Loudoun Now for April 10, 2025

Williams Takes the Helm as Fire Chief

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

As the county’s fire and rescue Chief Keith Johnson retires after a 40-year career, another experienced Loudoun firefighter is stepping into the role.

County Administrator Tim Hemstreet announced Monday that Assistant Chief of Operations James Williams was chosen for the position following a national search.

“It’s such an honor and a privilege to assume this position and to be entrusted, to be appointed to this position and I don’t take that lightly at all,” Williams said.

Williams started his career as a volunteer firefighter before being hired by the Loudoun County Combined Fire-Rescue System.

“I started as a volunteer in Montgomery County [MD] at Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department,” he said. “I started there while I was in high school, and spent a lot of time there, and I credit the foundation of who I am as a firefighter and EMT to some of that initial training and certification and experience.”

Williams volunteered in Montgomery County for eight years before he was hired by Loudoun in 2001. He was only in the academy for a short time when the 9/11 attacks occurred, and he and his fellow recruits were partnered up with other firefighters and dispatched to Dulles Airport to

NEW FIRE CHIEF continues on page 6

‘Heck of a

Ride’ Johnson Bids Farewell after 40 Years of Firefighting

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

There was never a moment that Keith Johnson doesn’t remember wanting to be a firefighter. Not when he was a kid visiting his father who was a volunteer firefighter, not when he graduated high school and began volunteering with his local station, and

not when he left college to take a job with the Fairfax County fire and rescue system.

Nearly 42 years later, and as chief of the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System, Johnson is finally bidding farewell to the career he’s dedicated most of his life to. But his work will continue to impact community members for decades.

Johnson was raised in Long Island, NY, with firefighting and public service in

his blood.

“I literally grew up in the fire house,” he recalls.

He started volunteering with a fire department in Long Island, and after spending two years at college, he applied for jobs

continues on page 38

JOHNSON RETIREMENT

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue Chief Keith Johnson signs thank you notes before retiring after over 40 years of firefighting.

Purcellville Council Majority to Close Police Department, Votes in Fraser as Manager

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

In a whirlwind of votes Tuesday night, the majority bloc on the Purcellville Town Council voted to reshape its proposed budget by moving to eliminate the Police Department, funneling all meals tax revenue to cover utility costs while also lowering user rates. It also voted to appoint interim Town Manager Kwasi Fraser to the permanent position without interviewing any of the other 80 applicants for the post.

The move came on the same night that the council recognized the department for being reaccredited with its fifth award from the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission. The department held its VLEPSC reaccreditation onsite assessment Jan. 13-16, with a team of three assessors reviewing the agency’s policies and procedures to ensure proper proofs of compliance for 192 standards encompassing the past four years.

VLEPSC Commissioner Michael Kochis traveled up from Charlottesville to present the certificate Tuesday night.

“This re-accreditation is not just a certificate. It really is a statement of resilience

ship, your continued support of the accreditation process will send a clear message to the community that professional policing matters, independent apolitical policing matters, that professional policing where process matters and that even in uncertain times, accountability and excellence will not take a back seat, and I’m convinced that your police department won’t let that happen.”

The motion to prepare the ordinance that would eliminate Chapter 42 of the town’s code - the chapter that lays out the Police Department’s roles and responsibilities – was made by Councilmember Susan Khalil and passed 4-2 with councilmembers Erin Rayner and Kevin Wright opposed and Caleb Stought absent.

It was met with outrage from town residents in the audience who shouted “shame” at the council.

“I feel really unsafe right now,” said Beth Goldsmith, a member of the town’s Board of Architectural Review.

“Out of the blue, you’re proposing we defund the Police Department … This is dangerous policy for our town of our size

and a testament to leadership under pressure,” Kochis said. “…It’s a shared achieve-

ment rooted in teamwork, training and trust. To the town council and town leader-

POLICE DEFUNDED continues on page 24

‘You are not Alone’: Sheriff’s Office Highlights Support for Crime Victims

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office put the spotlight on resources available to help crime victims during a candlelight vigil Sunday night at the Douglass Community Center in Leesburg.

Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Lorraine Goldberg, who supervises the agency’s Victim Advocate and Domestic Violence units, led the program, which kicked off National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

She said the focus this year is promoting the collaborative community “kinship” that is important to protecting victims and securing justice.

“[It] is a call to action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. Kinship is a state of being with survivors that drives vital connections and increases access to services, rights and healing. Kinship is where victim advocacy begins. Kinship is also what brings

us together today,” she said. “We are one community, one Loudoun, and we are here today to stand in solidarity with local victims of crime and show them that they are not alone in their fight for justice and healing.”

The program featured remarks by Jonathan Dickey, a county prosecutor whose law career was inspired by his experiences growing up with an abusive father, and Nicole Bialko, who promotes women’s safety based on her experiences as a survivor of stalking.

Sheriff Mike Chapman highlighted the work of his staff to aid crime victims, including the establishment in 2023 of the Victim Advocate Unit to bridge the gap from the time a crime is committed through the court process.

“Part of that making you whole is not only directing you to the resources you may need to try to help you get through a particular situation, but it is preparing you for if we can take a criminal to trial,” Chapman said. “We want to make sure

that we’re doing everything in our power to hold people accountable.”

A key challenge, he said, is helping protect victims during the often-traumatic requirement to testify in court.

“I know one of the things that is always difficult is for people that are victims of crimes to want to testify. There’s a lot of pressures. There’s a whole lot of things that go on behind the scenes that makes them maybe tentative, maybe reluctant to actually get up there in a courtroom and explain what happened to them,” Chapman said. “In a way, we have victimized them again, because they already went through the tragedy. Now they got to go through a tragedy all over a second time. So, we work very hard with our Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. We have a great Commonwealth Attorney’s Office right now.”

Dickey, a member of that office, said

VICTIM RESOURCES continues on page 39

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now Program speakers Nicole Bialko and Jonathan Dickey join in the National Crime Victims’ Week candlelight vigil at the Douglas Community Center on April 6.

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Purcellville Interim Police Chief Sara Lombraña, center, holds a certification of accreditation with from the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission flanked on both sides by former Police Chiefs Cindy McAlister and Barry Dufek.

Loudoun

Industry Leaders Push for Partnerships to Address Housing Challenges

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

As a housing shortage continues to impact the region, Loudoun’s Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday gathered regional and local industry experts together to discuss challenges and strategies for addressing the issue in Loudoun.

Virginia Housing is a public-private organization established by the General Assembly in 1972, and operates independently from taxpayer dollars to help residents attain affordable housing. Organization Director of Strategic Housing Chris Thompson said during the April 8 event that the number of available residential units continues to be a significant challenge.

“We are not keeping up with demand,” he said. “We’re building about 30,000 homes a year, which is less than half of what we were building back in the early 2000s and we continue to see some strains on our capacity.”

Panelists discuss challenges facing the housing industry during an

Contributing to that are side effects from the recession in 2006 that resulted in a decrease of builders, fewer starter homes, and a decline in skilled tradespeople, he said.

“Fast forward five years from the pandemic, and we’re all seeing the challenges that continue with that,” Thompson said.

“It seems like everything is higher, whether it’s cost of land, the cost of materials, the cost to recruit and retain staff [and] going through the entitlement process. All of this

just translates into higher costs for developers and then trickles down to higher costs for anyone who’s looking to rent or to own.”

Thompson said as his organization

HOUSING CHALLENGES continues on page 5

Supervisors Ratify Collective Bargaining Agreement for Government Workers

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

County supervisors last week approved a tentative agreement with Service Employees International Union Virginia 512 — the county’s first collective bargaining agreement with general government employees.

The action follows the supervisors’ approval of a similar agreement with the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 3756 last year.

Last March, general government employees elected SEIU 512 as their union representative with the organization earning 78% of the votes cast.

County representatives, led by Labor Relations Manager Rebekah Bofinger, began negotiations with SEIU 512 in April last year. The union submitted a total of 23 proposals and the county submitted 10. Over the course of a year, the two groups met 13 times coming to tentative agreements on several issues.

SEIU 512 filed an intent to mediate all remaining issues in October and held the first mediation session in November. After four mediation sessions the county and the union resolved all the remaining proposals.

Members of SEIU 512 ratified the terms of the agreement in March with 100% of the votes cast being in favor of it.

The terms of the agreement cover three main topics: compensation, leave and retirement and are expected to have a fiscal impact of $6.5 million in FY 2026, $14.2 million in FY 2027 and $22.1 million in FY 2028.

The terms stipulate that general government employees will receive a 3% scale increase in pay and a 4% merit increase in fiscal year 2026. Employees will also receive a 2% scale increase and 4.25% merit increase in FY 2027 and a 2% scale and 4.5% merit increase in FY 2028. The agreement also revises values for supplemental pay including implementing a bilingual pay stipend and evening and night shift differentials.

The agreement establishes a union leave

Dulles South, Lovettsville Open for Tax Payments

Treasurer Henry C. Eickelberg has included the Lovettsville Town Hall and the Dulles South Recreation Community Center as temporary tax payment convenience centers.

“My office wants to be responsive to residents,” Eickelberg stated in the announcement. “Neither our Leesburg nor Sterling locations are convenient for many Loudouners. So, we are pleased to offer taxpayers two additional temporary locations to pay their 2025 personal property taxes.”

Tax payments will be limited to personal check or debit/credit card.

The first half of the 2025 personal property taxes in Loudoun County are due May 5 and the locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Household Hazardous Waste Event Planned Saturday

The county is hosting its next Household Hazardous Waste collection this Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Harmony Park and Ride near Hamilton.

Residents may bring hazardous waste from their homes to the event, free of charge.

The limit per household is 15 gallons of liquid waste in containers not larger than five gallons, and 40 pounds of solid waste in containers not larger than five gallons.

More information, including details on what will and will not be accepted, is at loudoun.gov/hhw.

bank of 1,500 hours annually for union business and increases the annual leave accrual rate by approximately 13 additional hours a year.

The collective bargaining agreement also increases the county’s match to employee contributions from the current $20 per pay period to either $20 per pay period or 1% of the employee’s salary, whichever is greater, into their 401(a) retirement plan. The annual maximum amount is capped at $1,000.

During the April 1 meeting, the motion to ratify the agreement passed 8-0, with Supervisor Caleb A. Kershner (R-Catoctin) absent.

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said it had taken a long time to get to this point, recalling that efforts by herself and supervisors Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) and Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) during Randall’s first term to begin

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING continues on page 8

County Hosts

Fatherhood Skills Classes

The county is sponsoring the National Fatherhood Initiative’s 24/7 Dad program for Loudoun residents. The program will kick off Tuesday, April 22. All fathers are welcome to attend this free, 12-week, virtual program to build skills to become stronger dads.

Participants meet as a group to discuss topics that include men’s health, communication, discipline, getting involved, co-parenting, worklife balance and child development.

Developed by parenting experts, the 24/7 Dad® program teaches fathering techniques and strategies, provides fathers with peer support and guidance and allows fathers the opportunity to discover their own parenting strengths.

For more information and to register, go to loudoun.gov/fatherhood. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

April 8 Loudoun Chamber forum.

Housing Challenges

continued from page 4

prepares its next five-year strategic plan, residents have continually voiced two priorities – costs associated with regulatory requirements and local government’s ability to address land use and zoning issues.

“We continue to see challenges around going through the entitlement process and having land that is available and even certain types of housing that’s available,” he said. “We’re big champions of modular and manufactured housing. It’s a factory-built housing, but there are parts of the state that do not allow that through zoning. So, even though this could be a nice, affordable solution to implement, there are still regulatory issues that make it difficult to get some of this product on the ground.”

In addition to that, developers often face opposition from the community.

“Even if I were able to have some incredible superpower, snap my fingers and breathe this infinite wealth of resources, that’s not our only challenge,” Thompson said. “We continue to have other barriers to development. Certainly NIMBYism, not in my backyard, has not gone away. We see that across the state, where you can have some very well organized and vocal opposition, not just to affordable and attainable housing, but to housing in general, that can stop a project or pause it and make it financially infeasible.”

Three panelists from Loudoun’s own community also weighed in the challenges facing their organizations. Hines Senior Managing Director Andrew McGeorge, Kite Realty Vice President of Development Nick Over, and True Ground Housing Partners Carmen Romero highlighted the importance of partnerships within the community.

McGeorge and Over said for their for-profit businesses that kind of helpful collaboration often comes from clear and well-thought direction from the county government.

Over referenced the development at One Loudoun, a project his company is developing, as a success story within the county.

“What’s coming is very, very exciting, and the reason it’s coming is because of what the [Board of Supervisors] did in laying the foundation with the new comprehensive plan,” he said.

The next phase of development on the project includes new restaurants, retail space and 425 more housing units.

For Romero’s nonprofit organization that owns and preserves affordable housing projects in Northern Virginia, local support often involves incentives and

financial investments. One of the organization’s projects in Fairfax County that provided 500 attainable units required $90 million of subsidies, she said. That included local government support, federal funding and support from private businesses.

“I do think there are opportunities in Loudoun for a big play like that,” she said.

The organization has a project underway in Loudoun currently, but the challenges facing attainable housing projects are growing, she said.

“We can do this but it’s critical, especially in moments like today, when the headwinds interest rates are high, we’ve got tariff risks, costs were already high, gaps are growing without the federal tools that we need to fill those gaps to get our deals across the finish line,” Romero said.

A project that takes six to seven years to get through the legislative and construction process is not feasible in the current environment.

“We are never going to get out of an affordable housing crisis as a country, as a nation, as a locality, if those are the timelines that you’re expecting us to do to build one project. It just doesn’t work,” she said.

Those challenges also effect for-profit companies that struggle to find investors when the market is too uncertain.

“We’re market-rate developers, so what that means for us is I have lenders and I have equity partners, so I have to make sure that my projects are profitable for the lenders and the equity partners, and if they’re not, I can’t go forward,” McGeorge said. “… It’s just a big math problem that we do have to solve. And if the math doesn’t work, we’re not able to go forward unfortunately.”

Recent changes in tariffs are contributing to that uncertainty.

“I think, without a doubt, tariffs will raise prices,” McGeorge said. “It will contribute to inflation, which will increase rents, which causes more problems. So, we are monitoring it. It is day by day. As investors, we like certainty.”

Romero said her organization checks in often on products being shipped for the projects that are currently under construction to monitor tariff impacts on the overall project cost.

“We’re trying to do what we did in the pandemic – carry extra contingency if we can get it so that we don’t have to stop anything, because we really learned from the pandemic,” she said.

It will take continue collaboration and innovation to address the housing shortage, panelists said.

“We can push through it, but this is when we really need partnerships,” Romero said. n

GRAND [re]OPENING

New Fire Chief

continued from page 1

backfill positions for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Fire and Rescue Department.

After graduating recruit school, Williams was first stationed in Middleburg and over the years he rose up through ranks earning captain, battalion chief, deputy chief and assistant chief. As captain he also ran the recruit school which he cites and one of the most rewarding and challenging times of his career.

“Recruit training was a really, really intense, but valuable and rewarding and challenging all at the same time,” Williams said.

The biggest challenge lies in taking a diverse group of individuals and preparing them for their own sets of challenges on the job, he added.

“You bring together these folks with just a tremendously diverse set of backgrounds. Some are young and single, some are older with families, some have fire and EMS backgrounds, some have none, some are local, some are two hours away and you’re smushing them all together and paving the way for them to mold themselves into a team,” Williams said.

The hours at recruit school are long and demanding and require the captain in charge and his staff to be “always on” and prepared for whatever might happen.

Sometimes that’s guidance and correction and sometimes its advice and support, he said.

The people who make up Loudoun’s combined system – its career firefighters, its volunteer firefighters and the firefighter’s union, IAFF Local 3756 – are all critical components to the life-saving work accomplished by first responders, Williams said.

“This is just huge to me: the people who serve Loudoun County are people. And we have all of these beautiful, wonderful things, but without the people, we’re not going to be able to respond to too many calls,” he said.

Continuing to support that tri-party system will be an important focus point for Williams as he steps into the chief role.

“Everyone has value, and someone’s volunteering may look different based on what they want to do; administrative, support services, EMS only, or fire and EMS and helping to find avenues to sup-

port those diverse interests is important,” he said.

Williams leans on his own experiences volunteering, recalling the difficulty of working a full-time job in Loudoun while trying to continue serving in Montgomery County.

“The people who volunteer their time in our county have full time jobs: firefighters, nurses, doctors, lawyers and IT professionals. So, I’m very sensitive to the fact that I was not in an executive position as a career firefighter, but I found the time demands as a career firefighter in the youth of my career conflicting with my abilities to also volunteer. I say that as a compliment to every person in our system who is able to successfully balance a professional career, whatever that may be, coupled with being a professional volunteer,” Williams said.

Williams is also hoping to continue the work of enhancing first responder safety that he began as deputy chief.

“One of the things that is really important to me, and I spent a lot of time in my previous role as a deputy chief is first responder health, safety and wellness,” he said. “That’s holistic in a lot of ways. We need to be well to perform well, but well is defined in a lot of different ways. We need to have good medical health and to be physically fit. We need to be respectful of behavioral health needs and we’re very

fortunate to have the support of the county and the board.”

His advocacy and efforts led to the system’s Center for Fitness, Wellness, and Support Services and the start of the Behavioral Health program.

In addition to his experiences on the job, Williams holds a bachelor’s degree from Bates College, a master’s degree in public administration from Virginia Tech and is certified as a public manager by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Institute for Regional Excellence and George Washington University Center for Excellence in Municipal Management.

That certification was sponsored by the county and provided a wealth of information on strategic planning, budgeting and finance, Williams said.

But in addition to those qualifications, Williams said his wife, Heather, and his two children have helped him develop two of the most important qualifications in public service – care and compassion.

“I am who I am and framed through my experiences as a husband and a father,” he said. “… Being a husband and being a parent has made me a better person. It’s important for us to serve with compassion, to serve with empathy. Both being a parent and a husband have made me better at that.” n

RESOURCE FAIR

“I have two words for Long Covid: The Worst,” shares Dave A. of Ashburn.

While the initial alarm of the Covid-19 outbreak has subsided, the fallout from the pandemic is ongoing. Many continue to feel long-term impacts from their infection In fact, nearly 23 million Americans (and 100 million people globally) have learned that regardless of the severity of their initial infection, they may continue to experience debilitating symptoms for weeks, months, or even years In a number of these cases, symptoms worsen with time, even turning deadly.

“I got Covid early last year and it was pretty bad,” shares Dave.

“I was hospitalized for 9 days and there was a point where I wasn’t sure I was going to make it.

I’m still here so I guess God had other plans but months passed and I was still gasping for air.

I couldn’t do everyday tasks like cutting the grass or working in the yard, much less enjoy a quick bike ride. And then there was what my doctor called, ‘brain fog’.

I’d lose my train of thought mid-sentence or forget words for stupid things like plates and toilet paper. It felt like I’d had a stroke more than it did a virus.”

Officially dubbed Long Covid, the aftermath of the original virus has taken on a life of its own. Dozens of symptoms have been reported and include everything from shortness of breath and cognitive issues to a sudden onset of diabetes and cardiothoracic conditions

LONG COVID

Local clinic has a modern, medical solution to treat your Long-Haul Covid symptoms and is seeing incredible results!

These symptoms are so well-documented and common that those suffering now qualify for disability assistance

Unfortunately for Dave and so many others, the treatment options thus far have been limited

“I started with my primary care doctor and saw specialist after specialist. A pulmonologist finally told me, ‘This is the best we can do for you, it’s time you start thinking about how you’re going to live with Long Covid.’ Apparently, their best was letting me live what felt like half a life ”

Dave wasn’t satisfied with that and decided to do his own research, which is how he ended up at FAW, Firefly Acupuncture and Wellness in Ashburn, VA.

“I fully believe the human body has the ability to heal itself, but sometimes it needs a little push. I’ve used acupuncture in the past to help me through a bout of sciatica and just knew if anyone could help me with this Long Covid business, it was going to be Rachal Lohr.”

You might think that a novel virus needs a novel solution, but if so, you’d only be half right. While the staff at Firefly Acupuncture does use innovative solutions like ATP Resonance Bio Therapy™ to combat Long Covid, because it aids in the healing and repair of specific cells and tissues, it’s a much more time-tested science that’s getting patients back to living their lives

“Our O3 ReBoot Therapy™ has all-encompassing and powerful healing capabilities,” shares Taylor, a Senior Patient Care Coordinator

“Ozone therapy has been used since the 1800s and was actually a popular tool for Doctors during the First World War because of its antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. We use it today to inactivate any residual Covid virus, stimulate oxygen metabolism, and activate the immune system The whole treatment takes about 15 minutes and is completely noninvasive.”

As with FAW’s other services, O3 ReBoot Therapy™ requires consistent and repeated treatment to achieve measurable and long-lasting results

“I’m in my second month of treatment and back to riding my bike and breathing better than before I even had Covid. Everyone [at FAW] has been amazing! I really feel taken care of every time I walk in the door.”

Rachal Lohr, L.Ac., FAW’s founder and Director has been successfully treating chronic pain and complicated conditions for almost two decades. She has pioneered effective protocols to treat seemingly hopeless conditions like peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and postherpetic neuralgia. When COVID-19 emerged over five years ago, she and her team got right to work researching and developing therapies that would effectively address that complex virus. Based on the testimony of patients like Dave, it seems their efforts have been a smashing success.

For more information, visit FireflyAcuAndWellness.com. In an effort to do their part in helping people through this difficult time, they are waiving the $40 new patient consultation fee for Long Covid patients. Call (703) 263-2142 to schedule

Ruzic Elected to Lead Democrats

Attorney Ryan Ruzic is the new chair of the Loudoun County Democratic Committee, selected during its general membership meeting April 3.

Ruzic, a Purcellville resident, is a chief public defender working in Loudoun and Fauquier counties.

He is joined in the committee leadership by Meredith Ray, elected as vice chair of operations, and Secretary Michele Burton. Ray, of South Riding, is a mother of two and longtime education advocate. Burton, of Sterling, is former Loudoun County prosecutor now in private practice with the firm of Clark Nelson & Burton, PLLC.

Deputy Chair David Bauer, Vice Chair of Districts Lissa Savaglio, and Treasurer Andrew Coolen continue as members of the committee’s leadership team.

“Loudoun is becoming less safe and less fair because of the actions of President Trump and the Republicans too scared to oppose him,” Ruzic stated in the announcement of the election. “There has never been a more urgent time to stand up, get organized, and fight for the American values of freedom, the rule of law, and equality for every person living in Loudoun.

For more information go to loudoundemocrats.org. n

Collective Bargaining

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connecting workers with a union failed.

“I know the value of unions,” she said. “I know what they do. I know how they change lives. I know what solidarity looks like, not just in fighting for your budget agreements and your contracts, but really fighting for one another.”

Randall said when she first moved to Loudoun the county was underfunding its employees and that unions help save the county money on having to hire and train new employees.

“I am so proud to have worked on this since I have been on this board,” she said.

Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said while he had opposed the county moving in the direction of unionized public workers, he would support the agreement.

“I do believe that this board itself demonstrated the way that a board can move forward and take care of employees and increase pay and increase benefits and listen without having collective bargaining,” he said. “.. To me, the right thing to do is vote in favor of an agreement that’s been fairly negotiated and represents the will of the majority as well as what has been negotiated between the two parties.” n

General Assembly

General Assembly Declines to Revive Oak Hill Park Plan

After efforts to establish Oak Hill, President James Monroe’s Loudoun home, as a state park were revived through a proposed budget amendment by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, House delegates last week declined to take action on the proposal.

Youngkin’s amendment would have authorized the state to accept the gift of the land provided certain financial criteria were met, including that it would not require support from the commonwealth’s General Fund. That amendment was rejected in the House by a voice vote as part of a decision to not accept any budget changes proposed by Youngkin.

The 1,240-acre property is located near Aldie and has been privately owned by the DeLashmutt family for 70 years. The family has been working with The Conservation Fund, Loudoun County and elected officials to preserve the property in public ownership.

Last year, the Loudoun Board of Supervisors committed $22 million to support the acquisition of the land. Also, an endowment, with more than $20 million in commitments, is being established to support the park’s ongoing operational costs.

Supporters of the project have said they will continue pushing for the park’s establishment and County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said the $22 million will remain dedicated to the property’s purchase.

“We weren’t just early supporters of this,” she said. “It was our initiative to start with and this has been something that has been going on for Loudoun for over two years now.”

“The Conservation Fund remains fully committed to transforming President

James Monroe’s historic 1,200-acre estate into a park for the benefit of all. We are working with many other organizations and individuals to make this happen,” the organization released in a statement Monday.

The organization noted that Youngkin still needs to sign off on the state budget and could continue to negotiate with legislators.

“If Virginia leaders do not seize this opportunity, we will look to the future and continue our work with partners to ensure this state park comes to fruition,” according to the announcement.

Del. Geary Higgins (R-30) who has been working with The Conservation Fund and the DeLashmutts to have the park established said he will continue to do so.

“Unfortunately, the future of Oak Hill is uncertain at this point because no other Loudoun Delegate, or any House Democrat, had the courage to break with the instructions of their political leadership and vote for Oak Hill. There was no reason to vote against Oak Hill other than ugly, partisan politics,” he stated.

Higgins said Youngkin’s stipulations in his amendment included making sure the park did not rely on any General Fund t axpayer dollars.

“Now, thanks to the Democrats, we are in an unnecessary predicament and running into deadlines with the timeline of the DeLashmutt family, who have already been so generous. What is happening here is embarrassing and a clear display of the worst side of politics,” he stated.

Youngkin has 30 days from the General Assembly’s April 2 gathering to take final action on the budget. n

Perry Appointed to New Women’s Health Commission

During last week’s reconvened session of the General Assembly, Sen. Russet Perry (D-31) was appointed to serve on the newly established Women’s Health Commission by the Senate Rules Committee.

The commission was created to address issues affecting women’s health and ensure equitable access to healthcare services across the commonwealth, including maternal health. It was signed into law by Gov. Glenn Youngkin during the 2025 session.

“I am honored and excited to join the Women’s Health Commission and work alongside other passionate and dedicated advocates,” Perry stated in an announcement. “When I decided to run for office, I did so in-part to ensure my daughter has

the same access to health care that I had as a young woman, and I carried bipartisan legislation to eliminate the costs of breast cancer diagnostics and testing for Virginians this Session to ensure our ability to pay does not dictate our ability to access life-saving care. Access for all to healthcare, and especially maternal health care, for women is fundamental for a thriving Commonwealth, and I look forward to studying and advocating for policies that will protect the lives of women and improve healthcare outcomes in Virginia for years to come.”

The commission will convene for its first meeting July 1. n

Legislators Finalize Decisions on 2025 General Assembly Bills

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Legislators reconvened April 2 to make their final decisions on bills that Gov. Glenn Youngkin either vetoed or amended. Of the 316 bills up for discussion, 23 were authored by Loudoun representatives.

Two of Sen. Russet Perry’s (D-31) bills that Youngkin made recommendations to were rejected by the Senate.

SB894 would have stipulated that if a vulnerable victim brings a personal injury or wrongful death action against an employee, the employer can be found vicariously liable for that action if several factors are met including failure to exercise reasonable care over the employee.

Youngkin’s recommendation narrows the scope of the change to employer liability for criminal sexual assault, abuse of a child, or malicious wounding.

The senate voted against accepting that recommendation on a 4-36 vote.

SB1093 would remove the restriction on localities that operate separate storm sewer systems to only enter those properties if a discharge enters the system and allows them to access it under reasonable circumstances.

Youngkin’s language keeps the changes from going into effect unless reenacted during the 2026 General Assembly session. Del. Marty Martinez (D-29) introduced a House version of the bill that was also amended by the governor.

Both were rejected by legislators.

In addition to the stormwater bill, two pieces of legislation by Martinez were amended by the governor and those changes were adopted by the House.

A bill that expanded the parameters for unemployment benefits by increasing the amounts given by $100 a week and extending the duration of support was amended by Youngkin to reduce the increase to $52 a week and removed the duration extension. The bill also requires further investigation into what other improvements can be made.

Martinez supported the bill despite Youngkin’s reductions.

“Many Virginians are facing a serious threat – federal job cuts that could impact thousands of working families across the commonwealth and when they find themselves between jobs, they shouldn’t have to navigate a broken system just to stay afloat,” Martinez said.

Two bills authored by Del. David Reid (D-28) that had recommendations by Youngkin were not accepted in by the House.

The first, HB1821 would allow large energy consumers to claim credit under the Accelerated Renewable Buyers Program by using battery energy storage sys-

tems. The House did not take up the bill for consideration.

The second would amend high school graduation requirements to permit students to substitute an African American History course in the place of U.S. History, if offered. Youngkin issued a reenactment clause, delaying the bill’s implementation unless adopted again next year.

Reid proposed not accepting that change.

“There are no costs and there is no reason to delay teaching the truth about our history,” he said.

The House failed to endorse Youngkin’s change on a 26-70 vote. However, a second motion by Reid to adopt the bill as originally passed also failed to garner the twothirds majority required.

Del. JJ Singh (D-26) also had two bills with amendments by Youngkin.

HB2594 requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services to establish statewide best practices for security at nonprofit institutions. Youngkin’s amendments to the bill were largely technical changes, Singh said and supported adopting them.

HB2695 would add arts, humanities, and information science to the list of categories that the state Library Board awards the patron of letters honorary degree. Youngkin amended the bill with a reenactment clause. The House did not take up the bill during Wednesday’s session.

Del. Atoosa Reaser (D-27) had one bill amended by Youngkin. It requires the Department of Education to create an index that chronicles federal and state required training that teachers have received in an easily accessible public format and on its website. Youngkin’s recommendation extended the deadline for this to be done from August to November.

Reaser also attempted to override a veto by Youngkin on her HB2056 that gives localities authority to set the dates and hours of operation for satellite voting offices. She referenced a controversy in Loudoun last summer when the Electoral Board adopted a calendar for the county’s satellite offices that did not include a third Saturday of early voting. County supervisors urged the board to reinstate the Saturday and add back Sunday early voting.

“This is not just wrong, but it is unfair, and it must be corrected. … [This bill] is about allowing elected officials who are directly accountable to the people they represent to make the decisions that affect their communities like ensuring that voting is accessible,” she said.

Her motion failed to garner the necessary majority to override the governor’s veto.

Amended bills that were not adopted by the General Assembly will go back to Youngkin’s desk for further consideration in their originally adopted formats. The governor has 30 days to take final action. n

Leesburg

'Save the Music' Crowd Packs Leesburg Council Chamber over Noise Ordinance Plans

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

Residents spilled out from the Leesburg Council chamber all the way to the Town Hall’s second-floor stairwell on Tuesday night during a public hearing on proposed changes to the town’s noise ordinance.

It is the latest episode in a years-long effort to balance the growing music scene in the downtown area while protecting residents living close by.

Facing the large crowd, the council announced early in the meeting it would table any decision on the ordinance until after the town hired a sound expert to provide recommendations.

Proposed changes to the ordinance recommended by the town staff, as ex-

plained by Town Attorney Chris Spera, would create an amplified outdoor music permit. Permit holding venues playing music that exceeds 75 decibels at the point of the property line closest to the source of the sound would be subject to a fine. Staff proposed increasing that fine from $250 to $500 on the second violation and revoking the permit on the third violation. Measurements would be conducted by police in response to a complaint.

Businesses without permits in violation of the ordinance would be subject to criminal misdemeanor enforcement.

Spera said during a January council work session that the town discontinued the permit program in 2023 because it was deemed ineffective. The new ordinance rules seek to give that permit teeth, but

residents addressing the council on April 8 aired disagreements over what those rules should look like.

Vicky Chrisner said she thought the threat of a misdemeanor conviction went too far. Councilmember Patrick Wilt agreed.

Trisha Smith said the town would be “sterile” and “without culture” without its music scene. Bruce Weinstein also said the town advertises live music, pointing to the recently installed community piano on the Town Hall campus.

“It is literally telling everyone around us that this is a place that supports live music,” Weinstein said.

Most residents appeared to agree that the current ordinance’s enforcement guidelines are too subjective.

Enforcement of the current ordinance is based on the standard of a sound being “plainly audible 50 feet beyond the property boundary,” before 2 p.m. and after 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, or before 10:30 a.m. and after 8 p.m. on other days.

Jill Weiss questioned why the new ordinance would not allow amplified outdoor music on building rooftops, which was brought up by several other residents in reference to the Crow’s Nest at the top of Buford’s restaurant on Market Street.

Martin Burk made another point voiced by many residents.

“You should measure it [sound] where someone is not happy,” he said.

NOISE ORDINANCE continues on page 11

‘Hands Off!’ Protest Draws Large Crowd at Courthouse

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

More than 900 protestors registered to join the crowd that gathered on the Loudoun County courthouse grounds Saturday to oppose actions of President Donald J. Trump’s administration.

The “Hands Off !” mass mobilization event, organized by Indivisible movements across the country, saw over a thousand protest events nationwide. People from Fauquier County, Clarke County and Loudoun County gathered in Leesburg from 1 to 3 p.m. April 5, in solidarity with other local movements.

A press release by the Clarke County Democratic Committee stated the purpose: “Hands Off ! is a mass mobilization day with our message to the Trump administration that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy,” according to the statement. “Whether you are outraged by skyrocketing healthcare costs, job cuts, attacks on privacy or the gutting of essential services, this moment is for you.”

Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk, Del. Marty Martinez (D-29), Supervisor Juli Briskman (D-Algonkian), U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), and other organizers delivered speeches criticizing President

administration.

Trump’s policies and character, calling for action, and defending values they said shape America.

“I’m here today because I never thought the United States would ever be run by a group of lying, cheating, elected officials, by a president who can’t open his mouth without telling lies that hurt people, lies that destroy jobs and lies that turn people into haters,” Burk said. “A president who berates and demonizes federal workers,

those workers who give their time and talent in the service to the American people.”

Burk also called out the “impotence” of Congress.

“I look to the Republican Party and ask, where are you?” she said. “Where are the men and women that are standing up against his policies? They are here.”

Protestors sang chants such as “hey ho! Donald Trump has got to go,” “Lock him up!” and “Stand up, fight back!” A band of

three performed songs throughout the day, including “This Land is Your Land,” which was joined almost universally by voices in the crowd.

Signs reading “hands off,” “resist,” “impeach,” and anti-Elon Musk and Trump sentiments were displayed all across the courtyard.

Briskman urged the crowd to “be the person” and “channel” several iconic activists and moments of protest throughout history, from Tiananmen Square to Vietnam protests where flowers were placed in soldier’s guns.

A truck waving several Trump, MAGA, and other flags drove through King Street throughout the event, drawing boos from several in the crowd.

“We’ve gotta ignore them,” Martinez said during his speech. He continued, adding that “billionaires are really screwing up our country,” and that “they should not get a free ride because of Mr. Trump.”

Burk called the crowd to action.

“We do not have the luxury of getting depressed,” she said. “We need to get down to the grassroots, and we need to start making change happen. We need to call our congressional leaders, we need to write letters to the editor… we need to knock on those doors, we need to get out of our comfort zones and we need to make this turn around.” n

William Timme/Loudoun Now Protestors filled the Loudoun County Courthouse grounds on Saturday to oppose the actions of President Donald J. Trump’s

Noise Ordinance

continued from page 10

Pete McNeil, a live sound engineer, explained why he tunes his PA system for 85 decibels up to 10 meters from the stage, and added that around 50 meters away, that sound level drops to 73 decibels. He asked that the council keep that in mind after consulting a sound expert.

There were also residents worried about hearing music in their homes, even with doors and windows shut.

Teri Sinonds said she shouldn’t be able to hear lyrics in her home.

“Unlike patrons of the venues, we cannot leave when we tire of the entertainment,” she said.

Kristine Tran said that musicians’ livelihoods depend on the outcome of the ordinance.

“Who are we to take our musicians from their livelihood if construction workers have power tools that are 90 decibels or 130 decibels,” she said.

With the council to continue its deliberations on the issue, Mayor Kelly Burk urged audience members to stay engaged and bring their comments to the next meeting as well. n

Keep Leesburg Beautiful Campaign Begins

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

The kickoff of this year’s Keep Leesburg Beautiful campaign took place at Raflo Park on Saturday morning, launching a month-long, town-wide clean-up effort. Volunteers, wearing yellow vests and gloves and wielding trash grabbers, put their boots to the grass in search of trash.

On the Town of Leesburg’s website, a GIS map shows the locations with the greatest need for attention from trash seeking volunteers. Residents may also suggest new locations for clean-up on the website.

The target locations for this year’s Keep Leesburg Beautiful were carryovers from previous years where there have historically been problems with litter. Areas reviewed by the town staff were added to the list if they were deemed to be “an area in need of regular monitoring and litter removal” and “safe for volunteers to access,” according to town PIO Kara Rodriguez.

A list of locations with remaining sign up spots includes the Sycolin Cemetery; the Miller Drive and Sycolin Road airport

property area; behind the AtHome home goods store in Compass Creek; the dead end on Miller Drive Past Park; Evergreen Meadows on Alpine Drive; the dead end near Food Lion on Davis Avenue; the area behind the shops at the Virginia Village Shopping Center; the area behind Giant near the Public Safety Center on Catoctin Circle; the lot behind the Police Department headquarters on Plaza Street; Shenandoah Square Shopping Center; the Rt. 15 bypass on Edwards Ferry road near Chipotle; the woods behind Dairy Queen and around the water tower area in Fort Evans Plaza II; Cattail Branch on Balls Bluff to Edwards Landing; Battlefield Parkway and Woods Edge Road in the Edwards Landing area.

Volunteers may also collect trash outside the sign-up locations.

Mayor Kelly Burk shared a few words with the volunteers during the kick-off event.

“It’s great that you’re here picking up, that’s very important,” Burk said. “But we also gotta think about preventing litter.” She told a story about a time she saw “all this litter” near the Safeway and then picked up an envelope that had her

name on it.

“We’re gonna work toward the goal of picking up 1,000 pounds of litter today,” she said. n

William Timme/ Loudoun Now Volunteers pick up trash behind the shops at the Virginia Village shopping center on the day of the Keep Leesburg Beautiful Kick-Off event.

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Loudoun Credit Union Moving Downtown

Loudoun Credit Union is relocating its headquarters to a new flagship location at 6 W. Market St. in downtown Leesburg.

The move is part of a modernization strategy for the member-owned cooperative founded in Leesburg nearly 50 years ago.

Following renovation of the 5,800-square-foot space spanning three historic buildings, the new office is expected to open this fall, moving from its current office on Sycolin Road near Leesburg Executive Airport.

“This location brings us full circle,” CEO Michael Falvey said. “Our members work hard to make life here possible—for their families and for the community. Whether they’re managing credit card debt, trying to buy a reliable car, or just making ends meet, we see them. And we believe that being back downtown puts us in a better position to serve them.”

heart of the community we’re proud to serve.”

With the planned introduction of business banking services alongside its personal offerings, LCU is positioning itself to better support both individuals and small enterprises across the county.

Board Chair Cindy Mester reflected on the move’s significance ahead of LCU’s golden anniversary.

“This is more than just a building—it’s a milestone,” she said. “We’re building on our past and present while stepping confidently into our future. As the town around us grows and evolves, so too does Loudoun Credit Union—stronger, more inclusive, and more rooted in community than ever before.”

The new office, just steps from LCU’s original 1978 office, will be in the space heavily damaged by a kitchen fire in 2021.

Please Consider Joining Us for the 2025-2026 Loudoun County Fellows Program.

To apply or for more information, please visit: www.cslewisinstitute.org/loudoun-county

Tim Bradley CSLI City Director, Loudoun County

Email: t.bradley@cslewisinstitute.org

Phone: (301) 325-8565

The organization was originally chartered in 1978 to serve Loudoun County government employees, educators and first responders. In 2023, the credit union was granted a community charter, permitting it to expand its membership eligibility to anyone who lives, works, learns or worships in Loudoun County.

Falvey said the new location reflects that broader mission to bring the credit union closer to the day-to-day lives of the people it serves.

“Every loan we make tells a story—a family refinancing their home, a parent paying for braces, a neighbor starting a small business,” Falvey said. “That’s the power of local lending. It’s not just about financing purchases—it’s about financing lives. Our mission has always been to support the people of Loudoun, and this move downtown brings us closer to the

“After the 2021 fire, we rebuilt with a vision for Leesburg’s future. LCU’s move is a testament to that vision—a perfect blend of legacy and forward-thinking,” building owner Michael J. O’Connor said.

Town leaders also welcomed the credit union’s plans.

“Keeping LCU in Leesburg, especially in our historic downtown, is a win for everyone. Their presence adds to the vitality and economic diversity of West Market Street,” Mayor Kelly Burk stated.

“LCU’s commitment comes at an ideal time, aligning with our efforts to enhance the downtown’s appeal and functionality. It’s another cornerstone in the evolving story of a town where heritage and innovation meet,” Russell Seymour, Leesburg’s director of economic development, stated.

Learn more at loudouncu.com. n

File Photo

Loudoun Credit Union is relocating its headquarters to a new flagship location at 6 W. Market St. in downtown Leesburg.

School Board Weighs Changes to Retiree Healthcare Plan Amid Declining Reserves

BY AMBER LUCAS alucas@loudounnow.org

A proposal to move more Loudoun County school division retirees off the system’s health insurance plan is under scrutiny by both the Loudoun Education Alliance and the School Board.

While touted by administrators as offering retirees more flexibility to control their coverage choices, the move is driven by a sharp decline in reserves of the division’s self-insured healthcare program.

LEA President Kris Countryman said that whoever “fell asleep at the wheel” and allowed the balance to drop so low should be removed.

With its self-insurance program, the division sets aside school funds to cover insurance claims instead of relying on a third-party insurance provider. The school division’s policy requires administrators to maintain enough cash reserves to cover at least two months of claims.

According to Chief Financial Officer Sharon Willoughby, the reserve will be at 0.1 months—three days—in fiscal year 2026 with a transfer from the school operating fund. The balance would be negative without the transfer.

This year, healthcare premiums will increase by 12% for active employees, according to Willoughby. She also said that additional premium increases are highly likely in coming years.

The premiums for retired employees have not increased since 2018. Active employees had increases starting in 2022.

The growing costs without the growing revenue from premiums is a big factor for the change in retirement benefits and premiums, but not all of them, according to Chief Human Resources Officer Lisa Boland.

“This is just one of the drivers in making this proposal. The Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement gives retirees the freedom to choose the coverage that best fits their needs,” Boland said.

The proposed changes to the health plan include automatically enrolling retirees who will turn 65, the age where retirees become Medicare eligible, on or after Jan. 1, 2026, into a Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement plan. Retirees will also enroll in Medicare parts A and B, as well as choose a Medigap plan for supplemental insurance that works for them.

Those in the RHRA plan would receive a $400 per month tax-free contribution from

A graph presented to the Loudoun County School Board on March 25 that shows the health selfinsurance reserve levels with and without a transfer from the school operating fund. It is policy that the reserve stays at two months.

the school division. That money could be used for Medigap plans A and B, Medigap Pharmacy plans, Medicare Advantage, vision and dental plans or general medical costs. Unused funds would roll over from month to month and year to year.

The proposed changes would also increase deductibles on all plans by $150, out of pocket maximums by $500 and health savings account contributions by $100 for employees and $200 for employees with another person on their insurance.

Dependents in the new plan would be eligible until the age of 26, as would spouses until they become Medicare eligible. Medicare eligible spouses would enroll in their own Medicare plan and be responsible for their own supplemental costs.

Currently, when retirees become Medicare-eligible they are enrolled in the school division-sponsored Cigna True Choice Medicare Advantage Program. Retirees who become Medicare eligible before January 2026 may elect to move to the RHRA plan but must abide by all rules the Medicare system has for plan changes. There would be no change in the non-Medicare eligible retiree benefits.

The current system also allows for retirees to enroll spouses and dependents in the plans. Both the current and proposed plans require retirees who wish to enroll in the insurance plan to have worked for the school division for 15 years and be enrolled in the active employee insurance plans for the three years preceding retirement. The division also funds a health insurance

Liberty’s Peckham Named AP of the Year

Courtney Peckham, of Liberty Elementary School, was selected as the 2025 Assistant Principal of the Year by the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals. She was nominated by Liberty Elementary School Principal Paul Pack.

Since starting at Loudoun County Public Schools, Peckham worked her way up from teacher to assistant principal. She was presented with the award during a surprise ceremony at school, where VAESP Executive Director Krista Arnold gave her the award.

She will also be recognized at the VAESP conference in Virginia Beach in June.

VAESP is a professional organization that is committed to creating high standards in education in Virginia. It serves elementary and middle school principals and future principals state-wide.

credit to offset costs that is added to the employee’s pension, as well as 100% of a life insurance policy.

The proposed changes were removed from the official budget adoption at the request of Chair Melinda Mansfield, supported by a unanimous vote, during the Feb. 4 meeting as the board sought more information.

“I think we all need to be more educated on it, and it needs to be included from the beginning, and that will also provide more input and more public comment from everybody else. And I think we should work through it together,” Mansfield said on Feb. 4.

During a March 25 work session, speakers raised concerns about changing the commitment to retirees and questioned whether $400 per month would be adequate.

Countryman wrote in an email to Loudoun Now that the LEA “is working very hard behind the scenes.” The union is talking with Medicare knowledgeable people to figure out the actual impact of the changes, she said.

“Because of the short notice on the actual changes by HR, we have had to work very quickly without much information. Our position will be data-driven. I just don’t have the data that I need yet,” she stated.

Countryman also is calling for answers on how the school system allowed the

RETIREE HEALTHCARE continues on page 16

For more information, go to vaesp.net.

Board Recognizes Arab American Heritage Month

The Loudoun County School Board on Tuesday officially proclaimed April as National Arab American Heritage month in Loudoun County Public Schools. It is meant to recognize the diversity within the school and recognize the 3.5 million Arab Americans in the country, 8,000 of which reside in Loudoun County. The proclamation also reads that LCPS is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all of its constituents.

“Loudoun County Public Schools is stronger when it reflects and respects the full diversity of the school community that enabled 97.1% of all students in LCPS to graduate in 2024; and during National Arab American Heritage Month, it is important to promote cultural awareness and understanding through educational initiatives, events, and celebrations within Loudoun County Public Schools,” the proclamation reads. n

Loudoun County Public Schools

Middleburg Charter School Wins Building Hope Award

BY AMBER LUCAS alucas@loudounnow.org

The 114-year-old Middleburg Community Charter School is the only school in Virginia to earn a Building Hope IMPACT Award for community engagement. The school will be one of three to receive the award in this category and accompanying grant, the amount of which will be decided at the IMPACT Summit in May.

Building Hope is a national nonprofit that supports charter schools around the nation. The IMPACT award has four categories with three winners each - Community Engagement, Educational Innovation, Student Empowerment, and the S. Joseph Bruno Model Charter Award. There is $160,000 total awarded in grants, one $20,000 and two $10,000 in each category.

This is the first win for the charter school, having been a semi-finalist in 2023. According to Principal Stephen Robinson, that experience led them to “beef up” their application for this year. He said that community engagement is a main focus for the small-town school.

“It’s one of those things where we feel like we embody what it means to be true community school. You know, most times larger schools, it’s hard because they have a large student population. They really can’t get active in the community as much because you have so many students, whereas being a smaller school in a small town, it allows us to kind of have that flexibility and opportunity to do those things,” Robinson said.

Robinson said the focus on community engagement all the time is what makes their application special.

“It’s one thing that we really strive to stress for the application for this grant, is that it’s not just one thing. It’s who we are, we live the whole entire aspect of that. We’re constantly going ahead and it’s a continual focal point for us, for the community. It’s not just like, ‘Oh, we’re gonna do a one off and do different events here and there.’ Every class is engaged in our community, doing something,” he said.

The other finalists in the Community Engagement category are Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy in Tennessee and Island Montessori in North Carolina.

Robinson described the application process for the grant as standard. They had to answer questions and submit documentation for community engagement. They also made a video that highlighted the school’s mission.

The judges will look at the application, the video, look at school websites and Facebook pages, as well as interviewing the principal, students and staff members.

Robinson said that community members even came forward to speak for the school.

Of all of the applicants, 10 semi-finalists are chosen. Of those, three winners are chosen and the ranking among those is decided at the May conference. The school has a chance of either a $20,000 grant or a $10,000 grant.

The money from the grant will be used to make improvements to the school, especially the stage and other areas commonly used for community events, Robinson said.

“Our current stage we have [used for] performances and different events and celebrations. We want to definitely revitalize that stage. You know, the wood is not all completely where we want to be at. So I think for us, it’s taking our stage where it’s at many making it some improvements, making them look up to date while not losing the charm,” he said.

Some of the community events that help the charter-school stick out are the 4th of July celebration, the farmer’s market and town hall events that are all held on the school’s property. The school also held their annual Leo Night on April 3rd that showed off the project-based learning the students have been doing this year.

Robinson also said the students hold fundraisers for local businesses, go on community field trips and learn work skills during events for community engagement.

Middleburg Community Charter School was opened as a regular public school from 1911 until 2014, when Loudoun County Public Schools planned on closing it. However, Robinson said that the community came together to stop that from happening and Middleburg became a charter school.

Charter schools are still public schools and are free to attend and receive money from the state. Middleburg’s school currently has 144 students attending, one class in each grade.

The original school structure from 1911 is still standing, having been renovated through the years. An addition was added in 1960. Robinson said that because the school had been open so long, many community members have emotional ties and great stories from their time there.

A staff member recently hired even brought in an old picture of her mother teaching at the school in the 1930’s, Robinson said.

“She brought to her interview last year a picture of her, I believe it’s her mother who was teaching in like, 1930s in our current library, it has a picture of that and it’s just amazing to see the family history, and that she’s still giving back to the community and wants to serve this community and continue the legacy,” he said. n

Charles Town Family Dentistry Welcomes Dr. Sean Grady, DDS

Charles Town Family Dentistry is thrilled to announce the addition of Dr. Sean Grady, DDS, to our dental professional team. The brand-new office will be opening in May 2025 and is ready to serve the community by building exceptional patient relationships and providing top quality care to create your perfect smile. Dr Grady is pleased to be offering his services in a comfortable and modern setting.

Dr Grady has over 30 years of experience in a wide range of family dentistry, complex smile makeovers, and Invisalign. Dr. Grady offers expert treatment to restore your smile to its natural beauty. For those requiring more advanced options, the practice also provides dental implants and dentures to help you achieve optimal oral health and appearance. For those wanting cosmetic options or smile enhancement, the practice will be offering veneers and whitening too.

The office is equipped with cutting-edge technology, including a digital lab that enables same-day treatment options, so patients can get the care they need without the hassle of multiple visits. This modern facility is designed with patient comfort in mind, offering a relaxing and welcoming environment for all ages.

Charles Town Family Dentistry is now accepting appointments, and Dr. Grady and the entire team are eager to serve the community with top-quality dental care. Don’t wait—schedule your appointment today! 681-777-6453 or schedule online at charlestownfamilydentistry.com.

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School Leaders Prepare AI Regulations for Students

BY AMBER LUCAS alucas@loudounnow.org

The School Board’s Curriculum and Instruction Committee is reviewing draft regulations governing the use of generative artificial intelligence in the classroom.

The policy states that only division-approved AI programs would be permitted for use by students and teachers. Students use of AI would require expressed approval from instructors. The policy is planned to be incorporated into the academic integrity section of the student rights and responsibilities handbook.

The draft policy states teachers will commit to teaching students a human-centered approach, evaluate tools for effectiveness, protect sensitive information, and be transparent about the uses of AI in the classroom.

The use of AI in the division will also be reviewed annually, according to the policy.

Two proposed regulations address the use and citing AI in schoolwork and protections of student information while using AI.

According to the presentation to the committee, much of the content in the regulations comes directly from resources for teachers included in the completed Generative AI Guide created by the school system. Information was also gathered from the public comment period that ended March 28, and Special Education Advisory Committee suggestions will be reviewed after they are given to the staff.

The first regulation states that teachers may use AI to enhance student learning but cannot require students to use AI on an assignment. There are four levels regarding AI in the classroom that are outlined in the regulation: AI not allowed, AI as a coach, AI as a collaborator, and AI as an essential tool.

This regulation also states that students will disclose to teachers when AI is used on an assignment and provides examples of what the disclosures and citation should look like. Teachers may also require students to share the content of chats and answers with them.

The second regulation states that in the interest of student data protection, students and teachers will only use division-approved and provided AI tools. It

Retiree Healthcare

continued from page 14

self-insurance reserve fund to get below the established guardrails. She said that the school system has a responsibility to maintain those funds and it failed.

“Who fell asleep at the wheel? The employees are now being left to handle this

says that users will not put personal identification into the AI tools, including names, personal identification numbers, or any other information listed in the division’s Disclosure of Student Personally Identifiable Information and Other Educational Records policy.

It also states that teachers will model safe practices in using AI for students, and programs obtained outside of the school division should not be used for LCPS purposes because of safety risks.

Committee members generally were supportive of the regulations, still raised some concerns.

Linda Deans (Broad Run) asked how the school system would handle students using outside AI tools on personal devices over which the division has no control, and how that would be disclosed.

Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Neil Slevin said the regulation advises that it is a not best practice to do that.

Deans also had concerns about the difference in AI across different operating systems.

“I was asking for a personal reason because my granddaughter keeps saying, ‘Mom, I want to use your laptop rather than dad’s.’ Hers is Apple and his is not,” she said.

Slevin answered that while they are different, all students have a Chromebook and would have access to the same tools.

Committee Chair Lauren Shernoff (Leesburg) supported the policy and regulations.

“I do think we are light years ahead of our surrounding districts. I think that we’re doing really innovative work. I can see this already evolving and changing, even since we’ve talked the last time. So, I’m very excited. I think we have to embrace this,” she said.

Shernoff’s concerns about the policy and regulations came from comments regarding whether AI should be used at all, and said that there should be an opt-out option for parents.

Slevin said that parental consent would be required on some things, and that the staff would explore it more as AI program plans progress.

This policy will return as an action item at the next committee meeting in May. n

difference, to just absorb it, just like everything else in the classrooms and the school systems, ‘oh the teachers will take care of it,’” she said. “There are some that may actually benefit from this change, from the $400, but there are others with spouses that are definitely not, so I ask you, let’s find out who was at the wheel, who fell asleep, and make sure they are not there anymore.” n

Nonprofits Twice is Nice Thrift Shop Celebrates 35 Years

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Twice is Nice thrift store, owned and operated by the Ladies Board of Inova Loudoun Hospital, celebrated 35 years of operation with a community party Friday evening.

The shop sells used items including clothing, jewelry, furniture, dishes, art, décor and more and donates the proceeds to Inova Loudoun Hospital.

Joylyn Hannahs, who took over managing the store in January, said she was practically raised in the Ladies Board as many of her friends’ parents growing up were involved with the organization.

“I was born in Loudoun Hospital and the Ladies Board has been around a long time and I was always aware of it,” she said.

Hannahs said they have donated over $2.9 million to the health system and are continuing to see an increase in the store’s business.

“Over the past couple of years, we have just really gone gangbusters and really been able to generate a lot of revenue,” she said. “All of the money goes toward nursing scholarships or whatever their greatest needs are.”

the board’s annual rummage sale.

The idea of year-round thrift store had been in the works for years, before it was officially brought to life in 1990, opening on Market Street in downtown Leesburg. That location brought growth to the store but also its own set of challenges including limited parking, small spaces for showing merchandise and a second-story location which required carrying the products up and down stairs.

In 2000, the shop moved to its current location at the Toll House Shopping Center on East Market Street. Over the years, expansions and improvements have been made to the location including a 2024 overhaul of the back room.

The shop is located at 305 E. Market St. and is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday’s celebration featured a reunion of many of the store’s past managers who donated their time to the effort over the past four decades. It also featured giveaways for attendees and proclamation presented to the shop by Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk.

The thrift store was first opened as “The Hide-a-way” in 1975 at the hospital on Inova’s Cornwall Campus. It was only open for two hours each Friday. Over the years its operations expanded to three days a week from July to November, when the remaining items would be donated to

The Ladies Board is nonprofit with a mission to promote goodwill between the community and the hospital and to raise funds to support patient services, nursing education and hospital projects. In addition to running the thrift store, members organize the annual rummage sale and Lights of Love tree program, staff the hospital gift shop and raise money for nursing scholarships, patient services and other special projects. n

Teens Tackle Community Concerns with Step Up Innovations

BY NORMAN STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

A competition that began with more than 160 students working to create solutions to problems in their communities culminated Thursday night with a $1,000 award to a team working to expand financial education in Loudoun schools.

It is the 15th year for Loudoun Youth Inc.’s Step Up contest.

This year’s roster of contestants started with 48 teams of middle and high school students submitting videos describing their projects. Those were narrowed to the top 20 that advanced to a round of in-person presentations and judging last month. The top 10 made their final pitches to a panel of community judges April 3 at Morven Park.

Topics of the top projects ranged from working to reduce food waste to better monitoring of air quality to improving access to technology for seniors and shelter communities to combating eating

disorders to addressing environmental hazards.

The top award—and a $1,000 prize— went to Financial Fortitude, a four-member team comprised of students from Rock Ridge High School and Stone Mill Middle School. They cited concerns that Loudoun County Public Schools students don’t get formal instruction on money management topics until high school, and often in their final year. Their program would provide information starting as early at elementary school.

Second place and a $750 prize was awarded to Breathe Track, a team from Thomas Jefferson High School that developed a low-cost prototype air quality monitor that could be used in neighborhoods and parks to alert residents to conditions outside.

There was a tie for third place, with both teams winning $500 to continue work on their projects.

Cameron Fox, a seventh grader at Blue Ridge Middle School, developed Wrist Risk to spread awareness that PFAS

substances, known as forever chemicals, are used in the construction of many commonly used sports watch bands.

LimaNADES, a team of six from Belmont Ridge Middle School, highlighted concerns about the environmental hazards of microplastics and developed an alternate version of laundry detergent pods that would collect microplastics during the wash cycle rather than disperse them.

Other teams in the top 10, each of which was awarded $100, were:

Computers for Cause, students from Freedom High School and John Champe High School who repurpose discarded computers and tablets to provide technology to underserved communities, including community shelters.

FreshGuard, a duo from Thomas Jefferson and J. Michael Lunsford Middle School, who developed an educational campaign and an app to decrease the waste of fresh produce.

Illuminated, a project by Lunsford eighth grader Belen Rodriquez to

expand her 2024 top-10 ranked Step Up project that provides teens information on combating eating disorders by creating murals.

Second Harvest, a team of 10th graders from Lightridge and Briar Woods high schools, collects and transports unused food from school cafeterias to food pantries.

SecondServing, three Rock Ridge 10th graders, collect waste food from restaurants for use by food pantries.

S.T.A.P. – Senior Technology Assistance Program, was created by a pair of Stone Hill Middle School eighth graders to help patrons at area senior centers with questions they have about their phones and computers.

Celebrating its 20th year, Loudoun Youth Inc. sponsors a series of program throughout the year to promote teen empowerment and leadership. Learn more at loudounyouth.org.

See a video of the teams at Loudounnow.tv. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

From left, Twice is Nice Manager Joylynn Hannahs, Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burke and The Ladies Board of Inova Loudoun Hospital Pauline Clark stand with a proclamation presented to the thrift store for by the Town Council.

TICKET FLASH SALE

Old Ox Brewery’s Impact Celebrated with Last Call

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

Saturday was last call at Old Ox Brewery in Ashburn.

After more than a decade of brewing up community connections and memories, patrons gathered in Ashburn to raise their glasses one final time to pay tribute to the Burns family and the staff.

The event included live music, a slide show of memories and lots of hugs, toasts and cold beers.

to express the joy and satisfaction that I’ve experienced growing, nurturing and sharing Old Ox Brewery with all of you,” Burns said. “Over the last few weeks, since we’ve announced our close, hundreds and hundreds of people have reached out to express what Old Ox has meant to them and share their favorite memories of Old Ox from our time here.

Receive a Bonus Ticket to the Inner Circle Virtual CEO Business Summit when you purchase a ticket during the Flash Sale. Purchase Tickets at WomensCEOSummit.com To learn more about how you can sponsor this event, call or email us today!

In a farewell video on Facebook, President Chris Burns reflected on the impact of the family business that started in his garage 11 years ago.

“It’s been a hell of a ride, and it’s hard

“It’s been it’s been so gratifying to hear these stories, and it’s gone a long way towards solidifying in our minds that we really did accomplish the main goal that we set out to achieve all these years ago, which was to become a community hub—a connection point—for people in our community to get together share the news of the day and really become stronger together,” he said. n

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap.

All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.”

This newspaper will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For more information or to file a housing complaint call the Virginia Fair Housing Office at (804) 367-9753. fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov www.fairhousing.vipnet.org

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Old Ox Brewery President Chris Burns, center, talks with friends during the brewery’s Last Call event on April 5.

BUSINESS briefs

AllTech Acquires Home Service Doctors

Sterling-based AllTech Services has acquired Home Service Doctors in a strategic move designed to strengthen the company’s position in the market and expand its capabilities to better serve homeowners with home comfort solutions.

AllTech is the largest family-owned and operated home services company in the region.

“We are beyond excited to welcome the Home Service Doctors’ team into the AllTech family,” President Abe Zarou stated. “For years, Home Service Doctors has built a reputation for expertise, trust, and exceptional service—qualities that our customers value and align seamlessly with our own commitment to excellence.”

Home Service Doctors, known for its expertise in plumbing and home comfort solutions, has built a loyal customer base throughout Northern Virginia. As part of the transition, the company’s technicians and staff will integrate into AllTech’s operations, ensuring a seamless experience for existing customers.

“Joining forces with AllTech is an exciting step forward for our team and our customers,” stated Home Services Doctors founder Randy Baldwin. “We have always been committed to providing top-tier service, and with AllTech’s resources and expertise, we can take that commitment to the next level. I know our customers will continue to receive the exceptional service they’ve come to expect.”

Learn more at alltechservicesinc.com.

Ronis Named Director of Golf at Beacon Hill

PGA professional John Ronis is joining Resort Development Partners as director of golf for Beacon Hill Golf Club near Leesburg.

Ronis has three decades of experience working with clubs including Congressional, Woodmont and most recently River Creek Club, where he was named the 2022 Invited Clubs National Golf Professional of the Year.

“I look forward to helping establish Beacon Hill as the premier private club in Loudoun County,” he said.

Locally, Ronis served as president of the Loudoun Aces and coached the Loudoun County High School golf team where he mentored three all-state

players. He is also co-anchor of the award-winning podcast The Capital Golf Gang.

Beacon Hill Golf Club will reopen this spring after extensive renovations to the original Johnny Miller design. In addition to the 18-hole championship course and driving range, there will be a new clubhouse next year and a par-3 course in the future. The club is accepting new members.

St. John Properties Taps

Martinez to Lead Build-outs

Graciela Martinez is the new project manager for interior construction in St. John Properties’ Virginia and Central Maryland Regional Office.

Martinez will assume the management of tenant build-out projects across the Northern Virginia and Central Maryland region. Her responsibilities will encompass overseeing on-site construction activities, acting as the primary liaison with third-party subcontracting firms, interacting with tenants throughout the tenant build-out process and seeing projects to completion. She will work with St. John Properties’ internal leasing and interior design teams to ensure timely and on-budget deliveries, while adhering to all safety protocols.

Formerly assistant project manager, DAVIS Construction, she brings nine years of construction project management experience to the role. She also worked as an assistant project manager for Island Exterior Fabricators in New York City, and a design associate for CARNEMARK design + build. She holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Founded in 1971, St. John Properties is one of the nation’s largest privately held commercial real estate firms and has developed more than 24 million square feet of flex/R&D, office, retail, and warehouse space. It also investments in over 3,000 residential units.

Learn more at sjpi.com.

Women’s CEO Summit Returns for 5th Year

The Women’s CEO Summit returns for the fifth year Friday, Sept. 26, with a milestone event will bring together women business leaders from across the region for a day of learning, strategic networking, and inspirational conversations.

To kick off the anniversary, organizers are offering a one-day flash sale on tickets April 10 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. when attendees save $100 off the cost of limited VIP tickets. Those who buy tickets during the flash sale will also receive complimentary access to the virtual conference experience.

The summit, founded by Tina Johnson, has become a premier gathering for women business owners dedicated to expanding their leadership and business success. As the number of women-led small businesses continues to rise—with women owning 42% of all U.S. businesses and generating nearly $2 trillion in revenue—this

program offers a space designed specifically to support their challenges and aspirations.

“The Women’s CEO Summit was created to empower and elevate women leaders by addressing their distinct needs and fostering a community of support,” said Tina Johnson, Founder of CEO Consulting Group. “As we celebrate five years, we remain committed to equipping women business owners with the tools, insights, and strategic connections needed to thrive in an ever-changing business landscape.”

Learn more at womensceosummit.com. n

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• Crowns and Bridges, all phases of Implants, Root Canals and Dentures

• We offer periodontal therapy to restore your oral health as well as oral cancer screening.

• Certi ed Invisalign Provider Conveniently located in the Village of Leesburg 1503 Dodona Terrace #210 • Leesburg, VA 20175 • 703-771-9034 Mon. & Wed.: 8am - 6pm

Martinez

Public Safety Residents Protest Sheriff’s Office Collaboration with ICE

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Community members gathered in front of the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office last week to protest the department’s collaboration with the U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement agency – specifically a Memorandum of Agreement between the two departments established March 27.

Led by Indivisible NoVa West, a coalition of residents opposing President Donald J. Trump’s administration, protestors are trying to raise awareness of what they say is a violation of due process.

“The problem is there are a number of people who are being deported illegally or sent to prison by mistake, prison in a different country, and so there’s no real due process in this situation,” Indivisible Bandwagon Leader Will Stewart said during the April 3 protest.

If a person has legitimate status through a VISA or residency, that should be respected, Stewart said.

“If there is a problem, then the courts need to work better,” he said.

Indivisible NoVa West Organizing Director Luke Lorenz said the group is also organizing a protest against the Department of Governmental Efficiency on Saturday and sending a bus of people to Washington, DC.

“We are also hoping to do some direct work in the community to help our immigrant community, whether that is food drives, clothing drives, know-your-rightsevents, things that will benefit them directly. So, in addition to protesting and

political advocacy and things like that, we’re trying to get involved in some real direct kind of volunteerism,” he said.

One protestor said she was there because she doesn’t feel like the collaboration between the Sheriff ’s Office and ICE is representative of Loudoun.

“[Sheriff Mike Chapman] is doing this on his own, as far as I can see, because nobody in Loudoun wants this,” she said.

In an April 1 announcement, the Loudoun County Democratic Committee condemned the MOA.

“Loudoun County should be a place where all residents feel safe and protected, regardless of their immigration status,” LCDC Chair David Bauer stated. “This MOA with ICE is a disgraceful step

backward and contradicts the values of fairness and justice that we uphold as a community.”

But Sheriff ’s Office spokesperson Thomas Julia said it’s been a longstanding practice of the department to cooperate with ICE regarding incarcerated individuals.

“It’s about people who are already incarcerated or who have been arrested for a crime,” Julia said.

After a person is arrested, the Sheriff ’s Office inquires with other agencies to see if anyone else is looking for the individual. When that person is scheduled to be released, the Office notifies ICE and if the agency issues a detainer the LCSO will hold the person till the end of day.

“If you can’t get out there same day, so typically it’s really a matter of hours, then we’re releasing [them],” Julia said.

The Warrant Service Officer Program MOA that went into effect March 27 extends that holding period from one day to two, Julia said.

“Basically, we’re saying to ICE, ‘we’re giving you a little bit more time to do that,’” he said.

The other change prompted from the MOA is that the Sheriff ’s Office agrees to have 10 to 20 deputies at the Adult Detention Center that are trained in ICE protocols.

“That’s all it’s doing,” he said. “We are not participating in raids. We’re not participating in arrests. It’s not any of those things.”

From Jan. 1 to March 31, ICE issued 80 detainers for individuals held at Loudoun’s Adult Detention Center.

“They have picked up 42 so far. So, it’s not one for one,” Julia said.

In the second half of 2024, ICE issued 200 detainers and picked up 99 individuals.

“All this does to be very honest is give them a little bit more time to do their job,” Julia said. “… This is not to be confused with ICE arrests around Virginia or anywhere in the country. We are not doing that. That is not something local law is doing.”

Julia said Chapman’s position is that his deputies have enough to do keeping Loudoun safe and will not be going on ICE raids.

“The only collaboration we have with ICE is for people who have already been arrested at our jail,” Julia said. n

Plane Returns Safely to Leesburg Airport After Losing Door in Flight

Federal aviation safety agencies are investigating an April 5 incident in which the cockpit door was ripped off a plane departing from Leesburg Executive Airport.

According to the report, Virginia State Police and Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office deputies responded just after 9 a.m. Saturday after the small, two-seat aircraft landed safely.

The pilot, Daniel O’Brien, 63, had

departed the airport in a single-engine Lancair ES earlier on a flight to Milwaukee, WI. He was passing over the Round Hill area when the door flew off the plane. It was found later that day in a farm field near Purcellville.

The NTSB and FAA were notified of the incident. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Protestors shout on the sidewalks in front of the Sheriff’s Office on April 3 to raise awareness about collaboration between the agency and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Virginia State Police

The cockpit door of this aircraft fell to the ground near Purcellville on Saturday morning.

Herndon Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Leesburg Shooting

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

A Herndon-area man arrested in connection with a May 30, 2024, shooting in Leesburg was sentenced to six years and three months in prison during a hearing this week.

Zeon Garner, 22, pleaded guilty to three counts of malicious wounding and one count of reckless handling of a firearm during a Nov. 21 hearing. A Loudoun Circuit Court judge accepted the pleas in February but delayed sentencing pending an evaluation to determine whether Garner was eligible for youthful offender sentencing.

During the April 3 hearing, Circuit Court Judge Stephen Sincavage said that Garner had been deemed eligible for a youthful offender program, however he noted that was in violation of state rules requiring the offender to be younger than 21 at the time of the offense. Garner had turned 21 nine months before the May 30 shooting.

Garner’s attorney, Eric Demetriades, argued for a light sentence stating Garner was afraid for his and his family’s wellbeing on the day of the shooting.

According to evidence in the case, Garner and Sylvanus Massaquoi had an ongoing dispute including an instance in April when Massaquoi stabbed Garner.

On the day of the shooting, Massaquoi and two others had come to the apartment complex to confront Garner regarding the dispute and approached Garner, his mother and his sister while brandishing a firearm. After ensuring his mother and

sister were inside their apartment, Garner retrieved a gun from a vehicle and fired at the three individuals. Responding officers found all three suffering from gunshot wounds.

“I thought he was a perfect candidate for youthful offender,” Demetriades said, adding that Garner was taking full responsibility for his actions and still had time to turn his life around.

“He wasn’t angry. He was fearful,” he said.

Since Garner initially was able to safely remove himself and his family from the encounter and later returned to attack the group “investigators determined that Defendant’s use of force in repeatedly firing a gun into the Massaquoi group was not justified under any applicable self-defense principles,” according to evidence in the case.

Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Matthew B. Lowery argued that because of those actions the incident was “in no way a self-defense case.”

Sincavage said the most concerning part of the incident was that Garner had fired into a courtyard of an occupied apartment complex, putting other innocent bystanders at risk.

“There is no justification for the shooting. You put a lot of people in danger,” he said.

Sincavage sentenced Garner to three years and three months in prison for the reckless handling of a firearm charge and five years, with four years suspended, for each of the malicious wounding charges. After being released, Garner will also undergo supervised probation for five years. n

Red Fox Found with Bird Flu near Hamilton

A red fox in Loudoun County has tested positive for a highly contagious category of bird flu—the first mammal case reported in Virginia.

According to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, the fox was found in the Hamilton area March 31 and taken to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center.

At that time, the fox was believed to have rabies and was euthanized. Although the results of rabies testing are pending, the fox did test positive for H5N1, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

HPAI has been found in mammals

in over 30 states since 2022 and is likely caused by animals eating infected birds. HPAI symptoms are similar to infectious diseases such as rabies and canine distemper.

If residents see animals exhibiting neurologic symptoms—including a lack of fear of humans, circling or wobbly gait, inability to stand—they should contact the Department of Animal Services. Do not attempt to handle or capture it.

The Department of Wildlife Resources urges residents not to interact with, approach or feed wild animals, and to keep pets on a leash and away from birds and other wildlife. n

LOVETTSVILLE

POTOMAC GREEN

Towns

Ketoctin DAR Celebrates 75 Years with Raspberry Plain Dedication

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

The Ketoctin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on Tuesday celebrated 75 years of promoting historical preservation and patriotism during a ceremony that highlighted the significance of Thomson Mason’s Raspberry Plain estate north of Leesburg.

The Loudoun-based Chapter was established on April 4, 1950, by 12 descendants of Revolutionary War patriots.

“I often wonder if the women who gathered 75 years ago could have imagined what this chapter would have been just five or 10 years down the road, let alone 75,” Regent Stacey Bassett said. “Their mission was to bring the American Revolution to the community, as well as support and dedicate their time to making the lives of people around them more prosperous. I believe we are continuing the legacy in spades.”

Among the community outreach programs of the chapter is promoting the stories of the revolution through the formal marking of locations with historical significance—buildings, gravesites and even a tree at Morven Park.

Tuesday’s ceremony was held at

AROUND towns

LOVETTSVILLE

Historical Society

Hosts Mini-Course

The Lovettsville Historical Society and Museum is offering a history mini-course in the field this spring entitled “Where we Live: The German Settlement I.”

The course will take place on sequential Monday nights including May 5, 12, 19 and 26.

The field-trip based lessons are designed to better familiarize participants with the history, artifacts, stories, and key historic sites of Lovettsville and the surrounding countryside of North Loudoun. Conceived and co-taught by local historians Rich Gillespie and Mike Zapf with help from other “in the know” locals, sessions of the class will be partly in Lovettsville and partly on the road exploring the rural area of northern Loudoun known as “the German Settlement”.

Raspberry Plain, part of a property first acquired by blacksmith Joseph Dixon from Lord Fairfax in 1731. He sold it to Aneas Campbell, Loudoun’s first sheriff, in 1754.

The county’s first jail was built on the estate.

Thomson Mason, an attorney with a young family, purchased 390 acres of the property in 1762 and completed construction of a manor house there in 1771. Mason, along with his better known older

The sessions are titled, The Found Germans; German Farms, German Culture – and die Engländer Next; Unionst Germans Confront Civil War; and The German Settlement Slowly Confronts the Modern Age.

To register for the class, go to lovettsvillehistoricalsociety.org. The cost of the class is $50.00 and will be used to help fund the Lovettsville Museum’s upcoming physical expansion.

The intimate 25-student class will meet starting Monday night May 5th at 6:15 p.m. on the porch of the Lovettsville Town Office at 6 East Pennsylvania Avenue.

MIDDLEBURG

Wellness Day to be Held April 12

The town is hosting a wellness day this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Middleburg Community Center on West Washington Street.

The event is a celebration of the Town

brother George, was an early leader in the commonwealth and a proponent of opposing the colonial aggressions of Great Britian. He served in the House of Burgesses and the House of Delegates and later on the original version of Virginia’s Supreme Court. He died at Raspberry Plain in 1785 at age 51.

The property remained in the Mason family until 1830, but the manor fell into disrepair and was replaced by the current

of Middleburg’s commitment to healthy eating and active living. Attendees of all ages will have the chance to learn more about health and fitness from local professionals and visit over 20 vendor booths. Vendors include May Aesthetics, Brain Treatment Center of Ashburn, the Salvation Army, Light of Lotus Massage, Imagine Life Coaching, Middleburg Smiles and more.

The health-focused day begins with a 5K race and a 1-Mile Kids Fun Run at 8:30 a.m. The racecourse will take participants through the picturesque downtown. The races will start and finish behind the Middleburg Community Center. Race registration is  $30 for the 5K and $15 for the Fun Run. Refreshments will be available for all runners and supporters after the race. White Hall Hounds will also host “Hugs with Hounds” at the finish line.

Local health, beauty, and fitness professionals will be available to provide information and answer questions during the event. Middleburg Wellness Day will feature presentations and interactive demonstrations. For additional informa-

Colonial Revival structure in 1910. Today, that manor house operates as an events center. Through the efforts of the DAR chapter, a plaque highlighting Mason’s patriotic service will now greet patrons as they enter the main door of the building.

Del. Geary Higgins (R-30), Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk and Clerk of the Circuit Court Gary Clemens attended the anniversary to support the chapter’s work.

Clemens cited the DAR’s work in helping to preserve and record the stories found in Loudoun’s historic court records, calling it a valuable partnership.

“History is quickly lost if it’s not remembered, if it’s not written down, if it’s not published someplace, if it’s not celebrated,” Higgins said. “… We live in a time where people trying to forget and rewrite our history. So God bless you and your efforts.”

“What you do is so important, and our history is so important,” Burk said. “I’m so grateful to be able to be here today to congratulate all of you and to encourage you to please continue what you’re doing, because it is so important we can live in a modern world and at the same time respect history.” n

tion about Middleburg Wellness Day call 540-687-5152.

PURCELLVILLE Valley Vipers Open Spring Basketball Camp

The Virginia Valley Vipers are hosting a spring break basketball camp April 14-18 for children in first through eighth grade.

Participants will have an opportunity to develop their basketball skills through engaging drills, competitions and team play. Camp activities will include a threepoint contest, free throw competition, hot shot challenge and tournaments.

The cost for the camp is $200 per participant, and all campers will receive a free Valley Vipers t-shirt. Registration closes on April 12th with limited slots available.

The camp will be held at the Purcellville Sportsplex at 310 N 21st Street and will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. n

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Regent Stacey Bassett presides over the Ketoctin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution’s 75th anniversary program on April 8.

Presenting sponsor is proud to launch the EXCELLENCE IN HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM AWARDS

Loudoun Now Excellence In High School Journalism Awards Program

2025 AWARDS CEREMONY

Date/Time:

May 28 at 6:00pm-8:00pm

Venue:

Loudoun County High School

Loudoun Now, the county’s free, independent, nonprofit news source, is delighted to partner with Google to host the first annual Excellence in High School Journalism Awards on May 28, 2025.

Open to all Loudoun County high schools, this competition will honor the best work from school newspapers and yearbooks in five journalism categories:

• Feature writing • News writing • Videography • Photography • Podcasts

For the 2025-2026 school year, the Excellence in High School Journalism Awards Program will be expanded to THREE COMPONENTS, thanks to Google’s ongoing support:

• September: Keynote speaker program featuring journalism professors from DMV colleges and universities

• December: Roundtable discussions with prominent journalists from the DMV

• May: Loudoun Now’s 2026 Excellence in High School Journalism Awards.

OPEN TO ALL HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISTS

We encourage teachers, advisors, and journalism students at every high school in Loudoun to attend and participate in all aspects of the program.

Questions or inquiries: kaschermann@loudounnow.org.

Former Round Hill Councilmember Get His Turkey of Thanks

Police Defunded

continued from page 3

and what we’re dealing with. We may be the safest town now. We won’t be next year,” Rayner said.

Wright said the move was “corruption,” objecting that there had been no public discussion on the matter at all.

“Where was that discussion had? It wasn’t had in the public where it should have been, that’s for sure,” he said.

Nett said the motion was in the best interest of the town because the department has been consistently unable to provide 24/7 coverage for residents. Eliminating the service would save over $3.2 million a year from the General Fund, he said.

”The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office will provide exclusive police coverage to the town, just as they do on a 24/7 basis for the neighboring towns of Hamilton and Round Hill and for unincorporated Purcellville,” he said.

for the council’s consideration – and against the advice of Town Attorney Gifford Hampshire who asked for more time to review the required procedures for the changes.

The council also appointed Fraser to the permanent Town Manager decision during the agenda item titled Town Manager Appointment Process. Human Resources Director LaDonna Snellbaker told the council during a recent meeting that 82 applications had been received for the job posting. Bertuat granted an extension during the council’s last meeting giving members more time to review and rank the applications. According to the plan provided by LaDonna, councilmembers were expected to schedule interview with the top candidates over the next few weeks.

Instead, Bertaut asked for discussion on the candidates from the council.

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

As Round Hill recruits applicants to fill the seat vacated on the Town Council, Dan Brzezynski last week received the town’s traditional gift of thanks for his public service—a frozen turkey.

Brzezynski resigned his seat last month because he is moving to a new home outside the town limits. He was appointed to fill a vacant seat in 2023 and won a special election to complete the term later that year.

Brzezynski and his family attended last night’s council meeting when councilmembers expressed appreciation for his service.

His experience in the engineering and construction fields was particularly valued by the council members.

“It was a pleasure having you on the council,” Mayor Scott Ramsey said. “You’ve been really great at always keeping a level head and always trying to give us the best advice possible. I always felt like when you chimed in at a council meeting we always have to stop and listen because you know what you’re talking about.”

Councilmember Isaac Pacheco noted that Brzezynski’s first-ever council meeting was on “pitchfork night,” featuring a standing-room-only crowd of residents objecting to proposed utility rate increases. “I looked over at you a couple of times and I could just see regret,” he said.

“But from those ignoble beginnings your contributions have been so solid. I respected the input. I could always tell you came prepared and just appreciate that you took the opportunity to serve your community.”

Brzezynski’s parting gift was a frozen turkey. Ramsey said the town tradition is rooted in a long-ago budget debate during which a councilmember objected to having a $1,000 pool of discretionary funds for the town administrator. When told the money could be used for a staff holiday party or for flowers for an employee or to provide Christmas turkeys, the councilmember said that during his long career in federal government he had never received a turkey.

“That was just the perfect setup, because a couple of years later, when that council member decided not to run again and step down, we did [a turkey] presentation for that councilmember,” Ramsey said. “And ever since, it has been a traditional parting gift for all of our retirements.”

The council intends to advertise for volunteers to fill the seat through April and vote to make an appointment in May. That volunteer will serve until the town elections in November.

The terms of Brzezynski’s seat, along with Ramsey’s and those held by councilmembers Paula James and Sean Lloyd expire Dec. 31. n

Councilmembers Susan Khalil and Carol Luke said they had faith that the Sheriff’s Office would be able to provide sufficient coverage of the town.

“Purcellville residents are currently paying two police services,” Luke said. “Not just the Purcellville police but for Loudoun County police and we do feel that this is double taxation.”

Khalil said it did not make financial sense to have the department anymore.

“I believe that we are and will remain one of the safest counties in Virginia,” Mayor Christopher Bertaut said. “… In transitioning to the Sheriff’s Department, and believe me, we are talking about a transition, we will ensure the long-term financial position of the town.”

Bertaut said that Fraser had already had discussion with Sheriff Mike Chapman regarding the impacts to the town.

Interim Police Chief Sara Lombraña declined to comment on the move.

The majority then moved to transfer 100% of the meals tax revenue to the town’s utility funds, lower the water rate by 9%, lower the wastewater rate by 11% and increase town staff raises from a range of 1% to 3% to a range of 1% to 5%.

Those actions came a day before a much-anticipated briefing from the town’s financial advisors who will provide long-term utility rate models

“I did note, when it comes to the current interim town manager, that you were given a rating by someone of zero for municipal government experience,” Nett said. “I would think that eight years as mayor would qualify as the highest rate for municipal government experience.” n

“What are we doing?” Wright asked. “We’re not going to interview candidates?”

“Please don’t waste my time if you’re just going to do whatever you’re going to do,” he said.

Nett made the motion to appoint Fraser to the position which again sparked outbursts from the audience as Wright and Rayner walked out.

“You should be ashamed,” one resident said while another added, “it’s an abuse of power.”

The motion passed 4-0 with Rayner, Wright and Stought absent.

Directly following that, the council adjourned the meeting but leaving councilmembers continued to be confronted by angry residents.

“Do not provoke an altercation with me. Step away from me,” Nett told one man following him out of the council chambers.

Lombraña intervened stepping between them as Nett walked away and speaking with the man for several minutes before leaving. n

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Former Round Hill Town Councilmember Dan Brzezynski, right, receives a frozen turkey from Mayor Scott Ramsey during the April 2 council meeting.

LIVE MUSIC

TEJAS SINGH

6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 10

Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

CHUCK DARDEN

4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 11

Old Farm Winery at Hartland, 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie. oldfarmwineryhartland.com

HILARY VELTRI

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 11

Lark Brewing Co., 24205 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. larkbrewingco.com

BLUEGRASS JAM

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 11

Notaviva Farm Brewery & Winery, 13274 Sagle Road, Hillsboro. notaviva.com

GARY SMALLWOOD

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 11

Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com

ROB HOEY

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 11

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

SHANE GAMBLE

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 11 Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com

KARMA CREEK BAND

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 11

Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery, 38506 John Wolford Road, Waterford. wheatlandspring.com

SIMILAR CREATURES

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, April 11

Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. old690.com

BILLY AND THE CURLEY BROTHERS

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 11

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

DUELING PIANOS

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 11

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear

LIVE MUSIC continues on page 26

Sweet Jazz Festival Brings Top Performers to Loudoun

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

Entering its fourth year, Tracy Hamlin’s Sweet Jazz Festival is continuing its mission to introduce some of the genre’s best-known stars and up-and-coming performers to new audiences.

Planned Friday and Saturday at the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott, this year’s festival features 11 artists—from international acts to Loudoun-based musicians—with performances by Hamlin both nights.

In addition to showcasing top jazz artists, Hamlin said it is important to her that the festival has a significant charitable component, providing scholarships for young performers at the Catoctin School of Music and donations to community nonprofits.

Hamlin takes a broad approach when creating the line up each year.

“Typically, I will go to the Billboard jazz charts and see who is in the top 20, and then I will look at who’s performing and where around the country. And I’m always reaching out to some of my favorite favorites, as well,” Hamlin said. “I just want to make sure that I have just a diverse lineup that has a little bit of something for everybody. Some of it is straight ahead jazz, some of it is smooth jazz, and then some of it is mixed in with instrumental R&B as well. It’s a great variety, and it’s something for everybody.”

There also in a challenge in keeping the lineup fresh and varied.

Karen Briggs, the violinist known as the Lady in Red, performed last year and is back by popular demand.

“She is such a dynamic performer that I had multiple requests for her to come back, and we have requests for others to come back, but I didn’t want to have the same lineup,” Hamlin said. “I’ll probably bring back one or two from last year, because people just enjoyed them so much.”

Briggs performed with Yanni for many years and then joined Diana Ross.

“She’s that amazing. Of all the violinists that I’ve worked with and who I know, she is by far my favorite. Her talent leaves me speechless, and it’s just unlike any other violinist I’ve ever heard or met.”

Another headliner is flutist Kim Scott, who released her sixth album, “Livin’ It Up,” Feb. 28. She spent the past year at the

top of the jazz charts and was named the Smooth Jazz Network’s Artist of the Year.

Hamlin said it is significant that Scott also devotes her time as an educator.

“I love when I meet very talented people who are also wonderful human beings,” Hamlin said. “I’m mindful of that, because as the owner and promoter of this festival, I want to work with people that not only have something incredible to give my audience but are easy for me to work with as well.”

The festival brings international performers, including Oli Silk from London and Ilya Serov from Russia, as well as members of the local jazz community including saxophonist Zedric Teague, the Eric Byrd Trio and pianist Caleb Nei.

Last year was the first time the festival offered two nights of performances, with different lineups each night. This year, fans have caught on and most of the early ticket sales have been for the two-night combo package. VIP tickets sold out in February.

“I’m really excited, because when you start things out, I know what my vision is, I know what my mission is, but I just never know how it’s going to be received,” Hamlin said. “It’s kind of like when I record music. I know that I love it, but I don’t know that everybody else will. It’s just great to see that there’s a buzz about it, and people

are talking about it. We already have people coming from eight or nine states, so I believe that’s going to expand as well.”

In addition to the fast-approaching jazz festival, Hamlin has a busy year ahead. She’s working to complete her seventh album, scheduled to be released this summer. That will be followed by a European tour this fall including performances in England, Amsterdam and Croatia.

As the festival and her own career flourish, Hamlin said that she remains focused on giving back to the community and providing opportunities for other artists.

“That’s very important to me, because pursuing my career in music not only allows me to pursue my passion, but it helped me to find my purpose, which is service and giving back,” Hamlin said. “I tell everybody music saved my life; music changed my life. And if it weren’t for this path, my future and my life, my whole path would have been completely different. It’s important for me to make sure that I’m giving back to the community, but also encouraging and inspiring and motivating, motivating up and coming students.”

For more event details and tickets, go to sweetjazzfestival.us.

Learn more about Hamlin at tracyhamlin.com. n

Photo by Hanna Pampaloni

Loudoun’s Tracy Hamlin will share the stage with some of her favorite performers during this weekend’s Sweet Jazz Festival at the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott.

SWEET JAZZ FESTIVAL

Friday, April 11, 7 p.m. Saturday, April 12, 7 p.m. sweetjazzfestival.us

Tracy Hamlin brings some of music’s most soulful jazz artists to Loudoun for a two-day extravaganza.

GET OUT

LIVE MUSIC

Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

DAVE NEMETZ

6 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 11

Loudoun Brewing Company, 310 E. Market St., Leesburg. loudounbrewing.com

TEJAS SINGH

7 to 11 p.m. Friday, April 11

Velocity Wings Potomac Falls, 20789 Great Falls Plaza, Sterling. velocitywings.net

TORREY BERRY

7 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 11

Social House Kitchen & Tap, 25370 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, South Riding. socialhouseva.com

LUCAS MASON

7 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 11

Social House Kitchen & Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn. socialhouseva.com

TRACY HAMLIN’S SWEET

JAZZ & WINE FESTIVAL

7 to 11 p.m. Friday, April 11

Washington Dulles Airport Marriott, 45020 Aviation Drive, Dulles. sweetjazzfestival.us

MARK CULLINANE

8 to 11 p.m. Friday, April 11

Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville. monksq.com

UNCAGED: ZAC BROWN TRIBUTE

8:30 p.m. to midnight, Friday, April 11

Rai’s Rendezvous Kitchen + Bar, 44042 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn. $10. raisrendezvous.com

BAD PANDA

9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, April 11

BEST BETS

THE GRASCALS

Saturday, April 12, 7 p.m. Lucketts Community Center luckettsbluegrass.org

The Grascals’ unique sound has earned three Grammy nominations and two Entertainer of the Year awards from the IBMA. Lydia Hamby, a vocalist, mandolinist, and songwriter from Johnson City, TN, opens.

Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

JASON MASI

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 12

One Loudoun Farmers Market, Atwater Drive, Ashburn. eatloco.com

DAVID DAVOL

12 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Cana Vineyards, 38600 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. canavineyards.com

NOT THE FATHERS

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

TY BURKHART

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Fabbioli Cellars, 15669 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. fabbiolicellars.com

FELIX PICKLES

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

LINDA ANDERSON & FRIENDS

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 12 Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville. creeksedgewinery.com

DAN GALLAGHER

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Three Creeks Winery, 18548 Harmony Church Road, Hamilton. 3creekswinery.com

SPIKE BURTON

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Sunset Hills Vineyard, 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville. sunsethillsvineyard.com

GARRETT MABE

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 12

SEVERAL SPECIES

Saturday, April 12, 7 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s release of “Wish You Were Here.”

DEAN KERN AND ERIC SHELBY

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 12

50 West Vineyards, 39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. 50westvineyards.com

TODD BROOKS DUO

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

KRISTIN EYERMAN

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Notaviva Farm Brewery & Winery, 13274 Sagle Road, Hillsboro. notaviva.com

BRAHAM NOODLES

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12 Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. old690.com

MIKE MALLICK

2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 12 Old Farm Winery at Hartland, 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie. oldfarmwineryhartland.com

LIBERTY STREET

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

DAN FISK

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com

JOHN BENJAMIN

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, 38906 Mount Gilead Road, Leesburg. willowcroftwine.com

JASON MASI

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Good Spirit Farm, 35113 Snickersville Turnpike, Round Hill. goodspiritfarmva.com

OLD TOWN TRADITION

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Bozzo Family Vineyards, 35226 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. bozwines.com

WAYNE SNOW

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12 Twisted Posts Winery, 12944 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro. twotwistedposts.com

VALERIA STEWART

2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Middleburg Library, 101 Reed St., Middleburg. library.loudoun.gov/Middleburg

PATTY REESE

3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville. flyingacefarm.com

LOST LOCALS

4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Lost Rhino Brewing Company, 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn. lostrhino.com

MELISSA QUINN FOX TRIO

4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com

FORK IN THE ROAD

5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

LAURA CASHMAN

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

continued from page 25 LIVE MUSIC continues on page 27

8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford. 8chainsnorth.com

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com

TRAIN WRECK ENDINGS

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12

GET OUT LIVE MUSIC

continued from page 26

JIM STEELE

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Honor Brewing Company, 42604 Trade W. Drive, Sterling. honorbrewing.com

EMILY WOODHULL

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

TEJAS SINGH

7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Social House Kitchen & Tap, 25370 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, South Riding. socialhouseva.com

CHUCK DARDEN

7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Social House Kitchen & Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn. socialhouseva.com

SEVERAL SPECIES

7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. $25. tallyhotheater.com

RIKI J & BLUE RHYTHM

7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive, Sterling. crookedrunfermenation.com

THE GRASCALS

7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 12 Lucketts Community Center, 42361 Lucketts Road, Leesburg. luckettsbluegrass.org

TRACY HAMLIN’S SWEET J

AZZ & WINE FESTIVAL

7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Washington Dulles Airport Marriott, 45020 Aviation Drive, Dulles. sweetjazzfestival.com

GINADA PINADA

8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville. monksq.com

ROYAL HONEY BAND

9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, April 12

Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

LAUREN CASHMAN

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 13

Lark Brewing Co., 24205 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. larkberewingco.com

KARMA CREEK

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 13

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

NATHANIEL DAVIS

1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 13 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

STANLEY WHITAKER

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 13

8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford. 8chainsnorth.com

JOE DOWNER

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 13

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road,

Hillsboro. havestgap.com

JANNA AUDREY

2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 13

Old Farm Winery at Hartland, 23583 Fleetwood Road, Aldie. oldfarmwineryhartland.com

CHRIS ELLINGHAUS

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 13

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804

Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

SCOTT KURT

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 13

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com

FREDDIE LONG

4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 13

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com

THE NIGHTHAWKS

7 to 11 p.m. Monday, April 14

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. $30. thebarnathamiltionstation.com

JASON MASI

6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, April 16

The Lost Fox, 20374 Exchange St., Ashburn. lostfoxhideaway.com

BLUEGRASS JAM

6:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 16

Hope Flower Farm & Winery, 40905 Stumptown Road, Waterford. hopeflowerfarm.com

JUSTIN SUEDE

6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 17

Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

JASON CHARLES MILLER

7 to 11 p.m. Thursday, April 17

Rai’s Rendezvous Kitchen + Bar, 44042 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn. raisrendezvous.com

HAPPENINGS

HISTORY OR HOGWASH

6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 10

Lark Brewing Co., 24205 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. $45. larkbrewingco.com

VICTIMS’ SERVICES AWARDS CEREMONY

10 a.m. to noon Friday, April 11

Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St. SE., Leesburg. loudoun.gov

COMEDY NIGHT IN LEESBURG

7 & 9:30 p.m. Friday, April 11, Tally Ho Theater, Leesburg. tallyhotheater.com

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION

8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Harmony Park & Ride, 39464 E. Colonial Highway, Hamilton. loudoun.gov

DIRT FARM FREERIDE

9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont. dirtfarmbrewing.com

COMMUNITY EASTER EGG HUNT

10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 12

Harmony United Methodist Church, 380 E. Colonial Highway, Hamilton. harmonyva.org

SPRINGTIME IN THE PARK

10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 12

Morven Park, 17195 Southern Planter Lane, Leesburg. $5 to $10. morvenpark.org

READ WITH A DONKEY

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 12

The Sassy Ass, 14010 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. $25. thesassyass.com

LARK’S FIRST BIRTHDAY

11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Lark Brewing Co., 24205 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. larkbrewingco.com

COLORS OF HOPE – HOLI FESTIVAL

12 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Dulles Town Center, 21100 Dulles Town Circle, Sterling. Free. anna-sudha.org

FLIGHTS & FLOWERS

4 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Chrysalis Vineyards at The Ag District, 39025 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. $80. chrysaliswine.com

LOVETTSVILLE’S EGGSTRAVAGANZA

11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 12

Town Green, 11 Spring Farm Drive, Lovettsville lovettsvilleva.gov

SPRING PAINT AND SIP

10 a.m. to noon Sunday, April 13

Bleu Frog Vineyards & Ole Bleu Brewery, 16413 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg. Free. bleufrogvineyard.com

PICTURES & BRUNCH WITH THE EASTER BUNNY

1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 13

Solace Brewing Company, 42615 Trade West Drive,

Sterling. solacebrewing.com

PROFS & PINTS NORTHERN VIRGINIA

5:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 13

Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive, Sterling. $13.50 to $17. crookedrunfermentation.com

SPRING BREAK COOKING CAMP

10 a.m. to April 18, 5 p.m. Monday, April 14

Dulles Town Center, 21100 Dulles Town Circle, Suite 190. $50. anna-sudha.org

SPRING EGG HUNT

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 16

Temple Hall Farm Regional Park, 15855 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. novapark.org

STORYTIME ON THE FARM

2 to 2:45 p.m. Thursday, April 17

Temple Hall Farm Regional Park, 15855 Limestone School Road, Leesburg. novaparks.org

Obituaries Legal Notices

Betty Colbert

Betty Anne Poston Colbert passed away in Leesburg, Virginia on March 31, 2025. She was 94. Born at home in Bluemont on January 18, 1931, Betty was the only child of Joseph Franklin Poston and Maude Ellen Manuel Poston. Betty grew up in Bluemont and was raised by her maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Lee Poston. From ages 14 to 91, Betty lived in the same house. After graduation from Lincoln high School she married Robert Colbert, known to all as Sonny. Theirs was a marriage that would last 76 years. Betty worked at a variety of jobs after high school. She was a telephone operator, a bookkeeper and a store clerk. She began a long career with the Federal Government working on Mount Weather for the Bureau of Mines. She later worked for the Corps of Engineers and finally, FEMA. She was a devoted member of the Bluemont United Methodist Church, serving in many leadership roles. She served as a member of the church council, an adult Sunday School teacher and on the Altar Guild. She volunteered for many years at The Bluemont Fair. Living in Bluemont was a joy to her. Betty’s guilty pleasures included enjoying cooking shows, watching The Young and the Restless and listening to Bluegrass music. She was a devoted mother and wife, always putting her family first. Being a friend of Betty’s was a powerful, true gift. She was known for her accurate memory, sharp wit and was a talented home cook. Betty is survived by her husband Sonny, daughter Willa Kiser and son-in-law Cecil Kiser. She leaves many friends and family to cherish her memory. Burial will be private. The funeral service will be held 11:00 A.M., Wednesday April 9 at Enders and Shirley Funeral Home, Berryville, Virginia. Reception to follow the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Bluemont United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 255, Bluemont, VA 20135 or Ebenezer Cemetery, P.O. Box 174, Purcellville, VA 20132. To view the obituary or send condolences online, please visit www.endersandshirley.com.

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING

TO CONSIDER REZONING APPLICATION TLZM-2018-0005 AND MINOR SPECIAL EXCEPTION TLSE-2018-0011 GREENWAY MANOR

Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold public hearings on TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Rezoning application TLZM-2018-0005 and Minor Special Exception application TLSE-2018-0011 Greenway Manor.

The Subject Property consists of two parcels totaling approximately 8.856 acres and are further identified as Loudoun County Property Identification Numbers (PIN) 273-39-1389 and 273-49-2205. The Subject Properties are zoned B-1 (Community [Downtown] Business) and are also subject to the H-1, Overlay, Old and Historic District.

Rezoning Application TLZM-2018-0005 is a request by The Stanfield Company, LLC for a zoning Concept Plan and Proffer Amendment to amend the previously approved concept plan and proffers for TLZM-2008-0005 to allow the following:

Up to 101,306 square feet of existing buildings, building additions, and new construction for a Commercial Inn with up to 40 rooms, Office, Indoor Theater, Place of Worship, School of General Education (48,740 square feet), Eating Establishment Without Drive-In Facility, and Retail uses.

Minor Special Exception Application TLSE-2018-0011 is a request by The Stanfield Company, LLC to establish a School, General Education for a parochial school serving grades Kindergarten through 8th Grade with a maximum attendance of 300 students.

The school will initially operate temporarily out of the Manor House (Building A) with temporary trailers. The school will expand into the Barn (Building C) temporarily and then ultimately take permanent residence in Building D. The new school (Building D) will include a facility which will be used for school performances (musical and theatrical) as well as physical education classes and a place of worship, having a maximum portable seating capacity of five hundred (500) persons.

The Subject Property is located in an area described by the Legacy Leesburg Town Plan (Town Plan) as “Areas to Strengthen (and Protect)” on the Area Based Land Use Initiatives Map (Town Plan page 72). The property is further designated as “Special Use” on the Character Areas for Preservation and Change Map (Town Plan page 76). There is no recommended density for nonresidential uses or a Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.) for uses associated with Areas to Strengthen (and Protect). The proposed maximum commercial density on the Subject Property is approximately 0.263 F.A.R.

1. The application includes five requested modifications of the Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance regulations, including three landscaping and buffer yard modifications, a reduction of the dumpster setback to residentially-zoned property, and a reduction of the front yard setback.

Additional information and copies of this application are available at the Leesburg Department of Community Development, 222 Catoctin Circle, Suite 200, Leesburg, Virginia, 20176, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Christopher Murphy, AICP, at 703-737-7009 or cmurphy@leesburgva.gov.

At these hearings, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodation at the meeting should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 771-2733 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

4/3 & 4/10/25

Legal Notices

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SELL REAL PROPERTY FOR DELINQUENT TAXES

On or after thirty days from the publication of this Notice, proceedings will be commenced pursuant to Va. Code § 58.1-3965 et seq. to sell the following real estate located in Loudoun County, Virginia for payment of delinquent taxes:

OWNER DESCRIPTION DEED/INSTRUMENT NO.

A R Minchew

Kenneth E Minchew

Thomas R Minchew

Maria Alicia Yanes

Julio Yanes Vega

Vacant land 1.3 acres more or less NO SITUS ADDRESS

Sterling, Virginia

PIN 023-40-3878-000 Tax Map No. /81///////125/

Vacant land .07 acres more or less NO SITUS ADDRESS

PIN 231-35-3103-000 Tax Map No. /48////////52F

Instrument No.

197209220083991 558-237

Residue of Parcel 1 197209220083991

DB 3597/561-Fairfax Co

Instrument No. 200601180005181

The owner of the property listed may redeem it at any time before the date of the sale by paying all accumulated taxes, penalties, reasonable attorney’s fees, interest and costs thereon, including the pro rata cost of publication hereunder. Partial payment of delinquent taxes, penalties, reasonable attorney’s fees, interest or costs shall not be sufficient to redeem the property, and shall not operate to suspend, invalidate or make moot any action for judicial sale.

Henry C. Eickelberg, Treasurer, County of Loudoun, Virginia

1 Harrison Street, S.E., First Floor P.O. Box 347 Leesburg, Virginia 20178 (703) 771-5656

PUBLIC NOTICE

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB)

TOWN PARKING GARAGE DECK COATING

The Town of Leesburg will accept sealed bids electronically via the Commonwealth’s eprocurement website (www.eva.virginia.gov), until 2:00 p.m. on May 6, 2025, for the following:

IFB NO. 100314-FY25-47

TOWN PARKING GARAGE DECK COATING

Work includes removing existing floor coating and cleaning the upper decks of the Town Parking Garage (Decks 3A and 3B) and apply a new deck coating as required herein, with Deck 2B as a Bid Additive. Work includes all incidentals related thereto.

For additional information, visit: http://www.leesburgva.gov/bidboard 4/10/25

3/27, 4/3 & 4/10/25

Add your voice to the conversation.

Send your coments to editor@loudounnow.com

ABC LICENSE

Omar Enterprise LLC, trading as Sakura Grill Ashburn, 43670 Greenway Corporate Dr STE 112, Ashburn, VA 20147. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Restaurant, Wine, Beer, Consumed On and Off Premises application.

Note: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices.

Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

4/3 & 4/10/25

Plaza Street Sidewalk Project Town of Leesburg Design Public Hearing

Thursday, May 15, 2025

7:00 – 8:30 p.m., Open House Format – Come Anytime Leesburg Elementary School 323 Plaza Street NE, Leesburg, VA 20176

Learn about plans to construct 1,000 linear feet of sidewalk along the west side of Plaza Street between Leesburg Police Headquarters and Edwards Ferry Road. The purpose of this project is to complete a missing link of sidewalk and to improve pedestrian access and safety for residents of the Leesburg Apartments and other residents in northeast Leesburg.

Stop by between 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. to view displays, learn about the project, and provide comments. Town staff will be on hand to answer questions.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy and 23 CFR 771, an environmental document in the form of a Programmatic Categorical Exclusion (PCE) was prepared for the project under agreement with the Federal Highway Administration. In compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 and 36 CFR Part 800, information concerning the potential effects of the project on properties listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places is included with the PCE.

Review project information on the Leesburg website (www.LeesburgVA.gov/Plaza-St-Sidewalk), at the design public hearing, or by appointment at the Town of Leesburg Office of Public Works and Capital Projects at 552 Fort Evans Rd, Leesburg, VA. Please call ahead to Christine Roe at 703-7376067 or email CRoe@LeesburgVA.gov to ensure personnel are available to answer your questions.

Give your verbal or written comments at the meeting, or submit written comments by May 30, 2025 to Christine Roe, by mail at 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20176 or email at CRoe@LeesburgVA.gov. Please reference “Plaza Street Sidewalk” in the subject line.

The Town of Leesburg ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact ADA@LeesburgVA.gov or TitleVICoordinator@LeesburgVA.gov.

State Project No: EN22-253-364, UPC: 121557, CFDA: 20.205, Federal Project No: TAP-5B01 (514)

ORDER OF PUBLICATION COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: CL25-1497

Circuit Court of Loudoun County Deborah Vince, Movant/Proponent of Will v.

Unknown Heirs of Mary Ann Morey, et al, Respondents

THE OBJECT of this suit is to probate a copy of the June 6, 2013 Last Will of Mary Ann Morey and qualify an Administrator c.t.a. of the Estate; and

IT APPEARING TO THE COURT by an affidavit filed in accordance with law that the Proponent has made diligent effort to ascertain the identity and whereabouts of unknown parties, and that there are UNKNOWN HEIRS of MARY ANN MOREY, whether residents of Virginia or not; it is therefore

ORDERED, that each of said parties appear on or before 9:00 a.m on May 23, 2025, and do whatever is necessary to protect their interests, including responding to the Order to Show Cause Against Probate entered simultaneously with this Order of Publication.

4/10, 4/17, 4/24 & 5/1/25

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Probate File No.: 19394 Circuit Court of Loudoun County in re: Estate of Jean Smith Brown ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE AGAINST DISTRIBUTION

It appearing that a report of the account of Sara Holmes Brown, Executor of the Estate of Jean Smith Brown (the “Estate”), deceased, and a report of the debts and demands against the Estate have been filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Loudoun County, and that more than 6 months have elapsed since the qualification of the Executor before this Court, and further that the Estate is insolvent,

It is ORDERED that the creditors of, and all others interested in, the Estate of Jean Smith Brown, deceased, do show cause, if any they can, on Friday, May 2, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., before this Court at its courtroom in Leesburg, Virginia, against payment and delivery of said Estate to the Estate’s creditors, after payment of remaining administrative expenses, in accordance with Va. Code § 64.2-528.

4/10, 4/17/25

Legal Notices

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SELL REAL PROPERTY FOR DELINQUENT TAXES

On or after thirty days from the publication of this Notice, judicial proceedings will be commenced pursuant to Va. Code § 58.1-3975, et seq. to sell the following real estate located in Loudoun County, Virginia for payment of delinquent taxes:

OWNER DESCRIPTION

41873 Bald Hill Road LLC Vacant land .65 acres, more or less NO SITUS ADDRESS

Catoctin District

PIN 221-29-9150-000 Tax Map No. /19////////55/

Eric & Julie Allstrom Single family dwelling .24 acres, more or less 724 Valley View Avenue SW Leesburg, Virginia 20175

PIN 232-36-0876-000

Tax Map No. /48//52/////4/

American Technical Service LLC & Cool Factory Inc

Commercial condo 0 acres more or less 45681 Oakbrook Ct #101 Sterling, Virginia 20166

PIN 031-27-7704-003

Tax Map No. /80//15CM/101/

Jonathan D Barton Single family dwelling .05 acres more or less 43035 Demerritt Street Chantilly, Virginia 20152

PIN 128-25-3021-000

Tax Map No. 106B2/5/////8/

Virginia Smith Carlin

David Janiga

Residential Condo 0 acres more or less 20991 Timber Ridge Ter #10 Ashburn, Virginia 20147

PIN 117-29-0489-001

Tax Map No. /79/E14P6-101A

Residential Condo 0 acres more or less 312 E Furman Drive

Sterling, Virginia 20164

PIN 022-27-4797-183

Tax Map No. /81/FCMPB/183/

PUBLIC NOTICE

DEED/INSTRUMENT NO.

Instrument No. 202003230019756 1101-1271 BLA, 783-295, 115--538 WB

Instrument No. 202104230047973

Instrument No. 201811290068865

South Riding Sec 3C LOT 8 Deed Book 1627-2115

Westmaren Condo PH.6 UNIT 20991-101 Deed Book 1272-1103

Pembrooke of Loudoun #183 Deed Book 811-699

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary plat of subdivision for the following project.

PLAT-2025-0008

Cascades Marketplace Towns

Mr. Avery Cooper, of Gordon, of Chantilly, VA is requesting preliminary/record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately thirteen (12.762) acres into forty-two (42) lots, and associated easements. The property is located west of Whitfield Place (Route 1796) south of Palisade Parkway (Route 1795), and east of Cascades Parkway (Route 1794). The property is zoned TC (Town Center) under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 019-28-2708-000 in the Algonkian Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http:// www.loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2025-0008. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Suzanna Brady at Suzanna.Brady@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by April 23, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO). 3/20, 3/27, 4/3, 4/10 & 4/17/25

Zhonggang Li Single family dwelling .17 acres more or less

24710 Marshy Hope Street

Aldie, Virginia 20105

PIN 247-10-3376-000

Tax Map No. 100//30///132/

John P Ludwig

Single family dwelling 2.12 acres more or less

37038 Pinehill Lane

Hillsboro, Virginia 20132

PIN 473-15-4423-000

Tax Map No. //1////////41/

Salvador Mendoza Turcios Maria Y Fuentes Rivas Residential condo 0 acres more or less 982 Holburn Ct Sterling, Virginia 20164-4805

PIN 032-18-2966-197

Tax Map No. /81/FCM-9/982/

Ronald J & Amy White Single family dwelling .57 acres more or less 20167 Redrose Dr Sterling, Virginia 20165

PIN 027-35-5927-000

Tax Map No. /63B1/2////28/

Basil L & Marlene E Wilson Single family dwelling .18 acres more or less 20652 Longpier Way Sterling, Virginia 20165

PIN 006-20-9036-000

Tax Map No. /82/E/5///244/

Instrument No. 201701170003364

Between the Hills Deed Book 607-159

Instrument No. 201611020074660

Newberry Condo

PH.9 BLK.A UNIT 12 200510180117337

Instrument No. 200305010050210

Deed Book 1342-1330

The owner of any property listed may redeem it at any time before the date of the sale by paying all accumulated taxes, penalties, reasonable attorney’s fees, interest and costs thereon, including the pro rata cost of publication hereunder. Partial payment of delinquent taxes, penalties, reasonable attorney fees, interest or costs shall not be sufficient to redeem the property, and shall not operate to suspend, invalidate or make moot any action for non-judicial sale.

Henry C. Eickelberg, Treasurer, County of Loudoun, Virginia 1 Harrison Street, S.E., First Floor P.O. Box 347 Leesburg, Virginia 20178 (703) 771-5656

3/27 & 4/3, & 4/10//25

PUBLIC NOTICE

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary record plat of subdivision for the following project.

PLAT-2025-0009

Cascades Marketplace Multi-family Residential

Mr. Avery Cooper, of Gordon, of Chantilly, VA is requesting preliminary/record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately thirteen (12.762) acres into forty-four (44) lots, and associated easements. The property is located west of Whitfield Place (Route 1796) south of Palisade Parkway (Route 1795), and east of Cascades Parkway (Route 1794). The property is zoned TC (Town Center) under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 019-28-2708-000 in the Algonkian Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www. loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2025-0009. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Samantha Swift at Samantha.Swift@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by April 23, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

3/20, 3/27, 4/3, 4/10 & 4/17/25

Legal Notices

PUBLIC HEARING

The LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room on the first floor of the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following:

CPAM-2024-0003: Review of the 2019 General Plan (Comprehensive Plan Amendment)

Pursuant to Virginia Code §§15.2-2204, 15.2-2225, and 15.2-2229, and a Motion and Project Plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors on June 4, 2024, the Planning Commission hereby gives notice of a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPAM) to amend the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (2019 GP) in order to address issues that staff identified through implementation of the 2019 GP since its adoption five years ago and the drafting, review, and adoption of the new Zoning Ordinance (ZOAM-20200001), to update information and data, and to incorporate other adopted Zoning Ordinance Amendments (ZOAMs) and Board of Supervisors direction.

The CPAM proposes revisions to Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, the Glossary, the Implementation Matrix, certain 2019 GP maps, and such other Chapters, policies, and provisions of the 2019 GP as necessary to implement and maintain consistency with the foregoing amendments or as otherwise necessary to correct typographical errors, section and subsection numbering, and formatting within, update crossreferences to, and further clarify the requirements of, the above-mentioned section(s) of the 2019 GP. The proposed changes would apply County-wide. The proposed CPAM includes, without limitation, the following:

Amendments to 2019 GP Chapter 1- Introduction:

• Add the Unmet Housing Needs Strategic Plan (2021) (UHNSP), the Linear Parks and Trails Plan (2021),and the County Energy Strategy (2023) (CES) as policy documents that supplement the 2019 GP.

Amendments to 2019 GP Chapter 2 – Land Use:

• Quality Development:

o Establish new actions under various policy strategies regarding conformance with the County Equity Policy; accessibility and safety of public spaces; calculation of floor area ratio; evaluation of building height; evaluation of infill development with large residential components; and incorporation of universal design features into all residential development.

• Infill and redevelopment:

o Delete references to “reinvestment” and incorporate former “reinvestment” policies into policies for redevelopment, infill, and adaptive reuse.

o Establish new actions under various policy strategies regarding creation of infill overlay districts; addressing housing affordability and displacement issues associated with redevelopment; use of Planned Unit Development Zoning Districts for certain infill sites; use of affordable housing development loan programs to incentivize redevelopment; exchange of abandoned or vacated roads for affordable housing; support of small business/entrepreneurial activities as infill; encouraging housing as adaptive reuse; and flexible requirements for infill that contains certain elements.

• Urban Policy Areas:

o Establish new actions under various policy strategies regarding promotion of attainable housing within proximity of transit nodes and Metrorail stations; provision of safe and accessible parks and/or recreation opportunities; and regulatory flexibility for affordable housing.

• Suburban Policy Area (SPA):

o Establish new actions under various policy strategies regarding provision of safe and accessible parks and/or recreation opportunities; methods to support conversion of office and commercial uses to multifamily residential uses in certain areas; provision of attainable housing options; and further explanation of criteria for the Suburban Compact Neighborhood place type.

o Establish new policies regarding conformance with the SPA Design Guidelines.

o Establish new policies regarding the height of a building story for all SPA place types; core uses and building height for the Suburban Compact Neighborhood place type; and adaptive reuse or conversion of existing office uses to multifamily residential for the Suburban Employment place type.

• Transition Policy Area (TPA):

o Establish new actions under various policy strategies regarding evaluation of whether character and visual landscape of the Transition Policy Area is being achieved.

o Establish new policies regarding conformance with the TPA Design Guidelines.

o Establish new policies regarding the height of a building story for all TPA place types, and core and conditional uses for the Transition Community Center and Transition Industrial/Mineral Extraction place types.

• Towns and JLMAs:

o Establish new policies regarding conformance with the JLMA Design Guidelines.

Amendments to 2019 GP Chapter 3 – Natural Resources

• Sustainability:

o Update the list of programs and plans that the County had developed and implemented regarding sustainable development.

o Establish new actions under various policy strategies regarding continued implementation of the CES; development of plans for renewable energy; greater participation in MWCOG and regional funding opportunities; development of a Natural Resources Strategy; provision of electric car charging stations at County facilities; incorporation of water conservation measures into new and existing developments; greater private implementation of green building measures and more sustainable site design; and increased development of solar energy.

Amendments to 2019 GP Chapter 4 – Housing

• Trends and Influences:

o Establish new policies regarding County absorption of capital facilities and road impacts for all proffered attainable housing units and adjusting capital facilities contributions to encourage smaller housing units.

o Establish new actions under various policy strategies regarding incorporating and achieving the goals of the UHNSP; development of technical assistance and funding programs for the development of accessory housing units; preservation of existing affordable housing; dedication of land and a community land trust/ land bank for affordable housing; and collaboration with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

o Delete existing action under Strategy 3.4 regarding the First-time Home Buyers Savings Plan.

Amendments to 2019 GP Chapter 6 – Fiscal Management & Public Infrastructure

• Fiscal Management:

o Update, revise, and clarify existing policies regarding Capital Needs Assessment, Capital Facilities Standards, Capital Intensity Factor (CIF), and Capital Improvement Program to better explain the capital facility planning process and reflect more current demographic data and methodology for calculating the CIF

Amendments to the 2019 GP Glossary

• Establish new definitions for “attainable housing”, “community solar”, “equity”, “sustainability”, and “sustainable development”.

• Revise existing definitions for “affordable dwelling unit (ADU)”, “open space”, and “public facilities”.

• Delete existing definition for “reinvestment”

Amendments to 2019 GP Implementation Matrix

• Update and revise the existing Actions column to match the changes to actions under various policy strategies reference above and add references to ZOAMs that were adopted to implement the Action.

• Update and revise the existing Responsibility column to reflect current Department names.

Amendments to 2019 GP Maps

• Establish a new Place Types map that shows all Place Types within one map.

• Update and revise the existing Impaired Streams, Natural & Environmental Resources, Prime Agricultural Soils, River and Stream Corridor Resources, Existing and Planned Facilities, and Trails and Parks maps to reflect current data and information and the adoption the new Zoning Ordinance and subsequent ZOAMs.

continued on next page

Legal Notices

LEGI-2024-0027, JESSE COURT: ZMAP-2024-0007 and SPEX-2024-0044

(Zoning Map Amendment, Special Exception)

Repulse Bay II, LLC, and Andrew J. Parker have submitted applications for a zoning map amendment and a special exception for approximately 16.26 acres of land in the Route 28 Highway Transportation Improvement District located south of East Severn Way (Route 847), east of Sully Road (Route 28), and northwest and west of Atlantic Boulevard (Route 1902) in the Sterling Election District (the Subject Property) and more particularly described as 21593 Jesse Ct, Sterling, Virginia, PIN #: 043-40-7465000, and Tax Map # /80//16/////2/.

For ZMAP-2024-0007, the applicant seeks to rezone the Subject Property from the PD-IP (Planned Development – Industrial Park) Zoning District under the 1972 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance to the Industrial Park (IP) Zoning District under the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. For SPEX-20240044, the applicant seeks a special exception to allow Machinery and Equipment Sales and Services use in the IP Zoning District.

Copies of the proposed plans, ordinances, or amendments for each item listed above may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center, Office of County Administrator, Information Desk, First Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday or call 703-777-0246 (option 5), to request hard copies or electronic copies. Additional project files related to land use applications and land use ordinances may be reviewed electronically at loudoun.gov/landmarc. Additionally, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically the week before the hearing at www.loudoun.gov/pc. For further information, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703777-0246 (option 5).

Planning Commission work sessions and public hearings are held in the Board Room of the Government Center. Public hearings and work sessions are televised on Comcast Government Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40 and are also are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/meetings.

Members of the public desiring to do so may appear and present their views during the public hearing.

LOUDOUN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLE

This notice is to inform the owner and any person having a security interest in their right to reclaim the motor vehicle herein described within 15 days after the date of storage charges resulting from placing the vehicle in custody, and the failure of the owner or persons having security interests to exercise their right to reclaim the vehicle within the time provided shall be deemed a waiver by the owner, and all persons having security interests of all right, title and interest in the vehicle, and consent to the sale of the abandoned motor vehicle at a public auction.

This notice shall also advise the owner of record of his or her right to contest the determination by the Sheriff that the motor vehicle was “abandoned,” as provided in Chapter 630.08 of the Loudoun County Ordinance, by requesting a hearing before the County Administrator in writing. Such written request for a hearing must be made within 15 days of the notice.

YEAR MAKE MODEL VIN STORAGE PHONE NUMBER

UNKN MARINE VENTURE N/A GY10047XD888 AL’S TOWING 703-435-8888

2005 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN 1GCDM19X55B127866 BLAIR’S TOWING 703-661-8200 4/10 & 4/17/25

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ047165-04-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Ivory Green

Loudoun County Department of Family Services v. Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold a second permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Ivory Green.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before May 13, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.

4/3, 4/10, 4/17 & 4/24/25

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ047581

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Haseena Ali

Loudoun County Department of Family Services v.

Mahmood Ali, Putative Father

The object of this suit is to hold a dispositional hearing in child in need of services matter pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-228 and 16.1241 for Haseena Ali

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Mahmood Ali, Putative Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before April 29, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.

3/27, 4/3, 4/10 & 4/17/25

Public comment will be received only for those items listed for public hearing. Members of the public who wish to provide public input, whether electronically or in person, are encouraged to sign-up in advance; however, speakers may sign-up during the hearing. If you wish to sign up in advance, please call the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246 (option 5) prior to 12:00 PM on the day of the public hearing; however, speakers may also sign-up at the public hearing. Written comments concerning any item before the Commission are welcomed at any time and may be sent to the Loudoun County Planning Commission, P.O. Box 7000 Leesburg, VA 20177-7000, or by e-mail to loudounpc@loudoun. gov. If written comments are presented at the hearing, please provide ten (10) copies for distribution to the Commission and for the Clerk’s records. Members of the public may also submit comments on land use items electronically at loudoun.gov/landapplications. Any individual representing and/or proposing to be the sole speaker on behalf of a citizen’s organization or civic association is encouraged to contact the Department of Planning and Zoning prior to the date of the public hearing to request additional time to speak on behalf of such organization.

Regularly scheduled Planning Commission public hearings are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month. In the event the public hearing cannot be conducted on that date due to weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend the hearing, the public hearing will be continued to the next day (Wednesday). In the event the public hearing may not be held on that Wednesday due to weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend the hearing, the public hearing may be continued to the first Thursday of the next month.

Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory, or mental disability to participate in this meeting, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246 (option 5). Three business days advance notice is requested.

BY ORDER OF: CLIFFORD KEIRCE, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION

PUBLIC NOTICE

4/3 & 4/10/25

The LOUDOUN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT has accepted application for preliminary record plat of subdivision for the following project.

PLAT-2025-0062

Fleetwood North – Phase 1

Ms. Angela Rassas, of Toll Mid-Atlantic LP Company of Leesburg, VA is requesting preliminary/ record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately fifty-six (56.15078) acres into fifty (50) lots, associated easements, and right-of-way dedication. The property is located west of Evergreen Mills Road (Route 621), south of the intersection of Evergreen Mills Road and Hartland Drive (Route 616). The property is zoned R-4 (Single Family Residential), under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as MCPI # 244-40-0641-000, 243-10-7419-000, 244-40-6257-000, and 244-30-4062-000 in the Little River Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http:// www.loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2025-0062. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Eric Blankenship at Eric.Blankenship@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by May 07, 2025. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.08 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

4/3, 4/10., 4/17, 4/24 & 5/1/25

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS FOR:

LABOR RELATIONS ADMINISTRATOR SERVICES, RFP No. 677874 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, April 30, 2025.

Solicitation forms may be obtained 24 hours a day by visiting our web site at www.loudoun. gov/procurement . If you do not have access to the Internet, call (703) 777-0403, M - F, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

WHEN CALLING, PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ANY TYPE OF DISABILITY IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCUREMENT

4/10/25

Loudoun County Public Schools

Legal Notices

Dulles South Secondary School Attendance Zone Change Process Spring 2025

The Loudoun County School Board has scheduled a series of meetings to facilitate the review of Dulles South area secondary school attendance zones. The current boundaries for Freedom High School/J. Michael Lunsford Middle School, John Champe High School/Mercer Middle School, and Lightridge High School/Willard Middle School will be reviewed in the attendance zone process.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025* 4:30 pm/6:30 pm

Wednesday, April 30, 2025 6:30 pm

Monday, May 5, 2025 6:30 pm

Tuesday, May 20, 2025* 4:30 pm/6:30 pm

Monday, June 2, 2025 6:30 pm

Tuesday, June 10, 2025* 4:30 pm/6:30 pm

*Regular School Board Business Meeting

Board Attendance Zone Overview

School Board Attendance Zone Public Hearing & Work Session

School Board Attendance Zone Public Hearing & Work Session

School Board Review of Secondary School Attendance Zone Recommendations (Information)

School Board Attendance Zone Briefing & Public Hearing

School Board Adoption of Secondary School Attendance Zone Changes (Action Item)

The meetings will be held at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building (21000 Education Court, Ashburn) and broadcast live on Comcast channel 18 or 1070 (HD) and Verizon Fios channel 43, as well as viewable via the Loudoun County Public Schools website (www.LCPS.org/webcast).

Attendance zone information and data, as it becomes available (including potential attendance zone plans being considered or reviewed by the School Board), will be posted on www.LCPS.org/2025DSBoundary.

Details on how to sign up to speak at an attendance zone public hearing will be provided at www.LCPS.org/citizenparticipation.

Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any disability in order to participate meaningfully in the School Board meetings or public hearings should contact the Superintendent’s Office at 571-252-1020 at least three (3) days prior to the meeting.

Beverly I. Tate, Director Loudoun County Public Schools Division of Planning & GIS Services 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, Virginia 20148 Telephone: 571-252-1050

Email: LCPSPLAN@LCPS.ORG

4/3, 4/10, 4/17, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8, 5/15, 5/22, 5/29 & 6/5/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB)

KENNETH B. ROLLINS WATER FILTRATION PLANT SERVICE

SWITCHGEAR AND MCC-A AND MCC-B REPLACEMENT

The Town of Leesburg will accept sealed bids electronically via the Commonwealth’s e-procurement website (www.eva.virginia.gov), until 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, 2025, for the following:

IFB NO. 520822-FY25-02

KENNETH B. ROLLINS WATER FILTRATION PLANT SERVICE

SWITCHGEAR AND MCC-A AND MCC-B REPLACEMENT

Work includes the replacement of existing main electrical switchgear and motor control centers (MCC) installed in 1980 to improve the power feed for the water treatment plant serving Leesburg. Ancillary breakers that feed critical plant operations equipment will also be replaced and electrical equipment will be upgraded to meet technological demands. Other improvements and incidentals related thereto will be performed as well.

For additional information, visit: http://www.leesburgva.gov/bidboard

4/10/25

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 59-3-2

Case No.: 25-A-18

Circuit Court of Berkeley County, West Virginia, in re: The matter of the Adoption of LANGSTON PETE VEACH, an infant

The object of the above entitled action is to give notice to the Respondent herein that a Petition for Adoption has been filed by the Petitioner in the Circuit Court of Berkeley County, West Virginia against him. It appearing that the address and whereabouts of the said Respondent are unknown to the Petitioner.

It is so ORDERED that the said Respondent is hereby notified that a hearing regarding said Petition is scheduled for the 29th day of April, 2025, at 1:00 p.m., before the Honorable Catherine A. Delligatti, Berkeley County Family Court, Martinsburg, West Virginia, and that should Respondent fail to appear at said hearing, judgment by default will be taken against him/ her at anytime thereafter. A copy of said Petition can be obtained from the undersigned Clerk at the office of the Circuit Clerk located at 380 W. South Street, Martinsburg, West Virginia. 4/3 & 4/10/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) TOWN SHOP AND FLEET MAINTENANCE BUILDING HVAC REPLACEMENTS

The Town of Leesburg will accept sealed bids electronically via the Commonwealth’s eprocurement website (www.eva.virginia.gov), until 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, 2025, for the following:

IFB NO. 320813-FY25-46

DAVIS COURT SE BRIDGE REPAIRS

The Town of Leesburg is soliciting sealed bids from qualified contractors for the Davis Court SE Bridge Repair project. Work includes repair of the existing Davis Court Bridge, steel and wood decking replacement, masonry, concrete and asphalt work, earthwork, maintenance of traffic and all incidentals related thereto. The Town reserves the right to perform all, part, or none of the work.

For additional information, visit: http://www.leesburgva.gov/bidboard

4/10/25

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA

VA. CODE § 59-3-2

Civil Action No.: 24-D-302

Family Court of Jefferson County, West Virginia, in re: The Marriage of Christopher Leigh McAllister, petitioner and Caroline Smith McAllister, respondent

The object of the above entitled action is to give notice to the Respondent herein that a Motion to Modify Spousal Support has been filed by the Petitioner in the Family Court of Jefferson County, West Virginia against her. It appearing that the address and whereabouts of the said Respondent are unknown to the Petitioner.

It is so ORDERED that the said Respondent is hereby notified that a hearing regarding said Motion is scheduled for June 26, 2025, at 11:00 o’clock a.m. before the Honorable Christine L. Glover, Jefferson County Family Court, 119 N. George Street, Charles Town, West Virginia, and that should Respondent fail to appear at said hearing, judgment by default will be taken against her at any time Motion can be obtained from the undersigned Clerk at the office of the Circuit Clerk located at 119 N. George Street, Charles Town, West Virginia.

4/3 & 4/10/25

Loco Service Providers

VEHICLE AUCTION

MD Repo Vehicles For Public Sale at ADESA Washington, DC. All Makes and Models Running Weekly Details can be found at www.adesawashingtondc.com

Terms: State and local orders will be strictly enforced at the sale, including social distancing and limits on the number of people permitted to gather in certain areas. All attendees must comply with such procedures or will be required to leave the premises. We strongly recommend that all attendees wear face coverings for the protection of themselves and our staff. Bidder agrees to register and pay a refundable $500 cash deposit plus a non-refundable $20 entry fee before the Sale starts. The balance of the purchase is due in full by 5:00pm on sale day. vehicles are AS-IS and are subject to a buy fee based on the sale price of the vehicle. Only cash or certified funds will be accepted. No vehicle will be released until Payment is made in full. Children under the age of 18 are not permitted.

VEHICLE AUCTION

DC

20+Chase repossessions will be offered to the public sale monthly on Wednesdays. Auction doors open at 8:00 a.m. Sale starts at 9:50 a.m. ET. Registered persons may preview/inspect vehicles on the day of the sale before bidding. Bids accepted only when a vehicle is presented for sale. The auctioneer will conclude the sale when bidding stops. All results will be final by 5:00 p.m. Terms: Cash or Certified Check.

of Leesburg Employment Opportunities

Please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs for more information and to apply online. Resumes may be submitted as supplemental only. EOE/ADA.

To review Ida Lee (Parks & Recreation) flexible part-time positions, please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs. Most positions will be filled at or near the minimum of the range. Dependent on qualifications.

All Town vacancies may be viewed on Comcast Cable Channel 67 and Verizon FiOS Channel 35.

Published by Loudoun Community Media

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EDITORIAL

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and Ashburn, and distributed for pickup throughout the county. Online, Loudoun Now provides daily community news coverage to an audience of more than 100,000 unique monthly visitors.

Opinion

Celebrating Service

This week, more than 150 members of the county’s first responder agencies, as well as over a dozen citizens, are being celebrated for heroic deeds during some two dozen emergencies during the past year.

Many of the cases involve lifesaving actions; one serves as a tragic reminder of the risks involved with even the most routine call.

The Loudoun Chamber’s Valor Awards program provides the community with an important opportunity to reflect on the dedication and sacrifice required to provide these critical public services.

For many first responders—including Loudoun’s retiring fire-rescue system chief—the call to service comes at a young age, often inspired by generational influences. That is followed by years of training, long days and nights at the station away from family—and then by countless encounters with neighbors in what is likely their greatest time of need.

While it may be difficult to adequately compensate the lifetime of dedication many provide, the county

Protect It

Editor:

As a lifelong resident of Leesburg, a downtown homeowner, business owner, and a professional in the music and entertainment industry, I feel compelled to speak out on the proposed restrictions on amplified live music in the historic district.

Those of us who grew up here in the ‘80s and ‘90s remember when downtown was a ghost town after 5 p.m.—nothing but antique stores and empty sidewalks. About 15 years ago, the town wisely asked residents how to revitalize downtown. I participated in those focus groups. The answer was clear: build a vibrant, walkable, economically thriving nightlife. And we did. With live music playing a central role, downtown Leesburg has come to life—and businesses, residents, and visitors have all benefited.

Now we’re being asked to roll that progress back.

I strongly urge town leadership to adopt a balanced, reasonable sound policy—one that supports downtown’s momentum. Live music should be permitted up to 100–120 decibels on weekends until 10 p.m., and 70–85 decibels Sunday through Thursday with a 9 p.m. cutoff. These levels are consistent with industry standards and won’t harm public peace.

government is an important commitment to their longterm help as it continues the modernization of its firerescue stations at an unprecedented pace.

In the coming weeks, the new Aldie station will open after more than two decades of planning setbacks. That comes just after Lovettsville’s new station launched operations. Round Hill is under construction and Philomont will soon follow.

A hallmark of the new stations is more than just improved living conditions and bigger equipment bays. They also represent a commitment to reduce the longknown risks facing those in the fire service—frequent exposure to cancer-causing contaminants. Protocols have long required steps to clean gear and equipment after returning from response, but the new stations take that process to the next level, providing state-of-the-art decontamination onsite.

As we reflect on the heroic actions of first responders, we should recognize they exhibit valor every day. It comes with the job.

LETTERS to the Editor

Events like Acoustic on the Green and BENEFIT rely on amplified sound. Are we going to restrict Town-sponsored events too? What about businesses like Tally Ho Theater, or the soon-to-open Burg Hotel with its rooftop venue? Will these investments be protected, or penalized?

We should also look to nearby cities for guidance—Winchester and Frederick have proven that smart nightlife policies can coexist with residential life. And with large-scale projects like Church & Market and Virginia Village coming online, we can’t afford to make downtown less appealing. These developments rely on a cultural and economic ecosystem that includes live music and nightlife.

A few voices should not be allowed to unravel what’s become a defining part of our local culture. Music builds community, drives commerce, and connects us. Let’s protect it, not silence it.

— Rusty Foster, Leesburg

Taking It Back

Editor:

As evidenced by Hands Off protests in Leesburg, all 50 states and many nations around the world April 5 marks the major circling of the wagons to surround our precious democracy and protect it from the fascist regime whose mission is to bring us to our knees.

Americans will not run scared.

I’ll admit that it has been a hellish ordeal to watch unhinged men dismantle the government not just by firing unproductive elements (whatever that is) but by giving the boot to entire agencies. Can you imagine all the highly educated, dedicated, federal workers are all nameless, rotten, deep state, and disloyal?

But while we’re looking at the “reduction in force,” more evil deeds surround us. We know what they are, but to rehash, they include administrationorchestrated tariffs that have crashed the global economy and alienated the U.S. from our allies, ICE agents detaining innocent legal residents who will surely be deported to El Salvador or elsewhere, the defunding of USAID, NPR, PBS, and the blows to the Department of Education, HHS, FAA, and on and on.

We are being spun around and around by the firehose of new policies which will “make America great again.” [Frankly, I like being imperfect.]

Can we take any more of this outrage, this assault on our government and the services it provides all American citizens? Can we trust this man who lies with impunity? This Russian operative that has been imbedded here for decades? Saturday, April 5, 2025, was a day to let

on page 37

Loudoun Now is mailed weekly to homes in Leesburg, western Loudoun

READERS’ poll

County Supervisors completed their budget work with lower tax rates for homes and cars. How did they do?

53.4% They are spending too much

22.0% Going in the right direction

13.5% My bills are still too high

Great work

Share your views at loudounnow.com/polls

him know that Americans are coming to take back our democracy.

The buck stops at the Resolute Desk. — Mary Gustafson, Leesburg

The Dragon

Editor:

Much has been written recently about Dominion Power, PJM and the State Corporation Commission plans and projects to electrify Loudoun County in support of support data center operations. Citizens have rallied against rights of way for new high voltage lines and unsuccessfully argued for buried lines citing safety, property values and the destruction of Loudoun’s natural beauty.

But there is a waking dragon here in Loudoun County that threatens to consume what’s left of the county and fundamentally change forever its character from residential and rural to massive Industrial.

Recent approvals of new 765Kv and 500Kv power lines, (together with existing lines and Loudoun’s only power plant), only service the current 4 gigawatts of data center demand. But, Dominion Power has committed to a 10-fold increase, from 4Gw to 40Gw of electricity by 2040. This requirement is consistent with the 105 million square feet of data centers already built, under construction and approved by the county and the growth of hyperscale AI data centers.

CHIPshots

LETTERS to

the

Editor

All of the additional 36Gw of electric power must be brought into Loudoun County by PJM from elsewhere in Virginia and many other states. At 2.5Gw per 765Kv transmission line, that means another 15 to 16 new long haul, 765Kv high voltage lines are required to support Loudoun’s growing data center demand. That’s one or two new lines per year through 2035. In addition, it will require eight to 10 new 500Kv lines for regional power distribution, hundreds of miles of 230Kv lines for local distribution and thousands of acres for electric power substations.

The threat to Loudoun County and our surrounding areas isn’t just one or two new power lines. It’s the massive electrification and industrialization of the county which will impact everything and everyone in the county. The board’s recent efforts to end by right data center development are “too little too late” to stop this fire-breathing dragon. The SCC will continue to support Dominion Power’s opposition to buried lines and over 40 new data centers have been grandfathered into the 300-plus total in Loudoun.

Perhaps the only thing we can do is elect a new Board of Supervisors that will increase taxes on data centers until they stop the industrialization and ultimate destruction of our county.

— Tony Virgilio, Leesburg

continued from page 37

Exceptional Example

Editor:

On April 22, six Democrat-endorsed school board members will likely vote to rename Frances Hazel Reid Elementary.

As a liberal and a Democrat, I do not join them in this decision. For the following reasons I do not agree with them.

At the core of my liberal beliefs includes exalting examples of women who have transcended social norms of their time. There is ample evidence that Ms. Fannie easily exceeded the societal constraints on a woman of her era. I believe it to be a rather exceptional example and worthy of being immortalized by naming a school after her.

I have spoken with most elected officials in and around Leesburg, none were willing to go on the record, while one offered measured responses, one declined to share their personal feelings, the rest were opposed, and no one expressed a deep desire to change the name.

Most teachers and staff at FHR refuse to answer, obviously fearing repercussions.

According to policy 6510 B subheading 2, all renaming requests must “be in consultation” with a representing School Board member. Ms. Shernoff was never consulted. I submitted a FOIA request for that information, Superintendent Spence

denied the request citing 2.2-3705.7 working papers exceptions, an exception his office is not entitled to by law.

According to the Loudoun County Public Schools website, the criterion for renaming schools includes: 1) schools named for Confederate leaders or the Confederate cause; 2) individuals from the 17th, 18th, or 19th centuries; involved in slavery, and 3) individuals or movements that implemented and promoted racial segregation laws in Virginia. Franny is an individual, not a movement, and there is no evidence that she, as an individual, promoted and implemented racial segregation laws.

While her association with the United Daughters of The Confederacy is well established, there is no evidence of any wrongdoing on her part. She simply fits the description of a white person who was near other white people who may have been doing something.

I have two problems with this course of action by my fellow Democrats:

· Unpopular actions by elected Democrats cost Democrats votes, I have problems with losing elections

· Anything that takes away from educating the children is bad, this is a distraction, an unneeded one.

Save Frances Hazel Reid Elementary. — Matthew O'Donnell, Leesburg

Johnson Retirement

continued from page 1

with fire departments in New York City and Fairfax County.

Fairfax County offered him a job and he took it, despite being asked by the New York City department to come back for the second phase of applications.

At 19, Johnson was the youngest firefighter in Fairfax County.

“I loved running calls. I’m on a shiny firetruck. It was the best job in the world,” Johnson said. “I was being paid for something I wanted to do for my whole life.”

During his 31 years with Fairfax, he held nearly every position possible within the system, learning new skills at each stage.

Johnson also served within different divisions of the system including the fire marshal’s office as a fire investigator, an urban search and rescue team, and an international team.

“Since 1995, since it was formed, I was part of a specialized team. Originally it was called the National Medical Response Team. This was a regional team in Northern Virginia, and Maryland and DC. I was on it for hazmat, as a hazmat specialist and then I became the task force leader,” Johnson said.

The team has since been taken over by the Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Marines, but during Johnson’s time with it, he worked many federal events ready to respond when needed.

“Any time there was a joint session of Congress or State of the Union address, we would deploy, and we were responsible for setting up decon corridors in case something happened,” he said.

The team also responded to the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.

“I was getting off shift that morning. I had just gotten home, and I had called my brother to wish him a happy birthday and he said, ‘are you watching the news?’ I said, ‘no.’ … A few minutes later my pager went off and we got deployed,” he said.

Johnson and his team worked the scene at the Pentagon for 11 days straight.

“We slept there, ate there. We ate peanut butter sandwiches for the first couple days,” he said.

After getting back home, Johnson deployed to Ground Zero in New York City, helping with the recovery efforts there for a week.

In 2014, Johnson retired from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue System and took a job as deputy chief with the Loudoun system. In 2018, he was appointed as system chief when Keith Brower retired.

One of the most significant changes implemented under Johnson was the addition

of blood carrying and administration by system members – making Loudoun one of the first systems in the country to do so.

“Sept. 3, 2017, we received a call for a vehicle accident on Evergreen Mills Road, right at Watson Road," he said.

Five people – a grandmother, a mother and three children were trapped in their vehicle after being t-boned.

“I’ve seen it all, and this was the most heavily entrapped people that were still alive that I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” Johnson said.

Extricating the family took over four hours. Four helicopters responded delivering blood, which was all given to the

to pick up people with COVID," he said.

Policies were changing minute-by-minute as the team worked to make the best decisions they could through each challenge. As firefighters tested positive for COVID, Johnson made sure someone on his team checked in on them every day.

The fire system was also in charge of setting up and running the county’s vaccine pod.

“It’s hard to say how many lives we saved, but besides our response and running calls and doing all those things, we stood up this vaccination pod and gave vaccinations to residents of Loudoun.”

Johnson also led the county’s firefight-

patients while still being extricated from the car.

“We ran out of blood,” Johnson said. “And blood was the only thing that was going to save their lives. So, [LCCFR Operational Medical Director Dr. John] Morgan made the decision to send one of our battalion chiefs to Inova Fairfax Hospital to pick up blood."

The mother, who was on the receiving end of the impact, died, however, her son who was sitting in the back seat behind her survived because of the blood transfusions he received in the field. Morgan said the system needed to find a way to have blood on hand to administer when needed.

“So, we partnered with Fairfax Inova Hospital and we were one of the first in the country. We were definitely the first in the region to do it. … That’s a big deal. Obviously, we give IVs and we do all that, but to give blood is a whole different story,” Johnson said.

Significantly, Johnson led the system through COVID, an especially challenging time for first responders.

“Leading this department, like for every other chief, was absolutely crazy. When you became chief, where was the COVID playbook? Because this is stuff that has never, ever happened before. We had no PPE. We didn’t even know what COVID was. And our folks are being asked to come to work

drill or our e-bike or whatever. Now, magnify that, putting all these batteries in cars, and we’re parking it in our garages, and the risk that these fires pose to us is just incredible.”

The increasing number of data centers, addition of battery storage systems and the growing prevalence of alternatively powered vehicles also create a challenge because there are many unknown factors facing the firefighters.

“Often you don’t know the risk,” Johnson said. “If you’re pulling up to a bus and it’s on fire, the typical response would be to pull your hose line and put the fire out, right? But a propane cylinder or hydrogen cylinder you don’t even see under the bus can explode and cause a catastrophic explosion. And if you’re too close, you’re going to die.”

The toll that firefighting takes on first responders and their families is something close to Johnson’s heart. His own father died from cancer at 56 – which Johnson believes was caused by decades of exposure to harmful substances while fighting fires.

“He was probably the happiest when he saw me graduate [fire academy],” Johnson said. “He would have loved to have done that.”

Recently, Johnson’s brother-in-law, who was a volunteer firefighter also died from cancer and he said he’s lost a number of other friends to the disease that firefighters are 14% more likely to die from.

He continues to push for a greater focus on physical and mental health services within the system.

ers through the tragic home explosion last February in Sterling. One responding firefighter, Trevor Brown, was killed and 13 other people were injured.

Units responded to a call for a gas leak – one of the most common calls answered by the county’s first responders – and found that a buried 500-gallon tank was leaking. Moments later the home exploded.

Johnson said the tragedy will forever change the county.

“We’re going to train our folks, and we’re going to train hard. We’re going to make sure it never happens again,” he said.

During his tenure as chief, Johnson has also been a big proponent of mandating sprinkler systems, especially within residential homes. He has collaborated with local legislators for years and lobbied as a member of the Virginia Fire Chiefs Association Legislative Committee and the state Board of Housing and Community Development.

The system has grown dramatically over the past 10 years as the county’s landscape has continued to change. Those changes bring new sets of challenges for the county’s first responders, Johnson said.

“In the past we’ve put out fires in homes for the normal causes that you see,” he said. “… Now add in lithium ion batteries, right? They’re causing fires at such an alarming rate, the simple battery that we put in our

“Years ago we didn’t talk about it all. If you talked about your weakness, you were criticized or ridiculed,” he said. “Today, that’s not the case. There’s a lot of changes. So, our behavioral folks are busy, which is a good thing.”

Oftentimes, the mental health struggles endured by first responders may not even be tied to the job, but with the advancement of technology, it’s harder to leave what’s happening outside the station, outside the station, Johnson said.

“We have to be prepared to deal with all those things and we can’t just say don’t talk about it anymore, because we want people to talk about it,” he said.

After over four decades of service, Johnson said he’s looking forward to enjoying retirement. He has two years left on his terms for the Housing and Community Development and the Fire Service Board –both governor-appointed positions – which he will finish out.

“I have a boat and I’m going to enjoy it. I love to play golf, so I’m going to do some things. As the fire chief since 2018, there is not a lot of free time. It’s 24/7… I do truly want to leave while I’m healthy,” he said.

Last year, Johnson was named the Fire Chief of the Year in the Governor’s Fire Service Awards, finishing his career off with a flourish.

“It’s been a heck of a ride,” he said. n

Contributed

Keith Johnson, right, held many positions throughout his 40-year career with Fairfax and Loudoun counties’ fire systems.

A Loudoun Moment

Victim Resources

continued from page 3

his interest in the law stemmed from his time in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court hearings as his mother sought protection from his abusive father.

“I’ve known that I want to be a prosecutor since I was about nine years old. My father was an abusive alcoholic, and my mom faced most of the physical abuse,” he said. “The worst thing about my father was that he was a master manipulator, and just like what you see in many, many domestic violence cases, he was a pretty decent guy in the morning. Then throughout the day, he would be apologetic and buy my mom

gifts and apologize and say he would never do it again. But around 7 p.m. he was a completely different person. When the night came throughout my childhood, I saw my mother beaten, stabbed, and emotionally put down for years.”

With the help of scholarships, Dickey overcame his family’s domestic and economic struggles to earn his law degree.

“Years later, here I am working with Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office prosecuting many victim-based crimes in the same courthouse where I was long ago,” he said. “Prosecuting victim-based crimes is no easy task. However, when I walk through that courthouse, I bring many things with me. I bring that 10-year-old’s desire to help somebody in need. While

everybody has a different story, I bring with me the experiences that I went through being in a similar position. Lastly, I bring the pride of my heart with this. I walk through that courthouse every day with my head held high, try and make a difference and hold people accountable, no matter how small, to do the best I can.”

Nicole Bialko, an advocate for stalking awareness, shared her personal experience of being stalked by a former partner she met through an online dating app. She noted that one in three women and one in six men will be stalked in their lifetime.

Highlighting warning signs of abusive relationships that include excessive attention, love bombing, and gaslighting, she said the best defense for victims was trust-

ing their instincts, documenting evidence, and seeking legal protections.

Goldberg said it was important for victims of crimes to feel supported.

“We have come together to honor victims of crime and to show them that their community, our community, stands with them. We acknowledge that we have some survivors and their families with us tonight, we express our heartfelt gratitude for your attendance tonight, and would like to remind you that you are not alone,” she said.

Learn more about services available to crime victims here. Resources available to help domestic violence victims can be found here. n

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

White-tailed deer crosses Ebenezer Church Road under blooming redbud and dogwood flowers.