Loudoun Now For Dec. 28, 2016 by Loudoun Now

LoudounNow LOUDOUN COUNTY’S COMMUNITY-OWNED NEWS SOURCE

[ Vol. 2, No. 8 ]

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Historian Gillespie passes the torch

Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017 ]

2016 In Review

! LE W A O S N N O

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INSIDE

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Team drink: Loudoun Brewers Get Together

The year in photos

News Year’s Rockin’ Eve: LoCo style

Loudoun Leaders Work to Build a Bigger Safety Net SUCIDE PREVENTION

FIGHTING OPIATES

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Parents, Teens Partner to Curb Suicide Surge

Battle Escalates Against Rising Opiate Addiction

Domestic Violence Prompts Calls for Community Action

BY DANIELLE NADLER

BY NORMAN K. STYER

SUICIDE PREVENTION >> 34

FIGHTING OPIATES >> 34

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE >> 34

INDEX Loudoun Gov..................... 4 Leesburg .......................... 8 A Loudoun Moment......... 10 Public Safety .................. 12 Education ....................... 14 Our Towns ...................... 20 Biz ................................. 22 LoCo Living .................... 26 Obituaries ...................... 31 Classifieds ..................... 32 Opinion .......................... 36

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Loudoun rates among the best placThe nation’s opiate epidemic hit When shots rang out in the quiet es to live. Its families, on average, bring Loudoun years ago, but in 2016 the townhouse neighborhood behind the home some of the biggest paychecks county’s law enforcement and political Lansdowne Town Center on Jan. 10 it in the nation. And its schools boast leaders shined a brighter spotlight on was not evident that concerns about graduation rates and SAT scores that the issue. And lives were saved. domestic violence would spur a yearare head and shoulders above state and As the number of heroin overdoses long dialogue. national averages. soared in 2014, Sheriff Mike Chapman In that case, Investigators said Andre But, this year, the county has also had was among the county leaders calling T. Howell, 40, shot and killed his wife to stomach a disturbing statistic. It’s for more attention to the dangers of Naomi, 39, and then took his own life, seen more teen suicides in 2016 than opiates. This year, he provided deputies leaving their two daughters behind. any recent year on record. Loudoun with a new mission—not necessarily to County Chairwoman Phyllis J. RanCounty Public Schools reported four put these drug abusers behind bars, dall (D-At Large), who took office only this year, a big increase in a county that but to keep them alive. Working with a week earlier, knew the couple. “When typically sees one every other year. The a regional task force, he began train- something like this happens, the reLoudoun County sponsibility Sheriff ’s Office reof the comI think sometimes just because we’re all sponded to 34 total munity is not trying to mind our business, we don’t want suicides, of all ages, to judge the to impose or ask questions. this year. family, but to The rise in suicome togethcides, especially among young people, ing deputies to administer naloxone, er and support the survivors and the prompted a community-wide conver- medication that can quickly counter- loved ones,” she said days later. “I say to sation about how to improve the safe- act the symptoms of opiate overdoses. everyone, if you ever think that there ty net to help struggling youth before That initiative launched last December could be something going on, don’t be they make a fatal decision. In the past as a pilot program. In February, two afraid to speak up and ask questions. I year, law enforcement leaders and deputies were credited with adminis- think sometimes just because we’re all mental health professionals have held tering the first treatment to revive an trying to mind our business, we don’t town hall-style meetings and forums, unresponsive overdose victim. By May, want to impose or ask questions.” working to arm parents to promote po- the program had been expanded to inThose sentiments were shared retentially life-saving tips. And, in the clude 160 trained deputies. peatedly throughout the year following Through Dec. 21, the Sheriff ’s Office instances of domestic violence of all spring, the school system’s top psychologists, social workers and coun- reported that deputies successfully ad- types. selors rolled out an emergency out- ministered naloxone on 10 occasions. The next month, a fight between reach effort to every high school after Overall, the agency responded to 81 two half-brothers in Leesburg enda fourth Loudoun student in less than a overdose calls—56 for heroin and 25 ed with a fatal stabbing. The attacker, for other opiates. Sixteen heroin over- Sergio Ramon Zuniga Robles, 34, is year committed suicide. “I’m very worried,” John Lody, di- doses were fatal and one other opiate set to face trial on first-degree murder

13 seek Leesburg Council appointment

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A Community that Cares

New Arcola firehouse ready for design work

3 Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

Sheriff Mike Chapman leads a candlelight vigil in August to remember those who died from drug overdoses. His agency has investigated 17 fatal overdoses so far in 2016.

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A New Board Looks Back on Year One IN REVIEW

Loudoun BY RENSS GREENE

oudoun’s new board didn’t get much of a warm-up. The board—led by the first Democrat to be elected county chairman at-large— took the dais as the county dove into a difficult budget year, began developing a new comprehensive plan, witnessed the arrival of the Silver Line metro extension construction, and wrestled with a long list of development and road projects. While the board has a majority of first-time supervisors, the county also has a lot of relatively fresh faces on staff in key positions—among them, county attorney Leo Rogers, planning and zoning director Ricky Barker, and director of management and budget Erin McClellan, who took over after the retirement of longtime chief financial officer Ben Mays. Mays created the county’s pioneering fiscal impact models and guided the county through years of explosive growth. Board Vice Chairman Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) credited Mays with the county’s flawless credit rating. Those staff members have been crucial in getting the new board up and running, and they play important roles as the county continues its headlong growth into the DC metropolitan area and grapples with how to protect its rural west. It does this work under the direction of County Administrator Tim Hemstreet, who has now worked for three boards—one majority Democrat, one all Republican, and the current, majority Republican board.

A Year of Challenges and Wins The county also has had to negotiate some tricky challenges, from Dominion Virginia Power’s plan to run power lines down Rt. 50 to AT&T’s plans to build a massive building atop Short Hill, to a new Virginia law restricting the use of proffers that threatened to cripple the county’s ability to manage growth. In the case of Dominion’s planned powerlines, the county without fanfare acquired land along the planned route, at the intersection of Rt. 606 and Rt. 50. The county has long planned to build an interchange at that intersec-

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Supervisors Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R-Broad Run), Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling), Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg), and County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) at a Chamber of Commerce event early in their first terms.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Finance committee chairman Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) consults with one of his staff aides, Monica Filyaw, during a break in a late night meeting of the Board of Supervisors.

tion, but the land acquisition helped give supervisors an upper hand in its powerline battle. Dominion can condemn privately-owned land, but not publicly-owned, meaning it would need to get easements from the county. “Given that the interchanges are not designed, I anticipate that the Board of Supervisors will require as a condition of conveyance that Dominion agree to relocate, at its cost, any overhead power lines which are inconsistent with the final design of the interchange,” wrote Planning and Zoning Director Barker in response to a Dominion inquiry. The power utility backed off, and ultimately the State Corporation Commission approved one of the alternate routes endorsed by the county board. Around that same time, the county staff and supervisors were grappling with a permit granted by the Planning Commission which would allow AT&T to build a massive facility atop its underground facility on Short Hill

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Transportation and Land Use Committee Chairwoman Suzanne M. Volpe (R-Algonkian) holds up a statement, unanimously endorsed by the Board of Supervisors, which expresses concern about a Commonwealth Transportation Board decision and which she delivered to the CTB.

Mountain. The board had only 60 days from the commission’s vote to act, or the permit would stand. AT&T maintained throughout that its facility would improve service to Loudoun County, but the county’s own Communications Commission remained skeptical of AT&T’s secretive plans for the building. Facing an up swell of organized opposition, especially from people living nearby in Lovettsville, AT&T requested to withdraw its application only days before the Board of Supervisors was scheduled to vote. Even with the threat of an aboveground facility gone, many of the connections that were made in the communities around Lovettsville remain. But the biggest single blow to the county could have been a law passed in the General Assembly that strictly limits the proffers localities can solicit or accept from developers, and imposes a heavy burden on localities to defend their decisions on proffers if

challenged by a developer. Proffers, in which developers agree to make contributions such as building roads, setting aside a certain number of below-market-cost affordable units, or cash payments into different county funds, are an essential part of how the county has worked to keep up with its own growth, especially as state agencies like the Virginia Department of Transportation are unable to keep up. Loudoun’s attorneys determined that the proffers law, originally written by the Homebuilders Association of Virginia, would cripple the county’s ability to negotiate with developers. But Loudoun legislators worked to get exemptions written into the bill, including one for small area plans around current or future Metro stops. Taking advantage of that exemption, the county has created small area plans around each of its three future Metro COUNTY BOARD >> 6

Replacement Aldie Station Ready for Design Work BY NORMAN K. STYER

nstyer@loudounnow.com

File photo

Work should begin soon to extend Mooreview Parkway from Old Waxpool Road north to Moorefield Station Elementary School.

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istics evolve through interaction and consensus building.” The county has already allocated $14.86 million for the project. The staff anticipates needing another $4 million when construction begins in fiscal year 2018, largely to pay for extensive site development costs and the construction of retaining walls. The Hughes Group is the top ranked bidder from among seven companies that sought the contract.

construction bids once the design is finalized. “This Aldie Fire-Rescue Station is located in a unique historic area where it will be necessary to work directly with several neighborhood community and historic preservationist groups,” the report stated. “Gaining community support for the building desirable aesthetic characteristics is critical to the success of the project. Integrating these building features are difficult to prescribe within the performance standards used in the Design-Build delivery method as these character-

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File photo

County leaders have worked for almost a decade to replace the outdated and undersized Arcola Fire Department building. Those plans are moving forward on adjacent property.

The Board of Supervisors is expected in January to award a $4.38 million contract to William A. Hazel Inc. to build the four-lane road between Croson Lane and Old Ryan Road. The missing link fronts Moorefield Station Elementary School. The county had earmarked $9.7 million for the work, but agreed last January with Atapco Properties to allow the developer of the nearby Westmoore neighborhood to build a portion of the planned improvements on Old Ryan Road. Hazel was contracted by Atapco to do the Old Ryan Road work and its bid to take on the county’s portion was $700,000 below the second lowest bidder for the county contract. Once complete, the road section will improve access to the school, as well as to the Moorefield Community Park and the Silver Line’s Ashburn Station.

5 Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

Finding the land needed to build a new Aldie Fire-Rescue station has been a years-long challenge, but the project isn’t expected to get any easier as it moves to the construction phase. Next month the Board of Supervisors is expected to award a $1.13 million contract to Hughes Group Architects to design the new 18,000-square-foot station that will replace the 1960s structure that is too small to accommodate modern equipment and lacks adequate space to house duty crews. The project has been in the works for nearly a decade, but stalled in the site selection phase. The county first sought to build the new station along Rt. 50 east of the village, but neighborhood opposition and a court battle nixed that location. Last fall, the county purchased three lots around the existing station to assemble a 6.5-acre property. Not only will the project designers be dealing with floodplain and sloping terrain, but also a portion of the property lies within the Aldie Historic and Cultural Conservation District and the station will be subject to architectural review. The staff report presented to the Board of Supervisors’ finance committee last week recommended the project not be conducted under a design-build contract that has become typical for county projects with the goal of saving time and money. Instead, the county would issue a call for

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<< FROM 4 stops, sized to encompass the county’s suburban policy area in the east. This, county staff members expect, will allow the county to continue with business as usual in the part of the county where it matters most.

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The new board’s harmony has not been without hiccups. Supervisors were divided along party lines when resolutions were introduced to recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day—a conversation which Republican supervisors Ralph M. Buona (R-Ashburn) and Suzanne M. Volpe (R-Algonkian) cut short by tabling the motion indefinitely, which the board’s six Republicans agreed to over its three Democrats—and LGBT Pride Month. In the case of LGBT Pride Month, the board ultimately substituted a motion, authored by Supervisor Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R-Broad Run), to create “Love Loudoun Month,” which ducked mentioning the LGBT community and instead says “Loudoun County’s diversity is so rich we could honor a different group of extraordinary citizens each day.” Love Loudoun Month passed narrowly, with five supervisors—Buona, Meyer, Tony R. Buffington Jr. (R-Blue Ridge), Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles), and Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) voting aye; and Randall, Volpe, Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg), and Geary M. Higgins (R-Catoctin) opposed. In the wake of the LGBT Pride Month and Gun Violence Awareness Day controversies, the board also changed its rules of order, requiring both the chairwoman, Randall, and vice chairman Buona to agree to put a resolution on the agenda, giving each effective veto power over ceremonial resolutions. Only Umstattd opposed that rules change. However, on other votes, the board has seldom voted along party lines. Randall and Buona often say they’ve stolen the words from the other’s mouth, and Randall’s catchphrase “I’d like to associate myself with those comments” has become a recurring joke

among board members when they wish to echo another board member’s sentiments.

Looking Ahead But the new board has only begun its four-year term, and finance committee Chairman Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said next year’s budget may bring the first real challenges to board members. “In many ways, the second year’s budget is the one where you really tend to see more of the fracturing,” Letourneau said. “Because in the first year, quite frankly, the new board members don’t really know what they’re doing, and I would absolutely have included myself in that in 2012.” In the second year, he said, new supervisors find their stride and start advocating more aggressively for their causes. “The second year is when board members have started to be in office a little while, they’ve got their own priorities and their own capital projects in mind,” he said. “So that’s going to be a good test.” Letourneau’s finance committee has already begun work on next year’s budget. This board is also still grappling with plans for the Silver Line and an overhaul of its comprehensive plan. Both are massive undertakings, and both will guide the county for decades of expected growth in the east. The comprehensive plan overhaul, which began this year, is expected to take 18 months, and involves a 26-member stakeholder steering committee, a team of consulting firms, and a program of community outreach and listening sessions, as the county tries to decide what kind of county it wants to be. Meanwhile, supervisors continue to try to map out what will be best for development around its three future metro stations, which is expected to be intense. In January, the board will hold the second annual organizational meeting of its term, and changes are expected on the dais. Where those changes go— and where the county’s changes go— only time will tell. rgreene@loudounnow.com

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Tuscarora High School government teacher Wendy Yacoub, the Leesburg District appointee to the comprehensive plan review’s stakeholder steering committee, is working to bring county planning to the people who will be most affected by it—her students. Yacoub wants to include all of the county’s high schoolers in Envision Loudoun, the county’s outreach sessions that will help shape its review of the comprehensive plan. That plan, a collection of long-term planning documents, will guide growth and development in the county on everything from housing to transportation for decades to come. “This is the perfect opportunity to get them interacting with our community, the community they’re hopefully going to be coming back to and being productive adults in,” she said. She says she has the basic idea in mind, but there’s a lot of groundwork to be laid and hoops to jump through. She has to clear the idea of using an advisory period during the school day, which is often used for individualized or mini-lessons for students, through her principal and school administration. She’d like to have a trial run at her school, then expand it to all schools.

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Chabad Celebrates Hanukkah In Leesburg

Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

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Chabad of Northern Virginia hosted its first Menorah lighting in Leesburg on Monday night, lighting the candle for the third night of the Festival of Lights. Leesburg Town Councilman-Elect Ken Reid and Catoctin District Planning Commissioner Eugene Scheel did the honorary lighting, with Erin Rayner from Rep. Barbara Comstock’s (R-VA-10) office also in attendance. The Menorah lighting ceremony was held at Rust Library. The event was organized by Chabad of Northern Virginia and co-director Rabbi Sholom Deitsch and Rabbi Leibel Fajnland led the event. Deitsch remarked that Chabad has been hearing from residents in Leesburg and Loudoun County who wanted more events in the area, so Monday night’s ceremony may be the first of many. In addition to the Menorah lighting, traditional fare such as latkes were served and children attending had the opportunity to press olives in an oil press, to remember the oil that lasted for eight nights. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Council Seats Shuffle; Developing Plans Find Council Backing BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

he year 2016 came in like a lion for the Leesburg Town Council, and 2017 may start in much the same way. The first order of business for the Town Council this year was finding someone to join them on the dais because—for the first time in almost 15 years—longtime mayor Kristen Umstattd was no longer filling the center seat. Umstattd won the election to the Board of Supervisors last fall, meaning that the town needed someone to complete her mayoral term. The council was unable to find at least four votes for any one person until February when it selected one of its own, David Butler, to fill her term. Butler’s appointment meant that the council needed another new member to serve the rest of his council term. Bruce Gemmill was selected for that seat. The selection process for both seats came under criticism, with remarks from council members and residents alike that too much deal-making occurred behind the scenes when it came to who would be picked. It was, after all, an election year. In November’s race, Butler threw his hat in the ring for a full elected term as mayor, as did Vice Mayor Kelly Burk and former Town Council member Kevin Wright. Council members Tom Dunn and Katie Sheldon Hammler were also running for re-election, and were joined in a crowded field of five challengers. Ultimately, Burk and Dunn were victorious in their bids. Also joining them in the New Year will be council newcomer Ron Campbell and former Town Council member and supervisor Ken Reid, who rejoins the council after a one-year hiatus from politics. And in a classic case of history repeating itself, 2017 will open much in the same way as 2016 did—with one empty seat on the council dais needing to be filled. Burk has two years remain-

File Photo

Kelly Burk is congratulated on election night by longtime mayor-turned county supervisor Kristen Umstattd following her victory in the three-way race for the gavel.

IN REVIEW

Leesburg ing on her council term, and a special election will be needed to fill her seat. But, in the meantime, the council must appoint someone to serve on an interim basis until the victor in the special election race is sworn in. It’s a process Mayor-elect Burk hopes to be a lot more transparent than she feels it was earlier this year, and the council now has 13 names to choose from to fill the seat. It is expected to be a major topic of conversation—and a possible vote—at council’s Jan. 9 organizational meeting. Also to be decided is when the coun-

cil wants to hold the special election, meaning 2017 will be, again, an election year in Leesburg. On the development front, the year started out like a lamb, but it ended on a big note. For much of the year, debate centered around the Crescent Parke rezoning application. Developer Hobie Mitchel was hoping to catch lightning in a bottle, fresh off the success of his Crescent Place development off Harrison Street. The mixed-use development he was proposing envisioned an area integrating Olde Izaak Walton Park into a community with residential and non-residential uses, off Rt. 15 and Davis Drive. It was an application that divided the council, and ultimately did not receive the four votes it needed for approval in July. The developer then gave notice he planned to challenge the vote in Circuit Court, noting a motion to deny had never been made, much less passed. Initially it appeared the council, prior to its August recess, would let the denial stand, but that changed in September when Gemmill put a motion forward

and received the votes needed to bring the application back up for debate. The second time was the charm for Mitchel, who received the four votes he needed for his development. It was but one of three major developments approved by the council in the final two months of the year. Joining it was homebuilder Don Knutson’s residential project off South King Street and the W&OD Trail in downtown Leesburg. The 64-multifamily-unit project received the unanimous endorsement of the council, with even those usually reluctant to approve more residential units in town noting that it could be a boon to spurring foot traffic in downtown and creating further success for the many businesses there. Finally, the Leegate mixed-use development, off Battlefield Parkway and Rt. 7, was another close vote and contentious application for the council. It received its approval with a 3-2-1-1 vote in December and will initially bring mostly residential development, with 100,000 square feet of non-residential uses, to a major town intersection. That intersection also drew its own headline at the end of the year, receiving further funding from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority to make the construction of an interchange there possible in the next few years. And while the council certainly had its role to play in development approvals, it was also able to celebrate the success of new business openings. K2M celebrated the opening of its new headquarters in the Oaklawn development, a deal the council had been negotiating for much of 2014. It joins another big commercial tenant, EIT, which announced its move to the Oaklawn area from Sterling last year. Also opening its doors was Lowe’s Home Improvement, near the future Leegate development, and the very-popular B Doughnut celebrated its downtown Leesburg opening in December. krodriguez@loudounnow.com

13 Apply for Leesburg Council Seat BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

election, finishing fourth behind Ken Reid, Ron Campbell, and Tom Dunn. Pangle, too, has expressed interest in running in the special election. Rounding out the list of applicants are Jed Babbin and Oliver Peters, both members of the Diversity Commission; Michael Decker; Sean Duarte; Hugh Forsythe; Rusty Foster, a member of the Commission on Public Art; Jay Greeley; Board of Architectural Review member Edward Kiley; Jeffrey Phillips, a member of the Standing Residential Traffic Committee; Paige Reitz; and Joshua Thiel. The next step in the selection process is for council members to pick their top three from the candidate list. The candidates who receive the most support will be given an opportunity to speak and answer questions from the council at its organizational meeting on Jan. 9. An appointment could be made as early as that meeting. The timing of the special election is another big decision that awaits this council in the New Year. The council must petition the Circuit Court for a writ of election. Council members may request a special election ahead of November’s general election, but doing so will come at a cost. General Registrar Judy Brown estimates that holding a special election at a date other than November’s general election will cost the town upwards of $30,000.

Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017 LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

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A baker’s dozen of town residents have applied to be Leesburg’s next Town Council member, at least for a little bit. Mayor-elect Kelly Burk’s victory in November means that someone will need to fill the remaining two years of her council term, set to expire Dec. 31, 2018. A special election will be held to fill her seat, most likely in November. However, council members must appoint someone to serve on an interim basis until then. They have 90 days from the date the council vacancy is created to do so. That clock likely starts on or near Dec. 31, as Burk will resign her council seat by that date to begin her post as mayor Jan. 1, 2017. Headlining the list of candidates is Katie Sheldon Hammler, whose council term will expire at year’s end. Hammler was unsuccessful in her November re-election bid, but is hoping to extend her council term and to retain Leesburg’s leadership seat at the Virginia Municipal League. Hammler is the president-elect of the VML and set to move to the top spot in the organization next year; she would be the first representative in the town’s history. However, if she is not appointed to the interim seat, a representative from another municipality will take her place. Hammler has also said she plans to run in the special election. Other applicants include Gwen Pangle, who also ran in November’s

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Another Big Year for Loudoun Breweries BY RENSS GREENE Loudoun’s famously booming brewery scene had another banner year in 2016. The Alcoholic Beverages Commission reports 21 businesses operating brewery licenses in the county, ranging from well-established local favorites like Lost Rhino to relative newcomers like Dog Money, and more are on the way. Twinpanzee Brewing Company in Sterling filed its application with the county Department of Planning and Zoning earlier this month. The county’s Department of Economic Development snatched Antonio and Maha Maradiaga’s planned brewery from Fairfax as their plans came up against bureaucratic headaches there. The family now has plans for a location in Sterling. Meanwhile, B Chord Brewery continues its battle to open in western

IN REVIEW

Breweries Loudoun. Owner Marty Dougherty faced stiff opposition to his plans for a farm brewery on Foggy Bottom Road in Bluemont, and earlier this year the Virginia Alcoholic Beverages Commission overturned a hearing officer’s recommendation, striking down B Chord’s license in that location. Now, B Chord has moved across Rt. 7 to Williams Gap Road, and many of the same objectors from Bluemont

have followed it. Dougherty argued his case before an ABC hearing officer in October and is still awaiting a decision. Meanwhile, Black Hoof on King Street in Leesburg and Solace Brewing Company in Dulles are under construction. A number of breweries have opened this year—including Dog Money Restaurant and Brewery and Black Walnut Brewery in Leesburg and Jacks Run Brewery in Purcellville. Black Walnut was met with such an enthusiastic reception that after its opening day, it had to shut back down for several weeks to brew more beer. And even more breweries celebrated their first anniversary this year, including Quattro Goombas Brewery in Aldie, Dirt Farm Brewing in Bluemont, Lost Rhino Retreat in Brambleton, and Loudoun Brewing Company in Leesburg. One of Loudoun’s oldest

farm breweries, Barnhouse Brewery, expanded into a new space just north of Leesburg after quietly ticking along for years. Vanish near Lucketts will celebrate its one-year anniversary in January, and Jonathan Staples’ tasting room at Black Hops Farm arrived with a splash. The farm is partnering with Michigan-based Pilot Malt House to bring Virginia’s first dedicated malting operation to Loudoun, and renowned chef Bryan Voltaggio has designed the tasting room’s menu. And Loudoun breweries made a strong showing at the annual Virginia Craft Brewers Guild awards program. Lost Rhino Brewing Company, Dirt Farm Brewery and Old Ox Brewery each won first place awards. Corcoran Brewing Co., Beltway Brewing Company, and Old 690 Brewery Company also took home medals. rgreene@loudounnow.com

Loudoun Brewers Gather for Second Collaboration Beer BY RENSS GREENE Loudoun enjoys remarkable collaboration among its breweries—a tightknit, entrepreneurial crowd. More than a dozen brewers gathered last week at Beltway Brewing Company to begin this year’s collaborative brew, a milk stout on which each brewer will then put their own spin.

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Brewers from breweries all across the county gather at Beltway Brewing Company for the first steps of brewing a milk stout. Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Wes Schoeb from Dirt Farm Brewing looks over Beltway Brewing Company’s equipment.

The beer, Loudoun’s second collaboration beer, has been brewed and is fermenting in tanks at Beltway Brewing Company in Sterling. Over the next two weeks, breweries from around the area will sign contracts and get through regulatory hurdles to receive and put their own spin on that beer. Patrick Steffens, owner at Loudoun Brewing Company in Leesburg, said he’s already got ideas. “I really need to canvass the other breweries to see what they’re doing, because if we don’t talk about it, then, like, everybody will come back with a coffee stout,” Steffens joked. For his part, Steffens is considering using coconut for a chocolate coconut milk stout, or a chai tea pumpkin pie spice blend. Loudoun Brewing Company just

missed opening in time to take part in last year’s collaborative brew. “We had gotten our license I think a week after that beer was brewed, so we missed that one, so I was very eager to get in on this one,” Steffens said. “It’s fun being able to be part of a collaboration with all the breweries.” Jonathan Staples hosted a Christmas ball for breweries at Vanish, the tasting room at Black Hops Farm, before Christmas. He also expects to take part in the collaboration brew. “I think it’s another example of things people are doing to say that we’re working to keep elevating Loudoun beer and the quality of what people do, and the excitement of the whole county,” Staples said. “As opposed to saying, ‘oh, come to my one place, and if you go back to D.C. that’s fine.’” rgreene@Loudounnow.com

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Thomas Vaudin from Lost Rhino helps stir the mash.

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A Loudoun County woman is facing more than 100 charges of cruelty and neglect after animal control officers found inadequate living conditions for livestock and pets on a property south of Leesburg. The investigation began after the Sheriff ’s Office was called to the property to investigate an unsecured residence. Animal control officers were called and executed a general search warrant. On Dec. 14, Kaitlin L. Leger, 29, surrendered legal ownership of 96 chickens, two dogs, three rabbits, two geese, five ducks and four pot belly pigs to the Department of Animal Services. Last Tuesday, the department Leger issued an arrest warrant and Leger turned herself in to authorities. She has been released on bond. She is scheduled to appear in Loudoun General District Court on Jan. 25. Leger faces two dozen counts of cruelty to animals. The Class 1 misdemeanor carries a punishment of up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. She also faces nearly 90 counts of inadequate care of animals, a Class 4 misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $250.

Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

Woman Charged with Animal Cruelty

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[ SCHOOL NOTES ] Loudoun Recognized for Increasing AP Participation

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Board, a community information meeting hosted by the schools, and a public hearing before the Planning Commission. The county is also preparing to advance the schools $3.5 million to fasttrack construction of HS-9, following a recommendation from the board’s finance committee at its Dec. 13 meeting, committee Chairman Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said. The high school was originally slated to open in 2021, but the Dulles South schools are severely overcrowded. Even with HS-9 opening in 2020, the School Board has had to get creative to find enough seats for middle and high school students until then. Earlier this month, the board voted to operate the middle school (MS-7), set to open in 2018, as an intermediate school, housing grades eight and nine, while sixth and seventh graders attend Mercer Middle School, and 10th through 12th graders attend John Champe High School. Accelerating HS-9 to open in 2020 will mean the intermediate school option will be used for two years instead of three. dnadler@loudounnow.com

SCHOOL NOTES >> 13

said they don’t think the temporary lights that are wheeled out to the fields are safe. The lights are used by private clubs that rent the fields. “They are not even close to having enough illumination to keep athletes safe,” said School Board member Jeff Morse (Dulles), who chairs the facilities and finance committee, which is recommending the lights not be allowed. He gave the example of youth playing in low light with a fast-traveling lacrosse. The School Board will have an item on its Jan. 9 consent agenda that directs board Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) to write a letter to the

county stating that portable lights are prohibited on the fields. The Board of Supervisors is expected to adopt a similar motion to direct County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) to write a similar letter. Morse said county staff members and supervisors are in agreement that the portable lights should not be allowed. The discussion on how to extend playing time on the fields comes in the middle of a debate between the supervisors and School Board members over how to fund artificial turf fields at the four remaining high schools that still have only natural

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

The county and school system plan to jointly acquire 151.5 acres at 25077 Lightridge Farm Road, then divvy it up for a new high school, new elementary school, and possibly a new public park.

County Gov’t, Schools Will Share 151-Acre Property BY DANIELLE NADLER

n an unusual move, the county government and school system will together purchase 151.5 acres to be the home of Loudoun’s next high school and, possibly, next public park. After a couple of closed session meetings in recent weeks, the School Board and the Board of Supervisors have agreed to serve as co-tenants of the Hovatter Farms property. It sits just south of Braddock Road near the Willowsford community, at 25077 Lightridge Farm Road. The memorandum of understanding, reviewed by county and school board attorneys and signed by school board Chairman Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) and Loudoun County Administrator Tim Hemstreet, sets the two on track to close on the property by June 30, 2017. The School Board will pay $1.55 million, with the county picking up the remaining $8.45 million of the $10 million price tag. The county will put down the deposit on the property from its share of the price. The property is assessed at $4 million in the county’s tax records. Once the purchase is complete, the

County Leaders to Nix Portable Field Lights Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

property will be split, with the school system receiving enough land for the high school (HS-9) and an elementary school, and the county government taking control of roughly 30 acres to build a park or some other public facility. Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said the agreement was an opportunity for the schools and county to work together to provide much-needed schools and amenities to residents in the fast-growing, southern end of the county. “This is a little bit of a unique situation in that the schools came to the Board of Supervisors with a parcel that is much larger than what they need to build a high school. We discussed adding an elementary school, but there’s still in the neighborhood of 30 acres remaining,” he said. “Certainly, we’re always looking for opportunities to acquire land to build athletic fields, and this parcel may afford us that opportunity, or some other county use.” Approximately 30 acres of the property will be set aside for county use. The schools will have to apply for a commission permit, which will involve public comment, a joint briefing of the Board of Supervisors and School

Loudoun County is one of five Virginia school divisions to earn a spot on the AP District Honor Roll. The seventh annual honor roll was recently announced by the College Board, the nonprofit organization that administers the Advanced Placement program. It recognizes school districts that increase students’ participation in AP courses while maintaining or increasing the number of students earning scores of three or higher on AP tests. AP scores of three or higher are generally accepted as proof of college-level achievement. The overall AP pass rate for Loudoun County Public Schools improved from 67 percent during the 2014-15 academic year to 69 percent for 2015-16. The AP pass rate increased as LCPS increased the number of AP tests taken from 13,982 in 2014-15 to 15,076 in 2015-16. Loudoun County previously earned the honor roll designation in 2011. Other Virginia school systems to make this year’s AP District Honor Roll are Middlesex, Rockbridge, Rockingham and Southampton counties. “I congratulate the superintendents, principals and teachers in these five divisions for their commitment to challenging all students—regardless of background—and for their success in preparing students for these rigorous courses and assessments,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Steven R. Staples stated. Inclusion on this year’s honor roll is based on AP data from 2013-2014, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016. To earn a place on the honor roll, school districts must increase participation in AP courses by at least 4 percent, increase or maintain the percentage of exams taken by under-represented minority students, and increase or maintain the percentage of students scoring a three or higher on at least one AP exam.

BY DANIELLE NADLER School and county leaders are planning to put the kibosh on private sports clubs’ use of portable lights on public fields. Staff from both the school system and the county’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, which share use of the fields,

grass fields. At the heart of the argument is disagreement over whether to continue installing fields with crumb rubber infill, which has some worried it can harm young athletes’ health, or whether to switch to an alternative material. “We are well aware of the field shortage in Loudoun County,” Morse said at the Dec. 13 School Board meeting. “And some of the things we’re doing to bring more fields on line is to go to 12-month artificial turf fields and provide lighted fields also will help mitigate the shortage. But for right now the important thing is to make sure the kids are safe.”

[ SCHOOL NOTES ] All told, 433 school districts in the U.S. and Canada earned places on this year’s AP District Honor Roll. Virginia has the sixth-highest percentage of public high school seniors qualifying for college credit on AP examinations.

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An Eagle Ridge Middle School student was named the grand prize winner in the Future Engineers “Star Trek” Challenge. The contest, sponsored by NASA and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Foundation, challenged the

students to design a printable object that astronauts can take with them on a trip to Mars in 2050. Sreyash Sola proposed the Astro Martian Mini Farm. The Mini Farm would allow astronauts to grow food on Mars, despite the fact that the Martian atmosphere is 1,000 times thinner than Earth’s. Sreyash will travel to New York to tour the Space Shuttle Enterprise with a former astronaut and visit the headquarters of MakerBot, a company that produces 3D printers. Eagle Ridge Middle School will receive a 3D printer, thanks to Sreyash’s big win, and Sreyash will receive a pancake printer called the PancakeBot.

13 Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

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DMV Office Re-opens There will be a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the re-opening of the DMV Select Office on Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 1 p.m. The service is returning to the Loudoun Regional Transit office at 109 North Bailey Lane after a year-long closure. Services offered will be vehicle-related transactions, including vehicle titling and registration, obtaining a new license plate or getting a disabled placard or permit. Hours will be 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Those needing driver-related transactions, such as driver’s license renewals, can do so at the full DMV Customer Service Centers in Sterling or Leesburg.

Mayor on State of the Town Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Holiday cabin fever sent Christiane Meister and her son James of Morrisonville for a horseback ride in their pajamas on Purcellville Road the day after Christmas.

New Council Wrestles with Annexation Pressure BY MARGARET MORTON

he movement to slow growth in Purcellville gained significant traction during 2016, boosted in May elections that delivered a second term for Mayor Kwasi Fraser and a slate of council candidates opposed to annexations and increased development. Following a growth spurt that almost quadrupled the town’s population during the late 1990s and early 2000s, the growth rate slowed with little land available for development. “There was very little growth—because there wasn’t much property left in town to develop and in the early 2000s the recession hit, and lasted for six or seven years. That resulted in very little development—apart from the Toll Brothers townhouses on North 21st Street,” Town Manager Robert W. Lohr said. The biggest project under development, the Mayfair subdivision with 260 lots, was originally approved in the 1990s and moved forward after an agreement to have the town annex the property. There remains the 10-acre Ball property on the west end of town and less than 20 house lots in town to be developed, Lohr said. The town’s new development pressures come from around its border. So far, the Town Council has worked to keep those doors closed, rejecting developers’ requests for annexations. Bradford Kline’s plans for the 50-acre Purcellville Crossroads mixed use development along the Rt. 7 Bypass and adjacent Wright’s Farm were rejected. Although the previous Town Council agreed to consider Kline’s annexation in a tight 5-4 vote, the application languished and was finally rejected

IN REVIEW

Purcellville unanimously by the new council in early November. Kline now says he will pursue by-right uses to develop the property in the county. Another annexation request is working its way through the review process. The proposal for the 131-acre Warner Brook property was made in late 2015 and envisions a development with residential, recreational, commercial and light industrial uses on the town’s northern edge. During a community planning workshop held by the Warner family, support emerged for residential development of the property. Wright’s Farm residents negotiated with the family for a residential buffer, but the Warner family hopes the 22-acre indoor/outdoor sports area will provide needed practice and tournament venues. The application also designates 22 acres for light industrial uses and 12 acres for mixed commercial, including a small town center. The town is awaiting the presentation of fiscal analysis of the project. Several other property owners are eying annexation. Harmony Meadows LLC, owner of a 16-acre property on the south side of Colonial Highway east of town, in November asked the town to consider a boundary line adjustment to bring the property into town. Harmony Mead-

ows was approved for five residential lots in 2007, but the owners are seeking a different development scheme. The council told the applicant to come with specific plans and to assess the public’s opinion on its request. Golden Eagle Development owns 67 acres on A Street and is expected to explore annexation.

Where Will It End? Following May’s election, those requests face an uphill battle. Fraser is among the council members questioning the merits of expanding the town boundaries. “Where will it end,” the mayor asked during one council meeting before the election, suggesting the town could be asked to annex land from Hamilton to Round Hill. During public input sessions on the effort to update the Town Plan, residents—both in-town and out-oftown—made it clear they like Purcellville the way the town is. They set the preservation of the small-town charm and character as a top priority, although some showed support for measured growth. However, town residents and the Town Council also are worried about high, and increasing, water and sewer bills. Under the current structure, rates will increase annually to cover debt service and operating costs. One way to head off those increases is to add users to the utility system—approving more development. In sessions with its utility rate setting advisor, Municipal & Financial Services group, and its financial consultant, Davenport and Co. LLC, in the fall, council members asked both groups for out-of-the-box suggestions PURCELLVILLE IN REVIEW >> 16

Purcellville Mayor Kwasi Fraser will give two presentations of his 2017 State of the Town address. The first will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4, in the Council Chamber. The mayor encouraged the public to attend. The speech will be published on the purcellvilleva.gov website the following day. The mayor also will present the address to the Purcellville Business Association at its lunchtime meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the Loudoun Golf and Country Club.

Behind the Badge Event Set Jan. 11 Purcellville Police Chief Cynthia McAlister is hopeful that the interest stirred during the first, Nov. 10, meeting of the department’s Citizens Advisory Committee in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall will continue in the new year, when a second interactive department-community meeting is scheduled from 7-9 p.m. on Jan. 11. The speaker will be Police Officer Barry Dufek, who will speak on the importance of hiring highly qualified officers, as well as what it takes to be a law enforcement officer. Members of the public are invited to bring along friends and neighbors as well as anyone they think would make a good police officer. McAlister is hoping for a good turnout. “I do see some interest. My hope is as we push it out and have someone coming in to speak, it will bring more people in. Our goal is to reach out to the community, to see behind the badge, to see how we operate,” McAlister said. TOWN BRIEFS >> 16

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<< FROM 14 McAlister said she has spoken with the principals of Loudoun Valley High and Woodgrove High schools—Sue Ross and Sam Shipp, respectively, regarding high school student involvement. She also plans to approach community homeowners associations and the Purcellville Business Association.

Lovettsville Light Up Lovettsville Winners Christmas may be over, but the lights

IN REVIEW

Purcellville << FROM 14 as to how the town could avoid rate hikes without opening more land for development. The advisors are scheduled to return to council in January and February.

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are still up and winners of the annual Light Up Lovettsville Contest were announced just before the holiday. The Sanbower family at 6 S. Loudoun St. walked away with awards for Best in Show and Most Traditional display. The Dockum family, at 9 S. Loudoun took the award for the Best Theme, the Bradley family at 8 Daniel Keys Lane won the coveted Most Outrageous award. The Business with the Most Holiday spirit award went once more to Minuteman Arms, at 2 N. Berlin Pike, while families on the Eisentown Loop area of Eisentown Drive again walked away with the Best Street in Town award.

Although one of the utility experts warned it was “naïve” to expect that raising the utility rates could be avoided, the council is exploring other avenues by which it could boost its Utility Fund. This month, the council settled on the sale of Mary’s House of Hope to Good Shepherd Alliance for $300,000 and approved a near five–year lease arrangement of the town’s old maintenance facility on South 20th Street with Makersmiths for a total of $99,000. The council also is looking at timbering at the 1,300-acre J.T. Hirst Reservoir and ways to increase revenue from Bush Tabernacle/Fireman’s Field and other town-owned properties. Whether those measures can close the gap so the town does not have to regularly raise the utility rates is still an open question.

17 Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017 Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock celebrates with her husband Elwyn after winning re-election Nov. 8.

Purple Loudoun Leaned Blue in 2016 IN REVIEW

Politics Briar Woods High School in August and another just one day before the election at the Loudoun Fairgrounds.

After thousands waited for more than six hours for the candidate to arrive, Trump predicted an election victory. “We are going to have one of the great victories of all time,” Trump told the crowd. “We are one day away from the change you’ve be waiting for your entire life.” On Nov. 8, Clinton won Loudoun with 54.8 percent of the vote, while Trump got 38 percent. Although only 212,000 votes statewide separated the nominees, the margin of victory was enough to help the Democrat take Virginia’s 13 electoral votes and to keep alive Loudoun’s five-decades-old streak supporting the state’s winning

candidate. The most hotly contested race on November’s ballot was that for the 10th District Congressional seat. Two years ago, Republican Barbara Comstock easily won election to succeed Frank Wolf, who retired after representing the district since 1980. Both political parties targeted the Northern Virginia district in their bids to make gains in the House of Representatives. Democrat LuAnn Bennett, making her first bid for public office, almost pulled out a win. She edged out Comstock in Loudoun by 165 votes, but lost districtwide—47 percent to 53 percent.

Loudoun County voters continued to serve as Virginia’s bellwether in presidential elections. Four presidential candidates held campaign rallies in Loudoun, hoping to swing the commonwealth to their side. Republican Ben Carson was the first, holding a rally at Park View High School last year, followed by Marco Rubio, who stumped in Purcellville in March. Both dropped out of the GOP nomination contest. Next up was Democrat Hillary Clinton, who stopped in for a coffeehouse chat in Stone Ridge in May. Donald J. Trump held two Loudoun rallies after winning the Republican nomination—one at

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Donald J. Trump addressed the crowd at an August campaign rally in Ashburn.

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IN REVIEW

IMAGES

The Year in Review through the lens of Douglas Graham

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spring Above, the Pickwick Players cast of “My Fair Lady’ rehearses. Below, the 50th running of the Oatlands Point-toPoint drew large crowds. Bottom, the county animal shelter helped find homes for pets rescued from overcrowded shelters in Louisiana and West Virginia.

winter

Above, a late January blizzard, dubbed Winter Storm Jonas, buried Loudoun in three feet of snow. Below, following the storm, the Lincoln community rallied to help David Lohmann after the snow destroyed greenhouses at Abernethy and Spencer.

summer

19 Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017 LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

fall Top, harvest time at Fabbioli Cellars paid off big this year as founder Doug Fabbioli was named Loudoun’s Winemaker of the Year and his 2013 Cabernet Franc Reserve won the Chairman’s Grand Award as the top-scoring wine in the Loudoun Wine Awards. Above, a crowd gathered in a Waterford field in October to witness the release of a great horned owl that had been found injured in April. Inset, vandalism at the former Ashburn Colored School in October spurred an outpouring of community support and a long list of volunteers to help make repairs. Below, as with the nation at-large, the presidential campaigns spurred racial and religious tensions in Loudoun. In November, local voters backed Democrat Hillary Clinton over Republican Donald J. Trump, 55 percent to 38 percent.

Top, more than 5,000 students graduated from Loudoun’s public high schools in June. Above, the best way to view the Leesburg Independence Day Parade. Below, Dirt Farm Brewery near Bluemont celebrated its first year of operation, offering a tasty view that never disappoints. Bottom left, Lavern Paige, class of ’61 gives Herbert Randolph, class of ‘59 a hug during Douglass High School ‘s 75th anniversary celebration in August. Bottom right, the Purcellville Cannons brought summer baseball to Fireman’s Field, with the college players racking up a 19-23 record.

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[ BIZ ]

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IN REVIEW

BIZ

File Photo

Completion of the Silver Line extension to Ashburn in 2018 is expected to bring new economic development opportunities to Loudoun.

Business Picked Up in 2016

he Loudoun County Department of Economic Development saw its best year ever in fiscal year 2016, reporting $2.3 billion in investment—the most of any county in Virginia, and double the previous year’s total, which was a record high at that time. The largest projects of the year were data centers under development by CyrusOne, Equinix and Digital Realty. Other major construction projects during 2016 included the $275 million expansion of Inova Loudoun Hospital in Lansdowne, a major addition to the Ashby Ponds retirement community, and work on the school district’s Acad-

emies of Loudoun campus south of Leesburg. In the commercial sector, flex-industrial projects set the pace, with more than 1.4 million square feet of new construction permitted during the first 11 months of the year. Office, industrial and retail construction slowed compared with 2015. Only 62,000 square feet of new retail construction was permitted, down from 307,000 square feet during the same period last year. The county’s other major economic indicators all showed an improving trend. Commercial vacancy rates were down in every category, with office falling from 14.4 percent to 12.4 percent and the retail vacancy rate down to 3.8

percent, compared to 4.2 last year. Hotel revenues are up almost 9 percent, to $142.5 million during the first 11 months of the year. Retail sales were up 7 percent, to $5.34 billion. Traffic at Dulles Airport—both passenger and cargo—increased over 2015 totals. The county’s unemployment held steady at 3.4 percent. The Department of Economic Development has been promoting the county with a Loudoun Possible-themed campaign aimed at attracting a diverse range of business prospects. In addition to increasing its international marketing reach, the department is gearing up to leverage the opportunities that will follow Metro’s Silver Line

extension to Ashburn. The agency even moved its offices at Loudoun Station, along the rail line, to better show off the kind of mixed-use development near Metro stations the county sees for its future. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to maximize our rail stations, so that has been an important part of our strategy and will probably be our number one priority going forward.” DED Director Buddy Rizer said during a review of FY 2016 achievements. “And, listen, we’re like any good business. We are constantly evaluating and reassessing our strategy and adjusting as necessary.”

[ BUSINESS BRIEFS ] Unanet Plans Larger Loudoun Operations Center Web software pioneer Unanet is expanding its Loudoun County operation, planning a $7.3 million move from Dulles to a 24,000-square-foot office in the Loudoun Gateway office park in Sterling. The company expects to add 100 more employees during the next few years. The Board of Supervisors offered Unanet an incentive package worth $125,000, including permit fee waivers and cash. Under the county’s policy for cash incentives, projects are expected to generate an equivalent amount in direct tax revenue within three years.

Unanet develops custom ERP software to help more than 1,000 professional services organizations manage projects, people and financials in one integrated system. All the company’s software development and technical support is performed at the Loudoun headquarters. The company was founded in 1988 by CEO Fran Craig and moved to Loudoun in 2003. The company serves more than 1,000 organizations nationwide, including government contractors located in the nation’s capital area. “We’re proud of our Loudoun roots, and are excited to continue our strong relationship with the county,” Craig stated. “We worked with the Loudoun

County Department of Economic Development throughout the process and they have helped us every step of the way. A key goal in founding Unanet was to create quality careers and opportunity for employees. We are delighted to be headquartered here, and to locate all of our software development in Loudoun County.”

CyrusOne Begins Work at Kincora Site CyrusOne has broken ground on a 654,000-square-foot data center in Sterling, its fifth in Virginia and third in Loudoun County. Earlier this year, the company ac-

quired the 40-acre site along Rt. 28 from the developers of the Kincora project. The project is expected to bring as much as $1 billion in new investments to Loudoun. “Our rapid expansion in Northern Virginia is indicative of the growing need for our hyper-speed and hyper-scalable data center solutions,” CTO Kevin Timmons stated. “We pride ourselves on building large scale data centers at record speeds and look forward to expanding our services quickly while also continuing to make major investments in Loudoun County.” BUSINESS BRIEFS >> 21

Dulles’ $50M, Two-Year Boost

[ BUSINESS BRIEFS ] << FROM 20

DryHome Again Donates Free Roof

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Blake B. Showalter, the director of marketing and operations for Middleburg Real Estate/Atoka Properties was given the Most Valuable Player award during the company’s holiday party at Historic Whitehall Manor Estate in Bluemont. “Middleburg Real Estate/Atoka Properties is fortunate to have a team of hard working agents and staff who excel each day providing value to our clients. We are incredibly proud and happy to celebrate them and their accomplishments,” managing partner Daniel M. Kaseman stated. Other top award winners were: Most Improved Agent: Jane D. Hensley, Middleburg office and John B. Constant, Purcellville office. Founder’s Award (over $10M) Rockford L. Westfall, Purcellville office; Ryan & Megan Clegg, Leesburg office; Joy Thompson, Purcellville office; and Marcy Cantatore, Purcellville office. President’s Award (over $5M) Jane Hensley, Middleburg office; Zimmerman & Farrell, Middleburg office; Kimberly J. Hurst, Middleburg office; and McIntosh and Eldredge, Middleburg office; Middleburg Real Estate was founded in 1939 and joined forces with Atoka Properties in 2010. This year, the company opened a new office in Ashburn’s Goose Creek Village Retail Center.

DryHome Roofing and Siding in Sterling selected a single mother in Vienna as the winner of this year’s Free Roof for the Holidays. It is the 13th year that the company has offered to brighten the lives of an area family by replacing an aging or damaged roof. This year’s recipient is Shari Ashley Blackburn, a recently divorced mother of three living in a 46-year-old townhouse. The roof was last replaced 27 years ago. “What makes this unique is that I’ve known Shari since elementary school, and she was one of DryHome’s first customers, so her nomination and hardship came as a surprise,” said DryHome President Steve Gotschi. “She is a good, caring person. We hope that the new roof eases her burden and makes her holiday brighter.” Blackburn was nominated by numerous friends and family members. She works as a property manager. “I’m in shock. It’s hard to wrap my head around receiving this gift,” she said. “A new roof takes one big thing off my growing list of repairs. It also means a lot that my childhood friend Steve put my first roof on and will do so again. I’m extremely grateful to DryHome and the friends who nominated me.”

Showalter Named Atoka’s MVP

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

A photographer organizes United Airlines employees at Dulles Airport for a group shot in front of a United Airlines Boeing 767.

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

another runway and another terminal down the road. In May, United Airlines, the last major airline to operate a hub at Dulles, celebrated 30 years of operations, and in September the airline extended its lease through 2024. United established its hub operation at Dulles in 1986, and its previous lease was set to expire in 2017. The airport also signed a sister airport agreement with Beijing Capital International Airport in May, and in November saw county supervisors back away from a plan that would have allowed housing inside the noise impact zone around the airport near a future Metro stop.

Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

Dulles International Airport, the region’s international economic hub and one of Loudoun’s largest employers, got a little extra wind under its wings with a $50 million boost over two years from the state budget. Governor Terry McAuliffe, in proposing the funding, said the money will help Dulles push down ticket prices as it struggles to compete with other major airports, including its sister airport Reagan National. Airport and local officials hope the money will help push down the cost to airlines—and therefore to airline customers—as Dulles works to modernize, paying down debt service on major expansions, opening a Metro stop by the main terminal, and planning for

[ LOCO LIVING ]

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BLUES BUCKETS

SHANE GAMBLE

PATRICK GREEN

PAT MCGEE

Courtesy of Patrick Green and the Blues Buckets

Courtesy of Shane Gamble

Courtesy of Patrick Green and the Blues Buckets

Courtesy of Pat McGee

On New Year’s Eve It’s All About the Music

he past few years have put Loudoun on the map as a destination for some of the DMV’s best music. And great tunes appear to be the theme this New Year’s Eve, with some stellar regional acts gracing local stages Saturday night. Here are a few of Loudoun Now’s picks for a rocking send-off to 2016:

Patrick Green and The Blues Buckets at Smokehouse Live Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

BY JAN MERCKER

If dancing the night away is high on your agenda, check out Smokehouse Live’s New Year’s Eve show for a high energy evening of blues/funk/rock from up-and-comers Patrick Green and the Blues Buckets. “The prime directive of our band is to make sure the butts don’t stop wiggling,” Green said. “We love people dancing, we love people singing with us. We’re a straight up fun, old school, rock and roll/ soul band. That’s the only way to really describe it.”

Green, the band’s 28-year-old front man, got the blues bug from listening to greats like B.B. King, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Albert King, Muddy Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Green’s father, Henley “Doc” Smythe, was another key influence and a member of the band until his death from cancer earlier this year. The Fredericksburg-based group includes new bass player Paul Frields and drummer Keith Dietrich, whose hard rock influences give the band oldschool rock flair. The Buckets have become a Smokehouse regular, and over the summer started making plans with

the venue’s management for this New Year’s Eve performance. Fans can expect covers but also plenty of originals: the Buckets’ album “Out Too Late” was released this summer, and the LoCo music crowd’s openness to original music makes this a favorite with Green and his band mates. “Smokehouse is probably one of our favorite venues to play. Leesburg is such an amazing town and the people in Leesburg are so receptive to new music,” Green said. “If you want an eclectic, fun, funky different new year’s party, this is the one to come to. Smokehouse Live’s New Year’s Eve

show with Patrick Green and The Blues Buckets happens from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Tickets are $20 and include a midnight toast and breakfast buffet. Go to smokehouse-live.com for more information.

Pat McGee Band at Tally Ho Theatre Pat McGee is well known for his annual New Year’s Eve shows around the region. This year, Leesburg’s Tally Ho NYE MUSIC >> 25

23 Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

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[ THINGS TO DO ] NEW YEAR'S EVE FRANKLIN PARK FAMILY NEW YEAR’S EVE Saturday, Dec. 31, 7-9 pm.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.com Ring in the New Year with a family-oriented celebration featuring entertainment by Fizzical Fairy Tales and Magic by Ryan, party favors for everyone, refreshments and crafts. Tickets are $10 each or $35 per family of four or more. Call 540-338-7973 to reserve a spot.

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT ATLANTIS Saturday, Dec. 31, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.; Atlantis, 45449 Severn Way, Suite 169, Sterling. Details: thestudiova.com Eastern Loudoun’s newest performance venue celebrates 2017 with two DJs playing great R&B and southern soul tunes for dancing, a midnight toast, hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Tickets are $40 in advance.

BOLLYWOOD NEW YEAR’S EVE Saturday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m.-2 a.m.; Holiday Inn, 45425 Holiday Drive, Sterling. Details: movidaentertainment.com Event includes a DJ, Bollywood dance show, dancing, buffet and children’s entertainment. Tickets are $89 per person, $175 per couple and $45 per child.

NEW YEAR DETOX Tuesday, Jan. 3, 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Integrative Functional Medicine Center, 116-Q Edwards Ferry Road NE, Leesburg. Details: fivestoneswellness.com After all the celebrating, give your body’s natural detoxification systems a boost with this seven-day detox program. Lara Lattman guides participants through a week-long cleanse. $124 admission includes the workshop and detox supplements.

LANSDOWNE RESORT’S NEW YEAR’S EVE

Lansdowne’s all inclusive celebration features dinner for two at the Riverside Hearth, live music from the energetic Marquise band starting at 9 p.m., along with an open bar, party favors, balloon drop and midnight toast and snacks. All tickets include an overnight stay. Tickets are $579 per couple, including room.

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT CAPTAIN MAS Saturday, Dec. 31, 9 p.m.; Captain Mas, 46303 McClellan Way, Sterling. Details: captainmas.com

PAT MCGEE’S NEW YEAR’S EVE BASH

Ring in the New Year with regional favorite Pat McGee playing his beloved originals along with special covers for the big night. Tickets are $59 in advance, $70 at the door for this black tie optional event.

PARALLEL WINE BISTRO’S NEW YEAR’S EVE Saturday, Dec. 31. Parallel Wine Bistro, 43135 Broadlands Center Plaza Suite 121, Broadlands. Details: parallelwinebistro.com Celebrate with country favorite Shane Gamble and great food and drinks. Tickets are $150 and include food, wine, beer and select cocktails.

SMOKEHOUSE LIVE’S NEW YEAR’S EVE Saturday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com Get ready to dance in 2017 with blues up-and-comer Patrick Green and the Blues Buckets. Tickets are $20 and include a breakfast buffet.

Credit: Michael Wilson

Details: franklinparkartscenter.org Jayme Stone reimagines traditional music of field-recordings done by folklorist Alan Lomax. Stone weaves a story through Appalachian ballads, fiddle tunes, sea chants and gospel songs from well-known musicians and ordinary cowhands and fishermen. Tickets are $35-65.

ON STAGE LAST HAM STANDING Friday, Dec. 30, 8 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville. Details: franklinparkartscenter.org Talented performers take suggestions from the audience to create wacky scenes and funny improv games. Appropriate for all ages. Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for students and $10 for children.

This annual New Year’s Eve event features 5K and 10K races and a 2K fun run. Registration fee is $40 for the 5K, $45 for the 10K and $20 for the fun run (free for children younger than 3). Proceeds benefit Inova’s Life with Cancer program.

This annual tradition features scenic 10K and 5K races and a 4K fun run/ walk. Proceeds go to local charities. Registration fee is $35 for the 5K/10K and $25 for the fun run through Dec. 30. Add $5 for race day registration. All registration costs for youth 7-18 are $20 for the 5K/10K and $15 for the fun run.

LIVE MUSIC: TODD CAREY

National touring artist Todd Carey, best known for his 2014 single “Nintendo,” rings in the New Year at Lansdowne Resort’s new tavern. $10 cover.

Saturday, Dec. 31, 8 a.m.; 43454 Crissroads Drive, Ashburn. Details: ringinginhope.com

Sunday, Jan. 1, 9 a.m.; Ida Lee Recreation Center, 60 Ida Lee Drive, Leesburg. Details: resolutionrace.com

Courtesy of Todd Carey

Saturday, Dec. 31, 9 p.m.-midnight, Coton and Rye, 44050 Woodridge Parkway, Leesburg. Details: destinationhotels.com/ lansdowne-resort

RINGING IN HOPE NEW YEAR’S EVE RACE

REHAU ROTARY RESOLUTION RACE

NIGHTLIFE

Enjoy a night of great retro music from the 70s to the 90s plus party favors and a midnight toast. Tickets are $25 with dinner purchase before 9 p.m.; $35 for party only after 9 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m.; Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. Details: tallyholeesburg.com

Berserkle on the Squirkle is the town’s annual family fun run with all ages encouraged to run, walk or skip around Lovettsville’s town square. Registration fee is $10 for runners and free for spectators. This year’s event culminates with the ringing in of the German New Year at 6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 31, 6 p.m.-midnight; Lansdowne Resort & Spa, 44050 Woodridge Parkway, Leesburg. Details: destinationhotels.com/ lansdowne-resort

Courtesy of Jamie McLean Band

LIVE MUSIC: JAMIE MCLEAN BAND

COMING UP

Friday, Dec. 30, 8 p.m.; Smokehouse Live, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg. Details: smokehouse-live.com The former guitarist for New Orleans’ famed Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Jamie McLean is now cranking out top notch Americana with his trio. No cover.

LIVE MUSIC: JASON FRYE Wednesday, Jan. 4, 8 p.m.; King’s Tavern, 19 S. King St., Leesburg. Details: kingstavernandwinebar.com Indie/alt-country singer songwriter Jason Frye is a favorite with local music lovers. Join him for an evening of acoustic covers and originals.

RUNS & FUN

LIVE MUSIC: JAYME STONE: THE LOMAX PROJECT

BERSERKLE ON THE SQUIRKLE

Thursday, Jan. 5, 8 p.m.; Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville.

Saturday, Dec. 31, 4-6:30 p.m.; Lovettsville Town Square, Lovettsville. Details: lovettsvilleva.gov

Courtesy of Village At Leesburg

VILLAGE AT LEESBURG ICE FEST Saturday, Jan. 14, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; 1602 Village Market Boulevard SE, Leesburg. Details: villageatleesburg.com Village at Leesburg’s fourth annual Winter Ice Fest features eight worldclass ice carvers producing large-scale installations carved from several different blocks of ice. Event is free and open to the public and includes musical entertainment after 1 p.m.

[ BRIEFS ]

Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

Peek-A-Who?

Visual artists can apply now online to participate in the Western Loudoun Artists Studio Tour, to be held June 3-4. The registration deadline is Feb. 1. The juried event is open to artists working in all visual media, and those selected will open their studies to visitors. Last year, more than 1,000 people visited more than 30 studios. The goal of the 12th annual program is to connect artists with a targeted audience interested in talking with them and seeing them at work. Those who do not have a western Loudoun studio suitable for visitors may apply as guest artists. Two-and three-dimensional work will be considered, including but not limited to painting, drawing, fiber art, wood, ceramics, photography, sculpture and jewelry. For more information, go to wlast.org. Applicants will be notified of their jurying status by Feb. 15. The studio tour is a joint project of the Franklin Park Arts Center, the Friends of Franklin Park Arts Center, and the Round Hill Arts Center.

Inova Goes Mobile to Offer Health Screenings Inova Loudoun Hospital Mobile Health Services will kick off a series of blood pressure screenings at various locations countywide during January. Dates and locations for the screenings are: • Tuesday, Jan. 3, 10 a.m.-noon, Dulles South Multipurpose Center, 24950 Riding Center Dr. South Riding. • Wednesday, Jan. 4, 10 a.m.-noon, Leesburg Senior Center, 102 N. St. NW, Leesburg. • Tuesday, Jan. 10, 9 a.m.-noon, Cascades Senior Center, 21060 Whitfield

NYE Music << FROM 22

Place, Sterling. • Monday, Jan. 16, 9-11 a.m., William Watters House, 22365 Enterprise Street, Sterling. • Thursday, Jan. 19, 11 a.m.-noon, Lovettsville Community Center, 57 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville. • Tuesday, Jan. 24, 9 a.m.-noon, Cascades Senior Center, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling. • Wednesday, Jan. 25, 10 a.m.-noon, Lansdowne Woods, 19400 Leisure World Blvd., Leesburg. • Thursday, Jan. 26, 10 a.m.-noon, Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. For more information, call the Mobile Health hotline at 703-858-8818.

Christmas Tree Recycling Sites Open Now that Santa has come and gone, the county government has begun Christmas tree recycling collections at five locations, through Jan. 20. The trees will be converted into mulch that will be available for free year-round at the Loudoun County landfill south of

Year’s Eve. The evening features a ball drop and drink specials, and Devine said organizers are going for a high-class vibe— so dressing up is encouraged but black tie is optional. Pat McGee’s New Year’s Bash takes place at 8 p.m. at Leesburg’s Tally Ho Theatre, 19 W. Market St. in Leesburg. Tickets are $59 in advance, $70 at the door. Go to tallyholeesburg.com for tickets and information.

Shane Gamble at Parallel Wine Bistro For an upscale New Year’s celebration guaranteed to satisfy foodies and music lovers alike, check out Shane Gamble’s NYE show at Parallel Wine

Leesburg. All ornaments, lights, tinsel, wire, stand and tree bags must be removed.

Collection locations are: Leesburg: Loudoun County Landfill Recycling Center, 21101 Evergreen Mills Road. Open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lovettsville: Game Protective Association, 16 S. Berlin Pike. Open daily. Purcellville: Franklin Park, 17501 Franklin Park Drive. Open daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. South Riding: Town Hall, rear parking lot next to tennis court. 43055 Center Street. Open daily. Sterling: Claude Moore Park (use Loudoun Park Lane entrance), 46150 Loudoun Park Lane. Open daily, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents who receive curbside yardwaste recycling services should contact their homeowners association, town office, or recycling service provider for Christmas tree pick-up dates.

Bistro in Broadlands. The private concert in a heated tent is intended for just 100 guests to allow an intimate evening with this rising pop country star and includes the tasty chef-prepared cuisine, wine, beer and cocktails on which Parallel has built its local reputation. A Maryland native, Gamble is becoming a regular on the LoCo music scene while building a national following thanks to airtime on Sirius XM’s country channel--where his 2013 single “Turn My Way” was a Top 10 hit. Gamble’s latest album “American Heart” was released last May. “Shane has been playing Parallel since our first day open and we’ve followed his progression along the way. His local and now national following

More information about the Loudoun County Christmas Tree Recycling Program is available at loudoun.gov/TreeRecycling.

has become phenomenal,” said owner Jason Bursey. “For NYE this year, we really wanted to feature our party around a specific musical band and approach in more of a concert style inclusive of food and drinks. Call it a private concert for 100 guests.” Parallel Wine Bistro’s New Year’s Eve show with Shane Gamble takes place from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at 43135 Broadlands Center Plaza in Broadlands. Tickets are $150 for the show, with food, wine, beer and select cocktails included. For foodies looking to extend the evening, Parallel offers a pre-show five-course “Who’s Who Of Wine” dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. Tickets for the dinner are $120. Go to parallelwinebistro.com for details.

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Theatre snagged the party favorite for the venue’s inaugural New Year’s Eve show. “Pat McGee is a local rock star who has sold out numerous New Year’s Eve events so we’re very excited to have him,” said manager Jack Devine. “It is special since it is our first ever New Year’s Eve show.” McGee, whose influences include ’70s greats like Jackson Browne and James Taylor, was a phenom on the ’90s college music scene and maintains a loyal following in the D.C. area. Saturday’s show includes fans’ favorite McGee originals, along with a great list of covers he busts out just for New

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

A rarely seen long eared owl hides out in a cedar grove along the Blue Ridge last week. The species winters here but is seldom spotted.

Artists Studio Tour Opens Registration

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Gillespie Retires from Mosby Heritage Nonprofit BY MARGARET MORTON

o anyone familiar with Richard L. Gillespie’s depth of knowledge and passion for reliving local history, the news that he will be “retiring” for a third time in his career at the end of the year comes as no surprise. When he steps down Dec. 31 as executive director of the Mosby Heritage Area Association, Gillespie can look back on a career in Loudoun that has spanned a 30-year social studies teaching stint at Loudoun Valley High School, serving as education director at Morven Park and 11 years as, first, education, then executive director at the Mosby heritage nonprofit. It also comes as no surprise that, while stepping down as executive director, Gillespie will by no means be really retired. He will take on the role of senior statesman, becoming “historian emeritus” at MHAA, while its current director of administration, Jennifer Moore, will become executive director. Gillespie will be part time Jan. 1 through March, and then serve as needed. Gillespie’s new role will allow him to concentrate on things he loves to do—“writing, speaking and working in the local history community.” It also will give the nonprofit the benefit of a smooth transition as Moore takes over the top staff job on Jan. 1, as well as increased development responsibilities, and for Education Specialist Kevin Pawlak to become education

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

A tousled Richard L. Gillespie stands amid the Mosby Heritage Area Association landscape that he cherishes as the heart and soul of the heritage area.

director. In April, the organization plans to hire its first public programs coordinator, who will be responsible for special events as well as public presentations. The compliments came hard and

fast from MHAA board members as to Gillespie’s value to the organization. Board Chairman Wendy Bebie cited Gillespie’s “enthusiasm, integrity and knowledge” as crucial to MHAA’s success. “He is the ‘go-to history guy,’”

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Issuing Agency:

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Note: Virginia Regional Transit does not discriminate against faithbased organizations in accordance with the Code of Virginia (2.24343.1D) or against an offerors because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment. Any addenda to this solicitation will be delivered via e-mail.

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Virginia Regional Transit (VRT) is seeking proposals for the renovation of 2 restrooms each being approximately 138 Sq. ft. Proposals can be received by email at eric@vatransit.org, or fax at 540-338-0690 until 2PM January 20, 2017. Submitted proposals will be considered lowest and best price and should include delivery. VRT is exempt from all sales tax related to this procurement. VRT reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. If beneficial, VRT may award contracts to offerors for the item mentioned below. All offerors and products must abide by the following FTA clauses (see full RFP at vatransit.org).

the legacy of the area. New residents, such as Korean Americans or Chinese Americans—“they’re fascinated by where they live,” Gillespie said, and immediately set out to explore their environment. Visitors to the area frequently ask him, “Do you have any idea what you’ve got here?” For Gillespie, as he heads to a different role with MHAA, it’s a matter of “taking my skills set and adapting it.” On the plus side, “I think our strength is an education team in place that can meet the challenge of continuing to adapt to changing demographics,” he said. And while the staff team is changing at MHAA, it has a “vigorous and very good board of directors that is very excited about the mission and plans to grow carefully and slowly,” using the twin tools of advocacy and education, Gillespie said. Merritt Jones has the last word on Gillespie’s value to the nonprofit. It was Jones, as the then-president, who first hired him in 2004. Calling Gillespie “a natural teacher,” Merritt said he marveled at his skills as he watched him teach history to fourth graders. “He has done an outstanding job. He reached thousands of people a year, in a very compelling and instructive way, teaching people about conservation—I’m totally happy with what he did.” For more information on MHAA programs, go to mosbyheritagearea.org.

Similarly, co-founder of MHAA and now board president, Childs Burden said Gillespie’s value to the organization is huge, noting he has used “his considerable skills to present a diversified portfolio of history that has been so valuable and will continue to be over the transition and into the future.” And MHAA will have the best of both worlds, Burden said, as Gillespie will continue to help out with specific programming, such as the Gray Ghost Interpretive Group and new program ideas. For Vice President Steve Price, the indelible impression he has of Gillespie is his “absolute passion for Loudoun history—the same as he had when he was a teacher [at Loudoun Valley] and he’s continued to be a teacher as education director.” The move to a new role at MHAA is a heartening one, Gillespie said, recalling that he felt depressed when he retired from teaching. An ebullient personality, Gillespie missed the give and take with his students, and they missed him when he retired in 2004. What he learned from those 30 years lies at the heart of his mission at the MHAA. Moore, who took American History with Gillespie in 1998 at Loudoun Valley, said as a teacher his ability to “care about you as a person, to know when things weren’t right with you,” set him apart. His ability to gauge his students’ in-

what had been lost and what still remained. Gillespie recalled the impact of the project on students at a time when the county (1999) was at the peak of its growth. “To watch how young people respond … they really do care,” he said. The knowledge gained over 30 years of teaching young minds about their history, by “living it,” stood him in good stead, when Gillespie became full-time education director after two years. In early 2015, Gillespie stepped up to the executive directorship of MHAA. His philosophy is simple. “You’re planting a seed you hope will grow, in a massively growing region, and see how much difference you can make.” And the Mosby nonprofit has created a good model for learning its legacy and passing it on to present and future generations, forming multiple partnerships with others “who saw that what we were doing was important”—such as Journey Through Hallowed Ground, Goose Creek Friends, the Lovettsville Historical Society, and the Waterford Foundation. “We all have limited resources,” Gillespie said of the various partners, noting the need to pass on the message and to make sure every schoolchild in the area gets it. And they do get it. “Students bond—they get the message,” Gillespie said. MHAA’s school programs reached almost 5,000 students during the 20152016 academic year. And it’s not just those who were born in the heritage area who understand the importance of preserving

Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

Gillespie

terest in history lay in inspiring them to “step out into the historic sites, seeing where those individuals lived and seeing the actual battlefields, rather than looking at pictures,” and that made it real, Moore said. Noting that most teenagers are interested in human drama, Gillespie’s ability to make his students see that those who wrote long-ago diaries or letters were “just like us. That made it possible for me to understand and digest history,” she said. After teaching teenagers about history, Gillespie tried his hand with adults, at Morven Park, where he worked under two executive directors, Will O’Keefe and Frank Milligan. He also joined the advisory board at the Mosby Heritage Area Association and became excited by the educational opportunities of the heritage association, whose focus was the preservation of the legacy of a widespread, five-county historic landscape. “MHAA’s was a special mission, one of stewardship. I was enthused about the landscape,” he recalled. He became MHAA’s first educator, in 2004, with the responsibility to establish an education program for the heritage area, to bring kids into the area, create a sense of stewardship and to recognize the worth of the resource. He recalled the days in the classroom when then-Loudoun Valley HS principal the late Kenneth Culbert worried that students had “no idea of the general landscape and buildings of the area” and asked him if he could do something about that. Out of that came the Western Loudoun Heritage Photography Project, that recognized

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IN REVIEW

Among Those We Lost James C. “Jimmy” Athey, a 78-years-old Lucketts native died May 10. The longtime Loudoun farmer was a baseball star and a state champion skeet and trap shooter in his youth. He was a member of Loudoun County High School’s first graduating class in 1955. As a homebuilder, he built more than 800 Loudoun houses. Robert E. Butt served as Loudoun’s superintendent of public schools from 1969 to 1988. He died Sept. 18 at The Pines in Davidson, NC. He was 92. He was a B-24 bomber flight engineer and tail gunner during World War II. Butt brought about full integration of Loudoun County Public Schools during the 1969-70 school year. In addition, kindergarten, vocational and adult education, special education and the middle school and alternative school programs were created when he was superintendent. Helen Casey died Jan. 23 at the age of 83. The long-time Sterling Park resident was a long-time civic activist in Loudoun. She worked as an aide to former State Sen. Charles L. Waddell,

served as chairman of the Eastern Loudoun League of Women Voters, was a founding member of the Bypass Alternative Review Committee and the Loudoun County Transportation Association (now the Virginia Regional Transportation Association). She was appointed by Gov. George Allen in 1988 to serve on the Goose Creek Scenic River Advisory Board, serving as chairman of the board from 1999 to 2009. She attended almost every Loudoun Board of Supervisors meeting from 1986 until 2010. Charles P. Clark died March 31 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Martinsburg, WV. The World War II veteran and longtime school bus driver was 108 years old and celebrated as Purcellville’s oldest resident. Georgios “George” Kakouras died Dec. 22. One of Loudoun’s longest serving restaurateurs, he came the United States from Greece in 1955 at the age of 17. He began working for his late uncle, Nick Fragakis, at the White Palace Restaurant in Purcellville and later partnered with John Pilalas there. In 1982, he started George’s Plaza Restaurant across the street. Today, that restaurant is owned and operated by his son, Nick. Robert Klancher died May 4. He was 57. Klancher was first appointed to the Loudoun County Planning Commission in 2004 by Supervisor Lori Waters and was reappointed in 2008 to represent the Broad Run District. He was subsequently appointed by Supervisor Ralph Buona in 2012 and again in 2016 to represent the Ashburn District. His tenure included a three-year term as chairman.

Mark Allen McCoy died Aug. 1 of colon cancer. He served as music director and conductor of the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra for 18 years. Under McCoy’s leadership the Loudoun Symphony Association established the Loudoun String Workshop which gives emerging musicians of any age an opportunity to perform in a string ensemble, and the Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra. Before joining the LSO, Maestro McCoy served as cover conductor for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and was music director of the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestras. Jeanette G. Newton died Nov. 20 at age 66. She had retired in May as the longtime CEO of the Dulles Area Association of Realtors, a post she held since 1991. Jean Sagan died Sept. 27 of cancer. She was 89. After moving to Loudoun County in 1963, she quickly got involved with the League of Women Voters of Loudoun County and for more than 50 years she was an active member. She served as president for eight two-year terms during the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. She was passionate about preserving Loudoun’s land use policies and state financing for public education. She was instrumental in bringing attention to Virginia’s Motor Voter Law and supported restoration of funding to Loudoun County’s Legal Defense Office. In 1987 she was named a “Woman of Achievement” by the Loudoun Commission on Women for her work with the League. Clifford D. Thomson died May 6 in Naples, FL. He was a drama teacher and choir director at Loudoun Valley

High School for 35 years, starting in 1974. During his career as an educator, Thomson taught thousands of students in a diverse array of subjects, including choir, drama, music theory and art and architecture. Thomson sang with the Washington Opera Chorus for 30 years. Su Webb died Oct. 15 at the age of 73. A longtime newspaperwoman, Webb devoted decades of service to preservation efforts in Loudoun. She served on the boards of the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum, Piedmont Environmental Council, Aldie Heritage Association, and Lovettsville Park Advisory Board. For more than 20 years, she served on the Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Open Space Advisory Board and had served on the Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority board. Among the accolades presented for her service, she was named the 2012 Heritage Hero by the Mosby Heritage Association and was inducted as a Loudoun Laurel. The Rev. Elijah “Lige” Brockenbrough White III died March 26 at age 77. The longtime Loudoun clergyman, former newspaperman, and historian was the rector emeritus of the Church of Our Saviour Oatlands, a parish over which he had presided for more than 30 years. He was a descendent of Elijah V. White, a noted Loudoun Confederate cavalry leader who formed the Laurel Brigade and who became a successful businessman after the Civil War. White was ordained to the ministry, first as a deacon in 1968 then a priest in 1969. He became rector of Our Saviour’s Church at Oatlands in 1977 and retired in 2011.

[ OBITUARIES ] Please consider making a donation in Daniels name to ryanbartelfoundation. org, donroseyouthfund.com or toysfortots.org.

Daniel Herold On December 17, the Herold family lost their loving Son and Brother Daniel. He was 21. Daniel was born June 26, 1995 in Arlington, Va and grew up in Lovettsville, Va. He graduated from Woodgrove HS with Honors in 2013. Daniel played football, wrestled, ran track and was a member of the student government. He was enrolled in the Engineering Program at Virginia Tech. Daniel will be fondly remembered by all that knew him for his incredible love of reading, sense of humor, love of all things Redskins, Capitals and Nationals. But Daniel will especially be remembered for his kindness and love for his family. He is survived by his parents Jack and Christa, sister Allison, grandparents Jerry and Chris Hamilton and a host of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, friends and his dogs Maeby and Nala. He will be greatly missed by all of them. A memorial service was held on December 23, 2016 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Purcellville, VA.

The Journey of Theodore (Ted) Murphy Jenkins, Sr. February 26, 1935 – December 18, 2016 Theodore Murphy Jenkins, Sr., was a lifelong resident of Loudoun County and was born on February 26, 1935 in his maternal grandparents’ home in what is now the Exeter Clubhouse of Leesburg. He was the son of Enos Edgar Jenkins and Inez Ashby Howser Jenkins. He had seven brothers and sisters and they lived on Mason’s/Jenkins Island in the Potomac River, above White’s Ferry. His brothers and sisters include: Richard, Vic, Virginia, Luke, Cora, Nancy, and Clinton. While living on the island, his father died in a flood when Ted was three years old. His family eventually moved to Lucketts where he attended Lucketts

School. He remembered many other children riding horses to school. He then attended Leesburg High School. Ted was a well-known 3rd baseman and a home run hitter for the Lucketts Baseball team in the 1950’s and 1960’s. He was a well-known masonry contractor and built many homes in Western Loudoun for over 50 years. He married Fern Lindsey in 1956 and moved to Stumptown, VA. They had three children: Murphy (Hope Athey,) Chris (Cindy Virts) and Tammy (Dean Worcester) seven grandchildren: TJ, Jennifer, Joshua, Scott, Whitney, Briar, and Karli. He had five great-grandchildren: Georgia, Buckley, Ewan, Isabel, and Weston. Ted attended Bethel United Methodist Church in Stumptown. He was well known for his sense of humor, a huge vegetable garden, his red pick-up truck and helping others. He passed to his eternal resting place on December 18, 2016 at the age of 81. A Memorial service was held at Bethel United Methodist Church at 41799 Stumptown Road, Lucketts, VA on December 23 and Burial at the Union Cemetery in Leesburg immediately followed the service. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the renovation of: The Jenkins Cemetery c/o Tammy Worcester PO Drawer 580 Upperville, VA 20185.

Georgios “George” Evangelos Kakouras, of Purcellville, VA passed away on December 22, 2016. Born on February 22, 1938 in Gorianades, Greece he was the son of the late Evangelos and Elizabeth Kakouras. Mr. Kakouras came to the United States from Greece in 1955 at the age of 17. He began working for his late uncle Nick Fragakis at the White Palace Restaurant in Purcellville, VA and later partnered with John Pilalas there. In 1982 he started George’s Plaza Restaurant in Purcellville, VA, where it is currently owned and operated by his son Nick. George was an active and dedicated member of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Winchester, VA where he served as a Chantor for over 30 years. He was also a member of the Purcellville Volunteer Fire Department for fifteen years,

[ OBITUARIES ]

Visitation was held on Monday, December 26, 2016 at Hall Funeral Home, Purcellville, VA. Services were held on December 27, 2016, at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, 1700 Amherst Street, Winchester, VA 22601. Burial will take place in the Hillsboro Cemetery, Hillsboro, VA. Following the services a reception will be held at the Purcellville Family Restaurant. The family would like to thank DaVita Dialysis of Leesburg, VA for their wonderful care and concern during his illness. Also, they would like to thank the community for their ongoing love and support over the years. George will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and community. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be sent to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, 1700 Amherst Street, Winchester, VA 22601 or to the Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 West Cork Street, Winchester, VA 22602. Please visit hallfh.com to express online condolences to the family. Arrangements by Hall Funeral Home, Purcellville, VA.

Age 60 of , Leesburg, VA passed into eternity on Friday Dec. 23, 2016 at Inova Fairfax Hospital. He is survived by his fiancé Deborah L. Scott of Leesburg, VA. Daughters; Chakiya Hill of Leesburg, VA; Skyla Hill of Leesburg, VA; Jasmine Hill of Fairfax, VA; Shamia Hill of Reston, VA. Grandchildren; Lenard, Imoni, Zi’niyah, Zi’nijah, Amiya, Nani, Trece , Jayla and Keyoni. Brother; Richard Ross of Dale City, Va. Sister; Mary Hogan of Ashland, Va and other relatives and friends.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years Maria Kakouras of Purcellville, VA; two sons Van Kakouras (Cindy Laughlin) of Roanoke, VA; Nick (Mary) Kakouras of Hillsboro, VA; two daughters Elizabeth (Andrew) Chiarel of Lexington, SC; Bessie (Tony) Linkous of Purcellville, VA; nine grandchildren Martha, Maria, Emily, Donny, George, Maria, Peter, Evva, and Georgia; and two sisters and one brother of Greece.

Milton William Hill, Jr. “ Rip”

Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

the Purcellville Business Association and the Purcellville Lions Club.

Crossword

Viewing will be held Friday Dec. 30, 2016 from 10:00am until time of funeral service at 11:00 am at Lyles Funeral Chapel, 630 South 20th Street Purcellville, Virginia 20132 Interment is private. Arrangements by Lyles Funeral Service of Purcellville, VA

To Place an Obituary, Memoriam, or Death Notice

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Employment Part-Time Legal Secretary/Assistant Growing three-attorney firm located in downtown Leesburg seeks part-time legal secretary/assistant with client-friendly, professional demeanor. The most qualified candidates will be organized, prompt and dependable, willing and able to acquire new software skills, and able to manage time with multiple assignments. Familiarity with the Microsoft office suite and some experience in a professional office setting are also preferred. Experience in a legal setting helpful, but not required. Candidates requiring a predictable, school-day-friendly schedule are encouraged to apply. Hours are 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Salary commensurate with qualifications. Please address a resume and cover letter to Bryan Turner, Office Manager, The Turner Law Firm, P.C. Electronic submissions preferred at bturner@turnerlawfirmpc.com. For best consideration, submit by December 30, 2016.

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Candidate must have 3+ years of bookkeeping experience. The successful candidate will have a strong knowledgeof Quickbooks, Accrual Methods and payroll. The ability to learn multiple software systems is required. Superior communication, organization and multitasking skills with close attention to details is a must. The qualified candidate will be able to provide above average customer service both written and verbal. This is a full time position offering full company benefits.

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[ OPINION ]

loudounnow.com

Setting the Tone We are closing the door on a year filled with successes, tragedies and changing political winds—locally and nationally. Looking back on the past 12 months, there is plenty for Loudouners

to be proud of; in many areas, they set examples that others around the country could benefit by following. In this issue, we have put a spotlight on instances when residents and community leaders responded to threats to the public health and safety with compassion and collaboration. They are devoted to making sure their neighbors do not fall victim to suicidal depression, to domestic violent, or to fatal addictions. Our work is not done yet. Those campaigns would not be as successful without the support of the county’s government leaders. The Board of Supervisors deserves some of the credit, if for no other reason than setting a standard of civility that is so lacking in other legislative chambers. County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall set that tone from the onset of her term. She was the first Democrat to be elected to post since it was created in 1992 and she stepped into a room that had been controlled

[ LETTERS ]

by an all-Republican board for the previous four years. With four other first-term members, including two other Democrats, taking board seats in January, the stage was set for another swing of the political

More Harm Than Good

pendulum—a trend that has come to mark Loudoun politics for much of

Editor: I disagree with Jill L. Weiss’s [Op-Ed, Dec. 22] support to add more students who want our School Board to recognize their preferred gender to its anti-discrimination policy. It will cause more harm than good. The policy addition can have unintended derogatory effects on most of our students, whose own privacy may be compromised in bathrooms, showers and locker rooms. Or has modesty become antiquated in this crazy age of

the past quarter century. That didn’t happen. Or it hasn’t yet. Instead, the new board quickly found solid footing. Supervisors Ralph M. Buona, as board vice chairman; Matthew F. Letourneau, as chairman of the workhorse Finance and Government Operations Committee; and Randall have formed a leadership team that has kept a strong focus on the county’s priorities and left little time for diversionary political mischief that can derail their work. The successes of the board’s first year highlight what voters in purple Loudoun County have long known: The success of their government

[ OPINION ]

won’t be determined by the number of Republicans or Democrats serving as its leaders, but by the quality of individuals they elect to those service posts. After Year One, the board has given voters reasons to feel good about their choices once again.

Excellence: A Path Everyone Can Walk BY DEEP SRAN

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relativism? News reports I have read indicate that some individuals who feel discriminated against are not satisfied with reasonable accommodation and disregard the valid concerns of others. The proposed policy change will embolden this response. Our School Board must make reasonable accommodation to address students’ needs. Unreasonable accommodation can be demanded with this policy change. — Rose Ellen Ray, Leesburg

It’s been a year of surprises. The biggest educational surprise for me is the book “Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise,” by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool, which offers compelling evidence that any student can achieve at high levels in any subject or endeavor, so long as they learn in the right way. Ericsson is famous for his work on how people become experts, which Malcolm Gladwell summarized in his book “Outliers” with the “10,000-hour rule;” that is, the time it takes to become an expert in any field. While Ericsson feels Gladwell did not fairly represent the nuances of his research, Gladwell did capture the most important lesson: Experts become experts only by working really hard for a long time. While Ericsson does not challenge the observation that by adolescence some students perform better than others— some are more academically advanced by high school, for example—he wants us to re-examine how they turned out that way. He wants us to stop thinking

in terms of native talent. In decades of research on expert performance, Ericsson has found no evidence that world-class violinists, chess players, or athletes start out with any genetic or other innate advantage. He notes only two exceptions: height and body size, which are genetic and do confer a clear advantage in certain sports. Beyond these, he says the only “gift” anyone has when they are born is the one everyone has: an adaptive and flexible brain you can train through “deliberate practice,” which is Ericsson’s term for a very demanding form of practice completed with individualized guidance from a teacher or coach. Since Ericsson has found no empirical basis for talent, he concludes there is no upper limit on how much a student can improve with deliberate practice. One example from his research involves teenage violinists entering an elite German music school. Ericsson found that the “best” violin students had practiced almost 40 percent more than the “better” students by the time EXCELLENCE >> 33

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

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Excellence << FROM 32

Deep Sran, founder of Loudoun School for the Gifted in Ashburn, has been on a mission to improve formal education for two decades. Contact him at dsran@ idealschools.org.

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they entered the school (7,410 hours total on average compared to 5,301 hours), who had, in turn, practiced over 50 percent more than the “good” students (3,420 hours). There were no students rated “best” or “better” who were able to get by doing less work because of some innate gift. Separately, for parents who worry about homework load, the results of this study were particularly surprising. The best and better violin students practiced much longer than the good students, but they also had the same amount of leisure time and even slept more than the less accomplished students. The more accomplished violinists simply used their time more efficiently because they were better planners. Findings like these directly challenge the intuition so many teachers and coaches have, that some students are better at learning the violin, for example, because they are more talented. Ericsson offers abundant evidence across fields to show that innate talent cannot explain extraordinary achievement. While Ericsson’s evidence is persuasive, he readily admits that much is not known, due in no small part to the difficulty studying learning. This leaves open the possibility there are some innate, and certainly some very early, differences among learners that shape their long-term achievement. For example, IQ scores are thought to measure general (innate) intelligence. Since IQ scores actually do predict students’ academic performance, a higher IQ usually means better grades, a greater probability of completing a Ph.D., and a greater probability of becoming a Nobel prize-winning scientist. So, if IQ scores measured a general intelligence, it would mean there was an innate potential or talent to become a scientist. Ericsson wants us to rethink our conclusions about cognitive testing, however. He explains that a high IQ score only means that you are good at what the test measures, which could be the product of early educational experiences rather than a genetic advantage. During early childhood, the

attitudes of those around you towards learning and what you are doing can have enormous consequences for your long-term learning outcomes. Even if there is no general intelligence, it is still possible there are other innate dispositions or preferences to explain why some students are more likely to invest the years of deliberate practice required to become an expert. For example, a young child may be more motivated to work tirelessly on math problems because she finds solving math problems enjoyable and because she has the capacity to work in a focused and sustained way. The origins of these preferences and capacities is unclear. They could be the product of very early experiences that shape preferences and motivation, like Mozart’s early and intense practice on multiple instruments, or of an increased capacity as a result of how her brain was wired in utero, presumably like Mozart’s perfect pitch (even though Ericsson argues Mozart’s perfect pitch was likely learned). Though much is not known, what Ericsson’s research reveals about gifted learners, musicians, and athletes is that their achievement cannot be explained on the basis of innate advantages or giftedness. We can, however, show that they succeeded by doing focused, sustained work with teachers who pushed them out of their comfort zone and to their limits, all of which enabled them to take full advantage of their gift (i.e. the flexible, adaptive mind we all have). This is not an easy path, but everyone can walk it. Deliberate practice is how you become exceptional at anything, and it is the only way. This is an important and reassuring lesson for students, teachers, coaches and parents. Excellence is a choice, not a gift.

33 Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

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Suicide prevention

Ann-Charlotte Robertson, who lost her son Will to suicide in January, performed in the production of “A Will to Survive,” meant to be a tribute to Will and to shine a light on the need for mental health support for teens.

boys who took their own lives stepped up to try to save others. After her 17-year-old son, Will, killed himself in January, Ann-Charlotte Robinson felt a call to reach out to teens with a message of hope through music. She partnered with longtime friend and local music therapist Tom Sweitzer to put on a rock opera, “A Will to Survive.” The show is both a tribute to Will and a call to teens that they are not alone in their struggles with mental health or social struggles. It first took the stage in October but is scheduled to be performed in every high school in Loudoun by the end of the school year. “Will and his life is the thread, but it is not about suicide,” Sweitzer said

of the show. “It’s about hope. It’s about no matter who you are as a teenager, reaching out to somebody is never too late.” Bartel, mother of a Woodgrove High School senior who lost his life to suicide in October 2014, also made big strides in working with students, and county and school leaders, to shine a light on shortfalls in how young people think about mental health. She started the Ryan Bartel Foundation and partnered with school counselors to bring the Sources of Strength program to Woodgrove and Loudoun Valley high schools. The program equips young people to help one another cope with all that life throws at them long before

overdoses are becoming a concern for older Americans, with the 55-64 age group now the fastest growing segment for prescription medication overdoses, the committee was told. Attorney General Mark R. Herring (D) also highlighted opiate abuse as a top concern. ”I want every family in Virginia talking about it now—not once there is already a problem, and, God forbid, not after a loved one is lost,” Herring told the committee. “We have to start now, because I’ve heard from so many heartbroken parents who have lost a child, and so many devastated families who have lost a loved one, and they all say, ‘I never thought this could happen to my family.’” In the fall, Herring announced a program aimed at stepping up prosecution of dealers in heroin fatalities by using federal statutes and providing assistance to local commonwealth’s attorneys offices dealing with complex cases. At year’s end, Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared opioid addiction a public health emergency in Virginia, with hospitals reporting fatal overdoses at a rate of three per day. The number of emergency visits for heroin increased 89 percent during the first nine months of 2016 compared with 2015. There were 4,036 Virginia deaths from pre-

scription opioid overdoses from 20072015, according to the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. Locally, county leaders and activists worked to provide support for addicts and their families. In August, more than 100 people gathered in Leesburg for the Vigil for Lost Promise, reflecting on the men and women whose lives were cut short by drug addiction. Participants said it was important to remove the social stigma associated with drug addiction and to provide more treatment and support resources. “There’s no demographics associated with it. White, black, Hispanic, Asian— it has no boundaries. It doesn’t matter how rich you are, how poor you are. No one is exempt,” Karl Colder, special agent in charge of DEA Washington Field Division, told the crowd. The coalition of law enforcement and political leaders also held a series of community forums on the issue, offering screenings of the documentary “Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict” and panel discussions from experts. At a forum in December, Del. John Bell for the first time shared his family’s struggles with his son’s opiate addition and pledged to do more to combat the

crisis. “My point of view on the issue has changed; as a father, citizen, and legislator. I have seen first-hand how our criminal justice, mental health, and crisis intervention systems may not be meeting the challenge of this crisis,” he wrote in a letter to the editor. Bell adds his name to a list of legislators—including U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA-10), Sen. Jennifer Wexton (D-33) and Del. Randy Minchew (R-10)—who have identified the issue as a legislative priority. Among the legislation expected to be reviewed during the upcoming session are bills to remove barriers to the prosecution of suppliers in fatal overdose cases and to improve the state’s prescription drug database to combat efforts by addicts and dealers to obtain opiates from multiple doctors. Closer to home, the Board of Supervisors plans budget discussions on whether more local resources should be provided to help addicts and whether to reinstate the Drug Court, which provided extensive supervision of drug users facing jail time.

two of her children, was charged with first-degree murder. Darrick Lee Lewis faces life in prison with the case moving to trial next year. The night following the shooting Shaneka Owens organized a community vigil. “You can’t believe the ‘sorrys’, over and over,” she said. “We can’t keep reacting to situations like this. We have

Abused Women’s Shelter. LAWS provides 24-hour support for victims, including counseling, legal representation and, if needed, shelter. Leesburg Police started screening domestic abuse victims with the program in February and Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office started in March. “A proven strategy in reducing ho-

enforcement, churches, the Loudoun County chapter of NAACP teamed up to raise awareness about domestic violence. Organizer Stephany DeBerry was a friend of the Howells and was shocked by their deaths. “We never saw it coming,” she said. “All I could think was how did this happen? How did it fall through the cracks?” It was during that session that some of those on the front lines said much already is being done. The Loudoun County Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART) is made up of “front line workers” from 10 agencies that focus on increasing offender accountability through law enforcement, the court system, and community services. “We as a county have tried to be proactive in regards to domestic violence,” Kaye Wallace, DART’s coordinator, said. She also noted that while it appears that domestic violence cases are up—because there have been more domestic-related homicides over the past few years—overall, domestic abuse calls have remained

<< FROM 3 rector of the schools’ Office of Diagnostic and Prevention Services, said in April. “After this year, the whole rules changed for us.” “We have a huge problem in our community,” Suzie Bartel, whose son Ryan took his own life in 2014, said at an assembly at Woodgrove High School, also in April. “But if we can all come together, we can make a big difference.”

Parents Turned Activists The parents of two western Loudoun

Fighting opiates << FROM 3 case was fatal. Behind those front lines, local, state and national political leaders also focused on the issue. In February, a U.S. Senate committee came to Loudoun to hear testimony on the epidemic abuse of opiate medication. Organized by Sen. Tim Kaine (DVA), the hearing was part of a broader effort to address the rapid increase in the number of fatal overdoes resulting from opiate and heroin abuse. “It’s an issue of passion for me,” Kaine said, noting the problem has hit every corner of the commonwealth, all age groups, all races and every economic class. The problem, he said, “begins in our medicine cabinets.” The session focused on potent and highly addictive painkillers, ranging from Vicodin to OxyContin, that originally were designed for short-term relief and palliative care for cancer patients, but have come to be prescribed—and overprescribed—as part of routine care. Four out of every five heroin overdoses are linked to prior opioid use; and increasingly opiate

Domestic violence << FROM 3 charges next month. Also in February, a Lansdowne woman was charged with domestic-related assault after stabbing a man in their Harbor Hills Terrace home. In April, a Purcellville pastor was stabbed by his son at their home. That same month, a 23-year-old woman was charged with a domestic shooting of a man at her Sterling home; she is now serving four years in prison. In July, two Loudoun deputies were charged with domestic assaults. In September, a 34-year-old Ashburn man allegedly shot his girlfriend during an argument at an Olympia Drive home in Brambleton; Alejandro Delbrey faces charges of malicious wounding, abduction and felony use of a firearm.

‘Start Doing Something’ On April 2, Christina Fisher was shot to death in her Leesburg townhouse. Her former boyfriend, the father of

Loudoun Now/File Photo

We can’t keep reacting to situations like this. We have to start doing something. to start doing something.” The community did. Less than a week later, the county government announced a program aimed at helping victims of abuse who are in danger of being murdered before it’s too late. Under the new model, called the Lethality Assessment Program, law enforcement officers will ask domestic assault victims an 11-question survey to assess the level of risk they may be in. If the victim is considered in serious danger, he or she is immediately connected with Loudoun

micide is the victim engaging with domestic violence services. Now, the most at-risk victims are reaching us much faster,” said Nicole Acosta, executive director of the Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter. “This particular program isn’t screening for whether she’s going to be assaulted again. It’s really to screen whether the victim is at risk of being murdered.” The year’s third fatal domestic assault also prompted a community meeting where representatives of domestic abuse prevention groups, law

SUICIDE PREVENTION >> 35

nstyer@loudounnow.com

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE >> 35

<< FROM 34

Teens Join the Effort

dnadler@loudounnow.com

practically steady, even as the population has grown. Several positions have been created in recent years to address the issue. Two county prosecutor positions are dedicated solely to domestic violence cases, and a Sheriff ’s Office’s sergeant works full time to follow up after a domestic abuse-related arrest. This year, Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Gigi Lawless was presented with the Virginia S. Duvall Distinguished Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Prosecutor Award in recognition of her work to improve the juvenile justice system and the prosecution of cases involving domestic violence, child abuse, child sexual assault and elder abuse. Another domestic violence awareness event was held in August. The inaugural It Takes A Village information fair featured representatives from county and regional organizations who share their resources for combating domestic violence, and other interrelated issues. Derek Summers Jr., one of Fisher’s neighbors, organized the event. “I had to do something,” he said. “The best scenario is there is no more worst case scenario,” he said, meaning an end to domestic violence.

In the Courts While the public struggled with ways to build a better safety net for domestic abuse victims, Loudoun’s

nstyer@loudounnow.com

This year, young people became an important voice in the discussion of how to prevent suicides. Efforts by Bartel, Robinson and the school system have focused on equipping young people to help one another. Diagnostic and Prevention Services Director John Lody’s team presented every public high school student with the Acknowledge-Care-Tell booster program, which educates young people on not only how to prevent a friend from ending their life, but how to help one another before anxiety, depression or just their high-stress school environment becomes overwhelming.

<< FROM 34

LOUDOUN NOW | NEWS |

suicide becomes an option. Bartel, along with the counselors and principal at Woodgrove, saw such a changed atmosphere among the students in that school that, in November, she committed to partner with school parent-teacher organizations to bring an ongoing suicide prevention program to every one of Loudoun’s 16 public high schools. The Ryan Bartel Foundation is working to raise $15 per student to bring that vision to fruition. “It’s a big investment, but it’s so worthwhile,” Bartel said. “We need to teach young people that, yes, crap happens—that’s life. But they need to know how to get through it. The coping skills they’re learning today will help them the rest of their lives.”

Domestic violence

35 judges and juries showed little tolerance for the attackers in the most severe cases. Four deadly domestic cases made it to trial during 2016. In February, a jury found Marco Corletto guilty of second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of his estranged wife in Leesburg on May. 16, 2014. The 44-year-old man will serve 45 years in prison. In April, Circuit Court Judge Burke F. McCahill handed down a life prison sentence for Minh Nguyen, who pleaded no contest to first-degree murder and other charges related to the 2014 fatal shooting of his ex-wife’s husband at her Ashburn home. In May, Circuit Court Judge Jeanette Irby found Kelvin Forde guilty of first-degree murder in the March 11, 2014, shooting death of his wife, Ruby Forde, on a secluded Loudoun road. He faces a sentence of 20 years to life in prison when he is sentenced in March. In May and June, attention was focused on the trial of Braulio M. Castillo, the millionaire businessman accused of sneaking into his estranged wife’s Ashburn home on March 19, 2014, strangling her and staging the scene to make it appear she had committed suicide. After five weeks of testimony the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder, breaking and entering and violating a protective order. Judge Stephen E. Sincavage sentenced him to life plus 16 years in prison.

Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2017

Suicide prevention

“We’re capitalizing on the reality that friends of youth are more likely to know what’s going on with their peers,” Lody said. Matthew Greason, the senior class president at Stone Bridge High School, made similar comments last week, after a freshman at that school lost his life to suicide. The 17-year-old said students need to take ownership to help be a part of the solution. He encouraged his classmates to consider joining PEER (Positive Experiences and Educational Relationships), a program at every Loudoun high school that invites students to talk to one another about whatever they’re facing, whether it’s stresses related to school, family or social aspects of their lives. He also suggested other schools organize programs like Stone Bridge’s Bulldogs Don’t Bully, an annual assembly put on for the entire freshman class. “I know every suicide is not 100 percent preventable—there will always be outliers—but there are steps that we can take as the school community to prevent a lot of them,” Greason said. Bartel was one of the first in the community to give young people a platform to help the cause. She’s hopeful that the work of her foundation and the schools can continue to make a real difference and give youth a voice. “It’s too late now for Ryan. Unfortunately, I can’t do anything about it. But I’m trying to do something about it now,” she said. “If we can save just one life, we’ve done our job.”

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