Loudoun Now for June 16, 2016 by Loudoun Now

LoudounNow

LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE

[ Vol. 1, No. 32 ]

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[ June 16 – 22, 2016 ]

LOUDOUN TEAMS SWEEP STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

HANGING IT UP

AT&T Drops Short Hill Expansion BY RENSS GREENE

mid intense pressure and scrutiny from Loudouners, AT&T on Tuesday submitted a letter asking the county government to withdraw the commission permit for its plan to expand its telecommunication center atop Short Hill Mountain. “We do not come to this decision easily,” reads the letter, signed by AT&T Principal Technical Architect Scott Rushin. “The facility is a vital part of our global telecommunications network. The upgrades would have provided Loudoun County businesses and residents additional opportunities to receive a wide variety of services such as Wi-Fi, entertainment, high speed internet and, eventually, enhanced wireless broadband services. And, contrary to speculation, the site is not a data center and our planned upgrade would not have converted it into one.” An AT&T spokeswoman declined to give further comment. The project has sparked controversy ever since it was granted a permit by the Planning Commission. Residents from around Short Hill rallied to ask county supervisors to overturn the commission’s action. A passionate community of residents launched into exhaustive research into the facility on top of the mountain—and a search for legally sound reasons for the board to deny the commission permit. “I think what everybody kept saying was, let’s stay focused on the real issue at hand,” said Sage Chandler, who took part in an impromptu meeting among residents Thursday night after a meeting between the county staff and the Lovettsville Town Council about the project was cancelled. “I mean, there’s a lot of people, myself included, who spent maybe a little too much time going down the rabbit hole,” she said, noting the wide speculation that the ex-

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Braulio M. Castillo, charged with murdering his estranged wife, heads into the Loudoun County Courthouse Friday. The first-degree murder trial is now in its fifth week.

Facing Life in Prison, Castillo Takes the Stand BY PARISS BRIGGS “Did you murder Michelle Castillo, the mother of your children?” defense attorney Peter Greenspun asked. “No, I did not,” Braulio M. Castillo said from the witness stand Monday, as his first-degree murder trial entered its fifth week. He made direct eye contact with each juror as he answered the question. Castillo is accused of killing his estranged wife on March 19, 2014. Prose-

cutors Nicole Wittmann and Alejandra Rueda worked during the trail’s first four weeks to build their case that he killed her in the master bedroom of her Ashburn home and then moved her body to a basement bathroom to make it look like a hanging suicide. Michelle’s body was discovered the following day. Greenspun and attorney Jonathan Shapiro spent five days attempting to whittle away at that theory, through the questioning of a roster of their own witnesses

that included their client, who faces 20 years to life in prison if convicted. The case is expected to go to the jury by week’s end. Castillo took the stand in hopes that jurors would believe his side of the story, but it also gave prosecutors an opportunity to question him directly. The Castillos were finalizing their divorce at the time of Michelle’s death. CASTILLO >> 47

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Silver Line reaches construction milestone

Loudoun’s Hidden Treasure No More BY MARGARET MORTON

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Gary Clemens, Clerk of the Loudoun County Circuit Court, and Archivist Eric Larson talk about their efforts to create an online database from the centuries of records they have on hand.

A secondary reason for the continued existence of the documents, many of them very frail, is a determined program over the past decade to pursue funding to protect and conserve the records, under the leadership of Clerk of the Circuit Court Gary M. Clemens, ably abetted by former Historic Records Manager John Fishback and his successor Eric Larson, who took over HIDDEN TREASURE >> 46

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INDEX

Loudoun Gov..................... 6 Leesburg......................... 10 Public Safety................... 18 Education........................ 22 Our Towns....................... 26 Biz.................................. 28 LoCo Living..................... 34 Loudoun Moment............. 36 Obituaries....................... 40 Classifieds...................... 41 Opinion........................... 44

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records came home safely in August 1865. Thanks to that spirited intervention, Loudoun County today is one of only five jurisdictions in Virginia to have its entire records collection complete—dating back to its formation from then-western Fairfax County in 1757. Fairfax County records fared less well—many of them being dumped out unceremoniously on the front lawn outside the courthouse by the invaders.

Sterling school makes history

ost county residents— whether they have lived here forever or are relative newcomers—know Loudoun has a rich history, even if they’re a bit sketchy on the details. But what many don’t know is that Loudoun is one of only a few jurisdictions in Virginia that can back up its stories with piles of documentation. Stowed away in the basement of the Loudoun County Courthouse in Leesburg in file cases is a treasure trove of records detailing Loudoun’s 259-year history. You can search for land records, wills, birth, marriage and death notices, slave auctions, registers of free black residents, property auctions, tax records, deeds and court judgments. That they still exist is attributed primarily to the foresight of Clerk of the Circuit Court George Fox and Chief Justice Asa Rogers. Two weeks before Virginians voted to secceed from the Union, the justices decided to remove the court documents to safety should the Yankees come to town, according to Historic Records Manager Eric Larson in a recent interview. Union forces did come to town—in March 1862—but Fox and all the court records had left in February and were safely en route to Campbell County with the justices’ blessing as Union forces prepared to enter the town. The

When it comes to biz, kids follow dads’ lead

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Leesburg ballot gets crowded

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

10 Grads, here’s your exit. Loudoun County high schools celebrate more than 5,000 graduates this week, with commencement ceremonies running through Thursday. Above, Stone Bridge High School graduating seniors Eric Bailey, Maya Aychan and Donoven Aviado snap a quick selfie before accepting their diplomas Monday.

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Preparing for Rail’s Return Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

At the northern edge of Dulles Airport, Silver Line passengers will have a treetop view of Loudoun County.

n 1968, the trains stopped running in Loudoun along a route that is today’s W&OD Trail. This week, contractors working on the Silver Line began laying the rails that will bring a return of that service by 2020. Crews from Capital Rail Constructors have moved the first stack of 80-foot rail sections atop the elevated guideway deck along Autopilot Drive at Dulles Airport and soon work will begin to weld them into

place. CRC, a joint venture led by Clark Construction Group and Kiewit Infrastructure South Co., has a team of about 650 working on the Silver Line’s Phase 2 construction. That workforce will top 1,000 as the $2.8 billion project—including the construction of six stations between Reston and Ashburn—gears up even more. At this point, construction is about 17.5 percent Renss Greene/Loudoun Now complete. At the same time, another The platform at Innovation Station in Fairfax. contractor group, led by Hansel Phelps, is building the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s largest rail yard on Dulles Airport property along Rt. 606. At roughly 90 acres, it will provide space for storage and maintenance of more than 160 rail cars. For those who travel the Dulles Toll Road and the eastern end of the Dulles Greenway, the Silver Line work has been visible since last year. The Innovation Center Station, just east of the Loudoun County line, is the most advanced in construction, with the structural work to wrap up this month. Its neighboring Herndon station is taking shape, with precast and steel work to continue during the next four months. On the Loudoun side, excavation work is underway at the Loudoun Gateway Station site, but work on the structure won’t begin until January. Crews will move to the Ashburn Station site this fall. Not all the work is visible. One of the biggest challenges was found underground, where specialized crews were brought in to jack-hammer through the dense diabase rock inches at a time to create tunnels under the Innovation and Herndon stations. CRC plans to complete its work by August 2019, when the line will be turned over to WAMATA for testing.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

The rail guideway along the Dulles Greenway will extend to the Loudoun Gateway Station, now under construction in the median.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Capital Rail Constructors crew gather for a safety briefing under elevated guideway that provides access to a new rail yard under construction at Dulles Airport.

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Religious leaders from a variety of faiths lead prayers and share thoughts.

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Loudoun’s interfaith community came together again Monday night to, in the words of All Dulles Area Muslim Society board chairman Rizwan Jaka, “answer bad with good.” People from several faiths gathered at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Sterling to hold a candlelight vigil in honor of the lives lost in the mass shooting in Orlando on Sunday morning. After a brief service in which prayers were offered in a variety of languages and faiths, the congregants stood at the busy corner of Davis Drive and Sterling Boulevard to hold a silent candlelight vigil. Jaka shared a lesson from the Quran that he has had occasion to share many times in the last year. “God tells us in the Quran that if you take a life, it is as if you have taken the life of all humanity, and if you save a life,

it’s as though you have saved the life of all humanity,” Jaka said. “That outlaw, that criminal, took the life of all of humanity.” Jaka joined other Loudoun religious leaders in condemning the mass shooting in Orlando—and calling for the community to respond with love. “With every tragedy, we become stronger,” said Loudoun Interfaith BRIDGES Vice President and Sikh Gurpreet Singh. “Every time we are put through fire, we become steel. That’s what we become, and yet sweet like sugar, and that’s the key component we need to keep as human beings, and that’s our difference. Under the banner of the stars and stripes, we always say home of the brave, land of the free. Bravery is in the strength of love and compassion and forgiveness.”

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[ LOUDOUN GOV ]

26 PEOPLE, 20 YEARS OF POLICY Comprehensive Plan Committee Taking Shape

BY RENSS GREENE

ith Loudoun’s elected leaders and planning staff eager to get started on work updating the county’s comprehensive plan, supervisors have begun to make their appointments to the citizen steering committee that will help guide the process. That panel will ultimately have 26 members: two planning commissioners, 15 representatives from various special interests, and a resident appointed by each of the nine county supervisors. Six supervisors have made their picks.

At-Large, Mike Turner Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (DAt Large) has selected U.S. Air Force Colonel and nonprofit executive Mike Turner to be the at-large representative on the stakeholder committee. Turner is a former Loudoun County Democratic Committee chairman and ran alongside Randall for the Ashburn District seat on the Board of Supervisors in 2015. He serves as vice president of the Military Officers Association of America, an advocacy group, and as executive director of the Military Family Initiative, a nonprofit launched by MOAA. During his time in the Air Force, Turner was a pilot before serving as a strategic planner for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, including work planning and executing Operation Desert Storm. “The general focus of this rewrite is going to be the east and the Metro station buildouts, which we really have to get right,” Turner said. “It’s going to transform Loudoun, and we we have to get it right.” Turner said transportation would be a major focus of the new plan, and that, too, will focus on the east. He would like to see more options for bicyclists and pedestrians in the east, particularly around Metro stops. “I think we have a pretty strong desire to keep the transition area sacrosanct and western Loudoun’s pristine nature relatively intact,” Turner said.

Leesburg, Wendy Yacoub Leesburg District Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D) has appointed Wendy Yacoub, a government teacher at Tuscarora High School. Yacoub said she would bring that perspective to the stakeholders committee as Loudoun schools race to keep up with growth. “Right now, I want to give them a perspective of what happens to schools as a community is growing, so they can take that into consideration,” Yacoub said. She said Loudoun faces the threat of overcrowding and larger class sizes. “I don’t think they realize the impact. You only realize the impact when you’re inside the classroom. We

Lou Canonico

Mike Turner

still do a great job, but we can do an even better job.” Prior to working in the schools, Yacoub worked for the Department of Defense. Now, she goes to great lengths in the classroom to get her kids interested and involved in local government, and wants to get more teachers involved in the county, too. “I would love to see more people who work in the schools live in the county, because then we’re going to be more vested,” Yacoub said. “I feel like I’m going to be more vested because I live here.”

Broad Run, Lou Canonico Broad Run District Supervisor Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R) has nominated land planner and engineer Lou Canonico to the committee. Canonico is also the current vice chairman of the county’s Zoning Ordinance Action Group, as well as a past chairman of the Loudoun County Economic Development Commission and past president of the Northern Virginia Building Association’s Loudoun chapter. He is currently co-chair of the Loudoun subcommittee of the government relations committee for NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association. Canonico is vice president of the christopher consultants’ Special Services Division and he oversees landscape architecture, land planning, and urban forestry. He also served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He also said he wants to focus on the county’s suburban areas and transportation. “To some extent, I think the plan needs to look at the transition areas, in terms of what the current plan tried to achieve in terms of protecting and/or guiding development in those areas,” Canonico said. He said the new plan is a good opportunity to look at redeveloping some of the county’s older developed portions. “I think the plan needs to look at the overall transportation integration in the county, especially with Metro coming,” Canonico said. “I think it needs to continue to focus on roads, but I think it also needs to take a more detailed look at multimodal transportation

Wendy Yacoub

connectivity between communities, whether that’s bus or hiker-biker.”

Algonkian, Chris Glassmoyer Algonkian District Supervisor Suzanne M. Volpe (R) appointed Loudoun County Public Schools civil engineer Chris Glassmoyer, who is responsible for the engineering of all school construction projects. He also currently serves on the county’s Facilities Standards Manual Public Review Committee. Before joining the school system in 2015, Glassmoyer worked as assistant director of design and construction and as transportation manager at the county Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure. Before 2011, he worked as an engineer in the private sector, including as director of design at christopher consultants. Glassmoyer said he’d like to do “more listening and talking.” “What it comes down to is, I want to reach out to a lot of folks,” Glassmoyer said. He also expressed concern that about the size of committee: “How are are we going to get anything done with like 30 groups? That’s my concern.” However, Glassmoyer says his experience in both the public and private sectors gives him a good perspective on working with developers to move the county in the right direction. He said developers with projects in the south of the county have been forgoing the rezoning process, which allows the county to collect proffers to help offset the cost of infrastructure, and instead building by right. “I think if they’re going to build by right, then we have to make sure that the zoning makes sense for what’s actually going to go where it’s going to go,” Glassmoyer said. On the other hand, he also said the county would have to be flexible with developers: “We can’t just say ‘no, no, no, you can’t have extra density because it’s going to tax public services,’ when if they’re going to provide public services then we should be more flexible.”

Dulles, Scott Fisher Dulles District Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R) appointed 30-year

Loudoun resident Scott Fisher, a vice president at BB&T. Fisher is also a member of the United Way Loudoun County Regional Council and vice president of the South Riding Homeowner’s Association Board of Directors. “I think having an awareness to where we’ve been, where people would like to see us go, hopefully I can be a valuable member from the standpoint of growth,” Fisher said. He said the transition area is “a vital area that needs to be reviewed again.” “With the engine of Dulles Airport and the Metro, and that being close to that transition area, there’s got to be some smart planning in terms of what we want to accomplish in the next 10 or 15 years.” However, Fisher said, with the great number of people on the committee, it’s too early to make any definite statements about where the comprehensive plan review will go. “I think it’s important to hear all the voices of the stakeholders and come up with something that accomplishes the objectives of all the stakeholders,” Fisher said.

Ashburn, David Mowbray Ashburn District Supervisor Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) has appointed David Mowbray, who is semi-retired after working in business-to-business corporate technology sales. Before that, he worked for the New York State Department of Transportation. He said his involvement with the Belmont Community Association, where he is chairman of the finance committee and a member of the grounds, facilities and safety committee, has opened his eyes to environmentally-friendly planning, especially around stormwater. “I don’t think it requires a huge investment to make it happen,” Mowbray said. “One of the things that I want to see is what we can do that better uses common grounds that is a little bit more environmentally responsible.” He also said he wants to protect the divide between eastern and western Loudoun, and said he will fight hard to prevent western Loudoun starting to look like the east. “As you get out west, what I really don’t want to see is a lot of sprawl that gets out there,” Mowbray said. “There’s a little bit of that that’s leaked out there, but I’d like to see that stopped. I don’t want to see any more of that. I want us to preserve the rural atmosphere out there.” Three board-appointed seats have yet to be filled: Catoctin, Sterling, and Blue Ridge. Dirt Farm Brewery owner Janell Zurschmeide was tapped to sit in the committee’s Blue Ridge District seat, but was removed from consideration at the last minute. rgreene@loudounnow.com

ADAMS Counsel Balks at Conditions on Mosque Move

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Signs deter the faithful at ADAMS from taking up nearby businesses’ parking.

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belong to, can work this out on their own?” Salmon said. “Why can’t we just say that? Because they have the legal authority to do so.” Culbert agreed. “For the county to tell us with whom we must deal, and how we must deal with them, I think is frankly just going a bridge too far,” Culbert said. He also said the VDOT study would be a waste of money—it would find that right now, there is next to no foot traffic across Beaumeade Circle, and that therefore a crosswalk is unwarranted. “I see no reason to agree to a condition that’s going to cost us money and result in a very predictable end result

the plan is to potentially, at some point, have people going back and forth across that street,” Keirce said. The commission voted 4-2-1-2 to recommend approval to the Board of Supervisors with all conditions of approval intact. Commissioners Lloyd, Keirce, Salmon, and Fred Jennings (Ashburn) voted aye; Commissioners Eugene Scheel (Catoctin) voted against; Commissioners Kathy Blackburn (Algonkian) and Ad Barnes (Leesburg) abstained; and Commissioners Charlie Douglas (Blue Ridge) and Jim Sisley (At-Large) were absent.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

As the All Dulles Area Muslim Society tries to move overflowing services in Beaumeade Circle next door for more space, an attorney representing the mosque balked at conditions from the county that would require crosswalks or shuttle service to a parking lot across four-lane Beaumeade Circle. County staff has added two new suggested conditions for approval since a contentious public hearing in May. Those conditions would require ADAMS to submit to zoning administration a parking plan with designated spaces and safety procedures for pedestrians and vehicles in the lot. They would also require ADAMS to conduct a pedestrian crossing study and either get a crosswalk from VDOT or, failing that, set up shuttle service. ADAMS’s representative, David Culbert of Culbert & Schmitt PLLC, has not agreed to those conditions. At a Planning Commission work session Thursday, June 9, commission Chairman Jeff Salmon (Dulles) pointed out that those are rules that the area’s Cape Court Commercial Condominium Owners Association can deal with on its own. “What prevents us from simply sending this to the COA and saying, listen, if we approve this application as-is, then the condominium association, whom all owners of the property

of no,” Culbert said. Commissioner Dan Lloyd (Sterling) said the commission is “beating a dead horse”—ADAMS would act to protect its congregants in its own best interest. “The more I think about it, I just realize the ADAMS Center loves the people that go to their facility, and so they’re going to do whatever they can to make sure nobody gets hurt,” Lloyd said. “And I don’t know if we need to be overreaching in this area.” Commissioner Cliff Keirce (Broad Run) made the motion to recommend approval on ADAMS’ request with the two new conditions. “I can’t get away from the fact that

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Supervisors Kill Gun Violence Resolution BY RENSS GREENE The Board of Supervisors voted along party lines June 7 to table a resolution recognizing June 2 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day, following a long public hearing and very brief discussion among supervisors. The draft resolution became a political lightning rod after a press release Monday by the Loudoun County Republican Committee attacking the resolution and the organization that would accept it, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Over the weekend before the LCRC press release, county Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) attempted to depoliticize the resolution by removing MDA from the resolution, but both supporters and opponents lined up to speak at the Board of Supervisors meeting nonetheless. “By supporting these types of resolutions, the board turns groups of citizens that could have common goals, such as the Virginia Citizens Defense League, it turns these groups that could have common goals into groups that work against each other,” Chris Rankin said. “Firearms do not commit crimes,” said Jeff Traver. “They don’t commit violence. Firearms are instead a reality of our society.” Other speakers, including a delegation of orange-clad mothers from the Loudoun chapter of MDA, said the resolution wasn’t an attack on gun owners, but rather a recognition of the lives lost to gun violence. “Two thirds of our homicide corpses and half of our suicide corpses have

[ LOUDOUN BRIEFS ] Planning Commission to Hear Data Center Rules

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Charles McKeon speaks in favor of the resolution.

gunshot wounds,” said Charles McKeon. “Every year, dozens of our police officers die from gunshot wounds, and every year hundreds more of our police officers become killers.” “It is the first step so that maybe, just maybe, my grandbabies won’t have to do active shooter drills in school,” said Koren Barwis. “… It is the first step that starts a conversation that goes beyond finger pointing, beyond fear, and beyond name calling.” Supervisor Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) moved to approve the resolution. He said the resolution is about awareness and education, not taking away guns. He also said the topic is near and dear to his heart—two of his older brothers have been shot, and his eldest brother was shot and killed while on the phone with a relative. “He was overheard on the phone say-

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Chris Rankin speaks out against the resolution recognizing National Gun Violence Awareness Day.

ing ‘please don’t kill me, my son is right there,’” Saines said. “But the person ended up shooting him anyway, with his son in front of him, my nephew.” Supervisor Suzanne M. Volpe (R-Algonkian) and Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) cut short any further discussion on the dais with a motion to table the resolution indefinitely—a motion on which there is no discussion, only an immediate vote. Volpe said the resolution had become “highly politicized.” Supervisors Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles), Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge), Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin), and Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R-Broad Run) joined Volpe and Buona in tabling the motion. Saines, Randall, and Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) voted against tabling. rgreene@loudounnow.com

The Loudoun County Planning Commission at its meeting June 28 will hear a proposed zoning change that will require special exceptions to build data centers in the county’s CLI (commercial/light industry) zoning district. Previously, data centers were a permitted use in the CLI district. Supervisor Suzanne M. Volpe (R-Algonkian) initiated the resolution to restrict data centers in that district. The CLI district mostly appears in pockets in the southeastern portions of the county, near Dulles Airport and along Rt. 50.

County Moving to Fix Sign Ordinance A quick-fix solution to the county’s unenforceable sign ordinance will have a hearing at the Planning Commission’s June 28 meeting. The county’s existing sign ordinance has previously been found to be unenforceable because it enforces different rules on signage depending on its content—a violation of the First Amendment. The Virginia Attorney General’s office has opined BRIEFS >> 9

[ LOUDOUN BRIEFS ]

Assistant County Administrator Charles Yudd has been promoted to deputy county administrator. Yudd, one of five assistant county administrators, will be the first deputy county administrator since Linda Neri retired in early 2015. In his new role, Yudd will provide direct management and support for the three assistant county administrators who have oversight responsibilities for most of the county’s external service agencies and who serve as liaisons with Constitutional Officers and the courts. Yudd will continue to oversee the county’s federal and state legislative programs, as well as strategic initiatives and special projects. Yudd joined the Loudoun County government in 1997 as the Land Use Review Division Manager in the Department of Planning Services. He moved to the Office of the County Administrator in 1999, working initially in the areas of land use, economic development and development review.

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The Board of Supervisors, in a divided vote, has directed the county staff to study options for improving the appearance of non-residential buildings. Broad Run District Supervisor Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R) said his office has had a lot of requests to address the appearance of commercial buildings. “A lot of people will say this is targeted at a particular industry,” Meyer said. “It’s not.” Board Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) criticized the move as not business-friendly. The board voted 5-3-1 to approve Meyer’s initiative. Buona, Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles), and Supervisor Suzanne M. Volpe

Yudd Promoted to Deputy County Administrator

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Myers Presses for Commercial Building Standards

(R-Algonkian) voted against; Supervisor Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin) was absent. The staff will bring their findings to the board’s Transportation and Land Use Committee, which Volpe chairs.

June 16 – 22, 2016

that signs cannot be regulated differently based on content, and in 2015 the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a law in Arizona that regulated political signs differently. In Loudoun’s case, temporary construction signs are regulated differently. The proposed amendment would cut the size of those signs to match other temporary signage, allowing the county to enforce its temporary sign ordinance again as it enters election season. Campaign signs are regulated under that regulation.

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[ LEESBURG ]

November Election Ballot Set BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

eesburg voters will have plenty of options come November, as the race for the mayor’s seat and three Town Council posts has the most competition in years. The election features some familiar faces, as well as some political newcomers. According to General Registrar Judy Brown, as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, five hours before the filing deadline, 10 candidates had fulfilled all the requirements to be placed on the Nov. 8 ballot. In the mayor’s race, David Butler is seeking his first full two-year term. Butler was appointed to the mayor’s seat in February after former mayor Kristen Umstattd began her

Reid Seeks Return to Council Seat

term as Leesburg District supervisor Jan. 1. Vice Mayor Kelly Burk, who served as acting mayor until Butler’s appointment, and former Town Council member Kevin Wright are challenging for the seat. Burk is assured of at least a council seat, as her post is not up for re-election until 2018. The council field is even more crowded. Incumbents Katie Hammler, seeking a fourth four-year term, and Tom Dunn, seeking a third term, are challenged by Ron Campbell, John Hilton, Gwen Pangle, Evan Macbeth and former Leesburg District Supervisor and Town Council member Ken Reid. In November, town residents will be asked to select one mayor and three council members. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

Dunn Formally Announces Re-Election Bid in Leesburg

A familiar face has jumped into the crowded Leesburg Town Council race. Former Leesburg District supervisor, and twice-elected Town Council member, Ken Reid announced this week that he is seeking a return to the council dais. Reid won his first council term in 2006 and was re-elected four years later. In 2011, he defeated Kelly Burk, now Leesburg’s vice mayor, for the Leesburg District seat on the Board of Supervisors. Reid did not run for re-election in Ken Reid 2015. In a press release announcing his campaign, Reid said he was “humbled” by the many town residents and business owners who approached him about returning to public service. He said recent actions by the Town Council, notably the process to appoint a new mayor earlier this year, as well as the town’s clean-up efforts related to Winter Storm Jonas, which left many residential streets unplowed for several days following the storm, were among concerns shared with him. If elected to another council term, Reid said his priorities would be addressing traffic congestion chokepoints in town, such as along Rt. 15; scrutinizing taxes and spending; enhancing communication with the public; and working more proactively with the Board of Supervisors and General Assembly, to name a few. Reid said one of his strengths is being proactive, not reactive, to situations, and pointed to his track records on the council and Board of Supervisors as evidence. “My hallmark is putting the emphasis on results and being proactive, not being reactive to issues, as well as working collaboratively with folks of all political stripes,” he stated. Reid first got involved with public service when he sought to have speed humps placed in his neighborhood, and has advocated for transportation improvements throughout the town and county. On the county board, he ultimately supported the Silver Line Metrorail project, after supervisors decided to create tax districts where property owners nearest to the future station would be the ones funding future Metro capital costs. According to his release, he also helped to secure funding for the design of future interchanges at Edwards Ferry Road and the Rt. 15 bypass, as well as at Rt. 7 and Battlefield Parkway; as well as a missing link of Miller Drive and the section of Crosstrail Boulevard between Rt. 7 and Sycolin Road. Professionally, Reid is in his 24th year as editor and publisher of Washington Information Source Co., a newsletter publisher and distributor of specialized manuals, books and electronic databases for pharmaceutical, medical device and biotech companies. Reid and his family have been town residents since 2002. For more information on Reid and his campaign, go to kenreid.org.

Two-term Town Council incumbent Tom Dunn has announced he will seek a third, four-year term on the Leesburg Town Council. Dunn formally announced his re-election bid this week, and has met all the requirements to be placed on November’s general election ballot. Dunn said the same thing that encouraged him to get involved in the community when he and his family first moved to Leesburg 18 years ago is what motivated him to run for a third council term. Tom Dunn “I have not come lately upon the idea of public service,” he stated in his re-election press release. “Within days of moving my family here I sought to help my HOA and PTA by serving on committees. Less than a year later I interviewed with Mayor [Jim] Clem in order to serve on the Leesburg Economic Development Commission. I just feel it is our civic duty to serve the community. Service is about meeting other people’s needs, not one of personal or political opportunity.” In addition to successfully running for the Town Council in 2008, and being re-elected four years later, Dunn has served on a slew of town, county and state boards and commissions; led or volunteered with scouting troops; coached Little League, youth football and flag football; and served as a tour guide for Ball’s Bluff Battlefield, to name but a few. He also ran twice for the mayor’s seat, challenging then-incumbent Kristen Umstattd, but was unsuccessful in both attempts. Professionally, he is the owner of VCR Inc., a small marketing company located in Leesburg. For Dunn, a successful re-election bid will allow him to continue his mission of making sure to clamp down on wasteful sp ending and ensuring the town is getting the county tax dollars it deserves for its services. He points to four goals if re-elected: implementing a better management process to more cost-effectively deliver town services; correcting traffic chokepoints, such as the area surrounding the intersection of Edwards Ferry Road and Rt. 15; enhancing public safety; and conducting a “definitive study” exploring the pros and cons should town leaders seek to make Leesburg an independent city. A large part of Dunn’s platform is focused on business recruitment efforts in Leesburg. “More companies will create job opportunities, an increase in commercial taxes, more water usage fees, and more patrons visiting our existing restaurants,” Dunn stated. “Local employment results in shorter commute times with less traffic and increasing the quality of life for our town’s residents. It also means property taxes and meal taxes and utility rates can go down.” Dunn plans a campaign kick-off, although no date has yet been set. For more information on Dunn or his campaign, go to electdunn.org. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Developer Asks Council to Delay Crescent Parke Rezoning Vote BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ The applicant for the Crescent Parke rezoning application in Leesburg has asked the Town Council to delay a vote on the project. Christine Gleckner, a land use planner with law firm Walsh Colucci Lubely & Walsh, told the council that the applicant, Lansdowne Development Group, wishes to revise its submitted proffers and would not be prepared for a vote Tuesday night. The council is still expected to hold public hearings Tuesday, June 14, and at the June 28 council business meeting, when a vote on the project could take place. The 53-acre Crescent Parke application seeks approval for 198 townhouses, 96 stacked townhouses and 96 multifamily dwelling units. Nonresidential uses would include a maximum of 110,550 square feet of office space, 137,175 square feet of retail, an area for a future hotel, and a 2,000-square-foot community room. The land stretches from the terminus of Gateway Drive to Davis Drive along the edge of the Leesburg Bypass. The property also includes the Olde Izaak Walton Park, land currently leased by the town which the developers would purchase and donate donate to the town. As currently written, the application would also reserve land for a future extension of the Dulles Greenway. Monday night was the council’s first opportunity to ask questions of town staff and the applicant about the project, which has been met largely with resistance. The Planning Commission failed to find a majority to recommend approval, or even denial, of the application, and after months of review, it was passed to the council with no recommendation in either direction. Commissioners and council members have sounded caution about the impacts the project could have on area roads and the watershed, questions about whether the proffers are adequate to address its impacts, and whether there is an adequate buffer between it and surrounding communities. Although Lansdowne Development Group is proffering to purchase the park, a lease the town currently has 13 years left to pay, no funds are included to improve the property, which includes a pond, community building and dog park. Although Gleckner said the applicant wanted to hear council members’ concerns Monday night before beginning to revise its proffers, one change now being proposed is the addition of a study, conducted by a third party expert, to ascertain what changes should be implemented to address storm water concerns within the property. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

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Actor Spotlighted in Magazine Town resident K. Victoria Chase was recently featured in Backstage Magazine. Chase’s success in being cast in an independent film, thanks to a casting notice she found in the magazine, was highlighted in the article. According to the magazine, Chase was cast in a supporting role in “Counterpoint,” an upcoming indie feature film from writer, producer and director Stephan Twist. Filmed in Northern Virginia, the film is about a young adventurer named Shawn Popillop, who runs afoul and is imprisoned by a brainwashing tyrant king. From within their cells, Popillop and others devise a plan to bring just rule to the land.

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Concert Series Begins June 26

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A Leesburg teenager is among a cadre of talented young dancers fighting for the honor to be named one of the nation’s best. Thirteen-year-old Lucas Marinetto, a rising eighth grader, was featured as a contestant this week on “So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation.” His audition was broadcast on FOX Monday night, and Lucas made it through to the next round of competition. A spin-off of “So You Think You Can Dance,” “The Next Generation” focuses on younger competitors. In the June 13 episode, young dancers between the ages of 8 and 13 who are skilled in various dance styles such as contemporary, tap, hip-hop, ballroom, animation and breaking, auditioned in New York City. Lucas and the others selected during auditions by judges Nigel Lythgoe, Paula Abdul and Jason Derulo will now move on to battle it out at “The Academy” in Los Angeles. During “The Academy” round, which begins airing next Monday, June 20, the SYTYCD AllStars meet the young dancers and decide which 10 contestants will earn a spot to be their partner. Lucas, a tap dancer who studies at Studio Bleu Dance Center in Ashburn, was encouraged to audition for the show by a teacher at his dance school. He said the audition, which was filmed in March, was very exciting and he enjoyed meeting the other young competitors.

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Walmart Move Could Mean New Life for Retail Center BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ An older retail center flanked by some of the most heavily trafficked roads in town will soon have a new anchor tenant. And what that—and other changes at the Shenandoah Square development—will mean for that part of northeast Leesburg is up for speculation. Leesburg sits at a critical crossroads, as its leaders decide how much of the town’s open space to allow for development, or how older buildings can be transformed into thriving commercial spaces. For the development off Edwards Ferry Road and Rt. 15, much of the change that has yet to occur is largely out of the hands of Town Council members, and instead it may be the business negotiations of one of the globe’s largest employers that decides its fate. Walmart is the anchor tenant at Shenandoah Square. The global giant owns the building, as well as its parking lot, according to company spokesman Phillip Keene. Ever since plans for a new Walmart Supercenter in Leesburg were announced in late 2014, speculation has run rampant about what will go in the space once Walmart moves out. The usual suspects have all been rumored—Whole Foods, Trader Joes and every other desired retail tenant that does not currently occupy space in Leesburg. The Walmart Supercenter site plan submitted in late 2014 spells out plans for a 189,543-square-foot store as part

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

The buzz has already begun about what might move in to the current Walmart building when the company relocates to the Crosstrail development on Battlefield Parkway.

of a 550-acre master planned community in the Crosstrail development near Leesburg Executive Airport. Keene confirms that Walmart will remain in its current space on Edwards Ferry Road “until the new store opens in the first half of 2018.” So those looking for a quick change to the Shenandoah Square development should plan to sit tight. As to rumors that Walmart has already begun quietly shopping its Edwards Ferry space to other potential retail suitors, Keene declined to comment.

“We should be prepared to share more plans in terms of the existing store closer to [the new store’s opening],” he said. For those already located within the development, they too have been hearing rumors, or wish lists, of what could fill the space. Mark Marocco, head chef and one of the owners of Leesburg Public House, which opened in 2014, is one of them. He said he hopes a well-recognized retailer takes up the Walmart space, as this could only have a positive impact on surrounding re-

tail tenants. He also hopes the future anchor will generate some upgrades within the development, possibly even to make it a bit more pedestrian-oriented, to better accommodate the large numbers of residents who walk to nearby shops and restaurants. “I think we all know this shopping center needs a little makeover,” he said. Leesburg’s Economic Development Director Marantha Edwards also believes the center is one that is “ripe for redevelopment.” She said she is confident the large space will be attractive for national retailers, and said her staff will be armed with the latest data on what Leesburg shoppers are buying to woo a future owner. She said this same data is what made Dick’s Sporting Goods choose its new site, also off Edwards Ferry Road in the nearby Battlefield Shopping Center, and the Lowe’s store under construction along East Market Street near the Village at Leesburg. “I do not believe that this [storefront] will languish. Leesburg is a hot market, that is a favorable site and I think that it will not sit vacant,” she said. “I imagine there will be significant interest.” krodriguez@loudounnow.com About this series: Loudoun Now will take a close look at some key properties in the Town of Leesburg. Many of these properties have the potential, some with active plan review applications, to be the site of some major development, or redevelopment, projects in the town.

13 June 16 – 22, 2016

The Leesburg Town Hall parking garage got a bit more colorful over the weekend, as art students from Tuscarora and Heritage high schools joined members of the town’s Public Art Commission and Friends of Leesburg Public Art in painting a mural on the wall alongside the bike racks. FOLPA is footing the project costs for the mural, which was drawn up by artist and Public Art Commissioner Kevin Dunn, seen working away on the mural Sunday. Dunn said he and the other artists plan to have the mural done within the next two weeks.

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Ron Petrellas with his son and daughter, Mike Petrellas and Kaitlin Murray are all educators in Loudoun’s public schools.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY Sons, Daughters Take Up the Family Business

BY LEAH FALLON

o doubt running a business with your father can have its challenges, but these area businesses run by father-son, father-son-grandson and father-daughter teams make family harmony look easy. Loudoun Now spoke with several fathers whose children have followed in their career footsteps. They said they not only have daily opportunities to inspire and support their children, but they have the benefit of knowing their life’s work will be kept alive. As Craig Damewood, owner of Damewood Auctioneer, put it: “It fills a spot in your heart knowing that someone will carry on your legacy.” Here’s a sampling of careers inspired by Loudoun County dads.

tions with his dad on the weekends and found they were a lot more fun and profitable. “I should have listened to my dad when I was 16 and gone to auctioneer school,” Brian said. Craig said his son has been a real asset to the company, especially when it comes to technology. Brian has updated the website to make it more user friendly and set up live, online auctions. “He has a knowledge of technology that didn’t come with my schooling and background,” Craig said. The two have grown closer since working together. Brian considers his dad one of his best friends. “I tell him as much as I tell my buddies,” he said. Traveling to auction sites together gives them plenty of time to talk about personal situations or business decisions. Brian says these discussions helped him grow up. “A lot of sons want to spend more time with their fathers. I get to spend most days with him.”

worked at a few other businesses before settling in with his father and brother in 1997. This is one busy family, working long, hard hours. “This is a tough time of year, very busy,” Al said. A glance at their schedule board shows a stack of appointments for this week. He said it’s difficult to find people qualified to help in the field. “This trade is really several in one. You need to know electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and welding.” He is grateful he has Kelly and Michael out on the field, while he does the bidding, design and welding. “But we are always looking for more help,” Al added. Al’s granddaughter, 21-year-old Jessica Dodson, also lent a hand to the family business for two and a half years. She answered phones, filed invoices, and even traveled on to job sites with her father, Michael. “Jessica was the best helper we ever had,” Al said. She decided to pursue a career with the U.S. Navy, and is stationed on the USS George Washington in Norfolk. “We wished she would stay and work for us, but we are very proud of her,” said Dianna Dodson, Al’s wife. The family tends to get together after work too, for family dinners that involve lots of laughs and lots of love, and very little work.

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Auctioneers Craig Damewood and son Brian Damewood, in the foreground, work at an auction in Willowsford Saturday.

Damewood Auctioneers Craig Damewood and his son, Brian, have been in business together for six years. Craig has been in the auctioning business for 35 years in Loudoun County, a community that once thrived on auctions. Years ago when a farm went out of business, the house, land, livestock and tools were sold at live auctions. Craig takes pride in carrying on the tradition with his son, making the auctions an experience for buyers. He says it’s been fun watching his son Brian develop into a fine young auctioneer. After attending Virginia Tech for communications, Brian realized that he wouldn’t be happy doing TV news for the rest of his life. He started going to auc-

Photo submitted

Al Dodson, center, with his sons, Kelly Dodson and Michael Dodson.

Dodson Heating and Air Conditioning Al Dodson, 68, has owned Dodson Heating and Air Conditioning in Purcellville for 41 years. His sons Michael Dodson, 49, and Kelly Dodson, 45 joined him soon after they graduated high school. Al graduated from W.T. Woodson High School in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning vocational school in 1966. Kelly has been in the business the longest, working since 1989. After studying electrical at Monroe Technology Center in Leesburg, he started working for his father right after graduation. Michael also attended Monroe, studying HVAC, but

Photo submitted

Dr. Bradley Clegg, left, with his dad, Dr. Charles Clegg.

Clegg Chiropractic When Dr. Charles Clegg opened Clegg Chiropractic in Leesburg in the 1970s, it was the only chiropractic office in the county. SONS AND DAUGHTERS >> 15

Loudoun County Public Schools

<< FROM 14

Call Toth Financial Advisory Corp. and ask for Tom, you’ll likely hear Mo Schwarting politely ask, “which Tom?” There are four Toms, and three of them are the father-son-grandson trifecta, that help make one of the county’s largest independent investment advisory firms run. Having his son and grandson on the payroll was something Tom Toth Sr., known around the office as T1, never imagined when he started the business almost exactly 30 years ago. “I never pushed them that way,” he said. “Especial-

ly T3 (Tom Toth III), I never would’ve dreamed he’d be here.” Thom Toth Jr., call him T2, joined his father at Toth Financial in 1996, after he’d worked in the IT field for about a decade. As the company’s chief technology officer and portfolio manager, Thom Toth Jr. provided the tech talent that the company would have otherwise lacked, his father said. “I was thankful when he came on board. He had all the IT skills, which we put to good use.” Thom Toth Jr. now focuses most of his work week on his chili sauce company, Voodoo Chile Sauces, but he still consults for Toth Financial. T3 had thought he’d go into politics. He majored in political science, and is still a political junkie (he’s communications chair for the Loudoun County Republican Committee). But after he graduated from Liberty University in 2013, he caught the family itch. “It became something I was really excited to pursue,” he said. “I realized there was a legacy beyond the Toth family to be proud of. There was a business and relationships and a contribution that the company was making to the community to be proud of. I wanted to be a part of that.” And if there’s a T4? Tom Toth Sr. joked, “Oh, he won’t have much of a choice.”

— Danielle Nadler contributed to this report.

Toth Financial Advisory Corp.

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Tom Toth Sr., center, with his son, Thom Toth Jr., and grandson, Tom Toth III.

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Although the 70-year-old has no intentions of retiring any time soon, he acknowledges that running a chiropractic clinic is hard work, mentally and physically. He works every day with people who are in pain. Through stretches, adjustments and exercises, he gets their bodies back in pain-free motion. His son, Dr. Bradley Clegg, grew up observing the admiration his father got from people in the community, and was eager to get his doctorate of Chiropractic. “People would stop my dad and thank him. They were appreciative and grateful. It felt good to know he helped people,” he said. Bradley, 35, says he likes the feeling of providing a better quality of life for his patients. Working together every day helps the Cleggs have a deeper relationship, as they can connect on a personal and professional level. Being able to share information and advice about patients strengthens the father-son bond they have, a bond that Bradley hopes to one day have with his 6-month-old baby, Penelope. “She’s the little ‘therapy baby,’ always smiling in the office,” he said. Bradley hopes she’ll be the next one to continue the Clegg Chiropractic legacy.

Education is a family business for the Petrellas. Four of the five Petrellas are on the Loudoun County Public Schools’ payroll. Six, actually, if you count the son-in-law and daughter-in-law. Ron Petrellas, 53, retires as Heritage High School’s athletic director next month after 30 years in education. But he said ending his career seems easier knowing his two children, and their spouses, will be carrying the torch. Brother and sister, Mike Petrella and Kaitlin Murray, both teach at John Champe High School. Mike, 32, teaches health and physical education, and Kaitlin, 28, teaches business and marketing. Ron, who’s worked as a teacher and administrator in Loudoun, never expected two of his three children to follow in his footsteps, but he’s happy they did. “It’s built-in support,” he said. “We understand what each person is going through, and we can brainstorm ways to improve things.” Mike went into education because he was excited about the influence teachers can have on young people. “I like building relationships with the kids,” he said, “and I feel it’s extremely important that kids know how to live a healthy lifestyle. I try to teach that and live it out.” Kaitlin went into teaching after first working at an insurance company. She started coaching softball and found she enjoyed working with teens. “It’s a really impactful time in their lives, and I didn’t really feel like I was making that kind of impact before,” she said. One of the perks of having a family of educators is the similar work schedules. While the school year is hectic, they have much of the summer off. “That works out,” Kaitlin said. “We’re all going to the beach together in July.”

June 16 – 22, 2016

Sons and daughters

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AT&T hangs up << FROM 1 isting underground facility on Short Hill houses a clandestine federal facility. Chandler said people at that informal gathering focused on getting enough votes on the Board of Supervisors to stop the application. To accomplish that, opponents from around the mountain scoured the county’s General Plan to demonstrate that AT&T’s plans were not, as required in the commission permit, in substantial compliance with those policies. Others, including leading experts in telecommunications, pored over AT&T’s submitted plans, expressing strong skepticism that the proposed facility was indeed a transmission substation as the communication’s giant claimed.

Residents Stay Vigilant “It’s a real relief,” said Sam Kroiz, one of the de facto leaders of the hundreds-strong opposition to the project. Kroiz said he was “feeling pretty confident” about a Board of Supervisors vote against the project, but “this is better.” He also said he would continue to seek an official zoning determination on the site—something which the county staff has not yet provided, but which he hopes may clarify what is and is not allowed on the property and, ultimately, put up another barrier to building on top of the mountain. “It feels wonderful,” said Laurie Hailey, who lives near the mountain. “I’ve met an array of amazing people from this, so if nothing else comes from this, I think the community coming together was just wonderful.” Like Kroiz, Hailey said she would still be keeping an eye on AT&T’s mountaintop facility. “I’m a little skeptical, because they spent so much money starting this project before they got the actual permit, so I think it’s going to be a continual effort,” she said. Supervisor Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin) now expects the board to vote down the commission permit based on the applicant’s request for withdrawal, rather than the merits of the application. According to County Attorney Leo Rogers, that would leave the door open for another application. “If the board turns down an application because it is withdrawn, then the applicant can reapply with essentially the same application or with changes as it deems appropriate,” Rogers said. “If the board were to turn it down for cause, then the applicant would need to revise its application to address those causes.” Director of Planning and Zoning Ricky Barker said although AT&T has approval to do interior work on the existing, underground, structure, it cannot now build its proposed 160,000-squarefoot facility. “I’m pretty sure they’re not going to pursue anything any time in the immediate future,” Barker said.

June 16 – 22, 2016

Experts: Wouldn’t Serve Loudoun The Loudoun Communications Commission on June 8 unanimously adopted a statement finding “no evidence” that AT&T’s proposed facility on Short Hill would provide or improve telecommunications services to Loudoun. Commissioner Mark Foster (Blue Ridge) checked a wide array of industry databases and records for any evidence the facility would provide telephone, Internet, or television to Loudoun, but

could find nothing. Foster, a serial entrepreneur and telecommunications expert, invented mobile number portability—the ability to change cell phone carriers and keep your phone number. The Planning Commission’s findings for approval in granting the permit include that “the proposed expansion of the existing telephone transmission utility substation will provide modern, effective and efficient telecommunications infrastructure and enhance the overall communications network within the County, to the benefit of area residents, businesses, and governments.” Foster said that if AT&T had any intention of connecting the proposed facility to Loudoun’s networks, there would be evidence by now. “There would be some indications of it, and there clearly aren’t,” Foster said. He pointed out that in addition to the lack of any evidence that AT&T plans to connect its facility to any wired or wireless communications providers, there were no new easements or rights-of-way associated with the project. Foster’s research found, among other things, that there is no record of AT&T attempting to connect the facility to the public switched telephone network, the world’s network of national, regional, and local telephone providers. “Regarding wired or wireless (cellular) telecommunications, Loudoun would only benefit from the facility, directly or indirectly, if, and only if, the facility existed in the public switched telephony network (PSTN),” the commission wrote in a letter to the Board of Supervisors accompanying its resolution. “Otherwise, any telecommunications services delivered from the facility would only benefit private customers or AT&T internally.” AT&T declined an invitation to speak at the commission meeting; two people associated with the project were in attendance but did not speak.

Power to the People Higgins and Blue Ridge District Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R) helped lead the fight against the data center in the Board of Supervisors and commended AT&T for its decision. Higgins said height and size of the proposed building did not protect Short Hill Mountain as dictated in the county’s General Plan, which specifically mentions the mountain’s steep slopes and ridges. “If we had to work on reasons for denial, that’s what we would have looked at,” Higgins said. Buffington agreed that AT&T’s plans were not in keeping with “the rural historic and scenic character of western Loudoun,” and both men said people living around the mountain are to credit for stopping the project. “I think they deserve the bulk of the credit,” Buffington said. “We as their representatives definitely helped and assisted in the matter, but I think that they, as the people of western Loudoun, saw this as an issue that was very important to them, and rather than sit aside idly as something happened that they disagreed with, they came out and made their position clear.” “Please be assured that we aspire to be good neighbors,” AT&T wrote in its withdrawal letter. “We are grateful to staff, the Planning Commission, the Board of Supervisors, and the community for the robust dialogue about the site.” rgreene@loudounnow.com

June 16 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 22, 2016

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[ PUBLIC SAFETY ] Former Loudoun Paramedic Sentenced for Sex Offenses A former volunteer paramedic with the Sterling and Hamilton rescue squads has been sentenced to three years behind bars for sex offenses with two teenagers. Timothy Metrus Ward, 32, was a supervisor and mentor for all the non-medically-certified volunteers working in the stations, including minor volunteers. Beginning in February 2015, he began engaging in a sexual Ward relationship and sent sexually explicit text messages to a 15-year-old Sterling Rescue Squad volunteer. Later in 2015, Ward was working as a lieutenant at the Hamilton Volunteer Rescue Squad. He sent multiple text messages to a 17-year-old volunteer, proposing sexual acts with her. Ward pleaded guilty to the offenses on Nov. 9, 2015. He was sentenced in Loudoun County Circuit Court on two counts of indecent liberties with a child by custodian, one count of use of communication systems to facilitate certain offenses with children, and one count of use of communication systems to facilitate certain offenses with children, second offense. Ward testified at his own sentencing hearing, saying, “I did something that I

shouldn’t have done” and “I took advantage of my position.” He went on to say “I was fully aware of the victims’ ages.” Before imposing a sentence, Circuit Court Judge Jeanette A. Irby reflected on how rescue squads and firehouses are considered “safe havens.” She addressed Ward directly, telling him that “when it really counted, when you really had the opportunity to protect those that were vulnerable, you only thought of yourself.” Irby imposed an additional 14 years of suspended time. Upon his release, Ward will be placed on one year of supervised probation, followed by nine years of unsupervised probation. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. Those on Virginia’s Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry can be found at sex-offender. vsp.virginia.gov.

Loudoun Deputy Charged with Animal Cruelty A Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office deputy was charged with felony animal cruelty following an internal investigation of the death of his pet dog, the agency announced last week. Deputy Dustin W. Moon, 37, surrendered to authorities in Warren Moon County after the

charge was filed June 9. The 11-year Sheriff ’s Office veteran most recently was assigned to the Emergency Communications Center. The dog’s death came to light in May, during an internal investigation into an unrelated administrative violation. During the investigation, it was learned Moon killed his pet dog sometime between February and March and discarded the remains in a dumpster, according to the Sheriff ’s Office. Moon was released on a $3,000 unsecured bond and was placed on paid administrative leave pending personnel action. Last June, Moon was one of two deputies who earned public accolades from Sheriff Mike Chapman for helping to save the life of a suicidal man in Cascades.

Jury Recommends 4-year Prison Sentence for Assault on Deputy A Loudoun County Circuit Court jury last week found a 37-year-old Oakton man guilty of assault and battery of a law enforcement officer. Jurors recommended Eric Christian Lally serve four years and three months in prison on the charges. On March 31, 2015, deputies were dispatched to Inova Loudoun Hospital for a report of a disorderly person. They found Lally laying in a wooded area in front of the hospital. According to testimony in the case, hospital staff members said he appeared to be intoxicated and had run out of the

hospital before emergency room doctors could examine him. As deputies attempted to assess the situation and determine Lally’s identity, Lally stood up. Deputy Shannon Almborg reached out in an attempt to steady Lally and the defendant began swinging his fists, striking the deputy in the face and chest. A second deputy helped restrain Lally, who was arrested and transported to the Adult Detention Center, where he continued to be uncooperative, combative, and refused to stand or walk. Lally has two prior convictions for assault and battery—both involving law enforcement officers—disorderly conduct, and obstruction of justice. The maximum prison sentence for the felony charge of assault and battery of a law enforcement officer is five years. The case was heard by Judge Douglas L. Fleming, who revoked Lally’s bond pending a final sentencing hearing .

LCSO: Repeat Drunken Driver Hits 3 Cars Before Arrest A 25-year-old Sterling man is behind bars after he crashed into three parked cars on North Lincoln Avenue on June 8. The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office identified the suspect as Hugo Maldonado-Arellano. Deputy R.M. Christman charged him with DUI and driving on suspended license. If convicted, it would be Maldonado-Arellano’s third DUI since 2013; that’s a felony violation PUBLIC SAFETY >> 19

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<< FROM 18 that carries a minimum sentence of six months in jail and a fine of at least $1,000. He is being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center and faces an Aug. 3 trial in Loudoun County District Court.

Fake IRS Caller Demands iTunes Gift Cards

Submitted photo

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Four Nabbed in Sterling Larcenies The Sheriff ’s Office responded to a report of two people stealing from cars on Shepard Drive and Shaw Road in Sterling on Sunday. The witness reported the pair was breaking into vehicles and loading items in their own vehicle. The suspects were identified as David R. Ramsey, 31, and Kristin L. Gheen, 26. Ramsey was arrested and charged with four counts of felony grand larceny, possession of burglarious tools, and four counts of destruction of property. Gheen was arrested and charged with two counts of felony grand larceny, possession of burglarious tools, four counts destruction of property and two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony. Both suspects also had outstanding warrants in another jurisdiction. They were held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.

Man Charged with Impersonating Officer A deputy’s traffic stop in the area of Loudoun County Parkway and Marblehead Drive in Ashburn on June 3, resulted in more than a moving violation. When he was pulled over, the driver, Michael T. Acciola, 47 of Sterling, identified himself with multiple fictitious law enforcement and military identifications. Acciola was arrested on the charge of impersonating a police officer and then was released on a secured bond.

Drive-by Shot Fired at Picnic

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Residents attending a community picnic on Youngs Cliff Road in Sterling on Saturday told Loudoun deputies that someone fired shots from the window of a moving vehicle. The vehicle and occupants were stopped in Fairfax County. The suspect was identified and charges are pending. There were no injuries or damage to property as a result of the gunshot.

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A Sterling resident threatened with arrest by a caller claiming back taxes were owed to the IRS became suspicious when payment was requested in the form of iTunes gift cards. The McFadden Square resident received a call June 10 from a caller who identified herself as Teresa Moss of the IRS. She said an arrest warrant would be issued unless the gift cards were purchased and the numbers provide to the caller. The resident researched the incident and determined it was a scam. Local authorities have repeatedly warned the public that the IRS will not call residents and threaten to arrest them over the phone. Also, there are no known cases the U.S. Treasury seeking iTunes credits as tax payments.

Three people were pulled to safety by members of the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Swift Water Team after their canoe capsized Sunday at the Beaverdam Creek Reservoir. Dispatchers were alerted by a 911 call just before 3 p.m. June 12 that three subjects were stranded in the water at the Brambleton Regional Park. High winds and the current, prevented them from getting back into their boat or reaching the shore. The boaters were not wearing life jackets. Fire and rescue units from Moorefield, Brambleton, Ashburn, Leesburg Fire and Sterling Rescue were sent to the scene. Rescue Boat 613 was deployed to rescue the boaters and retrieve the capsized canoe. Following the incident, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue reminded residents about the importance of each person aboard any watercraft—adults and children alike—wearing U.S. Coast guard-approved lifejackets.

June 16 – 22, 2016

Public safety

Three Rescued from Reservoir Sunday

[ SPORTS ]

Pro Basketball Team Coming to Loudoun

loudounnow.com

BY DANIELLE NADLER

Courtesy of Chas Sumser/Viva Loudoun

Park View Patriots won the 4A state championship Saturday; the first state title the team has won in almost 25 years.

FOR THE WIN

Community Rallies to Send Park View Soccer Team to State BY DANIELLE NADLER Park View High School’s boys soccer team clinched the 4A state championship title Saturday, when sophomore Hector Hernández secured the only score of the game. It is the first time in almost 25 years that the Patriots have won a state title in boys soccer. And the team’s Cinderella story doesn’t stop there. As Coach Arturo Jimenez and the players prepared for the big stage last week, they realized they were short on funds to get to the two-day tournament in Lynchburg. Jimenez contacted the Loudoun Education Foundation and a few community leaders to see if they could help. The response was overwhelming. Dawn Meyer, director of the Loudoun Education Foundation, passed the message on that the players needed money for transportation to K. Lynn Tadlock at the Claude Moore Foundation, who said, “Done.” Meyer presented a check for $2,500 from the Claude Moore Foundation to Jimenez at the Sterling school Thursday morning. That was enough to cover the cost of a charter bus to and from the

tournament. “We are all a part of the same community, so when you have these amazing student athletes who need help, we said, ‘let’s help them.’ It really does take a village,” Meyer said. In an email to the Loudoun Education Foundation, Jimenez said he appreciates the support from the community and the school. “… this is not a school where parents can send in money for a bus, a championship ring, spirit wear…any of the extras that we love for our students to be able to have,” he wrote. “This team of 25 is a dedicated, hard-working group of students, many of whom work long extra hours to be able to pay their own living expenses.” The team also launched a GoFundMe page to bring in enough money to cover food, hotel rooms and championship rings. As of press time, the page had raised $3,875. Jimenez commended his players for all of their work throughout the school year. “They are humble, hard-working and have a great positive attitude.” dnadler@loudounnow.com

Loudoun Wins Big Loudoun County brought home seven state championships this week:

BOYS LACROSSE 5A State Championship Briar Woods 9, Atlee 8 in overtime 4A State Championship Dominion 17, Western Albemarle 4

GIRLS LACROSSE 5A State Championship Potomac Falls 19, George Marshall 7 4A State Championship Woodgrove 18, George Mason 6

BOYS SOCCER 4A State Championship Park View 1, Chancellor 0

GIRLS SOCCER 5A State Championship Mills Godwin 4, Tuscarora 3 4A State Championship Loudoun County 1, Salem 0

SOFTBALL 4A State Championship Woodgrove 19, Fauquier 0 — Courtesy of Viva Loudoun

June 16 – 22, 2016

Cannons Centerfielder Drafted by Mariners Purcellville Cannons centerfielder DeAires Moses was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 19th round last week. Moses, 20, was also drafted by the Mariners in the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft’s 31st round. He later attended Volunteer State Community College in Tennessee before coming to the Cannons this year. He is from

Old Hickory, TN, where he graduated from East Nashville Magnet School. This weekend, the Cannons host the Waynesboro Generals at home Friday, and travel to play the Strasburg Express Saturday. On Sunday, Cannons play host to the Front Royal Cardinals. The games start at 7 p.m. See the team’s full schedule at purcellvillecannons.com/schedule.

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

DeAires Moses

On the heels of adding collegiate baseball to its local offerings, Loudoun County will soon be home to a professional basketball team. No, really. The American Basketball Association has announced plans to start its 100th team, called Virginia Storm, in Ashburn. The semi-pro Winchester Storm will fold into the new Virginia Storm team. Launching a pro team in Northern Virginia has been a longtime dream of owners Norman and Mardesky Blowe, who started the Winchester Storm in 2010. “I like the Loudoun County area and there’s a lot of new growth and development there, so it seems like a great place to start a team,” Norman Blowe said. Generally, the league brings on players who are coming off from playing four years of college basketball. Blowe said his goal is “to give young men the opportunity to continue their basketball careers by providing a foundation for professional advancement.” Virginia Storm’s first game is scheduled for the first week in November. The team will hold tryouts within the next month, and Blowe expects the team will be made up of a few players from the Winchester Storm, as well as men who recently played in college, overseas and even a few from the NBA. The team is working with Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services to secure venues for its games. Blowe expects most of the games to be played at local high schools. Blowe said he’s looking forward to the team and its players—as well as its dance team, the Stormettes—to partner with Loudoun non-profit organizations, businesses and schools. Since he and his wife formed the Winchester Storm six years ago, it has raised money for charities, grown from two to 18 business sponsors, and formed Junior Storm, a league of six junior travel teams. “We really want to do our part to be good community partners,” Blowe said. Joe Newman, CEO of the American Basketball League, said all of the league’s teams are encouraged to “have this deep involvement in the community.” “Basketball is basketball, but when you really look behind the scenes there is so much more that’s going on than the basketball,” he said of the league’s 106 teams. Virginia Storm will join the Chesapeake Division, which includes teams from Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Trenton, NJ, and Fredericksburg. Learn more at facebook.com/VirginiaStormBasketball or americanbasketballassociation.org. dnadler@loudounnow.com

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[ E D U C AT I O N ]

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“

This is the best school; you’re going to have so much fun, like making a story and making slime. — Gael Mendoza, second grade The teachers make this the best school, and it’s bully-free. — Noah Zentz, third grade They do special things at Guilford for us, like make pancakes before the SOLs. Also, if you listen, you’ll have fun. — Dunia Fenoui, fifth grade

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Brittany, a third-grader at Guilford, enjoys a moment off the ground at the school’s birthday celebration.

MAKING HISTORY

Guilford Elementary Celebrates 50 Years in Sterling BY SUE COWAN

lot has changed in Loudoun County since Guilford Elementary opened in 1966. “Desegregation, computers, air conditioning,” lists the school system’s Public Information Officer Wayde Byard, while also noting the nearly tenfold growth in student enrollment, from 8,072 to 76,263 today. Guilford Elementary in Sterling, which celebrated its half centennial anniversary last Thursday with a picnic, games and, of course, birthday cake, offers a window into these changes and charts a successful path through them, modeling a means of fostering academic achievement and a sense of community. “The school is like a second home for students, providing them love and stability,” said Lauren Sprowls, who takes over as school principal July 1. “It has roots in the community.” Yet the school’s community has been a landscape of change over the years. Byard explains, “for more than 200 years, agriculture dominated Loudoun County. With the opening of Dulles Airport in 1962 and the development of over 1,700 acres of eastern Loudoun farmland into the planned community of Sterling Park, the county would be forever transformed to an extension of the Washington metropolis…In 1960, there were 24,549 Loudoun residents; in 2010, 312,311.” With the growth in population came a change in demographics. Given that Loudoun County’s public schools were still racially segregated when Guilford opened, Sterling’s black children

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

From left, former Guilford Principal David Stewart, longtime Guilford teacher Joanne Luoma, and fifth-graders Alexander Ayala and Alexander Singh greet the crowd at the school’s 50th birthday celebration Thursday.

were bussed west to Douglass School in Leesburg until 1968. For almost 30 years after it opened, Guilford remained predominantly white until the late 1990s. “It was like a small community school,” recalls Mark Pankau, who has taught physical education at Guilford since 1995. By the turn of the millenium, though, Loudoun had become one of the nation’s fastest growing counties, and Sterling, with its plentitude of construction jobs and relatively affordable housing, became a draw for many families from Central and South America.

“With the opening of Forest Grove Elementary, in 2002,” Pankau said, “and the accompanying boundary changes,” Guilford was transformed quickly into a school with children from diverse backgrounds, and teachers were challenged to meet a different set of student needs. “I learned to increase my wait time profoundly,” Pankau said, “as I knew the kids were both problem solving and translating to English.” David Stewart, who was principal from 2006 until earlier this spring when he was appointed to lead the new Madison’s Trust Elementary School, recalls that at one point, 50 countries

”

were represented among Guilford students. Joanne Luoma, a teacher of multiple grades at Guilford since 1985, remembers that when she started teaching, the entire county’s English Language Learning program was housed in one small office. Today, 13 percent, or nearly 10,000 Loudoun students receive ELL services, including about threefourths of Guilford’s 556 students. Many of the elementary school’s families also face economic challenges. About 80 percent of its students come from low-income households and qualify for the federal free and reduced meal program. That’s increased from 35 percent in 2006, and is well above the current countywide average of 18 percent. Some of the challenges to teaching students from low-income families or students who are still learning English resulted in several years of low scores on the state Standards of Learning exams. In 2013, the school was designated as a “Focus School,” which meant the school’s reading scores fell low enough that the state stepped in and required them to hire school-improvement coaches. With the help of the coaches, the school adopted new teaching practices to better meet students’ needs. Instead of pulling students out of the classroom for help with reading or English instruction, for example, specialists join the classroom teacher for much of the day, increasing the number of students served and decreasing teacher-student ratios. They also started team-teaching more, with common planning times coordinated so that grade level teachers can meet regularly with administrators, as well as art, music, technology and physical education teachers, to ensure goals are being met and lessons are integrated throughout all subject areas. GUILFORD >> 24

Board Rejects Plan to Designate 7 Schools as Historic

CMY

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

The Waterford Elementary School building, which was erected in 1965, is one of seven western Loudoun schools that may qualify for state and national historic registries.

pay to make alterations to a school that we already own?” he said. “We are not losing hidden treasures.” He was joined by board Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn), Beth Huck (At Large), Tom Marshall (Leesburg) and Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) in opposing the study. Eric DeKenipp (Catoctin), Jill Turgeon (Blue Ridge) and Joy Maloney (Broad Run) were in favor of moving forward with the study. They each said the board should at least find out whether schools were eligible for 1 6/13/16the8:08 PM the registries, and then return to the

dais to decide whether the schools should be added. “I think it’d be a shame to not find out what the eligibility is. Then we can decide whether it’s worth restricting ourselves on zoning and so forth,” Turgeon said. “We’re worried that these are historic sites, and whether there’s something worth preserving. It’s worth the risk to find that out,” Maloney added. DeKenipp suggested that some board members have a political agenda for not moving forward with the study. “That’s the sense that I get and that up-

dnadler@loudounnow.com

Given the option to find out if seven Loudoun County school buildings could qualify for state and national historic registries, a School Board majority said no thanks. The county was awarded a grant to assess whether seven western Loudoun elementary schools would be eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Virginia Landmarks Register. The county Board of Supervisors asked the School Board to appoint a staff member to sign preliminary paperwork to kick off the process. That request was turned down by the School Board on June 7 in a 5-3 vote. The schools that were being considered for the study were Aldie, Banneker, Hamilton, Hillsboro, Lincoln and Waterford elementary schools, as well as the Middleburg Community Charter School. The oldest school building, in Middleburg, was constructed in 1911, and has undergone several renovations and additions. The newest of the seven is the Hillsboro Elementary building, erected in 1966. Jeff Morse (Dulles), who opposed moving forward with the study, said the historic designation provides “no real value,” and could actually open the door for more locally enforced red tape should the school system want to alter the school buildings. “What is the significance of us encumbering Loudoun County Public Schools 160613_LTP_print_ad_10-125x6-5_crvs.pdf so we may not be able to do what we need to do or we may have to

sets me,” he said. Morse, Hornberger and Sheridan have said in years past the division should consider closing the county’s smallest elementary schools. In response, Morse said, if there’s any political agenda, it’s board members favoring the small schools. “The only thing these seven schools have in common is that they are small schools,” he said. “Most of them, you wouldn’t even know that they have any kind of historic value at all.” He added that the school division can show that it values the school buildings by taking care of them, not by seeking a national or state designation. Asked by Sheridan to weigh in on the matter, Stephen DeVita, the division’s legal counsel, told the board that the designation could come with some risks. “There are some down stream effects that could potentially happen,” he said. Specifically, that it might allow the county or towns to enact ordinances that impose additional zoning requirements. The school system is somewhat restricted in what it can do to two of its schools, Lincoln and Aldie, which sit within Loudoun County Historic and Cultural Conservation districts. That designation requires the school system to undergo an architectural review by the Loudoun County Historic District Review Committee for all exterior alterations, new construction projects, and demolition.

June 16 – 22, 2016

BY DANIELLE NADLER

loudounnow.com

June 16 – 22, 2016

loudounnow.com

School Board OKs $252.9M Bond Question BY DANIELLE NADLER Along with choosing the next president, Loudoun voters will be asked to green light a hefty $252.93 million in bonds for school projects at the polls this November. That’s more than usual. New county fiscal policy requires that the bond referendum be approved prior to the appropriation to Loudoun County Public Schools. That’s a change from previous practice, where funds were appropriated in July and then in November the funds went for referendum, according to E. Leigh Burden, the school system’s assistant superintendent of financial services. In other words, voters will be asked to approve funding for two years worth of projects: six for fiscal year 2017 and one in fiscal year 2018. “This will be a larger amount. We want to make sure that everybody understands this is a transition year,” Burden told the School Board at its May 24 meeting. “So it’s a larger amount, but it will level back off.” The projects slated for funding in

Guilford << FROM 22 The efforts have meant a major turnaround for the school, and in 12 months it shed its “Focus School” designation. Today, it boasts some of the highest scores in the county, with 88 percent of students passing reading, and 93, 94, and 95 percent passing science, history and math, respectively. Guilford is considered a model school in Loudoun. The school often hosts educators who want to replicate its success, Sprowls said. Stewart and Sprowls are quick to credit their staff for the school’s improvements, noting teachers’ passion, love of children, “right motives,” and the spirit of collaboration and teamwork. Teachers appreciate the strategies implemented to better meet kids’ needs. During the school’s birthday party last Thursday evening, Guilford student class president Alexander Ayala said every one of his classmates knows their teachers care about them.

fiscal year 2017 are: a Dulles South elementary school (ES-28) for $38.77 million, classroom additions in Dulles North and Dulles South area schools for $16.32 million, a Dulles South area middle school (MS-7) for $60.82 million, converting C.S. Monroe Technology Center into an alternative school for $1.75 million, the Loudoun County High School Naval JROTC facility for $3.13 million, and classroom trailers for Dulles North and Dulles South schools for $1.48 million. Just one school project is scheduled for funding in fiscal year 2018: the Dulles South area high school (HS-9) for $130.66 million. “To be clear, this is not voter approval of the project, rather voter approval of the funding source,” Burden said. The School Board adopted a resolution June 7 to request that the Board of Supervisors, through Loudoun’s Circuit Court, place the bond referendum on the ballot. The overwhelming majority of voters in Loudoun typically support school bonds. dnadler@loudounnow.com

“They love the students, you can tell,” he said. “We’re celebrating that today and just the whole school environment.” Guilford has reestablished the sense of community that existed in its early days, not an easy task for a school with a highly transient population. All communication sent from the school is bilingual, and the regular “Parent Coffees” now serve breakfast and cover topics such as how to interview. The school has also forged partnerships with Reston Bible Church, Rack Room Shoes, Costco and others that has provided weekend food for families, books, shoes, backpacks, and other school supplies. Sprowls relays the sense of trust, love, and gratitude that families have for the school. “They are so appreciative and the students so respectful.” During his comments at the birthday party, Stewart told students there’s no better place to make friends and to learn. Quoting the school’s motto he said: “This really is a place where smiles never end.”

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Guilford Elementary ELL teacher Jeffrey Gunther mans the barbecue at the school’s 50th birthday celebration Thursday.

[ SCHOOL NOTES ]

Harmony Middle School students held a relay race in April to raise money for Tracy’s Kids. They presented a check to the organization last week.

flat donations of $10 or more. “The students were great runners for Tracy’s Kids,” Harmony social studies teacher George Cassutto said.

Students Make Donation to Tracy’s Kids The students of Harmony Middle School raised $500 for a charity that helps young cancer patients. The students, led by Student Council Association President Maryam Khan, presented a check to Tracy Councill Thursday, June 9. Councill is the program director at Tracy’s Kids, a nonprofit that helps young cancer patients and their families cope with the emotional stress and trauma of cancer and its treatment. To raise the money, Harmony students sold colored ribbons symbolizing cancer awareness during lunch and put on a relay for cancer run after school in April. Students asked parents, teachers, and other adults to sponsor their run with donations by lap or

FatHEr’S Day

School Leaders Celebrate Academies Groundbreaking Friday School and county leaders will celebrate a monumental milestone this week in the decades long effort to open the Academies of Loudoun. The school system is hosting a groundbreaking for the 320,000-square-foot building off Sycolin Road, just south of the Dulles Greenway. The specialty high

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school will house expanded versions of the Loudoun Academy of Science and C.S. Monroe Technology Center, as well as a new program, Academy of Engineering & Technology. The mission of AET is to provide academic science, technology, engineering and mathematics pathways for students to engage in the study of engineering, entrepreneurship and information technologies. The groundbreaking ceremony begins at 1 p.m. Friday at the construction site on Sycolin Road. Shuttles will be available to transport people from the school administration building—at 21000 Education Court in Ashburn—to the site. The Academies of Loudoun is slated to open in the fall of 2018.

Purcellville Renews Lease for Police Dept., Eyes Future Station Construction

[ OUR TOWNS ]

loudounnow.com

BY MARGARET MORTON

Building a new Purcellville police station is on the town’s wish list, but the wish will remain unfilled for a few more years. Without funding or land to build a new station, the town is renewing its lease to keep the headquarters at 125 E. Hirst Road for at least three more years. The department is housed in a 4,300-square-foot space. Details of the new lease are still being worked out between the town and the building’s owner, the Lowers Risk Group. The existing lease ends June 30.

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Kevin Jones’ plans to open a coffee and gun shop, called Bullets and Beans, at the former Hamilton bank building have made some progress.

BULLETS AND BEANS

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Zoning Administrator Clears Hamilton Gun Shop BY MARGARET MORTON Town Zoning Administrator Daniel Galindo says Advanced Airsoft Operations LLC’s application to operate a gun safety-training center and firearms sales business complies with town zoning rules. He said the State Code “does not allow us to regulate the purchase or transfer of firearms, so it’s treated like any normal retail sales outlet.” However, the coffee shop component of Kevin Jones’ proposed Bullets and Beans business at 62 E. Colonial Highway will require the council’s ap-

proval of a special exception permit. The sale of food is not a permitted use adjacent to a residence in the C-2 District. Galindo said he would be issuing a final occupancy permit for the business to Jones, who purchased the building from former Hamilton Councilman Brent Campbell in April. Carolyn Unger spoke against the proposal, saying her rights as a 40year resident are being threatened by the possibility of a gun shop in town. Hamilton was “built on kindness and civility,” she said, noting the town’s former name, Harmony. While she respected law enforcement’s efforts in

town, she worried about the possibility of guns falling into the wrong hands and said property was too close to the elementary school. There is no parking available at 62 E. Colonial Highway, although the town may provide one of its parking spaces across the street for a fee. Galindo offered three Zoning Ordinance options for parking when it cannot be provided on the property. The council voted 6-0 to refer the options to the Planning Commission. mmorton@loudounnow.com

Waterford Fair Returns, New Initiatives Ahead BY MARGARET MORTON This year’s version of the Waterford Fair will show a new face in more than a few ways. The event was cancelled last year— for the first time in seven decades— because of dire weather predictions in advance of Hurricane Joaquin. For this year, Fair Director Tracy Kirkman and the Fair Business Committee have changed the formal name of the event—previously the Waterford Homes Tour and Crafts Exhibit—to “The Waterford Fair—A Traditional American Crafts and Historic Homes Tour.” The previous title was created more than 30 years ago to include the homes tour as a formal component of the fair and to emphasize the growing quality of the crafts, but Kirkman said she was delighted to find the simpler title was the original name of the event—and one that most locals continue to use. “It’s a living history event, but in real life,” Kirkman said. Kirkman came to the job three months ago. She has an event planning

and marketing background. More important from the fair’s point of view is that she’s from a traditional agricultural background and she loves the fair’s emphasis on farming and on educating the public about history and traditional craftsmanship. There will be 20 new craft demonstrators this year, and Kirkman said the use of Juried Art Services to find good exhibitors is bringing in more artists to apply for the fair. She lives with her husband and two children on a five-acre vineyard near Lovettsville and hopes to expand the agricultural offerings at this year’s fair. Rather than bring in a large farm market—“who wants to carry a head of lettuce around the village?”—Kirkman said, this year’s event would focus on value added items, such as cheeses, charcuteries, salsas, honeys and jams. The Wine Tent, which has proved a big success in recent years, will be set up near the Art Mart and Photography Exhibit at the Schooley Mill Barn. Also new this year will be demonstrations from 4-H Clubs. Waterford Market owner and sheep owner Linda

Landreth has volunteered her sheep for the occasion, and there also will be chickens and rabbits on display. For visiting kids, in addition to the animals or trying their hand at making a pot, a piece of weaving, or a basket, there’ll be the fun of the Treasure Map, where they’ll have to follow clues such as “Find the blacksmith,” or “find the basket maker.” Volunteers, as always, are the backbone of the fair, and Kirkman said she is so impressed by their commitment. But there’s always room for more. Those interested in taking a stint or two, should call Kirkman at 540-8823018. Kirkman plans to issue information soon about buying advance tickets, which will be through Eventbrite and selected ticket outlets. Tickets are $16 in advance online and $20 at the gate. For more information on this year’s fair, go to waterfordfounation.org and click on Waterford Fair. mmorton@loudounnow.com

The Purcellville Police Department, now at 125 E. Hirst Road, is considering moving to a larger station.

During the Town Council’s May 24 meeting, Assistant Town Manager Daniel C. Davis and Police Chief Cynthia McAlister said the current space is not ideal and there are a number of security concerns. The two agreed that the best long-term solution is to build a new station within town limits. McAlister knows the importance of security for her police officers, having served as an administrator on the Fairfax County Police force on May 8, 2012, when two police officers were shot by a troubled teenager who waited in the parking lot at the Sully District police station before killing Fairfax Detective Vicky Armel and Police Officer Michael E. Garbarino. “It was very traumatic, so I come at it with a different experience,” McAlister said recently. Both Davis and McAlister said finding land for a new station is a big challenge. The chief said the project would need about 1.5 acres, making the townowned land at the town’s maintenance facility and wastewater treatment plant on South 20th Street a possible location. Davis said the town will begin to investigate grants and other funding sources to support the project down the road. In the meantime, the town will stay put. The Lower Risk Group is supportive of the police presence and offered to provide additional space and help with security concerns, including strengthening the glass windows, adding security cameras, and installing bollards along the parking lot to protect offices that look out to the parking area. Additionally, the company also will connect the office to its building-wide generator. Provisionally, the lease rate will be $20/square foot for fiscal year 2017, slightly below the current rate. A 3 percent escalator will be built in for future years. The lease can be extended for an additional three years. mmorton@loudounnow.com

Purcellville

Tickets for the Purcellville’s Wine and Food Festival are on sale. The event will be held from 3-8 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, at Fireman’s Field. Live music, almost 30 local purveyors of wine, craft beers and specialty foods, including vegan options, will be on hand. Early Bird tickets are on sale at purcellvillewineandfood.com or directly through Ticketfly. Town residents received a coupon code in their recent utility bill that will allow them to save 50 percent on ticket prices through July 15. Discounted residents’ tickets will not be available at the gate. Residents who do not receive a utility bill may come to Town Hall during normal business hours to prove their town residency and receive the coupon code. The entry fee includes a wine glass

Dead Trees Removed from Fireman’s Field Woods The town has removed several trees at Fireman’s Field that had been identifying by the town arborist as dead or decaying. The 13-acre park contains Purcellville’s most significant urban forest, including trees ranging in size from small dogwoods to centuries old

white oaks. New trees will be planted in their place to continue a healthy wooded stand, according to the town.

Lovettsville Library Inaugurates Summer Community Series The Lovettsville library is offering much more than books with the launch of a new “Meet Your Community” series on Friday. The series will introduce “exceptional people from the community” to audiences on Fridays from June 17 until Aug. 19. The meetings will start at 2 p.m. and are intended for all ages. According to the organizers, “From fitness, to music, to cookies and even a firefighter—you can meet just about everybody at the library.” First up on Friday will be local fitness guru Michael Lansdowne, of Driven Leadership Academy.

Bluemont Boulder Crest Gains New Advisory Board Member The Boulder Crest Retreat for Military Veteran Wellness has added former Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne to its honorary advisory board.

Ken Falke, founder and chairman of the retreat, stated he was honored to add Wynne to the Boulder Crest team, calling him a “futuristic thinker and innovator” Wynne whose involvement in the retreat’s post-traumatic growth programming would be very helpful. Before serving as Air Force Secretary, Wynne was principal deputy Under-Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. Prior to entering public service, Wynne was involved in venture capital, nurturing small technology company start-ups as a member of the Next GenFund Executive Committee. In a statement, Wynne said, “The post-traumatic growth approach at boulder Crest Retreat is exactly the kind of innovation we need to help heal our combat veterans and their families and I look forward to adding value to the great work done by Ken and his team.” Wynne joins a board that includes former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and former Secretary of the Navy John Lehman, among others.

Wine and Food Festival Tickets on Sale, Residents Get Discount

and two tasting tickets. Designated driver tickets include unlimited water and soda during the event. Ages 16 to 20 must purchase a designated driver ticket, and minors under age 15 are admitted free of charge. Regular admission ticket prices are as follows: $10 through July 5; $15 July 6-15; $20 online and at the gate July 16. Designated driver tickets are $5. VIP tables are available at $250 each. Purchasers gain early entry to the festival, at 2 p.m., reserved seating for eight, plus eight wine glasses, 16 tasting tickets and four bottles of wine as well as full access to the festival. The VIP tables normally sell out quickly. Tables must be purchased by midnight July 12. For VIP ticket purchase, go to purcellvillewineandfood. com; or for more information, call Event specialist Melanie Scoggins at 540-338-7421.

June 16 – 22, 2016

[ TOWN NOTES ]

loudounnow.com

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A Backbone of Leesburg Business K2M Opens State of the Art Headquarters

BY RENSS GREENE

2M Group Holdings Inc., one of Leesburg’s biggest businesses and a global pioneer in spinal surgery equipment and techniques, is up and running in its new $28 million headquarters. “I use a word that sounds trite, and it’s overused, but if you look at the dictionary definition, having K2M in Leesburg is awesome,” said Mayor David Butler during the June 8 grand opening celebration. K2M founder, president and CEO Eric Major said the company does business in 29 countries across six continents. The company employs more than 300 people in Leesburg and counts over $200 million in annual revenue. “This new facility is really focused on innovation,” Major said. “It creates an environment of collaboration for project managers and engineers to really facilitate innovation.” The new, three-story structure, he said, brings all aspects of product development together and “makes a statement to the global market that K2 has its eye set on being a leader in the spine, and a being the global leader for innovation.” “Our specialty, our core competency at K2M, is treating those very difficult scoliosis deformity patients,” Major said. He said the majority of patients his products treat are girls between 12 and 18 years old. The company holds numerous patents and was recently cleared by the FDA for a pioneering use of 3-D printing to manufacture titanium devices. It competes on the global market with medical device giants Johnson & Johnson and MedTronic to provide technology for the most complicated spinal deformity cases. Major said it does so by providing innovation and value with new products and techniques that yield less blood loss, less time in surgery, and better results. “Think about those teenage girls on the table right now,” Major said. “Whether it’s in Asia Pacific or Europe, with the time difference, we’re literally

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

K2M founder, president and CEO Eric Major gives a tour of the company’s new headquarters to local dignitaries.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

K2M founder, president and CEO Eric Major and Leesburg Mayor Dave Butler cut the ribbon on the company’s new headquarters.

doing surgeries 24 hours a day around the world.” Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones presented Major with a Virginia state flag that had flown over the capitol building. Virginia provided incentives to keep K2M in Leesburg. The deal included a $450,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund, a $400,000 performance-based grant from the Virginia Investment Partnership program, and additional funding and services to sup-

port the company’s employee training activities through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program. “I think we announced in late 2014 or so that you were going to spend almost 30 million dollars, hire almost 100 additional folks, and launch this innovation center, and you’re ahead of schedule. So thank you for that,” Jones said. rgreene@loudounnow.com

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

K2M founder, president and CEO Eric Major leads a tour by a mural of children in Ghana, before and after their spinal deformities were corrected with K2M technology.

The Woman Who Invented Her Own Spinal Surgery I know.’” Ross said. “And they were like, “I was a ballerina, like ‘no, you don’t. This is many young girls who serious business that want to be ballerinas.” needs surgery.’” Catherine Ross was a That began a segood ballerina. In high ries of surgeries, school, she had won acincluding an emercolades and accelerated gency surgery when beyond her classmates. instrumentation She was ready to take en came dislodged pointe, and so she had to from her spine. get a physical. “After each sur“That’s really when I gery, the light got had learned that I had dimmer and dimscoliosis,” Ross said. “I mer on my ballet caRenss Greene/Loudoun Now reer,” Ross said. “It did learn earlier, like in X-ray images from Catherine Ross’s own surgery now hang in the K2M the third grade when I was tough, as a teen, headquarters. screened for it, but I went to have this dream to see a doctor and he said, and to be pursuing ‘oh, you’re fine,’ and didn’t give me proper instructions.” it, and getting rewarded in dance and getting accolades, But scoliosis is a serious problem, which can cause and then this sort of comes out of nowhere.” nerve problems, difficulty breathing, problems with interShe was told she would never be a dancer for the best nal organs, and more, and can get suddenly worse. “They were like, ‘oh, you have scoliosis,’ I was like, ‘oh, ROSS >> 29 BY RENSS GREENE

<< FROM 28

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Catherine Ross, a K2M employee, designed technology that was subsequently used in her own surgery.

30 data center facilities across the United States, Europe, and Asia. It already has a strong presence in Loudoun’s data center alley. CyrusOne operates a 129,000square-foot facility in Sterling and is nearing completion of a second data center on the property. The land purchase also resulted in the first reimbursement to the public-private partnership that is funding the extension of Pacific Boulevard and Gloucester Parkway. The Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Bank, which is financing the construction, received payment of more than $8 million when CyrusOne acquired the land. It was the first designated repayment of VTIB proceeds from any road project funded by VTIB since its creation in 2011. The Gloucester Parkway extension is anticipated to be completed in July 2016, and the Pacific Boulevard extension has a target completion date of December 2016. The projects—including two new bridges over Broad Run—are expected to provide significant congestion relief through the construction of two additional bridges over Broad Run.

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and radiating pain. She said sometimes her feet would suddenly feel like they were on fire. Now she’s had her last surgery and a new lease on life. “I would walk up the steps at the old K2M building and I’d be completely out of breath,” Ross said. “I used to hide in a little supply closet until I caught my breath, because I was so self-conscious.” Now, she can “do all the normal things that a normal 20-year-old can do,” including a little salsa and ballroom dance. “The breathing is probably the biggest thing,” she said. “You can actually take a full breath. With a deformed spine, your lungs sort of feel trapped, so just the simplicity of being able to take a full breath is something that I do every day that I couldn’t do before.”

Loudoun’s Kincora development has a new anchor tenant— and it is a familiar one. CyrusOne announced Tuesday morning that it had purchased 40 acres in the mixed-use development and plans to develop a $1 billion data center complex on the property. Developed by TriTec Real Estate and Norton Scott LLC, Kincora is zoned for development of a 6.7-million-square-foot mixeduse development with more than 4 million square feet of office space, plus restaurants and retail space, a performing arts center, a hotel, and 1,400 multi-family units. “The opportunity to add new real estate to our portfolio while also helping the Loudoun community grow and develop is the type of transaction CyrusOne aspires to attain,” Kevin Timmons, the company’s chief technology officer, said in announcing the purchase. “Adding this new Northern Virginia location will not only benefit our growth trajectory, but is also vital to continuing to serve our Fortune 1000 customers along the East Coast.” CyrusOne operates more than

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

companies, but she could probably still get work in local companies. “That just didn’t jive with the vision I had for my life,” she said. Ross, who also had a talent for math and science, went into engineering and got involved in research projects around scoliosis. When she came out of school she started to look for work in the field, but although it was deeply personal to her, she had mixed reactions in interviews when she would tell her own story. She decided she would tell it one last time when she got an opportunity to interview at K2M. “I had gotten recommendations that perhaps I should not tell my story, because I would be viewed as a liability to the company,” Ross said. “I told myself, I’m going to tell my story one more time, and if I don’t get hired, then that’s it.” But the reaction at K2M was much different than what she was used to. “They just had a completely different outlook on it, and it was exactly the attitude of people I want to work with,” Ross said. “It’s not just business and selling things, it’s a people business, and you’re impacting people’s lives.” While there, she met the doctor who would become her surgeon, and worked with him to develop the technology that he would attach to her own spine. When she was in college, she suffered through difficulty breathing

June 16 – 22, 2016

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[ BIZ BRIEFS ] Chamber, EDA Launch Young Entrepreneurs Academy The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce and Loudoun Economic Development Authority have teamed up to create an entrepreneurship training program that will match area business owners with high school-aged students to help them launch their own business or nonprofit. The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a national program that partners with more than 100 chambers of commerce in 39 states to provide entrepreneurial training to students between grades 6 through 12. YEA! was developed at the University of Rochester in 2004, with the support of a grant from the Kauffman Foundation. The program has graduated more than 4,500 students who have started more than 3,000 businesses and social movements. “In my high school days, entrepreneurship was either mowing lawns or throwing newspapers. Today, the possibilities of the internet coupled with the buying power of teens has produced limitless opportunities for our Loudoun youth to start real businesses,” said EDA Chairman Brian Chavis. The Loudoun chapter of YEA! will launch in October at the Mason Enterprise Center in Leesburg. It is a 30-week program with weekly classes, field trips, guest speakers, a

trade show and an event where the student entrepreneurs pitch their business plan to an Investment Panel for seed funding. At the end of the YEA! Program the students will have a legally registered business. For more information, parents, students and potential sponsors can visit loudounchamber.org/ YEA or contact Chamber President Tony Howard at thoward@ loudounchamber.org.

Redskins’ Gruden to Discuss Leadership The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Lessons in Leadership event on June 24 will feature Wa s h i n g t o n Redskins Head Coach Jay Gruden Gruden. Joined by Larry Michael, the voice of the Washington Redskins, Gruden will discuss the keys to his management style, and his personal impressions of Loudoun County as a place to live, work and play. The program will be held at The National in Lansdowne from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Admission is $50 for Chamber members and $75 for non-members. For details, go to loudounchamber.org.

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Luck Stone Helps with Caregivers Project

The Loudoun Chapter of the Virginia Women Attorneys Association last week presented Loudoun Interfaith Relief with a check for almost $2,400. The money was raised from the Empty Bowls sale that the

association sponsored at the Laurel Brigade Building during Leesburg’s Flower and Garden Festival in April. The association sold about 95 bowls—all made and donated by amateur potters associated with Amy Oliver’s Monkeytown Pottery in Bloomfield.

Applications Sought for Naturalist Program The Banshee Reeks Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program is accepting applications for its annual training program. Classes run from September through April 2017 and will cover topics such as local plants, mammals, birds, trees, fish, and much

Grant Proposals Requested from Area Nonprofits Nonprofits that serve youth and elderly populations are encouraged to apply for grants through the

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Attorneys Association’s Bowls Benefit Food Pantry

Courtesy of Loudoun Empty Bowls

Loudoun Impact Fund. The fund is administered as a joint project by the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties and the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. Of interest this year will be proposals from nonprofits providing services to special needs, at-risk young people under the age of 18 and low-income seniors, age 60 and up. Interested nonprofits should check the guidelines and application form at communityfoundationlf.org. The application deadline for completed proposals is Sept. 1. The fund is supported by a giving circle of individuals and businesses and their pooled donations allow for the award of larger grants. This will be the fourth year for the Loudoun Impact Fund, which welcomes new members with contributions of $1,000 for individuals and $5,000 for businesses. Members will continue to be accepted through September. The grant-making pool is expected to exceed $75,000 this year. For more information, go to cfnova.org or communityfoundationlf. org.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Luck Stone recently pitched in to help Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers to install a new driveway at the home of a client of the organization. LVC helps frail, elderly and disabled individuals to live as independently as possible. In this case, Luck Stone provided both the manpower and the materials to replace the driveway that had become a dangerous mud slide. LVC provides a variety of free services, including medical and other transportation, shopping assistance, food delivery from a food pantry and chores through its Chore Corps program. Those interested in helping LVC, or those who know of elderly or disabled individuals needing assistance, should contact LVC Executive Director Susan Mandel Gibson at 703-779-8617 or go to lvcaregivers.org.

more. Examples of volunteer projects include monitoring and increasing the Monarch Butterfly population, reporting on the health of local creeks, streams, and rivers, teaching and inspiring children to preserve natural areas, monitoring Bluebird trails, removing invasive plant species as well as many other projects. Certification as a Virginia Master Naturalist is awarded upon successful completion of the program. Loudoun’s Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, at 21085 The Woods Road south of Leesburg, offers an education center and more than 700 acres of forests, fields, ponds and streams in which to conduct field studies, continuing education and volunteer service projects. The course is open to anyone 18 years or older. No experience necessary. The cost is $250, which includes all class materials. Class size is limited to 22 students. For information, go to vmnbansheereeks.org or call 703-669-0889.

June 16 – 22, 2016

[ NONPROFIT NEWS ]

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CATCH CANNONS FEVER June 14 vs. Strasburg June 16 vs. Charlottesville June 17 vs. Waynesboro June 19 vs. Front Royal - Father's Day Fireman's Field - Purcellville Games Start at 7:00pm Gates Open at 5:30pm

Loudoun Mutual Announces Promotions and an Expansion Loudoun’s oldest business— Loudoun Mutual Insurance Company, founded in 1849—has announced three internal promotions as well as plans for expansion of its Waterford offices. Kimberly Fry is a company vice president. David King was named senior vice president. Tim Koppenhaver was promoted to executive vice president. Fry, who joined the company in 2014, was appointed treasurer last year upon the retirement of Lloyd Hutchison. From a background in public accounting, Fry quickly acclimated to insurance accounting and has greatly assisted Loudoun Mutual as its accounting and finances have grown more complex. King joined the company as vice president of marketing in 1999. Always in insurance, he has held both underwriting and marketing positions. At Loudoun Mutual, he is responsible for field underwriting, marketing and management. He has been one of the company’s primary architects of its new products and rate designs that have contributed to LMI’s growth and profitability. Koppenhaver is the company’s longest serving employee, having joined it in 1987 as a personal lines underwriter—a position that soon expanded to both claims and accounting. In the early 1990s, he was named assistant claims manager and then transitioned to assistant treasurer. In line with the company’s growth, he was promoted to vice president and underwriting manager in 2003. Under his leadership, LMI’s underwriting has been consistently profitable. The company is rated A Excellent by A M. Best. Originally serving Loudoun County, the company is represented statewide, including the Richmond, Shenandoah Valley and central Piedmont areas. Over the past decade, the company has grown from $23 million

in revenue and 39,000 members/policyholders to $51 million in revenue and 59,000 members/policyholders. Ranked as the second underwriter of farms in Virginia behind Farm Bureau, and the third writer of fire insurance, the company is also the 13th largest writer of homeowner insurance in Virginia. In 2015, the company was named one of the top 20 performing personal lines companies in the U.S. by Conning and Company. The company has 38 employees, 32 on site in Waterford. Taking into account projected growth over the next five years, the company estimated it needed headquarters space of between 12,000 and 15,000 square feet. The current 20,000-square-foot space is not efficiently laid out, according to President and CEO Christopher G. Shipe. The company has hired Berryville architect Allen Kitselman, of Main Street Architecture, to redesign the existing space. Additional expansion plans may hinge on the outcome of the still-running debate over the legal status of two alleys shown crossing the property on old village maps. The Board of Supervisors was scheduled to hold a public hearing on Wednesday, June 15, to begin the agreed-upon on process of formally abandoning public use of alleys. The alleys have never been opened or used, but the company is aware there may be objections that could lead to litigation to settle the alley issue once and for all. —Margaret Morton

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

June 16 – 22, 2016

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

PURCELLVILLECANNONS.COM

#CANNONSFEVER

June 16 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 22, 2016 LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

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[ LOCO LIVING ]

KITTENS AND COMMUNITY Loudoun Author Tells Story of Rescuing Cats ... and Herself BY JAN MERCKER

dozen years ago, Heather Green was a happily single New York journalist, married to her job and more than a little cynical about romantic relationships. But her world turned upside down when she rescued a family of cats she found on her boyfriend’s doorstep. Green, whose memoir “To Catch A Cat” comes out next month, grew up in Hamilton, moved back to Loudoun with her husband and daughter last fall. In 2004, Green was working 70-hour weeks as a technology reporter for BusinessWeek and living on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. She was dating her now-husband Matt—an architect who had left the city for the working class suburb of Union City, NJ—but was hesitant to commit and using the fact that he lived across the Hudson River as an excuse to keep her distance. But during a weekend visit to Matt’s New Jersey neighborhood, Green found a feral cat and her three kittens near his house. And her decision led her into the weird and wonderful world of cat rescue and also sparked an emotional transformation. “It took me outside of that dayto-day and made me reassess a lot of things. It made me decide I’m really lucky to find this guy and why am I

Courtesy of Berkley Publishing

Loudoun author Heather Green with her cat, Oona, who inspired her new memoir.

not committing to him,” Green said. “I could have a different life outside of just working all the time … It sort of

taught me about connection.” When she and Matt made the decision to rescue the cats, it strengthened

their bond and also connected them with Matt’s neighbors and the passionate members of the local cat rescue community, with its singular culture and practices. The couple became immersed in the community devoted to trapping, caring for and finding adoptive homes for the cats. “I really liked the people I was meeting in the cat community who were crazy but super interesting.” Green said. “People become very subsumed by it, but it’s all driven by compassion.” Their mission was also a path to connection with Matt’s neighbors in mostly Latino Union City (whom Green describes as the nurses, nannies and bus drivers of the New York area) as neighbors jumped in to support their project. “I got this sense of belonging I hadn’t had before—just because I hadn’t made room for it, frankly, before,” Green said. The cat rescue project also became a kind of crucible for her relationship with Matt and eventually helped her realize he was the guy she wanted to spend her life with, with memorable moments like asking him to catch a cat she heard outside at 3 a.m. and jumping fences together to trap feral cats. “We learned how to work together on something. We learned what each others faults were and what each others strengths were,” she said. “I always knew that I could rely on him.” The idea for the book came, Green said, during a light-bulb moment when their home had become a kind of way station for kittens as they looked for adoptive families and she found herself with a bathtub full of kittens. “I did a head count and realized there were 11 cats in the house. And that’s when I realized, ‘Hey I should make something out of this,’” she said. She and Matt married in 2007 and their daughter, Lilly, now 7, was born in 2009. Green left her job at GREEN >> 39

[ THINGS TO DO ] LOCO CULTURE SUDS-N-SOLES FUN RUN Thursday, June 16th, 6:30 p.m. The Loudoun Roadrunners will host a Suds-nSoles fun run the third Thursday of every month. Enjoy a rejuvenating run, followed by a refreshing, locally crafted beer. The first run will be held on Thursday, June 16th at Crooked Run Brewing, 205 Harrison St. SE

in Market Station. All runs begin at 6:30 p.m.

WESTERN LOUDOUN ARTISTS STUDIO TOUR Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Details: wlast.org Visual artists from around western Loudoun open their studios for this popular annual event. Shop for paintings, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, fibers and art in other media while checking out the gorgeous countryside. Tour is free and open to the public. Tour guide is available online.

SUNSET KAYAK TRIP Saturday, June 18, 4 p.m.-dark.; Brunswick Family Campground, Brunswick, MD. Details: loudounwildlife.org Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy hosts a sunset trip down the Potomac, starting with a brief program from naturalist Brian Balik about the natural environment along the river. Cost is $75 per person and includes kayak rental, guides, pre-program discussion and light refreshments. Advance registration is required.

LOVETTSVILLE CO-OP OUTDOOR MARKET Saturday, June 18, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; next to Andy’s Restaurant, 2 S. Church St., Lovettsville. Details: lovettsville-grocery.com Lovettsville’s Co-op kicks off its annual outdoor market with locally grown and sourced seasonal fresh fruits, vegetables, lamb, beef, bacon, sausage, chicken, baked goods, coffee, maple syrup, elderberry products and honey along with non-food products and handicrafts including homemade soap.

THINGS TO DO >> 35

<< FROM 34

SHORT HILL RALLY AND BARN DANCE Sunday, June 19, 6 p.m.; Georges Mill Farm, 11873 Georges Mill Road, Lovettsville. Contact: 703470-6136

Ted Garber returns to entertain the audience with his signature blues/ Americana/rock. With influences from Elvis to Bruce Springsteen, Garber’s engaging stage presence has made him a local favorite for years.

NIGHTLIFE

Courtesy of Troy and Paula Haag

LIVE MUSIC: TROY AND PAULA HAAG

Courtesy of Erin Jackson

COMEDY NIGHT WITH ERIN JACKSON Friday, June 17, 8:30 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St.; Leesburg. Details: tallyholeesburg.com A “Last Comic Standing” semi-finalist, Jackson has made a name in comedy clubs across the country and has appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and Comedy Central’s “Live At Gotham.” Tickets are $12 in advance, $17 day of show.

With influences from the Beatles to Gillian Welch, Troy and Paula Haag’s music is a mixture of traditional and contemporary that the artists describe as a mash-up of folk, rock, and “cosmic American.” Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Barbecue from Big Mike’s and drinks by the glass will be available for sale.

Friday, June 17, 7:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com

The country rapper and reality television star hits Leesburg. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 day of show.

Are you looking for an opportunity to play in a fun & challenging setting? LSYO has openings for all symphony orchestra positions for next season. Musicians 12-18 years of age with three years minimum experience on their instrument either in school, or private lessons, are eligible.

SEASON STARTS IN SEPTEMBER We will be performing a wide selection of music from Classical to Modern. Rehearsals are on Monday nights — 3 concerts per season. Come have a great time making awesome music with us!

Get AUDITION EXCERPTS & REGISTER at:

www.loudounsymphonyyouth.org

Check us out on

and

at:

Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra

Under the stars at Ida Lee Park

Saturday, June 18, 7:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com Ashburn-based Delta Spur returns to Smokehouse Live with an energetic performance of fresh, modern country music, mixing the fun and excitement of a party band with country songs fans love from artists like Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Zac Brown, and Keith Urban. No cover.

Friday, June 17, 9 p.m.; The Studio, 45449 E. Severn Way #165, Sterling. Details: thestudiova.com Join DJ Spyce for a night of hand-dancing, steppin’, line dancing, R&B, Motown and old school tunes from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Look out for “Soul Train” lines and maybe even some stacks and bell bottoms. Admission is free before 10 p.m., $5 after 10 p.m.

THINGS TO DO >> 38

HOMEWARD

BOUND

SHRUNK

HONEY, I THE KIDS The Fox and the Hound

June 23rd July 28th August 25th

Blast to the past as we show some favorite childhood movies! We provide the flick; you provide the blanket and snack. Coolers are welcome. Glass containers and alcohol are not permitted. No pets please. Time: Movies begin at dusk Location: Ida Lee Park, across from the outdoor pooll For more information, please visit www.idalee.org or call 703-777-1368.

loudounnow.com

Saturday, June 18, 7-9 p.m.; Lees-

Video submissions are also being accepted

LIVE MUSIC: DELTA SPUR

CLASSIC FRIDAY AT THE STUDIO

ACOUSTIC ON THE GREEN: TED GARBER

Live Auditions August 20th and 27th, 2016

LIVE MUSIC: BIG SMO

LIVE MUSIC: THE CHEVROLETTE SET

Courtesy of Acoustic On The Green

Strings • Brass • Woodwind • Percussion

Saturday, June 18, 6:30 p.m.; Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. Details: oldstoneschool.org

Saturday, June 18, 9:30 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St.; Leesburg. Details: tallyholeesburg.com

The Chevrolette Set (formerly known as the 19th Street Band) features folk instruments (upright bass, fiddle, and acoustic guitars) in the traditions of The Carter Family and The Kingston Trio while integrating modern elements of Americana, country, and rock ‘n’ roll. No cover.

For the 2016-2017 Season

The Short Hill Mountain Boys host a rally and barn dance in support of efforts to block approval of an AT&T industrial complex on Short Hill Mountain.

burg Town Green, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: acousticonthegreen.com

June 16 – 22, 2016

Auditions

[ THINGS TO DO ]

[ A LOUDOUN MOMENT ]

loudounnow.com

A crowd presses close to the stage to hear Trampled by Turtles.

Hot outside, but the beer was cold Hundreds of people gathered Saturday, June 11, on the hottest day of the year so far to sample cold beer from 66 breweries and music from six bands at the Americana Beer Fest at Morven Park. A photo essay by Renss Greene Serving up craft soda in the craft soda tent.

Trampled by Turtles banjo player Dave Carroll plays the Americana Beer Fest stage.

Wild Child cellist and lead singer Kelsey Wilson.

The beer tent stayed crowded with 66 breweries in attendance.

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WLAST

Betty Wiley in her studio. The veteran artist is an inspiration to younger members on the tour.

Western Loudoun Artists on Display This Weekend

mmorton@loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

Lauren Bruce is one of the newer entrants to the Western Loudoun Artists Studio Tour.

Over the past decade western Loudoun artists have garnered increasing notice from visitors through the annual Western Loudoun Artists Studio Tour. Now in its 11th rendition, the studio tour will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the weekend of June 18 and 19. A number of artists’ studios will be open, so the public can stop in at their leisure to talk to the artists about their work, watch them as they work and buy pieces of art in a great range of artistic technique. Considered the county’s premier handmade artisan tour that connects visitors directly with the artists, WLAST began in 2006 as a coalition project to link artists and arts organi-

WLAST

zations in the western portion of the county. That first tour featured 25 artists—a number that has swelled considerably since and helped establish western Loudoun County as an arts destination. Organizers anticipate visitation of more than 2,000 people at 31 artist studios and the two art hubs in western Loudoun—Franklin Park Arts Center and the Round Hill Arts Center. Planning Committee Chair Amy Manson says there is a record number of new artists on the tour this year, rounding out a total of 68 artists, mostly from western Loudoun. Those who show in their studio must live in western Loudoun, but they can have guest artists from elsewhere. The two art centers also host a number of guest artists. And there’s a wide range of artists on the tour—from newcomers to veterans, such as Leesburg artist and interior designer Lauren Bruce, who is new to the tour and Betty Wiley, a longtime Purcellville artist. Bruce is a young mom and water colorist who does Impressionist-style paintings, while Wiley, now in her eighties, not only is on the tour at her studio but widely promotes the tour. “Her energy is amazing,” Manson said. In addition to introducing a widening public to the wealth of artistic talent in the county, WLAST’s goal is to introduce local and regional patrons— many of them repeat visitors—to a weekend of education and one-on-one interaction with artists. That seems to be working as Manson said an emerging trend over the past three years is that the tour is attracting visitors from farther afield—citing people from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. For more information on the free event, go to wlast.org.

BY MARGARET MORTON

Call today for a Complimentary Consultation

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37 June 16 – 22, 2016

reating Beautiful Sm C y l g n i iles C ar

Loudoun Farmer Rolls in Style after National Contest Win

loudounnow.com

Jawga Boyz

In January, Chris Van Vlack, of the Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District, won a national contest during the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention in Florida. On Friday, he received the payoff—a custom-ordered Buick Verano. Under the partnership between the Farm Bureau and General Motors, the winner of the Discussion Meet program contest—in which participants are evaluated on an exchange of ideas and information on a pre-determined topic—typically wins a shiny pickup. Van Vlack already has one of those. It’s not a new one, but the 10-year-old model is relatively new to him. So GM let him pick out something else in the price range. After weeks of test drives and research, he settled on a black, six-speed Verano turbo that was custom ordered from the plant. However, the one that arrived in Leesburg was outfitted with an automatic transmission and the

company said there were no plans to build more with manual gearboxes. The crew at Star Buick in Leesburg went to work and found a Verano meeting Van Vlack’s preferences sitting in a dealer lot in New Jersey. On Thursday, Van Vlack was surrounded by representatives of the state and county Farm Bureaus as the car keys were formally presented. Van Vlack credited his experience working with the Farm Bureau, the Soil and Water Conservation District and the county’s rural economic development program, and his interactions with area farmers contributing to his winning the state and national Discussion Meet contests. “Everybody’s got a little part of this Buick here,” Van Vlack said. Although it is his first new car, Van Vlack doesn’t expect to drive it every day; it joins a garage stable that includes an AMC Eagle, a classic MG D-type and a vintage Land Rover.

Norman K.. Styer/Loudoun Now

Chris Van Vlack accepts the keys to his new car from Star Buick General Sales Manager Pat Martin.

Van Vlack competed in the program for six years before winning the championship. Now, local Farm Bureau leaders are searching for the next young farmer to take up the challenge.

6/25/2016 9:00 PM (Doors 8:00 PM)

[ THINGS TO DO ]

Delta Rae with Jeanne Jolly

7/9/2016 8:30 PM (Doors 7:30 PM)

Gin Blossoms 7/13/2016 8:30 PM (Doors 7:30 PM

Upchurch the Redneck with Charlie Farley

7/15/2016 8:30 PM (Doors 7:30 PM)

TEN:

The Ultimate Tribute to

Pearl Jam 7/16/2016 8:30 PM (Doors 7:30 PM)

LIT

7/17/2016 8:30 PM (Doors 7:30 PM)

Sister Hazel 7/17/2016 9:30 PM (Doors 8:30 PM)

Now Open for Lunch and Dinner

Friday’s and Saturday’s!

<< FROM 35

RED, WHITE AND BLUE SWING DANCE Saturday, June 18, 6:30-9 p.m.; Lansdowne Woods Clubhouse, 19375 Magnolia Grove Square, Lansdowne. Contact: 703-723-1501 The evening begins with 30-minute beginners lesson by longtime dance instructors Sue and Gary Caley followed by great swing tunes for a night of dancing. Cost is $20. Advance reservations are required.

for adults, $12.95 for children 5 and over and free for 4 and under.

Lee Park, 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg. Details: leesburgva.gov

WITH THE KIDS

Enjoy the adventures of Chance, Shadow and Sassy as they make their way through the mountains of California. The movie starts at dusk, 8:15- 8:45pm. Picnics and blankets are encouraged. Pets, glass containers, and alcohol are prohibited.

YOUNG LIFE CORN HOLE TOURNAMENT Sunday, June 19, 1-5 p.m.; Loudoun County 4H Fairgrounds. Details: loudoun.younglife.org Western Loudoun Young Life hosts a family corn hole tournament fundraiser. Cost is $50 per team.

Saturday, June 18, 8-11 p.m.; Mad Horse Brewpub, 34 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville. Details: madhorsebrewpub.com Locals love this fun evening of singing and silliness. No cover. Credit: Nicole Wolf

FATHER’S DAY PIG ROAST

KIDS CONCERT SERIES: ROCKNOCEROS

Sunday, June 19, noon-7 p.m.; Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville. Details: creeksedgewinery.com

Monday, June 20, 11 a.m.; One Loudoun Plaza, 20626 Easthampton Plaza, Ashburn. Details: oneloudoun.com

Take dad out for a pork feast and wine in scenic Taylorstown. $35 admission includes food, a glass of wine and a shot at the winery’s holein-one contest.

School’s out—time to rock and roll! The beloved NoVa-based children’s band plays fun favorites at this free weekly concert.

FATHER’S DAY BRUNCH WITH CHRIS KOETHE

Mention this ad and get your first taco free!

Sunday, June 19, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com Celebrate good old dad this Father’s Day with a hearty brunch buffet, including smoked prime rib and a special outdoor grilling station with burgers and links. Brunch begins at 10a.m., with great tunes from country to reggae with Chris Koethe starting at 11:30. Cost is $29.95

NOVA SUMMER BREWFEST Saturday, June 18, noon-7 p.m. and Sunday, June 19, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Bull Run Regional Park, 7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville. Details: novabrewfest.com

MAD HORSE BREWPUB KARAOKE

CELEBRATE DAD

LIBATIONS

Courtesy Disney

IDA LEE SUMMER MOVIES: “HOMEWARD BOUND: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY” Thursday, June 23, 8:15 p.m.; Ida

The ninth annual beer festival features 45 regional breweries (including several from Loudoun), live music, educational programs and other activities. Tickets are $25 and include six tasting tickets. Additional tastings are available for $2 each. Tickets are $10 for designated drivers.

COMING UP GIANT USED BOOK SALE Friday, June 24, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, June 25, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, June 26, 1-4 p.m.; Smarts Mill Middle School, 850 N. King St., Leesburg. Details: library.loudoun.gov /About-the-Library /Loudoun-Library-Foundation Loudoun Library Foundation’s annual book sale draws collectors from far and wide and locals looking to stock up on great reads, CDs, DVDs and video games. Admission is free. Cash and checks accepted--no credit cards. Children through eighth grade who visit the sale Friday or Saturday get a free book.

39 June 16 – 22, 2016

Green << FROM 34

Courtesy of Berkley Publishing

Heather Green’s memoir “To Catch A Cat” will be published July 5 by Berkley Publishing, a division of Penguin Books. For more information, go to tocatchacat.com.

riding and to introduce the sport to her daughter. Matt is designing a house near her parents. And as for the cats that started it all, the kittens found adoptive homes in New Jersey, but the mother cat, Oona, adopted by Heather and Matt, is now a Virginian, too. jmercker@loudounnow.com

Get Your Ice Skates On This Summer Register Now For Our

SUMMER LEARN TO SKATE LESSONS

We offer an enjoyable and fun way to learn how to Ice Skate

Registration Also Open For

SUMMER FUN CAMPS SUMMER POWER PLAY HOCKEY CAMPS REGISTER ON-LINE AT www.ashburnice.com Questions call us at 703-858-0300

The Ashburn Ice House is Located at 21595 Smith Switch Rd., Ashburn, VA 20147

loudounnow.com

Daily Public Skating, Group Rates During Public Skate Sessions Birthday Parties

BusinessWeek shortly after Lilly was born and began working as a freelancer for corporate clients. Around the same time, she began work on her memoir but put the project on hold during her daughter’s early years. Despite the sense of community Green and her family built in New Jersey, the call of extended family brought them back to Loudoun last year. Green’s parents Bud and Carolyn Green (a former Air Force pilot and former local journalist, respectively) are beloved members of the western Loudoun community, and her brother Craig Green is a member of the Hamilton Town Council. Returning to Loudoun has been bittersweet for the Loudoun Valley High School graduate, who spent nearly 20 years working as a writer in New York after graduating from the University of Virginia and getting her master’s degree from the prestigious Paris Institute of Political Studies. “[Loudoun is] beautiful still even though it’s changed,” Green said. “We’re happy we did it—it was the right move to do.” Green has been able to get back to her childhood passion for horseback

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[ OBITUARIES ] George F. “Sonny” Danner, Jr. George F. “Sonny” Danner, Jr., 67, of Charles Town, WV, passed on Sunday, June 12, 2016, at Winchester Medical Center, Winchester, VA. The family will receive friends for a visitation Wednesday, June 15th, 2016 - 04:00 PM to 06:00 PM - Loudoun Funeral Chapel158 Catoctin Circle, S.E. Leesburg, VA – 20175. Funeral Services will follow the viewing at 06:00 PM at the funeral home. Interment will be held privately by the family on Friday, in Union Cemetery, Leesburg, Va.

Robert N. Heyman Robert N. Heyman (Age 65) On June 6, 2016, Robert N. Heyman passed away at his residence in Broadlands, VA. Loving husband to Sherry Ferdinand, father of Benjamin Heyman, brother to Donald Heyman. A gathering of family and friends will be held at his residence on Sunday, June 12 from 1pm to 4pm. www.loudounfuneralchapel.com

Clifford D. Thomson A memorial and celebration of life for former Loudoun Valley High School drama teacher and choir director Clifford D. Thomson will be held at 2 p.m. at the Waterford Old School on Saturday, June 18. Thomson was born June 22, 1950, in Washington, DC. He died May 6 in Naples, FL. “Cliff ” Thomson was the only child of Capt. Robert Lee and Marjorie Forgey Thomson. He grew up in British Guiana and in Arlington. His years in British Guiana inspired a love of the Spanish language, which he spoke fluently. He also spoke Italian and Latin, and sang works in German, French, Hebrew and Russian among other languages. A graduate of American University, Thomson also studied under Jannette Wells, PhD, at Catholic University of America. He taught at Loudoun Valley High School from 1974 until his retirement in 2009. He also taught at Harmony Intermediate School. During his career as an educator, Thomson taught thousands of students in a diverse array of subjects, including choir, drama, music theory and art and architecture. He influenced his students’ lives so profoundly that many of them maintained ties with him long after graduation. An accomplished singer, keyboard player and composer, he wrote or arranged numerous pieces to be sung by his students. In collaboration with longtime friend Marie Anderson, whose children studied under Thomson, he wrote an opera for students, “In Nomine,” that was performed at Valley in the late 1980s. Famous for his music, his dramatic productions were equally good. Those who saw his production of the play “Everyman” said it was the best they had ever seen. Possessed of a fine tenor and baritone voice, simultaneously with his teaching schedule Thomson sang with the Washington Opera Chorus for 30 years. He also sang at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Lafayette Square, in Washington, DC.

A man with a wicked sense of humor, Thomson delighted in puns and word play of all kinds. One summer spent on a graduate course featuring the plays of William Shakespeare, Thomson sometimes spoke for hours at a time in rhyming couplets—just for fun. His voice skills were matched by talent in the kitchen, where he would prepare both an elegant dinner party feast and teach an inexperienced friend the cooking basics. Despite his many accomplishments, Thomson remained very modest. Friends remember the many occasions on which he tried to dodge applause. Thomson lived with his partner John Goding for more than 30 years, until the latter’s death in 2009. Goding was one of the founding members of The Washington Ballet. During his career, he was a principal dancer, choreographer and ballet master. Together, they served as an inspiration for many people, sharing their passion for the arts and their deep appreciation for learning, love and life.

Mary Etta Littrell Tiffany Mary Etta Littrell Tiffany, age 74, of Covington, and formerly of Leesburg, Va died Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at Lewis Gale Medical Center in Salem, Va. Mary Etta was born September 18, 1941 in Clifton Forge, Va to the late Robert S. and Josephine Harris Littrell. She was a member of Temple Baptist Church in Covington and she was a self- employed child care provider. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Sarah Littrell and Diane Williams. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, William Adair “Bill” Tiffany, Jr., two daughters, Amy Tiffany of Leesburg and Karen Benoit and husband George of Clifton Forge; a son, Robert Tiffany of Covington; three grandchildren,, Brett, Amanda, and Derek Benoit and a great grandson, Brady Benoit. In keeping with her wishes, she has been cremated. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 18, 2016 at 3pm at Leesburg Community Church, 835 Lee Ave SW, Leesburg with Reverend Alan Stanford officiating. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, 355 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10017.

To Place an Obituary, Memoriam or Death Notice Contact: Lindsay Morgan (703) 770-9723 lmorgan@loudounnow.com

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June 16 – 22, 2016

Touching Hearts and Minds for Tomorrow

Are you looking for a fun, creative, academic environment with exceptional resources and experienced teachers? Do you need an affordable full-day Kindergarten which teaches Christian values in a small class setting? Enrolling now for 2016/17 Half Day & Full Day options available 6 weeks-Kindergarten Call 703-771-7625 for a tour today Leesburg Community Church 835 Lee Ave SW Leesburg, VA

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Loudoun Country Day School is looking for a bookkeeper/accountant, primarily responsible for purchase orders, accounts payable, cash receipts, bank deposits,and special projects. Candidates should have experience with Blackbaud Financial Edge and Student Billing. Please send resumes to Kim.Martino@lcds.org.

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

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June 18 & 19 Saturday 8am-5pm Sunday 8am-2pm

Full Time openings for infants & toddlers

Hiring Bookkeeper/Accountant

Our sixth location located in the Medical Professional Building at Stone Springs Hospital in Aldie, VA is scheduled to open this Summer. If you are compassionate, energetic and love working with a team, then we need YOU. FT positions are available for LPN’s and MA’s. Pediatric and or family practice preferred but wil ing to train the right candidate. We offer health, dental and vision insurance as well as direct deposit, 401K and many other benefits. FT positions are also available in our Broadlands location.

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[ OPINION ]

loudounnow.com

Stay Engaged The community controversy over AT&T’s plans to expand its telecommunication center on top of Short Hill Mountain was perfectly timed for the future of Loudoun County. Well, it was if the people now engaged in the nitty-gritty of Loudoun planning and zoning policies continue to pay attention as county leaders begin a comprehensive update of the General Plan. Over the next year or so, committees will hunker down in small conference rooms to debate new visions for future development, comb through reams of reports, wordsmith countless paragraphs, and, in the end, recommend a collection of new policies that will shape our community for decades. It’s not exciting stuff, but—as the neighbors in northern Loudoun have come to understand in recent weeks—it is important to their quality of life. This is where the community sets the priorities for preserving mountainsides and preventing high-intensity uses like data centers from dotting the rural landscape. It also is where concerns that might be higher on your priority list are addressed: Traffic congestion, recreation opportunities, job centers, housing options. It is going to provide a roadmap for the redevelopment—or revitalization—of older neighborhoods. It will set the pace and scale of future development. Staying involved now will result in fewer headaches for residents down the road. This is where backyard issues should be addressed. Too often when the development proposals roll in it is too late to get them right. That almost happened on Short Hill. It can happen in your neighborhood.

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

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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 Pariss Briggs Leah Fallon Jan Mercker Advertising Director Susan Styer sstyer@loudounnow.com Classified Manager Lindsay Morgan lmorgan@loudounnow.com Production Electronic Ink 9 Royal St. SE Leesburg, VA 20175

[ LETTERS ] Can’t Hide Editor: Last week, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors tabled a resolution to simply acknowledge National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Gun violence is all around us. We are not immune in Loudoun County. According to the CDC, there were 885 deaths due to firearms in Virginia in 2014 alone. This is truly a public health crisis, and it is why many groups such as the National PTA and the American Academy of Pediatrics support National Gun Violence Awareness Day. This isn’t about politics, it’s about common sense. When we resort to performing lock down drills in our schools to keep our children and teachers safe from gun violence, we must ask ourselves what more we can do – the status quo is absolutely not sufficient. The local chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America has been working hard in the community to raise awareness of gun violence in all its forms, whether it be unintentional child shootings, suicide or mass shootings. We are a local organization of volunteers—moms, dads, teachers, friends, and gun owners—who care about the safety of our kids, Republican or Democrat. The issue of gun violence is not going away. The Board cannot continue to hide from this indefinitely. — Amy McPike, Brambleton

Disappointed Editor: I attended the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors meeting last week when a resolution to recognize June 2 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day was proposed and subsequently tabled by the board. I am extremely disappointed that the majority of the board put politics ahead of what is best for the community—bringing awareness to the growing gun violence in our nation and local community.

Just this year, two mothers were gunned down by their domestic abusers in Lansdowne and Leesburg. Gun violence has become a part of our everyday dialog. I now look for the nearest point of exit when at the mall or at the movies. My daughter’s school has active shooter drills—and soon I will send her off to college where I pray I never get the call that too many parents have received, informing them that their child has been murdered with a gun on campus. But beyond my personal fears are the facts—every day, seven children and 31 adults are killed by guns. This number doesn’t even include the countless suicides. This should not be the new normal. Gun violence is an epidemic. A day recognizing this issue is long overdue. It has nothing to do with politics and in no way infringes on anyone’s Second Amendment rights. This resolution was a symbolic gesture, a first step, toward resolving the issue of gun violence. The board’s supporters even withdrew any mention of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, the organization to which I belong, in order to appease the opposition. Moms Demand Action is an all-volunteer organization made up of moms, gun owners, and non-gun owners. We are not anti-gun, but we do support common sense gun laws and gun safety education for all. Moms have tackled many difficult issues in the past and will not be deterred. We are passionate and will continue to drive education and awareness, even though our elected officials chose to table the issue rather than taking a public vote. Their failure to act is shameful and will be remembered at the next election by moms and anyone who cares about the safety of our community. — Koren Barwis, Ashburn MORE LETTERS >> 45

[ LETTERS ] Generous Support

SPEAK NOW

Readers’ comments posted at loudounnow.com

“It is just despicable that the Loudoun School Board voted against going through with this study. The study is funded by a grant that is already awarded. The School Board voted in favor of ignorance in failing to approve this study.” — ldcom, on Loudoun Board Rejects Plan to Designate 7 Schools as Historic

“The problem with downtown isn’t the parking. It is getting to the parking. Without addressing that downtown is always going to struggle. And I don’t know how you address that without fundamentally changing the character of downtown.” — Tssva, on Pittsburgh Rick’s Closes Downtown But Food Truck Keeps Rolling

would like to preserve the rural feel of our little patch of paradise. Ironically, the handful of detractors attempting

hastening the process of Western Loudoun becoming Eastern Loudoun.” — sklimek, on B Chord Brewery License Struck Down

It is high school graduation season, and as the head of a school, it is my responsibility and privilege to say a few words to students and parents to mark the occasion. More than any other event, high school graduation marks the end of childhood in our society, and the beginning of making your own way in the world. So what would you say to young people who have finished 13 years in custodial education under the watchful eye of parents and teachers, as they step into their own lives for the first time? Here is what I shared with our students and parents at our graduation at Morven Park last Sunday: “Seniors, welcome to your adult life. More than anything, I think that is what graduation from high school signifies to the larger world. I’ve been thinking about what I could say that might be useful to you today, given that I have been saying things to you since September (and before). I hope to offer you something new to think about this afternoon. There are two ways you can spend your adult life. You can try to be what other people want you to be (or what you think they want you to be), or you can choose the principles by which you will live and model those principles for others. As your experiences grow, you may decide to revise or replace your principles. How others treat you will be a reflection of how you treat them. This may seem obvious, and is similar to The Golden Rule, but the idea is more powerful than it seems. Since people base their response to you on how you choose to conduct yourself, you have more power to influence others than you can imagine. You earn this influence over time. Possibly even more importantly, you also have a choice of what you reflect back to others in response to how they treat you. If you are conscious and measured about how you respond, you will have and you will be able to display a sense of calm and balance. With this power over yourself, you will be the sort of person others want to emulate. In brief, if you can model certain principles of conduct, and you can regulate your own responses, over time you will change the people around you. And in doing so, you will have a direct and positive effect on your world. Inevitably, you will come across some who do not respond to kindness with kindness, or to reason with reason. If you have made an honest effort, treating them as reasonable people who are like you, and they still fail to respond in kind, you have the freedom to leave them behind. I urge you to do so early and often. Comparing yourself to other people will usually make you unhappy, because you can always find people who appear to have more than you. There are two ways, however, in

which comparison can improve your awareness and your happiness. First, before deciding whether your current situation is good or bad, ask yourself “Compared to what?” If you take a broad or a historical perspective, you will see that you have compelling reasons to be grateful every day. Even simple things like clean water, quality food, medical care, and a safe neighborhood are beyond the reach of most people on this planet. The opportunities you have for education and self-determination are beyond the reach of most people in this country. Second, social comparisons that lead you to raise your own expectations for yourself and to work to become better at what you do can bring good into your life. The key is to want to become better for yourself, not simply to be better than someone else. While college marks the beginning of your independent life, it also means a significant change for your parents. They have spent every day of the last 18 years concerned with your well-being. As I noted above, how you conduct yourself will shape how they experience this transition. Seniors and underclassmen, I have been very impressed by your thoughtfulness, conversations, and work this year. Your final presentations, in particular, were impressive and educational, even for a highly educated audience. In many ways, you are far beyond where your teachers and parents were at this point in their lives. Having worked with you over the past year, I am optimistic about what you will contribute. Your experience everyday—your life—is a reflection of how you choose to engage with the people around you. This puts the power for positive change squarely in your hands.” 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.

loudounnow.com

to block responsible agribusiness like B Chord are

BY DEEP SRAN

“I’m pretty sure all of us who live in Western Loudoun

Grads Hold the Power for Positive Change

Editor: Congratulations to Woodgrove’s Odyssey of the Mind teams that competed in the World competition at Iowa State University. The team of juniors placed 18th in their performance problem and 25th in their technical competition. The freshmen placed 28th in the classics division. They worked hard all year and represented Woodgrove well on the world stage. The Odyssey team members would like to thank the many generous sponsors who helped them get to Iowa, including: Woodgrove Music & Arts Association Woodgrove PTSO Loudoun Education Foundation

The Human Geo Dr. Grisius Dr. Tari Browning Equipment Independent Solar Solutions Tri-County Construction John Goldsmith at State Farm Zeta Associates AllPoints Broadband US Inspect Carahsoft Stonegate Construction Apex Gymnastics KFC/Taco Bell Jersey Mike’s Chick-Fil-A Jet Evolutions Catoctin VOICES VA Odyssey We are grateful to have had such terrific hometown support as we competed on the international stage. — Kim Ramsey, Woodgrove OoTM Coach

June 16 – 22, 2016

<< FROM 44

loudounnow.com

Hidden treasure << FROM 3 the department on June 1, 2014, on Fishback’s retirement. Larson’s current workforce includes summer intern Charles Freiburg, staffers Sarah Markel and Alyssa Fisher, plus several volunteers, including retired records manager Fishback, who just can’t seem to stay away from helping tend the records he’s cared for over many years. He now volunteers three days a week. Larson had plenty of archival experience before taking over leadership of the program, having served in a curatorial position at both the Loudoun Museum and the Loudoun County Heritage Farm Museum, as well as serving under Fishback for two and a half years. One of the first things Larson did was to centralize the assorted records, which were located in different departments. Now residents can research the records all in one place. Another key focus was to continue the conservation and digitalization of the more recent records started under Fishback. The push to restore the records and make them more accessible to the public stems in large part from Clemen’s oversight of the records, dating back to his election in 1999. Back in the 1990s, no one really understood the value of the records, he said. Clemens recalled his shock and dismay when he first became Clerk of the Circuit Court. In January 2000, after taking office, he was walking through an unfinished area of the courthouse where some of the historic records were stowed. There was no light in the area. “I heard water dripping, and saw there were boxes and boxes of records.” Using a flashlight, Clemens investigated. “I realized what a treasure trove it was,” he said. At the time, the Historic Records Department of the Clerk’s Office did not exist. He went to then-County Administrator Kirby Bowers and the Board of Supervisors to seek their support to protect and emphasize the importance of the records. That was the start. Fishback became manager of the new

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

A signature of the first president of the United States is seen on a deed dating back to pre revolutionary war times.

department, an energetic grant-raising program was initiated, staff was expanded and volunteers came on board. The realization by those in authority that the records needed attention and a department of its own was manna to Fishback. “I’d been trying to protect them for years,” he said. “We’ve come a long way,” Clemens said recently. But he and Larson are not done yet. “This is my vision—to have a museum,” Clemens said, noting he wants the records to always stay in Loudoun where citizens have access to their records. Under the courthouse expansion, he hopes to have the archives in a different building, where there is space for the public and a secure preservation area for the records. He also would like to see “all the historical groups consolidate their efforts in one global museum—where you can see it all,” citing other collection institutions, such as the Thomas Balch Library, the Loudoun Museum and the County Heritage Farm Museum, Oatlands with its slave data base, Mosby Heritage Area Association, the Balch’s Black History Committee and NOVA Parks. Continuing the push for successful fundraising is key, he said, noting he foresees the establishment of a 501(c)3 foundation to be a source of indepen-

dent funds. Clemens hopes Loudoun’s historic records program will become a model for other collections, in which the county could hold a historic records conference to “show what we do.” His vision is for Loudoun to be the center of a collaborative effort in which many institutions will work together. Larson said the Chancery files from 1757 to 2012 are now digitized and are on the Library of Virginia website, while Fishback and Fisher are scanning deed books from 1757 to present, and the will books are almost current. Researchers can search the online indexes, which contain many of the records found in the Clerk’s Office. Check on the Loudoun.gov/clerk-archives, where records are constantly being updated. Also look for a paper titled Tips and Tricks for Researching Historic Records, which Larson said was written to answer many of the questions patrons pose to staff Larson noted that, surprisingly, the more the records are digitized, the more people seem to want to see the originals. Now the historic records are being carefully unrolled from the bundles in which they were stashed—then moistened using humidity in the spa tank, flattened and ironed under rice paper, mended where necessary with archival

tape and flat filed, through an in-house conservation program which is largely funded through Library of Virginia grants. All the records are stored in acid-free paper and files. For staffers, coming upon unexpected treasures is exhilarating. Markel noted she had just found former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover’s signature on a couple of lab reports. George Washington’s signature is a prized possession as well as his plat of Leesburg in 1759. Fisher has found plenty to interest her as she moves through the slave and then on to the free black indexes. Some records are of those petitioning for their freedom. Larson’s four goals are: digitization, conservation, expanded access to the records, and public programs. To that end, the department now holds quarterly First Friday programs, in which the public is invited to come in and tour the records. He’s also working on the next big Loudoun commemoration—that of World War I, in which he is working with the Loudoun County Centennial Committee. New this year, is another initiative: the department’s “Little Gems” newsletter, which will be published quarterly. As the title suggests, it concerns small, hidden treasures. The January 2016 edition, for example, contained an article by Markel, noting that successive Clerks of the Circuit Court “squirreled away notes,” jottings down of things that interested them as well as downright oddities. The notes eventually went from being scraps of paper to being in a binder. Retired Deputy Clerk Louisa Hutchison compiled them as “The Book of Little Gems,” in which important information was contained. The work continues, Markel wrote, noting that staff recently found a deed for President James Monroe’s property at Oak Hill Preserving the records for future generations “is a challenge I embrace,” Larson said, noting that being only one of five jurisdictions to have its entire records from its founding in 1757 from Fairfax County is amazing. “We really do have a treasure,” he said. mmorton@loudounnow.com

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

A large storage area containing documents dating back into the early 1700’s are waiting to be documented and placed into an online database at the Loudoun County Circuit Court.

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Before she ended her shift that night, Anaya said Michelle thanked her. “[Michelle said], Silvia, thank you very much for everything you do for us. Thank you very much for everything,” she told the jury in a shaky voice. Her testimony contradicted the testimony of her friends, who on the stand had previously said Michelle appeared happy and had a lot to live for. The only witness whose testimony has placed Castillo in the Michelle’s home that night was his second youngest son, Zachary, who was 6 years old at the time. But his statements on the stand and to others outside of court have been inconsistent. He said in court May 27 that he did see his father in the house that night.

But testimony by psychotherapist and clinical social worker Mary Spooner on June 9 contradicted Zachary’s account. Spooner said during a session in February, “[Zachary] blurted out that he didn’t see his father on the night of his mom’s death. I found it unusual that he blurted out what he blurted out. He didn’t usually talk about those things.” Both sides have called a number of experts to testify on their behalf, as well as family members, friends and neighbors of the Castillos. The trial began on May 17. It was originally scheduled to end June 10. For the updates, go to LoudounNow.com.

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Wittmann, the chief deputy commonwealth’s attorney, emphasized during questioning on Tuesday that with the death of his spouse, Castillo would not have to share his $6.5 million assets or custody of their children. “You don’t have to share anything, right? The hard part is over. You get to keep it all to yourself,” she pressed him during cross-examination. “Yes,” Castillo said. Wittmann also argued, that given the circumstances, Castillo knew he would no longer have to negotiate decisions with Michelle. “You would have the children exclusively because their mother is dead,” she said. “I was not going to have to ask Michelle anymore,” Castillo said. Castillo denied going anywhere near the Belmont Station home on March 19, 2014, and testified that he learned Michelle was missing from one of his sons. “Jonathan told me he didn’t know where mommy was,” he said. That is when Castillo says he broke the protective order and entered Michelle’s house. He told the jury he began to search the home, including the basement. But he said he did not check the bathroom. “I wasn’t looking for a kid; I was looking for Chelli,” Castillo said. “I checked the places I thought she’d be.” The day after Michelle’s death, Detective Mark McCaffrey noted injuries on Castillo’s face, including a black eye. Evidenced in the case showed Castillo searched the internet for black eye remedies on the day of Michelle’s death. Castillo told the jury the black eye came from his son, Zachary, during their scheduled visitation. “Zacky got upset, threw a flashlight, and hit me in the face,” Castillo said. That is when he says he began searching remedies—hours before the time prosecutors said Castillo attacked his wife. “I wasn’t pre-googling something at 5 o’clock in anticipation [of a potential alibi],” he told the jury. Another key piece of evidence in the commonwealth’s case is video footage from a neighbor’s security camera, showing a man running away from Michelle’s home on the night of her death. Castillo denied it was him, and said he knew the neighbors had cameras installed. Castillo also presented a possible alibi. He told the jury he had gone to his friend Bill Byer’s house in Reston on the night of Michelle’s death to fix their drains. Byers also testified, saying he was in Australia at the time and unable to confirm when or whether Castillo was at his house. But Castillo said he had access to the house. There are no records that Castillo was at the Reston home. He said he did not use toll roads, and he can’t remember whether he brought his cell phone. Testimony from the Castillos’ former maid, who took the stand Friday,

supported the defense’s theory that Michelle killed herself. Silvia Anaya told the jury Michelle seemed sad in the days before her death. “Sometimes she was sad, sometimes she was happy,” she said. “On Tuesday I saw her sad … on Wednesday I saw her sad.” Anaya said Michelle was unusually quiet at the dinner table that night. “We usually had happy conversations,” Anaya said. “She was quiet; she didn’t really eat.” She died the following day. Anaya also told the jury Michelle had given her a jacket as a gift. She noted Michelle had known she was fond of the jacket, but the act was unusual. “She usually gave me gifts, but that was special because she liked that jacket very much,” she testified.

June 16 – 22, 2016

Castillo

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