Landlord And the partnership with Pearson is a core element of all their success.

“There isn’t a tenant I don’t get along with,” she said, calling them “my anchors.”

While there are property owners with larger inventories of downtown properties, Pearson operates her smaller business empire with an almost old-fashioned but effective business model.

For one, she doesn’t do email. “I hate it—I’d rather talk to a real, live person,” she said.

That attention to individual contact makes her somewhat of an anomaly— but a very effective representative of a traditional form of doing business that seems to suit her and her tenants very well. mmorton@loudounnow.com

Photoworks

Blue Oyster Cult 01/05 • 8:00pm

Steinberg and Kidder opened their photography business in 1979, and expanded it last year with the Leesburg Photography School. They operate on the second and third floor of the Whitmore Building, above Carroll’s wine shop.

The couple met in 1974, while at college. They dropped out of school, traveled all over the country and ended up in photography in Leesburg.

“People said we were totally crazy, and it would never work,” Steinberg recalled.

Almost 36 years later, their success is as-

Photos by Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Neil Steinberg and KD Kidder of Photoworks pose for a photo in their studio, which they opened in 1979.

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INCOMING BOARD continued from page 3

2008 to 2011. “Now, can we do it right now? That’s another question.”

It’s estimated to cost $23.2 million to extend the service to 61 percent of the county’s kindergartners, or 3,045 students. Superintendent Eric Williams has not provided an estimated price tag for universal full-day kindergarten, and encouraged the board to take incremental steps to get there.

Last week, the superintendent presented his list of capital priorities for the next six years, and he included a request for $16.32 million to build kindergarten classroom additions.

Marshall said he supports gradually moving toward more full-day kindergarten, but he would not back any plan that surpasses the county government’s borrowing limit. That would jeopardize the county’s triple-A bond rating, which helps it purchase bonds at a low interest rate.

Plus, he added, making room for the program’s operating costs will likely mean something else in the budget will need to go.

“I support it, but would I go blindly into it? No, I would not,” he said. “Bottom line is, what would we cut in order to pay for this?”

Huck expressed similar sentiments.

The board needs to move toward more

full-day kindergarten because community members want it. But, she added, it will mean difficult decisions for school and county leaders.

“It could mean a tax increase or it might affect other programs,” she said.

“It’s definitely something that we need … but we need to make sure we’re looking at the bigger picture as well.”

DeKenipp agreed.

“We know it’s important. Everyone on [the incoming board] has agreed that it is important. What we have to do is sit down as a board and figure out how we’re going to get there.”

Maloney said throughout her campaign that a step-by-step plan to achieve universal full-day kindergarten is long overdue.

“My personal goal is to have a plan in place by the end of next year—that we’re going to follow,” she said Monday, noting that Fairfax and Prince William counties followed a years-long plan to bring the all-day program to all of their kindergartners. “There’s a sense of urgency to do the same.”

Other Priorities: Overcrowding, Teacher Pay, Safety Ahead of universal full-day kindergarten, Huck said the immediate need is to find some solutions for overcrowding in the Dulles- and Brambleton-area schools. Some relief will come with the opening of Madison’s Trust Elementary

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in 2016, but there is still a need for several new schools as the population continues to grow, she said.

The bulk of the superintendent’s proposed Capital Improvement Program earmarks money for new schools and classroom trailers for that area. The board could bump the funding request for kindergarten classrooms to make room to meet the growing enrollment needs of schools on the southern end of the county.

Marshall said he wants to make sure the school system’s 10,000-plus employees do not take a backseat to full-day kindergarten’s expansion and other educational programs. He wants to see more of a focus on employees’ compensation, by providing regular pay raises and developing a supplementary retirement program for teachers. This will only help attract and retain the best educators, he added. “One of the best recruitment tools is to have good benefits and a good salary package.”

Safety is in the forefront of DeKenipp’s mind. He was surprised to see that replacing aging security equipment at 17 schools was not on the top of the board’s list of funding priorities, should the board get money from any county government budget surplus. He noted that artificial turf fields were listed as a higher priority, and that the board was told by staff members that the security panels cannot be repaired and are at risk

of failing in an emergency situation.

“I’m kind of surprised by that,” he said.

“With some of the recent events I think we need to have another conversation about safety and security especially given our geographical proximity to DC.” Maloney, who will represent the Broad Run District, expects she and her colleagues will find enough common ground to make progress on constituents’ biggest concerns. She listed a longer school day for a greater number of kindergartners and shaping the Academies of Loudoun curriculum among them. But she said she’s looking forward to getting to know the incoming and incumbent board members to learn where their commonalities lie.

The nine men and women who will make up the School Board over the next four years will have a chance to do just that later this week when they spend three days together at the Virginia School Board Conference.

“That will be a good opportunity to get to know everyone better, and we’ll have a better idea of everyone’s priorities,” Maloney said.

DeKenipp noted that the differences among those on the board will also be an asset. “I think we have a good mix of skill sets overall, and I think we’ll find a lot we can agree on.” dnadler@loudounnow.com

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Downtown Improvements Wrapping Up

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28 W. Market Street Leesburg, Va 20176

Just in time for the holiday shopping season, downtown Leesburg merchants, residents, and visitors will be able to say goodbye to the construction cones and hello to a new and improved sidewalk network.

Construction on sidewalk enhancements to segments of Loudoun and King streets are in their final weeks and are expected to be completed by the end of the fall season. The projects represent the third and final phase of the downtown improvement capital project which endured a long and, at times, contentious public input process that began in earnest more than four years ago.

The projects were introduced as a way to spur reinvestment in the downtown area, which at the height of the economic recession had seen a decrease in foot traffic and a difficulty in retaining high-quality retail and restaurant tenants. Council members who supported the project hoped that by the town investing in the downtown area business owners and landlords would follow suit, and the public would find the downtown area a more inviting place to fulfill their shopping, dining and entertainment needs.

There have been many new faces appearing in the downtown area since the public input process began. New restaurants have sprung up to accommodate a variety of palates, not to mention a slew of new establishments that seek out lovers of craft beer and local wines. Popular long-standing businesses like the Leesburg Vintner, Photoworks and China King have maintained their place in the downtown streetscape as fixtures of retail and restaurant success. However, one thing that did not change was the far-ranging opinions on whether wider sidewalks and the overall improvements

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Town of Leesburg

Construction is underway on the final phase of the improvements along King Street in downtown Leesburg.

Here’s a glimpse of what King Street, between North and Royal streets, will look like when the upgrades are complete.

were really needed in the first place.

Leesburg Vintner owner Mike Carroll was one of many downtown business owners not sold on the change. In particular, the concern of many was that eliminating on-street parking to accommodate the wider sidewalks would take away the convenience factor of downtown shopping and dining for local residents and visitors and send them elsewhere.

Carroll said he still has his doubts that the high price tag of the projects—estimated at $1 million for all phases—was worth it in the end. However, he did note that construction on King Street has not been the hindrance many feared, with the majority of construction happening in the overnight hours so as not to impede local shop owners.

The three-phase improvements project began in the summer of 2012 with enhancements to the walkways linking King Street to the Town Hall parking garage, and improvements to the East End Triangle by Mom’s Apple Pie. Those projects wrapped up in the spring of 2013.

Ongoing still are the sidewalk projects along Loudoun Street (between South King and East Market streets) and King Street (between North and Royal streets).

While the sidewalks themselves will be

finished shortly, final paving, street printing of crosswalks and the installation of street lights will be completed by spring 2016. Town Manager Kaj Dentler said Tuesday that the goal of staff and contractors working on the project is to wrap up the King Street sidewalk prior to Thanksgiving, and he is hopeful that paving can be completed by year’s end as well.

Vice Mayor Kelly Burk has been a supporter of the project since being re-elected to the council in a special election in April 2012. She said she is thrilled with how the upgrades have turned out and the pedestrian-friendly elements it has brought to the downtown area.

“It was a risk,” she said of the vote to fund the improvements, but she is confident that business owners and landlords will make the best use of the new amenities downtown to accommodate on-street dining and other features. She also said that down the road the council could focus a discussion on how to incentivize investment in downtown properties by the property owners themselves.

“I know these businesses can make the best of everything. This can only help,” she said of the projects. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Splash Pad, Stage Coming to Downtown

BY KARA CLARK RODRIGUEZ Just as the downtown improvements projects are wrapping up, two additional features will be coming to downtown Leesburg.

The Town Council last week approved the addition of a permanent stage on the Town Green and an interactive water feature, commonly called a “splash pad,” to the downtown streetscape. The splash pad would be located on the vacant Loudoun Street lot next to the Town Hall parking garage.

In a 5-2 vote Nov. 10, with council members Katie Sheldon Hammler and Marty Martinez dissenting, the two projects were added to the town’s Capital Improvements Program, which outlines the council’s capital priorities over the next six years.

Per council motion, the cost of the stage is not to exceed $50,000, with $30,000 of

the anticipated costs coming from monies paid to the town as part of an insurance settlement from the car crash on the Town Green in May. The remainder of the project’s expenditure will be paid from the town General Fund.

The permanent stage is expected to accommodate annual town events like the Acoustic on the Green concert series, the 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony and the Christmas Tree and Menorah Lighting festivities. The stage is expected to be ready in time for the first Acoustic on the Green concert in June 2016, Town Manager Kaj Dentler said Tuesday.

The cost of the splash pad is not to exceed $300,000, and those monies will be derived from savings associated with the Hope Parkway extension project. That project’s timeline has not been finalized, Dentler said.

Councilman David Butler first brought forward the idea for the splash pad proj-

ect to the council in October. In bringing forth the motion for approval he said the two amenities have received enthusiastic support from town residents since being introduced.

“Downtown desperately needs amenities like this,” Butler said.

While ultimately supporting the project, Councilwoman Suzanne Fox said she was concerned that the projects were being pushed through too quickly without proper vetting on safety concerns and overall cost. Hammler voiced similar concerns in her reason for voting against the project.

But in the end, Fox said, “I’m a representative [of townspeople] and the feedback I’ve gotten is it’s wanted so I’ll support it.” krodriguez@loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

November 19, 2015 |

Loudoun’s Craft Breweries want to thank the citizens of Loudoun for their continued support.

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November 19, 2015

loudounnow.com

Critics: No Cheap Hotels on Rt. 28

BY NORMAN K. STYER A plan to build a low-budget hotel along Rt. 28 in Sterling is finding opposition, both in county government and in the industry.

The Loudoun Board of Supervisors has scheduled a Dec. 2 vote on Sandpiper Hospitality IV’s application for a special exception to build a 126-room hotel just north of Sterling Boulevard on the west side of the highway.

Critics say the proposed hotel lacks amenities, such as a restaurant, that should be expected by visitors staying in the Rt. 28 corridor. That concern carried weight with the county Planning Commission, which last month voted 5-3 to recommend denial of the application.

It also has the attention of county supervisors.

“This hotel in my mind—and I don’t think I want to call it a hotel, I think that is being generous—is not compatible with any of the other ones in this area,” Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) said during a public hearing on the project last week. He and other supervisors said the hotel didn’t fit with the vision they’ve established for development along Rt. 28.

Representing Value Plan extended-stay hotel chain’s management company, Colleen Gillis said the 3-acre tract

was not large enough to accommodate a restaurant or other amenities and that the Rt. 28 market already was wellserved with higher-end hotels.

Opposition also is coming from Visit Loudoun, the county’s tourism agency.

In a letter to supervisors, President and CEO Beth Erickson urged the board to stick with plans to promote the development of full-service hotels with at least 200 rooms in the corridor. She also

raised concerns that the introduction of a low-cost hotel could result in a setback for the county’s hotel industry, which is showing a slow rebound, both in room rates and daily occupancy, following the recession. At an average daily rate of $111, Loudoun hotels charge nearly double that of Value Plan hotels in other areas.

A representative of property owner Stephen V. Mullaney raised an entirely

DEPUTY CONVICTED

square off on me again? I will [expletive] you up.”

The deputy apologized repeatedly during the trial for cursing. “I felt like I was going to be harmed,” he said.

Judge Morrison said he felt Gregory overreacted and could have stepped back from the encounter.

He said there was no question that Genoble was acting like an “arrogant, obnoxious drunk,” but said he saw no aggressive move toward the deputy before Gregory pinned him to the ground.

And the judge said he was disturbed by the deputy’s language.

Even if Gregory feared an attack, Morrison questioned whether the deputy had no more right than an average citizen to make an anticipatory strike.

“I think Deputy Gregory overacted,” he said.

continued from page 1

down with his hand, shouting.

Grenoble said he wasn’t sure what happened or why. “I was in a bit of a daze because my head hit the asphalt,” he said.

Gregory said he felt Grenoble push his body toward him and feared he was about to be attacked. The take-down maneuver was an instinctive action that came from years of training, Gregory said.

The key evidence in the case was the surveillance videos recorded from several angles inside the ADC unloading area. In particular, is the audio that helped sway Morrison toward a guilty verdict.

Gregory is heard yelling, “You want to

different concern, however.

Attorney Benjamin D. Leigh said the hotel fits well on the property and that Mullaney had rejected other uses, such as warehouses. He questioned whether the price charged for rooms should be an element of debate in review of a landuse application. “My client is extremely concerned about an improper basis for a zoning decision being made on anti-competitive sentiment,” he said. nstyer@loudounnow.com Contacted after Tuesday’s trial, Sheriff Mike Chapman said it was always sad when a law enforcement officer faces criminal charges. Chapman said he initiated the investigation after reviewing the security recordings, describing the incident as “very disturbing.”

He sent the case to Commonwealth’s Attorney James Plowman, who referred it to Fauquier County prosecutor Paul R. Walther. The assault charge was brought following an investigation by the Virginia State Police, although Gregory was not interviewed by the investigating trooper.

A hearing on Gregory’s Circuit Court appeal had not yet been set Tuesday.

Chapman said Gregory would remain on administrative leave. nstyer@loudounnow.com

November 19, 2015 |

loudounnow.com

Business

BizBriefs

Digital Realty to Expand Data Center Operations

Tom Lussier/Visit Loudoun

Loudoun welcomes wine industry leaders from around the nation this week. Breaux Vineyards, pictured, is one of the county’s 40 wineries.

Loudoun Hosts First East Coast Wine Confab

BY MARGARET MORTON Visit Loudoun and the county’s wine industry professionals can understandably be proud when the 2015 Wine Tourism Conference opens at Lansdowne Resort this week.

This is the fifth annual wine tourism conference—and the first time it has been held on the East Coast. The event is open to winery owners, journalists, wine associations, wine destination marketing organizations and tour operators. For attendees, the annual conference serves as a valuable networking forum and provides a myriad of educational opportunities for the industry.

Virginia officials, including Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore, were elated at the decision to hold the conference in Loudoun. Haymore said it represented another win for Virginia in its efforts to become “the premier East Coast destination for wine and wine tourism.”

He noted sales of Virginia wine are at a new all-time high, surpassing 521,000 cases last fiscal year and said Virginia is recognized as a rising star in the global wine trade. The conference would only serve to further that attention and reinforce all that

Virginia has to offer as a wine destination.

Visit Loudoun President and CEO Beth Erickson agreed. “The fact that it is coming to the East Coast is wonderful for Virginia—and to Loudoun it is extremely exciting and a testament to the Loudoun wine industry and Virginia as a whole,” she said.

As of Tuesday, 178 attendees had signed up for the $350-per-person conference, which features a mix of wine industry professionals as well as tourism and marketing organizations from states across the country—including California, New Mexico, Idaho, Oregon, Colorado, Jersey, New York, Maryland and Virginia. Attendees also are registered from abroad, including Spain and Canada.

Loudoun wineries are well represented, and Erickson said, “I am very proud to have it here. It’s a fantastic opportunity for Loudoun wineries to attend the conference” and to make contact with their peers from across the country as well as marketing and tourism operators, she said.

The conference programming and education sessions are being run by Zephyr Adventures, with the support of Visit Loudoun, which secured sponsorships and worked on offsite events including pre-conference visits Tuesday and a lunch

13

at Stone Tower on Thursday.

The official opening was set for Wednesday, featuring various workshops and a 5 p.m. reception. The big day is Thursday, Nov. 19, with an opening presentation at 9 a.m. in the Lansdowne ballroom. Christopher Thomson, president and CEO of BRAND USA opens, followed by a discussion on Virginia wine featuring Virginia Tourism Corporation President and CEO Rita McClenny and a 6:30 p.m. dinner hosted by the Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office and VTC. There are more than 40 wineries in Loudoun, and 10 of those will be represented that night, featured at the pre-dinner reception. The Loudoun Wine Award winners will be poured during dinner. Not only Loudoun’s wines, but its craft beers, cideries and spirit industry will be featured.

The keynote speaker at the conference will be Sally Cope, a leading expert in Australia’s wine tourism industry, who will speak Friday, Nov. 20. Cope is executive officer of Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia. According to the event organizer, Australia is at the forefront among nations promoting wine tourism at the international level, and Cope’s presentation will allow wine tourism leaders to hear of that country’s success stories.

For full details of the conference, go to winetourismconference.org. mmorton@loudounnow.com

Digital Realty Trust has purchased another 125.9 acres in Ashburn to expand its data center operations.

The $43 million deal was announced today. The company plans to develop two million square feet and build out to roughly 150 megawatts.

Construction is expected to begin next year. Delivery will be phased to respond to customer expansion requirements after the existing Digital Ashburn data center campus is complete.

Openings Northern Outfitters celebrates the opening of its first Loudoun County store on Friday. The outdoor gear and clothing retailer will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m.

Nov. 20. The store is located in One Loudoun at 20404 Exchange Street in Ashburn. The store will be collecting new and used items from Nov. 19 until Dec. 20. All coats collected will be donated to Loudoun County charities. For more information, go to northernoutfittersva.com.

The Joint … the chiropractic place will celebrate its opening at noon, Thursday, Nov. 19. Located at 1610 Village Market Boulevard, Unit L-118 in the Village At Leesburg, Mayor Kristen Umstattd will preside over the ceremony. For more information, go to thejoint.com.

Automotive Quality Solutions and The Dent Shop held a ribbon cutting, grand opening and car show last Saturday at 21670 Red Rum Drive in Ashburn. AQS has been in business at the Ashburn location for just about a year. By partnering with other service experts, like Dent Shop, it hopes to offer comprehensive repair and reconditioning services and make AQS a one-stop service center. For more information, go to automotivequalitysolutions.com.

Study: Northern Virginia is National Leader in Federal Contracting If Northern Virginia were a state of its own, it would rank second in the nation in the amount of federal procurement dollars received during the past five years. Only California got more business from the nation’s government.

That’s according to a new study released Friday by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission.

The report covers a five-year period from 2010 through 2014 and is based on analysis of more than 1.17 million federal procurement transactions.

Virginia overall ranks seventh in the country in terms of federal contracts.

Three out of every four federal dollars spent in the commonwealth—a statewide total of $295 billion during the study period—went to Northern Virginia businesses. About 90 percent of federal procurement spending in Virginia occurs in 10 jurisdictions: Fairfax County, Arlington County, City of Newport News, City of Norfolk, Loudoun County, Prince William County, City of Alexandria, Virginia Beach and the cities of Portsmouth and Hampton.

Federal procurement spending in Virginia grew from $21.2 billion in 2000 to $43.9 billion in 2008. In six of

eight years, it grew by double-digit percentage increases, peaking in 2011 at more than $60 billion.

After that high, federal procurement in the region fell to $51.1 billion in 2013, when sequestration kicked in. Those automatic spending curbs resulted in a 21 percent decrease in contracts. Almost 90 percent of the $9 billion reduction resulted from in defense spending cuts. Federal spending rebounded slightly in 2014, with a 2 percent increase.

On a state level, the Northern Virginia area was hardest hit by sequestra-

tion, absorbing 76 percent of the cuts.

Hampton Roads area businesses saw reductions of 11 percent.

NVRC Executive Director G. Mark Gibb said the study not only highlights the importance of federal spending to the commonwealth’s economy, but also Northern Virginia’s important role in providing the highly skilled workforce needed to perform the cutting-edge work required by the federal government. Cuts in federal spending affect local government budgets as well as area businesses, he noted.

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November 19, 2015

OurTowns Purcellville

The Purcellville Parks and Recreation Board has announced the dates for this year’s annual Christmas Lights Trolley Tour—Dec. 11 and 13. Board members encourage residents to get in the full decorating spirit so their home might be selected as part of the route of the yearly holiday tour.

The trolley tours through Purcellville’s most decoratively lighted streets have become a popular holiday feature.

The deadline to be considered for this year’s Christmas Lights Trolley Tours is Nov. 30. No application form is necessary, merely have your family’s lights and decorations up by the evening of Nov. 30. The actual route will be determined in early December.

The tours will leave from the parking lot in front of the Bush Tabernacle at 250 S. Nursery Ave.—from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, and from 5 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13. The last tours will leave at 8:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

Tickets will be handed out on a firstcome, first-served basis on each of the two nights. The tours will last about 45 minutes each.

Hamilton The town will have a new business to celebrate this weekend. An 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held for the grand opening of Thompson Best’s heating and air conditioning’s fireplace design center at 57 E. Colonial Highway.

Gary Cox will be on hand to serve up barbecue sandwiches, while visitors wander through the new showroom to see all of the design features. For information on the new business, go to BestHeatAC.com.

Aldie NOVA Parks will kick off the Christmas month with a timely reminder that soldiers both now, and in the past, often spend lonely holidays away from all that is dear and familiar.

In a repeat of its successful 2014 “A

loudounnow.com

Hamilton Council Moves Ahead with Firehouse Purchase

BY MARGARET MORTON Despite opposition from two members and a public protest from a former mayor, the Hamilton Town Council voted last week to proceed with its $700,000 purchase of the former Hamilton Fire Department property.

Mayor Dave Simpson said the town would close on the sale either this week or next, as soon as the title papers are in order.

The property includes the fire department building, an adjacent house, parking area and land to the rear. The council had earlier agreed to purchase the building, which is adjacent to the town office, but the deal required a budget amendment to move the necessary money into the General Fund.

Treasurer John Unger and Simpson proposed paying for the real estate using $800,000 in excess cash the town had been planning to invest. In addition Civil War Christmas” program, NOVA Parks invites the public to come out Sunday, Dec. 6 at Mt. Zion Historic Park, 40309 John Mosby Highway. The 4-6 p.m. program will show how young soldiers far from home attempted to find a bit of Christmas cheer anyway.

A rather forlorn letter from a Union soldier to his wife early in the Civil War perfectly expresses his homesickness and uncertainty: “It is Christmas morning and I hope a happy and merry one for you all, though it looks so stormy for our poor country, one can hardly be in merry humor,” he wrote.

Another, Pvt. Robert A. Moore of the 17th Mississippi, who had spent time in the Aldie area near Mt. Zion Church in early 1861, wrote of his depression being in Loudoun over the holiday.

“This is Christmas & a very dull Christmas it has been to me.” Even the egg-nog was somewhat dull because of the lack of female company, he said.

On the other hand, enterprising spirits made their own entertainment, including snowball fights, football, dances, trying

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to catch a greased pig and there even was egg-nog, female company or not. Particularly in the early part of the war, soldiers received packages from home.

The Dec. 6 program uses Civil War living history participants to show how Christmas was celebrated during the war.

Visitors can experience the hometown customs various soldiers brought with them from home—including Christmas

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to the purchase price, the allocation includes an extra $100,000 for repairs and any other needs.

The majority of council approved taking $400,000 from the General Fund and $200,000 each from the Water Fund and the Sewer Fund for the purchase.

Simpson said the money would be re[Credit] Lori Jones plenished from water taps and other fees taken in by the town. The council autho- The Town of Hamilton is buying the rized a 10-year repayment period, al- former fire station. though Simpson said the council would replenish the funds long before that. sitting empty. One possibility would be Former Mayor Ray Whitby opposed to convert the fire hall to a town comthe purchase, saying the money should munity center. instead be used to reduce taxes. Coun“We just haven’t decided yet,” he said. cilmen Craig Green and Michael Snyder For Simpson, the biggest immediate opposed the use of surplus utility fund benefit of the purchase was to secure monies earmarked for system improve- the property’s parking spaces next to the ments. town office. The site could be developed Simpson said the council now needs into a public parking area for the downto decide how it wants to use the town. buildings. The fire hall rental brings in $30,000 a year, but the adjacent house is mmorton@loudounnow.com

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VINO MARKET WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11 LARCENY Owls Nest Square/Rising Sun Terrace, Ashburn Someone removed a GPS unit and other items from a vehicle.

46500 block of Harry Byrd Highway, Sterling Someone took a bag and its contents from an unlocked vehicle.

30 block of East Broad Way, Lovettsville Someone entered a garage and removed power tools and items from a refrigerator.

HIT AND RUN Old Ox Road/Dulles Summit Court, Sterling After hitting a Porche SUV in the intersection at 12:40 p.m., the driver of a light-colored (silver or gray) newer model sedan left the scene. The driver was described only as a white male.

Deputies are looking for him. Contact Sgt. K. Robinette at 703-737-8374 with any information.

LARCENY/DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY 44200 block of Wade Drive, Chantilly About 1 a.m., someone broke into a secured parking lot and rummaged through parked vehicles and landscaping equipment. GPS units were taken.

BREAKING AND ENTERING 37000 block of Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro A rear door of the Stoneybrook Market was found damaged. Nothing was reported missing.

BURGLARY 36900 block of Gaver Mill Road, Hillsboro Someone entered a residence overnight and took cash.

Someone broke the side window of a vehicle and removed a backpack.

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43600 block of Greenway Corporate Drive Overnight, someone entered a building and removed food. There was no sign of forced entry.

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November 19, 2015

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Education 5K Celebrates Late Principal’s Love of Reading A stampede of almost 1,000 runners and walkers were sent through Ashburn neighborhoods Sunday morning with the goal of raising money for a good cause and memorializing a beloved educator.

The third annual Making a Difference Memorial 5K Walk/Run honored the legacy of Sanders Corner Elementary School Principal Kathleen Hwang, who was struck and killed by a car while crossing a street in 2012.

Since her death, the school’s parents, teachers and students have worked to carry on some of the educational programs Hwang started, including the “I Read to the Principal” program. The reading program provided an opportunity for every student, from kindergarten to fifth grade, to go to the principal’s office to read a book.

Money raised from Sunday’s run will help establish “I Read to the Principal” programs at four other elementary schools, and fund professional development for teachers and other school staff.

Photos by Ali Khaligh/Your Dream Shots Photography

The youngest runners at Sunday’s Making a Difference Memorial 5K Walk/Run stretch before stepping to the start line.

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EDUCATION

loudounnow.com

November 19, 2015 |

17

Parents Urge Board to Limit Impact of Attendance Changes

BY DANIELLE NADLER

Send your news tips, events or opinions. editor@loudounnow.com

We’ve got you covered.

Don’t worry, Loudoun

A couple hundred parents of elementary school children packed the Loudoun County Public Schools boardroom Monday night for the third of five public hearings on the looming attendance boundary changes.

The Loudoun County School Board must adopt a new attendance map for Brambleton-area elementary schools to prepare for Madison’s Trust Elementary, set to open in fall 2016 near the intersection of Northstar Boulevard and Creighton Road.

Madison’s Trust will provide relief to some of the county’s most-overcrowded schools. But board members have warned that getting to that point will likely be a painful process, as several hundred students are expected to be reassigned schools.

There are five different proposed boundary maps under consideration, and more will likely come. Plans 1 and 2 were drawn up by the school system’s Planning Department. Plan 3 is a proposal by Vice Chairman Jill Turgeon (Blue Ridge).

Plans 4 and 5 were drafted by Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn).

[See each of the plans at loudounnow. com/schools.]

Plans 1, 3 and 4 would reassign students from Brambleton elementary schools to schools closer to Leesburg.

Sycolin Creek and Evergreen Mills elementary schools have room to take more students, Hornberger said, explaining the rationale behind his Plan 4.

“The goal is to maximize the use of available capacity within central Loudoun to relieve short and long-term overcrowding in the Dulles North elementary school,” he said ahead of Monday’s public hearing.

Parents took turns telling board members which plan they preferred for their children. Residents from several neighborhoods showed their unified support for a particular plan by wearing similar-colored T-shirts. A few dozen waved signs that urged the board to keep their neighborhood together.

One of the common complaints of the nearly 50 speakers was that they have already faced several school reassignments.

Julie Jennings, who lives in the Vantage Point neighborhood, said her family has been involved in six attendance boundary changes in the past 11 years and her children have been reassigned schools five times.

“In 2013, I was told Moorefield Station [Elementary] would be our final home,”

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

During a public hearing Monday, residents from several Ashburn neighborhoods told Loudoun County School Board members which of five proposed attendance zone maps they prefer. Several hundred elementary students are expected to be reassigned schools in the process.

she said. “Well, here we are again.”

She noted that two of the five plans would reassign her youngest child 2 miles north to Mill Run Elementary School.

No less than a dozen residents who live off Watson Road south of Leesburg voiced concerns about plans that would

assign their children to Sycolin Creek Elementary instead of the future Madison’s Trust Elementary.

Most of the parents from that neighATTENDANCE CHANGES continues on page 18

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November 19, 2015

EDUCATION loudounnow.com

Notebook Choose Your Favorite Student Artist For the eighth year, the National Conference Center wants the public’s input on which student drawing it should use on its holiday gift card.

Twenty-five fifth-grade students from Seldens Landing Elementary School sketched winter scenes and holiday greetings and submitted their artwork as part of NCC’s annual contest. People can vote on which drawing they like best for the holiday card at facebook.com/nccmeet.

The first place design will be featured on the front of the card, with the second and third place designs displayed on the back. The card will be mailed to more than 500 of NCC’s customers and friends.

Award Touts Tuscarora’s Push to be Green Tuscarora High School won the 2015 John W. Tolbert Jr. Environmental Achievement Award, the Leesburg Environmental Advisory Commission recently announced.

The award program recognizes students, community groups and individu-

ATTENDANCE CHANGES continued from page 17

borhood said they feel more connected to the Brambleton community because their children have attended Creighton’s Corner Elementary. Plus, a move to the Leesburg-area Sycolin Creek Elementary would require school buses to take a left turn from Watson Road on to Evergreen Mills Road, a maneuver they said was dangerous.

“High speeds and a blind curve have resulted in several accidents at this intersection, including a number of fatalities in recent years,” Little River Estates resident Robert Kerr said.

Students from as many as 14 elementary schools could be impacted by

Send your school news to dnadler@loudounnow.com.

als who conduct or participate in activities that benefit the town’s environment.

The commission chose the high school as this year’s award recipient for its innovative environmental science program that has helped spur several initiatives in sustainability.

One example of the school’s efforts is the reuse of excess printed paper to create notepads, eliminating the need to purchase new paper notepads. The school has also aided the plight of the monarch butterflies with a garden waystation on campus to help sustain the butterfly migration. A third initiative launched a new lunchroom recycling program developed and run by the environmental sciences classes.

“I am really impressed with Tuscarora High School’s creative paper re-purposing prior to recycling, which added considerably to the material’s life cycle,” Joseph Sanchez, chairman of the Leesburg Environmental Advisory Commission, said in a statement announcing the award. “And I applaud the butterfly waystation project. I know how difficult it can be to establish a functional planting designed to sustain other life. Well done.”

the boundary changes. Those include: Creighton’s Corner, Hillside, Legacy, Mill Run, Moorefield Station, Rosa Lee Carter, Ashburn, Cedar Lane, Discovery, Dominion Trail, Sanders Corner, Steuart W. Weller, Evergreen Mill and Sycolin Creek.

The School Board will hold a work session on the boundaries Monday, Nov. 23, and two more work sessions—on Monday, Nov. 30, and Monday, Dec. 7— ahead of adopting a final map Tuesday, Dec. 8. Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. and take place at the school administration building, 21000 Education Court in Ashburn. dnadler@loudounnow.com

November 19, 2015 |

loudounnow.com

LoCoLiving Courtesy Delta Spur

Delta Spur will serve up its brand of piping hot modern country Saturday, Nov. 21, at Smokehouse Live in Leesburg. From left, Harry Evans, drums; Matthew Byrne, fiddle; Tommy Bouch, lead vocals and guitar; David West, lead vocals and guitar; Matthew Berry, lead guitar; and Mike Hooke, bass.

Saddle Up for Delta Spur The modern-country outfit invites Loudouners to kick up their heels at Smokehouse Live

BY SAMANTHA BARTRAM Deep in Louisiana’s swampy backcountry lies a dusty trail. Squint hard enough and you can just make out the letters on a battered road sign: Delta Spur. Smiling, satisfied, you inhale deeply the scent of Spanish moss and turn down the path, the sounds of low-country fiddle, guitar and full-belly singing

ON STAGE ‘The Pink Panther Strikes Again!’

Thursday, Nov. 19-Saturday Nov. 21, 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 21, 2 p.m.; Riverside High School, 19019 Upper Belmont Place, Lansdowne.

Contact: marilyn.gilligan@lcps.org Riverside High School presents its very first production, “The Pink Panther Strikes Again!,” under the direction of Marilyn Gilligan. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and sold at the door.

Loudoun Lyric Opera: ‘Barber of Seville’ Friday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21, 8 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 22,

Smokehouse Live Presents Delta Spur 8 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 21 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg Free admission smokehouse-live.com deltaspur.com becoming all the clearer as you make your approach.

Ok, so maybe the scene at Saturday’s

This Week

3 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Contact: franklinparkartscenter.

org Rossini’s classic “Barber” is one of the masterpieces of comedic opera.

Count Almaviva disguised as the poor student Lindoro, hopes to make the beautiful Rosina love him for himself, not his money (sung in Italian with English subtitles). Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors 60 and older and $15 for college students with ID. Children 18 and under are free.

Smokehouse Live show won’t be quite so sensuous, but it will be a raucous country music celebration presented by six incredibly talented area musicians.

Delta Spur, comprised of Harry Evans, Matthew Byrne, Tommy Bouch, David West, Matthew Berry and Mike Hooke on drums, fiddle, lead vocals and guitar, guitar and bass, respectively (Bouch and West front the band in tandem), is the answer to the cold-weather blues. These gentlemen specialize in today’s biggest country hits, including those from Zac Brown Band, Brad Paisley, Eric Church, Luke Bryan and still others.

“About a year ago, we started kicking around the idea of a modern, ra-

‘Musical Masquerade’ Sunday, Nov. 22, 6 p.m.; Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery, 18195 Dry Mill Road, Leesburg. Contact: 703-7373930 On That Note, a musical revue ensemble of the Sterling Playmakers, presents an encore performance of “Musical Masquerade,” the group’s review from popular Broadway shows and movies. Wine, cheese and crackers will be available for purchase.

Tickets are $10 and reservations are recommended.

Gallery Coffeehouse: Comedy Cult Sunday, Nov. 22, 6:30 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Contact:

19

dio-country band and I reached out to the best musicians I knew,” West said.

“Luckily, they were all into it. We rehearsed for about six months and played our first show right about this time last year.”

Not that any of Delta Spur’s members really needed the year of practice—all are accomplished musicians in their own right. Hooke and Byrne are both musicians with the U.S. Army, playing bass and trumpet, respectively. Berry is an “incredibly talented jazz musician,” says West, and fronts Maryland power-pop quartet Classified Frequency. Evans, well known in the area for percussion-related stints with bands like Poole, The Throes and Koshari, is fresh from the high of winning an Emmy for his sound production work. Bouch is “our true, authentic country guy,” West adds, while characterizing himself as “really into the Philly neo-soul stuff.”

Indeed, both West and Hooke have demonstrably broad musical tastes, as the pair collectively cut their teeth in college bands and, shortly after, in a hip-hop cover band called Slipdisk. The experimentation went on from there: “Mike [Hooke] and I have been in bands together since our college days at LSU,” West said.

“When I moved up to D.C. in 1999, we decided to form an old-school hiphop cover band. That band did really well around DC/MD/VA, but broke up around 2004. Our next band was a wedding/variety band called Backbeat.

While playing for these weddings, we were always required to learn a few songs for the first dance, father/daughter, etc., and we started noticing that about 80 percent of these requested songs were country. We also noticed the songs were pretty incredible and we sounded really good playing them. After Backbeat ran its course, we would always say, ‘We should form a country band.’ Fast-forward a few years later, and we decided to make it happen. And we couldn’t be DELTA SPAR continues on page 20 franklinparkartscenter.org Loudoun Valley High School’s comedy improv group, Comedy Cult, will make you laugh and even get you out of your seat for an evening of antics. $8 ticket price includes coffee.

LIBATIONS Third Thursday Happy Hour Thursday, Nov. 19, 5-7 p.m.; Hidden Brook Winery, 43301 Spinks Ferry Road, Leesburg. Contact: hiddenbrookwinery.com Hidden Brook hosts a charity drive for Mobile Hope of Loudoun plus eats from the Cured food truck and music from Moonlit Mile.

THIS WEEK continues on page 20

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LOCOLIVING loudounnow.com

November 19, 2015

More to do

continued from page 19

The Vine Wine Dinner: Super Tuscans Thursday, Nov. 19, 7-9:30 p.m.; 868 Estate Vineyards, 14002 Harpers Ferry Road, Purcellville. Contact: 868estatevineyards.com The Vine is a monthly women’s fourcourse dinner that offers a chance to socialize and learn about wine and wine pairings. This month’s installment features wines from Tuscany.

Cost is $40 per person.

Live Music: Mark Scott Friday, Nov. 20, 1-5 p.m.; Hidden Brook Winery, 43301 Spinks Ferry Road, Leesburg. Contact: hiddenbrookwinery.com Scott specializes in fun versions of iconic cover songs.

NIGHT LIFE Live Music: Caleb Klauder Thursday, Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market

Blvd., Leesburg. Contact: smokehouse-live.com Klauder works with some of the Northwest’s best singers and players creating a honky-tonk band that stands out in the country music scene. The band performs Klauder’s praised original songs alongside classics from George Jones, The Louvin Brothers and Dolly Parton. No cover.

Live Music: The Brummy Brothers Friday, Nov. 20, 8:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Contact: smokehouse-live.com The New Jersey natives’ original blend of bluegrass, rock and improvisation forms a sound and energy that allows them to be found playing anywhere from rock clubs, to folk festivals, to farmers markets. No cover.

DELTA SPUR

continued from page 19

happier about where it’s heading.”

Those who belly up to the footlights at Smokehouse Live can expect a high-energy performance that encourages dancing, singing and, most importantly, a sense of fun.

“If the whole crowd is just sitting there watching, then I don’t feel like we’re doing our job,” West said. “I’m hoping the Delta Spur first-timer will hear a lot of great country music that they’re not used to hearing local live bands play, and see a band tearing it up on stage having

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

Live Music: George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic

Freeze Your Gizzard 5K and Fun Run

Saturday, Nov. 21, 8:30 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, Leesburg. Contact: tallyholeesburg.com This long awaited performance by the iconic funk band is sold out. If you can get your hands on tickets, an evening of top-notch funk is in store.

Live Music: The Morrison Brothers Band Wednesday, Nov. 25, 8 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Contact: smokehouse-live.com Get the holiday started right with great original country tunes from this Nashville-based quartet. No cover.

Live Music: Delta Spur

Live Music: The Reagan Years

Friday, Nov. 20, 8 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Contact: smokehouse-live.com

Wednesday, Nov. 25, 8:30 p.m., Tally Ho Theatre, Leesburg. Contact: tallyholeesburg.com

The DMV’s newest country band offers up an energetic performance of fresh, modern country music; mixing the fun and excitement of a party band with country songs from artists like Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Zac

The Tally Ho’s annual pre-Thanksgiving ’80s night party with the Reagan Years is always a hit for connecting with out of town friends and blowing off some holiday steam. Tickets are $12.50 in advance, $18 day of show.

Lucky Concert-Goers to get Funked Up Saturday Those who frequent Leesburg’s iconic Tally Ho Theatre already know it’s the place to go in Loudoun for topnotch nationally touring acts.

Folks who were perhaps not hip to this fact are finding out the hard way this weekend, as calls continue to roll in requesting tickets to Saturday’s George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic concert, which has been sold out for months, according to Jack Devine, who handles booking for the venue.

“As far as why [this show has been] so popular, I can’t really answer that,” Devine said. “I remember when I got a call from the agent who represents George [Clinton] and how excited I got. I’m just happy everyone likes the

Brown and Keith Urban. No cover.

Courtesy of Tally Ho Theatre

same bands as I do.”

Indeed, those lucky enough to gain entry this weekend will be in for a night of humming bass licks, thump-

the time of their lives.”

West added, “Smokehouse is an awesome venue with great food, drinks and plenty of room to dance. They’ve been great to us and we’re hoping to make it something of a home since we’re all local boys.”

Despite Delta Spur’s repertoire being one chiefly concerned with covers, listeners will find plenty of originality coming from this group. Even that opening tableau contains a kernel of truth, according to West: “When I was growing up in south Louisiana, there were a lot of unmarked dirt roads that didn’t have official names. I remembered

ing drums and vocals that promise to tear the roof off the sucker, as P-Funk would put it.

If you want to join this One Nation Under a Groove (I’ll leave you to look that one up, dear reader), you could try turning up to Tally Ho’s box office before the show to inquire of any cancellations, but steel yourself for disappointment.

“We’re considering starting a waitlist for folks who are looking for tickets— stay tuned for details,” advises Devine.

In the event some room opens up on Clinton’s funky spaceship, the show begins at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, with Washington, DC-based The Funk Ark kicking things off. For details, go to tallyholeesburg.com.

—Samantha Bartram

one of these roads that all the locals referred to as the ‘Delta Spur.’ I mentioned [the name] to the band and it stuck.”

Unsurprisingly, this authenticity is telegraphed through Delta Spur’s labors, resulting in a listener reaction that does much to validate West’s theory that a big appetite exists for this kind of live music in Loudoun and points beyond.

“No matter where we play, we get people singing along and knowing every solo in every song,” he said. “We’ve played packed houses in downtown D.C. to crowds that love country, but rarely get to hear it live. In Loudoun and the surrounding counties, we get a lot of love

Saturday, Nov. 21, 9 a.m.; Ida Lee Park, Leesburg. Contact: www.leesburgva.gov Celebrate Thanksgiving a little early with the annual Freeze Your Gizzard run sponsored by Leesburg’s Parks and Recreation Department in partnership with Loudoun Interfaith Relief. The 5K race will begin at 9 a.m. and the 1-mile fun run will start at 9:45 a.m.. Race day registration is $30 for the 5K and $15 for the fun run, plus two cans of food to be donated to Loudoun Interfaith Relief’s food bank.

Village at Leesburg Tree Lighting Festival Saturday, Nov. 21, 3-5 p.m.; Village At Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. villageatleesburg.com Santa will arrive by horse-drawn carriage to light the five-story musical tree. Event includes carriage rides, caroling and fire pits with treats. New, unwrapped toys will be collected for Toys for Tots.

BRUNCH & BLUEGRASS Bluegrass Brunch with Over Under Down Yonder Sunday, Nov. 22, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Contact: smokehouse-live.com Virginia bluegrass makes this popular brunch even tastier. Admission is free with brunch.

SENIOR LIVING Lunch in the Gallery for Seniors Monday, Nov. 23, 12:15-1:30 p.m., Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Contact: franklinparkartscenter.org Seniors 55 and older can enjoy a casual lunch in the Franklin Park Arts Center Gallery. Local artists will demonstrate their process and give a guided tour of the gallery art exhibit. $12 fee includes a box lunch.

and appreciation for what we do. We also love to surprise people that may not have been country fans at the beginning of the night. The quote we hear most often is, ‘Wow, I don’t really listen to country, but that was amazing!’ I think that speaks to the music as much as the band.”

Allow Delta Spur to blow your boots off starting at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at Smokehouse Live, located in the Village at Leesburg. Admission is free to all.

For information on upcoming Delta Spur shows, go to www.deltaspur.com. sbartram@loudounnow.com

November 19, 2015 |

loudounnow.com

21

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Opinion

One Milestone

Is published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC Leesburg, VA 20178 703-687-6622

November 12,

.com loudounnow

A New Day For News In unty Loudoun Co

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It is no minor milestone for Loudoun County to welcome an international audience of wine enthusiasts this week.

Luring the annual Wine Tourism Conference from Napa to the East Coast was a significant achievement, one that recognizes the growing importance of Virginia to the nation’s wine industry.

Holding the event in Lansdowne highlights the opportunities for Loudoun to become more than just “DC’s wine country.”

It would have been difficult to envision such a gathering even a decade ago.

The growth of Loudoun’s wine industry—and its role in preserving thousands of acres of agricultural land—is a testament to the vision and determination of past county leaders. Those vines didn’t take root overnight and they wouldn’t have grown strong without the healthy blend of entrepreneurship and government policy support. The conference is one more validation of that success story.

But the story should not end here.

The industry, the county government and area colleges should move quickly to build the knowledge infrastructure that will help winemakers reach new heights. Home to 40 of Virginia’s 250 wineries, Loudoun is well-positioned to lead that effort.

There have been talks and studies about that concept, and new viticulture classes are being offered at Northern Virginia Community College.

However, it has been a year since a feasibility for a Loudoun Viticulture Center was complete and the project has yet to emerge as a priority.

As leaders in other high-growth industries can attest, the success of their business is largely linked to the availability of a talented workforce. It is highly skilled employees who help fuel the growth of Loudoun’s tech businesses, for example.

The significant benefits to be gained by making similar talent available to Loudoun’s, and Virginia’s, wineries should not be overlooked because of the successes achieved so far.

There are more milestones to reach for.

“Hi everyone, just wanted to send a short note to say Congratulations…. I couldn’t be more excited for you and know if anyone knows the paper business and what it takes to provide the news to Loudoun it is you… way to go!!! It’s all about following your passion…”

“Love the new paper, was pleasantly surprised. I was in the 7-11 deciding if I really wanted the Times-Mirror for 80 cents when I saw your paper! Very happy to see your paper! I enjoyed reading it, look forward to the next one!”

“Thank you so much for not leaving the county in the lurch; I was very saddened at the thought of the gaping hole left by losing Leesburg Today. What a nice early holiday treat!”

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.

Editor Norman K. Styer nstyer@loudounnow.com

Photographer Douglas Graham dgraham@loudounnow.com

Advertising Director Susan Styer sstyer@loudounnow.com

Managing Editor Danielle Nadler dnadler@loudounnow.com

Contributing Writers Kara Clark Rodriguez krodriguez@loudounnow.com Samantha Bartram sbartram@loudounnow.com

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Senior Writer Margaret Morton mmorton@loudounnow.com

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November 19, 2015 |

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November 19, 2015

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