Loudoun Now for Feb. 27, 2025

Oak Hill Park Plan Killed in Senate, Hopes Turn to Youngkin

BY NORMAN K. STYER AND HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

nstyer@loudounnow.org

The effort to establish President James Monroe’s 1,240-acre Loudoun estate as a state park hit a roadblock last week when the chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee killed a bill that would authorize the state government to accept a gift of the land.

Advocates of the project are now working to persuade Gov. Glenn Youngkin to save the deal through a state budget amendment.

Monroe’s Oak Hill estate, located on the west side of today’s Rt. 15 north of Gilbert’s Corner, is the only home of a Founding Father still in private ownership. Monroe inherited the land in 1808 and constructed its large mansion between 1820 and 1823. He retired there at the end of his second term in 1825. Around fifty enslaved African Americans lived and worked at the plantation.

Today, the property is owned by Tom and Gayle DeLashmutt, whose family has owned the property for 70

OAK HILL continues on page 38

Purcellville Turmoil Continues

Nett Faces Internal Affairs Investigation, Town Manager Search Garners 60 Applicants

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Purcellville Police Officer Carl “Ben” Nett, who also serves as the town’s vice mayor, has been pulled from active duty and is subject to an internal affairs investigation being conducted by the Prince William Police Department.

The action comes at a time when the

Purcellville department is facing staff shortages in the wake of a series of retirements and resignations.

The nature of the internal investigation is unknown, but Nett’s placement on administrative leave appears related to questions about whether he provided required information regarding sick leave after informing the department on the weekend of Feb. 8 that he would be out sick indefinite-

ly. Nett attended the Town Council meeting Feb. 13.

“A physician’s statement or examination by a physician designated by the Town may be required by the Department Director when frequent sick leave occurs. Abuse of sick leave is considered a serious matter

continues on page 38

PURCELLVILLE TURMOIL

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Purcellville Vice Mayor Carl 'Ben' Nett, left, and Mayor Christopher Bertaut, right, listen to town staff during a Feb. 25 meeting.

54 Bills from Loudoun Delegation Head to Governor’s Desk

BY HANNA PAMPALONI

AND AMBER LUCAS hpampaloni@loudounnow.org alucas@loudounnow.org

As the 2025 General Assembly session closed Saturday night, 54 bills introduced by Loudoun representatives are heading to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s desk.

Over the next 30 days, Youngkin can either sign the bills into law, veto them, or send them back to the assembly with proposed amendments.

ENERGY BILLS

Many of the proposed bills in January focused on the data center industry and transmission lines, but few survived the session.

Among those that died was a proposal by Sen. Russet Perry (D-31) to have the State Corporation Commission examine cost allocation among different utility customer classes with the goal to protect other ratepayers from costs related to data center demand. That failed to receive approval after being reviewed in a conference committee. Bills by Sen. Kannan Srinivasan (D-32) and Del. JJ Singh (D-26) to have pilot projects established for to install high voltage transmission lines underground also failed to garner support. Bills by Del. Geary Higgins (R-30) that would require a public utility to demonstrate that using existing rights-of-way for high voltage transmission lines is not feasible before being constructed on greenfield and to provide

180-day notice to a locality’s governing body before building high voltage lines also failed to garner support.

Energy related bills that did make it through both houses included three by Del. David Reid (D-28). The first will allow large energy consumers to claim credits under the Accelerated Renewable Buyers Program by using battery energy storage system. Currently, the program provides credit for purchases of solar and wind energy to offset certain utility charges.

The second requires the SCC to consider requiring advanced conductor materials when reviewing applications for transmission lines greater then 138 kilovolts. Advanced conductor materials involve technology that allow more power to be transferred through the same number of cables that are typically used by utility companies.

Another bill by Reid makes several changes to the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy financing program to

include allow lessees to apply for the program, rather than just property owners if they apply with certain conditions.

EDUCATION BILLS

Five of Del. Atoosa Reaser’s (D-27) six education bills will be considered by Youngkin.

HB2053 originally provided for the Virginia Department of Education to perform audits on every higher education preparation program, public or private, by July 1, 2026. A House substitute changed it to a self-audit with data due by Nov. 1, 2025. VDOE would create the rubric by Sept. 1. A floor substitute by Sen. Ghazala F. Hashmi (D-15) pushed the due date back by one year.

HB1915 clarifies State Code from allowing both the school division and teachers to provide written discontinuation of contract by June 15 each year to just the teacher being able to end the contract in writing. Reaser said the goal of legislation is to ensure that the law aligns with best practices and requirements already being adhered to by school systems. Contracts with tenured teachers can only not be renewed for cause, she said.

HB1945 gives direction for school boards to consider policies for allowing students to access telehealth appointments on school property during school hours with parental consent. It was conformed

LOUDOUN BILLS continues on page 18

Sheriff’s Office Launches High School GED Program for Jail Inmates

BY AMBER LUCAS alucas@loudounnow.org

The Sheriff’s Office and Loudoun County Public Schools started the first ever General Education Development instruction program at Loudoun County Adult Detention Center this week.

There are six inmates in the inaugural class which is being taught by Dean of Non-Traditional Schools Christina Schmitt.

The program will help inmates earn their high-school equivalent degree through a modular based study of all four subjects covered in the GED exam – science, language arts, history and math.

Any inmate who has not earned a high school diploma or equivalent is eligible for the program. Enrollment will be ongoing, and spaces will be filled up as they become available.

Schmitt calls it a positive for the school system and the community.

Schmitt said that many of the inmates enrolled in the program are trustees and

have jobs outside of the jail. She said criminal recidivism decrease with the opportunity to earn an education, and education gives former inmates more stability.

“We want to serve as many individuals that want to get it as possible,” she said.

This is the first instructor-based GED program available to Loudoun’s Adult Detention Center. According to Schmitt, while inmates were able to take the GED assessment before, many did not pass because of the difficulty studying.

The new classes will be taught during

the afternoons from Monday to Thursday. This will allow for continuity of instruction, she said. The jail staff will be responsible for the safety of the instructor and the students.

“Students can achieve. We want everyone to feel they have the opportunity to get their high school education,” Schmitt said.

Schmitt also said that the program will be inclusive of special education students, just like the school division, and makes sure to abide by federal inclusivity guidelines. She also said the program would rotate to different inmate populations to accommodate everyone.

The program was requested by the Sheriff’s Office.

Superintendent Aaron Spence and Assistant Superintendent Tedra Richardson toured the facility and immediately said agree to move forward with the effort, according to a LSCO statement.

“Our partnership with Loudoun County Public Schools represents a commitment to providing meaningful

educational opportunities to help inmates upon their release. By earning their GED, participants will be better positioned to secure employment and reintegrate into society in a positive way,” Sheriff Mike Chapman said in the statement.

Schmitt said after this interaction, she then familiarized herself with the GED program and worked up a proposal to the Sheriff’s Office. She worked with the agency’s Innovative Inmate Programs Manager Susan Davisson since October.

She called the process of getting the program running “delightful.” There was a lot of collaboration between the school system, the Sheriff’s Office and community partners. It’s nice to see the program come to fruition, Schmitt said.

“This collaborative effort demonstrates our commitment to ensuring everyone in Loudoun County receives a world-class education,” Spence said. “Everyone deserves the opportunity to feel seen and heard while they are learning, and we are proud to partner with LCSO to expand those opportunities.” n

Del. David Reid

Members of House of Delegates take their seats Jan. 8 as the body convenes for the 2025 General Assembly session.

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

The Loudoun Adult Detention Center located near Leesburg.

Loudoun

300 MW Data Center Application Approved South of Leesburg

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

An application for a new data center development south of Leesburg spurred debate by the Board of Supervisors on what the future of data center applications within the county will look like.

The application by JK Land Holdings will rezone 83 acres along the Dulles Greenway to permit 1.4 million square feet of data center and utility substation use. The land is currently zoned Transitional Residential-10 and Joint Land Management Area – 20 and will be converted to an Industrial Park designation.

The supervisor’s discussion Feb. 19 on whether to approve the application came as they gear up for a vote requiring all data centers to come before the county board for approval before being built.

The project, known as Greenlin Park, received a recommendation of approval from the Planning Commission in July, although at the time county planning staff did not support approval.

During the Feb. 19 board meeting, county staff members said they now supported the application after changes to reduce the square footage, limit the building height to 55 feet, require generators with more upgraded technology including an analysis of natural gas generators, provide additional screening, noise limitations, stormwater discharge mitigation, upgraded electric vehicle charging stations, and impose water use restrictions.

Supervisor Caleb A. Kershner (R-Catoctin) said the final application was as good as a data center project can get. He noted that the application had included three different concept plans for the board’s consideration.

“This is kind of highly unusual for an application like this to bring actual concept plans to the detail that they have brought them. Is that a fair statement?” he asked Project Manager Marchant Schneider.

Schneider said it was.

The concept plans differ in number and location of buildings with the first option featuring four buildings, the second three, and the third two. The overall

floor-area ratio remains the same for all three concepts.

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (DAt Large) said she agreed with Kershner about the quality of the application.

“I am getting to a place where I don’t know what to do with these applications, because Mr. Kershner is not wrong,” she said. “As far as data centers go, and all that we’re doing, this is one of the best applications we’ve seen. But, I also feel put in a corner sometimes.”

Supervisors considered endorsing a specific concept rather than approving the application with all three options, however County Attorney Leo Rogers said if they wanted to do that, they would need to defer a decision and reconsider an amended application at a later meeting.

When asked by Randall which concept of three they would prefer to choose, the majority of supervisors said options one or two, which provide more screening of the development.

But Supervisor Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) said out of the three, he supported the option with fewer buildings.

“I can’t get with having four buildings or three buildings,” he said. “I’d rather have two buildings.”

Supervisor Laura A. TeKrony (D-Little River) noted the application’s commitment to monitor and report energy usage for three years and to limit the project’s power demand to no more than 300 MW for five years.

“Do you think they will be at the point in five years of actually needing the 300 MW?” she asked. “I’m just wondering if

ON THE agenda

Mental Health Training Offered in March

The county government has announced March dates for its ongoing mental health education and substance abuse prevention trainings.

All of the sessions are free, but availability is limited so registration is required except for the Rapid REVIVE!, which teaches opioid overdose response.

Training in mental health first aid will take place for youth March 6-7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and for adults March 19-20 at 21641 Ridgetop Circle Suite 210 in Sterling. Mental health first aid teaches people how to identify, understand and respond to sighs of mental illness and substance use disorders.

that was at all discussed, the timing.”

But Randall reminded the supervisors that they are not legally allowed to make decisions on applications based on the energy usage or supply.

A motion by Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg), whose district includes the property, to approve the application with all three concepts permitted passed on a 5-4 vote with Saines, TeKrony and supervisors Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) and Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) opposed.

“There are a number of strong positives to this application,” Umstattd said.

Those include the number of revisions to the application, collaboration with the staff, the amount of buffering, architectural concessions, the absence of nearby residential units and the proximity to other industrial development, she said.

Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said the location is the “definition of an industrial area surrounded with an industrial.”

“To me this comes down to whether we essentially don’t support any more data centers ever, or whether we support ones in appropriate places,” he said.

Briskman said she could not in good conscious vote to rezone residential land to allow for data center use.

TeKrony said there are some homes relatively near the site as well as the Academies of Loudoun.

“The vast majority of Loudoun residents don’t want more data centers,” she said. n

Virtual REVIVE! training is a one-hour session and includes teaching on how to administer naloxone nasal spray. Participants can request a free spray through the mail. That is scheduled for March 13 at 1 p.m.

The Adverse Childhood Experiences training is designed to raise awareness of the impact of potentially traumatic events in childhood. Those trainings will take place March 10 and March 24 at noon.

For more information on the prevention and intervention services offered by the Loudoun County Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Developmental Services, go to loudoun.gov/MHSADSPrevention.

Fair Housing Workshop Planned March 4

The county is hosting a virtual workshop on the Virginia Fair Housing Law for current and prospective landlords and housing providers in Loudoun.

It will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. March 4 and feature a presentation from the county’s Department of Housing and Community Development. Participants will learn who is protected from discrimination, what housing practices are illegal, which housing occupants are and are not exempt, what accommodations and modifications are required and current trends under the law.

Registration can be completed at loudoun.gov/fairhousing and is free. n

JK Land Holdings

A conceptual architectural rendering shows basic design elements planned for data center buildings along the Dulles Greenway, known as Greenlin Park.

Supervisors, Residents Weigh Merits of Ranked Choice Voting

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounow.org

At the request of Supervisor Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) members of the county’s Office of Elections last week briefed the county board on the requirements to implement ranked choice voting in Loudoun and residents voiced their opinions on the alternative voting method.

Ranked choice voting allows voters to prioritize the candidates they would like to see elected in order from most to least with numbers 1, 2, 3, etc. If a candidate receives the most first choice votes and that is over 50% of the votes cast, they win. However, if no candidates receive over 50% support, the candidate with the fewest first votes is eliminated and votes for that candidate are distributed to the second choice on each of those ballots. That process is repeated until one candidate has over 50% support.

Voter confusion is cited by other jurisdictions as the largest concern with the alternative voting method, Deputy Director of Elections Richard Keech told supervisors Feb. 19.

Currently, the county supervisors only have authority over how their own elections are run, although ranked choice voting also could be used in party primaries for Board of Supervisors candidates.

“[That] would lead to two sets of instructions on the same voter’s ballot,” he said. “…The state/local ballot is already the longest ballot we run. In 2023, it was a double sided 8.5 by 17-inch ballot. Adding ranked choice would very likely require the use of two ballot cards per voter.”

Instituting ranked choice voting would also likely delay elections results by a week, double the cost of ballots, and require increase storage space at the Circuit Court, Keech said.

Arlington County has been testing ranked choice voting through pilot process since 2023 and that board voted Saturday to extend that through 2025. It is currently the only locality in Virginia using the alternative process, Keech said. There are other jurisdictions looking into it and Charlottsville will be using it in the 2025 city council primaries.

Keech said his team had compared characteristics between the two counties, noting the potential complication in Loudoun that

has seven incorporated towns.

In Loudoun between 1991 and 2023, there were 14 November elections that would have qualified for ranked choice voting, General Registrar Judy Brown said. In six of those, the initial results showed one candidate receiving over 51% of the votes cast, which would not have triggered the ranked choice, while eight would have progressed to the alternative method.

If the board decides to move forward, next steps would include consultation with Brown, a fiscal impact study and review, development of a voter education plan, and consultation with a voting equipment vendor.

Arlington General Registrar Gretchen Reinemeyer attended the Feb. 19 Loudoun Board of Supervisors’ meeting virtually and said the first year of ranked choice voting is a “big lift.”

“I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” she said. “There’s a definite need to educate the community about ranked choice voting because it is a new method.”

However, by the General Election, Reinemeyer said it was “basically a non-issue.”

“We had 130,000 people vote in November and almost all of them were able to

RANKED CHOICE VOTING continues on page 7

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

Supervisor Laura A. TeKrony (D-Little River) speaks with fellow board members during a Feb. 19 meeting.

Ranked Choice Voting

continued from page 6

successfully mark their ballot in a way that we could count it,” she said.

No official action was taken by the board as supervisors weighed the benefits of implementing the change.

“I don’t necessarily think that any of this convinces me that this is a good idea because it just seems massively complicated,” Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said. “I’m not quite sure the problem we’re trying to solve with this.”

Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) said a political activist she knows from Arlington expressed concern that ranked choice voting makes running harder for minority candidates.

Saines said in Arlington’s recent elections two women and one African-American candidate were elected with ranked choice voting.

“Another concern is that let’s say you have a Republican incumbent, a democratic challenger, and then a third individual who leans more left. The two more liberal candidates, probably one of them might well win that race, because the voters would tend to say if they were going to vote for the more liberal challenger, the Democratic candidate was their second choice,” Umstattd said.

Research by a nonprofit shows that much of the time, the second place finisher wins the election, she said.

“It’s not often the first-place finisher. So, I’m going to be really hard to convince that this is a good idea at all,” she said.

Supervisor Laura A. TeKrony (D-Little River) said it might make sense to institute the change for primary elections where there are typically more than two candidates, but not for general elections.

Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) clarified that voters could still mark down a single candidate within ranked choice voting if they want to.

She also asked Keech if voters are likely less confused in Arlington than they would be in Loudoun because all of the board seats are at large, rather than by election district.

“I would say that the at large nature of the races and the fact that they use this method continuously,” Keech said. Arlington’s five-seat board elections are staggered in comparison with Loudoun’s where the nine seats are up for election every four years.

“My personal concern, the biggest one would be the every four year aspect,” he said.

Supervisor Caleb A. Kershner (R-Catoctin) said the alternative method is not simple and seems to create problems wherever it is used such as creating frustration among voters and discouraging participation.

Supervisor Michael. R. Turner (D-Ashburn) said he was a proponent of ranked choice voting conceptually, but that the practical implications in Loudoun would likely bring only a “marginal benefit.”

County Chair Phyllis Randall (D-At Large) agreed the process is complicated but said she appreciates that ranked choice voting can encourage more candidates to run for office.

“I don’t buy that it would be too confusing because if this happened during supervisor elections because those are off oddyear elections. Voters during off odd-year elections are the most involved, the most forward leaning and the most educated as far as how this works ever,” she said.

Randall said the top issues would be the burden on staff and the cost.

Residents also weighed in on the issue with speakers on both sides of the issue.

Shane Crowe said continuing to bring up the issue of complexity is “insulting” to voters in Loudoun County.

“We’re wealthy not just in our own finances but in intelligence. A lot of us have bachelor’s degrees and such. Even beyond that, our own children, for those of us who do have children, can easily rank their favorite items,” he said. “… This isn’t something that is overly sophisticated.”

Ranked choice voting appeals to young voters who are “disaffected and disillusioned” with voting, he said.

Nonprofit UpVote Virginia Executive Director Liz White said ranked choice is an upgrade to the current way elections are conducted.

“It allows voters to respond honestly to candidates and to campaigns without having to act like pundits,” she said.

White also disagreed with Umstattd’s claim that ranked choice voting usually results in the otherwise second-place candidate winning.

“RCV often doesn’t change the outcomes in an election,” she said. “… RCV, however, provides much more information to both electorate and the governing bodies about voter preference and it can act as a safeguard against polarizing candidates who wouldn’t be able to get the support from the majority of voters.”

Thomas Kasperisk, Algonkian District chair for the Loudoun County Republican Committee, said the behind-the-scenes process of ranked choice voting is “tedious.”

“Most of us in this room do not have the mental acuity to follow the process. It’s very complicated and convoluted,” he said.

Tim Blue, who has served as an election officer in the county, said he thinks the alternative method can be confusing, especially if voters are not well informed prior to voting.

“Ranked choice voting forces the voter to cast votes for candidates they don’t like and candidates with whom they may not be familiar with,” he said. n

the Year honoree.

designated fund provides annual grants to the nonprofit Claude Moore Opportunities, supporting its mission to create workforce development opportunities across the Commonwealth, established in honor of J Hamilton Lambert, the Community Foundation's 2024 Roots & Legacies Changemaker of

Leesburg Council Wrestles with Repaving Program, Plans Review in Budget Work Session

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

The Leesburg Town Council on Monday took a deeper dive into Town Manager Kaj Dentler’s $158 million fiscal year 2026 budget, including the town’s road repaving program and review of development plans.

During the council’s planning retreat last month, members pushed for ways to accelerate the town’s milling and paving program. The budget called for pulling $1 million from the construction budget and $775,000 from the General Fund to support the program next year. Director of Public Works and Capital Projects Renee LaFollette presented two options to determine where that money should be used. The first approach, called “worst first,” is the town’s current method of paving. For FY 2026, the town would focus on the section of Battlefield Parkway between Lawson and Tavistock, among others.

“Battlefield is considered one of our primary routes and should be done every eight to 10 years,” LaFollette said. “We have a low pavement condition index on the sections that are shown, and that has a very high volume of traffic.”

She said that, although Battlefield is a newer road, it costs significantly more to “catch up” than it would a neighborhood street, so it requires some funding every year.

However, LaFollete recommended an alternative methodology that she called “the neighborhood approach.” That would allow the town to complete larger road segments of road at a time.

Dentler noted that streets in Greenway Farm, raised as a concern by some council members, weren’t listed under either approach. He said the staff would continue talks over the milling and paving approach.

Council Member Neil Steinberg asked what impacts new state legislation requiring a quicker town action on site plan applications would have on the budget.

The legislation shortens initial review times from 10 days to five.

“I’ll ask it this way,” Steinberg said. “Unless we are basically planning to stamp all these first submissions as denied, are we going to be forced to hire more staff ? And doing that, would we consider raising application fees to cover the cost of the staff in order to meet these deadlines and not have to deny the application?”

“As far as the number of plan reviews that we have done on major reminder projects … we found we were late about 20% of the time,” Chief Engineer Bill Ackman said. “And the reason for that is we had a person on our team go down for about 18 months who recently passed away. So being down one person really hurt us. … If I were to use that same data and use the new timelines, we would be

late over 70% of the time.”

Council Member Zach Cummings asked if the current application fees cover the costs of staffing for the Community Development Department and highlighted the higher fees would get passed alone to property owners.

Ackman said if the fees did not cover the department costs the money would come from the General Fund.

Steinberg followed up with another question.

“Acquiring more staff and potentially increasing fees, we also streamline the process, which means an applicant’s application is processed more quickly,” Steinberg said. “Might the applicant see wisdom in paying a higher fee in order to move forward on the project faster, as opposed to it getting bogged down in immediate denial suddenly because we can’t meet the state’s mandate?”

Ackman said he thought so.

Cummings, asked if it the town was permitted to deny an application based on timeframes. Town Attorney Chris Spera said it wouldn’t be, but that an engineer could find a reason to turn it down within that amount of time.

“I just will say, I hope that we look at solutions that include both staff and process improvements when it comes to community development,” Cummings said.

The next budget work session will take place Monday, March 10. n

Subramanyam Hopes for Quick Action on Parks Service Designation for Dodona Manor

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam is picking up the effort to designate George C. Marshall’s Leesburg home, Dodona Manor, as an affiliated area under the National Park Service.

The initiative, launched in 2019, would make new resources, including technical assistance on the restoration efforts, accessibility improvements, and new programming, available to the house museum.

Then-Rep. Jennifer Wexton and Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine

AROUND town

Tally Ho Makes Impression with Spice Girls Wannabe

Actor and producer Adriana Crivici visited Leesburg last weekend as part of Wannabe, the Spice Girls tribute band that played two sold-out shows at the Tally Ho Theater.

In a Google review post, she hailed the venue and its staff, along with the enthusiastic audience.

“As an artist, you learn to cherish the rare venues that truly understand what it takes to make a show feel special—not just for the audience, but for the performers as well. Tally Ho Theater is one of those places,” Crivici wrote. “From the moment we stepped in, it was clear we were in good hands.”

She praised the theater’s staff members from management to security to sound.

“Beyond the people, the space itself is a dream: the cleanliness, the atmosphere, and that impeccable sound make Tally Ho stand out among the best venues we’ve performed at across the United States. And let’s not forget the empanadas? Absolutely top tier. Tally Ho isn’t just a venue; it’s a place where artists can truly shine. We can’t wait to be back!” Crivici wrote.

Charming Finds: Tour Highlights Thrift Shops

The town’s Department of Economic Development recently added the “Charming Finds” walking trail to its Tour Leesburg app. The tour highlights 15 thrift, vintage and consignment stores.

The curated trail includes offering from clothing and accessories to furniture, home decor, and craft supplies. An announcement of the program described the tour as a chance to “uncover one-of-a-kind treasures while making environmentally conscious choices and supporting local businesses and community causes,” through second-hand shopping.

“Thrifting has become an increasingly popular way to shop for unique high-quality items while avoiding the mass-produced and fast fashion cycles,” stated Small Business Development and Tourism Specialist Allison Wood. “The Charming Finds trail highlights Leesburg’s amazing variety of secondhand stores, offering a

AROUND TOWN continues on page 9

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Docent Bill Brooks talks with U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam on Feb. 19, 2025, about the legacy of George C. Marshall in the dining room of the stateman’s Leesburg home, Dodona Manor.

DODONA MANOR continues on page 9

Around Town

continued from page 8

fun and sustainable way to shop.”

The Tour Leesburg app is free and available on the App Store and Google Play. A web version is accessible at  townleesburg.stqry.app/.

Ida Lee Hosts Spring Bling Arts and Crafts

Leesburg’s Department of Parks and Recreation will hold the 28th annual Spring Bling, A Hometown Fine Arts and Crafts Show on Saturday, March 1.

The show will take place in the Ida Lee Park and Recreation Center’s main hallway, basketball courts, and aerobics room from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It features handcrafted items from more than 70 local and regional artisans.

Art and home décor items, bath and body products, jewelry, wood crafts, pottery, gourmet foods, and other items will be on sale.

Admission and parking is free.

Dodona Manor

continued from page 8

introduced legislation in 2023 to create the designation. It cleared the Senate and was awaiting a vote in the House when the two-year congressional session ended Jan. 3.

This month, Subramanyam, Kaine and Warner reintroduced the legislation.

Subramanyam said he hopes to push the bill through the House early in the new session, ideally before Congress turns its focus to budget work, and a battle over whether to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, next month.

Last week, Subramanyam visited Dodona Manor to meet with representatives of the George C. Marshall International Center and learn more about its operations there.

GCMIC board member Randy Minchew said the designation would not have a fiscal impact on the federal government but could provide important support to Dodona Manor.

“What this will do is allow us to use the information dispersal network of the National Park Service to mention this historic house on their maps and websites, and they will list this as being an affiliate, which means the National Park Service is not going to give us any money and we’re not going to be under the control of the National Park Service superintendent,” Minchew said.

Executive Director Valérie Beaudoin

Interested residents may get more information by calling the Ida Lee Park Recreation Center at 703-777-1368 or at idalee.org.

Town Initiative Encourages Women in Government

The Town Council on Tuesday approved the Women in Government Initiative.

The program encompasses a series of events aimed at getting young women involved in the local government by becoming familiar with different occupations associated with town jobs. Events include a blood drive coordinated with the help of Inova Hospital, two self-defense classes in May, and a program modeled after the “Mayor for a Day” program. Called “The Highschool Cohort,” the program would have three area high schools nominate a junior and a senior female student who would be paired with a town staff member who covers an interest area for the student.

Mayor Kelly Burk said she was excited for the initiative. n

said the center would benefit from having access to Park Service experts when undertaking renovations and restorations at the historic home. “We’ll do the work, but they can guide us into the best way to preserve the house. So that’s one thing that it’s going to give us,” she said.

Subramanyam, who took office Jan. 4, acknowledged that winning approval of legislation is a challenge for freshmen House members, but said he is hoping to build on work Wexton accomplished before her retirement and the relationships he is creating with colleagues.

“Now that we’ve seen that it can pass the Senate and feel like it strongly can pass the House, we want to get it through very quickly,” he said. “And that’s why I wanted to visit in advance of that and tell them how important this is to our community.”

In November 2019, the federal delegation sent a letter requesting that the NPS conduct a survey to determine whether the property would be suitable as an affiliated area. NPS concluded the site would qualify.

Wexton, Warner, and Kaine also petitioned the director of the National Park Service to grant Dodona Manor secretarial designation as an affiliated area, which would allow the site to use NPS branding and provide some of the benefits that it would receive under legislative designation, although without the full funding and flexibility. n

Saturday, March 1, 2025 • 9:00AM - 4:00PM • idalee.org

A Place To Be Builds Courtroom Confidence Through Music Therapy

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounow.org

Musical therapy nonprofit A Place To Be last week partnered with judges to give attorneys a pathway toward better courtroom performance and decreased stress levels.

The event, called Courtroom Confidence: The Things They Don’t Teach You in Law School, included a panel of judges giving advice, exploring an emotional journey about forgiveness, and discussing challenges attorneys face today.

Retired Loudoun County Circuit Court Judge Jeanette A. Irby, Virginia Court of Appeals Judge Dominique A. Callins and Prince William County General District Court Judge Petula Metzler led the first half of the program with a podcast-style conversation, sharing their ideas about courtroom confidence before moving into a Q&A section. The second half, led by A Place To Be founder Tom Sweitzer and Executive Director Kim Tapper moved a room full of lawyers to get off their feet, shake out pent up stress, and explore the importance of self-care. Several of the attorneys said the session’s transition

from informational to therapeutic was unexpected.

Sweitzer asked participants to put a number value on how their body felt, ranging from one to 10. After playing an upbeat song and having attendees punch the air, stretch, and do breathing exercises, he asked for the numbers again.

The participants agreed their numbers had improved.

Tapper and Sweitzer said that raising their numbers—feeling better—should result in more success in the courtroom. They emphasized that for judges to do their important work, they have to work on taking care of themselves.

“People don’t know how much you take home,” Sweitzer said, explaining the importance of boundary setting in professional life. He emphasized forgiveness, both for oneself and others, and said all it takes sometimes is a 20-second hug to make that happen.

Irby, whose alternative dispute resolution service Juridical Solutions sponsored the event, said she plans to continue the program, giving Tapper and Sweitzer more time to dig deeper into the therapy.

“When you all enter, it’s like a theater,” Irby said, explaining how she wanted to bring professionalism back into courtrooms. She said lawyers should project and say their full names clearly when introducing themselves to the judge, elements she said can make clients feel better, too.

“It’s professionalism 101,” Metzler said. She added that lawyers should give them-

selves a moment to collect their thoughts.

The panel of judges all shared their experiences working with remote courtrooms, especially during the pandemic, and the near impossibility of effectively cross-examining witnesses during calls over Zoom.

The panel also gave advice for lawyers aspiring to be judges, with an emphasis on the steps women can take to seize the opportunity.

“No one is going to ask you,” Irby said. “A few people can wake up and say it fell in my lap, that’s not going to happen for a woman.”

“We haven’t gotten anything by waiting for somebody. If you’ve got people in the Hampton Roads, those are the people you need to be talking to in terms of trying to become a judge,” Callins said.

Metzler also addressed how some attorneys try to “win the day” by fast talking to slip things by a judge. The panel agreed that slowing down their speech and setting the pace is the best counter to that technique. The ability to set the pace is also something lawyers need to build confidence, they said.

To learn more about A Place To Be at aplacetobeva.org. n

William Timme/Loudoun Now Executive Director of A Place to Be Kim Tapper, gave attorneys a lesson in musical therapy last week.

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County Supervisors Briefed on $2B School Budget, Support New Programs

BY AMBER LUCAS alucas@loudounnow.org

The School Board and Superintendent Aaron Spence on Monday presented their $1.96 billion fiscal year 2026 budget to the Board of Supervisors. The budget seeks a $123.4 million increase in local tax funding.

Spence and School Board Chair Melinda Mansfield (Dulles) told supervisors that most the budget’s $131.8 million increase was attributed to changes to pay and benefits for employees. The budget includes an average 6.5% pay increase for employees.

Over 90% of the operating fund is dedicated to the 13,470.5 full time equivalent positions planned for FY 2026. Of those proposed 376 new FTEs, 73.7% would be dedicated to specialized programs or support.

Another big chunk of the increase is the population of English learner students, expected to grow 2.8%, and special education students, expected to grow 5.2%. Spence said the growth of both segments outpace the growth of the student body as a whole and they require more support FTEs.

Mansfield and Spence also said that 94.3% of the FTEs included in the FY 2026 budget work directly in the school, and only 5.7% are administrative positions. Admin positions make up 1.3% of the total operating fund, a decrease from 1.4% last year.

Other increases in the budget are for new programs, including an after-school pilot at five elementary schools and the transition school, security upgrades, and decreases in grant funding from the federal government.

The requested $123.4 million increase in local tax funding does have the potential to change, however, if the state budget gets approved as proposed, according to Spence. The state budget includes a $15.1 million increase to eliminate the support position cap and for a special education support add-on.

Should this be approved by the state, this would decrease the county transfer by a net $9.5 million, with the school division planning to retain $5.6 million to

help fund bonuses for staff members in schools.

The supervisors were supportive of a budget as a whole, specifically praising the recovery school, the after school programming, the decreased chronic absenteeism rate, and the low administrative staff ratio.

Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said that since the peak enrollment in FY 2020, the budget has continued to increase despite lower enrollment and said that is not sustainable. He also said that school leaders should work to ensure they get federal funding despite the uncertainty regarding the diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs, but without necessarily getting rid of their values. He said there is a way to comply without compromising values.

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-AtLarge) praised the attention to the Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission study that documented the state government’s underfunding of local schools. She also supported the expansion of the International Baccalaureate program to a second high school. As a former parent teacher organization mom, Randall said she appreciated the dedication of the school

Student Fees and Charges Policy Changes Considered

The School Board’s Finance and Operations Committee is considering revisions to the policy regarding student fees and charges.

The main change is adding the failure to return school-loaned items to the list of reasons a student may be excluded from graduation ceremonies, athletics and other extracurricular activities. However, state law prevents diplomas and other similar items from being withheld for nonpayment.

Board Chair Melinda Mansfield (Dulles) said she had some heartburn over not letting students walk at graduation or play sports for not paying fees or returning equipment. Her reasoning was that some people may not be able to pay the fees, and had questions over what is covered by the school division is what is not.

“People have different reasons for not paying fees, and it could be that they just can’t. I would hate for them not to be able to participate in a graduation ceremony, in particular, I would even say athletic activities if they’re in sports,” she said.

system to their students.

“I am so appreciative of our school system. I am appreciative of our educators. You do not get numbers like this without a collaboration of parents, of LCPS, staff and board members and of educators. These numbers, they just don’t come from nothing,” Randall said. She pointed to the 97.1% on time graduation rate, which is 4.3 times higher than the entire rest of the state and the high ranking of the county’s high schools. “We are the best school system in Virginia,” she said.

During the Board of Supervisors budget public hearing Saturday, members of New Virginia Majority asked for support in making all afterschool programs and extracurricular activities free.

“I have often wanted my daughter to participate in sports, but the costs are too high for our situation, and that leaves me sad to see that she cannot develop her skills,” Mildred Perez said through an interpreter. “Along with other parents facing the same situation, we have been fighting for the School Board to improve to include free extracurricular programs such as sports that support the academic and personal development of our children.” n

Deana Griffiths (Ashburn) agreed, saying no child should have to pay to be in a class that requires equipment, citing the example of robotics. She said that there should be a fund that teachers can access to buy materials for their students.

The policy revisions will be sent out for public comment and will come back for action at the next Finance and Operations Committee meeting.

Park View Hosts Regional TSA Fair

Park View High School hosted the Technology Student Association’s Northern Virginia Regional Fair on Saturday.

Students were able to submit projects for judging in almost 20 categories—from board game design to robotics. Students from the region were also able to present their platforms for student leadership in the

Amber Lucas/Loudoun Now

Loudoun County School Board Chair Melinda Mansfield (Dulles) (Left) and County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At-Large) (Right) discuss the school system's budget on Feb. 24.

School Board Discusses Transgender Student Policy Amid Many Unknowns

BY AMBER LUCAS alucas@loudounnow.org

The School Board’s Student Services Committee last week re-started discussions about the division’s Rights of Transgender and Gender Expansive Students Policy ahead of uncertainty over actions by the federal and state governments regarding the laws surrounding it.

Policy 8040 was created by the previous School Board to comply with model policies issued by the Virginia Department of Education in 2021. In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly passed laws that required VDOE to create these model policies on the treatment of transgender students, and for school boards to adopt them. The state guidance focused on eight points including maintenance of student records, identification of students, protection of student privacy, and confidentiality of sensitive information among others, according to Division Counsel Wesley Allen.

Allen described the adopted local policy as “discreet policy that generally tracked the guidance put forth by [VDOE].” The policy was studied again by the previous board when the final model policies from VDOE were released in 2023, and in January 2024 it was brought before the current board with a plan, ultimately unimplemented, to convene community focus groups.

The discussion on the policy was brought forward after an order from Pres-

ident Donald J. Trump called for more guidance on policies like 8040. There are many unknowns when it comes to the landscape of the policy and which way the guidance will go, Allen said.

“We’re still awaiting that federal guidance, and consequently, it’s possible that there could be updated state guidance from the Virginia Department of Education. There’s also been at least one legal challenge to the applicable presidential actions that has been filed, and since then, as you know, there’s a complaint that’s been filed with the Office of Civil Rights of the US Department of Education calling into question Policy 8040, as well as other Northern Virginia school divisions analogous policies,” Allen said.

Committee Chair Anne Donohue (At Large) said that she was “not going to support anything that rolls back any protections for the safety, dignity and equality of all of the students in our community.” However, she did say that this is the only school division policy that pertains to only one subgroup and most of the protections in the policy are also provided in another policy.

She said she would be open to discussions about whether the policy should stand alone or be merged with other policies, and that question was the purpose of the failed focus groups last year.

Board Chair Melinda Mansfield’s (Dulles) opinion was that they should table all discussion until further guidance is released and see how the policy will fit into any new laws.

Kari LaBell (Catoctin) and Donohue both opposed tabling the issue.

“They are entitled to be treated with the same dignity, equality and respect as every other student.”

— Anne Donohue (Committee Chair)

LaBell did not want to table it because she said several court cases on transgender rights have been filed and are ongoing, and in another month they will most likely see which way the federal government is leaning. She said they should fix the policy soon, once and for all, and before August to provide students clarity going into the new school year.

“I think we need to do what’s right, and we can’t do that. I really don’t want to, because of the political climate, we do one thing with one administration, and then a few years later, we go turn it all over again and go back and forth and back and forth. We need to do something to fix this, and I think that we need to wait and see what is going to happen before we can come to a reasonable decision,” LaBell said.

Donohue agreed that different administrations should not affect the policy, but

questioned whether it needs to be fixed at all.

LaBell said the policy was inherently unfair, as a transgender girl has the option to use the girls’ restroom, the non-gender restroom, or the boys’ restroom they used to use, while cisgender girls may only use the girls restroom or the non-gender restroom.

She said that only 0.1% of the population is transgender, and 99% do not have the right to walk into the bathroom they see fit, referring to policy that allows students to use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity. She also said that recent court cases may not extend the rights of transgender people to bathrooms.

Donohue said transgender people are a protected class, and they are legally obligated to let them use the same bathroom as their gender identity under to the Virginia Human Rights Act, no matter how small the population.

“To my mind, that is an irrelevant consideration. They are part of our community. They are a protected class, and it doesn’t matter if they are 1% of the population or 75% of the population. They are entitled to be treated with the same dignity, equality and respect as every other student, and we are also legally obligated to treat them, to treat all of our students with the same level of dignity and respect,” Donohue said.

The panel discussed whether to move forward with community focus groups, but no further action was taken. n

Northern Virginia Schools' Gender Polices Targeted in Complaint

America First Legal, a law group founded by former Trump advisor Stephen Miller, is challenging gender-affirming policies in Northern Virginia school divisions, including Loudoun, through a Department of Education investigation.

America First Legal sent complaints to the DOE on Feb. 3 about Loudoun and four other school divisions—Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William– which alleges policies violate Title IX and President Donald J. Trump’s executive order calling to halt funding to divisions that fail to end “radical indoctrination” in K-12 schools.

The complaint against Loudoun’s school division pertains to the Rights of Transgender and Gender Expansive Students Policy 8040 and accompanying

regulations.

The policy states that all students will have access to locker rooms and restrooms that correlate with their “consistently affirmed gender identity,” which is defined as “a person’s internal sense of their own identity as a boy/man, girl/ woman, another gender, no gender, or outside the male/female binary. Gender identity is an innate part of a person’s identity and can be the same or different from the sex they were assigned at birth,” according to the regulation.

The policy also states that staff members will call students by their preferred name and pronouns at the request of the student or legal guardian and requires staff training regarding the LGBTQ+ community. This policy says that sports and other Virginia High School League

activities will abide by those policies. Last week, the VHSL overturned its 2014 policy allowing transgender girls to play on female sports teams.

Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational facilities, as well as outlining how sexual harassment and assault investigations are to take place. It does not define sex, and there has been no settled interpretation of whether this includes gender identity. The Biden Administration attempted to put gender identity protections into Title IX last spring, but those changes were struck by a federal judge in January.

AFL claims that Title IX “prohibits public schools from engaging in unlawful sex discrimination, such as allowing males who ‘identify’ as female access to girls’ sports teams, bathrooms, and lock-

er rooms while denying such access to males who ‘identify’ as male.”

Trump’s executive order claims that parents’ rights have been infringed by schools teaching acceptance about gender identity. It takes away funding from schools that conceal gender identities from parents or promote the transition of a transgender student. It also directs an “Ending Indoctrination Strategy” to be made within 90 days and ends curriculum based on racial ideology, including “white privilege” and “unconscious bias.”

Loudoun County Public Schools Public Information Officer Daniel Adams said that “LCPS is aware of the investigation and will respond in accordance with the law,” in an email to Loudoun Now

A request for comment from the school board members has been sent. n

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Amazon Grant Provides Four Elementary Schools STEM Labs

BY AMBER LUCAS alucas@loudounnow.org

Four Loudoun elementary schools –Forest Grove, Frederick Douglass, Guilford and Potowmack – are getting small STEM labs thanks to a $125,000 grant the Loudoun Education Foundation secured from Amazon Web Services.

The foundation also secured a grant from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation to support curriculum and staffing for the labs.

During a Feb. 18 presentation to the School Board’s Finance and Operations Committee, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Neil Slevin said the labs will be located in classrooms or in a corner of the library in each school. The modules are about the length of one classroom wall.

Most of the classrooms being earmarked for the project are already used for STEM activities, Slevin said. Science Supervisor Danielle Timothy said the schools will employ a flexible schedule to make sure that all classes have opportunities to use the space.

The agreement between Amazon and the school division requires the area will be called “Amazon Think Big Spaces,” building on the worldwide Amazon Think Big initiative and the existing Amazon partnership that brought the Amazon Think Big Space to J.L. Simpson Middle School.

Slevin said that the labs will feature 3D printers, robotics and similar projects. The entire school will have access to the labs, which will be integrated into the science curriculum at the schools.

The four schools were chosen because

School Notebook

continued from page 12

TSA program as well.

Lightridge High School TSA Student Shloka Yada said that TSA encompasses many diverse subjects, even if a student is not directly interested in STEM.

“More specifically about Northern Virginia, we have, like, I would say, maybe, of all different ways you have like photography all the way to like structural design, to like

they were identified as attempting to expand their science curriculum.

“We’re identifying these schools to give them an opportunity to start a STEM lab. … These schools have also been deeply connected to our Propel program in our elementary schools, that have a strong foundation in terms of the vision for science instruction. We’re not necessarily going in a different direction when it comes to science instruction; we are trying to enhance STEM instruction in these schools … and also be responsive to these schools that are trying to do something different,” Slevin said.

He said that while these are the only schools using this grant, other schools are able to build STEM labs or use mobile labs through community partners and parent teacher organization fundraisers.

School Board Chair Melinda Mansfield (Dulles) had concerns about accessibility at the labs and recommended that special education advisors be brought into the process to make sure that everyone can access the labs. Slevin and Timothy said that the process did include talking to the school administrators and working with the special education departments.

Deana Griffiths (Ashburn) wanted to make sure the contracts weren’t putting the school division in any undesirable legal positions, as the Amazon contracts involved non-disclosure agreements and other rules.

Assistant Division Counsel Jeannise Ewing said the rules were needed because Amazon was providing the schools with forms of intellectual property, and that the contracts were standard for Amazon.

Sample instructional materials and more information will be brought before the full School Board at a later meeting. n

architecture, so many different things, like myself competing in traditional design, so diverse number of events. Even if you’re not directly interested in STEM, you might find something,” she said.

TSA is a national non-profit organization that helps middle and high school students prepare for careers in STEM. Over 300,000 students currently participate in community service, competitions, activities and leadership opportunities.

For more information, go to tsaweb.org. n

Public Safety

Governor Names Johnson Fire Chief of the Year

Loudoun County Combined Fire-Rescue System Chief Keith Johnson has been named the Virginia Fire Chief of the Year by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

The award is part of the governor’s annual Fire Service Awards, which were established in 2002 to recognize excellence in Virginia’s fire service.

Johnson has spent 10 years serving with Loudoun’s first responder system and prior to that spent 31 years with Fairfax’s Fire and Rescue Department. He announced his plans to retire in April at the beginning of this year.

During his tenure in Loudoun, Johnson led the department through a transition of more than 700 career firefighters from different working schedules to consistent 24-hour shifts; developed its first Operational Service Plan and three separate strategic plans, implemented a collective bargaining ordinance and agreement with IAFF Local 3756, established a Uniformed Fire Officer program within the emergency communications center, created a 24-hour Operational Shift Commander program, formed a behavioral health section, expanded the firefighting

Sheriff’s Office Reports $1.4M Cryptocurrency Seizure from Scammer

The Sheriff ’s Office announced Monday the recovery of approximately $1.4 million in cryptocurrency stolen as a result of a “pig butchering” scam. The agency believes it is the first and the largest seizure of its kind in Virginia.

“This seizure sends a clear signal to bad actors that we will not allow our citizens to be taken advantage of and will do everything possible to get their money back,” Sheriff Mike Chapman stated. “If you commit fraud, especially a fraud of this magnitude, know that Loudoun County is coming for you.”

According to the agency, the case surfaced when the victim received an unsolicited text message that was addressed to the wrong person. That lead to social media communications that allowed the suspect to befriend and gain the trust of the victim. The suspect encouraged the victim to explore cryptocurrency trading, guiding the victim to create an account on a trading website controlled by the scammer.

After a small test transaction demonstrated that funds could be withdrawn, the victim invested a substantial amount of additional money

in cryptocurrency. The scam trading website showed significant returns on the investment, but when attempting to withdraw the assets, the victim was told that significant taxes would have to be paid in advance.

The Sheriff ’s Office described the theft as a well-documented “pig butchering” strategy, where scammers manipulate victims into believing they are achieving financial success to extract larger investments.

With the use of cryptocurrency and related scams on the rise nationwide, the Sheriff ’s Office trains detectives in blockchain investigations that allows them to trace these types of transactions. All detectives in the agency’s Financial and Cybercrime Unit are certified in blockchain investigations. Last year, the team investigated 107 cryptocurrency cases with a total monetary loss of over $13 million, up from 50 such investigations in 2023, according to the agency.

When investing in cryptocurrency, the Sheriff ’s Office recommends these tips:

• Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Messages: Treat any unexpected or misdirected communications with caution,

especially if they lead to discussions about investment opportunities.

• Verify the Legitimacy of Investment Platforms: Do not trust platforms or websites recommended by individuals you meet online without conducting thorough independent research.

• Avoid Sending Money to Unknown Individuals: Never transfer funds or provide financial information to people you have not met in person.

• Look Out for Red Flags: Scammers often promise high returns with minimal risk. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

• Consult with Professionals: Seek advice from licensed financial advisors before making significant investments.

Loudoun County residents who may have been targeted by a cryptocurrency scam are urged to immediately report the case to the Sheriff ’s Office through its online portal.

Early reporting of thefts increases the likelihood of recovering funds and identifying suspects, the agency said. n

workforce from 587 to a proposed 867 employees next fiscal year and oversaw construction of six new fire and rescue facilities and 10 future capital projects.

He also serves as chair of the Virginia Fire Services Board and as a member of the state’s Housing and Community Development Board.

“These award recipients embody excellence, dedication and leadership in the fire service and I am honored to recognize their contributions to public safety across the commonwealth,” Youngkin stated in the announcement. n

Fentanyl Dealer Pleads Guilty

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

More than two years after a 17-year-old died from a fentanyl overdose, the man charged with providing him the drug pleaded guilty Feb. 20 in the Loudoun County Circuit Court.

The teenage girl died Sept. 24, 2022.

According to evidence in the case, she and a friend met with Haider Allaudin Sudhazai at a 7/11. He gave them a “white powdery substance.” She was found dead from a suspected drug overdose on Sept. 25.

Sheriff ’s Office investigators found that the teen’s phone had a contact for “Dean,” and used law enforcement databases to discover Sudhazai’s Facebook profile and an operator’s license and vehicle registration. Officers searched Sudhazai’s car, and a forensic analysis confirmed that a white powdery substance found inside was fentanyl, according to the evidence.

During the court hearing, Sudhazai waived his right to trial by jury and entered a guilty plea. For a conviction of distribution of a schedule II substance to a minor, he faces a sentence of five to 40 years in prison.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 29. n

Johnson

Nonprofits

Putting Community First: Inova’s Financial Assistance is a Best Practice for the Commonwealth and America

BY KAREN G. SCHAUFELD  Founder, 100WomenStrong

100WomenStrong recently discussed medical debt because it is a serious and growing concern across the country. In fact, almost one in 10 American adults have more than $750 in medical debt. Those who experience significant health issues, such as cancer or chronic illness, can have debt in the tens of thousands, adding pressure to an already stressful situation. Our committee felt strongly that we wanted to help Loudoun County residents alleviate medical debt, so we reached out to learn more from Inova Health.

Through our outreach we learned that Inova is already making avoiding medical debt a priority, especially for under-resourced patients, by proactively engaging our communities through preventative

and other healthcare services, education and generous financial assistance.

Inova is a nonprofit health system, which means it re-invests its resources in its community as opposed to serving shareholders. To that end, Inova meets Loudoun County residents where they are with expertise and compassion to help them avoid illness and, thereby, accumulate debt. For patients who are uninsured or underinsured, Inova established 30

“Inova Cares” sites across Northern Virginia that offer primary care, women’s and pediatric services, and much more. These sites serve patients regardless of who they are, where they come from, or their ability to pay.

Inova educates patients about options for insurance coverage and works to help them determine if they qualify for Medicaid or an Affordable Care Act Marketplace plan. If they don’t qualify for either, Inova

helps them sign up for the health system’s financial assistance policy and understand how to use it.

Being in the community and truly understanding the needs is not always the norm for healthcare systems in our country, and Inova can be an example for other areas for how to get it right. They understand how living in an area that is more expensive than most other American communities can cause financial strain even when one earns a good salary. It’s important to emphasize that Inova’s focus on limiting financial burden includes those with high-deductible health plans. When a middle-class family has a $3,000 or higher deductible before the insurance kicks in, that’s a significant issue in Northern Virginia where the cost of living is

INOVA ASSISTANCE continues on page 17

Schaufeld

Community Leadership Award Winners Select Grant Recipients

The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties issued grants totaling $6,000 to six organizations at the recommendation of the winners of the 2025 Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership Awards.

Each year, winners of the Community Leadership Awards have the opportunity to select a nonprofit to receive a $1,000 grant, provided by the Community Foundation.

This year’s winners selected the following organizations to receive a grant in their honor:

• Loudoun Education Foundation’s Shine Program, selected by Sharon Wright, Loud & Clear Marketing, winner of the Executive Leader category

• Women Giving Back, selected by Nicole Morris, Women Giving Back, winner of the Nonprofit Executive category

• African American Community Alliance, selected by Carl Rush, Loudoun County Government, win-

Inova Assistance

continued from page 16

incredibly high.

The health system’s finance teams meet monthly to review community benefits and finance policies and determine if the system is meeting its goals and ensuring the patient’s viewpoint is central to all decisions. For example, in 2024, Inova extended financial assistance coverage from six months to a year. When someone is in the middle of cancer care, pregnant, or experiencing another long-term health condition, the last thing they need to do is worry about resubmitting information to qualify for financial assistance.

According to Inova leaders I spoke with, Inova does not practice “extreme collections,” which means they don’t use aggressive tactics to collect on a debt. In fact, in 2021 they retroactively reviewed debt accounts, many from up to a decade prior, and qualified those patients under its current financial assistance policy,

ner of the DEIA Leader category

• Loudoun Education Foundation, selected by Kathleen Schwab, RE/ MAX, winner of the Young Professionals category

• Women Giving Back, selected by Microsoft, winner of the Large Business category

• Immigrant Giving Circle, selected by NDPoint Strategies LLC, winner of the Small Business category.

“Each of these community leaders has made a lasting impact in our community,” stated Community Foundation President & CEO Nicole Acosta. “We’re proud to serve as the Loudoun Chamber’s Grant Sponsor and to honor the winners’ contributions through charitable grants to local organizations doing great work.”

Learn more about the Loudoun Chamber’s Community Leadership Awards, at loudounchamber.org/community-leadership-awards/. Learn more about the Community Foundation at communityfoundationlf.org. n

thereby eliminating their debt.

Inova maintains the most generous financial assistance – or Charity Care – policy in the region and state – 100% free care for patients who earn up to 400% of the federal poverty level. The federal poverty level for a single person is $15,650, which would make an uninsured single person who makes less than $62,600 eligible for 100% free care at Inova.

As millions of Americans worry about medical debt, Loudoun County’s largest health system is doing everything it can to ensure that its patients don’t accrue debt. By providing nearly $90 million in annual charity care and $320 million in community benefits, many of our community’s most vulnerable patients are avoiding medical debt and benefiting from Inova’s thoughtful and deliberate policies.

More health systems and communities could benefit from the example Inova Health System is making for Loudoun County residents.  n

n The C.S. Lewis Institute Fellows Program offers a tuition-free year of intensive training that leads to significant life-change. n The program prepares each Fellow to live a powerful transformed life in their church, their community and in their workplace. n It involves Bible stud y, classic readings, lectures, group discussion, personal mentoring and accountability–all in the context of a small group of likeminded believers. n The program is designed to be achievable even for busy professionals with families. n Join the Fellows Program and learn to live as a fully devoted disciple of Jesus Christ and make an impact for Him in the world.

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Loudoun County

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Loudoun Bills

continued from page 3

to SB1037, which performs the same function.

HB1936 requires the Department of Education to create an index that chronicles all trainings teachers have received in an easily accessible public format and on its website. It requires the index to be updated annually or when there is a change in trainings. This applies only to federal and state trainings and must be completed by Aug. 1.

HB2055 would require that in instances when school personnel notify a parent about a student with suicidal intent, they also must provide information on suicide prevention and safe firearm and medication storage. It will also create a rubric for parental notification processes.

A bill introduced by Singh requires parents of every child in a school division to be notified of an overdose on school grounds within 24 hours of the incident and codifies a previous executive order by Youngkin. It also directs school boards to create policies surrounding the notifications and for guidelines to be created by the Department

of Education. Notifications will include the name of the substance and directs school staff to take all reasonable effort to protect the students’ identity. It incorporates HB2424 by Higgins and HB2287 by Carrie E. Coyner (R-75). It was conformed to an identical bill from the Senate, SB1240.

Legislation by Srinivasan amends the Virginia code section that provides guidelines for school divisions to work with private mental healthcare services, should they choose. The amendment provides for telehealth to be included as well.

Reid’s education bill amends high school graduation requirements to allow African American History to take the place of a U.S. History as long as the alternate course is offered. An amendment on the bill by the Senate Education and Health Committee also provides for World History or Geography to be replaced.

A bill by Del. Marty Martinez (D-29) originally said that if a student is out of school for 15 or more days with parental notification, that student would be considered withdrawn from the school and the absences would not count towards a school’s accreditation. The Senate Public Education Subcommittee substituted the bill, which directs a work group to study chronic absenteeism and how it should be weighed against the school’s accreditation instead.

GUN BILLS

A bill by Perry would add a person’s intimate partner to the definition of family or household member when dealing with the prohibition of purchasing, possessing or transporting a firearm by a person who has been convicted of misdemeanor assault and battery of an intimate partner.

Another bill by Perry redefines trigger activator in the state code when referring to the penalty associated with the device used to alter the rate of fire of a semi-automatic weapon to mimic automatic weapon fire. That definition includes a bump stock, trigger crank, hellfire trigger, binary trigger system and burst trigger system.

Legislation proposed by Singh and Srinivasan would redefine “eligible transaction” when referring to firearm safety tax credits from one which a taxpayer purchases a firearm from a federally licensed dealer to commercial retailer.

ADDITIONAL BILLS

A bill by Reaser authorizes the governing body of a county or city with absentee voter satellite offices to set the dates and hours of operation for those offices.

Another Reaser bill would allow localities that have adopted affordable housing programs to negotiate for affordable rental units during special exception application reviews.

A bill by Martinez would give town’s

a portion of revenue collected from the county’s plastic bag tax based on the local sales tax distribution formula.

Legislators met for the shorter of two session lengths this year convening Jan. 13 and ending Feb. 22. Loudoun’s representatives said despite the shorter year, they’re proud of the pieces of legislation they pushed through.

“The 2025 legislative session was a productive one despite the challenges we faced,” Martinez stated. “I’m proud of my bills going to the governor’s desk. They are common sense solutions to expand locality rights, improve Virginia’s unemployment system, and help our schools.  Working alongside my colleagues to pass meaningful legislation that will positively impact Virginians is an honor. I hope Governor Youngkin will sign these pieces of legislation that will help Virginia move forward.”

“This session, I focused on tackling issues that matter most to Loudoun families and all Virginians—ensuring safer firearm storage, expanding access to maternal healthcare and Telehealth counseling for students, protecting consumers from junk costs, and increasing transparency for hardworking gig drivers,” Srinivasan stated.

Srinivasan served in the House of Delegates in 2024 before being elected through a special election in January to fill a vacancy in the Senate.

“Stepping straight from a special election into the Senate—while navigating a rapidly shifting and deeply concerning federal landscape—made the already short 45-day session (or 41, amid a water crisis) both exhilarating and rewarding. While the 2025 session has adjourned Sine Die, our work for Virginians will continue,” he stated.

This was the first session for newcomer Singh, who also won a special election Jan. 7, the day before being expected in Richmond.

“When I ran to represent the communities of Brambleton, Arcola, Aldie, and South Riding I committed to finding real solutions to the problems our commonwealth is facing,” he stated. “In my first two months in office I was able to author a range of legislation that does just that. From expanding access to safe storage to keep kids safe from gun violence, protecting houses of worship from hate crimes, lowering the cost of Virginia’s public colleges, burying high capacity power lines, and mandating 24-hour reporting of overdoses in schools. In office I have been focused on keeping our communities safe and helps every family thrive. I’m proud that seven pieces of legislation I authored out of the General Assembly and are headed to the Governor’s desk for signing.” n

Towns

Lovettsville Library Celebrates 35 Years

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Lovettsville community members gathered Monday to celebrate 35 years of memories, connections and fun at the Loudoun County Public Libraries’ branch on North Light Street.

Small in size, but large in impact, the library’s history actually dates back even farther than 1990 when it officially became part of the county library system, Branch Manager Lilly Newton said.

It’s first home was an old meat shop, and really wasn’t much more than a collection of donated books that community members could take here and there, Newton said. That was established in 1974.

“They started raising funds,” she said. “And then in 1979 it was a museum and library.”

The museum still stands in the same building along Pennsylvania Avenue next to the town’s municipal building.

“It was still pretty much volunteer-based. It was all stuff donated from the community. It was not part of the county library system yet,” Newton said.

Through the work of Patricia Myren, a local librarian, the collection was catalogued and formalized. She then worked to have the library added to the county’s

system and became the first Lovettsville Library branch manager in a new building constructed through a collaboration with the town and county in 1990.

“A lot of small-town libraries kind of start as a community initiative – a group

LOVETTSVILLE

continues on page 20

Rural Broadband Project Makes First Connection

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

Two years after construction began on the $61 million initiative to expand access to broadband service to 8,629 homes and business in rural Loudoun, the first connection was made last week.

Doukénie Winery north of Hillsboro was the first to hook into the high-speed service offered by All Points Broadband, but work continues in the effort to install 620 miles of fiber. A total of 65 potential customers are located in the first built-out service zone.

The project has been hampered by delays in Dominion Energy’s construction of the 176 miles of backbone fiber attached to utility poles, pushing the original July 2024 completion date to late 2025. Even under that delayed

end of last year.

Now, the contractors expected to provide all potential customers with the ability to sign up for broadband service by Oct. 31. Potential customers will be notified 60 to 90 days prior to service availability for their property.

The project was launched in 2022 as part of the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative that awarded Loudoun a grant totaling more than $17 million. Other funding sources for the project include $12.4 million from the American Rescue Plan Act and $20 million contributed by APB.

Residents interested in the service are encouraged to register online at allpointsbroadband.com/internet/ fiber-internet.

AROUND towns

LOVETTSVILLE

Locust Streetscape Designs 90% Completed

The town’s consultant, Kimley-Horn, has submitted 90% construction drawings for the South Loudoun and South Locust Streetscape project to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

The project, which would construct a sidewalk and restrict part of South Loudoun Street to one-way traffic, has been under development for years with a public hearing on the project held in October 2023.

The project is fully funded through with $6.5 million from the VDOT SMARTSCALE program and $2 million from Loudoun County. Construction is expected to begin as early as July with utility relocations and take for 16 to 20 months to complete.

PURCELLVILLE

Town Launches GIS Hub

The town last week announced the launch of a Geographic Information System Hub, designed to enhance transparency, improve access to important information and provide valuable resources for residents.

The interactive platform features several specialized applications tailored. Those include an application call MyNeighborhood, which was created to help residents locate information about the town, including local government resources, public services and community features.

Another feature shows a detailed map developed to help residents looking for information on Verizon’s Fios Broadband and Phone project. It will help keep the community informed on the progress of the project.

The tool also features a snowplow map that indicates which town roads the town is responsible for plowing and a live road and weather monitor that shows real-time traffic and climate conditions to assist with public safety.

Another map helps residents look up their water service address and obtain information on the materials used in both the utility service line and the customer service line.

Lastly, the tool includes a guide showing routes used in the town’s parades and events.

schedule, contractors had hoped to make the first connections before the

More information about the project is available at  loudoun.gov/BroadbandExpansion. n

Explore the new GIS Hub at purcellvillegis-townpurcellville.hub. arcgis.com n

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now A spool of fiber-optic cable sits on the edge of Hillsboro as crews continue the installation of the backbone needed to expand broadband connectivity in western Loudoun.

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Three members of the Lovettsville Library staff pose for a photo in the 35 year old institution ahead of Monday's anniversary celebration.

LIBRARY

Lovettsville Library

continued from page 19

of people are like, ‘we think this is going to add to the community,’” Newton said. “And it’s very volunteer-based and usually, eventually they become part of a bigger system.”

Since then, the library has continued to grow and become an increasingly important part of Lovettsville and the surrounding area, with patrons traveling from Maryland and West Virginia, Newton said.

Now, she leads a team of five other staff members providing approximately 35 community programs each month.

“Every Monday we do a Messy Monday, which is a sensory-based art program, where kids can come in and there’s sensory-free play. Every Tuesday morning, we do what we call Baby and Toddler Playdate. We put out developmental and sensory toys for that pre-K age group,” Newton said.

On Wednesdays there is Family Storytime in the morning and Family Crafts at night. On Thursdays the library hosts

a therapy dog with Canine Companions for Paws to Read and a book club for grades K-1. Fridays includes an arts and craft hour in the morning and building free play in the afternoon featuring Legos, Lincoln Logs, K’nex, Magna Tiles and more.

Those programs are in addition to clubs that meet at the library during the week, book and movie rentals, and other services provided by the librarians.

“We have a regular teen D&D club that comes in Wednesday nights,” Newton said. “… We also have a conversational German class that’s just getting started.”

The team’s newest member is from Germany and since Lovettsville is known as “The German Settlement,” Newton said they felt it would be appropriate to start the club.

Much of the community that uses their services frequently are families with young children, which seems to be increasing, Newton said.

“Basically, infant through elementary school is most of our kids,” she said. “We do have some teens, but it definitely skews way younger.”

The beauty of a small-town library lies in the librarians’ ability to connect with the community, Newton said. This often involves tailoring the services provided to address specific community needs but can also mean making book recommendations or helping solve problems.

“We do a knitting and crocheting group for adults,” she said. “And they said, ‘oh we’d really like something for kids.’ And I said well, ‘I taught my kids to knit and crochet, I guess I can do that here.’ So, we do that once a month, and it’s great.”

And it’s not just Lovettsville residents, or the surrounding Loudoun County area that benefits from the library.

“We do reciprocal borrowing with Fredrick County [MD]. So, they might be living in Brunswick or Point of Rocks and coming over,” Newton said. “… Anybody is welcome at our programs; you don’t have to be a library card holder to take part in our programs. So, we don’t have a reciprocal program with West Virginia, but we do have people coming over from Jefferson County [WV].”

“This is like my daughter’s second

PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE OF PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE

Pursuant to Section 58.1-3321 of the Code of Virginia, the LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room, Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 1 st Floor, Leesburg, Virginia 20175 at 6:00 P.M. on March 18, 2025, in order to consider a proposed increase to real property tax levies.

The County of Loudoun proposes to increase real property tax levies as follows:

1. Assessment Increase: Total assessed value of real property, excluding additional assessments due to new construction or improvements to property, exceeds last year’s total assessed value of real property by 16.9 percent.

2. Lowered Rate Necessary to Offset Increased Assessment: The tax rate which would levy the same amount of real estate tax as last year, when multiplied by the new total assessed value of real estate with the exclusions mentioned above, would be $0.74 per $100 of assessed value. This rate will be known as the “lowered tax rate.”

3. Effective Rate Increase: The County of Loudoun proposes to adopt a tax rate not to exceed $0.805 per $100 of assessed value. The difference between the lowered tax rate and the maximum proposed rate would be $0.065 per $100, or 8.8 percent. This difference will be known as the “effective tax rate increase.”

Individual property taxes may, however, increase at a percentage greater than or less than the above percentage.

4. Proposed Total Budget Increase: Based on the maximum proposed real property tax rate and changes in other revenues, the total budget of the County of Loudoun will be lower than last year’s by 10 percent.

home,” Cheryl Cooper said. “We’re only here once or twice a week but they love it.”

Cooper said her family moved to Lovettsville a year ago and her three and five-year-olds love to come for both the books and to make crafts.

“I’m trying to check out and my daughter keeps bringing me more books,” she said.

Perhaps the most underutilized service provided by the team is their Library of Things, which allows cards holders to borrow items beyond books and videos. That includes ukeleles, robots, a Virginia state park pass, sewing machines, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a thermal camera and more.

“We keep adding to it,” Newton said. The library hosted its 35th anniversary party from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday afternoon. The event included cake, photo opportunities, raffles and activities for all ages. The team put together a time capsule and community members brought items to be included. The library is located at 12 N. Light St. n

Board of Supervisors public hearings are available for live viewing on television on Comcast Government Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40, and are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/ meetings.

Members of the public desiring to do so may appear and present their views regarding those matters 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 signup during the public hearing. If you wish to sign-up in advance, call the Office of the County Administrator at (703) 777-0200. For this public hearing, advanced sign-up will be taken after 8:30 a.m. on March 14, 2025, and no later than 12:00 p.m. on March 18, 2025. Citizens will also have the option to sign-up during the public hearing. Written comments are welcomed at any time and may be sent to the Board of Supervisors, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, Virginia, 20177 or by e-mail to loudounbudget@loudoun.gov. If submitting written comments, information or materials at the hearing, 10 copies should be provided for distribution to the Board members and for the Clerk’s records.

Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory, or mental disability to participate in this meeting, please contact the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200/TTY-711. At least one business day of advance notice is requested; some accommodations may require more than one day of notice. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings.

BY ORDER OF: PHYLLIS RANDALL, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

2/27 & 3/6/25

Obituaries

Lt. Mason Daniel Key, ret. 12/30/1976 - 01/21/2025

Mason Daniel Key passed away on January 21, 2025.

He is survived by his mother Celia Key, father Allen Key, sister MaryKate (Eric) and nephew Ryan.

Growing up in Purcellville, VA, Mason attended Emerick Elementary, Blue Ridge Middle and Loudoun Valley High School. Mason was an honor roll student and a member of the National Honor Society. He played Little League baseball, basketball and played soccer and ran cross country at Valley. While attending Virginia Tech, Mason decided to join the United States Navy’s Seaman to Admiral program. He is a graduate of the University of San Diego and the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.

Mason received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Achievement Medal (4), Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and others.

Mason was a veteran of two wars: Iraq and Afghanistan, and was the first Systems Officer and Weapons Officer on the new littoral combat ship “Independence”. After active duty retirement, Mason became a Program Manager for a naval contractor with several littoral combat ships under his purview. For much of Mason’s life, he served our nation as the 1% of Americans who serve in the military. During his retirement, Mason became an accomplished artist. His paintings wowed his family and many friends.

The greatest gift a child can give a parent is when they make their parents proud! Mason did just that so many times in his short life.

Please donate to the American Cancer Society in Mason’s name.

We will love and miss you forever!

Mary Jackson

Mary Veronica Jackson, devoted mother, beloved grandmother, great grandmother, and outstanding early childhood educator, age 91, of Ashburn, died peacefully on Saturday, February 15, 2025. Mary was born in Providence, RI in 1933 to Sarah Brennan (née Smith) and Joseph Brennan. While attending a high school dance at Xavier Academy she met the love of her life Francis Jackson (deceased 2021). They were wed on September 1, 1956, in Providence and enjoyed a full life together. They subsequently moved to Framingham then to McLean, VA, where she raised two loving sons, Paul and Tom, and a daughter. During this time, she also began a 45-year career as an early childhood educator. After receiving many awards, she retired at age 85. She then moved to Ashburn VA where she quickly made several dear friends. Mary was a lifelong learner and always had a book in her hand, studying subjects as diverse as archaeology and neuroscience. She passed her love of learning to her children, while her husband passed his love of alcohol. Left to mourn her are her two sons and spouses, her three grandchildren and a granddaughter-in-law, and a great grandson. Her strength, wisdom, and support will survive her. Funeral Services will be private. Online condolences may be made at www.adamsgreen.com.

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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

TOWN OF MIDDLEBURG, VA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE

Fiscal Year 2026

The Town of Middleburg proposes to increase property tax levies. This is a result of an increase in property value assessments, which are controlled and assessed by Loudoun County. The Town Council is proposing to lower the current tax rate. Pursuant to Code of Virginia Section 58.1-3321, a Public Hearing on the increase will be held on March 13, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at the Middleburg Town Hall located at 10 West Marshall Street in Middleburg, Virginia.

1. Assessment Increase : The total assessed value of real property, as of January 1, 2025, excluding additional assessments due to new construction or improvements to property, exceeds last year’s total assessed value of real property by 6.07%.

2. Lower Rate Necessary to Offset Increased Assessment : The tax rate which would levy the same amount of real estate tax as the current year, when multiplied by the new total assessed value of real estate, with the exclusions mentioned above, would be $0.1165 per $100 of assessed value. This rate will be known as the “lowered tax rate.”

3. Effective Rate Increase : The current tax rate is $0.1236 per $100 of assessed value. The Town of Middleburg proposes to adopt a tax rate of no more than $0.1200 per $100 of assessed value. The difference between the lowered tax rate and the proposed tax rate would be $0.0035 per $100, or 3%. This difference will be known as the “effective tax rate increase,” even though the tax rate is being lowered. Individual property taxes may, however, increase at a percentage greater or less than the above percentage.

4. Proposed Total Budget Increase : Based on the higher proposed real property tax rate, new construction, and changes in other revenues, the total General Fund budget of the Town of Middleburg is proposed to exceed the current year’s budget by 5.7%.

Questions may be directed to the Town Manager at 540-687-5152.

Danny Davis, Town Manager - Town of Middleburg, Virginia

LIVE MUSIC

SCOTT KURT

5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27

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

CHUCKIE D DUO

6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27

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

PRIVATE EYES:

HALL & OATES TRIBUTE

7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27

Tally Ho Theater, Leesburg. $15 to $35. tallyhotheater.com

GARRETT MABE

5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28

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

BLUEGRASS JAM

5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28

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

JET CAPRIEST

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28

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

BRIAN HARRIS

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28

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

NATHANIEL DAVIS

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28

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

THE PETTY THIEVES

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com

ACOUSTIC SOUL

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com

JOHANNA HORN

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28

Solace Brewing Company, 42615 Trade West Drive, Sterling. solacebrewing.com LIVE MUSIC continues on page 23

Leesburg Movement Builds Artistic Connections with Listening Room Concerts

BY WILLIAM TIMME wtimme@loudounnow.org

On a recent Friday night at the CRAFT shop in downtown Leesburg, Nerys Apple leaned closer to the microphone in front of her Yamaha keyboard, her shadow cast over a fireplace stocked with burning candles, to address a small crowd gathered for her intimate performance.

“I always say when I do this song, the people that love you want you in their lives, so stick around,” she said before performing “The Tree Song.”

That close, conversational experience is the exact vibe the Leesburg Movement, the town’s volunteer Main Street committee, works to curate with its Listening Room concert series.

“It really is special, because it’s an intimate experience with the artist,” Chair Vanessa Borg said. “They can talk to the audience and have more interaction. The focus is on the music. It’s not like a brewery where the music is just kind of background noise. We’re actually getting to know the artist and their work.”

Up to 30 $15 tickets are available for the shows, which take place in downtown businesses. Last year, the organization held six concerts and scheduled four this year. The remaining two, on March 15 and April 26, will take place at Move Leesburg and Goosecup, respectively.

So far, 200 performers or bands have applied to be part of the Listening Room Series, Borg said, some from as far away as New York, Boston, and California.

During her Feb. 14 performance, following singer-songwriter Caroline McQuaig, Apple played acoustic versions of what she described as “experimental dark pop.” Her music infuses electronic elements with her darker themed lyrics to tell stories.

“I’ve been told it has a musical theater-ish element to it,” she said.

Apple’s dreams provide her biggest source of inspiration. Her lyricism describes those dreams with both realistic vividness and a surreal bend. One of her unreleased songs, “Greenery (You),” describes a dream in which a woman she loves becomes completely unrecognizable over time while Apple tries to find a way to reconnect.

Apple played the song for the audience, explaining that she named the specific piano cadence after the person.

Both artists peppered details like these throughout the show, giving the crowd a behind the scenes look into their songwriting process.

Apple was born in England and lived everywhere from Japan to Panama before moving to Winchester. She began training

in classical voice at age 12 but started writing her own compositions years earlier. From there, she studied vocal performance, music composition, and music production in college. Toward the end of her college journey, she got involved with the indie label Boneyard Records.

McQuaig, who described her music as singer-songwriter, theatrical and vibey, said she was attracted to the Listening Room gig because it seemed like a cool series.

She started in musical theater, and found agents in college when she was trying to get shows over the summer and prepare for her end-of-graduation showcase. She brought together a concert series called “Siren Songs,” where she played older songs she had written, and moved into teaching music and playing shows.

With Taylor Swift as an important influence, McQuaig taps her theater background to create a character and world in each song.

She said she was particularly proud of the world she created in “Better Off Now,” an upcoming single she performed during the concert.

“It is about a super, particular moment in my life,” McQuaig said. “Just like dramatized, which most of my songs are, but it’s just this kind of smoky, mysterious, very downtown vibe. I love when I get to have that lounge singer mysterious-type thing happening.”

She also jammed out to a cover of “Teenage Dirtbag,” with her husband accompaning her vocals with guitar riffs ranging from pop-punk influences to what he called “singer songwriter vibes,” on other songs.

McQuaig and Apple sang Chappel

Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” together, with Apple inviting the audience to join in.

The act of immersing the crowd into the music was one of Borg’s aims for the Listening Room series.

“That’s why I think these are really cool,” she said. She said pairing a wide range of genres with local talent brings a local flavor to the concert and creates an environment for people to meet their neighbors.

Borg said the first consideration for choosing venues was finding space big enough for the shows. She would love to develop a partnership with photographers or videographers to document the events.

The Leesburg Movement recently joined the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s 202526 Mobilizing Main Street Program. That two-year program provides a support framework for groups working to establish main street organizations.

Borg said state leaders were impressed that the Leesburg Movement had already launched events like the Listening Room.

“We’re a little bit ahead of the curve in some way that we do have that nonprofit status, and we have actually begun hosting things like the Listening Room Series and Mistletoe Market,” Borg said.

Learn more about Leesburg movement at leesburgmovement.com, or on Instagram @leesburg_movement, which contains links for donations, surveys, listening room events, and more. Listeners curious about Nerys Apple and Caroline McQuaig’s work may check out their Instagrams: @nerys.apple and @carolinemcquaig. Both artists are on Spotify as well, titled under their own names. n

William Timme/Loudoun Now

Caroline McQuaig performs unreleased songs for the Leesburg Movement’s Listening Room Concert Series on Friday, Feb.14.

JUNIOR SISK BAND

Saturday, March 1, 7 p.m. Lucketts Community Center luckettsbluegrass.org

Widely recognized for his bluegrass vocals, this Mountain Fever recording artist reminds us that traditional bluegrass music is alive and well.

GET OUT LIVE MUSIC

continued from page 22

MARY SHAVER, LINWOOD TAYLOR AND BAD INFLUENCE BAND

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton. $25. thebarnsathamiltonstation.com

SCOTT KURT

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

BATTLE OF THE BIG JAZZ BANDS

7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 Old Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive, Ashburn. $25. oldoxbrewery.com

HILARY VELTRI

7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28

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

JOURNEY TRIBUTE: TRIAL BY FIRE

7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, Tally Ho Theater, Leesburg. $15 to $35. tallyhotheater.com

JACK DUNLAP DUO

8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28

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

BIG GIANT BAND

9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, Feb. 28

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

ZACHARY SMITH AND THE MARDI GRAS KINGS

11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com

BEST BETS

LOUDOUN SYMPHONIC WINDS

Saturday, March 1, 7:30 p.m. Watson Mountain Middle School loudouncommunityband.com

Join the performance that celebrates Hispanic culture with selections including Gershwin’s Cuban Overture, excerpts from George Bizet’s opera Carmen, and other favorites representative of Mexico and Spain.

DUCK CHUCK GOOSE

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 1

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

TRAILIN SMOKE

1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

NEW LEGACY BLUES

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 1

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

CHRIS BONE

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Sunset Hills Vineyard, 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville. sunsethillsvineyards.com

JASON MASI

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1 8 Chains North Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford. 8chainsnorth.com

FREDDIE LONG

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1 50 West Vineyards, 39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. 50westvineyards.com

RONNIE WOLFORD DUO

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1

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

JOE DOWNER

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1

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

DENNIS WAYLAND

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. old690.com

RICHARD WALTON

2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 1

STRANGE SOULS

Sunday, March 2, 7 p.m. (doors) Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Szadkowski channels Jim Morrison in bringing a fresh take to the classic songs of The Doors.

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

MO & MARY MAC

3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 1

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

80S NIGHT WITH THE REAGAN YEARS

7 p.m. Saturday, March 1

Tally Ho Theater, Leesburg. $25 to $60. tallyhotheater.com

COLLECTIVE

8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Saturday, March 1

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

PICTROLA

8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Saturday, March 1 Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville. monksq.com

DEAN KERN

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1

Two Twisted Posts Winery, 12944 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro. twotwistedposts.com

RYAN SILL

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com

KARAOKE WITH MICHELLE

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1

Two Twisted Posts Winery, 12944 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro. twotwistedposts.com

JANNA AUDEY

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Firefly Cellars, 40325 Charles Town Pike, Hamilton. fireflycellars.com

COREY ARCENEAUX AND THE ZYDECO HOT PEPPERS

3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com

SWEET MOUNTAIN LAUREL

4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 1

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

MASTER SINGERS OF VIRGINIA WINTER CONCERT

4 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1

Harmony United Methodist Church, 380 E. Colonial Highway, Hamilton. $25. msva.org

SCOTT KURT

4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 1

Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com

AS U WISH

5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

TODD BROOKS DUO

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

AMANDA MILLER & MATTHEW MORREALE

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

HUME-FRYE

6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Crooked Run Fermentation, 22455 Davis Drive, Sterling. crookedrunfermentation.com

DANIEL MENSH

7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 1

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

continues on page 24

Jerad

16 Loudoun Wineries Score Gold in Governor’s Cup Judging

Loudoun wineries scored 27 gold medal rankings during the 2025 Governor’s Cup competition.

Judges this year rated 620 Virginia wines and ciders from across the commonwealth. The top winners, including the 12 wines to be selected for the Governors Case, will be announced during the awards ceremony to be held March 13 in Richmond.

Sixteen Loudoun wineries scored gold rankings, with 868 Estate Vineyard, Endhardt Vineyards and Breaux Vineyards each collecting three golds.

Gold medal winners are:

50 West Vineyards: 2021 Aldie Heights Cuvée

8 Chains North Winery: 2023 Sauvignon Blanc

868 Estate Vineyards: 2022 Chardonnay, 2022 Meritage, 2023 Sauvignon Blanc

Breaux Vineyards: 2020 Meritage, 2022

Cabernet Sauvignon, 2022 Petit Verdot

Cana Vineyards and Winery of Middleburg: 2023 Albarino

Carriage House Wineworks: 2022 Petit Manseng, 2022 Petit Verdot Reserve

Casanel Vineyards & Winery: 2021 Petit Verdot

Chrysalis Vineyards at The Ag District: 2022 Norton (Bull Run Mountain Cuvée)

Doukénie Winery: Alethia, 2022 Chardonnay

Endhardt Vineyards: 2020 Petit Verdot, 2021 Fervor Red, 2021 Golden Turkey

October One Vineyard: 2022 Rescue

The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards: 2022 Chardonnay, 2022 Meritage

The Wine Reserve at Waterford: 2021

Gila Petit Verdot, 2021 Quat

Walsh Family Wine: 2021 Late Harvest

Petit Manseng

Williams Gap Vineyard: 2022 Chardonnay, 2023 Black Label Chardonnay

Willowcroft Farm Vineyards: 2022 Petit Verdot

Endhardt Vineyards' 2023 Sauvignon

Blanc Upper Block, the top winner of the Loudoun Wine Awards last year, was among the 74 Loudoun wines given silver medal rankings by the Governor’s Cup judging team. Twelve wines were scored as bronze medal winners. n

GET OUT

LIVE MUSIC

continued from page 23

JUNIOR SISK BAND

7 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1

Lucketts Community Center, 42361 Lucketts Road, Leesburg. $22. luckettsbluegrass.com

CHAOTIC BLONDE

7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Ion Arena, 19201 Compass Creek Parkway, Leesburg. $25. ionarena.com

LOUDOUN SYMPHONIC

WINDS: SPANISH DELIGHTS

7:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Watson Mountain Middle School, 41480 Steeplechase Drive, Leesburg. $10. loudouncommunityband.org

JASON MASI

1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 2

Mt. Defiance Cider Barn, 495 E. Washington St., Middleburg. mtdefiance.com

CHESAPEAKE SONS

1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, March 2

Bleu Frog Vineyards, 16413 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg. bleufrogvineyards.com

BAILEY HAYES

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 2

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

JEREMIAH PROPHETT

1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 2 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

JACKSON QUEENS

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 2

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

MELISSA QUINN FOX

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 2

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

IAN VEST

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 2 Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com

O’MCPUB BAND

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 2 Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com

RYAN SILL

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 2 Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. old690.com

ROBBIE LIMON

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 2

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

ERIC TUBBS

3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 2

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

STRANGE SOULS: THE DOORS REIMAGINED

8 to 11 p.m. Sunday, March 2

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg. $20. tallyhotheater.com

JASON MASI

6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, March 5

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

HAPPENINGS

WINE & UNWIND

4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27

Heritage Farm Museum, 21668 Heritage Farm Lane, Sterling. $10. heritagefarmmuseum.org

ENVIRONMENTAL FILM NIGHT

5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28

The Hill School, 130 Madison St., Middleburg. Free. goosecreek.org

SLITHERING TALES

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1 Reservoir Park, 22211 Water Vista Drive, Ashburn. novaparks.org

AVFRD FIRE TRUCK PULL

11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1

Old Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive, Ashburn. $250/team. oldoxbrewery.com

BLACK PATRIOTS IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR

1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 1

Oatlands, 20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane, Leesburg. oatlands.org

FREEDOM HS MUSICAL HELLO DOLLY!

7 p.m. Feb. 27, Feb. 28, March 1 2 p.m. March 1, March 2

Freedom High School, 25450 Riding Center Drive, Chantilly. $10. freedomhs.booktix.com

READ ACROSS AMERICA BOOK FAIR

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 2

Blend Coffee Bar, 43170 Southern Walk Plaza, Ashburn. blendcoffeebar.com

EVENT VENUE OPEN HOUSE

4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 5 Solace Brewing Company, 42615 Trade West Drive, Sterling.

solacebrewing.com

SCIENCE ON TAP

6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6 Old Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive, Ashburn. oldoxbrewery.com

Legal Notices

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER SPECIAL EXCEPTION APPLICATION

TLSPEX2024-0005 POTOMAC STATION DUNKIN DONUTS DRIVE-THROUGH

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 a public hearing on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Special Exception application TLSPEX2024-0005, Potomac Station Dunkin Donuts Drive-Through. This hearing, originally scheduled for February 11, 2025, was rescheduled due to an emergency weather event.

The subject of the application is an existing, vacant structure at 607 Potomac Station Drive NE. The property is zoned PRC, Planned Residential Community, and is further described by Loudoun County Parcel Identification Number (PIN) 148-16-4540-000.

Special Exception Application TLSPEX2024-0005 is a request by Vigario Holdings, LLC to allow an overall total 3,028 square foot fast food use with drive-through pursuant to Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance Section 8.5.2 Use Regulations.

Additional information and copies of this application are available at the Department of Community Development located at 222 Catoctin Circle SE, Suite 200, Leesburg, Virginia 20175 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Debi Parry, Planner – Land Use, by telephone at 703-737-7023, or by email at dparry@leesburgva.gov.

At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views concerning this matter will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations at the meeting should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 7712733 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 2/20 & 2/27/25

FIND OUT ABOUT THE COUNTY’S REAL ESTATE AND VEHICLE TAX RELIEF PROGRAMS FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE AGED 65 YEARS OR OLDER OR DISABLED

View Online Spanish translation available

Ver en línea Traducción al español disponible

Commissioner of the Revenue, Robert S. Wertz, Jr., encourages eligible property owners who are aged 65 years or older, OR are totally and permanently disabled, to learn about Loudoun’s property tax relief programs. Applicants that meet qualifying criteria of the program, including income and net worth limits, may be relieved of up to 100% of real estate taxes on their primary dwelling and lot, up to 3 acres. In addition, eligible applicants may also have their vehicle taxes reduced.

To learn more about this tax relief program, please plan on attending one of the free sessions that are being offered throughout the county. No appointment or RSVP is required.

AM *Presentado solo en español

If you require a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability or need language assistance in order to participate in tax relief, please contact Tax Exemptions & Deferrals, email trcor@loudoun.gov or call 703-737-8557 (TTY-711). Three business days’ notice is requested.

2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27 & 3/6/25

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

PLAT-2025-0016

Goose Creek Village West - Phase III

Mr. John Paltineanu, of Goose Creek Commercial LLC, of Ashburn, VA is requesting preliminary plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately thirty-four (34.1) acres into one hundred and one (101) lots, one (1) open space parcel, and associated easements. The property is located north of Sycolin Road (Route 625), north of Dulles Greenway (Route 267), and west of Belmont Ridge Road (Route 659). The property is zoned R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential), under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 153-17-2472000 in the Ashburn Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www.loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2025-0016. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Samantha Lockwood at Samantha.Lockwood@Loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by March 20, 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).

2/13, 2/20, 2/27, 3/6, 3/13 & 3/20/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

PLAT-2024-0338

Kincora Village Center

Mr. Joshua Reynolds, of Gateway Engineering, of Ashburn, VA is requesting preliminary/record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately two-hundred and eleven (211.89) acres into seven (7) lots, and associated easements. The property is located south of Leesburg Pike (Route 7), west of Sully Road (Route 28), north of Gloucester Parkway (Route 2150), and east of Loudoun County Parkway (Route 607). The property is zoned PD-MUB (Planned Development - Mixed Use Business), under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 040-29-7132-000, 040-18-9517-000, 041-19-4573-000 in the Broad Run District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http:// www.loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2024-0338. 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 March 13, 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).

2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27, 3/6 & 3/13/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

PLAT-2025-0002 Goose Creek West Residential

Mr. John Paltineanu, Goose Creek Commercial LLC, of Ashburn, Virginia is requesting preliminary record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately thirty-four (34.01) acres into five (5) lots and associated easements. The property is located north of Sycolin Road (Route 625), north of Dulles Greenway (Route 267) and west of Belmont Ridge Road (Route 659). The property is zoned R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential) under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 153-17-2472-000 in the Ashburn Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www. loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2025-0002. 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 March 27, 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).

2/20, 2/27, 3/6, 3/13, 3/20 & 3/27/25

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ039727

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Amaris Victoria Quintanilla 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 with goal of adoption, pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Amaris Victoria Quintanilla; and hold a hearing on the Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of Unknown Father, pursuant to Virginia Code §16.1-283 for Amaris Victoria Quintanilla. Unknown Father is hereby notified that failure to appear on the hereinafter noticed date and time may result in the entry of an Order approving a permanency goal of adoption as well as the termination of their residual parental rights with respect to Amaris Victoria Quintanilla. Unknown Father is hereby further notified that if their residual parental rights are terminated, they will no longer have any legal rights with respect to said minor child, including, but not limited to, the right to visit Amaris Victoria Quintanilla; any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Amaris Victoria Quintanilla; or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Amaris Victoria Quintanilla. Further, Unknown Father, will have no legal and/or financial obligations with respect to Amaris Victoria Quintanilla, and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Amaris Victoria Quintanilla for adoption and consent to the adoption of Amaris Victoria Quintanilla

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before March 11, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.

2/13, 2/20, 2/27 & 3/6/25

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316 Case No.: JJ049567

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Daniel Merlo Arita Loudoun County Department of Family Services v. Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold an adjudicatory hearing pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-252 for Daniel Merlo Arita; and hold a dispositional hearing for review of initial Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-278.2 and 16.1-281 for Daniel Merlo Arita

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before February 13, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. (adjudication) and March 14, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. (dispositional).

2/6, 2/13, 2/20 & 2/27/25

2025 TAX EXEMPTION INFORMATION

Pursuant to §58.1-3604 of the Code of Virginia, the Loudoun County Commissioner of the Revenue has determined that the 2025 aggregate assessed value of all real property exempted from taxation under §§58.1-3607 and 58.1-3608, and Articles 3, 4 and 5 of Chapter 36 of Title 58.1 of the Code of Virginia is $9,782,056,680. This aggregate assessed value represents 5.43% of all real property assessed in the County.

The total reduction in tax revenues resulting from such exemptions is $78,745,556 based on the maximum proposed tax rate of $0.805 per $100 of assessed value.

Robert S. Wertz, Jr. Commissioner of the Revenue Loudoun County

Government Center Office 1 Harrison St. SE, 1st Floor, Leesburg

Sterling Location 46000 Center Oak Plaza, Sterling

MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 8000, Leesburg, VA 20177-9804

Phone: 703-777-0260

E-mail: realestate@loudoun.gov

Website: www.loudoun.gov/cor 2/13, 2/20, 2/26 & 3/6/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB)

KENNETH B. ROLLINS WTP CHEMICAL FEED SYSTEM UPGRADES

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 Monday, March 24, 2025, for the following:

IFB NO. 500630-FY25-12

KENNETH B. ROLLINS WTP CHEMICAL FEED SYSTEM UPGRADES

Work includes replacing existing main components of the sodium hypochlorite and potassium permanganate feed systems at the Town of Leesburg’s (Town) water treatment plant. Equipment for these two systems is to be upgraded to meet operational demands. This project is crucial to the Town’s continued efforts to ensure a robust supply of finished drinking water to meet growing demands.

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

2/27/25

Legal Notices

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

2016 NISSAN ALTIMA 1N4AL3AP2GC188527 DOUBLE D 703-777-7300

2009 NISSAN MAXIMA 1N4AA51E29L8201123 BODY WORKS 703-777-5727

N/A N/A SNOW BLADE 6861794 ROAD RUNNER 703-450-7555

2007 TOYOTA COROLLA 2T1BT32E77C759513 AL’S TOWING 703-435-8888 2/27 & 3/6/25

ORDER

OF

PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316 Case No.: CL24-6236

ONLINE. ALWAYS.

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Akouvi Akofa Nutekpor v. Naseem Arif

The object of this suit is to Divorce

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Naseem Arif appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before April 18, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. 2/27, 3/6, 3/13, & 3/20/25

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TOWN OF PURCELLVILLE

The Town Council of the Town of Purcellville will hold a public hearing in the Council Chambers located at 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia on Tuesday, March 11th, 2025 at 6:00 PM for the purpose of receiving comments on, considering, and possibly voting on the following item:

ZONING ORDINANCE AND MAP AMENDMENT: Pursuant to Code of Virginia 15.2-2285, the Planning Commission has prepared amendments to the Town’s Zoning Ordinance and Official Zoning Map. The proposed amendments include various zoning changes and additional district overlays for the majority of properties along East and West Main St, 20th St., 21st St., 23rd St., Hatcher Ave., and Hirst Ave. Broader changes in various articles may affect all properties within Town limits. As authorized by Code of Virginia 15.2-2204, the full extent of Zoning Ordinance and Map Amendment is depicted in the map and materials available on the Town website linked below. https://www.purcellvilleva.gov/1149/Zoning-Ordinance-Update

Additional information regarding this amendment is available for review at the Purcellville Town Hall at 221 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville, Virginia during regular business hours, by appointment, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.

At this public hearing, all persons desiring to present their views concerning this matter will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations should contact Kimberly Bandy, Town Clerk, at kbandy@purcellvilleva.gov, three days in advance of the meeting.

2/20, 2/27 & 3/6/25

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2025 - JUNE 30, 2026

In accordance with the Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, § 15.2-2506, the Leesburg Town Council will hold a public hearing on:

Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Lower Level Conference Room of Ida Lee Park Recreation Center 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg, VA

At which time the public shall have the right to provide written and oral comments on the Town’s proposed budget for fiscal year July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. If the public hearing is canceled for any unforeseen reason, the public hearing will be held during the next Town Council regular meeting.

SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURES

As part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget process, the Leesburg Town Council will adopt the property tax rates for Tax Year 2025. The table below shows the current and forecasted real and personal property tax levies for tax (calendar) years 2024 and 2025 at the current and proposed rates. Tax Year 2025 will be the first year the Town of Leesburg levies business tangible personal property (BTPP) taxes on computer equipment in data centers. With no historical information, the FY 2026 budget does not include revenues from BTPP taxes on computer equipment in data centers, however, the Council will adopt a tax rate that is expected to result in the revenues shown.

This budget is prepared for informative and fiscal planning purposes only. Such preparation, publication, and approval shall not be deemed to be an appropriation. No money shall be paid out or become available to be paid out for any contemplated expenditure unless and until there has first been made an annual, semiannual, quarterly, or monthly appropriation for such contemplated expenditure.

Copies of the proposed budget are available on the Town website and for inspection at Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, and at the Thomas Balch Library, 208 West Market Street. Questions should be directed to Owen A. Snyder, Assistant Town Manager/Chief Financial Officer, at 703-771-2717. Persons requiring reasonable accommodations 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.

2/20 & 2/27/25

Legal Notices

PUBLIC HEARING

The LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS will hold a public hearing in theBoard of Supervisors’ Meeting Room, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, at 6:00 p.m. on WEDNESDAY, March 12, 2025, in order to consider:

CORRECTION OF AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 1450 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCE OF LOUDOUN COUNTY, AFFORDABLE DWELLING UNITS (ADU) PROGRAM.

Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-1427, the Board of Supervisors gives notice of its intention to propose for passage amendments to Chapter 1450, Affordable Dwelling Units, of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County.

On September 11, 2024, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved amendments to Chapter 1450 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County. Among others, the proposed amendments to Chapter 1450 extended the rental control price period for the Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) Program for Rental from 20 to 50 years. The text of the amendment that was attached to the Board item and approved by the Board showed, erroneously, that the extension of the rental control price period went from 20 years to 30 years when in reality the Board had approved an extension from 20 years to 50 years. The purpose of this item is to have the Board approve the correct amendment to Chapter 1450, which extends the control price period of the ADUs for rental to 50 years from the date of execution of the initial lease agreement for the respective rental ADU.

A complete copy of the above-referenced amendment may be examined at the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, Front Desk, 1st Floor, 106 Catoctin Circle, S.E., Leesburg, VA 20175 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding holidays or call (703) 737-8213 to request hard copies or electronic copies. A complete copy of the proposed amendments are on file and may be examined at the Office of the County Administrator Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200 to request hard copies or electronic copies. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun. gov/bosdocuments

PROPOSED LEASE OR SALE OF COUNTY OWNED REAL PROPERTY Development Agreement

for the Former Ashburn North Park and Ride

Pursuant to Virginia Code e §15.2-1800 et. seq, the Board of Supervisors gives notice of its intention to consider a proposed development agreement for lease or sale of County owner property formally known as Ashburn North Park and Ride. The property consists of two parcels designated as PIN 040-38-3790-000 and PIN 040-38-1852-000 with a combined total of approximately 4.86 acres and are located along the south side of Russell Branch Parkway (Route 1061), east of Waverly Court (Route 1060) in the Broad Run Election District. (the Subject Property).

The Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development released a Request for Expressions of Interest solicitation on October 26, 2023, to identify a preferred development concept to develop the Subject Property with Attainable Housing. The Department of Housing and Community Development entered into exclusive negotiations with Enterprise Community Development Inc. and LT Development Group LLC to develop the Subject Property.

A development agreement between Ashburn P&R Master LLC (a joint venture between Enterprise Community Development, Inc. and LT Development Group LLC), and Loudoun County has been finalized that proposes developing the Subject Property with 140 units of mixed-income and mixed-tenure Attainable Housing. According to the development agreement, the Property will be developed in phases, and each phase entails either the lease or the sale of the Property, or portion of the Property to Ashburn P&R Master LLC, an entity under the control of Ashburn P&R Master LLC, a non-profit organization or a community land trust entity, as applicable and at the discretion of the County.

A complete copy of the above-referenced development agreement may be examined at the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, Front Desk, 1st Floor, 106 Catoctin Circle, S.E., Leesburg, VA 20175 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding holidays or call (703) 737-8213 to request hard copies or electronic copies. A complete copy of the development agreement is on file and may be examined at the Office of the County Administrator Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200 to request hard copies or electronic copies. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments

THE ADOPTION OF THE REVISED HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN, STREAMLINED PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY (PHA) ANNUAL PLAN, AND FIVE-YEAR PHA PLAN

Pursuant to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations at 24 CFR § 903.17, the Board of Supervisors hereby gives notice that it intends to conduct a public hearing for the purpose of considering and adopting the Streamlined Public Housing Agency (PHA) Annual Plan, Five Year PHA Plan, and Revised Administrative Plan (effective April 1, 2025) for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program. The Streamlined PHA Annual Plan and Five-Year PHA Plan are comprehensive guides to PHA policies, programs, operations, and strategies for meeting local housing needs and goals. The Administrative Plan establishes policies for Loudoun County to implement the HCV Program in a manner consistent with HUD requirements, local goals, and objectives contained in the Administrative Plan.

A complete copy of the above-referenced plans may be examined at the Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, Front Desk, 1st Floor, 106 Catoctin Circle, S.E., Leesburg, VA 20175 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding holidays or call (703) 737-8213 to request hard copies or electronic copies. A complete copy of the plans are on file and may be examined at the Office of the County Administrator Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling the Office of the County Administrator at 703-7770200 to request hard copies or electronic copies. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE FY2024 -2025 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN

On April 14, 2021, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-2025 Five-Year Consolidated Plan (Consolidated Plan) which requires the submission of an Annual Action Plan (AAP) for each year. On April 10, 2024, the Board approved FY 2025 AAP.

Pursuant to Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, 42 United States Code §5301, et seq., and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations at 24 Code of Federal Regulations Subtitle A §91.105(c), the Board shall consider a Substantial Amendment to the FY 2025 AAP.

The proposed Substantial Amendment includes changes to the following components of the FY 2025 AAP:

High Priority Activities

• Projects that promote energy efficiency and conservation through rehabilitation or retrofitting of existing buildings (24 CFR 570.201(c)); and

• Public Facilities (24 CFR 570.201(c)

Unexpended and unallocated CDBG funds to be reprogrammed to the following FY 2025 eligible high priority activities

Organization CDBG Citation National Objective Funded Amount

Loudoun County Government 24 CFR 570.201(c)

Upgrade 1st & 2nd Floor Public Restrooms and Corridors at 102 Heritage Way, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176

Low-Moderate Limited Clientele (LMC)

$914,218

The public comment period is open through March 12, 2025. Comments may be submitted:

• Online: Complete the online comment form at loudoun.gov/cdbg.

• Mail: Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, Virginia 20177, Attn: CDBG Program Manager

Copies of the Substantial Amendment to the FY 2024-2025 AAP are available for review from February 6, 2025, through March 10, 2025, at the following locations from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday: Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison St. SE, Leesburg Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development, 106 Catoctin Circle, SE, Leesburg Information Desks at all branches of the Loudoun County Public Library System. To find a branch, visit library.loudoun.gov. The Substantial Amendment will also be available online at www.loudoun.gov/cdbg through March 10, 2025.

continued on next page

Legal Notices

PROPOSED CONVEYANCE OF COUNTY PROPERTY

Conveyance of Easements Within Claude Moore Park to Loudoun Water, Washington Gas, and Dominion Energy Virginia

Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-1800 et seq., the Board of Supervisors shall consider conveying to Loudoun County Sanitation Authority d.b.a. Loudoun Water, a ten-foot-wide easement, to Washington Gas, a six-foot-wide easement, and to Virginia Electric and Power Company d.b.a. Dominion Energy Virginia, a 25-foot-wide easement, all to be located across County-owned property known as Claude Moore Park in the Sterling Election District, for the purpose of installing, laying, constructing, operating, repairing, altering, and maintaining water, gas, and electrical lines, respectively, to service Park View High School. The property on which the easements will be located is: 21544 Old Vestals Gap Road, Sterling, Virginia, and is more particularly described as PIN: 021-35-8640-000 and Tax Map # /81////////39/.

Copies of the draft deed of easements and plats showing the location of the above-listed conveyances, and associated documents, are available for review and may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center; Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Monday through Friday or call (703) 777-0200. Documents may also be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun. gov/bosdocuments

LEGI-2024-0049, NAJLA’S HAPPY HEARTS DAYCARE: SPEX-2024-0066

(Minor Special Exception)

Najla Ismail has submitted an application for a minor special exception for approximately 0.051 acres of land located north of Gracehill Terrace, east of Northstar Boulevard, and west of Capecastle Terrace in the Dulles Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as: 24711 Capecastle Terrace Aldie, Virginia, PIN: 247-19-6253-000, and Tax Map # 100//32///220/. For SPEX-2024-0066, the applicant seeks a minor special exception to increase the number of children permitted in a child day home from 9 to 12 in a single-family attached dwelling within the Planned Development – Housing 4 Zoning District under the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance

LEGI-2023-0053, MAGNOLIA ROSE 1880: SPMI-2022-0015 & SPMI-2023-0012

(Minor Special Exceptions)

Magnolia Rose 1880 LLC, has submitted applications for minor special exceptions for approximately 50.86 acres of land located east of Berlin Turnpike (Route 287) and Rickard Road (Route 692) and west of Milltown Road (Route 681) in the Catoctin Election District (the “Subject Property”). The Subject Property is more particularly described as: 39149 Rickard Road, Lovettsville, Virginia, PIN 374-30-2576-000 and Tax Map # /17////////32/. For SPMI-2022-0015, the applicant seeks to permit a banquet and event facility use in the AR-1 (Agricultural Rural – 1) Zoning District. For SPMI2023-0012, the applicant seeks a zoning modification to modify roadway access required from type C3 to an enhanced type C2 to allow a 30-foot wide easement pursuant to Section 5-642(C) (1) of the Revised1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The applications are being processed under the land use and development regulations of the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in accordance with the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance Grandfathering Resolution dated December 13, 2023.

LEGI-2024-0011, COMMONWEALTH CENTER COMMERCIAL: ZCPA-2024-0005 (Zoning Concept Plan Amendment)

CWC Shops, LC has submitted an application for a zoning concept plan amendment for approximately 3.382 acres of land located at the southeast intersection of Russell Branch Parkway (Route 1061) and Loudoun County Parkway (Route 607) along Heron Overlook Plaza in the Broad Run Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as:

040-45-0894-000 20500 Heron Overlook Plaza, Ashburn, VA

040-45-3498-000 N/A

040-35-0972-000 N/A

/80/P/1/////2/

/80/H/1///3A1/

/80/H/1/////3B

For ZCPA-2024-0005, the applicant seeks eliminate the required 100-foot setback from the CC-SC (Commercial Center – Small Regional Center) Zoning District to the R-24 (Multifamily Residential – 24) Zoning District under the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance

LEGI-2023-0064, CROSS MILL CENTER: ZMAP-2023-0002, SPEX-2023-0006 & SPEX2023-0007 (Zoning Map Amendment and Special Exceptions)

JK Land Holdings II LLC has submitted applications for a zoning map amendment and special exceptions for approximately 22.73 acres of land located south of Crosstrail Boulevard (Route 896), north of Cochran Mill Road (Route 653), and east of Sycolin Road (Route 625) in the Leesburg Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as:

193-46-2583-000 N/A /60////////30A

192-16-3918-000 20040 Sycolin Road, Leesburg, VA /60////////29/

192-16-9020-000 20052 Sycolin Road, Leesburg, VA /60////////33A

193-46-7168-000 N/A /60////////32/

193-46-3445-000 N/A /60////////31/

193-46-1044-000 20100 Sycolin Road, Leesburg, VA /60////////30/ 192-16-4105-000 N/A /60////////29A

For ZMAP-2023-0002, the applicant seeks to rezone the Subject Property from the JLMA-20 (Joint Land Management Area – 20) zoning district to the PD-IP (Planned Development – Industrial Park) zoning district in order to develop data center or other industrial uses permitted by the requested zoning district. For SPEX-2023-0006 and SPEX-2023-0007, the applicant seeks to increase floor area ratio (FAR) from 0.6 to 1.0 and to increase maximum lot coverage from 0.45 to 0.60. These applications are being processed under the land use and development regulations of the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Grandfathering Resolution dated December 13, 2023.

Copies of the proposed plans, ordinances, and amendments for each land use application listed above may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center; Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call 7037770246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies. Additional project files related to land use applications for public hearings may be reviewed electronically at loudoun.gov/landmarc. In addition, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: loudoun.gov/bosdocuments.

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

Members of the public desiring to do so may appear and present their views regarding those matters 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 signup during the public hearing. If you wish to sign-up in advance, call the Office of the County Administrator at (703) 777-0200. For this public hearing, advanced sign-ups will be taken after 8:30 a.m. on February 28, 2025, and no later than 12:00 p.m. on March 12, 2025. Members of the public may also submit written comments by email sent to bos@loudoun.gov. Any written comments received prior to the public hearing will be distributed to Board members. Members of the public may also submit comments on land use items electronically at loudoun.gov/landapplications.

Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory, or mental disability to participate in this meeting, please contact the Office of the County Administrator at 703-7770200/TTY-711. At least one business day of advance notice is requested; some accommodations may require more than one day of notice. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings.

BY ORDER OF: PHYLLIS J. RANDALL, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

2/20 & 2/27/25

Legal Notices

ATTENTION LOUDOUN COUNTY BUSINESS OWNERS

MARCH 3 DEADLINE FOR 2025 TAX REPORTING

Notification of 2025 business tax filing requirements has been mailed to each business and selfemployed person on our tax rolls. The notification contains the account number and owner name necessary to report both business receipts and business equipment online.

BUSINESS LICENSE RENEWAL DUE MARCH 3

Business owners who possess a 2024 Loudoun County Business License must obtain a 2025 license by reporting their calendar year 2024 gross receipts and paying the applicable license tax or fee at loudoun.gov/efile. The annual FILING and PAYMENT DEADLINE is midnight, March 3. After reporting the business’ receipts online, filers will be provided with a link to pay online as well. Owners of new businesses must obtain a license within 30 days of beginning business. Owners of businesses located in one of Loudoun’s incorporated towns should contact the respective town regarding business licensing requirements.

BUSINESS EQUIPMENT REPORTING DUE MARCH 3

Owners of business equipment that was located in Loudoun County on January 1, 2025, must report it for taxation at loudoun.gov/efile. The reporting of original cost, year of purchase, location, and item description for all business equipment in the county is due by midnight, March 3, 2025. Resulting semi-annual tax bills for this equipment must be paid to the Treasurer by the May 5 and October 6 deadlines. The reporting of business equipment is made to the Commissioner of the Revenue for all businesses in the County whether within or outside of an incorporated town.

The tax filing deadline for business license and business personal property reporting is usually March 1, but has been moved to the next business day for 2025 because that date falls on a weekend.

Business owners subject to local business taxes must file annually, even if there is no tax due or property to declare. Mailing address changes and notification of business closure should also be reported at loudoun.gov/efile. Most transactions with our office can be done online. For more information or filing assistance, please visit loudoun.gov/cor or contact my office at businesstax@ loudoun.gov or 703-777-0260. You may also write or stop by my office weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. So that we may better serve you, taxpayers are encouraged to email or call prior to visiting the office.

Robert S. Wertz, Jr. Commissioner of the Revenue Loudoun County Loudoun Tech Center Office 46000 Center Oak Plaza, Sterling Government Center Office 1 Harrison St. SE, 1st Floor, Leesburg

MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 8000, Leesburg, VA 20177-9804 Phone: 703-777-0260, Option 2 E-mail: businesstax@loudoun.gov Website: www.loudoun.gov/cor

PUBLIC NOTICE

2/13, 2/20 & 2/27/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Town of Leesburg

Change of Town Council Meeting Location for March 10 and 11, 2025

On February 25, 2025, the Leesburg Town Council approved a resolution approving a change to the Leesburg Town Council Work Session scheduled for Monday, March 10, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. and the Regular Session scheduled for Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. has changed from Town Hall, 25 W Market Street to:

Ida Lee Park Recreation Center

Lower-Level Conference Room

60 Ida Lee Drive NW Leesburg, Virginia 20176

Both meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m.

The following is the text of the approved resolution:

WHEREAS, Council adopted Resolution 2024-150 on November 12, 2024, setting the calendar year 2025 town council meeting schedule with the council chamber at town hall, 25 W Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, as the designated meeting place; and

WHEREAS, the impending audio visual upgrade to the council chamber at town hall will make this location unusable for the March 10, 2025, council work session and March 11, 2025, regular session meeting, requiring an alternate meeting location; and

WHEREAS, the March 10, 2025, council work session and the March 11, 2025, council meeting will be held at the Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, lower level meeting room, 60 Ida Lee Park Drive, Leesburg, Virginia. The 7:00 p.m. meeting start time for both meetings remains unchanged; and

WHEREAS, State Code §15.2-1416(B) requires the governing body to pass a resolution when there are changes such as future meeting day, place or time and post the adopted resolution on the door of the initial meeting place and in a local paper with general circulation at least seven days prior to the first such meeting at such other day, place or time; and

WHEREAS, such notice announcing the location change and contents of the approved resolution is scheduled to appear in the February 27, 2025, edition of Loudoun Now and the approved resolution will be posted to the door of the council chamber no later than March 3, 2025; and

WHEREAS, a fully executed copy of this resolution will appear in the March 6, 2025, edition of Loudoun Now.

THEREFORE, RESOLVED, by the Council of the Town of Leesburg in Virginia as follows:

1. The March 10, 2025, council work session will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the lower level meeting room of Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, Lower Level Meeting Room, 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg, Virginia 20176.

2. The March 11, 2025, council meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the lower level meeting room of Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, Lower Level Meeting Room, 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg, Virginia 20176.

3. Staff will comply with the public notice requirements listed in State Code §15.2-1416(B) regarding a change in meeting location.

PASSED this 25th day of February 2025.

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

PLAT-2025-0012 Rivana

Mr. Joelle Kellam, of DWC Holdings LLC, of Chicago, IL is requesting preliminary/record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately sixty-nine (68.61) acres, into sixteen (16) lots with accompanying right-of-way, civic space, and associated easements. The property is located north and east of Dulles Greenway (Route 267), west of Rock Hill Road (Route 605) in Fairfax County, and south of Innovation Avenue (Route 209). The property is zoned TC (Town Center), under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as MCPI #035-259545-000, 035-26-5792-000, 035-17-3948-000, and MCPI #035-16-7624-000 in the Sterling Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www. loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2025-0012. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Vaughn Bynoe at Vaughn.Bynoe@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by March 27, 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).

2/20, 2/27, 3/6, 3/13, 3/20 & 3/27/25

A fully executed copy of the resolution is scheduled to appear in the March 6, 2026, edition. Any questions can be sent to the Clerk of Council via email at eboeing@leesburgva.gov.

2/27/25

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE BIDS/PROPOSALS FOR:

MENTAL HEALTH SKILL BUILDING SERVICES, RFP No. 669833 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, March 18, 2025.

DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF THE DOUGLASS HIGH SCHOOL DOCUMENTARY, RFP No. 672859 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, March 18, 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

2/27/25

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

PLAT-2024-0372

Defender Drive, Phase 1

Mr. Stephens Collins, of Defenders Inc., of Washington, District of Columbia is requesting preliminary record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately twelve (12.373) acres into forty-eight (48) lots, one (1) open space parcel, private streets, street dedication and associated easements. The property is located south of Little River Turnpike (Route 50) and east of the intersection of Defender Drive (Route 1278) and South Riding Boulevard (Route 2201). The property is zoned R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential 16) and PD-H4 (Planned Development-Housing 4) under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 128-48-4437-000, 128-48-1771-000, and 127-18-4380-000 in the Dulles Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www.loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2024-0372. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Hilary Russo at Hilary.Russo@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by February 27, 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).

1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20 & 2/27/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

PLAT-2024-0373

Defender Drive, Phase 2

Mr. Stephens Collins, of Defenders Inc., of Washington, District of Columbia is requesting preliminary record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately twelve (11.924) acres into thirty-two (32) lots, one (1) open space parcel, private streets, street dedication and associated easements. The property is located south of Little River Turnpike (Route 50) and east of the intersection of Defender Drive (Route 1278) and South Riding Boulevard (Route 2201). The property is zoned R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential 16) and PD-H4 (Planned Development-Housing 4) under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 128-48-4437-000 and 128-48-8353-000 in the Dulles Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www.loudoun.gov/LandMARCand searching for PLAT-2024-0373. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Suzanna Brady at Suzanna.brady@loudoun.gov or you may mailthem to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by February 27, 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).

1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20 & 2/27/25

JW’s Fish and Biscuits LLC, trading as JW’s Fish and Biscuits, 101 Executive DR Ste 101 A, Dulles, VA 20166. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Restaurant, Wine, Beer, Mixed Beverages, Consumed On and Off Premises.

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.

2/20 & 2/27/24

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

PLAT-2024-0374

Defender Drive, Phase 3

Mr. Stephen Collins, Vice President, of Defenders, Inc. of Washington DC is requesting preliminary/ record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately four (4.03) acres into 47 (47) lots, one (1) open space parcel, and associated easements. The property is located south of Little River Turnpike (Route 50), west of Poland Road, east of South Riding Boulevard, and north of Tall Cedars Parkway. The property is zoned R16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential), under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as 128-48-4437 and 128-488353 in the Dulles Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www. loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2024-0374 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 February 27, 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).

1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20 & 2/27/25

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

PLAT-2024-0375

Defender Drive, Phase 4

Mr. Stephens Collins, of Defenders Inc., of Washington, District of Columbia is requesting preliminary record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately three (3.035) acres into thirty-three (33) lots, one (1) open space parcel, private streets, and associated easements. The property is located south of Little River Turnpike (Route 50) west of the intersection of Defender Drive (Route 1278) and Helmsdale Terrace, and northwest of Valley Vista Lane. The property is zoned R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential 16) under the provisions of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as a portion of parcels 128-48-4437-000, 128-48-8353-000, 128-489540, and 127-48-9920-000 in the Dulles Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the LandMARC System http://www. loudoun.gov/LandMARC and searching for PLAT-2024-0375. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Vaughn Bynoe at Vaughn.Bynoe@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by February 27, 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). 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20 & 2/27/25

ABC LICENSE

D&R Ventures Corporation, trading as Senor Ramon Taqueria, 38 South King Street, Leesburg, VA 20175. The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Restaurant Beer, Wine and Mixed Beverage Consumed On and Off Premises licensed to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Rajveer Nijjar, President

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.

2/20 & 2/27/25

ABC LICENSE

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

ADESA WASHINGTON DC 705-996-1100

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.

Regular

Town 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.

Full-Time Positions

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.

$71,206-$144,960

$60,373-$122,908

Microsoft Corporation currently has the following openings in Leesburg, VA (opportunities available at all levels, e.g., Principal, Senior and Lead levels). To access job posting, visit website address listed.

Mechanical Engineering: Design, dvlp, modify, or evaluate electronic parts, components, integrated circuitry, or systems related to MSFT tech. https://jobs-microsoft.icims.com/ jobs/40531/go/job Multiple positions available. Some positions req travel and/ or permit telecommuting. For details (if

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Town Turmoil

Opinion

Entering its third month in office, the new Purcellville Town Council continues to struggle to build trust among its members or with a significant bloc of its constituents.

Meetings typically feature battles among council members over the motivations behind items being taken off or added to agendas, followed by a parade of public comment from residents who chastise them for their secretive conduct.

Under the leadership of the newly elected mayor, the four-member majority has adopted an exclusionary approach in its dealing with their remaining three counterparts. The dictatorial governing style has served only to breed distrust. Sometimes those actions have come in an intentional “because you can’t stop us” manner and other times in needless bumbling from an inexperienced group unwilling to listen to competing ideas regardless of their merit.

At its first meeting, the majority unilaterally ousted the town manager installed the former mayor, a political compatriot, in his place on an interim basis. This week, the

Data Centers Everywhere

Editor:

On Feb. 19, the Board of Supervisors approved the Greenlin Park Data Centers rezoning of 80 acres of mostly wooded land in the Transition Policy Area from TR-10 (1 home per 10 acres) to light industrial.

One of the reasons for voting yes was that there were no nearby residential and only industrial sites around the proposed rezoning site. This is ironic because all of these industrial sites have been created from rezoning residential land by previous boards. Another reason given for voting yes was that the site was zoned TR-10 and had sat there for a long time with no development. Not every raw land site needs to be developed, and no one is going to develop raw land sites for anything but data centers as they know the board will say yes to rezoning requests if a parcel sits vacant long enough.

A recent article in Loudoun Now on data centers indicated that there are currently 199 data centers in Loudoun County (49 million sq ft) and another 117 with active site plans in the pipeline. Most of those planned data centers are in zoning that makes them by right and there is nothing we can do about it. With all the data centers planned by right, it is hard to explain why our county board thinks we need to convert residential land

group caused an unnecessary controversy by accusing the staff of manipulating the job qualifications posted in the nationwide recruitment with the presumed motivation that their preferred candidate could be deemed unqualified, although the mayor was unable to provide proof of the allegation when asked to do so by a fellow council member. They then forced a vote declaring that anyone who has served as an interim town manager would be deemed to meet the qualifications for consideration for the permanent job.

And that debate was followed by a hastily called closed door meeting to review the performance of the town’s planning director, who appears to be next on the majority’s target list, with perhaps more to come.

Next month the council will have to move on from petty score keeping and begin dealing with a challenging budget, one best addressed with an all-hands-on deck approach. If the leadership chooses to continue to act as a four-member council that disfranchises dissenters, that work will be more difficult—and not likely successful.

LETTERS to the Editor

in our Transition Policy Area to more data centers. So much for listening to what your constituents want or need.

This rezoning will generate a data center complex of 1.4 million square feet, which will require an additional 300 megawatts of electricity during peak periods. That is the same amount of energy as 300,000 households. Dominion Power has been clear it cannot predict the location and number of transmission lines needed to serve Loudoun’s data centers because the Loudoun board keeps rezoning land not meant for that much power. While everyone is up in arms about the power lines going in on Rt 7, this is just the first of several new transmission Iines that will be built through our county to serve the almost 400 data centers that will be here. The location of those lines is up to the state, and not our board.

Our current board is made up of very good people who dedicate their time to public service. However, they apparently do not have the power/will power to stop the data center industry from growing throughout the county.

Some of my friends who live west of Leesburg tell me that the data centers won’t stop at Leesburg and soon will be in the rural west. I used to think they were a little crazy. However, it is becoming obvious I was wrong, and they are right.

Data centers have too much power and resources to be stopped and will be in the rural western part of the county before you can blink your eyes. Loudoun will go from one of the best places to live, work, and play, to an industrial community where only big and ugly concrete buildings thrive.

I will continue to fight against the proliferation of data centers in our county, but I also know it is only delaying the inevitable, which is a travesty for all the county’s residents.

— Ted Lewis, Leesburg Goose Creek Association Board Chair

Astonished

Editor:

Reading your Feb. 20 issue, I was astonished to learn that Loudoun County now hosts over 200 data centers and that over 100 more data centers covering 60 million square feet are in the pipeline. Most of the new centers are “by right” development that cannot be stopped so long as they meet current zoning standards. And, as I understand their contracts with the county, we cannot restrict their enormous water consumption, even in a drought. And here we are coming off two years of drought

on page 35

Loudoun Now is mailed weekly to homes

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Share your views at loudounnow.com/polls

with another drought forecast for 2025. Clearly the county is delighted with the surplus tax revenue. Is anybody thinking about the future? About farmers being able to irrigate their fields in our increasing summer heat? About firefighters being able to fight our increasing wildfires? About our wells running dry as the water table drops? — Gaye Mara, Lovettsville

Dark Day

Editor:

Is Donald Trump the “Master of the Deal” as he claims, or just a pawn and mouthpiece of Vladimir Putin? Judging from events surrounding the ongoing discussions with Russia, it appears to be the latter.

Leading up to the start of negotiations with Russia, Trump, Vance, and Hegseth gave away the key bargaining chips that might have forced Putin into giving up some of his own key objectives. The Trump team stated that there is no path to NATO membership for Ukraine, that Ukraine must cede Russia’s illegally gotten territorial gains, excluded Ukraine from at least this first round of talks, and completely excluded Europe. And on the day the negotiation began, Trump stooped to echo the lies of Vladimir Putin that Ukraine started the war.

In short, Trump seems willing to give

CHIPshots

— By Chip Beck, beckchip@aol.com

LETTERS to the Editor

Putin everything he wants. Trump said he “trusts” Putin, the man who started the war, murdered thousands of Ukrainians, and kidnapped thousands of Ukrainian children. Putin, Trump said, really just wants peace.

It’s painfully clear that Trump hasn’t learned the lesson of the infamous Munich Conference in 1938, when Britain’s Neville Chamberlain returned saying “peace in our time” after agreeing to cede Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland to Hitler. Are today’s negotiations with Russia’s dictator that much different from 1938? I doubt it.

Let’s remember that in 1991 the Russian Federation, under Boris Yeltsin (who appointed Vladimir Putin, as his successor) agreed to Ukraine’s independence through the Belovezha Accords, which dissolved the Soviet Union and recognized the independence of Ukraine.

In violation of these Accords, in 2014 Putin invaded Ukraine to seize lands where he claimed ethnic Russians were being persecuted. This was an illegal action, but the international community did little more than express disapproval. Thus emboldened, Putin attacked again in 2022 under the pretext that Ukraine was led by a Nazi regime, planned to attack Russia, and that the U.S. was behind this “threat” to Russia. So much for being able to trust Putin.

continued from page 35

In fairness, we will have to wait and see the ultimate outcome of these talks. It’s also fair to say that Ukraine would be in a stronger position had the Biden administration not put constraints on Ukraine’s weaponry and usage. But from everything said by Trump and his administration, the United States will now cave to Putin. NATO and Europe will be weakened, and Putin will be emboldened to seize other territories, perhaps the Baltic states. That could result in a wider European conflict that would be hard for the United States to stay out of. It is a dark day for America, and even darker for Ukraine.

— Oscar McNeil, Waterford

Stupid Decision

Editor:

While DEI is going the way of the dodo bird throughout most of the country and most businesses, the dodos on the Loudoun Board of Supervisors have decided that despite all the harm caused by separating people by the color of their skin, they think it is a great idea. I guess they are completely opposed to Martin Luther’s King’s hope that one day we could relate to each other by the nature of our character rather than the color of our skin. They must think that was an impossible task and a stupid idea.

So who benefits from this stupid

decision? Well, some people already benefitted with the $125,000 the taxpayers doled out to do a study on its benefits. Did the study determine any negatives to it? I mean the rest of the country pretty much is dumping the idea. Must be some reason for that besides the fact that it is discrimination at its worst. There is nothing more I would want to be told that I got a job (or did not get a job) because of the color of my skin or my ethnicity. What a confidence booster that would be.

Then there are all the DEI hires that we will need to pay to monitor who knows how many programs that will be developed to enforce this discrimination. They will benefit also.

And, of course, the taxpayer will get hit for more money to pay for schools since it is more than likely that the federal government will now pull all its money which it currently gives to Loudoun County to just teach our kids reading, writing and arithmetic. Now we have to teach them all about how to discriminate based on skin color. And Supervisor Kristen C. Umsttad is perfectly fine with this. Federal dollars vs. teaching discrimination. Let’s see, I’ll go with teaching discrimination, she says. I do want to say thanks to the two Republicans — Matthew Letourneau and Caleb Kershner – who voted against this insanity.

— Lorraine Sawyer, Ashburn

The Peoples’ Constitution

President

BY BEN LENHART

Trump and the Courage of America’s First Principles

Our Constitution enshrines and protects America’s core beliefs, often called first principles. There are many ways to describe these first principles, but here are some of the most important ones: democracy, rule of law, liberty, and courage. For 236 years, since the birth of the Constitution, these core beliefs have served as the foundation for America. Some of President Trump’s actions early in his second term challenge or even violate these first principles. Others do not. In other words, some of his actions are within his Constitutional powers, but others are not. This article explores some of the president’s actions in light of these core beliefs.

Democracy. While America is both a republic and a democracy, democratic values—government of, by, and for the people—are at the heart of our nation’s structure. The Constitution promotes democracy in many ways: direct election by the people of representatives and (after the 17th Amendment) senators; the Bill of Rights, which, by protecting the people’s liberties, such as freedom of speech and freedom of the press, allows democracy to function; the 10th Amendment (ensuring that powers not given to federal government by the Constitution remain with states or the people); Article V, which ensures that the people—not the president, Congress or the courts—have the final say on any changes to the Constitution; and the Preamble itself, which makes clear that the Constitution comes from “We the People.” Even for presidential elections, where democracy is filtered through the electoral college as a result of Article II and the 12th Amendment, in most (though not all) presidential elections, the victor is the one who wins the popular vote.

Democracy is served when people elect government leaders in a free and fair election and those elected leaders then serve the will of the people. Sometimes the people strongly disagree on a particular policy (for example, how to handle illegal immigration), but it is nevertheless consistent with democracy for the winning candidate try to implement the policies that he campaigned on, even if other people oppose the policies, so long as he does so legally. Democracy would

not be served if he campaigned on one set policies but, upon election, pursued an entirely different set of policies. While many disagree with Trump’s actions early is his term, some of them—such as some of his actions in the areas of immigration and reducing the size of government—are consistent with his campaign promises, and so in that sense, so long as those policies are pursued lawfully, democracy is served. On the other hand, where Trump’s actions, or those of any president, make it harder for democracy to function—for example, refusing to abide by election results, hindering voting rights, or refusing to follow laws passed by a democratically elected Congress, such as the laws establishing USAID—such actions violate democratic principes.

Blessings of Liberty. Democracy by itself is insufficient to protect what the Constitution’s Preamble calls the “Blessings of Liberty.” Whether you think of these blessings as the “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” (using the language of our Declaration of Independence) or as the specific rights set out in the Bills of Rights—freedom of speech and press, freedom from unlawful search or arrest, freedom of religion, to name a few—these freedoms are part of the essence of America and one of its first principles.

But even a perfect democracy and perfect rule of law combined don’t guarantee these freedoms. After all, people can elect leaders who wish to take away these freedoms, and the rule of law will not protect the people if new laws or executive orders—issued by the newly elected president or by a Congress subservient to the president—strip away these core liberties. The solution is to place these core freedoms above any ordinary law or executive order. Fortunately, the American Constitution does just that. Our freedoms are protected in many places in the Constitution, but especially in the Bill of Rights, the first 10 Amendments added in 1791 just three years after the Constitution was ratified. Short of amending the Constitution to remove these rights, an unrealistic scenario given the difficult amendment process in Article 5 and the fact that the people themselves have the final say on any amendment, they are not easily taken away (although they can be interpreted more or less broadly by the courts). Giv-

en these strong protections, is there still any danger that these core rights could be lost? Yes, they could be taken away by a president who believes himself to be above the law and unconstrained by the Constitution. In other words, a president who does not follow the rule of law.

Rule of law. America, or at least the America that we all know and love, cannot survive without rule of law. John Adams famously said: “We are a nation of laws not men.” What did he mean? America’s laws are the rules of the road, passed after deliberation by the people’s representatives. They are the rules that govern our actions. Our paramount law, the Constitution, sets out the basic structure of our government and staunchly protects our fundamental freedoms. Laws are written down so that later actions by any person, including the president, can be measured against them, and any actions that violate the law are rejected. While laws are usually long lasting, they can be changed by Congress with a later law. In contrast, the Constitution gives the president no power to change the law. Laws can be struck down by a court if the law is found invalid, but the Constitution gives the president no power to strike down a law even if he firmly dislikes it. Under our Constitution, Congress alone, not the president, has the power to make laws and, under Article 1 Section 8, it also has the sole power to fund the laws (i.e., the power of the purse).

The downside of rule of law is that it is slow, complicated, and inefficient. The upside: it increases the odds that our liberty will be preserved and decreases the odds that America will fall into a dictatorship. A nation led by a single person, unbound by the rule of law, is the very essence of a dictator. Why should Americans fear a dictator? Even if you like his policies today, tomorrow you may not. In many countries with dictators today, the basic freedoms that all Americans cherish— freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to travel, freedom from arbitrary arrest—don’t exist, or are extremely limited. Without rule of law, there is nothing to stop a president acting as a dictator from taking away these rights. The courts could strongly object to such actions, but they have no army or police force to stop a president unbound by rule of law. To paraphrase a famous British scholar (Lord

Acton): power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

“He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.” President Trump recently made this statement, which some have attributed to Napoleon. In a similar vein, Vice President Vance said that “judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.” The grave danger to America presented by these statements— if they were to become operational (a very big “if”)— is all too clear. If a president is not bound by court rulings, rule of law is lost. To be fair, Trump also recently said that he would follow court rulings, and his administration is engaging daily with the court system. There are now more than 80 lawsuits challenging Trump’s recent actions. Some early rulings have supported Trump, but a greater number have gone against him, although all of these cases are in early stages, and the final outcomes are months or years away. While the outcomes are uncertain, it is safe to say that Trump faces long odds of success in cases dealing with birthright citizenship, the need to abide by laws passed by Congress (e.g., the law creating USAID), and the need to respect Congress’ power of the purse. On the other hand, given recent Supreme Court cases finding a broad presidential power to remove any executive branch employee, Trump is on stronger Constitutional ground in cases dealing with removals of federal workers, although even here he must comply with the laws or labor agreements that apply to the worker’s employment. Legality aside, the wisdom of firing thousands of federal works presents an entirely different question, and one that is being hotly debated. These 80+ cases (with more to come) are slowing down President Trump’s policies, and in some cases may stop them entirely. Undoubtedly any president would prefer not to be burdened by such cases because he believes that his actions are good for the country and will “save” the country from the problems it is facing. If the president could act alone, unburdened by court rulings and unconstrained by the limits carefully placed on him by the Constitution, he could move faster and more efficiently and “get things done.”

FIRST PRINCIPLES continues on page 37

First Principles

continued from page 36

Faster, yes, but wiser and ultimately better for the country, very likely “no.” Our Constitution embodies a fundamental choice: despite all the inefficiencies, we require the president to act subject to the law even if it means moving far more slowly than he wants, and even it his preferred actions are sometimes forbidden altogether. The reason for this decision goes the heart of America: subjecting the president to the rule of law (along with other checks and balances) it is the best way we know to protect our liberties and, with them, the American way of life. This has been the path America has followed for our 236 years under the Constitution. Since Marbury v Madison in 1803, when Chief Justice Marshall said “no” to President Jefferson the courts have said “no” many times to the president, and in virtually every case, the president has obeyed the courts, despite the president’s strong disagreement.

The Wisdom of Youngstown. History shines a bright light on President Trump’s recent statements about the president being bound (or not) by the rule of law. For example, in the famous “Steel Seizure” case in 1952, President Truman seized the steel mills during the Korean war. He argued the seizure was necessary because the war effort needed steel. He needed to seize the steel mills to keep them operating because there was a threatened work stoppage because of a labor dispute. We suspect that Truman believed he was “saving the country” just as fervently as Trump does today. Youngstown Sheet and Tube sued, claiming the seizure was unlawful. The Supreme Court first stated the basic rule for measuring all presidential action: in every case, a president’s power to act must arise from the Constitution itself or from an act of Congress. If the President cannot justify his action under one of these two sources, then his action is invalid. The Court found Truman’s action was invalid because it was supported neither by any act of Congress nor by the Constitution. Justice Jackson’s concurrence in that case remains today a key test for determining whether a president’s action is lawful. Under that test the president’s power is highest when aligned with an act of Congress and lowest when it contradicts such an act.

The Youngstown Court then touched on the wisdom embodied in our Constitutional choice to place the president under the law.

“The Founders of this Nation entrusted the lawmaking power to the Congress alone in both good and bad times. It would do no good to recall the historical events, the fears of power, and the hopes for free-

dom that lay behind their choice. Such a review would but confirm our holding that this seizure order cannot stand.”

Some of the “historical events” that the court had in mind were the stripping away of the colonists’ freedoms by the British before the Revolutionary War and the fear of an all-powerful British King imposing cruel and unjust hardships on the colonies (27 of these hardships are listed in the Declaration of Independence). The reference to “hopes for freedom” is the belief reflected in our Constitution that freedom is best preserved when the president is under law.

The Court then stated these famous lines: “The essence of our free Government is “leave to live by no man’s leave, underneath the law”—to be governed by those impersonal forces which we call law. Our Government is fashioned to fulfill this concept so far as humanly possible. … The executive action we have here originates in the individual will of the President, and represents an exercise of authority without law. … With all its defects, delays and inconveniences, men have discovered no technique for long preserving free government except that the Executive be under the law, and that the law be made by parliamentary deliberations.”

Conclusion: Courage lies at the heart of our Constitution. It has survived for 236 years only because of countless acts of courage by untold numbers of Americans: the founding fathers signing the Declaration of Independence knowing it was seen by the British as an act of treason punishable by death; soldiers defending the nation in battlefields around the world; judges standing up to powerful presidents and ensuring that they remain under the law; civil rights leaders facing down violence in order to bring an end to legalized segregation; politicians and government employees standing up to injustice even if doing so could cost them their jobs; and, most importantly, everyday Americans doing the right thing by raising families, helping neighbors, treating others with respect, and doing their jobs, all of which allow America to flourish.

It is all too easy to take for granted our Constitution and the liberties that it protects. We say to ourselves, the dictatorships that we see around the world could never happen here in America. For 248 years since we declared independence, that belief has proven true. But there is no guarantee it will be true for another 248 years—or even for another two years— unless all of us continue to have the courage to support the first principles of democracy, liberty, and rule of law. n

[Ben Lenhart is a graduate of Harvard Law School and has taught Constitutional Law at Georgetown Law Center for more than 20 years. He lives with his family and lots of animals on a farm near Hillsboro.]

Ranked Choice Voting Works for Chili, It Can for Local Elections

BY SAM KROIZ

I applaud the Board of Supervisors for exploring their option to adopt ranked choice voting by requesting a presentation on feasibility by local election officials. I hope that they will move forward afterwards and adopt it for future board elections.

I’ve run for office twice as an independent candidate in a three-way race. I came in distant last place both times, but the number of votes that I received was greater than the margin between the top two candidates. I wish that voters could vote for me and also express their preference between the top two candidates and with ranked choice voting they could. I don’t believe that it would have changed the result in either case, but it would have given voters more power to get the result that they want and that’s a good thing and that’s something that the board should want and that the board can get by adopting ranked choice voting.

I also wish to share another personal experience with voting that folks might find informative. For the past several years, I’ve hosted an annual chili cookoff and have conducted the voting using ranked choice voting. Everyone samples as many chilis as they want to and then ranks however many they want to from best to worst. Everyone finds it very simple and intuitive. Once all the ballots are in, they are sorted into stacks based on the top-ranked chili on the ballot. The shortest stack is removed and those ballots are re-sorted among the remaining stacks based on the second-ranked chili on those ballots. Then the next shortest stack is eliminated and it goes on like that until there’s a winner. This tabulation process is very simple and easy to conduct.

These chili cook-offs are a family event and there’s usually about 10 families totaling about 50 people. Before adopting ranked choice voting, everyone voted for their own family’s chili and the winner was usually whichever family was the biggest, regardless of how good or bad the chili was. With ranked choice voting, everyone votes for their own chili first, but also samples the other chilis and expresses their preferences amongst them through ranking. The result is that the chili that folks think tastes the best wins, which is the whole point of a cook-off in the first place. If we all wound up on a desert island with only the winning chili to eat, we would be happy that we selected it using ranked choice voting.

My cook-offs also illustrate some important aspects of ranked choice voting.

Some critics claim that ranked choice voting violates the one person, one vote principle, but it doesn’t. Everyone has one vote that goes wholly to one chili unless that chili is eliminated by being least popular. Their one vote then goes wholly to their second choice, much the same way as it would in a separate run-off election. Ranked choice voting is also known as instant run-off voting for this reason. It’s like a multi-round run-off, but it is able to happen instantly because of the ranking. If your top-ranked chili is the most popular, then your one vote stays wholly with that chili through the process. Your lower rankings never come into play and ranking a chili second never helps it win over your first-choice chili.

Sometimes folks only vote for one chili or only rank a few chilis. If those chilis aren’t popular, then they get eliminated early in the process, and those ballots don’t have anywhere to go in the re-sorting between the later rounds. These are known as exhausted ballots. Some critics claim that exhausted ballots mean that the voters’ choices are tossed out. That’s not true because ballots are exhausted when voters don’t express a preference between the remaining chilis and you can’t disregard an opinion that a voter doesn’t have in the first place. Ballots are only exhausted when voters don’t express a preference and that’s their prerogative.

Some critics claim that ranked choice voting delays results. That’s true, but only because ranked choice voting makes every ballot more important and you need to have all of the ballots to do the tabulation. My cook-offs can be raucous at times and it can be hard to make sure that everyone gets their ballots submitted in a timely manner. With typical voting, it doesn’t matter if a few ballots aren’t submitted, as long as their number isn’t greater than the margin between the top two most popular chilis. With ranked choice voting, ballots that aren’t submitted matter unless their number is less than the margin between any two of the chilis. For instance, the difference between finishing in fourth or five place matters. Ranked choice voting makes votes count more and that’s a good thing. The timeliness of results is based on the rules about ballot submission, for instance mail-in ballots, not ranked choice vs typical voting. Ranked choice tabulation happens very fast once you have all the ballots.

My email from my 2023 campaign for chairman of the Board of Supervisors still works. If anyone would like to discuss ranked choice voting and/or it’s adoption for local elections, please reach out at sam4chairman@gmail.com. n

Purcellville Turmoil

continued from page 1

by the town and may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination,” according to the Purcellville employee handbook.

Former Town Police Chief Cindy McAlister confirmed that during her tenure the department took abuse of sick leave seriously.

“It would be normal protocol and expected to conduct an administrative investigation on an officer if there was an allegation they were violating policy, even to include not following sick leave policy,” she stated. “If an employee utilizes sick leave when not sick, this is a form of time and attendance fraud, which equates to embezzlement.”

Officers with a history of dishonesty, criminal convictions or other credibility issues are included on a commonwealth’s attorney’s “Brady List,” which means their testimony may be considered unreliable and must be disclosed to the defense in a criminal case, according to legal precedent set in a Supreme Court case. When asked about the status of Commonwealth’s Attorney Bob Anderson’s Brady List, a department spokesperson said they were not able to release any documentation. However, the spokesperson confirmed that the office “upon review of certain documents will no longer be able to rely on Officer Carl Ben Nett” when prosecuting cases.

Since Nett announced his candidacy for the Town Council last year, town residents have questioned the ethics of a council member while he also works as a town employee. Critics noted that as a council member, Nett would have oversight of his boss, the town police chief.

During a Jan. 14 meeting, Council Member Kevin Wright raised concerns with Nett’s appointment to vice mayor because of his position as a town police officer. Without a town manager in place, the mayor assumes the responsibilities of running the town. If the vice mayor were required to step into that role, Nett would become the supervisor of his boss. That is a

Oak Hill

continued from page 1

years. As they make plans to downsize in retirement, the family has been working with The Conservation Fund to put the historic property in public hands, with a goal to complete the transaction by year’s end.

Last year, the Board of Supervisors committed $22 million to support the acquisition of the land. Also, an endowment, with more than $20 million in commit-

conflict of interest, Wright said.

But Nett has consistently defended his position under Virginia Code Section 15.2-1512.2, a law that says a locality may not prohibit an employee of the town from participating in political activities while off duty, out of uniform and off the premises of their employment.

Two days after that council meeting, Police Chief Barry Dufek announced his early retirement after being promoted to the position seven months earlier. Since then, at least two other officers have either retired or resigned from the department, which is authorized for a force of up to 21. The department declined to reveal the number of officers currently on staff within the department due to safety concerns.

Lombraña, then deputy chief, was appointed to act as interim chief during the recruiting process for a replacement.

Friction publicly surfaced between Lombraña and Nett during a Feb. 13 meeting when Lombraña was asked to weigh in on the status of staff retention within the department.

“I think the officers right now especially are dealing with low morale and I don’t have to go into why,” she said. “I think everybody understands why …”

“Excuse me, I’d like to hear you elaborate on that,” Nett interrupted. “What is the purpose of…”

Other council members interrupted Nett to remind him that he had recused himself from the discussion on police officer compensatory leave.

An email obtained by Loudoun Now sent by Nett includes a draft Town of Purcellville press release announcing Lombraña’s removal from the position as interim Police Chief and the appointment of another officer to the position.

No such announcement has been made as of Feb. 25.

Loudoun Now reached out to Interim Town Manager Kwasi Fraser regarding Nett’s actions but has not received a response.

During a Feb. 25 Town Council meeting, Fraser, who was appointed after the newly elected council fired former Town Manager Rick Bremseth, announced he

ments, is being established to support the park’s ongoing operational costs.

The bill authorizing the commonwealth to take ownership of the land cleared the House of Delegates without objections. Last week, members Senate finance committee balked, raising concerns that it could leapfrog park proposals that are under consideration in other parts of the commonwealth. The bill’s sponsor, Del. Alfonso H. Lopez (D-3), of Arlington, headed off a subcommittee push to kill the bill and initially secured support for an administrative study of the park’s costs and

would be hiring a third-party consultant to evaluate the department and planned to put the recruitment of a new chief on hold.

Fraser said two members of town staff had raised concerns about retaining officers at the department.

That announcement was opposed by some council members and residents who said management studies were conducted in 2018 and 2022, both when Fraser was mayor.

The most recent analysis, conducted by John Anzivino, who served twice as interim town manager, recommended the department hire two additional officers in fiscal year 2026.

“Purcellville’s Police Department is well-organized around traditional police functions and its command structure is relatively simple and highly effective,” according to the report.

Council Member Susan Khalil said she did not know who “in their right mind” would object to a third-party assessment of the department.

During Tuesday night’s meeting, the council also received an update from Director of Human Resources Ladonna Snellbaker on the status of hiring a permanent town manager, for which there have been 60 applicants.

An amended agenda for the meeting posted late Friday night included a new motion that would have removed the job posting for the position.

Mayor Christopher Bertaut said he had added the motion because the information regarding the qualifications for the position that were included in the job posting had been different than what had been reviewed by council. He acknowledged a concern that Fraser would not meet the posted qualifications.

Snellbaker disputed that, saying she had only changed the formatting of the information.

“The approach I’ve taken is basically the same as any typical executive level of search,” she said. “… To be honest, I’m a little confused as to why this motion has actually been put up here. I have approximately 30 years of experience with HR recruiting and quite frankly I’m insulted

funding options.

“This is the last chance to get this property. The family that has been taking care of this land for a generation. They cannot take care of the property any further. They’ve turned down requests over $55 million from developers for it. They want this to be a park. It’s the last homestead of a founding father in the United States that is not either a state park or a federal park, and the fact that this could be developed for townhouses is offensive,” Lopez told the subcommittee during a hearing Feb. 17. However, when the study plan came to

by this.”

When asked by Council Member Caleb Stought to list the changes allegedly made by the staff, Bertaut was unable to cite one during the meeting.

A motion by Nett to “recognize and accept as presumptively qualified for permanent appointment as town manager any individual who currently serves or has served as town manager or interim town manager” passed 4-3 with council members Stought, Erin Rayner and Kevin Wright opposed.

The job posting will close March 4.

The council also made a last-minute change to the agenda to convene a closed session to discuss personnel matters relating to Zoning Administrator Summer Wilkes.

After the closed session Wright, Rayner and Stought declined to certify that the information discussed during the closed meeting met the requirements protected by Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Rayner and Stought told Loudoun Now that they were concerned that information reviewed by the council that did not meet legal or personnel requirements for a closed meeting.

Wilkes was recently caught up in a controversy with Planning Commission Chair Ron Rise Sr. when during a Feb. 6 commission meeting, she requested a point of order to correct the structure of a motion that had been made regarding the e xtension of appointing a chair and vice chair.

The motion had been improperly made and she was intending to provide the proper verbiage, she said.

However, Rise refused to allow her to speak, interrupting her by banging the gavel.

“No, thank you,” he said, adding later that she could correct him at a later time.

At the next council meeting, council members and residents spoke about the interaction and apologized to Wilkes.

“It just lacked courtesy, and I’m looking at the Code of Conduct of [commissions, committees and board] members right now and it violates multiple ones,” Rayner said. n

the Senate floor Thursday afternoon, Finance Committee Chair L. Louise Lucas (D-18), of Portsmouth, sent the issue back to her committee, which would not meet again during the session, killing the bill.

During the Feb. 19 Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) asked what the counter argument to the senators’ concerns would be.

“No other state park in the commonwealth has an endowment,” Legislative

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A Loudoun Moment

This spring crocus image was captured with a Nikon Z8 using a “LensBaby” 24mm lens to create a dreamy effect. Crocus are among the first flowers to bloom each spring. In cold climates, their cheery blossoms will often open when there's still snow on the ground. Crocus flowers come in Easter-egg colors of purple, yellow, lavender, cream and white.

Oak Hill

continued from page 38

Liaison Johnathon Freeman said. “Oak Hill if it were to become a state park would have an endowment. The other counter argument to that is The Conservation Fund will continue to fundraise for Oak Hill, even if it becomes a state park. So, the work isn’t finished just on the acquisition.”

Freeman said a feasibility study by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation showed the park would be a solid investment for the state.

Letourneau asked if there is a way work more directly with the governor’s administration to move the project forward.

Conservation Fund Project Lead

Heather Richards told Loudoun Now that the organization is doing that with the hope that the governor includes funding for the park in the budget.

The House’s budget included $1.25 million from non-General Fund sources in fiscal year 2026 to support five positions in the Department of Conservation and Recreation to operate the state park, but the Senate’s budget package did not.

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said Del. Geary Higgins (R-30), who has been a vocal supporter of the project, was “working very hard” with Youngkin’s administration to move the project forward.

Efforts to create new state parks typical-

ly face opposition in the General Assembly, where offers of free land, like the proposed Oak Hill deal, are met with skepticism.

Loudoun County is home to one state park. The effort to establish Sweet Run State Park north of Hillsboro, also with a land donation, began during the McDonnell administration in 2010. It finally opened to the public 2023.

Randy Minchew was a policy advisor to Gov. Bob McDonnell when the first steps were made to accept the Sweet Run property from the Leggett family.

Minchew served eight years in the House of Delegates and has seen legislators’ reluctance to create new state parks. He said that often is because they see the likelihood of ever-expanding future

obligations.

“I tell you what I heard down there,” he said in an interview. “I’m a parks guy, but I have heard many people say parks bills are the ultimate Christmas tree bills.”

“The term Christmas tree bill is where everybody puts an ornament on the tree. So you establish a bill that creates the tree and guess what happens? Every year the taxpayers are asked to put another ornament on the tree,” Minchew said. “So it seems like it may be inexpensive to start, but we know long term, you’ll need to feed this piece financially.”

“Some legislators who are more conservative than I am will say how do you say no when all these kids come meet with you and say I want to go to the park?” he said. n

Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now