Loudoun Now for May 13, 2021

n LOUDOUN

Pg. 4 | n LEESBURG

VOL. 6, NO. 24

Pg. 6 | n PUBLIC SAFETY

Pg. 12 | n OBITUARIES

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Pg. 23 | n PUBLIC NOTICES

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MAY 13, 2021

COVID-19 Emergency Nears End LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

Gov. Ralph Northam gave a hopeful update on the state of the commonwealth’s battle with COVID-19 last week, announcing that precautions such as occupancy and gathering limits could end June 15, and the state of emergency which has existed since last March possibly be lifted by June 30.

Northam noted during the May 4 briefing that the commonwealth has seen dropping COVID-19 case counts, positivity rates, hospitalizations and deaths, as vaccination becomes more easily accessible.

He noted Virginia’s progress along the path to herd immunity, with almost 60% of people having received at least one dose of a vaccine.

“We’d love to get everybody that can vaccinated, but we certainly want to get to 70% to 75% of the population,” Northam said. “That’s where herd immunity occurs, and that’s frankly where we can put this COVID-19 definitely and permanently in the rearview mirror.”

If the metrics continue trending positively, Northam said, on June 15 he expects to relax COVID-19 mitigation measures. Depending on CDC guidance, that could include ending the mask mandate.

On May 10, the FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine for children age 12 and up.

Loudoun County Health DepartCOVID continues on page 17

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

Whitbeck Bennett Partner Elizabeth Lancaster, a former public defender, and Associate Attorney Sydny Bryan, a former prosecutor, sort through the increasing numbers of cases the firm is seeing amid the pandemic and judicial emergency.

Court Cases Still Backed Up; Lawsuits, Trials Face Long Waits

BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com

For the past 14 months, Loudoun residents have wrestled with the insolvencies of closed offices and schools and restrictions on public gatherings. But for those charged with criminal offenses, some of whom remain in jail, the pandemic has largely put their lives on hold.

Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Donald W. Lemons on March 16, 2020 declared a judicial emergency requiring all

civil, traffic and criminal matters, including jury trials, to be delayed in an effort to keep as many people out of courthouses as possible. Lemons extended that order for a 21st time on May 3, keeping those restrictions in effect through at least the end of the month.

As part of that action, hundreds of cases in Loudoun’s court system, which already faced backlogs before the pandemic, were put on hold, leading in some instances to increased caseloads, added legal preparations, and, for defendants sitting in jail awaiting their day in court, the question of whether they would receive their re-

quired speedy trial. In October, the Virginia Supreme Court authorized the Loudoun County Circuit Court to resume jury trials, and the first jury trial since the onset of the pandemic was held in January.

No Speedy Trials Amid COVID Laurel Brigade Law Group attorney Dan Travostino, who has been practicing law for 46 years, said he recently represented a client who sat in jail for a year before trial— seven months longer than permitted under BACKLOG continues on page 17

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Youngkin To Lead GOP’s State Ticket LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

After a day of voting and three days of ballot counting, the Republican slate is set for November’s state elections.

Glenn Youngkin secured the GOP nomination for governor and will be joined on the ballot by lieutenant governor nominee Winsome Sears and attorney general hopeful Del. Jason Miyares (R-82).

Party delegates cast votes at 39 locations around the commonwealth during Saturday’s unassembled convention. In Loudoun, delegates from throughout the 10th Congressional District lined up outside the party headquarters in Ashburn to drop off their ballots in a drive-through collection. Statewide, only about half of the 53,000 registered delegates cast ballots Saturday.

That night, the ballots were moved to the Richmond Marriot hotel where party

officials begin working through the rankchoice voting in each race.

The attorney general’s race was tallied Sunday, with Miyares, of Virginia Beach, securing the nomination after three rounds of counting. In the end, he received 52% of the vote, outpacing C.L. “Chuck” Smith Jr., who got 48%. The majority of Loudoun delegates favored Smith, with the unweighted vote going 760 for Smith and 287 for Miyares in the first round, and 973 to 455 in the final round.

Ballots in the gubernatorial race were tallied throughout the day Monday. Following the sixth round of counting, Youngkin secured 55.4% of the vote. Pete Snyder was second with 44.6%. Sen. Amanda Chase (R-11) placed third and former House Speaker Kirk Cox placed fourth, but were eliminated from contention, along with Octavia L. Johnson, Sergio de la Peña and Peter Doran, as part of the

voting system that required the winner to gain 50% of the vote.

“I am prepared to lead, excited to serve and profoundly humbled by the trust the people have placed in me. Virginians have made it clear that they are ready for a political outsider with proven business experience to bring real change in Richmond,” Youngkin said in a statement released after his victory was announced.

Loudoun’s delegates were split evenly between Youngkin and Snyder. They delivered 520 unweighted votes for Youngkin, 519 for Snyder and 179 for Chase in the first round.

On Tuesday morning, Winsome Sears, a former delegate from Winchester, secured the nomination for lieutenant governor. She achieved 55% of the vote in the fourth round of counting. Glenn Davis was second, with 33%.

Loudoun’s convention delegates

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Glenn Youngkin speaks during a campaign stop at the Purcellville Pub in April.

strongly backed Sears, with 589 firstround votes going her way.

YOUNGKIN continues on page 35

Air and Space Museum Reopens with Mercury Capsule, Blue Angel, X-Wing LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

The Smithsonian last week reopened the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center to the public, on the 60th anniversary of the first American spaceflight. To celebrate, the Mercury mission’s Freedom 7 capsule that carried Alan Shepard into space is on display for the first time.

On May 5, 1961, he made the first crewed American flight into space. Shepard would go on to walk on the moon.

But if the historic Freedom 7 space capsule isn’t enough, visitors also for the first time will get to see to a Blue Angels F/A-18C on display, which the museum acquired in November after it flew into Dulles Airport.

The Hornet, as it is known, has been a long-lived show aircraft for the Navy’s Flight Demonstration Team, the Blue Angels, serving for 34 of the team’s 75 years of existence—more than twice as long as any other aircraft type.

The particular Hornet at the Air and Space Museum was delivered to the Navy in 1987 and flew in Operation Desert Storm, the First Gulf War in 1991 and helped enforce the no-fly zone over MUSEUM continues on page 35

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

The SR-71 Blackbird greeting visitors to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. On its last flight on March 6, 1990, on the way to Dulles International Airport and the museum, it set a speed record flying from Los Angeles to Washington, DC in 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 20 seconds, averaging 2,124 miles per hour.

PAGE 4

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

MAY 13, 2021

Loudoun

ON THE Agenda

Chapman Attacks County Police Study

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Loudoun Sheriff Michael Chapman came to the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, May 4 to publicly oppose ongoing work to study whether the county should create a police department, which would sideline the sheriff for most law enforcement duties.

Chapman arrived to personally deliver the quarterly significant incidents report—a task he typically leaves to one of his subordinates—but before getting to that spent several minutes defending his work as sheriff.

“In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police officer Derek Chauvin, the nation has seen an unparalleled protest and riots, and attacks on the law enforcement profession like never before,” Chapman began. “While there are many instances of bad and even criminal conduct on the part of police officers, the vast, vast majority of the 700,000 law enforcement officers nationwide, representing 18,000 agencies and handling over 60 million citizen contacts every given year, remain committed to this profession, and put their lives on the line daily to protect

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Loudoun Sheriff Michael Chapman at a topping out ceremony for the new courthouse in March 2021.

the citizens that they serve, many they don’t even know.”

Chapman said while other departments have been deputies and police officers leaving, his office ended the year with its lowest vacancy rate ever, and pointed to work such

as Crisis Intervention Training for deputies and agency accreditation.

“I raise these concerns because they are important to know, as the county has now CHAPMAN continues on page 5

All Points Favored in Plans to Bring Broadband West

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

All Points Broadband appears to be the current favorite choice for a partnership with the county government that could bring broadband internet to broad swaths of western Loudoun with the help of state grant funding.

Supervisors in this term have made extending broadband to western Loudoun a priority, dedicating money to building out a fiber optic network to county-owned facilities in the west that can act as a backbone to extend that connectivity to homes. That work is itself built off of Loudoun County Public Schools’ work to extend fiber optic cable to its western Loudoun facilities. All of that is meant to offer an easier solution to the “last mile” problem of internet access, referring to the relative cost to internet service providers to offer internet to those far-flung homes, versus how much those companies can expect to make back from

relatively few customers.

The state also offers some help to get those people connected, with Virginia Telecommunication Initiative or VATI grants, and Loudoun County staff is considering proposals from several companies to partner for a grant application. The favorite is one from All Points Broadband, building on the company’s success both with previous VATI applications. The company is also proposing partnering with Dominion Energy to extend fiber optic cable along power line routes—something the company already has experience doing with Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative.

“Staff really looked at, first and foremost, which opportunity provides us the greatest chance of success for an actionable project with VATI,” said Assistant County Administrator Erin McLellan. “The goal here is to be able to win a VATI award so that a project can be partially offset, and provide a solution to the broadband question.”

All Points, she said, seems to offer the best chance for winning that grant. The

company’s proposal is also favored by the county Communications Commission.

The proposal would extend broadband service to around 240 square miles of the county, reaching approximately 8,200 locations and building off of the county’s fiber network.

Supervisor Tony R. Buffington (R-Blue Ridge) said that would address the vast majority of underserved and unserved homes in western Loudoun.

Still, the county will not formally select a partner for the VATI grant application until next month. Grant applications will open in June, with decisions expected in December.

“I want to be careful because I don’t want to make it sound like it’s going to be All Points,” said County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large).

County staff members are also looking into other potential sources of funding for expanding broadband, including from the American Rescue Plan Act, U.S. Department of Agriculture loans and grants, and other state and federal funding. n

Supervisors Support New FOIA Exemption Loudoun County supervisors this year supported a new exemption to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act allowing elected officials to withhold the recipients of their email newsletters from disclosure.

The bill, proposed by Del. Wendy W. Gooditis (D-10), allows elected officials keep private contact information for people who sign up to receive communications such as district newsletters. A similar exemption already covered contact information for people who sign up for communications from the government or legislative body as a whole.

The Board of Supervisors also opposed a law passed this year which requires the government upon request to release investigative files for criminal investigations or proceedings that are not ongoing. That bill also allows an unusually long window for releasing those files, up to 60 additional work days at the government’s discretion.

The county government supported no bills to expand access to public records.

Almost all exemptions to transparency law are voluntary; there are few records a government body cannot disclose if willing, or that elected officials cannot discuss publicly.

Penalties for violating the Freedom of Information Act are fines for individual employees, and only if a court finds they “willfully and knowingly” violated the law.

There are 147 numbered paragraphs of exemptions in the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. In this term, supervisors have sought to tamp down further on public disclosures, adopting a rule in their rules of order calling to censure members who disclose discussions from closed-door meetings, which is legal under state law.

Board Plans Transit Summit May 25 The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has scheduled a transit summit for Tuesday, May 25 at 6 p.m.

The summit is meant to give Board members the chance to discuss transit issues, one of the Board’s strategic focus areas. There, they will ON THE AGENDA continues on page 5

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MAY 13, 2021

Supervisors Split on Taxing Marijuana Sales

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

At least one county supervisor, County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large), has voiced opposition to collecting a local tax on marijuana sales when that becomes legal in 2024.

Under a state law passed this year, starting July 1 it will be legal for people 21 and up to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow up to four marijuana plants per

Chapman continued from page 4 committed $500,000 to study a problem that doesn’t exist,” Chapman said.

The county has awarded a half-million dollar contract to study the possibility of a county police department.

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) chastised Chapman for those statements.

ON THE Agenda continued from page 4

hear updates on opening Metrorail’s Silver Line in Loudoun County, which will include a briefing from Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority General Manager Paul Wiedefeld.

They will also hear input from several advisory boards including the Commission on Aging, the Disability Services Board, the Loudoun Health Commission and the Transit Advisory Board; findings from

household. Retail sales will become legal in 2024 under the new Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. It also provides for expungement of convictions for marijuana-related offenses and directs support and resources to people and communities that have been disproportionately affected by drug enforcement.

The county board will also have the option to levy a 3% tax on retail marijuana sales on top of any other local taxes that may apply.

Some supervisors and Loudoun’s sheriff have strongly criticized that law, and Randall continued that opposition during the May 4 board meeting.

“Legalizing marijuana is done for one reason and one reason only, and that’s to get tax money,” Randall said. “I do not believe that we should be getting tax money off of

an addictive substance.”

Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-Ashburn) likened it to the local cigarette tax— which supervisors unanimously supported during a meeting earlier this year—while saying he, too, opposes legalizing marijuana. He said it would be akin to outlawing cigarettes in Loudoun while they remain legal a few minutes’ drive away in surrounding counties.

“All that cigarette tax revenue would go somewhere else. The decision has been made,” Turner said. “We are not going to isolate ourselves as somehow morally and ethically saying this is wrong and we’re going to stand against it in Loudoun County and have even one twit’s worth of effect on the moral and community outcome of that stand. What we will do is lose millions and millions of dollars’ worth of revenue.”

Randall disagreed, arguing marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol or nicotine because it affects driving ability but there is no breathalyzer equivalent test for marijuana impairment, and called it a “morally bankrupt decision.”

“If it’s still an addictive substance, we are drug dealers, and I don’t think that’s OK,” Randall said.

The new state law gives localities the option to hold a voter referendum on whether to prohibit marijuana sales before the end of 2022. Supervisors who might want to prohibit marijuana sales in Loudoun will get one shot at that referendum. Under the law, if the majority votes to allow marijuana sales, there will be no more referenda on the topic. If the voters vote not to allow sales, another referendum may be held up to every four years. n

“What’s happening right now with the racial reckoning and the equity march is not just because of George Floyd, or one person or two persons, it is because of hundreds of Black people, especially Black men, who have died unjustifiably at the hands of law enforcement,” Randall said.

“And there have been riots, and that is not OK, and there have been lootings and that is not okay, but we are not talking about something that the Black community has been dealing with for a couple of months.”

She said “to minimize that is an egregious insult that I will not sit here and pass by.”

Supervisors also pressed Chapman on the lack of diversity in his command staff.

Questioned about minority representation at the highest levels in the agency by Supervisor Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling), Chapman pointed to the lone Black officer of the eight above lieutenant, Major Easton McDonald, and “an executive assistant who’s female.”

Chapman’s attendance at the Board of Supervisors meeting surprised both supervisors and School Board members, who were that night expecting him to attend their meeting to discuss a new agreement on the School Resource Officer program. Instead, that work was derailed when, with Chapman at the Board of Supervisors meeting, the Sheriff ’s Office proposed a new version of the policy, derailing years of work. n

the Unmet Transit Needs of Seniors and Disabled Residents Study; an overview of how Loudoun County Transit designs its routes; and the results of a study to identify strategies for the best use for the county’s park and ride lots as Metrorail extends into Loudoun.

The county boardroom will be open to the public, but with limited capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The summit will also be televised on Comcast Government Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40 and livestreamed at loudoun.gov/meetings.

Documents for the meeting will be posted at loudoun.gov/bosdocuments.

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MAY 13, 2021

AROUND town

Leesburg

State of the Town May 20

Patrick Szabo/ Loudoun Now

Loudoun County supervisors voted May 4 to purchase the 134-acre Westpark Golf Club.

County Supervisors Vote to Buy Westpark Property

BY RENSS GREENE

rgreene@loudounnow.com

Loudoun County supervisors voted unanimously last week to buy most of the former Westpark Golf Club property in Leesburg for $3.8 million.

Supervisors approved the 134.26-acre acquisition shortly after midnight at their May 4 meeting. JK Moving founder and CEO Chuck Kuhn had purchased the land in December in an effort to prevent development that had been opposed by neighboring residents and town leaders. The county’s purchase did not include eight acres zoned for commercial use.

“The County intends to use the property in an environmentally beneficial way that should result in improved water quality through the property, through the Town, and downstream from the property including Goose Creek, the Potomac and the Chesapeake Bay,” wrote Supervisor Kristen

C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) in an email last Wednesday. “At a future point, much of the property should be largely available to the public for passive, environmentally beneficial uses. At this point, there is no plan for active recreation on the property, nor is such likely.”

However, she wrote, it is possible that the county could build trails in the future, possibly in partnership with the town. There are no immediate plans.

Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk praised the county’s purchase and what it will mean not only for Leesburg, but residents who live near the former golf club property. The council had on several occasions considered buying the property for use as a town park, but never had a majority to support it.

“It’s a win for sure,” she said.

Burk said she hopes the property will stay as a passive park, where residents can enjoy the outdoors, something that was particularly important in the early days of the

COVID-19 pandemic, she pointed out. She said her initial talks with the county staff and supervisors indicate they share that vision, although no formal decisions have been made.

Burk said she has already made calls to members of the Board of Supervisors, and is pushing for a joint meeting with the council and the board to discuss the property’s future, as well as a time to take public input on plans for the land.

Kuhn purchased the entire property for $5 million on Dec. 28, 2020, with a stated intention to place it under conservation easement. That same month, supervisors asked county staff members to reach out to Kuhn about buying the 134 non-commercial acres from him.

According to County Attorney Leo Rogers, the property has not yet been placed under easement, but that step is expected to be completed by the time the purchase goes to closing. n

Town Council to Explore Police Advisory Commission

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com

While the Leesburg Town Council’s hands are tied on creating a civilian oversight body, a majority looks to get the public more involved, and educated, in the work of the Leesburg Police Department.

Five members of the council voiced

support Monday night for a work session on the charter, parameters and membership makeup of a resident-led advisory body or task force that would work in concert with the town’s police department.

The council again discussed Monday the subject of a civilian oversight body, a phenomenon that has become more predominant nationally since George Floyd’s

death at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin put a focus on concerns about racial injustice and police brutality. In some localities, civilian oversight bodies are even charged with reviewing instances of police misconduct and making disciplinary determinations.

ADVISORY COMMISSION continues on page 8

Following a one-year hiatus, Mayor Kelly Burk’s State of the Town address returns Thursday, May 20.

The event will take place on the Town Green, in front of Town Hall, beginning at 5 p.m. A rain date is scheduled for Tuesday, June 1, at 5 p.m.

Burk’s address will include recent town accomplishments and upcoming projects. The public is invited to attend. The event will be set up to accommodate social distancing and current COVID-19 restrictions. Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 is asked to stay home as the address will be shared live on the town’s Facebook page.

Town Joins #MyParkMyWhy Campaign The Town of Leesburg is participating in the National Park Trust’s #MyParkMyWhy campaign by highlighting all of the parks that Leesburg has to offer.

During the weeklong campaign, which kicked off Monday, staff and members of Town Council will share some of their favorite park locations while identifying what makes them so special.

In addition, the town will recognize the 11th anniversary of “Kids to Parks Day” on Saturday, May 15.

Families are encouraged to get out and explore the great outdoors at local, state, and national parks and public lands across the county.

Residents can share their #MyParkMyWhy story to the town’s social media outlets throughout the week.

To learn more, go to parktrust. org/kids-to-parks-day.

Free Doc Shredding Offered Saturday The Department of Public Works & Capital Projects will host a free community document shredding event on Saturday, May 15.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Heritage High School, located at 520 Evergreen Mills Rd, SE in Leesburg, rain or shine.

Residents can bring up to three AROUND TOWN continues on page 8

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MAY 13, 2021

PAGE 7

Toby Atwell Honored with Field Dedication

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

The first Loudoun County athlete to make it in the big leagues was honored Saturday with the dedication of Toby Atwell Field in Leesburg.

Maurice Dailey “Toby” Atwell Jr. graduated from Leesburg High School in 1942 and played for many years on the field along Old Waterford Road. He went on to become Loudoun’s first Division 1 athlete to play at Virginia Tech and served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. The catcher signed as an amateur free agent with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946 before hitting the Major League with the Chicago Cubs in 1952.

“He was the only rookie selected to the 1952 All Star game,” recalled Garland Cooper, who helped lead the field dedication effort. “He had the second highest batting average behind hall of famer Stan Musial in the American and National leagues, with a .324 at the All Star break.”

He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1953 and ended his career with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956.

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Garland Cooper addresses the crowd gathered for the dedication of Toby Atwell Field along Old Waterford Road in Leesburg on May 8.

He returned to Loudoun and lived in Purcellville where he mentored generations of players until his death in 2003 at the age of 78.

“Toby made sure that any kid who

wanted knowledge, he gave it to them,” Cooper said.

The effort to rename the field in Atwell’s honor began with the South Riding All Stars team’s run in the Little League World

Series in 2019. Danny Ford, a 1975 graduate of Broad Run High School, wanted to highlight Atwell’s trailblazing path to inspire other ballplayers. He reached out to Atwell’s family members with the idea.

Cooper, Atwell’s cousin Joann Pearson and niece Cindy Atwell joined the effort.

They first approached the Leesburg Town Council, but learned that the field was owned by the school division. Last August, the School Board approved the name change. The county’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services jumped in to support the effort as well.

“This was a real example of all these different localities working together. This is a really great celebration,” Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk said during the dedication ceremony.

The first pitch on the newly dedicated field was thrown by another Loudoun standout, Tommy Heflin, a 1956 Loudoun County High School graduate who played in AA in the Senators organization and a member of the school’s athletic hall of fame. n

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Advisory Commission continued from page 6 However, as Town Attorney Christopher Spera reminded the council, Leesburg finds itself in a bit of a predicament when it comes to legislation passed by the General Assembly that will take effect July 1. That legislation, signed into law by Gov. Ralph Northam in October, creates authority for certain civilian oversight bodies with direct regulatory authority over law enforcement agencies. But, as the law is currently written, towns are not authorized to create such oversight bodies. Localities in the legislation are defined as either cities or counties and, while town police departments are subject to oversight, only the county Board of Supervisors, not the Town Council, is authorized to create an oversight board for the town’s police department. The Board of Supervisors would have the same authority to create such a board for the county’s two other town police departments in Purcellville and Middleburg. However, the new law does not subject a county sheriff ’s office to an oversight board.

Spera said he and other town staff members brought this discrepancy to the attention of the town’s legislative representatives ahead of January’s General Assembly session, but have not yet heard anything back recently.

Absent a full-blown civilian oversight board, the authority exists for the council to create a resident-led advisory board or task force. Chief Gregory Brown said he supported this idea, adding that it gives the department another opportunity to educate.

“Part of the problem we deal with as localities is the public is uneducated in police policy or procedure,” he said. “To be able to have advocates through learning and familiarization. ... I think is definitely a benefit at this time.”

Vice Mayor Marty Martinez, who brought the matter forward for discussion, said he supported the creation of a task

AROUND town continued from page 6 boxes or bags of documents, each equivalent in size to a standard file storage box. If the shredding trucks are full before 1 p.m., the event will end early. Residents are encouraged to arrive no later than noon.

For a list of items acceptable for shredding, as well as tips on identity theft protection, go to leesburgva.gov/shredevents.

Preservation History Exhibit Opens A new exhibit featuring items preserved

force to see if the need existed for such an advisory body. A future work session on that subject will be scheduled. Councilman Neil Steinberg also asked that Spera request an advisory opinion on the civilian oversight body legislation from Attorney General Mark Herring. All council members except Suzanne Fox and Kari Nacy supported that request.

Earlier in the evening, Brown briefed council members on the town’s crime statistics from calendar year 2020, which were down sharply in most categories because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Calls for service alone dropped by more than 12,000 in 2020, compared to the previous year, to 35,585.

Arrests were also down, from 13% to 50%, depending on crime category. Domestic violence cases and arrests were also down, although Brown noted that was likely because victims were fearful of reaching out during the quarantine. A public education campaign undertaken by the department urged victims to contact authorities and report incidents of domestic violence, he added.

Crashes and motorist contact, by way of tickets, citations, arrests or warnings, were also down.

Top town intersections for crashes were, in order, the intersection of East Market Street and Cardinal Park Drive, which ranked third in 2019; the Leesburg Bypass/ Edwards Ferry Road intersection, which also came in second in 2019; Market Street and Prosperity Avenue; Battlefield Parkway and the Leesburg Bypass; and the bypass’ intersection with Fort Evans Road. None of the latter three intersections cracked the top four crash sites the previous year.

Brown did warn the council in concluding his presentation what a return to normalcy, as COVID restrictions subside, can mean for crime statistics.

“Next year’s [crime statistics] may or may not show substantial increases in crimes or arrests. That’s not indicative of a rise in crime but that we are returning to normal,” he said. n with the help of the Loudoun Preservation Society is on display at Thomas Balch Library.` The society is a volunteer organization with a mission to preserve and promote historic Loudoun County. It provides grants to nonprofit groups and entities with historic preservation and education.

The exhibit will be available to view, by appointment only, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon, or 1-3 p.m., through May 25.

Call 703-737-7195, email balchlib@ leesburgva.gov, or fill out an Appointment Request Form via leesburgva.gov/departments/thomas-balch-library.

MAY 13, 2021

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 9

New Life on Liberty? Council Looking into Possible Partnership

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

The Leesburg Town Council looks to entertain offers on how to breathe new life into its Liberty Street parking lot.

According to Economic Development Department Director Russell Seymour, the town has received a few expressions of interest from the development community in partnering with the council on redevelopment of the site. The two-acre site is zoned B-1, for commercial use, but is only being used for public parking and an office for the town’s public works staff.

Seymour said that while parking was important, other areas of town are meeting that need. What the downtown is lacking, however, is space for large meetings or conferences.

“A lot of times [visitors] are staying in our hotels but they’re going out of town for meetings. A number of businesses have told us point blank on multiple occasions ‘we’re tired of having to leave Leesburg to have a meeting’,” he said.

The Liberty Street lot could be an opportunity for a public-private partnership, Seymour said. The town must follow both state code and its own guidelines on public-private partnerships, last updated in 2018, in pursuing such an endeavor. The state code, with its Public Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act, defines qualifying projects for public-private partnerships in a number of ways, including a building or facility that meets a public purpose and is developed or operated by or for a public entity; or any improvements necessary or desirable to any unimproved locally- or state-owned real estate. Not all facets of a project need to have a public use, Town Attorney Christopher Spera said, but the uses cannot be exclusively private.

Although no specific proposals were mentioned during Monday’s work session, local attorney Peter Burnett has shared his unsolicited proposal for the site with the council. Burnett’s project envisions age-restricted senior apartments; a conference center; theater; restaurant; and structured parking.

The entire council voiced support for initiating a Request for Proposals to solicit interested parties in proposing their own public-private partnership projects for the site. The council will first review the solicitation before it is posted, Town Manager

Kaj Dentler said.

The council ought to strike while the iron is hot, Seymour said.

“I think there is interest now. There’s not as much property remaining downtown and this is a target for a lot of developers. We’ve been approached a lot in the last six to eight months about this [site].

There’s a lot of interest not just downtown but at this particular site,” he said. n

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

The Liberty Street parking lot in Leesburg.

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MAY 13, 2021

Education

School Board Irked Over Sheriff’s Office’s SRO Proposal

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

The School Board thought it was nearing the final step in a years-long effort to develop a new agreement governing the School Resource Officer program during its May 4 work session, but that plan took a detour when the Sheriff ’s Office proposed a new version of the policy.

The board gathered for a work session with representatives of the Minority Student Achievement Committee and the Special Education Advisory Committee, the Sheriff ’s Office and the Leesburg Police Department with the intent of taking a final walk through a draft memorandum of understanding for the program.

Specifically, the school groups have been focused on ways to address concerns that Black and Hispanic students and those in special education programs continue to face discipline at disproportionally higher rates than their white or Asian classmates.

The board is seeking to replace the pre-

LCPS webcast

Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Major Easton McDonald discusses the proposed School Resource Officer agreement with the School Board during a May 4 work session.

vious agreement, which expired in 2015.

Talks with parents and advocacy groups over the past two years resulted in a 20-page policy covering all aspects of the SRO program and the interaction deputies have with students on school cam-

puses. School Board members expected last week’s work session to serve as the final review before the formal adoption of the agreement.

That plan was derailed, however, when the Sheriff ’s Office sent over a new version

of the agreement based on the most recent model published by the state Department of Criminal Justice Services. That seven-page document, Sheriff ’s Office Major Easton McDonald said, represented the latest updates to state law and would provide clear instructions to deputies and school principals.

McDonald, a former SRO at Briarwoods High School, noted that Loudoun’s program has been held to acclaim as a model for other jurisdictions. While acknowledging the national conversations about removing officers from schools because of concerns the programs lead more minority students into the criminal justice system, McDonald said there are no such problems evident in Loudoun, where officers are focused on keeping students safe, both on campus and even in their home environments.

“What Loudoun County has done— the partnership between the schools and SRO PROPOSAL continues on page 35

SCHOOL notebook 17 Members Appointed to Douglass School Panel The School Board on Tuesday appointed commemorative committee to formulate ideas for historical displays at Douglass High School.

The Leesburg school served as the high school for the county’s Black students from 1941 until Loudoun schools desegregated in 1968. The building will undergo renovations when the alternative school moves to the new North Star School next fall.

The committee is charged with developing options for displays of historic artifacts, memorabilia, and other interpretive displays to tell the stories of the school and the students who attended.

Seventeen members were appointed: James Roberts, Black History Committee of the Friends of Thomas Balch Library; Larry Roeder, Edwin Washington Project; Gladys Burke, Loudoun County Heritage Commission; Charles Avery and Erica Bush, Loudoun Douglass Alumni Association; Margaret Good, Loudoun Preservation Society; Tammy Carter, MLK ‘I Have A Dream’ Committee; Michelle Thomas, NAACP - Loudoun Chapter, Mary Ran-

dolph, Leesburg Town Council appointee; Carlotta Coates, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors appointee; and School Board appointees Dwight Brooks, Valerie Bush, Gertrude Evans, Glory Howard, Joyce Jackson, Larry Simms, and Sylvia Smith.

The panel is scheduled to meet on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at Frederick Douglass Elementary School, starting May 24 at 6:30 p.m.

holiday among Asian Americans. Veteran’s Day has not previously been a school holiday, in part because administrators found value in having students reflect on military service with in-school programs.

The School Board was slated to be briefed on the proposals Tuesday night, with a vote planned May 25.

School Board Considers 3 More Holidays

Avery M. Abramson of Loudoun County High School been selected for the STEM Enhancement in Earth and Space Science summer internship to be held at The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Space Research.

Abramson will join other students in working with scientists and engineers to conduct authentic research from data received from NASA’s Earth observing satellites as well as designing Mars habitats, Lunar Exploration, and robotics. This nationally competitive program sponsored

by NASA’s Texas Space Grant Consortium selects students who will increase their STEM knowledge through Earth and space education.

Almost 750 applications were received for the internship positions and 300 were

After adding four new school holidays late last year, the School Board is looking at three more.

In December, the board adopted a calendar that added school holidays on Sept.

16 for Yom Kippur, Nov. 2 for Election Day, Nov. 4 for Diwali, and May 3 for Eidal-Fitr.

Now members are considering proposals to add Juneteenth, the Lunar New Year and Veteran’s Day. Juneteenth, already a holiday for the state and Loudoun governments, celebrates the emancipation of those who were enslaved in the United States. The Lunar New Year is a widely celebrated

Abramson Lands Space Program Internship

selected this year. Because of the pandemic, the internship will be all virtual in 2021. Students conduct 60-90 hours of NASA Earth and Space Science research and Python coding to prepare them for the program. During the internship students conduct hands-on activities and field investigations and attend presentations by NASA subject matter experts.

Tuition Hike Planned Next Year for Non-Loudoun Students After reducing fees charged to nonLoudoun students last year, tuition rates will see a double-digit increase next fall.

According to information presented to the School Board on Tuesday, in-state non-Loudoun students will have to pay $12,350 and out-of-state students will be charged $17,894. The new rates represent increase of 14.4% and 12.6%, respectively.

The tuition rate is based on the FY22 budget year cost per pupil for the operation of regular day school. The formula used for the computation is determined

by Virginia Code and is computed after the annual budget process is complete.

Last year, the fees were reduced by about $100 each.

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

MAY 13, 2021

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Two men are behind bars in connection with a burglary at a Sterling furniture store early Saturday morning.

According to the Sheriff ’s Office, deputies were called to La Monarca Furniture on South Sterling Boulevard shortly before 1 a.m. on May 8.

They were told that someone entered the store and was possibly armed. A perimeter was established with the assistance of the Virginia State Police.

After a search of the area, one suspect was located on foot. Wilson M. Navarro Escobar, 28, was charged with burglary with intent to commit larceny, larceny of a firearm, destruction of property and resisting arrest.

Deputies also located a nearby vehicle and a driver, Christopher Molina Garcia, 19, of Sterling, who was found to be wanted on federal charges.

Three firearms were recovered that had been discarded in the area.

Both men were held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.

Suspects Sought After Sterling Assault The Sheriff ’s Office is investigating an assault and attempted robbery that happened in the parking lot of the Dulles Retail Plaza last Thursday night.

According to the report, the victim and his juvenile son were loading items into a vehicle outside of a store around 6:45 p.m. May 6, when a vehicle pulled up behind them. A verbal altercation ensued about the victim’s vehicle blocking the roadway. Two males got out of the suspect vehicle, a silver passenger car, and the argument continued. One of the suspects then displayed a firearm, demanded the victim give him whatever he had, and assaulted him, causing injuries described as minor.

The victim refused to give anything to the suspect and drove away with his juvenile son.

The suspects continued to follow them and at one point stopped their vehicle in front of the victim’s car to block their path on Pacific Boulevard.

When the two male suspects again got out of their vehicle and the victim drove to a nearby gas station to report the incident.

Both suspects were described as Black males, 6-foot, 1-inches to 6-foot, 2 inches tall with lean builds and dreadlocks. A female passenger in the suspect vehicle was described as a white female with long hair.

Detectives are working to identify the suspects. Those with information are asked to contact Detective A. Perry at 703-777-1021. You may also submit a tip through the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office app.

Plea Expected For Unlicensed Dentist Charged with Sexual Assaults Juan Ramos Jacobe is scheduled to enter a plea in Loudoun County Circuit Court on May 27. He faces 10 felony and five misdemeanor charges related to the allegations he operated a makeshift dental clinic out of his Sterling home and sexually assaulted six females there.

Ramos Jacobe, 47, was arrested in March 2020 after the Sheriff ’s Office investigated a report that he had “mildly” sedated a female victim for dental work at his home dentist office off North York Road and sexually assaulted her, according to a statement from the agency. The Sheriff ’s Office noted in July that five more victims had come forward and that Ramos Jacobe had operated the makeshift dental clinic out of his home since 2016.

Ramos Jacobe is charged with six counts of felony practicing a profession without a license, one count of felony performing an invasive procedure without a license, one count of felony object sexual penetration by force, two counts of felony aggravated sexual battery, and five counts of misdemeanor sexual battery.

Ramos Jacobe’s defense counsel, Karen Kirkpatrick, previously said Ramos Jacobe, who has been held without bond at the Loudoun Adult Detention Center since March 2020, would enter a plea deal with prosecutors.

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

MAY 13, 2021

PAGE 13

Visit Loudoun Offering Up to $50K in Sports Grants

Nonprofit GIVING back Loudoun Youth Inc. Seeks Community Builders

Learn more loudounyouth.org.

Loudoun Youth, Inc. is accepting applications for the 2021-2022 Claude Moore Community Builders program, returning after a year-long hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 10-month program connects high school students with volunteer opportunities at area nonprofits, and provides training on topics like communication, leadership, and collaboration.

This year, in addition to offering opportunities to volunteering at nonprofits working on issues like literacy, food insecurity, and mental health, the program also will encourage participants to support Loudoun’s Medical Reserve Corps, which played a crucial role in the county’s work fighting COVID-19, including vaccinations.

All rising ninth through 12th grade Loudoun students are eligible to apply for the program, which is supported by a grant from the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation.

Lacey Joins Community Foundation Board

and

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at

The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties recently welcomed Dr. Tracey Lacey as its newest board member.

Lacey has extensive Dr. Tracey Lacey experience in the area leadership development and serves the Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute Leadership Management School where she is responsible for executive leadership development for civil and foreign service employees. She also serves as chapter president for the Loudoun County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Salvation Army Honors Volunteers On Friday, May 14, the Salvation Army Loudoun Corps will recognize volunteers for their dedication and support of our emergency assistance programs as part of National Salvation Army Week.

In 1954, the U.S. Congress approved a joint resolution for President Dwight D. Eisenhower to proclaim a week to recognize the humanitarian efforts of The Salvation Army, one of the nation’s largest and oldest faith-based health and human service providers. Today, with the help of more than 3.2 million volunteers, the organization serves more 23 million Americans each year.

Loudoun County’s chapter has operated for more than 25 years. It provides emergency rental and utility assistance, food pantry services, school supplies, diapers, clothing, and Christmas assistance.

Learn more at salvationarmypotomac. org/loudouncounty.

Visit Loudoun is accepting applications for its Fiscal Year 2022 Sports Tournament Grant Reimbursement Program, which offers a total of $50,000 to eligible organizations that can host sporting events in Loudoun.

This program is open to parks and recreation departments and sports organizations that can promote and host tournaments beginning after July 1, 2021.

According to Visit Loudoun, in 2019, the sports tourism industry contributed more than $10 million to the county’s economy, and events booked almost 20,000 room nights.

It is a competitive grant application, and Visit Loudoun will provide funding for tournaments that will have the greatest return on investment in terms of visitor spending.

Applications are due by May 28 at 4 p.m.

Additional details about the program and the application are on Visit Loudoun’s industry page visitloudoun.org/tourism-industry/programs/visit-loudoun-grant-opportunities/sports-grant-program or by emailing Visit Loudoun Director of Sales, Sports and Services Torye Hurst at hurst@visitloudoun.org. n

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PAGE 14

MAY 13, 2021

Contributed/Beth Miller-Herholtz

A scene from kid season at Georges Mill Farm near Lovettsville.

Business Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

A fully vaccinated panel of Tony Howard, Beth Erickson and Buddy Rizer speaks to a small crowd of business leaders at the Belmont Country Club during the May 5 Stepping Out forum sponsored by John Marshall Bank.

Stepping Out: Business Leaders Enjoy an In-Person Economic Update

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

Early last Wednesday morning about 30 Loudoun County business leaders gathered at Belmont Country Club to knock the rust off some long unused skills—an in-person breakfast meeting featuring networking and updates from community leaders.

The “stepping out” session, hosted by John Marshall Bank Regional President

Paul Bice, served up one more example that Loudoun is regaining a sense of normal life. The main attraction at the event was an economic update offered by Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tony Howard, Visit Loudoun President and CEO Beth Erickson, and Loudoun’s Executive Director of Economic Development Buddy Rizer. With the panel fully vaccinated, the speakers were able to share a table maskless—still an unfamiliar sight in most pub-

lic meeting settings.

Howard noted that the Chamber would typically pack the country club’s banquet room with more than 160 participants for the events it frequently held there before the onset of the pandemic. Instead of leading those sessions, Howard has spent the past year largely alone in the chamber’s Lansdowne office as his staff worked remotely.

UPDATE continues on page 16

A Sweet Arrival: Crumbl Celebrates Leesburg Opening

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Something sweet has arrived in northeast Leesburg, with the Crumbl cookie franchise celebrating its store opening on Edwards Ferry Road.

Crumbl officially opened its doors last week in the Costco and Target shopping center. The store is sandwiched between Potbelly Sandwich Shop and Panda Express.

The shop is the first Crumbl store for owners Dovy and Natalie Paukstys, who celebrated the opening with their six children, and their co-owner Mo Wolthuis. The national franchise features a rotating selection of six cookies weekly. This week’s menu includes the franchise’s two staples, chocolate chip and chilled sugar cookie, along with lemon glaze, chocolate cake, Mom’s recipe, and pink velvet.

Kara C. Rodriguez/Loudoun Now

Crumbl officially opened its doors May 5 in the Costco and Target shopping center in Leesburg.

Hours for the shop are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays;

and 8 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. The store is closed on Sundays. n

‘Buy Fresh Buy Local’ Guides Arriving Soon With spring growing season underway, the Piedmont Environmental Council has released its 2021-2022 “Buy Fresh Buy Local” guides for each of council’s three Buy Fresh Buy Local Chapters—Loudoun County, Northern Piedmont, and Charlottesville.

The Buy Fresh Buy Local guides offer a one-stop source to find fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat and other products from local farmers, farmers markets, and CSAs. The Loudoun County guide will be mailed to 145,419 households and residences in Loudoun county this week.

In total, more than 300,000 residences and businesses will receive one of the guides.

“The Virginia Piedmont is an area rich with a bounty of fresh local food and drink. Our goal with these guides is to connect people to locally grown and produced food and beverages, thereby promoting local farms, helping to preserve the region’s rural economy, and growing the local food economy in the region,” stated Piedmont Environmental Council Local Food Systems Coordinator Matt Coyle. “We hope Buy Fresh Buy Local will encourage families to look to our own local producers for a wide range of healthy, delicious food, dairy, wine, and more, and even ask their local grocers to provide more locally-produced fruits and vegetables, rather than depend on a vulnerable global food supply chain that is less friendly to the environment and less supportive of our local economy.”

The Loudoun County guide features more than 250 local food BUY LOCAL continues on page 16

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

MAY 13, 2021

PAGE 15

Announcements Lou Lou Boutiques Rebranding to Zest West Federal Retail, the parent company of Lou Lou Boutiques, Crème de la Crème, Zest Clothing and Co, and Brick and Mortar, has announced plans to rebrand lou lou in Leesburg to Zest.

Lou lou has been in Leesburg for almost 18 years. Originally focusing on ladies’ accessories, as customers sought more clothing products, owners Tara and Ben Wegdam made the decision to rebrand the store to Zest.

The Zest concept is a boutique shopping experience where mothers, daughters, and grandmothers can shop together and find pieces that will last for many seasons. Zest offers wardrobe staples, classic and trendy fashion pieces, and a curated collection of accessories and jewelry.

The Wegdams already operate Zest stores in Middleburg and Richmond.

“Thanks to years of loyal customers buying their accessories and clothing with us, we have been able to grow our business and survive the Covid pandemic. We are excited to continue under the Zest brand and will keep the vast majority of product lines,” Tara Wegdam said. “Although we are changing our name, we are still the same boutique our customers know and love. Zest by lou lou is excited to offer a mix of high quality, timeless, and trendy styles for a wide range of ages.”

West Federal Retail privately operates 23 boutique locations across the East Coast and serves its stores out of its warehouse in Sterling.

Learn more at zestclothingandco.com.

organic healing methods. She is a certified meditation instructor and is working toward her life coach certification.

“We are thrilled to add Olena to our wellness team,” said Managing Director Kevin Carter. “She has a great passion for holistic medicine and wellness and we can’t wait to see how she incorporates her leadership skills to enhance the experience at Spa Minerale.”

Among the services she plans to offer at Spa Minerale are Respiratory Detox

Body Ritual, CBD Calm Body Ritual, CBD Scrub and Exfoliation, Acupuncture, Cupping, Tui Na Massage and Oriental Bodywork—a combination of acupuncture, cupping therapy—and Tui Na Massage.

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Fedorenko Takes Lead At Lansdowne’s Spa Minerale Olena Fedorenko is the new director of wellness for Spa Minerale at Lansdowne Resort.

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PAGE 16

Update continued from page 14 The speakers touched on Loudoun’s handling of the pandemic and the continuing challenges to successfully emerge, as well as other major economic factors including the tight housing market and extraordinary impact of the data center sector.

“I was pleasantly surprised how well Loudoun did during this pandemic,” Rizer said. “Early on, our research showed that we could lose 40% of our businesses during the pandemic. Even though it went on longer, our numbers were much better than that. It is probably in the low teens, the businesses that didn’t survive. I think that speaks volumes, a lot, about the great business base that Loudoun has.”

Few other jurisdictions in the nation passed through the pandemic while reducing the property tax rate and giving government employees raises. While the data center market was the major budget booster—now generating nearly 50% of county tax revenues—Rizer said most of Loudoun’s economy is performing well, with 15 new businesses starting in April and significant international investments pouring in.

COLOR: Right click The hospitality industry took the hardest hit, but even there, Erickson said, the coun-

ty’s diversity softened the blow. for work every day, I bet everyone in this Before the pandemic, more people room would take that latter option,” he said. worked in Loudoun’s hospitality than for The panel shared a sense of optimism for the county government and school division the months ahead. combined, she said.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the way However, Loudoun’s outdoor attrac- Loudoun has responded from a social tions, including its wineries and breweries, standpoint and from a business standpoint,” and its historic downtowns continued to Rizer said. attract visitors, and the county continued “The good news is it looks like we can to be a destination for sports tournaments hit herd immunity by July because of vacciand drive-market tourism, she noted. The nation compliance rate is through the roof. big missing piece has been meetings and It’s nearly 90%,” Howard said. “You do need conferences. to keep doing the right things. You’re wear“What we need to do is bring back the ing your mask. You’re washing your hands. business segment. We need to get back the You’re staying distant. All those things. business of meeting so that we can continue Frankly, I don’t care if you believe in those to fuel innovation, face-to-face discoveries, things or not, but we’ve got to do it because but more importantly drive important revenue to our communities. When we start see- it is necessary to get this back. It is not just ing business meetings come back, we know about you. It is not just about your business or your family. It is about all of our busiwe’re on the right path,” Erickson said.

Howard noted the challenges rebound- nesses and all of our families.”

Erickson said the county has all the ing businesses face to rebuild their staffing, building blocks for success. attributable in no small part to the higher “When you build a place where people unemployment payments the federal govwant to visit, you build a place where peoernment is paying. ple want to live.

And when you build a place “It’s tough to get those folks back to those entry level, service level-type positions be- where people want to live, you build a place cause the unemployment benefits, they are where jobs need to go and businesses needs receiving are so much more lucrative. When to be,” Erickson said. “Loudoun County swatch, andmoney findtoand replace with correct color has that special sauce … We’re you can get more sit on your duff certainly rather than show up on time and prepared very lucky to be here.” n

MAY 13, 2021

Buy Local continued from page 14 producers and distributors, including 220 local farms and orchards, seven farmers markets, 28 wineries and breweries, 29 restaurants and caterers, and 10 retailers.

It also includes a fruit and vegetable availability calendar and a fact sheet explaining various common food labels.

This year’s Loudoun guide also highlights two local businesses, Buford’s Biscuits in Leesburg and Georges Mill Farm in northwestern Loudoun.

Leesburg’s Buford’s Biscuits is a newwave Southern style homemade biscuit sandwich shop that blends Appalachian style cuisine with farm-to-table fresh ingredients from local producers, including Loudoun’s Lost Corner and Long Stone farms.

Meanwhile, the eighth-generation Georges Mill Farm operates a working Alpine goat dairy farm and artisanal cheese business, on-site farm store, bedand-breakfast, and agritourism business.

In March and April, families can make reservations to cuddle and bottle feed the newest goat kids.

The guide may be downloaded at pecva.org/buylocal, and the Piedmont Environmental Council has launched a searchable Buy Fresh Buy Local website with an interactive map at buylocalpiedmont.org.

Learn more at pecva.org/farmsandfood. n

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COVID update continued from page 1 ment Director Dr. David Goodfriend said Tuesday Virginia is still waiting for the CDC and Virginia Department of Health to follow suit, which he said was expected by the end of the day Wednesday. Once they also grant approval, parents of children 12 years old and up will be able to book appointments for their kids at the Dulles Town Center vaccination site at vaccinate.virginia.gov or at pharmacies through vaccinefinder.org.

If all goes as planned, they’ll be able to sign up starting Thursday morning.

Additionally, he said, the local health department is looking into ways to distribute the vaccine in schools or through other partnerships in the community.

He hailed the approval as another important step to ending the pandemic.

“About 60-70% of our adults have gotten at least one dose of vaccine, which really is critical to reducing transmission, so now

Backlog continued from page 1 Virginia law.

Virginia’s Speedy Trial Act establishes that courts have five months from the date of finding probable cause that a defendant has committed a felony to commence a trial if the defendant is being held in custody. The act establishes that if the defendant is not being held in jail, the court has nine months to commence a trial.

But under a May 1 clarification of the Speedy Trial Act, Lemons noted that those deadlines may be suspended because Virginia law establishes that the declaration of a judicial emergency—declared when a disaster “substantially endangers or impedes the operation of a court”—can toll deadlines imposed by otherwise applicable statutes.

While Lemons has declared that a defendant’s right to a speedy trial isn’t being infringed upon, some attorneys question whether the judicial branch should be allowed to—or legally can—take that action.

“We’re talking about suspending a law [and not a rule],” said Westlake Legal Group Founder Tom Plofchan. “This is an issue of separation of powers.” “...I think we need to be serious if we’re going to uphold the Constitution. Even if a person is out on bond, there’s still a tremendous pressure on them,” Plofchan continued, noting that one of his clients facing a reckless driving charge won’t get a trial until spring 2022, three years after being charged.

Some defendants continue to await their days in court behind bars. Still, Sheriff ’s Office Public Information Office Kraig Troxell

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 17

a lot of what we’re seeing are kids who are not yet able to get vaccinated,” Goodfriend said. “And that’s why this new age group is so important for vaccination, both for their protection, for preventing them from having to get quarantined again, but also to reduce transmission in our community.”

The news comes as metrics in Loudoun reach record lows, with the positivity rate for COVID-19 PCR tests in Loudoun last week reaching the lowest level of the pandemic so far.

According to the state Department of Health, the seven-day average rate of positive tests dropped to 4.1 percent on May 6. The previous low since testing began in March 2020 was 4.4% on Aug. 1, 2020.

The number of new daily cases has been declining since April 13, dropping from an average of nearly 100 per day to under 34 last week. The lowest average of new cases was last Oct. 1 when the rate dropped to 20 per day.

“Transmission is going down. Vaccination works,” Goodfriend said. “That’s the most important reason why our numbers

are going down. Additionally, the weather’s better, so people are outdoors more, and outdoor transmission is less than indoor transmission.”

As of this weekend, the state was reporting that at least 50% of Loudouners had received at least one dose of a vaccine and at least 36% were fully vaccinated.

With reopening on the horizon, Visit Loudoun President and CEO said Loudoun’s tourism and hospitality businesses are ready for a welcome rush.

“This is going to bring a tremendous amt of pent-up demand, which is most welcome,” Erickson said. “The challenge is going to be making sure that we are adequately staffed to meet that demand.”

Loudoun businesses have been poised to welcome customers back as restrictions on gathering and occupancy have gradually been lifted—and both locals and visitors, she said, are ready to go back.

“It’s going to be such a great opportunity for all of us to go and visit our favorite haunts that we may have only been seeing through takeout and outdoor dining,” Erick-

son said.

The state government will have to work out a contradiction in public health and law if Northam’s declaration of a state of emergency is allowed to end without renewal as scheduled on June 30. Currently, outside of the state of emergency, it is illegal in Virginia to wear a mask in public. State law prohibits people over 16 years old from wearing face coverings “with the intent to conceal his identity.” Northam has indicated he would support those who wish to continue wearing masks voluntarily.

“Over the past 14 months we’ve learned a lot about COVID, and one thing is that it is an unpredictable disease. It can put anyone in the hospital, including young people.

It can cause long-lasting debilitating side effects,” Northam said. “As you all know, I had COVID myself last October, and seven months later, I still can’t smell or taste anything. Many long-lasting side effects are much worse.”

And, he noted, having had both COVID and the vaccine—“it’s an easy choice. I’ll take the vaccine any day.” n

said the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center is not overcrowded, primarily because many inmates have been released on bond or personal recognizance.

Whitbeck Bennett Associate Attorney Sydny Bryan, who served as a prosecutor with the Loudoun Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office from September 2019 to April 2021, said the pandemic led defense attorneys to push even harder for their clients’ releases from jail, arguing that, with the presumption that they are innocent until proven guilty, they should not be sitting in jail longer than the law allows.

“There was pressure to let people out on bond who otherwise would not have been let out on bond,” Bryan said.

And as part of an even broader movement of criminal justice reform, when Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj took office in January 2020, her team began requesting judges not require bail for defendants charged with lesser, nonviolent offenses.

Neither Biberaj nor the Loudoun Office of the Public Defender have responded to calls or emails to comment on the backlog of cases in the court system.

Leesburg-based attorney Alex Levay said he has had more clients approach him recently with concerns about their ability to pay for his counsel, especially those engaged in civil litigation, since the court is giving precedence to criminal cases amid the backlog. Levay said he’s working with his clients in that regard.

To offset any unnecessary increases in client bills, Plofchan said it’s crucial to not overprepare for cases. But, he clarified, an increase to a client’s bill likely doesn’t necessarily come down to an issue of ethics.

Instead, Plofchan suggested some attorneys—or at least the ones who have seen their caseloads decrease amid the pandemic and judicial emergency—might not realize that they’re overpreparing for individual cases.

“You have to be very cautious,” Plofchan said.

Bryan said that aside from the money issue, some people involved in civil litigation—especially civil litigation that has been ongoing for longer than what it would have in the pre-pandemic world—have agreed to deals just to end the case and get back to their lives.

“Sometimes parties will come to a resolution just to end this,” she said. “People just want closure. Most people don’t want to be in and out of the courthouse longer than what has to be.”

Travostino said he represented a client last year who was prepared for a June 2020 civil trial, but quickly settled the case after realizing the uncertainty of the court’s timeline given the pandemic and judicial emergency.

“We probably took less [of a settlement]

than we would have,” Travostino said.

Delayed Cases: More Prep Work, Higher Bills, More Deals While many people charged with crimes use public defenders in court, many others hire private defense attorneys. And for some, their attorney fees could be adding up.

That’s because most cases have been, and still are, continued months down the road, meaning defense attorneys need extra time to prepare—or to simply brush up on—their cases. More time means more money.

Addressing the Backlog Post Pandemic As society inches closer to the end of the pandemic, and the end of the judicial emergency, Loudoun’s defense attorneys have different views on how the courts can efficiently work through the backlog of cases.

Bryan said the Circuit Court’s approved plan to return to jury trials needs some work, noting it limits the court to hold one jury trial at a time and requires three separate courtrooms to be used: one for the jury trials to be conducted, one acting as the recess/deliberation room, and a third with closed-circuit television set up for members of the general public and media to watch.

“They need to condense that,” Bryan said.

Travostino said the Loudoun court system should concentrate more on mediation efforts by trying to help parties settle before trial, which would help to pare down the list of pending trials. Travostino said the court used to focus more on that a few years ago.

“Now it seems like you’re on your own when you try to [settle before trial],” he said, adding that virtual hearings, already being used for civil motions in Loudoun, could help move things along.

Levay said more funding for the judicial system could help, citing a need for more resources in the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and Office of the Public Defender.

But even with additional funding, the justice system can’t be rushed, Levay said.

It has to be fair, which is why “it’s just going to take time.” n

PAGE 18

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

MAY 13, 2021

TOWN notes

Our Towns

HILLSBORO Town Plans June 18 Rt. 9 Grand Reopening

Lizzy Fontaine

The Upper Loudoun Little League with the help of Lovettsville Mayor Nate Fontaine and three Town Council members, renamed the Game Club field in honor of 4-year-old Declan Todd May 8.

Little League Renames Lovettsville Game Club Field for Deceased T-Baller

BY PATRICK SZABO

pszabo@loudounnow.com

The Lovettsville Game Club has renamed its baseball field in honor of 4-year-old T-Ball player Declan Pierce Todd, who died April 16.

The Upper Loudoun Little League on Saturday held a dedication ceremony for Declan’s Field, where Declan Todd often played games with his T-Ball Marlins team. At the ceremony, Mayor Nate Fontaine, Vice Mayor Christopher Hornbaker and Town Council members Renee Edmonston and David Earl handed Declan’s family a framed version of the proclamation they passed in Declan’s honor during a special meeting Town Council meeting May 6.

That proclamation declared May 8, 2021, as Declan Todd Day in Lovettsville, to be celebrated by “loving, laughing and living life to the fullest with family, friends and neighbors… and of course… playing a great game of baseball.”

“We wanted to make sure we shared some of our thoughts and hope that it would provide you some comfort, love and support during this time,” Fontaine told Declan’s parents, Michael and Crystal, during Thursday’s meeting. “A child

Lizzy Fontaine

Crystal and Michael Todd, the parents of T-Baller Declan Todd, who died April 16 at the age of 4, stand during a May 8 ceremony in which the Upper Loudoun Little League renamed the Lovettsville Game Club baseball field in honor of their son.

is loved unconditionally and lives in each and every moment. … Each family moment is a treasured memory within the heart that can never be taken away.”

To further honor Declan, the Upper Loudoun Little League distributed memorial patches and stickers with Declan’s number, 2, for players to wear on their right sleeves and back of their batting helmets. And before each game this weekend, every team in the league lined up on

their baselines and held minutes of silence in Declan’s memory.

Upper Loudoun Little League President Kerry Rice said the league has dedicated its season in Declan’s memory.

“We hope that remembering his excitement and love of the game will encourage children throughout our community to play the game of baseball and experience the incredible life lessons the game can teach,” Rice said. n

The Town of Hillsboro is planning a June 18 Rt. 9 reopening event following more than 15 months of construction and road closures.

The event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony to reopen the town’s downtown area, which will feature newly installed roundabouts, parking bays, sidewalks and retaining walls.

It follows the completion of the $14.3 million traffic calming and pedestrian safety project that Archer Western Corp. crews have been working on since March 4, 2020. In that time, the highway through town has been partially closed for nearly the entire time and entirely closed for 104 consecutive days last summer.

Learn more at ReThink9.com.

LOVETTSVILLE Food Pantry, Lions Club to Host Food Distribution The Western Loudoun Food Pantry and the Lovettsville Lions Club will host a food distribution event from 10-11:30 a.m. this Saturday, May 15 in New Jerusalem Lutheran’s parking lot. Anyone in need is welcome to the distribution.

The pantry is most in need of grocery store gift cards, canned chicken, Chef Boyardee products, beef stew, canned carrots, cake mixes and applesauce. Donations should be left in the marked bin or on the white bench by the Food Pantry door at New Jerusalem. Gift cards can be mailed to 12942 Lutheran Church Road, Lovettsville, VA 20180.

To arrange a time to drop off gift cards in-person at the office or to set up an appointment to receive food, call 540-822-5576 or email officenjlc@gmail.com.

Hydrant Flushing Continues The town utility department will continue fire hydrant flushing through the month of June.

The flushings are occurring TOWN NOTES continues on page 20

MAY 13, 2021

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 19

Fraser Outlines COVID Relief, Planned Projects in State of the Town Address

BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com

Purcellville Mayor Kwasi Fraser on May 4 delivered his seventh State of the Town address and the first since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following nearly 14 months of economic drawbacks, the mayor assured residents “the state of the town is strong.”

During his 40-minute-long address, which marked the first time Town Hall had reopened for public meetings since April last year, Fraser highlighted the town’s financial, infrastructural and communal accomplishments in 2020—including debt refinancing, road projects and distribution of CARES Act funding—and outlined plans moving forward, including ideas for the distribution of American Rescue Plan funding, increased recreational programming and ideas to expand the town’s economy without expanding its geographic footprint.

The most tangible initiative the community realized last year was a federal one, the distribution of $1.78 million in CARES Act funding, about $764,000 of which went directly and indirectly through a voucher program to businesses, and $230,5000 to nonprofits. The town spent another $707,000 to keep the town operational.

Fraser also addressed the town’s shrinking utility funds and recommendation from town consultants to increase water and sewer rates. In Fiscal Year 2020, the town’s water fund shrunk by 39% and its sewer funds shrunk by 16%. In Fiscal Year 2021, the water fund went back up by about 4% and the sewer fund increased by about 5%—increases attributable to investment income, transfers from reserves, and increases in water and sewer usage as more people worked and went to school from home last year.

Stantec, the town’s utility rate consultant, previously recommended the town implement water rate hikes by as much as 27% and sewer rate hikes by as much as 36% in Fiscal Year 2021. The Town Council did not adopt, nor did the town staff recommend, any rate increases in FY21. In his FY22 budget presentation, Town Manager David Mekarski recommended the council adopt 3% water rate hikes and 5% sewer rate hikes. The council is expected to adopt that budget next month.

Fraser acknowledged that the Town Council has been “kicking the can down the road,” but emphasized that it is doing

so “intuitively” and in a “managed and assessed fashion.” He pointed out that refinancing of utility debt—which, he said, saved the town $45,900 in the water fund and $1.2 million in the sewer fund—along with utility debt restructuring—which, he said, saved the town about $800,500 in the water fund and $4 million in the sewer fund—has allowed the town to keep rate hikes minimal while still sustaining the funds.

Moving into the second quarter of the calendar year and closer toward Fiscal Year 2022, which starts July 1, Fraser outlined plans for different projects town leaders are eyeing.

Perhaps the most pertinent of those is the distribution of American Rescue Plan funding. Although Fraser said the town would know within the week how much it will receive—between $2 million and $9 million—Mekarski on May 11 said the town had yet to receive any information on the funding allocation. Fraser said the town would use the money primarily to fund utility infrastructure and broadband projects.

“We are strong financially, but we still need that money,” he said.

Fraser also said the town plans to replace 5,000 feet of water main, replace the floor in the Bush Tabernacle, install a second cellular tower to improve cellular coverage, advance the Rt. 7/690 interchange project to reduce traffic congestion, and install a nutrient bank on the 189-acre Aberdeen property, which will see Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. plant 78,000 trees expected to net more than $700,000 in revenue from the sale of nutrient credits.

Fraser also said the town would work to increase programming at Fireman’s Field and advance a project to install a trail system connecting Purcellville with Hamilton.

Fraser assured the audience that Purcellville doesn’t need to expand its corporate limits to attract big businesses. He gave the example of Lands’ End, a clothing and home decor retailer with a close-to $800 million market capitalization that’s headquartered in the less-than 5,000-resident city of Dodgeville, WI. Comparatively, Purcellville boasts a population of about 10,000 residents.

“Purcellville’s charm and small-town character remain our competitive advantages,” he said. “… Our strategy of slow growth and rejection of annexation with high-density residential development is paying dividends by making our community inviting and highly desirable.” n

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MAY 13, 2021

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

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

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

fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov • www.fairhousing.vipnet.org

Contributed

From left, Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club member Gail Clark with guests Christopher Spitzmiller, Martha Stewart and Kevin Sharkey, and Elizabeth von Hassell, executive director of the National Sporting Library and Museum in Middleburg.

Martha Stewart Joins Garden Club Fundraiser The Fauquier & Loudoun Garden Club had some special guests during its recent celebration of Virginia Historic Garden Week.

Martha Stewart toured several gardens and historic sites throughout Virginia Hunt Country, joined by her executive vice president and director of design, Kevin Sharkey, and friend and fellow gardener Christopher Spitzmiller. Their stops in-

TOWN notes continued from page 18

Does local news matter to you?

As journalism business models evolve in the wake of shifting advertising and subscription trends, it is clear that readers like you will play an increasingly important role in underwriting the costs of operating our newsroom.

Across the country, newspapers big and small are cutting back on content or closing down altogether. We know that Loudoun residents and businesses value—and expect—comprehensive coverage of local governments, our neighbors, and issues affecting our quality of life.

We want to do more, not less. Your contribution will help make that possible.

Yes. Local news matters to me.

Name _________________________________________________ Address _______________________________________________ City, State, Zip _________________________________________ Email* (optional) _______________________________________

AMOUNT: ■ $10 ■ $25 ■ $100 ■ Other amount _______

CLIP AND SEND TO: 15 N. King St., Suite 101 • Leesburg VA 20176 or contribute online at loudounnow.com/contribute

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In the mail weekly. Always online at LoudounNow.com

8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday throughout town. For more information, go to lovettsvilleva.gov/services/utilities, call the town office at 540-822-5788 or email the town clerk at clerk@lovettsvilleva.gov.

LUCKETTS Community-wide Yard Sale this Weekend The Great Lucketts Yard Sale will take place from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday, May 15 at the Lucketts Community Center.

Those wishing to set up and sell at the sale can purchase a table for $10. Buyers are welcome to shop for free. For more information, call 703-771-5281.

cluded Bunny Mellon’s Oak Spring Estate, the National Sporting Library and Museum, several downtown shops, and the Red Fox Inn in Middleburg.

The visit culminated in a special event at the Middleburg Community Center— decorated with flowers by Sage Devlin at Far Bungalow Farm in Rockland—where Stewart and Sharkey spoke about “A Life in Four Gardens.” n

MIDDLEBURG Art Gallery to Host Acrylic Mini-Series Artists in Middleburg will host a virtual acrylic mini-series from 1-5 p.m. on Fridays from May 21 to June 18.

Participants will create acrylic layers using different underpainting, gel application and art media variations. They will learn about the five variations of acrylic gel application, subtractive sanding back and erasing techniques, how to bring more life to a “less-than-favorite” piece of art, and more. Participants will also receive three illustrated quick reference guides, a tutorial on making stamps, membership in the Acrylic Layers Workshop Alumni Facebook group, and access to question and answer sessions.

Admission to the series is $375. Registration must be done by May 19. To register, go to theartistsinmiddleburg.org.

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

MAY 13, 2021

PAGE 21

See the full job listings at

NowHiringLoudoun.com Good Shepherd of Northern Virginia

Office Manager/Bookkeeper for a small non-profit organization serving the homeless population based in Northern Virginia (Loudoun County) Responsibilities include accounts receivable/payable, basic accounting, monthly financial analysis, HR support, serve as payroll back-up as well as general office administration to include administrative support to employees to promote work productivity and meet company demands.

The ideal candidate must be detail oriented, able to work independently and communicate effectively with others.

Good Shepherd of Northern Virginia Ecommerce Associate (Full Time) Join a new initiative with the Good Shepherd of Northern Virginia to build, launch and develop the new Ecommerce business to increase sales to our retail division.

This is a full-time, mid-level position based in Ashburn, Virginia, and reports directly to CEO of the organization and works closely with outside accounting, human resources, and retail store personnel.

This position is based in the Ashburn office and not eligible for a permanent work from home status.

Our ideal applicant is organized enough to manage our online inventory, Previous experience with selling on eBay, photography, e-commerce and shipping goods a plus.

At least 3 years’ experience in Office Management and Accounting or a similar position that required the skill set referenced above.

This is an entry level full time temporary to permanent position in Chantilly Virginia, Monday - Friday 8:00a - 5:00p

Benefits: Each full-time position at The Good Shepherd Alliance is eligible for our comprehensive benefits package, which includes paid company benefits including health/prescription/dental/vision insurance, paid holidays, vacation/sick leave, life insurance, accidental death & dismemberment insurance, employee assistance program. Free parking and retail store discounts.

Submit your resume to GoodShepherdHR@gsnova.org Good Shepherd of Northern Virginia | 20684 Ashburn Rd, Ashburn, VA 20147

Please Apply In Person, 11am to 3pm, Mon-Fri at Good Shepherd of Northern Virginia 20684 Ashburn Rd, Ashburn, VA 20147 Attention: Human Resources, or submit your resume to GoodShepherdHR@gsnova.org.

Good Shepherd of Northern Virginia Now Hiring for Retail Sales and Production Associates Full Time and Part-Time positions available Sales and Production Associates: Experience in retail sales preferred, must have good customer service skills, on the job training will be provided.

Salaries starting at $12-$14/hr. or more based on position. PLUS, Health, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance offered, PLUS Paid Vacations, and more! * Normal Work Hours - Sunday-Saturday, 10am to 7:00pm (Schedules vary) All positions are full time/part time, with paid holidays, great benefits, and other incentives.

Please Apply In Person, 11am to 3pm, Mon-Fri at Good Shepherd of Northern Virginia 20684 Ashburn Rd, Ashburn, VA 20147 Attention: Human Resources, or submit your resume to GoodShepherdHR@gsnova.org.

FULL TIME FLAGGER Traffic Plan seeks FT Flaggers to set up and control traffic around construction sites. A valid drivers license is a must, good pay, and benefits.

If interested please fill out an application at 7855 Progress Court Suite 103 Gainesville, VA on Wednesdays from 9 am to 12 pm or online at www.trafficplan.com

HELP WANTED AT FAMILY PRACTICE

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. Regular Full-Time Positions Position

Department

Salary Range

Closing Date

Accounting Associate III

Finance

$52,446-$89,790 DOQ

Open until filled

Deputy Clerk of Council

Clerk of Council

$52,446-$89,790 DOQ

5/17/2021

Maintenance Worker I

Public Works & Capital Projects

$38,075-$65,186 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

Systems Analyst/Infrastructure & Asset Management

Public Works & Capital Projects

$70,374-$120,339 DOQ

Open until filled

Utilities Project Manager

Utilities

$76,941-$131,689 DOQ

Open until filled

Utilities IT Systems Administrator

Utilities

$70,374-$120,339 DOQ

Open until filled

Utility Plant Operator: Trainee, I, II or Senior

Utilities

$41,353-$89,790 DOQ

Open until filled

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.

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

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 22

MAY 13, 2021

THINGS to do

Loco Living

LOCO LIVE Live Music: Tejas Singh

Friday, May 14, 6 p.m.

Social House South Riding, 25370 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly Details: socialhousesouthriding.com NOVA-based singer/songwriter Tejas Singh brings his angelic voice and devilish guitar skills to Social House.

Live Music: Clark Peklo

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Nova Parks naturalist Matt Felperin holds up a juvenile cicada at Rust Nature Sanctuary.

Live Music: Hilary Veltri

Awaiting the Emergence

Naturalists, Chefs Prepare for Brood X

BY JAN MERCKER

In the next few weeks, Loudoun will be hearing, seeing and maybe even tasting the cicadas of the legendary Brood X after a 17year wait.

They’re the subject of anticipation and plenty of buzz as the region gets ready for their unique sound, wild looks and impressive numbers.

“You’re going to see them everywhere— neighborhoods, forests, everywhere. They’ll be all over the sidewalks. They’ll be squished on the roads. And you’re going to hear them—they can pack a punch for their size,” said Nova Parks roving naturalist Matt Felperin.

For Felperin and other local nature lovers, the wait for this year’s periodical cicadas is what makes it special. Some Loudouners remember Brood X’s 2004 and 1987 appearances, but it will be a new experience for a new generation and for transplants to the area.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, there are 15 active broods of periodical cicadas in the United States, coming out every 13 or 17 years. But it’s Brood X (pronounced Brood 10—the X is a Roman numeral) that makes headlines because of its sheer numbers. It’s also known as the “great Eastern brood,” and the DMV is a Brood X hotspot thanks to the region’s climate, ecosystem and tree species.

“We have the right habitat here that supports this species and the right climate and so it’s like the perfect storm,” Felperin said.

The cicadas spend 17 years underground getting nourishment from tree roots. When it’s time to emerge, they climb trees as nymphs, then shed their exoskeletons and emerge as winged adults to mate and lay

eggs. The females lay eggs in live wood, and later in the summer, the juveniles drop to the ground, burrow down and start the 17-year cycle again.

The periodical cicadas’ famous sound, one of the most memorable parts of every cycle for humans, is the males’ mating song created by rubbing their wings together.

Felperin, who grew up as a nature-loving kid in Montgomery County, was a teen when Brood X made its last appearance and is excited for a second chance to experience their sound and unique appearance. The periodical cicadas are a different species from the annual Dog-day cicadas that come out every August. While those annual cicadas are known for their green camouflage, the 17-year species has a more striking appearance, with dramatic red eyes and translucent orange wings.

As a self-described “bird nerd,” Felperin will also be observing how the region’s other species react to the emergence. It will mean a feast for Northern Virginia’s bird population, and some other animals, like squirrels, may join the fun.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how other animals react—whether it’s eating them or just being surprised by the presence,” he said.

Felperin will also be taking humans out to observe cicadas in various stages, with “Cicacamania’’ events scheduled at several Nova Parks in coming weeks. Loudouners can catch Felperin at Algonkian Regional Park on Saturday, May 22.

Protecting Plants While Brood X is mostly cause for excitement and curiosity, the Loudoun Extension Office has been getting calls from residents concerned about potential damage to plants

Friday, May 14, 6 p.m.

Loudoun Brewing Company, 310 E. Market St., Leesburg Details: loudounbrewing.com Celebrate Friday with Peklo’s repertoire of cool, unexpected covers with a strict No Eagles policy.

and trees. Beth Sastre, commercial horticulturist for the extension office, says that except for very young trees and vines, there’s no cause for alarm. The biggest concern is about damage to pencil-thin branches of young trees as female cicadas lay eggs in live branches. The extension office has been warning farmers and vineyard owners for several years, she said, encouraging them to avoid new plantings until after Brood X makes its exit. Mature plants rarely suffer damage, she added, but may require some pruning.

The cicadas are partial to woody plants, she said, so vegetable and flower gardens aren’t at high risk. The insects also avoid conifers because of sticky sap. Sastre’s office is recommending insecticide use for commercial fruit trees and vines in some cases. However, Sastre does not recommend insecticides for homeowners, since they’re more likely to kill beneficial insects than to prevent cicada damage. Homeowners should instead opt for netting for young trees. The county’s farmers and vineyard owners are ready, she says, so for the most part Loudoun can simply enjoy the excitement.

“Personally, I think it’s wonderful how Mother Nature behaves,” Sastre said. “Most of the farmers knew it was coming so they are prepared.”

Early May’s cool temperatures have slowed this year’s emergence, although Sastre reports sightings as early as late April. And Felperin spotted a few early-bugs during an outing with Loudoun Now in Leesburg last week.

Taste Like Shrimp Cicadas don’t bite or sting, and they’re edBROOD X continues on page 24

Friday, May 14, 7 p.m.

Social House Kitchen and Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn Details: socialhouseashburn.com Veltri’s repertoire of covers and originals spans generations and genres from Bob Dylan to Beyonce.

Live Music: Gary Smallwood

Saturday, May 15, 1-4 p.m.

The Barns At Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com Enjoy classic rock, country rock and blues rock from a longtime Loudoun favorite.

Live Music: JJ Billings

Saturday, May 15, 1 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: Jes Jams

Saturday, May 15, 2 p.m.

Two Twisted Posts Winery, 12944 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro Details: twotwistedposts.com Jessica Paulin returns to Two Twisted Posts with a bank of well-loved hits from the ’60s through today: rock, country, oldies, alt, folk and pop.

Live Music: Mercy Creek

Saturday, May 15, 2 p.m.

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

Live Music: Jon France

Saturday, May 15, 2 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro Details: breauxvineyards.com France brings great tunes from rock to reggae for a mellow Saturday afternoon.

Live Music: Melissa Quinn Fox

Saturday, May 15, 4 p.m.

Bluemont Vineyard, 18755 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont Details: bluemontvineyard.com

THINGS TO DO continues on page 24

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

MAY 13, 2021

PAGE 23

Obituaries Andrew Donovan Looney Andrew Donovan Looney, who grew up in Unison and recently fulfilled a longtime dream of living and working on a cattle ranch, died on Friday, April 30, 2021, in a one-vehicle accident near Cody, Nebraska, where he had become a valued member of the staff at the sprawling Rocking J Ranch in the northwest corner of the state.

Andrew, 22, was a graduate of The Hill School and Middleburg Academy. He finished his college studies remotely while also working full time at the ranch and was scheduled to graduate with his class on May 15 from Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, PA, with a degree in agricultural management.

Andrew was born on March 28, 1999, in Winchester, VA. He was truly at home outside enjoying nature, horseback riding, lacrosse, hunting and fishing and hanging with family and friends.

He didn’t know a stranger.

He grew up fox hunting with Middleburg Hunt and Piedmont Fox Hounds where he also worked. While working at the Piedmont

Hunt, he not only cleaned the kennels and worked with the hounds but he also cleared trails, fence lines, and built horse jumps.

had known the Adamson family for years and helped arrange Mr. Looney’s internship that started on June 1, 2020.

That’s where he realized he would never be able to have a traditional job or working behind a desk. He liked being on the various farms in Loudoun and Fauquier counties and became interested in eventually working in farming.

“He’s a great kid,” Vantrease said of Andrew last fall. “I’ve known the Adamsons for more than 50 years, and he’s in great hands. He’s going to the largest cattle county in the U.S. They’ve got 165,000 cows and only 6,500 people. They love him. He’s an eastern boy and he loves the west. And he’s having the time of his life.”

He started at Rocking J last summer as an intern on the 50,000-acre ranch, owned by one of the nation’s premier cattlemen, Jerry Adamson.

After two months of working with the cows, the bulls, the calves and the beloved horse he rode, Andrew was offered a chance to stay on full-time. In an interview on a brief visit to Virginia last fall, he described his new job as the “opportunity of a lifetime” and exactly what he always dreamed of doing, going all the way back to his elementary school days at Hill School.

Andrew is the son of Gregg and Mary Guest Looney and grew up riding horses, including time in the hunting field. He worked with cows at Whitestone Farm in Aldie while he was attending Middleburg Academy and during summer breaks from his studies at Delaware Valley, where he was enrolled in the school’s agriculture business program.

Bob Vantrease, a family friend who lives in Upperville and is a retired cattleman himself,

Harry V. Saville, Sr. Harry V. Saville, Sr., 92, of Ashburn, VA, born on October 9, 1928 and raised in Romney, WV, passed away Tuesday April 27, 2021.

He married the love of his life, Emaline Exline Saville. Emaline passed in 2011 but his love for her was shown daily until his passing when he could be with her once again. He was also preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Hattie (Combs) Saville, his siblings: Olive Clower, James, Preston, Neysa Ketterman, Anna Argenbright and Don. Harry is survived by his three children: Harry Jr., Judy Loose (David), and Tim (Julie), and his 5 beloved grandchildren: Laura Blanchard (Thann), Emily, Meghan, Tyler, and Travis.

He served our country by entering the U.S. Navy and was proud to be a veteran. He

served our community by engaging on a daily basis through his grocery store, Triangle Grocery, in Dranesville until 1965 and Saville’s Amoco in Sterling until 2001.

He took pride in creating places for friends to gather. His passion was serving the community and assisting those in need.

Harry was a great businessman, husband, father, and grandfather and he will be missed dearly.

The family will receive friends on Friday, April 30, 2021 at Adams-Green Funeral Home, Herndon, VA and on Saturday, May 1, 2021 at 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. at Mt. Zion Church, Augusta, WV. Funeral services will be held at Mt. Zion Church on Saturday, May 1, 2021 at 12:00 P.M. with Steve DeBenedittis and Rev. Donna Saville Burgan officiating. Interment will follow in Mt. Zion Cemetery.

Donations can be made in his memory to St. Judes, Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, or March of Dimes.

All arrangements are being handled by McKee Funeral Home, Augusta, WV

Andrew worked with Jerry Adamson’s son, Todd, who eventually offered him the full-time job. Todd and his wife, Stacy, welcomed Andrew in as part of the family. He lived on the ranch and quickly became a part of the community.

“It was supposed to be a summer job, just to see if I liked it out there,” Andrew said. “After about a month, I was talking with Todd about finishing school. Todd said if I could finish my degree on line and I’d like to stay, we could work it out.

“Out there, everything is done on horseback,” Andrew said. “It’s beautiful, wide-open country. You have help, but there’s lots of times when you have to figure things out yourself.

Sometimes, you just have to make decisions on your own.”

Andrew adjusted to his new job right from the start.

“When I first came out here, I was a little nervous,” he said. “I didn’t know anybody, I was a long way from home. But these are just some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and that makes it easy to move across the country. This is the best thing I’ve ever done.”

This is branding season at Rocking J Ranch, and the Adamson family held a Cowboy Memorial service during one of four branding sessions on Tuesday, May 4. During the ceremony, Andrew’s horse was led out, fully saddled but with no rider. There also was a sunrise service at the ranch the next morning.

Back in Virginia, a celebration of life service for Andrew will be held on May 18 at 11 a.m. at the Whitestone Farm in Aldie. The family has indicated that informal attire, including jeans and cowboy boots, are welcome. Planning is underway to start a scholarship in Andrew’s name at The Hill School in Middleburg Virginia, as well as in Nebraska, and Pennsylvania, with details to still to be determined.

Andrew is survived by his parents, Gregg and Mary Guest Looney of Unison, his sister, Chloe, two brothers, Henry and Owen, and three grandparents, Janet Looney of Philomont, Patricia Gilbert of Churchville, Md. and Edgar Looney of Fairfax, too many family members to name, the love of his life, Tatiana (Tati) Jones, of Cody, NE and an abundance of friends from school, lacrosse, hunt fields and cattle farms east and west.

Maybelle Nelson Miller

Maybelle Nelson Miller “Mabel” of Leesburg, VA Formerly of North Charleston, SC, Age 87 She departed this Edna Miller; several nieces and nephews, life on Saturday, and a host of other relatives and friends.

May 01, 2021 at her Visitation and viewing will be held on residence. Maybelle Thursday, May 13, 2021 from 5:00 p.m. was born May 05, until 7:00 p.m. at Murray’s Funeral Home 1933 in South Car- 4060 Rivers Avenue, North Charleston, SC. olina to Richard Graveside interment service will be held Nelson and Marie at the Sunset Memorial Gardens, 2915 Pryor Nelson.

Ashley Phosphate Road, North Charleston, She leaves to SC 29418 on Friday, May 14, 2021 at 11:00 cherish her mem- a.m. ories, her devoted and loving children, one daughter, Janice Arrangements by LYLES Mink; son-in-law, Reverend George Mink; FUNERAL SERVICE, two grandchildren, Paula Mink Byll (Asri) Serving N. Virginia. Eric and Matthew Mink (Chevon) and several S. Lyles, Director. Lic. great grandchildren; one sister, Jessie NelVA/MD/DC. son Davis; one brother, Howard Nelson; 800-388-1913. two sisters-in-law, Patricia Miller, and

To place an obituary, contact Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or email: sstyer@loudounnow.com

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 24

Brood X continued from page 22

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ible for animals and people. Felperin is looking forward to sampling his first cicada, and Loudouners will find them on the menu in at least one local restaurant.

“We have this stigma against eating insects, but we love crabs and shrimp and other invertebrates which are basically like water bugs,” Felperin said. “If it’s made the right way, I’m totally in.”

Chef Tobias Padovano at Leesburg’s Cocina on Market hasn’t cooked with cicadas yet, but he’s experienced with preparing grasshoppers, which are featured on the restaurant’s regular menu. Padovano is excited to start whipping up cicada tacos as soon as the brood emerges. Grasshoppers are a traditional element in the cuisine of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, which is Cocina’s specialty.

Padovano and many customers are big fans of the fried grasshoppers, called chapulines.

THINGS to do

“They’re beautiful—I absolutely love them. They’re kind of like a very earthy popcorn,” Padovano said, adding that grasshoppers are also considered a high-protein superfood.

Padovano hasn’t had a chance to cook or taste cicadas yet, but he’s been doing tons of research in preparation for this spring, and by all accounts they taste like shrimp.

The restaurant orders dehydrated grasshoppers from a market near Mexico City, so they’re ready to cook for tacos and other recipes. With local cicadas, the process will be more time consuming, but Padovano is embracing the challenge.

Padovano and his team will forage for cicadas with help from restaurant regulars, then freeze, boil and dehydrate in the oven overnight to prepare for cooking. He’s planning cicada tacos with mole verde, fresh radish and avocado for Cocina on Market. And for home cooks, the possibilities are endless: think curries, Asian-style stir fries and barbecue flavors. But Padovano recommends

removing the legs and wings for best taste and texture.

“Whatever you can do with shrimp, you should probably be able to do with these,” he said.

As Loudouners are planning to experience Brood X, the cicadas are a new source of wonder after a challenging year.

“It’s essentially a new experience,” Felperin said. “The way that COVID has given us a curiosity for the outdoors has really kind of opened our eyes. We’re more open to the idea of these creepy crawlies whereas maybe in years past it was just kind of a nuisance. ...

I think people are ready for this.”

Nova Parks’ Cicadamania programs take place at several regional parks, including Algonkian Regional Park on May 22 at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $5 per person. Go to novaparks. com for details and registration.

Cocina on Market will add cicada tacos to the menu as soon as Brood X emerges. For more information, go to cocinaonmarket.com. n

Music Under The Stars: 80s Night

Details: macsbeach.com MacDowell’s Sunday Funday series continues with Hard Swimmin’ Fish’s versatile blues sound covering everything from Mississippi country blues to the urban Chicago sound and beyond.

Fox brings her signature high-energy rock and country to Bluemont.

Saturday, May 15, 6 p.m.

868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro Details: 868estatevineyards.com 868 Kicks off its summer music series with ’80s tunes from DJ Ralph. No cover. Concerts take place on the lawn with social distancing measures in place.

Live Music: Four Horsemen Metallica Tribute

Live Music: Chris Hanks

continued from page 22

Saturday, May 15, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com With the speed, precision, signature riffs and the look of the metal giants, Four Horseman deliver a note-for-note unforgettable experience. Tickets are $20-$30.

Live Music: Pictrola and Sweaty Already String Band Saturday, May 15, 4-9:30 p.m.

B Chord Brewing, 34266 Williams Gap Road, Round Hill Details: bchordbrewing.com These DelFest Academy alumni get B Chord dancing with a fun mix of traditional and modern bluegrass.

Tickets are $20 at the door.

Live Music: Robbie Limon Band

Saturday, May 15, 5 p.m.

MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com Robbie Limon returns to the beach with favorites from ’70s-era songwriters including The Eagles, John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Roy Orbison, The Doobie Brothers, Jim Croce and Willie Nelson

Live Music: Cazhmiere Band

Saturday, May 15, 6 p.m.

Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro Details: harvestgap.com Cazhmiere cranks out party hits from the ’80s and ’90s to today’s current pop, dance, new country and modern rock radio hits.

Live Music: Britton James

Saturday, May 15, 6 p.m.

Social House South Riding, 25370 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly Details: socialhousesouthriding.com With a repertoire of high-energy covers and originals, James is a regional favorite.

MAY 13, 2021

Saturday, May 15, 7 p.m.

Social House Kitchen and Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn Details: socialhouseashburn.com Hanks returns to Social House for an evening of country favorites.

Live Music: Moxie

Saturday, May 15, 7 p.m.

Saigon Outcast, 44921 George Washington Blvd., Ashburn Details: saigonoutcastva.com Moxie returns to one of Loudoun’s newest live music venues with acoustic favorites that make your heart happy.

Live Music: Rowdy Ace Band

Sunday, May 16, 1-4 p.m.

The Barns At Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com Country, rock, blues, Americana and pop from Rowdy Ace at a favorite venue.

Live Music: Ralph Baez

Sunday, May 16, 2 p.m.

Two Twisted Posts Winery, 12944 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro Details: twotwistedposts.com Spend a Sunday afternoon full of tunes you know and love with Baez’s personal touch.

Live Music: Liberty Street Duo

Sunday, May 16, 2 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro Details: breauxvineyards.com Kick back with soft rock favorites from Eric Stanley and Doug Wall.

Live Music: Hard Swimmin’ Fish Trio

Sunday, May 16, 4:30 p.m.

MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg

Live Music: David Grier

Sunday, May 16, 7 p.m.

B Chord Brewing, 34266 Williams Gap Road, Round Hill Details: bchordbrewing.com Grier is known as one of the top flatpick guitarists in the world. Catch him in Loudoun while you can.

Tickets are $30 in advance.

Live Music: Cas Haley

Wednesday, May 19, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater, 19 W. Market St., Leesburg Details: tallyhotheater.com Texas singer/songwriter and America’s Got Talent runner-up Cas Haley blends old-timey sounds and traditional folk with a vintage funky pop flavor. Tickets are $20-$30.

LOCO CULTURE Read Between The Vines

Saturday, May 15, 6-8 p.m.

Walsh Family Wine, 16031 Hillsboro Road, Purcellville Details: loudounliteracy.org Enjoy a fun and relaxing spring evening at Walsh Family Wine and learn about the Loudoun Literacy Council and their programs. Admission is free, but advance registration is requested.

‘The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)’

Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16, 6:30 p.m.

StageCoach Theatre Company, 20937 Ashburn Road, Suites 115 and 120, Ashburn Details: stagecoachtc.com “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” is one of the world’s most frequently produced plays, cramming all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays into 97 minutes with just three actors to hilarious effect. Fast paced, witty, and physical, it’s full of laughter for Shakespeare lovers and haters alike. Tickets are $25 for in-person seats and for livestream. Performances continue May 22 and 23.

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

MAY 13, 2021

PAGE 25

It’s Spring Farm Tour Week The 29th annual Spring Farm Tour, featuring nearly 30 farms representing a cross-section of Loudoun’s rural industries, returns this week as a hybrid online and in-person event.

Since Monday, Loudoun Economic Development has been featuring different farms on its Loudoun Farms website and social media, leading up to the in-person events this weekend, May 15-16.

The hybrid format follows a year in which both the Loudoun Spring and Fall Farm Tours were conducted virtually to comply with COVID-19 protocols.

“Loudoun’s Spring Farm Tour has always been a celebration of the county’s agricultural tradition by introducing people to its leaders and giving them a glimpse into its bright future,” stated Loudoun Economic Development Executive Director Buddy Rizer. “During the COVID-19 outbreak, the virtual farm tour gave access to consumers, not just here in Loudoun, but around the world. We saw thousands of website visitors from dozens of counties, all learning about Loudoun’s innovative farmers. Spring is a time of new beginnings, and we’re thrilled to reintroduce

the in-person aspect of the tour.”

Most participating farms are also part of the Loudoun Made Loudoun Grown Marketplace, an e-commerce platform launched during the pandemic to help connect people with local farms.

Loudoun Economic Development covers the monthly enrollment fees, offering nocost marketing support, and ensuring that 100% of all sales go directly to the farmers.

To take part in the hybrid farm tour, go to LoudounFarms.org/FarmTour. n

BEST BETS

ABC LICENSE

Srinivas Nistala, trading as Halcyon Watson, LLC, 23528 Watson Road, Leesburg, VA 20175.

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) ABCAUTHORITY LICENSE for a Brewery Nistala, license to sell orasmanufacture alcoholic Srinivas trading Halcyon Watson, beverages.

LLC, 23528 Watson Road, Leesburg, VA 20175.

Srinivas Nistala, Presidentis applying to The above establishment

the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE Note: Objections to the issuance of this license CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 Brewery license to sell or manufacture alcoholic days from the publishing date of the first of beverages.

two required newspaper legal notices.

Srinivas Nistala, President Objections should be registered at Note: Objections to the of this license www.abc.virginia.gov orissuance 800-552-3200.

must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 05/13 & 05/20/21 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.

SUMMONS FOR PUBLICATION

05/13 & 05/20/21

Case No.: 214901555 Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

SUMMONS FOR PUBLICATION BEATRIZ MARTINEZ RODRIGUEZ

Case No.: 214901555 Plaintiff/Petitioner Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations /v.Court District

HUGO ERNESTO NARANJO

The Four Horsemen Metallica Tribute Saturday, May 15, 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 15, 8 p.m.

Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Scott Kurt

Hard Swimmin’ Fish Trio

Saturday, 2-5 p.m.

Doukénie Winery doukeniewinery.com

Sunday, 4:30-8 p.m.

MacDowell’s Beach macdowellsbrewkitchen.com

attorney: Beatriz Martinez Rodriguez 7123 W You must also email, mail or hand deliver a Iron Spring Lane, West Jordan UT 84081 copy of your Answer to the other party or their

NOTICE OF ABANDONED BICYCLES

Notice is hereby given that the bicycles described below were found and delivered to the Office of the Sheriff of Loudoun County; if the owners of the listed bicycles NOTICE OF ABANDONED BICYCLES are not identified within sixty (60) days following the final publication of this notice, the individuals who found said bicycles shall be entitled to them if he/she desires.

All unclaimed bicycles will the be handled Chapter thedelivered CodifiedtoOrdinances County.

Notice is hereby given that bicycles according described to below were228.04 found of and the Office of Loudoun the Sheriff of Loudoun County; if the owners of the listed bicycles are not identified within sixty (60) days following the final publication of this notice, the individuals who found said bicycles shall be entitled to them if he/she desires.

Phone All unclaimed bicycles will be handled according to Chapter 228.04 of the CodifiedRecovery Ordinances of Loudoun County.

Description

Case Number

Black/Purple Description Schwinn Sidewinder bicycle

Case Number SO210006365

Recovery 4/23/2021 Date

Recovery 25437 Ripleys FieldLocation Dr. Chantilly, VA

703-777-0610 Number

Black/Purple Schwinn Sidewinder bicycle

SO210006365

4/23/2021

25437 Ripleys Field Dr. Chantilly, VA

703-777-0610

Orange Iron Horse Mountain Anzer Peak bicycle

SO210006458

4/25/2021

3 Silo Mill Ct. Sterling, VA

SO210006458

Date

4/25/2021

Recovery Location

3 Silo Mill Ct. Sterling, VA

Number Phone

703-777-0610 703-777-0610

05/13 & 05/20/21 05/13 & 05/20/21

NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLES

NOTICE OF ABANDONED This notice is to inform the IMPOUNDMENT owner and any person having a OF security interest in their right toVEHICLES reclaim the motor This notice is to inform the owner person having a security interest in theirfrom rightplacing to reclaim the motor vehicle herein described within 15 and daysany after the date of storage charges resulting the vehicle in vehicle described 15 days after thehaving date ofsecurity storage interests charges resulting from placing vehiclethe in vehicle custody,herein and the failure ofwithin the owner or persons to exercise their right tothereclaim custody, theprovided failure ofshall the owner or persons having security to exercise theirsecurity right to interests reclaim the vehicle within theand time be deemed a waiver by the owner,interests and all persons having of all within the and timeinterest provided shall be deemed a waivertoby owner, all persons having security interests of all right, title in the vehicle, and consent thethe sale of theand abandoned motor vehicle at a public auction. 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 This notice shall also advise the owner ofas record of hisinorChapter her right to contest determination the Sheriffby that the motor vehicle was “abandoned”, provided 630.08 of thethe Loudoun Countyby Ordinance, 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 requesting a hearing before the County Administrator in writing. Such written request for a hearing must be made within within 15 15 days days of of the the notice. notice.

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respond in writing for the court to consider your You must file your Answer with this court: side. You can find an Answer form on the court’s 3rd Judicial District Salt Lake County. 8080 website: utcourts.gov/ans.

3rd Judicial District Salt Lake County. 8080 You must also email, orWest handJordan, deliver UT a Redwood Road, Suitemail 1701, copy of your Answer to the other party or their 84088

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A lawsuit hasThe beenState started against you. You must of Utah To: respond HUGO in writing for the court to consider your ERNESTO NARANJO side. You can find an Answer form on the court’s website: A lawsuitutcourts.gov/ans. has been started against you. You must

Redwood Road, Suite 1701, West Jordan, UT You must file your Answer with this court: 84088

Legal Notices

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BEATRIZ MARTINEZ RODRIGUEZ Defendant/Respondant Plaintiff/Petitioner The State/v. of Utah To: HUGO ERNESTO NARANJO Defendant/Respondant

STORAGE STORAGE

BLAIR’S BLAIR’S TOWING TOWING

PHONE# PHONE#

703-661-8200 703-661-8200

05/13 & 05/20/21

attorney: Beatriz Martinez 7123and W Your response must be filedRodriguez with the court Iron Spring served on theLane, otherWest partyJordan withinUT 3084081 days of the last day of this must publication, is 05/13/21.

Your response be filedwhich with the court and

served on the other party within 30 days of the If you do not file and serve an Answer by the last day of this publication, which is 05/13/21. deadline, the other party can ask the court for a If you do not file and serve an Answermeans by thethe default judgment.

A default judgment deadline, otherand party for a to other partythewins, youcan do ask not the get court the chance default default judgment means the tell yourjudgment. side of theA story. other party wins, and you do not get the chance to Read the side complaint or petition carefully. It tell your of the story.

explains what the other party is asking for in Read the complaint or petition carefully. It their lawsuit. You are being sued for: Petition for explains what the other party is asking for in Divorce. their lawsuit. You are being sued for: Petition for Divorce.

04/22, 4/29, 5/6, 05/13/21 04/22, 4/29, 5/6, 05/13/21

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

OPERATION OF THE HOMELESS SERVICES CENTER, RFP No. 389782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., OPERATION OF THE HOMELESS local “Atomic Time”, June 22, 2021. SERVICES CENTER, RFP No. 389782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, June 22, 2021.

TASK ORDER CONTRACT FOR TRAFFIC CALMING AND OTHER SAFETY RELATED TASK ORDER CONTRACT FOR RELATED TRAFFIC CALMING AND OTHER IFB SAFETY RELATED IMPROVEMENTS TO INCLUDE ROAD MAINTENANCE, No. 310782 until IMPROVEMENTS TO“Atomic INCLUDE RELATED ROAD MAINTENANCE, IFB No. 310782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local Time”, June 8, 2021. prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, June 8, 2021.

Solicitation forms may be obtained 24 hours a day by visiting our web site at www.loudoun.gov/ Solicitation forms may be obtained 24 hours a day by visiting our web site at www.loudoun.gov/ procurement.

If you do not have access to the Internet, call (703) 777-0403, M - F, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. procurement. If you do not have access to the Internet, call (703) 777-0403, M - F, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

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

5/13/2021

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 26

MAY 13, 2021

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 Monday, May 24, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following:

DOAM-2021-0001 AMENDMENT TO THE LOUDOUN COUNTY LAND SUBDIVISION AND DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE TO ADOPT A NEW FEE SCHEDULE (Development Ordinance Amendment – Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance)

Pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 15.2-107, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2253 and 15.2-2241(A)(9), and a Resolution of Intent to Amend adopted by the Board of Supervisors (“Board”) on March 16, 2021, the Planning Commission hereby gives notice of proposed amendments to the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (“LSDO”), including the Facilities Standards Manual, in order to establish new, and clarify, revise, and/or delete existing, regulations in regard to fees. The general purpose of the proposed amendments is to adopt a new fee schedule reflecting 100 percent cost recovery as Appendix A for various fees collected pursuant to the LSDO, to update the procedure the Board uses to set the amount of LSDO fees, to add language regarding collection of fees for inspection of facilities required to be installed by the LSDO, and to exempt certain governmental entities from the imposition of LSDO fees. The amendment proposes revisions to Section 1242.12, Fees, and to such other Chapters, Sections, Subsections, and provisions of the LSDO as necessary to implement and maintain consistency with the foregoing amendments or as otherwise necessary to correct typographical errors, section and subsection numbering, and formatting within, update cross-references to, and further clarify the requirements of, the above-mentioned section of the LSDO. The proposed text amendments under consideration include, without limitation, the following:

Each Additional Review Beyond 2

$275

$525

$2,445

$4,920

$520

$1,075

$1,880

$3,630

$465

$545

$2,860

$5,545

$465

$855

$1,890

$3,560

$315

$625

Non-Residential

$3,750

$6,075

Rural Residential (septic and well)

$3,750

$6,075

Urban Residential (public water and sewer)

$3,750

$6,075

Each Additional Review Beyond 2

$1,195

$1,930

Non-Residential

$4,518

$6,790

Each Additional Review Beyond 2

$1,430

$2,290

Rural Residential (septic and well)

$4,905

$7,860

Each Additional Review Beyond 2

$1,650

$2,645

Urban Residential (public water and sewer)

$7,630

$12,430

Each Additional Review Beyond 2

$1,890

$3,000

Current

New Fee

Dedication of Right-of-Way (DEDI) (2 Reviews) Each Additional Review Beyond 2 Easements (ESMT) (2 Reviews) Each Additional Review Beyond 2 Family Subdivision (SBFM) (2 Reviews) Each Additional Review Beyond 2 Plat of Correction (POCO) (2 Reviews) Each Additional Review Beyond 2

Amendments to Chapter 1242, Amendments and Enforcement: • Establish a new Appendix A containing a fee schedule for all fees collected pursuant to the LSDO and a list of governmental entities exempt from the imposition of such fees.

• Under Section 1242.12, Fees, clarify, revise, and/or delete existing standards in regard to what activities conducted by the County are to be compensated through fees.

• Under Section 1242.12, Fees, clarify, revise, and/or delete existing standards in regard to how the amount of fees are set.

Proposed Fee Changes Application Type

Current

New Fee

Residential and/or Roads

$7,085

$8,295

Each Additional Review Beyond 2

$2,535

$3,540

Residential and/or Roads CPAR

$2,535

$3,540

Industrial or Office Park

$2,575

$3,870

Each Additional Review Beyond 2

$850

$1,660

Industrial or Office Park CPAR

$850

$1,660

Facility Standard Manual (FSM) Waiver Request

$1,190

$610

Rural Economy Site Plan (REST) (2 Reviews)

$2,300

$6,600

Construction Plans & Profiles (CPAP & CPAR) (2 Reviews)

Site Plans (STPL) (2 Reviews)

Preliminary Record Subdivision (SBPR) (2 Reviews)

Preliminary Subdivision (SBPL) (2 Reviews)

Application Fee Type Record Subdivision (SBRD) (2 Reviews) Non-Residential

$2,395

$6,075

Each Additional Review Beyond 2

$750

$1,070

Rural Residential (septic and well)

$2,545

$6,075

Site Plans > 1 acre

$7,605

$8,670

Each Additional Review Beyond 2

$1,080

$1,070

Each Additional Review Beyond 2

$3,225

$3,470

Urban Residential (public water and sewer)

$3,740

$6,075

Site Plans 1 acre or <

$4,800

$5,200

Each Additional Review Beyond 2

$1,540

$1,070

$900

$1,000

$3,405

$3,190

Subdivision Base Density (SBBD) (2 Reviews)

$2,735

$4,645

Each Additional Review Beyond 2

$440

$715

Subdivision Extension

$230

$360

Subdivision Exception (SBEX) per submission

$1,490

$2,145

Subdivision Waiver (SBWV) (2 Reviews)

$2,415

$4,645

$430

$715

Each Additional Review Beyond 2 Site Plan Amendment (SPAM) As Built Submissions for Occcupancy

$300

$60

As Built Submissions for Bond Release

$300

$185

Application Type

Current

New Fee

$1,450

$1,795

Preliminary Soils Report Flood Plain Alteration (FPAL Type 1)

Additional Reviews Beyond 2

$500

$715

Flood Plain Alteation (FPAL Type 2)

$2,500

$3,590

Performance Bond Fees

Flood Plain Study (FPST)

$3,525

$5,180

Extensions

$300

$500

Reductions

$785

$1,215

Application Fee Type Boundary Line Adjustment (BLAD) (2 Reviews)

Current

New Fee

$1,750

$3,495

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

MAY 13, 2021

PAGE 27

Legal Notices Re-Inspection

$200

$285

Release

$500

$1,645

Public Bond Release

$500

$2,310

SWM Release

$500

$850

The public purposes of these amendments are to achieve the purposes listed in Code of Virginia §§ 15.22200 and 15.2-2240 and to assure the orderly subdivision of land and its development.

ZMAP-2020-0010 & SPMI-2020-0013 ARCOLA GROVE COMMERCIAL

(Zoning Map Amendment and Special Minor Exception) Northpoint Investments I, LLC, of Bethesda, Maryland, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 23.44 acres from the RC (Rural Commercial) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-IP (Planned Development – Industrial Park) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop by right special exception uses in the PD-IP zoning district up to a 0.6 Floor Area Ratio (FAR). The modification of the Additional Regulations applicable to the proposed PD-IP uses are authorized by Minor Special Exception under Section 5-1409(B)(1), Waivers and Modifications, Legislative Modifications, Road Corridor Building and Parking Setbacks (the Minor Special Exception application is not subject to consideration by the Planning Commission and requires approval only by the Board of Supervisors), pursuant to which the Applicant requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification: ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION

PROPOSED MODIFICATION

§5-1403(B) Road Corridor Buffer and Setbacks Matrix, Table 5-1403(B)

To reduce the road corridor setback from Arcola Boulevard for buildings from 100 feet to 75 feet and parking setbacks from 75 feet to 35 feet.

The subject property is located within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, within the Ldn 65 or higher aircraft noise contour. The subject property is approximately 23.44 acres in size and is located east of Stone Springs Boulevard (Route 659), south of Arcola Mills Drive (Route 621), and north of Route 50 in the Blue Ridge Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as: PIN

ADDRESS

162-15-1929

N/A

203-10-9057

N/A

162-15-4753

N/A

203-10-7367

N/A

ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION

PROPOSED MODIFICATION

§4-607(D)(1) PD-GI Planned Development – General Industry, Use Limitations, Outdoor Storage.

To permit the outdoor storage of vehicles within the front yard.

§5-1406(A) Landscaping, Buffer Yards, Screening, and Landscape Plans, Screening of Certain On-Site Functions

Permit perimeter parking lot landscaping and a minimum 6-foot tall ornamental metal fence adjacent to Shaw Road and the property identified as PIN 044-20-2995 in lieu of required screening under Zoning Ordinance § 5-1406(A).

The subject property is located within the Route 28 Tax District, the Route 28 Corridor Business Optional Overlay District and the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District outside of but within ne (1) mile of the Ldn 60 noise contours. The subject property is approximately 5.83 acres in size and is located east of Shaw Road (Route 638) and south of W. Church Road (Route 8625), in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 044-30-1539. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Mixed Use Place Type)), which designates the area for a compact, pedestrian-oriented environment consisting of a vertical mix of residential, commercial, entertainment, cultural, and recreational uses within the Suburban Mixed Use Place Type at densities up to 1.0 FAR.

CMPT-2020-0009 & SPEX-2020-0026 MILESTONE TOWER – WATERFORD (Commission Permit & Special Exception)

Milestone Tower Limited Partnership IV of Reston, Virginia, and the Board of Supervisors, acting through the Loudoun County Department of General Services, have submitted applications for the following: 1) Commission approval to permit a 132 foot tall (130 foot tall with a 2 foot lighting rod at the top) Monopole and a related equipment compound in the AR-1 (Agricultural Rural - 1) zoning district; and 2) A Special Exception to permit a 132 foot tall (130 foot tall with a 2 foot lighting rod at the top) Monopole and a related equipment compound. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance and the proposed use is listed as a Special Exception use pursuant to Section 5-618(B)(2)(a) and requires a Commission Permit in accordance with Section 5-618(B)(3)(j). The subject property is approximately 13.26 acres in size and is located north of Charles Town Pike (Route 9) and the west side of Hamilton Station Road (Route 704), in the Catoctin Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN 344-45-5673. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Rural Policy Area (Rural North)), which designates this area for rural economy uses and limited residential development is envisioned with a target density up to 1du/20ac and cluster development with target density up to 1du/5ac. The proposed use is specifically governed under the policies of the Telecommunication Plan.

ZMAP-2021-0002 ALDIE HISTORIC DISTRICT ADDITION

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.

The Board of Supervisors acting through the Department of General Services of Leesburg, Virginia, has submitted an application to expand the Aldie Historic District. The procedure to expand historic districts is established by Section 6-1806 of the Zoning Ordinance. The subject property is currently zoned RC (Rural Commercial), AR-2 (Agricultural – Rural 2), and A3 (Agricultural – Residential 3) under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The subject property is located within the VCOD (Village Conservation Overlay District) and partially within the MOD (Mountainside Development Overlay District) and FOD (Floodplain Overlay District) – major floodplain. The subject property is approximately 3.71 acres in size and is located on the south side of Route 50 and west of New Mountain Road (Route 631), at 39483 and 39469 John Mosby Highway, Aldie, Virginia, in the Blue Ridge Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 361-45-8246 and PIN: 361-45-5744. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Rural Policy Area (Rural Historic Village Place Type) and the Loudoun County Heritage Preservation Plan, which designate this area for traditional small-scale residential and commercial development which maintains the distinguishing features of individual rural historic villages at no more than 4 dwelling units per acre.

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.

The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area), in the Suburban Employment Place Type, which supports primarily office, production, flex space, and warehousing uses as well as startups and established businesses with limited retail uses at a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of up to 1.0.

(Zoning Map Amendment)

ZMAP-2020-0001, SPEX-2020-0005, ZMOD-2020-0024 & ZMOD-2020-0025 LINDSAY DETAIL FACILITY (Zoning Map Amendment Petition, Special Exception & Zoning Modification) Lindsay Holding, LLC., of Alexandria, Virginia, has submitted applications for the following: 1) to rezone approximately 5.826 acres from the PD-CC(CC) (Planned Development-Commercial Center (Community Center)) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-GI (Planned Development-General Industry) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to allow Motor Vehicle Service and Repair, Light, in the PD-GI zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.40 (up to 0.6 by Special Exception) and 2) a Special Exception to allow an outdoor automobile inventory lot that will be a second principal use in support of the detail facility. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and the proposed uses are listed as a Special Exception use under Section 4-604. The Applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s):

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.

BY ORDER OF:

FOREST HAYES, CHAIRMAN LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION

05/06 & 05/13/21

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MAY 13, 2021

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

SBPR-2021-0004 JOURNEY LANE Mr. John Fuog of Journey Lane LLC of Purcellville, VA is requesting preliminary/record plat of subdivision approval to subdivide approximately six and a half (6.55) acres into five (5) residential lots.

The property is located along St. Louis Road (Route 611, north of Snake Hill Road (Route 744). The property is zoned RC (Rural Commercial) under the provisions of the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The property is more particularly described as PIN 596-45-7405 in the Blue Ridge Election District.

Additional information regarding this application may be found on the Loudoun Online Land Applications System www.loudoun.gov/LOLA by searching for SBPR-2021-0004. Complete copies of the above referenced application(s) are also available for public review at the Loudoun County Department of Building and Development, Land Development File Room, 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, physical public access to the file may be interrupted. You may contact the project manager to arrange for alternative access to the file if necessary. Please forward any comments or questions to the project manager, Eric Blankenship at eric.blankenship@loudoun.gov or you may mail them to The Department of Building and Development, 1 Harrison Street, SE, 2nd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia by June 17, 2021. The Department of Building and Development will take action on the above application(s) in accordance with the requirements for preliminary/record subdivisions outlined in Section 1243.09 of the Land Subdivision and Development Ordinance (LSDO).

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING LEESBURG TOWN CODE AMENDMENTS: CHAPTER 2 (ADMINISTRATION); CHAPTER 6 (AVIATION) In accordance with Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, sections 15.2-1102, 15.2-1411, 15.2-1500, and 15.2-1427 the Leesburg Town Council will hold a public hearing on: Tuesday, May 25, 2021, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA at which time the public shall have the right to present oral and written testimony on proposed amendments to the Town Code. Amendments to Chapter 2, Article V, Section 2-223 (Leesburg Executive Airport Commission), and Chapter 6, Article II, Sections 6-22 (Fixed Base Operator License Fees) and 6-24 (Aircraft Registration) will be proposed and discussed. The amendments will serve to clarify the role of the Airport Commission.

A copy of the proposed ordinance is available from the Town Clerk, located in Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.); or by calling Eileen Boeing, Town Clerk, at 703-771-2733.

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

5/13 & 5/20/2021

05/13/21

PUBLIC NOTICE Public Hearing Pedestrian Improvements Associated with Tripleseven Road – Countryside Elementary School Loudoun County Public Schools - Safe Routes to Schools Project Monday, May 24, 2021 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM ~Virtual Public Hearing~ Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) will hold a Virtual Public Hearing on a Safe Routes to Schools Project to provide sidewalk and trail connections along Tripleseven Road in Sterling, Virginia.

The Public Hearing will be held in a virtual/ on-line event and can be accessed at https://www.lcps. org/Page/208899. LCPS Staff along with team members from J2 Engineering and Gorove Slade will make a presentation beginning at 12:30pm, followed by time for answering submitted questions from the community. The Public Hearing will be broadcast live on Comcast Channel 18 and Verizon Fios Channel 43 as well as live-streamed from the LCPS website (www.lcps.org); there will be no in-person gathering due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Additional details on the proposal, can be found on the LCPS ‘Safe Routes to Schools’ webpage (https://www.lcps.org/Page/208899). A link for submitting questions prior to and during the May 24, 2021, Public Hearing is also provided on the webpage.

LCPS is planning to add a five (5) foot sidewalk and crosswalks along the east side of Tripleseven Road between Glade Street and Heather Glen Road in the VDOT right-of-way and a five (5) foot asphalt trail on the west side of Tripleseven Road connecting to the existing east/west trail located between Tripleseven Road and Countryside Boulevard. A raised or high visibility crosswalk is proposed on Tripleseven Road, north of the Heather Glen Road intersection. An additional trail is proposed from the existing east/west trail, across LCPS property, to Countryside Elementary School. These pedestrian connections would enhance the opportunity for students to walk or bicycle to school.

PUBLIC NOTICE

INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) NOTICE THE TOWN OF LEESBURG, VIRGINIA, INVITES BIDS FOR THE GRANT OF A NON- EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE PERMITTING FRANCHISEE(S) TO USE THE PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY IN THE TOWN FOR THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, UPGRADE, REMOVAL, AND OPERATION OF SPECIFIED SMALL CELL FACILITIES AND RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE TOWN. THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE FRANCHISE ARE ATTACHED TO THE ORDINANCE. THE TERM OF THE FRANCHISE SHALL BE FOR AN INITIAL TERM OF TEN (10) YEARS WITH UP TO THREE (3) ADDITIONAL EXTENSIONS OF FIVE (5) YEARS EACH. ALL BIDS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING IN THE FORMAT OF THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITY FRANCHISE AGREEMENT ATTACHED TO THE ORDINANCE AS EXHIBIT A AND ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY THE TERMS AND SPECIFICATIONS. THE BID DOCUMENTS ARE TO BE SENT TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY’S OFFICE VIA E-MAIL LEGALBIDS@LEESBURGVA.GOV, OR MAIL 25 WEST MARKET STREET, LEESBURG, VA 20176 AND MUST BE RECEIVED ON OR BEFORE 12:00 NOON ON MAY 25, 2021. ALL BIDS MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED “SEALED BID” ON THE ENVELOPE OR IN THE EMAIL SUBJECT LINE. AT THAT TIME BIDS SHALL BE PUBLICLY OPENED AND BIDDERS IDENTIFIED.

Provide your written or oral comments and questions at the hearing, or submit them by close of business on June 8, 2021, to Safe Routes to Schools Project Manager, LCPS Department of Planning Services, 21000 Education Court, Suite 210P, Ashburn, VA 20148 at 571-252-1050 or lcpsplan@lcps.org.

IN ADDITION, IDENTIFICATION OF THE BIDDERS SHALL BE ANNOUNCED IN OPEN SESSION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LEESBURG IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, TOWN HALL, 25 WEST MARKET STREET, SECOND FLOOR, LEESBURG, VIRGINIA, 20176 ON MAY 25, 2021, AT 7 P.M. EASTERN TIME. AT THE MAY 25, 2021, MEETING, THE MAYOR SHALL REFER THE BIDS RECEIVED TO THE TOWN MANAGER TO EVALUATE, REVIEW AND CONSIDER IN THE MANNER PRESCRIBED BY LAW, INCLUDING THE SELECTION OF, AND NEGOTIATION OF FRANCHISE AGREEMENT(S) WITH, ONE OR MORE PREFERRED, RESPONSIVE BIDDER(S). AS SOON THEREAFTER AS PRACTICABLE, THE TOWN MANAGER WILL RECOMMEND THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER(S) AND PRESENT THE NEGOTIATED FRANCHISE AGREEMENT(S), FOR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL BY TOWN COUNCIL.

Questions: If you have questions or concerns please contact LCPS Department of Planning Services, 21000 Education Court, Suite 210P, Ashburn, VA 20148 at 571-252-1050 or lcpsplan@lcps.org prior to June 8, 2021.

THE TOWN RESERVES THE RIGHT IN THE TOWN MANAGER’S SOLE DISCRETION TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS, TO TERMINATE NEGOTIATIONS AT ANY STAGE OF THE SELECTION PROCESS, AND TO REISSUE THE REQUEST FOR BIDS WITH OR WITHOUT MODIFICATION.

Review the proposed project conceptual plan at the virtual Public Hearing, or prior, at https://www. lcps.org/Page/208899. A preliminary project schedule and project materials list, including the environmental assessment (Programmatic Categorical Exclusion) and right-of-way certification, will be available for review and comment 30 days prior and for 15 days after the Public Hearing at https:// www.lcps.org/Page/208899 and discussed at the Public Hearing.

LCPS ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact LCPS Department of Planning Services at 571-252-1050.

Federal Project: UPC 116709 State Project Number EN14-053-216; P101 – TAP-5B01(143)

04/22 & 05/13/21

THE DESCRIPTIVE NOTICE OF THE PROPOSED FRANCHISE ORDINANCE IS AS FOLLOWS: The proposed ordinance will grant a nonexclusive franchise or franchises, under certain conditions, permitting the grantee to use the public rights-of-way in the Town of Leesburg, for the design, construction, installation, maintenance, repair, upgrade, removal, and operation of specified small cell facilities and related infrastructure. A copy of the complete text of the proposed ordinance is available from the Town Clerk, located in Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.); or by calling Eileen Boeing, Town Clerk, at 703-771-2733.

05/13 & 05/20/21

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

MAY 13, 2021

PAGE 29

Legal Notices PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

TOWN OF LEESBURG

MIDDLEBURG PLANNING COMMISSION

DEPARTMENT OF UTILITIES NOTICE OF WATER MAIN FLUSHING The Town of Leesburg will conduct controlled flushing of water mains throughout the Town beginning April through June 30th, 2021. This preventative maintenance program is essential for maintaining the Town’s high standards of water quality.

Water mains are flushed by opening fire hydrants and allowing them to flow freely for a short period of time. The flushing cleans out sediment, removes air which may accumulate in the water mains and restores chlorine levels in areas of limited use, thereby, reducing the potential for bacteriological contamination.

Water is safe to drink and safe to use during flushing. However, flushing may result in temporary discoloration and sediment in the water. If discoloration or sediment is evident, the Town recommends residents avoid doing laundry until the discoloration subsides. Flushing may also introduce air into the water, which may temporarily cause erratic flow. If this occurs, open your cold water tap until a clear steady flow of water is observed.

Some residents and businesses may experience lower pressure during the flushing in their neighborhood. The Town regrets any inconvenience the flushing operation may cause.

Please call the Utilities Department at 703-737-7075 for further information. For after-hour emergencies, call the Leesburg Police Department at 703-771-4500.

04/01 & 06/30/21

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS will hold a public hearing in the BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING ROOM, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following:

VARI-2021-0001 Tobey - Addition Rachel and Jamieson Tobey of Sterling, Virginia, have submitted an application for a variance to permit a reasonable deviation from the following provisions of the 1972 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance in order to permit the construction of an addition to an existing single-family detached dwelling on the subject property that will be located approximately 4.5 feet from the rear property line: 1) Section 702.3.7.4 Requirements for Yards and Article 4 – Schedule of District Regulations, R-2 Single Family Residential, Minimum Yard Requirements: Depth of Front, Rear Yards, Depth of Side Yards, which requires a twelve (12) foot rear yard. The subject property is zoned PDH-3 (Planned Development – Housing 3), administered as PD-H12 under the 1972 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The subject property is approximately 0.14 acre in size and is located on the west side of Whaley Court (Route 1691), approximately 0.7 mile southwest of the intersection of Whaley Court and Brinks Court (Route 1690), at 10 Whaley Court, Sterling, Virginia, in the Algonkian Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 027-26-6126.

Full and complete copies of the above-referenced application(s) and related documents may be examined in the Loudoun County Department of Planning and Zoning, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 3rd Floor, Leesburg, Virginia, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call (703) 777-0246.

All members of the public will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. If any member of the public requires a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate in a public meeting, please contact the Office of the County Administrator at 703-777-0200/TTY-711. At least one business day of advance notice is requested; some accommodations may require more than one day of notice.

All members of the public will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, members of the public are encouraged to view and/or participate in the public hearing electronically. Citizens are encouraged to call in advance to sign up to speak at the public hearing. Instructions for remote participation will be forwarded to all individuals who sign-up in advance. 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 Board of Zoning Appeals, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 3rd Floor, MSC #62, Leesburg, Virginia 20175, or by e-mail to kristine.smolens@loudoun.gov.

Nan M. Joseph Forbes, Chairman 05/13 & 05/20/21

LoudounNow.com

The Middleburg Planning Commission will hold a public hearing beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 24, 2021 to hear public comments on the following: Zoning Map Amendment 21-03 - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE PROFFERS ASSOCIATED WITH CONDITIONALLY ZONED R-1 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, R-3 RESIDENTIAL AND MUV MIXED USE VILLAGE DISTRICT PROPERTIES AT PINS 538-25-6474 AND 53827-7860 AND A PORTION OF 500 NORTH PENDLETON STREET (PIN 570-40-5809). This is a proposed amendment to the original, 2007 Salamander Hospitality proffers, as subsequently amended.

Substantive elements within this application include proposals to: eliminate the extension of Reed St. to the north of Stonewall Ave. and replace with a pedestrian connection; revise the sidewalk layout within the proposed residential development; and, allow construction traffic to use either N. Pendleton St. or Foxcroft Rd. THIS IS A SEPARATE REQUEST FROM PROFFER AMENDMENT ZMA 2102 OF SIMILAR ORDINANCE TITLE. The Commission meeting and public hearing will be conducted remotely in accordance with the Resolution Confirming the Declaration of a Local Emergency and the Ordinance to Implement Emergency Procedures & Effectuate Temporary Changes to Address Continuity of Governmental Operations during COVID-19.

Public participation will be available 1) by calling (301) 715-8592, Webinar ID: 921 0867 5541, OR 2) online via zoom.us/j/92108675541. Those who plan to participate in the hearing are encouraged, but not required, to contact the Town Office at (540) 687-5152 no later than 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting to register to speak. For those who only wish to observe the proceedings, the meeting can be viewed on the Town’s website at www.middleburgva.gov/town-meetings The file for this application may be reviewed at the Town Office, 10 W. Marshall Street, Middleburg, Virginia from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. Questions may be directed to Deputy Town Manager Will Moore at (540) 687-5152 or by email at wmoore@ middleburgva.gov The Town of Middleburg strives to make its hearings accessible to all. Please advise of accommodations the Town can make to help you participate in the hearing.

05/06 & 05/13/21

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE MIDDLEBURG TOWN COUNCIL

The Middleburg Town Council will hold public hearings beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 27, 2021 to hear public comments on the following: Zoning Text Amendment 21-01 - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 121 OF THE MIDDLEBURG ZONING ORDINANCE PERTAINING TO BUILDING HEIGHT IN THE R-2 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. The proposal is to amend the building height limitation in the R-2 District to 25 feet with the ability to increase the allowable height, up to 30 feet maximum, with the provision of increased side yards.

Zoning Map Amendment 21-01 - AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE A 0.5153 ACRE PORTION OF LAND AT 10 WEST MARSHALL STREET (PIN 538-27-9541) FROM R-1 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT TO C-2 TOWN COMMERCIAL DISTRICT AND TO REZONE A 0.59696 ACRE PORTION OF ADJOINING VACANT LAND AT PIN 538-27-7860 FROM MUV MIXED USE VILLAGE DISTRICT WITH PROFFERS TO C-2 TOWN COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. The rezonings are proposed in conjunction with the new Town Hall project and would bring the land into common zoning designation with the existing Town Office and surrounding properties fronting on W. Marshall St. Zoning Map Amendment 21-02 - AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE PROFFERS ASSOCIATED WITH CONDITIONALLY ZONED R-1 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, R-3 RESIDENTIAL AND MUV MIXED USE VILLAGE DISTRICT PROPERTIES AT PINS 538-25-6474 AND 53827-7860 AND A PORTION OF 500 NORTH PENDLETON STREET (PIN 570-40-5809). This is a proposed amendment to the original, 2007 Salamander Hospitality proffers, as subsequently amended, and is proposed in conjunction with the new Town Hall project. The proposal is to revise language as it pertains to a proffer for a Town Hall site and Village Green and to also update existing proffer language that has been superseded or fulfilled. THIS IS A SEPARATE REQUEST FROM PROFFER AMENDMENT ZMA 21-03 OF SIMILAR ORDINANCE TITLE. The Council meeting and public hearings will be conducted remotely in accordance with the Resolution Confirming the Declaration of a Local Emergency and the Ordinance to Implement Emergency Procedures & Effectuate Temporary Changes to Address Continuity of Governmental Operations during COVID-19.

Public participation will be available 1) by calling (301) 715-8592, Webinar ID: 960 7386 2524, OR 2) online via zoom.us/j/96073862524. Those who plan to participate in the hearings are encouraged, but not required, to contact the Town Office at (540) 687-5152 no later than 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting to register to speak. For those who only wish to observe the proceedings, the meeting can be viewed on the Town’s website at www.middleburgva.gov/town-meetings The files for these applications may be reviewed at the Town Office, 10 W. Marshall Street, Middleburg, Virginia from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.

Questions may be directed to Deputy Town Manager Will Moore at (540) 687-5152 or by email at wmoore@middleburgva.gov The Town of Middleburg strives to make its hearings accessible to all. Please advise of accommodations the Town can make to help you participate in the hearing.

5/13 & 5/20/2021

LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 30

Resource Directory

Democratic Party Primary Election Tuesday, June 8, 2021

THIS IS ONLY A DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, & Attorney General House of Delegate Districts 34 & 86

Monday, May 17, 2021: Last day to register to vote or change your voter registration information for this election.

Mailed voter registration applications must be sent to the Loudoun County Office of Elections postmarked on or before the deadline.

IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING

Loudoun County Office of Elections 750 Miller Drive, SE, Suite C, Leesburg, VA 20175

Monday – Friday, April 23 – May 29, 2021: 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Please note: Our office will be closed on Monday, May 31 in observance of Memorial Day.

Extended Hours: Tuesday, June 1 and Thursday, June 3, 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Wednesday, June 2, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Saturday, May 29 & June 5, 2021: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Saturday, June 5, 2021: Last day to vote an In-Person (early) absentee ballot.

SATELLITE ABSENTEE (EARLY) VOTING LOCATIONS

Loudoun County Government Office at Ridgetop 21641 Ridgetop Circle, Sterling, VA 20166 Dulles South Senior Center 24950 Riding Center Drive, South Riding, VA 20152 Early Voting begins Saturday, May 29, 2021 Saturday, May 29, 2021 – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Tuesday, June 1, 2021 – 12:00 noon – 7 p.m.

Wednesday, June 2, 2021 – 10 am – 5 p.m.

Thursday, June 3, 2021 – 12:00 noon – 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 5, 2021 – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m Saturday, June 5, 2021: Last day to vote an In-Person (early) absentee ballot.

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MAIL ABSENTEE VOTING Request an absentee ballot online: Loudoun.gov/JunePrimary Absentee ballots ARE counted.

Friday, May 28, 2021: Last day to request an absentee ballot by mail. Applications must be received in the Loudoun County Office of Elections by 5 p.m.

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04/15, 04/29 & 05/13/21

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It is ORDERED that the defendants Catarina Castro Chiroy, mother, Lucas Ixcotoyac Itzep, putative father, and Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court to protect their interests on or before May 24, 2021 at 10:00 am.

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MAY 13, 2021

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LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 32

MAY 13, 2021

Opinion Building the Connections Loudoun leaders appear to be moving closer to developing a plan to extend broadband access to underserved homes and businesses in some 240 square miles of the county. It’s an important and challenging undertaking.

Among the lasting lessons of the pandemic is that broadband connectivity is no longer a nice-to-have amenity. It’s a critical utility, perhaps not on par with running water and electricity, but largely an essential service these days.

It is clear the effort will require significant government subsidy. Past efforts to ask, encourage or beg providers to expand their service areas have resulted in little progress. For any service route that came close to offering a return on investment, the lines have long been laid.

Among the concerns raised by the current approach is the hope of landing funding through the commonwealth’s Virginia Telecommunication Initiative.

While that program was established with the intent to address these very shortcomings, there can be little expectation that Loudoun will be at the head of the line for those grants.

Historically, Loudoun doesn’t often benefit from state grant programs. It’s another example of county residents sending vast sums of money to Richmond while receiving only trickles back.

Added to the traditional wealthy county bias, Loudoun’s reputation as the world’s data center capital surely will serve as another handicap. Why should the state send millions of dollars to provide broadband service in a county that receives nearly half of its local tax revenue from internet companies? There are communities throughout the commonwealth with far greater need and far fewer resources.

The question then becomes: Are Loudoun’s leaders ready move beyond years of lip service and make a commitment? There would seem to be ample opportunities to form creative partnerships with some of the world’s top tech firms that have invested billions of dollars in our community. Or supervisors could earmark a small percentage of data center revenues to underwrite the effort. Even steering some of the county’s multi-million-dollar year-end budget surplus to the project could make a substantial contribution.

County leaders also should recognize that this is not just a rural Loudoun problem. Any project to subsidize the expansion of broadband access must also include families who face economic barriers. The school division last year worked to address some of those challenges, but hotspots are little more than a stop gap measure. Suburban solutions, such as building robust neighborhood Wi-Fi networks, should be viewed as being just as important as reaching remote rural residence.

It should be easy for Loudoun County to be a leader in broadband connectivity, but it’s likely a do-it-yourself kind of job. 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 Bad Idea

Editor: Like the chainsaw-wielding psycho in a horror movie, some bad ideas will never die. For example, some progressive politicians in Loudoun County are once again pushing the idea of making law enforcement a county department under their control.

Never mind that public opinion was strongly opposed to this idea when it was proposed earlier. After a year of rioting and unrest in major cities, one lesson we should have learned is that law enforcement works best when it is not under the thumb of spineless and agenda-driven politicians. Law enforcement needs to be independent so that it can protect the citizens and not be subject to political virtue signaling. We don’t want Loudoun County to be another Portland.

Loudoun Sheriff Michael Chapman came to the Board of Supervisors meeting last week to oppose the ongoing study and to defend his officers. He stated that he “[raised] these concerns because they are important to know, as the county has now committed $500,000 to study a problem that doesn’t exist.”

For his comments, Chapman was scolded for his “un-wokeness” by County Chair Phyllis Randall, and at least one other supervisor. According to Randall, every law enforcement group in the entire country is corrupt, and has nothing better to do than harass and murder innocent civilians.

Personally, I have never seen any hint of unprofessional behavior from the people under Chapman’s command. I agree with

him that certain supervisors are trying to solve a problem that (fortunately) we don’t have in this county. In other words, they are playing politics as usual.

Our current Board of Supervisors is competing with the School Board to see who can be the most progressive. Rather than solving real problems in the county, they waste their time (and our tax money) on dubious projects such as defunding the police, taking down monuments, taxing plastic grocery bags and renaming anything remotely connected with the Civil War. They have even built an online database, so that citizens can report any county object with an “offensive” name.

During upcoming election cycles, we need to select leaders who want to make the county prosper, and not just be contestants in the Woke Olympics.

— Clark Kidd, Potomac Falls

Doing Good

Editor: In 1954, the U.S. Congress approved a joint resolution for President Dwight D. Eisenhower to proclaim a week to recognize the humanitarian efforts of The Salvation Army, one of the nation’s largest and oldest faith-based health and human service providers. This year Salvation Army Week is May 10 - May 16.

Today, with the help of more than 3.2 million volunteers, The Salvation Army serves more than 23 million Americans every year. With a presence in every zip code LETTERS TO THE EDITOR continues on page 33

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Readers’ Poll THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:

Brood X is coming. Will you be add cicadas to your meal plan?

With cases falling and vaccinations widespread, how do you feel about getting back to normal activities in public?

LETTERS to the editor continued from page 32

across the country, The Salvation Army uniquely understands the demands facing Americans—and the people living in our community—in need.

My wife, Sergeant Sharon McKee, and I began our post at The Salvation Army in Loudoun in April 2020 – right at the beginning of the pandemic. Immediately, we were introduced to the Advisory Board for our Corps. Their dedication and devotion to The Salvation Army was overwhelming and inspiring. When they realized the immediate need for our services, they moved mountains to start our emergency feeding program during COVID. Not only did they fundraise, but they recruited volunteers and executed the entire program. My wife and I were astonished at how quickly all the pieces came together to start this program. We were also amazed at the level of volunteer support that assisted us in our efforts to help the hundreds of people in our community that needed food. We are very proud and excited to be a part of this Corps.

For more than 25 years The Salvation Army of Loudoun County has been “Doing the Most Good” to meet the needs of individuals and families throughout Loudoun County. Through your financial support, we provide emergency rental and utility assistance, food pantry services, hot meals, school supplies, diapers, clothing, Christmas assistance, and so much more. We have weathered many a storm through the years—and as we face the COVID -19 pandemic we know that many members of our community are facing unemployment, hunger, cascading bills, and threats of eviction, so we continue to be focused on helping those struggling to survive.

As we celebrate National Salvation Army week, Sergeant Sharon and I would like to thank our donors, our volunteers, our Advisory Board members, our Honorary Board members, the Potomac Division leadership, anyone who has donated items

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to our Thrift Store, and our dedicated staff.

Gratitude can be a hard thing to articulate, but please know how truly blessed we all are to live in such as generous and remarkable community.

— Sergeants John and Sharon McKee, Salvation Army of Loudoun County

Fund the Arts

Editor: Imagine all the art and entertainment you watch, listen to, or see every week.

Many people listen to music while they are riding in the car. Millions of people subscribe to Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and cable television for entertainment. Millions of people in this country went to the movie theatre every year, before COVID-19. There are concerts we participate by the millions in our communities and at large venues.

Where do all these entertainers come from?

The fine arts in this country are not funded at the same level as sports and are not treated the same. There are about 20 athletic sports listed just on one local high school website. That means each of them needs a head coach, assistant coaches, athletic director, assistant athletic director, and other various paid positions. There are also freshmen, JV, varsity teams with these individual sports. They each need their court, field, or place to practice and play.

Also, sports have their one-page stipend schedule for high schools. The head coach of the football team receives $7,343 for one season or ten games. The stipend for drama is $5,556 for the entire year or at least four performances.

In the past month, Gov. Northam had to revise his executive orders on gatherings. Fine arts venues were labeled social gatherings, and as such only 50 people could be gathered, including performers and audience members. After a petition and call from various individuals, Governor Northam apologized and made changes since sports were given 100 spectators inside and viewed differently.

When you go to a school website, you

might find right in the middle of the screen a link for athletics. Where is the link for the fine arts? It is buried somewhere within the website if one even exists. We should ask ourselves, is this equitable? Are we treating the arts in the same capacity we treat sports? High school students are required to take two physical education credits but no fine arts credits. Why? According to the Educational Theatre Association, 91% of voters believe that the arts are essential for building imagination, and 73% felt that the ability to imagine is just as important as basic academic skills.

The EDTA website goes on to say that training in acting classes improves language and memory skills. A study from 2010 revealed that students who took four years of fine arts courses while in high school scored 102 points better on their SATs than students who took only one-half year or less. According to the 2012 EdTA-Utah State University survey, 98% of school administrators believe that theatre programs strengthen student’s critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and leadership skills.

In no way am I attacking sports. They have their cultural value in our society.

I just want to ask why we are not fully funding arts the way we do athletics in our public schools. Society values arts and entertainment, and it helped us get through the recent pandemic as well as the Great Depression, the Civil War, and the Revolutionary War. Maybe we should ask our elected officials who make the funding decisions to value the arts by equitably funding them.

— Todd Cimino-Johnson, Leesburg

Disappointed

Editor: When I was the Democratic nominee for sheriff in 2015, I ran on the platform of forming the Loudoun County Police Department. Not one person in the Loudoun County Democratic Committee had any interest—not Randall, not Saines, not Umstattd. No one.

Now, with the Democrats in charge, the idea of forming the Loudoun County Police Department is such a good idea that the government is spending $500,000 studying the idea. In fact, it appears that the county leaders think they can form a county police department without changing its form of government, which I do not believe they can. I am betting Mr. Rogers will tell the board that it can’t just do it either. Should the board form a county police department, a lawsuit will certainly be filed and ultimately decided by the Supreme Court of Virginia. I look forward to filing that lawsuit myself if the board takes such action without the voters voting and the General Assembly taking the appropriate legislative action.

There are so many other things Loudoun County citizens need. I am disappointed that $500,000 of taxpayer’s money is being wasted on such a study when Mr. Rogers could have simply told you the uphill battle the county faces in forming a county police department. Simply look at Prince William and Chesterfield County.

Did I think a Loudoun County Police Department could happen? I knew it would be tough and that everything had to line up perfectly for it to happen. I figured it had a 50/50 chance of success. I was willing to try, and I assure you that it would have not cost the county $500,000.

— Brian P. Allman, Ashburn

Diverging Paths

Editor: Loudoun has found itself on two diverging paths: Do we allow up zoning to occur in the east, or do we open up the west to development. Both of these options have their pros and cons, but one thing is clear.

Loudoun cannot inhibit development.

Growth occurs whether we want it to or not.

If Loudoun chooses to sit at the fork in the road, indecisive, growth will shift LETTERS TO THE EDITOR continues on page 34

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MAY 13, 2021

Let’s Set the Record Straight

BY SHERIFF MIKE CHAPMAN

On May 5, Loudoun Now published online two articles that conflated two separate and distinct issues impacting the safety of Loudoun County citizens.

The first article, “Chapman Attacks Board of Supervisors’ Police Study,” authored by Renss Greene, refers to a presentation delivered by me at the May 4 Board of Supervisors meeting in which the Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office was required to present its Quarterly Significant Incident Report. The National Research Center’s bi-annual survey results, released prior to the board meeting, reflected that Loudoun County citizens rated satisfaction for the Sheriff ’s Office as good or excellent at 87%.

The same respondents, however, rated the county’s services at only 57%. The NRC’s results corroborated the data and achievements provided in my presentation. I questioned why the county would pay $500,000 to study forming a police department— which would report to a County administration with mediocre satisfaction numbers (and likely cost the county tens of millions of dollars) – when the Sheriff ’s Office is already performing at a satisfaction rating 30 percentage points higher than the county.

LETTERS to the editor continued from page 33

further west into our neighbors. If this happens, Loudoun will bear the brunt on its infrastructure. As traffic increases on Rt. 7, Rt. 9 and Rt. 15, Loudoun and its towns will have to front the resources to improve these corridors. Even if development is capped in western Loudoun (without upzoning), Loudoun's roads will ground to a halt.

This brings us to a paradox: What do we do then? If we allow development in western Loudoun, our rural landscape and economy will be decimated. If we block development in western Loudoun, all it will do is push development out further into other counties, crushing Loudoun's infrastructure network. What do we do?

We have a proven, effective solution in upzoning.

Upzoning is exactly what the name implies, increasing the density of areas, allowing for a greater number of dwellings per acre. Upzoning will provide great benefits to solving the current housing crunch that Loudoun is facing. The greater density of houses will allow for a natural affordable housing stock to be created, without any government interference. It will also decrease the demand for develop-

I mentioned that while there are many instances of criminal or bad actions of law enforcement officers, the vast majority of the 700,000 officers representing 18,000 agencies nationwide engaging in over 60 million citizen contacts in any given year, remain committed to their profession and risk their lives daily to protect the citizens they serve. I discussed how the LCSO led many areas—the first in Northern Virginia to obtain body worn cameras, the first in Virginia to equip a drone with Project Lifesaver, the first to equip our deputies with Narcan, the first to mandate Crisis Intervention Training for all sworn and dispatch personnel, and the first to require an eighty-hour leadership training course following a promotion. I also mentioned that the LCSO recently obtained perfect accreditation scores from the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Training Commission and the Virginia Department of Corrections in over 1,000 categories and subcategories.

Despite positive feedback from several board members, Chair Randall, inexplicably rebuked my presentation erroneously claiming I “egregiously” insulted black men, a topic never mentioned in my remarks.

When I attempted to respond, she refused

to allow me to do so, cutting me off twice.

More perplexing than Chair Randall’s inappropriate lecture, was the fact that Mr. Greene decided to highlight this issue and question why I did not simultaneously attend a School Board—School Resource Officer Memorandum of Understanding meeting. The MOU has been a work in progress since 2017 and the meeting was attended by Major Easton McDonald, other LCSO leadership, and leadership from the Leesburg Police Department who oversee our combined SRO program.

Not surprisingly, the Loudoun Now then immediately published an article implying that the LCSO abruptly derailed the SRO MOU agreement by submitting its own version. The article failed to point out the LCSO’s version was based on a “model” draft provided by Ms. Kim Simon of the Department of Criminal Justice Services (which oversees the SRO process statewide) and was consistent with changes in Virginia law which took effect July 2020. It fails to mention that the updated version was discussed with the LCPS on 4/21/21; was agreed to by the LPD; vetted by the County Attorney’s Office and sent to the LCPS for review on 4/27/21; or that an extensive discussion between Sheriff Chapman, Acting

ment in general, preventing Loudoun from sprawling west.

Now, there are a couple arguments against upzoning, each of which are completely valid. First, traffic. Won’t increasing the amount of housing, especially dense housing, cause traffic to increase? The answer to that is both yes and no. It seems counter-intuitive, but denser development actually has a decreasing effect on traffic (if done right, of course). Since services are typically clustered in one area, there is little need to drive to services as they are within walkable/bikeable distances. Also, many of Loudoun’s potential upzoning corridors are within close distance to transit lines, allowing new residents to take the metro into work, rather than driving, decreasing the pressure on Loudoun’s road network.

Another valid concern is, “Won’t increasing development urbanize Loudoun, turning Loudoun into a crazy hectic place?”

Once again, the answer to this question is ambiguous, yes and no. Dense development doesn’t need to be 30 story high rises. Look at areas such as old town Alexandria, they have just as much density as some areas in Arlington, but without the large, towering apartment buildings. You can create peaceful spaces in denser developments.

Loudoun is tasked with a once in a

lifetime decision. Do we go the path of upzoning, bringing sustainable, economically sound development patterns to eastern Loudoun? Or do we choose to sit there and do nothing, watching our neighboring municipalities exploit Loudoun’s infrastructure and cause our fragile Western landscape to fizzle away?

Choose wisely.

— Ethan Van Berkel, Leesburg

Double Standard

Editor: Three German female gymnasts took a stand recently and refused to wear revealing uniforms, choosing unitards instead during a championship in Switzerland.

These women have been praised throughout the media and I am appalled at the double standards.

They match right up to the recent Swiss double standards of banning Muslim face coverings (niqaab) in public while allowing people to cover their face for health reasons during the pandemic.

I find it ironic, however, that when a Muslim woman or girl decides to cover up her body in the name of modesty she is frowned upon, yet when non-Muslim female athletes decide to do it in the name of exactly the same thing, that is desexualization of their bodies, they are applauded

Superintendent Ziegler and their respective staff members occurred before the 5/4/21 School Board meeting. The article also fails to mention that neither former Chairman Jeff Morse nor Chairwoman Brenda Sheridan engaged in discussions with the LCSO following the July 2020 law change even though they had opportunities to do so.

Instead, the School Board (on 5/4/21) presented an MOU based on a 2018 model in which community input was primarily received from the Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee and the Special Education Advisory Committee, both of which receive financial assistance from LCPS’s Assistant Superintendents for Instruction and Pupil Services, respectively.

Its version contained many unreasonable, unvetted demands on law enforcement —including the type of clothing deputies could wear and the type of vehicle they could drive, and did not comply with other areas of Virginia code. Unfortunately, neither the School Board, MSAAC nor SEAC have any expertise in law enforcement.

While the LCSO encourages a broader array of citizen input, the LCSO and LPD will continue to work with the LCPS and the board chair to revise a draft that is mutually acceptable. by the media and critics.

Whether to cover or not to cover should be a question left up to that woman alone.

Are we really fooling ourselves in the name of "women empowerment" by not even allowing them to choose how to or not to display their bodies? I don't see how these European countries are any different in their rigidness than the infamous Middle Eastern countries who force their women to cover up in public.

I thought the law and government were there to ensure civil liberties and that citizens' rights were not to be impeded upon.

This seems contrary to what the French senate has recently done by proposing to ban hijab (head covering) for girls under the age of 18. As an American Muslim who chose to wear the hijab since the age of 16, this creates many fears and anxieties in my mind. With the global rise of Islamophobia over the past several years, although highly unlikely, I can't help but wonder if such insanity will see its way over to the United States of America. After all, we have always found the French to be in vogue!

The French have always set the tone for our fashion history, hopefully our "fascist" history will not take pursuit.

— Mehrunnisa Akbar, Aldie

MAY 13, 2021

Youngkin continued from page 3 In its unassembled convention, the party hand-counted paper ballots using a ranked-choice voting system. Delegates were asked to rank each of the 17 candidates in order of preference. If no candidate won a majority of votes on the first ballot, the last place candidate in the race was eliminated and the second-place choices on those ballots were to be add-

Museum continued from page 3 southern Iraq in 1994. The airplane saw service in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the Mediterranean and Red seas before being turned over to the Blue Angels in 2015. It was active with the team until the end of the 2020 season, when the Blue Angels switched to the Super Hornet.

And for visitors who like both the Mercury capsule’s spacefaring capabilities and the Hornet’s fighter capabilities, the Air and Space Museum is renovating an X-Wing Starfighter.

The full-sized vehicle, with a wingspan of 37 feet, appeared onscreen in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” and is on long-term loan from Lucasfilm. It is currently undergoing conservation in the Restoration Hangar, work that is visible to the public, before it goes on display in late 2022 outside the Albert Einstein Planetarium.

SRO proposal continued from page 10 LCSO and the Leesburg Police Department—is a national standard. It is number one. And sometimes when you’re number one it is very hard to stay there. Everyone chases being number one,” McDonald said. “But when you’re the best at something it is hard to keep being number one, to keep being the best. We had an MOU and it was working perfectly until 2015.

We have been unable to sign one since that time.”

MSAAC and SEAC representatives who have raised concerns for decades about the high discipline rates among minority students and those with Individualized Education Plans have pressed to make improvements through a new MOU. McDonald noted that SROs are not involved in student discipline or in restraining students. Only two of the division’s

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ed to the tally. That process continued in rounds until a candidate achieved a majority.

Virginia Democrats are selecting their nominees during a June 8 primary, for which early voting is underway. There are five candidates vying for the gubernatorial nomination, six for lieutenant governor and two for attorney general.

Youngkin, of Great Falls, is running for office for the first time. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and is the

former co-CEO of the Carlyle Group, a Washington, DC private equity firm, retiring in September 2020 after 25 years with the firm. He hopes to lead Republicans to their first statewide electoral victory since 2009, and then to use that platform to help Republicans win local elections, state and Congressional elections.

Sears, of Winchester, was born in Jamaica, grew up in New York City and went on to join the U.S. Marine Corps. In 2002, she became the first Black female Republi-

“Despite taking place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars introduced generations of fans here on Earth to outer space as a setting for adventure and exploration,” stated Margaret Weitekamp, space history chair at the museum. “All air and space milestones begin with inspiration, and science fiction so often provides that spark—the iconic X-wing displayed amid our other spacecraft celebrates the journey from imagination to achievement.”

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. seven days a week, with new health and safety measures in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Visitors will need free, timed-entry passes to get in.

The Air and Space Museum is the first Smithsonian institution to reopen after closing because of the pandemic; six more Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo will reopen to the public later in May. Learn more at airandspace.si.edu/udvar-hazy-center. n

An X-Wing Starfighter which appeared onscreen in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” currently undergoing conservation in the Restoration Hangar at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

81,000 students were arrested during the 2019-2020 school year, according to figures provided to the board.

But MSAAC’s Katrece Nolan said the concern was not so much about the number of arrests, but the more than 2,000 times students were reported to law enforcement. She and other advocates are asking if those cases should instead be handled by a more robust mental health staff and worried about protecting the rights of juveniles without involvement of parents or guardians.

School Board members strongly objected to discarding the work that had been done in the long, detailed community conversation that had resulted in the updated MOU. Chairwoman Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) also raised concerns that the new proposed agreement required the signature of the superintendent instead of the School Board. “We’ve made it very clear we want ownership of this,” she said.

MacDonald suggested the School Board start with the state’s new model agreement and determine what additions school leaders wanted to make to it.

“We didn’t create a brand new document. I want you to look at this document more as a revised document. There is no law in that document that is outdated,” he said. “We can sign that and go. We have given you that for review. We are not expecting something from that today.” He characterized the draft agreement school leaders developed to a Model T, calling the new model a Tesla.

“I’m all about change. You don’t do things just because you’ve been doing them that way. But if the changes are making the document better where we have problems we are fixing, fine,” McDonald said. “But if the changes are changes that are not making it easier for the principals and the SROs, then we have to reevaluate it. Again, the document is there for you— the revised document—it is totally up to

can, first female veteran, and the first naturalized citizen to serve in the state House of Delegates, serving in the 90th District in Norfolk and Virginia Beach. She previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress in the Virginia 3rd District.

Miyares, of Virginia Beach, is an attorney and has represented part of the city in the House of Delegates since 2016. He was the first Cuban American elected to the Virginia General Assembly, his family having fled Cuba in 1965, 11 years before he was born. n

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

you on how you solicit your input.”

The School Board instead agreed to continue work from its draft agreement and directed the staff to work with the law enforcement agencies to determine whether there are elements in the new model that would require changes to its draft agreement.

“I value this program as much as you do because it is very important,” Sheridan said. “I don’t understand why our law enforcement partners left us out of this revision.”

Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) acknowledged the highly acclaimed status of Loudoun’s SRO program, but said he was unwilling to ignore the raw emotional conversations that have occurred in the development of the revised agreement.

“If it takes 22 pages to alleviate everyone’s concerns or 50 pages or 100 pages in think that is way we need to be,” he said.

The board is expected to vote on a final version in June. n

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