Loudoun Now for March 10, 2016 by Loudoun Now

LoudounNow LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE

[ Vol. 1, No. 18 ]

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INSIDE:

New places to tie the knot .................

Pool toys as vulture repellent .....................

[ March 10 – 16, 2016 ]

Game Changer Governor Signs Proffer Restriction Bill into Law BY RENSS GREENE

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

A wooden stake marks the gravesite of Robert W. White in the Sycoline burial grounds found in the woods near Leesburg Executive Airport.

Saving a Cemetery Freedom Center works with Town and County Leaders to Protect African-American Graveyard BY NORMAN K. STYER

lans to preserve an unattended slaveera cemetery in Leesburg have ramped up significantly in recent weeks. That’s thanks in large part to the efforts of Pastor Michelle C. Thomas and the Loudoun Freedom Center. The presence of the cemetery in the woods along Sycolin Road wasn’t unknown, but it was little known. Raising the public profile of the burial ground—believed to be the final resting place for 40 to 100 people—is particularly important as the town begins work on the long-planned extension of the Leesburg Executive Airport runway. The cemetery is located on land the town acquired for the expansion project. Sycolin Road will be re-aligned to make room for the runway and the new road could encroach on the cemetery under current designs. Some in town government initially suggested the concern could be addressed by re-burying the remains elsewhere. That’s not likely to happen now. Instead, Thomas is working with town

and county leaders to ensure the graveyard is preserved and that improvements are made to help tell the stories of the men and women buried there. “That’s sad. That can never be an option,” Thomas said of moving the remains. “The ground itself is sacred, not just the graves.” Thomas is the pastor of the Holy and Whole Life Changing Ministries in Lansdowne. She also is co-founder of the Loudoun Freedom Center, which has a mission to preserve historic African-American sites and to better document and tell the stories of Loudoun’s black communities, most of which have been largely erased by development. The center is familiar with the challenges of protecting graveyards. Last year, Thomas’ group successfully negotiated with Toll Brothers, the developer of Belmont Country Club, to preserve a slave cemetery in the woods along Belmont Ridge Road. SAVING A CEMETARY >> 32

! LE W A O S N N O

Negotiating with developers will be much different now. Late Monday night, Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed a bill into law that Loudoun supervisors, county staff members, and representatives in the General Assembly have battled since its introduction. The legislation limits what localities can accept in proffer agreements, curtailing many of the creative agreements Loudoun reaches with developers to keep up with the county’s growth. Loudoun County staff members and supervisors have been in Richmond several times attempting to amend Senate Bill 549, and have succeeded in inserting exemptions that allow transportation projects, public safety, parks, and some special districts such as the Metro tax district. But the bill still limits many others. When developers apply to rezone a property to permit more intense development, the developer and the county can reach proffer agreements as a condition of the application’s approval. This commonly includes funds for road improvements and and land for new schools or fire stations. Some are more unusal, such as when the Brambleton developer agreed to build a Loudoun County Library in Brambleton Town Center in exchange for approval of its housing development—an agreement that would be forbidden under the new law. The bill was written by the Homebuilders Association of Virginia and introduced by Harrisonburg Sen. Mark D. Obenshain (R-26) and Springfield Sen. Richard L. Saslaw (D35).

“IT MEANS FEWER ROADS, FEWER SCHOOLS, FEWER LIBRARIES, AND MORE TAXES. YOU CANNOT CLAIM TO BE A FISCAL CONSERVATIVE AND VOTE FOR THIS BILL IF YOU TRULY UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS.” HBAV Vice President Ryan Flogale has argued that the bill protects developers against local governments taking advantage of the proffer system and keeps home prices down. Last week, the board unanimously passed a resolution asking the governor to veto the bill, although supervisors acknowledged they had little hope of stopping the legislation. The resolution says the bill will “put an end to the constructive and collaborative development process” and “completely eliminates the ability of developers, despite a genuine desire to do so, to offer proffers for public facilities or improvements” except where those facilities are specifically named in the bill. Earlier in the day Monday, Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) sent a letter to the McAuliffe’s office asking the governor to veto the bill or include further exemptions for workforce housing, offsite roadways, libraries, senior centers and community centers, pedestrian facilities, group homes and services for the mentally ill,

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Boosting Nonprofits

BY DANIELLE NADLER

Competing for Dollars Randall and other supervisors say

they plan to look beyond the multipage grant applications to get to know the charities and ensure the money is making as big an impact as possible. So far, Randall has met one-on-one with leaders from 20 nonprofits, and she expects to sit down with representatives from 30 more within the next several weeks. “I want to know about their staff, how much money they need and what the increase in their services has been in the last 10 years,” said Randall, who was sworn in for her first term in January. “I’m trying to go about it in a very thoughtful way.” Supervisor Kristen Umstattd (D-Leesburg) also is new to the board, but she is familiar with the challenges of nonprofit funding from her years on the Leesburg Town Council. She wants to target more money to fight hunger and homelessness. Of the $1 million County Administrator Tim Hemstreet has recommended for nonprofit grants next fiscal year, $74,124 is earmarked for “hunger and homelessness mitigation.” “That accounts for 7 percent of what

is being proposed, which is identical to [current fiscal year] FY16,” she said. “Those are two critical areas that do not receive the bulk of the funding.” Umstattd, who serves as the board’s liaison on the county’s Family Services Board, plans to look carefully at how the organizations spend money. She wants to see “which applicants have been able to provide necessary services with potentially the lowest overhead, or the most efficient overhead,” she said. Umstattd and Randall noted that nonprofits’ budgets can have subtle nuances. For example, some organizations’ services—like those that provide counseling such as LAWS—are personnel heavy. “Getting a family food is easier to do than [helping] a woman who needs legal representation and a safe shelter,” Randall said. “Those are two very different needs and the administrative costs vary widely. That’s important to consider.” The board, with the help of the county staff, will take a close look at those NONPROFITS >>> 39

Talks Open on Record Loudoun School Budget BY RENSS GREENE

what’s at stake. Proposed expansions to full-day kindergarten and teacher pay could be on the chopping block, he said. “But even with those, there are other, tougher choices that need to be made,” Williams said. “Will we be able to maintain class sizes, will we be able to maintain staffing? And I can’t stand here today and say that those would be off the table.”

The Tax Rate

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Members of the Loudoun County School Board meet with the Board of Supervisors for the first round of budget talks.

board with a recommended budget that increases the real estate tax rate to generate more revenue in the face of a stalled tax base caused by flat property values. SCHOOL BUDGET >>> 32

[ INDEX ] Gourmet doughnuts headed our way.............................................. 24 School attendance feud continues................................... 16

Leesburg music shop’s swan song.............. 12

Crime.....................26 Loudoun Gov.............6 Education...............16 Our Towns...............20

Biz.........................24 LoCo Living.............28 Classifieds..............33 Opinion ................36

loudounnow.com

“I was rather surprised, in a period

of great growth of the school system, that someone would come up with an equalized tax rate,” said School Board member Tom Marshall (Leesburg). “In many ways you’ve set us up in a bad situation because you have already fixated on a tax rate.” County Administrator Tim Hemstreet has presented the Board of Supervisors with a proposed budget based on a tax rate that keeps the average real estate tax bill level, as directed by the board. He also presented the

The Board of Supervisors and the School Board held the first of two joint meetings on the budget last week, but spent much of the meeting talking about how to talk. The two boards tackled tense rhetoric over the school budget head-on during the March 3 session. School board member Jeff Morse (Dulles) said that the two boards have a “very good working relationship” and that he expects that to continue, although said there is a “natural tension” between the two boards. “Your responsibility is to set the overall tax rate, but the Virginia Constitution has instilled in us the responsibility to educate,” Morse said. He said that tension is by design. Members of both boards said they were eager to cooperate, but that natural tension did surface several times. Several supervisors have expressed frustration with the board’s budget request, which asks for more money than the county has to give without raising taxes. At supervisors’ request, the School Board has ranked its 10 highest-priority capital projects, the top eight of which are all either new schools, new classrooms, or trailers to meet capacity needs while new schools are built, all in the Dulles North and Dulles South areas. At the School Board’s prompting, Superintendent Eric Williams spoke about the school budget request, describing

onprofits, take your mark. The process for charities to apply for county government grants is now open, and four dozen organizations are expected to make their case over the next three weeks as to why they should get a share of the sought-after dollars. Among the new slate of county supervisors, at least a few have said they want to boost how much of Loudoun’s tax money goes to local charities. County leaders have also said they want to take a closer look at organizations’ operations and needs ahead of deciding which will receive funds and how much. Last year, 41 organizations applied for county grants, and 31 received money, to total just more than $1 million in grants. The largest recipient, HealthWorks, received $180,000, and the smallest was Loudoun Youth at $3,316. County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) wants to significantly increase the amount of money avail-

able for grants. She said she doesn’t have an amount in mind yet. First she wants to know how much applicants have requested funding over the past four years to grasp how big the need is. By their nature, nonprofit leaders are usually slow to ask for what they need, she said. “If they ask for $5,000, they probably need $10,000, so I will take them seriously when I see their numbers.” Amy Owen, executive director of the Community Foundation for Northern & Fauquier Counties, advises philanthropists as they look to support area charities. She’s endorsing talk of increasing the grant dollars “wholeheartedly.” As the county’s population has grown in the past decade so has the demand on the nonprofit community, she said. “Yet, grant funding hasn’t matched that. … The core heavy-lifting nonprofits either are not able to expand their services, or finding other sources of funding.”

March 10 – 16, 2016

Supervisors Consider How to Get More Bang for Taxpayers’ Buck

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Zika: What People in Loudoun Need to Know

How to Keep Mosquitos at Bay “Fortunately, we’re in a time when our mosquito populations are pretty dormant,” Goodfriend said. But with warmer weather will come the Asian tiger mosquito, which may be a vector for Zika. Loudoun currently has no program for monitoring or controlling mosquito populations. And mosquito control programs of the past, focused on West Nile Virus, would have a hard time tackling the Asian tiger mosquito. “It’s a pretty lazy mosquito,” Goodfriend said. “It doesn’t want to get very far from where it got its blood meal to lay its eggs.” This means that fogging—which works best on mosquitos in flight—is less effective, and controlling mosquito breeding grounds means going onto private property, which few mosquito control programs have the authority to do. While the common house mosquito, which is the major carrier for West Nile virus in the eastern U.S., breeds in open waters like ponds and storm sewers, Goodfriend said the Asian tiger mosquito prefers small, still bodies of water like stopped up roof gutters, planters, birdfeeders, and tire swings—all places found near the home. In the meantime, the county has launched a public information campaign to educate Loudouners on how to protect themselves from Zika. For more information, visit loudoun.gov/zika. rgreene@loudounnow.com

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What does Zika virus mean for Loudoun? “It’s still very early in knowing about Zika to make any predictions at this point,” said Loudoun County Health Department Director Dr. David Goodfriend during a briefing to county supervisors in Leesburg last week. Fortunately for Loudoun, there’s still a little time to figure it out. Zika virus has spread very quickly around the Americas, Goodfriend said, mostly carried by the yellow fever mosquito. That mosquito doesn’t show up in Virginia—here, scientists are looking at the yellow fever mosquito’s near relative, the Asian tiger mosquito. Right now there are not many of the black-andwhite patterned mosquito around, but during the James Gathany, Centers for Disease Control summer months the Asian tiger mosquito is the No. 1 The proboscis of Aedes albopictus, the Asian Tiger mosquito, biter in Virginia. It’s not yet known how well the Asian feeding on human blood. tiger mosquito will host Zika, Goodfriend said. Zika is a difficult virus to track. Goodfriend said will likely be approved to do its own testing in the next there have been only three confirmed cases in Virfew weeks. The virus is hard to distinguish from other ginia, all related to travel abroad. But only one in five infections, causing a lot of false positives. people infected with Zika will show symptoms, and In most cases, it’s not a very dangerous disease— for most people, it’s not a serious threat. The most even among the 20 percent of people who will show common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain, and red symptoms, the disease usually runs its course naturaleyes—the same symptoms as diseases ranging from ly and is gone within about two weeks. Usually, people the relatively common enterovirus, measles, and the infected with Zika don’t pose a serious threat to the relatively exotic Chikungunya. people around them. Goodfriend said many people who show these fairThe danger, as reported in national headlines, is ly common symptoms are not tested for Zika. If you’re to pregnant women. Zika is thought to be related to not a woman who is or could be pregnant, he said, miscarriages and birth defects, especially microcephthere’s not a good reason to get tested. By the time realy, although Goodfriend said the connection isn’t sults come back, you’re past the time when you might yet clear. The virus also persists for several weeks in pass the disease along. There is no treatment or vacsemen, saliva, and urine, and Goodfriend reported cine, and patient care is the same as for many illnessthere has been one case in the United States of sexual es: plenty of rest, plenty of fluids, acetaminophen for transmission. For that reason, male partners of womfever and pain. en who are or may be pregnant should abstain from 3.10.16 LN HalfPg (CS).pdf 1 3/8/16 4:36 PM Only the CDC Avie can currently test for Zika, although sexual contact or use protection for a few weeks. Goodfriend said the Virginia Department of Health

It is also, in rare cases, linked to a paralyzing and potentially fatal condition called Guillain-Barré Syndrome, or GBS, which causes the immune system to attack nerve tissue. “It’s scary, but it happens with a lot of different viral infections,” Goodfriend said. GBS, he said, is usually self-limiting, but can be fatal.

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[ LOUDOUN ]

Guiding Loudoun’s Future Plans to update county comprehensive plan moving ahead BY RENSS GREENE

he Loudoun County Board of Supervisors is getting ready to take on a project that is even bigger than its annual budget. The comprehensive plan will take two years to finish and is meant to guide the county’s development over the next 20 to 30 years. It consists of the General Plan, last revised in 2001, and the Countywide Transportation Plan, which was updated in 2010, and a number of strategic plans on specific topics and areas, such as the Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility Master Plan, the Heritage Preservation Plan, and the Arcola Area/Rt. 50 Corridor Plan. “There are simply places in our comprehensive plan that are 20th century plans,” Supervisor Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R-Broad Run) said. The current comprehensive plan was adopted in 2001 and since then, the county has seen economic boom and bust and has nearly doubled in population. The Board of Supervisors has approved 26 amendments to the comprehensive plan since it was adopted.

Protecting the West “There was a lot of emphasis on the comprehensive plan 15 years ago for, I would say, the western part of the county,” said Supervisor Suzanne Volpe (R-Algonkian). Volpe chairs the board’s Transportation and Land Use Committee, which will make recommendations to the board as the comprehensive plan review goes on. Western Loudoun supervisors agreed. Supervisor Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin) said he doesn’t see much need for comprehensive plan revisions in his district. “The emphasis needs to be on Metro

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Supervisor Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin) said the new comprehensive plan need not make drastic changes in his western district.

stops and that area in the east where things have changed substantially,” Higgins said. “While this comprehensive plan is desperately needed, and it’s something that I ran on, it scares the hell out of me at the same time, because western Loudoun was protected several years ago through the rural and transition policy areas,” said Higgins’ western colleague Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge). Buffington said he had been reassured in discussions with staff and other supervisors, and said he would be “greatly opposed” to moving the boundary of the Transition Policy Area westward. The Transition Policy Area, as the name suggests, is meant to provide a transition or buffer between suburban areas in the eastern part of the county and rural areas in the west. It runs generally south of Leesburg, and then east along the southern border of the coun-

ty. Buffington said parts of it need to be updated to reflect what’s actually on the ground as development has grown. “There are some areas in the Transition Policy Area that are Transition Policy Area in name only,” Buffington said.

A New Plan for the New Plan The board has directed the county staff and the Transportation and Land Use Committee to develop methodology to revise the plan. The New Comprehensive Plan Charter, which the committee will consider on March 11, proposes that the county tackle the the comprehensive plan differently than it has in the past. Historically, the lion’s share of comprehensive plan work has fallen to the Planning Commission. This year, the county staff is recommending LOUDOUN’S FUTURE >>> 7

Supervisors Approve Six New Positions for Overwhelmed Mental Health Department BY RENSS GREENE County supervisors voted Monday night to fund six new positions for the Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Developmental Services, and tabled deliberations on six more. Three of the positions will go to the adult detention center. They will provide screening, assessment, and supervision of inmates with serious mental illnesses or substance abuse disorders, including monitoring people found not guilty by reason of insanity. This doubles the number of MHASDS staff at the detention center. MHASDS Department Director Margaret Graham said the recommended ratio of mental health professionals to inmates is one for every 50 to 75; Loudoun’s detention center currently stands at one for 259. Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office Di-

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (R-At Large), a mental health professional, said understaffed jails are dangerous.

vision Commander Major Mike Manning told the Board of Supervisors he supports the increase. “It’s a critical need, in my opinion,” Manning said. “I would say upwards of around 40 percent have some serious mental health needs, and we’re dealing

with that on a daily basis.” Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (DAt Large), who works in a similar position in another detention center, said Loudoun is “vastly understaffed,” especially compared with neighboring counties. “When you have people who are criminally insane, they are very, very dangerous people,” Randall said. “You’re actually putting employees in danger when you leave jails that understaffed, because the people in the jails are dangerous people.” The board also approved three new positions for the Community Liaison Education and Access Recovery (CLEAR) program. These positions provide initial screenings, assessments, and evaluations—meaning, in part, they answer the phone when someone calls seeking mental health help. Gorham said MENTAL HEALTH >>> 7

Governor Approves Another Loudoun Seat to Oversee Transit Spending BY RENSS GREENE Governor Terry McAullife (D) last week signed into law a bill that gives Loudoun one more seat on the body that oversees transit spending in Northern Virginia. House Bill 181 amends the enactment of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission to add one more commissioner from Loudoun, doubling Loudoun’s representation on the panel. The NVTC secures and regulates state and federal funding in Virginia for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which operates Metrorail. Leesburg Del. J. Randall Minchew (R10), the bill’s chief patron, said the extra seat is especially important as Loudoun signs contracts with WMATA to Minchew bring the Metrorail Silver Line to the county. “Loudoun is going to be on the hook for paying 4.8 percent of the management and operational costs of WMATA,” Minchew said. “We on NVTC have to make absolutely certain that WMATA does not have any cost overruns, any bloated budgets, and that the money that they spend is spent wisely.” Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) is the current Loudoun representative on the NVTC. “Our relationship with NVTC is changing, because we are becoming part of the WMATA Compact, so we are making policy, and we are putting real money into the system to help it operate,” Letourneau said. “So it’s going to give us a greater voice. Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large), Loudoun’s current alternate member to NVTC, said the bill “gives us some heft at the regional level.” The law takes effect July 1. NVTC secures funding for Metrorail and ensures that money is spent legally, as well as appointing the two Virginia members to the WMATA Board of Directors. The NVTC currently has 20 commissioners, including five from Fairfax County, three from Arlington County, two from the City of Alexandria, and one each from the cities of Falls Church and Fairfax. It also has six members from the General Assembly—including five whose districts include parts of Loudoun County. Minchew serves on the NVTC, joined by Sen. Richard H. Black (R-13), Sen. Jennifer T. Wexton (D-33), Del. Dave A. LaRock (R-33), and Del. James M. LeMunyon (R-67). Minchew, LaRock, LeMunyon, and Wexton also signed on to HB 181 as patrons, joined by Loudoun delegates John J. Bell (D87), Jennifer B. Boysko (D-86), and Kathleen Murphy (D-34).

<< FROM 6

Mental health << FROM 6 call volume has increased from 3,300 in FY2013 to 4,200 in FY2015. MHSADS Division Director Michelle Petruzzello said less than 10 percent of those calls are answered. The rest go to voicemail. Graham emphasized that this is not the same line as the emergency hotline, which is always answered. The board also may add as many as six positions supporting in-home residential

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services, although supervisors initially moved to fund only two. Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) moved to table the decision until MHSADS figures out how much of that cost will be absorbed by Medicaid, which can pay for up to 40 percent of those services. Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) also suggested that the finance committee, which he chairs, take a look at the capacity problem in the county’s group homes in the county’s Capital Improvement Program. Currently, there is a 15-year waiting list. rgreene@loudounnow.com

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a 26-member Stakeholder Steering Committee to take on some of that work. The committee would include two planning commissioners to serve as chair and vice chair, one constituent appointed by each supervisor, and 14 or 15 members representing specific interests, such as from the Chamber of Commerce, the Dulles Area Association of Realtors, the Loudoun Water Board, Visit Loudoun, and the Washington Airports Taskforce. Other staff resources, such as representatives of Loudoun Water and Dominion Power, would be included in a Staff Technical Advisory Committee. Barker said the process would focus heavily on community involvement, through both the Stakeholder Steering Committee and the public meetings.

The Planning and Zoning Department has asked for $1 million in the next fiscal year for work on the comprehensive plan. According to Planning and Zoning Director Ricky Barker, county staff also expect to ask for $650,000 more in the FY18 budget to finish the job. Barker said that funding will be used for consulting services and public outreach. “For a major effort like this, our staff is not staffed up to that level,” Barker told the Board of Supervisors. “We do feel like our staff will handle a majority of the effort and time related to this project, however we do feel strongly that consultant services are necessary.” The board, facing a tough budget year, has not yet decided on the department’s request. They have asked Barker to come back to the March 17 board meeting with more details on the scope of the revisions.

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Development Plans for Davis Church Property Win Final Approval BY RENSS GREENE

he Board of Zoning Appeals has given final approval to The Young Group LLC’s application to rezone and develop the Davis Church property in Sterling. Although the developer volunteered to save part of the building, some area residents said it was not enough. “We’re doing the best that we’re able to do under the law for this neighborhood by approving the special exception,” Board of Zoning Appeals member Rory Clark said. The Young Group has proposed to build a four-story, self-storage facility on the property at the corner of Davis Drive and Church Road. Company President Robert Young has also committed to save part of the church, moving its recognizable façade and bell tower to another part of the property and donating a small space to the county as a “pocket park.” A t t o r n e y Andrew Painter, who represents The Young Group, estimated that the project would cost the company about $100,000 to $150,000. The Young Group would also donate $5,000 in “seed money” to the Sterling Foundation to start maintaining the pocket park. Proponents on the board and representing The Young Group pointed out that the self-storage warehouse would have lower traffic impact on the area than other commercial uses which would be by right, and the building’s design fits the county’s Route 28 Corridor Plan, which emphasizes high-density, multi-story office and mixed-use development. The Planning Commission forwarded the application to the Board of Zoning Appeals with a recommendation of approval. “It’s an old building, it’s in horrible shape, it’s had animals living in it, and it hasn’t been maintained in 30 years,” Young said. Restoring and using the existing building, Young said, is economically unfeasible.

Loudoun County supervisors approved a 40-year, $1-per-year lease agreement with the Town of Leesburg for a corridor 55 feet wide, 30 feet long—and 16 feet deep. The underground pedestrian tunnel will serve the new courthouse complex and allow staff members and prisoners to walk between the existing courts complex and the planning new District Court building. The tunnel was proposed as a way to allow Church Street to remain open to traffic rather than be permanently closed as part of the expansion project.

Loudoun to Buy Cornerstone Chapel Building

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Board of Zoning Appeals member Rory Clark examines plans for The Young Group’s self-storage business at Davis Church.

Nine speakers addressed the board to oppose the project. “One of the things that’s always bothered me about living in the community is Sterling is continually thought of as the ghetto of the community,” Todd Gallant said. Other speakers at the hearing agreed that the development would take away from the neighborhood’s historic character. “It breaks my heart that we’re losing something so quaint and beautiful, even though, yes, it’s run down, but it can be so much better,” seconded Angela Holmer. “I think there is a change in Sterling, that they are tired of being the perceived doormat of Loudoun County,” Painter said, “and it’s for this reason that the board [of supervisors] spent several years working on the Rt. 28 policies.” The board voted 3-2 to approve The Young Group’s application, with Chairwoman Nan M. Joseph Forbes and E. Page Moffett opposed.

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General Assembly Commends York, Umstattd The Virginia General Assembly has passed joint resolutions commending longtime Loudoun County Chairman Scott K. York and Leesburg Mayor Kristen C. Umstattd. “Under Scott York’s steady and calming leadership, Loudoun County has successfully transitioned from a mostly rural county to a rapidly growing suburban locale whose household median income is the highest in the nation,” reads the resolution, adding “as a result of Scott York’s leadership, Loudoun County boasts a vibrant, diverse, and growing economy while maintaining its rural character.” The resolution honoring Umstattd

Deal Complete for Courthouse Tunnel

York

Umstattd

says she “paid close and careful attention to the needs of her constituents and was known for her compassion and caring approach” and that “the hallmark of Kristen Umstattd’s dedication and service was her desire to protect the people of Leesburg and keep

costs low.” York retired after 18 years as county chairman after losing a three-way election race to Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large.) He has also been honored by a Board of Supervisors resolution. Umstattd served as mayor for 13 years before resigning to represent the Leesburg district on the Board of Supervisors. York’s resolution was introduced by Sen. Jennifer T. Wexton (D-33), Sen. Barbara A. Favola (D-31), Del. Jennifer B. Boysko (D-86), and Del. James M. LeMunyon (R-67). Umstattd’s resolution was introduced by Wexton, Boysko, and Del. John J. Bell (D-87).

County supervisors have agreed to put down a $465,000 deposit on the Cornerstone Chapel building at 742 Miller Drive SE in Leesburg ahead of schedule. The deposit was planned for FY2017 but moved up to this year’s budget. The board has authorized county staff to negotiate a deal up to $4.65 million for the building and plans to appropriate up to $3.45 million to renovate. The staff is finalizing negotiations for the purchase, which will allow the government to move more offices out of leased space and into county-owned property. Cornerstone Chapel is expected to close no later than November; the purchase and renovation price is expected to come out of the FY 2017 budget.

Columbia Gas Easement Unstuck Loudoun supervisors last week approved a Columbia Gas easement across Broad Run Stream Valley Park after delaying approval in January over concerns about damage from an unrelated project in the Loudoun Valley Estates neighborhood. The application for the 25-foot-wide utility easement was stalled in the midst of controversy over the price of moving two gas pipelines in the path of Mooreview Parkway plans and complaints from the Loudoun Valley Estates HOA about inadequate restoration after work near their neighborhood. The gas pipelines under Mooreview Parkway are owned by Columbia Pipeline Group, a separate legal and business entity spun off from Columbia Gas’s parent company in 2015. At that time, Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said the county was “still exploring that relationship.” “Mr. Letourneau has worked COUNTY BRIEFS >> 9

9 March 10 – 16, 2016

[ COUNTY BRIEFS ] << FROM 8 with us that the issues that came up in Loudoun valley Estates will not come up again,” said attorney Robert Sevila, representing Columbia Gas. “I think it’s a little disappointing that it took the board’s direct involvement to this level to try to get the issue resolved, but that said, as we heard tonight, the issues are moving forward,” Letourneau said.

Representatives from the Washington Cricket League youth team and the Future Stars School of Cricket came to the Board of Supervisors last week to ask for more cricket fields in Loudoun. Cricketers told the board new pitches would bring touring teams and their tourism dollars into the county, as well as giving local cricketers more places to play. Youth league player Aadit Motwani said people in his Loudoun Valley Estates neighborhood love to play, but can’t do so in the WCL youth league because the fields are too far away. “If my dad can stay fit and play

Cricketers Press for More Fields

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Players for the Future Stars School of Cricket team wait to speak at a Board of Supervisors meeting.

for another nine years, I hope to play with him on the Lazy Lions team in the Loudoun County league as well,” Motwani said. Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said there has been “a great deal of progress,” with cricket fields constructed or planned at several parks, but added cricket fields are tough to fit into existing parks because of their large size. “Considering four years ago there were no pitches, I feel like we are being pretty responsive,” Letourneau said after the meeting. “What I’ve told them is beyond that, we’re going to have to look at some kind of public-private partnership.”

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Loudoun Democrats, NAACP Urge Veto of War Memorial Protection Bill fought on the side of the North during the Civil War on the same site on the The passage of a bill intended to clar- grounds of the Courthouse where now ify a longstanding Virginia law autho- stands a monument to Confederate rizing—and protecting—war memo- soldiers,” Martinez stated. “It would rials has spurred calls from Loudoun prevent Leesburg from presenting a Democrats and the Loudoun County balanced view of that conflict for all its NAACP for the governor to veto the citizens.” measure. The state law prohibits such a meThe General Assembly action comes morial to be affixed to a Civil War meon the heels of a Danville County Cir- morial. However, the statute would not cuit Court ruling in Ocprohibit the addition of tober in which the judge a slave memorial on the interpreted the law to courthouse grounds as prevent the removal of “WE WILL GET was advocated during Confederate war memori- OUR MEMORIAL a community rally last als erected after 1998, the TO SLAVES AND year. year in which a sentence BLACKS WHO Loudoun NAACP President Phillip was added to the state FOUGHT FOR Thompson opposes any code to specifically prelaw that prohibits the revent the removal or defac- FREEDOM IN moval of war memorials. ing of monuments for the PLACE IN TIME “The Loudoun Coun“War Between the States.” WHICH WILL TELL ty NAACP’s concern is Last month, the House AN ACCURATE that the draft War Meand Senate added another REAL STORY OF morial legislation, which sentence stating the proWHAT HAPPENED restricts the removal of tections apply to all war all statutes and war mememorials regardless of IN LOUDOUN.” morials, takes away a when they were erected. The bill easily passed the House Feb. local community’s ability to move or 10, but spurred a battle on the Senate remove these Confederate glorification floor—passing by a narrow 21-17 vote memorials in perpetuity,” he wrote. Thompson is among those who adFeb. 29, with Democrats opposing it. Last week, the chairmen of the vocate moving the Confederate war Loudoun County Democratic Com- memorial, which he describes as a mittee and the NAACP’s Loudoun “relic of a racist past,” from Loudoun’s Chapter issued statements railing courthouse square. “We will get our memorial to slaves against the bill. LCDC Chairman Marty Martinez and Blacks who fought for Freedom stated the “bill represents a massive, in place in time which will tell an acunwarranted overreach by the Gen- curate real story of what happened eral Assembly that would deny local in Loudoun,” Phillips wrote. “But to governments the right to decide what many that Confederate Soldier statsorts of commemorative structures are ute represents a hateful past that, yes, should not be forgotten, but in whose appropriate.” He also claimed the bill would dic- real place should be located at a Contate how localities can remember his- federate cemetery to overlook and torical events such as the Civil War. honor those who fought honorably for “For example, this bill would remove their side or in a museum where real the authority of the town of Leesburg context can be provided as to what the to add a plaque or a monument to Civil War was about and how terrible a commemorate the former slaves who struggle it was for all sides.” BY NORMAN K. STYER

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[ LEESBURG ]

Melodee Music Closing Shop

loudounnow.com

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

The business development with anchor store Lowe’s, under construction on East Market Street, is one pending project that will help boost the town’s commercial tax base.

Nearing Build Out, Town Poised for Redevelopment BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

ne somewhat startling statistic stood out during Town Manager Kaj Dentler’s fiscal year 2017 budget presentation. Thirty percent of Leesburg’s commercial land is not taxable – inhabited by local, state and federal government offices; churches; and schools. While many on the Town Council have long pushed to increase the commercial tax base while lessening the burden on residents, another challenge that the town faces is that it stands at 87 percent built out, Public Information Officer Betsy Arnett points out. Currently, about 1,000 acres in the town remain vacant, but not all that land is developable, Arnett notes. The development of Lowe’s on East Market Street, the new K2M campus and EIT’s new Leesburg offices in the Oaklawn development are a few projects that have recently gotten the shovels moving on the few specs of untouched dirt in town. That’s not a new challenge. Arnett says that the 87 percent built out statistic has remained largely unchanged from when she joined the

SPOTLIGHT ON LEESBURG BUDGET town’s ranks. And having such a high percentage of non-taxable land also can come with its upsides. “We benefit from being the center of government for the county in a lot of ways,” she said. “It brings a lot of traffic to town and creates activity.” And that activity can result in meals tax revenue and other commercial tax revenue when downtown retailers and restaurateurs are patronized. Dentler compares it to “swimming upstream” when the non-taxable land and low

In a move to consolidate its two locations, Melodee Music in Leesburg will close its doors April 30. Rick Mock opened the East Market Street shop together with his parents more than 40 years ago. He said Monday the family will combine Melodee Music’s two stores into its flagship location off the intersection of Rt. 7 and Palisade Parkway in Sterling. All of Melodee Music’s Leesburg employees will also be moving to the Sterling store. Mock said the decision to close the Leesburg store came down to “cold, hard business facts.” “It came down to there were many more reasons to close than to stay open. And it was a logistical issue that there are only so many members of the family to operate,” the second store, he said. “At some point you had to look past the sentimental and ego and what we would like to do and decide what we would have to do.” One facet of the decision he pointed to was the changing business climate and that having two shops within eight miles of each other is not the same as it once was. “Having two stores within eight miles was good in the ’70s, ’80s and even ’90s. There was nothing between Sterling and Leesburg back then,” he said. “But those eight miles have really shrunk.” For many who grew up in Loudoun County, Melodee Music’s Leesburg store was the go-to stop for the latest records and musical instruments and gear. The Leesburg shop also operates a small studio with a larger studio and auditorium in Sterling. That includes musician Gary Smallwood. He recalls going to the shop to buy vinyl albums, try out instruments and even to shoot the breeze with other local musicians. “There were many a day that I would pop in to get strings and end up seeing a fellow musician or an old acquaintance only to find myself catching up for the next few hours and forgetting what I came in for,” Smallwood said, and estimates about 80 percent of his equipment is from Melodee. “I will miss being able to pop in to see the guys but, like the rest of us, I’ll make the 20-minute drive east to continue to support our local music store.” “I’ve dealt with a number of generations of kids,” Mock acknowledged. “Those kids have brought their kids—’m on grandkids by now. If I lasted a little longer [in Leesburg] I would’ve had great grandkids.” While calling the decision to close the Leesburg shop “bittersweet,” Mock said they are looking forward to the future for the Sterling shop. “We’ve got a great store in Sterling, a lot more room, a lot more resources,” he said. “A lot of Leesburg people don’t realize what we’re doing in Sterling so we hope they can come and see us.” krodriguez@loudounnow.com

REDEVELOPMENT >>> 14

Leesburg Council Shares Priorities as Budget Talks Loom KARA C. RODRIGUEZ Members of the Leesburg Town Council spent the majority of Monday night’s work session sharing priorities and tactical ideas for things they would like to accomplish in the remainder of the calendar year. The exercise came the night before the public hearing for the FY2017 budget and council is planning special budget work session Saturday morning at Town Hall. Many of the ideas shared by council members Monday night were not necessarily ones that could be begun and finished within the calendar year, but could take five years or more

to complete. The council settled on a select few ideas to begin working on, including the creation more bike lanes throughout town; increasing the town’s commercial tax base to 40 percent of the town’s revenues; standardizing the funding received from Loudoun County; taking a close look at resident service levels; and jumpstarting talks with Loudoun County about annexation of the Joint Land Management Area. In a separate item, the council also appears to have a majority in favor of rolling back the H2 Corridor’s design guidelines. That is expected to come forward for a council vote to initiate its repeal in the near future.

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Melodee Music’s Leesburg location on East Market Street will close next month after more than 40 years as the go-to shop for many musicians and music lovers.

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Wright Promises Unity on Leesburg Council BY DANIELLE NADLER Kevin Wright formally launched his campaign for Leesburg mayor with a celebration at Tally Ho Theatre on Saturday afternoon. Wright served on the Town Council for eight years, before being defeated in his re-election bid for a third four-year council term in 2014. It was fitting that Wright held the kickoff ceremony at Tally Ho, he and others noted, because he got his first job out of high school at the then-movie theater. “It all started right here; this was my introduction to public service,” he said. He sold tickets in the box office and worked his way up to management. On Saturday he told the couple of hundred supporters gathered in the renovated space, now a concert venue, why he wanted to bring that attitude of service to the town’s top post. In a 15-minute speech, Wright brought up the conflict and political infighting among town councilmembers in recent months. After months of disagreement over who should serve as interim mayor— and finish out the term of Kristen C. Umstattd, who was elected in November as the Leesburg District representative on the Board of Supervisors— the council finally got enough votes last month to appoint David Butler to replace her. That triggered another round of conflict as councilmembers clashed over who should fill Butler’s seat, resulting in a split vote to appointed Bruce Gemmill. “Over the past several months, Leesburg has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, due to disagreement, indecision, divisiveness and partisanship,” Wright said. “That is not what we should expect or accept from our leaders. As mayor, I would set a different tone, set a different expectation of council, and create a different atmosphere.” Among his priorities if elected, he listed renewing relationships between town and county leaders, focusing on community policing in every Leesburg neighborhood, and improving the

Redevelopment << FROM 12 land vacancy is taken into account. But he and others are quick to point out that the town is well prepared for the challenge, and able to market what it does have available. Economic Development Manager Marantha Edwards said the opportunities that the town can expect will come in the form of redevelopment, instead of new buildings on vacant land. One area being addressed through a recently proposed Zoning Ordinance amendment would give some more flexibility to the town’s flex/industrial spaces, a type of use consistently sought after, Edwards said.

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Kevin Wright addresses town leaders and supporters at an event Saturday to kick off his campaign for Leesburg mayor.

town government’s communication with residents through newsletters, forums and one-on-one meetings. “I love Leesburg, and I see issues that need resolution; I can do that,” he added. Several other speakers brought up the divisiveness among politicians both at the town level and national level, referring to the contentious presidential primaries. Del. J. Randall Minchew (R-10), Clerk of the Loudoun County Circuit Court Gary Clemens (R) and Planning Commissioner Brett Burk said Wright would unify the council and usher in an era of effectiveness. “Leadership is really about bringing people together, working across party lines,” said Minchew, and called it a blessing that the town holds nonpartisan elections. “Kevin Wright has proven that he is a leader, that he is a man of integrity and character.” If elected, Wright would be the town’s first second-generation mayor. His mother, BJ Webb served on the Town Council and was elected mayor for one term, 2000-2002. In his mayoral bid, Wright faces Leesburg Vice Mayor Kelly Burk. Burk will hold her campaign kickoff 4-6 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at 235 Crescent Place in Leesburg. See Wright’s campaign website at www.wrightforleesburg.com. dnadler@loudounnow.com “We do have a lot of demand for flexibility for those spaces that are mixed use because that’s what office users and retailers want,” she said. The recently initiated amendment, which still needs Town Council approval, would allow a building owner to receive one special exception, rather than several, to locate a host of uses and types of businesses within a flex/ industrial site. And one major property ripe for redevelopment is the 90,000-square-foot Walmart building along Edwards Ferry Road. Edwards said she expects that property to be placed on the market this summer as construction of Super Walmart near Leesburg Executive Airport progresses. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

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Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Parents of Evergreen Mill Elementary School students hold up signs referring to their attendance zone during a School Board meeting last Thursday.

School Board Weighs Leesburg School Attendance Options signs students in the Beacon Hill neighborhood northwest here are two dif- “IF IT’S THE WILL of Leesburg from Catoctin Elferent educational OF THE BOARD AND ementary to Kenneth Culbert philosophies, and Elementary in Hamilton. now 11 proposed THE COMMUNITY TO “We have significant capacity attendance zone maps, up for MOVE TOWARD A available at Culbert, and I found debate as the Loudoun Coun- MORE COMMUNITY it hard, as I went through varity School Board considers how SCHOOL-BASED ous options, to not make that to redraw elementary school BOUNDARY, THIS IS move,” DeKenipp said. boundaries in Leesburg. DeKenipp’s second proposal, THE WAY TO DO IT, Attendance zone changes Plan 4, would move more stuhave to be made to reduce over- GRADUALLY.” dents but it would also return crowding at Evergreen Mill Elstudents who are bused several ementary School. But the board miles back to their neighborseems to be split on whether to reassign just a hood schools. The biggest change is for students few hundred students to bring down Evergreen who live in apartments and townhomes along Mill’s enrollment, or make major changes to fix Plaza Street; they would be reassigned from Evwhat some consider an unfair distribution of the ergreen Mill and Cool Spring to either Frederick town’s poorest and non-English speaking stu- Douglass or Leesburg Elementary, both within dents. walking distance. The proposal does leave stuWhen attendance boundaries were drawn in dents in one planning zone in that neighbor2006 and again in 2011, previous board mem- hood, labeled CL 20, at a school they would need bers adopted a model that assigns students in to continue to ride the bus to, Frances Hazel some of Leesburg’s low-income neighborhoods Reid. to schools as far as 3.5 miles from their homes. “Previous boards created these islands where The idea was that students would do better if you would leap frog to get to your school just to schools were more socioeconomically balanced, balance demographics,” DeKenipp said. “If it’s as opposed to leaving one or two schools with the will of the board and the community to move high populations of students from low-income toward a more community school-based boundfamilies. ary, this is the way to do it, gradually.” The first proposal, Plan 1, was presented by the School Board member Beth Huck (At Large) district’s Legislative and Planning Department presented three options. Plan 3 primarily assigns last month. It leaves students in apartments near students to the schools closest to them. The down Plaza Street in Leesburg divided among three side of the proposal, she noted, is that it would schools, and moves just 149 students to different leave three-fourths of the students at Frederick schools. It moves a neighborhood on Clubhouse Douglass Elementary qualifying for the federal Drive (known as planning zone CL 28.3) from free and reduced lunch program. Evergreen Mill Elementary to Catoctin ElemenShe said she drafted the plan based on several tary, and reassigns students in a planning zone board members’ comments last week. “I wanted north of town (CL 03) from Lucketts Elementa- to see if there was a way for our higher needs ry to Frances Hazel Reid Elementary. It would population to go to the school that’s closest to still leave Evergreen Mill’s enrollment 20 percent their community,” she said, adding that it was a above its building capacity. lot harder than she’d expected. “It was like having Several board members presented proposals of a thousand-piece jigsaw, and you couldn’t get all their own during meetings in the past week. the pieces to work correctly.” Plan 2, drafted by School Board member Eric Her plan sparked the most conversation DeKenipp (Catoctin), is similar to Plan 1 but among board members, with a few registering moves more students from Evergreen Mill Elementary to bring that school’s enrollment just BOUNDARY BATTLES >> 18 below its building capacity of 600. It also reasBY DANIELLE NADLER

An eighth-grade Loudoun County teacher is melding his family’s history with classroom technology to share a memorable civics lesson. George Cassutto, a teacher at Harmony Middle School near Hamilton, shared the story of his parents, Holocaust survivors Ernest and Elizabeth, in a lesson taught via Skype to his students and students at Eagle Ridge Middle School in Ashburn. Cassutto has spent much of his 33-year teaching career working to pass on the lessons of the Holocaust to the next generation. He first launched an online history curriculum in 1995, when he had his students create Web pages documenting what they’d learned. “That was cutting edge. Now, it’s almost like you can’t teach without it,” he said. He’s recently broadcasted his lessons on the Holocaust to almost 100 students at a time through video conferencing. Cassutto’s father, Ernest, and his father’s fiancée, Hetty Winkel, went into hiding in 1942 when Jews were rounded up in the Netherlands. The couple was separated in 1943 and Hetty was arrested by the Gestapo. After the war, Ernest learned Hetty had died at Auschwitz in January 1944. Ernest hid in a series of safe houses until he was arrested in March 1944. He was the only Jew in a Rotterdam prison who survived. Someone removed the yellow Star of David—identifying Jewish prisoners—from his door the night before he was to be transferred to a concentration camp. He later chronicled the story in his book, “The Last Jew of Rotterdam.” He went on to become a Presbyterian minister, and later forgave his captors. Cassutto’s mother’s story of survival is just as powerful. He describes it as, “Anne Frank with a happy ending.” She was 11 years old when her family hid in an attic of an Amsterdam home. She later took on the identity of the adopted child of a teacher. She learned in 1960 that her parents had been gassed to death at Auschwitz concentration camp, and the teacher became her legal guardian. Cassutto said he wants his students to not only know the history of the Holocaust so something like it is never repeated. But he also wants to pass on a lesson they can apply in their everyday lives. “The big message I want them to leave with is ‘eliminate prejudice, be accepting,’” he said. He also challenged the students to stand up for justice when given the chance. Eighth-grader Sophie Coates has learned about the Holocaust before, but she said Cassutto’s personal story particularly struck her. “It’s an amazing story. I was really shocked to hear some of it,” she said. “When you hear about how it actually affected people, it puts things into perspective.” Learn more about the Cassuttos at cyberlearning-world. com/memorial/dadmom1.htm. — Danielle Nadler

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Civics teacher George Cassutto shares the story of his parents, who survived the Holocaust, with students at Harmony and Eagle Ridge middle schools via Skype.

March 10 – 16, 2016

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Boundary battles << FROM 16 their opposition and a few saying they were open to the proposal, even if it meant having a lot of low-income students at one school. “This is a no way for me,” Joy Maloney (Broad Run) said. She cited research that indicates students’ achievement goes down when they’re in schools with a majority of low-income students. Debbie Rose (Algonkian) said Loudoun County successfully runs schools like that in Sterling and students there bring in some of the best test scores in the district. “Our schools aren’t underperforming. Ours are doing great,” she said. “I am very happy to see the plans that move toward community-based schools.” Plan 5 was proposed by Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) and is similar to Plan 2. It reassigns about 800 students, including those in several planning zones along the west side of Rt. 15 and south of Leesburg. It would move students in Woodlea Manor and Country Club neighborhoods from Evergreen Mill to Catoctin. It would also move Beacon Hill students to Kenneth Culbert. Hornberger also drafted Plan 8, which he called a holistic, long-term solution. It attempts to return more students to their neighborhood schools, sends Beacon Hill families to Culbert, and reassigns the Lakes of Red Rock community from Ball’s Bluff to Frances Hazel Reid Elementary. Hornberger said the proposal also allows for better cluster alignment, which means more

of the students who change elementary schools through this process would not see middle school and high school reassignments. Tom Marshall (Leesburg) proposed two plans. Plan 6 is similar to Plan 2, but keeps Beacon Hill students at Catoctin Elementary. His second proposal, Plan 7, would reassign the neighborhood just south of Rt. 7 and east of South King Street from Evergreen Mill to Frederick Douglass Elementary. It would boost Frederick Douglass’ enrollment to 8 percent, or 61 students, above its building capacity. He said he is not necessarily advocating for the plan but wanted to present it as an option. Plans 9 and 11, proposed by Huck, also returns hundreds of students to the school closest to them. “I was trying to avoid busing students past two, three, four schools,” Huck said. Each of her proposals have minor differences, but both reassign planning zones south of town to Culbert Elementary in Hamilton. Huck agreed with DeKenipp that there’s a long-term need to bus some students west to free up space in Leesburg schools. “I think we have to address it now so we can provide as much stability that we can for the next several years,” she said. Plan 10, drafted by Marshall and DeKenipp, moves the fewest number of students, at about 484, and leaves capacity at several schools with the intention that it would avoid redrawing boundaries again in the future. “This will be our fourth boundary process in just eight years [in Leesburg],” DeKenipp stressed. Hornberger cautioned board members against plans that, while well-intentioned, reassign more than 1,000

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Top spellers, first place Rishubh Kaushal (center) of Seneca Ridge Middle School, runner-up Mihir Ganguli (right) of Horizon Elementary and third place finisher Anish Susaria of Ball’s Bluff Elementary celebrate after the Loudoun Regional Spelling Bee on March 3. Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Seneca Ridge Student Wins Loudoun Spelling Bee Rishubh Kaushal of Seneca Ridge Middle School is Loudoun County’s new spelling bee champion. Kaushal outlasted more than 70 contestants to win the title during the 34th annual Loudoun Regional Spelling Bee at Stone Ridge High School last Thursday night. He dueled with Mihir Ganguli of Horizon Elementary School in the final rounds. Each had a chance to claim the championship, only to misspell the final word before Kaushal correctly spelled xerophobous. The word—which describes a plant with little capacity to resist drought— won the middle schooler a trip to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, May 24-26 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center at the National Harbor. students. He referred to plans 3 and 4 that would return students to schools closer to their homes. “One thing I do know is that moving at risk-kids is very difficult for them to adjust as opposed to kids who have other support at home,” he said. See all of the proposed maps at www. lcps.org/Page/168856.

The board will hold one more public hearing March 14 ahead of adopting a map March 29. The hearing begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at the Loudoun County Government Building, 1 Harrison St. in Leesburg. dnadler@loudounnow.com

Primrose School Opens Broadlands Facility Franchise owners Victor and Adela Taboada celebrate the opening of the Primrose School of Ashburn at Broadlands from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

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Courtesy of Robo Loco

Members of Robo Loco pose for a photo after making it to the final round of the regional FIRST Robotics Competition on Saturday in Haymarket.

Team Robo Loco Eyes the World Stage — Again

— Danielle Nadler

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bot to the competition in St. Louis. Academy of Science teacher Michael Tomlinson, who coaches the team with Monroe teacher Richard Sarr, stated in a press release from Loudoun County Public Schools that, ultimately, the incident had a positive effect on the team. “A lot of the kids from AOS and Monroe already knew about our team. We did a better job recruiting, but we didn’t have to explain what we did or who we were,” he said. Eight members from last year’s team serve on this year’s Robo Loco leadership team. They’ve combined with newcomers to form a strong roster. “We have a lot of new recruits; a lot of new recruits who are showing up on a regular basis – really adding to the team,” Tomlinson stated. “It’s been really nice, actually.” Robo Loco intends to enter three competitions before making another run at the World Championships, April 27-30 in St. Louis.

Robo Loco, the robotics team that last gained national attention last year when their hand-crafted robot was stolen ahead of the national competition, has rebooted. The team, made up of students from Loudoun’s Academy of Science and C.S. Monroe Technology Center, competed in the district FIRST Robotics Competition Saturday, and came out as finalists, according to a post on the team’s Twitter page. “Great competition!,” the team posted, followed by the hashtag #roboswag. In the six weeks leading up to the regional contest, the team built and programmed a robot that could perform various tasks based on the contest’s challenge, which had a medieval theme. The robot had to navigate “moats” and “drawbridges” to capture a castle. Team Robo Loco made headlines last year after its robot, the Red Barron, was stolen ahead of the FIRST World Championships. The Loudoun Education Foundation raised more than $15,000 to get the team and a new ro-

Freedom High School is asking for donations for its “Hats On” initiative. “Hats On” is the school’s prom theme this year, and a way to raise money for pediatric cancer research. Students and teachers teamed up to organize the effort after several children in the Freedom school community were diagnosed with pediatric cancer. All money raised through prom ticket sales and an online silent auction will be donated to cancer research, as well as organizations helping area families battling childhood cancer. Watch a Loudoun Unscripted video about “Hats On” produced by C.S. Monroe Technology students and CPTV at loudounnow.com/category/ video. Donate to the cause at www. hatsoncharityprom.org.

The event will include family-oriented activities, including face painting, live music and a visit from firefighters and a fire engine. Food and drinks will be served, and the Taboadas will hold a raffle for an iPad Mini along with other prizes. Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce and county government representatives will hold a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:15 a.m. The school is located at 21367 Shale Ridge Court in Broadlands. The Taboadas opened Primrose School of Ashburn in January 2012, and the program’s positive reception in the Ashburn area motivated them to open a second school 6 miles south in Broadlands. “Victor and I are proud to be a part of this community and to serve the children and families who live here,” Adela Taboada said in a statement. “For years now, it has been our privilege to see how the Primrose experience of early education and care impacts lives, and we are truly honored to bring this experience to more families in Northern Virginia.” To learn more about the school call 703-724-4200 or go to primrosebroadlands.com.

March 10 – 16, 2016

Freedom High School Fights For Pediatric Cancer

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Crossroads Plan Still Under Fire Despite compromises, developer receives hostile reception BY MARGARET MORTON

here was no meeting of the minds between developer Bradford Kline and residents of Wright’s Farm during a March 3 design charrette on his plans to build a residential, retail and commercial complex on 50 acres along Purcellville’s northern boundary. Kline and his Bowman Consulting team had hoped to gain audience support March 3 in exploring different options for the controversial Purcellville Crossroads development—but got nowhere with that approach, instead receiving denunciations of his plans. Kline has modified his original design considerably, eliminating the townhouse component, reducing the single-family housing, eliminating a county park and ride lot, reducing the entertainment/recreation and re-locating the elements of the plan. As it stands now, the plan features 73 single-family houses, 75,000 square feet of commercial and an entertainment center featuring indoor activities, including bowling, laser tag, a sports bar and possibly bumper carts. There will be no outdoor Go Karts or batting cages. Kline is asking the town to annex the property, located along Rt. 287, and to provide utilities service. The Purcellville Town Council earlier this year voted 4-3 to allow Kline’s annexation request to be considered by the Loudoun Board of Supervisors. The county has not formally responded to the request, but the town has heard that a number of supervisors are opposed to Kline’s plans and annexation. Among those opponents is Blue Ridge District Supervisor Tony Buffington (R). “Basically, I’m adamantly against it,” Buffington said Monday. “Unless the majority of the surrounding commu-

“IF THERE’S NO SUPPORT, IT WILL BE GONE. WE’LL START WITH A CLEAN SLATE.” nity agrees [with Kline’s plans], I will not support the proposal.” Buffington noted the area is zoned for by-right development of three-acre residential lots. “We’re getting ready to re-do the General Plan. I’ve made it clear to my colleagues that as we move forward on the rural and transition zones, I want to maintain protections for those areas through the plan,” he said. A staffer in county Administrator Tim Hemstreet’s office confirmed Tuesday that the county had received the town’s request, but as yet, it has not been placed on any agenda. More than 60 people—most from the Wright’s Farm subdivision that borders Kline’s property—attended the charrette, which was facilitated by Bowman Consulting engineer Mark Baker. From the beginning, the mood was hostile as Baker attempted to get participants to identify their top choices from among a list of permitted uses that could be developed on the land. “No way,” appeared to be the message delivered by angry residents who opposed both annexation and Kline’s plans for the property. They said the proposed development would be out of character with the rural nature of their three-acre homes. While no longer an active dairy, corn and fruit trees operation, residents like the idea they are living in land that was historically a farm. Although Kline continued to say

anything could be on the table—including eliminating the outdoor entertainment segment or batting cages— critics were not mollified. Traffic concerns, fear of the development being bisected by a future Northern Collector Road, water supply worries, and loss of open-space character of the area dominated residents’ concerns. Baker said the purpose of the community meeting was to share ideas. “This is to see what will work and what won’t—it’s data collection,” Baker said. A second meeting could be held after input has been analyzed and the annexation request could be revised, Baker said. When resident David Scruggs questioned why outdoor entertainment was needed, Kline said originally there seemed to be a market for it. “But, if there’s no support, it will be gone. We’ll start with a clean slate.” But the time for a clean slate appeared to be over for many in the audience. They were asked to identify their favored development options on posters around the room. Overwhelmingly, attendees marked “residential three-acre lots” as their top choice, with a park, affordable senior housing, sit-down restaurant, a swimming center for high schools, a country inn and a senior center also finding some support. Owen Brown, who has become an unofficial spokesman for Wright’s Farm, said he had taken an informal survey of residents following the meeting to find out where they live, how much equity they had in their homes, whether their minds were changed after the March 3 meeting, what they thought of the [revised] development proposal, and whether the town should annex Purcellville Crossroads. Brown said the first step in evaluating development options is to see how

the General Plan revisions turn out. Its vision of what should occur in rural western Loudoun, such as vineyards, breweries, or equines—and rezoning, should guide the development of Kline’s property, he said. The General Plan update is expected to take up to two years to complete. Brown noted there was no support among residents to have the property annexed by the town. “People are unwilling to bend at all, because of complete lack of confidence in the town doing the right thing if Crossroads were to be annexed,” he said. Town Councilman Doug McCollum, who chairs the Purcellville Planning Commission, said if the county and town were to agree on the principle of annexation, Kline’s rezoning request would come to the Town Council, not the Board of Supervisors. As the property is not in the town’s comprehensive plan, and the town has no jurisdiction outside its borders, Kline would have to propose a land use for the property, McCollum said. “We’re going to talk about land outside the town during the town’s comprehensive plan revisions—he may learn a lot,” McCollum said. This week, Kline said he would not be open to A-3 development. “I’ll wait, or do something different,” he said, adding, “It’s a bad use for an interchange on Rt. 287.” But, he acknowledged, “We’ve done a poor job in presenting, not given good analysis.” Kline noted affordable senior care got good support. A country inn and specialty stores also were cited, and he said the team will come up with a couple of new layouts to look at by right and some special exception uses. “We’re exploring them very seriously,” he said of elder care facilities, and a country inn with a restaurant. mmorton@loudounnow.com

Orcas vs. Vultures Lovettsville fights roosting nusiance with pool toys Lovettsville is the latest town to experience an invasion of vultures, who have found a ready roost in several favorite spots, notably the town’s water tank. The birds have a respected position in nature cleaning up carrion from road kills among other things, but town leaders fear that the birds could cause damage to the tank, as well as bother nearby residents. Town leaders are working to evict the visitors, but not with complete success. The latest effort involved affixing three 6-footlong, black and white inflatable orcas to the top of the tank. Mayor Bob Zoldos acknowledged in a recent weekly newsletter that he wasn’t sure of the science of the proposal, but the town had been assured it would be a safe and inexpensive way to remove the vultures. That proved not to be the case. Last week, several were seen quietly perched on the water tower, right next to the not-so-scary inflatables.

But Zoldos said that’s a big improvement. He said the number of birds on the tower has been significantly reduced—from around 50 down to about 10. “We are not sure if that was due to the whales being placed on the tank, but are happy with the reduction,” he said. Now on to Phase II. “We have started banging on the tank legs randomly during the day to further encourage them to move on. We will continue with this light noise (tank leg banging) for a few days and determine if we need to move onto another step,” he said. They also plan to give the whales another chance, by re-inflating and relocating them. If that doesn’t work, the next step is the use of a fake vulture effigy, which is frequently recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and has been used in Leesburg and other Loudoun locations in the past.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Vultures roost on the Town of Lovettsville water tower next to a plastic killer whale that is intended to keep them away.

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The county’s second largest town with a population heading for 9,000 will hold its first budget meeting March 15, with successive council work sessions scheduled for March 29 and March 31. Town Manager Robert W. Lohr Jr. is proposing a two-cent hike on the real estate tax rate from 22 cents per $100 of property value to 24 cents. The council raised the tax last year from 21 cents. The town’s Parks and Recreation tax is recommended to stay at 3.5 cents and the meals tax at five percent.

Town Treasurer Lori Jones said she and Finance Committee Chairman John Unger held their first budget planning meeting on Monday. At their March 14 meeting, Town Council members will set the date for a budget workshop session before its

regular April 11 meeting—at which a public hearing will be held. The town’s current real estate tax rate is 28 cents per $100 of assessed value.

Middleburg Town Administrator Martha Semmes planned to present her first draft General Fund budget to the Town Council on Thursday. Semmes said the council normally works on budget issues at the regular council sessions and also at special work sessions on every second and fourth Thursdays through May. Semmes said she does not envi-

sion any change to the town’s 17-cent real estate tax rate.

Round Hill The Round Hill Town Council has held one budget work session, and plans to continue most Thursdays through April. So far, the council has considered only its utility budget, with the General Fund set for future deliberations. So far, town leaders are not contemplating any increase in the 18-cent real estate tax rate. mmorton@loudounnow.com

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Lovettsville The town will kick off its deliberations Thursday when Town Manager Laszlo Palko will present his budget and capital improvements plan recommendations to the Town Council. The council will discuss those options in a special council budget work session March 31. Talks will continue April 7 and 14. The council will discuss taxes, fees and water and sewer rates on April 14. A public hearing is scheduled for May 19. The council is expected to to adopt its budget and CIP on June 2, well ahead of the June 30 deadline. Palko urged residents to speak to any issues of concern during those listed meetings. He is not proposing any change to the town’s 21 cent real estate tax rate, or any other town taxes.

Hillsboro Mayor Roger Vance said the town, one of the smallest municipalities in Virginia, would begin looking at its FY 2017 budget this month. “We’ll be at the draft stage at our next meeting in a couple of weeks,” Vance said Monday. The council will hold a work session in April on the budget, following information gathering this month, Vance said. He does not plan any change in the real estate tax, although how the

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town will finance its ambitious plans for water provision throughout Hillsboro is still to be determined, probably at the end of the year, he said. The town’s real estate tax is 6 cents per $100 of assessed value.

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March 10 – 16, 2016

Western Loudoun Towns Start Budget Work

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Round Hill VFD Plans Easter Flower Sale The Round Hill Volunteer Fire Department will hold its annual Easter Flower Sale at the firehouse at 4 Main St. on Friday, March 25, and Saturday, March 26. Sale hours will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. until they’re all sold out Saturday. The yearly sale is an opportunity for locals to snap up the flowers—in a wide variety of blooms and prices—for Easter adornment and gifts. For more information, call Jack Frear at 540-338-2451.

Purcellville Woodgrove Hosts Town Volleyball Tournament In what originator Mayor Kwasi Fraser hopes will become an annual event, Woodgrove High School on Friday will host a “friendly rivalry” game of volleyball between Purcellville Town Council and staff members and faculty members of both Loudoun Valley and Woodgrove high schools. Fraser initiated the tournament as a way to foster a sense of community, friendly competition and physical fitness. The physical education

departments of both schools, as well as the Student Council Association, will support the tournament by giving an award to the winning team. Current players include Fraser, members of the council, staff from the town’s management team, who will compete against faculty members from the two schools. The public is invited to attend the 7 p.m. event, and a small donation will be requested to support physical education programs at both high schools.

Lovettsville Lovettsville PTO Holds Chili Cook-Off, Bingo Night The PTO of the Lovettsville Elementary School will hold its much anticipated—and frequently rescheduled—annual Chili Cook-Off and Bingo Night on Friday. Attendees will get the chance to sample locally made chili and vote for their favorites in several different categories. Organizers expect a broad range of entries—from not too hot to super hot. Dinner begins at 6 p.m., followed by Bingo at 6:30 p.m. The Bingo contest will include a lot of twists and turns, as well as unusual games, including the dreaded “Speed-Round” and always popular “Kids Call” game. There also will be plenty of raffle items to add to the fun.

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Joseph A. Knapek, 85, passed away at his home on Monday, February 29, 2016 in Ashburn, VA. Joe was born in Schwertner, TX, on December 25, 1930, to Joseph Frank and Angeline Gabriella Knapek. Joe served in the U.S. Air Force from 1950-1954 and served in the Korean War from 1952-1953. He graduated from Baylor Medical University in Waco, TX, in 1956, with a degree in Accounting. He enjoyed a 35-year career for Chevron Oil Company beginning in Houston, TX, followed by moves to Denver, CO and Benicia, CA. He retired in 1991 and truly enjoyed his 25 years of retirement. He moved with his beloved wife, Margie, to Ashburn VA in 2009 to be close to his grandchildren. On February, 21 2015, Joe lost his devoted wife of 53 years, Margie. Joe is survived by his daughters: Lori Bugaj and husband, John; Karen D’Amato and husband, Vic; and by his four beloved grandchildren; Anna, Joey, Nicky and Henry. Joe was an extremely friendly, kind, and caring person. He had a great sense of humor and was referred to as Papa Joe by family and friends. Joe loved a good joke, jelly beans, bluebonnets, and the great state of Texas. He was always laughing, a true Texan, who always had a kind word and a smile on his face. He was dearly loved by many and will be deeply missed. Family and friends were invited to a Memorial Mass at St. Theresa Parish in Ashburn, VA on Saturday, March 5, 2016. In lieu of flowers, Masses may be said at St Theresa Parish in Joe’s name, or donations may be made to the American Heart Association. Please share condolences with the family at www.LoudounFuneralChapel.com

Coalition Brings Needed Care to Community Cats

To Be Sold

Wed. Mar. 30 at 3 pm

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Veterinarians from around the region volunteered their services Sunday to provide medical treatment to feral Loudoun County cats.

For the volunteers, Newman said they can be as involved as they want. “I ask, ‘do you want to get your hands dirty or keep them clean?’” he said. “We just train them up.” Teresa Davenport was among the volunteers offering to get dirty. She soon found herself at the station where the cats were shaved before their surgeries. “I was amazed that so many volunteers came together to work so quickly, compassionately and with such organization to accomplish this huge task. It was so impressive,” said Davenport, who joined the effort for the first time.

The coalition grew from the Humane Society of Loudoun County’s Trap-Neuter-Release program, which became too big for the organization to handle alone. The nonprofit coalition includes support from a number of community animal care groups, vet offices and the Loudoun County Department of Animal Care and Control. Sunday’s clinic was supported by community donations that may be made through the coalition’s website, loudouncommunitycats.org. nstyer@loudounnow.com

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23 March 10 – 16, 2016

More than 100 feral felines received free veterinary care Sunday, thanks to the efforts of the Loudoun Community Cat Coalition. The organization sponsored a mass spay/neutering clinic at the Leesburg Veterinary Hospital. Thirteen veterinarians and some 70 volunteers joined the effort. Dr. Michael Strickland’s state-ofthe-art clinic looked more like a military field hospital Sunday, as sheets of plastic lined the walls and virtually every flat surface was converted to a work space where cats were inspected, inoculated, shaved and operated on. A total of 114 cats of all sizes, breeds and colors were treated during the course of about seven hours. “It’s a lot of dedication by a lot of people,” said Dr. Jeffrey Newman of Caring Hands Animal Hospital, who serves as vice president of the coalition. Feral cats are free-roaming and have little interaction with humans. The cats treated by the coalition were trapped Friday and Saturday—mostly by the caretakers who feed them—and brought to the clinic Sunday morning. Among the treatments given were rabies and distemper shots; deworming; flea, tick and mite treatments; and spay/neutering operations. Treated cats were marked with a cut on their ear—eartipping is a way to document that a community cat has been spayed/neutered and vaccinated. Microchips also were inserted, allowing vets to record and track vaccination dates and other medical history.

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PSV Opens in Ashburn

Pediatric Specialists of Virginia expanded its Loudoun County operations, opening a new office in the Inova Ashburn Healthplex. The larger office will allow PSV to provide access to more specialists, including those dealing with allergy and immunology; arthritis and rheumatic diseases; bones, joints, and sports medicine; blood disorders; diabetes and endocrinology; digestive and liver disorders; kidney disorders and hypertension; and infectious disease. There will be a free open house and health fair at the office Saturday, March 12 from 9 a.m. to noon. There will be refreshments, tours, activities for children, prizes, and giveaways. Special attractions include the Loudoun County Department of Fire, Rescue & Emergency Management providing workshops on fire safety, tours of the fire truck, and demonstrations; and an appearance by Cindy Chambers, Tell Me Town Foundation founder and author of “Tell Me Town Books” and “The Beamer Book Series.” The Ashburn Healthplex is located at 22505 Landmark Court. The PSV is upstairs in Suite 225. For more information, go to www.psvcare.org/ events.

Sweet Delivery B Doughnut Plans Leesburg Bakery BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ The Town of Leesburg is about to get a bit sweeter. B Doughnut, which has attracted a loyal local following, will open a Leesburg shop this summer. Ashburn residents Brian and Pin Chanthapanya opened their flagship shop in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore, MD, in October 2015, but had been doing local deliveries in the Loudoun County area beforehand. Self-proclaimed “foodies,” the couple began their donut-making business purely as a fun hobby, cooking the confections in their kitchen. But one morning, recalls Pin, her husband decided it was time to make their fun hobby a business. “He woke up and said ‘let’s do it’,” she said. The Chanthapanyas liked the atmosphere of the Hampden area, where the shop is open five days a week. The donuts have attracted such a following that oftentimes on weekends the shop is only open for an hour or two in the morning before selling through all the donuts it has baked for the day. Customers are allowed only

Courtesy of B Doughnut

B Doughnut, a regional favorite, will soon bring its tasty treats to Leesburg.

to buy a maximum of one dozen donuts on weekends. “We care more about quality over quantity,” Pin explains. “We only make what we can handle. We’re not using machines – all our donuts are freshly made.” Pin believes it is this dedication to quality that has made B Doughnuts stand out from the competitors. The shop offers both filled and non-filled donuts, and Pin says the most sought-after flavors are vanilla bean, chocolate cream, berry jam, and lemon curd. All donuts are made the day of purchase and no preservatives are used in the fillings. Pin said they had wanted to open a Loudoun location and settled on Leesburg after conducting a Facebook poll on The Real Housewives of Loudoun County Facebook page. With a choice of Ashburn, South Riding or Leesburg, the “housewives” who participated in the poll chose Leesburg and the Chanthapanyas liked the visibility of the South King Street Center, where the shop will be located. B Doughnuts’ Leesburg shop will be located at 836 South King St. Pin said she hopes to be open by early summer. For more information, go to bdoughnut.com. krodriguez@louduonnow.com

Vanish Pairs Girl Scout Cookies with Beer BY RENSS GREENE Girl Scout Troop 2718 went to a brewery this weekend. The scouts are selling cookies to benefit the Girl Scouts of America and SpeciaLove, a charity dedicated to supporting families and children afflicted with pediatric cancer. “The fourth-graders at Catoctin [Elementary School,] they’ve really been affected by the young boy that died of brain cancer recently [Mathias Gioradano],” said Nensi Fiorenini, mother of three scouts. The girls have made it their mission to sell 250 boxes of cookies for SpeciaLove, and before setting up at Vanish, COOKIES AND BEER >> 25

Snowflake Advances in University Start-up Competition Snowflake LLC, a Round Hill-based business consulting firm, was selected as a semi-finalist in the 2016 Hen Hatch startup funding competition. A program of the University of Delaware’s Lerner College of Business, Hen Hatch awards a total of $100,000 in cash and prizes to support business ideas judged by investors, entrepreneurs, and academics to have the strongest models and the greatest potential returns. Snowflake’s submission is one of 10 semi-finalists in the Alumni and Professor track. Company president Tom Morley, a 1995 University of Delaware graduate, will present the concept to a group of entrepreneurs in Newark, DE, on March 18. The company’s progress throughout the competition will be updated regularly on Twitter: @snowflakellc.

Awakenings Massage Prepares for Grand Opening Awakenings Massage will celebrate its opening in Leesburg with a ribbon-cutting Friday, April 1. Located on the second floor of the Scott Henry Gustavson Building at 15. N. King St., the spa offers Swedish, deep tissue, prenatal and hot stone massages, as well as Reiki treatments. The grand opening event will begin at 6 p.m. and include wine tastings from Creek’s Edge Winery in Taylorstown. Mayor David S. Butler will officiate the formal ceremony. Learn more at awakenings-massage.com.

Social Security Program Offered Edward Jones Financial Advisor Kobby Okum is offering a free presentation titled, “Social Security: Your Questions Answered” at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 19 at Rust Library in Leesburg. The presentation will cover the following topics such as how Social Security fits into retirement plans, when to start taking benefits and taxes. For more information, call Okum at 703-771-2069

Slots Open for Direct-Sale Vendor Expo

Nensi Fiorenini

Girl Scouts from Troop 2718 display signs they’ve made for selling cookies at Vanish.

Lucketts Community Center is hosting a Direct-Sale Vendors Expo on Saturday, April 2. Vendors interested in participating in the event should contact Deena Engle at 703-771–5281 or email deena.engle@loudoun.gov. The expo will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The community center is located at 42361 Lucketts Road.

One Loudoun Developer Talks Shop with Young Professionals

March 10 – 16, 2016

ered for the event was: “Work hard. Decide early to work hard. Hard work never hurt anyone.” He was asked about the tough times, such as weathering the recession that stalled One Loudoun and many other development projects. “First of all, you don’t sleep much at night, your hair turns lighter and you may have one drink more than you’re used to,” May said, adding, “Being in business is not for sissies” The next LoudounYP ExeConnect event will be May 3 at The Zone in Ashburn. The group will have a social April 5 at Crescent Place in Leesburg. See details at loudounchamber.org. —Lindsay Morgan

Lindsay Morgan/Loudoun Now

One Loudoun developer Bill May addresses the Loudoun Young Professionals group.

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they were already more than halfway there. But standing at a table outside a grocery store selling cookies isn’t much fun, especially for parents. That’s why Nensi thought of Vanish, the tasting room at Jonathan Staples’ Black Hops Farm in Lucketts. “He’s really committed to creating a family-friendly venue,” Fiorenini said. “There’s a foosball table, there’s a ping pong table, there’s overlarge Legos.” But when she mentioned the idea of setting up a table outside to Staples, he took it and ran with it. “I was selfishly just thinking that I wanted to have a cookie booth in a location where I felt like I would enjoy hanging out for a few hours, and he kind of immediately jumped on it and said, ‘wait a minute… we could do this cookie pairing,’” Fiorenini said. “I said, ‘you should be a part of what’s happening inside the brewery,’” Staples said. “I said, ‘you know, cookies are a natural thing with beers.’” The girls came out on a Friday to tour the brewery, and there they met assistant brewer Brian Smith. “Brian sat down with them and worked through the beers and cookies, and he came up with a group of parings, and explained it to the girls, because they couldn’t taste it, obviously,” Staples said. So on Saturday, the Girl Scouts were Member of at Vanish with cookies and signs explaining beer pairings for each type. Well, almost. “The only one that defeated him was thin mints,” Staples said. “He couldn’t figure out any beer he’s ever had that he felt like did justice to thin mints. I’m going to bring some milk.” What’s Smith’s favorite pairing? “I’d have to say the Scottish brown with the lemon cookie, definitely,” Smith said. “For some strange reason, I thought it would mix very well, and it did. That tart brown kind of roastiness matched well with the lemon.” After setting up at Vanish, the girls are only six boxes short of their goal. “The idea, really, is to sell some cookies, generate some donations for SpeciaLove, and have a good time,” Fiorenini said.

Bill May was the featured speaker during last week’s ExeConnect program sponsored by the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals group at Old Ox Brewery in Ashburn. As part of the program, business leaders are asked to discuss their backgrounds, including what they were doing when they were in their 20s and 30s and who were their influences. The One Loudoun developer talked about his first trip to Ashburn in the early 1980s. “I didn’t have a smart phone. I had an old map you get at 7-Eleven and there were very little roads on the map for Ashburn,” May said. “Loudoun County Parkway was a two-lane dirt road from Rt. 7 to Redskins Park.” His best advice for the young professionals gath-

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Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring, left, joined Purcellville Police Chief Cynthia McAlister for a Coffee with a Cop meeting Monday morning. As part of the nationwide program, McAlister and members of her department were at Market Street Coffee to meet with residents and discuss their concerns in a relaxed setting.

[ CRIME ] Investigation Continues into Stone Bridge Bomb Threat A bomb threat called into Stone Bridge High School Friday may be a part of a slew of threats made via robocalls that day to a number of schools on the East Coast. Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn was evacuated for more than two hours after someone called the school just before 11:30 a.m. and said a bomb was in the building, according to Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office spokesman Kraig Troxell. As a precaution, the school was evacuated and students were placed on buses to keep them out of the cold weather. Four canine units searched the school, and nothing suspicious was found, according to Troxell. The students returned to classes at 1:30 p.m. They were dismissed at the regular time. The Fairfax County Police Department reported on its Twitter feed that several schools in that jurisdiction also received bomb threats Friday, but none appeared credible. News reports indicate similar threats were made using a robocall system at schools in New Jersey and Rhode Island. Troxell would not say whether the call to Stone Bridge was a robocall. He did say that, as part of the investigation, the sheriff ’s office is working with neighboring jurisdictions and agencies in other states where similar threats were made. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Detective S. Cumberledge of the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.

Investigators Seek Information on Taxi Robbery The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office is asking for the public’s help in its investigation of the Feb. 29 armed robbery of a taxi driver in Ashburn. The robbery happened at 9:50 p.m. Monday. A taxi cab driver was traveling in the area of the Stone Ridge Apartments when the driver of another vehicle ran a stop sign, forcing the taxi driver to stop to avoid a crash. The suspect exited his vehicle in the intersection of Broad Vista Terrace and Cornerstone Square and they got into an argument. The taxi driver pulled out his cell phone to take photos of the suspect. A

physical altercation then ensued and the suspect brandished a firearm and took the victim’s money and cell phone. The suspect fled the area driving south on Broad Vista Terrace. The suspect was described as a black male, approximately 220 pounds with an athletic build. The suspect’s vehicle was described as a burgundy Lincoln or Chrysler sedan. Loudoun Sheriff ’s Detectives have released a stock photo of a vehicle that is similar to the description of the suspect vehicle. Anyone with any information regarding this case is asked to contact Det. C. Cunningham at 703-777-0475. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are asked to call Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919. If the information leads to an arrest and indictment, the caller could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Loudoun investigators say a vehicle like this one was involved in the Feb. 29 armed robbery of a taxi driver in Ashburn.

Lovettsville Robbers Plead Guilty in Related Cases Two Maryland men pleaded guilty last week to charges related to a series of bank robberies that netted more than $10,000 last July. One of the bank robberies occurred in Lovettsville. Andre Antoine Walker, and Malcolm Xavier Green, both age 23, of Temple Hills, MD, pleaded guilty to a bank robbery conspiracy, bank robbery, armed bank robbery, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. According to their plea agreements, in late June, Green and Walker conspired to rob banks in Maryland and Virginia and engaged in a series of bank robberies between July 1 and July 24. On July 1, July 13 and July 17, they robbed banks in Camp Springs, Baltimore and Millington, MD. After entering each bank, the robbers presented a note to the teller demanding money and threatening harm if the teller did not CRIME >> 27

<< FROM 26

Angela Jade Chaconas

Anthony Wayne Chaconas

firearm in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for Green on May 31 and for Walker on July 21.

Ringleader in Credit Card Theft Ring Found Guilty A Loudoun County jury last month sentenced a man who prosecutors say led a crime ring that stole credit cards from vehicles to 15 years in prison. Anthony Wayne Chaconas, 40, was found guilty of credit card theft, credit card fraud, and identity fraud. Chaconas had prior convictions for obtaining money by false pretenses, credit card fraud, credit cart theft, conspiracy to commit theft, theft over $300, receiving stolen property, grand larceny, false ID to law enforcement, resisting arrest,

Angela Lynn Shrewsbury

possession of a controlled substance and burglary. According to evidence in the case, beginning in the fall of 2012, Chaconas would break into vehicles and steal debit and credit cards left inside. Angela Jade Chaconas, 40, and Angela Lynn Shrewsbury, 39, would use the stolen cards to purchase items at various stores throughout Northern Virginia. In July 2014, a fourth individual disclosed the crime ring and investigators were able to identify Angela Chaconas and Angela Shrewsbury in surveillance videos and photographs obtained from the stores where the stolen cards were used. On March 9, 2015, Shrewsbury pleaded guilty to three counts of identity fraud and was given a suspended prison sentence. On July 13, 2015, Angela Chaconas pleaded guilty to con-

Escapee Apprehended in Leesburg After a region-wide search, a man with a violent history who fled a Falls Church mental health center was apprehended in Leesburg. Michael Marshall, 33, of Centreville, was found missing around 6 p.m. Feb. 29. The Virginia State Police issued a detention order for his immediate apprehension and return. Marshall was taken into custody March 1 by the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office at a home in the 19500 block of Meadowview Court.

A Modern Food Drive

Modern Mechanical is Proud to Support Loudoun Interfaith Relief with a Month-Long Food Drive March 1-31 “Giving back to the community we call home means everything to us. If we can make even a small difference in helping to restock these shelves, we will be incredibly happy.” Shawn Mitchell and Pete Danielson, Co-Owners

comply. In the July 17 robbery, Walker displayed a gun to the teller, brandishing it multiple times. They stole $1,229 in the first robbery. In the second robbery, they stole approximately $100, but the dye pack ignited in Green’s pants, ruining the money. Green and Walker left the money in the parking lot, where it was subsequently recovered by investigators. In the July 17 robbery, Green and Walker stole $5,364. Green and Walker admitted that on July 24, they robbed the BB&T Bank in Lovettsville by presenting a note to the teller demanding money and brandishing a gun. They stole $4,000 in that robbery. According to their plea agreements, investigators identified Green through a fingerprint analysis of the note from July 17 robbery. Walker was identified through surveillance videos of the robberies. They were arrested Aug. 3. The gun was recovered from Walker’s vehicle. They said they spent all the stolen money, including to pay part of a $20,000 debt Green owed to a drug dealer. They face maximum sentences of five years in prison for the conspiracy; a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of two counts of bank robbery; a maximum of 25 years in prison for armed bank robbery; and a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, and up to life in prison for brandishing a

spiracy to commit credit card theft and was sentenced to two years in prison. Both were required to pay over $9,000 in restitution. According to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the number of individuals whose credit cards and identities were compromised remains unclear regionally, five victims were located in the Leesburg area. “For those that have had their identity stolen, or their credit compromised, they know all too well how difficult it is to recover from the damage done by thieves such as these,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman stated. “Sometimes it can take years for individuals to clear up these matters with the various banks and credit agencies involved.” Anthony Chaconas will face final sentencing before Circuit Court judge Burke F. McCahill May 16.

March 10 – 16, 2016

[ CRIME ]

Modern Mechanical is collecting non-perishable food, personal hygiene, and pet food from customers and opening our Ashburn location to serve as a drop off location for anyone wishing to donate. In 2015, Loudoun Interfaith Relief distributed more than 1.4 million pounds of food and products to County residents. The Modern Mechanical Ashburn office is located at 21730 Red Rum Drive - Suite 182. Everyone who makes a donation of any kind will receive a coupon good for up to $1,700 off in rebates on Lennox Home Comfort Systems and $25 off our service and diagnostic fee for a service call.

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[ LOCO LIVING ]

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Meredith Hatch married Ian Buggey at her family’s vineyard, Zephaniah Farm Vineyard, in 2012. The Hatch family has since built a new barn for events and plans to host weddings on a larger scale.

Getting Hitched, LoCo Style Loudoun’s budding wedding venues on display BY JAN MERCKER

here are a thousand reasons Loudoun is becoming a destination for couples planning to tie the knot. Stunning vistas, wineries, farms and historic buildings are making the county a wedding hotspot. The second annual Weddings In Loudoun Tour on Sunday, March 13 features more than 35 venues. Organizers say it’s the perfect chance for couples to see what’s out there as they plan their big day. “The rustic settings, lush vineyards and beautiful countryside are all attracting couples to get married in Loudoun. Getting married among the vineyards with the Blue Ridge Mountains as the backdrop or in a circa 1800s barn are unique opportunities that you can’t find everywhere,” said Jennifer Sigal, media rela-

tions manager for the county’s tourism agency, Visit Loudoun. And yes—many venues still have spots available for 2016.

The Historic Mansion Planning a wedding over a long distance can be challenging, and it certainly helps to have mom on board. Kate Grandfield and her fiancé Bret Bronner live in Ann Arbor, MI, but wanted a wedding in Loudoun where Kate grew up. Luckily, the bride’s mother, Jackie Ondy, lives in Round Hill and has been Grandfield’s point person on the ground. When Kate was in town last spring, mother and daughter visited several venues. In the end Kate opted for one of the county’s most popu-

2016 Weddings in Loudoun Tour Venues Oatlands Historic House and Gardens, Tranquility Farm and Zephaniah Vineyards, along with more than 30 other venues will be participating in the self-guided Weddings In Loudoun Tour Sunday, March 13. For more information go to visitloudoun.org/weddings 868 Estate Vineyards 8 Chains North Winery Barns at Hamilton Station, The Birkby House Bluemont Vineyards Breaux Vineyards Briar Patch Bed & Breakfast Catoctin Creek Distilling Company Comfort Suites Leesburg East Lynn Farm Fieldstone Farm Fox Chase Farm Goodstone Inn & Restaurant Grandale Restaurant & Catering Hampton Inn Leesburg

Highholdborne Historic Rockland Holiday Inn Washington Dulles Homewood Suites by Hilton Leesburg Hyatt Place Sterling Dulles Airport-North Lansdowne Resort Morven Park Oatlands Historic House and Gardens Old Stone School Community Center Rust Manor House Salamander Resort & Spa Serene Manor

Shadow Creek Weddings & Events Silverbrook Farm Bed & Breakfast Stone Tower Winery Tranquility Farm Vineyards & Winery at Lost Creek The Waterford Foundation Weatherlea Farm & Vineyard West Belmont Place at The National Conference Center Woodlands at Algonkian, The Zephaniah Farm Vineyard Zion Springs Bed & Breakfast

lar wedding settings—Oatlands Historic House and Gardens. Kate and Bret will take their vows in just a few weeks on Friday, May 13. The date didn’t faze the bride—in fact, she thought it had an offbeat charm. The couple also got a reduced rate for choosing a Friday date. According to Visit Loudoun’s Sigal, choosing a Friday or Sunday date is a great way to save money. Ondy says she was pleasantly surprised to find that Oatlands—one of the crown jewels of Loudoun’s wedding industry—was within their budget. The historic property owns its own chairs, which brings down rental expenses, and has a list of preferred caterers for a range of budgets. “We thought there was no way we could afford Oatlands,” Ondy said. “But it turned out to be one of the most economical.” Kate and Bret’s ceremony, with around 70 guests, will take place in the mansion’s garden with the reception in the historic Carriage House. Oatlands also offers tented weddings for larger parties. The historic side to the 1803 property was a big draw for the couple. Kate, a history major in college, loved the fact that guests have the option of taking a guided tour of the Oatlands mansion during the reception.

The Rustic Farm When Suzanne Cragon Lauer and her husband bought Tranquility Farm near Purcellville in 2007, opening their home to weddings was not in their plans. But the property’s picturesque setting, historic barn and silo led to requests. And last year, the owners decided to go for it—primarily as a way of showcasing their preservation efforts. Because they live on the property, they’re limiting weddings to around 10 each year in spring and fall. One of the attractions is that the couple, along with their wedding party, and some guests can all stay on the property. The Lauers open their historic stone manor to guests and also offer a cottage and glamping (glamorous camping in chic tents with real beds), so it works well as a choice for couples who want to extend the big day celebration with family and friends. For Sarah and Stephen McCain of Ashburn, who were married at Tranquility Farm last September, the HITCHED IN LOCO >> 29

29 March 10 – 16, 2016

Hitched in LoCo << FROM 28 rustic elegance and on-site lodging were big selling points. “I saw the barn and definitely got excited,” Sarah said. “It was pretty much everything I was looking for.” The happy couple and their wedding party stayed on the property Saturday night, unwinding by an outdoor fire after most of the guests had left. The following morning, the McCains hosted a small brunch for the wedding party and out of town guests. “We never had to leave—everything was there,” Sarah said. “It was seamless.”

The Vineyard

jmercker@loudounnow.com

Hillsboro’s Old Stone School:

Bang for Your Wedding Buck JAN MERCKER Looking for a wedding venue that offers historic charm without breaking the bank? The Hillsboro Old Stone School may be up your alley. With a price tag of $1,100 for Friday afternoon through midnight Saturday, the rental allows couples to gather family and friends in and around Loudoun’s smallest town and hold both the rehearsal dinner and reception in one location. Carrie Crossfield, a board member of the non-profit Friends of the Old Stone School, says the concept encourages families and friends to spend quality time together over a weekend. Crossfield encourages folks to stay in one of the nearby bed and breakfast inns and make an authentic western Loudoun weekend

out of the event. The 100-year-old former school was renovated in 2008 and features a small patio for cocktails or an outdoor ceremony. The group has plans to build a bigger patio down the road. As part of the Weddings In Loudoun Tour, the Old Stone School will host a mini bridal expo, featuring six nearby B&Bs; Petals & Hedges floral design; musical performances from the Saint Charles Quartet, singer Joey Bauer and the Atoka Strings; and bridal gowns from the Frederick, MD-based TLC Bridal Boutique, which specializes in high quality, moderately priced dresses. For more information, go to oldstoneschool.org.

Call today for an additional 5% off!

Weddings are big business for Loudoun’s vineyards. Not all local wineries double as event venues, but weddings are bread and butter for many. A number of the wineries on the tour have been hosting weddings for decades, and for some of the newer kids on the block, the event is a chance to showcase new facilities. The Hatch family, owners of Zephaniah Farm Vineyard near Leesburg, has hosted weddings on the family farm for nearly 50 years. Owner Bill Hatch and his wife Bonnie Archer were married on the property 46 years ago. And since the transformation of the farmland to vines 15 years ago, Hatch and Archer have been slowly ramping up to open the property as a wedding venue. Two of their children have held weddings at the vineyard and their third will take her vows among the vines this year. The couple took things up a notch last year, after completing construction on a new timber frame barn, with seating for 100-125. This year marks their first full season of hosting public weddings, and Hatch is excited to open a new chapter for the property. “People like the historic nature and the fact that it’s not a huge venue,” Hatch said.

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New York Through the Lens of Richard Busch

Richard Busch says he’s had a love affair with New York since he was a high school kid in the 1950s. He began recording those feeling on film in 1968, a passion that followed him along a journalism career that included posts at Life Magazine and National Geographic. Locally, he is best known for his work with clay at Glenfiddich Farm Pottery. Recently, he’s been organizing, reprinting and digitizing some of his best shots of New York City life. Some of his photos are now part of the permanent collection at the Museum of the City of New York, but you don’t have to travel that far. During March, a selection of those photos are on exhibiton the second floor of the Cooley Gallery in Leesburg.

ON STAGE ‘THE TEMPEST’ BENEFIT PERFORMANCE Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12, 7:30 p.m.; Briar Woods High School, 22525 Belmont Ridge Road, Ashburn. Details: facebook.com/theladychamberlains The Lady Chamberlains, a troupe of female actors at Briar Woods High School, performs Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” All proceeds go to Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for students, and a $2 discount for attendees who bring an item from LAWS wish list (available at lcsj.org).

‘SPECTRUM’S JOURNEY’

March 10 – 16, 2016

Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12 at 7 p.m., Sunday, March 13 at 3 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: vsaloudoun.org VSA Loudoun presents this family-oriented original musical. Spectrum, a beautiful but vain butterfly, embarks on a journey through the colorful Magnolia Forest to the land of the Desert Dwellers. On the way he encounters some friends who teach him the valuable life lesson that it’s more important to be beautiful on the inside. Tickets $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors. Performances continue March 11-13.

LSO: MASTERS AND MINIATURES Saturday, March 12, 7:30 p.m.; Middleburg Community Center, 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg. Details: loudounsymphony.org Loudoun Symphony Orchestra presents an uplifting concert featuring music from the greats--Wagner’s “Siegfried Idyll,” Ravel’s “Le Tombeau de Couperinand” and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36.” Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors, Youth 17 and under are free but must be ticketed. A special discounted package offers four tickets for $60.

‘DEAD TUESDAY’ MURDER MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE Saturday, March 12, 6 p.m. at Savoir Fare, 1 W. Loudoun St., Round Hill; and Sunday, March 13, 6:30 p.m. at Leesburg Brewing Company, 2C Loudoun St. SW, Leesburg. Details: stagecoachtc.com Stage Coach Theatre Company presents a murder mystery set at a New Orleans Mardi Gras ball. Tickets for dinner and the show are $65 for Saturday’s show and $60 on Sunday. Beverages will be sold separately at each location.

LUCKETTS BLUEGRASS: THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN TRIBUTE BAND Saturday, March 12, 7 p.m.; Lucketts Community Center, 42361 Lucketts

Road, Leesburg. Details: luckettsbluegrass.org The late Bill Yates, a long time Country Gentlemen band member, started this band in 2005 as a tribute to the music and memories made by the Country Gentlemen from the 1950s into the early 2000s. The tribute has a sound that echoes the Gents in their heyday. Tickets are $15 at the door.

WATERFORD CONCERT SERIES Sunday, March 13, 4 p.m.; Waterford Old School, 40222 Fairfax St., Waterford. Details: waterfordconcertseries.org The launch of the series’ spring season features young artists from the Washington National Opera, joined by bass Soloman Howard. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students. Children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Advance purchase is recommended, but tickets may be available at the door.

performs selections by Bach, Handel and Poglietti in this baroque-focused concert. Admission is free. Donations are welcome.

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS Neersville Country Breakfast Saturday, March 12, 8-10:30 a.m., Between the Hills Community Association Center, 11762 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville. Contact: 540-6686504 Enjoy a breakfast of sausage gravy, biscuits, eggs, coffee cake, pancakes, sausage, fried potatoes, fruit and more. Free will offering. Open to the public.

PARK VIEW SPRING CRAFT AND VENDOR SHOW Saturday, March 12, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Park View High School, 400 W. Laurel Ave., Sterling. Contact: 571-434-4500 The school’s 10th annual craft show raises funds for Park View’s Project Graduation. Event includes 75 vendors, bake sales, raffles, donations and concessions. Admission is free.

MIDDLEBURG CONCERT SERIES

DUCKS UNLIMITED ANNUAL BANQUET

Sunday, March 13, 4 p.m.; Middleburg United Methodist Church, 15 W. Washington St., Middleburg. Contact: 540-303-7127

Saturday, March 12, 5:30-9 p.m.; Purcellville Pavilion, 250 S. Nursery Ave., Purcellville. Contact:duloudouncounty@gmail.com

Noted trumpet player Douglas Wilson

THIS WEEK >> 31

<< FROM 30 The waterfowl conservation and hunting group’s Loudoun chapter hosts its annual banquet, with catering by Monk’s BBQ, open bar, auctions, raffles and more. Tickets are $60 per person, $100 per couple in advance; $65/$110 at the door.

ALL NEIGHBORS EASTER FESTIVAL AND DINNER

All Neighbors, a non-profit ministry affiliated with The Church of The Holy Spirit in Leesburg whose mission is to welcome immigrants arriving from the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia, is hosting a Christian-focused Easter celebration. Event is open to immigrants and is free of charge.

COMMUNITY TABLE OF LOUDOUN DINNER Tuesday, March 15, 5:30-7 p.m.; Loudoun County High School, 415 Dry Mill Road SW, Leesburg; and Mt. Zion Methodist Church, 250 W. Virginia Ave., Hamilton. Details: ctloudoun.org Community Table hosts concurrent, elegant sit down dinners that are open to all, free at both locations.

LIVE MUSIC: PATRICK GREEN AND THE BLUES BUCKETS Saturday, March 12, 7:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com Virginia’s homegrown blues sensations—this tight power trio performs American soul and R&B. No cover.

LIVE MUSIC: SOMETHING’S BREWING Saturday, March 12, 7-10 p.m.; MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 B Harrison St. SE, Leesburg. Details: macdowellbrewkitchen.com Hit the dance floor with great classic rock tunes. No cover.

Welcoming all new patients

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703-771-9034 Conveniently located in The Village at Leesburg facing Route 7 between Wegmans and LA Fitness Mon & Wed: 8-6pm • Tues & Thurs: 7-4pm Fri: 8-1pm • Sat: 8-1pm (Once/month) 24hr Emergency Service

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LIVE MUSIC: IN GRATITUDE -A TRIBUTE TO EARTH WIND AND FIRE

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Saturday, March 12, 8:30 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyholeesburg.com

***

EWF’s greatest hits performed by a dozen veteran R&B musicians. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 day of show.

CONVENIENTLY LOCATED IN HISTORIC LEESBURG, VA AND ONLY STEPS AWAY FROM THE LOUDOUN COUNTY COURTS COMPLEX

LIBATIONS

NIGHTLIFE

STONE TOWER SOMMINAR: ROSÉ WINES

IS THIS GORGEOUS

LIVE MUSIC: JIBRAAN

Sunday, March 13, 1-2:30 p.m.; Stone Tower Winery, 19925 Hogback Mountain Road, Leesburg. Details: stonetowerwinery.com

SUITE.

Friday, March 11, 7-9 p.m.; Trinity House Café, 101 E. Market St., Leesburg. Details: trinityhousecafe.com Jibraan is a pop/R&B artist with influences ranging from Bangladesh and Beethoven to beat-boxing and blues. No cover.

Sunday, March 13, 11:30 a.m.2 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com

This hard charging country band cranks things up and keeps audiences on their toes. No cover.

Friday, March 11, 8:30 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyholeesburg.com

CELTIC CROWNS AND COCKTAILS Wednesday, March 16, 7-9 p.m.; Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, 120 W. Main St., Purcellville. Details: catoctincreekdistilling.com Julie Abrera of Beaumont House will help you create flower crowns with a Celtic vibe using both local and sourced blooms. Tickets are $45 and include two cocktails.

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LIVE MUSIC: SLIPPERY WHEN WET

Blending pop, country, Americana, and indie rock, Shane Gamble rhapsodizes about love, loss, and emotional redemption, riding high on the success of his top 10 single “Turn My Way.” Show is free with brunch.

HAS TO OFFER INCLUDING

Friday, March 11, 7:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com

CLOSE PROXIMITY TO ALL HISTORIC LEESBURG

Celebrate spring with refreshing rosé wines from France, the New World and Stone Tower’s own cellars. Tickets are $40 for wine club members, $50 for non-members. Advance registration is required.

AMERICANA BRUNCH WITH SHANE GAMBLE

SCOTT KURT AND MEMPHIS 59

PROFESSIONAL OFFICE

Sunday, March 13, 5-8 p.m.; Eagle Ridge Middle School, 42901 Waxpool Road, Ashburn. Contact: info. allneighbors@gmail.com

Relive the ’80s and beyond with the ultimate Bon Jovi tribute band. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 day of show.

31 March 10 – 16, 2016

[ THIS WEEK ]

Cochran Family Dental

loudounnow.com

Saving a cemetary << FROM 1 In the Leesburg case, Thomas and Loudoun Freedom Center co-founder Fred Snowden first met with Vice Mayor Kelly Burk and Supervisor Kristen Umstattd (D-Leesburg) at the site and quickly won their support. After meetings with Mayor Dave Butler and Town Manager Kaj Dentler, plans were formed to clean up and protect the site and to begin to document the gravesites in more detail. “It was a deer dump,” Thomas said. The town removed the carcasses from the area and posted no trespassing signs. Next, Dentler said the town hopes to work with the county government’s historic preservation planner, Heidi Siebentritt, to help establish the basic GPS location of the visible depressions before the summer growing season makes that work more difficult. Much of what is known about the graveyard comes from research conducted by Jim Koenig, who works as the design and construction manager for the county’s Department of General Services. He happened upon two cemeteries in the area while walking in the woods about eight years ago.

Center Seeks New Space The Loudoun Freedom Center is need of a little help itself. Co-founder Pastor Michelle Thomas said the space in Lansdowne that

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Wooden stakes mark gravesites at the Sycoline cemetery.

He began staking out the depressions and then conducted research in the genealogy records at the Thomas Balch Library. Ultimately, he published his findings in a 51-page report. “There are at least 43 graves of people who lived in Leesburg and were part of houses the center and its collection of 600 artifacts dating back to the slave and Jim Crow eras has been sold. The center faces a March 15 deadline to move out. She is hopeful that someone in the

a community of African-Americans in both life and death. While alive, some were still in the shadow of slavery having been born in a slave state before Emancipation. Others were only a generation or two removed from that era. All shared bonds of family, friends, neighborhood, a church, and the experience of growing up black or mulatto and living in a small southern town within a rural farming county,” Koenig wrote. Aside from one modern headstone, Koenig’s markers amid the trees and stone are still are the only tangible signs of the burial grounds. “It’s sad. We just happened upon the site,” Thomas said. “Our history is precarious at best.” She is gratified by the collaboration with the town and county governments to protect the graveyard, but she is worried about other important aspects of African-American life that may be lost. “Our enemy is really development,” she said. “We don’t have a lot of protection under the law.” As a newly appointed member of the Loudoun County Heritage Commission, Thomas hopes to put a new focus on the concern, perhaps with the formation of a new task force. nstyer@loudounnow.com community concerned about protecting the county’s history will help the organization find new space to continue its operations. Learn more about the center at loudounfreedomfoundation.com.

School budget << FROM 1 historic structure preservation, downstream water quality and stormwater management, and environmental features. None of these was included in the signed bill. “What it says to me is that neither the General Assembly members or the governor are listening to the people, because when [the Virginia Association of Counties] and [the Virginia Municipal League] are saying with one voice that this is a bad deal, then that is the voice of the commonwealth,” Randall said. Michelle Gowdy, general counsel to the VML, said there was broad opposition to the bill among league members. “I think opposition for the bill was pretty strong from all of the localities, and, quite frankly, from the beginning a lot of the localities didn’t think it was a necessary bill,” Gowdy said. The VML sought to get a waiver process written into the bill, allowing willing localities and developers to make proffer agreements otherwise forbidden in the bill, but was unable to, and ended up opposing the bill. Gowdy said the VML will join the effort in the next General Assembly session to further amend the new law. Supervisors’ attempts to meet with the governor about the bill last Friday were denied, and his office did not respond to emailed requests for com-

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Supervisors got the news during a long budget work session Monday night. From left, Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) and Chairwoman Phyllis Randall (D-At Large).

ment Monday evening. The bill defines a “reasonable proffer” and, if a developer brings a locality to court over the new law, the burden of proof is on the locality to show that it did not deny a rezoning application because a developer did not submit an unreasonable proffer. “I think what it means, we will be forced to say no more often, and there will be by-right developments that are probably not good for the county as a whole, and I don’t think developers want to do that because they won’t be able to get as many units as they want,”

Randall said. “We might see a little bit of a moratorium on new developments for the next year until we see the impacts of the bill.” “I’m concerned with some of the rezonings that could be coming to us in the eastern part of the county, because they’re a very significant amount of residential,” said Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn.) The cost of that infrastructure, he said, will now fall on the backs of taxpayers. rgreene@loudounnow.com

Proffers << FROM 3 “I don’t think it’s fair to say that we backed you into a corner with a tax rate, because I don’t know what that tax rate is, and neither does anybody else up here,” returned county Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn). He defended the proposed budget: “We have to start the budget process somewhere.” “There are hard choices, and let’s not forget at the end that this board’s final charter, as much as people hate to talk about it, we have to set a tax rate and do an appropriation,” Buona said.” However, he also signaled that he may be open to a small tax increase. The current and equalized tax rate is $1.135 per $100 of assessed value; Hemstreet has told the board it will need to raise the rate to $1.17 to fully fund the schools’ budget request, including an increase in the share of tax revenue sent to schools. “I really personally don’t believe we can get to $1.17,” Buona said. “I really don’t believe that. Can we do better than $1.135? Personally, yes.”

It’s Not Like Last Year Last year, the Board of Supervisors— at that time with different people in five of its nine seats—fully funded the School Board’s request, taking advantage of a healthy revenue stream and drawing from a $65 million fund balance. County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said the county likely will not be able to meet the School Board’s full request this year, but said “if we’re going to be honest, let’s be honest on all sides.” “That was done in an election year, and the fact that most everyone who did that, not everyone, but almost everyone, ran on the fact that we fully funded the budget in an election year is significant,” said county Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large.) “Why is it not equally important that we fully fund the budget when it’s not an election year?” Second-term Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) “wholeheartedly” rejected that logic. He said that board used its best-ever revenue year to pay down debt and one-time expenses, freeing up money for the school budget, and said he would have been willing to do that regardless of election year. “Let’s be a little bit careful with that insinuation, because I don’t think that is honest or fair, at least to some of us, and you’re ascribing motives to some of us that didn’t happen,” Letourneau said. “As a new supervisor, I would have loved to have had some fund balance saved from last year, I will openly admit that,” said Supervisor Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R-Broad Run). “But I also think we have to be very, very careful about impugning each other’s motives.” Despite moments of tension, both boards finished the meeting expressing goodwill and optimism about the relationship between the boards, if not the county’s fiscal picture. “It is more important than ever on the county level to show our kids what leadership actually looks like,” Randall said. rgreene@loudounnow.com

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loudounnow.com

Employment ASPHALT CREW POSITIONS N.VA asphalt company has multiple positions available to start immediately. Must have previous asphalt experience. We offer year round work, competitive pay and benefits. Positions available: Foreman, Lute man, Paver & roller operators and dump truck driver. Call 540-868-2797 or email: earthmovers93@yahoo.com to apply

Leesbug Sterling Family Practice Is Expanding Our sixth location located in the Medical Professional Building at Stone Springs Hospital in Aldie, VA is scheduled to open this Summer. If you are compassionate, energetic and love working with a team, then we need YOU. FT positions are available for LPN’s and MA’s. Pediatric and or family practice preferred but willing to train the right candidate. We offer health, dental and vision insurance as well as direct deposit, 401K and many other benefits. FT positions are also available in our Broadlands location. Please send your resumé to: lgray@lmgdoctors.com or fax: (703) 726-0804 attention Lisa

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The Administrative Assistant (AA) is responsible for administrative duties in support of the Preconstruction Manager. The AA manages the flow of information between the subcontractors, office, and senior management. The AA functionally reports to the Preconstruction Manager and administratively reports to the VP & COO. Must have strong organizational skills and be able to work in a team environment. Full-time/hourly position. Pays up to $30-40k annually (varies based on experience) Please send your resume to Josh Buck | jbuck@ellisdaleconstruction.com

GREENHOUSE JOB OPENINGS Mid March - June 15, 2016 3-4 days a week thru March • 5 days a week thru June 15th with alternating weekends lifting required

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loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

[ OPINION ]

Upsetting the Balance While potentially delivering a victory to developers in other jurisdictions, Gov. Terry McAuliffe and the General Assembly this week may have dealt a serious blow to economic development in Loudoun County. It will take many months for the full impact of Virginia’s proffer limitation law to be felt, but the chilling effect already is in the air. It has turned the clock back on three decades of compromises that have allowed one of the nation’s fastest growing communities to maintain a high quality of life for its residents while also providing fertile ground for homebuilders and commercial developers. In many ways, the county government and developers shared common goals in building a community that offered the types of housing and new job centers demanded by the growing population. They also recognized that without functioning roads and adequate schools neither could be successful. Proffers played a major role in building that success. Now, it is unclear whether that balance can be maintained under state laws that dictate how localities can manage growth. The creation of a sophisticated conditional zoning system in Loudoun resulted from the lack of other alternatives available to address the physical and fiscal impacts of rapid growth. For the most part, developers had a seat at the table as those policies were created. And just as not all of them viewed the county’s expectations for infrastructure contributions favorably, neither were all supervisors convinced that proffers came close to justifying the density increases developers sought. The state action also is poorly timed for Loudoun. Many of the current planning priorities—maximizing the land along the Silver Line corridor and new mixed-use centers, for example—will require rezonings. If supervisors find that the new proffer restrictions result in development proposals with too high of public cost, those efforts will likely stall. Developers will have fewer avenues to address those concerns. The stalemate will benefit neither. Given the history of their cooperation and the high stakes involved in Loudoun’s economic growth, there may be ways the government and the development community can carve out mutually beneficial deals despite the General Assembly’s action. They’ll be working to fix a system that wasn’t broken until the governor took his pen in hand.

LoudounNow

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

Samantha Bartram

Danielle Nadler Managing Editor dnadler@loudounnow.com

Advertising Director

Margaret Morton Senior Writer mmorton@loudounnow.com Renss Greene, Reporter rgreene@loudounnow.com Kara C. Rodriquez, Reporter rgkrodriquez@loudounnow.com Douglas Graham, Photographer dgraham@loudounnow.com

Contributors Jan Mercker

Susan Styer sstyer@loudounnow.com Classified Manager Lindsay Morgan lmorgan@loudounnow.com Production Electronic Ink 9 Royal St. SE Leesburg, VA 20175

[ LETTERS ] Great Kids Editor: VSA of Loudoun wants to say a great big thank you to the Loudoun County High School Improv Group. At a recent event, these young performers chose to open their hearts to the VSA organization. VSA of Loudoun provides opportunities in the arts for individuals with disabilities in an inclusive environment. The LCHS Improv group spent some time promoting VSA’s spring musical “Spectrum’s Journey,” which is taking place the first two weekends of March at the Franklin Park Arts Center. In addition, they took up a collection and ended up donating more than $550. The VSA Board of Directors was so touched by their desire to help. These are some great kids. Nancy Eastman, Purcellville VSA Board of Directors

Pipeline Impact Editor: The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce has joined with the Dulles Regional and the Greater Reston Chambers of Commerce in supporting Dominion Resources’ proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline now under review by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The pipeline will transmit natural gas fossil fuel extracted by hydraulic fracturing, “fracking,” from the Marcellus Shale fields in West Virginia through Virginia en route to North Carolina. The chambers of commerce give economic reasons for supporting the pipeline, but do not cite their sources of information. The first reason given is job creation,

totaling 8,774 “direct,” “indirect,” “induced” jobs. This figure is barely 6 percent of the in-state jobs created by using renewable sources of energy and the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club states 90 percent of the jobs are given to out-of-state contractors who specialize in pipeline construction and only a few in-state jobs are created. According to research conducted by Stanford University’s Mark Jacobson and used in The Solutions Project, using renewable energy will create 147,141 operations and construction jobs that will provide 40 years of long-term employment. Next, the chambers state “significant new, long-term revenue for state and local governments will be generated over the life of the project. The $2.5 billion in capital expenditures will be spent in Virginia. Annually from 2019–2038, the state will benefit from $83 million in labor income and $136 million in gross state product from the pipeline.” Using these unreferenced figures, the pipeline will bring in $35 million each year. Switching to renewables, on the other hand, will save $13.78 billion dollars annually in avoided mortality and illness cost. That is nearly 40 times more dollars in health care saved than pipeline revenues. Moreover, Virginians’ health and longevity will improve, a benefit that the pipeline cannot claim. The final argument the chambers make is that homes and businesses will rely more on natural gas and that stable energy costs and reliability of natural gas will attract businesses to expand or relocate to Virginia. In fact, reliance on a fossil fuel is the wrong direction. All fossil fuels, natural gas included, are non-renewable resources. The Post Carbon Institute, analysis of the Marcellus Shale determined that “projecLETTERS >> 38

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e’ve all received the box, stamped “Some assembly required,” full of the parts wrapped individually; the connecting hardware bagged separately, the instructions neatly folded. While we know what the end product will be, we often feel at a complete loss about where to start first, and the instructions often intimidate if not downright confuse. But we muddle through, line up the parts, and begin to see how it all fits together and suddenly arrive at that moment of clarity when we say to ourselves “Okay, we can do this,” get focused and get to work. There is a package, in transit for Loudoun’s northwest quadrant for more than a decade now, that has arrived and is about ready to open. All the parts are there, but some assembly is required. We’ve been puzzling it all out, lining up the pieces and getting closer and closer to assembling the end product. That end product will be a unique and easily accessible historic destination that serves as the core to a robust agricultural and recreational-tourism region. It will be a place that attracts local, regional, national and international visitors. A strong and dynamic rural economy in one of the nation’s fastest growing counties—an economy that preserves and protects open spaces and respects and promotes historical assets—was not so long ago regarded as a pipedream. But, it has been the All-American entrepreneurial spirit of longtime Loudoun families and newcomers, with their bold investments and untiring efforts—along with a love of the pastoral beauty, ancient hills and rich history—that has prevailed. And, as they say, the proof is in the pudding, or in this case in the wine, organic produce, hops and beer, fresh air, stunning vistas, forested trails and historic sites. The foundation for our future is here. As was the case from the turn of the 18th century to well into the 20th, a robust agricultural region again surrounds the historic rural Town of Hillsboro. Within five miles are a dozen vineyards, innovative and thriving organic produce and livestock farms, boutique farms and orchards, a growing collection of farm breweries, a segment of the Appalachian Trail, and hundreds of acres of permanently conserved farmland and forest, including a 600-acre swath what will become Virginia’s newest state park. The Hillsboro area is already home to the county’s greatest concentration of bed and breakfast rooms, and the planned development of a small, context-sensitive resort oriented to the Appalachian Trail just west of Hillsboro is a prime indicator of today’s reality and the opportunity that is at hand. So, what are the pieces that still need to be assembled? After more than a decade in the works, three major health and safety infrastructure projects in Hillsboro are set to begin soon. Safe and adequate

drinking water, community wastewater treatment and traffic safety and congestion mitigation on Charles Town Pike are coming in the next 18 months. These projects will be transformational for this very well preserved 18th-19th century rural village. Sidewalks, on-street parking, safe crosswalks, buried utilities and traffic-calming measures will make Hillsboro safe and accessible for residents and visitors alike. With nearly every structure contributing to its National Register of Historic Places status, the town is an authentic, living historic destination in itself. With the critical infrastructure in place, Hillsboro will be positioned to again be the hub for the surrounding agricultural region and its residents and serve the growing number of visitors. The opportunity for appropriate businesses in Hillsboro such as restaurants, B&Bs, shops and more oriented to accommodating tourists and area residents alike will soon be within reach. During the 19th century Hillsboro’s several mills processed the area farms’ wheat, corn, grains and apples and even produced woolen goods. It bustled with a post office, stores, shops, blacksmiths, wheelwrights, tanners and more tradesmen, along with professionals including doctors and lawyers. The commercial and service activity largely faded when the last mill closed in 1947. But the resurgence of agriculture and tourism, and the fact that each day some 15,000 vehicles pass through Hillsboro along with thousands more on the weekends, presents an extraordinary opportunity. The box is opened and the parts are ready for assembly: drinking water and sewer line installation projects are funded with construction slated for 2017. Thanks to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, significant funding is imminent in 2017 for the “shovel-ready” highway project, allowing construction to begin. A full-court press to secure the remaining funding so these three projects will be built concurrently (saving millions of dollars in redundant work and potentially years of disruption) is now underway, driven by a coalition of Town, County and area business leaders and widely supported by area residents beyond the town’s boundary who consider Hillsboro their own. The parts are here, the path is clear and the outcome will be a dynamic economic benefit for the entire county that at the same time preserves irreplaceable assets of open spaces and historic sites. The only question is, will we seize the opportunity, work collaboratively, let common sense prevail—and do the right thing? Let’s get to work!

reating Beautiful Sm iles

March 10 – 16, 2016

ngly C i r a C

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@ LoudounNow.com Readers’ comments posted at loudounnow.com

—BBLR65, on School Board Weighs Leesburg School Attendance Options “Each student, no matter their parents’ income, should have the opportunity to flourish in these types of school environments. You need to balance out the schools or else Frederick Douglass

will end up with 75% of the students in Leesburg from lower income families with less of a chance to have access to the features of a “good school” (i.e. more parent volunteers, family-raised funds and/or donations to supplement a pitiful school budget, etc.)” – YourMomma, on Debate Over Race and Class Surfaces in School Boardroom “Leesburg is already diverse. Our neighborhoods are diverse. We don’t need busing to integrate us. If the schools are rezoned based on geographic areas there won’t be a single school that is 100% anything.” – Leesburgian, on Debate Over Race and Class Surfaces in School Boardroom

[ LETTERS ] << FROM 36 tions of a peak in 2018 appear on track, followed by a terminal decline.” Renewable resources, on the other hand, never run out. The chambers also fail to consider the climate change impact of the pipeline. Just this past December, the landmark climate accord was reached in Paris, where 195 nations committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to stave off climate change. No longer a bridge fuel to renewables, natural gas is just as harmful as coal. The journal Nature reports that methane natural gas leaks from well sites and along pipeline transmission lines erode the green credentials of natural gas. Further, natural gas is a far more potent green house gas than carbon dioxide. In addition to climate change impacts, fracking for natural gas has a frightening host of health, safety, and natural resource impacts. The chambers’ poorly considered endorsement of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline does not represent today’s reality. Further, did the chambers know that the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is just one of four total pipelines proposed to crisscross Virginia? Does Virginia really need another pipeline? The chambers should look beyond the interests of Dominion Resources and promote initiatives that truly benefit Virginia and Virginians, namely renewable sources of energy projects. – Natalie Pien, Leesburg

America’s Pastime March 10 – 16, 2016

“I wonder if our Board members understand that some of us specifically bought houses in Leesburg because they were specifically zoned to certain schools. I am zoned to Frederick Douglass. If I’d seen the demographics on the zone saying 3/4 of the school was reduced lunch and whatever percent of that was ESOL (english as a second language), I definitely would not have bought the house I did. I am not self-segregating, I’m just trying to find the best possible school for my kid. Therefore I find it highly unfair that the Board would just change the school zone without taking home owners into account.”

Editor: Unlike today’s youth baseball, there really was a time when baseball was played just for fun without win-winwin coaches, over-zealous parents, uniforms, well-groomed fields, regimented schedules, and end of the season trophies for everyone. Looking back 75 years at the unforgettable small-town baseball experiences of a growing lad in comparison

to today’s youth baseball boggles the mind. Our baseball season started when the last trace of snow melted usually the first or second week of June and ended the last day before school opened in the fall. Everyday that I wasn’t raining, a group of sports-loving boys and girls in my small New Hampshire town would gather at a farmer’s field we regarded as our home park. In reality, we shared our home park with a herd of Guernsey cows and an estimated 11 million grasshoppers. We all joined in preparing our baseball diamond by sticking tree branches somewhere in the outfield to use as foul poles, running one after the other around and around the potential base paths so we would know where to run after a hit. We used similar sized cowflops, as we called them, as our bases and a huge rock protruding just out of the ground as our pitching mound. Our couple of baseballs usually resembled a cross between a lemon and a grapefruit with a shape created by the tightly wound black electrician’s tape. It normally weighed about the same as a small bowling ball from playing in the rain; perhaps this was the reason we seemed to have so many strongarmed pitchers in our high schools as it was rare for anyone to ever have a sore arm. I was a baseball and fast pitch softball pitcher for more than 50 years and never had a sore arm in my entire baseball career. Our pitchers quickly learned how to adjust the black tape to one side to make the baseball dip and dart if you knew how to throw it. In those days, we all tried to throw Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean’s “spitter” but all it did was get our fingers wet. The rest of our equipment included a couple of old, wooden bats 42 inches long and weighing as much as a fireplace log, because we continued playing if it was not raining too hard. The scores did not matter as we had no pressure of win-crazy coaches, overbearing parents watching, no umpires and no trophies for all at the end of our

summer. In those days, we thought the girls who always joined us belonged on our handpicked teams for most of them could out hit, out throw, and out run most of us boys. It was simply the fun of playing our national pastime by the hour and it will always remain one of this writer’s greatest memories. – Lou Gros Louis, Lansdowne Woods

Lessons Learned Editor: On Friday, Feb. 26, Dr. Ather Anis and his team inserted a stent into an 80 percent clogged artery in my body and saved my life. I went home the next day and have been feeling fine ever since. I want to thank, not only Dr. Anis, his team and the staff but also Dr. Hogan and the staff at the emergency facility in Leesburg where I went Thursday night before being transported to Lansdowne. Dr. Chanda and all the nurses and techs at the Inova Loudoun Hospital were also very caring and showed real concern. Everyone in both places was very concerned and professional. The procedure was so painless that I even asked them when they were going to start and they were almost done!

All is going well. I saw my regular doctor on Monday, Dr. Tareq Abedin and he put me on a strict diet of organic veggies and fruit. (avoid processed foods). And to stay hydrated. I am also very careful to take all the meds they gave me and to not exert myself. I am anxious to get back to working out, but am only taking walks for now. I also went to vote on March 1, driving both ways with my wife. So, lessons learned: 1. Don’t ignore chest pains (I had had several dull pains in my shoulder area for a few days before this one.) 2. Call 911 and get an ambulance. Don’t do what I did. I drove myself. The EMTs can start oxygen and run scans on the way to the ER so I could have been admitted faster. Then follow your doctor’s advice. Again, can’t say enough good things about the doctors and staff at Inova. I have received several follow up calls to make sure I am following the meds regime and doing well, so the caring continues. Final lesson learned: “Tell all you love that you do love them. Do this every day and if you hold any grudges, get rid of them now. – Anthony V. Fasolo, Leesburg

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up the smallest amount of grant dollars, at just under $53,000, and probably should. “Not that those things are not important, but I think they have accurately zeroed in on the core services needed.”

An Investment in Nonprofits The majority of the county board consider the money set aside for local organizations an investment. Even some of the most fiscally conservative on the board have said they see the value in funneling some tax money to charities. “I see it as a cost avoidance,” Buona said. “Some nonprofits provide a benefit that is a lot of cost avoidance to the county so by helping out those nonprofits we’re actually making an in-

vestment.” “You’ve got a series of problems that may result in more taxpayer dollars being spent in the long run if we don’t try to address them early on,” Umstaddt said, specifically noting mental health services. Buona has said he’d like to get nonprofits more money, but this may not be the year to do it given fiscal constraints. Public school leaders are requesting a $48 million funding increase, while other county departments are also looking for funds to keep up with population growth. “I’d love to give everybody money, but the fact is, as it is we can’t fund the current budget without raising taxes significantly,” Buona said. “In my mind, we’ve set aside an appropriate amount for nonprofits.”

Even if they can’t write a bigger check for nonprofits, Randall said supervisors can play a role to lift up charities in other ways. Each month, she features a local organization that’s doing good things in her newsletter and during board meetings’ comment period. She calls the effort, “Voice for a Cause.” “It’s not up to me to fund them, but one thing I can do in my role is make sure people know they exist. … I can give them a voice.” Grant applications are due April 1. The board will vote in April on a final grant amount, and will decide in June how to divvy up the funds. dnadler@loudounnow.com

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numbers. “I think the board has an obligation to the taxpayers to look at how each nonprofit operates, because clearly if county money is not going to the people it’s intended for, that would be a problem,” Umstattd said, adding that she has no evidence that local groups are not being good stewards of county funds. The previous Board of Supervisors changed the procedure to determine which charities get county grants. Previously, the grants were debated by supervisors during the annual budget adoption process. Now, the board sets aside a pot of money for the grants and uses a formula to disburse it. The grant dollars are divided into four categories: hunger and homelessness mitigation, emergency services, health and related services, and recreation and culture. Members of the county staff team up with specialists in each of those areas to vet and rate the applications. From there, the staff recommends to the board which organizations should receive grant dollars and how much. The process was devised by Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) and Ralph M. Buona (Ashburn). Supervisors, and most in the nonprofit community, have praised that change. “I applaud them for bringing that process from one that was political to one that is more formulaic,” Randall said this week. As county staff members look through the grant applications, Buona suggested that the board stick with the new process and, for the most part, follow the staff ’s recommendations to avoid supervisors playing favorites. “We tried to depoliticize this whole thing,” Buona said. He added, “I have a lot of confidence in staff ’s recommendation because their vetting process is pretty darn detailed.” Last year, supervisors tweaked a few of the staff ’s recommendations. Most notably, the staff initially recommended that Mobile Hope receive no funding for the current fiscal year because its application scored in the bottom half of all applications, according to the grant score card for fiscal year 2016. The board ultimately chose to give the organization $5,000, the maximum a nonprofit can receive in its first year of applying for funding. Donna Fortier, executive director of Mobile Hope, said she was encouraged to hear some county leaders advocating more grant money this year. Mobile Hope, which provides food, clothes and other services for precariously housed young adults, has not settled on how much money it will request this year, she said. “We’re looking at that now. But our numbers have grown, our services have grown, so hopefully it will all be good.” In terms of what groups should top the priority list for funding, Owen considers the supervisors’ new approach a success. “What they constructed a couple years ago is still accomplishing what they’ve set out to do, and that is to provide funding for core services and then some,” she said, noting that the recreation and culture category makes

Loudoun Symphony $3,008 Children’s Science Center $3,158 Loudoun Youth $3,316 Help for Others $3,473 Loudoun Literacy Council $4,961 Community Foundation $5,000 Bluemont Concert Series $5,000 Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington $5,000 Mobile Hope Loudoun $5,000 Loudoun Therapeutic Riding $5,000 Alzheimer’s Association $5,349 A Place to Be $5,616 Northern Virginia Family Services $8,424 Capital Caring $11,794

Friends of Loudoun Mental Health $16,046 Brain Injury Services $16,310 Northern Virginia Resource for Deaf $20,325 Northern Virginia Dental Clinic $25,000 Red Cross $20,403 Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers $34,986 Loudoun Museum $36,007 Loudoun Interfaith Relief $47,237 INMED Partnerships for Children $49,535 Endependence of Northern Virginia $56,162 Legal Services of Northern Virginia $58,782 Good Shepherd Alliance $69,869 Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice Inc. (Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter) $75,580 Blue Ridge Speech Hearing $76,000 Loudoun Cares $83,843 Loudoun Free Clinic $88,455 HealthWorks $180,000

March 10 – 16, 2016

Nonprofits

Nonprofits that received grant funding this year:

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