Loudoun Now for Nov. 24, 2016 by Loudoun Now

LoudounNow LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE

[ Vol. 2, No. 3 ]

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Nov. 24 – 30, 2016 ]

Rise and shine. It’s brunch time.

Alumni May Revive Union Street School BY DANIELLE NADLER

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Loudoun County shut down its drug court four years ago. Now, with opioid addiction on the rise, county leaders are considering reviving the program.

Drug Court Finds New Advocates BY RENSS GREENE

his week, Virginia State Health Commissioner Dr. Marissa J. Levine declared the opioid addiction epidemic a public health emergency and issued an order allowing all Virginians to obtain Naloxone, which counteracts an opioid overdose. Last year, Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA-10) got together with Loudoun law enforcement to launch a Heroin Operations Team to battle the crisis. And in 2014, for the first time in Virginia, more people died from opioid overdoses than fatal car accidents. In the face of a towering drug addiction crisis, leaders in Loudoun County government and courts are giving serious thought to bringing back Loudoun’s drug court. From 2004 to 2012, some drug offenders got a chance to avoid jail time after violating probation by going instead to a special drug treatment court program. That diversion program was an intensive, outpatient process for treating addiction,

“

It would behoove us to get on this issue as fast as possible, if we’re going to save money and save lives.

”

with cooperation from county government, law enforcement, probation officers, the judiciary, the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, social services, and mental health professionals. Offenders could choose intensive supervision and mandatory treatment instead of jail, and if they fell off the wagon again, they could wind up back behind bars. But in 2012, supervisors decided they

OFF

weren’t getting their money’s worth and pulled funding for the program. A third-party cost-benefit analysis of the program had trouble coming up with definitive numbers, but noted the county paid more per participant than other jurisdictions running similar programs. Tight restrictions on who was eligible for the drug court meant that comparatively few people went through the program—20 in a year at most. “There’s an efficiency that you get out of numbers, so I think that’s probably where some of the costs were,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman, one of the leading critics of the previous drug court when it was shut down. “You didn’t have that economy of scale.” For one thing, offenders who sold drugs were excluded—but Loudoun Circuit Court Presiding Judge Burke F. McCahill said most drug addicts sell some amount to support their habits. And County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large)—a career mental DRUG COURT >> 39 ✃

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There’s a story behind the aging, two-story building near the southern edge of Leesburg’s Union Cemetery. The school system has used it for storage since the late ’50s, but for 75 years, it was a centerpiece of education for Loudoun County’s black students. Guthrie Ashton, now 77, attended elementary school there. He walked to class each day from his home on the south end of town, near where Food Lion is today. “It was a hike. The school was across town from where most blacks lived,” he said. Stories like Ashton’s, and those of so many others who spent their formative years at that school, may get new life. The Douglass Alumni Association and the Loudoun Freedom Center have plans to either lease or purchase the historic structure, plus a second brick building next door, and turn it into a living museum. The Douglass Alumni Association includes many men and women, now in their 70s and 80s, who attended the school on Union Street when it was known as the Leesburg Training School, Leesburg Colored School, and later as Douglass Elementary School. The building served as a school until 1958, when Frederick Douglass Elementary School opened on Sycolin Road. The Loudoun Freedom Center is working alongside those alumni to eventually move into the Union Street school. The move would be in line with the nonprofit’s mission to restore and preserve sites that were important to Loudoun’s black residents. “We have first-hand accounts of what it was like to attend school there,” said Michelle Thomas, founder and executive director of the Loudoun Freedom Center. “We want to help them tell their story.” The Loudoun County School Board is taking the first steps to set that plan into motion. At its meeting Tuesday, it is expected to unanimously approve on its consent agenda spending $3,500 to have the property at 20 Union St. surveyed. The UNION STREET SCHOOL >> 38

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[ LOUDOUN GIVES THANKS ]

INSIDE

T Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Guilford Elementary staff members dish up turkey and all the fixings.

hanksgiving traditions in Loudoun County include sharing meals with neighbors and burning oﬀ a few of those calories for a good cause. The festivities kicked oﬀ Saturday with the 14th annual Freeze Your Gizzard Cross Country 5K and 1-mile Fun Run, which raised $21,500 and brought in more than 1,000 pounds of food for Loudoun Hunger Relief. Guilford Elementary in Sterling kept up the celebrating with its annual Thanksgiving Feast Monday, which takes an army of volunteers and donors to prepare and serve a turkey dinner to more than 900 people. “It’s truly a community event,” Assistant Principal Rhonda Lopez said.

Homes OK’d for downtown

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Runners check their finish times after the Freeze Your Gizzard Cross Country 5K at Ida Lee Park.

Students test drive careers

School bus drivers told relief is coming

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Sisters Gaby and Melany Cabrera, of Sterling, get pumpkin pie.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Court hears evidence in Fisher murder case

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

Supervisors to School Board: no tests, no turf

INDEX Loudoun Gov..................... 4 Leesburg .......................... 8 Public Safety .................. 14 Education ....................... 18

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Runners take off at the beginning of the 14th annual Freeze Your Gizzard Cross Country 5K.

Josh Showalter, the first place overall finisher in the Freeze Your Gizzard Cross Country 5K, steps onto the gazebo stage to accept his award and a high-five from Loudoun Hunger Relief Executive Director Jennifer Montgomery.

Biz ................................. 24 LoCo Living .................... 28 Obituaries ...................... 32 Classifieds ..................... 33 Opinion .......................... 36

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Our Towns ...................... 22 Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

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Sue Wilkinson, Melissa Renfro, stakeholders committee member Todd Pearson, Leesburg Department of Economic Development Business Development Manager Kindra Harvey, Kathy Gilman, Jason Hobbie of the Loudoun County Attorney’s office, and Northern Virginia Building Industry Association Loudoun Chapter Vice President Matt Kroll brainstorm during an Envision Loudoun meeting at the Dulles Airport Marriott.

Extra Envision Loudoun Session Scheduled BY RENSS GREENE

he first session of Envision Loudon workshops to bring in public input on the ongoing comprehensive plan rewrite will wrap up with two extra meetings . Western supervisors Tony R. Buffington Jr. (R-Blue Ridge) and Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin) cooperated to schedule an extra meeting Dec. 5 at Woodgrove High School in Purcellville, the first Envision Loudoun workshop in

western Loudoun. There will also be another meeting Dec. 8 at Cascades Senior Center in Sterling. Both meetings begin at 7 p.m. Previous meetings were held in Leesburg, Lansdowne, Sterling, and Chantilly. In previous sessions, county staff and members of the Board of Supervisors-appointed stakeholders committee heard people in packed meetings toss around ideas for the future of Loudoun—ranging from transportation, to the Transition Policy Area, to

development and housing, to education and parks. Discussion leaders guide groups through open-ended discussions and try to make sure everyone has a chance to share their ideas. County planners and consulting firms will take the ideas they hear at these Envision Loudoun meetings back to their work on rewriting the comprehensive plan, which will guide Loudoun planning and policy for decades. “We are very pleased with the level of enthusiasm that members of the public have displayed so far by actively

participating in the workshops,” stated Planning and Zoning Director Ricky Barker. “We hope that level of interest will continue throughout the project as we work to develop Loudoun’s future.” Envision Loudoun addresses growth, land use, transportation, community facilities and amenities, economic development, and fiscal management. More information, including a link to RSVP for a workshop, is online at EnvisionLoudoun.org. rgreene/loudounow.com

Supervisors Criticize Schools’ Requests BY RENSS GREENE

erty, the county needs permission to test those fields, and the School Board sent that offer back with a condition that the county also pay to test three natural grass fields. That outraged many supervisors. At that time, Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) called that “a

Supervisors on the county finance committee have been sharply critical of the School Board’s request for additional funding for school buses and textbooks, saying that request indicates poor planning. As the time nears to decide how to allocate money left over from last year’s budget, requests have begun coming in. The surplus customarily is used to supplement shortfalls in the next year’s budget or to fund one-time requests. The School Board has asked for almost $7.5 million from the fund balance, including $4 million to purchase 34 buses, $1.5 million for textbooks and digital learning resources, and $1.9 million for a synthetic turf field at Heritage High School. In a letter from School Board Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn), the School Board explains the money would allow the schools to request 26 new buses in next year’s budget, rather than

TURF >> 7

FUNDING REQUEST >> 6

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

A sample of artificial turf with crumb rubber infill is displayed at the Joint Board of Supervisors/School Board Committee meeting March 18, 2016.

Loudoun Supervisors Dig In on Turf Fields BY RENSS GREENE The Board of Supervisors’ finance committee last week endorsed considering funding for one new synthetic turf field—if the School Board allows the county to test the schools’ existing artificial turf fields for dangerous chemicals. Supervisors and the School Board

have batted the idea of building four additional artificial turf fields back and forth for months. Supervisors, concerned about suggestions from parents that the crumb rubber infill in synthetic fields may be dangerous to students’ health, have said they will pay to test one field from each of the three manufacturers the School Board has used. Since the fields are School Board prop-

4-Story Garage for Courts Moves Forward

5 Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

BY RENSS GREENE

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

County of Loudoun

A rendering of the proposed Pennington Lot.

The new garage will be next to the current Pennington Lot, accessible through either the Pennington Lot or from North Street. After utility and contingency costs, the county estimates the garage will cost $14 million. It will create 717 parking spaces. Six bids were received for the garage project. Howard Shockey & Sons, Inc. provided the low bid at $12,684,580. The high bid, by Harkins Builders, was $14,399,000. The overall expansion project includes the parking garage, a new 92,000-square-foot General District Court building, and renovations of 40,000 square feet of the current courts complex. It is expected to cost about $87 million and to be complete by 2020. rgreene@loudounnow.com

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The Board of Supervisors’ finance committee last week recommended approval of a $12.7 million contract to build a four-level parking garage at the Pennington Lot in Leesburg. The Leesburg Town Council, despite approving the county’s parking garage plans in February as part of the larger courthouse complex expansion project, has expressed reservations about the scale of the parking garage. Residents in the neighborhood also have objected to the plan, urging the town and county to find alternatives. The council has asked supervisors to cut the parking garage to three levels, and has tried unsuccessfully to find other parking around town to substitute. “I have always said that this entire discussion about the courthouse has been, in some ways, a conflict between the present and the future,” said finance committee Chairman Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). “There have been some what I would characterize more as short term concerns versus bigger picture, and the bigger picture is the needs of the county going forward.” Board Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) agreed that a three-story garage would start off the courthouse expansion short on parking, and that county employees and visitors already face a parking crunch in downtown Leesburg.

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Chinese Delegation Samples Loudoun’s Ag Offerings Visit Loudoun hosted a delegation of high-ranking Chinese officials along with the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and Trade on Sunday to highlight the county’s agriculture and tourism assets. The delegation spent the day in Loudoun before heading to Washington, DC, for the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade. Some of the 60 guests in attendance included Vice Premier Wang Yang; Li Jinzao, chairman of the China National Tourism Administration; U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker; and Kelly Craighead, executive director of the National Travel and Tourism Office, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. The delegation, accompanied by Chinese media, toured Morven Park

with Executive Director Stephanie Kenyon; ate a Thanksgiving meal prepared by Chef Rosendale at the newly opened Roots 657 Café in Lucketts; tasted wine with Doug Fabbioli from Fabbioli Cellars, and toured the hops facilities and Vanish Brewery at Black Hops Farm with owner Jonathan Staples. American (and Loudoun) media were not advised of the meeting until afterward. The delegation was joined by U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA-10) and County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large). “The Chinese economic delegation led by China’s Vice Premier Wang Yang wanted to see the connection between agriculture and tourism,” Comstock said. “And who best tells that story? Loudoun County.”

Funding request

its budget requests, but the Board of Supervisors cannot dictate what the school division does with the money once it has been transferred. “To come and say they need a chunk of cash for textbooks is a little bewildering to me,” said board Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn). “I’ll just say it—that is piss-poor planning.” He said the request indicated “really lousy management.” “To me, it should be a cost of doing business in your budget every year, with a strategy of replacement, not a

<< FROM 4 a planned 60 new buses. Hornberger also wrote that it would decrease the School Board’s request for textbook money, but an assessment of what the school division will need in the future is still ongoing. The last textbook upgrade, he said, was in fiscal year 2006. The School Board customarily includes some explanation of what it plans to do with the money alongside

Credit: Visit Loudoun

Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) and Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA-10) speak with Vice Premier Wang Yang, one of the four Vice Premiers of the People’s Republic of China, at the hops processing plant at Black Hops Farm.

‘we need this big lump sum of change all of a sudden to bail us out because we didn’t replace textbooks,’” Buona said. County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) agreed that “it just seems like something went awry in some planning at some point.” “Is it not part of their budget every year to have regular maintenance of your buses?” she asked, referencing an incident in September when a fuel leak on a bus caused the bus to start smoking, forcing 32 students to evacuate. “I

mean, this is safety for the kids.” The county expects to have $30-$35 million available in the fund balance, and County Administrator Tim Hemstreet said he would probably recommend the majority of that be set aside for use in the fiscal year 2018 budget. That fund balance is about half of last year’s $63 million surplus, and the county budget office is projecting a $57 million revenue shortfall in next year’s budget at the current tax rates. rgreene@loudounnow.com

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LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

poison pill,” and Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said the School Board was “playing games with maybe the safety of all our students” and that they “should be ashamed.” Now, Supervisor Tony R. Buffington Jr. (R-Blue Ridge) said, the county might be able to force the School Board’s hand and conduct the tests. He made the motion recommending the Board of Supervisors consider funding turf fields only if the School Board allows testing. “I think now is the time to bring a motion like this, so that we can sort of hold their feet to the fire,” Buffington said. Despite concerns about carcinogens in crumb rubber infill, there have not yet been any conclusive studies nationally on whether that infill presents a health risk. Loudoun County Health Department Director Dr. David Goodfriend said some information from an Environmental Protection Agency study is expected by the end of the year, but the full study won’t be finished for years. In the meantime, student athletes and the School Board are insistent that the county pay to begin installing turf fields at the last four high schools in the county without them: Dominion High School in Sterling, Heritage in Leesburg, Freedom in Chantilly, and

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Turf

Briar Woods in Ashburn. Eleven public high schools in the county already have an artificial turf field with crumb rubber infill; most have two fields. “There has been so much discussion around this, and I just don’t know in the end if there’s anything there,” Randall said. “But I do know that I’m not willing to keep throwing money into turf fields if there is something there.” Supervisors had previously delayed a decision on building additional turf fields until the fund balance discussion, when the county decides what to do with leftover money after an audit of its previous year’s budget. The School Board asked supervisors for $1.9 million to install synthetic turf at Heritage High School. School Board members also said they want to work with supervisors to come up with a plan to pay for artificial turf at the remaining high schools that have natural grass fields. The School Board also requested $5.6 million to buy 34 school buses, textbooks and digital learning resources. Although the School Board customarily offers explanations for its fund balance requests, and according to County Administrator Tim Hemstreet, has never spent that money differently than it promised, the county cannot earmark money it sends to the schools. The School Board can spend that money however it sees fit.

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Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

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A Loudoun developer got the green light to turn the property on South King Street near the W&OD Trail into a development with housing and space for retail or a restaurant.

More Rooftops Coming to King Street BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

n a rare showing of unanimity, particularly when a proposed residential development is considered, the Leesburg Town Council last week voted 7-0 to approve a special exception application brought forward by Crescent Place builder Don Knutson. The application calls for the construction of four, four-story buildings with a total of 64 multi-family units and 7,100 square feet of commercial space and recreation amenities. The project is located on 2 acres on the east side of South King Street along Town Branch and the W&OD Trail. The project includes a nearby 3,100-square-foot commercial building, deemed historically significant. That building is occupied by Waterford Development, the developer that once envisioned its own commercial project on the site. The applicant is proposing to add a pocket park, open to the public but likely managed by the development, and make improvements to Town Branch. The development will also have a public plaza, named after Chuck and Karen Jones, a former Planning Commissioner and economic development stalwart, respectively, whose past contributions to the downtown area were noted by council members. Knutson still needs the sign-off from the Board of Architectural Review on the project’s design. The initial appearances before the BAR, for general concept approval, have yielded a positive reaction so far. The BAR has already approved the demolition of the structures on the site, including the building

“

I know that over the years we’ve heard a loud cry from the downtown that we need to do those things that get more feet on the ground.

” that currently houses the Battery Warehouse. Leesburg Downtown Business Association President Gwen Pangle was in the audience for last week’s meeting, speaking in support of the project on behalf of the LDBA. She also noted that, in her role as real estate agent, she is assisting the businesses currently on the site with relocation and said Battery Warehouse is working to remain in Leesburg. Council members were largely complimentary of the project. There were concerns raised about the estimated number of school-age children who may live there, estimated at 20. Because the development does not require rezoning approval, the council is not able to ask for proffers to offset the development’s impacts, including contributions for schools. However, Knutson assured the council that his role in the Crescent Place project has shown that very few families with school-age children move into the style of housing planned for the South King Street project. Instead, like Crescent Place, he be-

lieves the development will instead be home to mostly millennials and older couples who are downsizing and want walkable access to nearby amenities. Knutson said he recognizes that the project site is a “gateway site into the Town of Leesburg.” He promised, as with his involvement at Crescent Place, to deliver units that give future residents that “wow factor” with “superior curb appeal.” Councilwoman Suzanne Fox praised Knutson for the proposed architecture he has put forward, and said the improvements to the Town Branch will be a huge benefit to that part of town. “I hope this is just the beginning of trying to make that area a more revitalized state,” she said. Councilwoman Katie Sheldon Hammler expressed disappointment that the former Waterford Development project, which envisioned the addition of more parking and commercial uses to that area, did not come to fruition. But she said she hopes Knutson’s project “will be a catalyst” to spur more commercially-oriented development to serve the residents that will call that property home. Councilman Tom Dunn noted that his support for the project was a departure from his typical stance against multi-family unit housing. “I know that over the years we’ve heard a loud cry from the downtown that we need to do those things that get more feet on the ground,” he said. “I don’t know how much 120 to 180 or so people [generated by the development] will impact it but every little bit counts.” krodriguez@loudounnow.com

[ BRIEFS ]

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Costco on Edwards Ferry Road has plans to expand.

Costco Expansion Clears Commission The town Planning Commission has given the green light to plans to expand the Costco store. The special exception application was approved Nov. 17 on a 5-0-1-1 vote, with Chairman Lyndsay Welsh Chamblin recusing herself and Commissioner Brett Burk absent. Representatives of the Costco on Edwards Ferry Road are requesting to amend a previously approved special exception to allow the store to expand by 6,100 square feet, about 4 percent of its total square footage. The building addition includes a 3,340-square-foot increase to the general retail sales area, a 1,920-square-foot increase to the cooler area, and an 840-square-foot increase to the BRIEFS >> 10

Phasing Concerns Highlight Leegate Development Review cerns with project design and phasing. It was some of those same concerns that came to light last week as Town Council review kicked off. As currently proposed, only 100,000 square feet, of the total proposed 630,000 square feet of non-residential development, would be constructed in the project’s first two phases. The lion’s share of the non-residential development is not envisioned until phase 3, possibly in 2022. However, all but 70 of the proposed residential uses would be constructed in the first two phases. “The phasing of this is totally inadequate,” Vice Mayor Kelly Burk said. “At buildout we get a guarantee of 100,000 square feet [of non-residential development]. That’s it.” But Colleen Gillis, the applicant’s attorney, explained the rationale for the proposed phasing, as well as the developer’s move away from “traditional” office development. “We along with others are reticent about making a commitment to largescale office,” she explained. “We’re looking at this and [asking] what’s reasonable from an absorption perspective. We don’t want to over-saturate the market.” Noting the high vacancy rate for office space in Loudoun, now at just under 20 percent, as well as the county’s low unemployment rate, Gills noted that there are currently not enough

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Town Council members have expressed some serious concerns regarding the timeline for development at a proposed mixed-use project at a key town intersection. The applicant for the Leegate development was before the Town Council for an initial public hearing Nov. 15. Developer Stanley Martin is requesting authority to build 430,000 square feet of office uses, 200,000 square feet of commercial uses, a 130-room hotel, two parking structures and 475 residential units—a combination of townhouses, two-over-two condominiums and multifamily units. The development would be located in the southwest quadrant of the East Market Street/Battlefield Parkway intersection, across from the Lowe’s Home Improvement store. To move dirt on the project, the Town Council must first approve a rezoning, special exception and Town Plan amendment for the 77-acre development on land envisioned in the Town Plan as an area for regional office uses. The applicant, represented by Cooley, LLP, has stated that the market for regional office development has changed dramatically, and now successful office developments are bolstered by adjacent residential and retail uses. When the Planning Commission reviewed the application two years ago, it recommended denial, citing con-

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<< FROM 8 tire store, adding one additional tire bay. The application also calls for 2,800 square feet of seasonal outdoor sales along the front side of the store facing Edwards Ferry Road. Since its initial public hearing before the commission Oct. 6, Costco has made efforts to address concerns of residents in the nearby Edwards Landing neighborhood. Concerns focused primarily on noise and Costco has agreed to install noise mitigation materials in the loading dock area, beside the rooftop chillers, and on the interior walls of the tire bays. An 8-foot fence to keep trespassers out of the neighborhood also will be built. Commissioners commended Costco on its outreach efforts, which also included to commercial neighbor Target. “That’s a community effort that’s really admirable,” Commissioner Doris Kidder said.

Sign Rule Changes Advance Plans to amend the Leesburg’s sign regulations to comply with a federal Supreme Court ruling are now before the Town Council. The Planning Commission last week voted 6-0-1, with Commissioner Brett Burk absent, to recommend approval of a package of ordinance amendments. Last year’s Reed v. Town of Gilbert, AZ, opinion means localities may no longer regulate signs based on their content. The suit was brought on by a

pastor to the Town of Gilbert, when he argued that stricter regulations were placed on signs that displayed political or ideological messages. The high court’s majority agreed. Town staff has taken much of the last year to review the ruling, in coordination with the Town Attorney’s Office, as well as outreach to the Local Government Attorneys Association, which formed a special committee to study how to integrate the ruling into revised sign rules for localities. Commissioners began review of the changes last month, but had asked the staff to again go back to the drawing board on some key issues. In response, Zoning Administrator Chris Murphy and Deputy Town Attorney Shelby Caputo recommended additional changes to give non-commercial, temporary signs that are free-standing or wall-mounted, the ability to be displayed 90 days within a calendar year, as opposed to 90 consecutive days. Real estate signs would not be limited, but would have to be removed within 10 days of the property’s sale or lease of the property. The Town Council will take up the issue next month.

Council Sets General Assembly Priorities The Town Council is prepared to meet with its representatives in Richmond next week to present its annual Legislative Agenda. The council adopted its General Assembly wish list Nov. 15.

Council members Tom Dunn and Bruce Gemmill voted against the package, largely because it did not include a request to grant the town authority to create a registration program for day laborers. The item was introduced by Dunn, but at the council’s Nov. 14 work session, Deputy Town Manager Keith Markel advised against its inclusion, noting that town staff ’s research showed such systems created elsewhere have faced legal and constitutional challenges. What was ultimately adopted by the council was a 14-point agenda that include some long-time items involving the authority to obtain city status, tree preservation efforts, and increasing state and federal funding for capital improvements dealing with water quality mandates. New items include an expansion of criminal trespass statutes; the repeal of the controversial proffer changes that took effect in July; and regulations giving the town land use and taxing authority for shortterm rentals, like those offered through Airbnb. The council is expected to meet with its legislative representation in a dinner prior to its Nov. 28 work session. The adopted 2016 Legislative Agenda, as well as the town’s Legislative Positions Statement, can be found at leesburgva. gov/government/mayor-council/legislative-agenda.

Council Swearing-In Ceremony Set for Dec. 15 The newly elected mayor and Town

Council members will officially be sworn in for their terms during a ceremony set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15. Mayor-elect Kelly Burk will be joined in the ceremony by elected incumbent Councilman Tom Dunn, and council members-elect Ken Reid and Ron Campbell. It will mark the first time since 2020 that a mayor other than Kristen Umstattd has been sworn into office following an election. Burk was first elected to the council in 2004, followed by four years as Leesburg District supervisor from 2007 to 2011. She rejoined the council in 2012 in a special election, and was re-elected to a new four-year term in 2014. Umstattd was elected last year to represent the Leesburg District on the Board of Supervisors. This will be the third swearing-in ceremony for Dunn, who was first elected to the council in 2008 and re-elected twice thereafter. For Reid, it will mark a return to the council. First elected in 2006 and successfully re-elected four years later, he served on the Board of Supervisors as the town’s representative from 2011 to 2015. Campbell will be the only council member to be sworn in who has never served on the Town Council. In his first council race this November, he was the second highest vote-getter for one of three council seats. The ceremony will be held in the lower level conference room of Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, with a dessert reception to follow. BRIEFS >> 12

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workers in the area to even fill the now-vacant office space. However, Gillis emphasized that if the town staff is able to attract a large, corporate user that is seeking hundreds of thousands of square feet of office development, that timeline could easily be changed. “If there is a user brought to us and they say we’d like to locate it here we’re off to the races,” she said. Gillis pointed to another project she has been a part of in the approval process—One Loudoun in Ashburn. Often cited by many throughout Loudoun as a successful, vibrant, mixed-use development, she said the key to its success is that the residential infrastructure was in place before the non-residential development was in full swing. Although it was clear that the council was not totally swayed, the development had some supporters in the audience last week. Eunggil Choi, owner of the U.S. Tae Kwon Do Academy off Cardinal Park Drive, said he supported the project because it would offer amenities to nearby businesses like his. Under the proposal, the developer would extend Russell Branch Parkway to connect with Trailview Boulevard, allowing drivers wishing to access Cardinal Park Drive another way into, and out of, that area. Other proffers include the dedication of land for the future Rt. 7/Battle-

11 Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

Leegate

field Parkway interchange; $6.2 million in school contributions; $109,000 in public safety contributions; and the construction of shade structures at the Catoctin Skate Park. The developer is also proffering to dedicate 30 acres of floodplain for recreation space, including mountain bike trails. Councilwoman Katie Sheldon Hammler said the council is going to have to ask itself some “tough questions” regarding this development, including whether that area of town can handle thousands of more drivers. Other than the land dedication, the developer is not proffering any construction funding for the interchange. The town has been awarded funding for initial design and studies, but does not yet have the estimated $25 million construction cost in hand. With the applicant coming back before the council at its Nov. 29 meeting, and possibly the night prior for a work session, Councilman Tom Dunn asked Gillis to investigate whether the project could be phased differently with other uses. He also reminded his colleagues that not everything originally envisioned in the Town Plan has come to fruition, most especially the market for office development. “We need to be willing to say let the market dictate what will happen. If the market won’t support it then it goes away anyway,” Dunn said. “Trying to live up to the Town Plan isn’t working. The market isn’t living up to the Town Plan.”

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Tree Lighting Kicks Off Holiday Season

Holiday Festivities Begin The holiday season in downtown Leesburg kicks off in earnest this week. With the holiday shopping season set to intensify, parking fees in downtown Leesburg will once again be waived for visitors. Beginning Thursday morning and continuing through Jan. 2, there will be no charge for parking in the Town Hall parking garage, and the first two hours at the on-street meters and new Church Street lot will be free from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. There will be no time limit on parking on weekends, evenings and holidays at the Church Street parking lot and on-street meters, or on parking in the Town Hall parking garage at any time. The annual Christmas Tree and Menorah Lighting Ceremony is set for Friday, Dec. 2 on the Town Green in front of Town Hall. Beginning at 6 p.m., the ceremony will serve as a kickoff for the monthly First Friday activities downtown. For more information on the other First Friday activities in downtown Dec. 2, go to leesburgfirstfriday.com. Also that weekend, the annual Holiday Fine Arts and Crafts Show will be held on Saturday and Sunday at the Ida Lee Park Recreation Center. The juried show features more than 90 local and regional artisans selling handmade items including candles, stained glass, carved wood, jewelry, leather products, table linens, and much more. The show runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 3, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 4. For more in-

Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

The massive tree at the Village at Leesburg lit up the night sky for the first time of the season Saturday.

formation, including how to become a vendor, go to idalee.org or call 703-7771368. Finally, Saturday, Dec. 10, will be another fun day in downtown Leesburg. The popular Jingle Jam concerts return for three shows that day. Although the evening show is already sold out, as of early this week tickets remain for the 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. shows. Tickets are sold in person only at Ida Lee Park Recreation Center. For more information, call 703-777-1368. That evening, the town’s annual Holiday Parade will wind down King Street, from Ida Lee Drive to Fairfax Street, beginning at 6 p.m. Local bands, seasonal floats, and Santa Claus himself, are all likely to be seen in the parade. King Street will be

closed to traffic beginning at 5:30 p.m. that evening.

Leesburg Parks & Rec Wins 2 State Awards Leesburg’s Parks and Recreation Department added to its trophy case during the Annual Conference of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society earlier this month. The department received two awards. The town’s Native Tree Walk at Ida Lee Park earned the Best New Environmental Sustainability Award. The tree walk was planted by the Leesburg Garden Club in commemoration of its 100th anniversary. The 25 trees are all native Virginia species.

Saturday evening’s blustery weather didn’t deter about 100 people from gathering at the Village at Leesburg to see one of the area’s largest trees lit up, marking the unofficial start of the holiday season. The tree lighting ceremony featured horse-drawn carriage rides, caroling, and appearances from Santa, Mrs. Claus and a toy soldier on stilts. Families huddled around a fire in front of Travinia Italian Restaurant to stay warm during the event. Others watched the tree lighting from indoors, peering through the storefront windows. The animated tree will light up and play music daily at the top of the hour from noon to 9 p.m. through Christmas.

The commemorative wineglasses made for the town’s 25th Annual Flower and Garden Festival were recognized as the Best Promotional Effort. The state-wide awards program honors individuals, departments and organizations that have demonstrated excellence in any of several areas during the previous year. This year, 101 applications were received vying for awards in 14 categories. The Town of Leesburg’s award nominations were judged in the 25,001-50,000 population category. The Virginia Recreation and Park Society works to unite all professionals, students, and interested lay persons engaged in the field of recreation, parks, and other leisure services in Virginia. Learn more at vrps.com.

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[ PUBLIC SAFETY ]

Jury Clears Loudoun Deputy of Assaulting Prisoner BY NORMAN K. STYER

former Loudoun County deputy charged with assaulting a hand-cuffed prisoner was exonerated by a Circuit Court jury last week. John Wayne Gregory, a 33-year-old Sterling native, was a 10-year Sheriff ’s Office veteran handling a routine Saturday night drunk-in-public arrest when 6 seconds changed his life. That 6 seconds was recorded on video by several cameras and at several angles. They show Gregory removing Lyle Murphy Grenoble from the back of his Dodge Charger cruiser in the secured sally port of the Loudoun County Adult Dentition Center and then body slamming the man to the ground, the suspect’s head bouncing off the concrete floor. Sheriff Mike Chapman called the video “very disturbing.” Two months after the June 14, 2015, incident, Virginia State Police Special Agent C.E. Blosser filed a misdemeanor assault charge against Gregory and a special prosecutor, Culpeper Commonwealth’s Attorney Paul Walther, was brought in. Last November, Gregory was found guilty of assault in Loudoun County District Court and fined $500. Gregory and his attorney, Caleb A. Kershner, argued that Grenoble made an aggressive move toward the deputy, who then responded appropriately to the threat. “I think Deputy Gregory overacted,” Judge Norman deVere Morrison said in making his ruling. Gregory appealed that conviction

Loudoun County Deputy John Wayne Gregory

to the Circuit Court on Nov. 16, and those 6 seconds were parsed by law officers and expert witnesses before a seven-member jury. Over the course of 12 hours, the videos were shown at full speed, slow-motion, side-by-side and even in a set of 120 single frames printed out in a stack of paper. The jury reached a different conclusion. The incident started around 1:30 that Sunday morning. Sgt. Brett Philips was on patrol when he was waved down by a woman in front of Mighty Mike’s Bar and Grill in Sterling. She said she was worried about an inebriated man sitting in a pickup in the parking lot. Philips found Grenoble slumped behind

the wheel of the truck, in a condition described as obviously intoxicated and possibly passed out. Grenoble, who had been drinking beer and playing pool at Mike’s for several hours, said he was waiting for a roommate to pick him up. The keys were not in the ignition. As Philips pressed him for information on when his friend would show up, Grenoble became agitated and then aggressive. Gregory joined Philips, his supervisor, on the scene and they made the decision to arrest Grenoble, charging him with public intoxication. He was handcuffed and placed in the back of Gregory’s cruiser. Grenoble became more agitated as he waited for officers to complete the search of his pickup, complaining frequently that the cuffs were too tight even after the two deputies got him out of the car to loosen them. The altercation happened in the secure garage at the Loudoun Adult Detention Center in Leesburg. When Gregory opened the door to let Grenoble, who was still handcuffed, get out, the two stood together and then the deputy suddenly forced the suspect to the ground on his back and held his head down with his hand, shouting at him. Grenoble said he wasn’t sure what happened or why. “Before I could regain my footing, he grabbed me and slammed me on my back,” he said. “I was simply lying on my back in a daze.” Gregory said he saw an “I want to kill you” look in Grenoble’s eyes and felt Grenoble push his body toward him. The deputy said he feared he was about to be attacked. The take-down maneu-

ver was an instinctive action that came from years of training, Gregory said. Two expert witnesses said that Gregory acted appropriately. One was Bryan Patterson, a former trainer at the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy who taught Gregory defensive tactics and other police skills during the two training courses he attended. The other was Tammy Yard-McCracken, an expert in violence dynamics, a field that studies the logistics of the use of force. Both said Grenoble’s movements and body language in the videos show multiple indicators of “pre-assaultive” behavior that deputies are trained to recognize. During his testimony, Gregory said he had no doubt Grenoble was attacking him. “He was rushing, charging me. That’s when I knew I had a problem,” Gregory said. “This was an adult man trying to bull rush into me.” Among the questions facing jurors was whether a deputy could claim he was acting in self-defense after body slamming a hand-cuffed prisoner. “The video speaks for itself. It speaks volumes,” Walther told jurors. Kershner said Gregory reacted to the threat as he was trained to do. “You have a split second when someone is in an assaultive mode until you are in trouble,” he said. “He’s not trying to hurt this guy. He is just trying to protect himself.” After about an hour of deliberation, the jury unanimously agreed with that assessment. nstyer@loudounnow.com

[ PUBLIC SAFETY NOTES ] Sterling Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Child Abuse Case A 56-year-old Sterling man was sentenced Friday to serve 50 years in prison for sexual abuse of a child. Avtar Singh pleaded no contest to five counts of sexual offens- Singh es against a minor in March. Addressing Loudoun Circuit Court Judge Douglas L. Fleming Jr. during the sentencing hearing, Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Gigi Lawless described the offenses as “vile, gut-wrenching, heinous and appalling.” She urged Fleming to impose a sentence above the state’s guidelines. “The defendant abused his position of trust and took advantage of a vulnerable victim,” she said. In handing down his sentence, Fleming said Singh’s actions have caused “profound and incalculable damage to the victim.” Following his release from prison, Singh was sentenced to serve two

years of post-release supervision and 20 years of supervised probation, and to complete a sex offender treatment program. He also will be required to register as a sex offender.

Ashburn Burglary Suspect Charged Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office investigators last week arrested an Ashburn man in connection with five apartment burglaries in the area. Mauricio A. Escobar, 21, is Escobar charged with five counts of burglary and receiving stolen goods, as well as misdemeanor drug possession. The burglaries occurred between July and November at apartments on Keller Square, Timber Ridge Terrace, Thatcher Terrace, and Dodge Terrace. In most of the cases the suspect targeted money. Investigators are reviewing similar burglaries in the area and additional charges are possible. Escobar was held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.

Loudoun Officers Complete Leadership Training Both the Leesburg Police Department and the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office had supervisors graduate from the Professional Executive Leadership School last week. The program is an intensive threeweek leadership education program conducted in cooperation with the University of Richmond. Leesburg Police Lt. Patrick Daly and LCSO 2nd Lt. Robert Hesson completed the course. Daly is the eighth member of LPD’s current command staff member to graduate from the program. Hesson, a 16-year sheriff ’s office veteran, serves in the Courts and Corrections Division and is currently assigned as an administrative supervisor. The program is designed for individuals who serve in command/

Driver Faces DUI Charge After Chase A 29-year-old Sterling woman faces multiple charges after a police chase early Sunday morning. According to the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office, a deputy attempted a traffic stop on a driver who was trav

Leesburg Police Department Deputy Chief Vanessa Grigsby, Lt. Patrick Daly and Chief Greg Brown.

executive level positions within their agencies. The objective is to acquaint participants with best practices in leadership, challenge them to reflect upon their own leadership competency, and examine ways of achieving both personal and professional growth. eling without headlights shortly after 2 a.m. in the area of Rt. 7 and Potomac View Road. The driver did not stop. During the chase, deputies deployed stop sticks to disable the vehicle, which hit a parked trailer and minivan before the car came to a stop near the Church Road/Cascades Parkway intersection. PUBLIC SAFETY NOTES >> 16

Fisher Murder Case Sent to Grand Jury

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told police he was bringing in from the car to put away. He said he found Fisher in her son’s bedroom, she grabbed the rifle, the two struggled, and the gun went off. Loudoun Master Deputy Matt Devaney, a crime scene investigator, testified that he found a .762 caliber bullet casing and three bullet fragments, one on the floor, two in the mattress. The bullet struck Fisher on a downward trajectory. Fisher was flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital where she died before investigators arrived. Lewis told investigators that the gun went off accidentally during a struggle. After the shooting, he returned to his father’s house in Middleburg, but called the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office to turn himself in shortly thereafter. He told Shaw that there was a lot going on in his life, and that he wanted to give his side of the story, and Shaw said Lewis was cooperative throughout. Lewis claimed to have called 911, although Shaw said he found no evidence of that. The rifle, a WASR-10, was recovered on the lawn of his father’s house. Fisher, 34, was the mother of three children. Her death caused an outpouring of mourning and support in the community, including a candlelight vigil and a crowdfunding effort to cover her funeral expenses. If the grand jury hands up indictments against Lewis, the case will move to Circuit Court for trial.

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

The court got its first look at evidence in the April 2 shooting death of Leesburg resident Christina Fisher during a Nov. 16 preliminary hearing. After hearing evidence, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judge Avelina S. Jacob sent charges of murder, violating a protective order, and a firearms violation against Darrick Lewis Lee Lewis, 30, to a Loudoun grand jury for indictment. Lewis and Fisher had two children together. The shooting happened in Fisher’s townhouse in Leesburg’s Brandon neighborhood. Leesburg Police Detective Doug Shaw interviewed Lewis after the shooting. Lewis said he had been planning a birthday party for himself and his son at his father’s house in Middleburg. Lewis had expected Fisher, who he described as his on-again off-again girlfriend, to come to the birthday celebration, and when she told him on the phone that she wouldn’t, Lewis came to her house in Leesburg. When he arrived at Fisher’s home, he went upstairs—carrying a Romanian-made, civilian version of the AKM, a modern version of the AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifle, which Lewis

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[ PUBLIC SAFETY NOTES ]

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<< FROM 14 The driver, Deborah De Jesus-Gonzalez was arrested and charged with three counts of hit and run, driving under the influence of alcohol, felony eluding police, and driving without headlights. She was released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on a personal recognizance bond.

2 Injured by Thrown Pumpkin Someone threw a pumpkin off a Rt. 7 overpass injuring two people and damaging a vehicle on Nov. 16. According to the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office, the incident happened at 2:39 a.m. The car was passing under Bell Road west of Purcellville when the pumpkin hit the windshield. The area was searched but no suspect was found.

Cascades Store Hit by Armed Robbers The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office is investigating an armed robbery at the Robeks store in Cascades last Thursday night. In the case, a white male wearing a black ski mask, a black sweater and camouflage pants entered the store on Southbank Street, displayed a firearm and demanded money. He fled the store with an undisclosed amount of cash. Anyone with information in the case should contact Det. S. Schochet at 703777-0475.

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Fire Destroys Ashburn Home The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of an early morning fire that destroyed a vacant Ashburn home. Just after 6 a.m. Tuesday, fire and rescue units were dispatched to the 19800 block of Belmont Ridge Road after a passerby called 911 to report flames coming from a home. Crews from Leesburg, Kincora, Moorefield, Lansdowne, Ashburn, Cascades, Hamilton and Fair-

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Bus drivers and other members of the school employee advocacy group Loudoun Education Association made their requests known to the School Board last week.

School Board to Bus Drivers: We Hear You BY DANIELLE NADLER

oudoun County School Board members told frustrated bus drivers and parents who filed into the board room Nov. 15 that their concerns have been heard. “We are taking this seriously,” School Board member Debbie Rose (Algonkian) said after hearing 15 speakers voice complaints about transportation issues. Most of the speakers were bus drivers and members of the Loudoun Education Association who said morale in the Transportation Department has never been so low. They cited a lack of respect and pay that isn’t keeping pace with the rising costs of health benefits. The school system is short as many as 160 bus drivers. In the past two years, 203 bus drivers, substitute drivers, trainers and attendants have left, according to the school system. In that time, 132 have been hired on. Annie Grazier, a bus dispatcher, told board members they should not be surprised that so many drivers have left. Changes in the division’s health

insurance options has meant, for those who choose the more expensive of two coverage options, they take home less pay than 10 years ago. Grazier said, while Loudoun bus drivers’ pay starts at $18.10 an hour, UPS drivers start at $21 an hour, and Old Dominion trucking company pays $23 an hour. “Why would a CDL (commercial driver’s license) holder become a school bus driver when they could go drive in the commercial sector,” she asked. “Before you can take care of anything else, you need to take care of your personnel.” Two speakers read statements from drivers too afraid to speak negatively about the job publically. Rose later said from the dais that she wants the drivers to feel like they can bring their concerns to the board. “We want to know.” The Student Support and Services Committee, which Rose chairs, is working with the Support Services Department to come up with incentives to retrain and recruit drivers and is taking another look at compensation and benefits offered to drivers.

“

Why would a CDL (commercial driver’s license) holder become a school bus driver when they could go drive in the commercial sector?

”

Rose also asked that administrators and teachers remind students to be respectful, not only within the four walls of the school building, but on the bus. To the drivers she said, “I think you’re earning heavenly gold because that’s a hard job.” Eric DeKenipp (Catoctin) said he’s eager to hear from senior staff about what they need to fix the transportation

problems. He asked for solutions in the long term, that could be included in next fiscal year’s budget, and in the short term this year. “I think we have some issues that need to be addressed sooner rather than later, and they cannot wait until next school year,” he said. Several parents also addressed the board about bus rides that, for some students, have reached 90 minutes a day because of the driver shortage. Susana Calley, a Middleburg parent, also stressed that solutions cannot wait until next school year. Board members asked that residents log their complaints and requests at webinter.lcps.org/ConcernRegistry to help the staff organize and respond to the concerns. “I heard over and over again that there’s a communication problem. This helps them address those concerns and get back to you,” Jill Turgeon (Blue Ridge) said. “We want to make sure you know your voices are being heard, by board members and staff.” dnadler@loudounnow.com

School Board Asks for Flexibility to Charge for Some Bus Service in opposition, also because of concerns that it would prohibit students from low-income families from attending Thomas Jefferson or other magnet programs. Board members in support of the motion said the school system waives fees for families who cannot afford them, and would do the same with bus fare. “I’m not for nickel and diming families either,” Jill Turgeon (Blue Ridge) said, in response to DeKenipp. “But we have to remember our primary goal is to educate our children. So if we have to come up with creative ways to provide extra activities then so be it.”

The Legislative Program asks for local school board be given authority to control several other areas, including the school year calendar. Right now, a state statute—dubbed the Kings Dominion Law—prohibits public schools from beginning the academic year before Labor Day, unless they receive a waiver from the state that takes into account the number of snow days from previous years. The School Board is scheduled to present the Legislative Program to lawmakers during its annual Legislative Breakfast on Friday, Dec. 2. dnadler@loudounnow.com

TREE LIGHTING F R I D AY , D E C E M B E R 2

[ SCHOOL NOTES ] Schools May Need $98.5M More Next Year

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Loudoun County Public Schools could need as much as $98.5 million more next fiscal year to keep up with student growth and maintain the current level of service, according to division budget leaders. That’s above the current budget of $1.06 billion. Loudoun’s School Board got another look at projected expenditures for fiscal year 2018 since the updated enrollment numbers came in last month, which showed that more students than expected enrolled in the county’s schools this year. Assistant Superintendent for Financial Services E. Leigh Burden told the School Board to brace for $33 million in new expenditures just related to student growth. Forecasts estimate 81,622 students, about 2,957 or 3.8 percent more than this school year. The projections also include $17.8 million for step increases/pay raises—2.2 percent on average; $9.1 million to continue the board’s efforts to make mid-career teachers’ pay more competitive; $2.9 million for raises for other employees not eligible for step increases; $10 million in required contributions to the Virginia Retirement System; $2.6 million for increased health care costs; $3 million to purchase new textbooks and $7.8 million for new buses and other fleet vehicles. It is also estimated it would cost $5 million to expand full-day kindergarten offerings to 75 percent of the county. Burden noted that the budget outlook comes with some good news: health care premiums are $5 million lower than had been projected. But otherwise, her report painted a less-than-rosy picture of next year’s budget season. If county supervisors

6-8PM

er (Ashburn) said. “This is just simply asking for the School Board to have the option to do it; whether we do it can be discussed at a later time.” Eric DeKenipp (Catoctin), one of two board members who opposed the request, said the school system “nickels and dimes” families as it is, through excessive fees for things like extracurricular activities and parking. “It’s going to frustrate families countywide and it’s going to put free and reduced lunch kids in a place where they may not be able to afford to take part in school activities.” Vice Chairwoman Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) was the other board member

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

BY DANIELLE NADLER Loudoun school leaders are asking for a change in state law that would allow them to charge to bus students to optional educational activities, including Thomas Jefferson High School or Loudoun’s Academy of Science. The School Board last week adopted its 2017 Legislative Program that outlines a list of priorities it wants state legislators to champion for them in Richmond. The most debated item in the program, which was approved in a split vote, is a request for the flexibility to charge students a fee for transportation to non-compulsory school programs. The request stems from a difficult budget season two years ago when the board was faced with a decision to eliminate bus service for Loudoun students who attend Thomas Jefferson High School, a magnet school in Fairfax County. Parents packed the board room, asking that the board at least let them pay for the service as opposed to getting rid of it all together. “But we didn’t have that option. We only had two options: cut it or keep offering it,” Chairman Eric Hornberg-

Attendance Boundaries Update:

loudounnow.com

Dulles South Families Get Good News BY DANIELLE NADLER

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A concern that brought hundreds of parents and students to public hearings early in the school attendance boundary process has been put to rest. During a work session Monday, School Board Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) aimed to put families who live south of Rt. 50 at ease when he said their children will not be reassigned to schools north of Rt. 50, unless something unforeseen happens ahead of the Dec. 13 adoption of a final plan. “I haven’t heard anyone from the dais support the split in Plan 1, so my thought is that it’s probably not going to move forward,” he said. Plan 1, a proposal drawn up by the Legislative and Planning Department, would send a few hundred students who live south of Rt. 50 to schools north. The up side of that plan, according to Executive Director of Planning Sam Adamo, is that it would keep enrollment at the middle schools below 1,650. The board is six weeks into what will be a nine-week process to redraw the attendance boundaries for middle and high school students who live in the

Dulles South and Dulles North planning areas. Attendance zone changes are inevitable ahead of the opening of a new middle school along Braddock Road, known as MS-7 in fall of 2018, and to provide relief to crowded schools in the Dulles area. As the School Board redraws attendance lines, it also is taking into account a high school (HS-11) that will open in Brambleton in 2019 and a high school (HS-9) scheduled to open just south of Rt. 50 in 2021. Hornberger’s comments Monday followed statements made by four School Board members— Jeff Morse (Dulles), Jill Turgeon (Blue Ridge), Eric DeKenipp (Leesburg) and Tom Marshall (Leesburg)—during last week’s regular board meeting that they would not support Plan 1. There are five other plans on the table. Hornberger drafted Plans 2 and 3 and, during Monday’s work session, Joy Maloney (Broad Run) presented three proposals, Plans 4, 5 and 6. Plan 4 is similar to Hornberger’s Plan 2, except it moves planning zones DN 34.1, DN 34.2, DN 34.3—areas just north of Ryan Road—from Eagle Ridge Middle School/Briar Woods High School to Stone Hill Middle School/ Rock Ridge High School. Plan 5 is sim-

ilar to Plan 3, except reassigns students in those same three planning zones to the Stone Hill/Rock Ridge cluster. “It’s an attempt to stabilize the zones for Eagle Ridge/Briar Woods and Stone Hill/Rock Ridge, with the hope when we change boundaries again when HS-9 opens in 2020, we wouldn’t be looking at those neighborhoods,” she said. Plan 6 reassigns planning zones DN 34.2 and DN 34.3 to Stone Hill/Briar Woods, and keeps planning zone DS 11 at Brambleton Middle School instead of Stone Hill. That proposal is meant to lower enrollment at Stone Hill Middle School, leaving space for students who will likely move in with future developments. See the six plans in detail at lcps.org/ page/104704. The board will hold two more public hearings, Nov. 28 and Dec. 5, ahead of adopting a final boundary plan Dec. 13. People can sign up to speak at lcps. org or by calling 571-252-1050. The meetings are held at LCPS School Administration Building, 21000 Education Court in Ashburn. dnadler@loudounnow.com

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The students, staff and parents at Providence Academy in Leesburg had their fill Friday at the school’s fourth annual Thanksgiving Feast. The small Christian school has a lot to be thankful for, said Head of School Maria L. Miller. The school opened under the name Providence Academy in 2013 after operating as Dominion Academy for 16 years. Dominion Academy, which started as a ministry of Leesburg Community Church, officially closed that year, with church leaders citing declining enrollment. Since the school re-opened as an independent school and under a new name, enrollment has grown every year and is up to 190 students. The school has also earned its accreditation through AdvancED and the Association of Christian Schools International in that time, Miller said. “We are just so thankful for everything over the last four years.” Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

[ SCHOOL NOTES ] << FROM 19 adopt an equalized tax rate—keeping tax bills level for most homeowners— it would leave the School Board short as much as $53.4 million. If they hold the tax rate steady, it would mean the School Board would need to find as much as $44.1 million in savings. As she always does when providing budget projections this far in advance, Burden offered a strong caveat to the School Board: “The information is only to illustrate the potential expenditures,” she said. “These items may or may not be included in the superintendent’s recommended budget—they are not recommendations—and the potential expenditures should not be interpreted as a recommended change in the budget.” The superintendent will present his

budget plan for the school system in January.

Time to Weigh in on Next Year’s School Calendar Hey kids, want a two-week winter break next year? How about an extra day off in October? Loudoun school leaders want to know. The county’s school system has posted a survey asking students, parents and staff members which calendar for the 2017-2018 academic year they prefer. The Loudoun County School Board will take the survey results into consideration ahead of adopting a calendar Dec. 13. All four calendar options include opening before Labor Day. The school system qualifies for a state waiver from

the so-called Kings Dominion Law, which requires public schools to postpone the start of school until after the holiday. There are two potential starting dates on the table, Thursday, Aug. 24, and Monday, Aug. 28, and two options for the last day of school under consideration, Friday, June 8, and Wednesday, June 13. There are also variations in the length of winter break and the scheduling of staff professional development days. Debbie Rose (Algonkian) noted that she has received as many as 3,000 emails from families requesting a specific calendar. Superintendent Eric Williams said the online survey should help track that input and encouraged everyone to log on to lcps.org and take it.

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Purcellville

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

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A simulated vision of one of the clock faces to be installed at Lovettsville Square on Dec. 1.

Lovettsville to Install Clock Faces BY MARGARET MORTON

ovettsville will kick off its Christmas holiday season with two major events—the Dec. 1 installation of four clock faces on the town’s Clock Tower at Lovettsville Square, and its new Wintertainmentfest the following day. A 150-foot crane will be the center of attention Dec. 1 as a crew from Christoph Bell Foundry installs the clock faces as part of the long-planned glockenspiel project that is intended to reflect the town’s German heritage. The 7.5-foot-tall clock faces will be

ceremonially lit at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 during the town’s Wintertainmentfest, which includes the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Town Square. The Town Council authorized $53,000 for clock work, including the cost of manufacturing shipping and installing the faces. That’s just the beginning of the project. Although still under design, the town hopes to add a working “cuckoo bird” that pops out as clock bells ring, as well as figurines that rotate as music is played. Former Planning Commissioner Buck Smith is heading up a fundrais-

ing committee to cover the cost of the cuckoo, bells and figurines. The plan is to solicit a mix of public and private funds, Town Manager Palko said. Smith said the committee plans a variety of fundraising options—through a corporate sponsorship program, town events, merchandise sales including replicas of the clock tower, grants and an online presence. For information or to help on the project, email Smith at bsmith@ lovettsvilleva.org. mmorton@loudounnow.com

Kline Eyes Alternatives for Purcellville Crossroads BY MARGARET MORTON The Purcellville Town Council has rejected developer Brad Kline’s annexation request as part of his plan to build a retail, residential and entertainment complex along the Rt. 7 bypass, but he isn’t giving up on the project. Following the council’s unanimous Nov. 8 vote to drop consideration of the 50-acre Purcellville Crossroads tract, Kline said he will seek Board of Supervisors approval to develop the land. Among the possibilities are a senior living center, a country inn, wine tasting facility, a family restaurant, and a wedding events center. The land is on the north side of the Rt. 7 bypass west of Rt. 287. Kline applied for annexation more than a year ago and has battled strong opposition from neighbors. The controversial proposal initially included

a commuter park-and-ride lot, single-family homes, townhomes, a hotel, retail and entertainment. Although Kline agreed to eliminate the park-andride lot, the townhomes, and much of the entertainment, as well as reducing the number of housing units, the proposal still failed to garner support from either the council or county authorities. The previous Town Council was split on the question of annexation—with some objecting to expanding the town boundaries until other in-town developments were complete and others saying that annexation would give the town control over what would be developed on the property. In May’s election, town voters backed a slate of anti-development candidates, which closed the door on the annexation application. Kline said that, while he respects the council’s decision, he is confident that his project will enhance quality of life

for town residents. The property is zoned JLMA-3 (Joint Land Management Area), which provides for low-density residential development by right. Most commercial uses would require special exception approval from the Board of Supervisors. In addition to senior living, country inn, wine tasting, family restaurant, and wedding events, Kline said he was looking at veterinary uses and child care facilities. One possibility Kline said he is leaning toward is a senior care facility—a permissible use that received public support during a meeting held at the Carver Center earlier this year. He said he is in talks with a vendor interested in the location. mmorton@loudounnow.com

With little rainfall in recent months, the region has entered a moderate drought. That has the town’s Public Utilities staff monitoring levels at the J.T. Hirst Reservoir, which normally supplies about half the town’s daily water supply. To ensure that supplies remain steady, the department has increased production from town wells, reduced the amount of water taken from the reservoir, suspended bulk water sales, and contacted other users to ensure no significant unnecessary water use occurs—such as for fire department training or hydrant flushing. The town has not enacted water restrictions, but is urging residents to use water wisely by not watering lawns or plantings, limiting vehicle washing and checking for water leaks. Town springs are continuing to flow into the reservoir, although not at a sufficient rate to replenish it. It is hoped that rain in coming weeks will alleviate drought conditions and head off the need for formal water restrictions.

‘Music with a Cause’ Continues at St. Andrew St. Andrew Presbyterian Church’s “Music with a Cause” series continues with a Dec. 3 performance by the Loudoun Chorale of Handel’s “Messiah” and Bach’s “Cantata 61.” The Mystery of Godliness program features a live chamber orchestra and vocal soloists that will celebrate the works’ mysterious and prophetic language of coming change. The program benefits the Community Coalition for Haiti. Tickets are $15 at the door, $12 for seniors, and ages 17 and under are admitted free; available also on Eventbrite at tinyurl.com/pa2ty2m. For more information, go to standrew-pres. org or call 540-338-4332.

Holiday Lights Tour Nominations Welcomed The Purcellville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is looking for the most colorful and decorative houses to be included in the annual Holiday Lights Trolley Tour. The deadline to be considered is Nov. 28. The trolley route will be announced in early December. Another deadline is Nov. 30 for participants in the two-day Christmas Market. The market will take place during the trolley tour on Friday, Dec. 9 and Sunday, Dec. 11. Entrance fee is $35. Go to purcellvilleva.gov for an application form. Dec. 2 is the deadline to register TOWN NOTES >> 23

[ TOWN NOTES ] to be in the annual Christmas in Purcellville Parade, which begins at noon Saturday, Dec. 10.

Waterford Craft School Initiative Advances

Hillsboro Town Readies for Holiday Happenings The Town of Hillsboro invites area residents to join in two full weekends of holiday festivities at the Old Stone School. Events will kick off Sunday, Dec. 4, with the traditional greens workshop followed by a potluck and tree lighting ceremony, co-hosted with the town. Residents are asked to bring food to share before the lighting of the town tree at the school, where singers from Hillsboro Charter Academy will perform holiday favorites. The greens workshop, from noon to 5 p.m., has been an essential component of the Christmas season in Hillsboro for years. Volunteers will make decorations to be used the following weekend during the Christmas in Hillsboro Historic Homes Tour—scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 10. The workshop is held at the Old Stone School. There is no fee, and

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Middleburg Preparations Laid for Holiday Kick-off The town’s popular day-long Christmas in Middleburg event will be held Saturday, Dec. 3. There will be two parades and plenty of Santa sighting along with holiday dining, shopping, hayrides, musical performances, a craft show and food and wine tastings all around town. The procession of the Middleburg Hunt and hounds on Washington Street begin at 11 a.m. Master of Foxhounds Jeff Lou has told organizer Jim Herbert that many people from across the country write to tell hunt members it’s the most spectacular thing they’ve ever seen. The community Christmas parade begins at 2 p.m. and will include a variety of floats, musical groups, classic cars and hundreds of animals—a mix of horses, ponies, alpacas, llamas and canines. Organizers plan some changes this year to better control the crowds and make the flow more efficient. First, there will be more parking at three locations: Mosby Spring Farm on the west side of town, Salamander Resort, and Mickie Gordon Park east of town. A shuttle service will run from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The parking fee has been raised to $20 per car to help organizers offset the cost of public safety measures. To better protect parade spectators along Washington Street, bike racks will be placed along the sidewalk to creates safety barriers. For a full listing of activities and times, go to christmasinmiddleburg.org.

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One of several takeaways from this year’s Waterford Fair was enthusiasm among participating artisans to help establish a school for heritage crafts in the village. The program is expected to build on last year’s inaugural craft instruction classes. “We hope to hold between four and six craft weekends next year, depending on teacher availability,” foundation Executive Director Tom Kuehhas said. The idea of a permanent craft school has been building for several years, in part as a way to use the numerous buildings owned by the Waterford Foundation. Kuehhas said the response from this year’s crafts demonstrators—many of whom have been participating at Waterford for years—to teach the classes has been enthusiastic. For more information, go to waterfordfoundation.org or email tkuehhas@ waterfordfoundation.org.

participants need only bring gloves and clippers. Register at oldstoneschool.org. The tour includes five historic homes within driving distance of the Old Stone School. There also will be plenty of hand-crafted items made locally for shoppers to enjoy at the annual holiday craft fair and outdoor market the weekend of Dec. 10 and 11 on the grounds of the school. “The historic homes tour and craft fair showcases the rich history and the amazing talent that surrounds us,” said Mark Ware, president of the Friends of the Old School. Volunteers and sponsors are needed to help. For details on all the Hillsboro holiday events, go to oldstoneschool.org.

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

<< FROM 22

[ BIZ ]

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Danielle Nadler/Loudoun Now

From left, Alondra Deleon Robles, Jasmine Malik and Grace Boyles talk with Inova Loudoun Hospital patient Shannon Lyons during the Job for a Day program.

AN OUT-OF-THE-CLASSROOM LESSON Businesses Invite Students to Try Out Jobs for a Day BY DANIELLE NADLER

oughly 350 Loudoun teenagers returned to school last week with a little more of an idea of what life could look like after graduation. The high school students spent Nov. 16 scattered throughout Loudoun County, shadowing people in a variety of professions as part of the annual Job-for-a-Day program. The Loudoun School-Business Partnership-sponsored event invited students to get a glimpse of a career they are considering pursuing.

Students’ one-day internships ranged from Ford’s Fish Shack, to see the inner workings of a mom-and-pop restaurant operation, to Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus, to get a glimpse of a day in the life of a scientist. Fifty-four students landed Job for a Day spots at Inova Loudoun Hospital, the largest employer to take part in the program. The slots filled up quickly, according to Stacey Miller, the hospital’s government and community relations liaison. “It’s like trying to get concert tickets,” said Miller, also a member of the Loudoun School-Business Partnership Executive Council. Juniors Jasmine Malik, of John Champe High School, and Alondra Deleon Robles, of Riverside High School, got a glimpse of the business side of the hospital. Jasmine shadowed Reneé Brohard, who oversees public relations for

Inova Loudoun Hospital. She said she’s always been interested in either a career in medicine or business. “This gave me a good look at a job that combines the two, which I really liked,” Jasmine said. Alondra, who shadowed Miller, got to tag along to a Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce meeting. She loved getting to rub shoulders with community nonprofit and business leaders. “It was really, really cool,” she said. Stone Bridge High School senior Grace Boyles spent the day observing nurses in the pediatric department. She’s considered pursuing a career as a nurse, but had a few reservations, until last week. “This was such a good experience. It totally solidified my decision to be a nurse,” she said. She helped a nurse give 18-year-old patient Shannon Lyons an IV infusion of prednisone. Lyons has dermatomyositis, a rare connective-tissue disease that is characterized by inflammation of

the muscles and the skin. She is one of five people within 25 miles of her home in Centreville to have the disease. After learning about the Job for a Day program offered to Loudoun students, Lyons, a student at Centreville High School, said she wants to see something similar in Fairfax County. “It’s hard to know what you want to do as a career without really experiencing it,” she said. She would love to work as a pediatric nurse and help young patients, just like her nurses have helped her. In all, 126 businesses and organizations hosted students. Miller said the Loudoun School-Business Partnership Executive Council is always looking for more Job for a Day host sites. Learn more about Job for a Day at loudoun. k12.va.us/Domain/86. dnadler@loudounnow.com

[ BIZ BRIEFS ]

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

Lansdowne Resort Hosts Virginia Women’s Business Conference on Dec. 2 Join area businesswomen as they gather at Lansdowne Resort and Spa on Dec. 2 for the for the eighth annual Virginia Women’s Business Conference. “If you are a successful business leader or aspire to be, this one day event is vital,” stated Tina Johnson, president and CEO of JP Events & Consulting and the event organizer.

The conference includes personal and professional tracks featuring engaging keynotes and panel discussions from the area’s most influential and successful women. Speakers include prominent women in the areas of personal health, lifestyle, business development, marketing, social media and Hanna personal development. The keynote speaker is Dr. Heidi Hanna, chief energy officer of Synergy. Her book, “The SHARP

Solution and Stressaholic,” is a New York Times best seller. She has been featured at many national and global conferences, including the Fortune Magazine Most Powerful Women in Business Summit, ESPN Women’s Leadership Summit, and the Million Dollar Round Table. She is the co-founder and executive director of the Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, and a frequent lecturer at Canyon Ranch Resort

and Spa in Tucson, AZ. The conference runs from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Lansdowne Resort, 44050 Woodridge Parkway. Tickets can be purchased at virginiawomensbusinessconference.com.

Jones Appointed StoneSprings Hospital CEO Effective Jan. 1, Lance Jones will take the helm of the year-old StoneSprings Hospital Center in Aldie. BIZ BRIEFS >> 26

[ NONPROFIT NEWS ]

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016 LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Frank Holtz gets ready for Toys.

Volunteers Gear Up for Toys for Tots Collection

Moose Club Donates To Boulder Crest

Working for You: Loudoun Habitat for Humanity BY LAURA VAN LELIVELD No matter who we are or where we come from, we all deserve to have a decent life. We deserve to feel strength and stability every day. We deserve to know we have the power to take care of ourselves and build our own futures. At Loudoun Habitat for Humanity our vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Because you, me, we—we’re all humans. And every single one of us deserves the opportunity for a better future. Since 1993, Loudoun Habitat for Humanity has helped change the lives of 38 families county-wide. We offer homeownership opportunities to families who are unable to obtain conventional house financing. Generally, this includes those whose income is 30 to 50 percent of the area’s median income. Additionally, these families contribute numerous hours of “sweat equity” on the construction of their home or another future Habitat homeowner’s home. Because Habitat houses are built using donations of land, material, and labor, mortgage payments are kept affordable. There are people living and working in Loudoun County who are struggling with having a place to call home. They live in apartments or share spaces that are too small for their families, or pose other hazards. These families move frequently because of increases in rent which means their children are constantly changing schools. Better, affordable living conditions lead to improved health, stronger childhood development and the ability and financial funded rural wellness center dedicated to serving combat veterans and their families. The center works to improve physical, emotional, spiritual and economic wellbeing while helping them succeed in their new phase of life. Learn more at bouldercrestretreat.org.

Loudoun Physical Therapy Collecting Toy Donation Loudoun Physical Therapy, along with other area businesses, has teamed up with Bikers 4 Tykes to collect toys for Loudoun kids in need. Through Dec. 10, the company’s offices in Leesburg and Lansdowne will be collecting new and unwrapped gifts that will be delivered by Bikers 4

flexibility to make forward-looking choices. A Habitat homeowner shared “Being a partner family is about so much more than home ownership. Being a partner family is about the restoration of hope, faith in the goodness of people, uplifting the community, and more importantly it’s about inspiring a single Mom who had just about given up to keep pushing because her community has her back. Thank you for restoring my courage to overcome my circumstances.” We’re addressing the affordable housing crisis in our area and creating opportunities for families to have improved housing and better lives. But in order to do this, we need community support. Less than 1 percent of Loudoun Habitat’s funds come from Habitat International. The vast majority comes from local businesses, individuals, and organizations. Support from the local community is essential for the success of Loudoun Habitat. If you would like make a donation, attend an event or learn how you can volunteer go to loudounhabitat.org or call 703-737-6772. Laura van Leliveld is the communications and community relations manager for Loudoun Habitat for Humanity. Working for You is a rotating column providing space for Loudoun’s nonprofit leaders to let readers know what they do and how they can help the cause. To participate in the program, email editor@ loudounnow.com.

Tykes to the Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter, the Neediest Kids in Loudoun County program, and Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree. For more information or to participate, contact Michele Trankovich at 703-443-6700 or michele@loudounpt. com.

Step Sisters Partners with Reston Hospital The Step Sisters have entered an agreement with Reston Hospital Center to provide support services to the center’s breast cancer patients. It is the fifth partner hospital in Northern Virginia for nonprofit. The Step Sisters offer quality-of-life

services designed to ease the worries of breast cancer patients. Nurse navigators working directly with the patients allocate Step Sister funds to those that need specific services such as transportation, house cleaning, child care, healthy meal/fresh food delivery and pet services. “We are pleased to extend our services to those patients receiving treatment at Reston Hospital Center,” President Angela Fuentes stated. “Our mission is to not only ease a patient’s mind during treatment, but also to ensure that no circumstance, such as a lack of transportation keeps her from her treatment plan.” For more information about the organization, go to stepsisters.org.

loudounnow.com

Members of the Leesburg Moose Club lost a beloved member with the death of “Fast Eddie” Gillis in August , but they turned that sorrow into a community benefit. On Friday, the Fast Eddie lodge presented the Boulder Crest Retreat for Military and Veteran Wellness with a donation of $10,000. The money was raised during the club’s inaugural Fast Eddie Memorial Poker Run. Gillis was a tennis pro turned businessman. He operated eight Fast Eddie pool halls in Virginia, South Carolina and Florida before going broke and moving to Leesburg to be close to his two brothers. He joined the Leesburg Moose Lodge and quickly made many friends with his warmth and generosity. “He was extremely intelligent and well versed in all the events going on in our country at all times. He often commented on this last stage of his life being the most contented times of his life,” said Al Erickson, one of the event organizers. The donations were raised through shirt sales, donations and auctions. Located in Bluemont, Boulder Crest Retreat is the nation’s first privately

Loudoun Now File Photo

In May, Loudoun Habitat for Humanity completed work on its newest home in Round Hill, part of its mission is to provide affordable housing in the community.

Loudoun County Marine Corps League Detachment 1205 Toys for Tots Coordinator Frank Holtz stands in Loudoun County warehouse space along Miller Drive. He and his wife Rita Sartori, along with Toys for Tots volunteers, took possession of the space and began cleaning it up this week. The space is currently scheduled for retrofitting in mid-January, and the county has allowed Toys for Tots to use the space in the intervening time for its annual collection and distribution campaign. Holtz has coordinated Toys for Tots in Loudoun County since 2012, and was recognized by Toys for Tots as the regional Coordinator of the Year among seven states last year. That year, the Loudoun detachment distributed more than 23,000 toys. To learn more or find a place to donate, visit loudoun-va.toysfortots.org.

loudounnow.com

[ BIZ BRIEFS ] << FROM 24 A native of New Zealand, Jones has more than 16 years of health care industry experience, beginning his career in rehabilitation services, and serving as chief operat- Jones ing officer and chief executive officer for hospitals in New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas and Tennessee. He most recently served as CEO at HCA’s Coliseum Medical Centers, a 310-bed facility in Macon, GA. Under his leadership, Coliseum achieved numerous operational and service line advancements including starting a GME program, MFM telemedicine program and certifications in both strokes and chest pain. StoneSpings Hospital is a 234,000-square-foot, 124-bed acute care medical and surgical hospital owned by the HCA Healthcare System.

Leesburg’s Tryst Gallery Hires Manager Lisa Strout has joined Tryst Gallery in Leesburg. She brings 15 years of art management expertise to her role as manager

Best Rack Around Celebrates Grand Opening Fresh off its win as Retail Business of the Year during the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Awards, Best Rack Around last week celebrated its move to Crescent Place along Harrison Street in Leesburg. Nanette Parsons opened the bra and lingerie store in a leased space at Market Station. She started out helping women find the perfect fit, but expanded to address the needs of young girls, nursing moms and brides, as well as offering special occasion undergarments, pajamas, lingerie, and bathing suits. She also puts an emphasis on promoting women’s physical and mental health and self-confidence. The new location has twice the space, and Parsons has expanded her inventory to include bra sizes A to N, prosthesis, mastectomy lingerie and bathing suits, pajamas, bridal lingerie, shapewear, robes, slippers, men’s underwear and bath products. The store is located at 454 Madison of the downtown gallery founded by businessman and painter Jim Sisley. Strout has been an active member of the art community since moving to Loudoun four years ago. Her 15-year career creating art was preceded by several years as an event manager.

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Owner Nanette Parsons in front of her new store at Crescent Place.

Trade Plaza SE. Learn more at bestrackaround.com. As a professional artist, she said she understands the challenges artists face and will pursue a vision of offering artists and art lovers educational opportunities, as well as exhibitions to increase the visibility of the arts in Loudoun. “I’m impressed with the business model Jim has created,” says Strout. “It goes beyond the traditional gallery by being collaborative. … He has long been dedicated to building the strongest community of artists, and this venture will bring that goal closer to reality.” The new gallery plans to develop a lecture series, group critiquing, and marketing workshops designed to help artists become more successful. “We welcome professionals and beginners alike to come experience Tryst and our programs,” Sisley stated “We’re always ready to talk art.” For more information, go to trystgallery.com. Gallery hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and by appointment. The gallery is located at 312 East Market St. Suite F.

ngly C i r a C

Loudoun-based All Points Broadband, the hybrid fiber wireless internet service, has expanded into Clarke County. “We’ll be deploying a brand new network with state-of-the-art equipment to serve the many residents and businesses who’ve been contacting All Points asking us to expand into this area,” All Points CEO Jimmy Carr said. Depending on the customer’s location, residential subscribers will be able to provide speeds of up to 15 megabits per second on plans with no data cap and commercial subscribers will have access to gigabyte service. The company is working to provide reliable broadband internet service to underserved area and is teaming with governments, community organizations, and ISPs seeking additional capital to accomplish that goal. Learn more at allpointsbroadband.com.

Noel Named Tri-County CEO Jeremy Noel has been named president and CEO of Tri-County Feeds, Fashions, Finds in Marshall. Tri-County founder Bill Jackson will step down as president of the company and stay on as chairman of the board. He will continue to develop the feed and hay business. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be hired to lead and help grow a company that has been not only foundational to my career and upbringing, but also a steward in the local community I’m fortunate enough to call home,” Noel said. “I’m humbled by the opportunity and excited for the challenge.” Noel has worked in the business for 15 years in areas including customer service, accounting, and strategic advisement among others. Tri-County is an equestrian and sporting lifestyle store that offers equine and pet care products, tack, feed and stable supplies alongside family apparel, footwear, gifts and décor. The store is located at 7408 John Marshall Hwy.

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[ LOCO LIVING ]

[ THINGS TO DO ] HOLIDAY FARE

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

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Courtesy of Morven Park Sports

MORVEN PARK BLACK FRIDAY BOWL Friday, Nov. 25, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Morven Park Athletic Fields, 17048 Tutt Lane, Leesburg. Details: morvenpark.org The Black Friday Bowl is a fiveon-five flag football tournament for the whole family. The tournament is open to both teams and individual players and includes trophies and prizes for division winners. Registration fee is $200 per team or $30 per player.

HAPPY HOUR AND HOLIDAY GIFT SALE Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

11-year old Lauren Glaeser, daughter of Faith like a Mustard Seed Farm owners Patricia and Karl Glaeser, takes a break from helping with the Sunday morning rush to ham it up for the camera. The family’s farm serves as a favorite brunch spot in Loudoun.

Brunch Three Ways: LoCo Style BY JAN MERCKER

’T

is the season—for outof-town guests and weekend wind-downs, and nothing says laidback fun like a great brunch. Whether you’re looking for rustic charm or groovy tunes, Loudoun’s favorite brunch spots have got you covered. Brunch is a relatively new addition at Faith Like a Mustard Seed Farm near Lucketts, but is quickly becoming a big draw for the working farm, known for high-quality, heritage-breed pork. When Patricia Glaeser, a former private chef, and her husband, Karl, a retired naval officer, bought the farm seven years ago, Patricia already had a restaurant in mind. That dream became a reality last year when the couple began to serve brunch on a small scale on Saturdays and Sundays. To comply with county regulations, Glaeser and her hired chef are cooking out of a food trailer while raising money for a larger septic system that will allow them to build a commercial kitchen and expand seating. The farm’s ambiance is a big draw for visitors who can hang out with pigs, poultry of all kinds (including some chatty geese), horses and dairy cows who are milked daily. “It is really unique. People go out and see the baby peeps and the baby piglets that we have and the dairy cows come right up,” Glaeser said. “It gives it a little bit more than just a brunch, it’s

kind of going back in time and remembering how life was.” But the food is also garnering raves. Glaeser uses locally sourced ingredients—from their own farm and other

from the farm’s own sage sausage, and house-made chorizo on tostadas. “We’re not like a normal brunch place,” Glaeser said. One small drawback for some

Friday, Nov. 25, 5-7 p.m.; Brew LoCo, 19382 Diamond Lake Drive, Lansdowne. Details: brewloco.com Shop for coffee and beer brewing gifts while enjoying live music from Scott Oglevee and drink specials.

PURCELLVILLE GATEWAY TREE LIGHTING Saturday, Nov. 26, 5-7 p.m.; Purcellville Gateway, Purcellville Gateway Drive, Purcellville. Details: roadsidedevelopment.com Purcellville Gateway celebrates its annual holiday tree lighting. Event features holiday tunes from Tony M. and a visit from Santa.

WEST BELMONT PLACE OPEN HOUSE AND TREE LIGHTING Thursday, Dec. 1, 4-7 p.m.; West Belmont Place 18980 Upper Belmont Place, Lansdowne. Details: westbelmontplace.com Enjoy free hot chocolate and holiday music. Tree lighting takes place at 6 p.m. Admission is free.

HOLIDAY SIP AND SHOP Courtesy of Ford’s Fish Shack

Ford’s Fish Shack restaurants in Ashburn and South Riding draw crowds with seafood favorites along with more traditional brunch fare.

area growers. Favorites include buttermilk pancakes with local buttermilk and seasonal toppings like a pumpkin creme anglaise, Moroccan eggs, sunny side up in a spicy ragout served with naan bread and goat cheese, biscuits and gravy with sausage gravy made

brunch lovers: because of space limitations and a need to turn tables to meet demand, the farm doesn’t serve alcoholic beverages yet. However, Glaeser BRUNCH >> 29

Thursday, Dec. 1, 5-8 p.m.; Scout & Molly’s, 20360 Exchange St., Ashburn. Details: scoutandmollys.com Scout & Molly’s boutique and Copperwood Tavern at One Loudoun join forces for a holiday sip and shop featuring Copperwood gift cards, sparkling wine, snacks and music

MORE TO DO >> 30

29 FAITH LIKE A MUSTARD SEED FARM serves brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. More information is at faithlikeamustardseedfarm.com.

<< FROM 28

FORD’S FISH SHACK serves brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its Ashburn location and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its South Riding location. Find details at fordsfishshack.com.

Courtesy of Ford’s Fish Shack

Ford’s Fish Shack’s bacon bloody Mary has a devoted local following.

food as fare for special occasions. And brunch at Ford’s is usually a lively family affair. “I wanted something that was casual, something that people can go to seven days a week,” he said. One New England tradition Stafford especially loves at Ford’s is Rhode Island-style “coffee milk,” coffee syrup added to milk, always a delight for Loudoun’s northeastern transplants. Great music and a brunch buffet featuring award-winning barbecue are the draw at Leesburg’s Smokehouse Live’s weekly Sunday brunch

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egg station, biscuits and gravy and, of course, the restaurants regionally acclaimed barbecue. Foss likes to rotate the featured protein so regulars don’t get bored, sometimes smoking a whole hog or featuring the restaurant’s popular smoked brisket. Changing up the barbecue, as well as the music, keeps returning guests happy and entertained, Foss said. “We have our fans—we get a lot of repeat business coming back every week. … I try to shake things up a little bit.” jmercker@loudounnow.com

loudounnow.com

WALL TO WALL TRAMPOLINES FOAM PIT DODGEBALL COURT SLAM BALL COURT

buffet. The brunch attracts regulars who come each week for consistently good and diverse music—from old school bluegrass to more contemporary country, said owner Jim Foss. Ashburn-based Delta Spur is one of the restaurant’s most popular acts, regularly playing both the country brunch and free evening shows. “They’re tremendous. They’ve been very good for Smokehouse, and Smokehouse I think has been very good for them,” Foss said. Foss said popular items at the allyou-can-eat buffet include a scrambled

SMOKEHOUSE LIVE’S SUNDAY COUNTRY BRUNCH is available Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with live music starting at 11:30 a.m. Local favorite Delta Spur plays brunch Sunday, Nov. 27. More information is at smokehouse-live.com.

says they’re looking to add a drinks component as they expand kitchen and seating capacity. Meanwhile, the owners suggest a farm brunch as a start or finish to a day visiting area wineries or breweries. Drinks, on the other hand, are a big draw at eastern Loudoun favorite Ford’s Fish Shack, which has locations in Ashburn and South Riding. The restaurant was a local pioneer of the bacon bloody Mary (bacon vodka, house made mixer, garnished with bacon), which remains a fan favorite, along with Ford’s pickle bloody Mary. The seafood-centric brunch menu features both lunch and dinner favorites like the restaurant’s popular fish and chips, as well as more traditional brunch fare with a seafood twist, like crab cakes Benedict and campfire trout and eggs. “We try to leave the top selling lunch and dinner features on the menu and add traditional brunch items. We try to give the best of both worlds,” said owner and chef Tony Stafford. Stafford, who worked at seafood restaurants in New England before opening his Loudoun hotspots, has sought to convey the New England tradition of casual seafood dining and break the mid-Atlantic mindset of sea-

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

Brunch

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[ MORE TO DO ] The ’80s synth genius known for his hit “No One Is To Blame” is back. $35 in advance, $45 day of show.

<< FROM 28 from Sydni Alexander.

LIVE MUSIC: MEDICATED SUNFISH

NIGHTLIFE LIVE MUSIC: THE LAND OF OZZ

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

Friday, Nov. 25, 8:30 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyholeesburg.com Celebrate Black Friday with Stephen Desko’s first-class tribute to Ozzy Osbourne in his prime. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 day of show.

Friday, Nov. 25, 8 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com

Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive, Unit 114, Ashburn. Details: oldoxbrewery. com

Wind down with the family with some hilarious improv featuring lots of audience participation. Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for students and $10 for children.

Avoid the shopping chaos and celebrate Old Ox’s launch of its barrel aged imperial stouts. Tickets are $12 in advance, $16 at the door and include a flight of beer.

This Wilmington, NC-based band blends reggae, rock, blues and psychedelic for a fun jam. No cover.

BREAUX FOURTH FRIDAY Friday, Nov. 25, 5-9 p.m.; Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane. Details: breauxvineyards.com

LIVE MUSIC: DELTA SPUR Saturday, Nov. 26, 8 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com

Unwind after the holiday with live music, wine specials and food for sale. Admission is free.

Loudoun’s own Delta Spur has created a strong local following for their fresh, modern take on country favorites like Luke Bryan, Zac Brown and Keith Urban. No cover.

CORCORAN IRISH MUSIC SESSION

ON STAGE

Courtesy Old Furniture Factorty

OLD FURNITURE FACTORY BLUEGRASS JAM Friday, Nov. 25, 6 p.m.-midnight; The Old Furniture Factory, 6 W. Loudoun St., Round Hill. Details: theoldfurniturefactory.com This monthly bluegrass, folk and old time jam is a western Loudoun tradition. Come and play or just tap your toes. Requested donation is $5. Food will be available for sale.

Courtesy of Howard Jones

LIVE MUSIC: HOWARD JONES Saturday, Nov. 26, 8:30 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyholeesburg.com

Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org

Credit: Alex Horton Photography

LAST HAM STANDING COMEDY IMPROV Friday, Nov. 25, 8 p.m.; Franklin Park

LIBATIONS

Sunday, Nov. 27, 1-4 p.m.; Corcoran Brewery, 205 E. Hirst Road, Purcellville. Details: corcoranbrewing.com Wind down the holiday weekend with great Celtic tunes and Corcoran’s brews.

LOCO CULTURE HOPE FOR MENTAL HEALTH WORKSHOP: EQUINE THERAPY Wednesday, Nov. 30, 7-9 p.m.; Leesburg Community Church, 836 Lee Ave., Leesburg. Contact: 202-631-2166 A panel of experts discusses equine assisted therapy for mental health

BARREL-AGED BLACK FRIDAY Friday, Nov. 25, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Old

MORE TO DO >> 31

[ MORE TO DO ] watercolors, bead making and stained glass.

challenges as part of Leesburg Community Church’s Hope for Mental Health series of talks.

CRAFTY STITCHES ANNIVERSARY PARTY

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

<< FROM 30

Sunday, Nov. 27, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Crafty Stitches, 1601 Village Market Blvd. Suite 117. Details: craftystitches.com The sewing studio celebrates its anniversary with giveaways, demos and massages.

LOUDOUN FREE CLINIC BOOTS, BEER AND BBQ

BIRDING THE BLUE RIDGE CENTER

Friday, Dec. 2, 6-11 p.m.; The Stables at Bluemont Vineyard, 18755 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont. Details: loudounfreeclinic.org

Saturday, Nov. 26, 8 a.m.; Blue Ridge Center For Environmental Stewardship, 11661 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville. Details: loudounwildlife.org

Loudoun Free Clinic hosts its annual fundraiser featuring music by Liquid A, local wine and beer, dancing, raffles and auction. Tickets are $85.

Courtesy Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy for a monthly bird walk at this gorgeous wildlife sanctuary in northwestern Loudoun. Bring binoculars.

HILL HIGH ARTIST’S LOFT OPEN HOUSE Saturday, Nov. 26, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; 35246 Harry Byrd Highway, Round Hill. Details: hill-high.com Celebrate Small Business Saturday with the independent artists of the Artist Lofts at Hill High shop for gifts including mixed media, oil painting,

‘AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS’ Saturday, Dec. 3, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 4, 3 p.m.; Franklin Park. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org Loudoun Lyric Opera presents a double bill of Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors” paired with an international celebration of carols. This one-act opera relates the tale of a visit by the three kings to a poor boy’s home while journeying to Bethlehem, and the miracle that ensues.

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Snickers Gap Christmas Tree Farm near Bluemont is one of Loudoun’s family-owned choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms that will attract customers from across the region in coming weeks.

Christmas Tree Growers Prepare for Rush For some, the days following Thanksgiving are to be spent at the mall. For others, it’s time to head to the farm. Starting Friday, thousands of families will head to Loudoun’s Christmas tree farms in search of the perfect tree. Last year, 5,000 trees were cut and sold at the county’s farms. The county Department of Economic Development’s annual Guide to Christmas in the Loudoun Valley details the offerings of 11 cut-your-own farms and others selling pre-cut trees and holiday greenery. To get the guide, go to loudounfarms.org/christmastrees.

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[ OBITUARIES ] Marilyn G. Butterfield

of Winchester, and formerly of Leesburg passed away 14 November 2016. A celebration of life will be held 12:30 pm, Saturday, January 7, 2017 at Hamilton Rescue Squad Social Hall, Hamilton, VA. Arrangements are being handled by Enders & Shirley Funeral Home, Berryville, VA. www.endersandshirley. com.

Jeanette G. Newton (Uhl), 66,

of Moneta, VA, died Sunday, November 20, 2016. She was born to the late Wilfred O. Uhl and Gloria L. Uhl, of Marco Island, December 6, 1949, in Bronx, NY. Jeanette graduated from Plainview-Old Bethpage High School in 1967 and received a degree in Accounting from York College of Pennsylvania in 1969. She married the late George M. Newton in 1973, and they lived together in Enfield, CT., before relocating to Virginia in 1992. Jeanette recently retired as CEO from Dulles Area Association of Realtors in Ashburn, VA and moved to the lake house she and George built at Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta, VA. Â She was an active member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Leesburg, VA before recently joining Trinity Ecumenical Parish in Moneta, VA. Jeanette is survived by her mother, Gloria L. Uhl of Marco Island, FL, her close friend, Bill Clark of Forest, VA and by three daughters; Jane Murray, daughter of the late George M. Newton, and husband Allan Murray, of Enfield, CT; Kelly Frye and husband Michael Frye, of Lovettsville, VA; and Kristy Reynolds and husband William Reynolds, of Purcellville, VA. She also is survived by three grandchildren; Michael Gray, Porter Reynolds and Dylan Reynolds; two siblings Warren Uhl of Marco Island, FL and David Uhl of Hampstead, North Carolina and many wonderful nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, 605 W. Market St., Leesburg, VA 20175 or the Trinity Ecumenical Parish Memorial Fund, 40 Lakemount Dr, Moneta, VA 24121. A visitation with the family will be held at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 605 W. Market St., Leesburg on Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at 10:00 AM with the funeral service following at 11:00 AM. www.colonialfuneralhome.com

Janice Amanda Moore-Campbell,

70, of Granada Hills, CA formerly of Washington ,DC passed away. She is survived by her husband, Robert Campbell, son, Robert Campbell (Angela) of Los Angeles, CA, daughter, Rhonda Campbell (Frazier) of Ellicott City, MD and a host of grandchildren and other relatives and friends. Funeral Service were held Tuesday Nov. 22, 2016 at Solon Cemetery, Middleburg, VA. Arrangements by Lyles Funeral Service of Purcellville, VA.

Helen Howard Stewart, 85

of Bluemont, VA departed this life on Nov. 17, 2016 She was a loving mother of Helen S. White of Washington, DC, Janet S. McDonald (Richard L. Compton, Jr.) of Silver Spring, MD, Joyce S. Archie (Floyd) of Lynchburg, VA, and Gary L. Stewart (Jacqueline) of Conway, SC. Beloved sister of Rebecca H. King of District Heights, MD and Jane Carter of Front Royal, VA and James Howard, Sr.(Mary) of Berryville, VA, She is also survived by 9 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, 1 great great grandchild and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Viewing will be held on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. until time of service at 11:00a.m. at Middleburg United Methodist Church, 15 W. Washington Street Middleburg, VA 20118 Interment is at Solon, Cemetery, Middleburg, VA Arrangements By: Lyles Funeral Service of Purcellville, Virginia

Nov. 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 30, 2016

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

from LoudounNow

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Coming Soon

Don’t worry Loudoun We provide

The Town of Purcellville’s Office of the Town Attorney is seeking a Paralegal to work 20 to 25 hours per week. Compensation range is $20 to 25 per hour, depending on qualifications. Under supervision of the Town Attorney, the Paralegal will provide substantive legal work and administrative support for the Town Attorney’s office. Duties include file management, office management, legal research, and drafting correspondence, resolutions, ordinances, memos, public notices, and pleadings. A more detailed job description can be found on the Town’s website at www.purcellvilleva.com/jobs.aspx The Paralegal position will initially be more administrative in nature, in order to establish the administrative processes and procedures of the Town Attorney’s office. The position will progressively become more reliant upon complex paralegal skills. Paralegal Certification plus 5 years of related experience preferred. Must be licensed to drive. Must be a commissioned notary for the Commonwealth of Virginia, or obtain such commission upon hiring. Nestled at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Town of Purcellville is an award-winning, thriving community whose 9,000+ residents enjoy an exceptional quality of life that has become a hallmark of the town. If you are eager to work in this environment, submit an application and resume to Sharon Rauch, Human Resources Specialist, Town of Purcellville, 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia 20132. For an application, visit purcellvilleva.gov. Applications will be accepted until 5:00 pm on December 21, 2016. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Large family practice in Loudoun County looking for a FT LPN or MA who is compassionate, energetic and loves working with a team. Pediatric and or family practice experience preferred but willing to train the right candidate. EHR experience highly recommended. We offer health, dental and vision insurance as well as direct deposit, 401k and many other benefits. Please send your resume to lgray@lmgdoctors.com or fax to 703-726-0804, attention Lisa.

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

Employment

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[ OPINION ]

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Investment Shopping It wasn’t all that long ago that members of the Loudoun Chamber gathered in a Dulles hotel meeting room to hear a presentation from one of the pioneers working to figure out what traffic will fill the nascent “information superhighway.” At that point, Steve Case’s company, Aol, was still mailing out millions of CDs in hopes that residents would run phone lines to their computers and dial in to the internet. During that session, he told the county’s business leaders that someday soon folks would do their shopping with the press of a keyboard button. A startup company in Seattle was betting on that, too. Today, online shopping and services like Amazon are omnipresent. It is at this time of year when online shopping records are set. But the convenience of mouse-to-mailbox purchases comes at a cost closer to home. The vibrancy of Main Street brick-and-mortar retailers is a barometer of economic health in any community. When

[ LETTERS ]

hometown stores can’t keep their doors open, more is lost than just another shopping venue. Also gone are jobs and tax revenues needed to fund the schools and other vital public services. Promotions like Black Friday and Small Business Saturday can help area businesses, but it should not only be on those two days that they warrant attention. Rather, they should be at the top of the list whenever it comes time to search for that special gift or gizmo. There may be those among us who would prefer to avoid driving to a store, standing in lines or dealing with cashiers, but far worse is not having the opportunity to do so. That is why shopping local is important. That sweater bought at a local dress shop is not just a purchase, it is an investment in your neighborhood.

LoudounNow

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

Contributors Jan Mercker Advertising Director Susan Styer sstyer@loudounnow.com

Margaret Morton Senior Writer mmorton@loudounnow.com

Display Advertising Tonya Harding Katie Lewis

Renss Greene, Reporter rgreene@loudounnow.com

Classified Manager Lindsay Morgan lmorgan@loudounnow.com

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

Production Electronic Ink Leesburg, VA 20175

Thanksgiving Editor: As Thanksgiving holidays are approaching, like every other American, I am eagerly waiting for this wonderful holiday when we will gather as a family. Thanksgiving Day in America is a beautiful holiday. Our country, on this day, is at its best. As a Muslim, however, I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving Day once a year only. Islam teaches us to be thankful everyday at every opportunity. We start our day with prayers and end with prayers. We glorify the Lord for all the good things He has bestowed upon us and accept His will in any hard circumstance life may throw upon us. When we eat, we say, “Thanks be to God Who gave us food and drink and made us Muslims.” When we face a trial we are reminded to “be steadfast and strive to excel in steadfastness and be on your guard and fear God that you may prosper” (3:201). My faith asks me to keep my God above all no matter what. In Islam, the Qur’anic term of giving thanks is “Shukr.” According to Islamic teachings, there are three types of Shukr. First, understanding and being grateful in one’s heart. Second, gratitude that one expresses by verbal praise. Third, gratitude shown by one’s actions, that is, by spending one’s wealth on those who are less fortunate and needy. Islam teaches that the best way to render thanks to God is by giving to the needy. Our daily prayers, our fasting during Ramadan, Zakat (charity) and Hajj (pilgrimage) are all our acts of thanksgiving. It requires sacrifice from the believers for the sake of God, and for the good of mankind. We perform these acts of worship not only as duties that must be performed but as

our gratitude to our Lord and Creator. For a Muslim the reward for giving thanks is to gain nearness and pleasure of God. Islam does not only teach us to only thank God, but we are also told to thank our parents, our spouses, our friends, neighbors and all those who do any good to us. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of God be upon him) said, “Those who do not thank people, they do not thank God.” Misfortunes are many and great, and nothing but faith can save us. Blunders are egregious, and nothing can dissolve them but the melting of the heart. He who stands in awe of the majesty of his Creator shall have a two-fold paradise. Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Americans and special greetings to our veterans who sacrifice all their time to keep our country safe. — Durresameen Prapulla, Ashburn

Gun Violence Editor: State Senator Dick Black was among the officials at Lovettsville’s Veterans Day celebration. In his speech, he mentioned the rising number of police officers killed in the line of duty, and attributed that to a lack of support by local governments. According to the website Officer Down Memorial Page, so far this year 58 officers have been killed by gunshot, either deliberate or accidental. Since 2013, when there were 33 such deaths, the casualties have increased 76%, which is a considerable amount. There are probably several reasons LETTERS >> 37

[ LETTERS ] << FROM 36

Helping Hands Fight Hunger About 400 Broad Run High School students gathered in to pack 20,000 meals for Stop Hunger Now, which distributed food in 37 countries last year. Broad Run’s event was organized by dual-enrollment English students and English teacher Beth Konkoski. Each meal bag includes rice, soy flour, dehydrated vegetable mix, and a vitamin packet, and contains enough food to feed six people. Broad Run students also donated just over $5,800, the cost of creating and distributing the meals. Extra money raised will be donated to a food pantry. Konkoski said around 150 students worked together to organize the event as part of a project learning real-world business management skills. “I’ve been a part of three other Stop Hunger Now events, where I was just the person packing the meals,” Konkoski said. “So it was just something I have thought for a few years would be great to try to make happen in a high school.” Stop Hunger Now has a warehouse nearby in Ashburn that covers Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland, and holds meal packing events around the region.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Stop Hunger Now Assistant Program Manager Alex Hart announces 10,000 meals packed— halfway through the day’s work—with a cymbal.

“We had a really good turn out, and they did a really great job,” said Stop Hunger Now Assistant Program Manager Alex Hart. “I have a lot of times where the adults don’t follow directions very well… I don’t think I had a single meal bag messed up or anything like that.” —Renss Greene

loudounnow.com

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Broad Run High School students worked assembly line-style to package 20,000 meals.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Broad Run High School students pour rice into a funnel to fill meal bags.

— Elizabeth K. Hedges, Lovettsville

Nov. 24 – 30, 2016

for this, but one reason is the ballooning amount of weapons in our country. The United States now has a gun ownership rate (both public and private) of 112.6 per 100 people. This is the highest in the world. The rate has doubled since 1968. Great Britain in contrast, has an ownership rate of 6.6 guns per 100 people, and has had no officers killed by gunshot since 2012. Five officers in Great Britain have died from gunfire since 2000 (These statistics are from Wikipedia). Our country needs to address this issue and require background checks before purchasing guns, and licensing

of all gun owners, to reduce the horrible toll gun violence takes on our police officers and innocent civilians. We require all automobiles to be registered and insured, and all drivers to pass tests before they can drive a car. This has not resulted in a “slippery slope” depriving qualified citizens of the privilege of driving a car. Similarly, closing the gun show loophole, and licensing gun owners, will allow citizens to still own guns but will make our country much safer for all citizens and law enforcement personnel.

loudounnow.com

One More Election to Go For Leesburg BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ Although Election Day is past, Leesburg voters can look forward to another council race in 2017. Kelly Burk’s victory in the Nov. 8 mayoral contest will trigger a vacancy on the Town Council as of Jan. 1, 2017, when she will begin her mayoral term. According to Town Attorney Barbara Notar, the council has 90 days from when the council vacancy is created—most likely on or near Dec. 31—to fill Burk’s seat.

next step would involve a potential rezoning application through the Town of Leesburg. A few School Board members last week spoke in support of returning the building back to the African American community. “I think it makes total sense as a School Board to not be custodians of these historic sites. A museum or foundation would do a better job,” Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) said. Thomas, who also serves as the pastor of Holy and Whole Life Changing Ministries International, said the groups’ goal is to make the once-forgotten building once again an educational hub. Similar to the one-room Second Street School in Waterford, that is run by the Waterford Foundation, Thomas and others want the Union Street school to give visiting students a glimpse of what school would have been like for black children at the time. Seeing the building today makes Ashton think of the great teachers he had and the lifelong friendships he made. “It would mean a lot to see it restored,” he said. The long-term plan also includes retrofitting part of the property for a preschool that focuses on STEM (science,

Because Burk’s term does not end that same year, a special election is needed to fill her council term, set to expire Dec. 31, 2018. According to Notar, the council must request the Loudoun County Circuit Court to issue a writ of election and may ask the court to set the election ahead of the November general elections. However, if the council does not make that request, the seat will be on the November ballot. Both Councilwoman Katie Sheldon Hammler, who lost her re-elec-

tion bid, and Gwen Pangle, who also lost in her first council race, have expressed interest in running in the special election. Hammler has also said she is interested in being considered for the interim council appointment in an effort to maintain Leesburg’s position at the Virginia Municipal League, as she is set to become the first representative from the town to serve as VML president. Names you likely won’t see on the special election ballot include Kevin Wright, David Butler, John Hilton,

and Evan Macbeth, the other candidates who were defeated last week. When surveyed by Loudoun Now, all said they either were not interested in running, or at the very least leaning towards sitting out that council race. The council is expected to discuss the process for appointing an interim council member at its Jan. 3, 2017, organizational meeting. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

The building at 20 Union Street in Leesburg served the county’s black students from the early 1880s to 1958. It’s since been used for storage, but the school’s alumni have plans to make it an educational hub once again. Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

technology, education and math) and a program that teaches students how to grow their own food. Thomas noted that the students of that school didn’t have a cafeteria, but were expected to bring, and even grow, their own lunches. The Loudoun Freedom Center also wants to establish a DNA lab at the site to process materials that may be found at the slave cemeteries it is working to protect. Ideally, the building will not sit quiet any longer, Thomas said. “If we can get this space used 24/7, I would love it. I’m looking for it to be a centerpiece in the historic district of Leesburg.”

Two other groups have expressed interest in the building in recent years, according to school system staff. Two years ago, business owners asked about renting the space for an art studio, but deferred their request when they heard about the Douglass Alumni Association’s plans. Then in 2015, Loudoun Cares, an umbrella organization for nonprofits, expressed interest before it settled into space on South King Street. State law does not require the School Board to hold a competitive process to rent or sell the property. Thomas said this would be the first historical site in Loudoun to be run by members of the black community. She

noted that the Waterford Foundation owns and operates the Second Street School and the Loudoun School for the Gifted, a small private school, owns and is restoring the historic Ashburn Colored School. “Until now, there’s not been an organization primarily led by African Americans to preserve these historic resources,” she said. “This is new territory.” Learn more about the effort at loudounfreedomfoundation.com and facebook.com/loudounfreedomfoundation. dnadler@loudounnow.com

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voted down the previous drug court program, which predated her tenure on the Board of Supervisors. “Somebody would get arrested, go to jail, get out, go on probation and violate, and sometimes do that twice before they were sentenced to drug court,” Randall said. “Well, the problem is, it’s supposed to be a deterrent to jail. Once a person’s been to jail once or twice, they realize they can handle jail.” By the time a person wound up in Loudoun’s drug court, Randall said, they were deep in the grip of addiction. “I think one of the most important factors in the drug court issue would be to get to people on the front side of the problem, when they’re more amenable to changing their behavior,” Sheriff Mike Chapman said. He said drug court “doesn’t work all the time, but nothing seems to work all the time. We have to find the right fit.” “Drug court’s hard,” Plowman said. “It’s not an easy program, and the court is managing your life week to week, and some people aren’t ready. You have to get to a certain place in your life where you say, ‘I’m done with drugs, I want to turn my life around, I want to change things.’” But drug court is an expensive program, and it requires unanimous buyin from all the agencies that take part. But Randall says it’s cheaper than jailing addicts. “When we put someone in jail, and we don’t treat them, and then we let them out, one of two things will likely happen,” Randall said. “One, they’ll use again and then die, because their tolerance has decreased while they were in jail. Or two, their addiction will get much worse.” And she said the cost of jailing a person—at least $30,000 a year—doesn’t capture the total cost to the community. “It’s not just the cost of incarceration—it’s the cost of a person who is not working,” Randall said. “They’re not paying taxes, usually there are children who are left behind and those children

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