Loudoun Now for Oct. 26, 2017 by Loudoun Now

LoudounNow LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE

[ Vol. 2, No. 50 ]

[ loudounnow.com ]

[ Oct. 19 – 25, 2017 ]

28 Farm meets fashion Supervisors Order Rt. 15 Fixes BY RENSS GREENE

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

County supervisors voted to begin registering short-term rentals like this Airbnb property on South King Street in Leesburg. It’s the first step toward taxing and regulating Airbnb-type properties.

Renting Out on Airbnb? More Regulations Coming

BY RENSS GREENE oudoun’s multi-year effort to track, regulate and tax shortterm rentals, such as those offered through Airbnb and VRBO, has begun to yield re-

sults. Companies like Airbnb have resisted increased regulation, and the taxation that comes with it. But last year, the General Assembly passed a law that requires hosting platforms like Airbnb to register with the state Department of Taxation to collect and remit taxes on behalf of the property owners. This year, the General Assembly passed another law authorizing localities to require people offering short-term rentals to register with the government. Visit Loudoun President and CEO Beth Erickson helped lead Loudoun’s effort to wield more control over short-term rentals. She said recently Visit Loudoun checked Airbnb listings in Loudoun and found 439 residential units offering 932 sleeping rooms. “When you put that into context, we have 131 sleeping rooms in traditional bed-

and-breakfasts,” Erickson said. “That clearly greatly eclipses that number. That 932 sleeping rooms represents about 16 percent of the inventory that we have in our hotels.” For a person traveling on a budget, renting a spare bedroom on internet platforms like Airbnb can also be cheaper than a B&B or a hotel. In pushing for greater regulation of short-term rentals, Erickson has cited concerns about safety, including fire code, and Loudoun’s foregone tax revenue. The county collects a transient occupancy tax on hotel and B&B stays, but is not collecting a tax on all of those short-term residential rentals, simply because there is no way to keep track of them. Last year, Visit Loudoun estimated the county had missed out on $923,000 in revenue. County supervisors unanimously voted Oct. 19 to establish a registry and annual registration process for rental operators. A working group comprised of staff members from the Departments of Planning and Zoning, Building and Development, County Administration, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue, and the Commissioner of the Revenue will decide help set the regis-

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tration fee for homeowners renting rooms through sites like Airbnb and VRBO—and penalties for noncompliance. “Short-term residential rentals are a key player in our industry, and they’re going to continue to be a key player in our industry,” Erickson said. “And I think that making sure the county has that infrastructure in place for short-term residential rentals to be able to flourish in our economy is important.” After the registry is set up, the county will have to decide how these home businesses—which by definition are in residential areas—fit into its zoning ordinances. The rooms and houses for rent could also face additional health department, building code, and fire code regulations. But some of the operators on Airbnb are renting properties where they don’t live. That, according to county zoning officials, is where the trouble can begin. “If people don’t live in a house, but they’re renting it out in the middle of a neighborhood, obviously, they don’t have the same skin in the game as the people RENTAL REGULATIONS >> 37

County supervisors have voted to begin the first phase of improvements on Loudoun’s famously congested and accident-prone Rt. 15 north of Leesburg, starting with the complicated triangle intersection of Rt. 15, North King Street and the Leesburg Bypass. Under the plan, the county will modify the pavement already there to add another northbound lane between King Street and Tutt Lane. That work is expected to finish next spring. The county will also work with the Virginia Department of Transportation to hire an engineer to design additional improvements to Rt. 15, and with Supervisors Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) and Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin) to continue gathering public input. The county will also ask the Town of Leesburg to help fund that work. People living along Rt. 15 packed the boardroom last week to plead with supervisors to fix the road. Alfred McCusker talked about moving into the corridor and watching traffic get out of control. “We’re talking about shattered lives here, and the growth is something that we had no control over,” McCusker said. The latest push for Rt. 15 improvements came after a study of congestion gave the road failing marks. The consulting firm that prepared the study recommended a flyover ramp at King Street, a roundabout at Whites Ferry Road, and widening Rt. 15 to four lanes. “This is a problem that’s been going on for a long time, so I think we’ve made incredible progress in a short period of time, quite frankly,” Higgins said. The board previously also expanded the first congestion study all the way to the Maryland state line; that study is expected back by winter of 2018. RT. 15 FIXES >> 37

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Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Democratic Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring went head to head with his Republican challenger John Adams in a debate in Lansdowne on Friday.

BY RENSS GREENE

emocratic Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring and his challenger, Republican John Adams, met Friday morning in Loudoun for a debate that centered on politics versus results. At a forum organized and hosted by the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, each candidate argued the other was focused on pushing his political agenda rather than getting results for Virginians. Herring described himself as a “pro-business, pro-opportunity attorney general.” “To me this job is not about politics. It’s about serving fellow Virginians,” he said. “I believe the attorney general is the people’s attorney, and that is why I am accountable to you.” He pointed to the state’s economic and employment growth since he took office alongside the McAuliffe administration. Adams went immediately on the offensive, casting Herring as putting politics over law, and accusing Herring of selectively defending Virginia laws in court. “I am actually running for the same reason Mark said he was running last time,” Adams said. “I am running to get

the politics out the attorney general’s office. The attorney general’s office today is so overwhelmed by political views that it fails to do its fundamental job.” The two were asked about last week’s vote by the Republican-led Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission directing its staff to conduct a study of the attorney general’s office. It will include a look at how the office handles asset forfeiture, salary increases, and whether the office has properly reviewed state contracts. Herring dismissed it as politically motivated. “I think we’re used to those kinds of election-year shenanigans,” Herring said. “Just a week before they announced it, the General Assembly’s own Auditor of Public Accounts gave us a clean audit.” They were also asked about what they can do about the backlogs of cases in the justice system. Herring, who lives in Leesburg, said voters have to hold legislators accountable. The General Assembly this year removed funding for a judge on Loudoun’s Circuit Court during a vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Burke F. McCahill, further straining Loudoun’s already overloaded courts. Herring also voiced tentative support for a Chamber of Commerce proposal to create a separate business docket in the courts.

“I think that’s something worth exploring, because criminal cases and other ones often take priority—and rightly so, but that often means that business cases get moved back in the line,” Herring said. Adams also expressed support for the idea. On the topic of the opioid epidemic, Herring pointed to the work his office has done in the past four years. “We’ve known from the beginning this was not a problem we were going to solve with just arrests,” Herring said. He pointed to new legislation, including to equip law enforcement with the overdose antidote naloxone. “We have to get serious about prevention,” Adams said. “We have to get to the kids before the drugs get to the kids.” He added Virginia has to “get serious” about recovery and prosecution, and said he would use his experience as a federal prosecutor to fight the opioid crisis. “That’s probably one reason by the Fraternal Order of Police and the Police Benevolent Association, two of the largest law enforcement groups in the commonwealth, have endorsed me,” Adams said. “Because they know that I’m serious about this.” Both cast themselves as busiAG DEBATE >> 38

Loudoun House of Delegates Races Top $4M Kolla’s campaign warchest was anchored by a $50,000 self-contribution. His top contributors included the Dominion Leadership Trust ($30,000) and the campaign funds of three Republican incumbents, Kirk Cox ($27,300), Rob Bell ($10,000) and Todd Gilbert ($10,000). The 67th House District, which includes a small corner of southeastern Loudoun is the county’s second most expensive race. Incumbent Republican Jim LeMunyon and Democratic challenger Karrie Delaney combined to raise $974,522. LeMunyon ranks 11th overall in DELEGATE RACE >> 38

Purcellville readies for more retail

INDEX Loudoun Gov..................... 4 Leesburg......................... 10 Public Safety................... 15 Education........................ 16 Nonprofit......................... 22 Biz.................................. 24 Our Towns....................... 26 LoCo Living..................... 28 Obituaries....................... 32 Classifieds...................... 33 Opinion........................... 36

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How much is it worth to secure a $17,640-a-year job that takes you away from your family and job for two months each winter? The 14 candidates seeking to represent portions of Loudoun County in the House of Delegate have raised a combined $4.38 million in this year’s campaigns. Still, that may be a bargain of sorts. Two years ago, candidates in seven House districts representing Loudoun voters raised almost $6.3 million. In southern Loudoun’s 87th House District, the two candidates have raised more than $1.15 million combined—

both ranking among the top 10 delegate campaign fundraisers statewide. First-term incumbent Democrat John Bell had raised $626,977 by the end of the most recent reporting period, Sept. 30. That was the fifth most among Virginia’s delegate candidates. Challenger Subba Kolla, making his first run for elected office, raised $524,621, eighth most in the state. Bell’s top contributors were Brambleton LLC ($32,500); three Northern Virginia businessmen, Edward Hart Rice ($24,500), Thomas M. Hirst ($13,500) and John M. Toups ($12,500); and the Baltimore Washington Construction and Public Employees Labors PAC ($10,000).

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Herring, Adams Pledge to Put Results Over Politics

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Budget talks start with lower tax rate

[ LOUDOUN GOV ]

Supervisors Start Budget Work with Lower Tax Rate

BY RENSS GREENE

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Supervisor Geary Higgins (R-Catoctin), right, proposed starting budget deliberations at the lower equalized rate. His idea won support from Supervisor Tony Buffington (R-Blue Ridge), left, and the board’s four other Republicans.

to $1.110. “I have heard like four different people talk about things they want to do with [year end] fund balance money,” Randall said. “Everyone wants to do something, and nobody wants to pay for it.” Supervisor Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R-Broad Run) offered another motion, supported by Supervisor Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin), to prepare

a budget at the equalized rate with options to cut the tax rate to a penny lower than that, noting that keeping the current tax rate would increase tax bills. “I don’t think we’re in a budget crisis to the point of where we need to consider raising taxes,” Meyer said. His proposal drew a strong response BUDGET >> 6

PR IC ER ED UC ED

ollowing a deadlocked committee vote on how to prepare the first draft of next year’s county budget, the full Board of Supervisors last week approved slightly unusual instructions for County Administrator Tim Hemstreet. In years past, the board has usually directed the county administrator to prepare a draft budget at the current year’s real estate tax rate. The draft budget would come with options to cut it to the equalized rate, the rate at which the average property owner would pay the same dollar amount in taxes, despite appreciating values and inflation. The board would then add to or chip away from Hemstreet’s proposed budget before a final vote. This year, with the board expected to face a tougher budget with several new big-ticket expenses on the table, supervisors have instead instructed Hemstreet to propose a budget at the lower equalized rate, with options to increase the budget to this year’s tax rate. Currently, the projected equalized tax rate is $1.11 per $100 of assessed value. That’s 1.5 cents lower than the current rate, $1.125. Even at the current tax rate, the county is facing a projected shortfall of nearly $95 million to meet what it needs to pay for employee raises, growth in

county departments, the first year of fixing the county’s classification and compensation system, and an expected $100 million increase in the funding request from the school system. At the equalized rate, the county is projected to fall short $107 million. While those preliminary projections are intentionally conservative, Hemstreet has warned the board that the county is unlikely to close that gap between now and the board’s deliberations on the next budget in March. This year, supervisors are facing a long list of new expenses. Those include boosting county employee pay after a study showed Loudoun behind other Northern Virginia jurisdictions, the job of shifting the county government to a more reliable cloud computing infrastructure, staffing up the fire-rescue department to modern standards, long-understaffed county departments, and the oncoming costs of Metrorail. Plus, public school leaders have said they may need as much as $100 million more next fiscal year to keep up with enrollment growth and to staff new school buildings. At its Oct. 19 meeting, the board arrived at the lower equalized rate after competing motions both above and below those rates. County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) offered a motion, supported by the board’s three Democrats, to prepare a budget at $1.130 with options to cut it

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As Loudoun County leaders debate development policies around Dulles Airport, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has agreed to conduct a new study of noise from its operations. The county prohibits residential construction in areas around the airport that experience high volumes of jet noise. The map used by county planners to determine the boundaries of the high-noise zone is based on a 1993 study. Draft plans to guide development around the future Metro Silver

Line stops incorporate more recent information from a 2005 study. Critics have argued that the noise maps the county uses are out of date and overly restrictive. County planners, airport officials, and some supervisors hold that allowing homes near the airport is bad for both residents and the airport, a major economic engine for the county, region and state—jet noise is a nuisance to residents, and complaints to the FAA could result in restrictions on flight paths and hours of operation, limit-

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Noise study << FROM 5 ing the airport’s business and competitiveness. They point to the history of the airports authority’s other airport, Reagan National, which is restricted to certain flight paths to limit impact on surrounding neighborhoods. But development interests and other supervisors have argued that the noise maps the county uses are out of date, no longer accurately depict noise around the airport—and based on a prediction that one runway would be in a different place than it was eventually built. The decision to conduct a new study is a reversal of the airports authority’s earlier stance. MWAA representatives had discouraged a new noise study, saying it was unnecessary and intended to allow homes closer to the airport. Current drafts of the county’s plans around its future Metro stops limit residential development around the future Loudoun Gateway station at the north end of airport property. In June, the Board of Supervisors called for a new noise study. At the time, Michael Cooper, airports authority state and local government affairs manager, said Dulles Airport is “very happy to engage with the county on a discussion of how to help the county move forward with the board’s request, and we are willing and will cooperate.” Now, the airports authority says the new study was prompted by several fac-

tors. Spokesman Rob Yingling said it comes in part because the airport could soon see aircraft landing and taking off from all three north-south runways simultaneously—and the airport’s plans for more cargo and nighttime business. These operational assumptions had not been assessed in previous studies. Yingling said it’s “something we’ve been talking about for a long time, the future development plans that we’re working towards that could include more cargo planes, larger wide-body aircraft, and more operations late at night in some cases overnight.” “So, if you look at all those factors, and the benefits that the surrounding jurisdictions could have from an update to the airport noise study, I think all those factors together are what’s point-

ing towards our intention to commission an update to the noise study, which was last undertaken before we did some of the major construction at Dulles,” Yingling said. He said the study would involve input from the FAA, the airlines, and Loudoun and Fairfax counties. The airport will fund the study. “I believe it’s greatly needed to truly determine what would be the best option to put in that corridor,” said Supervisor Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling), but said the county should split the cost with the airports authority. Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles), however, dismissed concerns that funding the study from the airport could skew the results. “I think that’s a very easy, cheap thing to say, and sort of a predictable thing

to say, but it doesn’t have much validity if you actually understand the process,” Letourneau said. He said the noise study must be conducted according to an established FAA process, “so MWAA doesn’t get to just invent the noise study.” The noise study comes as the county is reworking its comprehensive plan, and could impact development planning in the county. But although the study’s details have not yet been hammered out, Yingling said the work will probably take a year or longer, and could begin as soon as some time in 2018. Work on the comprehensive plan has already been underway for more than a year. rgreene@loudounnow.com

Budget

publicans up here. I’ve seen this movie before, I know where this goes, and I’m not playing this game.” With those proposals dead, Higgins offered the idea to reverse the boilerplate instructions and start at the equalized rate. His idea won support from the board’s six Republicans. Buona said with an unusually large increase expected from the School Board, supervisors will have to question that request. “Somewhere along the way, we need to reverse this process and deal with the 800-pound gorilla early, and then we know what room we have left for the county,” Buona said.

And Randall, who worked for Prince William County in her former career, made a plea for Loudoun’s government workforce. “If you’re the county employee, adding that position to that office means you get to go home at night at a decent time and tuck your kids in bed,” Randall said. “If you’re a county employee, it means that you’re not spending your Saturday morning here.” Hemstreet will prepare a draft fiscal year 2019 budget to present to the board in February. The board will deliberate the budget in March.

<< FROM 4 from other board members. “While I appreciate the sentiment, it’s ridiculous,” said Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). “We’re never going to be able to do that without completely gutting everything.” “I’m just going to call it for what it is—it’s political pandering,” said Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn). “It will be on Facebook before the gavel is hit to adjourn the meeting, that we went against some other Re-

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LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

The Salute to Military Veterans and Families will be held at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn on Saturday, formally declared Military Appreciation Day in Loudoun County. The annual event is designed to pay tribute to sacrifices of those in military service and to ensure that veterans and their families are well informed about available support services. Representatives of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and other services organizations will be on hand. A computer team will be available onsite to help veterans sign up or check on the status of their benefits with the Veterans Administration. The event runs from 10:30 to 4 p.m., with a formal program at noon. Retired Gen. Lester L. Lyles will be the keynote speaker. He is a former vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force and current chairman of the board of USAA. The event is free and the public is encouraged to attend. Loudoun County has hired a fulltime veterans coordinator to centralize information, outreach, and referral services for veterans and establish a collaborative network of partners who serve veterans in the county. More information about resources available to local veterans, including the veterans coordinator’s contact information, is online at loudoun.gov/veterans.

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Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

Veterans Support Program Planned Saturday

Offices in Ashburn, Burke, Fairfax, Leesburg and Purcellville

County Considers Loan Program for Green Energy Projects

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Loudoun supervisors are mulling a program that would let commercial property owners finance clean energy projects with special loans facilitated by the local government. Through the Property Assessed Clean Energy Program, a commercial property owner’s loan would be secured by a lien against the property. The loans would be used to finance clean energy or energy-saving projects. PACE loans generally have longer terms than other commercial loans. According to Arlington County, which is ahead of Loudoun in the process of setting up a PACE program, a typical PACE loan is in the United States is approximately $500,000 and is repaid over 10 to 20 years compared to five years or less for typical commercial loans. According to Loudoun staff members, it’s difficult to know whether the market is right for a successful PACE program in Virginia. Arlington is the only other Virginia jurisdiction to award a contract to administer a PACE program. There are similar programs in other states. Supervisors on the board’s finance committee favored a model designed protect the county from any financial risk and minimize its workload. The county would contract a third party

to run the program and act as a conduit to a third-party lender.The county would have oversight of the program, and could collect the loan payments through the tax bill and send that money on to the lender. That system resembles Arlington’s, which is still under development. “I think overall the approach to this, and in talking with our county attorney’s office staff, is to eliminate the liability to Arlington County,” said Arlington County Community Energy Coordinator Rich Dooley. Dooley said his county doesn’t even pay its program administrator, Sustainable Real Estate Solutions. Instead, the company is paid a one-time program administration fee, a percentage of the total project cost, by the lender. The finance committee forwarded the idea to the full board for discussion. County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said the issue would likely be taken up by the board no sooner than November. “One of the things we’re going to want to know is, while you may be able to structure this with no liability to the county, I don’t even want a moral liability or a moral obligation,” said Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn). “And that’s a discussion we’re going to have to have.” rgreene@loudounnow.com

a Time to Worship Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017 6 – 8 pm Crossroads United Methodist Church 43454 Crossroads Dr. • Ashburn, VA

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[ LOUDOUN BRIEFS ] Disability Services Board—and their clients gathered in the boardroom to accept the ceremonial resolution. According to the resolution, an estimated 179,000 people with disabilities

are employed in Virginia, and one in five Virginians will have a disability at some point in their lifetimes. In 2017, the Code of Virginia was amended to establish goal for executive agencies to increase employment of people with disabilities by 5 percent by 2023.

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

<< FROM 7

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Loudoun County

Stream buffering planting in CountrySide.

County, Conservation District Partner in Buffer Planting Project

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The Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District, in partnership with Loudoun County government, is hosting an informational workshop on a riparian buffer planting project at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1. Private residential, industrial, commercial, and homeowner association landowners in Loudoun are all eligible to apply for funds to plant buffers along perennial streams and water bodies, an effective technique for improving water quality. This program reimburses landowners for planting materials and labor costs. Urban/Ag Conservationist Chris Van Vlack of the conservation district

will brief workshop attendees about the project’s planting options and application deadlines. This project complements the existing agricultural buffer planting program offered through the state Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program. Over 20 acres of forested riparian buffers have been planted by HOAs and private landowners in Loudoun since the inception of the project in 2012. Van Vlack will be joined by Loudoun County Urban Forester John Zuiker and Loudoun County Natural Resource Engineer Laura Edmonds. The program will be held in the Lovettsville Room on the first floor of the Loudoun County Government Center.

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[ LEESBURG ]

[ BRIEFS ] Downtown Greenway Extension Not Likely

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

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Loudoun Now/File Photo

The Smiling Tummy Thai food truck serves patrons at Loudoun Brewing Company in Leesburg. Technically, food trucks are not allowed in town now, but that could soon change.

Planning Commission Backs Ordinance to Allow Food Trucks

BY NORMAN K. STYER eesburg is one step closer to allowing daily food truck operations within the town limits. The town Planning Commission last week unanimously endorsed a package of Zoning Ordinance changes that would permit food trucks to operate on streets in commercial and industrial areas and even to set up on private property downtown. The Town Council initiated the changes in May, seeking to allow businesses in office and industrial parks more culinary offerings closer to their doors. Last month, the council vot-

ed to expand the allowances to other business districts, largely as part of an effort to allow downtown breweries to continue their practice of bringing in food trucks to serve their clients. Zoning Administrator Christopher Murphy said he reviewed the regulations adopted by other area jurisdictions and settled on policies that most closely resemble those in Alexandria. The proposed ordinance would allow “mobile food units” as temporary uses. The category includes food trucks, food trailers and food pushcarts. Operators would be required to obtain annual permits from the town and could set up between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. only on specific locations on spe-

cific streets listing in the ordinance. They may not operate drive-through windows serving passing motorist, may not play music and may not have display signs or balloons promoting their locations. They may not operate longer than four hours in a single location. While all commissioners voiced support for the idea, Commission Sharon Babbin asked Murphy to consider some additional regulations that would ensure food trucks don’t set up too closely to the town’s brick-andmortar restaurants, particularly downtown. nstyer@loudounnow.com

Thiel Outraises Maddox as Election Nears BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ The two candidates on Leesburg’s November special election ballot are wrapping up the final legs of their campaigns in the waning weeks before Election Day, and that includes tallying some final campaign donations. Both Joshua Thiel and Vanessa Maddox are in their first races for elected public office, and both plan Thiel to make another go of it in 2018. They are competing for the final year of Kelly Burk’s unexpired Town Council term. The seat will be on the ballot next November for a full four-year term and Thiel and Maddox have both said, win or lose, they plan to run again. Maddox has raised $2,746 for her campaign this calendar year, according to the most recent report that was filed for the reporting period ending Sept. 30. Major campaign contributors included Leesburg-based Realtor Laura Walsh; KORE Performance Enterprises, a Maryland-based consulting firm; and Sterling resident Joan Kowalski, the media director of Chantilly-based Bob Ross Inc. Maddox reported cash on hand of $1,104.63, with no loans.

Thiel raised $5,270 through Sept. 30. Major contributors included Leesburg resident Robert Whitfield; Tom Toth, CEO of Leesburg-based Toth Financial; and Eric DeKenipp, a Leesburg resident who represents the Catoctin District on the School Board. Thiel has also contributed $375 in donations to his campaign, with no loans. He reports cash on hand of $2,300. Maddox The two contenders have picked up key endorsements throughout the election cycle. Thiel has been endorsed by the Loudoun County Republican Committee, while Maddox has received the endorsement of the Loudoun County Democratic Committee. The Town Council is a non-partisan body; however, both political parties have for years endorsed candidates and helped with their campaigns. With Election Day just two weeks away, Thiel and Maddox will participate in a candidate forum hosted by Loudoun Now at Black Hoof Brewing Company Thursday, Oct. 26. That debate will run from 7 to 8 p.m. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

When planners were envisioning the extension of the Dulles Toll Road to Leesburg in the late 1980s, they included a segment that would bring the highway all the way downtown. Thirty years later, that line is likely to be erased. The Leesburg Planning Commission last week recommended that change to the town’s plans. While there has never been a movement to build the link between the Dulles Greenway’s current terminus at the Leesburg Bypass and Catoctin Circle, the merits of the plan were most recently questioned during the Town Council’s deliberations on the Crescent Parke development plan last year. The right-of-way that had been reserved for the road extension forms the eastern edge of the 53-acre Crescent Parke property. During the review of the application to build 344 residential units and 161,725 square feet of commercial space, the developer and area residents agreed that the land should be kept in its natural state, rather than cleared and paved. Following approval of the development last November, the Town Council authorized a $75,000 traffic study to examine the long-term impacts of deleting the link from the town’s plans. The results, presented to the commission Oct. 19, show that the roads in that area of town would perform better without the link. That is because traffic would be dispersed on several streets in the area, rather than be funneled directly on to Harrison Street. Commissioners voted unanimously, with Gigi Robinson absent, to recommend the Town Council remove the road from the town plan.

Tolbert Award Nominations Open The Environmental Advisory Commission is seeking nominations for the 2017 Tolbert Environmental Achievement Awards. The award recognizes students, community groups, and individuals who conduct or participate in activities that benefit the town’s environment. Examples of this include: innovative use of recycled materials; pollution prevention; waste reduction; protection of the natural environment; habitat improvement; beautification of the environment; environmental education; and monitoring the condition of the environment. Nominations should be sent BRIEFS >> 14

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Plans for another mixed-use community in Leesburg’s Crescent Design District advanced last week. The Planning Commission on Oct. 19 endorsed Andre Inc.’s 59-townhouse project, called the Brickyard. Located on 8 acres behind the Leesburg Plaza Shopping east of Catoctin Circle, the project includes 20 “live/work” units that have office space on the ground floor. Developer Brad Durga said he has been working on the project for three years and was pleased to have addressed the concerns of town planners, who are recommending approval of the rezoning. While commissioners were supportive of the project overall, they were divided on whether to send it to the Town Council or hold work session to discuss it. A vote to recommend approval failed on a 3-3 vote, with Chairwoman Lyndsay Welsh Chamblin, Ad Barnes and Do-

ris Kidder opposed. The trio advocated another work session after three Edwards Ferry residents asked questions about changes made to the application after they last met with the developer. Durga said that none of the changes affected those adjoining lots, but only dealt with issues in the interior of the property. Commissioners Sharon Babbin, Rick Lanham and JoAnn Walker said the application met the town’s standards for approval and that holding it for another meeting would be an unnecessary delay for the developer. Ultimately, Chamblin agreed to support the application, while encouraging Druga to meet again with the neighbors. The second motion to recommend approval passed on a 4-2 vote. The Town Council is expected to take up the application in December.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Brickyard Rezoning Clears Planning Commission

Planners, Developers Eye Mixed Use for Eastern Gateway Corridor

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

loudounnow.com

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ After months of staff work and public input, a new vision for development in Leesburg’s Eastern Gateway District will soon be headed to the Planning Commission for review. The area along East Market Street between River Creek Parkway and the Leesburg Bypass contains some of the largest remaining undeveloped parcels of land in the almost-built out county seat. Last year, the town staff set off on a planning process called Envision East Market Street to take a new look at development options for the area. The plan stalled because of vacancies in the planning department, but rebooted in earnest this spring. Following a final public input session last week, a draft plan looks to be before the Planning Commission for review next month. An initial meeting on the small area plan in June brought together a variety of opinions on how the district should look, from aesthetic details to the transportation network to desired amenities, and just about everything in between. The town staff has also used the results of an online survey to gauge public opinion on the development options. According to Rich Klusek, senior planner and the project manager for the plan, the majority of the public opinion favors the vacant parcels in the district remain open space. That’s not exactly possible to achieve, Klusek noted, given that the town cannot take development rights on any property. “Ultimately, what we need to do here is keep up with a vision looking at the

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The proposed land use map for Leesburg’s Eastern Gateway District—along East Market Street east of the Leesburg Bypass—depicts plans for mixed-used development in the corridor’s largest undeveloped area (brown) and the creation of a new technology sector in the Cardinal Park Drive area (gray).

best interests of residents and balancing tax base,” he said. Most of those who turned out at the Oct. 17 public input meeting at Ida Lee Park Recreation Center represented the development industry. While the plan is not finalized, Klusek provided a few highlights of some proposed changes for the district. The staff is proposing the creation of two new land use designations—Mixed Use and Technology and Employment. The former category would cover the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets

Don’t Ruin Her Day! photo by

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ylor 2012

and adjacent land to the east, formerly known as the Forestier property, owned by the Peterson Companies. The Village at Leesburg also would be categorized as mixed use. The Mixed Use designation envisions a 20-30 acre core, which common public areas, a mix of residential and non-residential uses; walkable areas that engage pedestrians on the streets; a variety of shops and restaurants; vertically integrated mixed-use buildings; a variety of streetscape enhancements; and highly walkable residential neighborhoods to

support the core area. The designation envisions an urban environment, taking large format retailers, like a grocery store, and putting them into buildings that can engage the streetscape, similar to what one would see in a bustling cityscape. The approach can help achieve the public’s goal of having open space, Klusek noted, by providing areas for recreation, sports, outdoor concerts or events, and more, while not taking away development rights. The Technology and Employment designation is envisioned for the area around Cardinal Park Drive, an area currently occupied by a variety of flex/ industrial and auto-oriented services. This area is an ideal one to locate “the next big idea,” Klusek said, with the goals of fostering innovation, proactive planning, and encourage flexibility. The objectives would allow current office development to evolve as market conditions change to accommodate future employment-generating uses. This could be an ideal area, Klusek posited, to host collaborative workspaces or whatever the latest employment or technology trend is. Recognizing recently built or already-approved development projects, the draft plan also envisions a re-designation of the area surrounding the Lowe’s Home Improvement Store and Brown’s Car Stores as regional retail, rather than regional office, as well as differentiating the approved Leegate development, with a mix of retail, office and EASTERN GATEWAY >> 14

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Leesburg Council Faces Tight Construction Budget still awaiting funding are the renovation and expansion of the police department headquarters, expansion and refurbishment of the public works’ town shop, and improvements to the Catoctin Circle/Edwards Ferry Road intersection. The Utilities Fund is in a bit of a better position, however. The water and sewer fees collected by the town in the enterprise fund have been sufficient to fully cover planned repairs, renovations and replacements during both fiscal years 2018 and 2019. One unknown is the full price tag for the emergency repairs undertaken by the town to repair a Jared Square parking lot in the Exeter neighborhood earlier this month. Originally thought to be a sinkhole, it was later determined that the sunken ground was caused by soil settlement over time, precipitated by heavy rains. The property is owned by the Exeter HOA property, which will be responsible for the majority of costs, minus the cost of town utility repairs. The Town Council was expected to vote on a Memorandum of Agreement between the town and the Exeter HOA Tuesday night, whereby the town will front the money for the full cost of the repairs and be reimbursed by the Exeter HOA.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

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Cowboy Games Arts & Crafts – Rummage Sale

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Tues., Oct. 31 6 pm no rain date; all participants must be in Ida Lee ﬁeld by 5:30pm

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rshal: Leesb Mayor Kel urg ly B what the to urk, recognizing w children an n does for d the com munity. Route: On King Stree Ida Lee P t from ark to Cat octin Circl (Safeway, eS Rite Aid) through the Leesb urg histori c district S

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Although deliberations over the fiscal year 2019 Leesburg budget won’t kick off in earnest until late February, Town Council members were treated Monday night to a quarterly update on where things stand. Clark Case, director of Finance and Administrative Services, and Budget Officer Jason Cournoyer offered council members a glimpse at the tight budget for the town’s capital projects. The town must maintain a conservative approach to spending and saving to avoid a tax rate hike next year. That means many of the items on town departments’ wish lists for repair or replacement may linger. The town has adopted a policy of funding $1.3 million for the Capital Asset Replacement Fund each fiscal year, Cournoyer said. But town departments’ requests total more than $2 million, leaving much unfunded for both fiscal years 2018 and 2019. This means aging town equipment, from playgrounds to vehicles to mowers and more, must wait longer on the list. The same thinking remains true for the town’s capital projects. While major construction projects are budgeted for fiscal years 2018 and 2019, the chances of adding to that list remains bleak. Some of these priority projects

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

loudounnow.com

Eastern Gateway << FROM 12 residential uses, from the nearby Cardinal Park Drive area. The community commercial designation is proposed to be changed to neighborhood center in the plan. When participants during last week’s forum were asked what was still missing, a popular theme emerged: affordable housing. Planning and Zoning Department Director Susan Berry-Hill said it’s an area that the town needs to look at comprehensively, beyond just the gateway district. Architect Dieter Meyer said there remains a special opportunity in the area. “The area that we’re covering here I view very differently from the rest of Leesburg because of the highway that cuts it off. It’s almost like you’re on the other side of the river, like in Arlington from Washington [DC],” he said. “In my view the character in this area can be a little bit different. It can have its own identity.” Staff members hope to have the draft

plan to the Planning Commission by mid-November, and a public hearing will be scheduled at the commission at some point. Traffic analysis on proposed changes to the transportation network within the study area are being reviewed by VDOT, Klusek said, with those results expected to be supplied to the commission at some point during its review period. After the commission completes its review of the draft, the document moves on to the Town Council for final approval. Although there will be no additional public input meetings until the Planning Commission holds a public hearing on the draft plan, members of the public still have a few weeks to make their voices heard. A six-question survey on how to prioritize improvements in the district can be found online at leesburgva.gov/easterngateway. The survey will close Nov. 5. Visitors to the website can sign up to receive periodic project updates via email as well. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

[ BRIEFS ] << FROM 10 to Senior Planner Irish Grandfield at igrandfield@leesburgva.gov. The nominations should include a narrative, limited to one page, describing the person or group nominated and why they deserve to be recognized. Speci-

ficity about their efforts and quantifiable measures of success are requested. Photos and other supplemental information may also be included. The deadline for nominations is close of business Friday, Nov. 17. For more information, visit leesburgisgreen.com.

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[ PUBLIC SAFETY ]

The Sheriff ’s Office is investigating Loudoun’s 18th highway fatality of 2017 and hoping to speak with witnesses who may have seen vehicles speeding in the area before the crash. Deputies were called to the area of Pebble Run Place and Overland Drive west of Dulles Airport shortly before 6 a.m. last Thursday. They found a Jeep Wrangler that had rolled several times. The driver died at the scene. Investigators are working to determine why the driver lost control of the vehicle. A witness reported seeing the driver of the Jeep and the driver of another vehicle—a dark-colored, twodoor Honda Civic—speeding in the area just prior to the crash. The driver of the second vehicle left the area before deputies arrived. The victim was identified as Christopher J. Costa, 26, of Chantilly. Investigators said the two vehicles may have been speeding and driving recklessly on Rt. 50, Loudoun County Parkway and Old Ox Road prior to the crash. The incident may have begun with a traffic altercation between the two drivers, but there is no indication the second vehicle was involved in the crash. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Investigator R. Beach at 703-777-1021.

A former MS-13 gang member who tried to escape U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody during a transport on the Dulles Greenway was sentenced Friday to serve 18 months in federal prison. Marlon Danilo Rivas-Mendez, 28, of El Salvador, was being transported from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Cen- Rivas-Mendez ter to an ICE facility for deportation on July 3 when he complained that his handcuffs were too tight. When the officer pulled over and tried to help him, Rivas-Mendez struck the officer in the chest and neck, and fled. He was apprehended a short time later at a Sterling industrial park nearby. Rivas-Mendez was convicted of assault and impeding ICE. He already has been deported to El Salvador five times, authorities said.

Unlocked Hamilton Vehicles Hit by Thieves Four Hamilton residents reported items being taken from their vehicles Saturday night.

Residents, Staff Express Appreciation for Leesburg PD The third annual Leesburg Police Appreciation Day heaped welcomed praise onto the ranks of the department. Many businesses and government buildings in town displayed blue ribbons tied to trees and light poles in a show of support for the work of the local men and women in blue. Police officers and department staff members were also treated to a catered lunch by Ledo Pizza, and town staff decked out the department’s The thefts were reported from unlocked vehicles and an unlocked shed on South Paul Street and South Hughes Street.

community room with numerous “thank you” notes and expressions of support. The Bank of Clarke County was a sponsor for the day’s festivities. According to Sam Shenouda, the LPD’s public information officer, area residents and school children got into the day’s spirit, dropping off cookies or making posters thanking officers for keeping them safe. “We are immensely thankful for the overwhelming support we get from our residents, schools, and businesses,” Shenouda said. “It’s such an honor and privilege to serve such an amazing community.” Items taken included a crossbow and hunting supplies, video game systems, a laptop, a chainsaw, a leaf blower and a battery charger.

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[ E D U C AT I O N ]

[ SCHOOL NOTES ]

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Foxcroft School

Students and their families break in Foxcroft School’s new makerspace, called The Innovation Lab.

Foxcroft Opens Makerspace

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

The Falcons turned their game against the Panthers last week into a fundraiser for the Kaplan family.

Briar Woods Game Raises Thousands for Kaplan Family

alcons volleyball fans packed the home stands in the Briar Woods High School gymnasium last Thursday night, doing their part to cheer on the girls and support the Kaplan family. The Falcons hosted the Potomac Falls Panthers, and Briar Woods’ Varsity Club turned the evening into a benefit event for the Kaplans. Ben Kaplan, a Briar Woods senior, and his two younger sisters were injured in a car crash on Evergreen Mills Road on Sept. 8. Their mother, Erin Kaplan, did not survive the crash. Money made from admissions and the sale of #KaplanStrong T-shirts

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

Faran Kaplan gets his daughter Sophia settled at the Falcons volleyball game.

KAPLAN FAMILY >> 20

New Policy Makes Way for Cell Towers on School Property BY DANIELLE NADLER

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

were donated to the family, to cover funeral and medical costs. In all, more than $4,300 was raised. Ben Kaplan, who is still undergoing treatment at Inova Fairfax Hospital, watched the game via Facebook live. His sisters, 11-year-old Sophia and 13-year-old Emma, watched from the sidelines with their father, Faran Kaplan. “Hi all!” Ben Kaplan posted on the Facebook live feed from his hospital bed. Briar Woods science teacher Josh Mosser, who had Ben in his AP environmental science class, said he’s been in touch with the 17-year-old almost

BY DANIELLE NADLER

The Loudoun County School Board was expected this week to adopt a new policy that makes way for cell phone towers to be erected on school property. Board members have been working in committee for roughly five years to hammer out a policy that allows telecom companies to request permission to locate a mobile or land-based network facility on land owned by the school system. Any request for a tower to be built on school property would first have to go through a public hearing process before School Board approval. The board was expected to adopt the new policy at its meeting Tuesday, after this paper’s deadline.

During its Oct. 10 meeting, several School Board members pointed out that many people have concerns that cell towers can cause health problems. “I’d love to see that it is away from the school buildings because there are a lot of people who have concerns about the radiation coming from these and its impact on students,” Debbie Rose (Algonkian) said. “We don’t want to expose students to any potential risks.” Chairman Jeff Morse (Dulles) and Eric DeKenipp (Catoctin), who both sit on the Finance and Facilities Committee that has been working on the policy, said that a person is exposed to more radiation from the cell phone in his or her pocket than from a nearby cell tower. Vince Scheivert, assistant superintendent of digital innovation, agreed,

and added that a cell phone actually puts out more energy when it is further from a tower. “You notice when you don’t have cell phone signal, your phone battery drains so much faster? It’s because it’s continually putting out at a maximum rate,” Scheivert said. He later added, “If you’re right next to [cell phone attennas], it’s really bad. But once you’re 9, 10 feet away—how nearly every single tower is—then it drops off to a nominal rate.” Board members agreed to include a line in the policy that states “the site selection will include health, safety and security considerations.” The proposed policy also states that the tower must also provide an “identiCELL TOWERS >> 17

Foxcroft School in Middleburg recently celebrated the opening of its first makerspace, called The Innovation Lab. “What makes this space so unique among other schools that have makerspaces is that it was researched, designed, planned, and budgeted for by our own students,” Head of School Cathy McGehee stated. Sophomore Kenzie Green, one of the students on the team to The Innovation Lab, said they were surprised how quickly the project came together. “I thought this would take years. And now, it’s here already and lots of people are using the space every day and creating things,” she said. “It’s so exciting. The five-room space includes a programmable sewing machine, computers with large monitors, a laser cutter, 3D printer, and space to create and fly drones.

Malone Foundation Honors 65 Middle Schoolers Sixty-five Loudoun County middle school students were named Teri and Shari Malone Foundation scholars this week. The Loudoun County School Board on Tuesday recognized the students who were selected by the foundation to receive a recognition plaque and a $250 scholarship. Since 1991, the Teri and Shari Malone Foundation has recognized middle school students with exceptional talent chosen by the staff of each Loudoun County middle school in the fields of art, mathematics, science and music. Students recognized for special talent in dance are selected by area schools of dance. The Teri and Shari Malone Foundation is dedicated to the memory of talented twins who died in a 1989 car crash at the age of 14. They had just completed their eighth grade year at Seneca Ridge Middle School SCHOOL NOTES >> 20

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Theaterpalooza’s Children’s Opera Ensemble got a chance to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Sunday. The ensemble was accompanied by bluegrass group Dry Mill Road. They performed “Pioneer Girl” by T. Groze, which features the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Learn more about Theaterpalooza at theaterpalooza.com.

Cell towers << FROM 16 fiable benefit to Loudoun County Public Schools and/or the communities the network facilities will serve.” It also requires the facility to generate revenue for the school system. Kevin Lewis, assistant superintendent of support services, told the board that the policy language is written fairly generally but specific concerns would be addressed with each application.

“This is just a policy for now and we will adjust the contract vehicle and safety concerns through more committee meetings,” he said. How much the school system would charge for a tower to be placed on its property would also be debated on a case by case basis. According to an NPR report, cell towers on seven schools in Prince George’s County, MD, generated $112,139 in revenue in one year. dnadler@loudounnow.com

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Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

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School Board members listen to speakers at the first public hearing for attendance boundary changes in the Dulles South area.

Parent Sundeep Toor asks School Board members to consider keeping the children in her neighborhood at Arcola Elementary.

Ahead of School Boundary Changes, Most Families Ask to Stay Put BY DANIELLE NADLER Loudoun County School Board members heard from several parents Monday evening who do not want to see their children reassigned elementary schools. It was the board’s first public hearing for attendance boundary changes for elementary schools in the southern end of the county. School assignments need to be adjusted in that area to make room for Goshen Post Elementary School, set to open next to John Champe High School along Northstar Boulevard in fall of 2018, and to relieve some of the county’s most crowded schools. The changes could impact students at five Dulles South elementary schools: Buffalo Trail, Hutchison Farm, Liberty, Little River, and Pinebrook. Buffalo

Trail Elementary is the most crowded, serving 1,599—656 over its building capacity. Seven parents addressed the board Monday, and all but one of them asked that their children’s elementary assignment go unchanged. Most of the families were from South Riding neighborhoods with children who attend Hutchison Farm Elementary School. Mary Ann Rutler said her son was moved from Hutchison Farm to Pinebrook Elementary and then, four years later, back to Hutchison Farm. “So as you can imagine, I was quite shocked that our section was up for rezoning again,” she said. “If we are moved again, our kids would have gone to three elementary schools without us even moving one time.” Ashley Flick, also from South Riding,

said her family almost moved homes last year but her son, then a first-grader, was adamant about continuing to attend his school. “We decided to stay put largely because of Hutchison Farm. We really thought we would be at Hutchison Farm for the long haul,” she said. One of the speakers requested that his children and others in his neighborhood, The Greens of Willowsford, be allowed to attend Goshen Post Elementary. J.T. Wilson said children in his neighborhood are attending Pinebrook Elementary, which sits 3.5 miles from their homes, and the new school is being built just 1 mile away. “Our kids are on the bus for a significant amount of time during the day,” he said. “Going to Goshen Post would help the kids and relieve some of that congestion that we are experiencing now.”

School system staff has proposed two attendance maps, Plan 1 and Plan 2. School Board members will also likely draft their own attendance maps for consideration. The board will dive in on the process at a work session Monday, Oct. 30. A second public hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, with a third and final public hearing Tuesday, Dec. 6. The board is scheduled to adopt a final attendance map Tuesday, Dec. 12. The meetings are held at the school administration building, 21000 Education Court in Ashburn. See the full details of each plan and sign up to speak at a public hearing at lcps.org; click on the “attendance zones under review” link. dnadler@loudounnow.com

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Kaplan family << FROM 16 daily since the crash. Just a few weeks ago, Ben could only communicate by writing on a tablet, but he can now talk. He’s also standing up and making progress each day through physical therapy, Mosser said. “He’s really fighting. He said his mother is on his mind through each step,” Mosser said. “She would want him to be very strong and work through this.” Ben told Mosser he wants to graduate at the end of this school year, along with the rest of his class. “So he’s got that goal—it’s in the forefront of his mind as he works to get better,” Mosser said. “He’s a great kid and comes from a great family. They’re feeling this community’s support.” Senior Peyton Webb, a member of the Varsity Club, said the goal of the evening was to bring all Briar Woods student athletes together to help a fellow Falcon. “We’re from all different varsity teams—soccer, swimming, softball, track—but we want to come together for an important cause,” she said. The Falcons didn’t do so bad on the court either. They pulled ahead to beat the Panthers 3 sets to 2. A GoFundMe page has also been set up to raise money for the Kaplans. As of Tuesday, more than $135,000 had been raised. dnadler@loudounnow.com

[ SCHOOL NOTES ] Superintendent Staples to Retire

<< FROM 16 and were to enter the freshman class of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in the fall. They were particularly accomplished in the fields of art, computer science, dance, mathematics, music and science. They were straight A students at Seneca Ridge. See the full list of this year’s Teri and Shari Malone Foundation honorees at LoudounNow.com/education.

Loudoun Students Lend a Hand Madison’s Trust Elementary School students have worked hard over the last few weeks to help students from Mossman Elementary in League City, TX, who were impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Madison’s Trust PTA set up an Amazon wish list for families to log on and purchase needed items for the Mossman Elementary students and their families. They especially needed box fans, dehumidifiers, plastic storage bins, and gift cards to nearby restaurants. Mossman Elementary Principal Deborah Johnson stopped by Madison’s Trust on Friday to thank the teachers, students, and parents for their help. “Many of our staff and students had water get into their homes. They are still living in hotels, RV parks, or with others,” Johnson told the students during her visit. “We celebrate each day when another family is able to move back into their home.”

Staff members from Mossman Elementary in League City, TX, stopped by Madison’s Trust Elementary School in South Riding to personally thank its teachers and students for helping them recover from Hurricane Harvey.

Fifth-graders Samantha Phillips and Liliana Tesfai interviewed Johnson and others from the Mossman staff who were in Virginia to attend an education conference for the school’s morning news show. Johnson and the teachers described people getting rescued from their homes by boat, floating their pets through the water in recycle bins, and leaving behind personal belongings to be destroyed by the water. At the end of the interview, the anchors presented Mossman with a check, collected from the classroom piggy banks, which brought the educators to tears. “Getting to meet some of the people that directly benefitted from our efforts had a lasting impact on all of us,” Madison’s Trust Elementary Principal David Stewart said. “We are so grateful to the staff of Mossman Elementary for coming to visit, and for sharing so openly and honestly about their experiences with the hurricane.”

Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Instruction has announced that he will retire at the end of the year. Steven Staples has served as the commonwealth’s chief school officer since March 31, 2014, when he was appointed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve in this capacity, and I will be forever grateful to so many for their advice, encouragement and support during my time in this post,” Staples said last Thursday in a message to Virginia Department of Education staff. Under Staples’ leadership, the department implemented a series of reforms of the commonwealth’s school accreditation system to reduce the amount of standardized testing and recognize the progress of schools toward full accreditation. During his term as state superintendent, the statewide, four-year graduation rate rose to above 90 percent and students continued to improve their performance on the commonwealth’s rigorous Standards of Learning assessments. Prior to his appointment as state superintendent, Staples served as the executive director of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents and on the faculty of William & Mary’s School of Education. Staples was superintendent of York County Public Schools for 16 years and was honored by his peers in 1997 as Virginia Superintendent of the Year. The new superintendent will be appointed by the next governor.

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[ NONPROFIT ] Charity Golf Tournament Raises $45K Loudoun Golf & Country Club held its annual charity tournament Monday, raising $45,000 for Loudoun Friends of Mental Health and Loudoun Hunger Relief. Each year, the golf club in Purcellville hosts a charity tournament and donates the greens fees and cart rental fees to an area charity. Last year, it raised almost $50,000 for Blue Ridge Hospice. “We choose a different charity every year to support and this year we decided to choose two to support since last year’s event went so well,” said Whitney McCracken, who serves on Loudoun Golf & Country Club’s board and oversaw the tournament. “It really went great.” Magellan Foundation was a major sponsor, and several local businesses donated gifts and other items that were auctioned off. The event sold out, with 128 golfers.

Red Cross Needs Blood Donors The American Red Cross is holding several blood donation drives in Loudoun County over the next few weeks. The Red Cross wants to encourage people to donate blood especially during this time. The organization usually sees a decline in donations during the holidays because regular donors are busy with activities and travel.

Upcoming blood drives are: • 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3 at The Village at Leesburg, 1609 Village Market Blvd, Suite 115, in Leesburg; • 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4 at Northern Virginia Baha’i Center, 21415 Cardinal Glen Circle in Sterling; • 2:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7 at Ashburn Farm Association, 21400 Windmill Drive in Ashburn; • 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11 at Loudoun County Rescue Com-

FACES OF LOUDOUN As part of the Community Foundation’s Faces of Loudoun campaign, Loudoun Now is publishing monthly articles highlighting men, women and children who have found a helping hand when they needed it most. Learn more or donate to help End the Need at FacesofLoudoun.org.

Michoale’s Story How Do I Tend to My Children Once My Day Care Assistance Ends? After 17 years of addiction, I was tired of being tired. So, I left my home and my life in Washington, DC, with my 3-week-old twin boys and moved to a shelter in Loudoun County. I only had a few clothes and a case of formula to call my own. I was at the shelter for three months. I got clean and spent every day looking for a job, sending out as many as 50 résumés a day. Eventually, I found a job—one that I really enjoy doing—working full time with people with special needs. I was able to move out of the shelter, rent a place of my own in Purcellville, and qualify for Virginia’s day care assistance program. I even got a car through a local group that helps people restart their lives. Since then, I have been giving back to the shelter that helped me and also to my church. And, I have been spending time with my two beautiful babies. That should be the happy ending of this challenging chapter of my life— and my boys’ lives. But, it isn’t. pany 13, 143 Catoctin Circle SE in Leesburg; • 2:30-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13 at Claude Moore Recreation Center, 46105 Loudoun Park Lane in Sterling. For more information, download the free Red Cross Blood Donor app, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS.

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

The Next Chapter In November, when my babies turn 2, my day care assistance will end— three years before I can put my boys

Firefighters Hold Coat Drive Loudoun County Fire-Rescue and the Loudoun chapter of the International Association of Firefighters Foundation will hold a coat drive through Nov. 20. They are collecting clean, gently used coats, jackets, scarves, winter hats, gloves and mittens. The items can be dropped off weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at any Loudoun County fire

4-H Canterlopes Sweep State Competitions The Loudoun 4-H Canterlopes sent 17 club members to the Virginia State 4-H Championships Horse Show last month in Lexington. Placings of note were: Stephanie Cordell, High Point Dressage Rider and Morgan Allard, Champion Hunter Pleasure S/M Pony, Sr. Rider. There were several members who earned Reserve Champion in their respective divisions.

On Oct. 8, six club members traveled to Doswell to compete in the Virginia State 4-H Horse Show Drill Team Competition at the Virginia State Fair. The team overcame several hardships, including a last-minute substitution because of an injury, to take first place in both the Compulsory and Freestyle Competitions. These wins earned them the High Point Drill Team Award, as well.

in public school. Without any family or friends in the area, I am facing three years of needing to pay someone to take care of my boys while I work. But, I only make $30,000 a year; day care will cost $24,000. That will not leave me near enough to pay for rent, food, insurance, and gas. This is a real problem for single moms who live in Loudoun, the most affluent county in the nation. I could quit my job to take care of my babies, but how would I pay my bills? I am not even eligible for unemployment. I’ll have to go back on the street or back into the system. Right now, I am living in faith. I am applying for jobs that offer higher pay or day care assistance. But who knows if I will find one in time? No mom in Loudoun should have to choose between working and taking care of their children. We need a way to help End the Need for single mothers who are living so close to the poverty line. station, the fire-rescue administration building at 801 Sycolin Road Suite 200 in Leesburg, or the fire-rescue training facility at 1600 Courage Court in Leesburg. The coats and other cold-weather items will be given to One Warm Coat, a national nonprofit organization that provides free coats to any person in need.

Arts Center Announces ‘Juried Creative Challenge’ Regional artists and craftspeople in all media are invited to participate in 10x10, a juried creative challenge exhibition sponsored by Friends of Franklin Park Arts Center. 10x10 will feature creative works using a 10-inch by 10-inch canvas provided by the arts center as a starting point. From there, artists can paint directly on the canvas, create a mixed media piece, affix a painting to the canvas, build a sculpture on it, or wherever their creativity leads them. Art shows sponsored by the Friends of Franklin Park Arts Center are designed to inspire artists to explore and create pieces beyond their usual subject, style or media. $100 cash prizes will be awarded in the amounts of $100 each for Best in Show, A Perfect Ten, and Friends Choice. Interested artists can register by emailing elizabeth.bracey@loudoun. gov or by calling 540-338-7973. Entry fee is $10.

Oct. 26 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Nov. 1, 2017 LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

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[ BIZ ]

[ BIZ NOTES ] Falcon Expands with New Sterling Center

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Erin Mozingo, a licensed massage therapist, runs the Structural Elements orthopedic wellness clinic inside Transition Triathlon’s Crescent Place shop. It’s been an arrangement that has worked well for both businesses.

Working Out the Kinks at Transition Tri’s Ortho Clinic

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

wo businesses that have found a symbiotic relationship are thriving in Leesburg’s Crescent Place neighborhood. Transition Triathlon made the halfmile move from South King Street to the bustling new development over the summer. Soon after its opening, Structural Elements, an orthopedic wellness clinic, opened inside the store. It’s been a perfect marriage from the beginning, both parties said. Transition Tri owners Steve Makranczy and Alex Korab bought the Structural Elements franchise for the Leesburg area after visiting its Hagerstown, MD, location. “Both of us had had the personal experience of going up to the clinic in Hagerstown for our own injuries. We both had such positive results unlike pretty much any other type of treatment we’d had,” Korab said. “We start-

ed sending customers, and it just started being this stream of people we were sending to Hagerstown. People were willing to make the drive and were coming back with positive feedback. We felt like the opportunity to have it all under one roof was really compelling. The two businesses go hand in hand really well.” Erin Mozingo, a licensed massage therapist and the clinic manager for the Leesburg Structural Elements, compared the relationship to “a Starbucks within a Target.” Many of the customers coming through Transition Tri’s doors are avid athletes. Some are looking to enhance their performance, while others are looking to address nagging injuries. Structural Elements can help with both, Mozingo said. “By doing so we take the approach of looking at the body as a whole,” she said. And that usually begins with addressing structural imbalances by checking hip and spinal alignments.

The treatment can begin with three to four weekly sessions addressing the body’s alignment, with both Mozingo doing the massage work and a physical therapist or chiropractor doing manipulation to the body. Once that corrected alignment begins to hold, it’s time for the gait analysis on the treadmill. Then monthly maintenance kicks in. “I look at the analogy of running through a tunnel with your eyes closed,” Mozingo said. “You need to ultimately fix your alignment first before you look at the gait analysis.” “It’s a more unique approach to uncovering the cause rather than just treating symptoms,” Korab said. Structural Elements is a cash-based clinic, but customers may elect to submit for insurance reimbursement on their own. Many of the clinic’s customers use their HSA or FSA accounts to pay for their treatments, Mozingo said. Structural Elements draws most of ORTHO CLINIC >> 25

360 Forum: Experience is the Opportunity BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ Developers and real estate industry representatives gathered in Leesburg last week to highlight the town’s economic growth opportunities. The annual Leesburg Property Reveal 360 forum was held Oct. 19 at one of the town’s business success stories, Cobb Theatres in the Village at Leesburg, which recently secured approvals for an expansion. The event provides attendees with a snapshot of the town’s business and development happenings, as well as a chance for some area real estate professionals to spotlight their available in-

town properties. It was a swan song of sorts for Economic Development Director Marantha Edwards who, two months’ shy of retirement, was hosting her final 360 event. And her last event ended on a seemingly positive note for Leesburg. “It’s no secret that Leesburg’s vibrancy is increasing,” she said to the audience members gathered for the forum. A hot downtown retail market, a relatively low office vacancy rate, and the growth of the town’s HUBZone were all cited as accomplishments. On the latter alone, Edwards noted that in the four years since part of the downtown area was designated as a federal HUBZone,

300 jobs have been created. A HUBZone helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities. A panel of industry experts—including Planning and Zoning Department Director Susan Berry-Hill, Taylor Chess of the Peterson Companies, Bill May of Miller & Smith, and Brian Cullen of Keane Enterprises—focused on the evolving trend of experiential retail. It’s a trend that’s here to stay, Chess said, not a passing fad. Experiential retail is about “doing rather than shopping,” Cullen said. It’s about providing 360 FORUM >> 25

Falcon Heating & Air Conditioning this week marked the beginning of construction of its new operations center in Sterling. The 20,000-square-foot building at the Dulles Trade Center West will include a heating, air conditioning, and ventilation educational space, as well as office space for the company. “Our business is continually growing, and we find ourselves in need of not only office space but skilled and trained employees as well,” co-owner Bruce Rahmani stated. “This is such an exciting time for all of us here at Falcon.” Founded 28 years ago in Loudoun County with two employees, Falcon has grown to a staff of more than 100. Learn more at falconhvac.com.

Michelle Lindsay Photography Opens in Leesburg Photographer Michelle Lindsay McAfee began her career as a wedding photographer 10 years ago, moving her business to downtown Leesburg from Arlington in 2016. Her love of the small community feel led her to design her dream studio in a new space at Leesburg’s Crescent Place neighborhood. She plans a Nov. 3 ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the expansion. McAfee specializes in documenting her clients’ lives, much like a historian would, from major milestones such as engagement and newborn, to the everyday moments of family and child portraits. The ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the new shop, at 428 Madison Trade Plaza SE, followed by a private party to celebrate the opening. A community open house will be scheduled in early 2018. Learn more at michellelindsayphotography.com.

Lawn Expressions Gears Up with Support for LVHS Loudoun Lawn Expressions, a new company hoping to make celebrations larger and louder with lawn decorations, has formed a partnership with Loudoun Valley High School. Loudoun Lawn Expressions will be displaying lawn expressions on Valley property throughout the school year, helping the school promote and announce various school events. The company has also created a page on its website where a percentage of any personalized lawn expressions and rental lawn expressions ordered through the page will be donated to Loudoun Valley High School. Learn more at loudounlawnexpressions.com.

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Ortho Clinic its clients from Transition Tri’s customer base, and Mozingo and Korab both said each business can act as a great referral for the other. In addition to bringing in a service that can help their customers, Korab said the addition of the clinic helped justify the larger space of the Crescent Place shop compared to its South King Street location. “I’m looking forward to the growth of both businesses,” Korab said. Structural Elements is located inside Transition Triathlon at 400 Madison Trade Plaza SE. The clinic is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays; and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The clinic is closed on Mondays. For more information, go to structuralelements.com or call 703-7373053.

under, those were developed under what were developed in the past. We need to be thinking in the future. You don’t want what you had, you don’t want what you have. You want what you don’t have, what you don’t know about. The town needs to be prepared to change quickly. You need to be able to be nimble.” The current market and its changing condition pose an opportunity for both the public and private sectors to work together to make sure localities are not left behind, he said. “We’re all in it together. We’re all creating places that we want to last for a long time,” Cullen said. “The jurisdictions that get this right are going to be the winners.”

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residents with a reason to come out and patronize shops by providing an experience that can’t be found on Amazon or another online retailer. Examples of experiential retail include anything from basic services like hair and nail salons to dining establishments, paint bars, bookshops with coffee bars, and even escape rooms. They said “placemaking” plays an integral role in drawing people out of the comfort of their homes. Sometimes this can mean creating an active community space, like an open plaza that hosts concerts and outdoor festivals, to bring more people to a shopping center. May said it initially was hard to sell his accountant on the concept that the anchor of One Loudoun was going to be something that didn’t pay rent—the center’s open community plaza, which has a splash pad, seating, and hosts many events. “This type of [retail] environment takes that type of investment to create the place,” he said. How to counter the “Amazon effect” is a hot topic among those in the industry. The online giant and the rise of online shopping in general has eroded the business of some of the globe’s strongest retailers. How brick and mortar stores can stay in business or start up has more than a few scratching their heads. “That’s what everyone’s wrestling with,” said Cullen, who recently purchased the Virginia Village shopping center. “I think there are going to be far fewer retailers in a post-Amazon world. To counter the Amazon thing, you have to be very, very creative and you have to take a lot of risks. Trying to find local retailers with a good business plan that are experiential in nature, that’s a strength for a local developer. The stickier the tenant base is and the more local it is, the less susceptible they are to things going dark.” “When there’s change going on that’s when the entrepreneurs come out,” Ber-

flexibility within the town and the approval process to get these things done.” Cullen also stressed that a hard look at existing zoning regulations, many of which are geared toward suburban-style development, need to be updated to take advantage of the market’s opportunities. “It’s an interesting time we’re all living in. Most of the development done in our history is post-World War II development. There was a huge demand coming from the baby boomers, everyone drove to everything. Our ordinances are all geared to that sort of mindset,” he said. “Do we have ordinances that are locked down to a way of life that people are moving away from?” “These [opportunities] are fleeting,” Chess said. “When we talk about ordinances and the rules you must develop

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

360 Forum

ry-Hill said. She pointed to a recent example of a company trying to fill the “niches” left by the growth of online shopping. Happy Returns places so-called “return bars” in retail locations throughout the nation to make the process of returning an online purchase more seamless and customer-friendly, without the trip to the post office. Panelists agreed that the Leesburg market, particularly the downtown historic district, has an ideal opportunity to take advantage of the hot experiential retail market. “I think downtown, it needs to expand on that experiential outside aspect. We need to allow for redevelopment opportunities to happen when the market is right for it,” Chess said. “It comes to

[ OUR TOWNS ]

Purcellville Council Begins Search for Next Town Manager

loudounnow.com

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

BY PATRICK SZABO

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Crews work at Catoctin Corner in Purcellville. The commercial center will be home to three new restaurants, a Shell gas station and several retail businesses.

Catoctin Corner Shops Set to Open by December

BY PATRICK SZABO

hree new restaurants and a gas station will open in Purcellville in the coming months. The Catoctin Corner retail center at the northeast quadrant of the Main Street/Berlin Turnpike intersection is set to celebrate the first retail openings by year’s end. KLNB Retail has already leased to six tenants and is in negotiations with others to fill the remaining 23,000 square feet. “We’re so far down the line, it’s kind of like it’s almost done,” said Dallon Cheney, a KLNB principal and Catoctin Corner’s leasing agent. Tenants already scheduled to move in include Chipotle, Manhattan Pizza, Supercuts, Wink! Vision, Heartland Dental, a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-through and a 5,400-square-foot Shell gas sta-

tion. Cheney said some businesses should open by the end of the year and others in 2018. “That will probably be determined in the coming weeks,” he said. The 6.5-acre, 40,000-square-foot commercial center, owned by Mount Jackson entrepreneur Bill Holtzman, sits directly across Berlin Turnpike from the Purcellville Gateway shopping center, which opened in spring 2012. “I think this intersection is key,” Cheney said. “I think this is a fantastic location.” Purcellville’s Community Development Director Patrick Sullivan said he hopes Catoctin Corner will have just as much of a positive impact on the town’s economy as Purcellville Gateway has had. A sidewalk and interior road will connect the shopping center with Pat-

rick Henry College and its 300 students. “I think that that’s going to be a real nice amenity for them,” Sullivan said. With two entrances to the shopping center, traffic isn’t a concern for KLNB or the town. One entrance will connect the property with the college, and is off Main Street—where a traffic light is planned. “VDOT has all the necessary information needed to review the plans,” Sullivan said. “We are waiting on VDOT.” While tenants work on the interior of the leased spaces, construction crews are finishing up site work. The next step is to finish bacteria sampling in the water lines. Project Superintendent Dan Casey said this should be done by the end of the week. “Everything will get done to requirement standards,” he said. “That’s a fact.” psazbo@loudounnow.com

Purcellville Seeks Input on Comprehensive Plan Update BY PATRICK SZABO After years of work, the Purcellville Planning Commission has published its draft update of the town’s Comprehensive Plan and begun collecting feedback from the public. After posting the document on Oct. 14, planners held two open house sessions Saturday at Town Hall. “[Public input] is going to formulate how the draft is revised,” said Planning Commission Chairwoman Theresa Stein. “This continues to be a work in progress.” The draft has been worked on since 2015 when Town Council called for an update. Since then, the commission has held numerous workshops and public input sessions to come up with the update, following a five-phase process that emphasizes community input. The first and second phases gathered resident

feedback, which showed an overall desire to maintain the town’s small-town feel. The third phase posed public questions to determine how the plan could best achieve residents’ desires. According to Stein, the most significant way the draft plan does this is by discouraging any expansion of the town’s boundaries. “That’s something we had heard from the public that they were not interested in,” she said. “They’re looking for smaller scale.” Residents also said they want more sidewalks, parks and open space, and Stein said the draft plan touches on improving and creating such amenities. The plan review is now on phase four. The draft has been posted for public review. Public comments were collected during Saturday’s open house and the town has posted a survey on the town its website. Residents have until Nov. 3 to review the draft and submit feedback.

Director of Community Development Patrick Sullivan said the Planning Commission hopes to hold a formal public hearing early next year before voting to recommend the updated plan to Town Council, which will hold its own public hearings before adopting it. The Code of Virginia requires towns to have a comprehensive plan that includes policies and recommendations for transportation, land use, affordable housing and location of future public facilities. Because comprehensive plans are not regulatory documents in Virginia, regulations must be adopted to implement the plan’s recommendations. “I think this document reflects … how we want to see redevelopment occur,” Stein said. “That’s what will be seen in this document, is that it reflects that desire for a more traditional town.” pszabo@loudounnow.com

The Purcellville Town Council this week kicked off the search for its next town manager. Purcellville Councilman Ryan Cool and Vice Mayor Nedim Ogelman presented the council with their proposed recruitment packet at a meeting Tuesday. The town is seeking a replacement for Robert W. Lohr Jr. who retired in June, following a series of closed-door meetings with the council in April. The council tapped Alex Vanegas, then the director of Public Works, to serve as interim town manager. Last month, the council appointed Cool and Ogelman to lead the recruitment process, rather than spend additional money to hire an outside firm. According to Cool, the draft recruitment package is about 50 pages long and includes background on town history, organizational structure, personnel and financials, such as the recent town debt restructuring. “With any management, you want to know where you stand financially,” Cool said. “I think it’s real important to have context.” The package will also contain videos for applicants to get a better feel for the town and the role of town manager. If approved by council, it could be posted to municipal government organizations, including the International City Management Association, Virginia Municipal League and the Virginia Local Government Management Association as early as Friday. Cool said the town’s human resources department would determine how long the job posting would remain active, although he anticipates it to stay open through the end of the year, with a goal to select a new town manager by January or February. “I’d say in the first quarter of 2018 makes sense,” he said. “You got to give people time to digest the information.” Town Council will discuss the interview, negotiation and offer timeline in more detail at its meeting Tuesday night. Cool said handling the search in-house is not unusual. “Fact is that most, if not all, towns and even some much larger to the east follow the same process that we are,” he said. Hiring an outside firm to do the work could cost up to $30,000, according to a staff report. pszabo@loudounnow.com

[ TOWN NOTES ]

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

He also said the county government has indicated it would help with funding, although nothing is set in stone yet.

LOVETTSVILLE Remembering the First President: John Hanson Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

The Hamilton Community Park is slated to get a $75,000 makeover.

Public Hearing Scheduled for Park Improvements The Town Council has scheduled a Nov. 13 public hearing on its proposal to spend $75,000 to make improvements at the town park. According to Mayor David Simpson, the council is looking to replace the park’s 10-year-old wooden playground centerpiece and replace it with one made of plastic-coated metal. The project could move to construction this fall. “Our park is very popular and highly used,” Simpson said. “Now is a good time to do it because the use is going to drop off a bit (as the weather cools).” Although the equipment improvements are estimated to cost about $60,000, Simpson said it’s better to have the extra money up front in case the town runs into any problems.

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HAMILTON

The Lovettsville Historical Society on Nov. 5 will feature the story of John Hanson, the man whom many—including George Washington himself— regarded as the first president of the United States. The story will be told by one of his descendants, Peter Hanson Michael, the author of the 2011 biography Remembering John Hanson: The First Lincoln. On Nov. 5, 1781, just after the American victory at Yorktown, the United States officially came into being, and Hanson, a Maryland resident, was selected as the “President of the United States in Congress Assembled.” Michael will explain why Hanson is barely remembered today and will explain several mysteries of Hanson’s life, as well as putting to rest some of the myths surrounding him—including the internet-spread claim that Hanson was America’s first black president. The program will be held at St. James United Church of Christ, 10 East Broad Way, starting at 2 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are welcome to defray expenses of the program and to support the activities of the Lovettsville Historical Society.

on Select Flooring and Carpet Sale Ends October 28th!

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[ LOCO LIVING ]

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Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

From left, farmer Aimee Long and fiber artist Melanie Bestwick are joined by a herd of admirers as they show off favorite fashions made from Long Meadows Farm alpaca fiber yarn. Bestwick’s children Caleb, 6 months, Ellie, 8, and Olive, 6, are also wearing mom’s creations—including hand-knit booties and sweaters from an original design.

Farm 2 Fashion Show Celebrates ‘Agri-couture’

M BY JAN MERCKER

elanie Bestwick doesn’t think of herself as an artist. But the modern homesteader and mama of three is a passionate and seriously talented knitter. So when the Loudoun Arts Council put out a call for submissions for its inaugural Farm 2 Fashion creative challenge, Bestwick was inspired to take her craft to the next level. And she had a natural partner in her friend, alpaca farmer Aimee Long. Bestwick’s alpaca fiber sculpture is one of 13 projects on display at Franklin Park Arts Center as part of the show, which challenged artists and artisans to create works from materials sourced from area farms and agricultural businesses. The exhibit, a collaboration by the Loudoun Arts Council, the Friends of Franklin Park Arts Center, and the county’s Economic Development office and Rural Economic Development Council, wraps up with a public reception and awards ceremony Oct. 28. “A lot of people don’t know how many hundreds of artists actually live in the county. I’m always trying to get the word out about the cool stuff that’s happening and this is another way to do that,” said LAC President Jill Evans-Kavaldjian, adding that the show “shines a spotlight on the importance of our arts and culture in creating a vibrant economy and a good place to live.” For Bestwick, the show was a chance to underscore her philosophy of eating—and creating—locally. “There’s the whole farm-to-table movement. There should be a farm-to-fashion movement where we help out these farms and do things in a locally sourced way,” Bestwick said. Her sculpture, “Alpaca Poncho in case it gets chilly,” features an ethereal creamy white alpaca fiber poncho on a handmade model created from a repurposed mannequin on a base built by her husband, woodworker John Bestwick. The design includes

Loudoun Arts Council

Melanie Bestwick’s alpaca fiber sculpture is one of 13 “agricouture” creations at the Farm 2 Fashion exhibit at Franklin Park Arts Center.

chicken feather accents (both Bestwick and Long are chicken lovers), but Long’s high-quality alpaca fiber yarn is the heart of the piece. In a humorous touch, Bestwick created a new head for the mannequin with a giant ball of yarn. Long and her husband, Troy, bought Long Meadows Farm near Lovettsville in 2013. Initially, the couple hoped to start a dog kennel but fell in love with alpacas after visiting another local farm. They bought their first six in 2014 and now have 27 alpacas, most

of which are rescue animals. “They’re amazing gentle creatures, and it’s amazing what you can do with their fibers,” Long said, adding the yarn is incredibly soft and naturally hypoallergenic. Long Meadows yarn is spun by a small mill in Pennsylvania, and Long also sells finished products including hats, scarves and gloves made through a co-op mill in New England. Long recently launched an ecommerce website for yarn and knit goods, and she plans to open a small farm store on the property next spring or summer. And Long and Bestwick’s alpaca fiber collaboration is just one take on “agri-couture.” Visitors on a recent Saturday were enchanted by the delicate 19th century-inspired dress made of netting and dried flowers created by a quintet of Hillsboro-based farmers and artists who call themselves the Grit & Grace Gap Divas, including artist Laney Oxman, designer Claudia Forbes and farm owners Amy Marasco, Alta Jones and Alison Badger (who also participated in the construction of the project). Jan Kernan’s striking giant corn stalk ballerinas have been another crowd favorite, while Padma Jen Koch’s “F’Armor,” an imposing knight made of metal farm equipment, offers a completely different take on the challenge. “I thought it was so interesting how everybody took such a different approach to what farm-to-fashion meant. There were definitely some more artistic approaches. I think mine was definitely among the more practical,” Bestwick said. For Evans-Kavaldjian, the beauty of a creative challenge like Farm 2 Fashion, is that it brings new artisans out of the woodwork, mixing work from established artists like Penny Hauffe, Jan Blacka and Evans-Kavaldjian herself with submissions from folks like Bestwick who haven’t shown their work before. AGRI-COUTURE >> 29

jmercker@loudounnow.com

The Farm 2 Fashion reception and awards ceremony takes place 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Franklin Park Arts Center near Purcellville. Attendees can check out the “agricouture” creations and enjoy live music by Loudoun-grown musicians Fiddlin’ Dave and Morgan, food by the Loudoun Cattlemen’s Association and Gina’s Pies and wines from Otium Cellars. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Get advance tickets at franklinparkartscenter.org. The show runs through Oct. 30. Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Artist Melanie Bestwick’s creations from alpaca fiber yarn are one of 13 projects on display at Franklin Park Arts Center.

For more information on Long Meadows Alpacas, go to longmeadowsalpacas.com.

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to the many donors, volunteers, shoppers and the Loudoun community for supporting the 79th Annual Ladies Board Rummage Sale held October 14 & 15, 2017. This Sale grossed more than $300,000 because of your generosity. Proceeds benefit patient services at Inova Loudoun Hospital and the Ladies Board Nursing Scholarship Fund. We also want to thank: Liberty Mountain Resort Loudoun County Fire Marshall Loudoun County Sheriffs Office Loudoun Golf & Country Club Loudoun Transportation Lovettsville- Waterford Ruritans Lowe’s of Leesburg Meadows Farms Melt Middleburg Fun Shop Monroe Vo-Tech Nursing Students Monroe Vo-Tech Welding Morven Park Equestrian Center NJROTC of Loudoun County Pack Rat Hauling Party City Potomac Green Red Hot & Blue

River Creek Club and HOA SAVERS Sign Design Students of John Champe High School Summit Bank Sunny D The Barns at Hamilton Station The Buffalo Group The Estate of Kitty Weaver The Gift Shop at INOVA Loudoun The Lowers Group Town and County Movers Twice Is Nice Thrift Shop Victory Van Lines Virginia Transit Women Giving Back Woodgrove High School Football

The Ladies Board of Inova Loudoun Hospital | 44045 Riverside Pkwy, Leesburg,VA 20176 | LadiesBoard.org

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Hamilton Ruritan Club Happy Nails Headley’s Auction Heritage High School Interact Club Home Depot INOVA Loudoun Hospital Foundation Jasmines Jolie Nails K2M Karin’s Florist Ketterman’s Jewelers La Villa Roma Lansdowne Resort Lansdowne Woods Leesburg Daybreak Rotary Leesburg Evening Rotary

Ace Party Rentals Andy’s Mediterranean Belmont Country Club Black Shutter Antique Center Blossom and Bloom Briar Patch Inn Browning Equipment Chick-Fil-A of Leesburg Creighton Farms CSI Dulles Golf Center Dulles Greenway Eyetopia Fabbioli Cellars Fireworks Giovanni’s NY Pizza Habitat for Humanity ReStore Hair World

“A lot of [the artists] had never worked sculpturally, they’d never worked conceptually—this was an exercise for them,” Evans-Kavaldjian said. The idea for the show was hatched a few years ago by former Rural Economic Development Council member and Loudoun Arts Council President Cindy Lowther and Loudoun Economic Development Agricultural Development Officer Kellie Hinkle. The initial concept was a runway show with live models, but organizers decided that an installation would be a better fit for the artistic talent pool in Loudoun. Several artists built their own mannequins for

Farm 2 Fashion Reception Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

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Agri-couture

the show, while others dressed mannequins provided by the arts council with ceramic faces created by Loudoun artist Amy Manson. The exhibit really pops and has been a hit with play- and concert-goers, said Franklin Park Arts Center Director Elizabeth Bracey. The show was drawing plenty of interest from attendees young and old during intermission at last weekend’s performance of Main Street Theater Company’s production of “Oklahoma!” as visitors explored the pieces and checked out the artists’ statements that accompany each work. “People are just amazed by them,” Bracey said. “They’re intrigued and then they start walking around and they’re really drawn in.”

[ THINGS TO DO ]

loudounnow.com

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS WALTONWOOD HALLOWEEN EXTRAVAGANZA Friday, Oct. 27, 6 p.m.; Waltonwood Ashburn, 44141 Russell Branch Parkway, Ashburn. Details: waltonwood.com Loudoun’s newest senior living community opens its doors to neighbors of all ages for a screening of “Hotel Transylvania,” trickor-treating, snacks and a costume contest. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP is requested at 571-918-4854.

LEESBURG HAUNTING TOURS Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28, 6-9 p.m.; Leesburg Town Hall, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: leesburghauntings.org Experience the spooky side of downtown Leesburg’s historic homes, with costumed guides and ghost stories galore. Tickets are $25 and advance purchase is required.

PURCELLVILLE BLOCK PARTY LEESBURG HALLOWEEN PARADE Tuesday, Oct. 31, 6 p.m.; King St. from Ida Lee Park to Fairfax St., Leesburg. Details: leesburgkiwanis.org The Leesburg Kiwanis Club hosts its 61st annual Halloween parade featuring high school bands, fantastic floats, fire and rescue units and lots of treats. Bring a food donation for Loudoun Hunger Relief and drop off at designated locations along the route.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 5-9 p.m.; 21st St. between O St. and Main St. Details: purcellvillehalloween.com Purcellville’s seventh annual preHalloween bash features a costume contest, games, food for sale and live entertainment. Event is free and open to the public.

SHOCKTOBER Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28, 7-10 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 29, 7-9 p.m.; Paxton Manor, 601 Catoctin Circle, NE, Leesburg. Details: shocktober.org It’s your last chance to check out the region’s scariest haunted house. The new Carnival of Souls features crazed killer clowns in twisted underground carnival carnage. The event benefits Paxton Campus. Admission is $35 in advance, $40 at the gate. Advance purchase is recommended.

GHOST 5K AND SCARECROW SPRINT Saturday, Oct. 28, 3-5 p.m.; The Barn at One Loudoun, 20450 Savin Hill Drive, Ashburn. Details: ghost5k.com

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Run in costume and spend the afternoon enjoying live entertainment and Halloween activities. The fun run starts at 3 p.m. and the 5K kicks off at 4 p.m. Registration for the 5K is $35 on race day. Registration for the fun run is $12.

HOWL O’ WEEN DANCE Saturday, Oct. 28, 7-11 p.m.; Sterling Fire and Rescue, 46700 Middlefield Drive, Sterling. Details: vgsr.org Enjoy an evening of live music, light fare and soft drinks, raffle and silent auction to benefit Virginia German Shepherd Rescue. Bring your favorite canine for a night of fun. Tickets are $30 in advance, $40 at the door.

LOVETTSVILLE TRUNK OR TREAT Tuesday, Oct. 31, 6-7:30 p.m.; Lovettsville Community Center, 57 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville. Contact: 540-822-5284 Enjoy trick or treating on a comfortable scale at this annual event featuring decorated trunks and a not-so-scary trail. Event is free and open to the public.

LOCO CULTURE NOT YOUR KID’S SPELLING BEE Thursday, Oct. 26, 6:30-9 p.m.; Ida Lee Banquet Hall, 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg. Details: loudounliteracy.org

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This fun-filled, competitive evening benefits Loudoun Literacy Council. The business casual event begins with drinks and a silent auction followed by a buffet dinner and a fast-paced grown-up spelling bee. Tickets are $100 for spellers, $75 for observers.

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MORE THINGS TO DO >> 31

[ THINGS TO DO ]

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

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FINAL FRIDAY LIVE MUSIC AND ART SHOWCASE Friday, Oct. 27, 6-9 p.m.; Leesburg Junction, 215 Depot Court, Leesburg. Details: leesburgjunction.com

Ballyhoo! 10/27/17 Doors 7:00PM

1st annual PHOTO RECEPTION: SHARON HALLMAN Saturday, Oct. 28, 5-8 p.m.; A Place to Be Music Therapy, 8 N. Jay St. Middleburg. Details: aplacetobeva.org

GLENFIDDICH FARM POTTERY SHOW AND SALE Saturday, Oct. 28 and Sunday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; 17642 Canby Road, Leesburg. Details: glenfarmpottery.com This annual rain or shine event by ceramic artist Richard Busch features pottery wheel demonstrations, tour of the studio and kilns and refreshments. Busch makes a range of high-fired functional stoneware pieces.

WASHINGTON WEST FILM FESTIVAL Saturday, Oct. 28, 2 p.m.; Gum Spring Library, 24600 Millstream Drive, Stone Ridge; 2:30 p.m.; Sterling Library, 22330

Sharon Hallman’s photography exhibit “I Am. Evolution of a Woman’s Soul” features portraits of female subjects from birth through death with an eye toward catching their inner light. Admission is free, and donations will be accepted.

Wiener dog dash & canine costume contest 10/28/17 12:30PM 90s Halloween Party featuring Doc Marten

and the Flannels

South Sterling Boulevard, Sterling. Details: wwfilmfest.com Gum Spring and Sterling libraries host parallel screenings of the Washington West Film Festival’s showcase of familyoriented short films. Screenings are free.

AUTHOR TALK: ROB ORRISON AND DAN WELCH

North,” a comprehensive guide to the Gettysburg campaign described as the “ultimate Civil War road trip.” Event is free and open to the public, but advance reservations are recommended.

HILLSBORO HISTORY TALK: THE BURNT MILL Sunday, Oct. 29, 4-6 p.m.; 15250 Cider Mill Road, Hillsboro. Details: shorthillhistoricalsociety.org

Sunday, Oct. 29, 2 p.m.; Thomas Balch Library, 208 W. Market St., Leesburg. Contact: 703-737-7195

The Short Hill Historical Society hosts

Orrison and Welch discuss and sign copies of their new book, “The Last Road

MORE THINGS TO DO >> 32

10/28/17 Doors 7:00PM

Los Lonely Boys with Gary Smallwood

11/3/17 Doors 7:00PM

A Tribute to Bon Jovi:

Slipper When Wet

11/04/17 Doors 7:00PM

Crack the Sky 11/10/17 Doors: 7:00PM

WILL & TRUST WORKSHOP Have you updated your Will? Do you even have a Will? Is a Last Will enough to avoid a lengthy/costly probate? Come find out.

FREE TO ATTEND

Wednesday

“Straight forward, easy to understand without the legalese.”

November 8th @ 10am

Thursday

November 9th @ 2pm

Saturday

November 11th @ 11am

44084 Riverside Parkway Lansdowne, VA 20176

11/11/17 Doors: 7:00PM

Eric Gales 11/16/17 Doors 7:00PM

Tribute to Neil Young:

Broken Arrow

11/17/17 Doors 7:00PM

Kid Brother

W/Milo & The Doldrums & Bluewreck 11/18/17 Doors 7:00PM

Nate Good 11/25/17 Doors 7:00PM

American Family Estate Planners

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Now Open Tues. through Sun. for Lunch & Dinner

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Wall Street Journal Says:“In this day and age, estate planning is a must. If you own any property, paid for or not, you need a Revocable Living Trust.” Seating is limited Please RSVP Couples are encouraged to attend together

• What should you have: “A Will” or “ Living Trust”? • Keep your affairs private and OUT of PROBATE, you decide distribution of your estate, not the courts • Guardianship: minors / special needs beneficiaries • Discover the “dangers of joint tenancy” • If you already have a Revocable Living Trust, is it funded and up to date with current law? • Understand the problems with the “Do It Yourself” Internet Wills or Trust kits?

Red Not Chili Peppers

This month’s installment of Leesburg Junction’s Final Friday features music by headliner Butler, as well as Taylor Hart and Brett Lesher and the Lone Folk. The junction’s lounge will serve as a pop-up art gallery, featuring 10 local artists’ work in woodworking, ceramics, painting and photography. General admission is $10, $5 for students.

loudounnow.com

[ THINGS TO DO ] ON STAGE

<< FROM 31 historian Rich Gillespie for a guided visit to historic Burnt Mill. Gillespie will share the history of the mill and discuss burning raids during the Civil War. Participants can stay for the long-standing tradition of lighting jacko-lanterns in the windows of the mill ruins after sunset. The program is free and open to the public, but advance registration is requested and carpooling is recommended.

LAST HAM STANDING COMEDY IMPROV Friday Oct. 27, 8 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org Don’t miss this hilarious show full of laughs for the entire family. A group of talented performers take suggestions from the audience to create wacky scenes and funny improv games. Tickets

are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and $10 for children.

’90S HALLOWEEN PARTY WITH DOC MARTEN AND THE FLANNELS

‘THE HAMILTON MURDERS’

Saturday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m.; Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyhotheater.com

Saturday, Oct. 28, 6 p.m., doors open, 6:30 p.m., show begins; StageCoach Theatre, 20937 Ashburn Road, Suites 115 and 120, Ashburn. Details: stagecoachtc.com StageCoach Theatre Company presents an interactive historical whodunit based on conspiracy theories around the 1804 murder of Alexander Hamilton. The $65 ticket price includes dinner catered by Savoir Fare and the show. Wine, beer, and soft drinks will be sold separately. Advance purchase is required.

NIGHTLIFE

NOT-YOUR-KID’S SPELLING BEE Thursday, Oct. 26, 6:30–9 p.m. Loudoun Literacy Council Benefit Banquet Hall at Ida Lee Recreation Center loudounliteracy.org

8 CHAINS NORTH WINEGROWERS WILD GAME DINNER Friday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m.; 8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford. Details: 8chainsnorth.com Winegrower Ben Renshaw celebrates this year’s harvest with a five-course wild game dinner and wine pairing with chef Wes Rosati of The Wandering Chef. Tickets are $108, $98 for wine club members. Advance purchase is required.

CHRIS BOWEN

Saturday, Oct. 28, 1–4 p.m. Vanish Farmwoods Brewery vanishbeer.com/events

Wear a costume and get your groove on to 90s favorites from this Baltimore-based tribute band. Tickets are $10 in advance.

SMOKEHOUSE HALLOWEEN BOO-B-QUE Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m. Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com Enjoy food, drinks, and live entertainment by DJ Hot Mike. Prizes will be awarded for best costumes. No entry fee.

COMING UP WEST BELMONT PLACE JUNIOR CHEF COMPETITION Saturday, Nov. 4, 1-5 p.m.; West Belmont Place at The National Conference Center, 18980 Upper Belmont Place, Leesburg. Details: westbelmontplace.com The popular junior chef competition for children ages 6-16 encourages young chefs to learn new skills and use their creative ideas while having fun. Participants will be divided into two groups by age. Tickets are $20 for youth competitors, $25 for adults and $12 for children not competing. Advance registration is required.

FRIENDS OF BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS CELEBRATION Sunday, Oct. 29, 4– 6 p.m. Franklin Park Arts Center franklinparkartscenter.org

AS5K Sunday, Nov. 5, 10 a.m.; Westpark Golf Club, 59 Clubhouse Drive, Leesburg. Details: as5k.com

getoutloudoun.com Promote your concert or event—in print and online.

Email sales@loudounnow.com or call 703.770.9723

This wild and crazy 5K features golf putting, pong tossing, dart throwing and cornhole—along with running—to benefit Fisher House. Registration is $45 per person and includes a fun after-party. All participants must be part of two-person teams.

[OBITUARY] Mona Ann Simpson Bakke Mona Ann Simpson Bakke joined her Lord and Savior on Sunday, October 15, 2017. Mona was born on July 12, 1928 in Virginia, MN. She met her husband, Burt Bakke, on a blind date during his college days. Together, they lived in St. Paul, MN, Excelsior Springs, MO, Brooklyn, NY, Ridgefield Park, NJ, Lafayette, NY, Silver Spring, MD, Lusby, MD, and Spring Hill, FL. Mona moved to Gainesville, VA in 2003 and her final resting years were in her own, private “lady’s cottage” at

the home of her daughter and son-inlaw, Susan and David Guyre, on their pastoral Lovettsville, VA farm. Best known for her quick wit, active lifestyle, and creative spirit, Mona was an active, lifelong member of the Roman Catholic Church and was a dedicated contributor to youth, the elderly, and families in need through organizations such as Unbound (unbound.org) and Boys Town (boystown. org). Memorial contributions may be made to either of these organizations in lieu of flowers.

Mona was the daughter of the late Margaret Lazella and Ivan Simpson of Virginia, MN. She was preceded in death by her late husband, Burton F. Bakke in 2002 and her sister, Ivanna Simpson Dunckel of Roseville, MN. She is survived by her older sister, Norine Simpson Downey of Sarasota, FL. Her surviving children are Denise Bakke Mitchell (J. Robert Mitchell), Susan Bakke Guyre (David C. Guyre), Bart F. Bakke (Donna K. Alquiza Bakke). Mona is the grandmother of five grandchildren: Jacob Bryant Bak-

ke, Jeffrey Lucas Bakke, Brett Austin Mitchell, Mary Grace Guyre, and Luke Christian Guyre. Mona was blessed with one great-grandchild, Michele Blythe Bakke. The family wishes to thank those who made her last days comfortable and palliative including her caregivers, Wbrhan Demesse and Hyat Ousman. Mona was a lady of truly sterling character and will be missed so very much by all who knew her. Arrangements by Hall Funeral Home, Purcellville, VA.

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[ OPINION ]

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The Transportation Disconnect Witnessing two members of the General Assembly chastise the county Board of Supervisors last week for its failure to address safety concerns and gridlock on Rt.15 highlighted a troubling and continuing disconnect. In Virginia, the state government—not county boards—is responsible for the transportation system. Anything Loudoun County has done to facilitate road construction—siphoning a portion of its annual real estate tax revenues away from schools and other services, and increasing its already heavy debt load by issuing road bonds—resulted directly from the General Assembly’s failure to meet its obligation. The disconnect is widened by the fact—pointed out by two Republican supervisors as well as the county chairman—that these two legislators were leading opponents of the 2013 transportation bill that sought to address the gross funding shortage. Not only did they oppose it, they strongly criticized those who voted for it, especially those from their own Republican Party who recognized that the commonwealth’s economic engine was suffocating in gridlock because of the lack of leadership in Richmond. And let’s be clear about this, too. The transportation bill didn’t really commit gobs of new state money to help meet the backlog of transportation needs in Loudoun or the region. Mostly, it allowed the region’s residents and businesses to pay higher fees and taxes and borrow money to help fill in the state’s funding hole. The disconnect widened a few years later, when these two legislators helped to dismantle the proffer system that was critical to Loudoun and other fast-growing Virginia localities. Look at the construction work under way now all along Rt. 7, Old Ox Road, Loudoun County Parkway and elsewhere. That doesn’t happen without funding from the 2013 transportation bill and developer proffers. Rt. 7 would remain lined with traffic lights, the dangerous mix of residential and industrial traffic would continue to share the narrow two lanes of Rt. 606, and Loudoun County Parkway would still be one of those “you can’t get there from here” roads. It also should be noted that Rt. 15 isn’t a subdivision street; it is a U.S. highway, one of the nation’s oldest. It shouldn’t fall entirely on a county board or town council to keep the traffic moving. Of course, there is a solution at the hands of Sen. Black and Del. LaRock. They could sponsor legislation providing state funding to get the job done on Rt. 15. We’d bet that other members of Loudoun’s delegation would sign on to support their initiative. Better yet, they could make it emergency legislation and have the check cut for the whole thing by July 1. How would that be for leadership in Richmond? That might not be in the cards, but we encourage them to—how was it phrased to county supervisors?—do everything within their power to reduce the congestion and improve the safety on Rt. 15.

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

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

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Renss Greene, Reporter rgreene@loudounnow.com Kara C. Rodriguez, Reporter krodriguez@loudounnow.com Douglas Graham, Photographer dgraham@loudounnow.com Contributors Samantha Bartram John McNeilly Jan Mercker Patrick Szabo

Advertising Director Susan Styer sstyer@loudounnow.com Display Advertising Tonya Harding tharding@loudounnow.com Allison Jenkins ajenkins@loudounnow.com Production Electronic Ink Leesburg, VA 20175

Fix the Traffic

[ LETTERS ]

Editor: I read with interest your story about the deadlocked Board of Supervisors and their discussion on taxes for the county. I did not see any discussion about how to fund needed transportation improvements (i.e. roads) for the future. It is understandable that the board wants to lower taxes—we all would like that. However, I also see that the biggest complaint by the citizens is traffic. And, that usually leads to refrains of “stop growth in the county.” The thing is: traffic is here already. Currently, Loudoun sets aside 2 cents of the county taxes for road improvements. That yields about $110 million in revenue each year. However, there are $2 billion in identified, road improvements to ease congestion in the county. Those persons and supervisors who are clamoring for no more growth conveniently overlook “background traffic” in the county. These are the cars that travel from Winchester, West Virginia and elsewhere east to jobs in DC or Reston or Tysons. They ignore the north-south traffic from Prince William to Frederick and the reverse. Seems to me that if we continue to try to push people west, they will still have to travel to Loudoun or farther east to work; therefore, the traffic will continue to increase even if we stopped approving any new housing in Loudoun. The point is that the board should not try to equalize the tax rate this year. Keep the extra 2 cents in to add to the amount already allocated for roads. It’s still a major shortfall in what is required, but it doubles the amount dedicated. Surely there are at least a couple of improvements that could be made with additional money to help traffic flow. The traffic is here now. Since we have very little public transportation and little motivation to change that situation, at least provide more funding to handle the traffic we already have. — Mike Wilkins, Leesburg

Plan Well Now Editor: The Oct. 12 article “Planning Com-

mission Mulls Data Center along Goose Creek,” reveals that many in the county have reservations about allowing a data center on a pristine parcel of land in the Goose Creek watershed, which provides a significant amount of Loudoun’s drinking water. The proposed site is in Loudoun’s Comprehensive Plan’s Transition Policy Area, and would require rezoning to be approved. Although the current applicant describes its data center as a “water-free” facility, locating it along Goose Creek would set a dangerous precedent, opening the door for other applicants who may consume much larger quantities of water. According to the applicant’s representative, “… we use less than 1 percent of the water that would be consumed by a similarly sized data center.” That gives us an idea of how much water could potentially be siphoned out of Goose Creek if rezoning for light industrial use is approved. If the current application is approved, acres of forest will be removed to make way for up to 750,000 square feet of buildings. Stormwater runoff generated from facilities’ impervious surfaces, such as rooftops and parking lots, leads to declining water quality in streams. Even if a high percentage of open space is maintained, cumulative impacts will affect our water quality. Water is not the only consideration. A globally rare ecological community of mafic barrens exists on the property, for which county staff has recommended preservation. Some of Virginia’s largest patches of oak-hickory forests, which have also been identified on the property, occur on mafic barrens. In 2015, the county staff recommended denial for an application for this same parcel, because the proposal was not in conformance with our Comprehensive Plan. Data centers are not in conformance, either. The County is currently in the process of crafting a new comprehensive plan. Now is not the time to make rezoning decisions that would permanently alter the Transition Policy Area, especially considering that the public has voiced support, via the EnviLETTERS >> 37

Rental regulations

RT. 15 fixes << FROM 1

Supervisors Call Out Black, LaRock on Road Funding

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Northbound traffic on Rt. 15 out of Leesburg sits at a standstill during afternoon rush hour.

safety on Rt. 15,” Black said. But those remarks stood in contrast to their voting and campaign records— both Black and LaRock had campaigned against the funding Loudoun leaders sought to improve Rt. 15 and other county roads. “In 2013, there was a transportation bill that actually started funding [the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority] for the first time,” said Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). “Some of the folks who spoke to us tonight didn’t support that bill or any of that funding, but they are now asking us to fund some of these things through NVTA. My point being with all this, the

Commonwealth of Virginia has a heck of a lot more money than the County of Loudoun does, and has been here all the time with the responsibility of building roads.” Letourneau was referring to 2013’s House Bill 2313, which for the first time created significant transportation funding for the authority by creating a dedicated stream of tax revenue from Northern Virginia. Today, the NVTA funds hundreds of millions in transportation projects every year through a competitive process—including, supervisors hope, Rt. 15. That project is expected to cost $85.8 million overall, $57.1 million of which could come from the NVTA.

[ LETTERS ] << FROM 36

Editor: I’d like to comment on the recent article “Loudoun Board Orders First Phase of Rt. 15 Fixes.” Why are we talking

rgreene@loudounnow.com

Extremely Silent Editor: The case of Darwin Martinez Torres is a concern for all residents of Loudoun County. The death of Nabra Hassanen is a tragedy—a tragedy that could and should have been avoided. It is widely known that Torres was brought to the attention of Loudoun County Child Protective Services and the Sheriff ’s Office before the incident with Hassanen occurred; neither took any action. The county has been extremely silent about their involvement with Torres. CPS has provided very vague responses to FOIA requests. In addition, the county attorney does not feel it appropriate to request an audit of the local CPS agency. The county’s silence and response to this tragedy does not inspire confidence and cast strong doubts about the leadership in Loudoun. — Gentry Nalley, Ashburn

loudounnow.com

Standing Up

ty Board of Supervisors adopted the FY17 budget, including transportation projects; this amounts to about $723 million. Twelve projects in the FY2017-2022 CIP are directly related to improving access to Metrorail. In simpler terms, Loudoun dollars are going to roads through empty fields to induce economic development around Metro stations, while people’s lives are being lost on over-traveled roads like Rt. 15. That is an absolute slap in the face to people like me who (quoting LaRock from the article), “‘They want no more than any of us.’ He pointed out that a functional road network was important for everything from home values to timely response by fire and rescue crews.” I understand our supervisors want to see development in the east, but that is no excuse to neglect the needs of people who have waited patiently for relief. Thank you to Sen. Black and Del. LaRock for standing up for those you represent. — Mark Sell, Leesburg

Black voted against HB 2313 in 2013, and LaRock campaigned against it later that year in his successful bid to unseat one of its supporters, former Republican Del. Joe T. May. Another Loudoun delegate, Thomas A. “Tag” Greason (R-32), was one of the bill’s co-patrons, and others among Loudoun’s General Assembly delegation also supported the bill. Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) concurred with Letourneau. Loudoun is one of few counties that build roads, and Buona pointed out that this year, transportation projects make up the largest share of Loudoun’s six-year, $2 billion capital improvement program, with $804 million set aside and planned for road projects. That leads schools at $640 million. County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) was more direct. “I think it’s rich, just rich, for a politician who campaigned against House Bill 2313 passing, who drives around a pink no-tax pig, to come here today and talk about money through NVTA which he fought hard not to have,” Randall said. “That is rich.” She was referring to LaRock’s infamous giant pink “Tax Pig,” which he built and pulled around on a flatbed trailer to protest transportation funding such as for Metrorail or HB 2313.

sion Loudoun process, for retaining the Transition Policy Area. As business development is essential to our continued prosperity, so our watersheds are invaluable to the well-being of our economy, ecology and public health. Locate data centers and other industries strategically within the county, away from watershed lands and waters that work hard for us, filtering our drinking water, soaking up greenhouse gas emissions, sustaining wildlife, and providing tourism and recreational opportunities. We need to plan well now, or we’ll all pay later. — Cheri Conca, Leesburg Conservation Advocacy Chair, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

about building brand new roads, when our existing roads are more accurately described much of the time as a parking lot, or a demolition derby lot? First, I was amazed to hear Chairman Randall’s highly political, and quite frankly, unprofessional comments suggesting that Dave LaRock should not be advocating for use of NVTA monies because he campaigned against the tax hike which was put in motion in 2013. I say in reply to the chairman that money comes from taxpayers’ pockets and LaRock has as much right and responsibility as anyone to ask for it. I live north of Leesburg and am impacted daily by the Rt. 15 gridlock. What I and my neighbors are waking up to is that when Supervisors Ralph Buona and Matt Letourneau committed Loudoun County to the Metro extension they created a black hole which is sucking transportation dollars into the eastern part of the county and ignoring public safety on roads like Rt. 15, Rt. 9, and Rt. 7, just to name a few. Loudoun County is in a tight spot. On April 5, the Loudoun Coun-

rgreene@loudounnow.com

Two members of the General Assembly also approached the board as advocates for improving Rt. 15: Sen. Richard H. Black (R-13) and Del. Dave A. LaRock (R-33). “I won’t repeat the accident stats, but I will remind us all that these involve parents, children, and families,” LaRock said. “Let’s look at this from the perspective of residents who live near and travel Rt. 15. They want no more than any of us.” He pointed out that a functional road network was important for everything from home values to timely response by fire and rescue crews. “How did it get this bad? Obviously, the roads have not kept pace with population growth.” He urged the board to prioritize the project for funding from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. Black pointed to work he did in 1998 to help construct turn lanes and other improvements on Rt. 15. “I do stand with all of the concerned citizens on Rt. 15, and encourage you to do everything within your power to reduce the congestion and improve the

the neighborhood, relating horror stories of loud parties and multiple calls to law enforcement. But Miles said most of her guests are in town for weddings, to visit wineries, to escape the city, or to bike the W&OD or C&O Canal trails. “They all seem pretty normal to us, we haven’t had any crazy stories,” Miles said. “I know other people have talked about it, but I think because it’s so small you can’t really throw a party in it and you can’t really get too wild and crazy for the most part.” Well, almost no crazy stories. “We did find a tooth in a tic tac box, which was strange,” Miles said.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

that are living there full time,” said Deputy Zoning Administrator Chris Mohn. Some of the rentals are run by fulltime, multi-unit operators. Visit Loudoun reported last year that 17 percent of Airbnb hosts rent out two or more residential properties, and account for nearly 40 percent of revenues at the site. “That starts changing the dynamics,” Mohn said. “Those are no longer a person participating in the sharing economy by renting out a room or sharing a house to people in that respect, but instead it does take on a different, business aspect. And

said. “And now it’s just kind of a routine.” Miles and her boyfriend both have full-time jobs. The narrow two-story brick cottage starts at $70 a night, and she said working in Leesburg, it’s relatively easy for her to get away for 45 minutes to clean it up and get ready for the next guest. That also makes the price of a night in the two-story cottage competitive with a single room in a hotel. County staff members say the registry will be good for more than just taxes—as a central, public source of information, it can also be a resource for others, such as for HOAs looking to see if there are rental operators in their neighborhoods. And Visit Loudoun has argued unregulated short-term rentals can be a nuisance to

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

<< FROM 1

if it’s a multi-family building, it starts to behave a lot like a hotel or something.” But most Airbnb hosts, like Angie Miles, are simply using their extra space to create a little extra income. When she and her boyfriend bought a house in Leesburg, part of the reason they chose the home was because of a small streetside cottage on the property. “It’s been great, actually,” Miles said. “We really didn’t expect the amount of people who would be interested in a little cottage in Leesburg.” She said since they’ve started offering the cottage a few months ago, there have only been a handful of nights that haven’t been booked. “It was just overwhelming in the beginning, something I didn’t expect,” she

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, 2017

loudounnow.com

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AG debate << FROM 3 ness-friendly, law-oriented attorneys. Adams said one of the biggest problems the country faces is regulatory overreach, and said he is committed to a top-down review of “every regulation in Virginia.” He also repeatedly asserted his support for Virginia’s right-to-work laws. Adams defended his desire to repeal Affordable Care Act protections, such as those that require insurance companies to cover preexisting conditions: “I believe that we can achieve those results from the free market.” Herring said, “government should only regulate when it is absolutely necessary, and the need to make sure that the regulations are a clear and simple. Because everybody’s got to be able to use them, and read them, and understand them.” Adams said he would “vigorously enforce” laws around Medicare fraud, and Herring pointed to his record on the topic. “I couldn’t be prouder of the work that my team does, and the prosecutors going after it,” Herring said. “We have returned $70 million to taxpayers. It was named the best in the nation by the office of the inspector general.” And in the tradition of the now-famous question in 2016 presidential debate asking Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to say something they like about the other, the two were challenged to name some-

Delegate races << FROM 3 the state, with total contributions of $493,668. His top supporters were the House Republican Campaign Committee ($62,000), Del. Kirk Cox’s campaign fund ($40,000), the Dominion Leadership Trust ($35,000), Del. Todd Gilbert’s campaign fund ($18,000), the Majority Leader PAC ($15,000), Del. Chris Jones’ campaign fund ($10,000), and Del. Randy Minchew ($10,000). Delaney raised $480,854, 13th overall in the state. Her top contributors were Edward Hart Rice ($19,000), Michael D. Bills ($15,000), S. Sonjia Smith ($15,000), the campaign fund of U.S. Rep. Don Beyer ($10,000), and Future Now ($10,000). In three races, Democratic challengers have found strong donor support in their efforts to unseat entrenched Republican incumbents. David Reid leads that group, raising $467,399 in his campaign against threeterm incumbent Tag Greason in Ashburn’s 32nd House District. He didn’t outpace Greason by much, however, as the incumbent reported contributions totaling $437,584. Reid ranked 15th statewide and Greason 17th. Reid’s largest contributors were the Flippable Va PAC ($19,500), the campaign fund of U.S. Rep. Don Beyer ($10,000), Michael D. Bills ($10,000) and S. Sonjia Smith ($10,000). Greason’s top donors were Del. Chris Jones’ campaign fund ($50,000), Del. Todd Gilbert’s campaign fund ($13,000), the Colonial Leadership Trust PAC ($12,500), the Virginia Beer Wholesalers Association ($12,500), Del. Kirk Cox’s campaign fund ($11,000), the House Republican Campaign Committee ($11,000) and the

thing they admire about the other. “I can tell when people are fudging, I can tell when they’re not,” Adams said. “I think his genuine care and concern about the opioid crisis I think is real. I think he feels it. I happen to think my response and solutions and leadership experience are better at getting results, but I admire him for his genuine care and concern.” “I would say it’s John’s record of public service,” Herring said. “He served our nation, he has served as law clerk in two different courts, including the Supreme Court. ... That reflects a real commitment to civic and public service, and that speaks to why he’s running for public office.” The debate, the two candidates’ second, was held at the National Conference Center in Lansdowne. It was moderated by Chamber president and CEO Tony Howard. Questions were posed by Maggie Parker, vice president of communications and community outreach for Comstock Partners; Stacey Miller Metcalfe, director of government and community relations at Inova Loudoun Hospital; and Lisa Hooker, assistant vice president of public relations for NOVEC. Adams has never held elected office before. If reelected, Herring would be the first Attorney General to serve two terms since Democrat Mary Sue Terry, who served from 1986 to January 1993, when she resigned to run for governor. Attorneys general in Virginia often run for governor after their first term. rgreene@loudounnow.com Dominion Leadership Trust ($10,000). Democrat Wendy Gooditis raised $241,796 in her bid to unseat 10th District incumbent Randy Minchew, who raised a total of $150,352. Gooditis’ top contributors were Only If You Run ($12,500) and the Arena PAC ($11,200). Minchew’s largest donors were Courthouse Corner Associates ($13,000) and Westview Associates LLC ($10,000). In the 33rd House District, Democrat Tia Walbridge raised $158,117, nearly double that of incumbent Republican Dave LaRock’s total, $83,285. The political newcomer’s largest contributor was the Arena PAC at $11,200. LaRock’s single contribution of $10,000 or more was from Del. Kirk Cox’s campaign fund ($10,000). The largest gap in campaign funding is found in the 34th District. Incumbent Democrat Kathleen Murphy reported contributions of $442,455, 16th most in the commonwealth. Her challenger, Republican Cheryl Buford, raised $75,568. Murphy’s largest donors were Karen Schaufeld ($13,000), Kathleen Emmet Darman ($12,750), the Baltimore Washington Construction and Public Employees Laborers PAC ($10,000), Vinton G. Cerf ($10,000), and Edward Hurt Rice ($10,000). The 34th district featured the most expensive race two years ago. Then, Murphy raised $893,023 but defeated her challenger who raised $1.1 million. The least costly race this year is the 86th District, which includes parts of Sterling. Incumbent Jennifer Boysko and Republican challenger Linda Schulz raised a combined $205,000. Two years ago, the district featured one of the most expensive delegate races, with four candidates raising almost $2 million to win the seat.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

YARD

Loudoun, Slavery and Three Brave Men

BY LEE LAWRENCE

Yardley Taylor

Stafford County. He was likely punished again at his home farm. Then what Harry most feared, being sold to slave traders and forced south, would have happened. After all, that is what his owner had intended for him all along. Now she had all the more reason to sell Harry: he had proven himself to be troublesome. “Their mercies are cruel.” Alex McPherson, by loaning out his freedom papers, would now find his own freedom in jeopardy. Slave codes at the time provided that freedmen could lose their liberty if they were involved in helping people flee bondage. McPherson would not be able to assert that his papers had been lost or stolen because Yardley Taylor’s letter laid out McPherson’s involvement. Knowing Alex was vulnerable to harsh punishment would have added to the misery felt by Harry and Yardley when the escape effort failed. Yardley was a mail carrier for Loudoun County, and ran a plant nursery in Lincoln. However, he also gave public speeches against slavery and wrote abolitionist articles and letters to Leesburg newspapers. He was president of various anti-slavery societies

until those societies were outlawed by the state of Virginia. (In 1853, Yardley Taylor drew a detailed map of Loudoun County used by both armies during the Civil War. He is best known for that map.) What happened to Yardley for his role in Harry’s escape? Shortly after Harry’s capture, Yardley Taylor was arrested for “enticing, persuading and advising a certain negro slave named Harry… .” Yardley was put in jail in Leesburg. Neighbor and fellow Quaker Daniel Cockrill posted his $300 bail. Yardley pled not guilty. The case dragged on for two years. Finally, Yardley changed his plea to guilty, and paid a $20 fine. He continued with his outspoken abolitionist opinions, but was never again arrested for helping slaves escape. The documents mentioned here: the McPherson freedom paper, Yardley’s letter, the paper listing towns/mileage, and the envelope, are in our Loudoun County Courthouse Historic Records and Deeds Research Division; anyone can request to see them. A thin file will be brought to you. When you open the file, you will hold some of the most emotionally wrenching and significant pieces of history to be found in our shared American story. You will know of three brave Loudoun men: Yardley Taylor, Alex McPherson and Harry (no last name). This article is derived from an address Lee Lawrence delivered at Oatlands on Oct. 1, 2017. Ms. Lawrence, who lives in Lincoln, serves on the boards of the Mosby Heritage Area Association and Friends of Thomas Balch Library. For more information about the Loudoun County Courthouse Historic Records and Deeds Research Division, go to Loudoun. gov/clerk/archives. In Our Backyard is compiled by the Loudoun County Preservation and Conservation Coalition. To learn more about the organization, or to participate in the Rural Roads Initiative, go to loudouncoalition.org.

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arry was in a terrible situation: it was 1828 and Harry was an enslaved man in Loudoun County, rented by his owner to Samuel Cox. Because Harry was chattel (personal property), he had no recognized surname, as was common among slaves in Loudoun before 1860. On learning that his owner, a “Miss Allison” of Stafford County, was planning to sell him to slave traders who would take him further south, Harry decided to escape. He approached a freedman named Alex McPherson and asked to borrow his “freedom paper,” a document carried by all free blacks verifying the person’s freed status. McPherson, at great risk to his own safety and liberty, agreed to lend Harry his paper, but insisted it be returned to him as soon as possible. Harry would carry the paper north. If he was stopped and questioned along the way, he would show the paper and claim to be a freedman. Before leaving Loudoun, Harry needed to learn the best route north. Once safely in a free state, he would need a job and place to live. For this help, Harry turned to some Loudoun County Quakers, many of whom were abolitionists. It was common knowledge where the Quaker communities were located, including Waterford, Hillsboro, Goose Creek (now called Lincoln) and other villages. On Jan. 23, 1828, Harry approached the Quaker home of Yardley and Hannah Taylor on Lincoln Road near Lincoln and asked for help. Yardley Taylor listened to Harry’s plight and agreed to help him. He wrote a letter for Harry to carry north to Quaker Jonathan Jessop of York, PA, a man active in helping slaves escape bondage. This type of activity would become known as the Underground Railroad, a name that didn’t become common until the 1840s. Yardley’s letter to Jessop explained

that Harry was “a man of good character,” who was to be sold to slave traders. Yardley wrote Harry would be “forced to the south by a set of men who to say the least of them their mercies are cruel.” Yardley asked Jessop to return McPherson’s freedom paper quickly. He warned that the paper must not be mailed back, but sent in person by “safe conveyance.” Yardley Taylor possibly thought his own mail was under surveillance. Yardley also gave Harry a small piece of paper which listed six towns through which Harry would pass on his journey to York: “From Frederick to Woodborough 13 miles Taneytown 14 miles… .” This information would be important help, allowing Harry to follow the right roads as he walked from town to town heading to freedom. However, the envelope Yardley addressed to Jessop, containing Yardley’s letter, also bears other handwriting: “This Taken by me from Negro slave named Harry the 28th day 1828 January, belonging or as he says to Pa [Pennsylvania] … Jonas Dixon.” Dixon’s notation explains a tragedy: Harry got caught. Five days after receiving Yardley’s help on Jan. 23, Harry was stopped and questioned by Dixon, who possibly was a slave catcher on Maryland roads. When stopped, Harry would have shown the freedom paper he was carrying, claiming to be Alex McPherson. But that ruse didn’t work. Once Harry’s pockets were searched and Yardley Taylor’s letter was found and read, the desperate gamble was lost. Harry was brought back to Loudoun County and put in the Leesburg jail. Punishment for an attempted slavery escape was lashing; the courthouse grounds had a public whipping post for just these occasions. Public punishment was intended to set an example and serve as warning to other slaves. Harry’s owner was contacted to come to Leesburg and pick up her property. Either she or her farm overseer would have come for Harry, taking him back to

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