Loudoun Now for Aug. 3, 2017 by Loudoun Now

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[ Vol. 2, No. 38 ]

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20 Drinking, data centers fuel economic boom

[ Aug. 3 – 9, 2017 ]

‘A TRAGIC END’ After Weekend Search, 3 Found Dead in Creek BY NORMAN K. STYER

Courtney Ashe

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Fabbioli Cellars employees, from left, Arturo and Lupe practice their English on the job with Sarah Ali, executive director of Loudoun Literacy Council’s Adult Literacy Program.

Changing Lives, Building Bridges Literacy Council Moves out of the Classroom and into the Workplace BY DANIELLE NADLER

abbioli Cellars was busy with employees hard at work on a recent afternoon. One man broke a sweat building a deck off the barrel cellar, while another chopped and neatly stacked wood, and a woman tidied up the tasting room in preparation for a weekend of thirsty visitors. And at the far northern end of the property, a language lesson unfolded beneath the shade of an Asian pear tree. “What do you do with the pears?” Sarah Ali asked her students, 20-year-old Lupe and 25-yearold Arturo. “Make…I don’t know how to say in English,” Arturo said. “Brandy?” “Yes,” Lupe confirmed.

“Excellent,” Ali said with a nod. Similar scenes are playing out more and more throughout the county as part of Loudoun Literacy Council’s new teaching strategy to deliver language lessons to the workplace. The nonprofit organization started in 1980 to tutor recently arrived adult immigrants, and shortly after, it offered free or low-cost English courses in an effort to arm them with basic literacy skills. But it’s typically provided lessons to 10 to 20 students at a time in a classroom setting. Now, they’re finding there is a better way. “It’s one thing to teach vocab in a room. It’s another thing to walk with them in their job—in their day-to-day environment,” said Ali, the organization’s new executive director. Loudoun Literacy pairs a volunteer tutor with LITERACY >> 39

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Jaylen Sills-Russell

It was just a short drive from Ashburn to Leesburg, but Courtney Ashe never made it there Friday night. Ashe, a 27-year-old mother of three, was a Suffolk resident who grew up in Loudoun. She was making the trip between the homes of two family members with her 5-year-old son, Cameron A. Martin, and 9-year-old cousin, Jaylen C. Sills-Russell. When they failed to arrive at her uncle’s house, family members began searching. The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office was notified about the disappearance around noon Saturday and opened an investigation. On Sunday, the Sheriff ’s Office posted an alert on its Facebook page asking residents to help find them. The next day, a Fairfax Police helicopter was called in to help. Family members, some coming from New Jersey, also continued to search the area. On Monday afternoon, Jaylen’s stepmother confirmed the family’s worst fears, finding Ashe’s four-door 2002 blue Ford Taurus upside down in Sycolin Creek, along Evergreen Mills Road near Hogeland Mill Road south of Leesburg. Within minutes of the discovery being reported at 5:30 p.m., dozens of emergency responders rushed to the scene, including specialized teams for water rescue operations. Any glimmer of hope for a rescue quickly faded. The preliminary investigation indicated that Ashe lost control of the car, struck and then flipped over a guard rail and landed upside-down in the creek’s rising flood waters. The car was found with the windows rolled up and all three victims inside. “Just as tragic as it can possibly be,” Loudoun Sheriff Mike Chapman told reporters at the scene. While it was not yet clear whether another car could have been involved in the crash, Chapman said there was TRAGIC >> 37

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Cacheris handed down a mixed result for Davison, who filed suit against Randall both personally and in her official capacity for violating his rights to freedom of expression and due process under the Virginia and U.S. constitutions. The court issued a declaratory judgment clarifying Davi-

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Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Brian Davison is a frequent commenter online and in meetings of the Loudoun County School Board.

son’s rights, but declined to order injunctive relief and said in the due process argument that Davison’s “legal theory is somewhat unclear.” Davison had posted on Randall’s “Chair Phyllis J. Randall” Facebook page. Neither Davison nor Randall could recall exactly what he wrote, but Randall recalled that it included allegations of corruption among School Board members. Randall then deleted Davison’s comment and banned him from her page. She said in court that was because “if [Davison] was the type of person that would make comments about people’s family members, then maybe [Randall] didn’t want [him] to be commenting on [her] site.” The next day, Randall reconsidered and lifted Davison’s ban. In total, the court said, he was banned at most 12 hours; Randall has said it was less. “This raises a novel legal question: when is a social media account maintained by a public official considered ‘governmental’ in nature, and thus subject to constitutional constraints?” Cacheris wrote in that ruling. The court found Randall had created a public forum with her official Facebook page and therefore Davison did enjoy First Amendment protections. “All of this isn’t to say that public officials are forbidden to SOCIAL MEDIA CASE >> 38

A Record-breaking Kiss

INDEX Loudoun Gov..................... 4 Leesburg........................... 8 Public Safety................... 12 Education........................ 14 Biz.................................. 20 Nonprofits....................... 24 Our Towns....................... 26 LoCo Living..................... 28 Obituaries....................... 31 Public Notices................. 32 Classifieds...................... 32 Opinion........................... 36

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Josh McKim won the 2017 Kiss A Pig competition after raising a record $7,871.98 to support youth agricultural programs. The result was announced on the final night of the Loudoun County Fair on Saturday, just before he claimed the grand prize by kissing a pig in front of a grandstand full of spectators. This year’s contest featured Lovettsville native McKim, an associate with Sotheby’s International Realty; public relations guru and YMCA Loudoun County Chairman Rusty Foster; and Loudoun Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman. Together the trio raised more than $16,000, also a record for the two-decades-old tradition.

Federal Judge Rules Against Chairwoman Randall

County chips in for affordable housing LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

wo apparently conflicting opinions on two federal cases brought by the same man from Loudoun have shown how muddy the waters are around social media and the First Amendment. Days after scoring a partial victory in federal court against Loudoun County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) for temporarily blocking him on Facebook, Brian C. Davison’s suit against School Board members for doing the same was thrown out. Davison, who has two children in Loudoun County Public Schools, sued the school system and eight current and former School Board members for blocking him from their Facebook pages. He alleged violations of the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of expression, and the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantees of due process and equal protection under the law. He also sued former Seldens Landing Elementary Principal Tracy Stephens; School Board members Debbie Rose (Algonkian) and Eric Hornberger (Asbhurn); and school system security supervisor Suzanne Devlin for defamation. The court dismissed eight counts altogether. The ruling by Judge Anthony J. Trenga seems to contradict a ruling last week by Judge James C. Cacheris in the same federal circuit. In that case, Cacheris ruled that Randall had violated Davison’s First Amendment rights by deleting a comment and temporarily blocking Davison from her official Facebook page. Cacheris found that by deliberately permitting and soliciting public comment on her Facebook page, she had created a public forum, where Davison enjoyed First Amendment protections. “This sort of governmental ‘designation of a place or channel of communication for use by the public’ is more than sufficient to create a forum for speech,” Cacheris wrote, drawing precedent from a 1985 case, Cornelius vs. NAACP Legal Defense Fund. In the School Board decision, and drawing from the same 1985 case’s precedent, Trenga wrote, “it is not clear as a legal matter whether the Facebook pages at issue in this litigation can be said to constitute either type of public forum.” The doctrine of qualified immunity, established in a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case, protects public officials from personal civil liability as long as “their conduct does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known.”

3 Aug 3 – 9, 2017

Conflicting Rulings Muddy Civil Rights on Social Media

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[ BRIEFS ] Interchange Work Prompts Ashburn Village Traffic Change

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Supervisor Tony R. Buffington Jr. (R-Blue Ridge) at the State of the County address earlier this year.

Loudoun to Loan $3M for Affordable Housing BY RENSS GREENE

s county leaders work to bring more affordable housing into Loudoun, the Board of Supervisors will make a 30-year, $3 million loan to help finance building some, a first in the county. Businesses and elected officials alike have called for more affordable options in a county with high property values and cost of living. Salaries that in other areas would allow a person to live comfortably keep many Loudouners struggling to afford mortgages or commuting from further west. Supervisors have recently begun amending the Loudoun’s policies on affordable housing, which historically have hobbled the county’s ability to attract more housing options by making it difficult or impossible to use state or federal financing programs. Last October, supervisors unanimously approved changes to the county’s Affordable Dwelling Unit program that brought it into line with Virginia Housing Development Authority and U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development requirements, opening the county up to state and federal money.

Now, the county has opened up its Housing Trust Fund to making loans for projects under certain circumstances. One of the requirements for receiving a loan from the housing trust is that the project it is financing must provide at least the minimum number of units that would be required under the county’s Affordable Dwelling Unit program. That program simply designates a number of units, a percentage of the total units in most developments, that are rented or sold below market value. In the case of Glasscock Field at Stone Ridge, a planned mixed-use development that includes StoneSprings Hospital, the ADU program would require 27 units. Stone Springs proposes to build 128 rental units. The county loan is just one source of funding for an estimated $32.5 million cost of that project. “This is actually our first opportunity to show how Loudoun County can take advantage of that change to leverage, in this case, approximately $9 for every dollar we’re loaning,” said Supervisor Tony R. Buffington Jr. (R-Blue Ridge). The loan’s interest rate will be pegged to the 10-year U.S. treasury note yield on the day of a commitment letter

from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for its share of the funding. Right now, those rates are just more than 2 percent. Construction is expected to take two years. After that, for the first 10 years, the developer will pay only interest. From years 11 to 30, the developer will pay off both principal and interest. Rents will be restricted over the 30-year life of the loan, ranging from $1,135 for a one-bedroom unit to $1,525 for three bedrooms. The affordable units will be in two buildings and include a pool house. The prices are targeted at people making 60 percent of the area median income, or about $65,000 a year. That, county staffers note, is around the pay grade of many people working in education, public safety, and health care. “Especially with the fact that the proffer law impacts whether or not we can request additional ADUs in new developments outside for a certain area in Loudoun County, we really do have to become more and more creative with how we go about pulling in affordable housing in Loudoun County,” said County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large). rgreene@loudounnow.com

County Offers Homebuyer Assistance Programs The county government offers two homeownership loan programs to assist buyers with down payments and closing costs when purchasing a home in the county. The Down Payment/Closing Costs Assistance Program offers eligible borrowers the opportunity to borrow up to $25,000 or 10 percent of the home sale price—whichever is less—to be used for closing costs and/or down payment toward the purchase of a home. The program is for first-time homebuyers or applicants who have not owned property within the last three years. It offers thirty-year loans in the form of a second mortgage at five percent interest, low monthly payments, and with no

pre-payment penalty. The Public Employee Homeownership Grant Program offers employees of Loudoun County Government, Loudoun County Public Schools, and courts and constitutional officers the opportunity to apply for a $10,000 forgivable loan to be used for closing costs and/or down payment toward the purchase of a home in Loudoun County. The program is open to employees who have not resided in Loudoun County for the past 12 months or are first-time homebuyers. Loans are 100 percent forgivable for program participants who maintain qualifying employment and live in the home as their primary residence for a period of five years.

That program offers five-year loans in the form of a second mortgage with 0 percent interest and no monthly payments. Program applicants must have an annual gross household income of at least $33,100 and not more than $77,250 to participate in Loudoun County’s homebuyer assistance programs. Income limits do not adjust according to family size. Program assistance is subject to availability and approval. For full program information and eligibility requirements, go to loudoun.gov/HomeLoanPrograms or contact Stacey Pierre-Louis at stacey.pierrelouis@loudoun. gov or 703-777-0353.

The traffic pattern at the intersection of Rt. 7 and Ashburn Village Boulevard was scheduled to change Wednesday as construction of the new interchange enters a new phase. Motorists are urged to use extra caution as they navigate the new traffic patterns, which are expected to be in place for the next two months. Northbound traffic on Ashburn Village Boulevard will be moved to the newly constructed bridge over Rt. 7. Vehicles turning right from northbound Ashburn Village Boulevard onto eastbound Rt. 7 will use the newly constructed ramp to merge onto Rt. 7. Vehicles traveling westbound on Rt. 7 to northbound Ashburn Village Boulevard, which provides access to Riverside Parkway, will use a newly constructed ramp instead of turning right at the existing traffic signal. The new traffic pattern will also require temporary detours for two turns. Signs will be posted to direct drivers to the detour routes. Miller and Smith, the developer of One Loudoun, is managing construction of the Rt. 7/Ashburn Village Boulevard project. Loudoun County contributed $5 million toward project, which is expected to be completed in the summer of 2018.

Planners Mark Another Busy Year The Loudoun County Planning Commission took on 101 land use applications in 2016, reported Chairman Jeff Salmon (Dulles) in the commissions annual report to the Board of Supervisors. In that time, the commission took on 14 proposed ordinance changes tackling supervisors’ strategic plans and two comprehensive plan amendments. Salmon and Vice Chairwoman Kathy Blackburn (Algonkian) also chair the county’s comprehensive plan stakeholders committee. Salmon wrote that among those 101 applications were “an increasing number of special exception applications that reflect continuing, strong commercial development activity.” The commission also lost 13-year commissioner Robert “Bob” Klancher in May 2016. His loss was publicly mourned by commissioners and supervisors, and he was remembered with a Resolution of Respect from the Board of Supervisors and a rare Signatures of Loudoun Lifetime BRIEFS >> 5

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Achievement Award from the Loudoun County Design Cabinet. In that time, the commission also approved AT&T’s application to build a massive building on top of Short Hill Mountain. Under intense public scrutiny and pressure, AT&T later withdrew its application for that shadowy facility. In part because that application was withdrawn rather than overturned at the Board of Supervisors, the Board of Supervisors voted with the commission on every application it saw this year.

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has recognized Jessica Howard, who was at the time a Rock Ridge High School senior, for winning the 2017 Poetry Out Loud Competition sponsored by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. Howard has studied voice for seven years. She was a member of the Washington Performing Arts Children of the Gospel Choir, has performed on the Ellipse, for the Loudoun Youth Fest,

and various charities and organizations throughout the area, and performed as the opening act for the international recording artist Tracy Hamlin. In March, Howard won the Virginia State Poetry Out Loud Contest, a program for students in grade 9 through 12, and competed in the National Poetry Out Loud Competition, which was in April in Washington, DC. Howard was one of 60 students accepted into New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, and will attend in the fall. She plans to pursue a career in the music industry.

Former Rock Ridge High School student Jessica Howard won first place in the statewide 2017 Poetry Out Loud Competition.

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Republican gubernatorial nominee Ed Gillespie is flanked by Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter (R-31), left, and Attorney General candidate John Adams during a July 27 press conference at the Loudoun courthouse to roll out his campaign’s public safety initiatives.

Gillespie Rolls Out Public Safety Platform in Leesburg BY NORMAN K. STYER

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A week after a ride-along with members of the Northern Virginia Gang Task Force, Republican gubernatorial nominee Ed Gillespie returned to Loudoun to unveil his campaign’s package of public safety initiatives. Flanked by Loudoun Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman, GOP attorney general nominee John Adams, former attorney general Jerry Kilgore, Del. Randy Minchew (R-10) and

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<< FROM 6 sive reform of Virginia’s criminal justice system. Gillespie also said he would oppose efforts to repeal the state’s “truth in sentencing” policies, saying that “reinstating parole would be the wrong thing for Virginia’s public safety.” Protesting Democrats formed a backdrop to Gillespie’s press conference, holding anti-Trump and proObamacare signs. “Unfortunately, we’ve seen crime rates increasing in recent years,” Gillespie said, citing statistics that murders, robbery, aggravated assault, forcible sex offenses and motor vehicle thefts have increased since 2015. “Our next governor has to do everything he can to ensure that we ensure the safety of the people of Virginia.” Gillespie said his tour of the area with members of the gang task force to learn more about the activities of MS13 and other criminal street gangs was “eye-opening.” “Gangs prey on our most vulnerable communities, and we need to eradicate gang activity everywhere in the commonwealth,” he said. His anti-gang platform includes designating the attorney general as Virginia’s “Anti-Gang Chief,” securing funding for the regional task force, forcing localities to actively aid in the enforcement of immigration laws, increasing anti-gang education programs in schools and developing alternative educational opportunities for gang members. In pushing to reinstate Project Exile,

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Leesburg leaders are taking input on what residents want to be included in a master plan for the Town Hall grounds.

Exhibits, Art Desired for Town Hall Campus BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

embers of the public got one last say Monday night regarding the future plans for the Leesburg Town

Hall campus. Deputy Town Manager Keith Markel led the final public input session on the master plan for the Town Hall campus, drawing about a dozen members of the

public to tour the Town Hall grounds and offer their final input on what features or enhancements could be added. The idea to develop a master plan for the Town Hall property stemmed from a Board of Architectural Review discussion last year. At the time, the BAR was considering the splash pad project at Mervin Jackson Park, next to the Town Hall parking garage. Voicing concerns about how the project fit in within the historic downtown, and on

the property as a whole, board members urged the Town Council to develop a plan for the entire property, rather than focusing on piecemeal projects. The process of putting together a draft plan to ultimately present to the Town Council, expected to occur this fall, has thus far involved input from town boards and commissions and stakeholder groups—including the Historic Downtown Leesburg Association and the Loudoun Museum—and

Creativity on Display at Arts in the Alley Friends of Leesburg Public Arts’ inaugural Arts in the Alley event emerged as a successful showcase of area artists and performance groups Saturday. Rainy weather may have dampened turnout, but vendors and organizers agreed the event merits a return to the downtown schedule next summer. Friends of Leesburg Public Art board members said they were pleased with the turnout, given the wet weather, and said those who attended encouraged the group to make it an annual event. They also heard from downtown business owners that they experienced a significant amount of foot traffic Saturday as a result of the event.

July Aug. 3 – 9, 2017

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a Leesburg Listens online survey that garnered public input. Town staff has asked these groups to evaluate the nine planning areas on the campus property, including the Loudoun Museum and Rose Garden property, the Town Green, the façades of the Town Hall parking garage, and Mervin Jackson Park. With each area, they have proCAMPUS >> 11

Leesburg Council Passes on Code of Performance dress any council member infractions. This Code of Ethics includes guidelines on closed sessions, council members conducting business meetings, and more. Regulating “decorum or conduct [in a code of performance] I feel like is dangerously subjective,” she said. “It doesn’t really have any teeth to me.” “So many other localities do have a code of conduct,” Mayor Kelly Burk pointed out, “but Martinez I wouldn’t be interested in the enforcement aspect of it. I saw it as an aspirational document that could remind us of what we should be doing.” Councilman Marty Martinez, who in the past has criticized some of the council’s dialogue as lacking in civility, said he believed the council may already be moving in the right direction, even without a formal code of performance. “I think lately we’ve been progressing and hopefully will continue to do so,” he said.

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Although they made it a goal of their January retreat, Leesburg Town Council members have shelved plans to create a formal council code of performance. It was but a month ago that council members solidified their post-retreat action plan, and the idea of creating a code of performance commanded the most attention, Fox and controversy. Those in favor of its creation said there needed to be a stated list of acceptable, and unacceptable, behaviors for Town Council members, particularly in the area of discourse with each other. Those against said it was an attempt to legislate behavior and stifle opinions that others didn’t agree with. During the council’s Monday night work session, it appeared those originally in favor of the code of performance had cooled to the idea. Vice Mayor Suzanne Fox said she believed the council’s current Code of Ethics, adopted in 2009, was sufficient to ad-

Aug 3 – 9, 2017

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

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[ BRIEFS ] Consolidated Billing, Collection Endorsed The Leesburg Town Council has endorsed Loudoun County’s consolidated billing and collection program. Under the proposal, which still must be authorized by the General Assembly, the Loudoun County government would take over from several towns the responsibilities for billing and collecting tax payments for real estate, personal property, business tangible property and vehicle registration fees. Town residents would receive a consolidated bill for these taxes, rather than separate bills from both the town and county. All Loudoun towns, with the exception of Purcellville and Hamilton, have signed on to participate.

According to a staff report, the town is expected to save roughly $160,000 in the first year of implementation, and $250,000 annually after the first full year. The town will contribute $93,736 to the county toward system set-up costs. If the state code amendment is approved by legislators, the real estate tax consolidation program is targeted for implementation in tax year 2019, with the remaining taxes being consolidated the following tax year. Councilman Hugh Forsythe was absent for the July 25 vote.

Hope for Leesburg Kicks Off Hope for Leesburg, a 20-day Christian revival, kicks off this week, and brings with it a slew of events for area residents. At 7 p.m. nightly, except for Sundays, local pastors and faith leaders will speak about the message of Jesus Christ. Events will be held under a tent at 850 Edwards Ferry Road NE. Included in the event roster are a Fellowship of Christian Athletes-sponsored youth sports event Aug. 4; a yard sale, food and giveaways during a mini festival Aug. 5; and an all-day prayer and praise event Aug. 12. A full roster of events and speakers is available at onehopeministries.net. To sign up to receive event details and updates, email info@onehopeministries. net.

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The Town Council adopted a series of changes to its Town Code last week. The first set of changes was to conform to the statewide Fire Prevention Code Act. Town Attorney Barbara Notar said when the town received a concern regarding an open burning the staff found the fire code was “very out of date.” The accepted changes, which include updated regulations on open burning, blasting, fireworks and emergency planning and preparedness, bring the town up to speed with the county’s fire code regulations. A second batch of Town Code amendments was identified by town department heads as part of an annual review to identify and correct errors, and streamline business practices. The bulk of these amendments were aimed at clarifying and enhancing the town’s policies on matters related to trash and recycling collections, including bulk pickups, and brush and leaf pick-ups. Among the agreed-upon changes were the institution of stricter fines and penalties. Other changes dealt with waiving a special license tax for peddlers and itinerant vendors exhibiting in the town for less than seven days; requiring the removal of basketball goals and other sporting goods and equipment from the public right of way during snow removal, paving operations and other street maintenance; and qualifying time limits for loading zones, among other changes. A full list of approved code changes is available on the town website. Town Code changes passed by a 6-01 vote, with Councilman Hugh Forsythe absent.

Child Safety Day Planned Aug. 12 The Village at Leesburg will hold the sixth annual Child Safety Day from BRIEFS >> 11

<< FROM 8

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krodriguez@loudounnow.com

[ BRIEFS ] << FROM 10

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noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 12. The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office is holding the event in partnership with the Leesburg Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The free event will include LCSO vehicles, the K-9 unit, a dive truck and boat. Exhibiting agencies include the LCSO, LPD, DEA, the Office of the Loudoun Commonwealth’s Attorney, Loudoun County Child Advocacy Center, Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter, Loudoun Child Protective Services, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue, the FBI, Inova Pediatrics and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Many of the displays will be aimed at providing information to parents on how to protect their child from becoming a victim of a crime. Children are invited to “lend a hand in fighting crime” by dipping their hands in non-toxic, washable paint and placing their handprints on a sheriff ’s office car. The event will also include live entertainment, a moon bounce and games. Loudoun Sheriff Michael Chapman will also present the fourth Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office Leadership Award during the event. The award honors members of the Loudoun community who display outstanding leadership and make valuable contributions to improve the lives of others. The award will be presented at 1 p.m., and will be followed by a raffle for adults and children.

vided suggestions on possible additions or enhancements, but mostly have left it open-ended for the public to share their own ideas. Monday night, those who participated in the final public input session included a heavy presence from the public arts community, the Historic Downtown Leesburg Association, and Loudoun Museum. One idea that received unanimous support was the addition of a tenth planning area to the Town Hall grounds: the alleyway alongside the Town Hall garage. “Especially if we’re doing a longterm plan and if we leave out the alley we’re leaving out the biggest potential resource we have,” Mary Jo Murphy said. Audience members said the alley could be an ideal spot to host community events, like last weekend’s Arts in the Alley festival. It could even be a site for a weekly farmer’s market, some posited. Markel cautioned that potential development in the alleyway would be limited since some of the property is owned by private property owners. Elsewhere on the Town Hall campus, the ideas that received the most support were those that provided opportunity for greater use of the campus property. Two ideas that received overwhelming support included the establishment of a small amphitheater for performances on the lower Rose

Aug 3 – 9, 2017

Campus

Garden property, next to Town Hall, and the placement of wide steps next to the Loudoun Museum’s log cabin to provide seating for concerts in the upper Rose Garden. Interactive displays for children was an idea brought forward several times both by those at the meeting and from responses gleaned via the Leesburg Listens survey. Monday night’s participants suggested some artifacts from the Loudoun Museum could be displayed outside the building as an enticement to families to check out the inside of the museum. Placing a 3D map of Leesburg in the Loudoun Museum garden area was another idea. Finally, meeting attendees expressed support for the placement of hanging gardens alongside the Loudoun Street side of the parking garage. What to do with both parking garage entrances was another hot topic Monday night. Markel noted that, as the town moves toward automation, it will mean that the booths on either side of the garage will be coming down, and a decision will need to be made as to whether to retain all the entrance and exit lanes into the garage. Some in the audience suggested closing the Loudoun Street entrance and exit to the garage altogether and adding to the nearby park space. Finally, audience members encouraged the use of more artwork, particularly murals, on the façades of the parking garage to brighten up its appearance.

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[ PUBLIC SAFETY ]

Lucketts House Fire Ruled Arson, Report Pending on Body Found Inside The investigation continues this week into a July 25 burning of a Lucketts-area home where a body was found inside. Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office investigators last week determined the fire was intentionally set. The Sheriff ’s Office is continuing to investigate the death of a person found inside. A report from the Office of the Medical Examiner identifying the victim and determining the cause of death was completed early this week, but the results had not been released by the newspaper’s deadline. It remained unclear whether the victim died in the fire or was dead before the fire was started. The fire was reported shortly after 5 p.m. last Tuesday in the area of Bald Hill Road and Steed Hill Lane when a passerby saw heavy smoke.

Two Charged in Purcellville Area Burglary Spree

Lucketts emergency crews arrived to find the two-story, single-family home with fire on the first and second floors. Additional units from Lovettsville, Hamilton, Leesburg, Purcellville and Frederick County, MD, were called to help. Fire operations continued through the night to ensure the fire was completely extinguished. It was the next day before investigators were able to enter and search what remained of the home. At about 1 p.m., they discovered the body inside. Investigators say the fire appeared to have started with ignitable liquids on the second floor. The home was ruled a total loss with damages estimated at $425,000. The Fatal Fire Task Force, with members of the Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office and the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office are conducting the investigation.

burglary, possession of burglarious tools, conspiracy to commit a burglary and narcotic possession. Hueg Two Purcellville residents have is charged with grand larceny. Addibeen charged in connection with a tional charges are pending from the series of western Loudoun burglaries Hardy County (WV) Sheriff ’s Office. that spanned the past two months. Sheriff ’s Office detectives worked with According to the Loudoun County the Purcellville Police Department to Sheriff ’s Office, Richard A. Hughes, investigate the involvement of Hughes 35, and Jacquelyn Hueg, 27, were and Hueg in the June 28 and July 7 burconnected to six burglaries in the glary of a business located in the 18000 Purcellville area. Hughes is charged block of Lincoln Road; the June 28, July with two counts of burglary and one 5 and July 24 burglary of a business in count of grand larceny, attempted the 100 block of E. Main Street; the July

6 grand larceny of a business in the 200 block of North 21st Street; and the July 13 burglary of a business located in the 100 block of West Main Street. The suspects are former employees of the targeted businesses, the agency reported. Hughes and Hueg were apprehended Tuesday, after Purcellville Police officers observed a suspicious car driving in the area without headlights and then witnessed an alleged attempt to break into a business in the 100 block of East Main Street. Hughes was held without bond at

the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. A majority of the stolen items were recovered after search warrants were executed at the homes of the suspects in Loudoun County, Purcellville and in Hardy County, WV. “I am extremely proud of the proactive police work achieved by our dedicated officers in apprehending these suspects,” Purcellville Police Chief Cynthia McAlister said. “Regular patrol activities and attentiveness played a critical role in solving these local burglaries and larcenies.”

Hearns

Camp Volunteer Charged with Soliciting Minor An Ashburn man has been charged after he allegedly solicited sex from a juvenile he met during a summer camp in 2016. PUBLIC SAFETY >> 13

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Public safety << FROM 12

Target ‘Upskirting’ Suspect Arrested in Sterling The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office last week arrested the Sterling man who was wanted for a reported “upskirting” case at a store last month. Deputies were called to Shepard Drive in Sterling on Thursday for a report

Jennings

of a suspicious man hiding in an office and taking items from the office. Before deputies arrived, the man fled on a bicycle towards the W&OD Trail. Earl D. Jennings, 31, was apprehended near Sterling Boulevard. Authorities had been seeking Jennings since he was identified as the man who was attempting to take “upskirting” photos of a woman June 26 at the Target store on Columbia Place. Following his arrest, Jennings was served with warrants for a bond/ pre-trial violation, unlawful filming and unlawful entry. He is being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.

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According to the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office, Richard N. Hearns, 19, was a volunteer at the Oak Grove Baptist Church Summer Camp in Sterling where he met at least one victim last summer. Investigators said he solicited the juvenile though a cell phone. The incident only came to light last month after other allegations were made against Hearns, who continued to volunteer at the camp this year. Sheriff ’s Office detectives believe there might be additional victims. Hearns was charged Friday with proposing a sexual act by a communications system to a victim under the age of 15. The Sheriff ’s Office worked with Loudoun County Child Protective Services and personnel from the Oak Grove Baptist Church during the investigation. Anyone with additional information regarding the case is asked to contact Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office Special Victims Unit at 703-777-0475.

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July Aug. 3 – 9, 2017

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Frederick Douglass Elementary kindergarten teacher and school garden coordinator Marykirk Cunningham helps Thomas and Karolina Baptista pick squash. A huge garden sits at the center of the school building and has become a labor of love—and learning lab—for students in every grade level.

School Garden Has Families Growing Together BY KELSIE MCCRAE

n the center courtyard of Frederick Douglass Elementary School lies a monstrous garden that has become not only a source of fresh produce, but of lessons for students and parents alike. When the school opened in 2012,

the courtyard had just a few raised garden beds, but it’s now an expansive garden that fills the quarter-acre space. “We call it the heart of our school,” said kindergarten teacher Marykirk Cunningham, who also oversees the garden. “We have the kids say ‘our garden’ so they know it’s for everyone.” It’s known as the Garden Lab. Aptly named, it’s considered just as much of a learning space as any of the classrooms

that surround it. Students’ work begins the first week of the school year, as they create a plan for planting, maintaining, harvesting, cooking and even composting crops. Students in each grade plant and care for their own raised bed, and their teachers use it as a teaching tool. Earlier this year, third-graders learned about Native American farming methods by planting squash and potatoes.

Fourth-graders used what they had learned in science and history to grow cotton. Kindergarteners cared for milkweed plants to create a safe space for monarch butterflies. Cunningham said students retain hands-on lessons best, and the Garden Lab has become the go-to spot for inGARDEN >> 16

[ SCHOOL NOTES ] Teachers Take Part in Reading Institute For the second consecutive year, 200 public school teachers from Loudoun took part in the Teachers College Summer Reading Institute. This year’s institute was held last week at Riverside High School for teachers providing instruction in kindergarten through eighth grade. The institute was so popular that a waiting list of 400 quickly formed, according to Evi Hickman, supervisor for pathways and elementary reading and writing. Teachers earn recertification points for participating. Providing instruction for the Summer Reading Institute were experienced staff developers from Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University in New York.

Teachers worked in grade-level teams across schools and in school-level teams with opportunities to pick workshops that taught how to address students’ specific needs. Principals were invited for a special session with the staff developers about leading literacy work in their elementary and middle schools. Among the workshops offered were: management and routines to support independence; methods and strategies to boost student fluency; helping struggling readers reach their full potential; and using digital resources.

203 Students Earn Seal of Biliteracy Loudoun County Public Schools

Every spot in the Teachers College Summer Reading Institute filled up last week, with 200 teachers participating.

Among the 2017 Loudoun County SCHOOL NOTES >> 15

[ SCHOOL NOTES ]

State Board Elects Gecker As New President The Virginia Board of Education last week unanimously elected Daniel A. Gecker as board president and Diane T. Atkinson as vice president. Gecker, of Chesterfield County, was

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Public Schools graduating seniors, 203 students were awarded the Virginia Seal of Biliteracy for Arabic, French, German, Korean, Latin, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Telugu and Vietnamese. Fifteen percent of the graduates honored with this award speak a primary language other than English and were formerly enrolled in English language learner programs. State legislation that was signed into law in 2015 required the Board of Education to establish criteria for awarding a diploma Seal of Biliteracy in time for any student graduating from a public high school in Virginia in 2016. That year, 66 graduates from Loudoun earned the designation. To attain the Seal of Biliteracy, a student must achieve the designated level of language proficiency in English plus one or more other languages during their high school years. Biliteracy refers to having a functional level of proficiency of the four skill areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing in each language.

appointed to the Board of Education in January 2016 by Gov. Terry McAuliffe to fill an unexpired term. The board selected Gecker as its vice president in February. “It is humbling and a rare privilege to follow one of my heroes,” Gecker said of Billy K. Cannaday Jr., whom he succeeds as board president. Gecker is a partner in Urban Development Associates LLC, specializing in historical rehabilitation and urban revitalization. He was a member of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors from 2008 to 2014, serving as chairman in 2010 and 2012. Atkinson, of Hanover County, was appointed to the board in 2012 by Gov. Bob McDonnell and reappointed to a second four-year term in 2016 by McAuliffe. She serves as chairman of the board’s Committee on School and Division Accountability. In other action during its July 27 business meeting in Richmond, the Board of Education approved its plan to implement the federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. The accountability provisions of the ESSA implementation plan are closely aligned with proposed revisions to the state’s accreditation standards, which place increased emphasis on closing achievement gaps between student groups and continuous improvement in all schools. The plan now goes to the U.S. Department of Education for review and approval.

15 Aug 3 – 9, 2017

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Garden << FROM 14 structors teaching every subject area. It also serves as a place where students can relax. Lavender, lamb’s ear and rosemary are just a few of the plants that make up a sensory garden where the school’s special education students can experience a wide range of soothing smells, textures and colors. It also includes rocks that double as seats perfect for quiet reading time. “Some people say, ‘oh I don’t know if

I can help. I don’t have a green thumb,’” Cunningham said. “But we encourage them to even just come and sit and enjoy the quiet of the garden.” Cunningham came to Frederick Douglass when it opened five years ago with almost 20 years of teaching experience, but she also came armed with knowledge about gardening. She helped create the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s Seeds of Change exhibit in the 1990s. Gardening has always been a family affair, she says. Her father, Bob “Pop” GARDEN >> 17

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Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Cady Fallon, a rising first-grader at Frederick Douglass Elementary, holds up some grass hoppers she found in the garden.

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Kelsie McCrae is a summer intern with Loudoun Now. She’s studying English literature, leadership studies and business administration at Christopher Newport University. She is an alumna of Loudoun School for the Gifted in Ashburn.

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Frederick Douglass Elementary is home to the biggest school garden in the county.

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Goodhart, is a horticulturalist who worked as the landscape advisor and director of the Grounds at Christopher Newport University for a decade. Now retired, Goodhart serves as her sidekick in the school garden. He works alongside students and parents, and runs a blog and podcast to update Frederick Douglass families on what’s growing in the Garden Lab and offers tips about how to grow produce at home. Frederick Douglass parents, including Leah Fallon, have become just as invested in the Garden Lab. Her family is one of a half dozen who volunteers to care for the garden over the summer. Since Fallon’s daughter, Cady, first began working in the garden as a kindergartener this past year, she now asks to eat vegetables. “When I ask her what she wants for dinner, she says ‘salad.’ She always wants to eat what we bring home from the garden,” Fallon said. “For my family, it’s been about introducing veggies and learning about bees and butterflies. My younger daughter has been able to learn from her older sister.” “…It’s made me want to start my own garden,” she added. “And Pop has taught me how to do it sustainably.” In the summer months, the families tending the garden can take home what they harvest. But during the school year, the students pick fruits, vegetables and herbs and deliver it to the school cafeteria. Cafeteria manager Cathy Wilson helps the students decide what to make with the bounty, to be served during lunch. “We’re garden to table,” Cunningham said. “Food and gardens bring people together.” Even the fundraising effort for the Garden Lab is really a community effort. Students collect, package and sell seeds from the garden. They come up with creative marketing plans to sell as many seed packets as they can, with all the proceeds going back to improve and maintain the garden. The school’s PTA also allocates about $500 for the Garden Lab each year, and Cunningham applies for grants to fund garden-related projects beyond that. She thanked businesses and organizations that have helped with this effort, including the Walmart in Sterling, Whole Foods Whole Kids Foundation, and the Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District.

She believes that something magical happens when kids work—as well as play and learn—in the dirt. It creates a mutually beneficial relationship between the kids and the plants. “Just getting their hands in the dirt helps kids learn,” Cunningham said. “We have plenty of garden tools, but the best tool of all is the finger.”

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The donations and grants have helped fund a new feature each year, including a fully stocked garden shed, a long table that can seat an entire class, and a lattice wall that an with an espalier apple tree that will produce three different varieties of apples at once. “Our next goal is skin protection [from the sun]. We want to get a pergola with a shade cloth to go over our table,” Cunningham said. “After that, we want to focus on wind and solar energy” by installing solar panels and windmills, she added. She also hopes to install a water feature to teach students about alternative energy sources.

NoVaWellnessYogaFestRetreat.com | Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Adeline Fallon, the younger sibling of a Frederick Douglass Elementary student, eats strawberries from the school garden.

Bellwood Commons, Leesburg

In memory of young Ryan, we’ve chosen the RyanYOUR Bartel Foundation as our Charity of Record. | www.ryanbartelfoundation.org COMPLIMENTING YOGA PRACTICE.

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Loudoun Now is adding to its small, dedicated newspaper team. We’re looking for advertising sales executives who value the mission of community journalism and the marketing power the newspaper’s print and online products offer to area businesses. There’s a veteran support team in place to help, but we’re looking for self-starters and go-getters.

If that’s you, contact Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sstyer@loudounnow.com

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Weekend’s Tax Holiday is for More Than Supplies Families prepping for the upcoming school year—or those looking to stock up on supplies before hurricane season—will want to take advantage of Virginia’s sales tax holiday Friday, Aug. 4, through Sunday, Aug. 6. This will be the third year that the commonwealth has combined its three sales tax holidays into one. That means that during the three-day period, consumers can buy school supplies, clothes, shoes, hurricane and emergency preparedness items, and ENERGY STAR and WaterSense products, without paying sales tax.

School supplies that each cost $20 or less, as well as clothing items priced at $100 or less will be exempt from the 5.3 percent state and local sales tax. Those who live in Loudoun or in other parts of Northern Virginia, where the sales tax is 6 percent, will save even more. The list of school-related tax-exempt items includes pens, pencils, notebooks, scissors, binders, backpacks, shoes and shirts. Hurricane and emergency preparedness tax-exempt products include portable generators costing $1,000 or less, gas-powered chainsaws $350 or less, chainsaw ac-

cessories $60 or less, and other specified hurricane preparedness items costing $60 or less. There is no requirement that the purchases be made for school purposes, and all retailers are required to participate. Online purchases of qualifying items are also tax-exempt during the sales tax holiday. An all-inclusive list of the items that qualify for the tax holiday, as well as guidelines for shoppers and retailers, are available at tax.virginia.gov. —Danielle Nadler

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-9753.

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

19 Aug 3 – 9, 2017 LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

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The prices of our homes, included features, plans, specifications, promotions/incentives, neighborhood build-out and available locations are subject to change without notice. Stated dimensions, square footage and acreage are approximate and should not be used as a representation of any home’s or homesite’s precise or actual size, location or orientation. There is no guarantee that any particular homesite or home will be available. No information or material herein is to be construed to be an offer or solicitation for sale. Not all features and options are available in all homes. Unless otherwise expressly stated, homes do not come with hardscape, landscape, or other decorator items. Community maps, illustrations, plans and/or amenities reflect our current vision and are subject to change without notice. Maps not to scale. Some amenities may not yet be constructed. Builder reserves the right to change the size, design, configuration and location of amenities not yet constructed and does not warrant the suitability thereof for any use or for any person. There is no guarantee that any particular homesite, home or common area will offer a view or that any particular view will be preserved. Views may also be altered by subsequent development, construction, and landscaping growth. Any photographs or renderings used herein reflect artists’ conceptions and are for illustrative purposes only. Photographs or renderings of people do not depict or indicate any preference regarding race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, handicap/physical disability, familial status, or national origin. A link to a third party website does not imply endorsement of that site nor any ability to control that site’s privacy practices. Marketing promotions/incentives, if any, are subject to conditions or restrictions and are subject to change without notice. No warranty or guarantee is made regarding any particular area public school/school district or that any particular public school/ school district will service any given community. Schools/school districts may change over time. Builder does not warrant the suitability of any trail for any use or for any person. You must visit a Company New Home Gallery to purchase a home. Please consult a New Home Advisor for specific price and other information for each community. Please see the actual purchase agreement for additional information, disclosures, and disclaimers relating to any home, homesite and/or the features thereof. A Broker/Agent must register their client in person on client’s first visit at each community for a Broker/Agent to receive a commission or referral fee, if available. Our name and the logos contained herein are registered trademarks of TRI Pointe Group, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Winchester is a registered trademark and is used with permission. © 2017 Winchester Homes Inc., a member of the TRI Pointe Group. All rights reserved. 1 BUILDER Magazine named TRI Pointe Group the Builder of the Year in 2015. The Builder of the Year Award is BUILDER’S highest yearly honor. 2 Builder and Developer Magazine, a national homebuilding publication, named TRI Pointe the Developer of the Year in 2014.

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Courtesy of Visit Loudoun

From left, Loudoun County’s Agricultural Development Officer Kellie Hinkle; Melanie Scoggins, with Department of Economic Development; Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA-10); Visit Loudoun’s Vice President of Marketing Jackie Saunders; and David Duval from Visit Loudoun attend a reception marketplace on Capitol Hill.

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Loudoun Director of Economic Development Buddy Rizer said the county’s “double Ds” can be credited to its economic success: data centers and drinking. Loudoun is home to more than 40 wineries and almost as many breweries. Here Charity Eltringham prepares harvested grapes for processing at Fabbioli Cellars north of Leesburg.

Loudoun’s Economy Sets New Growth Record BY JOHN PATTERSON

oudoun’s Department of Economic Development released its annual report last Thursday, unveiling its record-breaking content at Selma Plantation. To summarize: The county economy grew. A lot. According to the report, the county recruited or retained 104 businesses, which invested $3.3 billion into Loudoun last year. The investment set a new record for the county economy, as county leaders celebrated a hat-trick of three record-breaking years in a row. With the $1.6 billion in fiscal year 2015 and the $2.3 billion in fiscal year 2016, the past three fiscal years brought up to $7.2 billion flowing in the county over the period. This growth dramatically outpaces national averages, and is the highest of any county of Loudoun’s size. These businesses brought 3,000 new jobs with them in growing industries like aviation, cybersecurity, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. County leaders celebrated this economic diver-

John Patterson/Loudoun Now

Loudoun Director of Economic Development Buddy Rizer touts the business growth successes during a July 27 reception at the newly restored Selma manor house near Leesburg.

sity and poked fun at Loudoun’s “Double Ds:” data and drinking, referencing its abundance of data centers, wineries and breweries. “In what other county can we be the data center capital of the world but then have the incredible beauty that we see in here … of the rich history we have in this county,” Supervisor Suzanne Volpe (R-Algonkian) said. “Loudoun has a mix of qualities that make it the perfect place for many different types of companies to thrive,” Buddy Rizer, executive director of the department, said. “Loudoun is the heart of D.C.’s tech corridor, and is a great place for employees to raise their families in a safe, healthy environment. Now, with Metro less than three years away, more and more companies are interested in calling Loudoun home.” The full report can be found on the Department of Economic Development’s website. John Patterson is an intern with Loudoun Now. He is studying English and economics at the University of Virginia.

Businesses Urged to Push for State Resurgence BY JOHN PATTERSON Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce leaders put the focus on the statewide economy during a public policy forum last week, and the bigger picture isn’t as pretty as Loudoun’s. The event, titled “Putting Virginia’s Economy Back on Top,” addressed the state being a shadow of its pre-recession self, when it was often ranked the best state to do business. The speakers included Barry DuVal, president and CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce; John Wynne, chairman of Virginia Growth and Op-

portunity Board (GO Virginia); and James Dyke Jr., a member of GO Virginia. DuVal presented the commonwealth’s new reality. According to the chamber’s figures, Virginia’s average long-term growth of gross state product, a state-level equivalent of GDP, was 14.8 percent, below the national average of 19.7 percent for 2016’s fourth quarter. Virginia also lagged in employment. “We don’t have the jobs, people are not getting paid enough, they’re not paying the income taxes, therefore, we have a shortfall [in gross state prod-

uct],” Wynne said. Their solution? Civic participation. “It takes a lot to make a state great. … It requires that we have pro-business-elected officials,” DuVal said, “We as the business community, we can advocate, but we don’t pass bills, right?” Virginia’s main policy efforts for economic resurgence is the chamber’s Blueprint 2025 plan, and the GO Virginia fund. “If GO Virginia is going to succeed, if the Blueprint is going to succeed, you as members of the business community need to be strong advocates, you need to rock the boat,” Dyke said.

Capitol Hill Gets A Taste of Loudoun Visit Loudoun and the county’s Department of Economic Development showcased Loudoun’s local products to Capitol Hill staff and members of Congress on July 18 during a reception in the Rayburn Building with U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA-10). Visit Loudoun proposed the idea as a platform to educate congressional representatives about Loudoun County. Twelve producers were showcased in the marketplace-style event, including Mom’s Apple Pie, Zephaniah Farm Vineyard and Reston Limousine. “It was a great evening to showcase Loudoun’s wineries, breweries, distilleries and great farm-to-table agriculture products on Capitol Hill,” Comstock stated. “With more than 250 people in attendance, Capitol Hill truly got a taste of what Loudoun has to offer for the entire National Capital Region.

Chamber Earns Nat’l Communications Award The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce has been named a winner of an industry award that recognizes communications and marketing excellence. Presented annually by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, the Communications Excellence awards program celebrates exceptional work in the areas of advertising and marketing, campaigns, digital and publications. The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce earned an Award of Excellence for its 2016 Annual Report. “I am exceptionally proud of the Loudoun Chamber’s communications team—led by our Senior Communications Manager Andrea Lucas—and the outstanding work they do to communicate the Chamber’s value to our member businesses and nonprofit organizations,” Loudoun Chamber President Tony Howard stated. BIZ BRIEFS >> 22

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Native Plant Podcast Earns Silver Medal

“Understanding Alternative Investments” Venue: Eddie Merlot’s Date: Time:

Join Horizon Ridge Wealth Management

August 18, 2017 5-7PM

Space Very Limited. Reservation Confirmation Required For Admittance. Call 877-501-4796 To Reserve Your Seat OR Register At The Website Below.

as they discuss: • What are alternative investments? • Differences between traditional & alternative investments. • Common goals of investing in alternative investments • Examples of alternative investments.

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MVB Bank Opens in Leesburg

**Household Income & Liquid Networth Information Requested At Time Of Reservation. Minimum Limits Required In Order To Attend.

MVB Bank has opened its second Northern Virginia location at 106 Harrison St. SE, Suite 100. The branch office features traditional personal attention with a staff of knowledgeable bankers, as well as an automated interactive teller system that allows extended hours of operations and offers enhanced security.

Securities and financial planning offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investing in Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) involves special risks such as potential illiquidity and may not be suitable for all investors. There is no assurance that the investment objectives of this program will be attained. Market Linked CDs are subject to risk and potential loss of principal if sold prior to maturity. There is no assurance that the techniques and strategies discussed are suitable for all investors or will yield positive outcomes.

NCC Earns Meeting, Tourism Awards The National Conference Center in Lansdowne won six awards from meeting industry and tourism agencies. The National’s Chief Wine Officer, Mary Watson-Delauder, has received the Meetings Trendsetter Award in the educator category from Meetings Today, a leading national meetings magazine that put a spotlight on forward-thinking planning professionals, educators and suppliers within the meetings industry. The National was also awarded the Smart Star Award in the conference center category by Smart Meetings magazine. The NCC won three tourism awards presented by Visit Loudoun: the Ambassador Tourism Award to bellman Jamil Chaudhry; the Tourism Action Award for the Project Search Initiative; and the Tourism Branding, Marketing or Promotional Campaign of the Year for its Go Big campaign. The National has also received the Partner of the Year award from the Loudoun County Public Schools for its work with nearby Riverside High School.

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The Native Plant Podcast, created by landscape designer John Magee of Magee Design in Middleburg, received the 2017 Media Awards Silver Medal of Achievement for talent in Digital Media and for best Podcast overall, presented the Association for Garden Communicators. The national award recognizes individuals and companies that achieve the highest levels of talent and professionalism in garden communications. The 2017 competition had more than 200 entries in 61 categories. Recipients of the Silver Medal represent the top winners each competition category and will now compete for best of group in the areas of writing, photography, digital media, broadcast media, publishing and trade. Magee Design has long been known for its innovative approach to landscape design, sustainability, habitat gardening and landscaping with native plants.

The MVB Leesburg team is led by Branch Manager Kimberly Triglia. She also manages MVB’s other Northern Virginia location in Reston. Byron Schulze is MVB’s senior vice president and regional business development officer for the region and Browning Herbert is senior vice president and regional commercial loan officer.

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Nonprofit Leaders Get Rare Opportunity: Professional Development

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BY DANIELLE NADLER

P THE FACES OF LOUDOUN Courtesy of AlphaGraphics

As part of the Community Foundation of Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties’ Faces of Loudoun campaign, Connie, a Loudoun County resident, shares her journey with mental illness.

Erasing the Stigma of Mental Illness

f you met me at the coffee shop, the soccer field or the mall, you would never guess I have struggled with mental illness my entire life. I have had a high-powered, lucrative career that allows me to travel internationally and to lead large corporate teams to outstanding results. I am married. I have a son in college. I earned an MBA from George Washington University. My life is truly blessed. But, it has not been an easy journey. In my 30s, I found myself in a dysfunctional, co-dependent relationship. I underwent years of treatment for an eating disorder and depression. But, I wasn’t getting better—because I wasn’t depressed. I was, and am, and always will be, bipolar. The anti-depressants I was taking were actually making my symptoms worse—pushing me further into my manic cycles.

The Next Chapter In 1985, I changed meds and started therapy. I learned how to cope with my illness and how to avoid addictive behaviors. For me, that meant no more uncontrolled binge shopping. More important, I found the strength to break up with my boyfriend. 1988 was a pivotal year for me. I met and married a wonderful man. Ten months later, we moved to Waterford. And we adopted a son from Russia, who is now going to school. I do miss the highs of my manic cycles; they make you

feel like you are the luckiest person on the face of the earth. But the downs are just too awful to risk. They can turn into gaping abysses. So, I take my medications. I see my doctors and therapists. And yet, there are still times this disorder can get the best of me. I tried to commit suicide six years ago, and I have been hospitalized on several occasions. But, I will persevere. My faith, my church, and my community are important supports for me. They keep me working to stay on top. As a member of this community, I am trying to help people see past the labels and embrace the totality of the individual. So many of these disorders are just another genetic variation—no different than brown eyes, pale skin, or red hair. No one in Loudoun should face prejudice against mental illness. We need to erase the stigma we still have about mental disorders. We need to make it easy for people to get the therapy and medications they need. That’s 80 percent of the battle. We need to prevent mental illness from ruining lives. Won’t you join us and help End the Need? Over the next several months, as part of the Community Foundation’s Faces of Loudoun campaign, Loudoun Now will run monthly articles highlighting men, women and children who have found a helping hand when they needed it most. Learn more or donate to help End the Need at FacesofLoudoun.org.

rofessional development isn’t something to which charity leaders typically have access. But a group of local organizations are teaming up to try to change that and deliver training to Loudoun’s nonprofit administrators. The Community Foundation of Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties is working with Leigh Shields & Associates to provide a year-long training program. The Social Impact Institute’s Leadership Development Program recently launched its third session and has enrolled six nonprofit administrators. The session, which runs from June this year to June 2018, includes classes and group discussions where nonprofit leaders can learn from one another, as well as interactive activities and individual coaching. “We talk about what goals you have for the organization. Then we figure out in coaching sessions how to step in to unknown territory and experiment,” said Leigh Shields, principal of Leigh Shields & Associates. Shields was inspired to create the training program after working for Xerox for 35 years. “I was fortunate to have them invest a lot in me so I could learn to be a good leader. That made a big difference in terms of how I approach what I do,” he said. “Nonprofits don’t usually get that opportunity.” That was the realization Amy Owen had just before hearing about the program Shields had developed. A few years ago, Owen, the executive director of Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties, was visiting with a bank executive who was talking about advice she’d received from her executive coach. “I thought, well, I’m never going to have an executive coach,” Owen said. Ironically, Shields had just created a beta program in partnership with the Community Foundation for Alexandria for training up nonprofit leaders. “I loved the idea,” Owen said. “Recognizing that these nonprofits otherwise would never have an opportunity to have this interaction with an executive coach professional, and they deserve it.” The Loudoun-based Community Foundation officially formed a DEVELOPMENT >> 25

Honoring Community Stewardship Investing in Future Leaders

Aug 3 – 9, 2017

L oudoun L aurels join us

to celebrate the community service contributions of Submitted Photo

Nonprofit organization leaders Erika Huddleston, Kari Murphy, Katie Wilcox, Amy Owen and Tracee Garner show their professional training certificates with instructor Leigh Shields.

<< FROM 24 partnership with Shields and, three years ago, enrolled their first group of Loudoun nonprofit executives. To help offset the program’s costs for this year’s students, the foundation is providing a $12,000 grant. That brings the cost to $750 per person; $650 for organizations that have had staff participate in Shields’ past programs. And it’s worth the investment, Shields said. “Research shows that the most leveraged investment an organization can make is in their leadership. Because a leader touches so many people in so many ways, and if they’re not up to the challenge, it really disables the direct-program investments that leaders generally think is the best place to spend.” Jennifer Montgomery, executive director of the county’s largest nonprofit organization, Loudoun Hunger Relief, enrolled the first year the training was offered in Loudoun. She said the men and women leading charities “wear

“Research shows that the most leveraged investment an organization can make is in their leadership. — Leigh Shields, Principal, Leigh Shields & Associates

betsy davis &

several hats.” In many cases, they’re tasked with managing a team, overseeing a budget, promoting the organization and fundraising. “Most the leaders in this community are leading big organizations without a lot of help, because the infrastructure is just not there—where if you were leading a $3 million company, you’d have an HR department,” she said. “To be able to fine-tune our skills with a cohort of peers was really great.” dnadler@loudounnow.com

bill harrison the 2017 loudoun laureates

Development

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

September 29th

info@loudounlaurels.org

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to make reservations for the belmont country club gala

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July Aug. 3 – 9, 2017

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Mother and daughter Georgia and Penny Poe celebrated their 30th anniversary of their hair salon, Poe Pourri Hair Designers, with a move from Middleburg to Millwood.

New Place, Same Faces at Poe Pourri BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

other and daughter team of Georgia and Penny Poe recently celebrated their 30th year in business with perhaps the biggest move yet: a move out of Middleburg into the small, Clarke County village of Millwood. They opened Poe Pourri Hair Designers in downtown Middleburg in 1987 and moved within the town three times, having been at their most recent location for 20 years. Georgia Poe had raised her family in Purcellville and Penny Poe, a Loudoun Valley High School graduate, came on board to help her mom launch Poe Pourri when she was just 21 years old. Georgia Poe previously owned a business in Middleburg so, after a brief relocation to Lancaster, PA, she decided the town was the right place to give it another go. “Middleburg was where she had always worked, and what we knew,” Penny Poe said. In the business’ 30 years in town, they came to find a loyal clientele who made the trip to fill their chairs and share stories and laughs while the Poes worked their magic. Family was a big part of the shop, as family photographs

and paintings lined the walls. The regular clients became an extended part of the family fabric as well, they both said. Mother and daughter have a natural chemistry, which has made working together for three decades relatively easy, Penny Poe said. Working mostly different hours has also helped, with Penny Poe balancing an at-home job as a policy analyst since 2000. “We balance each other. I’m a Pisces; she’s a Virgo,” Penny Poe said. “She grounds me and sometimes I make her a little less grounded. It works very well.” With the lease on their most recent space in Middleburg expiring in July, the two made the decision to leave the town and open a new shop in Millwood. It is geographically easier for both, with Georgia Poe commuting from Stephens City and Penny Poe up the road in Berryville. But it was a decision that did not come without some heartache. “It was hard for me,” Georgia Poe said. “It’s still an emotional thing because I was there for so long. But I don’t regret coming here. I think it was the right thing to do.” Georgia Poe said many of her clients didn’t like the fact that she had such a lengthy drive to get to work, and all were receptive to the move, with many

promising to make the trip to Millwood. The fact that the clients have promised to follow them dulls the pain of leaving Middleburg, Penny Poe said. “It brings up a little grief, leaving a space that was a huge part of my adult life. Nothing in my adult life has lasted 30 years other than the hair salon,” Penny Poe said with a laugh. Their “new chapter,” as Georgia Poe calls it, starts in much the same way as the previous ones did. The neatly adorned space is lined with family photos and paintings, and Millwood reminds both mom and daughter of the Middleburg of old. The duo has seen a significant change in the town, with a recent spate of business turnover and many of Middleburg’s old guard leaving the town, whether by move, retirement or passing away. In Millwood, they find an “eclectic” village, they said, full of artists and writers. Across the street from the new salon is the Burwell-Morgan Mill, home of the biannual Art at the Mill show. Next door is the Locke Store, a popular general store-type haunt for both locals and passersby. It’s a village with a robust antiques scene, and home to many for years, and some more recently by way of retirement. “Middleburg is to Loudoun County what Millwood is to Clarke County,”

Penny Poe said. The two have high hopes for their new home, and Penny Poe said there is a possibility down the road to rent out space above their shop to help a young stylist starting their business, much as she did 30 years ago. “I grew up in my mom’s shop, shampooing hair and mixing color for it. My friends would come over and I’d cut their hair. When I was in college that’s what I did to make money for the weekend. I did perms in my dorm room,” Penny Poe recalled. “It would be wonderful to watch another young person grow a business and help them develop that.” As for now, the Poes will enjoy settling into their new space, welcoming old friends and making new ones. “I feel comfortable here,” Penny Poe said. “It just fits.” Poe Pourri is located at 2045 Millwood Road in Millwood. Georgia and Penny Poe will be available for appointments Tuesday through Saturday. The shop can be reached at 540837-1100, and can be found online at sites.google.com/a/poepourri.biz/ poe-pourri-hair-designers. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

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Town Seeks Partner For Fireman’s Field

Debt Restructuring Plan Approved by Council Acting on the recommendation of

the town’s financial advisor, the Town Council on July 25 approved plans to restructure up to $21 million in outstanding debt. The actions, recommended by Davenport and Company, will reduce projected annual water and sewer rate increases from 7 percent to 2 percent, avoid a looming balloon payment, and allow more flexibility with the use of the Fireman’s Field complex. Money available from the town’s General Fund reserves will be used to buy down some debt. The town is expected to close on a new $5 million loan with Sterling Bank early this month and to sell approximately $17.9 million in 20-year bonds in September.

ROUND HILL Election Filing Deadline Looms The deadline for candidates to file to run in the town’s November special election is Friday, Aug. 18. On Nov. 7, town voters will fill the council seat vacated by Kim Fortunato, who resigned Nov. 24. The winning candidate will serve until the term expires June 30, 2020. More detailed information about running for office and the required paperwork is available from the Virginia Department of Elections at elections. virginia.gov/candidatepac-info and at loudoun.gov/vote.

File photo

Initial questions from interested bidders should be sent to the town by Aug. 14 for review. A tour of the property then will be scheduled. The RFP will be open for formal responses until 10 a.m. Sept. 5. Questions about the RFP should be directed to the Procurement Specialist Kathy Elgin at kelgin@purcellvilleva. gov or 540-338-7093.

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Catoctin Creek Distribution Expands to Pennsylvania

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Catoctin Creek Distilling Company in Purcellville has announced plans to begin selling its award-winning spirits in Pennsylvania in September. The spirits will be available throughout the state with concentration in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Founded in 2009 by the husband and wife team of Becky and Scott Harris, Catoctin Creek uses regional, organic ingredients to produce a variety of premium spirits, including its flagship Roundstone Rye, which holds distinction as Virginia’s most-awarded whisky. A substantial amount of the grain used to make Roundstone Rye and other Ca-

The Purcellville Town Council last week authorized a formal Request for Proposal seeking for companies or organizations to help preserve and manage the town-owned Fireman’s Field complex. In voting unanimously to issue the RFP, council members stressed that their priority was to preserve and protect the property, which includes the Bush Tabernacle, Fireman’s Field, Haske Field and the Dillon Woods picnic area. The intent is to retain town ownership of the entire property while also generating more revenue to cover costs, holding taxes down.

toctin products is sourced from Pennsylvania farms. Catoctin Creek’s bottles also come from Pennsylvania, made at Anchor Hocking Company in Monaca, near Pittsburgh. “Every bottle we produce at Catoctin Creek is crafted by hand from the best organic grains,” Scott Harris stated. “We have a great working relationship with many producers in Pennsylvania, so we can’t wait for the spirits we make with careful attention to detail to be enjoyed by people across the state.” More details can be found at catoctincreek.com/wheretobuy-pa.

Aug 3 – 9, 2017

PURCELLVILLE

[ LOCO LIVING ]

July Aug. 3 – 9, 2017

loudounnow.com

Submitted photo

Robert “Mousey” Thompson joined James Brown’s band during its 1990s resurgence. After the funk legend’s death in 2006, Thompson formed a tribute band that has been playing Brown favorites ever since.

Keeping the Beat Mousey Thompson Shares the James Brown Experience BY JAN MERCKER

obert “Mousey” Thompson kept the rhythm for soul icon James Brown for the last decade of his life. When Brown died, the DC-based drummer decided to keep the music going. Thompson launched his tribute show, Mousey Thompson’s James Brown Experience, after Brown’s death in 2006, playing favorites from the godfather of soul and other greats. The high-energy soul, R&B and funk show comes to Leesburg’s Tally Ho Theater Aug. 11. In an interesting twist of fate, it was Brown’s 1966 performance at the famed Howard Theatre that got Thompson into music. The DC native remembers seeing the show as a 9-year-old with his family. “He comes out and I’m mesmerized. From that day on, that’s what I wanted to do—be an entertainer,” Thompson said. Thompson started out as a singer, but decided to take up the drums when he noticed that drummers weren’t able to give him the accents he wanted. Thompson already had an impressive

FYI MOUSEY THOMPSON’S JAMES BROWN EXPERIENCE plays the Tally Ho Theater Friday, Aug. 11 Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance. Special packages including dinner before the show at DC Prime steakhouse in Ashburn are also available. Details at tallyhotheater.com Mousey Thompson

résumé when he joined Brown’s band in 1993. He played with beloved DC vocal group Skip Mahoney and the Casuals, toured with R&B superstars Peaches and Herb in the 1970s and performed with a long list of big names including Wilson Pickett and Lloyd Price. Thompson joined Brown’s band

during the singer’s early ’90s resurgence, after Brown spent three years in prison for charges related to a highspeed police chase in 1988. Through industry connections, Thompson was invited to audition for Brown’s band and earned the spot despite making a big mistake. Unaware of Brown’s reputation as a stickler for both musical

accuracy and appearance, Thompson almost made the unforgivable error of showing up underdressed. “I came down with sweatpants a baseball cap—totally wrong. I got to the hotel and the guy told me to go back and change clothes,” he said. After a quick change, Thompson found himself in a roomful of talented drummers rotating on multiple drum sets. But Thompson stood out. “Mr. Brown turned to me and said, ‘Stay here, son.’ Then he turned to everybody who came out and said, ‘Thank you we’ve made our decision.’ He looked back to me and said, ‘Welcome to the family, son.’” Brown was in his 60s and 70s when Thompson toured with him, and the drummer was consistently impressed with his boss’ energy level and passion. “It was James Brown. He had that same energy,” Thompson said. “I felt like I should buy a ticket every time I performed with him.” Thompson recalls an especially memorable episode in the Republic of Georgia while on an international tour. The band was set up in a sports arena on a stage over an Olympic-sized pool, despite the fact that Brown was notoriously unable to swim. The band had started Brown’s 1970 hit “Sex Machine” when the singer took his musicians by surprise. “The next thing I know, he starts running toward the front of the stage and jumps in,” Thompson said. “By this time, the horn players are going in, the dancers are going in. People in the band are just jumping in because they know he can’t swim—and he has his boots on. … Once he comes out— thank God—he gave everybody a bonus who jumped in.” When Brown died, Thompson’s initial idea for a one-time tribute performance turned into a project that has lasted more than a decade, propelled by audience enthusiasm. “It wasn’t something that I had planned on keeping going,” Thompson said. Thompson assembled a group of top-notch DC-area musicians to create The James Brown Experience and hired singer/comedian Gregory Cooper, who had already won fans around the region with his Brown impersonations, as lead vocalist. Cooper recreates the full experience in both sound and stage presence, Thompson said. “He is bringing all the essence of Brown out. You would think Mr. Brown is still here once you see this cat come out on stage.” Thompson likes to take audiences beyond James Brown with other soul favorites, and vocalist Karen Linette rounds out the show with a tribute to female soul singers. The idea is to give older generations a blast from the past and give younger listeners a sense of what a James Brown show was like in a celebratory atmosphere. “We have fun doing the James Brown hits, that’s for sure,” Thompson said. “It’s nothing but fun music.”

[ THINGS TO DO ]

Aug 3 – 9, 2017

SUMMER TUNES BRAMBLETON SIZZLIN’ SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: FOOTWERK Thursday, Aug. 3, 6 p.m. gates open, 7 p.m. concert begins; Brambleton Town Center, 42395 Ryan Road, Brambleton. Details: brambleton.com

MUSIC UNDER THE STARS IN THE GAP: TODD BROOKS AND CHRIS BOWEN Friday, Aug. 4, 6:30 p.m. lawn opens, 7:30 p.m. music begins; Hillsboro Old Stone School, 37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. Details: oldstoneschool.org Two local favorites join forces for an evening of great music. Bowen is an impressive one-man band while Brooks is known for alt-rock tunes and fun covers. Concert is free.

TARARA SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: THE REFLEX Saturday, Aug. 5, 6 p.m.; Tarara Winery, 13648 Tarara Lane, Lucketts. Details: tarara.com More great ’80s music at one of the summer’s most rocking concert series. Tickets are $20 in advance.

Courtesy of Gary Smallwood

ture country rock/blues rock style. The event is free and open to the public. Pets, alcohol and smoking are prohibited.

BLUEMONT CONCERT SERIES: MARTINSBURG JAZZ ORCHESTRA Saturday, Aug. 5, 7 p.m.; Downtown Middleburg, 15 S. Madison St., Middleburg. Details: bluemont.org Authentic swing and contemporary big band jazz from a Bluemont favorite. Requested donation is $5 per person, $4 for Bluemont friends and seniors and $2 for children 12 and younger.

ACOUSTIC WEDNESDAY: KERRY MCCOOL

ACOUSTIC ON THE GREEN: GARY SMALLWOOD

Wednesday, Aug. 9, 6-8 p.m.; One Loudoun, 20626 East Hampton Plaza, Ashburn. Details: oneloudoun.com

Saturday, Aug. 5, 7 p.m.; Leesburg Town Green, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: acousticonthegreen.com

Wind down midweek with rock and Americana from a local favorite at One Loudoun’s Acoustic Wednesday.

One of Loudoun’s favorite voices returns to Acoustic on the Green with his signa-

THINGS TO DO >> 30

PARK ACTIVITIES

Catch a Live Animal Show and roam with the critters in the Contact Area. Climb aboard a wagon ride, jump on a pony or camel. Kids love our indoor Jungle Play Zone and everyone will enjoy the exotic animals you can meet here at the Park!

MEET THE ANIMALS African Serval Cats White-Handed Gibbons Zebras Lemurs Camels Sloth Llamas & Donkeys Goats, Sheep & Pigs Cows, Bunnies & Ducks

Fun, London-style indie pop from a freewheeling DC-area favorite. Concert is free. Bring a picnic or buy something from a food truck on site.

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[ THINGS TO DO ]

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<< FROM 29

ON STAGE ‘42ND STREET’ Friday, Aug. 4 and Saturday, Aug. 5, 8 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 6, 2 p.m.; Potomac Falls High School, 46400 Algonkian Parkway, Potomac Falls. Details: sterlingplaymakers.com Sterling Playmakers presents the classic story of Peggy Sawyer who comes to Broadway in 1933 and lands a spot in a dance line in a new musical. Tickets are $15. Performances continue Aug. 11-13.

LIVE MUSIC: THE IMMORTALS Saturday, Aug. 5, 7 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org Enjoy rock, soul, contemporary, R&B, jazz standards and originals by top students at Loudoun Music Instruction.

BENEFIT CONCERT: ANDREW KOZAK Sunday, Aug. 6, 4-6 p.m.; The Old Furniture Factory, 6 W. Loudoun St., Round Hill. Details: theoldfurniturefactory.com Classically trained pianist Andrew Kozak plays a benefit concert to support Genesis International’s efforts to build a school building in Malawi. Wine and cheese will be served before the event. Suggested donation is $25 per person.

FAMILY FUN LIVE AT LANSDOWNE: ‘ZOOTOPIA’ Friday, Aug. 4, 6:30 p.m., pre-show activities begin; Lansdowne Town Center, 19286 Promenade Drive, Lansdowne. Details: shoplansdownetowncenter.com

Enjoy a face painter, moon bounce and scavenger hunt followed by a screening of the 2016 Disney favorite.

Saturday, Aug. 5, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Lovettsville Community Center Pool, 57 E. Broad Way. Lovettsville. Contact: 540-822-5284

CHESTERBROOK ACADEMY TOUCH-A-TRUCK

Lovettsville transforms into a tropical paradise with swimming, games and music. Admission is $3 at the door for ages 3 and up.

Saturday, Aug. 5, 3-5 p.m.; Chesterbrook Academy, 23651 Strickland Drive, Ashburn. Details: chesterbrookacademy.com Families can explore vehicles including a school bus, fire truck, ambulance, construction trucks and other cool vehicles. Ice cream will be provided. Admission is free, but visitors are encouraged to make a $1 donation or bring a nonperishable food item for Loudoun Hunger Relief.

HOGBACK MOUNTAIN PONY RIDES ANNIVERSARY EXTRAVAGANZA Saturday, Aug. 5, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; 19732 Hogback Mountain Road, Leesburg. Details: hogbackmountainponyrides.com Hogback Mountain Pony Rides celebrates one year in business with a fundraising party for the Gingersnap Girls nonprofit. Event includes pony rides, pool time, vendors, food trucks and raffles. Unlimited pony ride wristband is available for a $30 donation.

GREAT COUNTRY FARMS PEACH DAZE FUZZ-TIVAL Saturday, Aug. 5 and Sunday, Aug. 6, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Great Country Farms, 18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont. Details: greatcountryfarms.com Great Country Farms celebrates peach season with peach pancakes, peach picking, live music and a peach pit spitting contest. Admission is $10 for children, $12 for adults.

LOVETTSVILLE COMMUNITY LUAU

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We don’t think twice about regularly scheduling dental and vision exams, so why not our hearing? As you commit yourself to whole body wellness, don’t forget about your ears! Adults, age 55 and older, should have their hearing checked annually as part of an overall wellness program. Your ears are just as important as your eyes and teeth — make sure you see an audiologist regularly, too!

Call Leesburg Family Hearing today 703-737-7707.

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Wellness Hearing Screening Expires 8/31/17.

‘ALADDIN KIDS’ Wednesday, Aug. 9, 1 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 10, 7 p.m. and Friday, Aug. 11, 7 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org This one-act, 30-minute version of Disney’s “Aladdin” is performed by local campers from Main Street Theater Productions’ summer camp. It’s the story of Aladdin, Jasmine, Iago and Jafar in a nutshell—with plenty of time for magic, mayhem and love. Tickets are $5 at the door.

NIGHTLIFE LIVE MUSIC: PAT MCGEE Friday, Aug. 4, 7 pm., doors open; Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyhotheater.com From his early days in Richmond to national acclaim in the early 2000s, McGee’s warm, classic rock-influenced style has earned him legions of fans in Virginia and beyond. Tickets are $25 in advance.

featuring DJ Master C. Tickets are $15. The event benefits the Loudoun NAACP. Dinner packages and reserved tables are available.

LIVE MUSIC: ALAN SCOTT BAND Friday, Aug. 4, 9 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com Guitar-based modern melodic rock from a DC standout. No cover.

LIVE MUSIC: THE VIPS Saturday, Aug. 5, 9 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com This talented, high-energy quartet brings favorite covers from the ’80s through today. No cover.

LOCO CULTURE MIDDLEBURG SUMMER SIDEWALK SALE Friday, Aug. 4 and Saturday, Aug. 5, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 6 as posted by shops; downtown Middleburg. Details: visitmiddleburgva.com Middleburg’s 11th annual summer sidewalk sale features great deals from downtown’s charming shops and restaurants.

SAGETOPIA MURAL DEDICATION

ATLANTIS SUMMER CELEBRATION

Saturday, Aug. 5, 10 a.m.; Liberty Street Parking Lot, 203 Liberty St. SW, Leesburg. Details: leesburgpublicarts.org

Friday, Aug. 4, 8 p.m.; Atlantis, 45449 Severn Way, Dulles. Details: atlantispremiereevents.com

Friends of Leesburg Public Arts and the Sagetopia graphic design studio unveil a new mural in downtown Leesburg.

Club Atlantis celebrates summer and Leo birthdays with an evening of fun and great R&B, soul and old-school music

‘LOUDOUN QUAKERS, ABOLITION AND

Local Girl Stars in ‘Secret Garden’ children with haunting melodies and spirits from Mary’s past that guide her through her new life. In the role of Mary, is Serena Parrish, an eighth-grader at Blue Ridge Middle School. Earlier this year, she landed a lead role in “Suessical the Musical” through Purcellville-based Main Street Theater and played Annie in Blue Ridge’s production of “Annie Jr.” Performances for “The Secret Gar-

31 Aug 3 – 9, 2017

Lovettsville 13-year-old Serena Parrish stars in Other Voices Theatre’s production of “The Secret Garden,” which opens this weekend. The performance is a musical version of the classic tale of children’s literature. Orphaned in India, 11-yearold Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle, Archibald, and his invalid son, Colin. The estate’s many wonders include a magic garden that beckons the

den” are at 8 p.m. Friday. Aug 4, Saturday Aug. 5, Friday Aug. 11 and Saturday, Aug. 12 at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6 and Sunday, Aug. 13. Tickets range from $18 to $22. Renaissance Chef will cater a preshow dinner buffet available on Saturday, Aug. 5, and a pre-show brunch buffet available Sunday, Aug. 6. Performances are at The Performing Arts Factory, 244 South Jefferson St. in Frederick, MD. Find more information and purchase tickets at othervoicestheatre.org.

Submitted photo

[OBITUARIES] Mary Virginia Byrne Mary Virginia Byrne, 74, of Inwood, WV, died July 27 at the Berkeley Medical Center, Martinsburg, WV. Mrs. Byrne was born June 10, 1943, at Columbia Hospital for Women in Washington, DC. She graduated from James Madison High School in 1962.

She married the love of her life, Jim Byrne, on November 10, 1962. The two shared a wonderful life together. Surviving with her husband are three daughters, Connie Miller (Jim), Debbie Byrne and Julie Byrne;

A grandson, Justin Byrne and two brothers, John Cornett and James Cornett, preceded her in death. Funeral services were held Aug. 1 at Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church in Berryville, with the Rev. Jim Smith officiating. Burial was at Union Cemetery in Leesburg. Memorial contributions may be made to Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church, 210 E Main St., Berrryville, VA 22611.

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Mary was a loving and nurturing soul, and she will be missed dearly.

three sisters, Thelma Smith, Barbara Toth (Steve), and Jean Hendrickson (Jim); two brothers, Ernie Cornett (Kay) and John Cornett; a granddaughter, Erin Pitcher (Will), one beloved great-grandson, James Hudson Pitcher and two step-grandchildren, Erika and Nathan Miller.

Serena Parrish plays Mary Lennox in Other Voices Theatre’s production of “The Secret Garden.”

loudounnow.com

Public Notices TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE, VA REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) OPERATION, MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION OF PURCELLVILLE’S HISTORIC FIREMAN’S FIELD COMPLEX RFP# TC-2018-07 The Town of Purcellville desires to contract with a firm for the operation and management of the Bush Tabernacle and the Fireman’s Field complex with the purpose of fully and in perpetuity preserving, maintaining, and enhancing the character and town ownership of the entire property by generating public revenue to cover related costs without having to increase citizens’ tax burden. The town is looking for a firm that will: 1) Permanently preserve the character and feel of the property as a historic town asset and key component of Purcellville’s community identity; and 2) Generate and maximize public revenue for Purcellville citizens. The RFP describes the properties and their current uses and further details the scope of services and expected activities. It is available on the Town’s Bid Board http:// purcellvilleva.gov/bids.aspx. Questions must be in writing and emailed to Kathy Elgin, Procurement Specialist, at kelgin@purcellvilleva.gov. Questions must be received by August 14, 2017. Responses are due by 10:00 AM, Tuesday, September 5, 2017. This RFP does not guarantee award of a contract.

Public Notice The Loudoun County Circuit Court is seeking any potential heirs or other interested individuals to serve as Trustees pursuant to Va. Code 57-22 et seq. for the management, care, preservation and improvement of a historic burial ground for enslaved African-Americans located on property near Belmont Ridge Road and Leesburg Pike, east of the Town of Leesburg, identified as PIN No. 083-35-9224. This request for Trustee applications is advertised in connection with Petition Nos. CL00108892-00 and CL00109251-00 filed with the Loudoun County Circuit Court. Interested parties should submit a letter of interest and any other relevant documentation outlining their qualifications, experience or knowledge that might aid in the management, oversight, protection and restoration of this cemetery to The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, 20 E. Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20176. Interested parties should be available to present themselves to the Circuit Court at a hearing on October 4, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. at the Loudoun County Courthouse.

[ D E AT H N O T I C E ] Todd Coleman Jones,

48, died July 17 at his home in Purcellville. Visitation will be held at Loudoun Funeral Chapel in Leesburg at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12, followed by a memorial service at noon. [Loudoun Funeral Chapel]

Herbert Eli Smith,

50, died July 9 at Inova Inova Loudoun Hospital. Funeral services were held July 22 at Centreville Baptist Church. Interment was at Ketoctin Cemetery near Purcellville. [Lyles Funeral Service]

Lawrence “Larry” Martin Winkler, 81, of Ashburn, died July 25 at Loudoun Nursing & Rehabilita-

tion in Leesburg. Born, Dec. 2, 1935 in New York, he is the son of William and Ray (Hirschman) Winkler. He graduated from Ohio University and later earned his CPA from the University of Miami. He owned and operated a restaurant in Miami Beach, FL. He is survived by his wife of almost 57 years, Judith (Zuckerman) Winkler; daughter Rebecca Winkler of Ashburn; son Jeffrey Winkler of Silver Spring, MD, and sister Barbara Fishman of Aventura, FL. Graveside services were held on July 26 at Judean Memorial Gardens in Olney, MD. Memorial contributions may be made to: the National Parkinson Foundation Capital Chapter, 1501 Farm Credit Dr., McLean, VA 22102. [Loudoun Funeral Chapel]

To Place an Obituary, Memoriam or Death Notice Contact: Susan Styer 540-454-0831 sstyer@loudounnow.com

Fountains of Living Water

(Non-denomination, Full Gospel)

Meeting at: Sterling Middle School 201 W. Holly Ave. Sterling,VA 20164 Sunday 10:15am www.fountainsoflivingwater.org (703) 433-1481 “Whoever believes in me (Jesus)... streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7:38

To advertise contact Classifieds: 703-770-9723

In Print & Online

Your Smart, Bold, Beautiful Career Awaits! Hair Cuttery in Great Falls, Sterling, Leesburg, Ashburn, & Dulles!

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Call Kenny at 301-331-7861 or apply at www.haircuttery.com/careers

Summit is currently accepting resumes for the following full-time position at our Leesburg, VA location Customer Service Representative

Applicant must have strong professionalism and customer service skills. Applicant must have excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook). Prior customer service experience and retail banking experience preferred. For complete job description please visit our website at: www.MySummit.com. Summit is an Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Applications or a resume may be mailed to: Summit Financial Group, Inc Attn: Human Resources Dept. PO Box 179, Moorefield, WV 26836 OR emailed to: summitresumes@summitfgi.com

We’re Moving Everything Must Go!

Sat. and Sun. Aug. 12-13 & 19-20 from 9 to 3 14529 Purcellville Rd., Purcellville,VA

Furniture/Lamps/Rugs,Antiques/Collectables, Beer Can and Porcelain Doll Collections China, Kitchen and/Cookware, Freezer Chest/Refrigerator, Generator, Lawncare Equipment/Tools and much more!

We also have openings in our Ashburn, Lansdowne, Cornwall and Purcellville offices. Pediatric and or family practice experience preferred but willing to train the right candidate. EHR experience highly recommended. We offer health, dental and vision insurance as well as direct deposit, 401k and many other benefits. Please send your resume to lgray@ lmgdoctors.com or fax to 703-7260804, attention Lisa.

For Rent RENTAL Leesburg Fox Chapel Condo, 2nd floor. 3 BR, 2BA, Fireplace, Enclosed Sunroom, $1500/mo. 1 yr. lease, water and sewer included. New A/C Unit. 2/mo. deposit required. Prefer no pets and no smoking. Available 08/01.

Crossword

Call 703-777-8962.

YARD SALE Visit LoudounNow.com August 5th, 2017 43294for Creekbank more! Court, Leesburg VA 20176

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Yard Sale

Large family practice in Loudoun County seeking FT LPN’s or MA’s for our new site located in the professional building at Stone Springs Hospital in Aldie, VA.

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Looking for Licensed Salon Professionals & Management

FT LPN or MA

Aug 3 – 9, 2017

HAIR SALON

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Resource Directory BATHROOMS

BATHROOM REMODELING

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

Start to finish / To 11/2 Weeks

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Helping busy people conquer dirt! Residential Oeaning Services for Houses, Townhouses, and Condos Weekly, Biweekly, or Monthly. Equipment & Supplies Provided.

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[ OPINION ]

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Where the Line Starts Loudoun County has a habit of walking on the cutting edge of legal battles. Lawsuits over legality of prayers during school graduations and content filters on library computers are

among the high-profiles court appeals that come to mind. Now, Loudoun’s government leaders are finding themselves as test cases in the age of social media. Not since the introduction of Gutenberg’s printing press have individuals been given a bigger conduit to share their views with the masses than with today’s assortment of content sharing websites and apps. With a keystroke, one can send his or her thoughts and opinions to hundreds or thousands or millions of others. It’s a powerful tool in the hands of our president on one end of the spectrum, and for those who feel ignored or disenfranchised on the other. Social media gives

[ LETTERS ]

a voice to the voiceless as much as it provides a bigger bully pulpit to those already in positions of power. Lawsuits brought against county supervisors and School Board members by one of their most determined critics challenge the ability of politicians and public servants to mute his voice. There have been, and will be, many more court cases filed seeking instruction on where to draw the line in nature of online postings and commentaries. The legal landscape remains muddy, in Loudoun and well beyond its boundaries. It is clear, however, where that line starts. Freedom of speech is among the most fundamental American rights. It is to be protected—and limited in only the most extraordinary circumstances. Having a government critic post a comment—even a grossly misleading one—on a politician’s website or Facebook page is little different than having him or her picketing with signs outside a government building. Uncomfortable? Frustrating? Counterproductive? Maddening? That’s our democracy.

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Steps Backward Editor: Dominion Energy is proposing to build a $5.1 billion, 600-mile pipeline to transport 1.5 billion cubic feet per day of fracked natural gas from West Virginia’s Marcellus shale fields through 13 central and eastern Virginia counties on its way to North Carolina. Construction is scheduled to begin this year with gas delivery to begin in late 2018. Along with 8.4 million others, I am a citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia—and I emphasize the term, “Common-wealth.” As such, it is our collective, democratic civic responsibility and obligation to ensure that actions taken by our government achieve its purpose as defined in the U.S. Constitution—to “promote the general welfare.” Against this standard, Dominion’s proposed pipeline project does not “promote the general welfare.” Accordingly, Virginia’s regulatory agencies of jurisdiction should deny approval of the permits that would allow Dominion to begin construction. The Atlantic Coastal Pipeline project fails on three substantive grounds. First, the project will physically alter and unavoidably disrupt delicate and consequential environmental and ecological systems in one of Virginia’s most notable, and long-protected, nationally significant stores of natural resources, the George Washington National Forest, with only conjectural public compensation. Many Virginians depend on these resources for their livelihoods and quality of life. Secondly, the economic, social and environmental costs of the pipeline will be disproportionately borne, with little or no compensation, by the residents in the communities of the 13 Virginia counties that will suffer—without their consent—the misfortunes of being designated to be on the pipeline route by Dominion Energy. Third, but by no means last in significance, the pipeline is a $5.1 billion investment that contributes to the progressive warming of the planet, an unprecedented global, existential issue. It is an investment in the physical infrastructure that ensures, and requires, for the foreseeable future, the expanded

use of natural gas, a fossil fuel with 34 times the impact on global warming as carbon dioxide. In the face of the threat of global climate change to generations of human and other lives worldwide, Virginia has a moral obligation to join with other states and make policy decisions consistent with the magnitude of the issue. Already coastal areas in Virginia are experiencing some of the predicted effects of global warming. Under the leadership of Governor McAuliffe, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Dominion Energy, have made contributions to the diversification of our energy economy by expanding the installation and use of renewable energy technologies. These are prudent, necessary steps forward. Continuing improvements in renewable energy technologies are making them cost-competitive with fossil fuels. Mass production to meet expanding demand for renewables will bring further cost reductions. In this is the future for Virginia, dictated by necessity, facilitated by technology, and promoted by government policy—with the consent of the governed. — Randy Ihara, South Riding

Focus on US, Not Russia Editor: Six months into the presidency of Donald Trump, the “Russia-gate” scandal continues to swirl around the White House. Did Russian President Vladimir Putin “hack” the 2016 election to put Trump in office? Is the U.S. now a tool of Russia? With so much talk in the air, it is easy to forget the origin of the scandal. That is, upon what evidence are these claims based? A memo published July 24 by the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity takes aim at the central piece of purported evidence of Russian hacking that was included in the Jan. 6 Intelligence Community Assessment. This assessment was authored by members of several U.S. intelligence agencies (not all 17) and assessed that Mr. Putin had directing an influence campaign on our election. The VIPS memo, “Was LETTERS >> 37

[ LETTERS ]

Help Fight the Paving Editor: We are demanding that Supervisor Tony Buffington compromise to save our small piece of rural Philomont’s Greggsville Road. There is still time to prevent Greggsville Road’s south side— between Jeb Stuart and North Fork— from being paved. Supervisor Buffington is the only one who can tell VDOT

Tragic << FROM 1 no indication of foul play. He noted the road is “not a great road to navigate in normal times, let alone bad weather,” indicating Friday night’s storm when more than 2 inches of rain dumped on the area. “At this point, it looks as though maybe the vehicle had crossed over the center line, maybe it got caught up in the rain and hit the embankment,” Chapman said. He added it was a “tragic end to a tragic scenario.” The car was in an area of heavy brush cover, Chapman said, and not

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Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Family members are met by Loudoun deputies as they arrived near the scene of an apparent crash that killed a Suffolk woman and two children.

Life Leaves a Mark

the ‘Russian Hack’ an Inside Job?” reports that evidence of Russian “hacking” was deliberately planted in leaked documents. The memo also reports that documents released by supposed Russian hacker Guccifer 2.0 have metadata indicating they were simply copied, rather than hacked, from Democratic National Committee computers. These doctored documents, with such silly “clues” as Cyrillic text naming the founder of the Soviet secret police as the last-modified-by user, were used to deflect attention from the documents provided to WikiLeaks (as a leak, not a hack), and to create a story of Russian interference where there wasn’t one. Read the VIPS memo, and reassess U.S. priorities. Last week, the Congress passed a new sanctions bill against Russia. With thousands of Americans dying from opioid overdoses every month, and even more than that dying from alcoholism, with stagnant wages and a shrinking labor force participation rate, why should Russia be our focus? — Jason Ross, Purcellville

not to pave it. Here’s what you can do: Call Supervisor Buffington’s office, every day, twice a day. Call directly to his chief of staff, Shevaun Hochstettler at 571-258-3748, and call the office at 703-777-0210, email to tony.buffington@loudoun.gov, or contact him through Facebook. To anyone who believes in right from wrong, make him hear us. Flood their voicemails and inboxes. Key points to make: Demand Buffington meet with the Philomont community. His office continues to ignore our emails and calls requesting a meeting. Paving can still be stopped. In June, 80 percent of the residents of the south side of Greggsville Road whose properties are largely agricultural and comprise 250 acres signed a petition against paving. Safety is critical. Speeds will double on this already straight, soon to be widened/flattened road. Protect neighbors who live on the road and the many walkers, horse and bicycle riders who enjoy it. Save our rural landscape from those who are trying to suburbanize it. Send a message that money isn’t all that “talks.” A subdivision resident with a Greggsville address has so far donated $163,800 to Senator Dick Black (R13), who earmarked state funds to pave Greggsville Road. Don’t let this kind of political corruption drown out our voices. Save Greggsville Road and fight Pay for Pave now. — Madeline Skinner, owner Philomont General Store

37 Aug 3 – 9, 2017

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easily visible from the road or even from the air. Also, it was likely the creek was flooded during the weekend and covering the car more than on Monday, when the water was about halfway up the side of the car, he said. The bodies were taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner for identification and to determine the cause of the deaths. Evergreen Mill Road was closed for more than five hours as the scene was investigated. Anyone with information about the crash was asked to call the Sheriff ’s Office at 703-777-1021. So far this year, 15 people have been killed on Loudoun roadways.

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The Peoples Constitution

Social media case << FROM 3 moderate comments on their social media websites, or that it will always violate the First Amendment to ban or block commenters from such websites,” Cacheris wrote. “Indeed, a degree of moderation is necessary to preserve social media websites as useful forums for the exchange of ideas.” He also wrote that “given the prevalence of online ‘trolls,’ this is no mere hypothetical risk.”

The Secret Sauce BY BEN LENHART

merica is an exceptional country. While we still have important problems to overcome, America remains the leader of the free world, and immigrants continue to risk everything for a chance to create a new life in America. Why? What is the “secret sauce” of America’s stunning success over the centuries? While there are many factors, the Constitution plays a central role in America’s well-being. Throughout our history three key features of the Constitution, working together, have served as guardrails on the road to prosperity: democracy, individual rights and the rule of law.

Democracy The Constitution oozes democracy. Article I mandates election of Senators and Representatives. Article II requires that the President be elected. Article IV guarantees a “Republican Form of Government.” Of the 17 Amendments to the Constitution since the Bill of Rights, a large number—seven— involve voting or elections. These Amendments generally expand the right to vote, but none alter the fundamental Constitutional embrace of democracy. Those holding high office in America do not gain their positions by force or corruption (as often happens around the world). They are not installed by a dictator. Rather, they are chosen by ordinary Americans in free elections, and they can be voted out of office if they fail to serve the people. While no election is perfect, American elections—unlike those in many countries— are not “fake” or “rigged,” but instead reflect the will of the people (at least those who vote). How does our Constitutional democracy contribute to American’s success? First, it serves as a core check and balance on those in power. While any democracy has its flaws, no other system devised by humans has proven better at selecting leaders. American governments are marked by their amazing stability: America has had no coup d’états, and no American President has evolved into a dictator. Scores of Presidents and Senators—having lost the trust of the people—were denied a second term by the voters, and left office peacefully. Dictators don’t depart so easily. Second, democracy empowers people and instills in them a sense that they have a stake in America. While one person’s vote for President can seem insignificant, one need only look to the Trump 2016 election or the Bush 2000 election to see just how powerful a few votes can be. Third, democracy gives legitimacy to the American government that is lacking in nations whose leaders gain pow-

er by violence or corruption. A nation with legitimately elected leaders has a solid foundation to build a prosperous society. In contrast, when people believe their government lacks legitimacy, they are less willing to sacrifice for the good of the nation or work to build a stronger society (witness the low morale of many citizens of the USSR before the fall of that regime).

Individual Rights Democracy is necessary but not sufficient to ensure a country’s success. Democracies can produce evil leaders that crush all opposition and imprison their enemies. Many nations today claim to be democracies, but flagrantly disregard the basic rights of their citizens and imprison those who speak out against the government. The American Constitution helps protect against this by both declaring individual rights and creating the mechanisms to enforce them: the right to free speech and free press, the right to freely exercise your religion, the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, the right to a jury and to counsel in criminal trials, the right to remain silent, the right to bear arms, and the right not to have your “life, liberty, or property” taken away except under the strict requirements of “due process of law” (and many others). These rights are the “Blessings of Liberty” promised by the Constitution, and they form a core part of what it means to be an American. They are bulwarks against tyranny and dictatorship, and these rights—fiercely protected by the Constitution—have undoubtedly helped America achieve its exceptional role in the world.

Rule of law But even democracy and strong individual rights together are not sufficient to ensure America’s success. Many countries today have fine laws and elaborate voting procedures, but they lack one thing—rule of law. They don’t enforce the laws on the books. A piece of paper giving elaborate legal protections is cold comfort to someone rotting in a dark jail cell, thrown there with no trial or “due process” by a corrupt government on trumped-up charges. In America, backed up by our potent Constitution, individual rights and democratic voting rules are (most of the time) strongly protected because we have rule of law through an extensive system of law enforcement. And the Constitution is the bedrock for that rule of law. First, as announced by Chief Justice Marshall in 1803 in Marbury v. Madison, the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and the Supreme Court— not the President—has final say in its interpretation. This famous ruling helped

establish rule of law in America. In one fell swoop, Marshall ruled that the Constitution gives the Court the power to (A) order President Jefferson to obey the law (i.e., give Marbury his job), and (B) invalidate a law passed by Congress because that law contradicted the Constitution. The clear message of Marbury: No one was above the law. With Marbury as a guide, the Court has gone on to strike down many actions by Congress and the President because they ran afoul of our most fundamental law—the Constitution. Over time, this sends a message and sets a tone for America: everyone from our highest leaders on down is subject to the rule of law. As John Adams put it: “We are nation of laws, not of men.” Rudyard Kipling put this idea to poetry: “Leave to live by no man’s leave, underneath the Law.” Second, the most important sentence in Article II of the Constitution is the very first, which vests the President with the power to enforce the law. From FBI agents to TSA officers and the Secret Service, the federal government has broad powers to keep the peace and prosecute law violators. Article III creates our federal court system—another core component of “rule of law.” State and local governments have their own law enforcement and courts. All of these “rule of law” components work together to protect Americans and their fundamental rights. Yet, rule of law is often taken for granted. Imagine a world without it: widespread crime, “might makes right,” no protection for individual rights, no free and fair elections—in short, anarchy. Life would return to being “nasty, brutish and short.” That is why we all owe a debt of gratitude to our law enforcement personnel, and why rule of law is so critically important. Without it, the best “paper” laws in the world are worthless. But with it—coupled with democracy and strong individual rights—we find a core part of the secret sauce to America’s success. All three are necessary; leave out any one of these and the people are in peril. The Constitution deeply engrains these three ingredients into the very fabric of America, and because of it American has prospered. But it takes the hard work and vigilance of the American people, day in day out, to ensure that we don’t lose all that we as a nation have achieved. Ben Lenhart is a graduate of Harvard Law School and has taught Constitutional Law at Georgetown Law Center for more than 20 years. He lives with his family and lots of animals on a farm near Hillsboro.

An Appeal in the Works The county is considering appealing the decision against Randall, who said the two judges gave “inconsistent decisions.” If it happens, that appeal could help clarify whether a Facebook page is a public forum. “The facts are that School Board members blocked the plaintiff from commenting on their Facebook pages for many months and the case was dismissed by the court, while I blocked the plaintiff overnight for approximately eight hours because he made inappropriate comments, not about the elected official but about the members of their families, and another court finds a First Amendment infraction,” Randall said in a statement. “It just doesn’t make sense to me.” “The status of social media is a novel question in the law,” stated County Attorney Leo Rogers. “Judge Trenga used the traditional public forum analysis to determine no Constitutional violation occurred, while Judge Cacheris weighed the totality of the circumstances and concluded that government action was involved in what otherwise was a private Facebook page. An appellate court will need to clarify how and when social media constitutes public forums.” Davison is a frequent critic both online, often as “Virginia SGP,” and in public meetings. From October 2015 to June 2016, he was banned from school grounds, including picking up his children from Seldens Landing Elementary School without advance notice. It wasn’t the first time Davison has taken Loudoun officials to court. In April 2016, a Richmond Circuit Court judge sided with Davison in deciding the Virginia Department of Education must release Loudoun County Public Schools’ Student Growth Percentile scores by school and by teacher. Davison said the scores are a better indicator of students’ year-over-year progress and they would help administrators identify the division’s most effective teachers. In that case, the court also ordered VDOE to pay Davison $35,000 to cover attorney’s fees and other costs. In April of this year, Cacheris tossed out a similar case against Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman, in which Davison argued Plowman violated his First Amendment rights by deleting Davison’s comments on Plowman’s official Facebook page. The court found Davison’s comments were off topic, and that in that case Plowman could legally police the discussion on his page. Davison, who often acts as his own attorney, has not yet returned a message requesting comment. rgreene@loudounnow.com

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LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

one or two students. They coordinate schedules and meet at the job site weekly. The tutors ask the students to walk them through their typical work day and explain each of their tasks in English. “This is a customized as it gets,” Ali said. In the previous model where the lessons were taught to larger groups in a classroom setting, some students knew little to no English and others were nearly proficient. “So some are getting lost in class and others who know enough to get by are bored. … Really, we’re finding that the effective way is to have much smaller settings with tutors.” What’s more, the new structure has reduced the attrition rate among teachers and students. “You think you’d get this economy of scale when you have one class and 20 students, but actually you don’t. … Finding a teacher who is willing to commit to one evening a week is really hard,” Ali said. It’s easier for a tutor and a couple of students to coordinate schedules than to pin down a volunteer teacher and a full class of students. The program has 16 students enrolled and another 32 on the waiting list. It has 14 volunteer mentors, but could use another 20 or more. The idea started as a pilot program two years ago at Loudoun Hunger Relief. Mentor Carol Young, a United Airlines pilot from Purcellville, started working with Justo, who’s worked as a driver at Loudoun Hunger Relief for 14 years. Justo’s English has improved enough in that time that he’s mastered a

County has services for individuals who are unemployed, homeless or in immediate need, but few for the working poor. “There’s this group of very promising, hard-working, motivated people who, if they learned English a little bit better, could advance themselves and truly become self-sufficient. This is huge,” she said, adding that these are individuals who are otherwise at risk of falling into that sector that needs immediate services. “This model could really change lives.” Loudoun Literacy will soon begin job-site literacy training for seven employees at JK Moving Services. It also holds weekly English classes for housekeepers at Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, for congregants at All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Sterling, and for parents of children enrolled in All Ages Read Together’s preschool program. Loudoun Literacy is looking for more business and organization partners to help serve more people wanting to learn English. The program is $100 for one student and $150 for two students and includes 20 hours of tutoring. To serve as a tutor, volunteers do not need to have any teaching experience or know any language other than English. They will need to undergo a two-anda-half-hour training course. “Anybody who is compassionate and wants to help should definitely give it a shot,” Ali said. Interested tutors can attend a training from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26. Learn more loudounliteracy.org or call 703- 777-2205.

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ployees reach their full potential. “It’s a skill that really helps my business, but it also helps them go further,” he said. “I want to give our field team more opportunities to integrate with the culture here but I also want to help them have the skills to go further,” Fabbioli said. Two Fabbioli employees—Rebecca and Rosa—have been enrolled in the Adult Literacy Program since April, and Arturo and Lupe started just three weeks ago. “My English is better already,” Lupe said recently with ease and a smile. She works in the vineyard and hops field for much of her week, pulling weeds, pruning, and harvesting. And part of her week she works in the winery’s kitchen, preparing food to be paired with wines produced on the property. “That’s my favorite because I hear and try to practice English,” she said. “In the future, I want to be a teacher. I’d love to teach English.” Fabbioli sees management potential in several of his employees. They’re smart, hard working, and already passing on what they know to staff who are new to the wine business. That final piece of the puzzle, being able to speak and read English, will equip them for leadership positions. Specifically of Arturo, Fabbioli said, “I saw in him someone I could teach and trust with a lot of the details. He is learning to be a farm manager, and these [classes] will help him get there.” Loudoun Literacy’s goal with the new model is to deliver English lessons to as many people as possible, something its leaders see as an economic development tool. Ali noted that Loudoun

Aug 3 – 9, 2017

Literacy

100-question practice test ahead of taking the U.S. citizenship exam. “That’s what spurred our interest to pursue this more, when we saw that it was working so well. The tutors were staying, the students were staying,” Ali said. Young now has two students at Loudoun Hunger Relief, since longtime warehouse worker Ismael enrolled late last year. He is also working toward his citizenship. That’s the goal of many Loudoun Literacy clients, and knowing English is a must to fill out a 20-page application form. “It’s a major hurdle, and it’s so daunting some don’t even try,” Ali said. Loudoun Hunger Relief covers the cost of the class—$150 for 20 hours of training for the pair—and allows Justo and Ismael to meet with Young over their lunch break and about an hour beyond their break. Jennifer Montgomery, executive director of Loudoun Hunger Relief, considers the course professional development worth investing in. “It has a trickle-down effect,” she said. “If your employees are happy, they continue to do a good job and your organization continues to thrive. And if our organization does well, that’s more in our community who are being served. It all starts with one person wanting to come to work and wanting to do a good job.” Doug Fabbioli, who owns Fabbioli Cellars with his wife Colleen, said covering the cost of the classes and allowing his employees to take a couple of hours off half-way through their work day for the lessons was a no-brainer. Improved English skills not only help him communicate with his staff, but help his em-

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