Loudoun Now for May 4, 2017 by Loudoun Now

LoudounNow LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE

[ Vol. 2, No. 26 ]

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Antiquing in Loudoun

May 4 – 10, 2017 ]

Investigators Close Case on 2009 Leesburg Homicide BY CAROLINE BORAS

Perdue said his office wants to have time to study the impacts of the stricter guidelines and make a decision on whether to move forward with them or, more likely, reverse them. He noted that schools nationwide are reporting that more food is ending up in the trash and the number of students participating in school breakfast and lunch programs has declined. “We all know that meals can’t be nutritious if they’re not consumed—if they’re in the trash,” Perdue said. “We have to balance the sodium content, the wholegrain content with the palpability.” Speaking to members of the press, alongside Senate agriculture committee chairman U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS),

It has been more than eight years since Jammie Lane was found stabbed to death in his Leesburg home. On Tuesday, his family was offered a sense of closure. Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman announced in a press conference that Leesburg Police Department investigators believe Elias Abuelazam is responsible for Lane’s death. Lane was 44 when he died on March 26, 2009. Abuelazam had been a suspect in Abuelazam this case since 2011, when he was arrested at an Atlanta airport in connection to one homicide in Indiana, five homicides in Michigan, nine stabbings in Michigan, and one stabbing in Ohio. He also is suspect in a series of three stabbings that occurred in Leesburg in August 2010. Because of the severity of the cases in Michigan, Plowman said the Loudoun investigators and prosecutors deferred prosecution to Michigan. There, Abuelazam was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in June 2012. At the time of Abuelazam’s sentencing, investigators could not strongly link him to Lane’s death. “We were reasonably confident Mr. Abuelazam was connected to the Lane homicide, yet we did not have sufficient evidence to move forward at that time,” Plowman said. “After we determined that all reasonable means had been exhausted, detectives made several attempts to interview Mr. Abuelazam in the prison system up in Michigan.” The interviews with Abuelazam did not bring the detectives any new information, but Plowman said they kept the lines of communication open with Abuelazam anyway. Two weeks ago, Abuelazam reached out to detectives for another in-

PERDUE >> 6

HOMICIDE >> 7

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue eats lunch with students at Catoctin Elementary School on Monday. His visits to Catoctin Elementary and C.S. Monroe Technology Center were his first public appearances in his new position.

Ag Secretary Visits Leesburg to Announce Relaxed School Meal Regulations BY DANIELLE NADLER

xactly one week after Sonny Perdue was sworn in as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, he pulled up a seat at a school cafeteria table in Leesburg to enjoy a chicken-nugget lunch with students. His stop at Catoctin Elementary School Monday was his first public visit in his new role and it was about more than chicken nuggets. After he chatted with students, he stepped in front of a podium and a dozen cameras to announce a plan to relax some of the federal guidelines that regulate school meals. He signed a proclamation that will delay the more stringent rules for

wholegrain and sodium levels that were set to go into effect next school year. The regulations are the “second tier” of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act championed by Michelle Obama and signed into law in 2010 by President Barack Obama. The proclamation signed in the Catoctin Elementary cafeteria by Perdue also allows public schools to serve 1 percent chocolate and strawberry milk, instead of the current rule that permits only non-fat flavored milks to be served. “I wouldn’t be as big as I am today without chocolate milk,” said Perdue, who served as governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011. “And the kids told me that the flavored milk limited to non-fat was not as tasty as they would like, so we’re allowing 1 percent flavored milk.”

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Kids Offer Input on Future Children’s Science Center BY DANIELLE NADLER he breakfast meeting meant to drum up support for Loudoun County’s future Children’s Science Center was not a typical fundraising event. It was all about the kids. A couple of young science enthusiasts directed guests to the Belmont

Country Club ballroom last Thursday. “Good morning. Welcome,” another budding scientist said as guests entered the room. Other kids invited guests to a display with models of what they would like the Children’s Science Center to look like. “This is our dream museum,” 10-year-old Auhona Zaman said. “It’s really about how kids can make their mark on the world,” 11-year-old

Paige Dury added. The April 27 event was meant to provide an update on the long-talked-about Children’s Science Center and to ask community leaders to write a check to help make it possible. The science center will be the first of its kind in the region. It will be built on land donated by the Kincora developer

Psychologists warn: show dramatizes suicide

SCIENCE CENTER >> 43

Hometown Standout Lands with Redskins in Draft LOUDOUN NOW STAFF

ALLEN >> 43

INDEX

Steven Holland/VivaLoudoun

Jonathan Allen, who got his start at Stone Bridge High School, was picked up by the Washington Redskins.

Loudoun Gov..................... 8 Leesburg......................... 12 Public Safety................... 14 Education........................ 16 Biz.................................. 20 Nonprofit News................ 24 Our Towns....................... 28 LoCo Living..................... 30 Obituaries....................... 36 Classifieds...................... 37 Opinion........................... 40

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The Washington Redskins didn’t look far in the search of their next star player. Leesburg’s Jonathan Allen will be returning to Loudoun as he launches his NFL career. The defensive end was a standout on dominating teams at Stone Bridge High School and then went on to become the best player on the nation’s best college team, Alabama. Allen was picked in the first round— 17th overall—in last week’s NFL draft. That means you can be expected to see him back in Ashburn quite a bit over the next five years, the term of rookie contracts for first-rounders. “Feels good to be back where it all

started,” Allen tweeted April 28. “Just wanted to take the time to thank the Redskins organization and I can’t wait to get to work.” Talking with reporters following his selection, the 6-foot-3, 286-pound Allen recalled attending the Redskins training camp in Ashburn as a child to watch Donavan McNabb. Now, Loudoun youngsters will be lining up to see him play for the burgundy and gold. The 22-year-old was expected to be off the board by the time the Redskins made their pick, but concerns about a previous shoulder injury is suspected

After 24 years, Purcellville town manager looks ahead

County’s volunteers honored

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Lee Ann Brownlee, a member of the Children’s Science Center’s management team, hears 12-year-old Zac Dunn’s take on how to make the future center a place kids will love to visit.

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A pedestrian passes by the large mural in the Leesburg Town Hall parking garage. The mural is an homage to the county’s cycling scene and another effort by local artists to beautify the town with public art. The mural was a labor of love for members of the Leesburg Friends of Public Art, and Leesburg artist Kevin Dunn joined students from Tuscarora and Heritage high schools to complete the project. The mural is 52 feet wide and 7 feet tall.

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Perdue << FROM 1 Perdue asked if they could imagine a 100 percent wholegrain biscuit or a wholegrain grits. “It just doesn’t work,” he added. Loudoun County has actually bucked the national trend and seen an increase in students eating school breakfast and lunch in recent years. Director of Nutrition Services Becky Domokos-Bays has hosted taste tests and surveyed students to gather feedback on menu items. She’s also partnered with Loudoun County farmers to bring more local produce into the school cafeterias, and last year she launched a grab-and-go breakfast program that helped boost breakfast participation by 28 percent districtwide. But Domokos-Bays told Loudoun Now after the press conference that the stricter regulations that were set to begin this fall would make it more difficult to bring kids to the cafeteria table. Already her team has tested out lower-sodium soups and many kids won’t touch it. The school system got a waiver this year from the federal requirement to serve wholegrain pastas because it would fall apart before it even made it on to kids’ trays. “It’s difficult,” she said. An 8-ounce carton of milk already counts toward 10 percent of the amount of sodium allowed under federal rules, she added. “If you do the math, you get to the limit very quickly.” Perdue’s visit, particularly his an-

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Protesters stand in front of Catoctin Elementary ahead of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue’s announcement to delay the implementation of some school meal regulations.

nouncement to roll back school meal standards, was met with criticism from a crowd of protesters outside the school. About two dozen people gathered with signs and asked passersby to “honk in support of the kids.” Leesburg resident Deanna Lavanty kept her two sons, one in second grade and one in fourth grade at Catoctin, out of school today and instead joined the protest. They snacked on apples and read a book while they waited for Perdue to arrive. “We are not happy with the politicizing of the event,” Lavanty said. She added that she wouldn’t have protested if Perdue’s visit was about providing students with a lesson in how the

USDA works, or some other educational message. “But to sign something like this at a school when it’s actually going to hurt kids—it just doesn’t add up. To me it’s deceptive.” Michael Martin, director of Elementary Education in Loudoun, said the secretary’s stop in Leesburg was apolitical. His chance to visit with students over lunch was kept separate from the proclamation’s signing ceremony and press conference. Perdue also stopped by C.S. Monroe Technology Center to talk with students studying agriculture. Because of Loudoun’s proximity to the nation’s capitol, the school system has played host to many federal government leaders. Its nutrition program

Members of the press fight to get their shots of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue at Catoctin Elementary.

was in the spotlight again a year ago when USDA’s Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services’ Deputy Undersecretary Katie Wilson visited Frederick Douglass Elementary, also in Leesburg, to applaud its efforts to bring more students in for breakfast. “We really see these visits as an opportunity to recognize what Dr. Bays has done. She makes sure the food is healthy and nutritious—and that it tastes good,” Martin said. “[Perdue’s] coming to visit a school where the nutrition program is one of the best in the country.” dnadler@loudounnow.com

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speak about Lane’s death. “We did agree to give him immunity for the statements that he was going to provide to detectives,” Plowman said. “Based off the statements that he did provide detectives, we are confident he is responsible for the murder of Jammie Lane.” Abuelazam provided Leesburg Police Detective Doug Shaw with enough information about the crime and crime scene to make investigators confident he committed the crime. Plowman said he would not file charges against Abuelazam in the Lane case because there is no additional punishment the Leesburg court system can provide. Talking to Abuelazam two weeks ago was more about getting answers and closure for the family, not about prosecuting, Plowman said.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

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Preservation and Conservation Coalition Challenges GMU Housing Study

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Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Loudoun Preservation and Conservation Coalition leader Al Van Huyck at a meeting of the county’s comprehensive plan stakeholder steering committee Monday.

BY RENSS GREENE

recent George Mason University study that forecasted a massive housing shortage in Loudoun has come under criticism from another source: The Loudoun Preservation and Con-

servation Coalition. A study prepared by GMU’s Center for Regional Analysis and the consulting firm Lisa Sturtevant and Associates predicts a shortage of nearly 18,000 units by 2040 under current county development policies. In a letter to the county board this week, the coalition laid out many of the same caveats that some

supervisors have brought up about that study, albeit in stronger terms. Coalition representatives wrote that the study “is not a valid foundation for setting housing policies for the New Comprehensive Plan.” Members of the coalition’s New Comprehensive Plan Review Committee pointed out the study does not account for changes in the population that the county is planning for in the next several decades. According to the letter, those include changes in the types of housing people will want, changes in patterns of commuting as local employment grows, and the impact of Metro on both commuting and urban density. They also say those changes are already underway. From 2000 to 2015, according to the coalition, there was an uptick of 6 percent of Loudouners who work in the county, up to 56 percent. “The study can, however, serve as a useful warning of the consequences of unconstrained approval and construction of single family homes to the maximum extent allowed by current zoning and land use regulations,” the coalition wrote. They suggest the county invest in “a dynamic and flexible planning and modeling system that would allow the County to more easily analyze the interdependencies, correlations and impacts of alternative scenarios and assumptions.” In fact, the GMU study team did deliver its model to the county, one designed to allow county planners to tinker with the underlay assumptions used in the study and see how they affect its housing forecast. “I want to emphasize that these assumptions are really key to these estimates, and, of course, if we had made different assumptions, we would have made different estimates,” said Lisa Sturtevant, president HOUSING STUDY >> 10

Loudoun Transit Summit to Focus on Metro, Local Buses BY RENSS GREENE

The Peumansend Creek Regional Jail, which will close completely on June 30.

In a First, Regional Jail to Close BY RENSS GREENE The Board of Supervisor’s finance committee on April 18 faced an unusual dilemma: how to go about closing a regional jail, and what happens to those employees’ retirement plan obligations. The Peumansend Creek Regional Jail Authority was created in 1996 to house inmates from Arlington County, Caroline, Loudoun, Prince William counties and the cities of Richmond and Alexandria. It is 336bed facility on U.S. Army base Fort AP Hill in Caroline County, between Fredericksburg and Richmond. Although it is rated as medium-security facility, at the insistence of Caroline County, only minimum-security, nonviolent inmates were housed there. Loudoun reserved 40 beds there and is about to finish paying off its $2,489,379 share to help set it up. The county also contributes to the cost of running the facility. In total, the county budgeted $506,296 for the jail in fiscal year 2017.

According to county administration and the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office, the jail provided much-needed space for years. Since 1996, however, Loudoun built and then expanded its new Adult Detention Center in Leesburg. Now it has 472 beds, and Loudoun’s need is expected to stay in the low 400s until 2021. Between the adequate space here in Loudoun and Peumansend Creek’s restrictive policy allowing only non-violent inmates, Loudoun leaders have decided to leave the regional authority—as has every other jurisdiction except Caroline County. By the terms of the agreement that created the regional jail authority, any locality can pull out once their share of its cost has been paid off, which Loudoun will do as of June 1. Supervisors had decided last summer to end the agreement and the regional jail has been winding down for months. As of the beginning of April, all of the inmates and most of the REGIONAL JAIL >> 9

County supervisors have talked many times about the need for a transit summit in Loudoun, and now, they have an outline for one. Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure staff members have laid out topics and background material for the summit, focusing on the contrast between service needs before and after Metro’s Silver Line opens in Loudoun and on local bus service. The county operates four kinds of transit: long-haul commuter bus service, local fixed bus routes, Metro connection service, and carpooling and ride-matching services. As the county looks toward the changes Metro will bring, supervisors have laid out three guidelines. First is to maintain the current level of service for the long-haul buses to job sites in Washington, DC, while phasing in rate increases to make those routes pay for themselves by the time the Silver Line opens in Loudoun. Second, the county must meet federal minimum requirements for paratransit, which require providing transportation for disabled people for free within three-quarters of a mile of any local route. TRANSIT SUMMIT >> 10

Blake Named Director of Loudoun Family Services

of Human Services. Her previous human services work experience includes management and direct practice positions in the Fairfax County Department of Family Services Child Abuse and Prevention Service area, program director for the Rock Creek Foundation, senior social worker at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital Burn and Trauma Unit and program coordinator with the Albermarle County Home Care Agency Hospice Program. She begins her new post May 4. More information about the Loudoun County Department of Family Services is online at loudoun.gov/ familyservices.

to be there when their employment ended,” said committee Chairman Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). “I believe that we should treat these employees the same way that we would treat Loudoun County employees in a similar situation.” Letourneau added he “might feel differently if this was going to be an enormous financial burden on Loudoun County.” The retirement plan’s assets exceed its liabilities, meaning it is overfunded. That means the county would get a small bump to its own Virginia Retirement System plans. Specifically, to start off, Loudoun would be liable for $1,326,395, and have a $1,653,161 in assets, for a surplus of more than $300,000. Board Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) disagreed, but voted along with the committee anyway. I believe this is not different than somebody leaving a company, and what should happen is that all of the assets in the plan, including the surplus, should be distributed to the participants,” Buona said. The full Board of Supervisors must now weigh in on the retirement question. All other participating jurisdictions must also agree to the same plan for it to go into effect. So far, none have expressed any interest in taking on full responsibility for the regional jail’s complete retirement program. rgreene@loudounnow.com

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staff are gone. On June 30, the jail will shut down completely. With all the inmates back in their home jurisdictions and the last few employees closing down the facility, the participating jurisdictions must decide what to do with the jail’s leftover assets and the employees’ retirement plans. Nothing in the agreement that created the jail specified a process for closing it, and Loudoun County staff members say they have found no precedent for disbanding a regional jail in Virginia. Others that have closed have been state jails, for which the state government is responsible, rather than a collection of localities. The employees of the jail were enrolled in the Virginia Retirement System, and the member jurisdictions now face three options for dealing with the remaining funds: split up the cost of their retirement packages proportionately among the participating localities, designate a single successor to take on all the funds and all the liability, or close out the retirement plan and distribute the assets to the employees. The board’s finance committee recommended the first option. “The employees who worked at the jail had a fair and reasonable assumption that their pensions were going

Glenda Blake

<< FROM 8

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Regional jail

Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

Glenda Blake has been hired as the new director of the Loudoun County Department of Family Services, replacing Ellen Grunewald, who retired in 2016. “She is a proven leader and innovator,” County Administrator Tim Hemstreet said of Blake. “I believe her broad experience in the field of human services will be a great asset to the Loudoun County government and the community at large.” Blake was selected after a nationwide search. As the Family Services Director, Blake will oversee a department that administers a variety of programs and services that assist Loudoun’s children, families, persons with disabilities and older adults with basic needs. The department also oversees programs that protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect and exploitation; seek to improve family stability; and help families achieve safe and affordable housing and increase self-sufficiency. She comes to Loudoun from Arlington County, where she served as the Aging and Disability Services division chief. Blake oversaw the administration of programs and services designed to help older Arlingtonians live independently with dignity in the community while remaining engaged in community life. Prior to her appointment as the Aging and Disability Services division chief, Blake served as assistant to the director of Arlington’s Department

Airport Leases Metro Parking Garage Land to Loudoun

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The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has agreed to lease land to Loudoun County for the construction of a parking garage at the future Loudoun Gateway Metro station. The MWAA Board of Directors agreed to lease the county 12 acres north of the station for a one-time payment of $100. The lease, which covers land between Dulles Greenway, Lockridge Road, and the northern boundary of airport property, will run through 2067, when the authority’s federal lease expires. Also, the Board of Supervisors has awarded a $51 million contract to build that garage and one at Ashburn Station to S.B. Ballard Construction Company. A third Metro garage is being built at Ashburn Station by Comstock Partners, the real estate development firm behind the adjacent multi-use development Loudoun Station on the north side of the Dulles Greenway. The garage at Loudoun Gateway, the easternmost stop in Loudoun except for one near the Dulles Airport terminal, will connect to Lockridge Road and Station Access Road. It will have at least 1,965 parking spaces in a six-story structure. The county’s Ashburn Station garage is part of the Moorefield development, and the parking garage will be south of the Greenway. That parking garage will have at least 1,540 spaces, with street access from Silver Train Lane and Cro-

Housing study << FROM 8

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of the firm that worked with GMU to produce the study, when she presented her results to the Board of Supervisors. Staff members in the Department of Family Services said they have only recently received the model. Likewise, supervisors and members of the county’s own comprehensive plan review committee have described the study as a useful data point, but not the end-all of housing forecasts in Loudoun. That hasn’t stopped some development interests outside the county committee from raising the study as an argument for allowing more housing, even at already approved developments such as at One Loudoun. One of the members of the coalition’s comprehensive plan review com-

Transit summit << FROM 8 And third, the county will begin spending its money and configuring its bus routes to incentivize commuters to take Metro. Loudoun will be obligated to pay a percentage of Metro’s operating and capital costs, and so is invested in the rail system’s success. At the summit, supervisors will discuss the six-year Transit Devel-

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Construction equipment sits near Loudoun Station, where the developer Comstock Partners is building one of the parking garages that will serve Metro riders. Two other garages will be built by S.B. Ballard Construction Company.

son Lane and pedestrian access from the station plaza. Both are planned for opening by June 2019. Loudoun is contractually obligated to have all three garages open by the time Metro services begins in Loudoun. rgreene@loudounnow.com

mittee, former Planning Commission chairman Al Van Huyck, also serves on the county’s committee. The same day the letter was released, Van Huyck raised those concerns about the study during the county committee’s work session. In that meeting, Buddy Rizer, executive director of the Loudoun Department of Economic Development, did not directly criticize the GMU study, but did acknowledge it didn’t quite fit what he’s seeing in terms of market conditions. “I think the study does assume that housing preference will not change over time,” Rizer said. “I believe that the reason we’re having Metro come here is we want to change some of those preferences, so I think that it’s an important piece of data, but I think it has to be tempered with other information and market conditions.” rgreene@loudounnow.com opment Plan, which was updated in 2016. That plan is required to get state transit funding, and lays out the shortterm outlook for transit services in the county. They will also discuss transit funding, from ride fares, to tax funding, to advertising on buses and other ways the county pays for its transit system. The summit will be held Monday, May 22, starting at 5 p.m., in the County Government Center in Leesburg. rgreene@loudounnow.com

National Food Writer to Speak on African Traditions at Oatlands

Courtesy Michael Twitty

Nationally known food writer, scholar and culinary historian Michael Twitty presents a talk on the culinary traditions brought from Africa to America at Oatlands on Sunday, May 7.

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Oatlands is expecting a big crowd on Sunday when nationally known food writer, scholar and culinary historian Michael Twitty presents a talk on the culinary traditions brought from Africa to America. The “Afternoon with Michael Twitty” program is a collaboration by Oatlands Historic House and Gardens and the Black History Committee of Thomas Balch Library, as part of their efforts to research and document the experiences of Loudoun slaves. Twitty will explore the legacy of imported African customs and their impact on American food culture, especially in the South. Historian Lori Kimball heads the ongoing exploration of life in Oatlands’ slave community. Last year, Oatlands commemorated the 250th anniversary of Robert Carter III’s 1791 deed of gift, which emancipated more than 500 slaves, the largest private emancipation in the country’s history. Robert Carter III lived in Nomini Hall in Virginia’s Northern Neck, owning land throughout Virginia, including the Goose Creek Tract in which the present-day Oatlands is located. Sunday’s event came about through Kimball’s association with LaTonya Lawson-Jones, a descendant of slaves freed through Carter’s emancipation. She is the founder of the Nomini Hall Slave Legacy Project (nominihallslavelegacy.com). Lawson-Jones spoke during last year’s commemoration, and she and Kimball went out to dinner together. “I mentioned that I would love to have Michael Twitty do a program at Oatlands,” Kimball recalled. To her delight, she discovered Twitty and Lawson-Jones were friends. Lawson-Jones texted Twitty, and said Kimball would be calling him. “I did, and he answered,” Kimball said this week, crediting Lawson-Jones with the successful outcome. “It was all due to that fortuitous connection.” Twitty was recently named Colonial Williamsburg’s Revolutionary in Residence, to provide training and demonstrations for the Historic Foodways staff and historical interpreters. In his new role, he will also collaborate with the hospitality team on authentic recipes for the historic taverns and Traditions restaurant in the Williamsburg Lodge. To read more about Twitty’s exploration of the culinary traditions of Africa, African America and the African Diaspora check his blog Afroculinaria. He is the author of “The Cooking Gene: A Journey through African-American Culinary History in the South,” scheduled to be published later this year. Afternoon with Michael Twitty will be held at 2 p.m. in the pavilion tent, and is free. Kimball advises guests to wear comfortable shoes for the short walk to the tent. For more information on Sunday’s event, contact her at LKimball@oatlands.org or 703-7773174 ext. 3. For information on tours of the mansion and gardens at Oatlands go to oatlands.org. For more information on the Black History Committee, go to balchfriends.org/back-history-committee.

Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

BY MARGARET MORTON

loudounnow.com

[ LEESBURG ]

After Debate, Leesburg Council Creates Economic Development Panel BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ In a debate that grew intense last week, members of the Leesburg Town Council ultimately set the wheels in motion for a steering committee to take a comprehensive look at economic development efforts in the town. The steering committee was the brainchild of Councilman Ron Campbell, who raised the idea as the council finished its budget work April 4. During discussions on whether to earmark $110,000 to create a downtown Main Street program, Campbell suggested a thorough look at all the economic development efforts in town— past and present—and pinpoint the best path forward for Leesburg. While a downtown Main Street program could be a part of this discussion, the aim is to look at the entire town, he said. At that meeting, Campbell won sup-

port to put aside $125,000 in fiscal year 2018, $25,000 of which would be used to hire a facilitator to guide the steering committee, and the remaining $100,000 held in abeyance should Campbell the committee and council determine that a Main Street program is indeed a good move for the town. Last week, council members determined the make-up of the committee, which will include two council members, and determined the ultimate direction of the panel. Those votes did not come easy. Campbell raised the ire of several members when he criticized efforts of past councils to take a

comprehensive look at economic development efforts town-wide. Previous councils have held off on taking any action on studies put together by outside groups or consultants, he said. Campbell later qualified his remarks to note that he was not saying individuals who served on those councils were bad people, just that there was “a failure of council to comprehensively act on information that’s already been given.” Some on the council took exception to Campbell’s statements. In one of several motions made during the April 25 meeting, Councilman Tom Dunn suggested that, instead of capping membership on a steering committee, it should be more of an “open meeting process,” similar to the one during review of the downtown improvements capital projects in 2011. “There’s already a process in place [for reviewing the Town Plan] and it

starts with the Planning Commission,” Dunn said. “Not with a council member who’s come in recently and wants to show what he can do by starting a committee.” That motion failed, along with other motions by Dunn to exclude Town Council members from the committee; to have a consultant review past economic development accomplishments and make recommendations to the committee; to delete the paragraph of the resolution that indicated there could be up to $100,000 for future economic development initiatives; and to have the Planning Commission guide the discussion, as it normally would during Town Plan review. Councilman Ken Reid also made a series of motions that did not find support, including extending the deadline DEVELOPMENT >> 13

THE SWEET SPOT Churrology Plans Summer Debut BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ Finding late summer 2017’s newest taste sensation in Leesburg won’t be hard at all. Just look for one of last year’s most popular—and sweetest— new businesses. Churrology will be bringing a West Coast food staple—the churro—to the downtown area, and will be run out of the already popular B Doughnut, whose sweet and savory doughnuts have developed their own cult following. Business at B Doughnut has been so swift since its December opening that the shop often finds its daily, freshly made doughnut supply drained by noon, and its doors thusly closed for the day. Enter Churrology. Anhthu Pham, who works at her friends Brian and Pin Chanthapanya’s B Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

CHURROLOGY >> 13

Anhthu Pham, left, and Abby Villasenor, the women behind the coming Churrology shop show off some of their concoctions. The West Coast food staple will make its downtown debut this summer.

Town, County Team Up on Nuisance Complaints BY KARA RODRIGUEZ The Town Council and county Board of Supervisors have signed agreements that will give the Loudoun County Health Department enforcement power in Leesburg. The process started years ago when the town staff was advised by county government leaders that they lacked the legal authority to enforce its nuisance ordinance or the town’s nuisance ordinance within the town limits. It got renewed attention recently when a town resident reached out to Councilman Ron Campbell for help in dealing with a pest infestation at their home, with the cause attributed to a neighbor.

The resident had contacted the Health Department and was told the agency could not investigate nuisance complaints in town. Nuisances can include things that can be dangerous to public health and safety, including rodent or insect infestations, unsanitary disposal of garbage, and even the accumulation of water causing mosquito breeding and infestation, to name a few. The resident’s call to Campbell set the wheels in motion, and the County Attorney›s Office informed Town Attorney Barbara Notar that a memorandum of understanding between the town and county was needed to give the health department director author-

ity to enforce the county nuisance ordinance in town. In February, Mayor Kelly Burk sent an initial letter to the Board of Supervisors, questioning that requirement. She pointed to the state code, where it is spelled out that towns are unable to establish their own health departments “and therefore our residents must rely upon the County’s Health Department for these crucial services.” County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) responded, affirming the need for an MOU, and noting the board’s approval of such an agreement at its March 7 meeting. Council members ultimately approved the MOU, as well as some asso-

ciated Town Code amendments. Some members still questioned the need for an MOU and, at the suggestion of Councilman Ken Reid, the council directed Notar to seek a Virginia Attorney General’s legal opinion on the matter. Notar said she expects to hear back on that within the next three to four months. Notar said it was not the first time the town and county have needed an MOU to give the county legal power in the town. She pointed to an earlier agreement that granted the county government enforcement authority for the town building maintenance code. That was needed to investigate complaints of excessive occupancy in residences, she said. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Development

<< FROM 12

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Council Ends Purchase Talks on Wirt St. Property The Leesburg Town Council last week ended discussions with a Wirt Street property owner on a parcel that could have aided in a future expansion of the Town Hall. In February, council members, following a closed session, directed Town Attorney Barbara Notar and the town staff to explore the purchase of a house for sale at 16 Wirt St. SW. At the time the property had recently come on the market. It was assessed by the county at

Movies in the Park Returns A popular Ida Lee Park summer tradition kicks off Friday, May 19, when Movies in the Park makes its return. The free series will feature a movie on the third Friday evening of every month through August. This year’s offerings are: Annie, Friday, May 19; Little Giants, Friday June 16; Air Bud, Friday, July 21; and The Pink Panther, Friday, Aug. 18. Show time will begin at dusk, between 8:15-8:45 p.m. Picnics and blankets are encouraged. Pets, glass containers, and alcohol are not permitted.

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Doughnut shop along with managing a Tysons Corner restaurant, will debut her churro concept in the late summer months. Churrology will open for the day when B Doughnut closes—the exact schedule is not yet nailed down, but Pham said she foresees Churrology opening after noon and staying open until the late afternoon or early evening hours. For Pham, undertaking her first business venture has been an interesting journey. After graduating from George Mason University with a nursing degree, Pham decided the medical field wasn’t for her. She began working in the restaurant industry and, after working her way up the ladder, now serves as manager of the Chasin’ Tails restaurant. “My mom planted a seed in my head—since I have the knowledge of managing a place maybe I could come up with a concept and open my own place,” Pham said. She began saving up her money to make that dream a reality. She flew to Los Angeles in search of some West Coast food concepts that had not yet made their way onto the East Coast scene. “I fell in love with this churro shop,” she said. “And I thought Loudoun County is a very diverse area where people are so open to different cultures, why not bring it to this area and dress it up with different toppings?” She told the Chanthapanyas of her idea, and they had an idea of their own. “They said, ‘why don’t you open it here,’” Pham said. “This place is naked from noon on. It’s the perfect opportunity for a start-up.” The businesses both see the positive impacts the space-sharing ar-

rangement can have. In addition to splitting the cost of rent, it can also be an opportunity for both businesses to cross-promote, Pin Chanthanpaya said. With B Doughnut’s established following, Churrology has already received considerable attention from its social media fans. And Churrology’s opening could draw out new customers who had not yet made their way to B Doughnut. Pham recognizes that most locals’ only exposure to churros has been via the Costco food court. But there will be a big difference with what Churrology will serve up, she says. “The difference between Costco churros and what I will be offering is these are going to be handmade, made-to-order, not frozen or anything,” she said. The Ashburn resident also employed her mom in her quality control efforts leading up to Churrology’s opening, perfecting the texture of the churros and the different glazes and toppings that will be available to customers. Glazes will include the custom glaze, vanilla, caramel, white chocolate and chocolate, she said, and toppings will include Fruity Pebbles, Oreos, s’mores ingredients and more. Pham said she is trying to keep her offerings “as simple as possible” and not have an enormous toppings bar, like popular frozen yogurt chains, to overwhelm customers. Guests will also have the option to add a side of soft-serve ice cream to their churro, she said. With a few months remaining to perfect her concoctions, Pham said she is already hearing excitement from B Doughnut customers about her impending opening. “People are coming into B Doughnut asking about Churrology,” Pham said. “It’s a crazy reality check that it’s actually happening.”

The 10th annual Get Smart! 5K Stampede will get its start at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 6, at Smart’s Mill Middle School. The event is a flat course race, certified by USAT&F, and begins and ends at the school, located at 850 N. King St. A free quarter-mile Kids’ Run begins after the start of the 5K and before the announcement of awards. Finishers ribbons will be given to all participants. All proceeds from the Get Smart! 5K benefit the Smart’s Mill Middle School PTA. The top three overall male and female finishers will receive awards. The top two finishers in the following age groups will also receive prizes:10 and younger; 11-14; 15-19; 20-29; 30-39; 4049; 50-59; 60-69; and 70 and over. Drivers should expect delays in the area during the race. Catoctin Circle from Battlefield Drive to Marshall Drive will be closed from 8 a.m. to about 9 a.m. Online registration with PR Races closes May 4. For more information, go to potomac.enmotive.com.

$284,000. In an interview following the vote, Mayor Kelly Burk had emphasized that the town was just exploring the possibility of buying the property, but could have provided the town with more room on which to eventually expand Town Hall. Now, it appears council members are set to look elsewhere. The council came out of an April 25 closed session to direct Town Manager Kaj Dentler to end discussions with the Wirt Street property owner. However, an additional motion authorized Dentler and Notar to “explore the purchase of a certain office building located in Leesburg for a public purpose.” According to Notar, state code does not require localities to disclose the address of a property to which it is exploring a purchase. In the case of the Wirt Street property, the owner had previously been contacted, which is why that property’s address had been disclosed, she said.

Churrology

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Get Smart! 5K Runs Saturday

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

for the committee to issue its recommendations to the Town Council to January with stakeholder input in the fall, rather than summer; a motion requiring a cost-benefit analysis be presented to the council if any new spending item is discussed; and a motion for the two business representatives on the steering committee to be either one of the top commercial property owners in town or one of its top private employers. One change that came leading up to Tuesday night’s meeting, agreed to by Campbell, was that the two council members serving on the committee would do so in an ex officio, or non-voting, role. Several council members had voiced concerns that having council members be voting members of the committee could give them an opportunity to guide the debate. Ultimately, the council voted 5-2, with Reid and Dunn dissenting, to form the committee and lay out its scope of work, which will include a look at past studies and accomplishments first. Led by a facilitator, the

[ BRIEFS ]

Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

<< FROM 12

committee will hold open meetings that will also include sessions primarily for public input. A final report will be presented to the council before the end of the year. Councilman Hugh Forsythe nominated Campbell and Councilman Marty Martinez to serve on the steering committee. That was agreed to in a 6-1 vote, with Dunn again dissenting. Also serving on the committee will be two representatives from the Planning Commission, one from the Economic Development Commission, two members of the business community, which could include property owners, and two town residents. The latter four representatives would be chosen by committee members. In his comments, Reid said he was sad to have had to vote against the steering committee. “I liked the concept of doing a Town Plan review,” of the economic development section, he said. “The current thing is very skimpy with very few decent objectives. I’m hoping for the best; I just didn’t like the process. We were not able to thoroughly discuss the work plan in work session.”

Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

loudounnow.com

[ PUBLIC SAFETY ]

Lorton Man Sentenced for Fatal Leesburg Stabbing BY CAROLINE BORAS Anthony Bryant Jr. was sentenced April 27 to five years in prison for the March 2015 fatal stabbing of James Sealey in the parking lot of a Leesburg convenience store. Bryant, 23, of Lorton, will serve three years in prison, with two years suspended, on the conviction of voluntary manslaughter. Judge Jeanette A. Irby also ordered Bryant to undergo substance abuse screenings while in prison and during his probation period. The stabbing occurred March 28, 2015, after a fight broke out in the Plaza Street 7-Eleven parking lot. The

defense said Bryant pulled out his pocket knife to protect his cousin, Ledeil Powell, who had fallen to the ground during the fight. Bryant stabbed Sealey twice in the ab- Bryant domen before police came to the scene. “I was looking over the notes, trying to reconcile the versions of events of what happened that evening,” Irby

said during the sentencing hearing. “None of us know what happened that evening.” The defense and prosecution presented evidence that painted two different pictures of that night’s events. The defense pulled from the police report, which included statements from people who saw the fight happen. The eyewitnesses’ accounts taken together were not enough to explain what actually occurred during the fight. The prosecution argued that the defense was trying to paint a clear picture of what happened that night, when too many factors were unknown.

“What we had here were two young men with their lives ahead of them,” Irby said. “One man has been lost to us forever because of the poor decisions of Mr. Bryant.” Before leaving the courtroom, Bryant apologized to Sealey’s family, who had gathered to see the sentencing. “I wasn’t trying to hurt anybody,” he said. “I just wanted them to leave us alone.” Bryant was taken back to the Adult Detention Center, where he was already incarcerated for breaking the conditions of his bond.

Suspect Charged with Soliciting Ashburn Teen, Deputies Seek Additional Victims A 35-year-old Maryland man has been charged with two counts of online solicitation of a teenager following an investigation by the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office and the Salt Lake City Sheriff ’s Office. The investigation began March 7, when the LCSO received a report from a concerned family member that a girl from Ashburn was communicating via social media and engaging in sexual activity with a male that was believed to be an

adult. The male was later identified as Derrick La Marr Jones. During the investigation, it was determined that Jones had provided transportation for the teenager to travel to the Baltimore area to

La Marr Jones

meet him. It is believed that Jones used social media and attended multi-genre entertainment/comic book conventions to make contact with juvenile females. Jones often used the alias of Kanovski Zan-Lee Vulgen or “Kano” or “Lee” and introduced himself as being in his late teens or early 20s. Since March 2017, Jones has been in the area of Orlando, FL, Albuquerque, NM, Flagstaff and Phoenix, AZ, Los Angeles and Sacramento, CA, and Salt Lake

City, UT. Loudoun detectives are seeking information regarding other victims who may have known, associated with or communicated with Jones. Anyone with any information about the case is asked to call Detective J. Suess at 703-777-0475 or to submit a tip through the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office app. The Loudoun Sheriff ’s Office app is available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

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Can Purcellville afford to continue operating a full-time police department? That’s a fundamental question some Town Council members asked during Monday night’s budget work session. The council members entered the meeting with a long list of proposed lineitem cuts to make from Town Manager Robert Lohr’s proposed budget. In the Police Department, they ranged from cutting the overtime budget by as much as 58 percent and eliminating two requested positions to save tens of thousands of dollars to trimming $500 from the agency’s computer operations and $3,000 for ammunition. The council’s major cut, on a 4-3 vote, was to the request to add a new police officer position. That action reduced the budget by about $76,000, but it won’t help relieve the staff on the department’s staff, which is already undermanned with one recent retirement and two new officers still training at the academy. The council also debated whether to fill the vacancy created by last month’s retirement of Corporal Rick Costello, but ultimately agreed, in one of the few unanimous votes of the evening, to retain that $65,000 position. Chief Cynthia A. McAlister told the council that her staff was working hard to keep shifts filled until the department can get back up to its authorized staffing levels, but more positions will be need-

ed to sufficiently operate the department if it is to retain the focus on community policing that became its hallmark during the term of her predecessor, Chief Daryl Smith. McAlister said she took the job two years ago with the mission to continue that. “Community policing is manpower intensive. Community policing is expensive,” she told the council. “We, right now, are getting by.” Deputy Chief Joe Schroek was more direct. “We’re barely hanging on now,” the 34-year law enforcement veteran said. “I don’t know how much more I can take it to be quite honest.” With the staffing shortage, Schroek and others have been filling the gaps on the street when other officers take time off, are called to court or take care of family business. “I’ve been covering shifts for the past three months,” he said. Looking at the list of the council’s proposed budget cuts, with Councilwoman Kelli Grim’s list cutting the deepest, he calculated the agency could lose 12 percent of its budget rather than get the 3 percent increase proposed by Lohr. While none proposed eliminating the department, some council members have suggested that the county Sheriff ’s Office could do more to help out in town, and Mayor Kwasi Fraser asked whether the town should continue to have officers in the street around the clock every day.

15 Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

Council Concerned Over Purcellville Police Costs

loudounnow.com

[ E D U C AT I O N ]

[ SCHOOL NOTES ] Military Academy Day Saturday

loudounnow.com

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Students in Riverside High School’s production of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” rehearse ahead of the production’s opening weekend. Junior Noah Hamadé, at top, plays Willy Wonka.

Riverside Goes Wonka Riverside High School is in its second year, but it’s already gearing up to present big-time productions. Its theater company, Moon River Productions, showcases “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” this weekend. Performances are at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 4 and Friday, May 5, and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, May 6, in the Riv-

erside auditorium, 19019 Upper Belmont Place in Leesburg. Under the direction of Michael Guillen, co-direction of Jennifer Ulloa, and vocal direction of Glenn Cockrell, the production brings Roald Dahl’s tale to life with innovative sets and costumes and fresh choreography. General admission is $10; $5 for students and for all seats at the matinee. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at rvhsfineartsboosters.com/tickets.html.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock’s office will put on the annual 10th Congressional District Military Academy Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 6. It will be held at the Loudoun school administration building, 21000 Education Court in Ashburn. The event is free and open to all students, parents and guidance staff who are interested in learning more about the nation’s service academies. Representatives from Army, Navy, Air Force and Merchant Marine service academies will be in attendance, and representatives from the Coast Guard, Marine Cor ps ROTC program, the Virginia Army National Guard, Virginia Military Institute, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets and The Citadel have been invited. The American Legion and Randolph-Macon Academy will also be represented. For more information contact Mary Ann Cannon at 703-4046903 or Maryann.Cannon@ mail.house.gov.

Loudoun Approves Joint School, Park Site Permit BY RENSS GREENE The Loudoun Board of Supervisors has approved a tentative site plan for the 151-acre Hovatter Farms property where it will share space with the schools for a high school, an elementary school, and possibly a county park. The property off Light Ridge Road, near Willowsford and south of Braddock Road, will soon serve as the site

of HS-9, ES-29, and a 30-acre county parcel. The county government is picking up $8.45 million of the property’s $10 million price tag, while the school district will pay the balance. After purchase, supervisors plan to divide the property with the schools. The land is assessed at $4 million in the county’s tax records. HS-9 will be a 302,000-squarefoot, two-story building with room

for 1,800 students, a stadium, baseball and softball fields, tennis courts, track facilities, and two physical education fields. The plans are being fast-tracked to help address classroom space needs in Dulles South. The school is scheduled to open in fall of 2020, a year earlier than originally planned. ES-29 will be a 105,00-square-foot, HOVATTER FARMS >> 18

LCPS Warns Against Netflix Series ‘13 Reasons Why’ Loudoun County school officials sent an email to parents last week warning about a Netflix series they say sensationalizes suicide. The letter said the school system has heard concerns from educators and parents about the fictional series “13 Reasons Why.” The show, rated for mature audiences, details the story of a 17-yearold girl who leaves behind 13 audiotapes prior to her suicide. The tapes reveal how her relationships with others led to her suicide. The episodes include graphic content involving sexual assaults and the act of suicide. Mental health professionals have raised concerns about the potential risks that exist for some teenagers because of the sensationalized treatment of suicide. “The decision to allow your children to watch this series is, of course, a personal choice,” the email reads. “However, given the abundance of concern from professional organizations and mental health professionals, we wanted to make

you aware of its potential effect.” The email provided a link to an article from the National Association of School Psychologists website that provides information about how to approach children about the show. [Read it at loudounnow.com/13reasons_nasp]. It also encouraged families to read about youth suicide warning signs at youth-

suicidewarningsigns.org or connect with local resources. Through Loudoun County Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Developmental Services, help is available 24 hours, seven days a week at 703-7770320 for those experiencing an immediate and severe emotional crisis. The Crisis Intervention Team Assessment Center, at 102 Heritage Way, Leesburg, is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily with mental health professionals available for anyone in crisis. Non-emergency appointments can be made at 703-7715100. “If you wish to discuss concerns regarding your child and the issue of suicide,” the letter states, “please contact your school counselors, school psychologist, or school social worker.” See related column by counselor Neil McNerney on page 40 —Danielle Nadler

Courtesy of Jeff Marschner

Augusta Dadiego

Riverside Student Wins Congressional Art Contest Rebecca Ashley, a junior at Riverside High School in Lansdowne, won the 2017 10th Congressional District Art Competition’s Best in Show award. The competition was hosted by U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock’s office. The congresswoman presented the award to Rebecca during a reception April 24 at The George Washington University Virginia Science & Technology Campus. The competition, which was open to all high school students who reside in the 10th Congressional District, received art from every region of the district, which includes all of Loudoun, Frederick and Clarke counties and parts of Fairfax and Prince William counties. An independent panel judged each piece of art. Rebecca entered two pieces of art; her second submission received third place in another category. Her winning piece will hang SCHOOL NOTES >> 18

SHOWCASE

22941 Foxcroft Road • Middleburg VA 20117 the structure. All new windows and doors were added to bring in natural light throughout the house, including five new dormer windows on the third floor. Rosemarie Howe, of Rosemarie R. Howe Interiors from Washington DC, was asked to assist in designing the interior of the house. An example is the kitchen which evokes a traditional farmhouse feeling by incorporating a paneled ceiling, rich hardwood flooring and hand-made custom cabinetry built by local artisan, Calvin Page. Mixed in are modern luxuries such as thick Brazilian soapstone countertops, a deep farmhouse apron-front sink, a 6-burner Dacor stove with hood, Sub-Zero refrigerator and a large island. Small original bedrooms on the 2nd floor were reconstructed into a Master Suite with a Walk-in Closet and a Full Bath, along with a second Bedroom with a Full Bath. The top floor was opened up to create a new third Bedroom with a spacious sitting area and a Full Bath. To the Southwest side of the house, an addition allowed for functional service spaces such as a Powder Room, Mudroom and a separate Laundry Room. A large screened in porch with a fireplace overlooks the gardens and pool area below. Above is a large two-room Office space or another possible Guest Bedroom. To round out the renovation team, the owners hired landscape architect, Barry Stark of Earth Design Associates, to accentuate and compliment the incredible beauty of this setting. Over 200 trees have been added to the property while century old trees have been protected. He convinced the owners to change the main entrance to incorporate a new driveway that winds through the farm up to the house. Other outbuildings include an old Farm Manager’s House, a Bank Barn with a Workshop, a 4-stall Shed Row barn and other storage structures. There is an installed underground dog fence and the property is fully fenced with 4-board fencing for all livestock. This farm is ideal for all equestrian pursuits or simply enjoy it as a primary residence or weekend retreat. Stonyhurst is a versatile property that will suit any buyer seeking to embrace the serenity of living in the Middleburg countryside.

cricket@thomasandtalbot.com Thomas & Talbot Real Estate 2 South Madison Street Middleburg VA 20117 Office (540) 687-6500 Cell (540) 229-3201

Quick take: ■ 94 acres

(Easement allows that the farm may be divided into 2)

■ $4,750,000

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CRICKET BEDFORD

n the market for only the third time since it was built a century ago is Stonyhurst Farm, located less than a mile from the stoplight in the historic village of Middleburg. This gently rolling 94-acre property, once called Mt. Olive, is anchored by a stunning circa 1890’s stone house first owned by the well-known Duffey family, one of the founders of the Middleburg Hunt. Follow the meandering tree lined driveway through re-built stone fence lines up to this magnificent home privately sited on a slight rise near the back of the farm. Back in 2000, this large parcel of land was slated to become the site of 15 homes when the current owners saved it. The farm, with over a half mile of road frontage along Foxcroft Road, was placed under a conservation easement and has been lovingly brought back to life over the last 17 years. The house was in desperate need of serious renovation when the owners tasked a young Washington DC architect named Donald Lococo to restore and modernize the historic structure. Their goal was to embrace the simple country lifestyle they so desired in Middleburg without over-doing the home. Lococo’s idea was to keep the basic footprint of the house, adding a screened porch to the front and a covered porch in the back so the owners could watch sunrises and sunsets from all angles. The 2½-year remodel also considered how the home might yet expand. Homes of that era were added on to over time and the plan provides for a logical place for another addition to the North side of the house. Mr. Lococo took the house back to its farmhouse roots by utilizing old style building methods more typical of that time period. He gave careful consideration to the materials used by salvaging as much of the original hardwood flooring as he could, preserving the original stone mantels, and using only native field stone found at the site for the additions. The owners employed artisans who could match the unique imperfections found in both the interior stucco wall and the mortar in the exterior stonewalls. In order to add space to the house, the owners were careful to the make the additions balance with the rest of

STONYHURST

Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

LOUDOUN NOW’S REAL ESTATE

[ SCHOOL NOTES ]

Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

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<< FROM 16 in the U.S Capitol for the next year. “Each year I am impressed by the breadth of artistic talent presented by students in the 10th District,” Comstock stated. “I appreciate the hard work of our supportive teachers and parents for fostering a creative passion in their students and children and helped make this year’s Congressional Art Competition such a success. I also thank our judges and students for all of their hard work this year.”

Leesburg Students Head to History Competition Three Loudoun Country Day School

students will join others from around the nation to compete in the National History Day competition, to be held at University of Maryland June 11-15. Eighth-graders Danae Flannery and Noora Samadi collaborated on a documentary of Cesar Chavez. Their presentation at the state level in Richmond on April 22 won them second place, which qualified them for the national competition. Eighth-grader Sophia McMahon competed in the individual documentary category. Her project on Margaret Sanger took first place. At Loudoun Country Day School, seventh- and eighth-grade students either produce a documentary or website as part of their civics and history projects.

Courtesy of Amy Warner

From left, eighth-graders Sophia McMahon, Noora Samadi and Danae Flannery will take part in the National History Day competition.

Hovatter Farm << FROM 16

ake mm a S ncle rs Let U our floo ! l y

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two-story building with room for 928 students. It is scheduled to open in the fall of 2023. The tentative site layout shows the elementary school nearest Light Ridge Road, with roads on either side of the elementary school providing access to the high school, set further back in the property. The county has no immediate plans to develop its 30-acre share of the site,

although the recently approved permit shows a play area, pavilion, and two athletic fields. The county parcel is in the northwestern corner of the property—behind the school properties from Light Ridge Road, bordering the future Willowsford Greens to the west. The plans also show a possible new access point to the site from the north to get to the county’s share of the land, although no road exists there currently. The nearest road to the north is Grassland Grove Drive, in Willowsford. rgreene@loudounnow.com

The future layout of the Hovatter Farm property, as prepared by engineering firm Urban Ltd. of Annandale. The county government and schools will share the property for a high school, an elementary school, and a possible county park.

Apr. May 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10, 2017 LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

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Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

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[ BIZ ]

[ BIZ BRIEFS ]

Small Business Week Aims to ‘Educate, Celebrate, Accelerate’ BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

rganizers of Loudoun Small Business Week are hoping to draw on the success of previous years, and put the county’s small business community in the spotlight for all it has to offer. For Vanessa Wagner, the small business and entrepreneurship manager at the Loudoun County Department of Economic Development, and her Small Business Week team, preparations for the 2017 event started last May. “It’s an opportunity to uniquely celebrate Loudoun County,” she says of the May 15-21 schedule of events. And doing that within the guise of its constantly growing small business community means getting a pulse from its entrepreneurs and executives on what they would like to see featured during the week. Wagner also takes into account what types of inquiries the Department of Economic Development receives from its business community throughout the year, including what challenges they are facing and what questions do they have. Armed with that data, Wagner said her goal for 2017 was also to highlight some of the emerging industries within Loudoun. The craft brewing industry gets its moment in the sun, with a Tuesday, May 16, panel discussion and movie screening. The emergence of unmanned aircraft, i.e. drones, and the opportunities it presents businesses will also be the focus of a Friday, May 19, educational panel. Another new addition to the events roster is a daylong conference to kick off the week’s festivities. The Small

Submitted Photo

Krista Woods’ success with GloveStix started with an appearance on NBC’s TODAY show.

Ashburn Mom Racks Up Awards for Sports Deodorizer

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

For Vanessa Wagner, the small business and entrepreneurship manager for the county’s Department of Economic Development, Small Business Week is the culmination of a year’s work.

Business Conference on Monday, May 15, will feature educational workshops on managing and growing a small business and networking opportunities that include breakfast, lunch, and an evening mixer and resource fair. The daylong conference is an opportunity to catch some small business owners who may not be able to make it to multiple events throughout the county in a week, Loudoun Small

LOUDOUN SMALL BUSINESS WEEK IS MAY 15-21, and kicks off with a daylong Small Business Conference May 15. Cost for the oneday conference is $97 fee. Many events throughout the week are free or low cost. See full schedule and details at loudounsmallbiz.org. Business Development Center Manager Eric Byrd said. “In years past, we have had multiple educational opportunities throughout the week that were in different locations throughout the county and happened on various different days within the week,” Byrd said, and noticed that that format made it tough for small SMALL BUSINESS WEEK >> 22

‘Intrapreneur’ Rhinehart to Deliver Conference Keynote BY KARA RODRIGUEZ Belmont resident Craig Rhinehart, a senior executive at IBM, will serve as the afternoon keynote speaker for the inaugural Loudoun Small Business Conference on May 15. The event is new to the slew of activities planned for Loudoun Small Business Week, and Rhinehart and his captivating career ascent should serve as a memorable way to usher in the second half of the daylong conference. Rhinehart has been a part of IBM’s leadership for more than a decade, but his professional career began at a young age in an entirely different field —photography. He started his first business in photography at 19, leaving college after one semester to begin his career focusing on retouching photos. “This was well before the time of Photoshop,” he jokes. Three years later, he had the op-

File photo

Craig Rhinehart

portunity to buy his first company, a family-owned photography business that also worked in the computer industry. At the time, the company Rhinehart and his business partner bought was the exclusive distributor of Bell & Howe products in the

Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia areas. “In the 1980s one of the products Bell & Howe started distributing was Apple computers, and at that point in time Bell & Howe was the exclusive distributor to school systems. And we were the exclusive dealer for Bell & Howe,” he explained. “It was really through that set of relationships that I was exposed to what we now call IT.” Even though he had a passion for photography, Rhinehart admits that after that initial exposure to the IT and computer industry, “I never looked back.” Before joining IBM, he spent more than two decades starting companies, buying companies and turning them around. Today, Rhinehart is focusing on IBM’s Watson Health sector, bringing core technologies to the health care industry. A main focus for Rhinehart, and one he says will beRHINEHART >> 22

GloveStix won the 2017 American Small Business Championship hosted by SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors. In the program, 102 entrepreneurs were awarded for their dedication to the success of their small businesses. The American Small Business Champions will each receive a $1,000 Sam’s Club gift card, an all-expense-paid trip to a training and networking event, SCORE mentoring and publicity throughout the year. Owned and operated by Krista Woods, of Ashburn, GloveStix entered the market in 2015 and won NBC’s TODAY show’s “Next Big Thing” competition In October, Woods was awarded a grant from The Woman’s Net Amber Grant program and, in January, she was selected as the Amber Grant Recipient of the Year. GloveStix then was one of 102 business ventures nationally to earn the title of a 2017 American Small Business Champion. GloveStix is eligible to win one of three additional $25,000 grand prizes by being named Grand Champion. A judging panel of small business experts will select three Grand Champion from the group of Small Business Champions this summer. Learn more at glovestix. com.

Pivot Physical Therapy Celebrates Leesburg Opening Pivot Physical Therapy on Wednesday held a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony to open its Leesburg location at 201 Ft. Evans Road. Maryland-based Pivot Phys-

BIZ BRIEFS >> 23

Apr. May 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10, 2017 LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

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5/2/2017 4:54:45 PM

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MIDDLEBURG HUMANE FOUNDATION

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TROOPER

Trooper is a 7 year old West Highland White Terrier. He came to us as a retired breeder in rough shape: severe dental disease, very matted & in need of TLC. He is great with other dogs but can't make up his mind about these things we call "cats" & prefers to bark at them. He is looking for a home that will be patient while he learns the ropes on house training & normal dog activities as he was robbed of this for a lot of his life. He would do well in a dog only home with no cats. He is a lovely little dog that really has started coming out of his shell the more time that we spend with him.

www.middleburghumane.org

(540) 364-3272

<< FROM 20 come especially important for business owners and executives to pay attention to, is cognitive computing. “Quite frankly, it’s a new era of computing,” he said. “Computers are dumb, unless you tell them what to do they’re just going to sit there and do nothing. There are armies of people sitting around coding instructions for what you want a computer to do when it gets data. Cognitive computing is different—computers now have the ability to learn from outcomes and actions. So instead of you programming a computer to do a series of steps it can learn, if trained on a set of data, from what happened previously and start making recommendations.” In the health care industry, this could mean that a computer can scan information on clinical trials and make recommendations to a doctor on what trials their patient may be eligible or

Small business << FROM 20

PURCELLVILLE /10 ACRES $850,000

Open House Sunday, May 7th 1-3

Gorgeous brick front colonial with over 5400 finished Sq Ft. Custom deck & gazebo over looking beautiful country setting with creek. Spacious kitchen with sunroom. 3 car attached garage and 2 car detached. A very special property. Directions: Rt. 7 West, right on Charlestown Pike, left on Hillsboro Rd, first left on Koerner Lane, go half a mile to home on right.

NEW LISTING $375,000

Absolutely perfect 3 finished level townhome in Ashburn. All new , wood floors, carpet & paint. New granite and stainless appliances. Trex deck. Won’t last.

UNDER CONTRACT $375,000

COMMERCIAL ½ ACRE CORNER LOT $600,000

No others like it on the market. New electric, roof & more. Addition to home or additional structure(s) permitted. Many, many possibilities.

20 ACRES $635,000

SOLD Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

Rhinehart

Spectacular 1.84 acre lot overlooking pond and fabulous views. 4 bedrooms, 2 finished levels and 2 fireplaces. Won’t last long.

The country lifestyle you have been dreaming of. 20 Acres of complete privacy and beauty abounds. Solid built custom home w/ hardwood floors thru out. Possibility of subdividing.

business leaders to attend. “… We said let’s put them all together and have a full day of education right at the beginning of the week.” K2M is serving as the signature sponsor for the first small business conference. For CEO Eric Major it was an important event to be involved in giving his own professional path. Major started two companies in Loudoun and recognizes that many at the conference have that same initial spark he had as he launched his companies. “It’s so hard to turn a spark of an idea into a reality,” Major said, “and this event makes available to those in attendance all the resources that the town, county and Small Business Development Center offer.” The mid-point of the week, Wednesday, May 17, contains the annual Leesburg Business Appreciation Awards, an important opportunity to “celebrate the success of the small business community,” Wagner says. And the week concludes with the weekend-long Spring Farm Tour, where the rural economy gets its time in the spotlight. Leveraging its army of community

ineligible for, and explain why. But cognitive computing is something that will impact all industries, Rhinehart emphasizes, and is something to which he hopes everyone pays close attention. “Cognitive computing is something that is going to disrupt every business and every industry. In any business scenario where you have people making decisions and reliant on a set of information this is an opportunity to enhance what you’re doing or an opportunity to disrupt competitors,” he said. Looking back on his career path thus far, Rhinehart said it has indeed been an interesting one. “You wouldn’t draw up my career path and go recommending people do this, but it’s worked out,” he said. “I went from an entrepreneur to an intrapreneur. I’m doing the same kinds of things that I was as an entrepreneur. I’m just doing it in a larger organization.” krodriguez@loudounnow.com partners has been essential in spreading the word to the growing business community about the events that are available not only during Small Business Week, but throughout the year. “If they don’t know about the resources they don’t know to use them,” Wagner said. “The county has done a fantastic job of supporting entrepreneurial assets and they are here for entrepreneurs to utilize. And it’s my job to add more of those resources.” In her three years of helping to run Small Business Week, Wagner said this is the first time she’s received daily calls and emails about the planned events. “That’s a testament to the growth of Loudoun County,” she said. Wagner emphasizes the importance of attendees registering for events ahead of time. Some events are free, while others have a nominal cost. The daylong Small Business Conference has a $97 fee, which includes breakfast, lunch, and snacks during the evening reception. To register or for more information on the conference, go to loudounconference.com. For more information and to register for other Small Business Week events, go to loudounsmallbiz.org. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Wages Go Up for Some Dulles Airport Workers Previously, the living wage program only applied to certain contracts to which the authority was party, including custodial services, unarmed security, grounds maintenance at the airports and the Dulles Toll Road, as well as window cleaning at Reagan. “Airport personnel – no matter their employer – are the first line of defense in a security network deployed to keep passengers and the public safe in an ever-changing and increasingly complex operating environment,” said MWAA Chairman William Shaw McDermott. “This policy, which is grounded in the need to ensure that competitive wages are paid by employers of airport workers, is a sound business and economic decision that

rgreene@louduounnow.com

[ BIZ BRIEFS ] << FROM 20

Leapfrog Gives Inova Loudoun an ‘A’ for Safety

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The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization that promotes quality, safety, and transparency in the country’s health care system, has awarded Inova Loudoun Hospital an “A” rating for its efforts to reduce errors, infections, and accidents. It was one of 823 hospitals nationwide to receive the top ranking. “We are honored to be recognized nationally for our patient safety record,” Inova Loudoun CEO H. Patrick Walters stated. “I’m grateful to work with staff, nurses and physicians who are truly extraordinary. They care deeply about patient safety and providing exceptional care to each patient.” Developed under the guidance of an expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice each year. To see Inova Loudoun’s full grade, and to access consumer-friendly patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, go to hospitalsafetygrade.org.

FOR CATS TOO!

ical Therapy was named the Ascend Practice of the year in 2016 and continues to expand in the Mid-Atlantic region, now operating more than 150 locations. Pivot provides physical therapy, sports medicine and aquatic therapy services. With the recent expansion, which also includes an office in Sterling, the company has 13 Northern Virginia locations. The Leesburg clinic’s areas of expertise include acute and chronic pain, arthritis, auto and work-related injuries, back and neck pain, balance disorders, fibromyalgia, sports injuries, sprains and strains. In addition, the clinic offers specialty services in dry needling, an increasingly popular therapy for muscle pain. Learn more at pivotphysicaltherapy.com.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board of Directors today voted to expand its minimum wage protections to more contract workers at Reagan National and Dulles airports. The wage rules will now cover employees of any business providing support services to airlines—from aircraft mechanical work to baggage handling—or selling concessions on airport property. Starting Jan. 1, those businesses will have to pay their workers an hourly wage of at least $11.55. In 2019, that rate will go up to $12.15; in 2020, it will be $12.75; and thereafter it will be adjusted according to a

consumer price index. Tipped workers will be paid no less than $2.13 an hour. The board plans to review this change again in 2019. Since 2002, some contracts have already been covered by the airports authority’s “living wage” program, which currently set a minimum hourly wage of $14.27. According to a presentation by the board’s Ad Hoc Committee on Labor Issues, which recommended the change after a year of deliberation, that policy currently applies to 10 contracts at the airport; the expansion will cover eight more at an additional annual cost of $750,000 to $850,000. The committee concluded that was a relatively small financial impact for the benefits of the new policy.

23 Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

BY RENSS GREENE

supports the Airports Authority’s mission of providing safe, secure airports for the traveling public.” Governor Terry McAuliffe and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser released a joint statement applauding the decision. They said it would increase wages for over 4,500 employees. The change comes after recommendations by the Service Employees International Union and workers’ advocate organization Unite Here. The SEIU had recommended a rate of $15.14 by July 2019, with an additional $2.93 hourly health benefit supplement, for a total hourly wage of $18.07. The airports authority’s new wage is regardless of other benefits the employer may provide.

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[ NONPROFIT ]

Volunteerism Celebrated During Awards Ceremony BY NORMAN K. STYER

ast spring as an eighth grader at Smart’s Mill Middle School, Arianna L. Wright helped launch a Girl Scout project to reinstitute child safety seat inspections to help Loudoun parents. Since then, the resulting Saving Loudoun’s Littles campaign has ensured that more than 400 seats were properly installed in vehicles. On Friday night, Arianna’s work was recognized as the county’s top volunteer effort. Loudoun Cares reestablished a county tradition by hosting the Outstanding Volunteer Awards program, after a three-year hiatus, at West Belmont Place in Lansdowne. More than 80 nominations were made in 15 categories. County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) provided the keynote address at the ceremony. She urged leaders of community support organizations to accurately communicate their needs to the Board of Supervisors, and to closely follow what goes on in the board room and help guide supervisors’ decisions. She acknowledged the value of the work that Loudoun’s nonprofits and their volunteers do each day. “I want to say thank you for meeting people at their needs when they have health problems, when they have substance abuse problems, when they have family problems,” Randall said. “When all their fight is gone and there is no one to fight for them but you— you fight for them.” The awards ceremony was last held in 2014. After that, a reorganization of the management of the county’s nonprofit outreach and support efforts resulted in the functions of several agencies being merged into the operations of Loudoun Cares. “These stories accentuate the need to really instill in our younger generations the countless and invaluable benefits that come from our volunteer service,” Loudoun Cares Executive Director Sue Khalil said about the importance of the revived awards ceremony. “They accentuate the need to keep volunteerism alive. Caring for each other weaves the fabric that binds us together in this thing we call humanity. We are so fortunate to live in a community that does that every day” Arianna was recognized as the Outstanding Youth Public Safety Volunteer and then was awarded the evening’s top prize as Volunteer of the Year. During the past year, Arianna has devoted 600 hours of volunteer time to help organize car seat inspection events and secure training for more than 50 nationally certified safety technicians.

The winners of the 2017 Loudoun Outstanding Volunteer Award pose on stage following Friday’s ceremony at West Belmont Place in Lansdowne.

Arianna L. Wright gets a hug from County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall after being named Loudoun’s 2017 Outstanding Volunteer of the Year. Photos by Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

The Epsilon Zeta Boulé Foundation won the Outstanding Volunteer Club or Organization award for organizing the Salute for Service 5K race that raised $22,000 for the Loudoun Homeless Service Center and Mobile Hope, and contributed $6,000 to a Thanksgiving Day of Service that helped more than 1,000 Loudoun residents.

Other awards presented were: Outstanding Adult Volunteer: Barbara Tulipane, who works with O.A.R. to advocate the rights, services and needs of inmates at the Loudoun Adult Detention Center. Outstanding Adult Volunteer Team: Mosaic Virginia volunteers, a group of 25-30 volunteers who contributed 2,700 hours while helping to serve 500 clients in 2016. Outstanding Adult Project Volunteer: Kia Barker founding It Takes a Village Baby! to provide free diapers to more than 700 families. Outstanding Adult Public Safety Volunteer: Jim Cook serves as chief of the Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company and manages the county government’s Volunteer Battalion Chiefs program. Outstanding Senior Volunteer: Anne Wohlford devoted nearly 500 hours at the Senior Center of Leesburg AWARDS >> 25

County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) thanks nonprofit leaders and volunteers for their service during her keynote remarks during the 2017 Outstanding Volunteer Awards ceremony.

<< FROM 24 Loudoun Live organizers Amy Bobchek, center, and Samantha Villegas, right, accept the award for Outstanding Volunteer Project from Loudoun Cares President Susan Khalil and County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall. Loudoun Live was a day-long music festival that raised funds for the United Way’s Loudoun County Impact Fund and awareness for its participating community organizations.

as a front desk agent and concierge, fitness instructor and café team leader. Outstanding Senior Volunteer Team: A team of 42 volunteers operate Falcon’s Landing Delivered Meals program who join up each Thursday to help the Area Agency on Aging transport food to, and check in on, clients around the county.

Outstanding Volunteer Corporate Team: Paul Davis Restoration contributed more than 250 hours to help the American Red Cross, including helping to lead the agency’s door-to-door home fire safety campaigns throughout Loudoun. Outstanding Volunteer Club or Organization: Epsilon Boulé Foundation organized the Salute for Service 5K race that raised $22,000 for the Loudoun Homeless Service Center and Mobile Hope, and contributed $6,000 to a Thanksgiving Day of Service that helped more than 1,000 Loudoun residents. Outstanding Volunteer Project: Loudoun Live was a day-long music festival that raised funds for the United Way’s Loudoun County Impact Fund and awareness for its participating community organizations. Organizers Amy Bobchek and Ara Bagdasarian are working on a similar benefit concert to be held this fall. Outstanding Youth Volunteer Team: The Youth Advisory Council is comprised of 71 high school students who work with community, government and business leaders to provide their peers with support programs and to encourage community service, healthy living and diversity. Their programs include a Loudoun Youth Day of Service, the Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition and the Youth Fest Battle of the Bands.

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nstyer@loudounnow.com

Gabriella Miller Youth Volunteer: As an American Red Cross volunteer, Varsha Kakaraparti has organized donation drives that collected about 850 pints of blood. She also served as the Youth Team Chair of the agency’s Blood Drive and Marketing Committee. The award is named in honor of Gabriella Miller, the Leesburg girl who inspired nationwide giving to the Make A Wish Foundation before she died from an inoperable brain tumor at age 10. Her mother, Ellyn Miller, presented the award.

Outstanding Volunteer Team: The Shocktober Crew helped raise more than $350,000 for the ALLY Advocacy Center on the Paxton Campus during the seventh annual haunted house presentation that hosted 12,000 visitors over 15 night of performances.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Outstanding Volunteer Family: The mother and son team of Kamala and Mitesh Shrestha has been active with Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers since 2013. During 2016, they contributed 120 hours delivering food from Loudoun Hunger Relief to homebound elderly and disabled residents.

Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

Awards

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[ NON PROFIT NOTES ] Leadership Loudoun Accepting Applications Leadership Loudoun has opened the application review process for the Class of 2018. Applications will be accepted through July 14, with priority consideration given to those received by May 12. Leadership Loudoun’s nine-month program helps current and emerging leaders work together to make a better community. A class of about 24 participants from the corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors will meet monthly September through May. Highlights of the program include understanding and developing leadership skills, investigating community issues, and generating creative solutions through an interactive “think tank” activity. The current Leadership Loudoun class studied and presented potential solutions to Loudoun County community issues in the areas of transportation, public safety, mental health, and arts and culture. Since 1991, more than 500 business, government, and nonprofit leaders have graduated from the program. For more information, go to leadershiploudoun.org/how-to-apply.

Greenway Gears Up for Drive for Charity Toll Road Investors Partnership II, which owns the Dulles Greenway, has set May 18 as the date for the 12th annual Drive for Charity. On that day, all tolls collected on the

highway will be donated to six area charities and the Dulles Greenway Scholarship Program, which provides $2,000 to a graduate at each Loudoun County public high school. The beneficiaries are: March of Dimes, Every Citizen Has Opportunities, the Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter, Fresh Air/Full Care, the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, and the Loudoun Free Clinic.

Waltonwood Ashburn Completes Food Drive Waltonwood Ashburn in April celebrated its first successful food drive in partnership with the Community Church and its Messiah’s Market food pantry, which is devoted to helping families, youth and seniors receive nutritious meals. “We believe in partnering with area organizations to give back to seniors and families in the greater community,” stated Justin Roberts, executive director of Waltonwood Ashburn. “Through this food drive, we had a wonderful opportunity to make a difference, and we look forward to working with Messiah’s Market food pantry again in the future.” Waltonwood Ashburn, offering independent living, assisted living and memory care, is under construction at 44141 Russell Branch Parkway. Occupancy is planned later this year. The campus will offer residents a wide range of amenities, including a salon and spa center, courtyards with ponds and gazebos, a fitness room with European health and fitness equipment.

Help your neighbors, friends, and family… Run or Walk in the

7 Annual th

LOUDOUN LYME RACE

5K/10K/1K Fun Run

Presented at

Brambleton Town Center 22855 Brambleton Plaza Ashburn, VA

Presented by

DryHome Roofing & Siding

Sunday, May 7th • 8am-11am Race Fee: $30 Individual/$35 event day

$25 Children under 13/$30 event day

The Loudoun Lyme race event is fighting the bite! The race also features an informational fair with Lyme experts and vendors. Proceeds benefit National Capital Lyme Disease Association. Register at www.LoudounLyme.org.

ABC Supply FASTSIGNS HerndonReston-Tysons Corner NRF Evolution Dulles Greenway Matt Elliott Realty Race Brambleton Synavista Borderline Corp.

Jessica Monte Photography CertainTeed Roofing DryHome Roofing & Siding, Inc. KeyLyme Advanced Corrective Chiropractic Lost Rhino Retreat

27 Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

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DETAILS OF OFFER: Offer expires 6/10/2017. Not valid with other offers or prior purchases. Buy one window, get the next one at 40% off with no money down and 12 months no payments, no interest when you purchase 4 or more windows or patio doors between 1/1/2017 & 6/10/2017 with approved credit. 40% off windows are of equal or lesser value than the lowest cost window in the project. APR of 16.68% as of 6/1/2015, subject to change. Repayment terms from 0 to 12 months. Interest accrues from date of purchase but is waived if paid in full within 12 months. Savings comparison is based on the purchase of a single unit at regular list price. Available only at participating locations. See your local Renewal by Andersen location for details. MHIC #121441. VA Lic. #2705155684. DC Lic. #420215000125. License MN: BC130983/WI:266951. Excludes MN insurance work per MSA 325E.66. All other license numbers available upon request. Some Renewal by Andersen locations are independently owned and operated. “Renewal by Andersen” and all other marks where denoted are trademarks of Andersen Corporation. ©2017 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved. ©2017 Lead Surge LLC. All rights reserved. *See limited warranty for details.

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The Better Way to a Better Window™

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[ OUR TOWNS ]

After Purcellville, Lohr Looks Ahead to Retirement BY RENSS GREENE “The best advice I’ve received from managers who have retired,” said outgoing Purcellville Town Manager Rob Lohr, “is not to make any immediate commitment … take some time, and just look at what your opportunities and options are.” Lohr’s last day leading Purcellville’s town staff will be June 30. His retirement was announced during a contentious April 25 meeting of the town council, where many members of the public and a few councilmembers criticized the council majority, saying Lohr was being forced out, and praised Lohr’s 24 years of service to the town. But Lohr said he has plenty of opportunities ahead—after some time off. “I’ve received a couple of overtures and opportunities, and I’m going to be exploring that,” Lohr said. “I’d like to take maybe a month or two off and get caught up on some projects I’ve been meaning to do for my wife and for my family around the house for probably 15 years.” Mayor Kwasi Fraser said the town’s separation agreement with Lohr was “equitable and fair.” Lohr agreed: “All the items that I asked for were identified and approved by council, and I think it was a very positive thing.” Lohr, as a town employee eligible

MIDDLEBURG Learn History by Lantern Light

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Outgoing town manager Rob W. Lohr Jr. listens as John Chapman defends his work and criticizes the council at the meeting April 25.

for retirement, will begin collecting benefits under the Virginia Retirement System. The town will also pay $10,000 into Lohr’s deferred compensation plan; buy out 25 percent of Lohr’s unused sick leave, vacation, and personal leave; increase his annual salary by

6.6 percent to $144,935 as of April 25, slightly increasing his retirement benefit; and to credit Lohr with a full 25 years of service for purposes of health insurance, a few months longer than his actual employment, so that Lohr LOHR >> 29

LVHS Students Remember Beloved Custodian BY PATRICK SZABO While still celebrating its first boys basketball state championship, Loudoun Valley High School has been saddened by the unexpected death of a veteran custodian. Today is “LVHS Boys Basketball Team Day” in Purcellville, so declared by Mayor Kwasi Fraser during last week’s Town Council meeting. While the team’s coach and players were happy about the town honoring their achievement, many said their thoughts were on the recent loss of the school’s longtime custodian, 74-year-old Freddie Wright. “I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Freddie Wright, our long-time custodial manager at Loudoun Valley High Wright School,” said Loudoun Valley boys basketball team head coach Chad Dawson during last week’s council meeting before leading a moment of silence for Wright. The tenured custodian’s death on April 24 came a little more than two weeks before he was to receive an award for 40 years of employment with Loudoun’s school system. He served all four decades at Loudoun Valley. According to Principal Susan Ross,

[ TOWN NOTES ]

The Mosby Heritage Area Association and the Town of Middleburg will offer a lantern‐lit talk and walking tour of historic sites Saturday, May 6, starting at 7:30 p.m. This event is part of the MHAA’s popular “Legends by Lanternlight” series and features costumed interpreters discussing Civil War events and their impacts. The walking tour will begin the Middleburg Baptist Church, 209 E. Federal St. The tour will wrap up in two hours. Tickets can only be purchased at the door of the program, and they are $10 for adults and $5 for students. For more information, email kpawlak@mosbyheritagearea. org or call 540-687‐5188.

Vastek to Perform at Emmanuel Episcopal Pianist Sophia Subbayya Vastek will perform Sunday, May 7, at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church as part of the Parish House Performance and Arts Series. Starting at 4 p.m., she will present a program of solo piano works by Michael Harrison, Reena Esmail, John Cage, and Michael Vincent Waller, centered on ragas and Indian classical music influence in the Western musical tradition. The concert will benefit Bethania Kids, a Christian ministry that serves 1,000 needy children in India. Donations of $30 are suggested as that amount provides all the necessities for one child at Bethania Kids for a month. The Parish House of Emmanuel Church is located at 105 E Washington St. For reservations, contact Wendy Oesterling 540‐687‐6297.

PURCELLVILLE

Promoting Purcellville: Get Your PVL Sticker

Courtesy of Loudoun Valley High School

Students sign a poster in memory of longtime Loudoun Valley custodian Freddy Wright, who died April 24.

Wright’s younger brother, Roy, will attend the ceremony on May 11 to accept the award. On the night before his death,

Wright and Dawson were discussing the basketball team’s upcoming banWRIGHT >> 29

The Town of Purcellville, through an initiative of its Economic Development Advisory Committee, is distributing stickers and car magnets representing the brand of Purcellville. In keeping with the common practice of abbreviating a name, TOWN NOTES >> 29

[ TOWN NOTES ]

Southern States Purcellville Store Reopens Southern States Cooperative is up and running in its new, larger Purcellville store. The farm supply retailer tore down its 60-year-old, 1,800 square-foot building on North 21st Street last fall and replaced it with a 12,000-square-foot building at the same location. “The new facility will allow to us to better serve our customers and their needs,” said Dan Virts, who has managed the store for 30 years. “We’ll be able to give them a larger selection and a better, more inviting place to shop.” The new location offers a wider product

Lohr << FROM 28

During last week’s council meeting, when Lohr’s retirement was announced and separation agreement approved, the town council saw a long line of Purcellville residents, business

ROUND HILL

Discover Purcellville is gearing up its third community art project, which will feature painted benches and planters. Fifty area artists have volunteered to paint 30 custom-made wood benches and 20 planters. Starting in late May each piece will be placed at its sponsoring business around town to be enjoyed by the public. “Fifty pieces of local art are going to make a huge artistic impact around Purcellville this summer,” said Michael Oaks, vice president of Discover Purcellville. To sponsor a bench or planter, contact Oaks or Kim Patterson 540-7510707.

5K Organizers Open Registration

owners, and former council members speak up in support of Lohr. Many of them were harshly critical of the majority on council who were seen as pushing Lohr out. Former council member Beverly MacDonald-Chiasson said her proudest accomplishment was “without a doubt” serving on the council that hired Lohr. As to the praise for his work, Lohr said it was appreciated, but awkward for a humble person like him. “It was very heartwarming, but if you know me, it was very uncomfortable, because I’m the type of person who says thank you and moves onto the next job,” Lohr said. The announcement followed hours of closed-session performance reviews. He said that is in keeping with best practices around the region, where government bodies including the county and other towns customarily hold performance reviews for their senior staff behind closed doors. At the April 25 meeting, council member Kelli Grim said other council members had discussed what happened in those closed sessions in public. “Do what you need to do, but I’m not going to violate [Freedom of Information Act] laws,” Grim said—an incorrect description of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, which allows public bodies to lock the public out of meetings in certain circumstances, but in no case requires it. No Virginia law prohibits discussing the contents of a

closed session.

Registration is open for the 15th Annual Round Hill Hometown Festival 5K, which will be held Saturday, May 27, starting at 8 a.m. The course begins at Round Hill Elementary School on Evening Star Drive and winds through town before finishing back at the school. Children are invited to participate in their own free Fun Run, to be held immediately following race. Advance registration for the 5K is $25 for adults and $20 for youth un-

In Good Hands

der 18. Runners participating as part of an organized group of 20 or more may pre-register together for $20/runner. Race registration includes a T-shirt with the Hometown Festival design. Race-day registration begins at 7 a.m. on May 27 at a cost of $28/runner, for all ages. Groups should contact Tom Duggan at roundhill5k@gmail.com to sign up. Group registrations will not be accepted the day of the race. For more information on the Hometown Festival, follow the Round Hill Hometown Festival on Facebook, go to hometownfestival.org or call the Round Hill Town Office at 540-338-7878.

Wright << FROM 28

Lohr said he is leaving the town in the hands of capable town staff. “People ask me what is probably one of the biggest successes or accomplishments that I’ve obtained here, and you know, over the years, I’ve always said, I’ve been so blessed to have a phenomenal staff,” Lohr said. Because of his long tenure with the town, most of that team was hired by Lohr. At this point, he is the second-longest tenured employee of the town, second only to wastewater treatment plant Superintendent Scott House. “That is a great opportunity, because you can really build a wonderful organization, and as I said … any type of success that we may have achieved in my tenure here, I owe to that group of employees,” Lohr said. The separation agreement says the council will work to appoint an interim town manager before Lohr’s retirement. Failing that, his highest ranking deputy is Assistant Town Manager Daniel C. Davis, who joined Purcellville in September after serving as chief of staff for Loudoun County. “As busy as we are, I don’t know that there’s ever a good time to go,” Lohr said. “But at some point, your mind and your body starts telling you that it’s time.”

quet—an event Wright was in charge of setting up. The next morning, Ross informed students of Wright’s passing over the PA system and held a school-wide moment of silence. “Students kind of immediately got to work trying to figure out what would work best to honor Freddie,” Ross said. “The reason that he was so special to Loudoun Valley is because Loudoun Valley was so special to him.” “He was a great guy,” said Duron Norris, a senior at Loudoun Valley and captain of the basketball team. “There’s not enough words to explain him.” Both Dawson and Ross said Wright was exceptional at his job. “He’s always very particular,” Dawson said. “If I had one table slightly out of line, he would let me know about it for sure.” Loudoun Valley students are now working with Southern States to obtain a tree to plant in Wright’s honor. The school cafeteria also will be named in his honor. “When they announced that morning that we were going to have a moment of silence for Freddie, you could just hear the kids, they knew who he was,” Dawson said. “He was such an icon.”

rgreene@loudounnow.com

pszabo@loudounnow.com

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A Show of Support

Sponsors Sought for Painted Bench, Planter Campaign

and his wife can continue to participate in the town’s health insurance plan at no cost. He said that shortly after his last day, he’ll be leaving for a vacation. When he’s back and ready to start up again, Lohr said, he’ll be looking to help out part-time with other governments. “There’s a lot of need in smaller and medium-sized communities for parttime employees that have extensive experience in local government,” Lohr said. He said Purcellville has done the same successfully, and found it’s a good deal for both sides: retirees don’t have to work full time or endanger their retirement benefits by taking on fulltime jobs, and the community gets the benefit of years of experience without having to pay full-time salaries or benefits. Lohr said he and his family want to stay in Purcellville, and that the town is strategically located for him with a great number of communities, counties, towns, and small cities nearby “that may need help from time to time.”

Hillsboro’s effort to move its long-planned Pedestrian Safety and Traffic Calming Project to the construction stage got a boost on Tuesday when representatives of 20 engineering firms attended a briefing on a newly published request for proposals. Mayor Roger Vance said there was strong interest in the project, which will include roundabouts, raised crosswalks, sidewalks, on-street parking, a shared-use path, burial of all utility lines and the installation of new water and sewer lines. Bids are due May 19.

stickers display: PVL, with the tagline “Loudoun’s Rural Destination.” Oval car stickers are free to anyone requesting them. They may be picked up at Town Hall and will be distributed in “New Resident” information packets. Additionally, the stickers will be given to businesses to distribute. Oval car magnets are $2 each and can be purchased at Town Hall at the Finance Department customer service window. Magnets also will be sold to local businesses at a discount so they can also sell to customers or, at their discretion, give them away as promotional items. Chris Bledsoe is the Town Council’s liaison to EDAC. “We’ve already given away hundreds of stickers, and soon we’ll start seeing them throughout Town and the DC region,” he stated.

selection, and features a larger parking lot and loading area, making it easier for employees and customers to load up. Store hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, go to southernstates.com.

Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

<< FROM 28

[ LOCO LIVING ]

loudounnow.com

RETRO COOL LOCO STYLE

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

From top, Black Shutter Antiques in downtown Leesburg has a little of everything from classic antiques downstairs to contemporary items on the upstairs floors. Bottom, Old Lucketts Store is known for its hip retro style of antiques with lots of repurposed items and blending old and new.

From Classic to Hip, Loudoun’s Dealers Have it All BY JAN MERCKER

Whether you’re looking for a fresh and funky refurbished dresser or a pristine European dining table, you’re pretty sure to find what you need on Loudoun’s thriving antiques scene. From Lucketts in the north to Middleburg in the south, the offerings are vast and varied. And there’s truly something for every style.

Retro Finds at Lucketts For the past two decades, the tiny western Loudoun village of Lucketts has been at the forefront of the vintage hip movement. Sitting right on Rt. 15 north of Leesburg, the Old Lucketts Store started it all when Suzanne Eblen launched the shop in 1996, on a mission to bring her flair for mixing old and new to the D.C. region’s antiques scene. Since then, a cluster of stores with a similar approach has popped up, drawing the young and trendy to this mecca of reclaimed pieces. “We’ve kind of become known as the standard of the style that we call vintage hip even more than we call antiques. ... We do blend the old and the new. In a lot of people’s larger homes nowadays, things that we purchase are often maybe something new but made out of reclaimed wood so that the scale and the styling fit more into a modern home than a mahogany dining set.” The roughly 30 vendors at the Old Lucketts Store RETRO COOL >> 32

THE OLD LUCKETTS STORE, at 42350 Lucketts Road in Lucketts, is open seven days a week. The Old Lucketts Store Design House weekend takes place Friday, May 5 through Sunday, May 7. The Lucketts Spring Market takes place Friday, May 19 through Sunday, May 21 at the Clarke County Fairgrounds. For details, go to luckettstore.com. BLACK SHUTTER ANTIQUES, at 1 Loudoun St. in Leesburg, is open seven days a week. For more information, go to blackshutterantiques.com. BAILEYWYCK ANTIQUES, at 21197 St. Louis Road in Middleburg, is open Thursday through Sunday and by appointment. Find out more at baileywyckantiques.com.

Center, 22855 Brambleton Plaza, Brambleton. Details: loudounlyme.org This fundraiser for the National Capital Lyme Disease Association is always lots of fun, with three race options and activities until 11 a.m. Entry fee is $35 for adults, $30 for children under 14.

STEP UP YOUR HEALTH CHALLENGE

This annual family-oriented 5K/1K event allows area schools to earn money for their health and wellness initiatives. Registration is $30 for the 5K

LOCO CULTURE THE JUDGMENT OF ROUND HILL: VIRGINIA V. SOUTH AMERICAN WINES Saturday, May 6, 1-2 p.m.; Bogati Winery, 35246 Harry Byrd Highway, Round Hill. Details: bogatiwinery.com You’re the judge at this fun blind tasting comparing wines from Virginia and South America. Admission is $20 and advance reservations are recommended.

HOLISTIC HEALTH TALK Tuesday, May 9, 7-9 p.m.; Leesburg Junction, 215 Depot Ct. SE, Leesburg. Details: leesburgjunction.com DeBritt Ealey discusses holistic options for treating a range of health issues as part of Leesburg Junction’s new free speaker series.

SIP AND GROOVE LIVE MUSIC: LANDSHARKS Saturday, May 6, 3 p.m.; Barnhouse Brewery, 43271 Spinks Ferry Road, Lucketts. Details: barnhousebrewery.com

JUMP TO >> 33

WINE COUNTRY HALF MARATHON TRAINING RUN Saturday, May 6, 7:30 a.m.; Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. Details: loudounroadrunners.org Join Loudoun Roadrunners and Destination Races for a free half-marathon training run in preparation for the Wine Country Half Marathon scheduled on June 3. The training run is an out and back course of six, eight, 10 or 12 miles along some of the same roads of the Wine Country Half. The training event is free and open to everyone, but registration and a waiver are required.

LOUDOUN LYME 10K, 5K, 1K

W O N N! E P O Y-IN

U NO B

Sunday, May 7, 6 a.m., registration, 8 a.m., races begin; Brambleton Town

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.

Residential Living

For those who are looking for an independent lifestyle without the expense of maintaining a home.

Assisted Living

For those who may need a helping hand with daily activities so that they can maintain their independence.

Memory Care

Memory impaired residents still have meaningful living to do, and we provide enriching activities in a dignified community to live and thrive in.

A few of the features residents will enjoy: • Well-Appointed Apartments – Studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom options • Gourmet Dining – Three delicious and nutritious meals served daily, from comfort food to seasonal specials prepared by our executive chef • Life-Enrichment Program – Full calendar of activities and events that stimulate, engage and inspire • On-site University and Movie Theatre • Transportation – Transportation services and drivers who will help residents run errands, meet friends or go to doctor’s appointments

Please call

(703) 828-9600 for more information or to schedule a tour today.

fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov • www.fairhousing.vipnet.org 44124 WOODBRIDGE PARKWAY • LANSDOWNE, VA 20176 • (703) 828-9600 • RUI.NET/ASHLEIGH

loudounnow.com

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.

At Ashleigh at Lansdowne, you will find many new and exciting possibilities in an upscale, resort-style Community. Here, you will be free to relax and enjoy your retirement with maintenance-free living. There is no buy in nor endowment and we do not require long-term contracts. The monthly fee includes three delicious meals prepared by our Executive Chef, all utilities, housekeeping, linen service and much more.

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.”

Welcome to Gracious Retirement & Assisted Living at Ashleigh at Lansdowne

Sunday, May 7, 8:30 a.m., AOL Campus, 22000 AOL Way, Ashburn. Details: prraces.com

and $10 for the fun run through May 4. Add $5 to each on race day.

Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

RUN FOR A CAUSE

[ THINGS TO DO ]

Retro cool

Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

loudounnow.com

<< FROM 30

Sunday, May 21, 2017 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

A Day of Family Fun Activities! U-Pick Strawberries, Hayrides, Games, Tours & More! Food Available for Purchase $10 per individual • $20 per family Children under age 3 are free

Call 703-777-3174 or visit oatlands.org Oatlands Historic House & Gardens 20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane Leesburg, VA 20175 www.oatlands.org

Spring is Sweeter at Oatlands!

are all about refinishing and repurposing, and there’s plenty of reclaimed wood to be found. One of Eblen’s approaches, shared by her vendors is taking a high-quality but outdated piece and updating it by refinishing or adding cool knobs, pulls or other touches. Eblen says her vintage hip approach takes off from the shabby chic look that was popular a decade ago but adding a more sophisticated edge, often incorporating a more industrial vibe. The element of design is also key to Lucketts’ signature vibe. Eblen and her dealers put a huge amount of effort into curating the space, blending new items with vintage treasures. Eblen also owns the farmhouse next to the store and created the Lucketts Design House, which is open the first weekend of every month, allowing local designers to show off their style by transforming individual rooms. The store is open seven days a week, and as the number of antiques shops and other attractions in Lucketts explodes, the pull for visitors from around the region is stronger than ever. “It’s that critical mass,” Eblen said. “And now we’ve got even more reasons to come out. We’ve got Roots so we’ve got food, we’ve got Vanish so we’ve got a fun brewery, we’ve got wineries so now it really is a complete fun day to come out here from a more urban area.”

Classic Charm in Downtown Leesburg On a damp Wednesday afternoon, Black Shutter Antique Center in downtown Leesburg is surprisingly busy. As shoppers drift in and out, a young couple from Sydney, Australia selects cuﬄinks and small decorative pieces to take home. The vibe at Black Shutter is absolutely classic. There’s not much in the way of reclaimed wood or chalkboard paint in the historic building at the corner of King and Loudoun streets. And yes, there’s an early 20th century mahogany table front and center in the shop’s main room, along with cut glass and fine china. But with more contemporary ’50s and ’60s vintage rooms upstairs, the center can take you from Downton Abbey to Mad Men in a few seconds. The center, which also boasts 30 to 40 dealers, is eclectic by design, featuring a militaria room and a tiny and charming step-down room with brightly colored clothing and children’s toys. Later this month, they’re bringing on a new dealer specializing in Scandinavian modern. “To specialize is a good way to starve,” said co-owner Barbara Gardner, who took over the shop with business partner Brenda Kemmerer in 1999. In the past two decades, Gardner has noticed a change in her clients’ approach. While in the past, provenance and pristine condition were key, people now simply want pieces that will look great in their homes. “People used to come in and go, ‘My house is Victorian, it’s 1880s. I want Eastlake furniture [named for the noted 19th Century designer Charles Lock Eastlake] in all the rooms,’ and

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

they’d buy a piece of Eastlake furniture,” Gardner said. “Now they mix and match.” For Gardner, the downtown Leesburg antiques scene is going strong, with her friends at Leesburg Antique Emporium just across the street working together to create a hub in the heart of downtown. Black Shutter has a regular clientele from around the country, and tourists, including lots of international visitors are their bread and butter, with up to 400 visitors a day on weekends. But sometimes pulling in busy Loudouners can be a challenge. “I’d like to see more locals,” Gardner said.

High-End Elegance in Middleburg Lisa Vella isn’t really the refurbishing type. But she has a fantastic eye. Vella operates her single dealer shop Baileywyck Antiques with help from her partner Stephen Shapar, out of a refurbished barn near Middleburg. Vella is known around the region for her elegant style, with lots of European panache. Vella and Shapar have filled their gorgeous 4,000-square-foot space with older, finer pieces—but there are plenty of whimsical touches, including frequent low-key appearances from the Belgian cartoon character Tintin. On a recent buying trip to Europe, Vella’s prize find was two hand-carved carousel horses on their original poles from Provence. Vella also snaps up grape hods (backpack-style buckets used to pick wine grapes) that can be filled with flowers—or ice and wine for parties--on her European trips. Baileywyck has an understated equestrian theme, and also does a brisk business in larger pieces like farm tables, credenzas and storage pieces, especially popular with younger clients filling larger homes. “There’s nothing flea-markety in here,” said Shapar, who chalks the shop’s decade-long success to Vella’s eye for detail, down to the carefully chosen “smalls,” antique-speak for little elements and details that help stage a space. And while Vella’s offerings are decidedly on the higher end, she loves the diversity of the antiques scene in Loudoun and the synergy that shops in Lucketts, Leesburg, Middleburg and beyond have created. Vella will be showing at the annual Lucketts Spring Market, which has grown so much it’s moving to the Clarke County Fairgrounds in Berryville, May 19-21. “My house is half Lucketts, half this,” Vella said. “We complement each other so well.” jmercker@loudounnow.com

<< FROM 31

LIVE MUSIC: NATHANIEL DAVIS Sunday, May 7, 2-5 p.m.; North Gate Vineyard, 16031 Hillsboro Road, Purcellville. Details: northgatevineyard.com

ON STAGE

Courtesy of Ken Wenzel

Ken Wenzel plays Barnhouse Brewery’s summer music series Saturday, May 13.

Barnhouse Launches Summer Music Series BY LEAH FALLON Summer seems to be starting early this year. With warm weather comes days spent at area breweries and win7:30 p.m.; Sunday, May 7, 2 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane Purcellville. Details: mainstreettheaterproductions.org

‘SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL’ Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6,

Main Street Theater Productions presents the charming musical compilation of Dr. Seuss’s greatest works. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors. Performances continue May 12-14.

‘MILLIE’ AT HERITAGE Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6, 7 p.m.; Heritage High School, 520 Evergreen Mill Road SE, Leesburg. Details: heritagedrama.com “Thoroughly Modern Millie” runs two more nights at Heritage. General admission is $10 or $15 for preferred seating.

like house guests than paying customers. Even after they opened the new location at 43271 Spinks Ferry Road last spring, the remote barn along the gravel road continues to be a place to bring the whole family. Along with live music, the brewery also will feature food trucks serving visitors throughout the summer. For most of May, Reata’s BBQ will provide Texas-style barbecue on Saturdays. Larrick said that with beer, music and food, he hopes to give people more reasons to hangout for the day. Both Larrick and Knoell work full time and spend their weekends at the brewery. They work to provide a welcoming, family atmosphere along with good beer. “People love our open spaces and being able to unpack their cars, hang out and have a good time,” Larrick said. “Bring your lawn chairs and let your kids run.” See the summer series’ full line up at barnhousebrewery.com.

STAGECOACH THEATRE PRESENTS ‘DRUNKEN SHOWTUNES’ Saturday, May 6, 6 p.m., doors open, 6:30 p.m., show begins; Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Purcellville. Details: stagecoachtc.com StageCoach uses favorite show tunes

JUMP TO >> 34

This Leesburg-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist blends indie-rock and alt-country sounds inspired by Keith Urban, Jackson Browne and Jason Mraz. Davis’ heartfelt inspired original material, and unique interpretations of well known classics make this show a must-see. No cover.

eries. Celebrating their first anniversary at their new location, the owners of Barnhouse Brewery in Lucketts plans to draw a crowd. With 10 beers on tap and acres of green fields, they’re giving customers one more reason to spend the day there—Loudoun’s newest summer concert series. Patrons are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to the brewery on Saturday, May 6 as the free concert series kicks off at 3 p.m. with the Landsharks, who will play “Margaretville” and other Jimmy Buffett classics. Shows continue each Saturday through October, with an eclectic line up of genres and musicians from full bands, to solo artists and trios. It includes local favorites like Ken Wenzel, Throwing Plates, Liberty Street and Nathanial Davis. Owners Rob Larrick and Roger Knoell have always run their tasting room as a laid-back place for families to hang out. In 2011, Knoell started the brewery in the basement of his home where beer drinkers felt more

Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

Barnhouse Brewery kicks off its new weekly music series with a show from a favorite Jimmy Buffett tribute band. Admission is free.

[ THINGS TO DO ]

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[ THINGS TO DO ] << FROM 33

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to poke a bit of fun at our drinking culture, from harried parents who seek comfort in a glass of wine at the end of a long day, ladies who like their lunches liquid, and heartbroken romantics who need something strong to cope with a bad breakup. Tickets are $30. Food, wine and beer will be available for sale.

LIVE MUSIC: KITHARA PROJECT Saturday, May 6, 7 p.m.; Community Lutheran Church, 21014 Whitfield Place, Sterling. Details: aguadoguitar.org Aguado Guitar Concerts presents this acclaimed trio of young guitar masters known for ambitious arrangements and whimsical, interactive and daring performances. Admission is free but donations are welcome.

MSVA: BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS Saturday, May 6, 7:30 p.m.; St. James’ Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall Street NW, Leesburg and Sunday, May 7, 7:30 p.m.; Our Savior’s Way Lutheran Church, 43115 Waxpool Road, Ashburn. Details: msva.org

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The Master Singers of Virginia end their 2016-2017 season with a program featuring joyous works, “Hallelujah and Hosanna” by Dan Forrest and Erik Jones’ foot-stomping arrangement “I’ll Tell My Ma.” The highlight of the concert is Aaron Copland’s “In the Beginning,” based on the first and second chapters of the Old Testament Book of Genesis. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for students ages 6 to 17.

GALLERY COFFEEHOUSE: ‘SAVANNAH SIPPING SOCIETY’ Sunday, May 7, 6:30 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org Performance group Imagine That! presents a delightful comedy about four Southern women looking to reclaim the enthusiasm for life they’ve lost through the years. Talented actors interpret the written word using only their expressions and voice for a sophisticated evening of laughter. Tickets are $8 at the door and include coffee.

BLUE SKY PUPPET THEATER: ‘IF PIGS COULD FLY’ Wednesday, May 10, 10 a.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org This multicultural reading-themed puppet show features shadow puppets, a pig librarian and plenty of audience participation. Admission is $5 at the door.

NIGHTLIFE HILLSBORO CHARTER ACADEMY AUCTION FIESTA Friday, May 5, 5-10 p.m.; Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Purcellville. Details: hillsborocharter.org The public is invited to support

Loudoun’s second charter school at its inaugural fundraising auction with tons of great items up for bid. Ticket price includes food (taco bar and lots of other treats) and non-alcoholic beverages. Margaritas, sangria and craft wine and beer will be available for sale. Tickets are $15 through May 4, $20 at the door.

LIVE MUSIC: THE STRANGER: A TRIBUTE TO BILLY JOEL Friday, May 5, 7 p.m., doors open. Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyhotheater.com This six-piece band brings an authentic take on the timeless tunes of Billy Joel, complete with spot-on vocals and piano perfection from front man Mike Santoro. Tickets are $15 in advance.

FIRST FRIDAY R&B FUNDRAISER FOR AHEAD Friday, May 5, 8 p.m.; Atlantis, 45449 Severn Way, Sterling. Details: atlantisva.info Enjoy an evening of dancing to R&B favorites from the 60s through today to benefit the AHEAD non-profit which works to fight poverty and disease in Africa. The evening starts with a hand dancing lesson at 8 p.m., and dinner will be available for sale. Tickets are $15 in advance.

LIVE MUSIC: THE DCEIVERS Friday, May 5, 8:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com This DC-based indie rock trio has influences ranging from the Beatles to U2 to Led Zeppelin to Antonio Vivaldi. No cover.

LIVE MUSIC: CROWDED STREETS WITH HUNGRY ON MONDAY Saturday, May 6, 7 p.m., doors open; Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyhotheater.com Enjoy a blend of Celtic, folk rock and acoustic funk from this acclaimed Dave Matthews tribute band. Local favorite Hungry On Monday opens. Tickets are $15 at the door.

LIVE MUSIC: KATE BRUNOTTS Saturday, May 6, 7-9 p.m.; Trinity House Cafe, 101 E. Market St., Leesburg. Details: trinityhousecafe.com Through her pop-oriented originals and covers, Brunotts has raised money for causes including pediatric cancer research, ending animal cruelty and providing aid to war-stricken nations. No cover.

LIVE MUSIC: SWAMPCANDY Saturday, May 6, 8:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live. com This Mississippi blues and roots influenced duo is a past winner of the On The Rise competition at Virginia’s Floydfest. Come see what all the fuss is about.

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Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

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[ D E AT H N O T I C E S ]

yles

Funeral Service A Family Business Established in 1950 Serving Northern Virginia

Beatrice M. Lyles (1924 - 1974)

C. Julian Lyles (1927 - 1962)

Eric S. Lyles Director

May I help you plan...

Funerals & Cremations “Show me a nation and how they bury their dead and I will measure within a mathematical degree the type of people they represent.” Emerson

Carolyn Ann Anderson, 74, of Stephens City and formerly of Neersville, died April 25. She was born April 18, 1943, in Charleston, WV, to Willard J. and Hazel A. Conner. She was a bus driver for Loudoun County Public Schools for 36 years and an EMT/IV Tech for the Neersville Volunteer Fire Department. She was predeceased by her husband Tony Anderson. She is survived by her children, Debbie Anderson-Wallace, Michael Anderson and Brian Scott Anderson; 11 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday May 4 at Shenandoah Valley Baptist Church in Stephens City. [Hall Funeral Home] Elizabeth A. Hough, 77, died April 18. She was born Jan. 14, 1940, to Edwin and Anna Beaver. She is survived by her husband Lawrence S. Hough, children Stacey Wagner and Anna Grimes, seven sisters, and three brothers. The was predeceased by her son Kelly Hough. [Loudoun Funeral Chapel] Carmen O. Nohre, 91, died April 19. He was born Feb. 10, 1926, in Houston County, MN. He graduated from Houston High School in 1944 and served in the U.S. Army in Germany during World War II. He then earned degrees in education and agricultural economics. He taught vocational agriculture in high school, served as agriculture attaché for the U.S. Mission to the European Communities and then worked in research for the Agriculture Department in Washington, DC, until his retirement in 1987. He is survived by his wife of 68 years Norma; daughters Cathy White and Debra Wenk; grandson Mark; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and sister Melba Revel of San Marcos, CA. The funeral service was held April

27 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Leesburg. Interment will follow at Quantico National Cemetery. [Colonial Funeral Home] Fred Thomas Wright, 74, died April 24, at his home in Purcellville. He was born Dec. 19, 1942, in Purcellville to George and Helen Wright. He worked for the Loudoun County School Board for over 40 years. He is survived by his brothers Roy Michael Wright of Purcellville and George William Wright Jr. of Winchester; and sisters Thelma Mae Soegiarto of Centreville, Nancy Wright of Purcellville, and Barbara Olsen of Falls Church. Services were held April 28 at Hall Funeral Home of Purcellville. Interment was at Hillsboro Cemetery. [Hall Funeral Home]

William Lee Wright Sr. 74, of Purcellville, died April 28. Born on Jan. 5, 1943 in Virginia, he was the son of James and Lillie Wright. He was retired from Virginia Department of Transportation. He is survived by his children Patricia King, William L. Wright Jr. and Devon Smith; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two brothers; and one sister. He was predeceased by his wife Charlotte Wright and one grandchild. Services were held May 3 at Hall Funeral Home of Purcellville. Interment was at Hillsboro Cemetery. [Hall Funeral Home]

To Place an Obituary, Death Notice or Memoriam Contact: Lindasy Morgan lmorgan@loudounnow.com 703.770.9723

Yard Sale YARD SALE May 5/6 8am-2pm (Rain Dates May 12/13) 1549 Easton Lane Middleburg 2.5 miles W of downtown Middlburg Furniture, tools, dishes, yard furniture, antiques & collectibles including bottles and jars.

Greene Mill Preserve Community Wide Yard Sale Sat. May 6, 8 a.m. to noon Our community is located at Evergreen Mill Road and Black Branch Pkwy. The back entrance is at Watson Road and Waxwing Drive. See you there!

More listings online at LoudounNow.com

Fountains of Living Water

(Non-denomination, Full Gospel)

Lyles Funeral Service 1-800-388-1913 Funerals, Cremations, Headstones, Restorative Art Serving Northern Virginia

Meeting at: Sterling Middle School 201 W. Holly Ave. Sterling,VA 20164

Eric S. Lyles

Sunday 10:15am

Managing Director

Lic. VA, MD, DC Cell Phone (703) 501-9902 www.lylesfuneralservice.com Email: lylesfuneralsvc@aol.com Lyles Funeral Service

www.fountainsoflivingwater.org (703) 433-1481 “Whoever believes in me (Jesus)... streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7:38

Call To Worship In Print & In Our Online Resource Directory

NEW SALON OPENING!

MAIDS NEEDED

• Salon Loudoun •

No evenings or weekends

booth rental for

• stylists • esthetician • massage therapist • nail tech

(703) 203-6722 Part-Time Spanish Teacher Loudoun Country Day School

Candidate must have: Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Education or Spanish Experience teaching students in 3rd5th grade Passion for working with and inspiring 3rd-5th grade children Email resume to employment@lcds.org

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We offer benefits to fulltime employees such as health/dental insurance, vacation, simple IRA retirement. We also offer direct deposit. Please apply online at http://www.icareabouthealth.net EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

• Lawn Mower Technician • • Assembly Technician •

At Western Loudoun’s largest equipment service organization. Experience required. Full benefits package with 401k. BROWNING EQUIPMENT, INC. Purcellville, VA 540-338-7123

sales@browningequipment.com

JOIN THE TEAM

Loudoun Now is adding to its small, dedicated newspaper team. We’re looking for advertising sales executives who value the mission of community journalism and the marketing power the newspaper’s print and online products offer to area businesses. There’s veteran support team in place to help, but we’re looking for self-starters and go-getters. If that’s you, contact Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sstyer@loudounnow.com

Pay starts at $12-$12.50 per hour

Must have driver’s license Please contact: (571)291-9746

Full-Time Small Engine Mechanic needed for a large landscape company in Leesburg, VA. • MUST have experience working on commercial lawn equipment. • MUST have own tools. We offer competitive pay, benefits and retirement. Please call Paul at 703-675-8089 or p.tilley@blakelandscapes.com

Large family practice in Loudoun County seeking FT LPN’s or MA’s for our new site located in the professional building at Stone Springs Hospital in Aldie, VA. We also have openings in our Ashburn, Lansdowne, Cornwall and Purcellville offices. Pediatric and or family practice experience preferred but willing to train the right candidate. EHR experience highly recommended. We offer health, dental and vision insurance as well as direct deposit, 401k and many other benefits. Please send your resume to lgray@ lmgdoctors.com or fax to 703-7260804, attention Lisa.

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Busy Home Healthcare Agency established in 1993 with offices in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties looking for CNA, HHA or PCA. Nursing Students also Encouraged to Apply! for immediate work for all shifts.

FT LPN or MA

Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

Employment

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Loudoun Now Classifieds In the mail weekly. Online always. (703) 770-9723

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Resource Directory Ashburn Barber Shop 44031 Ashburn Shopping Plaza, #139 Ashburn, VA 20147 Ashburn Village Center Same Shopping Center as Old Giant, Popeye Chicken, Burger King, Kinder Care & Ashburn Service Center

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PROFESSIONAL COLOR AND FOIL HIGHLIGHT PROM, BRIDAL, MAKEUP, UPDO

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HANDYMAN Virginia Handyman

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Blue Ridge Remodeling, Inc.

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Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

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ROOFING C2 Operations specializes in Asphalt, Slate, Flat, Metal, Cedar, and EPDM Roof Repairs and Replacements throughout Loudoun Co. and 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.

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Apr. May 4 – 10, 2017

EXCAVATING

[ OPINION ]

loudounnow.com

Food Fight Loudoun residents—and students—this week got a front-row seat to the root dysfunction that is hampering efforts to close the nation’s paralyzing political divide. Hours after word circulated that newly approved U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue would make his first official public appearance at a Leesburg school, critics of President Trump and his 100-day-old administration got busy organizing a protest to the visit. And when the subject matter of the event was learned—the federal restrictions on the ingredients used in school lunches— nutrition experts across the county popped up on TV to decry the gutting of critical health protections. The stage was set to broadcast another misstep for the Trump administration by an under-informed government novice. That’s not what they got. Instead, the man who sat with students to dine on chicken nuggets Monday morning displayed an articulate understanding of the issue with the experience built on 20 years of elective service in Georgia’s statehouse, both as a Democrat and a Republican, as senator and governor. And his message was not a dramatic rolling back of First Lady Michelle Obama’s landmark health initiative; rather it was to hold off on imposing more stringent federal mandates. And the bigger surprise? Some of those on the front line of the cafeteria nutrition battleground welcomed the news. The dedication and creativity of the food services staff in Loudoun’s public schools have been heralded as exemplary. The division has bucked national trends, with more students lining up for breakfast and less food ending up in waste cans. But even the leaders of those programs harbored concerns that the impending rules could set back their progress. It wasn’t the polarizing moment that many had expected—perhaps hoped for. Instead of spurring another battle, the visit brought a reminder that there are still areas of government policy where agreement can be reached—even in this hyper-charged political climate—if both sides spend less time shouting and more time listening. Perhaps we can do that over a couple of cartons of newly reauthorized 1 percent chocolate milk.

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 Caroline Boras Leah Fallon Jan Mercker Patrick Szabo

Advertising Director Susan Styer sstyer@loudounnow.com Display Advertising Tonya Harding Katie Lewis Classified Manager Lindsay Morgan lmorgan@loudounnow.com Production Electronic Ink Leesburg, VA 20175

PARENTING WITH A PURPOSE

A Counselor’s Take on ‘13 Reasons Why’ BY NEIL MCNERNEY The new Netflix series “13 Reasons Why” has been generating a great deal of discussion lately. In short, it is based on the story of a 17-year-old who takes her own life and leaves a series of audio recordings for 13 people who were in some way involved in why she killed herself. The premise is extremely alarming: There are 13 reasons why Hannah kills herself, and none of the reasons seem to be depression. My first thought in watching the first few episodes was dread. It took me awhile to get up the wherewithal to watch. As a father and as a counselor, it was extremely painful to see the story play out. As with many shows, it depicts the parents as well-meaning but ineffective. I’ve asked some teens and young adults about their thoughts on the show, which I’d like to share: “I feel the show glamorizes ‘suicide.’ The show provides justifications for committing suicide and allows some folks to believe that ‘suicide’ is an acceptable outcome/solution. If there were some people on the fence about suicide-or depression- this show might trigger the thought that suicide is a solution to challenging times.” —Hannah “The show is not trying to “romanticize suicide” or put all suicides into one box, it is trying to get at the core point that we all need to just be nicer to one another. I am blessed enough to never have been the victim of bullying, but I see it every day. And maybe not in the stereotypical form of bullying, I’m not watching kids getting shoved into lockers or dunked in the toilet. But bullying with words. With rumors. With the way we talk to each other, to the people we call our friends. The slut-shaming,

the rumors, the gossip that spreads like wildfire thanks to social media.” —Alex “Many people my age (18-25) see it as a show that accurately shows what happens in high school and that many teenagers do experience bullying and other serious issues. Many adults (30 and up) however see it as detrimental conversation around mental health.” —Liz Clearly, this show has had a polarizing effect. My opinion is that there are no detrimental conversations around mental health. What does the show do well? It does a good job of showing the devastation that a suicide leaves behind. It explains the heart-breaking loss, the questioning, guilt, and anxiety of those left in the wake. It explains, as Alex stated above, how mean we can be to each other. My biggest concern is for those teens who are dealing with high lev13 REASONS >> 41

<< FROM 40

Neil McNerney is a licensed professional counselor in private practice and author of Homework – A Parent’s Guide to Helping Out Without Freaking Out! and The Don’t Freak Out Guide for Parenting Kids with Asperger’s.

Technology Advances Are No Substitute for Investment in Schools BY DEEP SRAN What will the opportunities and challenges be for our children and their nation in 2050? What can we do better today to ensure their life, liberty, and happiness when they reach middle age? Making accurate predictions about political, scientific, and technological changes more than a few years into the future is virtually impossible. For example, in “Blade Runner,” one of my favorite movies, which was released in 1982 and set in Los Angeles in 2019, Harrison Ford invites Sean Young to meet for drinks. It rains all the time in LA in 2019, most people in the city no longer speak English, and Ford uses a landline video pay phone to make the call to Young. When I first saw the movie,

I was amazed by this technology. But, the movie makers could not predict how quickly powerful computers would become small and mobile, and how interconnected these machines would be. I mention “Blade Runner” to acknowledge the perils of prediction. Still, there are big and foreseeable changes coming, and it’s time to start planning for them. Here are just a few predictions about what could happen between now and 2050. The transhumanists think the “singularity” will have occurred, meaning humans and machines will be indistinguishable. Computer scientists and economists predict artificial intelligence could supplant most human workers (almost half of all workers in the U.S. in the next 20 years, by SRAN >> 42

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els of stress and have had thoughts of suicide. Binge watching 13 hours of a story about a traumatized and bullied teenager was extremely difficult, even for me. I can’t imagine what it would be like to a teen who might be dealing with depression, anxiety, and bullying. The National Association of School Psychologists gives an excellent recommendation: “We do not recommend that vulnerable youth, especially those who have any degree of suicidal ideation, watch this series. Its powerful storytelling may lead impressionable viewers to romanticize the choices made by the characters and/or develop revenge fantasies. They may easily identify with the experiences portrayed and recognize both the intentional and unintentional effects on the central character. Unfortunately, adult characters in the show, including the second school counselor who inadequately addresses Hannah’s pleas for help, do not inspire a sense of trust or ability to help.” What is the main risk factor for teen suicide? Mental health issues, especially depression, is the main factor to watch for. Depression shows up a bit differently with teens than with adults: • Significant sense of sadness • Significant irritability • Isolation • Negative comments about life • Loss of interest in sports, hobbies, etc.

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The website youthsuicidewarningsigns.org is an excellent resource for parents. Many parents I have spoken to have watched the series with their kids. This has allowed a very healthy dialog within families. These conversations can be hard and awkward, but very important. Would I suggest that your teen watch this series? No, I wouldn’t recommend it. But I also know that a part of being a teenager is to do those things that parents forbid. It puts us in a bit of a bind. A good response might be: “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to watch this, but if you do, I’d like to watch it with you so that we can talk about it.” For those teens that are struggling, I would strongly not recommend watching this series. Will the series increase to conversations about suicide? I sure hope so. If our goal is to increase awareness of this very important topic, then these conversations are a good thing. But the cost seems too great. There are other ways to address teen suicide that can be more effective and lead to better conversations. For instance, the rock opera “A Will To Survive” is an excellent local performance for teens and their parents. Although their season is completed for the school year, they are already gearing up for the fall. Keep an eye for performance dates.

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Sran << FROM 41 one estimate). Thus, most Americans may need to live off a Universal Basic Income—trying to fill their time and to find purpose. Climate scientists see marked changes in sea levels, weather patterns, and food production; the loss of natural habitats and biodiversity will likely continue. Political scientists warn against authoritarian lapses in democracies during times of national stress. The national debt will limit what the government can do in future economic crises if it continues to grow unchecked. I won’t even mention asteroids (hint: look up 2028). Doom and gloom? No. I’m an optimist, as almost every student of history is. But I am concerned that political discussions and thinking today, at least at the national level, are mired in fruitless and vexing battles over what appear to be small, often unnecessary, distractions from what will really affect our children and grandchildren. It’s as if each party wants to win, even if it means young people and their Republic lose. There is a failure of imagination in politics today. As a counterpoint to the short-term thinking that dominates political conversations today, I want to offer a plan to provide a promising future for all our children and grandchildren, and to make sure their nation approaches its 300th anniversary with liberty and justice for all. I want the federal government to adopt a long-term plan to substantially increase its annual investment in public education, to give individual human beings greater control over the conditions of their lives. This plan would have three parts: new urban and rural school construction, preschool for all children, and a longterm commitment to teacher quality and autonomy. As I’ve noted in prior columns, public education is primarily a function of the states, with the federal government contributing only a small portion of the national investment in education. However, the federal government can accomplish a great deal with its spending power to support research, create incentives, and reduce inequality. This is especially critical for students in rural and urban areas, where local and state governments cannot ensure that every American child gets a fair chance. In fact, it is critical for any child living in America, because—in a real and direct way—we’re all in this together. What happens to some of us happens to all of us. You may ask: Why focus on buildings and people when technology points in the direction of virtual and augmented reality? Because as long as there are humans, we’ll need humans to teach them. Recent data on distance or virtual learning shows poor student outcomes. By contrast, having students and instructors in the same place can build knowledge and skills you cannot learn alone, which is one of many reasons I believe students are still going to go to school buildings to work with other people in 2050. So, let’s start by making every school building in America a place of pride and safety for students, teachers, and parents. There has been a great deal of

discussion recently about infrastructure and construction spending, but schools are not part of these plans and they must be. I submit that a significant portion of any national construction spending should be committed to building beautiful schools in areas where school facilities are obsolete or decaying. If we give every American student and teacher a school that is designed to inspire, we will show them how important they are, and will give them room to do great things. For far too long, we have given vulnerable students places that only reinforce our indifference about them and their communities. Beautiful learning spaces not only change the people on the inside, they can renew the communities around them. If we build schools that are bright spots in struggling communities, there will be reasons for parents and young people to stay and rebuild those communities. The second investment would be in preschool for all students in need, for whom an early start is absolutely critical. The Perry Preschool Study is just one powerful basis to make this investment, showing that every dollar spent on preschool saves thirteen dollars of future government spending. Without an early investment, poor students too often fall behind in school and never catch up. We lose too many students before they have a chance to prepare for and apply to college. Finally, the federal government can help poor rural and urban communities without undermining local control of public education by investing in teacher training and development. Using its spending power, the federal government can create incentives to attract highly qualified teachers where they are needed most. This could include, for example, creating incentives for states to make it easier for people with graduate degrees to teach in public schools (they can already teach in colleges). The federal government can fund research into improved educational practices, it can provide bonuses for teachers who teach in rural and urban schools, and it can fund teacher training and development programs for teachers across the nation. And, to keep experienced teachers motivated and committed to teaching, the federal government could encourage state boards of education to give teachers greater autonomy to make instructional decisions and to test new ideas. This would mean more decision making at the campus-level, rather than at the district-level. This is a too-brief outline of a big plan to prepare every American child to think and work, and to be a thoughtful and active citizen, in a world that will change enormously during their lifetime. With planning and sustained public investment—balanced by cuts in less important programs—we can solve a broad spectrum of current social problems. And we can avoid foreseeable future problems, by preparing young Americans to be thinking people who can thrive and respond no matter what the future holds. Deep Sran, founder of Loudoun School for the Gifted in Ashburn, has been on a mission to improve formal education for two decades. Contact him at dsran@idealschools.org.

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near the intersection of Rt. 7 and Rt. 28. More than half of its 53,000 square feet will be set aside for interactive exhibits and active visitor space. Talk of creating a hands-on children’s science museum in Northern Virginia started almost a decade ago. In 2012, Loudoun County landed on a short list of jurisdictions in which to locate the science center and, in 2014, Kincora announced it would donate land for the project. It will be part of the larger, 424-acre Kincora project slated to include 4 million square feet of office space, 500,000 square feet of retail, 1,400 condos and apartments, as well as a hotel. For years, teachers and supporters of the Children’s Science Center have brought projects and displays to schools as part of the Museum Without Walls initiative. Then, in 2015, to give budding scientists a taste of the future museum, the Children’s Science Center opened a smaller version, called The Lab, in the Fair Oaks mall. Lee Ann Brownlee, a member of the science center’s management team, said The Lab’s opening felt like a happy ending to many. “But we like to think of it as a happy beginning,” she added. Bringing the full science center to fruition is expected to take five or more years, depending on how much money can be raised. The science center’s first phase is projected to cost $30 million in capital expenses, plus $5

as causing him to slide out for the top 5 and then out of the top 10. Allen started racking up accolades in high school. He won Washington Post’s All-Met Selection as a junior and senior, Virginia Gatorade High School Player of the Year in 2012 and was selected to the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He was a fivestar high school recruit and was the 11th-rated defensive end in his class nationally. Stone Bridge Head Coach Mickey Thomson was a familiar face in the crowd when Allen was introduced as a Redskin during a press conference at FedEx Field on Saturday. Coming to Thompson as a freshman, Allen was a 190-pounder who sometimes lined up at wide receiver. Thompson bulked him up and Allen was anchoring the dominating defensive line by his junior year. He only got better under Alabama’s Nick Sabin and his performance in the field at University of Alabama garnered even more recognition. He won the 2016 Chuck Bednarik, Bronko Nagurski and Vince Lombardi awards as the nation’s top defensive player. That year as a senior and team captain, he played in all 15 games, contributing 69 tackles (33 solo), 16 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and also contributed two touchdowns on fumble returns.

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The 53,000-square-foot Children’s Science Center will include interactive exhibits indoors and outdoors.

million in operating costs, and Executive Director Nene Spivey said the goal is to raise about half of the total cost of the project. This year alone, the goal is to raise $1 million. She said that projections show that it won’t take long for the science center to pump more than that total price tag back into the local economy. “Looking at the economic impact of the science center, it will take two years to pay back the cost to build it,” Spivey added. The architectural design phase is underway this spring. Later next month, the science center team will hold town hall-style meetings to get input from community members; the plan is to go to schools and libraries to get ideas from both adults and kids. “We really want kids to say what

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they want in a science center,” Spivey said. Zac Dunn, a 12-year-old Stone Hill Middle School student, served as one of the event’s speakers. And he wasn’t shy about saying what he’d like to see in a state-of-the-art science museum. He suggested exhibits and displays that teach kids about a variety of sciences—from biology and physics, to computer science and engineering. “Most kids have a passion for this stuff, but you never know about it until you see it in action,” he said. And his career of choice? Theoretical physics. Learn more about the Children’s Science Museum at childsci.org. dnadler@loudounnow.com

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