Loudoun Now for April 7, 2016 by Loudoun Now

LoudounNow

LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE

[ Vol. 1, No. 22 ]

[ loudounnow.com ]

[ April 7 – 13, 2016 ]

Special supplement

to Loudoun Now April 7, 2016

INSIDE:

YOUR GUIDE TO THE

FES TIVAL including the

FESTIVAL MAP

Leesburg’s Crowd Pleaser ............... .............................. Everything Needed .......3 for Kids Rule on Cornwall Outdoor Living.............................. ..4 Vote for Your Favorite ..........................................................8 Festival Map.........................................................................1 2 .............................. Music Unplugg ...........................14 ed .............................. Suds On Tap ............... .............................. ...16 .............................. Sponsors ............... ..........................20 .............................. .............................. ..26

Purcellville pastor stabbed; Leesburg mother shot ............ 3

Ashburn Man Gets Life Sentence for Murder BY NORMAN K. STYER

plosive. Byard said there was no detonator attached, and the material could not be detonated by normal activity. C-4 will only explode when subjected to a combination of extreme heat and a shockwave caused by a detonator. According to a county press release, the material appeared to have come dislodged from a container and fallen into the engine compartment, and was not recovered after training. Within hours of Loudoun Now breaking the story on Wednesday, news had spread across the country and around the the world: The CIA had left C-4 on a school bus. The Chicago Tribune called it national “Weird News” of the week. The Washington Post called it an “only-in-Washington embarrassment for the elite spy agency.” (Close enough to Washington, anyway.) But even if the gaffe turned out to be harmless, Loudouners were not amused. “Just because it was inert wasn’t the issue for me,” said parent and former Spe-

The Ashburn man who gunned down his ex-wife’s husband 15 months ago will spend the rest of his life in prison. Loudoun Circuit Court Judge Burke F. McCahill handed down that sentence Tuesday following two days of testimony from family members, investigators and a psychiatric expert. Minh Nguyen pleaded no contest last July to charges of first-degree murder, malicious wounding, burglary, destruction of property and use of a Minh Nguyen firearm in the commission of a felony. Facts in the case show that Nguyen was in a rage when he banged on the door of Corey and Denise Mattison’s Ashburn townhouse and demanded entry. He was carrying a .380 caliber Taurus semi-automatic pistol and fired one shot before pushing through the door. He then fired the pistol’s remaining rounds, shooting Corey Mattison four times. Mattison was able to exit the home before falling on the driveway. Nguyen followed him, striking his former wife in the head with the butt of the gun as he passed her in the garage. Nguyen got in a car and drove around in a circle—prosecutors said it might have been an attempt to run over Mattison—before crashing. He then got out and

C-4 LEFT ON BUS >> 22

LIFE SENTENCE >> 39

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

A bomb detection dog scans the school system’s Central Garage near Leesburg on March 30, shortly after explosive material was discovered on a school bus.

WHOOPS

CIA Left C-4 on Loudoun School Bus BY RENSS GREENE

he first couple of days back from spring break were more eventful for some Loudoun families than they’d wished. Last Monday and Tuesday, 26 special needs children loaded the school bus as they do every other morning. The bus dropped the kids off at Pinebrook Elementary School, Buffalo Trail Elementary Schools and Rock Ridge High School in Dulles, then went tooling back to the school system’s central garage near Leesburg Executive Airport for maintenance. On Wednesday morning, the same bus underwent a routine inspection when a mechanic discovered that those students were

not the only thing the vehicle was transporting—the mechanic found C-4 plastic explosive inside the engine compartment. The sheriff ’s office locked down the area and redirected traffic. A bomb squad rushed to the scene and K-9 units swept all of the buses in the lot. The next evening, the culprit fessed up—the Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA announced in a press release that a CIA K-9 unit accidentally left “explosive training material” in the bus after a training exercise at Briar Woods High School during spring break. According to Loudoun County school system Public Information Officer Wayde Byard, the bus transported 26 students while unsuspectingly also carrying the ex-

! LE W SA NO N O

Where will you purchase your next mattress?

BAER’S Before you head to a large chain, MATTRESS DEN can we suggest another destination? www.baersmattressden.com

There’s a reason we’ve been family owned for over 30 years. Ask your neighbors or visit us and find out why?

Leesburg, VA

next to Ledo Pizza across from Target & Costco

703-777-1600

ECRWSS Postal Customer

Permit #131 Leesburg, VA

PAID

U.S. Postage PRESRT STD

ju st re du ce d

cO MM er ci Al Main Street, Purcellville

14441 DOWDen DOWnS Dr, HaYMarKet

36581 leitH ln, MiDDleBurG

4000+ sq ft of commercial space in the Heart of Historic Purcellville. 3/4 under lease at $17 sf. Great oppurtunity to own a leased commercial building or change to suit your needs, possibilities are endless. Just appraised. $1,500,000 Mary Kakouras • (540) 454-1604 Mary@atokaproperties.com

Custom Italian Tile & Marble. Granite in kitchen & baths. Two story foyer & family room. Custom stone & brick work inside/out. Expansive gourmet eat-in kit with living space. Huge deck with spacious 3 season room overlooking spacious yard & private pond. Theater room, ready-to-finish bar, wine cellar & safe in basement. 4 car garage. $1,450,000 Peter Pejacsevich • (540) 270-3835 • Peter@atokaproperties.net Scott Buzzelli • (540) 454-1399 • Scott@atokaproperties.net

At 200 yrs (c.1815), “Berry Hill” has been fully renovated by a new owner, and is back on the market. Thoughtful changes meet modern expectations but retain all the home’s historic charm. 10-ac gem features a spring-fed pond, paddocks, stable, and scenic grounds. Inside, large bright rooms are warmed by generous use of stone & wood. Simply delightful! $1,166,000 Kim Hurst • 703-932-9651 • YourCountryHome.net

14914 ManOr vieW ln, Purcellville, va 20132

11555 HereFOrD ct, HuMe

40276 irOn leiGe ct, leeSBurG

Gorgeous manor home in the heart of DC’s wine country! No detail has been overlooked in this newly renovated & prof. decorated custom home. Situated on 10+ acres, home offers not only stunning views from every room, but the unique potential to start your own vineyard. Recently refinished HW floors, upgraded light fixtures, arts & crafts style staircase, neutral colors, energy efficiency improvements. $1,139,000 Peter Pejacsevich • (540) 270-3835 • Peter@atokaproperties.net Scott Buzzelli • (540) 454-1399 • Scott@atokaproperties.net

Stunning custom colonial on 10 rolling acres with lush paddocks & sweeping manicured lawns in an idyllic setting. A grand front porch marks the entrance to this gracious 4 BR,4 BA home with high ceilings,gleaming wood floors,2 fplc’s, gourmet country kitchen & approx. 6000 SqFt of spectacular living space on 3 levels. A 6 stall stable & board fenced paddocks included & easy commuter access to I-66. $920,000 Peter Pejacsevich • (540) 270-3835 • Peter@atokaproperties.net Scott Buzzelli • (540) 454-1399 • Scott@atokaproperties.net

Come home to this spectacular stone-front house at the end of a quiet cut-de-sac in beautiful Beacon Hill. Tucked away in a quiet neighborhood backing to acres of grassy open space, this 7200sf Craftmark-built home features 5 Brs, 4.5 baths, two fireplaces, and two bright sunrooms, fully-finished LL that includes a media room. $899,000 Kim Hurst • 703-932-9651 • YourCountryHome.net

ju st lis te d

loudounnow.com

42036 GlYnn tarra Pl, leeSBurG

8102 SuMMerFielD HillS Dr, WarrentOn

39008 OlD StaGe Pl, WaterFOrD

This is THE lot! Find ultimate privacy at this immaculate, original owner, pet free Stanley Martin quality home. Beautiful moldings, wood floors, stylish and graceful rooms. The heart of the home opens to THE SPECTACULAR setting enjoyed from deck and patio with fire pit. The Master Bedroom Balcony will make you feel like everyday is a VACATION. 5 bedrooms up, additional LL suite with full bath. $729,900

Privately located 5,800+ sq ft custom built home on 10 acres. 5 bed/ 5 1/2 bath home w true craftsman quality throughout, open floorplan, double sided stone fireplace, chefs kitchen w granite/SS appliances, first floor master suite w cathedral ceilings, double staircase, au pair/in-law suite, 4 car oversized garage, front/back porch, generator, hunting, riding trails. Comfortable living! $725,000 Peter Pejacsevich • (540) 270-3835 • Peter@atokaproperties.net Scott Buzzelli • (540) 454-1399 • Scott@atokaproperties.net

Highly desirable Waterford property. Meticulously maintained and “Move-In Ready.” Spacious and stylish with lovely sunroom and 3 finished levels. Paved roads in a neighborhood setting. Set on knoll backing to countryside. 3.2 acres. Private yet easy access to main roads and shopping. $689,900 On the Market...with Sam Rees 703-408-4261 onthemarketwithsamrees@gmail.com

lOtS FOr Sale MARY LN, LOVETTSVILLE, VA 4 acre lot, 360 mountain views, cleared bordered by trees and creek. 4BR perc site, Health Dept certified letter on file. Ready to build. About 5 mile commute to Marc train and Point of Rocks. LO8679114 • $199,000

13 Hunt ct, MiDDleBurG

677 FeDeral St, PariS

Ultimate quality! Immaculate all brick townhouse with high end upgrades & finishes. Recently refinished HW floors, built-in bookcases, beautiful crown molding, Wifi thermostats & Ralph Lauren lighting fixtures throughout the house. 3 fireplaces, 4 levels, beautiful light-filled kitchen. Mins from restaurants, shops & wineries in historic Middleburg! Fantastic location. Must see to fully appreciate!. $499,000 Peter Pejacsevich • (540) 270-3835 • Peter@atokaproperties.net Scott Buzzelli • (540) 454-1399 • Scott@atokaproperties.net

CHARMING ONE OF A KIND c. 1810 Federal brick house in the Village of Paris. House is like new as everything in need of repair has been done including install of a new septic system! Lister has all records and warranties. Paris is the home of the renowned Ashby Inn & in the Crooked Run Valley Historic District, the most photographed places in VA. Won’t last! $450,000 Patricia Burns • (540) 454-6723 • RealtorBurns1@gmail.com

CHURCH ST S, BERRYVILLE, VA Great building lot located on historic Church street. Public water & sewer taps available.Elevated lot with mature trees(approx 28k) and veiws of the blue ridge mountains. no covenants and restictions. CL6380515 • $63,000 Mary Kakouras (540) 454-1604 Mary@atokaproperties.com

BY RENSS GREENE

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Christina Fisher’s daughter, Natajia, weeps during a vigil in her mother’s honor.

reacting to situations like this. We have to start doing something.” Some people told personal stories of times they wish they’d called for help when they saw something. Others encouraged each other not to be afraid to reach out for help, and not to be afraid to seek help for others. “Don’t carry no shame, don’t carry no embarrassment,” Owens said. “This

is not something you did to yourself.” And some people urged the community not to hold on to hatred for Lewis. “The moment he pulled that trigger, two lives were lost,” Owens said, referencing the loss of both mother and father, and the loss to Lewis’s own family. “Tonight is a great night to let some things go,” said Bishop Shawn Stephens. Owens has started a GoFundMe

page, “Chrissy’s children’s fund,” to help pay for Fisher’s funeral expenses and help her three children. She said at last check, the funeral expenses have been covered, and money is going to help the children. By Tuesday, the page had raised more than $10,000 from more than 200 people in two days. rgreene@loudounnow.com

Son Charged with Stabbing Purcellville Pastor Former Purcellville Mayor Bob Lazaro and his wife, Carolyn, are longtime friends of the Janneys and members of Janney’s Purcellville Baptist Church congregation. “He is beloved and respected not just in Purcellville, but throughout the region,” Lazaro said, adding it is a “time for prayer, healing and forgiveness for the Janney family.” According to the church, Janney and his wife have three children. He grew up in Harrisburg, PA, and in South Jersey. He served a pastor at Jerusalem Baptist Church in Fairfax for five years before becoming senior pastor of of Purcellville Baptist, a position he’s held since 1995. Margaret Morton contributed to this article. dandler@loudounnow.com

bio on the church website. BY DANIELLE NADLER Jonathan allegedly at tacked his father just afThe Loudoun church ter 3 p.m. Monday at the community and Purcellville family’s home on Canterresidents this week rallied bury Circle in Purcellville. around the family of DaPurcellville Police and vid L. Janney, who was apLoudoun County Sheriff ’s parently stabbed by his son Office responded to the Monday afternoon. scene. As a precaution, Janney, the senior paspolice delayed dismissal at tor of Purcellville Baptist Blue Ridge Middle School Church, is expected to ful- David L. Janney and Loudoun Valley High ly recover, according to the School. Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Jonathan Janney fled and was apOffice. He was flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital Monday for treatment and prehended by an off-duty law enforcewas listed in stable condition in the in- ment officer in the town. A statement signed by Purcellville tensive care unit. Jonathan A. Janney, 19, faces charges Baptist Church pastors and elders of aggravated malicious wounding asked for prayers for the Janney family. for the stabbing. He was held without “Praise the Lord he is stable and receivbond at the Loudoun County Adult ing great care in the ICU,” it stated of Detention Center. Jonathan is David David L. Janney’s health Monday eveL. Janney’s middle child, according to a ning.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Purcellville Police Department Corporal P.B. Kakol stands on the porch of the house where Jonathan A. Janney, 19, is alleged to have stabbed his father.

Another contender joins Leesburg mayoral race.............9

Balch Library wants room to grow.....................................XX

Table set for one-of-a-kind tasting..................................28

Match made in Loudoun:

Crime................................ 7 Education....................... 14 Loudoun Gov................... 20 Our Towns........................ 24 Biz.................................. 26

LoCo Living..................... 28 Obituaries....................... 32 Classifieds.................... 33 Opinion ......................... 36

loudounnow.com

[ INDEX ] Up next for school boundary changes: Brambleton and Dulles...............................5

A Middleburg man has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of his former girlfriend in Leesburg Saturday night. Darrick Lee Lewis, 30, also is charged with violation of a protective order and a firearms violation. Police say he went to the Nansemond Street townhouse of Christina Fisher, where an argument ensued. Officers were called to the scene about 6:15 p.m. when a 9-1-1 call was made from the home reporting a verbal domestic dispute. Upon arrival, the officers found the 34-year-old woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the upper torso. She was flown to an area hospital, where she died. Investigators determined that Lewis shot her during the argument and left the scene. Lewis and Fisher had two children together. He was arrested at his home near Middleburg and was held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. In March, Fisher had obtained a protective order barring Lewis from having any contact with her or her children. Dozens of people gathered at Brandon Park in Leesburg on Monday evening to grieve and remember Fisher. “I wasn’t really expecting this much,” said Shaneka Owens, who helped organize the event late the previous evening. “This just shows a portion of how much she was loved.” Participants held hands, shared prayers, told stories—and struggled with guilt. “You can’t believe the ‘sorrys’, over and over,” Owens said. “We can’t keep

April 7 – 13, 2016

Friends, Neighbors Grieve for Shooting Victim

loudounnow.com

Exclusively at Belfort! Introducing the

Trisha Yearwood Home Collection

The collection is a marriage of eye-catching designs coupled with timeless Southern charm — an irresistible combination of comfort and tasteful authenticity.

READY, SET, SNAP! SEND US A PHOTO OF YOUR ROOM!

new! 85” ATLANTA POWER SOFA $1049

This piece has the look of a stationary sofa with the comfort of a power footrest. The footrest rises with the simple press of a button. Customize your look, choose from hundreds of fabrics. As shown, sofa $1049, list $1799. H Made in the USA.

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Anniversary CELEBRATION!

Free Arm Chair

R urch W. Ch

Davis

Driv e

io n

Old Ox Rd.

846

v Bl

r Ste

g lin

Rd. Shaw

d. c Blv Pacifi

606

636

. Sully Rd

at loc Re

Belfort Park e Driv

Dr.

Shaw Rd.

new! KATIE QUEEN PANEL BED $755

List $1125; king $995, list $1485; 3-drawer night stand $359, list $537. Not shown, Daisy dresser $899, list $1359; mirror $225, list $333. *4-piece set includes bed dresser, mirror and night stand.

15 Minutes from Leesburg & Tysons!

Rd.

Oce an C t.

18 Months Interest Free Financing*

100

List $1497. Nashville side chair $159, list $237; arm chair $179, list $268. Curio, available in two finishes, chestnut and linen white $1689, list $2520. * 7-piece set: table, 4 side chairs, 1 arm chair & curio.

oo l

No purchase necessary.

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL INSTANT $ With 4-Piece REBATE Purchase*

With 7-Piece Purchase*

new! TRISHA TRESTLE DINING TABLE $999

Wax p

Stop In or Enter at belfortfurniture.com/makeover

One third deposit required. On purchases of $2999 or more with your Belfort Furniture Credit Card made April 1 - May 8, 2016. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the promotional purchase is not paid in full within 18 months. Minimum monthly payments required. Subject to credit approval.

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

April 7 – 13, 2016

0,000 10000

Old O x Rd. 606

Located on Route 28 just 3 miles north of Dulles Airport and 3 miles south of Route 7. Take Route 28. Exit onto West Church Road. Take first right onto Davis Drive. Turn right onto Belfort Park Drive. Turn right onto Shaw Road. Follow Shaw Road to Belfort Furniture Showrooms on both sides of Shaw Road.

Hours: Mon - Sat 10 - 9 • Sun 12 - 6 belfortfurniture.com • 703-406-7600 22250 & 22267 Shaw Road • Dulles, VA

* FINANCING OFFER applies only to single-receipt qualifying purchases. One-third deposit required. No interest will be charged on the promo purchase if you pay the promo purchase amount in full within 18 Months by October 2017. If you do not, interest will be charged on the promo purchase from the purchase date. Depending on purchase amount, promotion length and payment allocation, the required minimum monthly payments may or may not pay off purchase by end of promotional period. Regular account terms apply to non-promotional purchases and, after promotion ends, to promotional balance. For new accounts: Purchase APR is 29.99%; Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Existing cardholders should see their credit card agreement for their applicable terms. Subject to credit approval.

Brace Yourself, Loudoun

US Tae Kwon Do Martial Arts Academy

BY DANIELLE NADLER

SQ.FT!

U STM A . C OM Sign Up For

Summer Camp

NOW!ited!

Space Is Lim

VOTED BEST TAE KWON DO STUDIO by local readers! Come try us out $10 for a trial class!

Experience the Difference

703.777.1000 9 Cardinal Park Drive SE, Leesburg, VA 20175 (Behind the Toyota dealership)

BOUNDARIES >> 18

20,200 students. Two middle schools. Two high schools. And four different opening dates. This could get complicated. Loudoun’s School Board last week began to redraw attendance boundaries for a huge swath of the county, setting into motion a process with a lot of moving parts. The changes could impact students in as many as 31 schools, from as far north as Ashburn to as far south as Chantilly, as school system leaders work to relieve overcrowded schools and prepare for the opening of Brambleton Middle School in August 2017 and the yet-to-be-named high school (HS-11) on the same campus in August 2019. But as they shift attendance lines for those two schools, they also are accounting for the opening of two more schools: a middle school (MS-7) and a high school (HS-9), both planned for the Dulles South area. MS-7 is scheduled to open in August 2018 on a site along Braddock Road, and HS-9 is planned to open in August 2021, but the school system does not yet have a site for it. “What’s complicated is the timing of the opening of so many schools,” Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) said at the first work session on

the boundaries last Thursday. Sam Adamo, executive director of the school system’s Department of Planning and Legislative Services, unveiled his staff ’s recommended boundary map during the work session. It assigns most of the students who live north of Rt. 50 but currently attend middle and high school south of Rt. 50 to schools to the north, including Brambleton Middle School and HS-11. It also splits the Brambleton community, sending some to the new middle school and high school. “We looked at whether we could have all those kids at one school, but with the growth along Evergreen Mill Road we don’t think that’s really feasible,” Adamo said. He told the board to take careful consideration as it ponders which neighborhoods to reassign to avoid students changing schools again in a few years—not an easy task since the school system does not yet have land for HS-9, set to open in 2021. “If the school is in a site that we’re not anticipating, then we’ve moved the wrong group,” he said. Adamo suggested two options to get through what he called “an enrollment hump” between school openings. He said the board could use eight trailers

Serving Loudoun since 1987 Largest Taekwondo OVER facility in the U.S! 36,000

April 7 – 13, 2016

Complicated school attendance changes coming to Dulles Area

loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

1-Cent Tax Increase OK’d Supervisors Adopt $1.6 Billion County Budget BY RENSS GREENE It’s official: taxes are going up. Loudoun supervisors cast their final vote on the fiscal year 2017 budget Tuesday evening, setting in stone a 1-cent increase in the real estate tax rate. This brings the rate to $1.145 per $100 of assessed value—an increase of $47.46 per year for a home worth Loudoun’s 2014 median home value. In total, the budget comes to $1.6 billion, including $1.06 billion for public schools, a $475.14 million for general government operation, and $8.99 million for the Children’s Services Act Fund. About 69 percent of local tax revenues next fiscal year will go to the school system. The vote was 7-3. Supervisors Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin), Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R-Broad Run), and Suzanne M. Volpe (R-Algonkian) voted against the budget. Reading from a prepared statement, Volpe said that even at the equalized tax rate, many people in her district would see tax increases, and she could not in good conscience support this budget. “Expansion must be moderated by restraint, and there must be a balance between growth and affordability,” Volpe said. “It’s the board’s duty to provide for this in a steady and deliberate way.” She also said that the “process by which the School Board generates its budget is incompatible with our [the Board of Supervisor’s] process.” Meyer agreed that residents in his district, especially elderly people on fixed incomes, would see their taxes go up even without the rate increase, and have asked for tax relief. He worried that the board would get into the habit of what Higgins called “incrementalism,” or raising the tax rate by small amounts each year. “I think it’s unfortunate that we can’t have a better discussion with the

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn), who made the motion for a $1.145 tax rate at the board’s last budget work session, and Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large), who made the motion to adopt the budget, confer.

school system, and have an honest discussion about needs and prioritizing needs,” Higgins said. He argued that the schools could have been adequately funded without a tax rate increase by phasing in the expansion of full-day kindergarten over two years instead of one. “I think it’s fair to say that when it came to the final analysis, there were roughly three members of the board who wanted a lower tax rate and three members who wanted a higher tax rate, and here we are at $1.145,” said Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). “So maybe there’s something just right about that number.” He said he would support the higher tax rate and sought value for money. “What I’ve heard consistently is that people do value quality services, that perhaps the end-all be-all for all citizens is not necessarily the lowest possible tax rate.”

Boosting the tax rate allowed the county to increase its school funding by $58 million, leaving a $16.9 million shortfall in the School Board’s requested budget. It also makes room for $4.5 million in new county government spending, including community resources and juvenile/sex crimes deputies, a senior medical position in the Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management, new mental health providers in the adult detention center, and a bigger facility and longer hours at the Sterling public library. Even so, the board approved slightly less than half of what county departments had requested. Supervisors reflected on the new board’s first budget after straw voting ended, while the staff prepared the final budget document for a vote. “We certainly didn’t fund everything that the county was asking for, but if you looked at where most of that

Loudouners Join Day of Action Rallies to Push for Clean Power Loudoun activists working to fight climate change gathered in Leesburg’s courthouse square Saturday to join a statewide rally pushing for carbon reductions. Rallies were planned in 13 locations around Virginia to support the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan, which calls for a significant reduction in carbon pollution from power plants. About two dozen people participated in the Leesburg rally, which was sponsored by 350 Loudoun, Sustainable Loudoun, Sierra Club and Chesapeake Climate Action Network. They heard updates on the status of regulatory efforts to address climate changed, shared suggestions for reducing their individual carbon footprint, and signed petitions urging Gov. Terry McAuliffe to push a clean power plan in Virginia.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

350 Loudoun Chairwoman Natalie Pien tells participants at a Leesburg rally how they can help push state leaders to reduce carbon emissions.

money was going, in a lot of cases, it was just things that had we not spent the money on it, it would have cost us more in the long term,” said Letourneau, chairman of the board’s finance committee. Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (RAt Large) said the tax rate was below what she has heard Loudouners ask for. She said constituents overwhelmingly asked her to fully fund the school budget request. “We find a reason to discount the voice of the people when it comes to the schools,” Randall said. “Every year we do, and we decide that the people don’t know what they’re talking, don’t know what they’re asking for.” However, she said, the timbre of the new board’s first budget debate was “very respectful” and that the discussion was “civil and substantive.” “I know that in the past I’ve heard people who have come to speak called puppets, called minions, called sycophants—all kinds of names, just because people come out and speak,” Randall said. “And this year, those names and name-calling did not happen, and I was very pleased with the tone.” Despite friendly overtures between the Board of Supervisors and the School Board, old frustrations over communication returned. Some supervisors repeated that although the county board provides funding to the schools, it has no control over how that money is spent. Higgins reiterated a common board frustration about communicating with the School Board. “It doesn’t seem like we can have an honest discussion about the school budget,” Higgins said. “They throw out what their needs are, and then … we don’t get credit for what we fund, we get credit for what we didn’t fund, and we can’t get into this conversation with them about priorities.” Higgins, a former School Board member, argued the board has only fully funded the school system’s budget request twice in the past 17 years, and that this year the board funded 98 percent of its request. The board adopted the Capital Improvement Program unanimously. Among the changes in that program, is that HS-9 would get design money in fiscal year 2018 and construction in fiscal year 2019. ES-31, which does not yet have a site, would be pushed back to fiscal year 2018. Overcrowded Dulles-area schools are given first priority in the plan. Countywide classroom additions are pushed back from fiscal year 2019 to fiscal year 2021, while accelerating Dulles-area classroom additions from fiscal year 2019 to fiscal year 2017. The plan provides funding to begin work on three Dulles Greenway alternatives: Shellhorn Road, Westwind Drive, and Prentice Road. The extension of Shellhorn Road, Meyer’s (R-Broad Run) signature campaign topic, runs parallel to the Dulles Greenway. Westwind Drive connects Loudoun County Parkway to Rt. 606, linking Brambleton residents more directly to Rt. 28 and taking them off congested Waxpool Road. Prentice Road runs parallel to Shellhorn Road further north. rgreene@loudounnow.com

[ CRIME BRIEFS ] A former Loudoun County deputy faces a federal prison sentence after being convicted of embezzling more than $229,000 from the county’s asset forfeiture fund. Frank Michael Pearson, 45, was convicted after a bench trial in Federal District Court on March 31 on four counts of theft. According to court records and evidence presented during the trial, Pearson was designated as the deputy responsible for overseeing the asset forfeiture program starting in 2006. Beginning in early 2010 and continuing through October 2013, Pearson stole money from the fund on 80 separate occasions. The money was seized by deputies in drug cases. Prosecutors said Pearson concealed the thefts by making false statements to his coworkers and others about the timing and the fact of whether he had deposited seized money into a Sheriff ’s Office escrow account at a local bank. For example, there were two occasions when investigators said Pearson re-used an old deposit slip from an unrelated case and passed it off as a new deposit slip to conceal the fact that he had not deposited all of the money entrusted to him. Another time, Pearson took money seized in one case and passed it off as money that had been seized in another case. Pearson will be sentenced on June 17, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the four counts. The thefts began under the administration of Sheriff Stephen O. Simpson and continued when current Sheriff Mike Chapman took over in 2011. The

Drug Bust Case Moves to Grand Jury Bryant W. Denison, the California man charged with transporting nearly $900,000 worth of marijuana after a Sterling bust, waived his right to a preliminary hear- Bryant W. Denison ing last week in Loudoun General District Court. Evidence in the case will now be presented to a grand jury for an indictment to Circuit Court. Denison was arrested Dec. 21, 2015, following a joint investigation between the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Denison was driving a rental truck when authorities conducted a traffic stop in the area of Old Ox Road and Rt. 267. The Sheriff ’s Office said Denison received marijuana that had been shipped to Loudoun County by a national cargo transportation company and loaded it into the truck. A total of 155 bricks of marijuana, each weighing about 1.2 pounds, were inside the rental truck. Also inside was 15 pounds of marijuana wax, commonly referred to as “shatter.” Denison, 54, of Petaluma, CA, was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana. He faces a sentence of 5 to 30 years in prison if found guilty. Denison has been held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.

Investigators released these two video stills of the suspect in the April 1 gas station robbery.

ngly C i r a C

reating Beautiful Sm iles

Orthodontic Care for Both Adults & Children with a Gentle, Personal Touch Metal “Traditional” Braces Ceramic “Clear” Braces Invisalign • Self-Ligating Braces Incognito Braces

Call today for a Complimentary Consultation

On-Site Lab: Manufacturing Retainers, Expanders, Mouth Guards and Bleach Trays

19420 Golf Vista Plaza • Ste. 120 • Lansdowne, VA 20176 • 571-206-3764

Let Our Team Sell Your Home This Spring!

PARIS

$835,000 29 ACRES & POOL!

Beautiful home 29+ private wooded acres! Close to Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah River and wineries. Master bedroom on main level, plus 2nd bedroom, office, library. Bright and sunny with floor to ceiling windows. Family room with wood stove, upper level great room w fireplace. Sunroom, screened porch, in ground heated pool with waterfall. Lovingly maintained and improved! Huge unfinished basement. 4 car garage! Low land use tax!

WATERFORD $1,650,000

LEESBURG $1,150,000

17+ Acres w/Pool & Barn!

9+ Acres, Kings Crossing!

LEESBURG $719,900

PURCELLVILLE $539,000

Armed Robber Hits Ashburn Gas Station

3 Acres, 5,000 SqFt

4+ Acres, 2,500+ Sq Ft loudounnow.com

is described as a black man in his 20s, about 6 feet tall, with a slender build. He has some facial hair, possibly a goatee. He was wearing blue jeans, black shoes and a black hooded sweatshirt with the number “1999” and an Abercrombie logo displayed in white on the front of the sweatshirt. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Detective M. Grimsley at 703-777-0475. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919 or submit a tip through the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office app. Callers who provide information to Loudoun Crime Solvers that leads to an arrest and indictment could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office is investigating an armed robbery at the Shell station in the Ashbrook Commons Plaza Ashburn where the suspect fired a shot inside the store last week. Shortly before midnight on April 1, the suspect entered the gas station, displayed a firearm and demanded the clerk open the cash register. During the course of the robbery, he fired one shot from his gun. He fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured. The area was searched with the aid of a Fairfax County Police Department helicopter. Detectives have released surveillance video images of the suspect. He

investigation of the thefts began in 2013.

April 7 – 13, 2016

Former Loudoun Deputy Convicted in Embezzlement Case

Offices in Ashburn, Burke, Fairfax, Leesburg and Purcellville

Loudoun Valley Floors...

NOW OPEN! Our Second Location at One Loudoun!

20700 Unit 1 , 56 Loudo un Cou Parkw nty ay

loudounnow.com

Call Us Today and we can help! FREE Estimates

for Cleaning and/or New Installations!

20700, Unit 156 Loudoun County Parkway Ashburn, VA

703.724.4300 • 703.777.8056 129 N. Bailey Lane, Ste C Purcellville, VA 20132

(540) 338-4300

Loudounvalleyﬂoors.com

Carpet, Wood Flooring, Vinyl Plank & Vinyl Tiles

ON SALE NOW!!!

Locally owned and operated Hours: Mon. Thru Fri. 9am-6pm Sat. 9am-3pm • Evenings by Appt.

[ LEESBURG ]

‘A NEW LOW POINT’ Criticism mounts as Leesburg budget review process drags BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ Although there are few controversial items in Leesburg Town Manager Kaj Dentler’s proposed fiscal year 2017 budget, review of the document has been anything but smooth sailing for the Leesburg Town Council. As the Board of Supervisors was set to adopt its budget this week (See story, Page 5) and with the School Board endorsing its budget months ago, the Town Council has yet to put forward one straw vote so far this budget season, and seems likely to continue work on the budget and postponed the tax rate until the end of April. Town Manager Kaj Dentler presented his $94 million fiscal year 2017 budget on Feb. 23. The town operates with a biannual budget and this year’s spending plan is considered a “budget by exception,” with much of the fiscal picture and plan laid out last year. The proposed budget is a 4 percent decrease from the current fiscal year’s budget. Last week, council members had two opportunities—at their regularly scheduled March 28 council work session and a special meeting called by Mayor David Butler three nights later—to put forward straw votes or make their budget priorities known. While many at the work session said they were not yet prepared to offer motions to add or remove items from the budget, not much changed on March 31, when the budget special meeting adjourned after just 18 minutes. Although no straw votes were made, a few council members did share their priorities prior to the special meeting’s adjournment. Butler stated his preference for the proposed tax rate of 18.72 cents per $100 of assessed value, an increase from 18.3 cents. Vice Mayor Kelly Burk and Councilwoman Katie Hammler said they supported a proposed project by the Environmental Advisory Commission to install meters to monitor energy consumption at six town-owned buildings that use the most

electricity. But Hammler said to support that project—which would add $55,000 to the spending plan—she wanted to find something of that same value to delete from the budget. One adjustment Hammler put forward was capping the proposed employee pay-for-performance raises at 3 percent, something Butler said he did not favor. For council members, patience with the budget process, and at times with each other, was clearly wearing thin as this week dawned. Butler said it was “unfortunate” that some council members did not seem to be prepared to ask questions or offer feedback at any of the budget work sessions thus far. Burk made her displeasure with the process clear, taking to social media following last Thursday’s meeting and calling the special meeting “a new low point” for the council. “We have had part of February, and all of March to look over the budget and ask questions, determine programs we liked and did not like,” she wrote. She called out council members Bruce Gemmill, Tom Dunn, Katie Hammler and Suzanne Fox—the four council members who voted to adjourn the special meeting—for not being prepared for that session, as well as the March 28 council work session that preceded it. “These four members’ lack of preparation, decisiveness, and honest discussion is stunningly irresponsible,” she wrote. Councilman Marty Martinez, who was not present at last Thursday’s special meeting, said the whole budget process thus far has been “backwards.” “This is supposed to be the second year of a two-year budget. The plan was to go over additions Kaj had made and to make sure we were OK with them; if not, we could edit those,” he said. “Some council members have taken this opportunity to go over the whole budget and attack people.” krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Keep It Down: Noise Complaint Shifts Downtown Utility Work Construction of a new water line to serve the Loudoun Commons office complex on East Market Street is proving to be a big inconvenience. Last week, crews began working at night to install the line, which crosses under the street. The idea of the schedule was to avoid detours for daytime traffic. However, that didn’t work well for the residents of the Barrister Building, adjacent to the work area. Building owner Jeff Mitchell said he took the extraordinary step of putting his tenants up in hotels so they could get a quiet night’s sleep. When he was notified that the work would likely take an extra week to complete, he urged the town to change course. “Not making arrangements with residents in this building in advance,

knowing the level of night construction work that is being done at night 5 yards from the building, is unacceptable. The construction activity at night makes it impossible for the residents to sleep,” Mitchell wrote to Public Works Director Renee LaFollette. “As the owner and landlord of 110 East Market St, I have made arrangements, at my cost, to let my resident tenants spend the night in a local hotel. I simply cannot let my resident tenants suffer through this night time construction and noise.” Starting Tuesday, the town switched the project to daytime construction hours. The eastbound lane of East Market Street between Church and Harrison streets are expected to be closed to traffic between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. through Friday.

[ LEESBURG ]

KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

Putting to rest months of speculation, Leesburg Mayor David Butler confirmed it will be a three-way race for the seat in November. Butler announced his intention to seek election to his seat during a conference call with reporters Monday evening. He was appointed mayor in February to fill the remainder of Kristen Umstattd’s term. His term expires Dec. 31. Umstattd was elected as the Leesburg District representative on the county Board of Supervisors last November. Butler was first elected to the Town Council in 2008, and was re-elected to a second four-year council term in 2012. Had he not been appointed mayor, his council term also would have been up at year’s end. An Oswego, NY, native, Butler and his family have been Leesburg residents for 14 years. In announcing his candidacy, Butler pointed to past accomplishments during his eight years on the council, including initiatives he recently debuted as mayor. Butler presented the inaugural State of the Town address last week, and has added mayor’s hours and a room reserved for council use in Town Hall. Being a successful member of the council “takes a willingness and ability to get things done,” he said. “You do this through working with the town staff, our boards and commissions, and the public; and with all members of council, regardless of what side of the aisle they may be on. As I’ve said, you

never know where the four votes will come from,” he said. Butler said his priorities as mayor are on improving quality of life for the town’s residents. He identified four core areas of focus David Butler in doing this: encouraging new development “where it makes sense;” advocating for arts, entertainment, and dining; implementing multi-mode transportation improvements; and improving downtown, which he said is a key element of what residents say they like about Leesburg. Butler’s entry into the race makes the mayoral field in Leesburg more crowded than it has been in years. Vice Mayor Kelly Burk and former Town Council member Kevin Wright have already announced their candidacies and held their campaign kick-offs. Butler has not yet finalized plans for his kick-off. The Town Council race, on the other hand, has not been nearly as action-packed as the mayor’s race. Ron Campbell, whose kickoff is set for this weekend, has announced his candidacy, while council incumbents Tom Dunn, Katie Hammler and Bruce Gemmill have stayed mum on their plans. Gemmill, who was appointed to fill the remainder of Butler’s term, did state in his expression of interest to fill the council vacancy that he did not plan to run in November’s elections.

April 7 – 13, 2016

Butler Makes Mayoral Bid Official

loudounnow.com

10 loudounnow.com

Marketing Support Eyed for Downtown Presents A Far Cry

Dynamic chamber orchestra from Boston

Music by Mozart, Golijov and Sibelius

Sponsored by the Betty McGowin Charitable Trust

Sunday, April 17, 4 PM Waterford Old School 40222 Fairfax St., Waterford, VA Tickets $30 adult, $15 student, children 12 & under free Major credit cards accepted.

571-510-0128 www.waterfordconcertseries.org

Leesburg’s downtown business area is getting more attention this budget season, and for the first time in many years it has nothing to do with capital improvements. Town Manager Kaj Dentler has proposed $60,000 in funding to market and enhance “downtown as a park.” Included in his budget are earmarks for beautification—enhanced landscaping, maintenance and clean-up and additional trash and recycling collection areas. Dentler is also proposing that the town provide technology support to the Leesburg Downtown Business Association for its website and smartphone app that shares information on the downtown area, as well as a special event reimbursement grant to the LDBA. Finally, $25,000 is budgeted for

Storm Drain Volunteers Needed As part of April’s Keep Leesburg Beautiful campaign, the Town of Leesburg is seeking volunteers to inspect and mark storm sewer inlets. The town maintains its own Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System under a permit from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The two primary goals of the town’s stormwater management program are to eliminate localized flooding caused by heavy rains and

the addition of wayfinding kiosks and directional signage. The budget line items come at the end of the year-long streetscape improvement project along King and Loudoun streets. Recently, a midblock crosswalk was raised on South King Street between its intersections to reduce the introduction of pollutants into area streams which eventually flow into the Chesapeake Bay. Storm sewer inlets, or storm drains, are the first line of defense in meeting both of these goals. If an inlet is blocked, either by debris or by vegetation, stormwater can back up into the street during a storm and cause localized flooding. Since most pollutants enter the storm sewer system through inlets, “Betty Bass” stickers remind people that whatever goes into the storm drain inlet eventually ends up in the Chesapeake Bay and “only rain should go down the drain.” “By doing something as simple as taking a walk through their neighborhood, residents can participate

with Market and Loudoun streets. This week, the town began taking applications from restaurants in the areas of the widened sidewalks that are interested in allowing alcohol service to onstreet tables during dining service. According to the proposed Capital Improvements Program, a future improvements project is envisioned along North King Street between its intersections with Market and North streets. While many downtown merchants and patrons—not to mention Town Council members—are eager to see construction on the downtown improvements projects complete, additional improvement projects are possible, but not until public input is garnered. — Kara C. Rodriguez in Keep Leesburg Beautiful and help the town maintain the storm sewer system,” Renée LaFollette, Leesburg’s director of Public Works and Capital Projects, stated. “We will provide a map of inlets in a specific neighborhood and a supply of Betty Bass stickers. All the volunteers need to do is mark which inlets need repair or attention from staff, place stickers on inlets without stickers, and return the map to us. It’s a great way to be involved in your community and educate your children about the importance of environmental stewardship.” To participate in the storm drain marking program, go to leesburgva. gov/klb, email publicworks@leesburgva.gov, or call 703-771-2790.

Noo Sweat Summer Body $150 OFF

CoolSculpting Non-Invasive Fat Reduction (per treatment) ®

$200 OFF

CoolSculpting for Double Chin

with Get ready for warmer weather with non-surgical, FDAcleared CoolSculpting. By precisely targeting the fat you want to lose, CoolSculpting can reduce the bumps and bulges that resist even diet and exercise.

Schedule Your FREE Consultation 703.348.8159 before

after

Unretouched CoolSculpting Patient Photos Courtesy of A. Jay Burns, MD

after

MODEL

before

April 7 – 13, 2016

Unretouched CoolSculpting Patient Photos Courtesy of Edward Becker, MD

areas treated: abdomen • muffin top • love handles • inner & outer thighs • new: double chin

to life! your life!

Medical Director: Khalique Zahir, md

aviemedspa.com

facebook.com/aviemedspa

Special promotions valid until 4.30.16, and may not be combined. Must mention this ad to receive specials. Individual results vary. Other restrictions may apply.

AVIE! is a Certified CoolSculpting Practice and has performed over 800 treatments with amazing results!

Library Commission Eyes Balch Expansion “WE’VE OUTGROWN THE SPACE FOOTPRINT WE HAVE.”

footage just about doubled in size, also has been in demand. She points to a recent event on Irish genealogy, where the 85 people in attendance had to utilize overflow space to be accommodated. Had they had the extra room, Gressitt believes about 130 tickets could have been sold for the event. “We’ve outgrown the space footprint we have,” she said. But she is quick to point out the discussion of expansion is in the extremely early stages, with no planning or research done yet by town staff regarding what such a project would look like, nor how much it would cost. “The discussion right now is the recognition that the library has been successful, space is needed and that’s where they are right now. The rationale is they would like [Balch] to be successful,” Gressitt said of the commission’s discussions. The library was expanded in 2000, but as Thomas Balch Library Commission Chairman Jim Hershman said, “What was enough then, isn’t enough now.” He attributed the need for more space in part to Gressitt’s success in gathering resource materials for collections. The commissioners are very much in favor of expansion, he said, and late last year began looking at a neighboring property to the west that could make a natural expansion for

Douglass Graham/Loudoun Now

Thomas Balch Library was last expanded in 2000. But as Thomas Balch Library Commission Chairman Jim Jerschman said, “What was enough then, isn’t enough now.”

the library. As part of the commissioners’ 10-year vision, “we want to see it become a really well-known research center that would be a benefit for the town,” Hershman said. Gressitt said she hopes to use the recent formation of the Thomas Balch Library Endowment Foundation, thanks to a bequest of more than $600,000 by library volunteer Virginia Bowie, as a possible resource for expansion. Senior Reporter Margaret Morton contributed to this article.

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

The success of Leesburg’s Thomas Balch Library may soon come at a cost. Members of the library’s advisory commission recently presented the Town Council with its annual report, which highlighted the future need for expansion of the history and genealogy library. “Balch’s success in attracting valuable archival collections has stretched its archival storage space to capacity,” the report states. “Additionally, the growing collection of books used as references and collections of genealogical material are beginning to exceed shelf capacity.” It’s a reality Library Director Alexandra Gressitt deals with on a daily basis. She’s personally added in bookshelves to stretch available space for books. The room containing periodicals is “pretty well jammed” and while the library has been the recipient of some great collections, it lacks sufficient oversize storage space to contain all the materials that could be donated. “At this point we don’t have 10 years of growth,” she said. “We don’t really have five years of growth.” It’s not just shelf and storage space that is lacking; so is exhibit space. Gressitt notes the exhibit space in the cases on the library’s upper floor is booked into 2018. Space for the exhibition of artwork and photographs in the lower level is also booked for the foreseeable future. And the library’s meeting room, added during the 2000 expansion when Gressitt estimates the library square

April 7 – 13, 2016

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

[ LEESBURG NOTES ] Council Debates Silencing Religious Services A divided Leesburg Town Council did not move forward last week with proposed noise ordinance changes that would have applied the regulations to religious services. According to a memo prepared by Town Attorney Barbara Notar, town staff received multiple complaints from residents on Harrison Street about loud music and noise coming from religious services of a church that was leasing space at the nearby Elijah’s Gate Christian Center. Notar’s memo stated that these church services can extend into the late night and early morning hours. “Despite Town staff ’s efforts to speak to church officials—both with the church who is causing the excessive noise and the church that has leased the space, noise complaints continue to occur,” she wrote. Leesburg’s noise regulations provide an exception for “religious services, religious events, or religious activities or expressions,” thereby tying the hands of the town staff in enforcement. Notar wrote that the religion exception, “is not constitutionally mandated and several other Virginia localities (i.e., Fairfax County) have legally and constitutionally prohibited excessive noise from religious services.” But there was no council majority opinion to be found on the matter. At its March 29 meeting, the council deadlocked 3-3 to initiate changes to the noise ordinance to explore extending the regulations to religious services. Council members Bruce Gemmill, Tom Dunn and Suzanne Fox voted against the measure. Councilman Marty Martinez was absent for the vote.

Two days after the vote, Gemmill reached out to Loudoun Now to provide an update on the situation. In an email, Gemmill said he was told that the church that had leased space at Elijah’s Gate Christian Center moved out a month ago. Gemmill spoke with the property’s landlord, who also confirmed the group moved out, after he had asked them to vacate. A new church tenant moved into the property last Wednesday and has a stipulation in the lease that no noise may be made from church services after 8 p.m. “The bottom line is this: If we had voted for the amendment, we would have needlessly passed a regulation on religious services in general, not just on this one individual church,” Gemmill wrote. “We are regulated to death as it is. Before we vote on burdening the public, whether religious or secular, with yet one more regulation, we should be more diligent to trust the good sense of the private sector to work things out. Sometimes, all it takes is cordial communication.”

O’Toole Readies for Charity Race For Leesburg resident Eddie O’Toole, the coming weekend will have a special meaning. On Saturday, April 9, O’Toole is set to compete in the Baker’s Dozen Mountain Bike Race in an effort to raise awareness of the high suicide rate among law enforcement personnel. It’s an issue close to his heart, not only because he is a five-year deputy with the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office, but O’Toole also is a close family friend of Billy Hurley III, the PGA golfer whose father Willard Hurley, Jr., a former police officer, committed suicide last fall. It started out as a high-profile missing persons case when the elder Hurley failed to return

to his Leesburg home last July. He was discovered in Texas and was said to be merely traveling but days later was discovered in his car with a fatal, self-inflicted gunshot wound. O’Toole said suicide among law enforcement personnel is a growing concern, as officers are constantly exposed to highly stressful environments, violence and disturbing situations. Internalizing all the emotions surrounding their line of work is all too common, O’Toole said, but the nonprofit for which he is riding in support—The Badge of Life— seeks to be an arm of psychological assistance for the law enforcement community. In a nod to the typical day of a law enforcement officer, O’Toole will ride the entire 13-plus-hour race route in his LCSO uniform. O’Toole has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money in support of his charity ride. As of Monday, he had raised more than $4,000, and said he will keep the page running even after the race is over. For more information about O’Toole or to donate, go to gofundme.com/ride-for-our-lives.

Sidewalk Dining Apps Available Following the widening of the sidewalks on South King Street, the Leesburg Town Council voted to allow restaurants to provide outdoor dining—including alcohol sales—in the public right of way. Applications to do so are now being accepted. All applicants must complete a Sidewalk Dining with Alcohol Permit Application and return it in person or by mail to the Department of Public Works and Capital Projects in Town Hall. The application can be found online at leesburgva.gov/ how-do-i/apply-for/permits.

April 7 – 13, 2016

loudounnow.com

[ E D U C AT I O N ]

[ SCHOOL NOTES ]

loudounnow.com

Loudoun Leads Nation on Schools to Watch List

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Morgan Moses, offensive tackle for the Washington Redskins, reads to students at Seldens Landing Elementary School in Lansdowne.

AIM HIGH

J. Lupton Simpson Middle School in Leesburg has been added to Loudoun County Public Schools’ growing list of national Schools to Watch. The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform’s program recognizes high-performing middle schools. Loudoun has had 14 schools named Schools to Watch, the most of any school system in the country. “You guys are leading the pack,” Sandy Dutemple, from Virginia Schools to Watch, said. She announced the county’s latest schools to receive the honor during the Loudoun County School Board meeting last week. “We only have 44 in Virginia, and just over 400 in the United States.” This is the first year Simpson Middle School earned the designation. Five other middle schools were re-designated as Schools to Watch: Eagle Ridge, Farmwell Station, Harper Park, River Bend, J. Lupton Simpson and Sterling. “You have so many wonderful things going on here, and most of it’s happening in the middle whether you know it or not,” Dutemple said. “These people take these bundles of energy every day and help them find their way in a very confusing world.” The Schools to Watch designation are reviewed every three years, requiring the staff at the schools to self-assess and re-evaluate their practices.

Redskins’ big man shares hopeful message with students BY RENSS GREENE

edskins offensive tackle Morgan Moses crowded his enormous frame and smiling visage into a rocking chair at Seldens Landing Elementary School last week to talk with students about the importance of education. Moses was speaking to a group of 24 student sselected by Principal Tracy Stephens, school counselors and staff members because they are having some sort of difficulty in their lives. One child, for example, lost both parents in a car crash; another has a mother battling cancer. Stephens said the school invited Moses to bring the message of his Morgan Moses Foundation and teach the children about the value of education even in adversity.

Moses read “Wolf!” by Becky Bloom, then fielded questions from the students and stuck around to sign a football and a few shirts. He told them about studying at Fork Union Military Academy to get his grades up high enough to be accepted to the University of Virginia, where he studied anthropology and African American Studies. But a conversation with a room full of elementary schoolers can’t stay serious for long. “Do you have any tips for defense?” asked one student, whom he advised: “Stay away from the big guys.” “Do you love football?” another asked. When he said yes: “Then why don’t you marry it?” rgreene@loudounnow.com

International Summit Unites Youth for Global Change BY DANIELLE NADLER Six years ago, a group of Dominion High School students returned home after a trip from India with an idea to change the world. “The world turned out to be much larger than they realized,” Rock Ridge High School student Anjali Kunapaneni said, recounting the story. “They took this experience and did something that has brought many different cultures and perspectives together.” They launched the first Loudoun International Youth Leadership Summit in 2011. This week, Dominion is teaming up with seven Loudoun high schools to host the 10day event for a fifth year.

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Cambodian genocide survivor and human-rights activist Loung Ung urged students at the Loudoun International Youth Leadership Summit to speak up for those who can’t.

The summit formally kicked off with an opening ceremony Monday that welcomed students from 20 different

countries. All week, the students will discuss some of the world’s most pressing issues and come up with ways to make real changes in their own communities. The students began the summit with a call to action from Cambodian genocide survivor and human-rights activist Loung Ung, who gave the keynote speech at the opening ceremonies. She encouraged the students to keep doing what they’re doing—to consider different perspectives than their own, and to speak up for those who can’t. “Peace requires all of our actions. Because if we want it, we must strategize for it, work for it and create it,” she said. SUMMIT >> 16

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

J. Michael Lunsford students present their Step Up Project.

Loudoun Youth ‘Step Up’ to Solve Local Problems Local teens have big ideas for how to improve their community, and hundreds of them submitted their ideas to Loudoun Youth Inc.’s sixth annual Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition. Last week, representatives from Loudoun Youth heard pitches from 59 teams of teens and narrowed down the field to 10 top proposals. The top 10 teams in alphabetical order are: • Breaking Your Silence (Briar Woods High School), which empowers and provides a voice to survivors of sexual assault; • Clean Kits Collecting (John Champe High School), which provides hygiene and sanitary products for homeless women in Loudoun County; • Electronic Binder (J. Michael Lunsford Middle School), which aims to create an electronic binder that would eliminate much of the weight students carry in their backpacks; • Geared Up! (Ashburn Robotics), which designed a $10 Craft-A-Bot robotics kit to give more students around the world access to robotics. • Look Up! (Blue Ridge Middle School), which encourages people to step away from their electronic devices and have a more proactive role in their community; • PASTA (Stone Bridge, Rock Ridge and Broad Run high schools and Stone Hill Middle School), which gives students the opportunity to work together to help those in need; • Saving Loudoun’s Littles–One Car Seat at a Time (Smart’s Mill Middle School), which aims to bring car seat safety inspections back to Loudoun County through increasing the number of safety inspectors, scheduling more frequent events and education; • Stem 3G (John Champe High School), which raises SCHOOL NOTES >> 16

BY DANIELLE NADLER

Gloria Rose Ott • Associate Broker Washington Fine Properties LLC • Middleburg Virginia

www.WineandHuntCountry.com

dnadler@loudounnow.com

Little Brook Farm circa 1890 is Vintage, Victorian & brimming with life. Lovely updated 4Bed 2.5 Bath home with rich hardwood floors, classic & quaint Fixtures & Front Porch to welcome the sunshine. Multiple fields & cross-fenced paddocks for horses including a 4 stall barn, run-in’s and tractor barn. 1 Bedroom Guest House on 27 acres on the Scenic Byway of Harmony Church and surrounded by protected views, and yes a Little Brook runs through it, 18548 Harmony Church, Hamilton VA. One Hour to D.C. $1,675,000

Real Estate 2016

Very Few properties sell themselves. List your property with an agent who knows how to market to sell to negotiate to get you the best price & terms

Gloria Rose Ott 540•454•4394 204 E. Washington St, Middleburg VA 20117

loudounnow.com

www.loudounschool.org/now

Victorian Farm in Hamilton

Read memorable, important books, not textbooks.

Stone Bridge High School’s stadium will now bear the name F.H. Furr Field, following a $250,000 donation from the Manassas-based company, F.H. Furr Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical Inc. The donation was made to the Ashburn high school’s Athletic Boosters Club to help pay off its $250,000 loan taken out to install an artificial turf field. Furr’s owner, Floyd Furr, is a huge sports fan. The company’s commercials show film of his days on the football field that earned him the nickname Floyd “Fleet-Footed” Furr. Stone Bridge Athletic Director Dave Hembach said the donation helps all of the high school’s students because gym classes and several sports teams use the field. “Plus, it frees up the booster club to support other sports with the money they raise.” The Loudoun County School Board voted unanimously last week to name the stadium after the company for 10 years, a request made by the booster club. “This is a small thing we can do to honor the fantastic contribution that’s made by F.H. Furr,” Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) said. It is also a chance to help out a booster club that stepped up to help pay for its own turf stadium, the only booster club in Loudoun County that did so,

Hornberger said. Stone Bridge opened in Ashburn in 2000, 10 years before Loudoun County made artificial turf standard for all new high schools. For several years, the high school’s parents, students and staff held fundraisers to bring in enough cash for a new field. In addition to money raised, Loudoun County Public Schools kicked in about $750,000 for Stone Bridge’s field in 2014, which was enough to leverage a loan. F.H. Furr’s donation was not enough to completely pay off the loan, because of interest mounting over 10 years. But, Hornberger said, “it will go a long way.” School Board member Joy Maloney (Broad Run) thanked F.H. Furr and the Washington Redskins, which gave $200,000 toward a synthetic turf field at Park View High School in Sterling. “If any other companies want to donate, I would encourage that,” she said with a smile. Eleven of the county’s 15 high schools are outfitted with synthetic turf fields. The remaining four are scheduled to get new fields over the next several years. The School Board’s current Capital Improvement Program calls for artificial turf fields to be installed at Briar Woods in 202223, and Dominion, Freedom, and Heritage in 2023-24.

15 April 7 – 13, 2016

Stone Bridge Stadium is Now F.H. Furr Field

loudounnow.com

Summit << FROM 14 Ung was 5 years old when communist soldiers removed her family from their home and took them to a labor camp, where her 14-year-old sister later starved to death and her father was executed. By the time she was 8 years old, she was sent to a child soldiers training camp. Ung says she believes she was on the verge of becoming “a sufficient child soldier killer” if she hadn’t been rescued. Instead, she noted ironically, she grew up to be an activist for peace. She and her siblings were sent to a refugee camp in Thailand and, by the time she was 10 years old, to Vermont. “If you take away children’s safety, their love, their homes and you hurt them enough, they will break. I know I would have,” she said. “I am here because of so many leaders like you who stood up when I couldn’t. So I thank you.” Several of the international students said they came to the summit because they wanted to do their part to tackle big problems. Louis Backstrom, a student from Brisbane Grammar School in Australia, said he’s eager to sit down with other teenagers to talk about how to improve the disparity between men and women across the globe. “We’re quite well off in terms of gender equality in Australia, but in my opinion we have room to improve,” the 16-year-old said. “We should be setting an example for developing countries.” His classmate 15-year-old Stuart Moss said he’s eager to understand how other countries address an influx of refugees. “I’m interested in hearing everyone’s approach because we’re seeing some of that in Australia,” he said. “I’m also looking forward to making friends from around the world.” While there’s plenty of common ground for the students to begin their discussions, the international students said they have already noticed many cultural differences in their first few days in Loudoun, everything from “cars on the wrong side of the road” to unfamiliar foods. Students from Durban Girls’ College in South Africa said they’ve never seen

national pride like they’ve seen in the U.S., where American flags are flown almost everywhere, even at private homes and churches, 17-year-old Maria Corte Portela said. “You don’t see that in South Africa.” “We saw people cleaning near the roads as part of the Adopt a Highway program. That’s so different,” 15-yearold Shwetha Singh added. “The willingness to give back to their country is really refreshing.” Ung said she had her own bit of culture shock when she first came to the U.S., including eating foods like meatloaf and instant rice. She said her favorite snacks as a child living in Cambodia were fried grasshoppers and fried tarantulas. “They’re kind of like tater tots,” she said of the later. “Friends, you have a fear of spiders—eat them. Fear gone.” The international students will be in Loudoun through April 12, staying with host families, seeing the sights in DC and, as Rock Ridge High School Principal John Duellman put it, making a game plan “to literally change the world.” dnadler@loudounnow.com

[ SCHOOL NOTES ] << FROM 14 awareness of the gender gap in STEM-related occupations; • Sticks and Stones (Briar Woods High School), which focuses on bullying intervention;

April 7 – 13, 2016

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Members of Rock Ridge High School’s choir perform during the opening ceremony of the Loudoun International Youth Leadership Summit on Monday.

• We’re All Humans (Woodgrove High School), which works to prevent suicide and address mental illness in Loudoun County by providing multiple avenues for at-risk individuals to seek help. These teams will present their projects to a panel of judges Wednesday, April 6. Presentations will take place at 6 p.m. at The Club

at One Loudoun, 44605 Russell Branch Parkway in Ashburn. The public is invited to attend. The first-place finisher will receive a $1,000 award, second place $750, third place $500 and teams that place fourth through 10th will each receive $250. Loudoun Youth Inc., Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services present the Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition annually in partnership with the Youth Advisory Council and Loudoun County Public Schools. Loudoun Youth offered a special thank you to the YouthQuest Foundation for providing funding for the competition since 2012.

April 7 – 13, 2016

loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

Boundaries << FROM 5

PROVIDING CLEANING SERVICES for carpet, rugs, upholstery and hard surfaces on site or at our in plant facility

Loudoun Carpet Care™ understands the importance of providing consistent, reliable personal service to our clients, both returning and new. Our pledge is to offer honest advice about all of the services we offer, and to complete each job the best of our ability.

that the School Board approved as part of its Capital Improvement Program; this is a different set of trailers than the eight slated to be placed on the John Champe High School campus to house Mercer Middle School eighth-grade students. His second suggestion was to temporarily house sixth- and seventh-graders at Mercer Middle School, eighth- and ninth-graders at Brambleton Middle School and 10th- through 12th-graders at John Champe High School. School Board members Joy Maloney (Broad Run), Jill Turgeon (Blue Ridge) and Beth Huck (At Large) said they are concerned that students will be moved several times in their secondary school career. “It seems we have situations where one student will go to two different middle schools and two different high schools. That’s what we don’t want to have happen,” Maloney said. Adamo said he doesn’t anticipate that happening. But the division may need to be flexible and consider assigning students from the Brambleton area north into Ashburn schools. That would free up much needed seats in the Dulles North and Dulles South planning areas.

dnadler@loudounnow.com

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

129 N. Bailey Lane, Ste C Purcellville, VA 20132

(540) 338-4300

Brambleton Middle School and HS-11 will share a campus on the western side of Brambleton, along Evergreen Mill Road.

MIDDLEBURG HUMANE FOUNDATION

20700, Unit 156 Loudoun County Parkway Ashburn, VA April 7 – 13, 2016

“We know we have an enrollment crisis there,” he said. Several parents who spoke to the board during a public hearing Monday said the beginning of more boundary changes felt like déjà vu and urged the board to adopt a plan that stabilizes school assignments long term. Ken Tucker said the children in his neighborhood, Vantage Point, no longer identify with a particular school because they have been moved so much. “Our neighborhood has been zoned for nine schools so far. The changes of the staff plan would make it 11,” he said, including elementary through high school assignments. “My own two children are on track to attend five schools each if the staff plan is approved. I think it’s asking a lot of young teens to make this transition.” Public hearings are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 11 and Monday, May 2 with a final vote to adopt an attendance map Tuesday, May 10. The public hearings will be held at the school administration building, 21000 Education Court in Ashburn. Follow the boundary process and see full details of the proposal at LoudounNow.com/education.

703.724.4300 703.777.8056

Loudounvalleyﬂoors.com

BOBBY

Bobby is a 3 year old Tennessee Walker/Paint cross. He is "take home and snuggle on the couch with you" sweet. Loads, stands for vet and farrier, easy keeper. He has been backed, is 100% calm, relaxed and hoping to find his forever home. He is gaited so would be super comfy to trail ride, and so far has been unflappable.

Visit our website for available animals & applications.

www.middleburghumane.org

(540) 364-3272

Leesburg Ofﬁce LEESBURG NEW

$639,000 NG!

LISTI

MONTROSS NEW

$175,000

NG!

LISTI

Hamilton Ofﬁce

ASHBURN NEW

$659,900 !

PRICE

LEESBURG NEW

$174,900 NG!

LISTI

ASHBURN NEW

$610,000 NG!

LISTI

BERRYVILLE NEW

$364,500

PRICE

Well kept 3 bed, 2 bath home offering: Access to the Potomac River, Club house, Pool, Fenced yard, Front porch & Home Warranty!

Beautiful 5 BR, 3.5 BA brick front colonial in highly desirous neighborhood with gourmet kitchen and private rear yard.

NEW granite countertops in kitchen and baths, NEW paint, NEW carpet, NEW kitchen and bath ﬂoors. Updated appliances.

Huge family room & gourmet kitchen. Main level bedroom. Back to conservancy. Move-in ready!

Updated 1 level home w/three ovrszd garages. SS appliances, granite counters. Garden shed off of 600sqft. trex deck.

www.MrisHomes.com/LO9612401

www. MrisHomes.com/ WE9608611

www.MrisHomes.com/LO9596020

www.MrisHomes.com/LO9600358

www.MrisHomes.com/LO9605699

www.MrisHomes.com/CL9595734

NEAR WINTERGREEN $325,000

WATERFORD

ASHBURN

WATERFORD

BERRYVILLE

BLUEMONT, WV $279,000

NEW

$845,000

PRICE

need photo

$949,900

! PRICE NEW

OPEN

SUN

$439,000

12-2!

613 Pender Ct.

4 bed Arts and Crafts home near Wintergreen Resort on 5+ acres woods and open. New paint and hardwood ﬂoors.

‘The Bank House’. Huge side porch! Updated marries original architect. High ceilings, original blown glass & more!

Amazing mountain and sunset views! Luxurious 6 bed, 4.5 bath stone front home loaded with upgrades and large backyard.

Views from every window! HUGE gourmet kitchen, 4 board fences = bring the horses!

New Price! NO HOA! Fully ﬁnished basement, Screened in porch, Stamped concrete patio, 2 car garage!

Spacious home in Jefferson County minutes from Purcellville, 4 beds, 3 baths, 4-car garage/workshop.

www.MrisHomes.com/NL9564133

www. MrisHomes.com/LO8735804

www. MrisHomes.com/LO9601862

www.MrisHomes.com/LO9556716

www.MrisHomes.com/CL9583237

www.MrisHomes.com/JF9510585

WHITE POST

PURCELLVILLE

LEESBURG

ROUND HILL

HAMILTON

$774,900

NEW

$675,000

$573,000

HAMILTON

$369,900

NG!

LISTI

NEW

$400,000

PRICE

NEW

$539,900 !

PRICE

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Large Home on open 39+ Acres with New Kitchen, Hardwood ﬂoors, Freshly Painted and Huge Great Room.

Beautiful New Construction! 4 Bedroom, 3 Finished Levels with an Incredible Kitchen!

All the boxes are checked! Charming 4 bed and 3.5 bath with an amazing screen porch and fully ﬁnished walk out.

Backs to common area. Kitchen w/cherry cabinetry. FRESH paint, NEW ﬂoor. LL w/rec room & gas ﬁreplace. Fenced backyard!

Well built! 3 main level bedrooms! Hardwood throughout! Stone ﬁreplace. Unﬁnished basement. Mature landscape.

www. MrisHomes.com/CL8748266

www.MrisHomes.com/

www. MrisHomes.com/LO9574681

www. MrisHomes.com/LO9595639

www.MrisHomes.com/LO9580810

FALLING WATERS, WV $147,800

BLUEMONT

BERRYVILLE

$325,000

MARSHALL

$235,000

$539,900

Beautifully restored, curved stair, wood ﬂoors throughout, kitchen has granite and stainless steel appliances www.MrisHomes.com/LO9563221

PURCELLVILLE $699,000

Gorgeous 4 bed, 3.5 bath brick front colonial all updated and ready for New Owners! Rare Kingsmill 4 model in Woodlea!

$ 1,149,000

April 7 – 13, 2016

Two Great Ofﬁces, Two Convenient Locations

To be built! 1 lvl ranch on 1.24 acres. Storage shed and well already installed. Will build this plan or another you prefer.

Great Opportunity in the town of Marshall! Large .40 acre lot in town zoned Commercial, Lots of potential.

Large 3 BR, 3.5 Bath townhouse with garage in Riverside Villages, easy access for short commute to VA.

5 Acres. Board fence, barn & shed. Main level living. Detached 2 car garage. NO HOA!

Upgraded w/Ballard ﬁxtures. Gourmet kitchen w/granite & SS appliances overlooking family room w/dual FP on deck.

Granite, hardwoods, stone ﬁreplace, fully ﬁnished basement, pool, 2 fenced paddocks.

www.MrisHomes.com/CL8584796

www. MrisHomes.com/FQ8640038

www.MrisHomes.com/BE9535354

www. MrisHomes.com/CL8754162

www. MrisHomes.com/LO9608408

www. MrisHomes.com/LO8748867

PenFedRealty.com/Ofﬁces/ 13835/Leesburg

HAMILTON 540.338.4171

PenFedRealty.com/Ofﬁces/ 13828/Hamilton

© 2015 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.

loudounnow.com

LEESBURG 703.777.8200

[LOUDOUN GOV ]

[ LOUDOUN BRIEFS ]

loudounnow.com

Blue Ridge Supervisor Calls for More Turf Study

BY RENSS GREENE

Inova to Issue $305M in Bonds

he Loudoun Freedom Center and a private Purcellville collector have collaborated to put a little known piece of Civil War history in Loudoun’s halls of power. A banner representing the 21st Infantry Regiment, United States Colored Troops, constructed after the regiment was mustered out in 1866 to teach Europeans about the war, now stands on display by the entrance to the Loudoun Board of Supervisors meeting room. The banner was commissioned by the 21st USCT’s chaplain, Erasmus W. Jones. Jones took the banner to Wales with an extensive collection of slavery-related items, including shackles, collars, and abolitionist papers. In 1887, Jones returned to the United States to live out his days in Utica, NY, leaving the banner behind. The banner is thick with symbolism. It displays a “CT” for Colored Troops, United States heraldry, Grecian columns, a Native American blanket, and patch lettering reading “SONS OF AFRICA,” the name of a British abolitionist group. The banner comes from the private collection of Jay Johnson, an enthusiastic collector of historic African-American memorabilia. The banner first caught his eye when he moved from Loudoun to California more than 10 years ago. “Folks there soon found out that I was a very serious collector of black memorabilia and African-American historical items, and somehow somebody got the word and contacted me about this banner,” Johnson said. The banner cost more than he could afford at the time, but he never forgot about it. Three years ago, he moved back to Loudoun and decided it was time to buy the banner. He looked up the banner’s owner, expecting it would be gone, but the owners still had it in an attic. “It needed some very serious care in terms of its condition, so I sent it to a company in New Orleans, and they cleaned it and restored it as best they could,” Johnson said. Some of the fabric was beyond recovery and had to be re-

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has approved a plan to issue $305 million in tax-exempt revenue bonds for Inova Health System Foundation. The bonds would be issued through the Industrial Development Authority of Fairfax County to refinance other bonds. Loudoun County’s approval is required because the bonds would also finance Inova Loudoun Hospital. The bonds will refund the Fairfax Authority’s existing Health Care Revenue Bonds, Series 2009A bonds, and Series 2012C bonds; fund a debt service reserve fund; finance a portion of interest on the existing bonds; and pay expenses associated with the existing bonds. The Inova Health System Foundation periodically issues bonds to refinance existing bonds. Inova is a notfor-profit healthcare system encompassing five hospitals in Northern Virginia.

Civil War colored troops banner on display

Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) has asked the Loudoun County Health Department to test crumb rubber fields in Loudoun for cancer-causing chemicals. In a letter dated March 29, Buffington asked Health Department Director Dr. David Goodfriend that his department conduct carcinogen testing on all crumb rubber fields in Loudoun. Eleven public high schools in the county have an artificial turf field with crumb rubber infill; most have two fields. Buffington has joined county Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) in voicing concerns about cancer-causing chemicals in the crumb rubber infill. “I feel such testing is prudent in order to maintain public trust and facilitate open, honest and well informed debate about the future of crumb rubber infill in Loudoun County,” Buffington said. Goodfriend has previously briefed the Joint Board of Supervisors/School Board Committee that it is “unlikely” that there is a health risk from crumb rubber; however, he said, if there is a risk associated with crumb rubber, it could be years before it becomes apparent. “The number one issue is if it puts kids in harm’s way then we’re not going to do this. The challenge is to prove something is safe and not causing a problem,” he said at that meeting. “I can’t prove the negative at this point that crumb rubber cannot increase the risk of cancer.” Crumb rubber, which is derived from recycled tires, is the cheapest and most common type of infill for artificial turf athletic fields. The material came under the spotlight when a push for artificial turf fields at four Loudoun high schools with grass fields was met with concerns about the safety of crumb rubber.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

A banner representing the 21st Infantry Regiment United States Colored Troops is on exhibit in the Loudoun County Government Center.

Remembering ‘Sons of Africa’

placed, but the banner was restored to its former glory and mounted in a Victorian-style deep-well frame. And then it sat. Johnson has exhibited parts of his collection in a number of places, but wanted to find a longer-term display for some of the pieces. Enter the Loudoun Freedom Center and its founder Pastor Michelle Thomas. “He watched the work that we were doing with the preservation of the Belmont Slave Cemetery,” Thomas said. For a time, parts of Johnson’s collection were on display at the Loudoun Freedom Center’s office in Lansdowne, in an exhibit called Looking Blackward. But when that space was bought, the exhibit went back into storage. Some pieces are on display at Oatlands, but for the most part, it’s a collection in search of a home. But anybody who knows Michelle Thomas knows that she makes things happen. She reached out to county leaders, and, working with the offices of Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) and Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn), she arranged to have the banner displayed in the County Government Center in Leesburg. “[The county] seems to be very, very interested with the Civil War, however, it seems to be kind of off balance when it comes to the other side of the Civil War, which includes African-Americans,” Thomas said. “I think this is probably the first time that something like that has been displayed in the government center.” rgreene@loudounnow.com

It’s National Library Week National Library Week will be recognized April 10-16 in Loudoun County. The national observance has been sponsored by the American Library Association each April since 1958. According to a resolution adopted by the Board of Supervisors on April 5, The Loudoun County Public Library and Thomas Balch Library saw more than 1.8 million visitors and loaned more than 5.8 million items in fiscal year 2015.

Loudoun Symphony Recognized on 25th Anniversary The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has recognized the Loudoun Symphony Association’s 25th anniversary. The LSA began as the Loudoun Community Orchestra, and since its inception has grown to more than 20 musicians. It includes the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra, the Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Loudoun Symphony’s String Workshop, and in-school workshops. The organization also organizes Ensembles for Everyone, a special concert for people with special needs incorporating visuals and with instruments for attendees. The LSA also organizes the Instrument Petting Zoo in cooperation with the Rust Library and Melodee Music, in which symphony orchestra musicians demonstrate their instruments and let children try them out.

April 7 – 13, 2016

loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

The entire school system’s central garage, including several buses, was searched as a precaution.

C-4 left on bus << FROM 1

80%

Of dieters will regain the WEIGHT!*

DON’T DIET! Try The One That Works!® Medi-Weightloss® gives you the tools and education you need to help you lose weight and keep it off.†

Debbie, actual patient, lost 135 pounds.†

BEFORE

NOW ACCEPTING

Anthem BlueCross BlueShield* LANSDOWNE

19500 Sandridge Way, Suite 170 Lansdowne, VA 20176

April 7 – 13, 2016

703.554.1300 MediWeightloss.com

* Moynihan, J. & Villiger, M. (2004). Do diets work? Retrieved from http://www. pbs.org/saf/1401/features/diets.htm *Not all products and/or services may be covered. Contact your carrier for details. † On average, patients compliant with the Medi-Weightloss® Program lose 6.4 pounds the first week and 14 pounds the first month. Rapid weight loss may be associated with certain medical conditions and should only be considered by those who are medically appropriate. © 2016 Medi IP, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

cial Education Advisory Chairwoman Lisa Glasgow. “And that they found it during routine maintenance, that was really fortunate that it was that soon after the exercises. You know, what if the routine maintenance hadn’t been for longer—would that explosive still not have been accounted for? Not even known that it was missing?” The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office and the Loudoun County Fire Marshal announced they have suspended training with the CIA pending a thorough review of all procedures. Loudoun Fire and Rescue Public Information oOfficer Laura Rinehart said that review would likely involve making sure school leaders are aware of training, and that there is accountability and an exact tally of who—and what—is present for training. The county conducts training with various agencies about once a month at different county facilities, including schools. “We’ve been doing that [training] for years and years, and there’s never been a problem,” Rinehart said. “Unfortunately, with this agency, there was a problem.” “To prevent such incidents from happening again, CIA has taken immediate steps to strengthen inventory and control procedures in its K-9 program,” wrote CIA Office of Public Affairs Director Dean Boyd in an emailed response to questions from Loudoun Now. “CIA has also performed a full inventory and accounted for all the explosive training material used in the K-9 training program. Further, CIA will conduct a thorough and independent review of CIA’s K-9 training program.” But the intelligence agency has been characteristically opaque about its inner workings. Boyd declined to provide details on that review or any disciplinary procedures within the agency. Loudoun’s Fire Marshal’s office, which was investigating the incident, found no criminal wrongdoing and closed its investigation. But following the C-4 scare, the Fire Marshal’s office offered a peek at how it handles explosives.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Several agencies responded to the scene, including a vehicle identified as part of the National Capital Regional Bomb Squad.

Rinehart said its canine explosive handler’s inventory process is thorough: all explosive storage containers are sealed, double locked, and checked at least twice a day. In addition, there is a weekly security check on the storage facility and monthly physical checks by type and quantity of explosive. In training, each training aid is recorded when it enters and leaves the storage facility. Most training aids weigh less than 4 ounces and are counted individually; bulk training aids are seldom used, and when used, are weighed and recorded on the way in and out of storage. County and school leaders have said the CIA needs to be more careful. School Board member Beth Huck (At Large) said the division should re-examine the policy that gives agencies permission to use school property and equipment for training. “If that’s something that we allow on occasion, regardless of how often, we need to have procedures in place to make sure the buses and schools are safe before they’re used again,” she said. “It sounds like that didn’t happen.” Supervisor Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) commended the school system’s mechanics for spotting the C-4 and immediately notifying law enforcement. He said it was “shocking” it happened. “I hope they update their policies and their procedures and do a better job,” he said, “because that’s just a little alarming.” Norman K. Styer and Danielle Nadler contributed to this report. rgreene@loudounnow.com

The Leesburg Town Council last week endorsed the designs of the five sculptures to be placed in Raflo Park as part of the ArtsPARKs exhibit, as well as a new mural inside the Town Hall parking garage. The mural will be painted on the Market Street side, along the bike racks, and is expected to be completed in May.

Trail Blazer, by Peter Wood

Birdhouse, by Michael Clay

Call today for an additional 5% off!

The Artist, by Peter Wood

Sproutman, by Brian Kirk

Unity, by Brian Kirk

The sculpture display will be unveiled in a formal ceremony July 2. The sculptures will be available for sale following their two-year exhibit in Raflo Park, with 20 percent of the proceeds of each sculpture going to the Friends of Leesburg Public Art to fund the next round of installations.

April 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 13, 2016

Sculpture Display, Bike Mural Designs Endorsed

Bike Mural, by Kevin Dunn

loudounnow.com

[ OUR TOWNS ]

[ TOWN NOTES ]

loudounnow.com

Bluemont

Equines help heal veterans

Credit: The Loudoun County Bed and Breakfast Guild

The immaculately laid stone of Fieldstone Farm B&B in Hillsboro

Loudoun Bed and Breakfast Guild Plans Open House Tour Nine Loudoun County Bed and Breakfast Guild hostelries will be open for public tours Sunday, April 24 as part of the organization’s annual open house. Visitors will be able to view the houses and sample attractions offered by some of the county’s top restaurants, caterers, wineries, musicians, florists and artisans. Not only is the open house free to the public, but many of the B&Bs will offer raffles, free overnight stays, gift baskets and other prizes. The B&Bs represent a range of accommodations and settings. There will be historic homes with two or three guest rooms, such as George’s Mill in Lovettsville and Fieldstone Farm in Hillsboro, and an elegant modern home—the Mews, north of Purcellville. Simpler buildings include the Cottage at

Dunthorpe Farm near Hillsboro, and Airwell B&B, artist Lucien Powell’s restored cottage, south of Purcellville. Larger historic properties are represented by Stone Manor and Silverbrook Farm B&B, near Hillsboro, also Briar Patch B&B between Aldie and Middleburg on Rt. 50, and Serene Manor, south of Round Hill. Many of the participating B&Bs are sought-after wedding and event sites. The open house brochure includes a map, addresses for participating B&Bs and a list of all participating wineries, restaurants, caterers, musicians, florists and others who will be part of the open house. To download a brochure, visit loudounbandb.com. – Margaret Morton

Purcellville Hires IT Manager, Issues Newsletter BY MARGARET MORTON The Town of Purcellville has made two moves to beef up the way it interacts with the public. Last week, Assistant Town Manager Danny Davis announced the hiring of Shannon Bohince as the town’s first full-time director of information technology. Bohince started work March 31. He recently worked for the Loudoun County Department of IT as a senior server engineer. With more than 20 years’ experience in IT and 10 years in local government, Bohince was unanimously selected by a cross-departmental panel of the town’s managers and staff members. “I’m really excited about hiring Mr. Bohince and bringing his forward-thinking mindset to the Town of Purcellville,” Davis said. “I worked closely with the county on IT, and a lot of what I tried to do was to find new ways of using technology,” he said. “Part of the job is to make information easily accessible, not to dig for deeply. We want to help push it forward. Davis wants to see Bohince develop the IT road map for the town, be innovative and to come up with long-term strategic planning. “We’re a small department, very hands on, and I hope he will help evaluate where we are, how to look at things a little differently,” Davis

said. On Monday the town announced the publication of its first newsletter, “Purcellville Post,” to keep residents informed about town government. Part of a Town Council initiative to strengthen community partnerships, the Purcellville Post is intended to provide a snapshot of the activities of town government, including the council and the staff, as well as publicizing community events. The first edition highlights the town’s comprehensive plan updates, the Maintenance Department, upcoming special events, and new avenues by which the residents can communicate with the government. To minimize costs, the first newsletter was circulated to the community via the April 1 utility bills. Additional copies will be available throughout the town at public locations, including the Town Hall and the Purcellville Library. The Purcellville Post also can be found online at purcellvilleva.gov/newsletter. Residents are asked to send their feedback on the new publication at info@purcellvilleva.gov or by contacting Davis at dcdavis@purcellvilleva.gov or 540-751-2354. mmorton@loudounnow.com

The ability of horses to lift spirits and help the healing process is well known. Now, combat veterans at Boulder Crest Retreat in Bluemont are finding that horses can help them achieve peace and find a new way out of the morass of war. “‘Horse Inspired Growth and Healing’ is an important part of every program we run in support of combat veterans and their families,” retreat founder and chairman Ken Falke stated recently. Just a few moments with the horse can bring a notable difference to the veterans who visit the retreat as part of their recovery. The Boulder Crest team notes a common finding—that horses have an internal recognition of what the injured person needs. In the January issue of the journal Social Work, researchers reported that nearly half of all combat veterans suffer from serious psychological disorders and reintegration issues. They reported that equine-related mental health programs have shown promise in treating veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In line with those findings, at the 37-acre Boulder Crest Retreat combat veterans engage in an equine therapy program. The program is facilitated by Suzi Landolphi, who has a master’s degree in clinical and community psychology and is a licensed marriage and family therapist. Landolphi created two programs that encourage veterans and their families to better connect, to let go of traumatic experiences, to find a calm and begin to live once more in the present. Landolphi said horses instinctively respond to humans who are shy about expressing themselves, and encourage them to open up and be more open. For more information about Boulder Crest Retreat programs, including the horse therapy program, go to bouldercrestretreat.org.

Lovettsville Lecture title poses a historical question The next presentation in the Lovettsville Historical Society lecture series has a provocative title: “George Washington DID NOT Build the C&O Canal: The Story of Potomac River Navigation and the Rise and Demise of the C&O Canal.” The lecture by historian John C. Frye will be held at St. James United Church of Christ, at 10 E. Broad Way, in Lovettsville. Society Vice President Ed Spannaus notes the C&O Canal was built in 1828, whereas an earlier project, memorialized at Great Falls Park, was not the same as the C&O. Fisher will discuss the entire history of navigation along the Potomac River. Frye is a Lovettsville native, whom Spannaus described as the “legendary chief historian and curator” of the Western Maryland Room of the Washington County Free Library in Hagerstown, MD. Frye founded the Western Maryland Room almost 50 years ago. For more information on the free lecture, contact Spannaus at 540-822-9194.

Waterford Waterford Foundation hires new fair director Lovettsville resident Tracy Kirkman is the new director of the Waterford Homes Tour & Crafts Exhibit. Kirkman comes to the job from the world of event planning. Foundation representative Bonnie Getty said the nonprofit was confident Kirkman would bring a great deal of energy to the position, along with her event planning, social media skills and marketing experience. Kirkman also has experience with artisanal food production and brings some creative ideas for this year’s Waterford Fair. She will start her new job April 11.

25 April 7 – 13, 2016

Credit: Second Chapter Books

Second Chapter Books has a friendly feel, with books all around.

Beloved Bookshop Faces Closure BY MARGARET MORTON

mmorton@loudounnow.com

Second Chapter Books, an independent bookstore at 10 S. Liberty Street in Middleburg, has long been a treasure trove for bibliophiles. In a space barely large enough to swing a cat, owners Jilann Burkett and Kathy Jo Shea maintain an atmosphere of calm and serenity. Today, the bookstore is facing an uncertain future. The bookstore’s building went on the market this week and the bookstore’s lease, which expires in September, will not be renewed by the current owner. “I’m absolutely horrified to be losing an independent bookstore, and especially this one,” said Loudoun author Bobbi Carducci. “They’re so supportive of local authors, they go above and beyond.” The possible closure of the bookshop has brought out supporters, who have been coming in to express their shock and sadness, Burkett said. The two owners are known for their knowledge, organized approach, and infinite pa-

tience in searching out books for readers and advising on choices. “We can’t afford to lose another independent bookstore,” Carducci said, adding there is a possibility of getting a group of people in the community to buy the bookshop so the business can continue as normal. Shea and Burkett are hopeful a buyer will choose to keep the bookstore open. “If someone buys it and wants it here, we’ll put our heart and soul into this. We’d like to continue to make it grow and we love doing it. Right now that’s not going to happen,” Burkett said. “If that does not happen—we’ll close,” she said, noting that it would take a great deal of time and effort to get re-established, even if the bookstore stayed in town. “It could play out beautifully, or it could peter out in 35 seconds,” she said. She said she appreciated people’s support. “There’s no greater pleasure than to have someone come in and walk out with a book they really want.”

loudounnow.com

[ BIZ ]

APRIL FOOLS

loudounnow.com

Local breweries announce beer conglomerate

BY RENSS GREENE

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Jessie Puffenberger pours a pint at Dirt Farm Brewing, nested on the far western end of Loudoun County in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The company’s focus is on brewing small batches of beer made from fresh ingredients grown on the family farm.

BEER BUST

Will Loudoun ever have too much on tap? BY BEN BYRNES The Loudoun market is brimming with craft beer. From 2011 to 2015, the county saw unprecedented growth in the beer-making industry with 17 brew-related ventures opening during, and at least six more are in the works for 2016. That would bring the number of breweries in the county to 23, on a pace to quickly catch up to the number of Loudoun wineries. The strength of the county’s beer scene has even caught the eye of Downington, PA-based Victory Brewing Company, which announced plans to open a 300-seat restaurant and full service brewhouse in downtown Leesburg. But is there a point where Loudoun has more lo ca l ly-pro duce d “I DEFINITELY beer than thirsty paTHINK WE COULD trons? CERTAINLY Kellie Boles, agricultural developUSE MORE BREWERIES, BUT ment officer for the Loudoun CounTHERE’S GOING ty Department of TO BE A Economic DevelSATURATION opment, for one, POINT doesn’t think so. “As SOMETIME.” long as we’re bringing in innovative and creative entrepreneurs to the scene, they’re going to capture a piece of this huge market that exists in the Washington, DC, area,” she said. Loudoun was home to just one major brewery operation from 1989 to 2008—Old Dominion Brewing Company. After Anheuser-Busch acquired the operation, the Ashburn-based brewpub closed. That left the market wide open and, over the next few years, brewers jumped at the opportunity to take their stake. “I knew that Ashburn was one of the pioneers of the craft brewing industry,” said Matt Hagerman, who teamed with Old Dominion’s former master brewer Favio Garcia to open

The Tasting Room MONTHLY COLUMN ON LOCO FOOD AND DRINK. Lost Rhino Brewing Company in Ashburn in 2011. “And I knew the market was pretty prime here, and there was a vacuum by [Old Dominion] exiting out.” That same year, four other breweries opened their doors: Barn House Brewing, Beltway Brewing, Corcoran Brewing, and MacDowell Brew Kitchen. Since then, changes in state law and local regulations have only encouraged more beer-making operations, including state legislation in 2012 that cleared the way for breweries to sell their product on the premises it was made without requiring a full-service restaurant. Loudoun County also adopted an ordinance last year to allow beer to be sold on farms where ingredients are grown. The industry also got a boost by the creation of the LoCo Ale Trail, a marketing campaign spearheaded by Visit Loudoun to increase the brewery industry’s visibility. Today, Loudoun’s high number of beer-producers has shown to be an incentive for breweries to come to join the movement, not a deterrent. Boles said the Office of Economic Development knows of breweries that had been looking at setting up their operations in neighboring counties and decided to instead come to Loudoun because of the beer-loving scene already in the county. “It’s a kind of collaborative culture and our Loudoun breweries are telling those brewerBEER BUST >> 27

Private equity firm Fulsome Prevaricator has begun buying up popular craft breweries in Loudoun County, starting with the restructuring of Lost Rhino Brewing Company, Ocelot Brewing Company, and Old Ox Brewery into a single company, Three Mammals Brewing Company. Just kidding. The three breweries announced the news with a prank press release April 1, complete with a new logo, three beer names, photos, a Facebook page, and a T-shirt, which people are already asking to buy. They even claimed to be moving into a 40,000-square-foot warehouse near One Loudoun. But the fake incorporation put a lens on real collaboration and camaraderie among the brewers. “One day we were at the World of Beer grand opening in Ashburn, and we were just hanging out there having a few beers together, and Chris Drummond came up with the idea,” said Adrien Whitman, founder of Ocelot Brewery. Drummond’s brewery, Lost Rhino, had pulled a crank last year by announcing it was suing Old Ox Brewing Company for copyright infringement for using an adjective and an animal in their name—a spin on some actual legal trouble at the time, when Red Bull tried to force Old Ox to change its name and marketing. Drummond wanted a good follow-up for this year. “We were kicking around the idea that all three of us were named after animals,” Drummond said. He took the idea to Lost Rhino’s graphic designer, Logan Martin, and everybody ran with it. By lunchtime, people had begun calling all three breweries either in consternation or to ask to buy the T-shirt. So far, there’s only one T-shirt, the one used in a photo. But Drummond said he’s open to bringing some of it to life. “That’s definitely something we’ll be kicking around, and it’s already been mentioned,” Drummond said. “I think that’s fun too, maybe having some fun with our friends and fans.” Nor would this be the first collaboration among Loudoun’s craft brewers. Last year, Loudoun’s brewers collaborated at Old Ox Brewery for Lost Rhino’s LoCo Brewfest to create LoCollaboration Harvest Amber Ale, which was sent to brewers all around the county. “It really stems from the fact that we’re all friends, we’re always at events together, and we’re always helping each other out,” Whitman said. “It’s kind of an excuse to have a few beers together and have a few laughs,” Drummond said. rgreene@loudounnow.com

Courtesy of Old Ox Brewery

Adrien Whitman, Ocelot Brewing Company; Graham Burns and Chris Burns, Old Ox Brewery; and Matt Hagerman, Lost Rhino Brewing Company, hold up a Three Mammals Brewing Company T-shirt.

<< FROM 26

Ben Byrnes has worked in the food industry for 11 years. He lives in Leesburg with his wife and newborn son.

FLEA MARKET

— Proceeds benefit The Marshall House and GCMIC’s education programs — Visit our website for suggested donations and limitations — Donation dates extended! Accepting items 4/4-4/9, 9AM12PM at 312 E. Market St, Suite C (The Shops at The Marshall House)

Katherine Marshall was an avid flea market shopper. Her finds grace The Marshall House to this day.

SHOP APRIL 16th & 17th during the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival weekend!

703.777.1301

www.georgecmarshall.org/events

The George C. Marshall International Center is a non-profit corporation under IRC Section 501(c)(3). GCMIC relies on a combination of memberships, corporate sponsorships, private donations and grants to fund its mission. 83% of proceeds from contributions, programs and events support our education programs, and help us preserve The Marshall House.

ies, ‘why are you looking in those jurisdictions? Why don’t you come to Loudoun?’” Boles said. The camaraderie among Loudoun breweries can be easily seen, and tasted, with frequent collaborations on special release beers and the occasional sharing of facilities and resources. Tyler Oyler, CEO of Grail Point Brewery, set to open this year, credits the operation’s success in getting started in large part to well-established local breweries. Oyler is working with Beltway Brewing to build his brand. “I have found most if not all breweries to be incredibly encouraging to new craft brewers and brands,” he said. “It’s a fairly magnanimous community that tends to work in great concert with each other. It also tends to lend itself to partnering with the local community to assist in tourism.” There are a few who acknowledge the industry likely has a bubble, including Darren Gryniuk, co-owner of Old 690 Brewery near Hillsboro. “There’s definitely a population around us that wants to visit the county and drink beer, and I definitely think we could certainly use more breweries,” he said. “But there’s going to be a saturation point sometime.” Other brewers believe that the future will be determined by the quality of the

beer being produced, rather than how many brewers are producing it. Brian Patlen, owner of Bald Guy Brewing, who is in the process of setting up shop in Loudoun, said, “As for the number of opened and planned breweries, both the population size and especially the affluence of Loudoun County can easily support them and a lot more. But there’s a catch,” he added. “They must make good beer. That’s the threshold.” Hagerman noted that concentrations of breweries have worked well in other parts of the country. “If you look at other models like towns in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington, a lot of them have been able to sustain a large group of breweries and a lot of that had to do with particular breweries having particular niche markets,” he said. The variety offered by the farm breweries on the west end of the county and the commercial breweries tucked amid eastern Loudoun’s industrial parks appeals to wide demographics and creates the foundation for a sustainable model for young industry. As the playing field widens, and attracts brewers and patrons from around the Washington, DC, area, the demand for high quality and innovative flavors will help Loudoun establish a nationally recognized craft beer scene. DC’s Wine Country is getting much hoppier.

27 April 7 – 13, 2016

Beer Bust

1st Annual Katherine Marshall

loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

[ LOCO LIVING ]

Courtesy of Morven Park

Oatlands Races Celebrates 50th on April 17 BY MARGARET MORTON Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

culinary partners—and a chance to promote a natural affinity between local products. “A lot of it is about exposure and having people try our product,” said Molly Kroiz, owner and cheese maker at Georges Mill, which specializes in handcrafted goat cheese. “It’s also fun to collaborate with other local producers.” During the May 21 Tastemaker event, Kroiz will be on hand to talk about her cheese-making process and about Georges Mill’s Community Supported Agriculture program, which offers members a weekly cheese selection April-October. Croiz prefers the hands-on, guided tasting format to simply offering her

It will be a golden day on Sunday, April 17 when the Loudoun Hunt puts on the Oatlands Pointto-Point to commemorate its 50th anniversary. Gates open at 10:30 a.m., with post time set for noon. There will be nine races, including the one-mile Mrs. George C. Everhart Memorial Invitational Side Saddle Race and the featured Eustis Cup over a 3.5mile course. Loudoun Hunt Master Dave Moyes will be part of a celebratory crowd that will bask in remembered glory and tales of epic races over the past 50 years. And probably no one will be remembered more from those early days of planning for a race meet site than “Dr. Joe,” Joseph Rogers, MD. It was Rogers who suggested Oatlands as a possible site, in part because of its historical significance and because its rolling terrain would be suitable for timber and hurdle racing. According to Brett Phillips, founder, editor and publisher of Leesburg Today, who was part of those early planning sessions, a $2,000 purse was offered for the featured William Corcoran Eustis Cup, named after a former owner of Oatlands. And it was Rogers who later became known as one of the most successful owner-riders, who flew over the course on his famous horse, King of Spades. It took years of picking stones out of the ground to produce today’s lush turf (Moyes said it’s still an ongoing job) and the challenging course that ends for timber races in a long uphill grind to the finish post. Oatlands has many stories, including that of the death of timber horse Barros Negros, that won the coveted Eustis Cup and then died of a heart attack while being led back to the van area. He was buried that night at the finish line in a ceremony attended by race committee

PERFECT MATCHES >> 32

POINT-TO-POINT >> 30

Aimee and Todd Henkle, owners of The Vineyards and Winery at Lost Creek, launched their Tastemaker series of culinary tastings this spring.

PERFECT MATCHES

Local wineries team up with food producers BY JAN MERCKER here’s nothing quite like a crisp white wine and some tasty, tangy goat cheese. And when they’re made within miles of each other, that’s bonus points for local flavor. Lately, area wineries are not just pouring tastes, they’re inviting food-producing neighbors in for special pairings and promotions, creating a kind of local agro-synergy. That’s a big draw for guests. It’s a win-win for wineries and their culinary partners: giving food producers access to new customers and at the same time providing a new experience for winery guests. Aimee and Todd Henkle, owners of The Vineyards and Winery at Lost Creek north of Leesburg are at the forefront of the movement. The Henkles launched the monthly Tastemaker series last month. The winery will stay open late on select third Saturdays to host a sit-down tasting featuring local delicacies (both sweet and savory) paired with Lost Creek and other Virginia wines. “We like to focus on the experience,” Aimee Henkle said. “The culinary component is very important. It’s amazing to really explore the wines.” With the new series, Henkle hopes to go beyond the typical tasting room cheese board, offering a guided pairing to give visitors a special educational experience. The Henkles and senior tasting room staff members, along with representatives of the food producers, will be on hand to talk about the pairings. The Henkles have long offered culinary tastings by reservation in partnership with Lovettsville’s Market Table Bistro, and decided this year they

Courtesy of Lost Creek

The April 18 Tastemaker Series event at The Vineyards and Winery at Lost Creek features Frenchstyle pastries from Layered Cake Patisserie paired with wines from Lost Creek and Virginia sparkling wine maker Thibaut-Janisson.

wanted to spotlight other local producers as well. “We were looking for people who are the best at what they do in the area,” Henkle said. The next Tastemaker tasting April 18 features Leesburg’s Layered Cake Patisserie, a popular French-style bakery, pairing a Virginia sparkling wine paired with a vanilla macaron cookie, Lost Creek’s Reserve Chardonnay with an almond croissant and the winery’s Provenance Red with a chocolate éclair. May’s tasting features cheese from Lovettsville-based Georges Mill Farm Artisan Cheese, and the June event spotlights Purcellville’s beloved Lothar’s Gourmet Sausage. Cross promotion of local businesses is key, Henkle said, providing great exposure for both the winery and its

LOCO CULTURE LOUDOUN SYMPHONY CHERRY BLOSSOM GALA Saturday, April 9, 7-10 p.m.; Middleburg Community Center, 200 W. Washington St., Middleburg. Details: loudounsymphony.org LSO’s annual gala fundraiser includes a chef’s tasting dinner from top area restaurants, performances from LSO members and live and silent auctions. Tickets are $75.

Saturday, April 9, 8 a.m.; Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, 21085 The Woods Road, Leesburg. Details: loudounwildlife.org

home fried potatoes, breakfast meats, fruit, along with special treats of freshly made donuts and French toast casserole. Donations accepted.

SPRING WILDFLOWERS WALK Saturday, April 9, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Ball’s Bluff Battlefield Regional Park, Ball’s Bluff Road, Leesburg. Details: loudounwildlife.org Join John DeMary, well-known local naturalist and retired teacher, on a Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy field trip to explore this beautiful, wooded riverside park for the early spring wildflowers and migrating birds. Advance registration is required.

Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Friends of Banshee Reeks at one of Loudoun’s hottest birding spots. Whether you’re new to birding or a pro, this walk is a great chance to learn about and see new species. Bring binoculars.

NEERSVILLE COUNTRY BREAKFAST Saturday, April 9, 8-10:30 a.m.; Between the Hills Community Association, 11762 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville. Contact: 540-668-6504 Enjoy a homemade breakfast of sausage gravy, biscuits, eggs,

CIVIL WAR MEDICINE PROGRAM

Open Sunday, April 10th 1-3pm

Sunday, April 10, 2 p.m.; Mt. Zion Historic Park, 40309 John S. Mosby Highway, Aldie. Details: www. mosbyheritagearea.org

One Of A Kind Custom Home

$450,000

This beautiful home was completely remodeled and added on to in 05. Large .80 acre lot w/trees & English garden. A cooks delight, custom kitchen, 2 sinks, center island and FP. Main lvl master w/sep jetted tub & shower. Large porch facing west for fantastic sunsets.

THIS WEEK >> 30

Directions Rt. 7 west, right on Charlestown Pike, Right on Berlin Turnpike approximately 5 miles to #39 on right.

UNDER CONTRACT $245,000

e Sun filled, three finished levels duplex. Larg w/ en kitch try coun stic Fanta fenced yard. upper wood burning FP. Cathedral ceilings on park. level. Finished family room. Backs to Walking distance to library and pool. Great opportunity.

2 Separate lots included in price!

$399,900

porch. Absolutely charming cape cod w/huge front bath n, kitche es, includ e garag Finished area above or studio. & 2 extra rooms. Perfect for home office level and Newly finished hardwood floors on main ation Plant FP. stone iful Beaut irs. upsta new carpet porch. shutters thru out. Fresh paint and enclosed

BIRDING BANSHEE

April 7 – 13, 2016

[ THIS WEEK ]

loudounnow.com

30 << FROM 29 The Mosby Heritage Area Association presents an interactive event that brings Civil War medicine to life. The event starts with outdoor exhibits followed by a talk by historian Kevin Pawlak on Civil War hospitals at 3 p.m. Admission is $10, free for students. No advance reservations required.

FILM SCREENING: ‘RARA AVIS’ Monday, April 11, 7 p.m.; Foxcroft School, 22407 Foxhound Lane, Middleburg. Contact: 540-687-4510 Noted conservationist and Foxcroft alumna Cina Alexander Forgason and two-time Academy Award nominee Al Reinert will screen and discuss their documentary about naturalist and explorer John James Audubon. Screening is free and open to the public, but advance registration is recommended.

NIGHTLIFE LOUDOUN YOUTHFEST BATTLE OF THE BANDS FINAL BATTLE

[ THIS WEEK ] HUMANE SOCIETY OF LOUDOUN FUNDRAISER Saturday, April 9, 6 p.m.-midnight; The Bungalow, 13891 Metrotech Drive, Chantilly. Details: hslc.yapsody.com The Humane Society’s spring fundraiser features a Jimmy Buffett-theme and music from Dave McKenney and The Calypso Nuts. Requested donation of $25 can be made at the door or online.

LIVE MUSIC: BUSHMASTER Saturday, April 9, 7:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com Gary Brown, lyricist, composer, guitar player and vocalist for Bushmaster, grew up outside of D.C. influenced by local artists like Chuck Brown, Danny Gatton, Link Wray, and Bobby Parker. The band’s funky, guitar-centric, blues-rock music enlightens as well as entertains. No cover.

With an eclectic mix of piano-driven pop tunes, guitar-based melodies, and soul-filled strings interwoven through her songs, Caitlin’s pure and rich vocals have drawn comparisons to favorites like Sarah McLachlan and Natalie Merchant.

LIVE BAND KARAOKE Friday, April 8, 8 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live. com You’re the star when you sing karaoke backed up by the seasoned musicians of the Harikaraoke Band at this popular monthly event. No cover.

POINT-TO-POINT << FROM 28 members. The “Oatlands races” became a hugely popular event, drawing thousands of race goers each year. For many, it was as much an occasion for a social reunion, wandering up and down “The Lane,” to see people one might not have seen since the last “Oatlands,” as it was to enjoy the races. Patron spots along The Lane are fiercely sought—and sometimes equally fiercely fought over, passing

LOUDOUN LYRIC OPERA: A COFFEE HOUSE TRILOGY Friday, April 8 and Saturday, April 9, 8 p.m., Oatlands Carriage House, 20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane, Leesburg; Sunday, April 10, 8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford. Details: loudounlyricopera.com LLO presents three one-act operas, including Bach’s “Coffee Cantata,” Menotti’s “The Telephone,” and Barab’s “A Game of Chance.” The program features classical vocalists from around the region accompanied by string quartet and flute. Tickets are $30, $15 for youth 17 and younger.

parkartscenter.org Enjoy a delightful evening of artistry and entertainment from the Loudoun School of Ballet pre-professional contemporary dance program. Repertoire includes Broadway, jazz and contemporary ballet. Performances benefit the Teri and Shari Malone Foundation. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for seniors, students and children.

GALLERY COFFEE HOUSE: TUNA DOES VEGAS Sunday, April 10, 6:30 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org Local ensemble Imagine That! presents “Tuna Does Vegas!” The eclectic band of citizens from Tuna, TX are portrayed by two actors making this send-up on life in rural America even more delightful as they depict men, women, Vegas Showgirls and Elvis! Coffee is included. Tickets are $8 at the door.

Friday, April 8, 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 9, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, April 10, 4 p.m.; Belmont Ridge Middle School, 19045 Upper Belmont Place, Leesburg. Details: lcps.org/tickets

Talented teens from around the county duke it out to see who gets a prime opening spot at YouthFest in May. Admission is $8 at the door.

Friday, April 8, 7-9 p.m.; Trinity House Café, 101 E. Market St., Leesburg. Details: trinityhousecafe.com

ON STAGE

DISNEY’S ‘THE LITTLE MERMAID

Friday, April 8, 6:30-8:30p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St.; Leesburg. Details: tallyholeesburg.com

LIVE MUSIC: CAITLIN JANE

and blues icons like Van Morrison and James Taylor and modern songwriters in the vein of Mat Kearney, Damien Rice and James Morrison. Free with brunch.

LIVE MUSIC: THE PAT MCGEE BAND REUNION Saturday, April 9, 8:30 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre,19 W. Market St.; Leesburg. Details: tallyholeesburg.com The Richmond-based rock band had a big following in the ’90s on Virginia college campuses and beyond. They’re back together and ready to play old favorites and a few surprises. Tickets are $34 in advance. $39 day of show.

AMERICANA BRUNCH WITH JASON MASI Sunday, April 10, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com DC-based singer-songwriter Jason Masi is a Loudoun winery circuit favorite, influenced by soul artists like Marvin Gaye and Bill Withers, folk

Students present the full-length Broadway version of the beloved musical, complete with live orchestra, Broadway-style costumes, and spectacular special effects, including flying, skating and pyrotechnic simulations. Tickets are $10. Advance purchase is required.

‘PETER PAN’ Friday, April 8, 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 9, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, April 10, 2 p.m.; J. Lupton Simpson Middle School, 490 Evergreen Mill Road, Leesburg. Details: lcps.org/jlsms The family-oriented classic will entertain fans of all ages with a great cast, set and costumes. Tickets are $7.50.

JAZZ & CO DANCE Friday, April 8, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 9, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 10, 3 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: franklin-

THE OATLANDS POINT-TO-POINT

over a 3.5-mile course.

Gates open at 10:30 a.m., with post time set for noon. There will be nine races, including the onemile Mrs. George C. Everhart Memorial Invitational Side Saddle Race and the featured Eustis Cup

Tickets are $25 per car on race day, or $20 per car in advance. Subscriber parking is $50. Call 703-327-3935 or go to loudounhunt.com or LoudounFairfaxHunt. com.

down from generation to generation. The Loudoun Hunt hounds also will be present on April 17, occasionally parading down the lane—to the delight of children, who appear from

nowhere to greet them. Moyes, who recalls racing at Oatlands “in the pouring rain and wind— so hard that my goggles kept popping on and off,” paid tribute to the 200 to

LUCKETTS BLUEGRASS: SPECIAL CONSENSUS Saturday, April 9, 7 p.m.; Lucketts Community Center, 42361 Lucketts Road, Leesburg. Details: luckettsbluegrass.org The Grammy nominees are known for traditional favorites and award-winning originals. Tickets are $15 at the door.

WITH THE KIDS BLUE SKY PUPPETS: ‘BANANAS’ Wednesday, April 13, 10 a.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org In this production Blue Sky Puppet Theatre presents themes of healthy living issues in a fun, upbeat and positive way. Tickets are $5 at the door. For ages 2 and up.

300 volunteers who each year get the course in shape and manage it on race day. “A major part of it is the volunteers who put it on. We couldn’t afford it otherwise,” Moyes said. Luckily for racing fans, those volunteers still turn out to put on a day of racing that is unlike anywhere else in patrons’ recollection. Tickets are $25/car on race day, or $20/car in advance. Subscriber parking is $50. Call 703-327-3935 or go to loudounhunt.com or LoudounFairfaxHunt.com.

[ A LOUDOUN MOMENT ]

31 April 7 – 13, 2016

P H O T O E S S AY B Y D O U G L A S G R A H A M / L O U D O U N N OW

Loudoun warms up to First Friday

Last Friday marked the first warm-weather First Friday of the year, drawing large crowds out of their homes and on to the streets of downtown Leesburg. The monthly event has become an exhibit for the town’s creative side, with restaurants and shops showcasing the talents of area musicians, artists and even winemakers. Learn more at leesburgfirstfriday.com.

loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

Perfect matches << FROM 28 cheese for sale at area wineries. “It makes more sense to do the wine and cheese in a focused way,” Kroiz said. Waterford’s 8 Chains North Winery has a history of pairing local treats with its wines—from truffles from Leesburg’s Abby Rose Confections to an annual Fourth of July pie pairing in collaboration with Mom’s Apple Pie bakery. The winery took things up a notch last month hosting a health-oriented pop up market, featuring locally sourced food products. The Healthy Chick’s Pop Up Show was a first for organizer Hillary Tattersall, who has hosted pop up sales (mostly featuring design and home décor) for years through her Chick’s Picks by Hillary business. Tattersall branched out in March with her first health-oriented event. The event, which targets both Tattersall’s extensive contact list (made up mostly of women) and the winery’s contacts, was cross-promotion at its finest, Tattersall said. “Their demographic is my demographic,” Tattersall said. “Girls on Saturdays do Loudoun wineries.” The event featured agro-businesses like Great Country Farms and Fields of Athenry Farm and was a welcome showcase for Marla Vargas-Mundey, owner of LAJ Foods in Leesburg. Vargas-Mundey specializes in vegan

foods using locally sourced ingredients and is known for her soups (like rosemary-beet and curried carrot), sauces and snacks. She’s built her business selling her products at pop ups in private homes, farmers markets and flea markets. “It was a great networking opportunity for people like me,” Vargas-Mundey said. “It turned out to be fabulously successful,” agreed Sydney Smith-Marlowe, general manager at 8 Chains North. “There was a nice synergy. … There was a constant flow.” And while there aren’t any more pop ups on the calendar for the time being, there will certainly be opportunities to showcase local businesses in the near future, Smith-Marlowe said. Meanwhile at Lost Creek, the Henkles are running with the Tastemaker series, with plans for barbecue, olive oil, pie and other pairings later this year. “There’s a big sense of community,” Henkle said. “It’s important to showcase local businesses and help get the word out.” The Tastemakers Series at the Vineyards and Winery at Lost Creek takes place Saturdays April 18, May 21, and June 18 from 7 to 9 p.m. Cost is $25 per person and advance reservations are required. For more information, visit lostcreekwinery.com. To check out upcoming events at 8 Chains North, visit 8chainsnorth.com.

[ OBITUARIES ] Donald Phau Donald Phau of Leesburg passed away on March 16, 2016 due to complications from Multiple Sclerosis. He was 66 years old. Born in New York in 1950, he was the son of Benjamin Phau, and Frances Phau and graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and the State University of New York at Stony Brook. A student and scholar of American and European history, Don published studies of Lafayette and Beethoven and their fight to spread the ideals of the American revolution, and on Benjamin Franklin’s role in organizing the dramatic industrial growth and scientific progress which followed the revolution. He wrote a major critique of Thomas Jefferson which showed how the Virginian connived with the British and southern slaveholders

and free-traders against Alexander Hamilton’s program for high wage modern industry. Donald Phau was a long-time member of the political movement associated with Lyndon LaRouche. He is survived by Deborah Sonnenblick, his closest friend and partner for the past ten years and by his two sons, Peter and Paul Phau, and by his niece C. Alexis Freeman.

To share your condolences with our readers, contact Lindsay Morgan at 703-770-9723 or via email at lmorgan@loudounnow.com

jmercker@loudounnow.com

Tuscarora High School 801 N. King Street, Leesburg

SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2016 11:00AM—2:00PM

CAREER EXPO

Are You a Student or Recent Graduate Looking for a Job or Internship?

April 7 – 13, 2016

■ MEET EMPLOYERS ■

■ GATHER INFORMATION ■ ■ APPLY FOR JOBS ■ Avoid the Lines & Register in Advance www.leesburgva.gov/careerexpo

Leesbug Sterling Family Practice Is Expanding

N L Praise & Deliverance Church ew ife

“Come & Experience Pentacost with the Annointing of the Holy Spirit”

Sunday School - 10:00 am Sunday Worship Service - 11:30 am Prayer Tues. 7:30 pm / Bible Study Wed. 7:30 pm www.be-blessed.org *Bishop Michael Gilcreast (681) 252-3784 305 S. Charles St. Charles Town, WV 25414

A Church Alive is Worth the Drive!

• Siding

Please send your resumé to: lgray@lmgdoctors.com or fax: (703) 726-0804 attention Lisa

Yard Sale

COMMUNITY YARD SALE

you need, and at the n afford. ations.com 77

Crossword

Saturday, April 16 from 8am to 1pm. Raspberry Falls (Raspberry Drive & Route 15, across from White’s Ferry). Baby gear, equestrian supplies, fitness machines, antiques and more!

Contact: classified@loudounnow.com or (703) 770-9723

LoudounNow

loudounnow.com

Delivered in mailboxes & newstands in Loudoun County

To Include Your House of Worship Email: classifieds@loudounnow.com Phone: (703) 770-9723

Email: classifieds@loudounnow.com to place your employment ad

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.

April 7 – 13, 2016

fing, Siding, ces Virginia

House of Worship Employment

loudounnow.com

Business Card Directory

BOB CAT

CONSTRUCTION

hall Trucking

540-822-9011

◆ Stone DuSt ◆ Mulch ◆ topSoil ◆ SanD ◆ ◆ light graDing ◆ graveling ◆ ◆ Drainage SolutionS ◆ Backhoe Work ◆

Let us heLp you carry your Load!

GARDENING

JUNK REMOVAL

571-213-0850 Project Manager 571-235-8304

Email: bolimex101@gmail.com

General Contractor Licensed & Insured

Finished Basements - Custom Audio/Visual Rooms General Painting - Kitchen & Bath Remodels Finish Carpentry - Flagstone, Stone Walls, Paver Patios General Handyman Services - References Available

803 S Filbert Ct. Sterling, VA 20164

CLEANING SERVICE EVENT Loudoun Event Management Benjamin Hall (571) 246-8409

YOUR LUSH GARDEN Professional, certified and experienced gardener.

Flower, Veggie, Butterfly, Native, Herb gardens, Ornamental Bushes, Design, Plant, Prune, Mulch, Maintain

10% discount by 04/15. Low hourly rates. Pkg. avail.

loudouneventmanagement@yahoo.com

703-297-9821. www.yourlushgarden.com

Weddings • Catering • Corporate Events • Dinner Parties

CLEANING SERVICE EXCAVATING

HANDYMAN Loudoun, Virginia • 540-514-4715 Lic/Bonded & Ins.

Virginia irginia Handyman

Good References • Good Prices We Provide The Supplies Free Estimates

Home remodeling • Doors • Trim Crown Moulding • Hardwood Flooring Tile • Deck Repair • Electric Plumbing • Drywall Painting & Powerwashing

703-944-5700

virginiahandyman1775@yahoo.com

karycleaning@yahoo.com

The Quickest Solution To A Problem Is To Fix It

Licensed & Insured

COMPUTER SERVICES LEE E. ABERNATHY MANAGING DIRECTOR & CEO la@protechservices.com

PROTECH COMPUTER SERVICES Computer Networking • Project Management Consulting • Special Projects • Problem Resolutions Telephone Systems • On Site and Remote Service

Ashburn, VA 20147-5664

Office: (703) 729-5995 Fax: (703) 738-7011

“Big Enough To Service & Good Enough To Care”

CONSTRUCTION C ustom C onstruCtion A dditions • r epAirs Blue Ridge Remodeling, Inc. 540-668-6522

www.brrinc.net Purcellville, VA

Since 1976 • Free Estimates Licensed & Insured

CONSTRUCTION

DECKS Baker’s

Painting & Remodeling

Serving Northern Virginia area for over 10 years. Taking orders for spring deck projects BUILD DECKS & FENCES POWERWASHING & STAINING FREE ESTIMATES & DECK INSPECTIONS

Licensed & Insured Contractor who performs “Handyman Services, Rental & Re-sale Turnovers“ *We Accept ALL Major Cards* 571-439-5576 jbremodeling22@gmail.com

DECKS

Kenny Williams Construction, Inc. * Decks & Fences * Additions * Garages * Screened Porches * Finished Basements Free Estimates

703-771-8727

www.kennywilliamsconstruction.com

April 7 – 13, 2016

HANDYMAN

Francisco Rojo

* Bobcat Services * * Gravel Driveway Repair *

Br am

GARAGE DOORS

30 YEARS EXPERIENCE • DRIVEWAYS • EXPOSED AGGREGATE • PATIOS • FOOTINGS • SLABS • STAMPED CONCRETE • SIDEWALKS

Free Estimates

Ph: 703-437-3822 • Cell: 703-795-5621

Licensed • Insured • bonded

Serving Loudoun County for 35 years. Class A Contractor

HANDYMAN Baker’s

Painting & Remodeling

Serving Northern Virginia area for over 10 years. INTERIOR & EXTERIOR PAINTING ROTTED WOOD REPAIR DECKS • BASEMENTS • KITCHENS • BATHS BASEMENT FINISHING & REMODELING

Licensed & Insured Contractor who performs “Handyman Services, Rental & Re-sale Turnovers“ Taking orders for spring deck projects *We Accept ALL Major Cards*

jbremodeling22@gmail.com

571-439-5576

HANDYMAN HANDYMAN All Big & Small Repairs

• Plumbing • Tile Laying & Repair • • Electrical Work • Carpentry • • Painting (inside/outside) • • Gutter Cleaning & Replacement •

FREE ESTIMATES • REASONABLE RATES

Cemil Uzun (703) 777-1429

Licensed, Bonded, Insured

HANDYMAN HHHHH FIVE STAR GENERAL CONTRACTOR & HANDYMAN SERVICES • Interior & Exterior Painting • Power Wash & Stain Decks • • Bathroom & Kitchen Remodeling • Finish Basements • • Electrical • Plumbing • Mailbox Replacement • • Clean Gutters • Install Crown Molding • Drywall Repairs • Exterior Rotten Wood Replacement • • Small or Large Jobs We Do It All •

Owner: Edwin Ramirez (703) 944 - 5181 ramirezedwin80@yahoo.com

Licensed & Insured • Reliable & Reasonable Prices

LANDSCAPE

HGB

landscape Cell: 571-722-5897 www.hgblandscape.com

• • • • • • • • •

Mowing Pruning Mulching Tree Work Stonework Leaf Removal Spring Cleaning Light Escavation Aeration and Overseeding

LANDSCAPE C.L.L.

CORUM’S LAWN & LANDSCAPING • Lawn Maintanence • Landscape & Hardscape • Tree Service • Drainage Solutions • Bobcat Services Senior & Neighborhood Discounts

James Corum (540) 347-3930 or (540) 905-0706 www.corumslandscaping.com

LANDSCAPE

LAWN CARE

MASONRY

PAINTING

TREE REMOVAL

Troy Fields (866)869-1107 tfields@clearsky-painting.com www.clearsky-painting.com

April 7 – 13, 2016

Business Card Directory

Interior & Exterior Painting  Drywall Repair Wallpaper Removal  Pressure Washing Deck/Fence Staining & Sealing Wood Rot Repair  Gutter Cleaning Free Estimates - Licensed - Insured

“Transforming Homes and Businesses with COLOR”

PET SITTING

PAINTING Paint and Stain LLC Since 1997 Home Improvement • Licensed Contractor

Share Our Country Home Chasing Squirrels and Sleeping by the Fireplace

Excellent References • Free Estimates Licensed, Insured, and Bonded Serving DC, VA, & MD • Angies’ List Member

(703)297-4737 • (703)395-3490

Cell: (571) 273-9417 www.paintandstains.com

Serving Northern VA/MD/DC Shuttle Services Available

WWW.HAPPYHOUNDSLODGE.COM

LAWN CARE Purcellville Lawn & Landscape Mowing • Spring & Fall Clean Up • Mulching Landscaping • Road & Driveway Restoration Bush Hogging • Power Washing Fence Repair • Snow Removal Junk Removal

•Interior and Exterior Painting • Custom Painting • Drywall • Carpentry • Bathroom Remodeling • Carpet & Hardwood Installation • Plumbing • Decks

REAL ESTATE

TRAVEL

Stephany DeBerry

cell: 571.258.7371 stephany.deberry@exprealty.com www.stephanysellsthedmv.com 43723 Lees Mill Sq Leesburg, VA 20176 Licensed in VA & MD

Providing SUPERIOR service since 2006

ROOFING C2 Operations offers Professional Roofing, Siding, Remodeling, & Specialty Services throughout Loudoun Co. & Northern Virginia

Services Include:

Roof Repairs • Roof Replacements • Siding Gutters • Windows • Doors Skylights & Maintenance We perform the job you need, when you need it, and at the price that you can afford. *SDVOSB* c2operations.com 703.651.6677

WINDOW CLEANING Chesapeake Potomac Window Cleaning Co. ~ Window Cleaning * inside & out by hand * residential specialists ~ Power Washing * no damage - low pressure * soft brushing by hand

(540) 347-1674 (703) 777-3296 Licensed * Bonded * Insured

(703) 406 - 8800

LAWN CARE IZP Lawn Services Mowing As Low As $30 • Mowing • Trimming • Edging • Blowing • Mulching • Lawn Care • Core Aeration • Leaf Removal • Spring & Fall Clean-up

Call 703-507-0451 or 703-618-0289

Ask about our annual maintenance program. Now is the time to Mulch! Licensed

LAWN CARE

We deliver your business card to over 37,000 homes in Loudoun County for one low price.

LAWN CARE

classfieds@loudounnow.com LAWN CARE

Service of Excellence

loudounnow.com

Serving Loudoun County

703-770-9723

loudounnow.com

[ OPINION ]

Training Failure The federal government’s commitment to protecting the public’s safety came into question in a bizarre way last week. If you find plastic explosives under the hood of a public school bus, you would hope taxpayers’ money wasn’t used to put it there. Everyone’s been assured something like this won’t happen again. What we don’t know is whether something like this has happened before. If there wasn’t a reporter with a camera on the scene last week, we seriously doubt anyone would have ever heard about it. Even while fessing up to the gaffe, government officials sought to put the error in an oddly positive light, placing an emphasis on the extreme unlikelihood of harm coming to anyone. That’s a bit rosy. What if the explosives weren’t found by trustworthy workers in the county garage, but by someone with nefarious intentions? Or if the material simply fell out on the side of a road? More fundamentally, the question is why does the Central Intelligence Agency, or any federal government department, needs to conduct its training in suburban schoolyards? Surely, the agency has ample resources to test its performance in more controlled settings. Law enforcement training in empty schools has its place, particularly where first responders from multiple agencies can practice working together to deal with a call they hope they never get. That doesn’t seem to be the case in this instance. Instead, they were the cause of such a call. And it was not a drill.

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 Danielle Nadler Managing Editor dnadler@loudounnow.com Margaret Morton Senior Writer mmorton@loudounnow.com Renss Greene, Reporter rgreene@loudounnow.com Kara C. Rodriquez, Reporter krodriguez@loudounnow.com Douglas Graham, Photographer dgraham@loudounnow.com

Contributors Ben Byrnes Jan Mercker Advertising Director Susan Styer sstyer@loudounnow.com Classified Manager Lindsay Morgan lmorgan@loudounnow.com Production Electronic Ink 9 Royal St. SE Leesburg, VA 20175

Correction Last week’s article on school boundary changes incorrectly reported The Lakes at Red Rock’s new school assignment, as well as the percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals at Evergreen Mill Elementary. The Lakes at Red Rock was re-assigned to Ball’s Bluff Elementary. Under the new boundaries, 38 percent of Evergreen Mill’s students will qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Loudoun Now regrets the errors.

[ LETTERS ] Not Working

HOA Deduction

Editor: Reading Butch Porter’s March 31 column “Words Used to Mean Things,” I agree with Mr. Porter that not voting for candidate Trump should not in itself make you “establishment.” However, sometimes the water gets a little murky in that regard when drilling down as to why. Like Mr. Porter, I like to think of myself as a conservative and have over the years aligned myself with such government representatives in hopes of having these ideas promoted in policy. This did not happen. Once in the system, candidates lose all sense of who they represent; they become just part of the good ole boys club, the status quo “establishment.” There has to be a realization that if we are ever going to get change of any sort, a candidate’s values, mannerisms, ability to debate and, yes, hairdo, have to be secondary to what now has to be the primary mission. That is of taking on the “establishment“ head first. For without that, we now know, there can be no real change. Some of our greatest historical leaders were not such because they had fancy hairdos or, in fact, even nice people. They were great leaders because of their ability to recognize a problem, and had the tenacity to take it on head first, go alone if they have to, and just get it done. Winston Churchill surely comes to mind. This is what we need right now and I believe candidate Trump, even with all his flaws, is this. One could argue that should Trump become president and have success in cracking the “establishment” stranglehold, his changes could make things worse than what we have now. This is an unknown. The one thing that is known, is that what we have now is not working. – Joe Korode, Hamilton

Editor: As a resident and member of the Brambleton HOA Covenants Committee, I was happy to hear that Congresswoman Barbara Comstock has officially co-sponsored HR 4696, the Helping Our Middle-Income Earners (HOME) Act. If passed, this piece of legislation will allow homeowners living in Brambleton and HOAs throughout America who earn $115,000 or less in annual income to deduct up to $5,000 of their yearly HOA fees from their federal taxes. As we all know, every cent counts when living in Northern Virginia and this simple and smart tax legislation will help many people right here in our own community of Brambleton. I thank my friend and Supervisor Tony Buffington and Congresswoman Barbara Comstock for listening and responding to our HOA’s request for their leadership and support on this legislation. – Pamela Keegan, Brambleton

A Gift Editor: Congratulations to our new Loudoun County Board of Supervisors for its resistance to the invasion of T-shirted Loudoun County School officials and parents who storm the board chambers every year trying to intimidate good folks from even asking questions about various items in the school budget and coercing supervisors into approving the full budget submitted. As a result of their negotiation skills, in concert with their commitment to control excess spending, our elderly, handicapped, and those who live pay check to pay check will now face a 1-cent increase in the tax rate this year while school officials will still receive a LETTERS >> 38

Cochran Family Dental

A VIEW FROM THE GAP

Preserve and Build Legacies BY ROGER VANCE

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

Receive a FREE Teeth Whitening Kit with every scheduled cleaning or procedure. Offer Expires April 30, 2016. Please present coupon to receive the offer. Not to be combined with any other offer. Visit us online at TheLeesburgVADentist.com

First name _____________________________________________ Last name _____________________________________________

Direct from our newsroom to your mailbox.

Loudoun Now is mailed to 34,000 homes and businesses in selected ZIP codes each week. If you do not receive the newspaper in the mail, you may purchase a subscription. The cost is $39 per 52 issues. For addresses outside Virginia, the cost is $50. To get the paper delivered every week, visit loudounnow.com/subscribe Or mail this form to with your check to:

Loudoun Now

To receive our newsletter every day via email, visit loudounnow.com/newsletter

Company name ________________________________________ Telephone _____________________________________________ Address 1 _____________________________________________ City ___________________________________________________ State _______________________________Zip ________________

Loudoun Now PO Box 207 Leesburg, VA 20178

loudounnow.com

Roger L. Vance is the mayor of Hillsboro and former editor of American History magazine.

703-771-9034

WHITENING SPECIAL

With that, movements to create local public schools began, with one result being the opening of Hillsboro’s Locust Grove Academy in 1875. The school was situated on a locust tree-covered expanse at the foot of the north Short Hill on Charles Town Pike, just beyond the eastern 1802 boundary of Hillsboro. As with many of the homes and structures in Hillsboro, the local fieldstone from the nearby Short Hills was used in the original two-story structure. The Hillsboro School played a significant role in the evolution of public education in the surrounding countryside and Loudoun County when it became consolidated in 1911 to serve children who had previously attended the Salem and Edgegrove schools. As demand grew, so too did the building, with the addition of the school’s center and a western stone wing added in 1917. In response to the needs of a growing school population, a brick auditorium was add-

1503 Dodona Terrace Suite 210 Leesburg, VA 20175

Dr. Cochran

As much as we sometimes desire otherwise, change in our communities is inevitable. But what should not be inevitable are outcomes that disregard or dishonor the past. It is often hard in the pressing present to consider and appreciate what has come before, to embrace the legacies built by others. Doing so, however, can enrich—and reinforce— the legacies we ourselves will leave behind. As Loudoun County has grown and been transformed in the past two decades, protecting and preserving our heritage has frequently been ignored or lost in the shuffle. But more and more communities are recognizing their past as a solid foundation for innovation and for building the future. Today, a long and direct line of community centered education in rural western Loudoun is converging with an innovative approach to learning in the launch of the Hillsboro Charter Academy, preserving a legacy that stretches back uninterrupted for 140 years, while promising to create a unique legacy of its own. The Virginia 1869 Constitution embedded the right to vote for “every male citizen of the United States, twenty-one years old” into state law. The constitution also mandated reforms to local government and recognized education as being a governmental responsibility, requiring the General Assembly to create a statewide system of free public schools.

ed to the rear of the stone wings in 1929. Accounts recorded in Hillsboro: Memories of a Mill Town, offer insights to the school and its greater role in the rural community: “Once a year the children would trudge up the hill and all the way through town to the Janney Mill, there to be weighed on the mill scales for the school records. Water came from the spring, and it was a special privilege to be the student chosen to carry it.” By the middle of the 20th century, the Loudoun County School system was modernizing and consolidating, increasingly rendering the old-fashioned small schools throughout the district anachronistic. When the “new” Hillsboro Elementary School was completed in 1966, it incorporated grades one through seven from the adjacent historic structure. But with the new school’s opening, the historic school structure was imperiled. Used for storage, the building’s condition declined rapidly in the decade after it was closed, being susceptible to vandals and becoming an eyesore. In response to its slated demolition in the mid-1970s, a group of citizens and former students gathered together, founding the Hillsboro Community Association dedicated to saving the structure. Hillsboro’s Old Stone School today still serves the community as Town Hall, community center and event venue. The small distinctive circular-shaped Modern Movement school building, one of just a few in Northern Virginia, is today itself deemed a contributing structure to the Hillsboro Historic District and a part of the area’s legacy. With population growth driving the building of new schools in the area, over the past decade, the small rural Hillsboro Elementary School was increasingly regarded as an inefficient relic and targeted for closure. And once again, the greater Hillsboro community banded together, taking the opportunity afforded by the Loudoun County School Board to create a public charter school that will occupy the building. Offering a science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) project-based curriculum, the Hillsboro Charter Academy will continue a long tradition of innovative, community-based and driven education in a rural setting when it opens in September. It is anticipated that the adjacent Old Stone School will once again serve students in some adjunct capacity. The Hillsboro Charter Academy’s motto, “Cultivating a Love for Learning,” borrows from its rural surroundings and succinctly describes its mission to inspire to young minds. Let the legacy building begin.

Dr. Brian Cochran and his staff at Cochran Family Dental are committed to providing a comprehensive dental office with a caring and gentle style that will serve most all of your family’s dental needs under one roof. Insurance friendly office offering budget wise payment options. Dr. Cochran has provided trusted dental care to the citizens of Loudoun for 13 years.

April 7 – 13, 2016

Welcoming all new patients

April 7 – 13, 2016

loudounnow.com

[ LETTERS ] LETTERS << 36 single year increase of $58 million. Red roses of respect and admiration to our Board of Supervisors for its work on our tax rate. When this writer walked in the same shoes as our supervisors, we used to maintain a list of all big spending orators who claimed to have no problem with raising taxes to achieve their goals and then we checked the list again to see how many orators still lived in our community after the tax bills were mailed out. However, our Board of Supervisors deserves to be the target of arrows of disappointment for the worst decision since my ancestors lived in tepees along Goose Creek. They should hang their heads in shame and be made to stand in the corner of the board chambers for “donating” $150,000 of our tax dollars to the richest community in Loudoun County because community officials cancelled their annual fair based upon a weather forecast of a potential hurricane that never materialized. Local community officials claimed a “great loss of income” as a result of the cancellation that they themselves made. The cancellation was not made by our Board of Supervisors. Regardless of where the funds are taken from to provide this “gift,” the decision by our supervisors will, in most taxpayers’ minds, go down as one of the worst decisions of this century only topped by a previous board’s decision to make us a financial partner of the mismanaged

Washington DC Metro system. Does this poor decision to donate $150,000 of our tax dollars to the richest community in Loudoun County mean that if rain falls on the annual Leesburg flower show, the charity races at Morven Park, or any fund-raising events scheduled by our Loudoun County schools that Loudoun taxpayers will have to subsidize the loss for each? This writer would bet his last patooty that Leesburg’s flower show draws more folks to Loudoun, spending more money, than attends the community fair receiving such a “gift.” This action certainly deserves arrows of disbelief rather than roses of admiration and respect. As a captain on a volunteer fire department for 10 years and the dad of a paramedic/firefighter daughter and a paramedic/firefighter son-in-law, both of whom were severely injured with broken backs suffered on their jobs and will spend the rest of their lives disabled and in intense daily pain, I challenge the officials of Loudoun County’s richest community to donate their $150,000 gift of taxpayers’ money to our fire and rescue service where it can be used on behalf of all Loudoun residents and not a selected few. – Lou Gros Louis, Lansdowne

<< FROM 1

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap.

One to three acres from the $500’s

With award-winning

3-car garage homes up to 7400 sq. feet on beautifully wooded homesites near Waterford and in Purcellville, your family will fit in perfectly.

Ask about move-in ready incentives

Call 703-926-7241 CarrHomes.com

loudounnow.com

fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov • www.fairhousing.vipnet.org

nstyer@loudounnow.com

There’s room for you in Loudoun.

All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-9753.

in this fashion, society looks to the courts for justice,” he said. The judge quoted a psychologist who treated Nguyen just hours before the shooting who said she never would have thought he was a threat to himself or others. “So much for predictions,” McCahill said, referring to Ewing’s statment. “In the end, this is about holding you accountable and protecting the safety of the public.” In addition to the life sentence on the murder charge, Nguyen will serve 10 years for burglary, five years for destruction of property, five years for malicious wounding, and three years for use of a firearm, to be served consecutively. Nguyen, dressed in red-and-white stripped scrubs with the words “Loudoun County Prisoner” on his back, gave a several minute statement before the judge read the sentencing. Between speaking, Nguyen sobbed loudly and hunched over, trying to catch his breath. “I place blame for this squarely at my feet,” he said. He recounted the testimony from family members and friends who described Corey as kind, compassionate and generous. “If I wouldn’t have killed him I probably would have liked him,” Nguyen said. “I just want to say I’m sorry. … I’m sorry for everybody’s grief on both sides.”

punched Mattison in the head as he lay dying. What factors triggered the violent deadly attack was the subject of debate during much of the hearing Monday and Tuesday. Nguyen and Denise Mattison separated in 2010 and divorced in 2011. The mediation resulted in an agreement that included terms of custody for their three children. Among the conditions was a clause that Denise Mattison said was designed to ensure the children would not be left in the care of a specific family because of concerns Nguyen had about them. The family was not named in the document. Later, Nguyen claimed the agreement forbad Denise Mattison from leaving their children with any third party. After Denise met and married Corey Mattison in 2014, Nguyen’s enforcement of that clause became obsessive. On Jan. 15, 2015, the obsession turned fatal. Nguyen showed up at the townhouse about 8 p.m. and asked to see the children. The oldest was at a school event and the younger two were sleeping. Nguyen offered to pick their daughter up at school and bring her home, but Denise Mattison said she would do it. After Nguyen left, Denise and Co-

A key defense witness during the sentencing hearing was Charles Ewing, a forensic psychologist from the University at Buffalo Law School. He was retained to determine whether Nguyen was insane at the time of the shooting. Ewing said he was not. He was, however, “psychotically obsessed” with the belief that, under the divorce agreement, his wife could not leave the children with anyone other than him. Ewing agreed that Nguyen misinterpreted the document. “He was out of touch with reality,” he said. Nguyen had been treated since his youth for Attention Deficit Disorder, but Ewing said he should have been treated for bi-polar disorder and extreme depression, brought on by the failures in his marriage and in business and fears of losing his children. On the day of the shooting, Ewing said, Nguyen “just snapped” when he realized Denise had left two of their children at home with Corey. Ewing concluded that Nguyen did not pose a threat to the community in general, but prosecutors questioned whether the one day he spent interviewing the defendant was adequate to reach that conclusion. In the end, McCahill agreed with prosecutors that a life sentence was warranted in the case. The judge described the incident as a lose-lose. A tragedy for Denise, for Corey’s mother and children, for Nguyen’s children, Nguyen and for society. “When we have a citizen that is lost

April 7 – 13, 2016

Life sentence

rey discussed whether to put the two children in the van before making a short trip to the school. Normally they would, to avoid a confrontation with her ex-husband. On that night Denise said Corey told her that they had to stop living in fear of Nguyen’s threats. He would watch the kids while she went to the school. Nguyen also went to the school and escorted his daughter to the mom’s waiting van. He saw the van was empty. He turned and ran to the Mattison home, arriving at the front door seconds later, according to the testimony. With his pistol in hand, he banged on the door demanding entry. Within seconds, their lives changed forever. Taking the stand Monday, Denise described Nguyen as manipulative and controlling, both during their marriage and after she found love and made a new life with Corey and his two children from a previous marriage. She and the children feared Nguyen’s temper. “I thought that the ‘happily ever after’ was about to begin,” Denise Mattison said about her relationship with Corey. At times, she said she puts blame on herself for his death. “He lost his life because he chose to love us and that is the only thing he ever did wrong,” she said. At the time of her husband’s death, neither knew she was pregnant. Their daughter, whom she named Corey, was born last summer.

loudounnow.com