Loudoun Now for Jan. 7, 2021

n LOUDOUN

Pg. 5 | n LEESBURG

VOL. 6, NO. 6

Pg. 8 | n PUBLIC SAFETY

Pg. 12 | n PUBLIC NOTICES

Pg. 24 | n OBITUARIES

We've got you covered. In the mail weekly. Online always at LoudounNow.com

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JANUARY 7, 2021

Deputy, Security Officers Injured in Walmart Shootout LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

AMC Loudoun Station 11 in Ashburn is one of three movie theaters in Loudoun County open amid the COVID-19 pandemic. State regulations require theaters to operate at a maximum capacity of 30%.

Return of the Big Screens Movie Theaters Reopen, Optimistic for 2021

BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com

Since last March, Loudouners have used their living room as movie theaters, downsizing their screens from 50 feet to 50 inches. For a few months, that was their only option. But now, half of the county’s movie theaters are open and showing

films every day of the week, and they’re expecting a turnaround in 2021.

While all three Regal theaters—at the Dulles Town Center, the Brambleton Town Center and in Countryside—have been closed since early October, AMC Loudoun Station 11 in Ashburn, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema at One Loudoun, and CMX Cinemas Village 14 in the Vil-

SHOOTOUT continues on page 29

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lage at Leesburg are open at limited capacities. Per Gov. Ralph Northam’s latest restrictive order, movie theaters are allowed to open at a maximum capacity of 30%.

With such relatively low attendance, theaters are functional, but largely just getting by.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas is doing less THEATERS continues on page 30

A Loudoun Sheriff ’s deputy and two others were injured at the Walmart at Dulles Crossing Plaza following a shootout with a shoplifting suspect Saturday evening.

The incident occurred just before 5 p.m. Jan. 2 after loss prevention officers at the store, located off Atlantic Boulevard, detained a man on suspicion of stealing items. The suspect, described by police as a Hispanic male, was in a room with the civilian security officers waiting for deputies to arrive and take him into custody when he pulled a gun from his waistband and fired multiple rounds.

The two employees and one deputy were struck. They were transported to Reston Hospital for the treatment of injuries described as serious but not life threatening. Sheriff ’s Office Public Information Officer Kraig Troxell said Monday the deputy remains hospitalized but the security workers had been released.

The suspect ran from the store with another deputy chasing him. When they exchanged fire, the suspect was hit. However, he escaped the scene in a stolen pickup truck.

By 5:20 p.m., deputies were pur-

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW

PAGE 3

Cases, Tensions Spike as School Board Weighs Return to Classrooms

BY NORMAN K. STYER

BY RENSS GREENE

nstyer@loudounnow.com

Amid a period of sharply increasing COVID-19 cases, the Loudoun County School Board is wrestling with decisions about how and when to get students who want in-person instruction back into the classroom. Just like the caseload, the intensity of the debate continues to escalate, with one School Board member this week reporting a threat to her safety.

The school division had been on a path to fully implement its hybrid learning program—providing about half of its 80,000 students with two days of on-campus classes—by the start of the second semester on Jan. 21. However, increasing cases through December forced a rollback to 100% distance learning just before the winter break.

This week, COVID-19 case numbers are reflecting the post-holiday spike public health leaders had predicted. By Tuesday, the number of coronavirus patients undergoing treatment in Loudoun hospitals reached a record high, exceeding 50 for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. The previous record was 41, set May 31 just before cases started to decline following the initial spring spike.

The seven-day average positivity rate of COVID tests continued to be above 15% over the weekend and, by Tuesday, crossed 16% for the first time since May. All through December, the positivity rate remained above 11%.

As of Tuesday, the state health department reported that 3,969 coronavirus vaccines had been administered in Loudoun County, part of 481,550 available statewide.

Classes are expected to continue online at least for the next few weeks, but administrators are making preparations for a second semester launch. This week, staff members involved in the hybrid program were notified that they should return to their school buildings on Jan. 12 to prepare for the possibility of a “swift return” of students.

The School Board has been divided on the course of action for months. Some have touted the relatively low health risk to students and the educational and emotional benefits of having students in classrooms. Others have cited the high community caseloads, concerns about the safety of teachers and other staff members, and inconsistent implementation of

Supervisors Look Back on Turbulent First Year of Term rgreene@loudounnow.com

Northern Virginia Hospital Alliance

The number of COVID-19 related hospitalizations in Loudoun County reached record levels this week, with an average of more than 50 patients daily. Health Director Dr. David Goodfriend said hospital capacity remains at acceptable levels across the region, but warned that could change by February if residents don’t adequately adhere to mitigation strategies including mask wearing, frequent hand washing and physical distancing.

on-campus safety protocols.

Meanwhile, at each board meeting the School Board hears from dozens of parents and students pleading for a return to class, as well as teachers raising concerns about their safety. The Loudoun Education Association is leading an “it’s not safe” campaign to push for a delay in in-person learning.

Beth Barts (Leesburg) has been among the most vocal opponents of a return to class, arguing that it is not yet safe to do so. During the winter break, she has been posting comments on her Facebook page from worried educators sharing their experiences with in-person learning and saying it is unsafe because of unavoidable close contact with students, concerns about inadequate disinfection and PPE, and inconsistent mask wearing by some staff members.

On Monday, Barts posted a threat that she received warning that parents pressing for schools to reopen may seek “other means of persuasion” to change her view, including having a “militant opposition to take dramatic action.”

“Let me be very clear. You send veiled threats to an elected official... and sign it ... the police will be called. I have ignored the hate but this is ridiculous,” she wrote.

Leesburg Police Department spokesman Michael Drogin said he could not comment on “an active investigation.”

Denise Corbo (At Large) also has been active on social media seeking input from educators. A former teacher, she has consistently raised concerns about workplace safety and insuring teachers have

adequate protections before supporting in-person learning.

“Undeniably, we can all agree the best place for students and educators are in the buildings designed for them. Based on the emails I’ve received the majority who have participated in hybrid have been very happy with their experience and were happy to be back in the buildings,” she wrote in a Facebook posting. “Concerns are mostly centered around safety: school spread, metrics levels, changes in metrics, P1 and P2 status, having all staff in the buildings, and the enormous amount of time it takes to teach DL and Hybrid, and transitioning between the two platforms. I intend to share these concerns with the administration.”

Under current School Board policy, in-person classes are to be suspended automatically when the 14-day average of new cases reaches 200 or the 14-day average positivity rate of COVID-19 PCR tests reaches 10% for five consecutive workdays. The case rate has been over 200 for more than a month and was at 457 on Tuesday. The average positivity rate crossed 10% last month and is at 14% this week.

During Monday’s meeting, the School Board discussed additional measurements that could allow more students to participate in the hybrid program based on conditions at their individual schools or a specific high school cluster of schools.

Those include demonstrated compliance with mitigation strategies, the availability CLASSROOM continues on page 29

A drastically reshaped Loudoun County Board of Supervisors took office in January 2020, with a new party in the majority and four new faces on the dais—but those changes were nothing compared to the ones that began in March.

County supervisors were in their first budget deliberations of the new term—a steep learning curve for many to begin with—when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The first case of COVID-19 in Loudoun was reported on March 10. And from then on, nothing would be the same for many people in Loudoun, including public servants and elected leaders.

One of those new supervisors, Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn), said the county’s initial response to the pandemic was “exemplary.”

“I really think we led the nation in a lot of ways,” Turner said. “In retrospect, we shut our schools down—we were one of the first to shut our schools down and go to 100% distance learning—and that was probably a prudent move at the time.” And, he said, the decision by the governor that Loudoun and the rest of Northern Virginia would delay entering the first phases of reopening also was a good decision.

“I think the pandemic has just uncovered things that we’ve all known to be true but we just never stopped and really had the discussion about,” said County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large). “… Loudoun has the highest median income in the country, and the fact that we saw hundreds of people every week added to the roles of who was getting food from Loudoun Hunger Relief and other food pantries—so many of those things have been exposed, and I think it started a conversation that says it’s OK to ask for help, it’s OK to not be OK all the time.

And I do believe that those conversations will continue, and that’s a very good thing.”

Then in the summer, protesters took to the streets in droves across the country— including in Loudoun—after a series of headline-making killings of Black people by police.

Supervisors had already added an equity officer to the government, although that position was frozen along with all other new spending in the current year’s budget.

SUPERVISORS continues on page 29

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW

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PAGE 5

Loudoun

ON THE Agenda

Consultant Recommends Streamlined, Less-Redundant Zoning Ordinance

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BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

A consultant review of Loudoun’s current zoning ordinances has led to—perhaps predictably—recommendations that the county’s land use rules be streamlined and simplified.

Loudoun’s idiosyncratic zoning is known not only for its soon-to-be four geographically separated policy areas—rural, transition, suburban, and urban—but also for its three coexisting ordinance documents, with different parcels governed by each. They are the 1972 Zoning Ordinance, the 1993

Zoning Ordinance, and the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The old ordinances still apply to some properties in the Rt. 28 Tax District, where the General Assembly limited local government’s efforts to changing zoning rules.

The consultant, Montréal-based WSP, recommended the county consolidate and simplify the rules in Loudoun zoning as the county moves ahead with the Zoning Ordinance rewrite, the work to codify the policies in the new 2019 General Plan into law.

For example, the firm counted 61 zoning districts in Loudoun and 402 land use definitions. Of those definitions, said Dep-

uty Director of Planning and Zoning James David, many describe essentially the same thing, with minor tweaks. The firm counted only 281 actually distinct uses.

The firm also recommended making the new ordinance more user-friendly, such as by putting the most useful information up front, along with process improvements and development standards that emphasize environmental sensitivity, preserving historical resources, and incentivizing affordable housing.

Loudoun planners also are pushing to move toward form-based code, which govZONING continues on page 6

FEMA: Loudoun Safest County in U.S. for Natural Hazards

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Loudoun County is the safest county in the country in terms of weathering natural hazards, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA’s National Risk Index gave Loudoun the lowest score of all counties in the United States, considering natural hazards ranging from avalanches, volcanoes and tsunamis to flooding, hail, hurricanes and heat waves.

The index rates counties and census tracts relative to each other based on three factors: the expected annual damages, the vulnerability of people in the community to the impacts of those natural hazards,

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

While a tornado swept through Leesburg last February, FEMA found that Loudouners face little risk of damage from natural hazards.

and the community’s ability to plan for and recover from natural hazards. That meant that some places that are less well-known for natural hazards, but where a single tornado or flood could do massive damage and lead to many deaths, ranked very high on the list—such as in New York City.

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It also measures only natural hazards.

For example, flooding caused by a storm surge would be counted, but flooding from a dam breaking would not.

Loudoun’s place in the rankings was buoyed by its extremely low score for social vulnerability— the lowest of any county, and about one-tenth of the next-lowest, Chattahoochee County, GA. Loudoun was ranked “relatively moderate”—middle of the pack—for both expected annual loss and community resilience.

Loudoun is followed by the city and borough of Wrangell, AK, and Chattahoochee County, GA. The most endangered county is Los Angeles County, CA, followed by Bronx and New York, NY and Miami-Dade, FL. n

Loudoun Commissioner of the Revenue Robert S. Wertz recently mailed notification of the 2021 personal property filing requirements to all vehicle owners currently on the county’s tax rolls.

Personal property includes automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, campers, trailers, boats, motorhomes, aircraft and mobile homes. Residents will begin receiving notices in the mail beginning the week of Jan. 4 with an account number and instructions on how to review and update their personal property tax records for the 2021 tax year.

The online process allows residents to review and update information on the more than 372,000 vehicles now located in the county. Residents may access their personal property information online at loudoun.gov/efile using their social security or tax identification number, mailing address ZIP code and unique account number, which is displayed on the notice.

Residents can report corrections, an address change, the sale or disposal of a vehicle or unusually high mileage as well as unrepaired body damage or serious mechanical defect.

Those factors may affect the property’s valuation, or the number of months a vehicle is taxed in the county. The Commissioner of the Revenue requested that all changes be submitted by Feb. 1 for accurate assessments for the 2021 tax year.

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW

PAGE 6

JANUARY 7, 2021

Public Hearing Set for Proposed St. Louis, Aldie Tavern Land Swap Plans

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

The promised public hearing is set for Jan. 13 on a bid to preserve both land in the village of St. Louis and the Aldie Tavern by giving a developer the tavern and $1.5 million in exchange for land near St. Louis.

County supervisors previously voted to buy land near St. Louis from developer Mojax LLC for $1.5 million, averting controversial proposed plans to build a 30-home by-right subdivision. The project was controversial not only for its potential impact on the historic village and its water supply, but for the developer’s impact on wetlands.

But the purchase fell through, and now supervisors have a new deal that they hope will also restore the run-down Aldie Tavern.

ZONING continued from page 5 erns based on the appearance and impacts of a development rather than the specific uses inside. Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) raised concerns from her own experience.

ON THE Agenda continued from page 5

ly acquired vehicles or those recently entering Loudoun County must be reported to the Commissioner of the Revenue within 60 days of purchase or move to Loudoun or one of Loudoun’s incorporated towns.

Although the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has limited its services during the COVID-19 pandemic, owners of vehicles in the county are subject to taxes beginning on the date the vehicle came to Loudoun, even if the vehicle displays out-

Supervisors, after midnight at their Dec. 1 meeting, held a surprise vote to buy the St. Louis land for the same $1.5 million, but also to give the developer the land around the Aldie Tavern and set aside another $600,000 to help fund the restoration of the tavern and install an entrance road on the property. That will connect the road to land behind the tavern that is already under conservation easement.

And supervisors will hold a public hearing on that plan, which also has its detractors, on Jan. 13 at 6 p.m.

The Aldie Tavern, known by the county as the Aldie Assemblage, is the second of three plots the county bought for a new Aldie firehouse. Both the tavern site and a previous proposed fire house location were stopped by opposition from neighbors; now plans are to build the station at the corner of

Rt. 15 and Rt. 50 at Gilbert’s Corner.

People living in and around Aldie opposed the county’s plans to building the new fire house inside the village and instead pressed the county to restore and preserve the building. Supervisors for a time seemed set to build on that site despite those objections. However, when the county’s Historic District Review Committee denied the application to build the firehouse there as well as an appeal, supervisors moved to work around that obstacle by removing the property from the Aldie Historic District. Ultimately, however, after buying the new site at Gilbert’s Corner, supervisors stopped that work and voted instead to add more land to the historic district.

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) has said if the deal goes through, she would like to use the land near St. Lou-

is—where the developer had already drilled productive wells—to address longstanding water concerns in the village.

Meanwhile at Aldie Tavern, the developer has presented a concept plan for “Aldie Park,” with a restored tavern, shops in the two other buildings on the property, a brewery, and a bed-and-breakfast. It would also serve as the entrance and park office for the private parkland behind the property.

In all, the county has spent close to $3 million trying to find land for the new Aldie firehouse; the county spent $1.3 million on land east of town before a lawsuit from neighbors stopped plans there, $1.6 million for the Aldie Tavern property, and $875,000 for the Gilbert’s Corner land.

Watch Board of Supervisors meetings or learn how to sign up to participate at Loudoun.gov/meetings. n

“When the Town of Leesburg got into that kind of planning over a decade ago, the original proposal was that we didn’t care what the use was, we just cared how it looked,” Umstattd said. “So the initial proposal was, this is about aesthetics. What it ended up doing, though, was imposing aesthetics on top of regulating uses.”

David said that discussion continues among the county’s planners.

“Oftentimes, people try to go for the design, not care about the use, but then they end up saying ‘well, you know what, we do care about the use too,’ and then it doesn’t really translate as true form-based code,” David said. But, he said, form-based code

could be a good fit for urban areas “where you want that kind of maximum flexibility, in the uses around transit-oriented development.”

The consulting firm has also already built an online platform for browsing the county’s zoning ordinances, although that platform is not yet publicly accessible. n

of-state license plates.

Owners of vehicles displaying out-ofstate license plates who are not otherwise exempt from obtaining Virginia license plates will be charged an additional annual license fee of $100. A $250 penalty may also be imposed on owners of vehicles that are not registered with the DMV within 60 days of moving to Virginia.

Most transactions with the office can be completed online. For more information or filing assistance, visit loudoun.gov/cor or contact the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue at ppdcor@loudoun.gov or 703-777-0260. Regular office hours are

weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. In-person visitors are encouraged to contact the office in advance, as office hours may be adjusted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ty communities experiencing issues with deficient or non-existent water and/or wastewater systems with funding and other resources. Properly functioning water and wastewater systems help to assure a cleaner and healthier community.

Additional information, including the application for assistance, can be found at loudoun.gov/waterprojects or by contacting Loudoun County Environmental Program Specialist Scott Fincham at 703771-5520 or Scott.Fincham@loudoun. gov. Applications will be accepted from Jan. 1 through March 31.

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY 7, 2021

PAGE 7

Town of Hillsboro Traffic-Calming & Pedestrian Safety Project

ReThink9 BUILD IT ONCE—BUILD IT RIGHT

EVOLUTION OF A ROUNDABOUT Elimination of traffic signals reduces congestion and improves traffic flow.

Multiple projects, all rolled into one In addition to the regionally significant congestion mitigation and pedestrian safety highway project, under the umbrella of the Town of Hillsboro managed ReThink9 are multiple and complex infrastructure projects. Building separately—or in phases—would have required several years of construction, prolonged impacts to motorists and cost many millions more. Common sense and cooperation among Hillsboro’s project partners—Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA), Loudoun County, Virginia Department of Health and VDOT—prevailed to Build it Once, Build it Right. As 2021 begins, ReThink9 is on budget and ahead of schedule.

A nimble response to COVID-19 When ReThink9 construction began on March 6, the coronavirus pandemic was just starting its spread across Virginia. As stay-athome orders radically reduced commuter traffic, the Town and its contractor Archer Western—in collaboration with VDOT—revised the project’s sequence of work and moved to a complete road closure to accelerate all phases of construction, including the completion of Hillsboro’s Safe Drinking Water project months ahead of its schedule and eliminating two full closures planned in fall 2020. The project moved into its daily partial open phase in August, facilitating morning commuters and weekend tourism traffic through the work zone.

RETHINK9 MILESTONES

Within the tight corridor lined by historic homes and walls, deep excavation and installation of miles of buried electric and communications conduit, storm sewer structures and drainage pipes, drinking water and sanitary sewer mains and laterals could only be accomplished during road closures.

May 1

Limited daily traffic resumed in August (left) to accomdate morning commuters and weekend visitors to the Hillsboro area.

Daily closures (right) ensure safety in the tight work zone.

September 19

Walls that retain the roadway—and Hillsboro’s historic integrity In order to rebuild Charles Town Pike—Hillsboro’s hisoric “Main Street”—and a continuous sidewalk system that achieves one of the project goals of safe pedestrian access througout Hillsboro, the construction of a number of new stone retaining walls were required. Their context-sensitive design, materials and careful craftsmanship match existing structures to conserve the18th- and 19th-century character of one of Virginia’s best preserved rural villages.

November 28

Walls are required to support the roadway, parking bays and new sidewalks that are built along the corridor, which has steep grade variations (right). Carefully matching 18th-and 19th-century mortar styles used on adjacent structures (left), skilled masons build one of the signature stone walls in the center of Hillsboro.

For the latest project updates, visit ReThink9.com

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

PAGE 8

Leesburg

Council Looks to New Town Plan

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Perhaps the biggest New Year’s resolution for Leesburg’s planning and zoning staff is to get the re-write of the Town Plan off their desks, and to the Town Council adoption.

The staff kicked off the Legacy Leesburg project in earnest in 2019, and ended that year with a series of well-attended public engagement sessions. But, as with so many things, the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 stalled progress.

The planning staff has been working with Stantec, the consultant group hired to lead the Legacy Leesburg project, as well as sub-consultants. In the spring of 2020, right when the pandemic was beginning to rear its head, the consultants handed off the first draft of the plan to town staff.

“We needed to go back to them because it was not hitting the mark,” Planning and Zoning Department Director Susan Berry-Hill said of the initial draft. “We did work with them, and they submitted another draft which was late summer. Given the situation, the pandemic has continued to kind of interfere with our next steps which would have been public engagement around the early draft. What we decided to do was really go through the draft and

work with it, massage it a bit more, so we felt it was ready for primetime.”

It appears primetime is approaching.

Berry-Hill said her staff planned to send off another round of edits to the consultant team this week, and is hoping to be able to release the draft document to the public in the next month or two. A late February interactive virtual forum where the public can share its feedback is tentatively planned. The goal is to have the document available online ahead of that date, so the public can come to the forum armed with questions and feedback.

Ahead of that, senior planner and project manager Rich Klusek and Scott Parker, the senior planning project manager, are working on a series of six videos that cover a range of topics related to the new Town Plan. The videos include a broad overview of the process; demographics and trends in development; a recap of the public input received thus far; the guiding principles of

the Town Plan; policy; and measuring the success of the Town Plan. Klusek said he expects the videos to be released online every two weeks. Three of the videos can be found online now at the Town of Leesburg, Virginia’s YouTube channel.

Following the virtual public forum, Klusek said the staff will take the feedback from the public and see if any changes to the draft plan are necessary. The plan will then begin legislative review at the Planning Commission. Commissioners could take several meetings to comb through the document, in work sessions or regular business meetings. That schedule will be up to the commission’s new chair, expected to be determined after the Planning Commission meets for its first meeting of the year.

After the Planning Commission makes its recommendations on changes, the document will then go before the Town Council for review and eventual adoption. Public hearings will be held at both the Planning Commission and the council prior to a vote. Klusek and Berry-Hill said they expect the new Town Plan to be adopted before year’s end.

“It’s a big project, but a fun one,” Berry-Hill said.

For more information about the Legacy Leesburg project, go to legacy.leesburgva.gov. n

Girl Scouts Construct COVID Memorial in Park

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Members of Girl Scout Troop 2718 ended 2020 by creating a memorial to those lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the healthcare heroes who put themselves at risk while navigating perhaps the most challenging year of their careers.

The memorial is taking shape at Georgetown Park off South Street in downtown Leesburg. Last Wednesday morning, the scouts, with the help of Leesburg Parks Manager Jon Cleaves, planted a blue atlas spruce cedar in the park. This week, a large boulder donated by Luck Stone was expected to be added to the display as a bench feature. The memorial also will feature a plaque honoring those who died and served during pandemic.

The troop, comprised of high school

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Members of Girl Scout Troop 2718, with help from Leesburg Parks Director Jon Cleaves, plant a blue atlas cedar tree at the site of their COIVD-19 memorial in Georgetown Park.

freshmen mostly from Loudoun County High School, undertook the memorial as part of their Silver Award project. The troop split into two teams, one to focus on

the tree planted on behalf of the victims and healthcare heroes, and another that focused on the plaque and boulder.

Troop leader Tara Holt credited the girls for their out-of-the-box and thoughtful idea to achieve their Silver Award, as many of their ideas pre-COVID would have involved quite a bit of face time.

“They thought that would be a good idea and a way to remember this year,” she said of the memorial.

Some of the girls have already talked about decorating the tree, which could grow to 50 feet in height, each year for the Christmas holiday, she added.

Holt credited the town’s Parks and Recreation Department and Mayor Kelly Burk, who attended last week’s tree planting along with Councilman Ara Bagdasarian, for their assistance and support of the project. n

JANUARY 7, 2021

Westpark Property to be Placed Under Conservation Easement

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Following the news that local land conservationist and JK Moving Services CEO Chuck Kuhn had closed on the purchase of the former Westpark Golf Club property in Leesburg, some of his intentions for the 142.3-acre site are becoming a bit more clear.

Kuhn last week announced his intention to place 134 acres of the land under a conservation easement, guaranteeing the vast majority of the property will remain open space.

“My family and I are passionate about conserving land for future generations. As our county continues to grow, it’s important that we preserve land that can be enjoyed by our citizens as well as protect natural habitats,” Kuhn stated. “By getting this land into the county’s control, we can do both.”

The Board of Supervisors voted in early December to authorize staff to reach out to Kuhn to express the county’s interest in purchasing that portion of the land from him. Members of the Leesburg Town Council have expressed hope for keeping the land as open space, or perhaps a town park, but were unable to find agreement on a town purchase of the property. The supervisors took their action a few months after the town submitted its capital funding request to the county, asking for $6 million to put towards the purchase of the property. The final purchase price for the land was not disclosed.

The 134 acres of land is expected to be placed under conservation easement in 2021. Kuhn plans to hold on to the eight acres of the land zoned for commercial use, and has remained mum on future plans for that parcel. n

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY 7, 2021

PAGE 9

AROUND Town Rt. 7 Westbound Closures Begin Commuters in and around Leesburg should plan for some nighttime disruption, as VDOT has announced plans for double lane closures on Rt. 7 westbound over the course of several weeks this month.

Westbound East Market Street between River Creek Parkway and the Leesburg Bypass will have nightly double lane closures this week through Friday, Jan. 8; Monday, Jan. 11 through Friday, Jan. 15; and Monday, Jan. 18 through Friday, Jan. 22, for work on the future Battlefield Parkway overpass.

The closures will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday nights, and 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday nights.

One lane of westbound Rt. 7 will remain open at all times during the work.

The posted speed limit along Rt. 7 between the Leesburg Bypass and River Creek Parkway has been reduced to 45 mph. Drivers are asked to use caution while traveling through the work zone.

The work on the future Battlefield Parkway overpass is part of the Rt. 7 at

Battlefield Parkway project, which includes a new grade-separated interchange.

Construction is expected to be completed by the fall of 2021. Go to virginiadot.org/ route7battlefield for more information.

Diversity Commission Continues Movie Screenings The Diversity Commission will host the fourth installment of its online movie discussion series at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19.

This month, the commission will discuss “Under the Same Moon.” The 2007 film tells the story of a young boy who crosses the border from Mexico into the United States to join his mother who is an undocumented worker.

Vice Mayor Marty Martinez and Diversity Commissioner Enrique Gonzalez will lead the discussion.

Participants are invited to watch the film on their own prior to the discussion, which will take place via Webex. The film is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Starz. Participation in the discussion is free, but registration is required.

Go to leesburgva.gov/diversityevent to register.

20795 Red Cedar Dr, Leesburg

King Street Alley Work Resumes Improvements to the alleyway, located between China King and Merrill Lynch (3 and 5 S. King St.), are set to resume Thursday, Jan. 7, to close an existing underground oil tank at the back of the alley.

Work will begin after 6 a.m. and continue into the afternoon hours. During this time, the sidewalk will be closed to pedestrians to accommodate large equipment. Work is expected to be completed by the end of the day on Friday, Jan. 8.

In the event of inclement weather or unforeseen issues, the alley closure will be moved to the week of Jan. 25. Updates will be posted to the town’s website and social media accounts on a regular basis.

For details on the project, go to leesburgva.gov/market-and-king.

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The mission of the commission is to foster diversity and inclusion in the community. In light of the racial tensions and renewed attention to systemic racism, the commission is holding a series of online community discussions around these issues. For more information, email Betsy Arnett, staff liaison to the Diversity Commission, at barnett@leesburgva.gov.

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW

PAGE 10

JANUARY 7, 2021

Education

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Williams Lauded for Lasting Impacts on Loudoun Schools

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Eric Williams attended his final School Board meeting Monday night. He is leaving the post this week to lead the Clear Creek Independent School District near Houston, TX. Williams, who was hired in July 2014, is only the sixth superintendent in Loudoun since the school division was formed in 1917. His final day was Jan. 6.

During Monday’s meeting, School Board members pointed out some of Williams’ lasting impacts as they reflected on his service.

School Board Chairwoman Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) and Jeff Morse (Dulles) were members of the board that six years ago selected Williams from among 80 candidates following a nationwide search.

Morse highlighted Williams’ “remarkable successes,” including efforts to offer universal full-day kindergarten; launch the program to get internet-connected devices in the hands of every student, an initiative that proved critical to the pandemic pivot to distance learning; and the achievement of having every school meet federally mandated adequate yearly progress standards.

Sheridan pointed to Williams’ efforts to promote project-based learning, address the special needs of the county’s

Title 1 schools, update the salary scales and secure raises for staff members, and to create a safe and encouraging environment for staff to report misbehavior by other staff.

Of the latter, she said, “This initially was seen as an increase in bad staff behavior, but what it truly indicated was the need for that policy change to ensure our students safety was always the number one priority and that for me is very respectable.”

As chairwoman of the division’s Equity Committee, Sheridan also praised Williams for his work in that realm.

“People may not realize or appreciate your efforts to address equity. It is difficult work, difficult conversations. It requires reflection and the ability to take criticism when you are trying to do the right thing,” she said. “I valued your thoughtful approach, your support of the Equity Committee, contracting the equity assessment and starting us on a journey to truly tackle systemic racism that plagues our history books and persists in our buildings today.

I’ll be making continuing this work a priority for your successor.”

“Being a public servant takes a thick skin, the ability to reflect on oneself and adjust as needed. You exemplify these qualities,” Sheridan said.

Williams thanked the board members and his staff for their dedication.

WILLIAMS continues on page 11

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY 7, 2021

Williams continued from page 10 “We have incredibly talented, caring people who give so much of themselves and that has made my time here so rewarding,” he said.

He said Loudoun’s schools and its students have tremendous community support and even when concerns are raised by the public it only demonstrates how greatly K-12 education is valued in the county.

“I will always cherish my time here in Loudoun County. I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the community here,” he said.

The School Board has announced its intension to conduct a national search for the division’s seventh superintendent but has not established details of that process.

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Talent Development Scott A. Ziegler has been tapped to serve as interim superintendent. n

SCHOOL notebook Sheridan Re-elected to Chair Loudoun School Board Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) on Monday night was elected to a second consecutive one-year term as chairwoman of the Loudoun County School Board.

She was the sole nominee and was elected unanimously.

Also during the board’s annual organizational meeting, Atoosa Reaser (Algonkian) was elected to serve a second year as vice chairwoman.

Sheridan is the longest tenured School Board member, first appointed to represent the Sterling District seat in 2011 and elected to four-year terms in 2011, 2015 and 2019.

Reaser is among seven members entering their second year of School Board service.

The pair also was elected to represent Loudoun with the Virginia School Board Association.

Additionally, under a shifting of the board’s committees, Sheridan will replace Denise Corbo (At Large) as co-chairwoman of the Joint Board of Supervisors/School Board Committee.

PAGE 11

Equity Committee Expanded, Instead of Dissolved As expected, the School Board on Monday moved forward with plans to expand the division’s Equity Committee, but not before an unexpected attempt to end the panel’s work.

Last month, the board agreed in a series of straw votes to add seven more seats to the committee, which was established in 2019 and was operating with 22 voting members.

First, the board added a seat for someone representing the LGBTQ community, joining seats designated for representatives of other minority groups, including the All Dulles Area Muslin Society, the Loudoun NAACP, and of the Hindu, Jewish and Latinx communities. Also, six seats were added for community members to be appointed by the individual School Board members who do not serve on the committee themselves.

The additions were approved on an 8-1 vote.

John Beatty (Catoctin) opposed the action. During the discussion, Beatty made a motion to disband the committee altogether, stating he felt the group had completed its chartered mission. No other board member supported his effort.

Beatty had served on the committee early in 2020, until he was removed by Board Chairwoman Branda Sheridan in February. Beatty came under fire for comments he made in February during an equity training program designed to allow participants to better understand concepts of white privilege and implicit bias—among the elements seen as fueling systematic racism in the school system. During the session, Beatty said formerly enslaved people may have been less well off after their emancipation without having their needs provided by the former slave owners.

Virtual Career Fairs Planned for Teachers Loudoun County Public Schools will hold a virtual Licensed Teacher Critical Needs Career Fair on Monday, Jan. 11, and Wednesday, Jan. 13.

The fair is for all teachers, both new graduates and existing employees in other school systems, who are endorsed in special education, English learners, mathematics, science, CTE, and world languages.

Interviews will be by appointment only with registration required.

To sign up and review the qualification requirements, go to loudounnow.com/schooljobfair.

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JANUARY 7, 2021

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A Leesburg man has been arrested and charged with the fatal shooting of a house cat in November.

The county announced Jan. 4 that “a tip from a concerned citizen” led to the arDavis rest of Jonathan Tyler Davis, who is alleged to have fatally shot a cat with a pellet gun in Sterling two months ago. Loudoun County Animal Services Humane Law Enforcement officers, working alongside the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office, took Davis, 28, into custody on Monday and charged him with felony cruelty to animals.

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The cat suffered multiple injuries and fractures, which led to its euthanization, the county announced.

Davis was released from jail on a $5,000 bond and will be arraigned in General District Court Jan. 26.

Under Virginia law, any person suspected of cruelly and unnecessarily beating, maiming or mutilating any dog or cat that is a companion animal—and as a direct result causes serious bodily injury or death, even via euthanasia, to the dog or cat—can be charged with a Class 6 felony, punishable by one to five years in prison and a fine of up to $2,500.

The arrest is part of a larger investigation by the Loudoun County Animal Services Humane Law Enforcement team.

Since April 2020, 10 cats have been shot in Loudoun, five of which were euthanized because of the extent of their in-

juries. In September, three more cats were found dead in a bag with gunshot wounds through their bodies in the parking lot of the McKimmey Boat Ramp along the Potomac River under the Point of Rocks Bridge.

“We remain dedicated and will continue our investigations until justice has been served for all these cats and their heartbroken families,” stated Humane Law Enforcement Chief Chris Brosan.

An $8,000 reward is being offered for tips leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for one or more of the feline shootings.

That reward will be paid through donations from individual people and Friends of Loudoun County Animal Services, the Loudoun Community Cat Coalition, the Humane Society of Loudoun County, 4Paws Rescue Team, PetConnect Rescue and Friends of Homeless Animals. n

SAFETY briefs Gunman Robs Bank in Sterling The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office is investigating an armed robbery of a Sterling bank that occurred Saturday morning.

According to the report, a man entered the Bank of America on Dulles Crossing Plaza at approximately 10:30 a.m. Jan. 2 and approached a teller. He displayed a firearm and demandLCSO ed cash.

Investigators The suspect left released this photo the store with an un- of the Jan. 2 bank disclosed amount of robbery suspect. money and fled the area in a dark-colored SUV. There were no injuries sustained to anyone inside the bank.

The suspect is described as a Black male wearing a blue jacket, blue jeans, and a black mask that was partially concealing his face.

Anyone with any information regarding the identity of the suspect is asked to contact Detective S. McCormack at 703777-1021. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are asked to call Loudoun

Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919 or submit a tip through the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office app.

LCSO Reports $1K Kitten Purchase Scam A Maryland man has been arrested in connection with a pet scam in which a Loudoun County woman paid more than $1,000 for a kitten she never received.

The Sheriff ’s Office charged Junior Perkins A. Tako, 25, with money laundering.

Investigators in the agency’s Financial Crimes Unit determined Tako received the payment through an app and acted as a go-between transferring the monies overseas.

According to the report, the victim said she conducted online research on certified breeders in May and then contacted the breeder by email. After making the payment, she was contacted by the breeder asking for more money to cover travel costs. She refused to pay more and asked for a refund.

After no refund was issued, she reported the case to the Sheriff ’s Office.

Tako turned himself over to authorities on Dec. 28. He was released on a $1,000 secured bond.

Shots Fired in Sterling Convenience Store Robbery The Sheriff ’s Office is investigating an attempted armed robbery at the High-Up Food Mart in Sterling during which the suspect discharged several rounds inside the store.

According to the report, the suspect entered the store on Sugarland Run Drive shortly before 10 p.m. Dec. 30 and then brandished a firearm and demanded cash.

The cashier refused and locked himself inside an office. The robber fired at least two rounds toward the office before leaving.

No injuries were reported.

Responding deputies established a perimeter and searched the area, but suspect was not located.

The suspect was wearing a mask that concealed his face and appeared to be wearing a hooded sweatshirt, dark pants, dark-colored shoes, and black gloves along with a dark colored backpack.

Anyone with any information regarding the case is asked to contact Detective M. Grimsley at 703-777-1021. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919 or submit a tip through the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office app.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY 7, 2021

PAGE 13

Nonprofit Perin, Kendrat Awarded for Contributions to Heritage Area LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

The Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Association selected Jean Perin as its 2020 Heritage Hero and Bill Kendrat as its 2020 Educator of the Year Award.

The Heritage Hero Award is given to individuals or groups that have demonstrated years of preservation leadership and responsible stewardship in the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area. The Educator of the Year Award recognizes public educators for their exemplary service in engaging Heritage Area youth in local history.

Perin, of Fauquier County, was honored for her work for over the past 40 years to protect the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area. She served as a committee member at VPHA’s founding in 1995 and long worked with the Piedmont Environmental Council, serving as co-chairwoman since 2014. More than 250,000 acres have been conserved in the region since she joined the PEC Board in 2000.

Her work to protect Heritage Area roadways, including on Rt. 9, Rt. 15, and Rt. 50, was credited with helping to preserve the rural atmosphere of the historic travel corridors. She also was leader in the work to saving Gilbert’s Corner and establishing the Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows which have permanently pro-

Contributed

Belmont Ridge Middle School teacher Bill Kendrat is awarded Educator of the Year by VPHA Director of Education Anne Marie Chirieleison.

tected the gateway to the rural west with a landmark commitment to sustainable agriculture and education.

Kendrat was lauded for his integral work helping VPHA continue its classroom education programs through virtual learning during COVID closures. He has been teaching American history for 35 years, including 17 in Loudoun County, where he currently teaches at Belmont Ridge Middle School.

The awards were presented Dec. 21 at Stoke in Aldie. The event was livestreamed and is available for viewing on the Piedmont Heritage Facebook and YouTube sites. Learn more at piedmontheritage.org. n

GIVING back Humane Society Seeks Storage Space The Humane Society of Loudoun County is seeking to partner with a community member or business to house the shelving space and food for HSLC’s contribution to the Loudoun Pet Pantry.

Since 2013, HSLC volunteers have assembled pet food donation bags in a volunteer’s garage. Now, with the significant increase in demand for donated pet food during the pandemic the organization is unable to meet this extra need because of its limited storage space.

HSLC seeks donated space with the following specifications: at least 400 square feet; indoors/weatherproofed; ability to access space at flexible days/times; and the ability to store dry and canned dog and cat

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW

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JANUARY 7, 2021

Business As businesses look to right the ship and prepare for recovery following the Year of COVID, three local business leaders are offering their own advice via new book releases.

Kindra Dionne President and CEO, PurposeWorX, LLC ‘Conquering the Emotional Roller Coaster of Entrepreneurship’ The inspiration for Leesburg resident Kindra Dionne’s first book? People.

Dionne harkens back to her work in the Dionne Loudoun County Workforce Resource Center, where she was struck by the breadth of experience and skills of those looking for jobs.

Yet, they struggled to find work, often because of an inaccurate perception of the Workforce Resource Center. She would later go on to work for the Town of Leesburg, where she worked closely with local businesses. Through her work in Leesburg, she got to hear firsthand the stories, successes and struggles of local business owners and leaders.

Dionne left the town government to start her own consulting firm, PurposeWorX, at the end of 2017. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived stateside in March, she began reaching out to clients and business leaders who she had worked with to help them navigate the challenging times. In the stories and worries they shared, she heard a common thread of emotions, some of the same emotions she heard from employers, employees or prospective job seekers. It was those emotions she used to outline each chapter of her book.

The ultimate question posed by her book is how to channel those emotions into something productive. It was her own experience last spring—when the parallels of her life than versus 20 years prior were somewhat overwhelming— that propelled Dionne to channel her emotions into her book.

“Twenty years earlier in March my

very differently,” Steele said.

As the desires of employees have changed, so has what an employer is looking for, she said. Now, there is a desire for a “hybrid worker,” someone who can bring different sets of skills and experience to bear.

Soft skills, like communication and emotional intelligence, are “absolutely critical,” she said.

“People are not defined by one career title,” she said. “People are parallel pathing. Side hustles are the norm. You need to be your own CEO, which is why it’s about building the business of you. Once you understand you’re a business, how do you create your own career mash-up? You have to do strategic planning.”

Steele delves into this strategic planning process in her book, with a five-component system: spotting the trends in the business world; creating your own compass or plan; preparing for change; networking; and building skills.

Fluidity is a major tenet of the book, in a nod both to the ever-changing trends and practices of the business world, many of which were accelerated by the pandemic, and the need for an individual to be fluid in the way they think and work.

She refers to her book as more of a thesis, with the ideas building over her head over the last several years.

“Building the Business of You” is expected to be released Feb. 11. It will be available for purchase on Amazon.

Local Authors Celebrate Release of New Business Books

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

mother died because of respiratory complications associated with the flu and I was 17 years old in my senior year of high school. This past year, my daughter was 17 years old and in March things were shutting down because of respiratory complications due to COVID,” she said. “The parallel to these things put me in a deep emotional place, and it was hard as hell to pull myself out. I literally had to figure out what to do with those stupid emotions I was feeling. I had to do something productive with them.”

She put pen to paper, and churned out her book in two months.

The book takes readers through 12 emotions, from confidence to procrastination and everything in between.

“I can tell you about your emotions, also about how to use them to benefit you.

You can’t get rid of nervousness, procrastination or guilt. But if it’s going to be there, it might as well be useful,” she said.

Dionne is looking to invest any proceeds from the book back into her PurposeWorX business, to be able to hire interns to give them behind-the-scenes access of working with leaders from different industries.

“Conquering the Emotional Roller Coaster of Entrepreneurship” may be purchased at kindradionne.com.

Connie Steele Co-Founder, Flywheel Associates ‘Building the Business of You’ Lansdowne resident Connie Steele’s upcoming debut book integrates her own experience, with 20 years as a marketing and strategy executive under her belt. Steele’s career, like many young professionals Steele and millennials, has seen its share of twists and turns. It’s part of an overall global trend of eschewing a career spent in one workplace, or even industry, and instead dabbling in different jobs to create a wealth of experience and skills.

Steele has a better term for it: “A career mash-up.”

“You have a whole different generation of people who don’t want to say, ‘I only want to do one thing.’ How do I find a way to mash it up? You can be bringing to bear all these different skills and experiences you’ve had with companies in the role that you’re in. When you have the diversity of thinking because of the experiences you have it creates a really interesting momentum and you’ll be able to problem solve

Eric Byrd Business Coach ‘Reinventing Your Business Workbook’ Eric Byrd has worked extensively with business owners over the years in his role as a coach. When COVID-19 hit, he saw the desperation many were facing with the unknowns, perhaps the chief of Byrd which being how long the economic impacts of the pandemic would drag on.

“As I was watching all these small businesses specifically struggle through the BUSINESS BOOKS continues on page 15

JANUARY 7, 2021

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

PAGE 15

DSP Real Estate Capital Closes $17.6M Apartment Purchase Ashburn-based DSP Real Estate Capital has acquired Frontier Apartments, a 182-unit development near Roanoke, for $17.6 million.

The 15-building, garden-style complex was constructed in 1971.

Loudoun County residents Darius Saeidi, Stephen Karbelk and Purna Dokku founded DSP in July to invest in value-add multi-family communities in the southeastern region.

“We are very pleased to acquire Frontier Apartments,” Dokku stated.

“Frontier caps off 2020 as our second

Business books continued from page 14 pandemic several things started to become clear to me fairly early on. Normal disaster planning wasn’t working, because this thing was dragging and dragging and dragging. Normal disaster plans aren’t meant to last a year or more. That was my first indication we might have a bigger problem to look at,” he said.

In his fourth book, Byrd explores how business owners can plan for the very short term, with conditions changing on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis. He introduces a a different set of tools than those to which business owners may be accustomed.

“What I was seeing is things were changing sometimes every week, and creating a situation where no one can actually plan anything. Therefore, I was watching people get paralyzed. Either people locked up or didn’t know what to do, so they were not doing anything new or different, or they were trying to do business the way they were doing it in 2019 which wasn’t going to work in most cases, or they were trying to do anything and everything, any idea that came into their head. Trying to filter all this information coming in from everywhere and trying to do all of it, that also was impossible. So I started to think about what do we really need to be looking at? How do we get through the next 30 days, and then the 30 days after that, and the 30 days after that, for however long this is going to last,” he said.

The 70-page book includes strategies on how to plan for your business in shorter time increments. About half of the book includes worksheets that business owners can use to fill out and strategize, he said.

multi-family acquisition and we’re very proud to be the new owners.”

The company previously acquired Colonial Court Townhomes in Colonial Heights.

“Closing this deal in record time was quite the task,” Saeidi said. “We went under contract on Nov. 13 and closed on Dec. 29. To close a transaction of this size so quickly, especially when we’re competing with the holidays, was a challenge but we were successful.”

Learn more at dsprecapital.com. n

“What I came up with is a way to focus on the short-term important information that would enable you to make decisions for the next 30 days, and don’t worry about anything beyond that right now.

Right now, you’re just trying to survive, 30 days at a time, sometimes a week at a time, especially if you’re a restaurant,” he said.

“I pulled from some very standard, lean start-up customer discovery-based standard business tools we use all the time for planning,” Byrd said. “I realized that was kind of the mindset everybody needed to have right now. Everybody needed to think like a start-up at least at the beginning. Start-ups are living hand to mouth, just trying to make it to the next month. Everybody needs to think that way right now.”

The structure introduced by Byrd is PACE—Pause, Assessment, Create a Plan (Very Short-Term), and Execute the Short-Term Plan, with daily flexibility.

It’s a process he refers to as “agile project management.”

“It’s a very practical tool for people to use to figure out what to do when they don’t know what to do—how to gather information really quickly, do some basic assessment without going too ridiculously deep or complicated, create a quick action plan and maintain flexibility 30 days a time,” Byrd said of the book.

Work will soon turn to a follow-up of the book, which will focus on a recovery edition with additional tools, exercises and activities. He hopes to have that book published by mid-year at the latest.

The e-book is available on Amazon, and may also be accessed at reinventingyourbusiness.net, which also includes source materials that business owners can utilize. Byrd said he expects a print version of his book to be available shortly. n

Mugs & more.

Loudoun Now branded merchandise now available online.

loudounnow.com/store

PAGE 16

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY 7, 2021

Our Towns

TOWN notes

Lovettsville Works to Fill 29 Committee Vacancies

Town Council to Convene in First Meeting of Year The Hamilton Town Council will meet in its first regular meeting of 2021 at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11. The last time the council met in a regular meeting was Dec. 14.

To call into the meeting, dial 301715-8592 or use the Zoom meeting ID: 995 0086 4279 and passcode: 2070.

BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com

The Town of Lovettsville’s MayFest is five months away and its ever-popular Oktoberfest is nine months away. Planning for both events should be happening now. But there are 12 combined vacancies on the subcommittees responsible for those events and another 17 on other town advisory committees, which is why town leaders are actively soliciting interest from area residents.

The town’s Oktoberfest Subcommittee has 10 vacancies, the Love America, Love Summer and Love Winter Subcommittees have four vacancies, the Commerce and Business Development Committee and Tree Board and Love MayFest Subcommittees have two vacancies and the Parks, Infrastructure, Environment & Utilities Committee has one empty seat. The Events Committee features four vacancies, but those will be filled by the chairmen from the event subcommittees.

To solicit applicants, the town staff has posted advertisements on the town website and Facebook page, and Mayor Nate Fontaine has consistently included notices in his Friday email newsletters.

Fontaine said the town additionally might hold an open house in the new town office, once COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed, to allow residents to learn about each committee. The Town Council in January also is expected to discuss revising the town’s committee structure.

“We do have some rebuilding to do,” he said, adding that the town has received a good deal of interest from people interested in applying for a committee.

Fontaine said the most important committees to fill up right now are the MayFest Committee and the Love Summer Committee, since those events are next up on the town’s calendar.

Although the MayFest Committee features two vacant seats, Fontaine said planning for this year’s event should be a bit easier because existing committee members intend to use the plans for last year’s canceled event as a baseline for organization. Of course, the ability for the town to host its ninth annual MayFest this year will depend on the status of COVID restrictions this spring.

With 10 vacancies on the Oktober-

HAMILTON

LOVETTSVILLE Public Hearing on FY 22-26 CIP Scheduled for Jan. 7

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

Volunteers pour beer for attendees at one of the Town of Lovettsville’s popular Oktoberfest events.

fest Subcommittee and planning for the late-September event usually commencing in January, organization for that event isn’t off to a great start. But, Fontaine said, there is still some institutional knowledge left among the committee’s ranks to help the planning process move along.

To apply for a spot on a town committee, fill out an application for town service, which can be found at lovettsvilleva.gov, and drop it off at the town office or email it to clerk@lovettsvilleva.gov.

Those seeking to apply for a committee seat are not required to live in town. If a proposed Finance Committee ever makes it off the ground, however, applicants must live within the town limits.

According to some residents, many of the town’s committee resignations in 2020 were politically driven.

At the Nov. 19 Town Council meeting, the council voted to re-appoint resident Andru Spangler to the Oktoberfest Subcommittee, which prompted four community volunteers to resign from their posts on that committee and Kris Consaul to resign from her post on the Planning Commission. The Town Council removed Spangler from the Oktoberfest Subcommittee in June 2020 for commenting on a North Carolina-based newspaper’s Facebook page, to an article with the headline “Confederate Battle Flags Removed From Graves.” Spangler commented: “That’s not

hate. Blacks are filled with more hate, than any other race in America.”

As for the Planning Commission vacancy, applications to fill that spot were due by Jan. 6. The individual selected by the Town Council to fill that spot will serve on the commission through June 30, 2021.

Town Manager Search Could Begin in March In addition to vacancies on town committees, the Town Council also voted unanimously Nov. 19 to fire Rob Ritter after two years of work as town manager.

Fontaine said the council took the vote because it wanted “to go in a different direction.” Immediately after that vote, the council appointed former town manager Sam Finz as interim town manager.

Finz said the search for the town’s sixth-ever permanent town manager has yet to commence. He said he’s focused on getting the town’s governmental operations in order first and will likely be ready to start the recruitment process in early March.

“I want to make some changes and improve the situation as best I can so I can turn over a government that is ready to be taken in a new direction,” he said, noting that the town staff is “hungry” for leadership and direction. n

The Lovettsville Town Council will hold a virtual public hearing on the proposed general fund and utility fund Fiscal Years 2022-2026 Capital Improvement Program at its meeting starting at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7.

Residents will have the chance to provide input on the proposed FiveYear Capital Improvement Plan, which includes $5.4 million for general fund projects, $87,000 for park projects and $4 million for utility fund projects. The plan is available for review on the town website at lovettsvilleva.gov/government/ town-budget.

To submit a written comment, email clerk@lovettsvilleva.gov by 3 p.m. Jan. 7. To participate in the meeting, access the meeting agenda at lovettsvilleva.gov/webcasts and read the instructions at the top of the document.

MIDDLEBURG Community Center Preps 5-Week Nutrition Classes The Middleburg Community Center will host a five-week nutritional education/sugar detox/support group class the weeks of Jan. 11, Jan. 18, Jan. 25, Feb. 1 and Feb. 8.

The classes—held during 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. sessions—are part of the Restart Program, which encourages participants to stop eating processed foods and includes a three-week sugar detox. The program will help particiTOWN NOTES continues on page 18

JANUARY 7, 2021

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW

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JANUARY 7, 2021

TOWN notes continued from page 16

NOW HIRING FLAGGERS Full time, to provide traffic control & safety around construction sites. A valid driver license & clean driving record a must.

Star ting $13/hr & scheduled raises & bonuses.

Company-paid medical & dental premiums.

Please fill out an application at trafficplan.com or come to our office on Tuesdays or Thursdays (8am-10am) 7855 Progress Ct. Suite 103, Gainesville, VA

INTERNSHIP: PROJECT ANALYST/ PROJECT ASSISTANT JOB DESCRIPTION Meridien Group, LLC is seeking a motivated, qualified individual with strong analytical skills. Duties include, but are not limited to: • Creating, managing and disbursing reports related to the project

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education: Pursuing Bachelor’s Degree in the following fields: Business Management, Project Management & Civil Engineering.

• Maintaining project assets • Communications and related database(s) • Evaluating and monitoring the overall project • Reviewing & reporting the project’s budget and finances • Routinely performing complete or component analysis • Notifying the entire project team about abnormalities or variances The analyst/assistant will help the entire project team complete the project within its planned scope, schedule and budget, while serving as a liaison for the project’s technical, functional and non-functional teams. Part-time to full-time, and internship positions available immediately. Individual initiates, coordinates, and executes administrative and project support to the project manager/team.

CONTACT INFO Kathy Hicks 208 South King Street Suite 303 Leesburg, VA 20175 www.meridiengroupllc.com khicks@meridiengroupllc.com Office: (703) 777-8285

pants use real food to boost energy levels, get better sleep, sharpen their mental focus, decrease anxiety and cut sugar and carb cravings.

In week one, participants will learn how to prepare for their sugar detox. In the second week, they will undergo a digestive check-in. In week three, they will learn what sugar does to the body. In the fourth week, they will learn about fats. And in week five, participants will learn how to move forward and celebrate their successes.

Register at middleburgcommunitycenter.com. For more information, call or text Maureen St. Germain at 540-642-0808.

Artists in Middleburg Seeks Donations, PT Staffer Artists in Middleburg is seeking monetary donations to pay for new equipment and is searching for a handyman and parttime staffer.

The nonprofit is seeking $1,500 to pay for a new laptop computer and printer and $1,800 to pay for an artwork hanging system for exhibits. It also is seeking the help of a volunteer handyman to install the hanging system and applications to fill the spot of a part-time staff position that pays $14,000.

For more information, contact AiM President Sandy Danielson at sandy@ theartistsinmiddleburg.org or 540-2706165.

Artists in Middleburg opened in October 2015 with the goal to nurture, develop and provide arts educational opportunities for everyone in the area, especially the youth, according to its website. It employs the help of local artists to teach and share their art.

Learn more at theartistsinmiddleburg.org.

PURCELLVILLE New Police Advisory Group to Hold First Meeting Jan. 11

Construction Project Manager/Project Engineer Meridien Group, LLC is seeking a motivated, qualified individual to handle all aspects of construction project management. Duties include Preparing, scheduling, coordinating and monitoring the assigned projects.

Monitoring compliance to applicable codes, practices, QA/QC policies, performance standards and specifications.

Interacting daily with the clients to interpret their needs and requirements and representing them in the field.

We are looking for an accountable project engineer/project manager to be responsible for all engineering and technical disciplines that projects involve. You will schedule, plan, forecast, resource and manage all the technical activities aiming at assuring project accuracy and quality from conception to completion.

Qualifications

Contact Info:

• BS degree in Engineering/Construction Management or relevant field • Prior federal government project experience is preferred, but not required • Entry-level/mid-level Position

Katherine Hicks 208 South King Street Suite 303 Leesburg, VA 20175 Send Resume to: khicks@meridiengroupllc.com (703) 777-8285

The Community Policing Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting from 7-9 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11. It will be held virtually on GoToMeeting.

The committee’s nine members, appointed by the Town Council on Dec. 14, will discuss preliminary items and elect a chairman and vice chairman. To view the meeting, go to global.gotomeeting.com/ join/557468109, call in by dialing 872-2403212, or log in on GoToMeeting using access code: 557-468-109.

The committee is designed to enhance communication between police and residents, encourage town police to treat all residents equally and fairly, recognize police for their good work, raise awareness of

police injustice and improve public trust of police, according to the Oct. 13 ordinance that created the group.

Among those appointed to the committee are a now-16-year-old high school student, a Presbyterian pastor and a former military police officer.

Town Council to Convene in First Meeting of 2021 The Purcellville Town Council will meet in its first regular meeting of 2021 at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 12. The last time the council met in a regular meeting was Dec. 8.

To participate in the meeting, follow the GoToMeeting instructions at the top of the meeting agenda packet, which can be found by clicking on the “Agendas and Meetings” link under the “Government” tab at purcellvilleva.gov.

ROUND HILL Girl Scout Installs Blessings Box for 24/7 Access to Food Senior Girl Scout Tessa Heffron from Troop 6287 recently built and installed a Blessings Box at the Round Hill United Methodist Church to provide community members in need with 24/7 access to non-perishable food.

Heffron built the Blessings Box for her Silver Award, which is the second highest award a Girl Scout can earn. Heffron chose the project because it addresses a need in the community. She worked for 50 hours to accomplish the project and relied on donations from the Girl Scout Service Unit, the Methodist congregation and other local businesses. To fill the box, Heffron hosted a food drive at the Leesburg Safeway and collected more than 200 pounds of food in one afternoon.

“I really enjoyed working on a project that will give back to my local community,” Heffron said. “Now we just need to make sure people who need it know about it.”

Daniel Wray, the pastor of Round Hill Methodist, said Heffron’s efforts allowed the congregation to expand its food pantry, which it’s been operating for more than a decade and serves more than 30 families each month.

“Having the Blessings Box is an important part of expanding the work the Food Pantry does,” he said.

The Blessings Box is located in front of the RHUMC Food pantry, at 11 W. Loudoun St. For more information, or to find out how to help, contact Round Hill Methodist at rhumcfoodpantry@gmail.com.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY 7, 2021

PAGE 19

Hillsboro Methodist’s Grave Memorial Nears Completion

BY PATRICK SZABO

pszabo@loudounnow.com

A memorial commemorating six dozen unmarked graves in a Hillsboro churchyard is nearly complete.

The Hillsboro United Methodist Church’s project to build a memorial honoring 73 unmarked graves in its Arnold Grove East Cemetery, along the north side of Rt. 9 on the east end of town, should wrap up late this month, Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church

Winchester District Superintendent Sarah Calvert said.

The more-than-$40,000 memorial commemorates the remains of freed and formerly enslaved Black people, persons of mixed race, Native Americans and Europeans in the 174-year-old cemetery.

Their graves will be marked by 6-by-6-by9-inch commemorative stones with crosses. A 65-foot long by 4-foot high stone wall will feature words from John 1:12 reading, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in His name, He gave

the right to become children of GOD.” The Hillsboro UMC congregation and the Winchester UMC Board of Missions is paying for the wall.

Although Methodist leaders expected the memorial to be completed by the end of 2020, Calvert said the Dec. 16 snowfall coupled with the scare of a since-negative COVID-19 test set the project back about a month.

Once the pandemic subsidies, the congregation plans to host a ceremony to dedicate the memorial. n

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

A memorial honoring 73 unmarked graves at the Hillsboro United Methodist Church should complete this month.

Construction Superintendent:

HELP WANTED AT FAMILY PRACTICE See the full job listings at

NowHiringLoudoun.com

Large family practice in Loudoun County with 6 locations and 28 providers looking for FT LPN’s or MA’s with a dedication to excellence. New LPN graduates welcome to apply.

Pediatric and or family practice experience preferred. EHR experience highly recommended.

We offer competitive pay rates, health, dental and vision insurance as well as direct deposit, 401K and many other benefits. Please send your resume to: lgray@lmgdoctors.com or fax to 703-726-0804 attention Lisa

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.

Position

Department

Salary Range

Closing Date

Assistant Zoning Administrator

Planning and Zoning

$72,952-$124,893 DOQ

Open until filled

Controller

Finance

$79,227-$135,636 DOQ

Open until filled

Police Officer

Police

$53,233-$89,590 DOQ

Open until filled

Senior Systems Analyst

Information Technology

$70,374-$120,339 DOQ

Open until filled

Utility Inspector II

Utilities

$56,956-$97,512 DOQ

Open until filled

Utility Plant Operator: Trainee, I, II or Senior

Utilities

$41,353-$89,790 DOQ

Open until filled

Utility Plant Supervisor

Utilities

$61,857-$105,896 DOQ

Open until filled

Zoning Analyst

Planning and Zoning

$56,956-$97,512 DOQ

Open until filled

Flexible Part-Time Position Department

Parking Enforcement Officer

Finance

Contact Info: Katherine Hicks 208 South King Street Suite 303 Leesburg, VA 20175 Send Resume to: khicks@meridiengroupllc.com Office: (703) 777-8285

HELP WANTED AT FAMILY PRACTICE

Regular Full-Time Positions

Position

Meridien Group, LLC is seeking a motivated, qualified individual to provide on-site coordination for all phases of construction projects, including coordinating subcontractors, material and equipment, ensuring that specifications are being strictly followed, and that work is proceeding on schedule and within budget. The Project Superintendent shall be responsible for scheduling, inspections, quality control, and job site safety.

Part time with potential for full time. Prior federal government construction experience preferred, but not required.

Hourly Rate $16.86-$28.85 DOQ

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.

Closing Date Open until filled

Experienced Lab Tech Or MA – Busy Family Practice office in Lansdowne, VA looking for an experienced lab tech or MA to collect and process Covid 19, Flu & Strep samples. Must be familiar with manual and automated methods. EMR experience preferred.

We offer health, dental and vision insurance as well as direct deposit, 401k and many other benefits.

Please send your resume to lgray@lmgdoctors.com or fax to 703-726-0804

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

PAGE 20

JANUARY 7, 2021

THINGS to do

LoCo Living

LOCO LIVE

Courtesy Christian Lopez

Live Music: Christian Lopez

Friday, Jan. 8, 7 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com Martinsburg, WV native Christian Lopez is taking the Americana scene by storm with his fresh brand of alt/folk/country rock. Tickets are $20-$30 for this seated show.

Live Music: Rowdy Solo

Saturday, Jan. 9, 1-5 p.m.

The Barns At Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com Join Rowdy from the beloved country, rock and blues band Rowdy Ace for a rare solo show.

Live Music: Jed Duvall Elvis Show

Douglas Graham/America’s Routes

Carroll Tracy holds a photo of his mother Hattie in the home that he grew up in along Greengarden Road near Bloomfield in Loudoun County Virginia

Hattie Reid Tracy: Free to fly

BY DANIELLE NADLER

There wasn’t time to call the midwife.

Certainly, no time to find a ride to the hospital. This baby wasn’t going to wait.

Hattie Reid Tracy was a soft-spoken girl, just a few months past her 18th birthday.

She’d worked another long day as a house maid at Gaither’s farm. She’d begun her walk home along the dirt roads of Loudoun County. The rough-cut roadways connected the expansive farm boasting happy herds of milking cows, flower gardens, and acres of newly planted crops to her family’s modest home in Howardsville. It was three miles as the crow flies.

But, of course, Hattie couldn’t fly. So her daily journey took her along muddy roads, over fieldstone walls that had been laid by enslaved workers just two generations before her, in ditches and up ridges, and along rocky trails cut through emerald green pastures. The trails through private land had

become public right-of-ways, worn down over the years by horses, farm machinery, and quasi trespassers headed to and from work. Each night, Hattie hurried along the route to beat the sunset back home to Howardsville.

The small village of Howardsville had taken shape in the years of reconstruction that followed the Civil War. White property owners William and Mary Stephenson had sold land to about a dozen Black people, most of whom had been enslaved on nearby farms.

Hattie’s family wasn’t among the first to buy land in Howardsville, but you could say they were part of the second wave. Her grandfather bought a small, wood-framed house along Greengarden Road in 1917.

Busy with aunties, uncles, grandparents and grandkids, more people called the place home than it had room for. As the fifth of seven children, Hattie had never really known privacy, and she’d had her share

of nights sleeping with feet in her face.

Now, on a cool night in May 1943, making it to that house—to her home—was all Hattie could think about. But there was no time to get there. Not now. This baby wasn’t going to wait.

So Hattie thought about the second-best option. Her older sister’s home on Willisville Road. A house Mary Catherine Reid was renting from a man named Harold Hampton. Not long after Hattie burst through the front door, the nasally cry of a fresh baby could be heard. She called her son Carroll Tracy.

••• For at least the next few years, Carroll stayed a part of Hattie, almost as if he was still in the womb. His mother carried him to work every day. First, as a baby swaddled tight to her chest. Then, as a toddler, REID TRACY continues on page 31

Saturday, Jan. 9, 1 p.m.

Two Twisted Posts Winery, 12944 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro Details: twotwistedposts.com Award-winning tribute performer Jed Duvall does an uncanny rendition of The King, in celebration of Elvis’ birthday.

Live Music: Jason Teach

Saturday, Jan. 9, 1 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro Details: breauxvineyards.com Longtime singer/songwriter Jason Teach returns to Breaux with his signature honest, heartfelt songwriting.

Live Music: JJ Billings

Saturday, Jan. 9, 1-5 p.m.

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts Details: vanishbeer.com Billings returns to Vanish with rock music from the ’90s through today.

Live Music: Mercy Creek

Saturday, Jan. 9, 2 p.m.

Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn Details: lostrhino.com Mercy Creek returns to Loudoun with their signature earthy, edgy, aggressive folk-rock.

Live Music: Famous Last Words

Saturday, Jan. 9, 5 p.m.

Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg Details: spankyspub.com Vocalist Maria Price and guitarist Jon France play hits by popular pop, rock, and country artists from the ’60s to today.

THINGS TO DO continues on page 22

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY 7, 2021

PAGE 21

TICKETS ON (703) 777-1665 SALE NOW! wwww.TallyHoTheater.com

CHRISTIAN LOPEZ COWBOY MOUTH

FEB 1

THE 01/08/21 WAILERS

UFO

DOORS: FEB 13 7PM SHOW: 8PM

FAREWELL TOUR

FEB 21

2 NIGHTS OF SUN DOGS! SOUL ASYLUM WITH LOCAL H

FEB 22

SUN DOGS: A TRIBUTE TO RUSH

UNCLE KRACKER

FEB 28

19 W Market St., Leesburg, VA

CARBON LEAF

BROTHERS IN ARMS TOUR

FEB 29

ND 2/7 COBS BA CHRIS JA 2/8 RE FI BY TRIAL 5 ts 2/14-1 Two Nigh IA AN 6 3/ EAGLEM S AR AN YE THE REAG

01/15 & 01/16/21

For a full schedule please visit

www.TallyHoTheater.com DOORS: 7PM

SHOW: 8PM

JASON MASI & FRIENDS 01/22/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM

TRIAL BY FIRE: A TRIBUTE TO JOURNEY

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

01/23/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM

Scott Smedile slides toward the hog line as he throws a 42-pound granite curling rock down the ice at Ion International Training Center in Leesburg.

New Year, New You

DC IMPROV

Find a new adventure in Loudoun in 2021

BY VISIT LOUDOUN

It’s a Friday evening and people carrying broomsticks and wearing what look like slippers on their feet are sliding around on a slab of ice throwing stones.

No, it’s not a winter convention of rowdy witches. It’s weekly curling practice at Ion International Training Center, Leesburg.

“Curling is becoming really popular,” said Mitra Setayesh, co-owner and COO of Ion, one of the largest skating complexes on the East Coast. “It’s an interesting sport, like shuffleboard on ice, and it’s easy to get hooked.”

Some technical clarifications. The “stone” in question is the cylindrical “puck” players push toward the target, and “brooms” are what teammates use to smooth the ice in front of the stone as it makes its journey. It’s not an Olympic sport for nothing, though. “It’s actually quite strenuous and a good way to get fit in the new year, with a lot of lunging and squatting,” assures Setayesh.

While New Year’s resolutions are often about getting healthy, they don’t have to be about dieting, juicing or endless hours at the gym. Curling is just one of countless other fun and rewarding activities to develop a “new you” this year.

Make like a Scandinavian, for example, and feel the cold winter wind in your face along Loudoun’s many hiking and biking trails. The W&OD Trail is a timeless cycle path best enjoyed between Hamilton and Purcellville where there are beautiful farm fields around you. The promise of a healthy lunch—try the lacquered salmon with Asian slaw—awaits you at Magnolias at the Mill at the end of the trail.

Farther west, on the crest of the Blue Ridge above Bluemont, a hike to Bear’s Den Overlook gets the heart racing, as do the west-facing views of Shenandoah Valley. If you enjoy climbing, why not get some extra practice? Summit Ropes in Sterling is the largest indoor ropes course in the U.S., with multiple levels of obstacles for both kids and adults. Try it and

you’ll be scaling Mt. Denali in no time.

All this exercise means you also need rest. A stay at one of Loudoun’s boutique country B&Bs is a wonderful way to rejuvenate body and soul. In Hillsboro, scenic AltaTerra Farm B&B, Hidden View B&B and Hillsborough Winery, Brewery & Vineyard connect to each other via a set of gates, so you can take long hikes on the 60 acres between the properties. Make sure to end up at the winery/brewery to enjoy a craft ale or glass of Ruby Red, soaking up stunning views of the valley below. n

PRESENTS COMEDY NIGHT IN LEESBURG 01/29/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM

3 BIG SHOWS OF EAGLEMANIA!

EAGLEMANIA:

THE WORLD’S GREATEST EAGLES TRIBUTE BAND 02/05/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM

02/06/21 DOORS: 2:30 SHOW: 3PM

02/07/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM

ZOSO: For more ideas on ways to accomplish your New Year’s resolutions, check out visitloudoun.org

THE ULTIMATE LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE 02/12 & 02/13/21 DOORS: 7PM SHOW: 8PM

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

PAGE 22

THINGS to do continued from page 20

Live Music: Keeton

Saturday, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.

ChefScape, 1602 Village Market Blvd. # 115, Leesburg Details: chefscapekitchen.com Celebrate 2021 with ’90s and alternative favorites from Keeton. Tickets are $5 in advance.

LIBATIONS Bluemont Winter Wine Tasting Series

Saturday, Jan. 9, 11 a.m.

The Stable at Bluemont Vineyard, 18755 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont Details: bluemontvineyard.com Bluemont Vineyard brings back its signature series of wine tastings featuring six seasonally selected wines.

Tickets are $20 per person. Advance reservations are required.

Live Music: Scott Kurt

Sunday, Jan. 10, 1 p.m.

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts Details: vanishbeer.com Southern by way of the Rust Belt, Scott Kurt’s brand of country blends old-school outlaw grit with elements of guitar-driven rock.

JANUARY 7, 2021

Details: villageatleesburg.com Head to the village every weekend in January for socially distanced fun with ice sculptures throughout the center. The sculptures will have a different theme each weekend.

Sly’s Magic Show

Friday, Jan. 8, 7 p.m., doors open, 7:30 p.m., show begins StageCoach Theatre Company, 20937 Ashburn Road, Suites 115 and 120, Ashburn Details: stagecoachtc.com Ashburn-based performer Alec Negri (AKA Sly) blends Courtesy StageCoach Theatre magic tricks and comedy for an evening of fun geared toward adults. The show will also be livestreamed in real time. Tickets are $15 for in-person or livestream performance. Advance reservations are required.

Birding Banshee

File photo

Art of the Cocktail at The Conche

Courtesy Chris Bone

Live Music: Chris Bone

Sunday, Jan. 10, 1:30 p.m.

Sunset Hills Vineyard, 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville Details: sunsethillsvineyard.com Kick back with great tunes from western Loudoun singer/songwriter and one-man band Chris Bone of the Bone Show.

Saturday, Jan. 9, noon-2 p.m.

The Conche, 1605 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg Details: the-conche.com Learn the history of cocktails and prepare and create your favorite drinks. Tickets include a welcome drink, snacks and instruction. Participants will learn to make a daiquiri, martini and old fashioned. Cost is $75 per person. Advance registration is required.

LOCO CULTURE

Saturday, Jan. 9, 8 a.m.-11 a.m.

Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, 21085 The Woods Road, Leesburg Details: loudounwildlife.org Join the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy for its monthly outing at this local birding hotspot. Bring binoculars if you have them. Online registration is required.

Franklin Park Movie Night: ‘Singin’ in the Rain’

Saturday, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.

Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville Details: franklinparkartscenter.org This 1952 film, starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor, was named fifth greatest movie of all time by American Film Institute. Seating is limited to allow for social distancing between family groups. Tickets are $8 per person.

Winter Wanderland Ice Display

Friday, Jan. 8-Sunday, Jan. 10, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Village at Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg

Courtesy Amie Ware

Franklin Park Gallery Talk: Macro Photography

Sunday, Jan. 10, 6:30 p.m.

Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville Details: franklinparkartscenter.org Join local photographers Amie Ware and Marion Esposito as they explain their process and vision.

What seems small and insignificant to the plain eye can look like a whole universe when we see it up close. Seating is limited. Tickets are $8 per person.

COMING UP Franklin Park Youth Art Show

Friday, Jan. 15- Sunday, Feb. 21 Franklin Park Arts Center, 36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville Details: franklinparkartscenter.org Franklin Park’s youth art show spotlights art from toddlers to teens inspired by the work of Bob Ross.

Socially distanced opening reception takes place Friday, Jan. 15 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Sun Dogs: A Tribute to Rush

Friday, Jan. 15 and Saturday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com The top-notch DMV-based Rush tribute returns to the Tally Ho for two nights of favorite hits. Tickets are $20-$30 for each seated show.

Legal Notices NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLES 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.

YR.

MAKE

MODEL

VIN

STORAGE

PHONE#

2009 1990 2000 2007 2004

KIA CHEVROLET BMW HONDA HONDA

RIO CAMARO 528I ACCORD ODYSSEY

KNADE243296517617 1G1FP23E3LL116961 WBADP6342YBV64227 1HGCM71377A006693 5FNRL18004B111339

AL’S TOWING BLAIR’S TOWING BLAIR’S TOWING BLAIR’S TOWING BRIDGE’S TOWING

703-435-8888 703-661-8200 703-661-8200 703-661-8200 540-338-2230

01/07 & 01/14/21

LoudounNow.com

NOTICE TOWN OF LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL MEETING Remote Public Participation Available Members of the public who wish to speak during the petitioners’ section of the January 12, 2021, Leesburg Town Council Meeting can do so remotely. Information on how to participate remotely can be found on the Town of Leesburg’s website www.leesburgva.gov/ agendas or on the agenda that will be posted outside of the Clerk’s Office and in the lobby of Town Hall (25 West Market Street) by close of business on January 6, 2021.

If you need more information, contact the Clerk of Council at eboeing@leesburgva.gov or 703-771-2733.

01/07/2021

ABC LICENSE

Tyra Flynn, trading as Magic Wand DBA The Global Local, 103 Loudoun St. SW, Leesburg, Loudoun, Virginia 20175 The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Beer and Wine Off Premises, Mixed Beverage - Gift Shop license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Tyra Flynn, Owner 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.

01/07 & 01/14/21

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY 7, 2021

PAGE 23

Legal Notices PUBLIC HEARING The LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room on the first floor of the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following:

SIDP-2020-0005 CHICK-FIL-A RYAN PARK SIGN DEVELOPMENT PLAN (Sign Development Plan)

Chick-fil-A, Inc., of Atlanta, Georgia, has submitted an application for a Sign Development Plan to request alternative sign regulations for permitted signs in order to: 1) modify the total aggregate sign area to allow an increase in the square footage of two drive-through menu boards; and 2) permit three additional window display and three additional free-standing signs for a Chick-fil-A. The subject property is being developed pursuant to ZCPA-2004-0012 and SPEX-2004-0023, Ryan Park Center Restaurants, located in the PD-OP (Planned Development – Office Park) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and pursuant to Section 5-1202(E) alternative sign regulations for permitted signs may be requested with the submission of a Sign Development Plan. The subject property is located within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contour. The subject property is approximately 5.61 acres in size and is located on the south side of Ashburn Village Boulevard (Route 2020) and east of Shellhorn Road (Route 643), at 43520 Yukon Drive, Ashburn, Virginia, in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 089-45-6487. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Urban Policy Area (Urban Transit Center Place Type)), which designate this area for a wide array of Economic, Entertainment, and Community Activities uses at a recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) between 1.4 and 2.0.

ZCPA-2020-0007 JOHNSON LANDSCAPE BUFFER - POOL (Zoning Concept Plan Amendment)

Mark D. Johnson of Chantilly, Virginia, has submitted an application to amend the existing proffers and concept development plan (“CDP”) approved with ZMAP-1991-0005 and ZCPA-1995-0006, South Riding, in order to modify an existing 25-foot landscape buffer to allow for the construction of an inground swimming pool, deck, and patio, with no resulting change in density, in the PD-H4 (Planned Development – Housing 4) zoning district. The subject property is located within the (AI) Airport Impact Overlay District, between the Ldn 60-65 aircraft noise contour. The subject property is approximately 0.36 acres in size and is located on the north side of Priesters Pond Drive (Route 2239) and the west side of Flintonbridge Drive (Route 2238) at 25815 Priesters Pond Drive, Chantilly, Virginia, in the Dulles Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 129-30-1413. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Neighborhood Place Type)), which designate this area for predominantly Residential uses at a recommended density of four dwelling units per acre.

SPEX-2019-0043 SVK SAI CHILD CARE CENTER (Special Exception)

S.V.K. SAI, LLC of Ashburn, Virginia, has submitted an application for a Special Exception to permit a child day care facility in the TR-1(LF) (Transitional Residential – 1, Lower Foley) and TR-3(LF) (Transitional Residential – 3, Lower Foley) zoning districts. This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and the proposed use is listed as a Special Exception use under Table 2-1702 of Section 2-1702. The subject property is located within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60, aircraft noise contours. The subject property is approximately 4.32 acres in size and is located on the south side of Braddock Road (Route 620), west of Ticonderoga Road (Route 613), and southeast of Donerails Chase Drive (Route 1355) in the Dulles Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 166-26-7839. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Transition Policy Area (Transition Large Lot Neighborhood Place Type)), which designate this area for large lot and clustered Residential uses, and complimentary Agricultural and Public uses, at a density of one dwelling unit per three acres and a Non-Residential Floor Area Ratio (FAR) up to 0.1.

ZMAP-2019-0021 OAK GROVE

(Zoning Map Amendment) Zeeland LLC of Leesburg, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 4.73 acres from the R-1 (Single Family Residential -1) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the R-16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop 50 single family attached units at a density of 10.6 dwelling units per acre. The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District. The subject property is approximately 4.73 acres in size and is located on the north side of Hall Road (Route 788), west of Davis Drive (Route 868) and east of Oakgrove Road (Route 824) in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as: PIN

PROPERTY ADDRESS

024-46-1074

117 Dominion Lane, Sterling, Virginia

024-46-2062

N/A

024-46-2653

N/A

024-46-1245

N/A

024-45-9931

N/A

024-45-9931

N/A

The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Compact Neighborhood Place Type)), which designate this area for Residential uses at a recommended density between 8-12 dwelling units per acre.

ZMAP-2018-0014, ZCPA-2018-0013, SPEX-2020-0013, ZRTD-2020-0005 ZMOD-2018-0035, ZMOD-2018-0041, ZMOD-2020-0029 & ZMOD-2020-0032 KINCORA VILLAGE CENTER (Zoning Map Amendment, Zoning Concept Plan Amendment, Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District Special Exceptions & Zoning Modifications)

NA Dulles Real Estate Investor LLC of East Setauket, New York, have submitted applications for the following: (1) to rezone approximately 13.14 acres from the PD-IP (Planned Development-Industrial Park zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-MUB (Planned Development – Mixed Use Business) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to permit a 10,000 square foot (SF) civic building and a 100,000 SF central plaza to be located in Land Bay K and to permit additional employment, commercial, and/or residential uses to be located in Land Bays K and L.; (2) an application to amend the existing Proffers and Concept Development Plan (CDP) approved with ZMAP2008-0021, ZCPA-2012-0014 and ZCPA-2017-0008, Kincora Village Center, in order to a) shift location of the central plaza from Land Bay J to Land Bay K; b) relocate the minimum 55,000 SF Science Museum from Land Bay J to Land Bay A; c) align Roads 8 and 9 to create a street, and add Roads 14 and 17 in Land Bays F and L, and rename Roads A, B, and C with numerical labels; d) shift the location of a monument sign/entry feature in Land Bay J; e) revise locations and clarify the number of Public/Civic/Institutional Uses to be provided; f) increase the number of multifamily (MF) dwelling units permitted from 1,400 to 2,600 in the PD-MUB zoning district; g) adding Land Bays B, K, L, and/or R to the list of land bays where residential uses are permitted; h) delete the commitment to provide a center for the performing arts; i) delete the commitment to provide a 35,000 SF plaza in Land Bay F; j) revise language to clarify which buildings along Pacific Boulevard will be a minimum of four stories; k) reduce the percentage of buildings in the PD-MUB zoning district that are to have a vertical mix of two or more uses; l) clarify the commitment to construct Affordable Dwelling Units (ADUs) and/or Unmet Housing Needs Units (UHNUs) to be in compliance with the EarthCraft program and universal design principles; m) exclude data center square footage from the trigger for providing shuttle service; n) clarify that the road fund contributions will not apply to the New Residential Units or to non-residential uses beyond the non-residential Gross Floor Area (GFA) originally committed with prior approvals; o) reduce the width of non-asphalt trails from 8 feet to 6 feet; p) remove sign commitments; and q) allow the Owners to use on-site, non-potable wells for irrigation purposes with a resulting increase in density from 0.43 Floor to Area Ratio (FAR) to 0.57 FAR; (3) an application to rezone approximately 70.16 acres from the PD-MUB (Planned Development – Mixed Use Business) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance as it existed on July 12, 2010, to the PD-MUB (Planned Development – Mixed Use Business) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance as amended from time to time; and (4) a Special Exception to permit impervious surface in the form of raised boardwalk crossings not to exceed 9,150 linear feet in the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District), Major Floodplain. The Special Exception application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and the proposed use is listed as a Special Exception use under Section 4-1506(E).

The applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s): ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION

PROPOSED MODIFICATION

§1-205(A), Interpretation of Ordinance, Limitations and Methods for Measurements of Lots, Yards and Related Terms; Lot Access Requirements.

Allow structures requiring a building permit in the PD-MUB Zoning District to be erected upon any lot which has frontage on a Class I, Class II, Class III road, or private access easement.

§4-1354(B) PD-MUB Planned DevelopmentMixed Use Business District, Development Standards, Public Plaza, Table 4-1354(B), PDMUB Planned Development Mixed-Use Business Public Plaza, Requirements Table.

Reduce the minimum area of the required public plaza for a PD-MUB district greater than 100 acres in size from 1% of the total land area of the district, or 3.55 acres (154,638 SF) to a minimum of 100,000 SF.

§4-1354(B)(3) PD-MUB Planned DevelopmentMixed Use Business District, Development Standards, Public Plaza.

Modify the requirement that buildings that adjoin the public plaza shall be a minimum of two stories and have a vertical mix of at least two uses so that buildings adjoining the public plaza may be one story and have one use.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

PAGE 24

JANUARY 7, 2021

Legal Notices §4-1354(C) PD-MUB Planned DevelopmentMixed Use Business District, Development Standards, Vertical Mix.

Reduce the requirement for buildings within the district to contain a vertical mix of at least two (2) different use categories from at least 50% of the buildings to at least 20% of the buildings.

§4-1354(F) PD-MUB Planned DevelopmentMixed Use Business District, Development Standards, Sidewalks.

Reduce the requirement that continuous sidewalks be provided on both sides of all streets to one side of the street.

§4-1355(C), PD-MUB Planned DevelopmentMixed Use Business District, Lot and Building Requirements, Building Height.

Increase the permitted maximum building height from 100 feet to 160 feet in Land Bays B, F, J, and R.

§4-1358(C), PD-MUB Planned DevelopmentMixed Use Business District, Use Limitations, Street Trees.

Reduce the tree density requirement from one tree per 25 feet along all areas dedicated for vehicular travel, excluding alleys, to one tree per 44 linear feet -of block length for streets with on-street parking and to one tree per 35 liner feet of block length for trees with no onstreet parking requirement

§5-1303(A)(1), Tree Planting and Replacement, Canopy Requirements, Site Planning.

Allow the 10% tree canopy for sites zoned PD-MUB to be calculated using the entire PDMUB Zoning District rather than per site plan.

§5-1407(B)(2) & (3), Buffering and Screening, Parking Area Landscaping and Screening Requirements, Peripheral Parking Area Landscaping.

Reduce the minimum plant units from 50 plant units to 20 plant units per 100 feet and to reduce the required continuous landscape strip width from 10 feet to 4 feet. and To reduce the minimum distance that a tree or shrub can be planted from a curb or paved area from 3 feet to 1.5 feet.

The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District, within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contour, and is also located partially within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District). The subject property is approximately 300 acres in size and is located in the southwest quadrant of the Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7) and Sully Road (Route 28) interchange, on the west side of Russell Branch Parkway (Route 1036) and north of West Severn Way (Route 1748), in the Broad Run Election District.

The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Mixed-Use Place Type)) and Route 28 Corridor Plan, which designate this area for compact, pedestrian-oriented environments with opportunities for a mix of Residential, Commercial, Entertainment, Cultural, and Recreational amenities uses, at a recommended Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0.

Unless otherwise noted in the above notices, copies of the above-referenced amendments, applications, ordinances, and/or plans and related documents may be examined by request 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 703-777-0246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies, or electronically at www.loudoun.gov/lola. This link also provides an additional opportunity for public input on active applications. To arrange a time to view the file at the Loudoun County Government Center, please email dpz@loudoun.gov or call 703-777-0246, or you may view the file electronically at www.loudoun.gov/lola. For detailed instructions on how to access documents using LOLA, to request that documents be emailed to you, to receive physical copies of documents, or to arrange a time to view the file at the Loudoun County Government Center, please email DPZ@loudoun.gov or call 703-777-0246 (option 5). Additionally, documents may be viewed and downloaded electronically the week before the hearing at www.loudoun.gov/pc.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, members of the public are encouraged to view the public hearing electronically; however, the Board Room will be open for any members of the public who wish to attend in person with appropriate physical distancing. Planning Commission public hearings are available for viewing on television on Comcast Government Channel 23, Open Band Channel 40, and Verizon FiOS Channel 40, and are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/webcast. All members of the public will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. Citizens are encouraged to call in advance to sign up to speak at the public hearing. If you wish to sign up in advance of the hearing, please call the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246 prior to 12:00 PM on the day of the public hearing. Speakers may also sign up at the hearing. Written comments are welcomed at any time and may be sent to the Loudoun County Planning Commission, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 3rd Floor, MSC #62, Leesburg, Virginia 20175, or by e-mail to loudounpc@loudoun.gov. Any individual representing and/or proposing to be the sole speaker on behalf of a citizen’s organization or civic association is encouraged to contact the Department of Planning and Zoning prior to the date of the public hearing if special arrangements for additional speaking time and/or audio-visual equipment will be requested. Such an organization representative will be allotted 6 minutes to speak, and the Chairman may grant additional time if the request is made prior to the date of the hearing and the need for additional time is reasonably justified.

Citizens are encouraged to call the Department of Planning and Zoning on the day of the public hearing to confirm that an item is on the agenda, or, the most current agenda may be viewed on the Planning Commission’s website at www.loudoun.gov/pc. In the event that the second Thursday is a holiday or the meeting may not be held due to inclement weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend, the meeting will be moved to the third Tuesday of the month. In the event that Tuesday is a holiday or the Tuesday meeting may not be held due to inclement weather or other conditions that make it hazardous for members to attend, the meeting will be held on the following Thursday. The meeting will be held at a place determined by the Chairman.

Hearing assistance is available for meetings in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room. FM Assistive Listening System is available at the meetings at all other locations. If you require any type of reasonable accommodation as a result of a physical, sensory or mental disability to participate in this meeting, contact the Department of Planning and Zoning at 703-777-0246. Please provide three days’ notice.

The subject property is more particularly described as follows: PIN

PROPERTY ADDRESS

041-19-4573

21391 Pacific Boulevard, Ashburn, Virginia

040-19-0276

N/A

040-19-3991

N/A

040-18-8480-001 040-18-8480-002

45170 Kincora Drive, Ashburn, Virginia

BY ORDER OF:

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

ERIC COMBS, CHAIRMAN LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION

Case No.: JJ044669-01-00

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

01/07 & 01/14/21

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE §§ 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104 Case No.:

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Lucas Eduardo Ixcotoyac Castro

CL 20-624

Loudoun County Circuit Court 10 East Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20175

Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Catarina Castro Chiroy, mother; Lucas Ixcotoyac Iztep, putative father; and Unknown Father The object of this suit is to hold an adjudicatory hearing pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-252 for Lucas Eduardo Ixcotoyac Castro, 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 Lucas Eduardo Ixcotoyac Castro.

It is ORDERED that the defendants Catarina Castro Chiroy, mother, Lucas Ixcotoyac Iztep, putative father, and Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court to protect their interests on or before Adjudication, January 6, 2021 at 2:00 pm, and Dispositional, February 8, 2021 at 10:00 am.

12/24, 12/31, 01/07, & 01/14/21

Ami Bhasmang Bhatt /v.

Bhasmang A. Bhatt The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce; award child custody and support; equitably divide property.

It is ORDERED that Bhasmang A. Bhatt appear at the above-named court and protect his interests on or before March 5, 2021at 2:00 p.m.

12/31, 1/7, 1/14, & 1/21/20

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY 7, 2021

Legal Notices

PAGE 25

ATTENTION LOUDOUN COUNTY VEHICLE OWNERS FILING DUE FEBRUARY 1 Notification of 2021 Personal Property filing requirements has recently been mailed to all owners of record in order to establish accurate assessment information for the 2021 tax year. Automobile, truck, motorcycle, camper, trailer, boat, motorhome, aircraft, or mobile homeowners should report changes online at: www.loudoun.gov/efile

Notice of Public Hearing Round Hill Town Council The Round Hill Town Council will hold a public hearing by electronic means, on Wednesday January 20, 2021, beginning at 7:30 p.m., to receive comments and consider the adoption of the following amendments to the Round Hill Water Ordinance and Sewer Ordinance, as authorized by Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended §§ 15.2-2109, -2119, -2122, -2143: TOWN OF ROUND HILL WATER ORDINANCE ARTICLE I, Definitions: Sections 1.1, 1.8, 1.12 and 1.15 amended to use the Town Zoning Ordinance definitions for accessory structure, dwelling unit, premises and structure.

ARTICLE II, Use of Public Water Supply, Section 2.1: substitute “structure” for home; clarifies public water supply connection requirement; Section 2.3: substitute “property” for “lot”; Section 2.4: prohibits private wells without Town Council approval; Section 2.5: substitute “structure” for house or building; clarifies that structures outside Town that disconnect from public supply forfeit the right to receive service; reconnection requires availability fee purchase; Section 2.6: substitutes “water supply” for “waterworks”.

ARTICLE III, Water Taps, Service Connections and Meters, Sections 3.2 and 3.3: adds zoning approval and availability fee payment requirements prior to sewer availability application approval; Section 3.4 clarifies that Town Staff connects water meters; Section 3.7: substitute “water service connection” for “service line”; Section 3.9: substitute private “street” for private “way; Section 3.12: describes service for accessory structures; Section 3.18: requires Town approval of swimming pool connections; Section 3.22: authorizes Town to determine number of meters required; clarifies that each meter requires a separate availability/connection fee ARTICLE IV, Temporary Family Health Care Structures, Section 4.2: delete “piggybacked” from connection.

ARTICLE VI, Water Consumption, Section 6.4: makes violations of Ordinance a civil, not criminal offense, subject to a monetary payment ARTICLE VII, Billing, Section 7.9: authorizes Town to adjust water and sewer charges; Section 7.11: substitutes “penalty” for “late fee”; Section 7:12: substitutes “property” for “real estate” regarding liens for delinquencies and adds State Code compliance; Section 7:16: authorizes payment plans.

ARTICLE VIII, Discontuance of Water Service, Section 8.1 (f): deletes Town and Loudoun County Ordinance provisions as basis for water service disconnect; Section 8.3: clarifies that disconnection can occur for violations of the Water Ordinance.

A filing notification with instructions about online filing has been mailed to each household of record.

The notification will indicate whether a filing is required or is optional for any personal property owned in Loudoun County based on the property type, the date the property was located in Loudoun, and whether a filing was previously made on the property.

Unless otherwise instructed, please report corrections, unusually high mileage, unrepaired body damage, serious mechanical defect, address changes or the sale, move or disposal of any personal property by February 1, 2021, online at: www.loudoun.gov/efile Newly acquired personal property or personal property recently entering Loudoun County must be reported to my office within 60 days of purchase or move to Loudoun County or one of its incorporated towns to avoid a 10% late filing penalty.

Although the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has limited its services during the COVID-19 pandemic, owners of vehicles in the County are subject to taxes beginning on the date the vehicle came to Loudoun, even if the vehicle displays out of state license plates.

Owners of vehicles displaying out-of-state license plates not otherwise exempt from obtaining Virginia license plates will be charged an additional annual license fee of $100. A $250 penalty may also be imposed on owners of vehicles that are not registered with DMV within 60 days of the owner’s having established residency in Virginia.

Military service members residing in Loudoun County who have separated from military service and were receiving a tax exemption due to claiming a domicile outside of Virginia should contact the Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office to report their change in status so their exemption can be removed.

Loudoun County administers the personal property tax and vehicle license fee (VLF) for owners of motor vehicles in the incorporated towns of Leesburg and Round Hill. For the incorporated towns of Middleburg and Lovettsville, Loudoun County will be billing and collecting the VLF only. Owners of motor vehicles located within the incorporated towns of Hamilton, Hillsboro, and Purcellville should contact their respective town regarding tax and decal requirements.

In order to protect the safety of taxpayers and staff and slow the spread of COVID-19, we encourage you to connect with us virtually. Most transactions with our office can be completed online. For more information or filing assistance, please visit www.loudoun.gov/cor or contact the Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue at ppdcor@loudoun.gov or 703-777-0260. Regular office hours are weekdays from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. If you choose to visit, we recommend you contact our office beforehand, as our office hours may be adjusted due to the pandemic.

Robert S. Wertz, Jr., Commissioner of the Revenue Loudoun County Leesburg Office 1 Harrison St. SE, First Floor

ARTICLE IX, Fire Suppression, Section 9.9: Fire suppression installation/operation shall comply with all applicable ordinances and adopted standards.

Sterling Office 21641 Ridgetop Cir., Suite 100

Mailing Address PO Box 8000 Leesburg, VA 20177-9804 Phone: 703-777-0260

ARTICLE XI, Water Theft, Section 11.5: makes principal and offending party jointly and severally liable for water tampering ARTICLE XII, Penalties, Section 12.4: deletes “summons” requirement and makes violations civil, instead of criminal, offenses subject to a fine.

TOWN OF ROUND HILL SEWER ORDINANCE ARTICLE I, Definitions: amends Sections 1.1 and 1.32 to use the Town Zoning Ordinance definitions for dwelling unit, premises and structure; Sections 1.13-1.15 define grinder pump system components; revise punctuation and spelling.

ARTICLE II, Use of Public Sewers, Section 2.4: adds “structures” to ordinance scope; change “toilet” to “waste disposal”; Section 2.6: change “lot” to “property”.

ARTICLE IV, Sewer Taps and Connections, Sections 4.3 and 4.4: to require zoning approval and availability fee payment prior to sewer availability application approval; Section 4.7: add food service to types of sewer service and correct number from 32 to 4; Section 4.8: clarify that applicant’s responsibility for all costs of connection including Town incurred costs; Section 4.9: change “building” to “structure” and describe service for accessory structures; Section 4.10: insert “Loudoun” before “County.

ARTICLE V: Use of the Public Sewer, Section 5.1: add medications to prohibited discharge list; Section 5.3 (c): require Town approval for commercial garbage disposals; Section 5.10: require Town approval for all grinder pump systems.

ARTICLE VI, Temporary Health Care Structures, Section 6.1: delete “piggybacked” from connection ARTICLE VII, Protection from Damage, Section 7.3: insert “recorded” before Town easements.

ARTICLE VIII, Penalties: Sections 8.1 and 8.4: delete “summons” from notice provision; Section 8.2: change “prosecuted” to “found liable” to make Ordinance violations a civil penalty.

A complete copy of the proposed amendments may be reviewed on www.roundhillva.org, or you can make an appointment to view the amendments at the Town Office between the hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. For questions, call 540-338-7878. All interested persons are encouraged to attend the hearing and should contact the Town Office for electronic participation instructions. The Round Hill Town Council will hold its regularly scheduled meeting immediately following the public hearing.

Scott Ramsey, Mayor Round Hill Town Council 01/07 & 01/14/20

01/07/21

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

AFFIDAVIT OF NON-SERVICE

Case No.:

Case No.:

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

JJ044071-09-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Abigail Rivera Hernandez Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Nelson Bismarck Rivera Espinoza, putative father and Rosibel Hernandez Zepeda, mother The object of this suit is to hold a 4th permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Abigail Rivera Hernandez.

It is ORDERED that the defendants Nelson Bismarck Rivera Espinoza, putative father and Rosibel Hernandez Zepeda, mother appear at the above-named Court to protect their interests on or before February 9, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.

12/24, 12/31, 01/07, & 01/14/21

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA COUNTY OF LOUDOUN, to wit:

CL 2020FA0339 Stacey Antoinette Adams /v.

Joseph William Dickson

Before me, the undersigned authority, personally appeared Kenneth L. Bingaman, a person competent to make oath, and who by me being duly sworn, deposes and says: That this Pre-trial order; notice from family court commissioner Ryan O’Rourke; summons without minor children (Divorce-40101); and petition without minor children (Divorce-40101) came into hand on the 12th day of November, 2020, at 10:02 AM, and was executed on the 16th day of November, 2020, at 9:45 AM, by Not finding Joseph William Dickson at 45319 Persimmon Lane, 2nd Floor, Sterling, Virginia. The current resident at 45319 Persimmon Lane, Sterling, Virginia, avised Affiant that current resident has lived at this address for two (2) years and does not know of Joseph William Dickson or his whereabouts.

Affiant further states that he attempted service on Joseph William Dickson at his place of employment, Domino’s Pizza, located at 2091 Davenport Drive, Suite 126, Sterling, Virginia, and was informed that Joseph William Dickson does not work at that establishment.

12/31, 1/7, 1/14, & 1/21/20

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

PAGE 26

JANUARY 7, 2021

Legal Notices

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The Loudoun County Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure is accepting comments regarding the proposed limited access control changes related to the Route 7/690 Interchange Project.

The Route 7/690 Interchange project will incorporate roundabouts at the intersections of the proposed interchange on/off ramps with existing Route 690 (Hillsboro Road) providing full access to and from Route 7 to Route 690 (Hillsboro Road).

Information related to the project and the limited access control changes are available for review at the Loudoun County Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure, MSC #64, 101 Blue Seal Drive, Suite 102, PO Box 7500, Leesburg, VA, 20177, and online at https://www.loudoun.gov/5179/ Route-7-690-Interchange.

Loudoun County Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure invites public comments related to the proposed limited access control changes. The comment period related to this public notice has been extended from January 2, 2021 to January 16th, 2021 to allow for comments outside of the overlapping holidays. Comments must be received in writing at DTCI@loudoun.gov or by mail at the address listed above (ATTN: Gary Pozzouli) by January 16th, 2021. Please reference “Route 7/690 Interchange Project” in the subject line.

Loudoun County ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or require special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency contact the Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure – Design and Construction Projects at (703) 7770396 or at DTCI@loudoun.gov. TDD/TTY # (703) 777-0396 (TTY 711) State Project: 6007-053-176, UPC 111666 Federal ID Number – NHPP-5A01(911) 01/07/21

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA Case No.: JJ044085-03-00 VA. CODE § 8.01-316 Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Isaac William McClure Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v. Edwin Ernesto Ortiz, father The object of this suit is to hold a permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Isaac William McClure.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Edwin Ernesto Ortiz, father appear at the above-named Court to protect his interests on or before February 9, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.

12/24, 12/31, 01/07, & 01/14/21

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Opinion Conversations That Count For most folks, community development policies don’t get much attention until plans for one pop up in their backyards. At that point there usually is little that can be done to save that forest or field you thought always would be there.

Two exercises are gearing up now that warrant your attention.

In Leesburg, town leaders are preparing to unveil the draft of a new Town Plan that will form the foundation of upcoming debates by the Planning Commission, the Town Council and, hopefully, the community at-large. This document will set the vision for Leesburg in the years and decades to come. How will the town support its businesses? Protect its historic character? And the environment? Create affordable housing?

Ensure the transportation network functions? What should happen in the field or forest behind your home? This is the conversation that decides those answers. The time to have an impact is now.

Once that vision it set, it is the zoning ordinance that determines whether it will be implemented successfully. That’s where the county government is today.

County leaders spent three years developing a new vision for Loudoun’s long-term community development. The Comprehensive Plan was adopted 19 months ago. None of the visionary statements or pretty graphics in that 500-page document count for much when a development plan comes through. The plan sets the policy, but it is the zoning and subdivision ordinances that establish the enforceable regulations.

This year, the county board plans to start setting the rules. Currently, that work is in the hands of consultants and staffers who will compile the first draft. The public will get involved as the Zoning Ordinance Committee begins combing through the details of that proposal. Then it goes to the Planning Commission and, finally, to the Board of Supervisors.

It can be mind-numbing stuff, but this is where concepts such as protecting water supplies or creating sustainable, walkable communities really take shape.

In short, for the hundreds of residents who took time to provide input on the Comprehensive Plan work over the past several years, your work is not done.

When it comes to the future of our community, these conversations count. n

Norman K. Styer, Publisher and Editor nstyer@loudounnow.com

Published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC 15 N. King St., Suite 101 Leesburg, VA, 20176 PO Box 207 Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723

EDITORIAL Renss Greene, Deputy Editor rgreene@loudounnow.com Jan Mercker, Reporter jmercker@loudounnow.com Kara C. Rodriguez, Reporter krodriguez@loudounnow.com Patrick Szabo, Reporter pszabo@loudounnow.com

Loudoun Now is delivered by mail to more than 44,000 Loudoun homes and businesses, with a total weekly distribution of 47,000.

ADVERTISING Susan Styer, Advertising Manager sstyer@loudounnow.com Tonya Harding, Account Executive tharding@loudounnow.com

LETTERS to the Editor Solve It Editor: Closing White’s Ferry should concern all Loudoun citizens.

Not only is this a charming and historic crossing in operation since 1786, it also is a convenient and efficient method to get to Maryland without the agony of driving up Rt. 15 to go anywhere north of Leesburg.

This ferry crossing clearly falls within any reasonable definition of interstate commerce and should be considered as such.

Since White’s Ferry road is a public access road serving several groupings of homes, and is therefore paid for by taxpayers, it is perfectly rational to define the road that supposedly is on the property of Rockland as a mere extension of White’s Ferry road and should be taken by eminent domain so that this constant argument can be solved and the ferry operation continued.

Both our Loudoun County government and the Commonwealth of Virginia can and should solve this on behalf of the taxpayers.

— Robert Ehinger, Leesburg

No Need Editor: This is in response to a letter sent by Del. Dave LaRock to his constituents urging us to join him in DC on Jan. 6 to celebrate the Trump victory and insure he is the next president.

Not being a Proud Boy and not looking for a rumble, I asked to be excused. And accepting the popular vote and the stateby-state certification of their electors, I see no need for such a rally or the charade promised by Republicans in Congress.

We are a democracy and the people decide who wins and loses, not legions of lawyers, armed militias or spineless pandering elected “leaders.”

One reason we are an exceptional democracy is the peaceful transfer of power.

The game being played by Republicans since the election denies those truths and assaults the foundations of our form of government. Through widespread voter suppression and creating doubts about elections, they are doing work once done

by Putin alone. He now has allies in this country.

To assert that there was widespread fraud, it would be handy to have proof.

Or evidence. Courts across the country, local, federal and supreme, have looked at the cases brought to them and universally dismissed those cases. Anyone can claim anything and make a great case on the internet; in court, judges like facts. Proof.

Evidence. Perhaps, all those courts missed something. Or perhaps, they are part of the vast left wing “deep state.”

In any event, I shall TiVo the rally for later viewing — FW Lillis, Leesburg

JANUARY 7, 2021

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Readers’ Poll

PAGE 29

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:

How far will the Washington Football Team go in the playoffs?

What’s your outlook for 2021?

Share your views at loudounnow.com/polls

Supervisors continued from page 3 And it was in 2020 that supervisors used their new authority to move war monuments to start the process of taking down the Confederate statue in front of the old courthouse, which the Daughters of the Confederacy hastened along by reclaiming the statue. Randall said that was part of a nationwide, long-overdue discussion.

“This year, besides COVID, has been a whole year on discussion of racial recognition of the issues that we’ve had,” she said.

“And you know, the Confederate statue, for me, after over a decade of talking and working on that issue, was important.”

But supervisors also had to continue leading the operations of the county government, even as administrators and staff members hurried to adapt to the pandemic. Turner said that went well, too.

“One of the things I’m most impressed with is how much critical work we’ve been able to get done under these conditions,” Turner said. “I think we adapted very quickly. We found ways to get the county’s

Classroom continued from page 3 of staff members and instances of in-school transmission.

To date, the school division is reporting only 11 cases of on-campus transmission: eight involving staff members to staff members, one case between a staff member and student and two athletic cases. The cases occurred at 11 different schools and involved 24 employees and 16 students. According to a state health department dashboard, there have been outbreaks reported

work done.”

He pointed in particular to a reorganization of the Zoning Ordinance Action Group into the Zoning Ordinance Committee, with new membership rules and reporting to the Planning Commission rather than the Board of Supervisors.

Supervisors are also looking ahead to what they’ll do as Loudoun works to return to normalcy—including a lot of work that was deferred while the pandemic took up all the time, attention and money.

“As soon as budget was over, my mind was like, ‘OK, now I want to work on the priorities that I talked about on the campaign trail,’ and there just has not been a lot of room to do that, to be honest,” said firstterm supervisor Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian). She said her biggest priorities next will be equity and affordable housing in Loudoun—particularly as many areas of her district are ripe for redevelopment, which she said can have a role in addressing those topics.

“I want to be very careful about how we plan and revitalize and redevelop those areas, and of course my constituents are very,

very concerned about how that happens as well,” Briskman said. She added: “It’s how do we build to something that’s really good for the community, but also helps with our unmet housing needs.”

“In many ways I don’t know what normal looks like yet, and I’m very much looking forward to just being in the office, because I feel like we in many ways have not been able to kind of coalesce as a board,” she said. “A lot of what gets accomplished when you’re running a business, and when you’re running county government, a lot gets accomplished in the hallways, and we’re kind of missing a lot of that communication and camaraderie.”

There is one thing supervisors repeated, as they often have from the dais: “The first year as very much a learning process, and one thing I have to say: I have been so impressed with the way the county government operates and the way that the staff operates,” Briskman said. “And how well-organized and detail-oriented our staff is, and you’ve got to credit [County Administrator] Tim Hemstreet for that. It comes from the top.” n

at two Loudoun public schools, at Dominion High School in August and at Heritage High School last month.

The lack of evidence of outbreaks in the schools is among the factors cited by proponents of a return to the classrooms.

Jeff Morse (Dulles) said having some 6,000 students in hybrid classes for more than a month without having known student transmission was a remarkable feat, but one that demonstrated the effectiveness of the division’s approach and protocols.

“These numbers are stunning. They are much lower than I would have expected,” he said, while acknowledging the level of community spread had increased in the

weeks since in-person learning was halted.

However, Barts questioned those figures, suggesting there has been inadequate contact tracing and likely unreported cases among absent students that make it difficult to understand the actual conditions.

During its Jan. 12 meeting the board is expected to review a proposal that would move away from a division-wide shutdown of in-person learning and instead focus on areas were cases are popping up—potentially only halting hybrid classes in a single classroom, one school or all the schools in a specific high school cluster. n

Hayley Milon Bour

Dozens of Sheriff’s Office deputies and emergency crews responded to the Dulles Corner Walmart off Atlantic Boulevard on Saturday evening following a shooting in the store.

Shootout continued from page 1 suing the shooter southbound on Rt. 28 toward the Fairfax County line. Nine minutes later, the truck crashed in the area of Presgrave Court in the Fields of Chantilly neighborhood.

After a nearly two-hour search by dozens of officers, with the help of a Fairfax Police helicopter and K9 units, the suspect was found running behind houses before finally stopping at a house on the corner of Kincaid Court and Kincaid Place. He was taken into custody at 7:20 p.m.

The suspect had been shot in the arm but was awake, alert and answering questions. He was transported to the hospital.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the identity of the suspect and the charges against him had not been disclosed. Troxell said the suspect’s identity would be made public once he is released from the hospital. n

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Theaters continued from page 1 than 25% of the business it was doing this time last year, Vice President of Operations Scott Flanagan said.

“We’re down significantly from last year,” he said.

To help with finances, Alamo, which closed March 17 and reopened the first week in August, is operating only four days a week—Thursday to Sunday—from now through at least the end of February.

Flanagan said consolidating to four days also helps the theater’s employees, many of whom work for tips and prefer to work busier shifts on the weekends.

But what has been the biggest challenge for Alamo hasn’t been a lack of movie-goers, Flanagan said. Instead, it has been the lack of content from Hollywood.

“That has probably hurt as much if not more than people being concerned about the safety,” he said.

CMX Cinemas, which acquired Cobb Theaters in late 2017, was closed longer than Alamo. While CMX also closed in mid-March, it didn’t reopen until Nov. 20.

It’s now open every day of the week.

This year looks brighter. Between April and August, 55 new movies are scheduled to hit the big screen, many of which will be films that were originally set to premier during 2020. And one of those will be the highly anticipated, 25th installment of the James Bond series, “No Time To Die,” which was initially set to premier last April and is now set for an April 2 release date.

CMX Cinemas Chief Operating Officer Javier Ezquerro said his team is “actually very excited” about this year, when a new major movie is set to premier nearly every weekend.

“I’ve never seen a calendar year like 2021. It’s stunning,” he said.

COVID Cleaning Offers Peace of Mind Theaters managers say their staffs are on top of the cleaning efforts. All six of Loudoun’s theaters, which represent four theater companies, are members of the National Association of Theatre Owners. That organization operates the CinemaSafe program, which promotes protocols developed by epidemiologists aimed to safely usher guests back to theaters.

In addition to Alamo spending $60,000 to upgrade HVAC filters and improve its fresh air intake system, all employees at the Drafthouse wear face masks and gloves at all times and have their temperatures checked at the back door before entering the theater.

Crews also disinfect each theater after each

movie showing using vital oxide sprayed from an electrostatic sprayer.

Flanagan said vital oxide is one of the safest cleaning agents on the market. Giving an example, he said a person could use a fork that was sprayed by the chemical just 10 minutes prior. Of course, the Alamo staff doesn’t spray utensils with the chemical.

And when a guest or group of guests purchase tickets at Alamo, two seats are automatically blocked off between them and the next group.

CMX Cinemas practices the same types of safety measures. Its ticketing system also automatically blocks off seats north, south, east and west of each group. And between each show, crews from the COVID Clear sanitization company use foggers to sanitize the air and surfaces inside the theaters.

Theaters Push Private Rentals Loudoun’s theaters are working to bring in more guests by advertising the rental of individual theaters to small groups.

CMX Cinemas offers those private rentals at prices starting at $99. The theater also offers $5 tickets all day long every “Terrific Tuesday.” And on Sundays, CMX honors Hero Day, in which frontline workers receive free tickets at the box office.

At Alamo, personal theater rentals cost $150 and require a $150 minimum purchase of food and beverages for each group.

While that might seem costly at the outset, Flanagan clarified that if the rental cost is split between 10 people, the payoff is the ability to watch a movie in a theater that typically seats 100 people for $15 extra a person. Flanagan said the $150 food and beverage minimum is basically a given, since people typically purchase food and drinks anyway.

“It’s actually, I think, a pretty good deal,” he said.

Alamo also features the county’s only active drive-in theater, which, Flanagan said, is keeping Alamo in business at the moment.

Drive-in Theaters Regain Popularity While driving up to the base of a largerthan-life screen to watch movies from inside a car largely became outdated decades ago, the experience was reborn across the nation during 2020 as indoor theaters remained closed for the better part of summer.

Alamo’s drive-in, located about five blocks from the theater, is the product of a partnership with One Loudoun that began in August. There, 186 cars can park in 18-foot spaces for their passengers to tune into FM 94.3 and watch movies on the big screen—a 4K laser projection screen that

costs $40,000, with accompanying equipment that costs even more. Guests can also order from Alamo’s menu and have their food delivered straight to their cars. Flanagan said that service is just as prompt as it is inside the theater.

“It was a big chance for us … but it’s paid off,” he said.

And paid off, it did. Flanagan said the Ashburn drive-in was the 45th highest grossing theater in the nation for the opening weekend of “Wonder Woman 1984.”

“For opening weekend, it cranked,” he said.

Andrea Khoury, the president of the Khoury Media Group that heads public relations for One Loudoun, said “people are really appreciating the option to be outdoors” watching movies with family.

Flanagan said he has heard from many people in their mid-50s and older who remember the fun of attending drive-ins decades ago.

“People love it,” he said.

The county recently extended Alamo’s and One Loudoun’s permit to keep those outdoor movies running through the end of April. From now until at least then, movies will be shown on the screen daily, wind permitting; the screen can withstand winds of up to 24 mph.

“The county has been super supportive,” Flanagan said.

The Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services also hosted three drive-in movies at Bolen A. Park near Leesburg in July. For each of those showings, 70 cars pulled up, many full of passengers.

Half of Loudoun’s Theaters Remain Closed Loudouners are fortunate to have three movie theaters to visit amid the pandemic.

Still, pre-COVID, they had six to choose from.

According to the Regal website, all of its theaters suspended operations Oct. 9 “in response to an increasingly challenging theatrical landscape and sustained key market closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The company stated it will continue monitoring the situation and will publicize its plans to resume operations “at the appropriate time, when key markets have more concrete guidance on their reopening status, and in turn, studios are able to bring their pipeline of major releases back to the big screen.”

Those closures no doubt are a big blow to the company, especially to its Brambleton location, which in December 2019 installed a 4DX and ScreenX theater, which enhances

JANUARY 7, 2021

on-screen visuals and includes motion-synchronized seats and other effects like wind, fog, rain, lightning, snow, vibration and scents. Regal at the time also announced it was upgrading the seating and lobby in the Brambleton theater.

Typically, Regal, a subsidiary of the Cineworld Group, operates 549 theaters— equating to 7,211 screens—in 42 states, Washington, DC, Guam, American Samoa and Saipan.

Streaming from Home Becoming a New Trend As many Loudouners have recently made the venture back into the theater, even more continue streaming newly released movies in their living rooms.

According to WarnerMedia, only 39% of U.S. movie theaters are open amid the pandemic and only half of the available seating in those theaters is available for ticket sales.

Meanwhile, the internet inside the homes of millions of Americans hasn’t skipped a beat.

When WarnerMedia’s “Wonder Woman 1984” premiered in theaters on Christmas Day, it also premiered on HBO Max. On Dec. 27, the entertainment conglomerate announced that nearly half of HBO Max’s retail subscribers viewed “Wonder Woman 1984” on the day it premiered, in addition to millions of wholesale subscribers who have access to the platform through cable, wireless and other services. The total viewing hours on HBO Max on Christmas Day also more than tripled in comparison to a typical day in November.

WarnerMedia has announced that it will release multiple movies in 2021 on HBO Max concurrent with their theatrical releases. “Wonder Woman 1984” is available for streaming on HBO Max through Jan. 25.

Despite that, and other similar recent announcements, Ezquerro said he is optimistic for the movie theater industry.

“Just because you’re streaming movies doesn’t mean you will never go back to the theater,” he said.

Flanagan said he’s not too concerned about streaming putting theaters out of business, either, since production studios make most of their money off the portion of movie ticket sales they receive.

Moving deeper into 2021 and beyond, Flanagan said he expects operations to remain quiet through March. But, he’s expecting a bit of normalcy to return by April, once more people are vaccinated and, hopefully, the governor relaxes some restrictions on businesses.

“You will be able to tell a noticeable difference in April,” he said. “We’re excited about 2021.” n

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY 7, 2021

Reid Tracy continued from page 20 balanced on her back. He held onto Hattie’s thin shoulders as she navigated open fields, climbed over fences, and shuffled along cratered roads. Their journey took them down Greengarden Road, over the fence and through Burnthouse Field, across Willisville Road, along Beaverdam Creek, and through the Old Welbourne Farm. Then across John Hughes’ property to finally reach Gaither’s farm.

“Stay outta trouble,” was the instruction Hattie gave her son each morning when they arrived at the farm.

Words like that are so easy to forget at 4 years old. Carroll made himself scarce on the farm, while his mother worked in the house. He did his best to explore and play, but he always seemed to find some sort of trouble.

One afternoon, he found himself watching the Gaither’s pigeons coo and peck inside their cage. He wondered whether they might like to fly. Who wouldn’t want to fly if they could? With no one else in sight, he unhitched the cage’s door. Then sat back in the grass to watch.

At first, the birds didn’t seem to notice they were free to go. Then, suddenly, one flew out. Then a second. And the rest took notice and quickly followed.

“They flew around the farm a couple times, and then they disappeared,” Carroll recalls.

He never told his mother that he was the one who’d freed the pigeons, and she never asked. And anyhow, Carroll didn’t feel too bad about the trouble he’d found that day.

After all, who wouldn’t want to fly if they could?

••• A couple years later, Hattie could go to work without a little companion. Just after his sixth birthday, Carroll could join all the bigger kids at Willisville School. The tworoom schoolhouse had educated Black students from Howardsville, Willisville, Rock Hill and other nearby villages since about 1870. Carroll was thrilled he made the cut to enroll. His cousin, on the other hand, had to wait another year because she didn’t turn six until November.

“I know she was sad about that and I felt bad too,” Carroll remembers.

And what’s more, Carroll got to ride a yellow bus to school. Hattie, who would travel to work on foot for several more years, continued to offer her son the same instruction each morning. “Stay outta trouble,” she’d holler after Carroll as he climbed up the bus steps.

Without meaning to, he managed to find at least a little trouble at school. “My biggest

problem was talking. So Miss Edna Brinkley would make me stay in for lunch and write the same line over and over. I’d write ‘I will stop talking’ in really big print. That way I could get away with filling both sides of the paper before too long.”

••• At 13, Carroll took on a part-time job.

He and his friend Russell Basil were hired to work on a nearby farm owned by Harold Menkins. On weekends and in the summer months, Mr. Menkins would pick the two boys up in his truck from their homes in Howardsville and drop them off in the evenings. He kept the boys busy mucking stalls, hauling straw, mending fences, and other odd jobs.

“I made about $25 a week—$5 a day,” Carroll says. “When it was real busy, he’d offer us a dollar more in overtime pay if we worked longer days. Russell would take it, but I’d just rest in the ditch and wait for him.

To me, all that work wasn’t worth one more dollar.”

Carroll continued working at Menkins’ farm while he attended Douglass School, the all-Black high school about 25 miles away in Leesburg.

“I was always smart about working. I worked hard, but I spoke up if I was ever being taken advantage of,” Carroll says. “I guess I got that from my grandmother.”

Pushing back wasn’t a trait of his mother, Hattie, but of her mother. Her name was Gracie, but when she wasn’t in earshot, Carroll referred to as The High Sheriff.

“Because what she said, went,” he recalls.

“My mother didn’t whip us. But my grandmother wouldn’t hesitate. She was fair, but she was tough.”

One afternoon on Menkins’ farm, the boys were sitting in the shade of a tree, eating out of their lunch pails. With ten minutes left on their break, the farm manager walked over and yelled, “Carroll, get off your ass and get back out there and fix that fence.”

So Carroll, about 15 years old, stood up, picked up his Roy Rodgers lunch pail and walked home. His grandmother, The High Sheriff, met him at the door. “What are you doing home this early?”

“Well, that farm manager said something I didn’t like.”

“Alright,” she sighed. “You didn’t have to take that. Go back tomorrow and get your last paycheck.”

The next morning, Carroll walked up to the house to talk to Mrs. Menkin. “Morning, ma’am,” he started. “I’d like to have my money.”

“Carroll, it’s not payday.”

“I know. But I quit yesterday. Your farm manager said something I didn’t like.”

She promised to tell the farm manager to leave Carroll and the other boys alone.

“Anyhow, you don’t have to work on the

PAGE 31

farm if you don’t want,” she added. “Why don’t you come up here and work in the yard?”

“Well alright. That sounds fine.”

In the months that followed, Carroll ate more cake and ice cream than he’d had in all of his previous 15 years. “She was always bringing me something,” he says. “So it worked out. Seemed like everything always want to happen to me, but I’d stop it by not keeping quiet. I never did take too much.

But that was just me.”

••• After graduating from high school, jobs and responsibilities took Carroll away from home, but he always managed to find his way back. His tour in the Army took him first to Fort Lauderdale, Florida; then Fort Jackson, South Carolina; then Fort Carson, Colorado. And finally, to Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Medal for Heroism for holding off Viet Cong soldiers during a brutal, four-hour attack in February 1968.

Two months later, he told his captain he was counting down the days until he could leave. “I have seven days left in this man’s army.”

The captain told Carroll, then a young specialist, that he was free to go, as soon as he could get caught up on his vaccination shots.

“I said, OK then. Let’s get this over with—give me three on this arm, three on this arm. And that’s what they did,” he says.

“I was ready to go home. No matter where I’d ever been, I always thought about com-

ing home.”

Carroll later moved to nearby St. Louis, but he never forgot his roots, that little house set back from Greengarden Road brimming with relatives.

“I always find my way to Howardsville.

Matter of fact, I still go up that way to see my cousin and my brother,” he said in an interview in November 2020. “Every time, I think about my mother. Everything she did for me and for so many others.”

He describes Hattie as “the best mother that you could have.”

In her later years, she quit her job doing housework to care for her mother, The High Sheriff, until she died in 1999 at the age of 104. Then Hattie cared for her sister, Mary Catherine, when she got sick. And later, her other sister, Emma.

“She had a good heart,” Carroll says.

“She didn’t complain. She didn’t get no help because everyone else was living their lives.”

Hattie died at 84 years old, in November 2008, in that little house in Howardsville.

She passed peacefully. Here one minute, in this place she’d lived and loved and left her mark. And gone to heaven the next. As if she’d suddenly taken flight. n This story was originally published by America’s Routes, an organization dedicated to capturing the images and stories of Loudoun County’s historic gravel roads, with the ultimate goal of preserving them.

See more of the group’s work at AmericasRoutes.com.

Obituaries William “Sonny” Duke Age 83, of Alexandria, VA

William “Sonny” Duke was born on July 29, 1937. He departed this life December 22, 2020 at INOVA Loudoun Hospital in Leesburg, VA. He was preceded in death by his mother, Laura Mae Duke and his father, Clarence Duke.

Sonny was a life-long resident of Alexandria, VA. He received his high school diploma at the Manassas Industrial High School. He had a strong work ethic and was known as a reliable and dependable businessman. He was the Sole Proprietor of Sonny’s Dry-Cleaning chain in Alexandria, VA. Sonny was an active and devoted member

LoudounNow

of the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA for over 70 years. He served on the Mt. Pleasant trustee board until his health failed him. Sonny had a lifelong passion for motorcycles and was an active member of the “Flying Missiles” motorcycle club of the Washington, DC area.

Surviving to cherish his memory are two daughters, Wanda Kyler (Gerald) of Aldie, VA and Linda Duke of Martinsburg, WV. He is also survived by his two grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and cousins Kathryn Turner, Sandra Turner Bond and William Gordon (Cynthia).

Graveside services were held on Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, 6477 Lincolnia Road, Alexandria, VA 22312.

Arrangements by LYLES FUNERAL SERVICE, Serving N. Virginia. Eric S. Lyles, Director. Lic. VA/MD/DC. 800-388-1913.

Lives are like rivers:

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW

JANUARY 7, 2021