Loudoun Now for June 30, 2016 by Loudoun Now

LoudounNow

LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE

[ Vol. 1, No. 34 ]

[ loudounnow.com ]

[ June 30 – July 6, 2016 ]

SNAP! CRACKLE! POP! Plenty of ways to celebrate Independence Day this week

Short Hill Saga Comes to a Close BY RENSS GREENE

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Firefighter Black hauls his gear out to Tower Truck 602 at the Purcellville Public Safety Center. Loudoun Country is looking for ways to curb firefighter turnover, which is costing taxpayers thousands.

Walking Through Fire and Out the Door

How Can Loudoun Keep its Firefighters? showed that while 10 percent of all county employees left their jobs voluntarily, only 6.1 percent of fire and rescue employees— hen County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D- about 33 people—left voluntarily. At Large) gave her first-of-its-kind State of the That seems lower, but the leaders of the Department of Fire, County Address last month, she pointed out Rescue and Emergency Management say there is a problem— a problem in Loudoun’s combined fire-rescue the county spends a lot of time and money training new resystem: cruits, and traditionally, once a firefighter joins a department, “Unfortunately, I must report our he or she stays put. Loudoun firefighters are compenAnd a vacancy in a fire-rescue WHILE 51 PERCENT OF ALL COUNTY sated at a significantly lower rate job has big impacts. than their counterparts in the entire “There’s got to be three people GOVERMNENT EMPLOYEES LIVE IN Washington metro region,” Randall on the fire truck,” said Combined LOUDOUN, ONLY 26 PERCENT OF FIRE said. “Because of this, new firefightFire-Rescue System Chief W. AND RESCUE EMPLOYEES DO. SOME ers who are trained in Loudoun ofKeith Brower Jr. “There’s got to be ten leave and take with them their LIVE AS FAR AWAY AS SHERBURNE, NY, two people on the ambulance. I’ve training and potential.” got to have bodies in seats.” AND VIRGINIA BEACH. It’s not entirely a new complaint. But filling those seats takes, A few days before Randall’s address, conservatively, 18 months from the county government launched a classification and compen- the time the position is advertised. Then the recruit must go sation study to update its outdated job descriptions and pay through written tests, physical tests, a background investigascales. County managers say they regularly have to make excep- tion, an interview—and then wait for the next recruit school. tions to the county’s compensation pay scale to stay competitive The recruit school trains 15 people at a time at a minimum. with other area jurisdictions. The first phase of that study, in That means that not only does it take time to complete a hire, which a consulting firm will conduct a comprehensive review of but training has to wait until there are enough vacancies to fill. the county’s pay scale, is expected to take about a year. On the other hand, it also means the department can only hire so many at once.

BY RENSS GREENE

Firefighter Turnover

A survey of county employee turnover in fiscal year 2015

A hectic month of worry for Loudouners around Short Hill Mountain came to a close with a united Board of Supervisors vote Thursday evening. Supervisors voted unanimously, and in some cases enthusiastically, to overturn the commission permit that would have allowed AT&T to build a 160,000-square-foot building on top of its existing underground facility atop Short Hill Mountain. There was no disagreement over whether to overturn the Planning Commission’s approval of the permit; the focus was on the reasoning they would use in their vote. AT&T had asked to withdraw the permit, but project opponents urged the board to turn down the permit based on the contents of the application. “Please shift away from the position that seems more loyal to AT&T,” said Lovettsville resident Sarah Stinger, who raised concerns about the facility’s runoff and use of water during previous board meetings. “I know that’s what they’ve asked you to do. Instead, take a position that’s more loyal to us, your constituents.” She said cancelling the permit based on the AT&T withdrawal “is like a Band-Aid. Instead, suture this ugly wound closed so that it can heal.” Residents have worried that merely allowing AT&T to withdraw its permit request would leave the door open to another attempt to build on top of Short Hill. Malcolm Baldwin, a member of the county’s Rural Economic Development Council, encouraged the board to take a strong stance. “You must not fear a lawsuit,” Baldwin said. “You couldn’t have a stronger suit.” “I’ve been in the county since I was 3, and everybody, every supervisor who sat on this board, has worked hard to keep western Loudoun, western

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Restoration Work on Old Ashburn Schoolhouse Begins BY DANIELLE NADLER

here’s been a lot of movement recently on a property that sat abandoned for more than two generations. The aging one-room schoolhouse that once served as a hub for Ashburn’s black community will soon be made new, 57 years after it was shuttered. The Ashburn Colored School and its history was almost lost, until the Loudoun School for the Gifted purchased the Ashburn Road property with plans to restore it and turn it into a museum on

the history of education. The project, led by the private school’s eighth-grade students, hit its first major milestone over the weekend, when Ratcliff ’s Masonry completed repairs to the building’s foundation. The full restoration effort is expected to cost $100,000, but the $19,250 raised so far was put toward shoring up the schoolhouses’ crumbling stone base. And the repair work began just in time, according Katie Knipmeyer, an eighth-grade student at Loudoun School for the Gifted whose helped lead the restoration effort. “This school-

house could have easily collapsed had we not begun to raise money and plan for this restoration,” the 14-year-old said. “It’s really a piece of history that would otherwise be completely lost for the county.” In a week’s time, Ratcliff ’s Masonry’s crew practically built a new foundation from scratch, after workers discovered worn footers that sat just 18 inches below the surface. “We probably ripped out 75 percent ASHBURN SCHOOLHOUSE >> 38

Supervisors Approve $1M in Nonprofit Grants, Look for Fairer Distribution Process

19 21

Loudoun’s top golfer gets first tour win

Huddle up: Redskins coach shares on, off field lessons

INDEX Loudoun Gov..................... 6 Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

A person carries bags packed with food from Interfaith Relief, the county’s largest food pantry. The organization was awarded a $49,599 county grant.

Leesburg........................... 8 Education........................ 14 Public Safety................... 15

Yet, because of the formula used, of the funds set aside for nonprofit grants, $50,024 is unallocated. Supervisors voted to have the finance committee determine which groups should get that money. County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said from the dais

last Thursday, “This process needs to be relooked at and tweaked.” The previous Board of Supervisors changed the procedure to determine which charities get county grants. Previously, the grants were debatNONPROFIT GRANTS >> 39

Our Towns....................... 16 Biz.................................. 20 LoCo Living..................... 24 Classifieds...................... 33 Opinion........................... 36

loudounnow.com

BY DANIELLE NADLER Loudoun supervisors agree that the revised policies for divvying up funds for charities makes the process less political, but more improvements could be made. The discussion over how to more fairly disperse funds came just before they voted unanimously June 23 to green light grants totaling $1 million for 31 nonprofits, as recommended by a committee of staff members. But they agreed that the board’s finance committee should again look at the formula used to determine which groups get county tax funding support and how much. Of the just more than $1 million that was earmarked for grants in fiscal year 2017, HealthWorks for Northern Virginia will receive the largest check at $180,000, while the smallest grants go to Loudoun Symphony and the Children’s Science Center, at $3,158. Twenty of the 51 nonprofits that applied for funding received zero dollars. Among those was Windy Hill Foundation, which works to provide affordable housing in Loudoun, and The Arc of Loudoun at the Paxton Campus, which serves special needs individuals.

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LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

David Ratcliff and Donald Reno, of Ratcliff’s Masonry, clean up the site of the former Ashburn Colored School on Ashburn Road Saturday after restoring its stone and lime mortar foundation.

June 30 – July 6, 2016

New state laws kick in Friday

June 30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 6, 2016

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Ali Khaligh/Loudoun Now

Shoppers browse at a gun show in Chantilly. As of Friday, a State Police representative will attend every gun show in Virginia to perform voluntary background checks.

Slew of New State Laws Take Effect Friday BY DANIELLE NADLER As of July 1, Virginians have to be at least 16 to get married and anyone subject to a permanent protective order will have 24 hours to give up their guns. Those are just two of dozens of Virginia laws that go into effect later this week, as the state begins a new fiscal year. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a snapshot of legislation that was passed in the General Assembly this spring and signed into law by Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D): Marriage: Senate Bill 415, introduced by Sen. Jill Vogel (R-27) and House Bill 703 put new age minimums on marriage. Now, 18-year-olds can still marry on their own, but a judge will have to

sign off on marriages involving 16- or 17-year-olds and take into consideration that the union is in the best interest of the minor. Vogel advocated the change after learning that children as young as 13 have been married in Virginia. Guns: A lot of legislation related to guns came through the General Assembly this year. Some of that was prompted by a threat from Attorney General Mark Herring, before the session started, to end concealed carry reciprocity agreements with other states. That set the stage for a compromise. Republicans won support for two bills, HB 1163 and SB 610, that allow Virginians with permits to conceal carry in nearly all other states. Virginia will also recognize perNEW LAWS >> 5

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mits from those states through reciprocity agreements. In exchange, Democrats, including McAuliffe, won support for HB 1391 and SB 715, which will require anyone subject to a permanent protective order to give up their guns within 24 hours. They can turn them into law enforcement or turn them over to a friend or family member. If they’re found with a gun, they can face up to five years in prison. Also, a State Police representative will now attend every gun show in Virginia to perform voluntary background checks, a new law stemming from HB 1386 and SB 715. While licensed gun dealers are required to perform such a check, private citizens are not. Proffers: The General Assembly hit Loudoun hard this year with a bill that will limit agreements the county government makes with developers to keep up with the impacts of growth. SB 549, penned by the Homebuilders Association of Virginia and introduced by delegates. Mark D. Obenshain (R-26) and Richard L. Saslaw (D-35), was passed by state legislators and signed by the governor over the objections of localities across the state. Loudoun supervisors say it would put the kibosh on creative deals like having Brambleton developers build a library in exchange for higher housing density. The county continues to discover ramifications of the bill, and several legislators have said they plan to continue working to weaken the bill’s impact next year. Executions: The state can now purchase lethal injection drugs without revealing the companies involved, under

5 June 30 – July 6, 2016

New laws

HB 815. These drugs are hard to come by because pharmaceutical companies have faced protests for providing them. Smoking: A new law contained in HB 1348 says any person who smokes in a vehicle with a child younger than 8 can face a traffic ticket and civil penalty of $100. Bicycles: Drivers who don’t check before opening their car doors on the street can now face a $50 fine. The law, SB 117, is meant to protect cyclists. Education: Two bills sponsored by Del. Thomas A. “Tag” Greason (R-32), of Ashburn, to modify the Standards of Learning were successful. One, HB 831, requires that SOL exams include computer science and computational thinking, including computer coding. A law introduced in the Senate, SB 211, will require at least 20 minutes of physical activity per day, on average, for elementary school children. Schools have until 2018 to comply. Stalking: Several new laws crack down on stalking. HB 752 and SB 339 make it easier to prove in court. It says that if a person on whom the stalker is focused doesn’t want to be contacted, then attempting to contact that person is evidence of an intent to cause fear of death or assault. HB 610 makes stalking a class 6 felony for those already under a protective order, and HB 886 increases the penalty for a second stalking offense. Tolls: HB 1069, a bill meant to be more lenient on Virginia drivers, increases the period before private highway tolling companies can increase violation fees and decreases civil penalties on unpaid tolls. It caps penalties for a first violation at $2,200.

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Loudoun Supervisors Recognize ‘Robby’s Rule’ Namesake BY RENSS GREENE Loudoun supervisors last week recognized the man who turned sexual abuse in his childhood into protection for children decades later. Rob Buswell was molested by a tee-ball coach as a child, and like many victims, never talked about it—until his own children reached the age he was when he was abused. “If I can turn the scars from my youth into something that helps someone else out, great,” Buswell said. “If, selfishly, I can turn my decades of shame into something that leaves a positive legacy for future generations of Virginians, sign me up.” The positive legacy takes the form of rules that placed more sex offenders on the Virginia Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry and prevents child molesters from using child-oriented license plates, such as the Kids First license plate. The first rule resulted in 5,604 names being added to the sex offender registry. Buswell’s molester almost slipped through the cracks. Virginia’s sex offender registry began in 1994, but Buswell was abused by a known predator in 1978. It wasn’t until 2007 that he opened up about his case to Prince William County Police Detective

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Robert Buswell holds up a portrait of himself at the age at which he was abused.

Heather Darling. “If you had told me in 2007, when I first came forward, that we would be standing here, I would have probably wanted to crawl under a rock,” Buswell said at the June 23 ceremony. “All I wanted to do was unload a burden that I had carried since I was a small boy.” With Darling’s help and understanding, Buswell saw his molester arrested. Then, he pushed to have the sex offender registry

changed to include offenses from before 1994. Despite the legislation named after him, Buswell refuses to let his tragic past define him. “Yes, I was abused, and it was horrible, but there’s much more to me than that,” Buswell said. “I’m a father, a business owner, and a productive member of society.” He also said remaining silent is cooperating with predators, but that victims face a painful catch-22. “One, the pain and suffering they endured causes them to outwardly project a train wreck, so we’re not considered reliable by society, or two, we stuff ourselves in a suit and tie and outwardly project confidence, but inside we’re a train wreck,” Buswell said. Buswell’s remarks also took a political turn. He used the opportunity to speak out against recent orders by Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) restoring rights for felons who have served their time in jail. He said allowing his abuser to sit on a jury once he has served his time would be “re-victimizing the victim.” “The predator is not the victim,” Buswell said. “These restorations of rights should be treated like a cancer surgery and done with a scalpel.” rgreene@loudounnow.com

Supervisors May Boost District Office Budgets BY RENSS GREENE Members of the Board of Supervisors will weigh whether to increase their office budgets by about $30,000 each. The eight district offices, the front line of supervisors’ interactions with their constituents, as well as the source of a lot of the grunt work performed on their behalf, currently receive $120,597 each annually in funding from the county. The county chairman’s office receives $161,040. Although supervisors have jobs separate from their elected roles, each of their offices employs and equips one or two full-time employees, in addition to part-time employees and interns in most cases. Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) has proposed increasing district funding by $270,000 in total, to either distribute evenly among all nine offices or in proportion to workload and population growth. Letourneau was absent from last week’s meeting of the board’s finance committee, which he chairs, when the proposal was scheduled for discussion. Committee Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) moved to

forward the item to the full board without a recommendation. “I know there’s not consensus … but I didn’t want it to gridlock in a 2-2 vote with four of us up here,” Buona said, speaking of the committee’s reduced number in Letourneau’s absence. The committee voted 4-0-1 to forward the item to the board. In the board member initiative proposing the additional funding, Letourneau argues that increases in population, regional involvement, and land use applications have increased the work load on the staff aides in district offices. Plus, the flat funding since fiscal year 2013 has put annual raises for staff aides at risk while other county employees have reliably earned raises between 2 and 3.5 percent during that time. He also points out that the county’s growth has not been distributed evenly across its nine election districts since 2011 redistricting attempted to approximately even the population numbers in each district. According to staff reports, at that time districts were arranged with populations varying from 37,409 in Catoctin to 40,464 in Algonkian. Between the 2010 census and 2015, U.S.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

County Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) and Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) confer.

Census Bureau annual population estimates have added 60,029 Loudouners across the county, around a 20 percent growth. According to County Administrator Tim Hemstreet, the $270,000 price tag could be shifted from unallocated money in the already adopted fiscal year 2017 budget. The board is not yet scheduled to take up the issue. rgreene@loudounnow.com

[ LOUDOUN BRIEFS ]

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

From left, Supervisor Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn), County Attorney Leo Rogers, and Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) confer during a break in a finance committee meeting.

County Gives Tech Contractor the Boot BY RENSS GREENE The county government quietly ended a long headache last Thursday night by firing Applications Software Technology Corporation, the vendor responsible for installing the county’s beleaguered Enterprise Resource Planning software upgrade. Loudoun supervisors in 2011 approved a contract up to $21.1 million to implement Oracle eBusiness Suite, a set of programs meant to handle everything from payroll to mass appraisals to tax billing across both the county and public schools. The programs are collectively known as Enterprise Resource Planning software, or the ERP system. The county has since poured millions more into the project, but supervisors have maintained it’s a painful necessity. The previous suite of software is more than 20 years old. But the third and final phase of the software deployment has failed to meet deadline after deadline, and the county has held AST to be in breach of its contract since November. Under the settlement agreement, AST will reimburse the county all of its implementation fees, $3,850,534, plus half of the cost of a consultation with Oracle, which found the software built so far had “overly complex and unnecessary configurations.” The county also will not pay nearly $1 million that was to be withheld until the project was completed. AST also must offer 500 hours of free consulting to the county and its new contractor, Oracle, on the work it has done so far. The total refund to the county, just under $5 million, is over 90 percent of the $5,456,948 the county has paid to AST during its failed implementation of the last phase of the project. The county has contracted with Oracle to finish implementation. The refund to the county will cover about half that cost, $9,389,468. Overall, between the AST refund and the money left in the project fund, county staff estimates the project will now need an additional $3.8 million. With contingency funding, the board transferred another $4.8 million into the project from the fiscal year 2016 general fund balance. rgreene@loudounnow.com

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The Loudoun County Republican Committee has come out strongly against a proposal for the Board of Supervisors to adopt a resolution recognizing June as LGBT Pride month in the wake of the Orlando killings. “Loudoun residents are tired of Democrats on the Board of Supervisors using their positions to play politics rather than focusing on their responsibilities to manage the county,” wrote Will Estrada, chairman of the Loudoun County Republican Committee, in a statement. Umstattd said she was approached by more than 30 Loudoun residents asking for the resolution in the aftermath of a mass shooting in Orlando on June 12, where 49 people were shot to death and many more injured in a gay nightclub. She likened the resolution to similar resolutions recognizing cancer survivors, Black History Month, and equal rights for women. “These are all things that the board takes up and generally votes through without much discussion,” Umstattd said. “I view this request in the normal course of business, but also much more poignant than some of the other ceremonial requests we get because of what happened in Orlando, where a community appears to have been targeted because of the way God made them.” “Kristen Umstattd made sure that this resolution was not placed on the board’s agenda for the [June 23 meeting], making it appear that she wants to rush this through before Loudoun residents were aware of this attempt to declare June as ‘LGBT Pride Month,’” reads the LCRC press release. Umstattd said the request only came in too late to make the published agenda of last week’s meeting, but she planned to seek an amendment so it could be considered. “That was the only thing we had time to do for this group, that is clearly in pain at the time, and I think it is entirely legitimate to respond to constituents in that way, and not let government red tape get between them and something that means a lot to them,” Umstattd said. “Focusing on a far-left agenda is becoming a trend for Umstattd, first by making robocalls to lobby county residents for higher taxes after stating that her goal in office was to ‘keep taxes as low as possible for Loudoun residents,’ and now taking the time and resources of the County Board to pursue a polarizing social agenda,” stated Estrada, who was Umstattd’s Republican opponent in last fall’s election. Umstattd said she thinks “most Americans are tolerant.” “This is, I think, the Christian, decent thing to do, and it has nothing to do with anything on the left,” Umstattd said. “In fact, if that’s the chair’s position, then this is clearly a discussion we need to have.” She likened Estrada’s objection to historic resistance to Black History Month. “We’ve grown as a society, we’ve tried to constantly become better, to cater to our better selves, not

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June 30 – July 6, 2016

Loudoun Republican Committee Opposes LGBT Pride Resolution

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[ LEESBURG ]

Developing Leesburg

As Office Booms, Oaklawn Looks for Retail Growth

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

mixed-use, 100-acre-plus development that sits on some of the town’s prime real estate has been on the books for 13 years now, but much of its growth has yet to come. The Oaklawn subdivision, in south Leesburg, is among several key properties that is under consideration for a major transformation. It received its initial legislative approvals in 2003 and is envisioned as an area with a mix of uses—residential, office, retail/restaurant, and other services that would serve its residents and workers. “The vision was to be a commercial hub in the southeast portion of Leesburg,” Andy Shuckra, principal with developer Keane Enterprises, said in a recent interview. “When you look at Leesburg in general this part of Leesburg had been under-served. We saw this as a good opportunity to create a mixed-use commercial environment in Leesburg.” The proximity to the Dulles Greenway, and with the exit being a nontolled interchange, made the property especially appealing to Keane Enterprises when it was purchased from the Stowers family, Shuckra said. “We saw that as a major advantage to this property,” he said. “If you look at the [site] plan you’ll see that exit ramp particularly going westbound from the south and the east exits directly into the property which is a unique feature.” The name Oaklawn is a nod to the history of the property, as it was the name of the Stowers’ farm, Shuckra noted. Keane Enterprises sold off some land to Pulte Homes beginning in 2007. The homebuilder has since erected some 300 townhouses, the last originals having been sold within the past three to four years, Shuckra said. He complimented the homebuilder on the design

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. of its residential units and the many amenities it has put in place for its residents. But with the dirt having settled on residential construction, attention now turns back to Keane Enterprises and what it will do to bring the area’s residents the retail, restaurant and service uses it has long promised. Thus far, the development counts its only retail tenants as a gas station, a bank and a child care facility. Shuckra does not shirk away from the fact that this type of development has taken longer than anyone envisioned. Keane built the roads it had proffered to the town in 2008 but, when it was about to start marketing its office, retail and restaurant space, the financial markets crashed and the Great Recession commenced. “Really nothing happened for several years because of the recession,” he said. But when the economy began turning around, no one was buying what Keane Enterprises was selling, so to speak. “When retail did come back and restaurants were ready to expand, the first priority [for business owners] was looking at undervalued locations inside the Beltway near denser population centers,” Shuckra said. In those types of areas, many businesses had failed and retail/restaurant space was available for a low price. “That was an obstacle to new green-

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Oaklawn developer’s efforts to draw more business tenants has picked up momentum, with electronics company EIT Inc. and medical device manufacturer K2M relocating their headquarters there. The construction site pictured will be home to EIT come September.

field development, which is what Oaklawn is,” he said. But, in Shuckra’s opinion, a lot of that dynamic has now worked itself out, and there is renewed interest in greenfield development. And the developer certainly hopes so. Keane Enterprises is shopping space at Oaklawn Commons, a 55,000-square retail/restaurant center at the northeast corner of Miller Drive and Battlefield Parkway. “We would love to start that as soon as possible. We just need a couple of tenants to launch that,” he said. Liz Adams moved with her family to the Oaklawn development in 2010. The proximity to the Greenway and Adams’ and her husband’s jobs made it an attractive place to settle after previously living in Sterling. Six years later, with their family having grown out of their space and their house on the market, Adams is disappointed that some of the retail and restaurants she and

her neighbors were promised when they moved in never came to fruition. “The guy who sold us our house told us a Sweetwater Tavern [restaurant] was going to be coming in,” she said. “We all joke that we’re still waiting for that Sweetwater.” One could argue that Oaklawn has had some great momentum as of late, landing two global office headquarters of Loudoun-based businesses—medical device manufacturer K2M, which recently celebrated its opening, and EIT, an electronics manufacturer, currently headquartered in Sterling and founded by former Loudoun delegate Joe T. May. EIT’s new headquarters are expected to open in September. It’s a somewhat unique situation in Loudoun, as many developments have seen the office space languish while retail and restaurant space quickly fill up. JUMP TO >> 32

Council Set to Initiate Proffer Rule Changes BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

To comply with a new state statute that takes effect July 1, the Leesburg Town Council is expected to initiate a set of changes to how it governs the acceptance of proffers. Town Attorney Barbara Notar gave an initial briefing to the council last month, and returned to Monday night’s work session with updated information. The new statute will allow applicants for rezoning applications to challenge the reasonableness of a proffer even if it was voluntarily submitted. Any on-site proffers submitted by rezoning applicants now have to be “specifically attributable” to resolve the impacts generated by a new development on surrounding facilities, such as schools, parks, and public safety. There

are even further stipulations for off-site proffers, as well as cash proffers, including that a development must receive a “direct and material benefit” from any proposed proffer, including funds given to relieve the stress on area schools or public safety facilities. Tuesday night, the council was expected to vote on a set of initiating resolutions to comply with the new changes, and to make sure Town Council and town staff members are prepared for how to handle rezoning applications, and their associated proffers, after July 1. The biggest change proposed is the adoption of an interim policy that no new proffers will be accepted with residential rezoning applications until the town staff has completed, and the council has adopted, certain changes.

These include updates to the Zoning Ordinance; beginning work on changes to the Town Plan; and the repeal of current proffer guidelines. Over the next six months, Notar also has strongly advised council members to not discuss any residential rezoning application with applicants, or at the very least unless she or Director of Planning and Zoning Susan Berry-Hill are present for any such discussions. Other changes proposed in the initiating resolutions are requirements for all comments or questions related to proffers to be mediated by the town staff member serving as project manager for an application and for applicants to sign a sworn certification stating that proffers included in an application were voluntarily given. Also proposed are increased fees for residential rezon-

ings and direction to use that additional revenue to help pay for a consultant that will review development impact studies and advise town staff and the council. The State Code changes apply only to rezoning applications filed after July 1, meaning that current active rezoning applications—Crescent Place and Leegate, both of which have either recently been before or are coming to the council shortly, are two examples—will not be affected by these changes. Those seeking proffer condition amendments for an application are also not affected, as long as the application was filed prior to July 1. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

BY NORMAN K. STYER

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Gwen Pangle speaks to a crowd of supports at her campaign kick off event Sunday.

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tinez, County Chairwoman Phyllis Randall (D-At Large) and Supervisor Kristen Umstattd (D-Leesburg). Dog Money, a craft brewery and restaurant led by Pangle’s son-in-law, is located in the space that formerly operated as Thoroughbred’s Grill and Brewing and Vintage 50, at 50 Catoctin Circle. Previews of master brewer Dean Lake’s recipes were on tap for the event. The restaurant is hiring its staff and plans a July opening. There will be three council seats on November’s ballot. Other council candidates are incumbents Katie Sheldon Hammler and Tom Dunn and challengers Ken Reid, Ron Campbell, John Hilton and Evan MacBeth.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

The Dog Money Restaurant and Brewery is still weeks from being open to the public, but it was packed on Sunday as Gwen Pangle used the venue to kick off her Town Council campaign. Pangle was surrounded by family members, real estate industry colleagues and incumbent elected representatives as she formally launched her first run for public office. She highlighted her experiences in leadership posts—ranging from Girls Scouts, to nursing to real estate—as giving her the tools to help lead the town. “Every aspect of my life has called me to a higher standard and this is no different,” Pangle said. “I’m a problem solver. I’m a consensus builder. And I believe that together we are better for Leesburg.” A 20-year Leesburg resident, she is the owner of Pangle & Associates real estate firm. She serves as the chairwoman of both the Leesburg Downtown Business Association and the Leesburg Economic Development Commission and on the board of the Friends of Leesburg Public Art and the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce. Among the elected representatives attending Pangle’s campaign event were Mayor David Butler, Council members Kelly Burke and Marty Mar-

9 June 30 – July 6, 2016

Pangle Formally Launches Town Council Campaign

June 30 – July 6, 2016

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Sculptures in Raflo Park will be formally dedicated this weekend.

Sculpture Garden Dedication Planned Saturday The Friends of Leesburg Public Art will hold a dedication ceremony Saturday for the new sculpture garden at Raflo Park The ArtsPARKs dedication ceremony will run from 10 a.m. to noon. A collaboration between FOLPA and the town’s Public Art Commission, the sculpture garden was made possible through donations from FOLPA; Lansdowne Development Group, the developer of nearby Crescent Place; and Middleburg Bank. The inaugural installation will feature five sculptures along a newly-constructed paved walkway in the

park. The sculptures will be available for sale following their two-year exhibit in Raflo Park, with 20 percent of the proceeds of each sculpture going to FOLPA to fund the next round of installations.

Business, Police Help Family Three Leesburg Police officers, along with support from town businesses, helped procure an essential need for a local family—a car. Upon learning that this family of five relied on public transportation and walking to get around town, the officers used their own networks and community relationships to find a car. Road Runner Towing of Sterling donated a 2008 Hyundai Tiburon.

The Tire Shop on Edwards Ferry Road provided all of the parts and labor to make the car roadworthy and safe. The project was then finished by Auto Member (formerly B&M Motorcars) on Edwards Ferry Road, where the car underwent a full detail and oil change. Mobile Hope of Loudoun assisted with funding for the titling, registration, and insurance. The family was summoned to the Leesburg Police Department on June 24. They received the news and were presented with the title and keys to their new car. Interim Chief Vanessa Grigsby was present when the car was donated to the family and she took the time to thank the owners of the various businesses for so graciously giving to someone in need. She also took a moment to thank staff. “This moment in time is the result of one detective and two officers brainstorming on how to help this family and make a positive impact in the lives of others. They have been working on this for almost six months. It is also an illustration of the community and business partnerships that each and every member of the Leesburg Police Department works so hard to establish and maintain,” she said.

GOP Readies for Election Endorsements The Loudoun County Republican Committee on Monday established

the procedure by which it will consider endorsing candidates in Leesburg’s Nov. 8 municipal elections. Candidates wishing to seek the endorsement for mayor or one of three council seats will be required to pay a $200 filing fee and sign the party’s loyalty pledge stating they plan to vote for Republican candidates in the election. Those who file will be invited to address the committee at a special meeting, tentatively planned for next month. The committee would then vote Aug. 15 on who to endorse. Committee Chairman Will Estrada said he had been contacted by mayoral candidate Kevin Wright, council incumbents Tom Dunn and Katie Hammler, and challengers Ken Reid and John Hilton about the endorsement process. Hilton addressed the committee during Monday’s meeting and Wright was formally elected as a member of the committee. Reid and Dunn also attended the meeting. Municipal elections in Virginia are non-partisan, so all candidates are considered to be running as independents.

Town Employees Recognized for Service Longtime staffers at Leesburg Town Hall were recently recognized in the town’s annual Employee Service Awards ceremony. Ninety-two BRIEFS >> 11

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full- and part-time town staffers were recognized for their years of service to Leesburg. Thirty-six employees received five-year service awards, 25 received 10-year awards, 16 received 15-year awards, 11 received 20year awards, three received 25-year awards, and one employee was recognized for 30 years of service to the town. Receiving 25-year awards were Officer Michael Buracker and Sergeant Steven Pebler of the Leesburg Police Department; and Sharon Mannion with the Parks & Recreation Department’s Aquatics Division. Master Police Officer Mark McCartney received recognition for 30 years of service. McCartney will be retiring from the department effective Aug. 1. “This event is one of my favorites of the whole year,” Town Manager Kaj Dentler stated in a press release. “The commitment to public service that the town’s employees show every day speaks to the quality of this organization and the quality of this community.”

don’t go hungry over the summer months. Loudoun Interfaith Relief and the Town of Leesburg’s R.O.C.K. (Recreation Outreach to Community Kids) program are providing breakfast and snacks to school age children and their siblings through Aug. 18. The program serves The Fields of Leesburg, Evans Ridge, Heritage Square and Fort Evans neighborhoods. Beginning at 9 a.m. four days a week, volunteers and staff members from LIR will be on site with the R.O.C.K. staff providing breakfast items including yogurt, milk, cereal, fruit, granola bars and more. On Mondays and Wednesdays, meals will be provided at Evans Ridge and The Fields of Leesburg. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, meals will be provided at Heritage Square and Fort Evans. “Approximately 13,000 Loudoun students are qualified for free or reduced breakfast/lunch. We know that during the summer, some kids experience hunger because they are missing out on these school meals,” LIR Executive Director Jennifer Montgomery stated. “At LIR, we give additional food to school aged families throughout the summer, but we wanted to reach the kids

11 June 30 – July 6, 2016

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<< FROM 11 in their neighborhoods. Partnering with R.O.C.K. is ideal because they have existing relationships with these families and understand the need. It’s really a perfect match because we are trying to get kids to make better food choices and ROCK gets them outside playing and having fun, which is also helping them live a healthier lifestyle.” Loudoun County Public Schools offers eight summer meal program sites where children ages 18 and under can eat breakfast and lunch for free. In Leesburg, Frederick Douglass Elementary School, located at 510 Principal Drummond Way, will be open through Aug. 5 for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast will be served from 8 to 9:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. For more information, go to lcpshealthycafe.org.

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zoning information for properties within the town limits. Users can search by address or zoom in on the map to click on a particular location. Links from the map lead to applicable sections of the Zoning Ordinance, detailing permitted uses, standards, and definitions. Additional features of the map include the ability to change the base map to an aerial photograph and the ability to focus in on a particular part of the map to print, email, or share through various social media channels. “This new online tool complements our Leesburg Interactive Applications Map (LIAM) and other online tools that allow our residents and businesses access to information on their time, not just during Town Hall business hours,” Director of Planning and Zoning Susan Berry-Hill stated. The new Interactive Zoning Map was created using an online template provided through the town’s existing GIS enterprise licensing agreement with ESRI. There was no additional cost to taxpayers. The map can be found online at leesburgva.gov/zoningmap.

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June 30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 6, 2016 LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

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[ E D U C AT I O N ]

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Camp Gives Teens Glimpse of Legal Career Opportunities BY PARISS BRIGGS

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High school students from Loudoun and Fauquier counties got a taste of what it’s like to be attorneys, as they researched and argued cases as part of the Thomas D. Horne Leadership in the Law Summer Camp last week. Now in its 16th year, the program provides 24 rising seniors with the opportunity to experience the work of a lawyer firsthand. The overnight camp has a lot to offer, including a tour of the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Capitol, along with recreational activities such as white water rafting and dancing classes. But the heart of the weeklong program is a series of mock trials in which the students take on the role of attorneys. All last week, local attorneys served as mentors for the participants, giving them in-depth training of the legal system and coaching them on the ins and outs of courtroom procedures in preparation for their mock trials. The trials got underway Friday morning, with Loudoun judges overseeing the cases and community leaders serving as volunteer jurors. The trials—criminal and civic—were centered around a golfing incident, in which a woman received 12 stiches after she was hit by a club. Prosecutors sought to convince the jury the act was intentional, while defense attorneys argued that it was an accident. While the jury deliberated that afternoon, Judge Horne, the retired Circuit Court judge in whose honor the program is named, took the time to commend the students on their performances. “If I would rate this exercise today [I’d give it an] A-plus,” he said. “You can really be proud of this group.” One jury ruled in favor of the prosecution while another ruled in favor of the defense. The two remaining juries could not come to a consensus. Horne founded the program with Rhonda Wilson

Pariss Briggs/Loudoun Now

Judge Thomas D. Horne speaks with two campers taking on the role of attorneys during this week’s Thomas D. Horne Leadership in the Law Summer Camp.

Paice, an attorney and partner with the Laurel Brigade Law Group. They said they’ve seen the program help students determine whether law is a career path they want to pursue. “[I want students to gain] a real appreciation for the practice of law,” Horne said. “[They learn] about team building, writing, how to deal with adversity, and speaking on your feet.” For Tuscarora High School rising senior Yassine Elmellouki, the experience strengthened his desire to pursue a career in patent litigation. “I’ve learned a lot of things. [I now know] the courtroom, how the procedures work, and I know how to question people,” the 16-year-old said. “I thought this was a great experience.” Anjali Kunapaneni, a rising senior at Rock Ridge High School, said she applied to get hands-on experience. “I really just wanted to get a feel for how the field is,” she said. “I think I’ve gotten a much better understanding.” Although she’s not sure what career she wants to pursue, Kunapaneni said the camp has definitely helped her. “This is a great camp, and I think a lot of other students should apply.” Organizers of the law camp said many of the students have gone on to study and work in law-related

fields, and even land internships with some of the attorneys who mentored them at camp. Aside from the activities, the camp also brings in guest speakers to talk to the students. Last Thursday, participants heard from Judge James Baker, former chief judge to the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Law camp is open to rising seniors, but it’s highly selective, with an acceptance rate of about 30 percent. Christine Newton, a member of the selection committee and attorney at The Turner Law Firm in Leesburg, said there are certain things that can set the students apart, including a well-written essay and strong teacher recommendations. “What we’re looking for is someone that has an interest in the law,” Newton said. “[We want the students to] take the lead in trying to make the most of the experience.” Newton went on to say the program is based more on character than it is on grades. “We don’t ask for the GPA. We’re really looking for the personality.” Perhaps one of the best parts of the experience, Paice added, is that it is funded through grants and private donations and is free to students. “There’s no financial obligation, just interest.”

[ SCHOOL NOTES ] paratory School. At Foxcroft, Burridge has taught advanced placement English language and composition, British literature, and several upper-level electives.

Foxcroft Names New English Department Chair Anne B. Burridge was recently named Foxcroft School’s H. Laurence Achilles Chair for English, one of three endowed chairs at the all-girls’ boarding and day school near Middleburg. Burridge, who has worked at Foxcroft since 2013, is the third holder of the Achilles Chair, named for an English scholar who taught at Foxcroft from 1955 to 1977. As a symbol of the honor, Foxcroft Head of School Catherine S. McGehee presented Burridge with an engraved Windsor-style chair. McGehee made the announcement at Foxcroft’s recent annual awards assembly. She called Burridge “the epitome of a master teacher.” “She stretches her students to read challenging texts, rigorously edit their writing, diagram sentences, and analyze rhetorical and poetic strategies in literature,” McGehee added. “Although demanding, she always meets students where they are, encourages them to believe in their abilities, whether in AP Language and Com-

Woodgrove HS Wins Wells Fargo Cup Courtesy of Foxcroft School

Anne C. Burridge, Foxcroft School’s newly named H. Laurence Achilles Chair for English, with Academic Dean Courtney Ulmer.

position or in British Literature, and then reach higher levels of sophistication.” Burridge attended Phillips Exeter Academy and Middlebury College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English and, later, a master’s degree from its Bread Loaf School of English. Before coming to Foxcroft in 2013, she taught in San Francisco, Tokyo, Princeton, NJ, and, most recently, Danvers, MA, where she spent 10 year’s teaching boys at St. John’s Pre-

Woodgrove High School has been named the Class 4A winner of the Wells Fargo Cup for Academics, a first for any Loudoun school. The Wells Fargo Cup, formerly the Wachovia Cup, has been presented in each of the past 25 years to one academic and one athletic winner in each of the enrollment classifications of the Virginia High School League. The cup is awarded to the school that has achieved the best overall record in the 12 academic competitions. Some call it the “state champion of state champions.” The Wells Fargo Cup for Academics recognizes excellence in scholastic bowl, creative writing, theater, forensics, debate, film festival, broadcast, newspaper, yearbook and magazine. Points are awarded in two ways.

Scholastic bowl, creative writing, debate, theatre and forensics points are awarded for placing in the top eight spots of the respective competitions. Publications earn points based on rankings from the VHSL’s evaluation service. Woodgrove earned its points in the areas of film festival, forensics, yearbook and newspaper. Woodgrove Principal Sam Shipp said he didn’t even know the school was in the running for the award until Loudoun Valley Principal Sue Ross called him to congratulate him. Loudoun Valley, also in Purcellville, ranked in the top five high schools in the contest. “One thing, as a principal, that you always strive for is having a well-rounded school community, and on the heels of two athletic state championships—girls’ lacrosse and softball—now coupled with the Wells Fargo Cup for Academics is a good representation of what we have to offer here at Woodgrove,” Shipp said. “I’m very proud of what the students and the teachers have done. They work very hard. This is well deserved.”

[ PUBLIC SAFETY ]

15 June 30 – July 6, 2016

Fugitive Former DC Councilman Arrested at Dulles Walter Fauntroy, the former Washington, D.C., councilman who had been missing since 2012, was held overnight at the Loudoun County Detention Center on Monday. Fauntroy, 83, landed at Dulles Airport on a flight from Dubai about 8:15 a.m. Monday. He was met by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and transported by Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to the Loudoun jail just after 12:30 p.m., according to Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office. He is wanted on a warrant from Prince George’s County for an outstanding arrest warrant for failure to appear and fraud, and for writing a bad check for $55,000 in 2012, according to the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s office. He was arraigned in Loudoun County District Court on Tuesday on a felony fugitive from justice warrant and then released, provided he appear in Prince George’s County court next month to face the outstanding charges. According to news reports, the original charge stems from a check written to an event-planning company that organized a ball for President Obama’s inauguration. Fauntroy went missing shortly after the arrest warrant was issued four years ago and was believed to have fled to the Middle East. The Washington Post reported that he had been living for the past three months in a city just north of Dubai. He told the newspaper the U.S. State Department located him and U.S. officials visited and offered to help him fly home. Fauntroy helped organize the 1963 March on Washington, founded the Free South Africa movement, and served 20 years as the District’s first delegate to Congress. He also served as pastor at the New Bethel Baptist Church before retiring in 2009.

The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office has applied for money from the Justice Assistance Grant Program Local Solicitation program to purchase body cameras for deputies. The maximum amount of the grant is $29,634 for a 4-year program. No local tax money would be required. The agency plans to purchase 45 complete bodyworn camera systems. A condition of the grant is to seek public comment on the application. Comments or questions should be directed to Jessica Shugars at Jessica. Shugars@loudoun.gov.

Loudoun Recruits Earn Academy Honors, Town Adds Officers Twenty-three new Loudoun County deputies took top academic spots, awards for firearms and driver training and held leadership roles during the 134rd session of the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy. Graduates are Kasey Alexander, James Bruchman, Sercan Cile, Jonathan Engler, Katherine Fischer, Joseph Garone, Thomas Hough, Samantha Ingle, Desoto Jordan. Rajesh Kumar, Eric Mbah, Kyle Moore, Brianne Murphy, Trevor Nelson, Justin Nyce, Michael Rivera, Lindsay Sayat, Kyle Smith, John Snow, David Sowers, Nicholas Tyskowski, Juan Vargas, Brian Vandermast. During Friday’s graduation ceremony, Alexander was recognized with the highest overall deputy’s academic score taken from grades achieved in the exams. Snow was presented with the Thomas L. Shaw Award, the highest honor in the class and awarded through a vote of classmates. Murphy served as the vice president for the class. The Town of Leesburg also had two new officers graduate in the class. Matthew Connell and Scott Atchison will now be placed into a structured 12-week training program with seasoned field training officers. After successful completion of the Field Training Program, they will be certified for solo patrol.

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The Leesburg Police Department is asking for help finding the driver of a vehicle that struck and severely injured a bicyclist Sunday. At approximately 9 p.m., a 57-yearold Leesburg man was attempting to cross the Leesburg Bypass in the area of Edwards Ferry Road when he was struck by a vehicle. The driver did not stop and continued northbound. The cyclist sustained severe head injuries and remains hospitalized. A passing motorist saw the victim lying in the road and stopped to offer assistance.

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The victim said the vehicle may have been a dark green Jeep Cherokee. Investigators are asking that if anyone with any information regarding the case to contact Detective Drogin at 703-7714541. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the Leesburg Crime Line at 703-443-TIPS (8477). Information can also be sent via TIPSUBMIT. Text “LPDTIP” plus your message to 274637.

Former DC councilman Walter Fauntroy spent the night in Loudoun County jail after arriving at Dulles on Monday.

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Middleburg

Town Awaits Damage Assessment

Boulder Crest Retreat

The Wallis Annenberg Heroes Garden is a haven of peace and healing for wounded veterans at Boulder Crest.

Wounded Veterans Heal Through Gardening BY MARGARET MORTON

eterans staying at Boulder Crest Retreat for Military and Veteran Wellness are finding solace and growth in growing vegetables and fruits at the Bluemont center. Retreat co-founder Julia Falke notes that anyone who has tried their hand at gardening knows the physical and mental benefits the peaceful activity brings. That’s especially true for those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or combat-related stress. “We believe in getting veterans into gardening and it is why we built the Wallis Annenberg Heroes Garden,” she said of the nation’s second hand-

icapped-accessible garden, built in 2014. Not only is the activity calming, but it focuses veterans on the subject of healthy eating and nutrition. “It’s one small part of what we do, but it makes a significant difference,” Falke said. It’s not a new practice, as during the 1940s and 1950s, gardening was used to help heal hospitalized war veterans. Today, its therapeutic benefits are widely recognized. The retreat’s garden is a handsome walled space, with stone-lined raised beds filled with vegetables, surrounded by walls enclosing a riot of colorful flowers, and fruit trees rising from circular flower beds. Plenty of comfortable looking benches are dotted

around with picnic tables and chairs. Decorative touches include a dovecote and a central gazebo. The retreat is focusing on strengthening its horticulture and culinary activities to benefit the veterans and their families staying there. On the horizon is a comprehensive veteran farm-totable program, adapted to the seasons. Ongoing support from organizations including The Burpee Foundation, The Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club and The Middleburg Garden Club, as well as many community volunteer hours are helping make that vision a reality. mmorton@loudounnow.com

Nonprofit Announces Veteran Recipient of New Home BY MARGARET MORTON The July 6 home game of the Purcellville Cannons at Fireman’s Field will be a momentous occasion—not just for baseball fans, but for a special announcement that will be made after the fifth inning of the Cannons HeroHomes Night. HeroHomes, a Purcellville nonprofit foundation dedicated to “building houses, jobs, and community for those who have fought for the preservation of freedom and democracy for others,” will introduce the first disabled veteran to receive a free HeroHome house. The home is under construction at 712 Irvine Bank Lane in Village Case in Purcellville. Jason Brownell, president of Bruce Brownell Inc., is spearheading construction of the home. The 2,100 square-foot, one-story, three-bedroom home features solar power and energy efficient green technology. While the home does not feature all the technological bells and whistles incorporated into a Lovettsville house Brownell helped to build for disabled veteran Tony Porta, it has been designed to offer every convenience for the former Apache helicopter pilot. The veteran spent two-and-ahalf years at Walter Reed Hospital following a severe injury to his spine suffered in a hard landing while serving in Afghanistan in 2013. The 20-year veteran has more than 2,500 hours of flying time and was deployed to Iraq and

Afghanistan five times. In addition to the back injuries, he has a multitude of other injuries suffered through his time in the Army, including PTSD. He is in the process of getting his medical discharge and retirement completed and is due to be released from Walter Reed in a couple of months. Brownell, Aimee McGranahan and Matthew Lowers, who serves as HeroHomes president, founded the company last year. They were joined in January by Scott Gessay, who serves as CEO. All serve as volunteers. The company received its tax-exempt status last fall. It hopes to deliver the home by October. “Basically, my role is to help Jason, Matt and Aimee and the board get organized—they all have full-time jobs, and I just retired as CEO of a company I founded in 1987,” Gessay said, noting he had extensive experience of working with the military. He hopes to use his experience to help with financial management, volunteer organization and fundraising. Through cash and in-kind contributions, the company has raised nearly $300,000 of the $500,000 needed to complete the house. HeroHomes has a several fundraisers scheduled throughout the summer and fall, including the July 3 HeroHomes Hootenanny at Stoneleigh Golf and Country Club, and the HERO HOMES >> 17

Middleburg residents and businesses are still working to assess the damage from recent storms that caused widespread damage. The town was hard-hit by a June 16 hail storm that shattered windows in buildings and cars and then by another storm the next day that brought high winds and more downed trees. “We’re getting there,” Town Administrator Martha Mason Semmes said this week of the cleanup effort. There is still debris lying in piles, damaged cars on the streets and tarps covering damaged roofs. The town’s Virginia Municipal League adjuster came to assess damage to cars last Friday and the property assessment was to take place this week. Several insurance companies also set up temporary claims offices in town. The likely damage assessment will be in the millions of dollars, Semmes said, noting that the homeowners’ association at the small Steeplechase townhouse neighborhood on the east end of town reported an estimated more-than-$800,000 in claims for just that enclave alone. The multiplier across town will be staggering, Semmes said.

Purcellville New Purcellville Council Members Take Oath Five members of the Purcellville Town Council were sworn in Monday night at Town Hall. Those sworn in by Kimberly Walker, senior deputy clerk of the Loudoun County Circuit Court, included Mayor Kwasi A. Fraser, who was elected to a second two-year term on May 3, and new council members Chris Bledsoe, Ryan J. Cool and Nedim Ogelman, whose terms will end June 30, 2020. Also, Councilwoman Kelli Grim, who was elected to a two-year term during a special election in May and who has already taken her seat on the council, was ceremoniously sworn in for a second time. Her term will end June 30, 2018. The new terms begin July 1. Those helping with the ceremony included members of Boy Scout Troop 163, former Councilwoman Beverly MacDonald-Chiasson and Pastor Jeff Blizzard of Grace Road Bible Church.

‘Coffee with a Cop’ Planned July 11 at McDonalds The Purcellville Police Department will hold another of its informal “Coffee with a Cop” gatherings with the public on TOWN BRIEFS >> 18

BY MARGARET MORTON

mmorton@loudounnow.com

Hero homes << FROM 16 Aug. 20 HeroHomes Cruise-In classic car and motorcycle show in Purcellville. Gessay said the company would continue to pursue corporate and government grants. With what has been raised so far, “We’ve got a pretty solid path [to completion]” Gessay said. He shares the HeroHome belief that the company’s vision is not just to build a home for disabled veterans, but to make them a part of their community. Brownell owns seven acres in Village Case and plans to allocate lots for four more homes. “We would continue to support fundraising initiatives in the community to push this forward,” Gessay said. Brownell said the foundation would be giving the veteran not just a wellbuilt, solid house, but also a brighter future. The selected veteran is unable to work because of his disabled back. “He had no future before; his wife was living in Ohio—now they have a home in western Loudoun,” Brownell said. “We want to make western Loudoun a place for these guys,” Brownell said. And it’s a home that comes with huge support from a variety of suppliers, who have provided everything from cabinets, kitchen and bath equipment to construction materials and financial assistance. “People just want to help,” Brownell said. And help they have, he said, citing just some of those who have given in-kind

mmorton@loudounnow.com

The Waterford Foundation last week released the findings of its 2016 survey sent to almost 1,500 area residents, villagers, members and newsletter subscribers. A total of 261 responses was received. It was the first widespread, in-depth polling pursued by the foundation. The respondents’ message on many questions appeared to be “more of the same, please”—particularly on anything to do with the promotion of history and traditional craftsmanship. Waterford is one of the earliest settlements in Loudoun County, dating to 1733. It was designated, along with 1,300 surrounding acres, as a National Historic Landmark in 1970. The Waterford Foundation owns 13 properties within the village, although it has bought and sold other properties after placing them under protective easements. A key question concerned what the foundation should do with existing properties and any new ones it might acquire. Although 38.2 percent of respondents opted to buy more properties and keep them in foundation ownership, 36.3 percent said the foundation should buy more and then resell it, presumably after placing the property under easement. Another 26.4 percent agreed some current Foundation properties should be sold. Raising the funds to maintain the

historic buildings is always a challenge and the survey asked whether the foundation should find acceptable ways to make its properties income-producing. That suggestion received strong, 76 percent, support. The Waterford Fair, which began seven decades ago, also received a “carry on” message for its focus on traditional craftsmanship and history. The top vote getter was the juried craft demonstrators, at 77.3 percent, with the tour of private homes garnering 58.8 percent, and history exhibits at 57.3 percent. The foundation has hosted a living history program, delineating a typical school day in an African-American schoolhouse in 1880, for more than 30 years. Asked whether similar programs should be created in other foundation properties, 45.7 percent respondents said yes. Noting that a primary goal of the foundation’s founders was to preserve heritage crafts, the survey asked whether the foundation should hold classes in those crafts during the year. That idea also received support, with 49 percent agreeing, 24.3 percent strongly so. The survey showed the Foundation has room to improve in areas of communication with the public and with its members, sharing its mission and promoting events.

17 donations. Steve Jacobus, of Loudoun Valley Flooring, has donated all the flooring in the home, as well as helping HeroHomes with newspaper advertising and fundraising. Paul Augustine, of Augustine Plumbing has donated the entire plumbing system and connected HeroHomes with other contractors who have helped. Joe Pereira, of United Foundations, discounted his work on the foundation work by $16,000. As a Portuguese immigrant, Brownell said Pereira has “made it” in America and felt compelled to give back himself. Tony Jasinski, of TJT Corporation did site work for free, also excavating and backfill. A lifelong friend, Brownell said, “he is a construction expert who has my back and whatever I need for the build.” Stoneleigh Golf and Country Club has given a golf membership also. Others have chipped in financially, Brownell said, citing one man who just came up to him and pressed a sizeable check into his hand. A member of the company’s inner circle, Michael Gaul has provided help with marketing and setting up the website, while Allison Dillow has given help with social media, events and photography. He hopes to have a full house in the bleachers at Firemans Field on July 6. “We can’t have a single empty seat,” he said. “We need to show this guy it’s his community.” Learn more at herohomesloudoun. org.

June 30 – July 6, 2016

Waterford Foundation Finds Support in Survey

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Monday, July 11, beginning at 7:30 a.m. The idea of the program is to bring police offices and community members together to share a cup of coffee and talk over any issues in an informal setting. The July 11 program will be held at McDonald’s, 121 North Maple Avenue. Questions should be directed to the police department at 540-338-7422 or email Police Chief Cynthia McAlister at cmcalister@purcellvilleva.gov. McAlister said she hoped residents would feel comfortable to bring any concerns or simply come to get to know their police officers better.

New Town Website Up and Running, Input Sought

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KIM HART

PLEASE JOIN US SEPTEMBER 30TH WHEN WE CELEBRATE THE

Following a soft launch, Assistant Purcellville Town Manager Daniel C. Davis says the town’s redesigned website is now live. The website has had a complete make over as part of the Town Council’s efforts to strengthen community partnerships. Over the past three weeks, the town has added pages to the website, refined menus and enabled quick access to the most commonly visited pages and requests. Key components of the new site include: a new Business Directory, which will post free listings of any Purcellville-based business; quick access to documents and schedules pertaining to public meetings; easy links to government services; visitor information, highlighting events and activities throughout town; and easy-to-use forms by which to contact the town government. The new “Agenda Center” module provides a repository of public meeting documents, so the public can gain easier access to information pertaining to the Town Council, the Planning Commission and the Board of Architectural Review. Go to purcellvilleva.gov to view the new site. The public input on the new site may submitted by email to

info@purcellvilleva.gov or calling the town at 540-338-7421.

Movie and Skate Nights Summer Schedule Set Families are again enjoying the town’s annual free movies and skating on Wednesday nights at the Bush Tabernacle, at 250 S. Nursery Ave. The popular program is co-sponsored by the Bush Tabernacle Teen Center and the Town of Purcellville. Movies start at 7 p.m. and are followed by free skating until 10 p.m. Popcorn, pizza, candy and drinks are available for purchase. No outside food is permitted. The series will continue every Wednesday through Aug. 24. The 2016 schedule includes: Pan, July 6; Minions, July 13; Max, July 20; The Good Dinosaur, July 27; Hotel Transylvania 2, Aug. 3; Mall Cop 2, Aug. 10; Open Season Scared Silly, Aug. 17; and Cinderella, Aug. 24. For more information, go to bushtabernacle.com/movies.

Wine and Food Festival Ticket Reminder: Be An Early Bird Special Events Coordinator Melanie Scoggins reminds the public to buy their early bird tickets at $10 for the July 16 Wine and Food Festival before July 6. The price rises to $15 from July 6 to 15, and to $20 at the gate on July 16.

Waterford Supervisors Approve Waterford Traffic Study Funding Loudoun Supervisors last week approved funding for a Waterford traffic study following requests from worried residents. The study will pull $82,500 from a $2.5 million county consulting fund and seek ways to address cutthrough traffic in the village. The Waterford Citizens Association counts have tallied an average of 355 vehicles cutting through in the afternoons and more than 3,000 vehicles passing through daily.

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Raising a Stage in Hillsboro Roger Vance

Members of Stoneybrook Farm Market and those with carpentry skills in Hillsboro turned out on Sunday to build a permanent stage on the grounds of the Old Stone School. Over the course of the day, about 30 people came and went, offering their services for the community project, according to Mayor Roger Vance. They included three hikers who’d been on the Appalachian Trail, but volunteered to join the building project. The project received a big boost from Stoneybrook Market volunteers, as well as some significant discounts on the lumber from T.W. Perry in Leesburg.

Credit: PGA

Loudoun’s Billy Hurley III hoists the Quicken Loans National trophy following his first PGA wine Sunday.

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cut in eight of the 14 tournaments he entered in 2016, including last week’s U.S. Open. “It wasn’t eight weeks ago that I was seriously thinking about retiring. Nothing was going well and it was hard. Heck, that’s golf. Two weeks from now it will probably be hard again, but for one special week it was easy,” Hurley said. “Every week is a fresh start and you think maybe this is the week, maybe this is the week. And more often than not it is not the week. It’s just crazy that this was the week.” The win comes 10 months after the death of Hurley’s father, Willard Hurley Jr. The retired Prince William County Police officer left home unexpectedly and was seen in Texas after his son held a press conference during the 2015 Quicken Loans National to call attention to his father’s disappearance. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot.

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Leesburg native Billy Hurley III landed his first PGA tournament win Sunday, shooting 17 under par during four rounds at the Congressional Golf Club in Bethesda, MD. He beat tour veteran Vijay Singh by three strokes. With the win, Hurley took home $1.2 million in prize money and secured an invitation to play in next month’s The Open championship at Royal Troon in Scotland. The win also boosted his world ranking to 169, up from 607 last week. Congressional is a hometown course for the Loudoun County High School graduate, who went on to the U.S. Naval Academy. Hurley still lives in Annapolis, MD. The Quicken Loans National is hosted by Tiger Woods and pays tribute to those who serve in the military. Hurley said the past year has been a struggle, marked by the death of his father and on-the-course frustration that almost prompted his retirement at age 34. “It truly is kinda unbelievable, coming from the Naval Academy and coming from five years of active duty in the Navy and then out here on the PGA tour and then losing my card last year and playing on a sponsor’s exemption this week and then put four great days of golf today and win a golf tournament,” Hurley told reporters after his win. Hurley’s best finish on the tour this year was tied for 41st at the AT&T Byron Nelson last month. He missed the

June 30 – July 6, 2016

Hurley Secures First PGA Win at Congressional Country Club

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Joe Travez holds a type of fastener developed for astronauts by his company, Prototype Productions, in Ashburn.

A robot assembled by students at The Youth Knowledge Enrichment Center (TYKE) in Leeesburg.

Ravi Gangele, Raven founder, with a hexacopter carrying his company’s autonomous, fleet-based drone operating system.

Glass art by artist Leesburg Dario Dehoyos was among dozens of locally created works on display at the Made in NoVa event June 21. Photos by Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

NOVA MAKERS

Loudoun’s Makers Lead the Way

Bobby F. Keener Jr., Chief Technology Innovations Officer of the Virginia Department of Education.

Movers and shakers in Loudoun’s “If you haven’t been involved in the “THE WORLD’S maker movement convened at Leesmaker movement, tonight is a great GOING TO GO burg Executive Airport last week to chance to dip your toes in the water,” THERE ONE WAY OR swap ideas and show off their take on said Loudoun County Department of innovation. ANOTHER.WHY DON’T Economic Development Small Business The event, Made in NoVa, was put and Entrepreneurship Manager Vanessa WE START IT?” Jozwiak. on by the Loudoun County Depart“The world’s going to go there one way ment of Economic Development and Innovative Solutions Consortium. Artists, inventors, and or another,” said Virginia Department of Education Chief musicians shared their work, much assembled at their own Technology Innovations Officer Bobby F. Keener Jr. “Why homes or businesses. The “maker movement,” they said, will don’t we start it?” reshape the world, even more so than the Internet. — Renss Greene

[ BIZ BRIEFS ] Leesburg Welcomes Opioid Treatment Center Pinnacle Treatment Centers recently opened Leesburg Treatment Services in Leesburg. The opioid treatment program operates as an outpatient facility and one of two Virginia outpatient locations. Leesburg Treatment Services is part of the Pinnacle Treatment Cen-

ters full continuum of care, focused on treating the whole person. Each patient’s program is tailored based on individual assessment. “Our outpatient locations make it easy for busy people to receive treatment. We are located in the heart of Leesburg and work seamlessly with individuals and their work and home schedules,” Tisa Daniels, Executive Director of Leesburg Treatment Ser-

vices, stated. The facility offers Medication Assisted Treatment and counseling for those suffering from opiate addiction. MAT treatment includes Methadone which is a synthetic agent that works by “occupying” the brain receptor sites affected by heroin and other opiates. This reduces cravings and does not cause euphoria and relieves symptoms associated with

withdrawal. Overall, treatment of addiction is as successful as treatment of other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. Leesburg Treatment Services is located at 209 Gibson Street NW Suite 202A in Leesburg. For more information, call 571-291-3166 or go to pinnacletreatment.com. BIZ BRIEFS >> 23

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June 30 – July 6, 2016

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Gruden Shares Leadership Lessons with Chamber BY NORMAN K. STYER

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whelmed. I thought I could be the offensive coordinator, head coach, do the schedule and do all that stuff,” he said. Gruden soon realized he wasn’t helping the offense and instead let Offensive Coordinator Sean McVay do more. “That was the toughest decision I had to make, to step back from being offensive coordinator to be more of a head coach and oversee everything.”

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The coach said that after a loss, he works to build up the confidence of his players. “You’re going to lose in the NFL. There’s only been one undefeated team,” he said. “How we bounce back is really what is going to make or break our season. … I yell at them more after a win than I do after a loss.” In response to a question from the audience, Gruden said he has not experienced problems with team owner Daniel Snyder getting involved in coaching-level decisions, such as who should start as quarterback. “He’s never been like that. He’s been very supportive of the organization,” Gruden said. As for the quarterback controversy, “we all wanted RG3 to succeed,” Gruden said. “He was the starting quarterback when I got the job. He was the one I was brought in here to coach.” “One of the quarterbacks out-played the other one. It wasn’t an easy change for us,” he said. As for living in Loudoun, the coach is a fan. “I think it kinda makes me a little upset a bit that our kids are all grown. They would have a great time growing up in this area,” he said. “It’s a great place to raise a family and it is a great place to live.” And don’t be surprised if you see him out and about. He named a couple of his favorite haunts near Redskins Park. He said DC Prime is his favorite, but you also may run into him hitting balls at TopGolf or having a cocktail at Bar Louie.

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Washington Redskins Head Coach Jay Gruden shared some of his leadership—and leisure—tips with members of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce during a luncheon Friday at The National in Lansdowne. Interviewed by Redskins’ broadcaster Larry Michael, Gruden discussed growing up in a football home—his father, Jim, was an NFL assistance coach and scout and his career as a quarterback winning four titles and MVP honors in the Arena Football League. As an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Cincinnati Bengals, he built a reputation for developing quarterbacks and as an offensive guru. He was hired by the Redskins in 2014 and led the team to a NFC East championship last season. “Our goals are not to win the NFC East every year. Our goal is to win Super Bowls,” Gruden said. The success of last year’s campaign, which ended with a 9-7 record and a trip to the playoffs, helped reinforce to the players that the team is training and preparing well, and that the system Gruden installed after replacing Mike Shannahan is working. Last season got off to a bleak start, and in week seven they were trailing Tampa Bay and appeared headed to a 2-5 record. “I think I might have called my wife at halftime and said you might want to put a for sale sign in the front yard,” Gruden said. “Luckily, we came back in that game, otherwise I would not be sitting here today.” The come-from-behind win turned around the season and cemented Kirk Cousins as the team’s starting quarterback. Among Gruden’s management tips for the business leaders was the importance of getting to know his players individually. He recently invited the team’s rookie class to his Creighton Farms home for a cookout. “You have to take each individual for what they are,” Gruden said, adding he wants to learn how to push their buttons to get the most out of them. Gruden said his biggest challenge when taking over the head coaching duties was learning to delegate. “I think when I first got the job I was over-

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Washington Redskins Head Coach Jay Gruden speaks at a Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce luncheon Friday.

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[ NONPROFIT NEWS ] Dulles Greenway Drive Raises $331K for Charity Tolls from Dulles Greenway’s oneday Drive for Charity event raised $331,594 on May 19. All tolls paid by drivers that day will benefit the following Loudoun nonprofit organizations: ECHOworks, Fresh Air/Full Care, Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, March of Dimes, Loudoun Free Clinic and the Dulles Greenway Scholarship Program. A check will be presented to the organizations Thursday at Clyde’s Willow Creek in Broadlands. In total, the Drive for Charity events throughout the past 11 years has raised $2.7 million for charities.

United Way Grants Boosts Local Nonprofits United Way of the National Capital Area has raised $320,546 for Loudoun area nonprofits from this year’s Do More 24 giving day. More than 200 area nonprofits took part in the June 2 event, and 3,590 gifts were made throughout the giving day to the area’s nonprofits. Throughout the Washington, DC, region, United Way NCA raised a total of $1.55 million, breaking records and making it the most successful Do More 24 to date. Since its inception in 2013, Do More 24 has raised more than $5 million to benefit hundreds of nonprofit organizations in the Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland areas.

SunTrust Donates $25K The SunTrust Foundation recently donated $25,000 to 100WomenStrong, which seeks to strategically invest in organizations and programs that enrich the lives of Loudoun County residents. The money will be used as grants to support children in the county. “This donation is an honor and an indication of SunTrust’s dedication to our community,” stated Karen G. Schaufeld, founder of 100WomenStrong. “We admire SunTrust’s willingness to step forward and become an active part of programs designed specifically to ensure that LCPS students have access to food, school enrichment activities and much more.” 100WomenStrong is a group of concerned residents who make an annual $10,000 donation meant to create a lasting charitable endeavor to support nonprofit organizations in Loudoun. To learn more, contact Kara Vaughan at kara@OneHundredWomenStrong. com.

Hospital Rummage Sale Collection Trailers Open July 9 On Saturday, July 9, the Ladies Board of Inova Loudoun Hospital will hold the first of four collection

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Collections are beginning for the Ladies Board Rummage sale, which will be held Oct. 15-16 at Morven Park.

days to begin accepting items for the 78th Annual Ladies Board Rummage Sale, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 15, and Sunday, Oct. 16, at Morven Park Equestrian Center. Trailers will be located at both the Inova Lansdowne and Cornwall campuses from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 44045 Riverside Parkway, Leesburg, and 224 Cornwall Street, Leesburg, respectively. Donors will be guided to the trailer locations by red balloons. Donations may also be given through appointment. Items sought for the sale include furniture, clothing, shoes, books, household items, linens, lamps, glass and china, sports equipment, antiques and art, but not large appliances or mattresses. Rare and valuable items are sought for the silent auction that will be held Oct. 15. To check what is acceptable, contact 703-771-2985 or review the guidelines online at LadiesBoard.org/rummage. Items should be packed in boxes with lids shut. Clothing should be packed in closed plastic bags. Tax receipts will be provided to all donors. Monies raised through the annual sale go to support Ladies Board projects in the community. Each year, the Ladies Board contributes several hundred thousand dollars for special needs equipment at Inova Loudoun, and also awards more than $100,000 in nursing scholarships. Future donations days will be on Saturday, Aug. 6, Sept. 10 and Oct. 1, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To make an appointment, email RummageLadies@ gmail.com or call 703-771-2985. The popular event is known for its diversity of sale items at bargain prices and has been named the 2015 and 2016 Best Annual Charity Event in Northern Virginia by Virginia Living magazine.

focus on serving clients in Loudoun and opening his future office in western Loudoun. Learn more at IHMCLoans.com.

<< FROM 20

Resource Center Hosts Hospitality Career Fair

Spigle Named Summit/Kelly Insurance CEO

Courtesy of Visit Loudoun

Ocelot Wins DC Brewers’ Guild’s Best in Show

Weber Joins Integrity Home Mortgage Ben Weber, founder and former publisher of the Purcellville Gazette, has been named the Integrity Home Mortgage Corporation’s newest mortgage loan originator. “We are pleased that Ben is now part of our growing family, his insight into the real estate market and marketing skills will do well as we expand our reach,” stated Adam Huddleston, president and CEO of Integrity Home Mortgage. Weber will be based out of the main office in Winchester but will

Ocelot Brewing Company’s Scream of the Butterfly grisette beer won Best in Show at the DC Brewers’ Guild Best of Belgium competition Saturday at the Gordon Biersch Navy Yard. Ocelot was the only Loudoun brewery to place in a competition dominated by Washington, DC, brewers. Beers were evaluated against Beer Judge Certification Program standards by five judges in blind trials. The highest-scoring beer won best in show. Adrien Whitman, Ocelot owner, said he and head brewer Mike McCarthy set out to create fruity, dry, low-alcohol summer beer, similar to

a saison. He also said the brewery is selling Scream of the Butterfly, but is down to two kegs.

Summit Insurance Services/Kelly Insurance Agency has announced the appointment of Cassi Spigle as its chief operating officer. Emphasizing the organization’s historical commitment to service, the position was created to enhance the client experience while overseeing the operations of the company. “I am proud to have Cassi Spigle rejoin our team,” Dario Campolattaro, of Summit Insurance Services, stated. “Her leadership, skill set and work ethic will be a valuable addition to our organization. Cassi has a unique ability to manage important business objectives while staying close to the most important part of our business—our clients.” Spigle comes to Summit Insurance Services from Aetna, where she served as Innovation Health account director. Previously, she served as vice president of operations at Summit Insurance Services/Kelly Insurance Agency. Spigle is certified as a life, annuities and health insurance agent, as well as a property and casualty insurance agent.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

The Loudoun Workforce Resource Center invites job seekers to the Hospitality & Food Service Career Fair, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 12. The event will take place on the second floor of the Shenandoah Building, 102 Heritage Way NE in Leesburg. Featured employers include B.F. Saul Company, Blackfinn Ameripub, Lansdowne Resort, Salamander Resort & Spa, Wegmans, Whole Foods, Guest Services, and Ashby Ponds. These employers are recruiting for management positions including finance director, restaurant manager and catering sales manager, as well as non-management positions such as housekeepers, servers, cooks, bartenders, team members, cashiers and more. Labor experts predict that hospitality and food service careers will enjoy strong growth in Loudoun and the rest of the Northern Virginia region over the next decade. Prior to attending the Career Fair, job seekers are encouraged to stop by the Workforce Resource Center, at 102 Heritage Way NE, for a résumé critique session and a career fair tips handout. More information about the center’s programs and services are online at Loudoun.gov/wrc.

June 30 – July 6, 2016

[ BIZ BRIEFS ]

loudounnow.com

[ LOCO LIVING ]

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Fireworks Aren’t Just for the 4th ...

Photo by Amie Ware

Two Boy Scouts take a moment to pose for a photo at last year’s Hillsboro’s Independence Day event. The annual celebration has been a tradition for more than 30 years—but rarely happens on July 4.

Loudoun Celebrates Independence All Weekend BY JAN MERCKER

NDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS ARE EXPLODING AROUND LOUDOUN—BUT NOT ALL OF THEM ARE HAPPENING ON THE HOLIDAY ITSELF. Communities from east to west have scheduled celebrations throughout the long weekend, with many of them held Saturday and Sunday in the name of convenience—and cheaper fireworks. One of Loudoun’s oldest Independence Day celebrations in the tiny western Loudoun town of Hillsboro started more than 30 years ago as a thank you from the Hillsboro Community Association (now known as Friends of the Old Stone School) to residents who supported efforts to restore the tiny town’s historic school. Friends of the Old Stone School Vice President Amie Ware, whose husband Mark is a Hillsboro native, remembers the days when the fireworks display was an ad hoc affair with pyrotechnics courtesy of locals. “There would be 15 minutes between each firework,” Ware said with a laugh. Because of permitting requirements, professional fireworks have now become a fixture, and the community raises money for the display through individual donations and corporate sponsorships. This

looking for a weekend date just before or just after the 4th. This year’s event at the Old Stone School includes games, food, wine and beer from event sponsor Old 690 Brewing Company. And new this year, organizers have obtained permission for a brief closure of a section of Rt. 9 for the first-ever Hillsboro Independence Day parade. “The celebration has grown with the community,” Ware said. On the other end of the county, folks will also be celebrating July 2 with the Independence Day celebration at Lansdowne Resort and Spa—a favorite with residents in eastern Loudoun and beyond. “We are flexible, approachable and the weekend is more comfortable for our locals to come and enjoy Town of Leesburg a gorgeous day with good music in our spacious reLeesburg’s concert and fireworks celebration, held each July 4, sort,” said Lansdowne marketing manager Daniela draws thousands to Ida Lee Park. Zambrano. “We get a lot of attraction from the DMV wanting to get away from the city. It’s the perfect loyear’s celebration takes place Saturday, July 2 and is cation to enjoy the good life.” sponsored by Friends of the Old Stone School, the The fun at Lansdowne starts at 3 p.m. with food, newly established Greater Hillsboro Business Alli- wine and beer vendors, live music from Gonzo’s Nose ance, and the Town of Hillsboro. Ware says organiz- at 6 p.m. followed by fireworks. The event is free, but ers save up to half the cost of fireworks by not having the display on the 4th. The Hillsboro celebration date LOUDOUN CELEBRATES >> 25 changes from year to year, with organizers always

<< FROM 24

See Loudoun Now’s Independence Day listing for a complete list of weekend activities. jmercker@loudounnow.com

Five Days of Fireworks FRIDAY, JULY 1 STAR SPANGLED SOUTH RIDING 5-9 p.m.; South Riding Golf Club, 43237 Golf View Drive, South Riding. Details: southriding.net The afternoon starts with a parade, followed by music from the popular ’80s tribute band The Reagan Years and fireworks at 9 p.m. Food and beverages will be available for sale. No outside alcohol or pets.

SATURDAY, JULY 2 HILLSBORO INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

LANSDOWNE CELEBRATES AMERICA

5:30-9:15 p.m.; Lovettsville Community Center, 57 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville. Contact: 540-822-5284 The event kicks off with a parade down Broad Way and Loudoun St., followed by games, food and music at Lovettsville Community Center at 6 p.m.; fireworks at dusk.

WATERFORD POTLUCK AND FIREWORKS 6 p.m., Bond Street Tanyard, Waterford. Details: waterfordcitizens.org The Waterford Citizens Association hosts a community potluck dinner and pie baking contest followed by fireworks at dark at the Water Street Meadow.

MONDAY, JULY 4 LEESBURG INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE 10 a.m., King Street, Leesburg. Details: leesburgva.gov The parade starts at Ida Lee Park and moves down King Street to Fairfax Street. The American Originals Fife and Drum Corps return this year, along with entries from community groups and individuals. FIREWORKS >> 27

loudounnow.com

3 p.m.; Lansdowne Resort and Spa, 44050 Woodridge Parkway, Leesburg. Details: lansdowneresort.com Activities start at 3 p.m., with live music from Gonzo’s Nose from 6 to 9 p.m., followed by fireworks. Parking is $10 and food and beverages will be available for sale. No outside alcohol or coolers.

LOVETTSVILLE JULY THIRD CELEBRATION

3 p.m.; Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. Details: oldstoneschool.org The event kicks off at 3 p.m. with a parade followed by children’s activities, fireworks and live music from the Franklin Park Big Band and Joey and The Waitress. Food wine and beer will be available for sale.

SUNDAY, JULY 3

parking at the resort is $10 (with partial proceeds going to the Team Mathias pediatric cancer nonprofit). Need your fix on the holiday itself? Town and county–organized celebrations in Leesburg, Purcellville and Middleburg are your best bet. The Town of Leesburg has held its Independence Day celebration on July 4 since Ida Lee Park opened in 1990. If the weather is nice, the town often sees up to 18,000 people on the park property, with thousands more watching the fireworks from other locations in town, said Linda Fountain, the town’s events and outreach manager. Leesburg’s popular annual parade, held the morning of the 4th, launched in 2004 and is organized by the town’s Parks and Recreation Department. This year’s Patriot Cup Award for the float with the best patriotic theme, originality and quality is sponsored by Loudoun Now. A little to the west, Purcellville’s annual Fourth of July parade has been organized by the town’s volunteer fire company for more than 20 years and draws visitors from around the county with its old-fashioned, small town ap-

peal, full of fire trucks and tractors. “It seems like every year it gets bigger,” longtime organizer Donald Embry of the Purcellville Volunteer Fire Company said. The parade starts at 12:30 p.m. and many locals follow it up with the county-sponsored celebration at Franklin Park. Franklin Park’s afternoon of fun and live music starts at 2 p.m. and ends with fireworks at dusk. If you’re in eastern Loudoun and are looking for some sparkle on the 4th without driving, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the private fireworks display at Trump National Golf Course in Potomac Falls. One savvy Sterling spectator takes a hike and catches the Trump fireworks at a secluded spot on the Potomac Heritage Trail. With celebrations around the county before, on and after the fourth, you can party hop all weekend if you plan it right—just in case you don’t have enough fireworks in your life.

June 30 – July 6, 2016

Loudoun celebrates

loudounnow.com

: Keep Loudoun Beautiful

Keep Loudoun Beautiful volunteers gather for the watershed clean-up at Beaverdam Creek Reservoir in May.

Keep Loudoun Beautiful Throws a Party BY MARGARET MORTON For the first time since its founding four decades ago, Keep Loudoun Beautiful is planning a fundraiser to support its work cleaning the county’s roadsides and waterways and promoting litter prevention. The Sunset KLBBQ will be held on Thursday, July 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Goodstone Inn & Restaurant near Middleburg. The event will feature live music, a silent auction, door prizes, “earth-friendly” giveaways, and great food. All proceeds from ticket sales—$50 for adults 21 and older and $20 for those age 10 to 20—the cash bar and the auction will directly benefit KLB’s clean-up and education efforts

across the county. Buy tickets and learn more details at keeploudounbeautiful. org/KLBBQ.html. As always, it has been a busy spring for the organization. To date, 611 KLB volunteers have picked up 160 bags of recyclables, 17 bags of plastic bags/ wrap, 552 bags of trash, 72 tires and a bulky litter including construction materials, rusted drums and a broken scooter. A total of 1,589 volunteer hours were logged in the effort. In May, canoeists pulled 19 bags of recycling, four bags of trash, a floating dock section, a refrigerator door and four tires from the reservoir. The group will be back on the water in August to clean up along the banks of the Potomac River.

No Butts Campaign In addition to picking up trash along Loudoun’s roadways and the banks of the Beaverdam Creek Reservoir, the nonprofit received a $1,000 grant from Keep Virginia Beautiful to undertake a cigarette litter campaign, according to KLB President Mark Lenko. The award is being matched by a KLB supporter and the funds will provide personal cigarette disposal units to county residents. The nonprofit also will install cigarette waste containers in heavily trafficked areas that are plagued with cigarette litter, Lenko said. KLB also will campaign to educate smokers about littering, he said, citing reports that 60 percent of smokers do not consider throwing a cigarette out of the car

window as littering. “We need to change habits and perceptions here in the county to keep our roadways and waterways clean of litter,” Lenko said. The organization is one of the few in the area that recycles litter wherever possible. According to KLB’s estimate, common litter includes more than 75 percent recyclable material. That’s becoming an increasingly important part of the clean-up, especially as VDOT does not recycle roadside litter other than tires. KLB also has a strong litter prevention education program, that emphasizes the need to not litter at all, to keep a lid on all trash containers, and focus on reducing trash and reusing as much as possible. mmorton@loudounnow.coms

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Fireworks << FROM 25

WATERFORD INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE 11 a.m., Factory Street, Waterford. Details: waterfordcitizens.org This old-fashioned parade features lots of kids on bikes and scooters, tractors, horses and the occasional surprise. Parade is followed by hot dogs, remarks and songs at the Bond Street Tanyard.

CLAUDE MOORE OL’ TIME FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; Claude Moore Park, 21544 Old Vestals Gap Road, Sterling. Contact: 571-258-3700 Celebrate an old-fashioned 4th of July with pony and wagon rides, music, crafts, nature exhibits, historic tours, old-time and family games, and a show from Reptiles Alive. Food will be available for purchase. Cost is $5 per person ages 5 and older. Free for children 4 and younger.

PURCELLVILLE INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE 12:30 p.m.; downtown Purcellville. Details: purcellvilleva.com Enjoy tractors, fire trucks and more at this favorite small town parade. Route starts at Emerick Elementary School and heads down Main Street to Loudoun Valley High School.

INDEPENDENCE DAY AT FRANKLIN PARK 2-10 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts

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Center. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org Doors open at 2 p.m., followed by games and activities. Music starts at 6 p.m. with Red, White & Blues Band, Eli Pafumi and The Franklin Park Big Band. Fireworks start around 9 p.m., accompanied by tunes from the Loudoun Symphonic Winds. Cost is $10 per carload.

FOURTH OF JULY IN MIDDLEBURG 6 p.m.; Middleburg Community Center, 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg. Contact: 540-6876375 This annual family-oriented celebration starts with a parade, then games at the community center ball fields and fireworks at dark.

11 ACRES W/POND LEESBURG $649,000

One of a kind totally restored 1870 home. Approx 2900 sq ft of charm. 5 bedrooms, central a/c, many orginal wood floors, side porches, brand new kitchen w/all new appliances. Sunroom/eat in space overlooking beautiful pond. Private wooded lot. An excepational property to call home.

IDA LEE PARK CONCERT AND FIREWORKS 6 p.m.; Ida Lee Park, 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg. Details: leesburgva.gov This annual event features a full food court with funnel cakes, ice cream, burgers and hot dogs, music and the region’s largest fireworks display. Personal fireworks, alcohol and pets are prohibited.

TUESDAY, JULY 5 ASHBURN VILLAGE FIREWORKS 7 p.m.; The Dock at Ashburn Lake, Ashburn. Details: ashburnvillage.org The evening starts with music from the 7th Son of WV, followed by fireworks at dusk.

THE PARSONAGE $445,000

Total charm and total renovation makes this a special property. Circa 1850 home know as the “Parsonage” Approx 2400 sq ft. Fabulous remodeled kitchen w/ cherry cabinets, corian, professional stove & farm house sink. New windows, insulation, metal roof, siding. Large two story building w/electric and water & 1 car garage. All on over an acre of land with beautiful gardens.

Photo by Roger Vance

Friends of the Old Stone School, along with the Greater Hillsboro Business Alliance and the town, put on the annual Independence Day celebration.

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27 June 30 – July 6, 2016

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Town of Leesburg

The Leesburg Independence Day Parade gets rolling at 10 a.m. Monday.

UNDER CONTRACT $325,000

All brick rambler on large .90 acre lot. Freshly painted. Living room w/brick fireplace. Dining room offers a stone fireplace, bay window w/ mountain views and sliding door to patio. Large 2 car garage. Full basement.

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Old home lovers delight. Home dates back to 1790 w/some exposed interior logs but offers completely updated kit w/granite & large pantry. Newer windows, main, lvl laundry room, french doors leading to DR. Original hardwood floors under carpet. One car garage & shed. Great corner lot with side porch. Walk to new shopping center & local restaurants.

28 loudounnow.com

Friday, July 1, 7-9 p.m.; Old Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive, Ashburn. Details: loudounarts.org

LIVE MUSIC: TED GARBER

ONE LOUDOUN ACOUSTIC WEDNESDAY: MIKE MALLICK

Meet sculptor and printmaker Brian Kirk whose show “Metal” featuring his other-worldly rust prints runs through the end of August

Friday, July 1, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Quattro Goomba’s Winery, 22860 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. Details: goombawine.com

Wednesday, July 6, 6-8 p.m.; One Loudoun Plaza, 20626 East Hampton Plaza, Ashburn. Details: oneloudoun.com

BALL’S BLUFF BATTLEFIELD TOURS

Blues, Americana and rock from a seasoned performer to start the holiday weekend.

The Montgomery County, MD native plays classic rock and R&B favorites on acoustic guitar. No cover.

ARTIST RECEPTION: BRIAN KIRK

[ THINGS TO DO ] LOCO CULTURE

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

Saturday, July 2 and Sunday, July 3, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Ball’s Bluff Road, Leesburg. Contact: 703-727-4356

ARTPARKS: RAFLO PARK SCULPTURE UNVEILING

TEN:

Saturday, July 2, 10 a.m.; Raflo Park, Harrison St., SE Leesburg. Details: leesburgva.gov

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)

HILLSBORO CHARTER ACADEMY PANCAKE BREAKFAST

8/6/2016 09:30 PM (Doors 08:30 PM)

The Young Guns of Comedy Tour

Get the holiday weekend started right with breakfast at Loudoun’s newest charter school. $5 per person donation is requested.

Performs Pink Floyd

8/12/2016 08:00 AM (Doors 07:30 PM)

LIVE MUSIC: ANDREW LEAHEY AND THE HOMESTEADS Friday, July 1, 7:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com Heartland rock ‘n’ roll from this Nashville-based singer and his band of merry men. No cover.

LIVE MUSIC: THE FISHERMEN BAND Saturday, July 2, 7:30 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com Courtesy of Ken Wenzel

WITH THE KIDS

Howie Day

is $5. Lawn chairs, blankets and picnics are encouraged. No smoking, alcohol or pets.

NIGHTLIFE

The town unveils its new sculpture garden at Raflo park featuring “Birdhouse #6” by Michael Clay, “Sproutman” and “Unity” by Brian Kirk; and “The Artist” and “Trailblazer” by Peter Wood.

Saturday, July 2, 8-10:30 a.m.; Hillsboro Charter Academy, 37110 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. Details: hillsborocharter.org

The Machine

SUMMER TUNES

Free guided tours of the historic Civil War battlefield right in Leesburg every Saturday and Sunday through November.

with Charlie Farley

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

are available 30 minutes before the program.

LIVE MUSIC: KEN WENZEL Saturday, July 2, 2-5 p.m.; North Gate Vineyard, 16031 Hillsboro Road, Purcellville. Details: northgatevineyard.com

Strong vocals, thick rhythms, and songs that mean something—the Fishermen’s seamless fusion of soul, funk, jazz, pop, reggae, and down home rock ‘n’ roll gives audiences a versatile, toe-tapping and unforgettable live show experience. No cover.

Wenzel has been gaining attention locally and regionally with his midwestern-accented musings, telling stories spun from a life spent moving from town to town.

VAL PLAZA PARTY: GYPSY SOUL REVIVAL Saturday, July 2, 6-8 p.m.; Village at Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: villageatleesburg.com

8/25/2016 09:30 PM (Doors 08:30 PM)

SAM GROW

Soul, blues, R&B from these Baltimore-based musicians. Get ready to get your groove on.

with Scott Kurt

8/27/2016 08:30 PM (Doors 07:30 PM)

Loudoun Now

LIVE MUSIC: ANDY HAWK AND THE TRAIN WRECK ENDINGS Friday, July 1, 6-8:30 p.m.; King’s Tavern, 19 S. King St., Leesburg. Details: andyhawk.com

Now Open for Lunch and Dinner

Friday’s and Saturday’s!

Original Americana and thoughtful lyrics from a local favorite.

COMING UP KEY WEST FEST

Courtesy of Loudoun County Public Library Courtesy of Circa Blue

CHILDREN’S CONCERT: JUSTIN ROBERTS

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Sunday, July 3, 2 p.m.; Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Place, Potomac Falls. Details: library.loudoun.gov The two-time Grammy nominee brings his signature indie rock for kiddos to Loudoun. Admission is free but tickets are required and

BLUEMONT CONCERT SERIES: CIRCA BLUE Sunday, July 3, 7 p.m.; Loudoun County Courthouse, 18 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: bluemont.org Contemporary bluegrass favorite Circa Blue is known for clean instrumentation and tight vocal harmonies. Requested donation

Saturday, July 9, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Purcellville. Details: breauxvineyards.com Now in its eleventh year, this laid back festival features music from The Archives and The Key West Band, wine tastings, food vendors, crafts and children’s activities. Tickets are $16 in advance, $20 at the gate.

Loudoun’s Butler Releases ‘Moonlight’ Single

Courtesy of Butler

Nathan Bittner, singersongwriter with the band Butler, will release a new single Friday.

his music to honor his father’s kind and giving heart. “He taught me how to serve and help people throughout my life. I wanted to pay homage to his legacy,” he said. When deciding on a name for his band that was catchy and memorable, the image of a butler in a tuxedo just fit. Butler will release their newest single “Moonlight” on Friday. The song is about a man who is in a relationship with a woman who is loving and kind in the daylight, but under the moonlight, shows a very different side. “This song has been a labor of love, for sure,” Bittner said of the late nights

spent in the studio. “It is one of the better and favorite songs I’ve ever written.” Butler will perform that tune, and several others, at Jammin Java for the Mid-Atlantic Band Battle on July 5th at 7 p.m. And on July 29, as part of the Final Friday in Leesburg, Butler will headline ahead of three other bands at Leesburg Junction, 215 Depot Court SE in Leesburg. Can’t wait to give “Moonlight” a listen? Only one more moon until the single is released. Check it out Friday at facebook. com/soundslikebutler or soundslikebutler.com.

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.

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

When you hear the laid-back vibes from the band Butler you can’t deny the East and West Coast influences of John Mayer and Jack Johnson. That’s not by accident. Singer-songwriter, Nathan Bittner, 22, has split his time between Orange County, CA, and Loudoun County most of his life. He moved to Loudoun from California right before high school, and was homeschooled until graduation. After taking a few classes at Northern Virginia Community College, he made the trek west again where he studied music theory and theology at The School of Worship. Since his return to Loudoun in 2013, Bittner and his band, Butler, have been drawing crowds to venues in the area, from Tally Ho Theatre in Leesburg to Jammin Java in Vienna. The trio is made up of Bittner on vocals and guitar, 25-year-old Ethan Dean, of Berryville, on drums, and 22-year-old Chris Lopez, of Leesburg, on bass guitar. Although Lopez has played with Bittner the longest, “Ethan is my alltime best friend. He is my mentor and friend.” Bittner’s music has also been heavily impacted by his relationship with his father, who he considered a musical and spiritual influence. After his father died of cancer in 2014, Bittner wanted

29 June 30 – July 6, 2016

BY LEAH FALLON

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

Firefighter turnover << FROM 1 “We did a double recruit school that just graduated in May, with 60 people, and it damn near broke the training center,” Brower said. There’s only so much space in the school, he explained, and only so many instructors. Deputy Chief Matt Tobia estimates the up-front basic training costs of a new recruit are between $40,000 and $50,000 per recruit. “Although our attrition rate is lower than the county’s, the economic impact to the county and to the citizens is dramatic,” Tobia said. In the meantime, filling those empty seats with employees working overtime is also expensive. But Brower says the department’s growing so fast, it’s hard to know how many extra employees to hire—or to keep up. “The huge challenge for us is not the [turnover rate], it’s not the year they’re leaving, it’s the reaction time needed to get another person to where that individual was in their career,” Brower said. With all that time and money spent on a new recruit, why do some firefighters leave? Fire-rescue chiefs and leaders of the local chapter of the International Association of Firefighters say there’s more than one reason.

The Pay and the Sag Loudoun firefighters start at $41,539, compared with $47,299 in Prince William County or $48,404 in Fairfax County. But more importantly, Loudoun firefighters don’t get the guaranteed annual raises of other departments. Most departments—Fairfax included—have step systems, with salaries for each year of experience listed. A recruit joining a step system today knows roughly what he or she will be making in 20 years, and can plan accordingly. “A step system allows employees with longevity to understand their salary structure over the span of their career, and make better planning and promotional steps toward career development,” wrote International Association of Firefighters Local 3756 vice president Dillon Huss in an email. By contrast, Loudoun firefighters get the same raises as other county employees, which creates uncertainty. In some years, that has meant no raise at all. In other years, increases were tied to a flawed pay-for-performance system, which the county abandoned this year. Loudoun’s fire and rescue employees also suffer something well known to the school system: the so-called salary sag. In the past, as entry salaries have been raised to stay competitive, the salaries of current, mid-career employees haven’t always grown at the same rate. “One of the largest complaints is about those who are tenured, with seven, eight, nine years, and are not promoted, and only making one or two dollars more than people we just hired,” said Deputy Chief James Williams, who is responsible for the department’s human resources and assets. Brower has asked the county to fix this with its classification and compensation study. The needs of a paramili-

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Firefighters Gallahan and Black train on Tower Truck 602 at the Purcellville Public Safety Center.

tary 24-hour system don’t fit well into a civilian compensation plan. “One of the things I’ve asked is that we consider public safety as its own little island out here,” Brower said. “Because for 32 years, my experience has been we’ve been this square peg in a round hole.”

The Schedule Firefighters are used to working long hours. But problems arise when those hours aren’t consistent. In part because it works to accommodate and support volunteer squads, Loudoun’s fire and rescue department operates on different shift schedules at different stations. Some stations have schedules that run 12 hours a day, five days a week; others, seven days a week for 12 hours; and yet others, 24 hours on, 72 hours off. Firefighters who are transferred to different stations as the department continues to grow can see drastic changes to their schedules. “Most of the Washington DC regional fire departments have a consistent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week schedule that becomes an attraction point in the overall compensation package,” Huss wrote. “The multiple types of shifts could disrupt our member’s ability to cover child care needs, family home environment, and overall commuting.” The 24 hours on, 72 hours off schedule, which is most common in the DC metro area, allows firefighters to live far from their department, and in Loudoun’s case, avoid the high cost of living. “This makes it hard for public safety employees to afford to live in the community,” Huss wrote. “Some of our members commute longer distances to work in Loudoun County. Employees are educated on the affordable housing options, but it is not always available for everyone.” An analysis of county employees’ home ZIP codes shows that, while 51 percent of all county employees live in Loudoun, only 26 percent of fire and rescue employees do. Firefighters live as far away as Sherburne, NY, and Virginia Beach. Schedule changes disrupt all that. “That’s tough, because we have a young department,” Brower said. “We have an age bracket that’s family-oriented here.”

“A change across various schedules could require a short notice requiring difficulty in finding child care, causing a disruption in the home environment,” Huss wrote.

The Action Some turnover is unavoidable. Millennials generally have more careers in their lives than previous generations, and some young firefighters just want the action urban departments see. “I’d say everybody has their individual drives,” Williams said. “They have their individual motivations. There are 100 things that attract me to working in Loudoun County that do not attract me to working in DC, but that doesn’t mean that’s what a 22-year-old kid is looking for.” “Some people just want that inner-city, urban environment,” Brower said.

The Good News But there are still great incentives to be a Loudoun firefighter. “The county’s already done some tremendous things,” Tobia said. During this year’s budget deliberations, the board voted to make a substantial increase in retirement benefits, and the county has moved to a different pay scale that more reliably guarantees raises. Loudoun also offers opportunities firefighters won’t find many other places. “We do have a competitive salary,” Tobia said, comparing to the wider DC-Baltimore region. “And we certainly offer outstanding promotional opportunities. The opportunity for professional growth in our county is nearly unparalleled in the United States right now.” He says Deputy Chief Williams is an example—with 16 years of experience, Williams is a senior executive in the department. “In many departments, it takes 25 or 28 years to get to that level of senior executive leadership, but because we’re growing so fast, and because we are so progressive in promotion from within, those opportunities are much more dynamic here,” Tobia said. He also said the county offers plenty of opportunities for firefighters to get advanced training. Williams agreed, and said even with-

out the urban environment, Loudoun has some adventures for young firefighters. “I look at the Metro coming as something that’s going to bring us more challenges and unique experiences that not all departments, or not all fire personnel, will experience in their careers,” Williams said. “This is a safe community because the Board of Supervisors and our leaders have invested in their public safety,” Tobia said. “It’s a world-class organization with outstanding equipment, facilities, and training opportunities.”

What Do We Do? If the department gets its wishes, firefighters could see a change to a stepped salary scale after the county’s classification and compensation study. Fire chiefs say the schedule, on the other hand, is unavoidable without creating problems with Loudoun’s strong volunteer system, which they note has a good relationship with career firefighters. “Our local [IAFF chapter] does believe Loudoun County needs to become more competitive in the region to assist in retaining our highly trained firefighters and paramedics, who provide the highest professionalism and service to our citizens and visitors,” Huss said. And there may be other options beyond the results of the classification and compensation study, Tobia said. “Certainly, there are things that the board may consider. Workforce housing might be an opportunity,” he added. He also said the department would “need to be willing to listen carefully to our incumbent employees about their concerns.” “We want to be the employer of choice in the metropolitan region,” Tobia said. Randall pointed out in her State of the County address that the county’s 446 career firefighters alongside its active 800 volunteers, answer on average 82 calls a day. “On behalf of a grateful county,” Randall said, “I acknowledge and thank our firefighters for their remarkable commitment to the county.” rgreene@loudounnow.com

June 30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 6, 2016

loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

[ OBITUARIES ]

Oaklawn growth

Edgar Theodore Crim

<< FROM 8 Shuckra points out that both anchor office tenants were unusual in that their spaces themselves contain a mix of uses. The K2M headquarters contains both traditional office space along with research and development and shipping, while the EIT campus has production and assembly in addition to traditional offices, he said. “I don’t know if there’s a larger trend to be seen there, but it’s interesting that two of those companies are taking that approach. It brings a variety of employees to each of those projects,” Shuckra said. In addition to EIT and K2M, a 68bed nursing home and memory care facility, Poet’s Walk, is expected to open at Oaklawn this year. The developer for that project received its approvals from the Town Council last August. The Oaklawn development’s entitlements give the developer flexibility in how much square footage it can devote

to a particular use, Shuckra said. One request that has come from employees of both of its new anchor office tenants has been the desire for a hotel on site, he said, adding that the entitlements give wiggle room to allow just that. In the meantime, Shuckra said he would continue to monitor the market trends and conditions to see what type of uses, and what in form, are desirable for future commercial tenants.

Crossword

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Edgar Theodore Crim (Ted) passed away on June 23, 2016 surrounded by his loving family. Ted was born in Hillsboro, VA on January 7, 1934. Ted worked for Safeway for forty years, thirty of those were as Manager. He was a member of the Hillsboro United Methodist Church and the Hillsboro Cemetery Board. Mr. Crim served his country in the United States Marine Corp. He is survived by his wife of 59 1/2; years, Jacqueline Crim; two children Karen Crim Sullivan and Edgar Theodore (Ed) Crim, Jr.; six grandchildren Kelsey Anna Sullivan (Lucas); Ashley Mae and Molly Jacqueline Sullivan; Zachary Theodore Crim (Christen); Michael Hunter Crim; Bradley Ryan Crim; one great grandson, Kade Theodore Gregg; and a great granddaughter on the way Harper Lynn Crim; sister Phoebe Crim Mikalaski and husband Milt; and brother in law Robert Moler; and several nieces, nephews, and friends. He was predeceased by his sister Ardeth Crim Moler. Visitation was held at Hall Funeral Home on Tuesday, June 28, 2016. Services were held at the funeral home on Wednesday, June 29, 2016. Burial followed in the Hillsboro Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be sent to the Hillsboro United Methodist Church, 37216 Charles town Pike, Purcellville, VA 20132 or to the American Cancer Society, 124 Park St #100, Vienna, VA 22180. Arrangements made by Hall Funeral Home. Please visit www.hallfh.com to express online condolences to the family.

Susan Dorie Shreve Susan Dorie Shreve, 68 of Leesburg, Virginia, passed on Thursday, June 23, 2016, at Providence Hospital in Washington, DC. One of 5 girls, Sue was born Monday, March 1, 1948, a daughter of Bill Dorie and the late Margaret Brogan Dorie. The daughter of a Navy man, the family was fortunate to travel a lot during Sue’s childhood. She graduated from High school in Italy, although the northern VA area was always home. Many people knew and loved seeing Sue when they went the visit Dr. George T. Hocker, who she served as a medical secretary for twenty years. She later worked as a travel agent with Junction Travel in Chantilly, VA. Sue had several hobbies including gardening, photography and reading. In addition to her father Bill of McLean, VA, she leaves her husband of 49 years, Allen “Ken” Shreve, Jr. of Leesburg, her only son, Allen “Kenny” Shreve, III, of Leesburg, her three sisters, Cecilia Finch, of El Dorado, CA, Kathleen Cerpanya of Frisco, TX, Honore Hastings of Marshall, VA, 2 grandsons, Allen K. “AK” Shreve, IV, and Ethan Matthew Shreve; as well as several nieces, nephews, other cousins, family and friends. Sue was predeceased by a sister Linda Rann. The family received friends for a viewing on Wednesday, June 29, 2016, from 6 to 9 pm at the Loudoun Funeral Chapel, 158 Catoctin Circle, SE, Leesburg, VA 20175. Funeral services were held on Thursday, June 30, at Loudoun Funeral Chapel located at 158 Catoctin Circle, SE Leesburg, Virginia 20175. Interment will be in Union Cemetery, Leesburg, VA.

June 30 – July 6, 2016

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.loudounfuneralchapel.com

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

Employment

position at Loudoun Country Day School, approximately 20 hours/week.

Journeyman Service Plumber with Journeyman Card

Signing bonus, OT with benefits, commission, company vehicle, etc.

A KID’S PLACE www.akidsplacewest.com 16 Months Through Kindergarten

AWARD WINNING PROGRAM

is looking for

PT Teacher 2:30 - 6pm

Call Gina at 410-571-0006, fax resume to 410-571-0234, or email gina@1stclassplumber.com.

703-777-9012 248 Loudoun Street SW, Leesburg

925 Edwards Ferry Rd. NE Leesburg, VA (Behind Sheetz)

(703) 777-2255

Loudoun County’s TOP SHOP* HAS IMMEDIATE OPENINGS  FULL TIME AUTO TECHNICIAN Strong skill set and knowledge in all aspects of automotive repair is required. Must be reliable, have own tools & a valid driver's license. Guaranteed salary and bonuses.  FULL TIME TIRE TECHNICIAN Candidate should be motivated and reliable. Valid drivers license required. Experience is preferred but willing to train the right candidate. Great benefits package including Health Insurance, 401k, Paid Holidays & Paid Leave.

WAYS TO APPLY Download an application from our website: thetireshopinc.com Email your resume or completed application to: accounting@thetireshopinc.com or Drop by and pick up an application

Leesburg Sterling Family Practice

Is Expanding

Our sixth location located in the Medical Professional Building at Stone Springs Hospital in Aldie, VA is scheduled to open this Summer. If you are compassionate, energetic and love working with a team, then we need YOU. FT positions are available for LPN’s and MA’s. Pediatric and or family practice preferred but 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. Please send your resumé to: lgray@lmgdoctors.com or fax: (703) 726-0804 attention Lisa

is seeking ADMIN ASSISTANT and BUILDINGS & GROUNDS SUPERVISOR To apply, go to http://www.morvenpark.org/ about/employment.html

For Hire Pinky’s

Licensed Home Daycare in Foxridge Community

CPR certified Contact: Evelyn Will teach Spanish (703) 568-0846

Full Time openings for infants & toddlers

Yard Sale

BARN SALE

July 1st & 2nd 8 am - 4 pm 43860 Spinks Ferry Rd Leesburg (703) 431-5718 Lots of Stuff!

Yard Sale Saturday, Sunday & Monday July 2, 3 & 4 -- 9am-6pm 19427 James Monroe Hwy.

FCP is looking for experienced installation and service technicians who have journeyman cards. Salary commensurate with experience.

Must have a Class B CDL License and interstate classification. Position includes driving field trips in the metro DMV area. Please email resume to Joe.Kaylor@lcds.org

June 30 – July 6, 2016

Experienced Bus Driver

Pro Line & Junior Golf, Bass Rods, Camping & backpacks, 12 bicycles Junior to Adult (Trek, Schwinn, Giant), lots of tricycles, wagons Yakima swing-away bicycle rack for SUV etc, 30 lb dumbbells, 50 Barbie & Fisher Price & Mattel toys, Yahama CG101A classical guitar.

*As voted in the Loudoun Times Reader Polls

In Print weekly Online always One Low Price

Email: classifieds@loudounnow.com or Call: (703) 770-9723 to place your yard sale ad

loudounnow.com

LoudounNow Classifieds

loudounnow.com

Business Card Directory

BARBER SHOP

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

$1 OFF

Any Haircut

Not valid with any other offer or discount. With coupon only. One coupon per customer.

BATHROOM REMODELING Start to finish / To 11/2 Weeks

Tom & Kay - We do our own work / Remodeling

703.819.7391

Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-8pm • Sat 8am-6pm • Sun 9am-6pm

703-726-9828

BOBCAT * Bobcat Services * * Gravel Driveway Repair *

Br am

hall Trucking

540-822-9011

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BOOKCASES

BOOKCASES ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS BIRCH-CHERRY-OAK-WALNUT

After shop work 1 to 2 days to install & Tom & Kay Remodeling 703.819.7391 Licensed Insured

BIOMETRICS

ID IDENTITY SOLUTIONS GLOBAL

Biometric Safes • Biometric Fingerprint Reader Biometric & Identity Management • Consulting 10% Promo Code “Cannons” Available During the Season

Order online www.globalidentitysolutions.com

CHIROPRACTOR

Ser

DEC BA

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Mention this ad for New Patient savings!

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CLEANING SERVICE CLEANING SERVICE CLEANING SERVICE CONSTRUCTION R&D CLEANING SERVICE, LLC Residential - Commercial - Move-In/Out Carpet Cleaning - Excellent Reference Reasonable Rates - Licensed & Insured FREE ESTIMATE

Marlene Vasquez (703) 303-1364

Email: rdcleaningserv@gmail.com R&D Cleaning Service LLC www.RDCleaningservice.com

CONSTRUCTION Francisco Rojo 571-213-0850 Project Manager 571-235-8304

Email: bolimex101@gmail.com

General Contractor Licensed & Insured

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

803 S Filbert Ct. Sterling, VA 20164

EVENTS

Serving now in your neighborhood ✓ Weekly ✓ Bi-weekly ✓ Monthly HOUSE ✓ One-time Cleaning ✓ Special Occassions Cleaning

Sherley’s Good References • Good Prices We Provide The Supplies Free Estimates

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703-944-5700

karycleaning@yahoo.com

FAMILY OPERATED BUSINESS BONDED & INSURED

FREE ESTIMATES

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on your second cleaning

New Customers Only • With Coupon Only Not Valid with other offers

Call us now: 571.271.1077 • 571.271.9687

ConCrete & Masonry Driveways Patios Walkways Stoops/Porches Steps

Brick Flagstone Concrete Pavers Stamped Concrete

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

www.brrinc.net Purcellville, VA

Since 1976 • Free Estimates Licensed & Insured

Or Email: evelynkcarvajal@yahoo.com

Great Service At Affordable Rates • Excellent References

CONSTRUCTION Design

FREE ESTIMATES

:DWHUSURRÀQJ Drainage Control Lot Clearing Grading Residential/ Commerical

Chimneys Retaining Walls Pool Decks Fireplace Footing/Slabs

ProudlyServing ServingArlington Loudoun County County since since 1988 1988 Proudly

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6PDOO /DUJH 5HSDLUV 2ZQHU 6XSHUYLVHG %DNHUZRRGVEXLOG#DRO FRP

Baker & Woods Construction 703-350-9133

EXCAVATING

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VA Class A License #2705019491

FLOORING

DECKS Baker’s

Painting & Remodeling

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

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

GARAGE DOORS

Chevy Chase Floor Waxing Service

Loudoun Event Management Benjamin Hall (571) 246-8409 loudouneventmanagement@yahoo.com Weddings • Catering • Corporate Events • Dinner Parties

GARDENING June 30 – July 6, 2016

BATHROOMS

Polishing • Buffing • Waxing

Burnishing And Polishing Urethane And Polyurethane Wood Floor Finishes

Marble • Wood • Tile • Stone • Brick

All Work Done By Hand. Working Owners Assure Quality. Old Fashioned Paste Wax Method. Family Owned & Operated • No Pick-up Labor Serving Your Community For 25 Years No Dust • No Sanding

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GARDENING

YOUR LUSH GARDEN Professional, certified and experienced gardener.

Flower, Veggie, Butterfly, Native, Herb gardens, Ornamental Bushes, Design, Plant, Prune, Mulch, Maintain Low hourly rates. Pkg. avail.

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HANDYMAN HANDYMAN All Big & Small Repairs

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

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Cemil Uzun (703) 777-1429

Licensed, Bonded, Insured

HANDYMAN

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Full Remodeling Additions Basements Kitchens Bathrooms

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YVAN DIAZ (571) 505-5565

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LANDSCAPE

Painting & Remodeling

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

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

jbremodeling22@gmail.com

ON LAWN CARE

www.handymanloudoun.com Licensed & Insured

LANDSCAPE

LAWN CARE

PET SITTING

PAVING

C.L.L.

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

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

LAWN CARE

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ver 10 years. ck projects

S NG ECTIONS

Serving Northern VA/MD/DC Shuttle Services Available

HAPPYHOUNDSLODGE.COM

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(703)297-4737 • (703)395-3912

House of Worship To Include Your House Of Worship

REPAIR, APPLIANCE Ashburn Appliance, LLC We repair all major brands

Joe “The Appliance Guy” Senior Technician

Email: classifieds@loudounnow.com Call: (703) 770-9723

703.963.1619

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ORS

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ROOFING

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HANDYMAN Baker’s

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General Contractor & Handyman Services

virginiahandyman1775@yahoo.com

571-439-5576

HOME IMPROVEMENT HOME THEATER

June 30 – July 6, 2016

Business Card Directory

[ OPINION ]

loudounnow.com

Resolution Row At the six-month mark of its term, the honeymoon might be over for the Loudoun Board of Supervisors. During their past two meetings, the important work of the local government leaders has been overshadowed by partisan battles over hot-button issues that have little impact on areas for which they have responsibilities. Unfortunately, this type of side-show is nothing new. A Democratic-majority board once made national headlines by adopting a resolution declaring Loudoun as a Nuclear-free Zone. The immediate past board, with all Republican members, added its voice to the national debate by adopting a resolution opposing Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion. Although it is true that to this day there are no nuclear power plants or nuclear weapons manufacturing facilities in the county, you’d be hard-pressed to argue that either resolution resulted in more impact than controversy. At each board meeting, supervisors are presented resolutions declaring it to be Such and Such Month. Over the years, some boards issued the ceremonial proclamations sparingly; others seemingly at every opportunity. One supervisor—not wanting to be put in the position of supporting some ceremonial declarations, but voting against others with which he had objections—simply adopted a policy not to vote on or sign any of them. That may be an approach others concerned about becoming involved in frivolous battles may want to consider. One current proposal is to prevent controversial resolutions from making it to a floor vote by requiring endorsement by a majority of members in advance. Giving six Republican members behind-the-scenes veto power over three Democrats is unlikely to de-politicize the disagreements. As we move closer to November’s presidential election, there will be more pressure on the political leaders in Virginia’s key swing county to help sway voter opinion in favor of their party’s candidate. Supervisors have too much important work on their plates to take on those distractions.

Correction In the June 23 issue, the story “Supervisors Rewrite the Deal for Visit Loudoun” incorrectly reported on Visit Loudoun’s revenues. Visit Loudoun receives 92.5 percent of its revenues from transient occupancy taxes, while 75 percent of revenue generated from that tax goes to Visit Loudoun. Loudoun Now regrets the error.

LoudounNow

Published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC 15 N. King St., Suite 101 • Leesburg, VA, 20176 PO Box 207 • Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723 Norman K. Styer Editor nstyer@loudounnow.com Danielle Nadler Managing Editor dnadler@loudounnow.com Margaret Morton Senior Writer mmorton@loudounnow.com Renss Greene, Reporter rgreene@loudounnow.com Kara C. Rodriquez, Reporter krodriguez@loudounnow.com Douglas Graham, Photographer dgraham@loudounnow.com

Contributors 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 ] Reassuring Editor: The Board of Supervisors overruled the Planning Commission on the AT&T application for a Commission Permit to build their proposed huge facility on Short Hill Mountain. The basis for the overrule was that AT&T, to their credit, had withdrawn their application. Nonetheless, it is important to recognize and thank the several hundred citizens who mobilized to oppose the application and demonstrated their love of the mountains, the rural quality of life, and the rural economy. A special thanks to Sam Kroiz, who played a key role in this effort. As citizens, we also should recognize and appreciate that our Board of Supervisors, especially Supervisors Higgins and Buffington and Chair Randall, provided the time and space to listen to the people. I also wish to thank my colleagues on our Short Hill Committee of the Loudoun County Preservation and Conservation Coalition for their carefully researched position that there was a strong case for overruling the Planning Commission’s approval of the AT&T Commission Permit as not “being in substantial accord with the Comprehensive Plan,” which is the only technical ground to overrule. While the report was not issued it remains available if needed in the future. Several professionals with specific expertise volunteered long hours and whose efforts should be noted. Volunteers from the Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lindsay Jefferies Mohler, Attorney at Law, Atwill, Troxell & Leigh P.C. provided extraordinary assistance on researching key questions of fact, and Norman Myers of Myers Appraisal Service, provided extensive documentation support, and Mike Alter et al analyzed the hydrogeology issues. Separately Mark Foster and the

Communications Commission at the request of Supervisor Higgins provided a critical review demonstrating that the proposed AT&T facility would provide no additional telecommunication services to Loudoun County. For all of us involved it’s exciting and reassuring that the residents of Loudoun County both deeply care about our future as a special place and can mobilize a vast array of professional expertise in a wide range of subject areas to back up our love of the county with hard research and facts in the public interest. — Al Van Huyck, Chairman Short Hill Committee of the Loudoun County Preservation and Conservation Coalition

Safer? Editor: In the wake of the horrendous Orlando massacre, there have been renewed cries for more gun control. In opposition to this position, I have heard the claim made that more guns actually make us safer. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Were that true, states with higher rates of household gun ownership should have lower gun death rates, when adjusted for population. More guns should be positively related to fewer gun deaths. In fact, the relationship is exactly opposite. In 2014, the five states with the highest rates of household gun ownership also had the highest rates of gun deaths. The five states with the lowest rates of household gun ownership also had the lowest rates of gun deaths. In 2014, the states with the highest household gun ownership rates were Alaska, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Montana. The average rate of household gun ownership was 55.3

MORE LETTERS >> 37

[ LETTERS ]

— Randy Ihara, South Riding

Pride, An Interesting Concept

— Del. Dave LaRock (R-33), Hamilton

Expanding Editor: Tree of Life Ministries expresses sincere thanks to the Bank of Clarke County for hosting a Cruise In car show on June 18 for the benefit of Tree of Life. The event was held in front of the bank’s new branch on East Market Street in Leesburg. A broad array of restored cars was on display. The winner was a colorful 1964 Ford. Tree of Life plans to open a new regional center in Leesburg this fall, serving eastern Loudoun. We operate under five branches of ministry in Food, Lifeskills, Shelter, Healthcare, and Relief. Our purpose is to reach out to the poor and needy in the community with the love of Jesus Christ. Our goal is to see lives changed by offering a hand up, not a hand out. Want to help? Please pray, give, and/ or volunteer. Our established ministry in Purcellville can be viewed at tolministries.org to learn more about volunteer training and ministry events. Contact us at info@tolministries.org. Mention your interest in the new work in Leesburg. — Brian Lynch, Leesburg Branch Director Tree of Life

Share Your Views

Support Loudoun Businesses If you like this week’s paper, let our advertisers know you appreciate their support.

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.

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

Electronic Manufacturing & Engineering Services Electronic Instrumentation & Technology Sterling, VA 20164 Mechanical Engineer/Designer

Join EIT’s award winning Engineering Team as a mechanical engineer/ designer. We design, manufacture and build a variety of electronic instrument assemblies used in medical, avionics, telecom, scientific and other types of instruments. Two examples which we designed and build for third parties:

Helicopter Avionics

Electroptic Tester

Background: BS in Mechanical Engineering or Associate Degree in Mechanical Design desired but not mandatory. At least five years mechanical design and practice required. Competency in SolidWorks or comparable design tool also required. Some familiarity with electronics desirable. Degrees and certificates are not critical but the ability to work effectively with colleagues and contribute technically is very important.

Duties: • Mechanical design using SolidWorks or equivalent • EMS Process Engineering support • Some technical writing • Strong communication and interpersonal skills

Compensation and benefits are competitive. Please direct inquiries to EIT HR: tquigley@eit.com

108 Carpenter Drive • Sterling, VA 20164 Phone: 703-478-0700 Fax: 703-478-0291

www.eit.com

loudounnow.com

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.

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.”

Editor: Pride often reflects an attitude of arrogance, and while there may be instances where pride is a good thing (such as patriotism or support for those who have sacrificed in service to our country and community), having our Loudoun County government publically proclaim to be proud of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) movement is not such an instance. All good people oppose hatred and senseless violence, but the official proclamation offered by Supervisor Kristen Umstattd last week went way beyond that. Her proposal amounted to an official Loudoun County prideful proclamation of solidarity with the homosexual and transgender lifestyles. Supervisor Kristen Umstattd’s proclamation is a bad idea for several reasons. First, Supervisor Kristen Umstattd’s proclamation promotes homosexuality and gender confusion to people of all ages but ignores the real physical and psychological harms associated with those lifestyles and the harm of the sexually explicit material used to promote, affirm and recruit young schoolaged children to those lifestyles. Supervisor Umstattd’s proposal to express pride for the transgender lifestyle, which experts classify as a psychological disorder, reflects very poor judgement. Paul McHugh, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Medical School and the former psychiatrist in chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital had this to say about gender impersonation, “Conditioning children into believing that a lifetime of chemical and surgical impersonation of the opposite sex is normal and healthful is child abuse.”

percent. The average gun death rate per 100,000 residents was 18.2. This is substantially higher than the average rate of gun deaths in the nation of 10.7 per 100,000 residents. The five states with the lowest rates of household gun ownership in 2014 were Hawaii, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut. The average rate of household gun ownership for those five states was 17.4 percent, while the average gun death rate was 3.8 per 100,000 residents. The conclusion is clear: The prevalence of guns does not result in lower gun death rates, but result in gun death rates significantly higher than the national average.

Second, Supervisor Kristen Umstattd’s proclamation is very likely just a first step toward public policy and school policy initiatives focused on affirming homosexual and gender confused behavior. Look to our neighbor Fairfax County and beyond and you see LGBT pride parades, fairs, and school events. The behavior and practices promoted at these events is often vulgar. The material distributed at Pride events includes sexually explicit printed material which would shock most. Third, it is offensive to many (me included) for government to proclaim something which ignores and contradicts deeply held religious beliefs as this proclamation would do. Both the Umstattd proclamation and president Obama’s recent proclamation that public schools need to ignore biological sex and replace it with assumed gender are examples of government imposing the extreme views of a few on many. When government does this it also infringes on parent’s rights to impart their values to their children. Supervisor Umstattd, please reserve the proclamations for realheroes and honorable events that elevate that which is good, wholesome and worthy of recognition.

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

June 30 – July 6, 2016

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[ VIEWPOINT ]

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Protecting Whom? BY BUTCH PORTER

hen I was young, infants rode in their mother’s laps in cars. Now, they won’t let you leave the hospital without a car seat safety check—and kids are stuck in it until the age of 8 in Virginia. It’s against the law in Leesburg to allow your child to ride a bicycle without a helmet in the street. How many reading this even had a bike helmet when they were young? So we definitely are not short of ways in which we are determined to protect children. It’s probably fair to ask here, though, whether the concerns of transgender students are being taken more seriously than that of other kids and their parents who may not feel comfortable with the rules established by the federal Department of Education on the matter of public bathroom use. With the firm acknowledgement that there should indeed be arrangements for transgender students, it seems we’re not thinking clearly about the issue. First, given that we’re talking about minors, who have enough to worry about going through adolescence, there is the chance that this can often be less about protecting children than about accommodating their desires and feelings. Second, and perhaps as importantly, it thoroughly dismisses norms of chastity and innocence, and most parents would rightly consider these norms a part of their child’s safety. And are we sure it’s time to throw out chastity and sexual innocence of children, and if they are to be thrown out, might we ask that it not be determined by the federal Department of Education? Women, it would seem, are also worthy and deserving of special protection. An entire cottage industry of modern feminism is crafted around the idea that sex in our universities is 100 percent at the discretion of women, to the point where California has official policies that demand written consent for sex. When a high-profile rape case involving a man as a victim

Ashburn schoolhouse << FROM 3 of that foundation. It was just falling apart,” said David Ratcliff, of Ratcliff ’s Masonry. They jacked up the entire 670-squarefoot building in sections and installed new footers to go 2 feet below ground. They also installed a new brick chimney stem and graded around the building. Ratcliff, who was joined by crewmembers Donald Reno, Art Johnson and Joel Baroody on the project, said the work was especially meaningful. “I’m all about restoration and restoring the history of old buildings,” he said. “When you come in on a project like that and it’s still standing—a 100-to 200-yearold building—it’s satisfying that you’re restoring something that could last an-

rears its head, we should re-evaluate. Until then, it should be considered the domain of women as a protected class. And perhaps that’s appropriate. It bears further discussion for sure. As an aside, we should probably not forget the complication that another facet of modern feminism is that young women should be expected to treat sex exactly as freely and callously as young men do. What could possibly go wrong there? But we do treat women differently, and rightly so. They are offered, in general, special dispensation when it comes to reproductive medical care. Since they are the bearers of children, that blessing and burden grants them a level of protection that would make no sense for a man, regardless of which side you land on the abortion issue. How far does that extend though? It’s important to remember that women not only have been honorably serving in front line combat roles in the military, but also a bill is winding its way through Congress that would make women eligible for the draft. Obviously, this makes perfect sense as a matter of fairness ... to men. If women get to serve voluntarily in combat, they

should be bound by the same draft laws. However, it’s not necessary to go through the arguments about whether it’s advisable for women to serve in combat, to ask a more central question: Is it necessary to treat men and women exactly the same to treat them equally? If their differences are acknowledged by necessity under medical laws, by simple biology and reality, then given their differences otherwise (size, strength, etc.), is it a flagrant violation of reason and the 14th Amendment to treat women differently under military rules? And, God forbid, rules and protections regarding sex, rape, medical care and military service should ever intersect, or conflict. There are those who would argue, not without an ounce of merit, that we have never been in the business of protecting women, and that all the various orders of chivalry from ancient Rome to the Middle Ages to Victorian England to the modern “gentleman” are all simply window dressing—tools of trade in the reigning patriarchy (the East certainly has no more credibility than the West on this count). This would indeed put a kibosh on the whole

affair. It would mean not only that we cannot protect the fairer sex while still affording them equal value under the law, but also that we should not, in any way. If equal treatment means same treatment without deviation, then we would have to re-evaluate not only affirmative action but equal pay laws, hate crime laws, and of course any real accommodations for transgender students. On that note, once you are up to about 20 total genders, as New York City apparently is, there is basically no protection for anyone—everyone is special. I don’t have all the answers, and far be it from any of us to pretend that these issues aren’t complex. I fear, however, that we are plunging ahead without asking a most central question: Are we, or have we ever been, as a society, in the business of protecting women and children? If we are not, why not?

other couple hundred years.” The original foundation, pulled together with found stones and lime mortar, shows how little the black community in Ashburn had. The schoolhouse was not funded by the Freedmen’s Bureau, as many schools for black students were in the late 1800s, but instead by local families, said Deep Sran, the Loudoun School for the Gifted’s founder and academic lead. “When you look at the actual bones of the thing, you see the scarcity, and then the importance of education for them to say, we don’t have much but we’re going to do this.” Just this first step of repairing the foundation has given the property new life, Sran said. “This site has been dead for decades, and people will now stop and take photos and ask what’s going on, and that’s exactly what we want

to see.” The restoration work will be done piece by piece as donations come in. The next target is to raise enough money to repair and paint the siding. Then, work will begin inside the building. Interviews with former students of the school have helped Sran and his students get a visual for what it might have looked like like. There was a black wood-burning stove, a chalkboard, and a couple dozen desks. “We want to make sure it looks like it once did, so when you drive by it you see this isn’t just a shed or an accident,” he said. “This is an important part of Loudoun’s history.” Loudoun School for the Gifted also purchased 3 acres adjacent to the old schoolhouse. The long-term plan is to build a state-of-the-art school building that will house 120 middle and high

school students, just a few hundred feet away from the 124-year-old restored schoolhouse. Sran expects to break ground on that facility late this year. The school will host a 5K walk and run in November to help raise money for the restoration effort. People can donate any time at gofundme.com/ashburnoldschool. Katie urged people to get involved in the helping her and her classmates return the property to a meaningful destination. “This is really an opportunity to restore a piece of Loudoun County’s story,” she said, “and in a broader sense, inform ourselves about the social and political events that made our county what it is today.”

Butch Porter is a Leesburg business owner and local commentator.

dnadler@loudounnow.com

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formula],” he said. The formula favors more established charities. Organizations that are firsttime applicants can receive no more than $5,000; applicants cannot receive more or less than 5 percent than it received the previous year; and first-time applicants that do not score in the top one-third of all applicants in its category are recommended to receive no funding. Randall raised concerns about the process favoring large organizations that have the luxury of a grant writer on staff, as opposed to smaller ones that may submit weaker applications but be making just as meaningful of an impact on the community.

“These are hard decisions to make because there are a lot of organizations doing very good work with the best intentions,” Randall said, adding that behind these nonprofits are people who are in need. “This affects people’s lives.” Letourneau said the finance committee, which he chairs, would carefully consider how to spend the left over $50,024 and take time to consider how to make the process fairer. “Frankly, I’m surprised we got it as right as we did,” he said, and added. “But it is prudent with the new board to look at the formula again.” dnadler@loudounnow.com

Nonprofits that received grant funding in fiscal year 2017 (in order of amount): Northern Virginia Family Service ...................... $8,845 A Place to Be .................................................. $5,897 Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter ......................... $5,349 Loudoun Literacy Council ................................ $5,209 Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington ............ $5,250 Community Foundation ................................... $4,750 All Ages Read Together .................................... $5,000 OAR of Fairfax ................................................. $5,000 Bluemont Concert Series ................................. $5,000 Mobile Hope ................................................... $5,000 Loudoun Youth ................................................ $3,482 Help for Others ............................................... $3,299 Loudoun Symphony ........................................ $3,158 Children’s Science Center ............................... $3,158 Journey Through Hallowed Ground ...........................$0 Liberty’s Promise .....................................................$0 Morven Park ............................................................$0 Arts for All dba VSA of Loudoun ...............................$0

Friends of Adaptive Recreation ................................$0 Geronimo Production Company ...............................$0 Keep Loudoun Beautiful......................................... $0 Loudoun Club 12 ....................................................$0 Crossroads Jobs Inc. ...............................................$0 Ride-On Ranch .......................................................$0 The Step Sisters ......................................................$0 It Takes a Village Baby .............................................$0 Empowerment Programs for Inclusive Communities (EPIC) ................................................$0 Virginia Lawyers for Children................................... $0 Windy Hill Foundation .............................................$0 The Salvation Army ..................................................$0 Women Giving Back............................................... $0 Dulles South Food Pantry ........................................$0 The Arc of Loudoun at the Paxton Campus ...............$0 Tree of Life Ministries Inc. ........................................$0

Short Hill << FROM 1

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Western Loudoun supervisors Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin) and Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) sign a poster to commemorate the end of the Short Hill application.

come back to Short Hill. Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) said he asked AT&T representatives what their plans were for the mountain. “The answer I got is, they want nothing to do with Loudoun County’s permitting process any time in the foreseeable future,” Buffington said. “And I believed them in the way that they said that. They seemed disgusted with it.” He also said AT&T was not prepared for the public resistance to the project. “They had no plan for that, and they do not want the black eye that we caused,” Buffington said. “They spent $6 million already, and they walked away from it. I think that is something

that we can all be proud of.” But the residents around Short Hill will keep their eyes on the mountain. AT&T owns more than 160 acres and developed an underground switching station there in the 1960s—a project that spurred similar community controversy. “Will this be the last time that we ever hear from anything at this facility ever?” Higgins said. “As someone said, maybe not, but no motion of the board or board action can guarantee forever.” rgreene@loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

dance of caution.” Denying the application for cause, however, could potentially give AT&T an avenue to sue, keeping the project alive. And, if the telecom giant won the court case, it could possibly use that finding against the county in another application. “A motion to deny based on the merits is not the best path forward,” Higgins said. “A vote to overrule this decision based on the withdrawal of the application, and to overrule the Planning Commission’s decision, is un-appealable.” At any rate, if AT&T’s representatives are to be believed, there’s no appetite to

A poster with signatures of people who worked to stop the Short Hill application, which will now hang near supervisors’ offices in the county government building.

Loudoun,” said David Radford. “The supervisors for the last 30, 40 years have tried to get that in place. This ruins it and starts whole new precedents.” Others were still worried about a commission permit process that nearly allowed a large industrial facility on top of Short Hill Mountain. “The board part of this process appears like it’s going to work, and like this permit is going to get overruled, but the rest of this whole process leaves me with a lot of questions,” said Sam Kroiz, whose family owns a farm at the base of Short Hill. “I’m glad that we’re here where we are, but this got way, way too close to actually happening.” But supervisors and County Attorney Leo Rogers said overturning the commission permit because of AT&T’s withdrawal was the safest legal option for the county. “The only way this applicant can walk out of here tonight with a chance to build this facility is if we did the opposite of what this motion is, and did assign findings of merit,” said Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). AT&T, supervisors explained, can reapply at any time, regardless of why the application is turned down. Supervisor Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin) said with the application withdrawn, it is no longer before the board, but should be overturned “out of an abun-

HealthWorks for Northern Virginia ................$180,000 Loudoun Free Clinic ...................................... $88,242 Loudoun Cares .............................................. $85,000 Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter ................. $79,359 Blue Ridge Speech & Hearing Center ............ $72,200 The Good Shepherd Alliance Inc. ................... $69,869 Legal Services of Northern Virginia ................ $58,782 Loudoun ENDependence ............................... $56,162 Loudoun Interfaith Relief ............................... $49,599 INMED Partnerships for Children ................... $52,012 Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers ........................ $36,735 Northern Virginia Dental Clinic ....................... $25,000 Northern Virginia Resource Center. For Deaf & Hard of Hearing Persons ............................ $20,325 American Red Cross ...................................... $20,403 Brian Injury Services..................................... $17,126 A Place to Call Home/ Friends of Loudoun County MH ..................................... $16,046 Capital Hospice DBA Capital Caring .............. $12,384

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

ed by supervisors during the annual budget adoption process, and became what Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) characterized as a popularity contest. Now, the board sets aside a pot of money for the grants and uses a formula to disburse it. The grant dollars are divided into four categories: hunger and homelessness mitigation, emergency services, health and related services, and recreation and culture. Members of the county staff team up with specialists in each of those areas to vet and rate

the applications. From there, the staff recommends to the board which organizations should receive money and how much. Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles), who helped devize the new process, agreed with his colleagues that it’s better, but could still be improved. “I do think it’s important that we never go back to a place where the board is making individual allocations to individual organizations—it becomes a food fight,” he said. Buona also acknowledged that the current formula could use some more work. “You could be a new nonprofit and you just cured all hunger, but we can only give you $5,000 [under this

June 30 – July 6, 2016

Nonprofit grants

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