Loudoun Now for Sept. 22, 2016 by Loudoun Now

LoudounNow LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE

[ Vol. 1, No. 46 ]

[ loudounnow.com ]

[ Sept. 22 – 28, 2016 ]

Investigation into Lansdowne baby’s death continues

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Loudoun Interfaith Relief volunteers unload truckloads of donated food from the Purcellville Food Lion. The donation helped several charities in Loudoun and Fairfax counties.

Nonprofits Headed for Grant Funding Reset BY RENSS GREENE County leaders want to put Loudoun nonprofits on a level playing field. The Board of Supervisors’ finance committee has recommended that the county reset grant funding levels for nonprofit organizations, clearing the way for upstart nonprofits to qualify for a lot more money from the county government and opening up older nonprofits to the possibility of much less funding. FUNDING RESET >> 42

TIMELY WINDFALL

Food Lion’s Closure Means Stocked Shelves for Charities BY DANIELLE NADLER

t could not have happened at a better time. That’s what Jennifer Montgomery, executive director of Loudoun Interfaith Relief, said when she got the call this week that Food Lion had oneand-a-half tractor-trailers full of food ready to be donated. The food was delivered to Loudoun Interfaith, the county’s largest food pantry, by the Purcellville Food Lion as it transitions to become a Shop ‘n Save outlet. What Montgomery thought would be a few pallets

of food ended up filling Loudoun Interfaith’s shelves and the pantries of several other charities in the area. She called in the Loudoun County High School Raiders football team, and a slew of other volunteers, to help unload the refrigerated trucks Sunday. The crew worked until 10 p.m. sorting food. Montgomery also got busy contacting other food pantries to come and restock their shelves. Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter, Reston Bible Church and other nonprofit organizations in the Blue Ridge Area Food FOOD BANK >> 18

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INSIDE

3 Sept. 22 –28, 2016

Mayoral candidates face off at forum

Loudoun Sees Another Year of Unexpected Enrollment Growth BY DANIELLE NADLER

oudoun school leaders knew they’d see another year of surging enrollment, but once again they underestimated just how much. More students than expected have shown up at 57 of the county’s 87 schools so far this academic year. One school, Hutchison Farm Elementary School in South Riding has 75 more students than projected, and Loudoun County High School has 70 more students. In all, 78,680 students reported to Loudoun public schools since the first day Aug. 29. That’s just 15 off the Planning and Legislative Services Department’s projections. But some of the

growth was concentrated in a handful of schools and, by the end of the month, the school system expects another 200 to 300 students will enroll. “Typically, we will only gain students at this point,” School Board Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) said. The School Board received the enrollment update from Assistant Superintendent of Support Services Kevin Lewis at its meeting Sept. 13. The report showed that 21 of the school buildings are housing more students than they’re designed to hold. Mercer Middle School in South Riding is considered the most overcrowded school in the county, with 1,857 students, 507 over its building’s capacity. Lewis also noted that the more kin-

dergartners enrolled in the public school system than expected—240 more. “That is probably connected to full-day kindergarten,” he added. The school division expanded its full-day kindergarten program this year to provide it to half of the county’s kindergartners. Superintendent Eric Williams has said by next year, the plan is to expand that to threefourths of the kindergartners. There was a bit of good news in Lewis’ report. Twenty schools are seeing enrollment numbers well below what they planned for. Buffalo Trail Elementary near Aldie counted 1,185 students in the first 10 days of school, 121 fewer than projected. “Which is a good thing

School board member’s trespassing case continued

Former schools superintendent Butt dies at 92

Breast Friends event unites cancer survivors

ENROLLMENT >> 15

Plane Pull Raises $350K for Special Olympics LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

INDEX

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

By contrast, the lightest team, Lions Heart Ashburn, weighed just over onethird the weight of the Chesapeake team at 2,705 pounds altogether. Some organizations, such as consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, which fielded five teams,

held internal contests among their own teams. A crowd estimated at 15,000 people came to the event, which also featured aircraft and classic car displays, live music and kids’ activities.

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A team pulls an 82,000-pound Airbus A320 at the Dulles Day Festival and Plane Pull on Saturday.

Loudoun Gov.............. 4 Leesburg.................... 8 Public Safety............ 12 Education................. 14 Our Towns................ 18 Biz........................... 22 LoCo Living.............. 28 Obituaries................ 36 Classifieds............... 37 Opinion.................... 40

For the 10th consecutive year, it was a team from the Chesapeake Sheriff ’s Office that won the Dulles Plane Pull on Saturday. In its 24th year, the plane pull raises money for the Special Olympics of Virginia. This year, about 90 teams of 25 members each paid a $1,500 entry fee to compete in pulling an Airbus A320 over a distance of 12 feet in the fastest time. While the charity is still counting its earnings, more than $350,000 was raised this year—breaking the previous year’s record of $300,000, according to Special Olympics Senior Director of Public Relations Holly Claytor. The Chesapeake Sheriff ’s Office hauled the jetliner 12 feet in 4.872 seconds. While Chesapeake may have been the biggest team—weighing in at a collective 3.8 tons—the second-place team, the Prince William County Police Department and Sheriff ’s Office at 4.9 seconds, was the biggest fundraiser at $13,143.02.

ROLL CALL

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Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Madison’s Trust Elementary opened last month to relieve overcrowding in the schools in the southern end of the county.

County leaders consider more mental health support

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[ LOUDOUN GOV ]

Supervisors Talk Mental Health, Managing Growth BY RENSS GREENE

upervisors spent all day together Friday to come up with the big ideas that will guide them through the rest of their four-year term. Two big ideas—one new, one familiar—came out of that meeting. County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large), a career mental health professional and current chairwoman of the state Board of Corrections, said she wants to bring a separate drug dormitory to the jail, and drug courts back to the county. She said the county falls short on addressing drug addiction. “I know exactly what we’re doing, and I know exactly what other places are doing,” Randall said. “Loudoun’s numbers are stark, and they’re going to get worse, because we’re not even doing a whole lot of prevention.” The county eliminated its drug court in 2012, striking $284,408 from the fiscal year 2013 budget. At that time, the courts reported 13 people had participated in the drug court in 2011. Board

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) and Supervisor Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin) at the county board’s strategic planning retreat Friday, Sept. 19.

Vice Chairman Supervisor Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) stood by his vote at that time to do away with the drug court, which he said at that time was producing

very minimal results at great cost. Randall argued that because people would only be ordered to Loudoun’s drug court after a probation violation,

the intervention came too late. Instead, she said, addicts should be funneled to the drug court after arrest but before incarceration. “If you wait until their second probation violation, it’s not a deterrent, because they’ve figured out they can do jail,” Randall said. Other supervisors were open to the idea, and Buona said if the drug court could be made to work, he could support it. “The fact that there’s not a drug court in Loudoun is something that I’m not comfortable with,” said Supervisor Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R-Broad Run). Randall also characterized a drug dorm—a separate dormitory in the jail for addicts, allowing for specialized treatment—as low-hanging fruit. She argued it would use mostly existing resources, including mental health and corrections employees the county already has. “Truthfully, it’s nothing to get us there,” Randall said. “It’s a six-month goal.” MENTAL HEALTH >> 7

PLANNING FOR THE PLAN Stakeholders Panel Readies for Broad Community Outreach BY NORMAN K. STYER After weeks of preliminary meetings, the group charged with updating the plan for Loudoun’s future is about to begin the public outreach that will form the foundation for their efforts. The team—including a citizen committee appointed by county supervisors, a team of consultants, and members of the county government staff—are excited to get the project rolling. Monday night’s meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Stakeholder Committee was the first led by planning consultant C. Gregory Dale, of Cincinnati-based McBride Dale Clarion, and focused on building a framework of key topics the plan will address and laying out the details of an ambitious community outreach effort. These are the first steps in what is planned as an 18-month process to rewrite the county’s General Plan and create a guide to community development over the next two decades and beyond. Monday’s meeting occurred two days after the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the county’s groundbreaking Choices and Changes General Plan on Sept. 17, 1991. That document established a vision of promoting suburban-style development in eastern Loudoun and around the county’s towns, while working to limit development in the rural west. Among the items envisioned in that document was the extension of Metrorail into Loudoun; it did not mention data centers. That plan was revised in 2002, and the new planning vision included new development curbs that lowered the development potential in eastern Loudoun and set the stage for an ulti-

mately successful downzoning of rural land. Around the table Monday night, participants stressed this was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to guide Loudoun’s future. Dale said Loudoun’s planning effort will be on the cutting edge for jurisdictions nationally. Like many community development plans, Loudoun’s growth policies set aside large swathes of land reserved for corporate office parks that were the most sought after type of commercial land use in past decades. Today, that concept is “economically obsolete,” Dale said. “This is something communities all over the country are dealing with.” Now the commercial demand is for “mixed use centers” that combine office, retail and residential uses. Loudoun already has several successful examples in the ground—in places like One Loudoun and Lansdowne—and several more approved on paper. And developers are lining up with more requests. “Mixed-use in all its forms is really the rage right now,” Dale said, adding the planning phrase can mean lots of different things. “Is it just another fad? Is it long-lasting?” Another question Loudoun’s planners will face is what’s next for suburban development that has defined the county’s growth over the past 30 years. “You guys are at the epicenter of the question what is ‘suburban’ going to look like,” Dale said. “You’re on the front line.” Other challenges identified by committee members were the need to provide a variety of housing, for families, for millennials, and for empty-nesters and retirees; how to overcome a deficit of public parkland; and how to devel-

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

McBride Dale Clarion planner and cofounder C. Gregory Dale discusses challenges facing county planners in their effort to update the Comprehensive Plan.

op a better functioning transportation network, between Loudoun’s neighborhoods and around the region. The answers won’t be easy, particularly because current residents don’t want to see change, several members noted. Mike Turner, appointed to the panel by County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large), described it as “a tension between what is and what will be.” John Andrews, chairman of the Housing Advisory Board and a former chairman of the School Board and the county’s Economic Development Commission, agreed that current residents are likely to resist big changes, but said the new plan should look to the needs of the future. “Don’t get bogged down in today,” he said. Joseph Paciulli, also a former EDC chairman and a past chairman of Loudoun’s CEO Cabinet, said there would be resistance to policies that promote redevelopment of the county’s

older communities. Not much redevelopment has occurred in Loudoun to date, he said, adding that more areas should to be targeted for redevelopment than residents likely would accept. The process of addressing those concerns and many others will take a leap forward this fall when the first round of public outreach meetings take place. “We plan on going big,” Project Manager Chris Garcia said of the outreach effort. Jamie Greene of Planning Next is the consultant leading the offer to gather, record and collate community input. He said the outreach will include three rounds of four public meetings at locations around the county. They hope to have hundreds of people attend each. There also will be an extensive online and social media campaign, as well as smaller meetings with targeted groups COMMUNITY OUTREACH >> 6

5 Sept. 22 –28, 2016

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Air conditioning units on the roof of a data center in Ashburn.

BY RENSS GREENE

(R-Dulles) said there was a concern that once Dominion had put in the power infrastructure that would have gone along Rt. 50, there would be a rush for more data centers. Supervisor Suzanne M. Volpe (R-Algonkian) opposed the change. “I appreciate what you’re doing, I’m just trying to be as sensitive as possible, since data centers usually cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build,” Volpe said. She said she would prefer they go through a minor special exception, a more expedited application process. Supervisor Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R-Broad Run) thanked Letourneau and county staff. “This took some creativity and vision, and I’m happy to support it,” Meyer said. “I think the residents down in Dulles will be wildly grateful to us all.” rgreene@loudounnow.com

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After a two-year battle over power lines along Rt. 50, the Board of Supervisors has put the brakes on data centers on Rt. 50. New data centers will have to go through a special exception application process to build on Rt. 50, which requires public hearings at both the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors. Previously, data centers could be built by-right in those areas. The power lines Dominion proposed to build along Rt. 50 were made necessary by data centers in the area. The board changed the rules in the Commercial Light Industrial district, which only exists along Rt. 50. In the past, all of Rt. 50 was zoned for commercial uses, but over time, previous boards have granted exceptions to build residential developments along that road, making it a less-than-ideal area for data centers. Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau

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County Supervisors Clamp Down on Rt. 50 Data Centers

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One Loudoun Expansion, Sportsplex Face Uphill Battle BY RENSS GREENE Loudoun Supervisors and county planners expressed strong reservations about One Loudoun’s application to rearrange parts of its property to accommodate more residential units and build an indoor sportsplex during a public hearing last week. The developer, Miller & Smith, has faced a long fight to see its plans through to this point. The developer proposes to rezone less than 5 acres from office park to residential and revise its concept plan to permit an additional 725 residential units, build a self-storage mini-warehouse, build closer to Rt. 7, and offer an indoor recreation center instead of $16.3 million in cash proffers. The Planning Commission recommended approval of One Loudoun’s proposal in a divided vote after long deliberation—and after increasing the Rt. 7 setback in the application. Now, almost every major part of One Loudoun’s plan has drawn skepticism from supervisors. During their Sept. 14 meeting, many supervisors wondered whether the sportsplex, which Miller & Smith has offered to make an option for the county to decide later, would impose a big unanticipated cost on the county government going forward. “If we knew it was going to be a moneymaker for the county, I think you guys would want to retain it and run it as a moneymaking operation for you,” said Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg). “So I’ve got to assume that it’s not going to be, in and of itself, a

Community outreach << FROM 4

the county’s just left $9 million on the table.” He joined other leaders who have asked for more information on the fiscal impact and business plan for the sportsplex. “The facility’s a nonstarter for my vote until I have at least a good portion of those details, because I can’t just bet,” Buona said. The application to the Board of Supervisors also does not include a 245foot Rt. 7 setback, which was debated at length and finally approved in the Planning Commission’s recommendation. Miller & Smith Vice President Bill May acknowledged that the devel-

such as trade organizations, service clubs and religious congregations. Will residents take time out from their busy schedules to participate in the process? Committee members hope so. They said it’s an opportunity too important to pass up. Some suggested marketing slogans were tossed about. “It’s a milestone moment,” Dulles District representative Scott Ficker said. “Make the Loudoun County of the Future,” said Julie Leidig, of the Northern Virginia Community College Board. “Don’t let developers dictate your future,” Andrews suggested. But Andrews also noted that it’s often difficult to get Loudouners to pay attention to even the most important of subjects. But he noted that one item that never fails to attract large crowds is a proposal to change the attendance zone boundaries of county schools. His suggestion to get people to pay attention: “Planning for Loudoun’s Future—Are school boundaries going to change?” The stakeholders committee will meet again Oct. 11 to finalize plans for the first round of public outreach. Learn more about the project at loudoun.gov/newcompplan.

SPORTSPLEX >> 7

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Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Miller & Smith Vice President Bill May and Cooley LLP attorney Colleen Gillis at the Planning Commission’s June 28 worksession.

big moneymaker for the county.” The developer has argued in the past that the real value of the sportsplex would be in the tourism money it brings into the county. Cooley LLP attorney Colleen Gillis said Miller & Smith simply isn’t in the business of running recreation centers, and other businesses would be better suited to run it. “It’s not because it’s not a moneymaker, it’s because there’s a lot of ways you can make money, but there’s one we do,” Gillis said. “How would you go about getting us a certification of the valuation of the facility?” asked Supervisor Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn). “I mean, if that facility’s going to cost you $7 million to build, and we’re talking a $16 million number,

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Buona suggested what could be a more fundamental change to how growth happens in Loudoun. “I don’t know what exactly the solution is, but I think somewhere we’ve got to get some safety valves on the way growth is occurring,” Buona said. Buona, the board’s ex-officio member of the county’s fiscal impact committee, said the county has already fallen behind keeping up with its growth in the past. “The reason we’re at this road problem, and the other infrastructure problems, is because for ten years, the [capital improvement plan] couldn’t

Sportsplex << FROM 6

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ing as an office park corridor now seems unlikely with a market shift away from office parks. “If the consensus is that we’re moving away from this 300-foot setback, let’s come up with a consistent standard to administer,” said Department of Planning and Zoning project manager Marchant Schneider. The Department of Planning and Zoning also continues to oppose the outward appearance of the mini-warehouse, which would have more metal and less masonry than the department has recommended. The application was sent to the board’s Transportation and Land Use Committee for review on Oct. 17. County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) offered a warning for the developer going forward. “I’ll be straightforward with you if you’re straightforward with me,” Randall said. “When I came to visit you all, much of the stuff that we’re talking about today was not presented to me when we talked, Mr. May… I will always play straight with you all, but you gotta know you gotta play straight with me, and for anyone that doesn’t, that’s a good way to get your application denied.” rgreene@loudounnow.com

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oper agreed to the 245-foot setback at the Planning Commission “with the proviso that we needed to actually go back and do the engineering to see if it could work.” The developer now says it does need the smaller, 200-foot setback to accommodate its plans. The developer has said it wants to bring a “high-end, high-quality” entertainment business to that space from Fairfax, but has declined to say what that business would be. “I am a little concerned that the Planning Commission had what they thought was an agreement with the applicant on a setback, and now that is not what’s in front of us,” said Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). “… I don’t think that the recommendation that the Planning Commission makes is valid at this point. That vote means nothing, because they were voting on something which is not what’s in front of us.” County planners have also warned the board against piecemeal zoning modifications and chipping away at the building setbacks along the highway, although the county’s previous vision of Rt. 7 develop-

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Both ideas, Randall said, are about shifting the county to focus on prevention. “To me, it’s acknowledging that prevention and pre-action costs so much less than reaction when it comes to taking care of those people that have some of these needs,” Randall said. “How much money are we spending on a person in jail with mental health needs?” Both plans would require agreement from Sheriff Mike Chapman. The board’s finance committee has already begun preliminary discussions of next year’s budget with a look at the Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Developmental Services. “I hope we still use that opportunity to try to have that discussion a little bit, because whatever we do, it does have a budgetary impact for better or for worse,” said committee Chairman Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). “So we have to start that guidance now if that’s what we’re going to do.”

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Mental health

accommodate anything but schools,” Buona said. “And in my mind, I see we’re starting to go in that direction again.” Loudoun has marked higher-than-anticipated school enrollment rates year after year, and the county currently plans to build three elementary schools, a middle school, and two high schools in the next few years, as well as spending money on classroom expansions and adding more modular classrooms. “We have a huge infrastructure problem, right?” Letourneau agreed. “VDOT spent $110 million to widen Rt. 50, and it went from level of service F [VDOT’s lowest rating for a road] to level of service F. Congratulations!” The problem, Buona said, is that the county’s current comprehensive plan has guidance for when the county will need new infrastructure, but no guarantee the county will actually be able to afford it. The solution, he said, may begin with figuring out the right mix of commercial and residential development for the county, and getting a comprehensive view of when new developments are opening to avoid sudden surges in development that overtax infrastructure. “We need to understand what’s coming online when,” Buona said. “When we look at rezoning, we need to be able to say, there’s 1,000 houses coming online at this time, what else is coming online around there at about that time?” In the meantime, said Planning and Zoning Director Ricky Barker, the county’s current comprehensive plan review does have an eye toward the fiscal impact of the county’s growth. “One of the big principals in there is growth management and fiscal balance,” Barker said, “and we actually target consultants that have that experience.”

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[ LEESBURG ]

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EYE ON THE ELECTION

Mayoral Forum Touches On Popular Leesburg Issues BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

n a little more than an hour during their Sept. 14 debate, the three candidates vying to be Leesburg’s next mayor touched on some of the town’s biggest hot-button issues showed some comparisons and contrasts among them. The League of Women Voters of Loudoun County hosted the forum, with Mayor David Butler, and challengers Vice Mayor Kelly Burk and former Town Council member Kevin Wright sharing their viewpoints. The forum was moderated by Loudoun Times-Mirror reporter Trevor Baratko. With questions offered both by the moderator and members of the audience, the candidates shared their comprehensive ideas on how the town can improve, and on the many areas it is already doing well.

Revitalizing Downtown The subject of the downtown area, always a topic that generates passionate opinions, came up on several occasions. “I don’t think that downtown is dy-

Road barriers, like this one on Kincaid Boulevard, may come down sooner if town and county leaders abandon plans to extend Miller Drive.

Commission Endorses Miller Drive Deletion Kara C. Rodriguez/Loudoun Now

The three candidates eyeing Leesburg’s top post are Mayor Dave Butler, Vice Mayor Kelly Burk and former Town Council member Kevin Wright.

ing. I don’t think downtown is thriving. I think it is going through change,” Wright said. A former manager of the Tally Ho Theatre, Wright said what the council needs to do is find a way to support the downtown businesses, “without getting in their way.” Wright said it is important to “cut the red tape,” and make it less time consuming for land development applications to make it through the development process. He pointed to pending applications

that could bring hundreds of “feet on the street” to the downtown area, by way of nearby residential development. On how to partner with downtown property owners, he said the council needs to have a better dialogue to understand if there are issues the town government can help them solve. “We need to listen to [downtown] property owners,” he said. MAYORAL FORUM >> 9

Town, County Law Enforcement Study Panel Dissolves

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Incoming Leesburg police chief and current Loudoun deputy Greg Brown and interim Leesburg police chief Vanessa Grigsby at the last joint police committee meeting.

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ It was an amicable environment Monday night, as the members of a joint town/county committee formed to study efficiencies between their two public safety agencies agreed their work was done. However, a budget-time battle likely again awaits over Loudoun County’s and the Town of Leesburg’s arrangement for the funding of school resource officers in town schools. In a brief session Monday, committee members voted unanimously to dissolve the panel at only its second meeting. Leesburg Town Manager Kaj Dentler had reported to council members last week that most areas the town had hoped to find efficiencies between the Leesburg Police Department and Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office had been resolved. “This has been a good exercise in communication and showed us how well the agencies have been working together,” Supervisor Tony Buffington (R-Blue

Ridge) said Monday. “And we were able to squeeze out a few more efficiencies.” Those efficiencies included allowing the town police force to use the Sheriff ’s Office planned new gun range, saving the town a significant amount in capital costs, and sharing resources for traffic enforcement and shoplifting prevention at Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets. The one area where the town and county appear likely to continue to disagree is over school resource officer funding. Currently, the county pays 70 percent of the cost for posting officers in Leesburg’s middle and high schools, but town leaders have pressed for the county to pay the entire cost. County supervisors have said they would contribute 100 percent funding if and only if the schools are staffed with sheriff ’s deputies instead of town police officers. Town Council members have said they prefer having town police officers remain as the school’s resource officers. Leaders in both the town and county public safety agencies have said there is

a benefit to local officers having a presence in the schools, and it goes toward the success of community policing as a whole. “It’s about partnerships and the relationships we build with the kids,” Leesburg Police Deputy Chief Vanessa Grigsby said. “It would be to our detriment if we weren’t in the schools.” And Leesburg’s soon-to-be police chief agreed. Gregory Brown, who will be sworn in as Leesburg’s new police chief at month’s end, sat in the audience during Monday evening’s meeting at the County Government Center. He said he saw three areas where there was a benefit to having town police officers remain in town schools: community outreach, information and intelligence, and even future recruitment efforts. Brown said that many kids look up to the resource officers in their schools and may use their example as an impetus in pursuing a career in law enforcement down the road. The debate is expected to continue during next spring’s budget work. Council members Katie Sheldon Hammler and Tom Dunn, the two council members representing Leesburg on the committee, asked for a better rundown of the percentage of time the resource officers spend in the schools in a given year, with officers reassigned to other duties, or taking training or their paid vacation time when school is not in session. Dunn said a breakdown of the time the assigned officers spend doing SRO duties may be an opening point for talking about changing the percentage the county contributes. “Everyone agrees the top priority is safety,” he said, “but we also have a responsibility as far as taxpayer dollars go.” krodriguez@loudounnow.com

A road once envisioned to help relieve some congestion in south Leesburg appears to be on its way out. The proposed deletion from town planning maps of an extension of Miller Drive east of Sycolin Road to its proposed terminus at Kincaid Boulevard was debated by the Planning Commission last week. Commissioners had been asked to consider its removal from the Town Plan, following the lead of Loudoun County, which has also removed the road from its Countywide Transportation Plan. Portions of the proposed Miller Drive extension would have crossed the town boundary into the county. A steering committee recommended to the Board of Supervisors that the road be removed from the CTP. A traffic impact analysis that had been prepared in 2014 in anticipation of adding facilities at the County Government Support Center found that other nearby roads had sufficient capacity to handle projected traffic levels. Deleting the road from the Town Plan would “create consistency with the Town Plan and CTP,” Assistant to the Town Manager Scott Parker said. While Commissioner Gigi Robinson she understood the rationale of deleting the road since Miller Drive would end up being “a road to nowhere,” and she said she was not swayed that it wouldn’t have an impact. “We seem to be taking away roads that lead to alternative ways to get places. I think it’s very poor planning,” she said. “We’re the recipient of something that wasn’t well thought out.” Other commissioners urged that existing barriers on nearby roads, such as Kincaid Boulevard, be removed to help take some burdens off Sycolin Road and Battlefield Parkway, to name a few. Ultimately, the commission unanimously voted to recommend approval of the change to the Town Council. Council members will now have the final say on whether the roadway extension is removed from the Town Plan.

BRIEFS >> 11

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City Status

MAYORAL FORUM >> 10

The exploration of city status is another item that has seen renewed debate as of late. In the past, some Town Council members have expressed an interest in exploring the ramifications of Leesburg changing from a town to a city. However, the General Assembly has had a moratorium on municipalities exploring such a change since 1987, and state legislators have appeared keen on extending that. Burk called the issue a moot point since the moratorium remains in place, but said she would not be opposed to studying city status for Leesburg. “When you are a city you have to provide all of the services. You’re talking about 50,000 people paying for it rather than 350,000 people [in the county] paying for it,” she said. “Some other cities have lower tax rates than us. I wouldn’t take it lightly.” Butler said the current situation is a bit of a “catch 22” as state legislators won’t consider lifting the moratorium until a municipality does a study on its feasibility, yet many towns don’t want to spend the tens of thousands of dollars to do

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Burk concurred that it is the businesses that make the downtown area thrive, but offered that revitalizing the downtown Loudoun Museum or adding a small library geared toward children in the area could be positive enhancements. She suggested creating incentives or some type of program to make it easier for downtown property owners to make often expensive improvements to their buildings. “One of the things that we could do is we do have a Zoning Ordinance that does require that buildings be maintained in certain ways. We could be stronger about enforcing those Zoning Ordinance [regulations] but it would be a very traumatic experience for some landlords,” Burk said. She said she has tried to get all the downtown landlords together in a meeting, but that has proven to be difficult. Butler said the best thing the council can do for the downtown is to “give it customers,” and pointed to residential developments near downtown, like Crescent Place, as creating needed foot traffic. He said it is important to push the downtown area as a destination for arts, entertainment, and dining. Like Burk, he also offered that creating incentives for property owners to improve their buildings was something worth exploring. “One of the main reasons businesses have moved is not because of a lack of business but because property owner did not maintain [the building] well

enough,” he said. Butler also said that reducing cutthrough traffic congestion in the downtown area, by removing traffic lights at the Leesburg Bypass, Edwards Ferry Road, and Fort Evans Road, would be a major improvement to help the downtown area.

Sept. 22 –28, 2016

Mayoral forum

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Mayoral forum

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such a study unless there is a good chance the moratorium will be lifted. “Somebody’s got to get some guts to do this,” he said. “We’re larger than 70 percent of the cities in Virginia. There’s absolutely no question we would have the resources and wherewithal to become a city. And I’m certainly willing to spend a few dollars to determine if it’s right or not. It could be a big benefit to the residents of this town.” Wright cautioned that past talk of Leesburg becoming a city has caused uproar with county officials. “It immediately fractures our relationship with the county,” he said. “If we don’t pursue this in the right way, that savings and the efforts we’re trying to get...come to a screeching halt because it gets back to an us versus them relationship with the county.”

Crescent Parke The controversial Crescent Parke rezoning application was also brought up. The council failed to approve the rezoning in August, following months of review at both the Planning Commission and Town Council levels. The applicant, Hobie Mitchel of Lansdowne Development Group, has tried to submit a revised plan to the Planning and Zoning Department, but it has not been accepted, as town staff contends the rezoning was denied. The applicant has appealed the decision to the Loudoun County Circuit Court, alleging that, absent a motion to deny the project passing, the application remains active. This was one area where the three candidates found themselves on different sides of the aisle. Burk was one of four council members to vote against the rezoning’s approval, while Butler was on the minority side. Butler said the rezoning project is a “great way to protect the neighborhoods” that surround it, and noted that residents living in that area were largely in favor of the project moving forward. He said, if the land were to be developed by-right, it could mean that a gas station or industrial development is erected, without needing legislative approval. Butler also added that the applicant has made “outstanding changes” to the original proposal. Although Burk said she has not personally seen the changes the developer has proposed to the application, she is fine with the project being reviewed again, but only if it follows the proper channels. That would mean re-navigating staff review of the application and review by the Planning Commission prior to a return trip to the council. “If it wants to come back as a new application of course I’d be happy to look at it, but it has to go through the process again,” she said. “It can’t be short circuited to point that it doesn’t get vetted the way that it needs to be.” When asked what would need to change for her to approve the rezoning, Burk responded “quite a few things,” among them the proposed residential density. The lone candidate to not have had to cast a vote on the rezoning, Wright said the uncertainty surrounding where the project goes now “is helping no one.” He said, with any Town Council development application review, a council mem-

ber has to look at whether the impacts of a proposed development are properly offset.

Priorities The three candidates were asked to share their priorities if elected mayor, as well as their intentions during budget season, including whether to keep the tax rate level, and add or subtract from town departments or projects. Wright said he wants to continue the town’s tradition of a “sustainable” budget process, that looks out five years into the future for its fiscal picture. He said bringing the Leesburg Police Department, with 17 current vacancies, back to full staffing is a major priority, and also providing them the facilities they need. He noted the expansion of the department’s headquarters has for years been deferred in the Capital Improvements Program. He also said the Town Council needs to make sure that Leesburg is getting its fair share in terms of road maintenance funding from the state, as VDOT has over the last few years dramatically reduced the amount it provides to localities. Burk echoed the importance of fully staffing the police department, and said economic development is another area she wants to focus. One initiative she wants to strengthen is the downtown’s Arts and Cultural District, as well as continuing to enhance the town as an attractive business destination. If elected, Burk noted she would be a “full-time mayor,” as she is retired from a 34-year teaching career. Butler pointed to his accomplishments in his first seven months as mayor, including the first State of the Town address and beginning weekly mayor’s hours. He said if elected to a new term, he would like to increase staffing in the Department of Plan Review, as cuts to staff several years ago have had an impact on their turnaround time while their workload has increased. He also wants to investigate the possibility of Loudoun County taking over management of the Thomas Balch Library as a satellite library. All three of the candidates vying for the town’s top seat have many years of Town Council experience under their belts. Butler is campaigning for his first two-year term as town mayor, after having been appointed to the position in February following Kristen Umstattd’s resignation to begin her term as a county supervisor. Butler was first elected as a council member in 2008. Wright served on the Town Council for eight years before being defeated in his re-election bid in 2014. Burk was first elected to the council in 2004, and, in 2007, won a seat on the Board of Supervisors. She lost her re-election bid for that seat to Ken Reid four years later. She later won a special election bid to fill the remainder of Reid’s council term on the Town Council and, in 2014, won election to a new four-year council term. Next up in the local election cycle will be a forum featuring all seven Town Council candidates vying for one of three open Town Council seats come November. The Sept. 22 forum, also at Rust Library from 7 to 8:30 p.m., will feature council incumbents Tom Dunn and Katie Hammler, and challengers John Hilton, Evan Macbeth, Gwen Pangle, Ron Campbell, and Ken Reid. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

[ BRIEFS ] Online Bill System Payments Improved

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For the fifth consecutive year, some of the area’s favorite musicians will gather at Spanky’s Shenanigans in Leesburg on Saturday to help industry colleagues suffering from cancer. All the money raised from the Cancer Can Rock Deck Party will help musicians with aggressive cancer by making sure their song and voice will forever be heard. The area’s best studio musicians, Grammy-nominated producer, and Cancer Can Rock founder Jim Ebert are pitching in to professionally record and distribute these musicians’ songs. During the noon to 4 p.m. event, 10 percent of food and beverage sales will be donated by Spanky’s owner Azmi Zarou to the fundraising effort. Scheduled to perform are Todd Wright, Gary Smallwood, Cal Everett, Tommy Gann, Kim Pittinger, Mark Williams, Patrick “Hammer” Thornton, and Johnny Kasun. The show is open to all ages. A minimum donation of $10 per person is requested. If the weather fails to cooperate, the concert will move indoors.

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Until recently, town taxpayers and utility customers who wanted to pay their town bills through their banks’ online bill pay systems were subject to a processing time of up to 14 days. A new service addresses that problem. “Because the town could not receive electronic transfers from our customers’ banks, the banks had to print physical checks and mail the checks to the town,” Clark Case, Leesburg’s director of Finance and Administration Services, stated. “In some cases, it would take 10 to 14 days for checks to arrive and customers’ payments would be late through no fault of their own. With the new system, we receive payments within 24 hours and post payments to customers’ accounts the next business day.” There are no service fees associated with online bill pay, unlike credit card payments, which have a minimum service fee of $3.95 per transaction. The town began using the new electronic transfer payments system for utility bills in June and anticipates using the new system for real estate taxes later this year and for personal property taxes in 2017. For more information about all of the payment options available, go to leesburgva.gov/payments.

tional Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the town’s Commission on Public Art will present a special multimedia exhibit of artworks and poetry, highlighting the issue. Constance Mcknight is an English teacher at Tuscarora High School. In addition to her love for teaching, she loves painting and drawing. In recent years, she has shifted her focus toward painting with a purpose, choosing subjects that are controversial and thought provoking. Her use of bold, bright colors, is on purpose to command attention from her audience. As a result of recent events that have taken place in Loudoun County, Mcknight created a series of multimedia paintings accompanied by original poetry that tackle the issue of domestic violence. National statistics show that one in four women and one in seven men will experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Mcknight has partnered up with Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter (LAWS) to bring awareness and provide support to local women and their children who have been victims of domestic violence. An artist’s opening reception will take place Saturday, Oct. 1, from 3-5 p.m. at Town Hall. The Leesburg Town Exhibit Hall features rotating exhibits by town and county artists. Artists interested in having their work considered for a future exhibit should contact Anne Geiger, staff liaison to the Commission on Public Art, at ageiger@leesburgva.gov.

Sept. 22 –28, 2016

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loudounnow.com

[ PUBLIC SAFETY ]

Maloney Trespassing Case Continued to November BY RENSS GREENE

he night after a failed attempt to censure School Board member Joy Maloney (Broad Run) by her board colleagues, Maloney’s trial for allegedly trespassing at a Donald Trump rally was continued to November over the objections of her attorney. Maloney is accused of trespassing at a Trump campaign rally at Briar Woods High School on Aug. 12. The Sheriff ’s Office alleges that about 8:45 a.m., deputies assigned to the event were made aware that a woman interfered with the line waiting to get inside. Maloney, 45, of Broadlands, reportedly stepped in front of several attendees waiting to go inside. She was asked to go back in line. She refused to do so and then sat on the ground, according to the Sheriff ’s Office. Organizers then revoked her ticket and she continued to refuse to leave. Maloney, wearing a “Love Trumps Hate” sticker, was charged with trespassing and taken into custody. A magistrate released her on a $1,000 unsecured bond. If convicted, she could face up to 12 months in jail and a fine up to $2,500. She has denied that she tried to prevent people from entering the school. Maloney appeared in court Sept. 14, accompanied by her sister, mother, Rev. Dan King, and a friend from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun. Prosecutors asked Loudoun County District Court Judge Deborah C. Welsh to continue Maloney’s case to a later date so the state could call witnesses. Maloney’s attorney, Alex Levay, objected, arguing that the contract with the Trump organization only covered the auditorium, that Maloney had a ticket, and that she did not have criminal intent to trespass, a necessary standard for a conviction under Virginia law.

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Loudoun County School Board member Joy Maloney (Broad Run) at the Aug. 9 board meeting.

“Not only do we have the right of assembly under the First Amendment, but she had a ticket to be there, and she was outside the school building,” Levay said afterward. “There was no legal basis. Whoever the witnesses are that they want to bring in to court, it’s not going to change the law and the facts on the ground.” Welsh granted the prosecution’s motion. Maloney will be back in district court Nov. 9. During last week’s School Board meeting, Jill Turgeon (Blue Ridge) and Eric DeKenipp (Catoctin) tried to call for a vote to censure Maloney, formally expressing their disapproval of her actions at the political rally. But the board voted 2-6-1 on the motion to discuss the resolution, ultimately passing by the item. DeKenipp and Turgeon voted in favor; Maloney abstained.

Maloney read a statement from the dais and said that she was not stopping people from entering the Trump event or from expressing their support for the candidate. “We work, attend school, dine, shop, and play together. We must remain civil towards each other to thrive as a community,” she said. “I will continue to fight for our community’s deeply held values of inclusion and the benefit of diversity of our students and staff, in addition to my other efforts to continuously improve our kids’ education. And I will always try to set an example that you can be proud of. Sometimes, we may disagree on what that is.” rgreene@loudounnow.com Managing Editor Danielle Nadler contributed to this story.

Investigators Say Driver in Infant Death Deleted Voicemail BY DANIELLE NADLER Loudoun County investigators are continuing their investigation of the death of a baby hit by a car in a Lansdowne crosswalk on Aug. 31, but no charges have been filed in the case. The man believed to be the driver who ran into a mother and child in a crosswalk apparently deleted a voicemail before handing his phone over to police, according to a search warrant filed in Loudoun County Circuit Court. Mindy Schulz, pushing baby Tristan, was reportedly crossing Riverside Parkway at Coton Manor Drive in the crosswalk just after 8 a.m. Aug. 31. The driver of a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, turning left onto Riverside Parkway, hit the mother and child. Tristan was later pronounced dead at Inova Loudoun Hospital, and Schulz was released from the hospital after three days of treatment, according to

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

The investigation into the death of a baby hit by a car along Riverside Parkway is ongoing.

police reports. An affidavit in the case identified the driver as John Miller, a 45-yearold Leesburg resident. The warrant, targeting the content of two of Miller’s cell phones, stated that “a computer forensics examiner confirmed that electronic evidence

of a deleted voicemail was located on the [Samsung] cell phone with a time stamp closely coinciding with a 911 call.” It is unclear if the voicemail was deleted before or after the call to 911. A witness told investigators that Miller was looking at his cell phone and made a “last second” left turn from Coton Manor Drive onto Riverside Parkway, and that the white walk symbol was illuminated. The witness also said he saw the driver holding a phone in his left hand as if he was watching or reading something, according to the affidavit. The witness said the Jeep was tailgating the car in front of him. “The juvenile witness stated that it appeared as if the Jeep was trying to beat her as if to go in front of the female with the stroller, and that the Jeep sped up fast,” the document reads. dnadler@loudounnow.com

[ SAFETY BRIEFS ] Leesburg Man Pleads Guilty in Two Shootings A 20-year-old Leesburg man avoided trial on an attempted murder charge last week, but pleaded guilty to a multitude of charges in two separate criminal cases. Javier K. Todd faced charges of attempted first-degree murder, malicious wounding, two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and five counts of shooting from a vehicle following a Jan. 26, 2015, shooting in Lansdowne. He allegedly pulled up next to an acquaintance near Riverpointe Drive and fired shots into the car. Four days earlier, Todd was the suspect in a roadrage incident that began in CountrySide and ended with shots being fired at a vehicle on Rt. 7. In the Lansdowne case, which was scheduled for trial last week, Todd pleaded guilty to attempted malicious wounding and two charges related to shooting at a vehicle. He faces up to 20 years in prison on the malicious wounding charge. Todd also pleaded guilty to eight charges related to shooting at a vehicle and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in the Jan. 22, 2015, case, which had been set for trial on Oct. 4. Additionally, Todd was found guilty of grand larceny in a 2014 case and was given a two-year suspended sentence. His guilty pleas in the 2015 cases results in a probation violation allowing the court to impose the full sentence in that case. Todd is scheduled to be back in court Sept. 26 for sentencing in all three of these cases.

Deputies Administer Overdose Antidote in Lovettsville A call to investigate a suspicious person lying on a Lovettsville sidewalk Monday may have resulted in another life-saving act by Loudoun deputies. According to the Sheriff ’s Office, deputies were called to assist rescue crews with a female laying unconscious on the sidewalk at East Broad Way and South Loudoun Street. Arriving deputies determined that she was not breathing and displayed symptoms of a suspected heroin overdose. They administered the nasal opiate antidote Naloxone. The female became conscious and alert and was transported to a hospital for treatment. After a pilot program started last December to train 31 deputies to administer Naloxone, the program was expanded in the spring with the goal of having all Loudoun deputies carry the antidote.

Drivers Hit 3 Buses A Sterling man faces a reckless driving charge after hitting two buses on Sept. 13. SAFETY BRIEFS >> 13

[ SAFETY BRIEFS ]

Sterling Resident Awakened by Burglar’s Touch A North Brandon Avenue resident reported that a man was in her room touching her while she was sleeping early Sunday morning. She said that she yelled and the male ran out of the house. The suspect stole money from the victim’s wallet before fleeing. The incident happened at 4:18 a.m. The suspect is described as a young, tall male, with an average build. He was wearing dark clothing.

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According to the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office, Luciano Rodriguez, 60, hit the side of a Loudoun County Transit bus at the intersection of Potomac View Road and River Meadows Terrace in Sterling and then fled the scene. He then rear-ended a county school bus in the area of Sanderson Drive and Brethour Court. The incident happened just before 8 p.m. The school bus had its lights on and six children were on board. No students were hurt in the crash. Rodriguez, the school bus driver and the bus attendant were transported to a hospital for treatment. Another crash involving a school bus occurred Sept. 13 on Rt. 287 near Rt. 9. Around 4 p.m. a bus stopped in traffic for a light and was rear-ended. The driver was charged with reckless driving and driving on a suspended license. There were no students on the bus and no injuries were reported.

work after two criminal summonses obtained by a citizen against him were dismissed in Loudoun County General District Court. On Aug. 24, a resident appeared before a Loudoun County magistrate and obtained the summonses for simple assault and disorderly conduct against Deputy Eric Miller stemming from an altercation in January. Miller was placed on paid administrative leave. After a review of the case by the Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecutors declined to pursue the charges, which were formally dropped from the court’s docket Sept. 13. Miller returned to duty last week.

13 Sept. 22 –28, 2016

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y Creating Beautiful Smil l g n i r es Ca

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[ E D U C AT I O N ]

[ SCHOOL NOTES ]

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Monroe Tech Hosts Sept. 21-23 Plant Sale

Loudoun Now/File Photo

Seneca Ridge Middle School students work together on an assignment in class.

Middleburg Charter Awarded $137K Grant

SCHOOL REPORT CARD

Sugarland Run Misses Full Accreditation; Middleburg Makes Progress BY DANIELLE NADLER

ighty-six of Loudoun County’s 87 public schools earned full accreditation for the 20162017 school year. But Sugarland Run Elementary in Sterling received partial accreditation with warning for the second year in a row. The Virginia Department of Education last week rolled out the list of schools that received the sought-after “fully accredited” stamp for the new academic year. Sugarland Run Elementary fell short of receiving full accreditation because just 63 percent of its students passed the science portion of the Standards of Learning exam, seven points below the state’s benchmark. However, the school

logged pass rates well above the benchmarks in English (85 percent), math (88 percent), and history (97 percent). Loudoun school system’s instructional staff will continue to provide support to Sugarland Elementary, including reviewing lesson plans, observing classrooms and student work, and coaching for the school’s teachers and principal. For a school to earn full accreditation, students must earn pass rates of at least 75 percent on English reading and writing SOL tests, and at least 70 percent on tests in math, science and history. High schools must also meet a benchmark for graduation and completion. The state’s report showed big gains by Middleburg Community Charter School, which a year ago failed to meet accreditation standards when its pass rate in science was 14 points shy of the

benchmark. Under new leadership, Principal David Larson, the school worked with VDOE personnel and the school system’s School Improvement Office to boost students’ performance. In the spring, they tallied pass rates of 85 percent in English and math, 100 percent in history and 90 percent in science. The report also delivered good news for Forest Grove Elementary. The Ashburn school was one of 39 schools statewide to automatically receive full accreditation for the next three years because of its stellar track record. A new state law, Senate Bill 326 directed the state Board of Education to grant three additional years of full accreditation to schools that had previously earned full accreditation for three consecutive years. ACCREDITATION >> 15

NOVA President Urges Loudoun Leaders to Think Long Term BY DANIELLE NADLER Northern Virginia Community College President Scott Ralls started last week’s State of Innovation in Education event with some good news, and some bad news. The bad: Out of the nation’s 20 largest metro regions, Washington, DC, is second to last in terms of labor force growth. The good: There is plenty of opportunity to turn that around. He addressed a roomful of educators, business and nonprofit leaders at the annual event, part of the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce’s WORKFORCE >> 18

Monroe Technology Center will hold the second of its two annual plant sales Wednesday through Friday. The center’s horticultural department at the western end of the building will be crammed with a huge selection of plants available for sale. Among the offerings will be pansies, cabbage, kale, hanging baskets, trees and shrubs. Sale hours will be 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday. Proceeds will benefit Monroe Technoloy Center’s Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Department and Scholarship Fund. Buyers should come armed with cash or checks only—no credit cards can be accepted. The center is at 715 Childrens Center Road SW in Leesburg. For more information, call 571-252-2080.

Middleburg Community Charter School announced last week that it won a prestigious $137,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Education. The grant helps support the school’s year-round schedule and its intersession programs, held during two-week breaks in October and March. Intersession classes such as Musical Storytelling, GeomARTry, Lego StoryStarter, and Time Travel to Colonial Middleburg help enrich the school’s Leonardo da Vinci curriculum, while students have fun learning through hands-on activities and integrated subjects. “Thanks to the VDOE grant, our students enjoy several enhanced curriculum options in addition to intersessions, such as optional Saturday Academy on topics like robotics and computer programming as well as after school intervention courses for students needing additional instructional support,” Principal David Larson stated. Bob Liscouski, president of the charter school’s Board of Directors, credited the da Vinci curriculum that is designed to carry lessons over several subject areas for achieving “a level of engagement of our students that is key to their learning and development.” Middleburg Community Charter School opened in 2014 as the first public charter school in Northern Virginia. It operates under the umbrella of Loudoun County Public Schools.

Comstock’s Office Taking Academy Nomination Applications Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Northern Virginia Community College President Scott Ralls speaks at the Loudoun Chamber’s annual State of Innovation in Education event Sept. 13.

Students in the high school graduating class of 2021 have until Oct. 1 to apply for a nomination by the 10th District Service SCHOOL NOTES >> 16

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Sept. 22 –28, 2016

Accreditation

Statewide, 81 percent of Virginia’s 1,825 public schools earned full accreditation this school year, a three-point improvement over last year. “I hope these results will encourage teachers, principals and other educators in all of our schools as they strive to help students meet Virginia’s high expectations for learning and achievement,” stated Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Steven R. Staples. See the full report at LoudounNow. com/Education.

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This is the best accreditation report Loudoun has seen in recent years. Last year, Sugarland Run Elementary and Middleburg Community Charter School missed the full accreditation mark. Two years ago, four schools missed it: Sterling Elementary School, Sterling Middle School, Park View High School and Tuscarora High School. Those schools have since improved test scores to meet state benchmarks.

<< FROM 3 because it was projected to be quite overcrowded,” Hornberger said. The enrollment count taken 10 days into the school year is considered a preliminary report. The official count is done each year on Sept. 30. The growing number of new families moving into the southern end of the county is triggering another round of attendance boundary changes this fall. The board will set that motion into progress Oct. 18, and is expected to adopt new boundaries Dec. 13. The attendance boundary changes could impact students in 23 schools, and will be done ahead of the opening of an unnamed middle school, MS-7, which will open in the fall of 2018 at 40929 Braddock Road near Aldie. During the Sept. 13 meeting, Executive Director of Planning and Legislative Services Sam Adamo walked School

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Sept. 22 –28, 2016

loudounnow.com

Former Loudoun Schools Superintendent Robert Butt Dies F o r m e r Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Robert E. Butt, age 92, died peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 18, in Davidson, NC. Mr. Butt brought about full racial in- Robert E. Butt tegration of Loudoun County Public Schools during the 1969-70 school year. When he retired in 1988, Mr. Butt was the longest-serving superintendent among Virginia’s 140 school divisions. Fourteen new schools were built during Mr. Butt’s tenure. In addition, kindergarten, vocational and adult education, special education and the middle school and alternative school programs were started under his leadership.

Edgar B. Hatrick, who served as an assistant superintendent under Butt, said “those were sea changes.” “He was also dealing with growth in the county. I remember comments made by Clarence Bussinger (Butt’s predecessor) to the effect ‘we need someone new to pave the way’ in coping with those changes,” he said. Of his personal attributes, Hatrick said, “he was very, very student focused.” Butt would tell School Board members, “when you have a difficult decision to make regarding students, you have to consider above all else—‘is this good for boys and girls,’ and if not why?” Mr. Butt was born on June 10, 1924, son of the late Herman Linwood Butt and Lucille Lankford Evans. Surviving are his wife, Elinor “Pat” Kuhn Butt, to whom he was married for 65 years, their son, David Butt and his wife Amy of Barboursville, VA, their daughter Karen Broaddus and her hus-

band Richard of Woodberry Forest, VA, four grandchildren, Aaron Butt, Anna LaRochelle, Jessica Broaddus and Eliza Broaddus and six great-grandchildren. Mr. Butt served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as a flight engineer/ tail gunner on a B-24 based in Italy. His group flew 50 missions, bombing the Polesti Oil Fields in Romania, then took part in D-Day by bombing the marshalling (railroad) yards in Paris to prevent the Germans from sending trains to the Normandy coast. He graduated from Davidson College and then from the College of William and Mary with a master’s in education administration. His first teaching experience was at Rabun Gap Nacoochee School in Georgia as a high school teacher and dean of boys in the dormitory. Mr. Butt’s professional career continued in several locations in Virginia: Mecklenburg County as principal of Boydton High School, then general su-

pervisor in the county office, director of instruction, then interim superintendent for the city of Fredericksburg, superintendent of Orange County Schools and culminated with 19 years as superintendent of schools in Loudoun County. He served as an elder in the Presbyterian Church. In retirement, he served two terms on the board of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and also two terms on the board of Northern Virginia Community College. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, in Lingle Chapel at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. A committal service for the family will be held at the Columbarium after the service. Visitation will be in Davidson, NC. Memorials may be sent to The Pines Resident Support Fund, 400 Avinger Lane, Davidson, NC, 28036. —Margaret Morton

[ SCHOOL NOTES ] << FROM 14 Academy Advisory Board to one of the nation’s military academies. “I encourage everyone in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District who aspires to be a part of the Class of 2021 to apply for a Service Academy nomination,” Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA-10) stated. “The 10th District Service Academy Advisory Board is dedicated to finding those young students who aim to be future leaders of our country and I am confident this year’s Class of 2021 will continue the tradition of excellence from students in Virginia’s 10th District.”

Applications can be mailed or hand delivered to Comstock’s Sterling office at 21430 Cedar Drive, Suite 218, Sterling, VA 20164. Interested students can request an Academy Nomination Application at comstock.house.gov/services/ military-academy-nominations. The selection process is competitive. For more information about the congressional nominating process, contact Mary Ann Cannon in Comstock’s Sterling office at 703-404-6903, or go to comstock.house.gov and click on Military Academy Nominations under the Services section.

College Fair This Weekend Students with their sights set on higher education will have a chance to check out their options at the Loudoun County Public Schools College Fair, set for 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25. The fair will be held at Briar Woods High School, 22525 Belmont Ridge Road in Ashburn. In addition to nearly 200 colleges, universities and military representatives, Loudoun’s public school system also will offer three 30-minute information sessions in the auditorium. Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia and James Madison University will provide

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general information at 2:15 p.m., 3:15 p.m., and 4:15 p.m., respectively. Like last year, students can visit gotocollegefairs.com ahead of time to receive a barcode that will allow the college admissions representative to scan their basic information. This allows students to spend more time speaking one-on-one with college representatives and less time filling out information cards. Parking will be available at Briar Woods or at Legacy Elementary, at 22995 Minerva Drive, where a shuttle service will be provided.

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

Sept. 22 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;28, 2016

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Workforce << FROM 14 Policymaker Series, and said it was up to them, working in tandem, to equip the next generation of workers. “We—I’m talking to all of you and me—are a major part of this,” he said. “This is a remarkable region as a workforce engine.” He pointed to the growing number of jobs in the cybersecurity, data center and general technology industries that are headquartered in Northern Virginia. He also referred to the partnerships among K-12 school systems, Northern Virginia Community College, and universities in the area. “Partnerships exist here among educational institutions more than I’ve seen in any other region,” Ralls said. He read a quote from Bill Gates, “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year, and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” Ralls said to not get overwhelmed with a short-term plan but start chipping away at a big idea. In his comments, Superintendent Eric Williams gave the audience an update about what is going on in Loudoun classrooms to prepare students for life

after graduation. He told the story of Park View High School student Gabriel Filippini, who used the school’s 3D printer to create a prosthetic hand for his little brother, Lucas. “Here is a student doing incredibly meaningful work,” Williams said. “That’s the entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills that we want our students to have.” Yes, Gabriel’s teacher is making sure the class satisfies the state-required curriculum, but he is also harnessing a genuine interest in the classroom lessons. “We’re working to recapture the joy of teaching and learning,” Williams said. In his two years at the helm of Loudoun’s 78,680-student school system, he has nudged the county’s teachers to help students connect what they are learning in the classroom to solve real-life problems, an initiative he calls One to the World. “What’s the result? Incredible level of engagement and ownership among students,” he said. “Not just working for a grade but really working because they value what they’re doing.” That means long-lasting learning and more students prepared for the ever-changing workforce. dnadler@loudounnow.com

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Volunteer Rachel Roberts sorts food at Loudoun Interfaith Relief’s pantry after the charity received truckloads of donated groceries from Food Lion in Purcellville.

Food bank << FROM 1 Bank network stopped by Loudoun Interfaith’s Leesburg location Monday to take what they could use. “This comes at a fantastic time,” Montgomery said. “This is our, and probably other pantries’, lowest time of the year in terms of donations. People don’t give in the summer and, at this point in the year, they wait until the holidays to give.” The donation included food from just about every aisle, from fresh produce to baked goods and dairy products. Reston Bible Church was one of the groups availing themselves of the opportunity to stock up. Secretary Patty Demmon said the church usually serves about 115 families food each week. But while loading two pickup truck loads of fresh food, she said she

anticipates word will get out, and the church will serve upwards of 150 families this week. “They’ll get to go home with a plethora of fresh food—which is always a blessing, when they can get fresh food,” she said. “A lot of hungry people in Loudoun County are going to get fed this week.” The closure of the grocery store is part of a merger between the parent companies of the Giant and Food Lion supermarket chains in which 22 Food Lion stores were sold to the operator of Shop ‘n Save. The sale does not affect Food Lion stores in Leesburg or Sterling. “Although this store’s closing was a bummer for people in Purcellville,” Montgomery said, “it has been a really great boon for people in need.” dnadler@loudounnow.com Reporter Renss Greene contributed to this report.

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Sept. 22 –28, 2016

Two Great Offices, Two Convenient Locations

Heritage Area Association Adds Family Section to Website

loudounnow.com

Credit: Mosby Heritage Area Association

Mt. Zion Church near Aldie

BY MARGARET MORTON The Mosby Heritage Area Association has rolled out a more interactive website that highlights family activities available in the 1,800-square-mile region. Four local historic sites are highlighted to engage young family members’ interest in history—the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry Monument on Snickersville Turnpike; the early 19th century Aldie Mill; Mt. Zion Historic Park; and the circa 1801 stone Rector House in Atoka, currently the headquarters of the heritage education organization. The website provides a brief history of the locations, directions and a downloadable family activity that includes a coloring page, suggested tactile activities for young people concerning family, and poetry to be read aloud to better “hear” the site. Details

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

The Aldie Mill is among historic sites featured on the Mosby Heritage Area Association’s website as part of its new family activities section.

can be found at the “For Families” section at mosbyheritagearea.org. The section was created by summer college intern Melanie Fuechsel, who is pursuing a historic preservation de-

gree at the University of Mary Washington. Fuechsel says the current public interest in coloring books allowed her to bring history to others of all ages—“Seeing it, Saving it, and Pass-

Docs Bo x

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[ OUR TOWNS ]

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Photos by Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

FALL FAIR FUN The 47th annual Bluemont Fair, sponsored by the Bluemont Citizens Association, drew big crowds to the western Loudoun town over the weekend. Fair-goers enjoyed barbecue from local favorites like Magnolias at the Mill, live music, a rock-climbing wall, face painting and carnival-style games. Proceeds will help fund street lighting, student scholarships, historic building improvements within the village, and support of local service organizations.

Town Council to Join Commission in Comprehensive Plan Review BY MARGARET MORTON

he Purcellville Town Council last week made it clear that members plan to take a hands-on approach with the revisions to the Town Plan. Statutorily, the early work developing the plan is in the hands of the Planning Commission. However, at least some council members plan to be around the table during those talks. The council on Sept. 13 adopted a resolution giving public notice of a series of special meetings that will be held concurrently with the Planning Commission’s sessions on the comprehensive plan. The action was taken on advice of Town Attorney Sally Hankins to ensure the gathering of council members complied with Virginia’s open meeting laws. The resolution was needed to permit the council to fully participate in the Planning Commission’s comprehensive plan review, Hankins said, as “the Virginia Freedom of Information Art does not allow three or more members of Town Council to discuss public business that is likely to come before it, unless such discussion is occurring within a lawful meeting of the Town Council.” The Planning Commission is responsible for considering possible revisions and presenting their recom-

mendations to the county or town government entity following a public hearing. The governing body then holds its own public hearing before making its decision on the plan. The meetings, which will be held through early November, are scheduled to be held on Thursdays at Town Hall at 7 p.m., with the exception of three two-hour comprehensive plan workshops with the public. The first two will be held on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Carver Center, 200 E. Willie Palmer Way, in Purcellville. A third workshop will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at Town Hall, 221 S. Nursery Ave. in Purcellville. The work sessions represent the fourth round of public input in what has been an extensive public engagement by the Planning Commission. Each workshop will begin with an informational presentation on the current status of the plan update process, and include summaries of the first three rounds of public input, the results of the exercises completed by members of the public and the research and analysis findings conducted by the town’s planning team. Attendees will have the opportunity to respond to posted questions designed to provide more guidance for the Planning Commission, according to Senior Planner Daniel Galindo. During last week’s council meet-

ing, Galindo gave an update on the commissioners’ progress and presented the draft vision statement for the plan, which serves as a guide for decision making and future development: “Purcellville will preserve and protect its unique, thriving and diverse small town charm by remaining a place: 1. That is mindful of its character and historic heritage; 2. Where visitors are appreciative of its physical beauty and valued environment, and; 3. Where citizens delight in living and participating in the community.” Galindo also noted that the town’s growth rate has slowed significantly since 2010. The current population is just over 9,000. The number of jobs in town more than doubled between 2004 and 2014, and the town is projected to add more than 5,000 new jobs by 2040. Education, construction and accommodations/food service are projected half the jobs in town in 2040. Housing stock also rose significantly between 2010 and 2014, almost doubling, and the average household and family size is significantly larger in Purcellville than in the nation as a whole. For more information or questions, contact Galindo at 540-338-2304 or dgalindo@purcellvilleva.gov. mmorton@loudounnow.com

[ TOWN NOTES ]

Hamilton Sidewalks Repairs, Extensions Coming The Hamilton Town Council is moving ahead with its $270,500 VDOT federal enhancement grant for its sidewalks repair and construction project. The Map-21 Transportation Alternatives Program grant requires a 20 percent match from the town. The project is in two phases. Mayor David Simpson said the town is in the engineering design of the first phase, working with the Virginia Department of Transportation on repairs to existing sidewalks mostly at the center of town where tree roots have caused damage. “Once the repairs are done, we’ll use the rest to widen and build new sidewalks,” Simpson said. “We’re still looking to see where the best places for new sidewalks, crosswalks and bump-outs would be. A second application is being prepared for fiscal year 2018 to cover the new sidewalk phase of the project. A public hearing on that application is scheduled for Oct. 17 The town also has received a $200,000 grant to better control stormwater runoff flowing over TOWN NOTES >> 24

Sept. 22 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;28, 2016

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[ TOWN NOTES ]

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Hillsboro isn’t the only Loudoun town in western Loudoun looking to expand. Hamilton has ideas in that direction also. It may come as a surprise to to some, but the Hamilton Elementary School, at 52 S. Kerr St. just off Rt. 7/Colonial Highway, is not within the town borders. That’s an anomaly that the town and the school system are looking to address, having entered into discussions about an eventual boundary line adjustment. Those talks are in the preliminary phase, and any expansion to the town’s boundaries would require approval by the Board of Supervisors and the Town Council. Hillsboro is looking to add 66 acres to its existing 60 acres, with the plan set for a Board of Supervisors public hearing Oct. 12. If the Hamilton boundary expansion comes to fruition, the town would gain another 11.34 acres to its current 133.87 acres.

Bluemont 100-Mile Bikers’ Ride Set for Oct. 1 Hundreds of motorcyclists are expected to join the Healing Heroes Ride, which will follow country roads for 100 miles through the Piedmont and Shenandoah valleys on Oct. 1. In its third year, the ride benefits the Boulder Crest Retreat for Military and

Veteran Wellness in Bluemont. The “high stakes” poker run will kick off at 8 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. at the retreat, where a barbecue picnic and live entertainment will be waiting. The race so far has raised more than $60,000. The entry fee of $30 for a rider and $60 for a rider and a passenger includes a poker hand, breakfast, lunch, drinks and entertainment. Event Chairman Jack Causa said bikers from as far away as Florida are coming to support the work of the retreat. John Marshall Bank again will be the presenting sponsor of the race. For race more information, go to bouldercrestretrreat.com.

Purcellville Reappointments Made to Advisory Panels The Purcellville Town Council emerged from closed session Sept. 13 to announce appointments to the Board of Architectural Review and the Board of Zoning Appeals. Chairman Pat Giglio and Jim Gloeckner were re-appointed to the BAR for four-year terms ending Aug. 31, 2020. Also, interior designer Beth Goldsmith, an 11-year Purcellville resident, was appointed to finish the term of Phillips Forbes, who stepped down for health reasons. Her term will expire on July 31, 2019. Business consultant Daniel Shaughnessy, a 13-year town resident, was appointed to the BZA, filling the vacancy created by Melanie Fuller’s appointment to the Town Council in January to fill the unexpired portion of Ben Packard’s term.

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Loudoun Ranks Third in Virginia for Visitor Spending BY MARGARET MORTON

ourism is a $1.64 billion industry in Loudoun County, according to new figures released by the U.S. Travel Association. According to Visit Loudoun, the 2015 data shows that Loudoun’s tourism sector increased 2.9 percent between 2014 and 2015, while supporting 6,840 jobs and generating $632 million in wages. The data is based on domestic visitor spending from trips taken 50 miles or more away from home. Overall, Loudoun ranked third among Virginia jurisdictions for tourism income. The county continues to see an increase in leisure travel, weddings, sports events and meetings, according to Visit Loudoun President and CEO Beth Erickson. Erickson attributed Loudoun’s strong position to the strength and diversity of its product. Visitors want to connect with the makers of the experiences they enjoy, she said. In Loudoun, those experiences include meeting with winemakers, brewers and distillers, engaging with artists at their studios, visiting farms and enjoying outstanding cuisine at Loudoun restaurants. “While I can’t say that I wasn’t surprised, I was pleased to see that Loudoun County outpaced state indicators across the board. Not only did we see visitor spending increase by 2.9 percent versus the 2.4 percent increase for the state as a whole, but that visitor spending provided significant gains in local and state tax receipts,” she said

this week. Tourism-related state tax receipts for Loudoun were about $43.6 million— up 6.6. percent, and local tax receipts also rose—to $25.9 million or 6.3 percent. Sharing Loudoun with visitors has considerable benefits for residents, Erickson said, noting “tourism offsets $689.60 in taxes for every Loudoun household.” She was particularly pleased to see steady growth in tourism and hospitality-related jobs in Loudoun. The

industry’s 16,840 jobs are more than Loudoun County Public Schools at 10,202 and Loudoun County government at 3,776, combined, she said. In tourism, too, Northern Virginia is the commonwealth’s economic engine. Erickson said Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties drive 39 percent of total visitor spending and generate 38 percent of state’s tourism tax revenue. Loudoun was not alone in seeing increased tourism revenues. The U.S.

Patton Oswalt: Talking For Clapping

BROAD RUN ALUM WINS FIRST EMMY Last summer, Patton Oswalt was on the stage at Broad Run High School’s graduation garnering plenty

of laughs while sharing words of wisdom at his alma mater. Sunday night, he was on stage near Hollywood ac-

mmorton@loudounnow.com cepting an Emmy award. The 1987 Broad Run graduate and former Sterling resident took top honors for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special for his 2016 Netflix special “Patton Oswalt: Talking For Clapping.” The stand-up comedian, writer, actor and voice actor is best known for roles such as Spencer Olchin in the CBS sitcom “The King of Queens,” providing the voice of Remy in “Ratatouille” and the agent Koenig on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Oswalt’s acceptance speech was one of the award show’s most memorable as he paid tribute to his late wife. “I want to share this with two people. My daughter Alice who is waiting at home. And the other one is waiting somewhere else, I hope,” he said. His wife, Michelle McNamara, died in April at age 46.

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Bada Bing! to Open in Purcellville

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Debbie Thomas, right, and Kristine Smith brought their passion for children’s clothing to their new Ashby Mae store in Leesburg.

BABY BOUTIQUE Children’s Shop Opens in Downtown Leesburg BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

or mother and daughter team Debbie Thomas and Kristine Smith, a favorite stop on any trip was checking out children’s boutiques, scouring their assortment of items and labels and making mental notes of what they liked. Now that same opportunity is open to local residents, as the two have recently opened Ashby Mae Children’s Boutique at 3 Loudoun St. SW in Leesburg. Located above The Jeans Whisperer, the store is woven together, with rooms separated by different sizes and age groups, and even one room set aside for pajamas. The entire shop is decorated in much the same way one would set up a nursery, and immediately gives a warm,

homey feeling. An area is even set aside for nursing mothers, and toys for curious children accompanying their shopping adults. Thomas, a longtime Leesburg resident who now lives in Ashburn, brings an extensive retail background, and coupled with her own and Leesburg resident Smith’s shared passion for children’s clothing, not to mention their experiences as moms, they hope area residents have the same regard for the wares they have chosen to showcase in Ashby Mae. Many of the products they offer are made in the U.S., they note. Aside from its owners, the store has been a family affair, as Ashby Mae is named after Thomas’ late mother, and Smith’s grandmother, Gladys Mae Ashby Gore. The logo was created by family

friend and Loudoun native Inslee Farris, and integrates the store’s name as well as other things that have personal meaning to the family. And the next generation is alive in the store, as the initials of each of Thomas’ grandchildren is displayed on the walls. For more information on Ashby Mae, go to its Facebook page Ashby Mae Children’s Boutique, or find it on Instagram @ashbymaeboutique. The store is open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. The store will stay open until 8 p.m. during First Friday events, and will also provide private appointments by request.

The Loudoun County Department of Economic Development saw its best year ever in fiscal year 2016, reporting $2.3 billion in investment—the most of any county in Virginia, and double last year’s number, which was its highest on record at that time. The department’s annual report highlights 71 projects announced last year, ranging from data center giants like CyrusOne and Equinix; to Pilot Malt House, the Virginia craft brewing scene’s first dedicated malting operation; to businesses like indoor skydiving attraction iFly; and a “sister airport” marketing partnership between Dulles Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport. “That’s really key,” said Department of Economic Development Director Buddy Rizer. “Our number one strategy is building the diverse economy. We’ve been very successful in data centers, but

Lo0udoun Department of Economic Development

Department of Economic Development Director Buddy Rizer, Hydro Systems executive Jon Edwards, and Supervisor Suzanne M. Volpe (R-Algonkian) cut the ribbon on a new facility March 16.

the reality of the situation is that we have just one person here that’s trying to attract data centers. Everyone else in this department is working to attract other clusters in others businesses.” Loudoun’s success is being noticed

Copperwood Tavern Opens in One Loudoun

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

County Economic Development Department Clocks Record-Breaking Year BY RENSS GREENE

The public is invited to the grand opening of Bada Bing! Bagels on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 10 a.m. The shop is located at 719 E. Main St. in Purcellville, in the Shops at Maple and Main shopping center. Along with a ribbon cutting there will be a drawing for bagel coupons and an appointed Bada Bing! king and queen. The shop will offer 16 varieties of bagels, special cream cheeses and bagel sandwiches. “We are so excited to see our dream come true,” owner Seth Castellano said. “We knew we were on to something when we started the Bada Bing! Bagels food truck and the lines were around the block early in the morning. The store will give us so many more options and we hope to attract real New York bagel lovers from all of Northern Virginia and beyond.” For more information, go to badabingbagelsny on Facebook.

internationally—Dubai has recently reached out to the county about its sister city program. Rizer said there are no new sister city partnerships pending at the moment, but the contact from Dubai is illustrative. “It’s your goal, right?” Rizer said. “We spend a lot of time doing outbound, and then you get to a certain level, then you start to have people calling you, and we’re starting to see some of that.” Rizer said not every year can be a $2 billion year, but more good years are ahead as Loudoun grows. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to maximize our rail stations, so that has been an important part of our strategy and will probably be our number one priority going forward.” Rizer said. “And, listen, we’re like any good business. We are constantly evaluating and reassessing our strategy and adjusting as necessary.” rgreene@loudounnow.com

Courtesy of Copperwood Tavern

One Loudoun welcomed another new restaurant last week when Copperwood Tavern opened its second location in the Ashburn development. Copperwood Tavern, a self-described farm-to-table restaurant, works with farms and producers in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania to source produce, meats, and fresh seafood. The restaurant’s staff includes Northern Virginia-born Executive Chef James Duke; bar manager Jody Hessler, who comes with 23 years of experience; and Executive Pastry Chef Brandon Blomquist, who’s refined his skills at Tout de Sweet Patisserie in Bethesda, MD, the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC, and has cooked at the White House. BIZ NOTES >> 31

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One Loudoun’s Downtown to be Sold Retail Properties of America, Inc. announced Tuesday afternoon that it has inked a deal to purchase the downtown retail/office section of One Loudoun in Ashburn. According to the announcement, the gross purchase price is up to $163.1 million, based on certain performance thresholds. Miller & Smith and North America Sekisui House, LLC developed the property. The first phase included 236,800 square feet of retail space and 105,200 square feet of office space and is nearly 90 percent under lease. The remaining phases, totaling 78,300 square feet of retail and 46,300 square feet of office, are under development and 71 percent leased. The downtown area is the centerpiece of One Loudoun, which is a 360acre mixed use development.

Among the tenants are Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, The Fresh Market, Matchbox and Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande Cafe. “We are pleased with the opportunity to acquire One Loudoun Downtown, which demonstrates our ongoing ability to source compelling, high quality, strategically located retail assets in a very competitive investment environment,” stated Shane Garrison, RPAI’s executive vice president, chief investment officer and chief operating officer. “This acquisition augments our significant footprint in the Washington, DC, market and will allow us to leverage our local knowledge and considerable mixed-use experience to continue to transform the property into Loudoun County’s premier shopping and entertainment destination.” It will be RPAI’s second retail prop-

Courtesy of Bank of Clarke County

The new Purcellville Southern States broke ground earlier this month.

erty in Loudoun. The investment group owns Fort Evans Plaza II, the center along Fort Evans Road in Leesburg that includes Marshalls, Bed Bath & Beyond, Dollar Tree and Five Below. “Miller & Smith and North America Sekisui House will continue to be the master developer of One Loudoun and we are excited for RPAI to join us in furthering the success of the project,” stated Bill May, vice president of Miller & Smith. “With their proven leasing and operating platform, RPAI will bring valuable retail expertise to the project that will ensure the continued vibrancy of One Loudoun as a whole.”

May stressed that he and the other partners remain committed to the project. “We’re not going away. It’s just another day for us,” May said Tuesday. “We’ve accomplished a lot here and there’s a lot more to accomplish. … We’re in it for the long haul.” May said the deal should benefit families living in One Loudoun and other county residents as RPAI can tap its connections with national retailers to strengthen the development’s downtown core in coming years. “We think this deal will allow us to get to the next level,” May said.

[ NONPROFIT NEWS ] All Ages Read Together Hosts Hoedown Fundraiser Loudoun-based nonprofit All Ages Read Together is hosting its big Horseshoe Hoedown fundraiser for its sixth year Saturday, Oct. 1. All Ages Read Together helps prepare disadvantaged children for success through the instruction of certified teachers and volunteers. Since 2007, the organization has enrolled hundreds of students in Loudoun and Fairfax counties. The Horseshoe Hoedown will feature food, drinks, a mechanical bull riding and dancing starting at 5 p.m. at River Farm Stables, at River Farm Lane near Leesburg. Tickets are $65 ($35 of which is tax-deductible) and includes dinner and two drinks. All Ages Read Together is also seeking gifts of goods or professional services valued at $50 or more for auction or raffle. All donors will be thanked in the event program. Extra tickets may be donated to the organization’s inter-generational volunteers. Learn more and buy tickets at allagesreadtogether.com.

Community Foundation to Honor Singleton J. Knox Singleton, CEO of Inova Health System, will be recognized by the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia for his history of leadership and stewardship, providing world-class healthcare to all members of the diverse Northern Virginia community with the 2016 Community Leadership Award. The longest-standing community-based recognition award in Northern Virginia, it will be presented at the Community Foundation’s annual Raise the Region Gala on Oct. 7 at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner. The award is presented annually for outstanding commitment and dedication to improving the quality of life for all Northern Virginians. More than 600 business leaders, philanthropists, and community organizers participate in this

event to celebrate the charitable work of the Community Foundation and to raise funds to support the critical needs of the Northern Virginia community. Since 1983, Singleton has led Inova’s evolution from a collection of small, stand-alone hospitals into an award-winning health system, nationally recognized for clinical excellence, innovation and outstanding patient care. He also serves on several boards. He is co-founder of the Global Good Fund, which works to coach and mentor future leaders, and co-founder of the Community Coalition for Haiti, which creates community-driven solutions in healthcare, education, and community development in Haiti. Singleton has received numerous personal awards and recognitions, including the 2015 CEO of the Year by the Washington Business Journal Raise the Region Gala sponsorships start at $750 and include tickets and recognition at the event and in Community Foundation publications throughout the year. Individual tickets are $300. For information, go to cfnova.org/gala.

Stewardship Day Planned at Blue Ridge Regional Park Area residents are invited to join Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains for an autumn clean-up as the nonprofit continues its work to remove invasive vegetation from Blue Ridge Regional Park. The work day will be held on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Experts will guide volunteers in identifying and removing unwanted plants. Participants should wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, work gloves and sturdy shoes. Bring clippers, pruning shears, or saws if possible. Blue Ridge Regional Park is located off Rt. 601, about 3 miles south of Rt. 7. The entrance will be marked on the left and is opposite a wall with pyramid-shaped stone posts. No sign up is required, just show up. For more information, go to friendsofblueridge.org.

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Sandy Lerner who founded Ayrshire Farm and Hunter’s Head Tavern in Upperville and Home Farm Store in Middleburg, will open Gentle Harvest Oct. 1 in Marshall. The food store will offer products sourced from local farms, including Lerner’s own Ayrshire Farm. Products will range from certified organic and certified humane meats to graband-go meals, to coffee, flowers, local wines and beer. The store will have a wide array of products as well as dinein capacity. In addition, the store will feature a convenient drive-thru where customers can pick up quick meals or groceries—all accessible via the store’s app. “Gentle Harvest is a win-win for the local farms, residents and travelers along the highways,” said Sully Callahan, who oversees management of Gentle Harvest. “In essence it’s a concept where the farm stand meets the freeway.” A second store is scheduled to open in Winchester in late October, with more on the drawing boards. “We’re planning an aggressive rollout in 2017,” Callahan said. Gentle Harvest in Marshall is located in an iconic former bank building and will serve as the headquarters for the venture.

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The Loudoun County Department of Economic Development is the sponsoring partner for the inaugural meeting of the Virginia Agri-Women, an affiliate organization of the American Agri-Women. On Oct. 19, the Virginia group will meet at Stable Craft Brewing at Hermitage Hill Farm and Stables in Waynesboro. The day will kick off with a business meeting, followed by lunch with keynote speaker University of Virginia professor Rae Blumberg, who calls women’s economic empowerment “a magic potion for development.” The day will conclude with farm tours of a dairy goat operation, pumpkin patch, and horse stables. Women with a passion for agriculture are encouraged to attend and consider membership in the organization. The chapter is also looking for agricultural leaders to fill regional board of director seats. Find out more and register at loudounfarms.org/vawconference. A membership form is available at biz.loudoun.gov/vawmember.

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FALL FUN LEESBURG FINE ART FESTIVAL Saturday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 25, 11 am.-5 p.m.; downtown Leesburg Details: paragonartevents.com

The fifth annual Leesburg Fine Arts Festival spotlights artists from more than 20 states and overseas and features painting, jewelry, sculpture, photography, woodworking, ceramics, glass, fiber art, and mixed media. Admission is free. Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Nicole Clark walks along the W&OD Trail near Purcellville with her daughter, Jordan, and husband, Bill.

TOGETHER FOR A COMMON CAUSE

Cancer Survivor’s Breast Friends Event Unites Women BY JAN MERCKER

t started with a cup of coffee. In 2013, Nicole Clark was going through chemotherapy treatments after an unexpected breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 39. Clark was having coffee at a restaurant near her Lovettsville home, her bare head covered by a scarf, when a fellow mom began (hesitantly at first) asking questions about her experience. Those questions prompted Clark and a friend to launch the inaugural Breast Friends event later that year: a funny, moving, no-holdsbarred conversation about breast cancer. “I joke and say ‘I’m the boob lady of Lovettsville’ … I’m happy about it and it makes me so proud,” Clark said with a laugh. Now 43 and cancer free, Clark is gear-

ing up for her third Breast Friends event later this month, with a goal of sharing her story and helping other women. The event takes place Sept. 29 at Harmony Middle School near Hamilton and features a talk from Clark about her experience and a Q&A with a panel of doctors. Clark, an Army veteran who now works an office job, was shocked when she got her initial diagnosis at a young age, despite having no family history of the disease. Her gynecologist found the tumor during a routine breast exam, setting the course for Clark’s year-long battle. “It was just kind of a roller coaster from there,” she said, with a whirlwind of tests and specialists including a mammogram, biopsies (which led to the discovery that her cancer was at stage two), six months of chemotherapy and six surgeries, including a lumpectomy and eventu-

ally a mastectomy. In the midst of her chemotherapy treatment, following her aha moment at the coffee bar, Clark began planning the first Breast Friends event in 2013. She teamed up with her friend and neighbor Michelle Batt, who lost a close family member to breast cancer and tested positive for the breast cancer gene mutation (also known as BRCA), which has been shown to increase the risk for breast cancer. The friends repeated their presentation the following year but took a hiatus last year when Batt took a job abroad. This fall, as Clark’s daughter entered middle school, she decided to revive the program, using new connections to reach a wider audience in western Loudoun and beyond. Clark’s aim is to be brutally honest— BREAST FRIENDS >> 35

Leesburg Air Show Takes Flight Saturday BY LEAH FALLON Keep your eyes on the sky on Saturday, Sept. 24. The seventh annual Leesburg Airshow will be taking flight at the Leesburg Executive Airport from 1 to 4 p.m., gates open at 11a.m. “I think this year’s show will be great. It’s a nice mix of those returning and those new to the show,” said Barb Smith, events coordinator for the Town of Leesburg Parks and Recreation. “So much to see and do in a single event; planes, helicopters, aerobatics, great vendors, a variety of yummy food, hot rod cars, a space shuttle inflatable, military vehicles, and so much more.” The airshow will kick off with the National Anthem parachute jump, followed by air acrobatics and flybys. The Flying Circus from Bealeton will impress spectators with its aerial demonstrations, ride hopping and skydiving skills. This year, popular pilot Dan Marcotte will be performing in his Ultimate Biplane, an aircraft that has reached speeds up to 300 mph. He will also be showcasing his Jet Car, powered by a GE J85 jet engine from a F5 fighter. Marcotte built this custom-designed vehicle from the ground up in his shop. On Saturday, spectators can watch it

Courtesy of Leesburg Airshow

The tarmac of Leesburg Executive Airport is expected to draw a big crowd Saturday for the seventh annual Leesburg Airshow.

race a flying plane. A few of the notable aircraft at the show this year date back to World War II. The P51 Mustang, a single seat fighter plane, flew most of its missions as a bomber escort over Germany. The Grumman TBF Avenger was one of the outstanding torpedo bombers of World War II. And the Japanese “Kate” Bomber, a modified version of the Nakajima B5N, was flown by the Imperial Japanese

Navy. New this year will be a large Ch53 Sea Stallion helicopter and a HA-420 HondaJet will be on display. Make the trip to the tarmac to explore exhibits, activities and vendors. Representatives from iFLY Loudoun will be there to offer information about their indoor skydiving facility located near One Loudoun. Activities for kids include a giant space shuttle inflatable, airplane toys, and the Wood and Can Man is back with airplanes made of recycled cans. Usborne Books will have a booth with books featuring aviation. Wings won’t be the only things featured on Saturday. Vintage cars will be another attraction on the tarmac. Displays include a 1969 Ford Mach 1 Mustang and a 1969 Chevy Camaro. In case of rain or fog, the decision to fly will be made by the show’s airboss, taking in to account safety of the attendees and the pilots. Parking for the show will be at Heritage High School at 520 Evergreen Mill Road SE and Tuscarora High School at 801 N. King St. There will be free shuttles from 10:45 a.m.-5:30 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $3 per person or $5 per family. Pets should be left at home.

LEESBURG AIRSHOW Saturday, Sept. 24, 11 a.m.4 p.m.; Leesburg Executive Airport, Leesburg. Details: leesburgairshow.com This beloved annual event features military, civilian and experimental aircraft and fun activities. The main show, including skydivers and stunt planes, starts at 1 p.m. Parking is not available on site, but shuttles will run from satellite lots at Heritage and Tuscarora high schools. Suggested donation is $3 per person or $5 per family.

LIONS CLUB OKTOBERFEST DINNER Friday, Sept. 23, 5-7:30 p.m.; Lovettsville Community Center, 57 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville. Details: lovelions.org This family dinner includes German favorites like ham, bratwurst, sauerkraut and dessert. The grand finale is the crowning of this year’s new Oktoberfest king and queen. Cost is $12.50 for an adult meal and $6 for a child’s hotdog meal.

ROCKTOBERFEST! Friday, Sept. 23, 7-11:30 p.m.; Oktoberfest Beer Garden, 6 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Lovettsville. Details: lovettsvilleoktoberfest. com Kick off Lovettsville’s Oktoberfest weekend with food, beer and music from Ghost Pepper, plus the annual “Bohemian Rhapsody” community singalong at 9:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Courtesy of Leesburg Airshow

LOVETTSVILLE OKTOBERFEST Saturday, Sept 24, 10 a.m.-11 p.m., downtown Lovettsville. Details: lovettsvilleoktoberfest. com Stop by Loudoun’s German

MORE TO DO >> 34

33 Sept. 22 –28, 2016

Courtesy of Lionsgate

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone sit in a movie theater in the film “La La Land.”

The Middleburg Film Festival has booked “La La Land,” starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, as the centerpiece of this year’s three-day festival. “La La Land” director Damien Chazelle will appear at the Saturday, Oct. 22, screening. No news yet on whether the stars of the musical romance film will make an appearance in Middleburg. The movie opened the Venice Film Festival, where Stone won the Best Actress award, and Lionsgate has announced it arrives in theaters in the U.S. on Dec. 2. Middleburg Film Festival runs Oct. 20-23 and features screenings at Salamander Resort & Spa and other sites throughout the western Loudoun town. The festival was founded four years ago by Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET and CEO of Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg. Johnson said the festival is honored

to welcome Cheryl Boone Isaacs, of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, calling her work inspiring and applauding her for a commitment to improving the numbers for women and people of color working in the film industry. In 2015, the festival featured films from seven women directors. The 2016 version will again showcase the talents of a diverse group of filmmakers, she said. “I want to personally invite you to join me Oct. 20-23, 2016, to see some wonderful films in a truly spectacular setting,” Johnson states on the festival’s website. “The Middleburg Film Festival is an exciting opportunity to celebrate two of my favorite things by bringing the best in independent film right here to the town I love.” Advance ticket packages to the film festival are now on sale. Learn more at middleburgfilm.org.

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[ MORE TO DO ] << FROM 32 settlement for beer, wine, traditional Bavarian music and dancing, wiener dog races and a designated Kinderfest children’s area. Visit the website for a complete schedule.

VANISH BREWERY DAS OKTOBERFEST Saturday, Sept. 24, noon-10 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 25, noon-9 p.m.; Vanish Brewery, 42264 Leelynn Farm Lane, Leesburg. Details: dasoktoberfestloudoun.com Enjoy music, activities, food and great local and German beers. Tickets are $20 for a one-day pass, $35 for a weekend pass and $8 for designated drivers and under 21.

LIBATIONS WK BEEFSTEAK BANQUET Saturday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m.; The Barn at Georges Mill Farm, 11873 Georges Mill Road, Lovettsville. Details: thewinekitchen.com This 19th Century-style banquet features lots of meat: filet mignon, New York strip and flank steak prepared by Wine Kitchen chefs. The only catch: no utensils! Tickets are $125 and include beer, wine and locally sourced sides.

COUNTRY BRUNCH WITH DELTA SPUR Sunday, Sept. 25, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Mar-

ket Blvd., Leesburg.

LIVE MUSIC: THE DCEIVERS

Details: smokehouse-live.com

Saturday, Sept. 24, 8 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live. com

This local country band performs Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Zac Brown, Keith Urban, and other current country artists. A Delta Spur show is an energetic performance of fresh, modern country and songs audiences want to hear. Free with brunch.

NIGHTLIFE LIVE MUSIC: PANDORA’S BOX AEROSMITH TRIBUTE Saturday, Sept. 24, 8:30 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyholeesburg.com The energy and authenticity of Aerosmith from the days of Joe Perry and Steven Tyler. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door.

LIVE MUSIC: BOBBY THOMPSON AND REVELATOR HILL Friday, Sept. 23, 8 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com Master guitarist and vocalist Bobby Thompson is no stranger to the blues and rock world. Revelator Hill is his latest collaboration with some of the finest rock and blues musicians in the D.C. area, including Seth Morrissey, Gary Crockett and Wes Lanich.

This indie rock trio, featuring Sean Chyun, Ian Burke, and Torro Gamble is hitting the road with new songs and their intoxicatingly high-energy shows. No cover.

SAVVY WOMEN NETWORKING EVENT Thursday, Sept. 28, 5-9 p.m.; Bar Louie One Loudoun, 20586 Easthampton Plaza, Ashburn. Details: savvywomennetwork.com Meet and mingle with Loudoun’s newest networking group for women. Event includes vendors, drinks and appetizers. A portion of proceeds from food and drinks will be donated to the Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter. Admission is free.

ON STAGE COMEDY CULT IMPROV

on the spot. Coffee is included. Tickets are $8.

VIRGINIA OPERA: TALES OF BROTHERS GRIMM Monday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m., Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org Families will enjoy this production of one of the most beloved works in the operatic repertoire, based on the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel. Tickets are $8 at the door.

LOCO CULTURE BIRDING THE BLUE RIDGE CENTER Saturday, September 24, 8 a.m., Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship, 11661 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville. Details: loudounwildlife.org Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy for a monthly bird walk at this 900-acre preserve in northwestern Loudoun County. Bring binoculars.

Sunday, Sept. 25, 6:30 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org

AUTHOR TALK: ‘THE WILSON DECEPTION’

Franklin Park’s Gallery Coffeehouse series features the spontaneous and talented crew of Loudoun Valley High School Comedy Cult Improv team as they take audience suggestions and create theatrical scenes and stories

David O. Stewart discusses his latest presidential mystery novel set in 1928 featuring protagonists Dr. Jamie Fraser and Speed Cook. Event is free and open to the public but advance registration is recommended.

Sunday, Sept. 25, 2 p.m.; Thomas Balch Library, 208 W. Market St., Leesburg. Contact: 703-737-7195

Special Loudoun Now Offer!

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New orders only. Minimum purchase required. Financing available with minimum purchase and approved credit. LeafGuard is neither a lender nor a broker. Estimated advertised financing assumes special Enerbank financing available to well-qualified buyers on approved credit. Loans provided by EnerBank USA (1245 E. Brickyard Rd. Suite 640, Salt Lake City, UT 84106) on approved credit, for a limited time. Repayment terms vary from 24 to 132 months. Interest waived if repaid in 365 days. 16.46% fixed APR, effective as of May 2016, subject to change. Other restrictions may apply. Not valid with any other offer, or previous job. Exp. 9/30/16

Call Today for free estimate!

(703) 592-8241

<< FROM 32

jmercker@loudounnow

FYI

SVL95-2

• 96.4 Gross HP, 4-Cylinder Turbocharged Kubota Diesel Engine • Standard Auxiliary Hydraulics • Superior Power and Bucket Breakout Force

SSV75

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FINANCING

FOR UP TO 60 MONTHS

ON SELECT NEW

KX040-4

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KUBOTAS!

BROWNING EQUIPMENT, INC. 800 East Main St. • Purcellville, VA

Breast Friends event 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29 Harmony Middle School, 38174 W. Colonial Highway in Hamilton It is for adults only. Refreshments will be provided and door prizes from area businesses will be offered to the first 50 visitors.

(540)338-7123 • www.browningequipment.com * $0 Down, 0% A.P.R. financing for up to 60 months on purchases of new Kubota ZP, Z700, RTVX900/X1100/X1120, BX, B, L, M, MH/M7, RB, DMC, DM, RA, TE, SL (SSV) and TLB series equipment is available to qualified purchasers from participating dealers’ in-stock inventory through 12/31/2016. Example: A 60-month monthly installment repayment term at 0% A.P.R. requires 60 payments of $16.67 per $1,000 financed. 0% A.P.R. interest is available to customers if no dealer documentation preparation fee is charged. Dealer charge for document preparation fee shall be in accordance with state laws. Inclusion of ineligible equipment may result in a higher blended A.P.R. 0% A.P.R. and low rate financing may not be available with customer instant rebate offers. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A., 3401 Del Amo Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503; subject to credit approval. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 12/31/2016. See us for details on these and other low-rate options or go to www. kubota.com for more information. ††Only terms and conditions of Kubota’s standard Limited Warranty apply. For warranty terms, see Kubota’s Limited Warranty at www.Kubota.com or authorized Kubota Dealers. Power (HP/KW) and other specifications are based on various standards or recommended practices. For complete warranty, safety and product information, please refer to the operator’s manual or consult your Kubota dealer. K1048-41-131866-4

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and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny—about the ups and downs of breast cancer. She openly discusses her struggle with the effects of chemotherapy, including losing her hair and nails and suffering from unbearably itchy skin, and the toll treatment took on her family, husband Bill and daughter Jordan, now 11. Clark describes the grueling moments: when Bill couldn’t hold her because chemo made her skin so sensitive, and her constant feeling of never being able to get warm, along with weight gain and depression linked to steroid medications taken during chemo. But there were also plenty of moving and funny moments, like when her co-workers’ coordinated a program to donate sick leave and vacation time during her treatment and the countless times her family fell back on humor as a coping mechanism. And while humor is a big part of her Breast Friends talk, it’s also a time to tackle serious issues. Clark uses her presentation to help women focus on selfcare and paying attention to their bodies, as well as to promote screening and her recommendation that 3D mammograms become the new standard of care. “She’s really trying to use her negative experience to help others have a more positive experience, and that’s a really important thing,” said Clark’s breast surgeon, Dr. Elizabeth Feldman of Reston Breast Care Specialists. Feldman will be part of panel of doc-

Demanding Jobs Demand Kubota!

Sept. 22 –28, 2016

Breast friends

tors at the Sept. 29 program, including an oncologist, a plastic surgeon, a family doctor and a gynecologist, along with representatives of Loudoun-based Radiology Imaging Associates. The panel will supplement Clark’s presentation, answer questions and provide information on advances in treatment since her diagnosis. “The earlier we can catch a cancer with screenings, the less aggressive a treatment may be and the potential that we can extend patients’ lives if we can catch it early and cure it. That’s really the best thing that we can do,” said Dr. Mei Firestone, an oncologist with Oncology/ Hematology of Loudoun and Reston, who will also sit on the panel. Clark said the programs often attract both women who have been recently diagnosed and are looking for information and advice, as well as women with no personal or family history who simply want to educate themselves, and speaking to both of those audiences is part of her mission to share her experience. “I think that’s why I was left behind,” she said, “to tell people what they need to know.”

THOMPSON CREEK THE ONE COMPANY THAT DOES IT ALL

DESIGN. BUILD. INSTALL. CALL FOR A FREE PRICE QUOTE

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*Discount applied at time of contract execution. All purchase prices to be calculated prior to application of discount. Excludes previous installations. All products include professional installation. Buy 3 windows and get the 4th window free. Free window must be the lowest price window of the 4 windows being ordered. Offer is not valid with any other advertised or unadvertised discounts or promotions. Limit of one discount per purchase contract. Void where prohibited by law or regulation. Offer may be cancelled without prior notice. Offer expires 9/30/2016. Offer has no cash value and is open to new customers only. MHIC #125294, VA # 2705-117858-A, DC Permanent # 8246

loudounnow.com

THAT SOUNDS BETTER

loudounnow.com

[ OBITUARY ] Gladys Lee Upton, 85 of

Lansdowne, VA formerly of Purcellville, VA. Departed this life on Sept. 13, 2016 at her residence. Funeral Services was held on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016 at Kingdom Hall, 48055 Sugarland Run Dr, Sterling, VA 20164. Interment was Sunday Sept. 18, 2016 at Grace Annex United Methodist Church Cemetery, Lincoln, Virginia Arrangements By: Lyles Funeral Service of Purcellville, Virginia

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

ARE YOU TIRED OF

MISSING TEETH OR

LOOSE DENTURES?

MINI DENTAL IMPLANTS COULD BE THE SOLUTION FOR YOU! What are Mini Dental Implants? Mini Dental Implants are titanium screws that can replace the root of missing teeth or stabilize loose dentures. Mini Dental Implants are thinner in size making them easier to fit into resorbed bone. For dentures and partials, a housing is attached precisely inside your appliance to hold it in place securely with an o-ring and functions like a button, snapping in and out. Mini ✓ Dental Implants may also be an excellent ✓ option for replacing missing teeth and could be a more affordable option to ✓ Traditional Dental Implants.

WE HAVE DENTAL IMPLANTS OF DIFFERENT SHAPES & SIZES THAT ALLOW US TO BEST MEET YOUR NEEDS & BUDGET!

Sept. 22 –28, 2016

Call (703) 665-1237 today to schedule your FREE dental implant evaluation with needed X-rays. Family First Dental & Implant Center FAMILY Ronald Buro, DDS FIRST DENTAL & Implant Center

(703) 665-1237 |

230 Fort Evans Road NE Leesburg, VA 20176

www.MiniDentaliMplantsleesburgVa.com

We’ve got you covered. In the mail weekly. Online always.

Crossword

Employment

Position includes benefits. Must have a Class B CDL License and interstate classification. Please call Joe Kaylor at (703)777-3841 or email inquiries to Joe.Kaylor@lcds.org.

Administrative Assistant, Full-Time Position 2+ years experience in an administrative role Strong administrative, organizational, and verbal and written communication skills Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office suite or similar software Positive attitude and exceptional customer service Salary commensurate with experience Excellent benefits Apply at http://www.lcds.org/aboutus/employment. Learn more at http://www.lcds.org.

CERTIFIED CARE GIVER FOR HIREer

Looking For Work Providing Care For The Elderly Seniors / Persons with Disabilities, in their homes & all of their daily needs. • Will run errands • Has own transportation • good cook To Hire Call Naana (630) 200-9592

AWARD WINNING PROGRAM

A KID’S PLACE www.akidsplacewest.com

16 Months Through Kindergarten

is looking for Senior Teacher (6:30 am - 4 pm) to manage the Kindergarten Class & Office including opening duties. Call Miss Reba (1 - 6 pm) at 703 777 9012 248 Loudoun Street SW, Leesburg

• Hiring PT Barista • Coffee Shop Experience a necessity; beer knowledge a plus. Located in Leesburg Send resume to: BrewLoCo@gmail.com

To Announce Your Employment Opportunities Email classifieds@loudounnow.com or Call (703) 770-9723 In Print & Online One Low Price

Yard Sale Yard Sale & Bake Sale to Save the Ashburn Colored School Saturday, September 24th 9 am - 2 pm 20579 Ashburn Road All proceeds will go to restoring the Ashburn Colored School Rain Date: Sunday, September 25th

House of Worship “New Church”

Fountains of Living Water International Church

Beginning Sept. 25 Sunday 10:30am

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

Furniture, tools, garden items, kitchen items & misc. items. 16333 Hamilton Station Rd. Waterford

COMMUNITY YARD SALE Lakes at Red Rock will be holding a community yard sale

October 1st 8-12 noon, rain or shine 43131 Lake Ridge Place, Leesburg Website: www.lakesatredrock.com

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

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

loudounnow.com

To Include Your House Of Worship

Saturday, September 24th 8am - 1pm

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

YARD SALE

Bus Driver position at Loudoun Country Day School, approximately 20-25 hours perweek plus field trips.

Loudoun Country Day School

Sept. 22 –28, 2016

Bus Driver Wanted

loudounnow.com

Resource Directory BIOMETRICS

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

Any $1 OFF Haircut

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

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

703-726-9828

ID IDENTITY SOLUTIONS GLOBAL

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

BOBCAT

BATHROOM REMODELING Start to finish / To 11/2 Weeks

Tom & Kay - We do our own work / Remodeling

703.819.7391

CHIROPRACTOR

CLEANING SERVICE

CLEANING SERVICE R&D CLEANING SERVICE, LLC

* Bobcat Services * * Gravel Driveway Repair *

Br am

hall Trucking

Good References • Good Prices We Provide The Supplies Free Estimates

540-822-9011

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

Residential - Commercial - Move-In/Out Carpet Cleaning - Excellent Reference Reasonable Rates - Licensed & Insured FREE ESTIMATE

Marlene Vasquez (703) 303-1364

Licensed & Insured

Let us heLp you carry your Load!

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

703-944-5700

karycleaning@yahoo.com

CONSTRUCTION

CLEANING SERVICE

CONSTRUCTION ConCrete & Masonry

Residential and Commercial Excellent reference - Reasonable rates Free in home estimates Family Owned and Operated Licensed, Insured & Bonded

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

703-901-9142 www.cbmaids.com cleanbreakcleaningcompany@gmail.com

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION

Free Estimates

Your Renovation Specialists in Loudoun County

Baths Decks Kitchens Basements Renovations Handyman Lists

:DWHUSURRÀQJ Drainage Control Lot Clearing Grading Residential/ Commerical

Chimneys Retaining Walls Pool Decks Fireplace Footing/Slabs

ProudlyServing ServingArlington Loudoun County County since since 1988 1988 Proudly

DECKS Baker’s

www.brrinc.net Purcellville, VA

Since 1976 • Free Estimates Licensed & Insured

EXCAVATING

10% OFF

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

CONSTRUCTION 540-668-6522

Class “A” General Contractor

Brick Flagstone Concrete Pavers Stamped Concrete

FREE ESTIMATES

Baker & Woods Construction 703-350-9133

Blue Ridge Remodeling, Inc. TM

Driveways Patios Walkways Stoops/Porches Steps

Design

Ph: 703-437-3822 • Cell: 703-795-5621

C ustom C onstruCtion A dditions • r epAirs

PROS

Painting & Remodeling

FITNESS Professional personal training both in home and studios individual & family yoga classes

VA Class A License #2705019491

Loudoun Event Management

BUILD DECKS & FENCES POWERWASHING & STAINING FREE ESTIMATES & DECK INSPECTIONS

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

Limit $300

EVENTS

Serving Northern Virginia area for over 10 years. Taking orders for spring deck projects

Affordable Prices • Best Results

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

FLOORING Chevy Chase Floor Waxing Service Polishing • Buffing • Waxing

Burnishing And Polishing Urethane And Polyurethane Wood Floor Finishes

Marble • Wood • Tile • Stone • Brick

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

(703) 777-3296 (540) 347-1674

sunnybeachfitness.com • 571.442.1901 sunnybeachfitness@gmail.com

Appointments: (703) 779-8211

GARAGE DOORS

Licensed & Insured

www.tomandkayremodeling.com

Order online www.globalidentitysolutions.com

& more!

Sept. 22 –28, 2016

BATHROOMS

HANDYMAN GARDENING HHHHH YOUR LUSH GARDEN Professional, certified and experienced gardener.

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

703-297-9821. www.yourlushgarden.com

FIVE STAR GENERAL CONTRACTOR & HANDYMAN SERVICES

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

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

Licensed & Insured • Reliable & Reasonable Prices

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

HANDYMAN Baker’s

Painting & Remodeling

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

Licensed & Insured Contractor who performs “Handyman Services, Rental & Re-sale Turnovers“ Taking orders for spring deck projects *We Accept ALL Major Cards* 571-439-5576

jbremodeling22@gmail.com

Resource Directory HANDYMAN

Handyman Services 30 Years Experienced Carpentry • Finished Basements Plumbing • Kitchens • Electrical Bathrooms • Tiling Projects Small Additions • Decks

HOME IMPROVEMENT

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

virginiahandyman1775@yahoo.com The Quickest Solution To A Problem Is To Fix It

LANDSCAPE

Full Remodeling Additions Basements Kitchens Bathrooms

LANDSCAPE

Electrical Plumbing Lawn Hauling Drywall & Painting

General Contractor & Handyman Services

YVAN DIAZ (571) 505-5565

Free Estimates

www.handymanloudoun.com Licensed & Insured

JUNK REMOVAL

LAWN CARE

C.L.L.

CORUM’S LAWN & LANDSCAPING

Purcellville, Virginia

Improving Homes In Loudoun Since 1995 • Finished Basements • Garages • Additions • Remodeling

Call Today

For Your Free Estimate:

540.338.3710

703.431.0565

Mark Savopoulos/Owner Licensed/Insured

Class A LIC #2705048174A

• Lawn Maintanence • Aeration & Seeding • Fall Clean-up • Landscape & Hardscape • Lawn Renovations • Tree Service • Drainage Solutions • Bobcat Services Senior & Neighborhood Discounts

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

PET SITTING

DOUGLAS ROOFING CO., INC. Share Our Country Home Chasing Squirrels and Sleeping by the Fireplace

Roof • Gutter • Repairs • Replacement Complete Services • Free Estimates www.douglasroofingco.com

Serving Northern VA/MD/DC Shuttle Services Available

703.255.9599

HAPPYHOUNDSLODGE.COM

Come Join Our Pack of Happy Hounds

(703)297-4737 • (703)395-3912

MILLWORK

BOOKCASES ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS BIRCH-CHERRY-OAK-WALNUT

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

VA Class “A” License

ROOFING

Become Energy Independant! info@solarsolutionsforall.com

571.252.9717

www.solarsolutionsforall.com Making Renewables Affordable for Everyone!

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

Services Include:

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

HUDSON ROOFING COMPANY Over 30 Years Experience

ROOFING • SIDING • WINDOWS • GUTTERS Roof Repairs I New Roofs I Tear-Offs I Shingle Roofs Flat Roofs I Cedar Shakes I Storm Damage Roof Inspections I Insurance Claims No Job Too Small I Owner Supervised

10% OFF Roof Repair

Tree Experts For Over 30 Years Family Owned & Operated SPRING

• Tree Removal • Lot Clearing • SPECIAL • Pruning • Trimming • Clean Up • 25% OFF WITH THIS •Deadlimbing • Uplift Trees • AD! • Grading • Private Fencing • • Retaining/Stone Walls • Grading Driveways •

Your Complete Tree & Landscaping Company Honest & Dependable Serv. • 24 Hr. Emerg. Serv. Satisfaction Guaranteed

(540) 533-8092

WINDOW CLEANING Chesapeake Potomac Window Cleaning Co.

(540) 347-1674

Black rain clouds, birds & spiders follow us

Licensed * Bonded * Insured

703-615-8727

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

Don’t worry Loudoun we deliver

703-770-9723

loudounnow.com

~ Window Cleaning * inside & out by hand * residential specialists ~ Power Washing * no damage - low pressure * soft brushing by hand

175 OFF

Any Complete New Roof Over 12,000 Satisfied Customers

We Take Pride in Our Craftsmanship

NORTH’S TREE SERVICE & LANDSCAPING

Lic./Ins. • Free Estimates • Angie’s List Member • BBB

drcroofing@aol.com

ROOFING

TREE REMOVAL

SOLAR

(703) 777-3296

ROOFING

Call Brendan 703-402-0183

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

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Sept. 22 –28, 2016

HANDYMAN

[ OPINION ]

loudounnow.com

Filling The Gap Despite the best efforts of county supervisors, they continue to spend an inordinate amount of time developing policies designed to eliminate the debate over which charities merit the support of taxpayers’ dollars. The previous board devised a formula to depoliticize the annual process of dolling out county grant money to nonprofits. That came after supervisors realized they were spending more time figuring out which organizations to give a few thousand dollars to than they were on the funding needs of government services actually under their direct control. The outcome of the exercise was based on which group got the most supporters to speak at public hearings, more than which would provide the most valuable service. More recently, supervisors have worked to create a system to assure with a greater degree of certainty that the county funds will best meet community needs. Its hallmark was keeping the hands of individual supervisors out of the mix: Set criteria, determine the size of the grant pot, and let a formula decide the winners and losers. That system has fallen short—supervisors are still debating which charities should get more or less funding, and it remains unclear whether the community’s greatest needs are being adequately met. Of course, there is an argument to be made that the government shouldn’t be giving any tax money away to private organizations. But that assumes that the county is providing adequate services. Through the various economic ups and downs over the years, a philosophy of leaning on public-private partnerships to fill service gaps evolved. As boards of supervisors cut—or failed to expand—some social services, the dependence on community organizations grew. The pot of money supporting those partnerships did not grow at a pace to match the increasing population or the service demand, and in recent years nonprofits have been hit by decreased donations resulting from the recession and a general erosion in the culture of giving. That put the fragile safety net system further out of balance. So yes, the grant system is in need of a reset; however, the analysis should look beyond the tweaks suggested by the finance committee. This is a good time to assess the breadth of community service needs, including what this Board of Supervisors thinks the government can do better and which nonprofits are best equipped to fill in the gaps. Let’s do more than change the formulas in the spreadsheet.

LoudounNow

Published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC 15 N. King St., Suite 101 • Leesburg, VA, 20176 PO Box 207 • Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723 Norman K. Styer Editor nstyer@loudounnow.com

Contributors Jan Mercker Leah Fallon

Danielle Nadler Managing Editor dnadler@loudounnow.com

Advertising Director Susan Styer sstyer@loudounnow.com

Margaret Morton Senior Writer mmorton@loudounnow.com

Display Advertising Doug Corbett Tonya Harding Katie Lewis

Renss Greene, Reporter rgreene@loudounnow.com Kara C. Rodriquez, Reporter krodriguez@loudounnow.com Douglas Graham, Photographer dgraham@loudounnow.com

Classified Manager Lindsay Morgan lmorgan@loudounnow.com Production Electronic Ink Leesburg, VA 20175

[ LETTERS ] Road Alternatives Editor: Building more roads will not necessarily ease traffic; we need a comprehensive look at our transportation options going forward. Now that the Virginia Supreme Court has weighed in on the Greenway, we have started to hear more on “alternatives” that include extending old roads and adding lanes to others. The truth is that these fixes may or may not reduce traffic in the short term, and probably will not in the long term, and may even make matters worse. This may seem counterintuitive— that more driving options could lead to more traffic—but the idea is out there and has been proven to exist, especially in growing metropolitan areas. There are two ideas at play here. One is called induced demand, which is that idea that creating more of something also creates new demand for something. The other is called Braess’ Paradox, which shows mathematically how it works, predicting that removing some roads entirely actually reduced traffic in extreme cases. These work together to either encourage new drivers (or drivers who would otherwise be using another form of transportation) to get on the road, and encourage more people to (quite literally) cut corners in the same way, at the same time, only to get stuck in a different place. I should be clear as to what I am arguing for in this letter, however. I am not suggesting that the road improvements are not needed where they have been proposed. I cannot personally speak to that. I am saying that this, or some form of success as it pertains to the Greenway (be it reduced rates or acquisition), should not be considered grand solutions to the problem of traffic congestion. They simply cannot be because it is a more complicated (and often regional) problem than

a lack of roads. As an aside, we do know what the solution to traffic congestion is: get more cars off the road. More roads can work, as long as they are accompanied by a comprehensive set of choices: public transportation, car-pooling, building more densely to provide walkable and bike-friendly options, and yes, even tolls reduce traffic. Remember: the idea behind privatizing the Greenway in the first place was to create less-trafficked option based on letting the company run it as a business, not a public good. In summary, I do not believe the recently proposed road expansion efforts (or any iteration of using the Greenway) will improve the Northern Virginia (not just Loudoun) traffic situation, nor do I believe it will cause any noticeable harm. I simply think that all modes of transportation need to be considered for county investment if we hope to make a real impact on the situation. —Truman Horwitz, Leesburg

Allergies Editor: Great article on how schools are dealing with the increase in allergies. How about a follow-up article on the changes in the number of vaccinations demanded by schools over the years? Perhaps there is a link between the enormous increase in childhood vaccinations and these food allergies. When I was a child (over 65 years ago) the only vaccination we got was for smallpox and we suffered through our childhood diseases of chicken pox, whooping cough, measles and mumps and were immune for life. We did not have life-threatening food allergies. In fact, I don't remember going to school with anyone who had a food allergy. LETTERS >> 43

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and children by 1860. The Carters at Oatlands were the largest slave owners in Loudoun County at the start of the Civil War. In commemoration of the 225th anniversary of the Deed of Gift, Oatlands and the Mosby Heritage Area Association have partnered to present a program about Robert Carter III, featuring the Colonial Williamsburg interpreter who portrays Carter. “An Afternoon with Robert Carter III” will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, at Oatlands. The $20/adult and $5/ child (6-16) admission fee includes a walk-through tour of the mansion and access to the garden and grounds. Learn more through the Nomini Hall Slave Legacy Project (nominihallslavelegacy.com), an extensive effort to document information about Carter’s enslaved people and identify and connect descendents. Lori Kimball is director of Programming and Education of Oatlands, Inc., a non-profit organization, National Trust site, National Historic Landmark, and member of the National Park Service’s Network to Freedom. Oatllands is located at 20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane, oﬀ Rt. 15 south of Leesburg. Call 703-777-3174 ext. 103, or visit online at oatlands.org for information. In Our Backyard is compiled by the Loudoun County Preservation and Conservation Coalition. To learn about the organization, or to participate in the Rural Roads Initiative, go to loudouncoalition.org.

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len, Burke, Harris, Newman, Reid, and Robinson. Councilor’s plan was a complicated one that granted freedom based on age and a specific number of people each year. There was a schedule to be followed, first by Carter, and then his agents. While most, if not all, of Councilor’s slaves were eventually granted their freedom, some had to wait longer than expected. Lapsed reporting by his agents was one reason. Lawsuits by Carter family members who did not share his belief in emancipation of what they considered to be their property and inheritance was another. Unfortunately, one family member who firmly believed in the institution of slavery was Councilor’s son, George. Despite his father’s anti-slavery beliefs and the formative years he spent in the North, George became a slave owner. In 1798, at age 21, George took possession of his future inheritance: some 3,400 acres in Loudoun, 1,200 acres in Fairfax, and some parcels in Prince William. He established his farm on the north side of Goose Creek and called it Oatlands. By 1800, there were 17 people enslaved at Oatlands. Through additional purchases and births, the enslaved community at Oatlands grew to 133 men, women

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An important, but little known, story in our country’s history is the emancipation by Robert Carter III of more than 500 enslaved people. September marks the 225th anniversary of this extraordinary act, and Oatlands will commemorate it with a month-long display in the Visitor Center and a special program on Sept. 24. Robert “Councilor” Carter III was born in 1728. The grandson of Robert “King” Carter, a prominent and wealthy member of the Tidewater gentry, Councilor inherited land and slaves from both his father and famous grandfather. Councilor was so nicknamed because he had served on the Governor’s Council in Williamsburg prior to the Revolutionary War. Councilor inherited enormous tracts of land in what are now Loudoun, Prince William and Fairfax Counties and along the Shenandoah River further west. Some of the parcels were tracts rented to tenant farmers. Others were plantations that he established, managed by an overseer and worked by slaves. Councilor’s feelings about slavery evolved with the passing years. By the last quarter of the 1700s, he had begun to worship with anti-slavery Baptists whose congregations included many of his own enslaved people and free blacks in the Tidewater community. He later left the Baptist Church and turned to the Swedenborg faith. This change in his attitude toward slavery

brought with it a desire that his youngest sons, John Tasker and George, not be raised in that environment. He sent them to Rhode Island as young boys to be schooled in the North. By 1782, nearly 80 years before Lincoln’s famous Proclamation signing, a change in Virginia law may have hastened Councilor’s views on what was possible regarding emancipation. This law enabled private property owners such as Carter to free their slaves if certain requirements were met. The freed peoples had to be within a certain age range, able to support themselves, and able to pay their own taxes. In 1791, Councilor Carter codified his beliefs into an amazing legal document called the Deed of Gift that provided gradual emancipation to more than 450 enslaved peoples identified at that time. The exact number is imprecise as the plan took into account future births that occurred over the many years the plan was carried out. It most likely freed 510 people, and possibly more. Councilor took an inventory of the enslaved on each of his plantations. The number at Leo Plantation on the Loudoun County/Fairfax County border was 42. The surnames are ones we are familiar with today, including Al-

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41 Sept. 22 –28, 2016

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Funding reset << FROM 1 Supervisors have been reviewing how they allocate grant funding for nonprofits. In an effort to depoliticize the process, the board established funding guidelines based on previous years, including limiting funding increases or decreases from the previous year to 5 percent and capping first-time applicants at $5,000. Supervisors have been working on reviewing those rules again. At its meeting Sept. 13, the finance committee unanimously recommended that the board reset those funding levels—establishing a zero-year and putting all nonprofits on equal footing regardless of how much they received the previous year. “We might as well just go ahead and make it be known right now that we’re going to start over next year,” committee Chairman Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said. “We’re going to allocate based on merit as these applications come in. There’s not going to be carryovers. I understand up front that might be a little scary for some of the nonprofits.” Supervisors have been considering the change for some time, with several arguing that the current system has too little flexibility. For example, the rules require the county to award HealthWorks for Northern Virginia, which received the most funding among the county’s nonprofits at $180,000 last year, no less than $171,000 next year. Meanwhile, first-time applicants such as The Arc of Loudoun on the Paxton

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Students at Paxton Campus play a game Tuesday. If the county scraps its complicated nonprofit funding formula, it will likely mean more funding for newcomers to the grant process, like Paxton Campus.

Campus, which was founded in 1967, can receive no more than $5,000. The finance committee also recommended ditching that $5,000 cap. HealthWorks CEO Carol Jameson said she isn’t particularly worried that the organization could lose county funding from its $6 million budget. Many of the suggestions the finance committee is recommending came from the Loudoun Human Services Network, of which HealthWorks is an active part. “We’re all funded through a competitive grant process, so it is absolutely the responsibility of the county to do due diligence about what the nonprofits are doing,” Jameson said. She said the new rules would bring

more accountability to county grant funding. “The county funding is obviously very important because it represents cash support for the work that we do, but I think it also recognizes an investment that the county is making in what we do,” Jameson said. “It’s a way the county recognizes the essential services that we provide, and to me represents a partnership.” For Paxton Campus, a well-established Loudoun nonprofit but a relative newcomer to county grant applications, the rules change would open up new possibilities, like supported employment services that help place people with disabilities in the workforce. “There’s a huge gap, and there’s a huge waiting list, for other organizations like

ECHO [Every Citizen Has Opportunity] to take clients,” said Paxton Campus communications coordinator Rachel Roseberry. “So we have created the Step Up program, a supported training and employment program. We’re definitely growing that, because of the needs in the community.” More funding flexibility would allow the programs at Paxton Campus to expand and make sure the people who need their services know they’re available, Roseberry said. The county grant money from last year helped pay for law enforcement training to help officers know how to interact with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, preventing potentially dangerous escalations. The county divides nonprofits into five areas of need. Rather than the previous system, which adjusted funding levels based on a three-tiered ranking system in each area of need, the finance committee is recommending that the county use a simpler policy that funds the highest-scoring nonprofits in each area of need according to the overall allocation provided by the board. This year, the county has set aside $1,058,915 for grant funding. The committee’s recommendation for a zero-year, along with a number of process and clerical changes, will now go to the full board for a vote. Two other staff recommendations, to change the definitions of the areas of need and eliminate the “recreation and culture” category, face resistance from some committee members, and will come back to the finance committee at its meeting Nov. 15. rgreene@loudounnow.com

[ LETTERS ]

Remembering 9/11

MARGARET MORTON AND

JUDGE THOMAS D. HORNE A LIFETIME OF SERVICE 2016 LAUREATES

PLEASE JOIN US SEPTEMBER 30TH WHEN WE CELEBRATE THE

STEWARDSHIP OF

MARGARET MORTON AND

JUDGE THOMAS D. HORNE 2016 LOUDOUN LAUREATES

THE

Editor: I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mayor Bobby Zoldos and the town staff for organizing the ceremony to remember those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. It was also the time to thank the first responders and the guest speakers who were present to share their memories with us. Fifteen years ago, I felt it was important to honor those three thousand citizens whose lives ended so abruptly, and who never had the chance to say goodbye. I, along with other residents, went to St. James Church to ring the bell at the appro-

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Immigrants to this country used to be required to prove that they were healthy and not carrying some exotic disease to which native Americans had no immunity. When did we stop monitoring disease "before" it reached our shores? One cannot help believing that vaccinations are not so much about protecting the young as about increasing the profits of Big Pharma and pediatricians. Without the propaganda which terrorizes parents into overwhelming their toddlers' immune systems with multiple vaccinations, visits to the pediatricians would be minimal. —Maureen Cote, Leesburg

priate times when the four planes hit the towers in New York, the Pentagon, and the crash site in Pennsylvania. It was always intended to be a quiet time for those who came to pray, listen to music, and/or to participate in ringing the bell. Following the bell ringing at the Church, we placed a wreath at the flag. We have since gathered at the Veterans Memorial in the Town Square, with the Lovettsville Fire and Rescue Company personnel sounding air horns at the designated times, with citizens sharing their memories. This year’s ceremony far surpassed anything we have had. The field of three thousand flags in the Town Square was a sight to behold. The speakers and the special music added so much to the ceremony. As Mayor Zoldos has stated many times, he not only recognizes Sept. 11, but emphasizes Sept. 12 as the day everyone began recovering from that tragic event and began working toward a better world. How appropriate that some citizens went to New Jerusalem Church to do “God’s Work, Our Hands” directly after the ceremony this year. That seems to be typical of this wonderful Town of Lovettsville. Thank you again for extending the honor to me to participate in this most memorable ceremony. Many thanks to those who attended. Let us never forget. —Elaine Walker, Lovettville

Sept. 22 –28, 2016

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39207 JOHN MOSBY HWY, ALDIE Historic home c1803 in the heart of Aldie, beautifully restored interior, private front and back porches, stunning swimming pool with exceptional outdoor entertainment center, gazebo and hot tub, exquisite professionally landscaped gardens all beautifully manicured, brick walkways, extensive patios, fencing. Detached art studio and 2 car garage. Must see! $1,099,000 Peter Pejacsevich (540) 270-3835 Scott Buzzelli (540) 454-1399

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Ramey House, c.1858. Authentic country property exudes charm & historic character. Center hall foyer with gorgeous staircase. Serious cooks range, Barn with 2 stalls, fenced. In ground pool. Great hideout. Old Dominion Hunt territory. 1 hr to DC. Being sold with 17 acres. Perfect weekend getaway or full time residence. Beautiful country road; surrounded by large properties. $630,000 Carole Taylor • (703) 577-4680

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Incredible location, walking distance to old town! Main level living with 3BR/2BA on huge .60 acre lot! Gorgeous kitchen with granite, beautiful wood floors, lovely deck overlooking very private large yard, partially finished basement with walk-out, 2 car garage, at the end of a cul-de-sac! $468,000 Joy Thompson (540) 729-3428

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