Loudoun Now for May 23, 2024

1,500 Attend First Lincoln Strawberry Festival

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

Wegmeyer Farms hosted its inaugural Lincoln Strawberry Festival over the weekend with three days of activities ranging from pick-your-own berries to ice cream eating contests and strawberry pancake breakfasts.

Event coordinator Harriet Wegmeyer said over 1,500 people bought tickets for the event, despite a very rainy Saturday.

“I think it went really well given the circumstances that we were handed,” she said. “On Saturday, it rained all day. But Sunday ended up being really beautiful. It was just a fantastic time.”

Even though the rain might have deterred some, Wegmeyer said it didn’t seem to hinder visitors who did make it out.

“The rain didn’t dampen people’s spirits,” she said. “Some of the kids had a great time and they were in their raincoats and boots.”

The festival served as a fundraiser in collaboration with the Wegmeyer Farms Foundation to support area nonprofits and provide scholarships for high school students. Beneficiaries included the Lincoln Community League, Lincoln Preservation Foundation, Lincoln Elementary, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Loudoun, Loudoun Heritage Farm and Museum and Loudoun 4-H.

“One of the things that was so joyful was the community coming together, the volunteers from our partner nonprofits,” Wegmeyer said. “Seeing everyone come

together for the benefit of each other, that was the proudest moment.”

The festival kicked off Friday with a BIP (Berry Important Person) Denim Gala and Dinner, which showcased local flavors and wines. Wegmeyer said all 100 tickets sold out for that event.

Saturday began at 8:30 a.m. with a pancake breakfast which was quickly followed by a series of events and contests at the farm. Live music, strawberry ice cream eating contests, a toddler runaway stroll, kids story times, strawberry pie eating contests, vendors and a continuation of pick-your-own strawberries filled up the rest of the day.

Sunday also boasted a pancake break-

fast and between the two days, over 440 people were served. The remainder of the day’s events included a 4-H animal presentation, another round of ice cream and pie eating contests, live music and a final dance off and musical performance by the farm’s mascot, Berry D. Licious.

While it’s too soon to know how much was raised for the nonprofits, Wegmeyer said she is already looking forward to next year.

The foundation also held an art contest leading up to the festival, soliciting entries for the event’s poster art. Loudoun Valley High School student Thomas Mazeika earned a $1,000 scholarship for his winning submission. n

SCC Examiner Recommends Denial of Greenway Toll Increases

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

State Corporation Commission Senior Hearing Examiner Michael Thomas released a report May 15 recommending denial of a rate increase submitted by Toll Road Investors Partnership II, the company that owns the Dulles Greenway. He opposed the increase to the maximum tolls charged to most drivers because it would “materially discourage use of the Greenway,” in violation of state law.

The request, submitted last July, is to increase rates to $8.10 during peak hours, up from the current $5.80; and to $6.40 during off-peak hours, up from $5.25.

A hearing on the application was conducted in February, following a public comment period and public hearings.

In his report, Thomas states that the increase would provide the company “no more than a reasonable return,” but that because it would discourage use, he would be recommending denial at the time.

GREENWAY TOLLS continues on page 36

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now Wegmeyer Farms, in collaboration with the Wegmeyer Farms Foundation, hosted its inaugural Lincoln Strawberry Festival last weekend.

School Leaders Change Course on Delayed-Opening Training Plan Change Amid Parental Pushback

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.org

Just days after administrators presented a plan to the School Board to have 16 two-hour delayed school days to accommodate more than 36 hours of state-required teacher training, they abandoned the plan after receiving nearly 2,000 responses from the community.

“After carefully reviewing the feedback and recognizing that the adjusted arrival schedule is not an ideal option for the majority of the families we heard from, we are reconsidering our approach,” Superintendent Aaron Spence said in an emailed announcement. “We understand the importance of minimizing disruption to our students’ and families’ routines while still providing the necessary time for teachers to engage in professional development (PD) as required by the new Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) initiatives.”

Spence said the division is looking at other alternatives to address the required training, adding that the goal is to find a way to meet the requirement while also taking the communities needs into account.

Several School board members said they have received a steady stream of emails from parents opposing the idea.

majority against the idea.

“There were maybe four comments that said the idea could work and two that said it was a good idea, but the rest were overwhelmingly against it,” she said.

She said she also received at least a hundred emails.

Shernoff said within 24 hours she realized the central office staff needed to go back to the drawing board and find a better solution.

“I’m grateful my constituents feel like they can engage with me, that they feel it’s a trusted space to share what they feel,” she said adding that this is the first opportunity the board has had to show the community it is listening.

“The message has been received loud and clear, I think we need to own it and move forward and hopefully they will give us some grace to say we didn’t get it right and it’s a small step toward building trust,” she said.

Deana Griffiths (Ashburn) and Kari LaBell (Catoctin) both said response to the plan was overwhelmingly negative.

Lauren Shernoff (Leesburg) posted on her Facebook page that she supported the proposal after administrators presented the plan May 14, but soon changed her mind after hearing from hundreds of constituents.

“I thought it was a good idea,” she said.

“I honestly felt like teachers would feel supported and that we see them and care by providing this time for the unprecedented amount of professional development. And I was wrong, they hated it.”

Shernoff said she received 400 comments on her Facebook post, the vast

Griffiths said members of the Trailside Middle School community have expressed concerns how a two-hour delay would affect the school’s pilot program of operating

DELAYED OPENING continues on page 37

Towns Prepare for ‘Forever Chemical’ Compliance in Water Systems

BY NORMAN K. STYER

AND HANNA PAMPALONI

nstyer@loudounnow.org hpampaloni@loudounow.org

Following the EPA’s adoption last month of new drinking water standards for so-called forever chemicals, utility providers across the country have been awaiting test results to learn whether their water sources comply.

Last week, however, Round Hill learned that tests of raw water samples from two of its 13 municipal wells showed concentrations of PFAS chemicals above the newly established federal limits.

Meanwhile, the Town of Purcellville has entered a pilot program with the

Virginia Department of Health to study new options for removing the chemicals from the water supply.

The Round Hill Town Council was briefed on the findings during its May 15 meeting

Well 719, located in the backyard of a home on the town’s northern boundary, showed levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) at 6.9 parts per trillion and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) at 9.6 ppt. For those chemicals, the EPA-established maximum is 4 ppt.

Well 7A, located on the western edge of Sleeter Lake, south of town, had a PFOA level of 5.4 ppt and PFOS level of 9.5 ppt.

Reports on the town’s other 11 wells

showed no detectible levels or levels within the EPA regulations for each of the eight chemicals tested.

What that means for the town or its utility customers isn’t yet clear.

The new EPA rules give utilities five years, until 2029, to implement solutions to reduce the chemical levels. The chemicals can be removed using activated carbon absorption, reverse osmosis purification, or ion exchange systems.

The town plans to work with the Virginia Department of Health to evaluate treatment options and to identify funding to complete any needed upgrades. The town also plans to join the ongoing national class-action lawsuit against PFAS manufacturers seeking

compensation for the cleanup effort.

“The Town of Round Hill Utility Department will ensure that the Round Hill Water System meets these standards. Round Hill will continue to champion source water protection and support local, state, and national efforts to prevent these compounds from entering the Greater Round Hill Area Watershed,” according to a statement issued May 16.

Purcellville has been testing for the substance since 2022 has detected them in a few of the town’s wells, including two at the Nature Park Groundwater Treatment Plant.

WATER COMPLIANCE continues on page 36

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Superintendent Aaron Spence at the May 14 School Board meeting. Division administrators worried about the unprecedented required state teacher training presented recommendations like 16 late start days during the 2024-2025 school year to help teachers meet those requirements.

Loudoun

Planning Begins for Extension of Potomac Heritage Trail

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

Since Congress established the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail in 1983, the National Parks Service has worked with localities to create linkages in the 900-mile corridor between the Allegheny highlands and the Chesapeake Bay.

In Loudoun County, the trail is almost complete from its eastern boundary to Leesburg.

Now, a new study led by Northern Virginia Regional Commission is examining ways to close the largest remaining gap in the region—between Leesburg and Harper’s Ferry, WV.

Last week, NVRC representatives joined with staff members from the National Parks Service and Loudoun County’s chief park planner, Mark Novak, in Lucketts to gather ideas for the

TRAIL continues on page 6

Bill Niedringhaus, president of the

for extending

Tillet’s View Development Application Delayed Until July

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpmploni@loudounnow.org

Board of Supervisors’ action on an application to rezone 50 acres for the construction of a 357-home development in Ashburn has been delayed until July.

The board was scheduled to cast a new vote May 15 on the Tillet’s View project after a supervisors voted in March to deny the application.

A week after the denial vote, Supervisor Sylvia R. Glass (D-Broad Run) brought the application back for reconsideration after the applicant proposed reducing the density of the project by 40 units, eliminating all of the two-over-two stacked townhouses from the plans.

During last week’s meeting, Vice Chair Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian), who was acting as chair in the absence of Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large), said the applicant had requested the item be deferred to the board’s July meeting.

Glass objected to the delay, saying the merits of the project had been debated long enough.

“While Chair Randall is my friend and I want to be respectful of her ability to comment and vote on this application, I must also weigh the respect I have for my constituents,” she said.

Glass said she and the applicant were unable to make any additional progress on the project, which is opposed by nearby residents.

“To save everyone time and to be respectful for energy my constituents have put into three public hearings and three community meetings I do not want to defer this application and further,” Glass said.

Supervisor Michael R. Turner (D-At Large) said he “vehemently” opposed Glass’ motion and that voting on the item without Randall present would be “disenfranchising” her constituents.

Supervisor Caleb A. Kershner (R-Catoctin) agreed, while Kristen

ON THE Agenda

Bond Agencies Reaffirm Triple-A Ratings

The nation’s top bond rating agencies have reaffirmed Loudoun County’s triple-A ratings on its general obligation bonds, noting the county’s strong financial performance, a robust economic profile with a diverse tax base and strong management.

Loudoun County has held the Aaa rating from Moody’s since 2004, and AAA rates from Fitch Ratings and S&P Global since 2005. The three ratings agencies also affirmed Loudoun’s AA+ and Aa1 ratings on the upcoming sale of public facility revenue bonds through the Economic Development Authority, as well as its outstanding appropriation-backed bonds. The rating outlook for all three rating agencies is “stable.”

“The County Board and staff have once again demonstrated their topnotch commitment to preserving our fiscal reputation—this couldn’t be accomplished without sound fiscal policies,” County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) stated in an announcement. “Maintaining our AAA bond rating from the three major ratings agencies continues to provide Loudoun with great flexibility to meet the county’s capital and operational needs at the lowest possible cost.”

Umstattd (D-Leesburg) and Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) said it was not disrespectful and wanted the vote to move forward. Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) said Randall’s vote was unlikely to change the outcome of the board’s action.

Briskman said deferring the item was a professional courtesy offered to applicants.

At that time, Glass experienced a “minor medical emergency” and was taken out of the board room to be treated by medics. Her office released a statement later that night saying she was transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation and was released the same night.

“She thanks those who have reached out with well wishes and will resume supervisor activities tomorrow,” according to the statement.

After a recess, the remaining board voted unanimously against Glass’ motion to not delay consideration of the application.

The item is expected to return to the board during a July meeting. n

Supervisors to Vote on New High School, Elementary School

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to approve plans for a new high school and elementary school next to Watson Mountain Middle School near Brambleton.

The 173-acre parcel is planned for a 350,000-square-foot high school and 120,000-square-foot middle school. In addition to the 5,000-seat stadium, the high school will accommodate 2,100 students and house a 3,000-person gym, practice field, baseball field, softball field, tennis courts and soccer fields.

The gym and stadium are larger than what is typical for other schools because the division is hoping to use them for regional events, such as football state finals.

If approved, the schools are expected to open in the fall of 2028. n

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Potomac Heritage Trail Association, marks up a map with suggestions

the trail north from Leesburg during a May 16 community outreach meeting in Lucketts.

HERITAGE

Board Approves Request for Additional Housing at Stone Ridge

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

The Stone Ridge community will be growing by 144 units, after the Board of Supervisors on May 15 approved an application to develop three parcels around the neighborhood.

The proposal, made by Stone Ridge Community Development, consists of a 4.39-acre parcel, a 2.9-acre parcel and a 26.59-acre parcel. The units will be a mix of single-family detached and single-family attached.

(R-Dulles), whose district includes the neighborhood, said even though not everyone would be happy with the application, the developer had done “as much as could be reasonably expected” to mitigate the impacts of the additional homes on the surrounding areas.

“They’re doing some good things for us here including extending significant missing sidewalk links that are ranked very low on our list, not because they are not important but because we have so many sidewalks. So, it means they wouldn’t get done without this project,” he said.

Supervisor Kristen C. Umstattd (D-Leesburg) cast the lone vote against the project citing operational costs and school capacity concerns.

Militar y Historian Matt Seelinger

Accessible parking available for those who need assistance, all others use Town Garage. For more information, call 703.777.1368 or visit www.idalee.org.

The Planning Commission recommended approval of the application in January with contingencies that the developer address some outstanding concerns by staff regarding design guidelines for some structures, a shared use path and pedestrian improvements.

In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held at the Leesburg Senior Center, located at 102 North St. NW, Leesburg, VA

“This is going to add about $2.2 million a year in school operational costs to the county budget with a $9 million capital cost addition,” she said.

During the board meeting, the county planning staff recommended approving the application pending finalization of a few minor issues.

Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau

Heritage Trail

continued from page 4

community. The session was led by Jim Klein, whose Lardner/Klein Landscape Architects design and planning firm, has been selected to conduct a feasibility study.

The project will identify and assess the feasibility of potential routes in the corridor, including considerations for trail construction, maintenance, accessibility, park connections, scenic views, and other elements of trail development. Klein plans to complete the work by year’s end.

“It’s really more than just about getting from point A to point B. It’s about an experience—about trying to connect up with some of the great things that are out here already,” he said.

The trail currently ends at North Lake Boulevard on Leesburg’s eastern boundary, with current plans to extend it to Whites Ferry. The study will look at existing trails and rural roads and the potential construction of new trails to extend the route to Loudoun’s northern boundary near Harper’s Ferry or to Sweet Run State Park, which provides a link to the

The vote to approve the application carried 6-1-2 with County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) and Supervisor Sylvia R. Glass (D-Broad Run) absent. n

Appalachian Trail. The goal is to link trail users to the Rt. 340 bridge that will provide access to the C&O Canal Towpath in Maryland.

The May 16 session at the Lucketts Community Center was primarily attended by members of the Potomac Heritage Trail Association, who helped markup maps with potential routes— including some discontinued trail segments that could be put back into use— and noted points of significance within the study corridor.

Klein said the study will take a broad look at the option, including using some of Loudoun’s gravel roads to create linkages and building on the work done to develop Loudoun’s Linear Parks and Trails in 2021.

The planners will continue to collect public input about the project through June 3. They then plan to work through the summer to conduct details studies and develop recommendations that will be presented for public review in October.

For additional information, to make comments and to receive project updates, go to potomacheritagenova.com/ loudoun-feasibility-study. n

Supervisors Divided Over Subsidizing Sanitary Districts

BY HAILEY YENTZ AND HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

The Board of Supervisors’ finance committee is divided over whether the county’s sanitary district program should be subsidized after hearing a cost analysis from staff members May 14.

The item was first brought before the board in 2019 by Supervisor Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) amid concerns that most of his constituents are not members of homeowners’ associations making it difficult for them to hire trash pick-up companies.

The program would provide trash and recycling pickup to county property owners.

The presentation from the staff included three possible funding models—a full cost recovery model with 10 districts and 50 properties per district; a subsidized model where the county would fund the initial costs, and a larger district model with up to 102 properties per district which could be subsidized or not.

All three options would require hiring a full-time and part-time employee.

“[The Board Member Initiative] proposed the sanitary district to be self-funded by the property owners through a fee,” Accounting, Finance and Operations Manager Elaine Crawford said. “And the fee will be billed twice a year on the property tax bills and will be levied on all the property owners in the district for the same flat fee. Th program is proposed for only non-HOA communities.”

The first option would initially cost users $51 a month. Once all 10 districts have been established, that cost would drop to $40 a month. Total county costs for that program are estimated to be $121,210 and would be recouped over the first six to eight years.

The subsidized option would cost users $42 a month until all ten districts were established which would result in a rate of $36 monthly. The county’s cost would be about $400,000 per year.

Lastly, the third option, with twice

as large districts, would cost users $46 a month if not subsidized and $42 a month if subsidized.

Crawford told the committee that three variables effect the cost recovery rate—continued interest, price escalation, and the number of properties in each district.

Saines supported the subsidized plan because with so few HOAs in his district, trash collection is a patchwork across Sterling.

“You might have trash pick-ups every day of the week and you’re paying completely different prices,” he said calling it an “equity issue.”

“It’s well worth every penny for residents,” he said.

Supervisor Juli E. Briskman (D-Algonkian) agreed, adding that for residents without HOAs, it is more than just a cost issue.

“We’ve got noisy trucks. We’ve got trash cans on the street every day, people having to worry about where to park their cars. We’ve got exhaust from the trucks every day probably, which can’t be good for the environment. And I just think that any efficient jurisdiction should be doing this to help the quality of life,” she said.

Committee Chair Matthew Letourneau (R-Dulles) and Supervisor Kristen Umstattd (D-Leesburg) said they supported the sanitation districts, but not the subsidized plan.

Letourneau said the need for the program began when a trash service went out of business, leaving residents without a way to have their refuse collected.

“What we gain now with a sanitation district is the weight of the county, the resources of the county, being behind something that’s been set up for residents, whether or not it’s subsidized,” he said. “… I’m having trouble telling everybody in the county that they should be subsidizing and paying for it,” he said.

A motion by Saines to approve the subsidized plan failed 2-2 with Letourneau and Umstattd opposed and County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) absent. The item will now be presented to the full board. n

Leesburg

USTA’s First All Indoor Pickleball Facility Comes to Leesburg

BY SAM DOUGLAS AND ALI ELLIOTT

The Village at Leesburg has gained another new entertainment destination. The Village Pickle opened on May 15 after a long wait for pickleball enthusiasts.

Located in the core of the commercial center, between CustomInk and Ulta Beauty, the conventional storefront exterior hides a spacious indoor facility with eight pickleball courts, a lounge area and a collection of ping pong tables. Originally scheduled for a January opening, Village Pickle elected to push back its grand opening until May as the plans shifted to a new space with ceilings almost twice as high.

“I think people are impressed because if you look outside, you don’t realize how big this facility is. So, they are amazed, and we have received nothing but positive feedback,” USTA Mid-Atlantic Executive Operations and Facility Director Cat

Crisostomo said.

Village Pickle has been in the works for almost a year. Last summer, Henry Fonvielle, the president of Rappaport, set up temporary pickleball courts in vacant retail space. One August day, he invited area pickleball club members to test the temporary courts; more than 150 players showed up to play. The Mid Atlantic division of the United States Tennis Association agreed to sponsor and operate a brand-new facility, aiming to promote inclusiveness through tennis and pickleball.

At Village Pickle, players have the opportunity to compete on eight pickleball courts, each equipped with the Championship Pickleball Net System. A partnership with nearby The Dell Food and Brew Hall provides food and beverages, including a specially themed brew, the Pickle Pills, to pickleball lovers.

Pickleball has exploded in popularity in recent years, and Village Pickle hopes

AROUND town

Memorial Day Service Planned at Courthouse

Leesburg will hold a Memorial Day observance ceremony on the courthouse lawn starting at 10 a.m. Monday.

Military historian Matthew Seelinger, of the Army Historical Foundation, will be the keynote speaker.

The program will include the laying of wreaths at the war memorials on the courthouse grounds.

In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held at the Loudoun County Senior Center at 102 North Street.

Starting this week, the Leesburg Rotary Daybreak Club will have a display of American flags along Evergreen Mills Road adjacent to Freedom Park. The Flags for Heroes project honors veterans and others who has served as heroes to the flag patrons. The display will continue until June 3.

COPA Seeks Artists for Crossroads Music Festival Shirt Design

The Town of Leesburg’s Commission on Public Art is seeking T-shirt design submissions for this year’s Crossroads Music Festival, scheduled to take place Sept. 2021 in downtown Leesburg.

to expand the game even more.

“Many of the people who have been involved in the development of pickleball are saying it’s about time because it is such an awesome sport that only now just seems to be recognized as an actual sport,” Village Pickle Assistant General Manager and Program Developer Stefan Greene said.

There is always action going on at Village Pickle, with lessons being offered to beginners and experienced players alike by certified pickleball coaches. Competitive tournament and league play is also available, and the USTA hopes to send the best pickleball athletes in the area to a national championship tournament in Las Vegas later this year. Village Pickle also aims to open a program for juniors, focusing on lessons for children ages 9-14.

PICKLEBALL IN LEESBURG continues on page 10

The selected artwork will be printed on the official 2024 festival T-shirt and all proceeds will benefit the local charities that the music festival supports through BENEIFT, a nonprofit coalition of musicians and community leaders that organizes the festival.

The artwork should be relevant to music, musicians, or BENEFIT’s general mission of “uniting people with music to raise funds and awareness for charities supporting children in Loudoun County.”

The call is open to all artists/ artist teams in the Mid-Atlantic region. Emerging artists are encouraged to apply and there is no requirement for previous art experience. Designs should be submitted in high resolution and will

AROUND TOWN continues on page 10

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

The USTA Mid Atlantic opened Village Pickle this month as Loudoun’s first indoor pickleball center.

AROUND town

continued from page 8

need to be clear when printed on fabric.

Submissions are due by noon on June 3. A winner will be announced the first week of June.

The winner/winning team will receive two 2024 Crossroads Music Festival T-shirts, two VIP festival passes for the Saturday night headliner performance, and recognition on the Crossroads Music Festival website.

Submission guidelines and details are

• Cheerful, serene, state of the art of ce

• Digital x-rays

•

•

•

•

• Certi ed Invisalign Provider

available at leesburgva.gov/publicartnews.

Aquatic Center Opens Saturday

The A.V. Symington Aquatic Center at Ida Lee Park will open for the summer season on Saturday, May 25.

During Memorial Day weekend, the pool will be open from noon to 8 p.m. through Monday, May 27. Town residents will be admitted at 11 a.m. each day. Through June 14, while Loudoun County Public Schools remain in session, the pool will be open on Saturdays and Sundays only.

Beginning on Saturday, June 15, the aquatic center will be open daily from noon to 8 p.m., with town residents admitted at 11 a.m.

For more information regarding hours, rates, passes, and rentals, go to avsac.org.

Mervin Jackson Park Plans Under Review

A new park amenity is planned for downtown Leesburg.

This week, the Board of Architectural Review is slated to review plans to build a pavilion and seating area on a corner of

Mervin Jackson Park at the southern entrance to the Town Hall parking garage.

Enhancing the space was a focus of the 2017 Town Hall Campus Master Plan.

The proposal includes a plaza-style paved gathering space with brick walls for seating along with a 10-foot by 6-foot pavilion, enhanced lighting and additional plantings.

Because of its location in the historic district, the $50,000 project requires a Certificate of Appropriateness from the BAR. n

& Wed.: 8am - 6pm

health as well as oral cancer screening.

Conveniently located in the Village of Leesburg 1503 Dodona Terrace #210 • Leesburg, VA 20175 • 703-771-9034

Pickleball in Leesburg

continued from page 8

“We’re trying to find a group between the adolescents and the kids where we can really focus on getting them the skills they need to become players,” Greene said.

Membership is also available, offering full access to the courts for a monthly fee of $125, with discounts offered for a limited number of founders memberships. The center also is open to nonmembers and players may reserve a court or play on a

drop-in basis. The place fills up quickly on weekends and evenings, with last Saturday’s heavy rains resulting in over 50 people occupying the courts at once.

The Village Pickle is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and a full calendar of events can be found on its website at villagepickle.org. n

Sam Douglas and Ali Elliott are seniors at Woodgrove High School who are working with the Loudoun Now newsroom as part of their capstone projects.

Public Safety

LCSO Investigates Graffiti at Four Ashburn Starbucks

The Sheriff ’s Office is investigating anti-Israel/pro-Palestine graffiti and property damage that occurred overnight Monday at four Starbucks stores in Ashburn.

The exteriors of the shops were spray painted with various words and symbols, which have since been removed or covered by store employees. Employees of the locations reported the incidents upon arriving for work Tuesday morning. Investigators believe the incidents are related.

“Hate speech and destruction of property will not be tolerated in Loudoun County,” Sheriff Mike Chapman stated in an announcement. “We are actively investigating these incidents as we do all similar acts and are determined to identify and charge whoever is responsible.”

The Starbucks affected are in the Ashbrook, Broadlands, Pipeline, and One Loudoun shopping centers. All stores remain open for business.

Anyone who believes they witnessed any of these incidents or who may have any information is urged to contact Detective Coderre at 703-777-1021.

4 Injured in School Bus Crash

The Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office and Fire and Rescue personnel responded to a crash between a school bus and SUV on Evergreen Mills Road on Tuesday morning.

Non-life-threatening injuries were reported, according to an announcement by the Sheriff ’s Office. Twelve students and seven parents were on the bus. Four patients were transported to area hospitals for treatment.

Hazmat crews also responded to the scene to assist with a leak from the school bus fuel tank.

3 Arrested in 2 Weekend Leesburg Robberies

Leesburg Police arrested two men and a juvenile over the weekend in connection with two robberies.

An 18-year-old Leesburg man is under arrest following a robbery and assault reported Friday at the Sheetz gas station on Edwards Ferry Road.

Leesburg Police officers were called to the scene at approximately 5:22 p.m. May 17 after the victim reported that a man he

knew assaulted him, took his cell phone, and then fled on foot. Officers canvassed the area and found Fidel Ordonez Molina on Plaza Street. He was apprehended after a short foot chase, according to the report.

Ordonez Molina is charged with robbery, assault, and preventing law enforcement from making an arrest. He was held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.

Investigators are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who has any information to contact Officer G. Jimenez at 703-771-4500 or

gjimenez@leesburgva.gov.

On Saturday, officers were called to a Plaza Street location at 5:30 p.m. after a victim reported he was assaulted and robbed while walking in the area.

Two of the suspects were located at a nearby residence and arrested.

Gerardo Lovo, 21, of Leesburg, is charged with robbery, assault by mob, and grand larceny. He was held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.

A juvenile was also arrested and charged with robbery, assault by mob,

and grand larceny. He was transported to the Loudoun County Juvenile Detention Center.

Investigators ask that anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has any information contact Detective J. Graham at 703-771-4500 or 703-771-6417 / jgraham@leesburgva.gov.

You can also submit tips anonymously at 703-443-TIPS, email us at PoliceInvestigations@LeesburgVA.gov, or text 274637 (CRIMES) and begin your message with LPDTIP. n

or away. Whether it’s for a few hours or several days,

Administrators Propose 7:45 Start Time for Some Elementary Schools Next Year

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.org

The School Board’s Finance & Operations Committee on Tuesday was presented with a plan to shift to 7:45 a.m. start times at 10 elementary schools next year as part of an effort to address concerns from parents.

Director of Transportation Scott Davies presented three scenarios, one of which was the addition of a third standard elementary school start time to be added to the current 7:30 and 8 a.m. starts. The recommendation was developed from an analysis of schools with the earliest bus pick up times.

The 7:45 a.m. start time was recommended for Aldie, Banneker, Catoctin, Frances Hazel Reid, Kenneth Culbert, Lovettsville, Mountain View, Round Hill, Sycolin Creek, and Waterford elementary schools. The dismissal time for all 10 schools would also shift to 2:30 p.m.. Davies noted the scenario required seven additional drivers and buses to make the transition successful and said some students at Kenneth Culbert, Mountain View and Round Hill would still have pickup times between 6:30 and 6:40 a.m.

Davies also noted that on top of the seven needed to make the changes for early start times, the division also will need an additional 22 drivers to meet next year’s needs.

He said the division’s focus was on

Operations Employees of the Year Recognized

Eight school division employees were recognized May 14 as Operations Employees of the Year for their dedication and achievements.

The recipients were John Walker, Bus Attendant of the Year; Jennifer O’Dell, Bus Driver of the Year; Bladimir Candeo, Custodial Services Employee of the Year; Erin Jackson, Information Technology Employee of the Year; Jason Pratt, Maintenance Employee of the Year; Mayra Villafuerte, Safety and Security Employees of the Year, Ki Soon Jang, School Nutrition Services Employee of the Year; and Marjory Von Ehren, Support Staff Employee of the Year.

Nominations were submitted by employees, parents, students or community members. This year, nearly 100 nominations were received for the eight categories.

customer service and trying to meet the needs of the community.

“Obviously, the community has voiced concerns over the early pick-up times that we have for our 7:30 schools. So that was the focus of our effort in this regard was trying to move those early pickup times as late as possible and again with the lowest impact on our resources as possible,” he said.

The other two proposed scenarios included adjusting start times for only six

of the schools—all in western Loudoun— whose students were picked up before 6:30 a.m. That scenario would require two additional drivers and buses. Another option was to change the start time by five to 25 minutes for 10 schools that had pick up times before 6:40 a.m. This plan would require eight additional drivers and buses.

NEW START TIME continues on page 15

Five Vendors Seek to Lead Focus Groups on Transgender Student Policy

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounow.org

Loudoun County Public Schools administrators have received proposals from five vendor’s interested in leading focus groups on potential revisions to the policy that focuses on the rights of transgender students, according to an update provided to the School Board’s Student Services Committee on May 16.

The deadline for proposals was May 13, Student Services Assistant Superintendent Tedra Richardson said.

She said the next step in the process is to review the proposals within an evaluation committee, which will consist of five to six members, including herself and others from the Student Services Department, a School Board representative, and a representative from the Department of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessi-

bility. The evaluation team will rank the submissions and recommend a vendor to the School Board.

No dates were given as to when that evaluation committee would meet and begin that process.

The current policy, which was based on

TRANSGENDER POLICY continues on page 14

Kindergartener Wins National Wind Energy Contest

Sterling resident Stephania Nizheberskaya was one of two students in the kindergarten division named a winner in the 2024 National Wind Energy Art Contest for her work entitled “Give me a power to fly like a wind.”

Sterling kindergartener Stephania Nizheberskaya stands with her winning submission.

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now Scott Davies, director of transportation presented a 7:45 a.m. start time for 10 elementary schools for the 2024-2025 school year.

APPALACHIAN TRAIL

FESTIVAL

FRIDAY NIGHTS

JULY 5 - SEPT. 6 ON THE GAP STAGE

ROUND HILL BLUEMONT

Lawn opens at 6 p.m.

Local Beers, Wines & Great Food J UNE 8

Hillsboro’s Old Stone School 37098 Charles Town PikE

11 a.m.-5 p.m.—Vendors, Trail Talks, Kids’ Activities, Food, Local Beer, Wine & More!

LIVE MUSIC—11:30 a.m.—8 p.m. ShortHillMountainBoys

Justin Trawick & The Common Good Frank Solivan & Jillian Lea ShannonBielski&MoonlightDrive

FRIDAY, JUNE 7

Eat, Drink& Be Literary!

ArtoftheAppalachianTrail

Artist & Author

Michael Wurman

S ATURDAY, Doors Open: 6 p.m. Scan for Tickets & Info

10 a.m.- 1 p.m.

SUNDAY JUNE 30 3 - 10 p.m.

MUSIC FESTIVAL

JULY 5 Jumptown

JULY 12 22 Late

JULY 19 Dunlap & Mabe

JULY 26 Jules & The Agreeables

AUG. 2 Don’t Look Up!

AUG. 9 H ard Swimmin’ Fish AUG. 16 Rick Reaves Jazz Band AUG. 23 Born Cross Eyed AUG. 30 Texas Chainsaw Horns

SEPT. 6 Mostly Fab

Leesburg Student’s Passion Project Helps Kids with Cancer

BY ALEXIS GUSTIN agustin@loudounnow.org

Evergreen Mill Elementary School fifth grader Brooklyn Lavoie has had a pretty busy year.

She found out in the fall that an essay she submitted to her principal, Daniel Lani, about teaching art to fellow students and donating the projects to a children’s hospital was chosen as a legacy project.

The legacy project, called a Python Passion Project named for the school mascot, is a chance for fifth grade students to leave their mark on the school and the community. Lani then chooses one project he feels will best represent the mission.

With the help of Lani, she organized an after-school art club for kindergarten through second grade students. Each student paid to participate in the club with Lavoie coming up with the art projects and leading the group for several weeks. The goal was to donate all the art to cancer patients to lift their spirits.

“Kids like art and they really enjoyed it and I like art and I got to do art with them, which I really enjoyed,” she said.

Lavoie said she’s always loved helping others and decided to get involved in the fight against cancer after seeing cancer awareness campaigns.

“I love community service and I always have, and it came to me, and I thought, ‘why not help the cause?’”

She later learned after speaking to

Transgender policy

continued from page 12

model policies from the Virginia Department of Education in 2021, has been under fire since before its adoption. It allows students to use the bathroom or locker room and participate in sports or other activities according to their gender identity. It also allows students on a case-bycase basis to change their name and pronouns without consulting parents. VDOE revised the model polices in 2023, stating students are to use bathrooms and locker rooms according to their sex and not their gender identity. That rule also applies to sports and other activities.

The School Board, which took office in January with nine new members, had been debating how to respond to the changing direction from state leaders. The

Kristin McArthur, Inova Children’s Hospital philanthropy director that donated art wasn’t allowed because of concerns about germs and transmission of disease protocols Lavoie pivoted her project. But McArthur told her other ways the school could support the hospital, including a need for art supplies for the art room.

Her new plan now included an art sup-

ply drive for an art room at the hospital and to make 20 comfy, no sew blankets for kids undergoing cancer treatment at the hospital.

The blankets are made out of a very soft material called minky fleece.

“I thought it would be a good idea and I’m not much of a sewer. I had a blanket just like it and I always loved it so we went

Student

to some fabric stores and picked out patterns that we thought would look good together,” she said.

She said the blankets are for children, so she used her own blanket as a pattern for its size. Each blanket took up to two hours to make, with Lavoie cutting and tying two pieces of the minky fleece together.

Lavoie thought the blankets would be a big help because there is nothing better than a cozy blanket when you aren’t feeling well.

The next phase was to do an art supply drive for the hospital.

With the help of her mom, Susan, she put a flyer together and posted it to social media asking for crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue and paper—anything needed for art supplies. They set up an Amazon wish list to make it easier and for the past few weeks Brooklyn has been opening dozens of packages a day for her project.

Brooklyn will deliver the supplies and blankets this week. She was also told her project would be memorialized in a shadow box in the school as part of the World Changers award June 3.

“It makes me really happy because I’ve always tried to like make a change since I was in kindergarten,” she said about being given the award. She said as a first grader she watched another student get the award and made it a goal to get it, too. n

committee voted in January to continue the policy review begun by the previous board and continue to debate whether to update the policy to reflect changes sought by the Youngkin Administration’s 2023 model policies.

In February, committee member Melinda Mansfield (Dulles) suggested hiring an outside organization to lead focus groups to gather feedback. The panel supported that approach on a 2-0-1 vote, with Kari LaBell (Catoctin) in favor and Ann Donohue (At-Large) abstaining.

In April, LaBell proposed the committee rethink the plan raising concerns the outreach process had grown “enormously.” She suggested the School Board committee work through the options and make recommendations. That proposal was voted down and the staff moved forward with posting a request for proposals from vendors. n

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Services Committee members Anne Donohue (At-Large) and Melinda Mansfield (Dulles) heard an update on plans to form community focus groups to discuss potential revisions to the school division’s transgender student rights policy.

Alexis Gustin/Loudoun Now

Evergreen Mill Elementary School fifth grader Brooklyn Lavoie sits with blankets she made and art supplies she collected for pediatric cancer patients.

New start time

continued from page 12

Because it’s an operational decision, the board was presented with the options and the staff ’s pick so they could be aware of what was being done immediately to address parent concerns. Davies said the principals of all 10 schools were made aware of the start time changes and the next step would be to let the school communities know and to develop bus routes.

Committee members said they were happy to see progress in addressing the concerns but wanted to make sure the conversation continued toward a longterm solution.

SCHOOL notebook

continued from page 12

The art contest was a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office and the KidWind Project. The theme, “Beautiful Wind Energy,” highlighted the importance of wind energy and renewable energy education. Winners were selected from across the country from kindergarten through eighth grade.

Winners received $200 and had their artwork on temporary display at the CLEANPOWER conference in Minneapolis, MN, and potentially displayed n the lobby of the U.S. Department of Energy’s office in Washington, DC.

For more information, go to kidwind. org/events/art-contest/.

Marshall Center Helps

Purcellville Middle School with History Lesson

Seventh grade history classes at Blue Ridge Middle School partnered with the George C. Marshall International Center May 7-8 for one-of-a-kind lessons about World War II.

The center provides no-cost World War II programs to division seventh graders during the spring when middle school

“It’s good to see that we’re really trying to maximize the benefit to the community as soon as we can without waiting for that longer worthwhile conversation around start times. And so doing as much as we can now, having received all of that input from the community and it think it’s a good thing,” Arben Istrefi (Sterling) said.

“That being said, I think there’s a general energy behind not having the earliest start times in our region or in the country.”

The new start time for the 10 schools goes into effect this fall.

Davies said they were also talking with two vendors to look at all start times across the division and that they planned to send out a survey for parents and staff members about the start times. n

Richard Busch • 17642 Canby Rd., Leesburg, VA glenfarmpottery@aol.com • 703-201-0977

history classes study the United States’ role in World War II and its aftermath, including the Marshall Plan and the Cold War.

Volunteer docents from the center gave presentations on General Marshall’s life, including bringing historical artifacts from the Marshall’s house in Leesburg, and led discussions and interactive exercises on leadership and problem solving.

“I truly value our partnership with the Marshall Foundation at Blue Ridge. The docents are so excited to share their knowledge of George C. Marshall and his contributions during WWII and the Marshall plan. We appreciate their generosity and kindness with our students,” teacher Shauna Cassidy said. n

ANNUAL SPRING SHOW AND SALE

Saturday and Sunday, May 25 & 26 11 am – 4 pm

Wide selection of high-fired functional stoneware

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 by Blue Ridge Middle School George C. Marshall International Center volunteer docents from left, Silas Matteson, Grant Gustavson, Mike Cash, Blane Ampthor, Robb Jones and Bill Brooks.

AARP Research Finds Challenges in U.S. Health Care

Cheryl L. Lampkin, AARP Research

Living through the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a number of challenges in the U.S. health system. The barriers to effective mental health care were front and center and remain an overwhelming obstacle for some older adults.

A recent AAPR research project explored the attitudes, opinions, and experiences of older adults as it relates to seeking mental health care. For some, looking for affordable and effective mental health care feels like an uphill battle. Not only do they have the weight of their mental health concern(s), but the need to shop around for the right provider that will meet their needs can be an all-consuming, if not insurmountable, task.

This study finds that almost all adults 50 and older believe mental health care can improve mental health (95%), oneon-one counseling can be effective (94%), and those who seek mental health care can improve their quality of life (94%).

However, some have concerns about getting help with their mental health, believing that mental health care professionals push mind-altering drugs (37%), or believing that these services are only

for those with severe mental health issues (24%).

Additionally, many (61%) say they do not seek help with their mental health concerns because they feel they can deal with their issues on their own. This goit-alone attitude differs depending on gender and general opinions about and experience with mental health concerns.

• Men are more likely than women to say they would prefer to deal with their mental health issues on their own (65% vs. 58%).

• Men are also more likely to believe others would think less of them if they sought care (15% vs. 10%).

• Older adults who have not accessed mental health care in the last two years are more likely to be of the opinion that they can deal with their issues without professional help (64% vs. 36% of those who have sought care).

• Those who have not sought care in the past two years are also more likely to say stress is normal and people will get better without medical intervention (54% vs. 23%).

• Those who have not sought care in the past two years are also more likely to say mental health professionals advocate

for “mind-altering” medications (39% vs. 25%).

While seeking help with mental health concerns is a daunting task for some, most older adults say speaking with their primary care professional is (or would be) the first step in seeking out mental health care. Many also say they have or would first check with their insurance provider, or they would research providers when deciding to pursue mental health care.

Most (69%) of adults 50-plus who re-

ceived mental health care in the past two years say they waited less than a month to get an initial appointment. However, some difficulties cited include:

• Not getting an appointment as quickly (25%).

• Providers having long (more than three months) waiting lists (18%).

• Providers not accepting new patients (18%).

• Providers not taking the patient’s insurance (17%).

• An inability to get an appointment in a convenient location (13%).

Learn more at aarp.org/research. n

LOUDOUN COUNTY AREA AGENCY ON

AGING PROGRAMS SERVICES & FOR OLDER

ADULTS

ADULTS WITH & DISABILITIES

The Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging (AAA), a division of Loudoun County Parks, Recreation, and Community Services, is the central point of contact for older adults (55+) and their families. The mission of the Area Agency on Aging is to foster independence and healthy aging, and improve the quality of life for older adults and their caregivers through comprehensive programs and services.

ADULT DAY CENTERS

ADVISORY BOARDS

CARE COORDINATION

CAREGIVER SERVICES

CHORE CORPS

CONGREGATE MEALS

DISEASE PREVENTION & HEALTH PROMOTION

ELDER ABUSE PREVENTION & INTERVENTION

HOME-DELIVERED MEALS

INFORMATION & REFERRAL

NORTHERN VIRGINIA LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM

If you require a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability or need language assistance to access Area Agency on Aging Services, please call 703-777-0257.

SENIOR CENTERS

SENIOR COOL CARE

SENIOR MEDICARE PATROL

SENIOR TRIPS

VIRGINIA INSURANCE COUNSELING & ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (VICAP)

VOLUNTEER SERVICES

Visit Loudoun, The Arc Launch Disability Awareness Training for Businesses

Visit Loudoun and The Arc of Loudoun have partnered to help hospitality businesses better serve people with disabilities.

The Arc of Loudoun’s “You Belong Here” Disability Awareness and Accessibility Training program is designed to help businesses and their staff understand and address the barriers people with all types of disabilities may face when they visit. It also will help businesses understand what people with disabilities might look for when choosing a place to visit, shop or work.

The program is supported by grant funding from Visit Loudoun.

“Loudoun prides itself on being a welcoming destination to all and this program will allow our businesses to be more attuned to what it takes to truly be accommodating to everyone at their hotel, shop, restaurant or craft beverage destination,” Visit Loudoun President and CEO Beth Erickson stated. “This is a community-based solution to provide exceptional hospitality and I have no doubt our partners will leave with new tools and new insight into welcoming people of all abilities.”

“Even though the Centers for Disease Control reports up to a quarter of all adults in the U.S. have some type of

disability—be it mobility, developmental, vision or something else—many people probably don’t think about the obstacles people with disabilities may face in their day-to-day lives,” The Arc of Loudoun CEO Lisa Max said. “The You Belong Here program is meant to help owners and employees understand what might be keeping people with disabilities from patronizing or applying to their business, and how to address those barriers.”

The training includes and goes beyond legal minimum standards like Americans with Disabilities Act that do not address the accessibility needs of all people.

Loudoun businesses may sign up for

free training that is customized for the lodging, food and beverage, recreation, meetings and events, and travel sectors.

The training is offered by The Arc of Loudoun. Based in Leesburg, the nonprofit offers a range of programs for people with disabilities, their families, and the people who care for, work with and serve them. The Arc offers community events including the recent Disability Resource & Employment Fair and upcoming iCan Bike camp, free consultations through the ALLY Advocacy Center, and the Ability Fitness Center, Open Door Learning Center preschool, Aurora Behavior Clinic, and the Aurora School, which provides K-12 education through partnerships with their school districts around the region.

“The You Belong Here program isn’t just the right thing to do—it helps businesses to both serve and employ a huge group of people,” Max said. “Now, we can help them realize and understand the barriers people with disabilities might face when shopping, staying or working at those businesses, and open their doors to many more people.”

Trainings will be offered through June 30. For more information go to   thearcofloudoun.org/youbelonghere. n

Data Center Coalition Holds Third Blood Drive

The Data Center Coalition on Tuesday announced the results of its third annual virtual blood drive campaign, which ran from April 8 through May 5. During the nationwide campaign, the data center industry logged a total of 814 pledges to donate blood.

The DCC represents and advances the interests of the data center community and advocates for a strong business climate and policies that support the growth and success of the sector.

DCC members used the American Red Cross “SleevesUp” and Vitalant Virtual Blood Drive platforms to track pledge donations as part of the six-week campaign. Companies also held in-person blood drives and reported donation numbers to the DCC.

“Every day, the data center industry and its employees help promote thriving communities where they live and work in so many ways,” Data Center Coalition President Josh Levi said. “We are delighted that so many DCC members actively supported this year’s successful campaign to empower partners like the American Red Cross and Vitalant to address blood shortages and make a difference for patients in need across the nation.”

Seventeen data center companies participated in the 2024 campaign. Equinix registered the most pledges among participating member companies with 297. QTS Data Centers registered 126 pledges and Iron Mountain registered 63. Quantum Loophole registered pledges from 53% of their reported U.S. employees. CloudHQ registered 33% and both Cologix and QTS registered 11%. n

Giving Back Business, Nonprofit Panels Talk Partnerships at Chamber Forum

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

The Loudoun Chamber of Commerce hosted its first nonprofit forum May 16 where business executives and experienced nonprofit directors shared insights to strengthen the relationships between both groups to best benefit the community.

A keynote speech was given by Economics of Mutuality Executive Director Gavin Long before two panel discussions were held.

Long challenged business owners to rethink the way their organizations participate in their community and the way they make charitable donations. He said that the goal of a business should not just be profitability.

“I believe that the point of business is to solve the problems of people, place and planet and to do so profitably, because profitability is sustainable,” he said.

The business panel discussion was made up of You’ve Got Maids of Northern Virginia President Natasha Magrath, Northwest Federal Credit Union Engagement Manager Michelle Sandy, Merritt Properties Senior Project Manager Eric Dunn, Inova Loudoun Director of Western Region Government and Community Relations Dorri O’Brien and First Citizens Bank Executive Carl Hairston.

Business panelists shared ways their organizations partner with Loudoun nonprofits and best practices for creating relationships and reaching out for support.

Hairston said his best advice for

100WomenStrong raises $639K for Loudoun Charities

The 100WomenStrong on Tuesday announced the award of grants totaling $639,000 to 51 nonprofits headquartered or providing services in Loudoun County. Since 2009, the philanthropic giving has provided more than $4.6 million to support charities addressing shelter, health, mental health, hunger and education.

Founder and President Karen Schaufeld stressed the need for broad engagement in addressing community challenges. “Small acts, when multiplied by many, can make a huge impact,” she said.

Schaufeld launched the program with

12 other founding members and provided two grants totaling $28,600 during the first year.

Today, the group has 68 members, with membership capped at 100.

Eligibility for membership includes the ability to make an annual contribution of $10,000. Individual and corporate memberships are welcomed. Donations are tax deductible and may be paid annually, semi-annually, quarterly or monthly.

Learn more at onehundredwomenstrong.org/join-us/ or contact Ray at pam@onehundredwomenstrong.org

100WomenStrong is a component fund of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties. n

nonprofits looking to form relationships with businesses is to be intentional about which organizations to partner with.

“As we say, throwing the spaghetti against the wall, it typically doesn’t work. And typically, what we encourage is, just don’t send in a blind application. Those are the ones that don’t get any attention,” he said.

O’Brien agreed, adding that instead, nonprofits should look for businesses whose mission aligns with the service the nonprofit provides.

The nonprofit panel was comprised of Loudoun Hunger Relief President and CEO Jennifer Montgomery, Community Foundation for Loudoun and Fauquier Counties President and CEO Nicole Acosta, ECHO Development Director Todd Goldian, Legacy Farms Chair John Keeling and Women Giving Back CEO Nicole Morris.

Panelists agreed that while funding always helps, there are many other ways that businesses can support them including volunteering for the everyday work, volunteering on boards, volunteering through expert advice and consulting, helping spread the word and for ECHO specifically, a nonprofit that coordinates and provides jobs and transportation for individuals with disabilities, businesses willing to hire their clients.

Montgomery said a community is like a three-legged stool that needs each supporting leg – nonprofits, businesses and local government – working in order to stay upright.

“It has to have three solid legs in order to be a stable community,” she said. n

Marty Shoup/Blue Lion Multimedia

The Loudoun Chamber of Commerce hosted its first nonprofit forum May 16, bringing businesses and nonprofits together to discuss ways to benefit the community.

Marty Shoup/Blue Lion Multimedia

The Loudoun Chamber of Commerce hosted its first nonprofit forum May 16, bringing businesses and nonprofits together to discuss ways to benefit the community.

Contributed

The 100WomenStrong last week announced the award $639,000 to 51 nonprofits addressing the needs of shelter, health, mental health, hunger and education.

Towns Waterford Readies for Next Preservation Battle

BY NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.org

Waterford-area residents gathered Sunday afternoon at the village’s Old School to celebrate efforts to preserve the National Historic Landmark over the past eight decades and to learn more about the latest threat.

The event was hosted by the Waterford Foundation and the Waterford Citizen’s Association along with those leading the Waterford 2033 community planning effort for the future of the nearly 300-yearold village.

The village cleared a key milestone late last year when the National Park Service completed a two-year review to determine whether the village still meets the criteria that was used by the Department of the Interior to declare it a National Historic Landmark in 1970. Despite Loudoun County’s rapid growth during the ensuing decades, the 1,420-acre district, with its 245 historically significant resources, remains largely intact with more than 60 properties protected through preservation easements.

“We are so proud to have been able to steward this historic village through the

past 81 years since the Waterford Foundation was founded,” Foundation President Susan Manch said.

However, as community leaders celebrated that achievement the greater focus was on the latest threat facing the eight-decade preservation effort.

The proposal by NextEra Energy Company to open a new corridor for 500-kV

power lines through western Loudoun includes consideration of crossing the Waterford landmark district and the Phillips Farm property on the outskirts of the village. The plans recently resulted in Waterford being added to Preservation Virginia’s list of most endangered historic places.

The final route has not yet been announced by the energy company yet and would need approval from the State Corporation Commission.

Manch noted that being on that list can have positive benefits.

“It’s not a designation that one necessarily wants to receive, but it is a designation that can be helpful to preservation,” she said, noting the 90% of the sites on the lists overcome threats of demolition or neglect. “It is a distinction we wish was not necessary, but one that is accurate. The threat to rural Loudoun is existential.”

The village will have an ally in that battle, keynote speaker Brett Christina Glymph said.

The executive director of the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, which holds three preservation easements in Waterford

WATERFORD PRESERVATION continues on page 23

Purcellville Splits Engineering, Planning Department, Brings Zoning Administrator Full-Time

BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

The Purcellville Town Council last week voted to appropriate funds to hire a full-time director of the town’s newest agency—the Department of Planning and Community Development.

The change comes after the retirement of long-term Planning, Engineering and Development Director Dale Lehnig last month. The responsibilities she supervised will be split between a Department of Engineering and Capital Projects and a Department of Planning and Community Development.

Andrea Broshkevitch, who has been with the town since 2004 and works as the GIS and Special Project Coordinator, has been promoted to director of the engineering department.

The change moves the town’s part-time

zoning administrator position, currently held by Summer Wilkes, to a full-time position as director. Wilkes will continue to serve as the zoning administrator, who reports to the Town Council, as she takes on the director role reporting to the town manager.

“In [fiscal year 2025] the budget impact will be approximately $74,000 which is a difference in salary, benefits and payroll taxes, retirement, all those things associated with a full-time employee,” Human Resources Director Ladonna Snellbaker said.

Council Member Christopher Bertaut asked why the change had not been anticipated during the FY 2025 budget discussions, before the council adopted the budget last month.

Snellbaker said the budget process started before the decision to split the department had been made.

“It was also because Dale Lehnig had not made the decision to retire [until

HAMILTON

Annual Town Celebration Set for May 27

The town’s annual Hamilton Day is taking place Monday, May 27 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Early birds can gather at the elementary school for a Mighty Miller race. The parade will begin at 11 a.m. and start at the Hamilton Safety Center traveling down East Colonial Highway to Lowry’s Crab Shack.

Directly following the parade, residents can join the Party in Park in downtown with kids activities, a giant slide, glitter tattoos, balloon animals and a petting zoo.

LOVETTSVILLE

Summer on the Green Begins with ‘The Sandlot’

The Sandlot movie is kicking off this year’s Summer on the Green entertainment hosted by the town at the Walker Pavilion.

This Saturday at 7:45 p.m. community members can bring a picnic with family and friends to watch the first of the season’s movies. A full line up of films has not yet been released, but on June 15 The Wizard of Oz is scheduled to play, followed by Scout Days of Summer June 29.

Memorial Day Ceremony

Planned Monday

February],” Town Manager Rick Bremseth said.

“I’m very excited for this, because anyone who has talked to Summer about her experience in planning and what she’s done and her ideas for this town, we’re so lucky to have her. She’s brilliant,” Vice Mayor Erin Rayner said.

Mayor Stanley J. Milan said the town had not anticipated Lehnig’s retirement this early in the year, but said the town management had done a good job coming up with a new plan. Questioning the logic behind it is “mind-boggling,” he said.

“Moving these people into those positions and splitting the departments up makes sense. It’s more efficient and more effective for what is facing the town in the future,” he said.

The motion to amend the FY 2025 budget to create the fulltime position passed 6-0-1, with Council Member Carol Luke absent. n

Each year, the town hosts a Memorial Day Ceremony at the town’s Veteran’s Memorial on the squirkle. This year is no different.

At 11 a.m. community members are invited to join the mayor, members of the Town Council and neighbors to remember members of the nation’s military killed in action.

Veteran Brett Reistad will deliver a keynote speech, the Lovettsville Area Scouts will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and the Lovettsville Elementary School Chorus will sing a series of patriotic songs. Reistad served during the Vietnam War from 1974 to 1978 as

AROUND TOWNS continues on page 23

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now Virginia Outdoors Foundation Executive Director Brett Christina Glymph delivers the keynote address during an event to celebrate the efforts to preserve the National Historic Landmark over the past eight decades May 18.

AROUND towns

continued from page 22

an active-duty U.S. Army infantryman, where he served with the Presidential Salute Battery of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment at historic Fort Myer, VA. He participated in the Nation’s Bicentennial, the Inaugural ceremony for President Carter and other high-profile ceremonies. He has since been honored as a Distinguished Member of the Regiment.

PURCELLVILLE

Procession, Memorial to be Held Monday

Residents will have the chance to remember the country’s fallen service members during a procession and Memorial Day ceremony held by the town Monday at 11:45 a.m.

Welcome remarks, the invocation and remarks by Purcellville Police Sgt. and Army veteran Paul Kakol will be held at the Town Hall on Nursery Avenue.

The procession will travel from the Town Hall to the tear drop at Nursery Avenue and Main Street where the American Legion will present military wreaths, “Taps” will be played, a moment of silence will be shared and a closing prayer and remarks will be given.

Applications Open for July 4 Parade

The town is now accepting applications to participate in the annual Independence Day Parade, held Thursday, July 4.

There is no cost to participate. The parade will begin at 11 a.m. starting and ending at Blue Ridge Middle School. Applications must be submitted by Monday, June 24. The route is 2.5 miles long.

This year’s theme is A Star Spangled 4th. Apply online at purcellvilleva.gov.

Waterford preservation

continued from page 22

including on the 140-acre Philips Farm, said Virginia law provides a strong defense in efforts to protect community resources. And she has experience using those laws to protect Waterford, defending an easement in a Loudoun County Circuit Court case two decades ago while working as a member of the Virginia Attorney General’s Office.

“Waterford has the distinction of being some of the earliest of our acquisitions in

Purcellville Celebrates Public Safety Day

Another rainy weekend didn’t keep community members from coming out to Purcellville’s fire-rescue station on Saturday for the town’s annual Public Safety Day, even though it did cancel the family-favorite bike ride through the town.

Visitors were still able to meet their local first responders, see the inside of police vehicles, ambulances and fire trucks and climb on police motorcycles. They also had their helmets checked for safe fittings and tried out the bicycle safety obstacle course in the fire station bay.

Parents could buy food from a food truck on site and pick up some cotton candy for the kids on their way home.

Public Safety Day is hosted each year to celebrate both National Police Week and Emergency Medical Services Week and provides a fun day of learning and exploration for families. n

— Hanna Pampaloni

ROUND HILL

Hometown Festival Celebrates 20 Years on Saturday

Round Hill’s Hometown festival marks its 20th year with a full slate of family activities planned Saturday.

The day kicks off with the annual 5K race and fun run at 8 a.m., followed by a

our easement portfolio, which is now getting toward a million acres,” Glymph said, noting the VOF’s first easement in the village was acquired in 1975.

In her earlier court case, Glymph said she built an argument during that property rights dispute that the easements represent an important state interest that deserves the highest level of deference.

“We won on that motion. It was easy, quick work because Waterford is an easy case. To me, it’s an easy case to defend. And I find myself now here 20 years later formulating those same arguments as to

UNISON

Dees Family Places Crednal under Conservation Easement

The historic Crednal property near Unison is now protected by a permanent conservation easement donated to Land Trust of Virginia.

Owners Stanley and Anna Dees spent nearly a half-century restoring, preserving, and protecting the property’s historic resources. In 2010, the property was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.

The property, which includes a circa-1814 federal-style brick home, was originally owned by a branch of Virginia’s Carter family. In the lead up to the Civil War, the land was owned as a plantation by J. Armistead Carter. It includes a Carter family cemetery, as well as an unmarked slave cemetery.

The property is within the Unison Battlefield Historic District. On the evening of Nov. 1, 1862, J.E.B. Stuart and his staff officers dined at Crednal, and the following day, the property was at the center of the fighting during the battle.

parade, Memorial Day service, pie-eating contest, downhill derby, and live music, capped off with a 7:15 p.m. performance by Minks Miracle Medicine and Rudy Bzdyk.

The Memorial Day program begins at 10:45 a.m. at the Loudoun Street Park.

For a full schedule of events, go to hometownfestival.org.

why Waterford deserves the utmost protection under the law,” she said.

The VOF already is engaged in the powerline battle.

“We’ve met with NextEra Energy and we’ve told them that’s a no-go for the Phillips Farm,” she said.

“We all need to join arms and we all need to align and do our very best job of making the case to all of these decisionmakers—not just the Phillips farm, but the whole entire viewshed, in order for us to explain why it deserves to be protected,” Glymph said.

More than 75% of the property’s soils are classified as “Prime Farmland Soils” or “Farmland Soils of Statewide Importance.” The property also contains a pond, stream, and associated floodplain that will now be protected.

The Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Association, though its Bondi Family Land Conservation and Battlefield Preservation Fund, contributed funding to help cover the costs associated with the easement donation. LTV also provided funding through its Deborah Whittier Fitts Battlefield Stewardship Fund. n

While optimistic, she also acknowledged the challenge that the utility expansion brings, including NextEra’s effort to have its line designated as a National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor, potentially trumping local and state regulations.

“Granted, this is going to be some new territory under the law that we’ll be working through, but we’re relying on our state law to make the case and we feel confident that we’ve got the strongest set of laws behind us in order to make that case,” she said. n

Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now

A boy wanders through the Purcellville Volunteer Fire Rescue Station during the town’s Public Safety Day May 18.

LIVE MUSIC

TROY MILLETTE AND THE FIRE BELOW

5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 23 Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville. creeksedgewinery.com

DYLAN WOELFEL

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 23 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

JUSTIN SUEDE

6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 23

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

BETHANY GATES

6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 23 City Tap Loudoun, 20376 Exchange St., Ashburn. citytap.com

THE BRAHMAN NOODLESGRATEFUL DEAD NIGHT

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 24

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

JUNKYARD JONES

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 24

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

NATHANIEL DAVIS

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 24 Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com

MELISSA QUINN FOX

5 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 24

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

HILARY VELTRI

5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 24

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

BLUE RIDGE BANDITS

5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 24

Middleburg Community Center, 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg. middleburgcommunitycenter.com

SEAN TRACY

5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 24

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

LIVE MUSIC continues on page 26

Participants in this weekend’s Hunt Country Stable Tour will get an up-close look into the equestrian lifestyle. Events include riding demonstrations and a visit with the Ashland Bassets, Virginia’s oldest foot-hunting pack.

Hunt Country Stable Tour Returns for 65th Year

After a brief hiatus, the popular Hunt Country Stable Tour returns this year for its 65th anniversary, allowing visitors through the gates of historic and private properties to experience a variety of horses and equestrian activities.

The self-driving tour takes place Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $40 and benefit Trinity Ministries, which provides financial support to organizations that help people in need.

Highlights of this year’s tour include a chance to go behind the scenes at Kinross and Poplar Grange Farms, two private equine estates with an array of horses in training. At Kinross, horses are trained for three-day eventing and fox hunting. Poplar Grange trains jumpers and steeplechase horses.

At Oak Spring Farm, established by the late Paul and Bunny Mellon, visitors can explore the estate’s renowned hunter and jumper barns. The Mellons bred internationally acclaimed horses, including 1993 Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero.

The Piedmont Fox Hounds, the oldest hunt in the United States, will be at Trinity Church in Upperville on Saturday at 9 a.m. as the huntsmen demonstrate working with their hounds using a horn and voice commands.

The venue at Old Denton features mules used in dressage, western reining, and foxhunting.

Additional demonstrations will be held throughout the weekend at various times and locations. Polo matches will be held at Phipps Field. The Middleburg Training Center will open Saturday morning only from 7 to 9 a.m. for visitors who wish to watch jockeys and trainers exercise Thoroughbred racehorses.

The tour also includes Stoke Farm and Welbourne Inn, historic estates dating back to the 1800s. Welbourne will host historical reenactors who will recount some of the property’s history, which includes famous guests such as F. Scott

Fitzgerald and Thomas Wolfe. Visitors to Stoke will be treated to panoramic views of the rolling hills, valleys, and mountains as well as the Ashland Bassets, Virginia’s oldest foot-hunting pack.

Horse lovers can visit mares and foals at Virginia Tech’s Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center, and Salamander Middleburg Resort will open its stables to showcase horses and students from local therapeutic riding programs.

The National Sporting Library & Museum will offer tours of its rare book and art collections.

For more details and tickets, go to trinityupperville.org/ hunt-country-stable-tour. n

Rocking for 25 Years

Tarara Summer Concert Series Opens with Doubleheader

The Tarara Summer Concert Series kicks of its 25th season with a Memorial Day weekend doubleheader.

The series started in 1999 on the back deck of Tarara Winery’s tasting room with two guitar players. This year’s schedule has a record 21 shows, with bands coming in from around the country to play on the outdoor stage at Shadow Lake where each show becomes a community party.

The Reflex continues its role as the traditional opening act for the season, providing a night of full on ‘80s retro rock on Saturday, May 25. The next day, The Darby Brothers Band performs classic rock hits during a rare Sunday night show.

Bands return to the stage every Saturday night (and a few Sundays) through The Legwarmers’ finale on Sept. 28. Twenty-five years is a remarkable run for a community concert series. Promoter Rusty Foster took over the event in 2016, converting it from a program aimed at Tarara Winery’s patrons to a regional entertainment destination that draws

thousands of music lovers.

Patrons have come from 19 states and Canada and Foster already is fielding calls from out-of-state travelers planning to attend a show this season.

While staying true to fan favorites who return each year, Foster works to shake up the roster with new performers and genres. This year, he is particularly looking forward to the Aug. 10 performance by Chapel Hart. He has worked for two years to bring the all-female country band that gained national attention on America’s Got Talent to the Loudoun stage.

Tickets are $25, with season passes priced at $200. Attendees may purchase food and beverages from one of the food trucks onsite or they may bring their own picnic. No outside alcohol is permitted per ABC regulations, but there is wine and beer available for purchase.

For the full schedule and tickets, go to tararaconcerts.com. n

File Photo

The Reflex kicks off the 2024 Tarara Summer Concert Series on the Shadow Lake stage Saturday, May 25.

SEAN TRACY

Friday, May 24, 5:30 p.m. Willowcroft Winery willowcroftwine.com

As a self-taught guitarist, Tracy has performance experience on 10 instruments in varied genres but focuses primarily on folk rock and alt country.

GET OUT

LIVE MUSIC

continued from page 24

LIBERTY STREET

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 24 Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. lostbarrel.com

CHRIS BOWEN

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 24 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

DAVE MININBERG

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 24

Otium Cellars, 18050 Tranquility Road, Purcellville. otiumcellars.com

ZAC QUINTANA

6 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 24 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

BRIAN JOHNSON

7 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 24 Social House Kitchen & Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn. socialhouseashburn.com

TEXAS HIPPIE

COALITION

7 to 11 p.m. Friday, May 24

Tally Ho Theater, Leesburg. $25 to $50. tallyhotheater.com

THE VOCAL JAZZ ALLSTARS WITH BIG NIGHT

7 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 24 Old Ox Brewery, 44652 Guilford Drive, Ashburn. $20. oldoxbrewery.com

TEJAS SINGH

7 to 11 p.m. Friday, May 24 Velocity Wings Potomac Falls, 20789 Great Falls Plaza, Sterling. velocitywings.net

ZAC TOWNSEND

8 to 11 p.m. Friday, May 24 Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St.,

BEST BETS

TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION

Friday, May 24, 7 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com

Led by Big Dad Ritch, THC brings a heavy dose of red dirt metal band to Leesburg.

Purcellville. monksq.com

TRAILIN SMOKE

8 to 11 p.m. Friday, May 24 Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

ANNIE STOKES

8 to 11 p.m. Friday, May 24 Nick’s Taverna, 42395 Ryan Road, Ashburn. nickstaverna.com

SCOTT KURT

12 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Cana Vineyards, 38600 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. canavineyard.com

DEJA BLUE

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Otium Cellars, 18050 Tranquility Road, Purcellville. otiumcellars.com

TOMMY & KIM

1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

RICHARD WALTON

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 25 868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Purcellville. 868estatevineyards.com

FORK IN THE ROAD

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

THE FLYING FADERS SURF

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery, 38506 John Wolford Road, Waterford. wheatlandspring.com

DAN CRONIN

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Sunset Hills Vineyard, 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville. sunsethillsvineyard.com

THE REFLEX

Saturday, May 25, 6 p.m. Tarara Winery tararaconcerts.com

The Tarara Concert Series kicks off with a special celebration including facepainting, stilt walkers and the return of The Reflex.

ANDY B

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 25

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

SHANE GAMBLE

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 25

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

ADRIEL GENET

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 25

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

ROWDY ACE BAND

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

JET CAPRIEST

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Fleetwood Farm Winery, 23075 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg. fleetwoodfarm.com

JASON MASI

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. doukeniewinery.com

CHICKEN ‘N DUMPLINS

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com

DAVE MININBERG

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25

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

DAN FISK

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25

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

Petty Thieves

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Bozzo Family Vineyards, 35226

Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro. bozwines.com

LUKE ANDREWS

2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Chrysalis Vineyards, 39025 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. chrysaliswine.com

MELANIE PEARL

3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Flying Ace Farm, 40950 Flying Ace Lane, Lovettsville. flyingacefarm.com

STEVE BOYD & FRIENDS

4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 25

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

TROLL TRIBE

5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights. harpersferrybrewing.com

BAD PANDA

5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

TODD BROOKS TRIO

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

BRITTANY FRAZER

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchase.com

THE REFLEX

6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 25

Tarara Summer Concert Series, 13648 Tarara Lane, Leesburg. $25. tararaconcerts.com

BOB HALE

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 25

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

FRANKLIN MUSIC

7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 25

NOVA MUSICFEST

Sunday, May 26, noon-7 p.m. 868 Estate Vineyards cancercanrock.org

Some of the area’s most popular performers return to the Hillsboro-area winery for a full day of music supporting the Cancer Can Rock charity.

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

THE FOUR HORSEMEN

7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 25

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

PANIC FOR THE VIBE

8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 25

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

KAREEM MCCULLOUGH AND DOM THE COMPOSER

8 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 25 Tarbender’s Lounge, 10 S. King St., Leesburg. $20. facebook.com/leesburg. movement

EMMA G

12 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Cana Vineyards, 38600 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. canavineyards.com

BLUE RIDGE BANDITS

12 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Hope Flower Farm, 40905 Stumptown Road, Waterford. hopeflowerfarm.com

SELA CAMPBELL

12 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

NOVA MUSICFEST

12 to 7 p.m. Sunday, May 26

868 Estate Vineyards, 14001 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro. $35 cancercanrock.org

JASON MASI

12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26

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

JOSEPH R.

MONASTERIAL

4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, May 26

The Lost Fox, 20374 Exchange St., Ashburn.

lostfoxhideaway.com

JOE HEILMAN

5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Bear Chase Brewing Company, 33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont. bearchasebrew.com

BRUCE EWAN

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Creek’s Edge Winery, 41255 Annas Lane, Lovettsville. creeksedgewinery.com

MARK CULLINANE

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 26

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

JASON MASI

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Quattro Goombas Brewery, 22860 James Monroe Highway, Aldie. quattrogoombas.com

LEFT OF CENTER JAZZ

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts. vanishbeer.com

TODD BROOKS

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Sunset Hills Vineyard, 38295 Fremont Overlook Lane, Purcellville. sunsethillsvineyard.com

STANLEY WHITAKER

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Bleu Frog Vineyards, 16413 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg. bleufrogvineyards.com

RYAN SILL

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26 8 Chains Notrth Winery, 38593 Daymont Lane, Waterford. 8chainsnorth.com

ZACH JONES

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26 50 West Vineyards, 39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. 50westvineyards.com

HAPPENINGS continues on page 28

NoVA MusicFest: Helping to Make Cancer Rock

The summer music season at 868 Estate Vineyards moves into high gear on Sunday, May 26, when some of the area’s most popular performers gather for the fourth annual NoVA MusicFest.

The concert is a benefit for Cancer Can Rock, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting musicians facing aggressive cancer. The core of the program is to put them in a recording studio, surround them with great players, and lay down a track that will memorialize their talents.

The program is the passion of Jim Ebert, a multi-platinum record producer who survived his own bout with brain cancer more than two decades ago.

“What we do is we take musicians with cancer, and we bring them into a recording studio, all paid for, I produce it, and put a band around them,” he said. ”It’s amazing. We give them a beautiful day. I’ve had statements like, ‘Today I forgot I had cancer,’ which is really powerful. So that’s what we do. We are kind of our slogan: Because music lasts forever. This gives everybody who we work with a permanent legacy for friends and family.”

This year, the nonprofit reached the milestone of completing 60 recordings. The money raised by the show helps make those recording sessions possible.

The May 26 event includes seven hours of music from local, regional, and

NoVA MusicFest Schedule

Noon - 12:30 p.m.: The Greek and the Freak

12:30 -1 p.m.: Gary Smallwood & Michael Fath

1 :10 - 1:40 p.m.: Laura Cashman

1:50 - 2:25 p.m.: Juliet Lloyd Duo

2:40 - 3:20 p.m.: The Honey Larks

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.: The 19th Street Band

4:40 - 5:20 p.m.: Patty Reese Band

5:30 - 6:10 p.m.: One Hot Mess

6:20 - 7 p.m.: Jason Masi Band

international musicians, food, 868 Estate wine, Lost Rhino beer, craft vendors and more.

Pre-sale tickets are $25 with $30 admission at the gate. Children 12 and under are free. This event is dog-friendly, family friendly. Pop up tents are welcome. Outside alcohol is prohibited.

For tickets and more details, go to cancercanrock.org/events. n

Norman K. Styer/LoudounNow

The 19th Street Band returns to 868 Estate Vineyards on May 26 to perform in the daylong NoVA MusicFest.

Obituaries

February 3, 1939 – May 18, 2024

Polly Cox Harrison, of Leesburg, VA beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother passed away on May 18, 2024 at the age of 85.

Polly was born in Independence, VA to the late Montague and Jessie Gamble Cox on February 03, 1939. Polly is survived by her loving husband of 62 years William (Bill) Harrison; her children Steven Holden and daughter-in-law Kim, William Gregory and daughter-in-law Susan, and Douglas Ray and girlfriend Shelly Brown; sister Shirley Cox Gordon, and Grandchildren Patrick and wife Niki, Amanda Holshouser and husband Hunter, Eleanor, Anabelle and Raye and Great Grandchild Harper and many other loving relatives and close friends. She was predeceased by sisters Nadine Cox Allen and Margaret Cox Ayers.

In June 1961, she graduated with honors from VPI, now known as Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA with a B.S. in Home Economics. Prior to VPI she completed 2 years at Emory and Henry College. During college she played basketball and was a cheerleader, she was also the secretary of her Sophomore Class and active in the 4-H Alumni Club, YWCA, Home Ec Club, Agricultural Exposition, New River Club, and Wesley Foundation. It was in the 4-H Alumni Club where she first met her husband Bill.

Following graduation in July 1961 she accepted a position as an extension agent in Home Economics and 4-H in Fairfax County. She married William (Bill) Harrison on May 19, 1962, in Independence, VA.

She was a faithful Christian and was involved in many organizations over the years. Polly had lots of interests and always excelled in whatever she did. She was very active and an outstanding athlete; she loved basketball, swimming, water skiing, snow skiing, and tennis. Her tennis team won 3rd place in the National Championships. She was selected as Outstanding Member of the Year for the The Leesburg Junior Women’s Club; she was a member of the Leesburg Garden Club, The Catoctin Garden Club and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was active with the church, being in the choir, and on the leadership, finance and Old Stone Church committees. She loved to arrange flowers for the church, family, friends, and the elderly. Her flowers won many state flower shows. She was dedicated to her community and delivered Meals On Wheels for almost 11 years.

Polly traveled to many places including Europe, South America, China, Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and many other beautiful places in the United States. One of her favorite places was her second home at Deep Creek Lake, MD. Polly devoted her life to her husband, children, grandchildren and helping others. She lived life to the fullest with grace, love, and happiness.

Although we will cherish Polly in our memories, we take comfort in knowing that she is in a better place.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association or Leesburg United Methodist Church. The family of Polly wishes to extend our sincere thanks to her many caregivers at Spring Arbor, Leesburg United Methodist Church, and all of her family and friends.

A Celebration of her extraordinary Life will be held on Sunday, Jun 2, 2024 2pm, at the Leesburg United Methodist Church with a reception to follow.

Lives are like rivers: Eventually they go where they must, not where we want them to.

GET OUT HAPPENINGS

continued from page 26

RYAN HOLLANDER

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 26

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

ANDREW ODAY

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Harvest Gap Brewery, 15485 Purcellville Road, Hillsboro. harvestgap.com

LENNY BURRIGE

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Old 690 Brewing Company, 15670 Ashbury Church Road, Hillsboro. old690.com

GARY SMALLWOOD

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Doukenie Winery, 14727 Mountain Road, Hillsboro. doukeniewinery.com

MEISHA HERRON

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro. breauxvineyards.com

ANTHONY SEMIAO

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 26

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

RYAN JEWEL

2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Chrysalis Vineyards, 39025 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg. chrysaliswine.com

WAYNE SNOW

3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Notaviva Farm Brewery & Winery, 13274 Sagle Road, Hillsboro. notaviva.com

HUME & FRYE

3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Spanky’s Shenanigans, 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. spankyspub.com

LUCAS MASON BAND

3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Fleetwood Farm Winery, 23075 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg. fleetwoodfarm.com

JOE HEILMAN

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26

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

THE DARBY BROTHERS BAND

6 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26

Tarara Summer Concert Series, 13648 Tarara Lane, Leesburg. $25. tararaconcerts.com

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

JESSICA PAULIN

1 to 4 p.m. Monday, May 27

Otium Cellars, 18050 Tranquility Road, Purcellville. otiumcellars.com

AS U WISH

1 to 5 p.m. Monday, May 27

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

MATT BURRIDGE

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday, May 27

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

ANDREW O’DAY

1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday, May 27

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

JAKE PHILLIPS

2 to 5 p.m. Monday, May 27

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

CAZHMIERE BAND

2 to 5 p.m. Monday, May 27

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

JASON TEACH

2 to 5 p.m. Monday, May 27

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

JASON MASI

6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, May 29

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

JEREMIAH PROPHETT

5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, May 30

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

TEJAS SINGH

6 TO 9 P.M. THURSDAY, MAY 30

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

JOJO BAYLISS

6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 30

Rebellion Bourbon Bar & Kitchen Leesburg, 1 N. King St., Leesburg. eatatrebellion.com/leesburg

HAPPENINGS

HELLO HIVE!

3 to 4 p.m. Thursday, May 23

3 to 4 p.m. Thursday, May 30

TALK & TIPSY DRAG SHOW

10 p.m. Friday, May 24

Potomac Taphouse, 44921

George Washington Blvd., Ashburn. potomactaphouse.com

ANASTASIA, THE MUSICAL

7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 24

1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 25

7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 25

Capital Community Church, 20430 Ashburn Village Blvd., Ashburn. $15 to $25. thepickwickplayers.com

YOUNG BIRDERS WALK

8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, May 25

Sweet Run State Park, 11661 Harpers Ferry Road, Hillsboro. loudounwildlife.org

MIDDLEBURG FARMERS MARKET

9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 25 Middleburg Town Hall, 10 W. Marshall St., Middleburg. middleburgva.gov

NATIONAL WINE DAY TRAIL RUN

3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 25

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

ROUND HILL

HOMETOWN FESTIVAL

8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, May 27

Loudoun Street Park, 3 E. Loudoun St., Round Hill hometownfestival.org

RINGING IN HOPE: A SALUTE TO OUR TROOPS

8 to 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 27 Christian Fellowship Church, 44505 Atwater Dr., Ashburn. ringinginhope.org

HAMILTON DAY

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, May 27 Community Park, 31 W. Colonial Highway, Hamilton. hamiltonva.gov

MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATION

2 to 5 p.m. Monday, May 27 Tribute at One Loudoun, 20335 Savin Hill Drive, Ashburn. cogirusa.com

BOOK CLUB MEETING

7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 28 Birch Tree Bookstore, 11 W. Market St., Leesburg. birchtreebookstore.com

LEESBURG STATE OF THE TOWN ADDRESS

6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 29

Leesburg Town Hall, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg. leesburgva.gov

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

THE BROKEN HEARTS

7 to 11 p.m. Sunday, May 26

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

CHRIS BOWEN

12 to 4 p.m. Monday, May 27

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

GLBR ALL STAR GAME

6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 23

Fireman’s Field, 250 S. Nursery Ave., Purcellville. glbr.org

SCREEN SIRENS: LEADING ACTRESSES IN GOLDEN AGE HOLLYWOOD

6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 30 Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Place, Potomac Falls. library.loudoun.gov/Cascades

Polly Ann Cox Harrison

Legal Notices

Loudoun County Public Schools

Capital Budgets Community Meetings on Future School Facility Projects

Loudoun County Public Schools Department of Support Services is hosting three community meetings to share information on funded, planned and proposed school capital projects.

Wednesday, May 29, 2024 6:00 p.m. River Bend Middle School 46240 Algonkian Parkway, Sterling

Wednesday, June 5, 2024 6:00 p.m. Loudoun County High School 415 Dry Mill Road SW, Leesburg

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 6:00 p.m. John Champe High School 41535 Sacred Mountain Street, Aldie

More information about the capital budgets is posted on the Loudoun County Public Schools website at www.lcps.org/Page/81470.

Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate meaningfully in the community meetings should contact the Support Services office at least three (3) days prior to the specific meeting.

Kevin L. Lewis, Chief Operations Officer

Loudoun County Public Schools

Department of Support Services 21000 Education Court Ashburn, Virginia 20148 Telephone: 571-252-1385

Email: LCPSPLAN@LCPS.ORG

5/23/2024, 5/30/2024 and 6/6/2024

Public Notice

The Town of Leesburg Residential Traffic Commission Vacancy

The Town of Leesburg is soliciting applications for a vacancy on the Residential Traffic Commission. The vacancy must be filled by a resident of the Northwest quadrant of Town. Citizens meeting the Northwest residency requirement and interested in serving on the commission can find additional information or may apply via the Town’s web site at www.leesburgva.gov/government/boards-andcommissions. Applications will be kept on file for one year. Any questions can be sent to the Clerk of Council via email at eboeing@leesburgva.gov

5/23/2024 & 5/30/2024

PUBLIC NOTICE

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB)

IDA LEE PARK RECREATION CENTER GYM FLOOR REPLACEMENT

The Town of Leesburg will accept sealed bids electronically via the Commonwealth’s e-procurement website (www.eva.virginia. gov), until 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, for the following:

IDA LEE PARK RECREATION CENTER GYM FLOOR REPLACEMENT

Work includes the demolition, removal and disposal of the existing gym floor; furnish and install a new maple gym floor of approximately 8,100 square feet; removal and reinstallation of gym bleachers; paint lines for basketball, volleyball and pickleball courts; paint a Town logo at the center of the court; and all incidentals related thereto.

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

5/23/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ047165; JJ047164

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Ivory Green and Kamron Roundtree

Loudoun County Department of Family Services v.

Zhane Preston, Mother

The object of this suit is to hold a dispositional hearing for review of initial Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-278.2 and 16.1-281 for Ivory Green and Kamron Roundtree.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Zhane Preston, Mother appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before May 29, 2024 at 3:00pm (Dispositional).

5/9, 5/16 & 5/23/24

Legal Notices

NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT OF ABANDONED VEHICLES

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

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

YR. MAKE MODEL VIN STORAGE PHONE#

2024 VOLVO S60 YV1RS59V942351796 BLAIRS TOWING

2006 FORD F-550 1FDAF57P96EB62123 BLAIRS TOWING

2017 HINO BOX TRUCK 5PVNJ8JV7H4S63456 ALS TOWING

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF CAPITAL INTENSITY

The Leesburg Town Council will hold a public hearing on: Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chamber 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176

703-661-8200

703-661-8200

703-435-8888 5/23 & 5/30/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ048309-02-00, JJ048310-02-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Yanelis Banegas and Yadiel Banegas

Loudoun County Department of Family Services v.

Paula Banegas, Mother, Marvin Echeverria, putative father and Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold a foster care review hearing and review of foster care plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282 and 16.1281 for Yanelis Banegas and Yadiel Banegas.

FACTORS

The Town Council will review and consider proposed Capital Intensity Factors (CIFs), per-housingunit dollar amounts, by unit type, that reflect the cost of capital facilities needed to support Town services provided to residents, in the following categories: Parks and Recreation, Public Safety (Police), and Transportation. The Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on the proposed Capital Intensity Factors on April 18, 2024, and has recommended adoption of the factors and policy considerations regarding the use of the proposed CIFs in the evaluation and negotiation of cash proffers associated with residential rezoning applications.

Copies of the proposed Capital Intensity Factors and supporting documents are available at the Town Manager’s Office, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Digital copies will be available on the Town of Leesburg website (www.leesburgva.gov/agendas) when the Town Council agenda packet is published, typically by 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding the meeting date.

5/16/2024 & 5/23/2024

Loudoun County Public Schools

Proposed Elementary School Attendance Zone Change for the Lansdowne Boulevard Development

On May 14, 2024, the Loudoun County School Board initiated an abbreviated attendance zone process to change the elementary school that will serve the future Lansdowne Boulevard development.

The recommended elementary school attendance zone change would assign Lansdowne Boulevard to Seldens Landing Elementary School rather than Steuart W. Weller Elementary School. No change is recommended for the secondary school attendance boundary.

The School Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed elementary school zone change on May 28, 2024, followed by action later the same evening. The Loudoun County Public Schools webpage (https://www.lcps.org/Page/223425) has details on how to sign up to speak at the May 28 hearing.

The May 28 meeting will be held at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building (21000 Education Court, Ashburn), with the evening meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will also be broadcast live on Comcast channel 18 and Verizon Fios channel 43 and viewable via simultaneous webcast (https://www.lcps.org/webcast).

Persons who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, in order to participate meaningfully in the May 28, 2024 public hearing and meeting, should contact the Clerk of the School Board at 571-252-1020 at least three (3) days prior to the meeting.

Beverly I. Tate, Director Loudoun County Public Schools

Division of Planning & GIS Services

21000 Education Court, Ashburn, Virginia 20148

Telephone: 571-252-1050

Email: LCPSPLAN@LCPS.ORG 5/16 & 5/23/24

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Paula Banegas, Mother, Marvin Echeverria, putative father and Unknown Father appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his or her interests on or before June 11, 2024 at 11:00 am.

5/9, 5/16, 5/23 & 5/30/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ048585-02-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Carlton Platt Loudoun County Department of Family Services v. Sabrina Whitney, Mother

The object of this suit is to hold a foster care review hearing and review of foster care plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282 and 16.1281 for Carlton Platt.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Sabrina Whitney, mother appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before June 25, 2024 at 2:00pm 5/23, 6/6, 6/13 & 6/20/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ047413-03 -00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Yessiah Recinos Morales

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

v.

Ebony Morales, Mother and Anderson Alejandro Recinos Rivas, Father

The object of this suit is to hold a Permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Yessiah Recinos Morales.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Ebony Morales, Mother and Anderson Alejandro Recinos Rivas, Father appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his or her interests on or before June 18, 2024 at 10:00 am.

5/9, 5/16, 5/23 & 5/30/24

PUBLIC NOTICE

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) TRAFFIC SIGNAL FIBER CONNECTIONS

The Town of Leesburg will accept sealed bids electronically via the Commonwealth’s e-procurement website (www.eva.virginia. gov), until 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, for the following: IFB NO. 23303-FY24-52

TRAFFIC SIGNAL FIBER CONNECTIONS

Work includes the installation of fiber, conduit and junction boxes to provide communication links between traffic signals and Town facilities and all incidentals thereto. Where fiber already exists, only conduit to Town facilities, fiber installation and termination will be required.

For additional information, visit: http://www.leesburgva.gov/bidboard 5/23/24

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ048910-01-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Andrea Isabel Benitez

Loudoun County Department of Family Services

v.

Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold an adjudicatory hearing pursuant to Virginia Code § 16.1-252 for Andrea Isabel Benitez; and hold a dispositional hearing for review of initial Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-278.2 and 16.1281 for Andrea Isabel Benitez.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before May 20, 2024 at 10:00am (Adjudicatory); and June 24, 2024 at 10:00am (Dispositional).

5/16, 5/23, 5/30 & 6/6/24

Legal Notices

PUBLIC HEARING

The LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room on the first floor of the County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following:

REQUEST FOR WITHDRAWAL OF LAND BELONGING TO THE GORDON C. KEYS LIVING TRUST, FROM THE BEAVERDAM VALLEY AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTAL DISTRICT

Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-4314 and the Beaverdam Valley Agricultural and Forestal District Ordinance, G. Chandler Keys, III, and Robin Garwood Keys (applicants), trustees for the Gordon C. Keys Living Trust, of Middleburg, Virginia, have submitted an application to withdraw a 138.32-acre parcel from the Beaverdam Valley Agricultural and Forestal District. The subject property is located on both sides of Newlin Mill Road (Route 790) at 21795 Newlin Mill Road, Middleburg, VA, between Quaker Lane (Route 630) to the north and Snake Hill Road (Route 744) to the south, in the Little River Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN 620-27-2371-000.

The Beaverdam Valley Agricultural and Forestal District currently has a 4-year period that will expire on June 19, 2026, and is subject to a subdivision minimum lot size of 50 acres.

In accordance with Section 15.2-4307 of the Code of Virginia, the applications 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 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling 703-777-0246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies or electronically at: https://www.loudoun.gov/adac (4-8-2024 ADAC Meeting under Agendas and Bylaws). Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: https://www.loudoun.gov/pc (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for Public Hearings Packet).

LEGI-2023-0085, EAST GATE MARKETPLACE PROFFER AMENDMENT: ZCPA-2023-0003

(Zoning Concept Plan Amendment)

East Gate Partners II, LLC. has submitted an application for a zoning concept plan amendment for approximately 26.6 acres of land south of Route 50, north of East Gate View Drive (Route 3010), and west of Tall Cedars Parkway (Route 2200) in the Dulles Election district (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as:

097-36-5968-000 25370 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly, VA 107////////46/

097-36-6339-000 25330 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly, VA 107//16/////F/

097-26-8853-000 25410 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly, VA 107//16/////K/

097-26-9469-000 25400 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly, VA 107//16/////J/ 097-26-8130-000 25420 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly, VA 107//16/////L/ 097-26-5238-000 25421 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly, VA 107//16/////M/

LEGI-2023-0059, GREENLIN PARK: ZMAP-2022-0024 (Zoning Map Amendment)

Cammack Brothers, LLC has submitted an application for a zoning map amendment for approximately 81.17 acres of land located on the north side of the Dulles Greenway (Route 267), south side of Shreve Mill Road (Route 653), and west side of Sycolin Road (Route 625) in the Leesburg Election District (the and more particularly described as a portion of 237-39-5293-000, Tax Map # /60////////55/. The applicant seeks to rezone a 81.17-acre portion of the larger 467.1-acre property to the Industrial Park Zoning District in order to develop data center and utility substation uses. The application is being processed under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance pursuant to the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance Grandfathering Resolution, dated December 13, 2023.

LEGI-2023-0073, MARS SUBSTATION:

CMPT-2023-0005, SPEX-2023-0017, & SPMI-2023-0011

(Commission Permit, Special Exception, and Minor Special Exception)

Dominion Energy Virginia (Dominion Energy) has submitted applications for: a commission permit, special exception, and a minor special exception for approximately 153.72 acres of land located east of Carters School Road (Route 857) north of Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and southeast of Old Ox Road (Route 606) and more particularly described as: PINs 093-38-2322 and 093-18-5459000, Tax Map #s 102/////////4/ and 102/////////5A. For CMPT-2023-0005, the applicant seeks a commission permit for a Utility Substation, Transmission under the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. For SPEX2023-0017 the applicant seeks to construct a Utility Substation, Transmission, use within the Planned Development – General Industry Zoning District. For SPMI-2023-0011, the applicant seeks to eliminate the minimum and maximum evergreen tree planting landscape buffer requirements along the north, south, and east property boundaries. SPEX-2023-0017 and SPMI-2023-0011 are being processed under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance pursuant to the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance Grandfathering Resolution, dated December 13, 2023.

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

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

The Applicant seeks to amend ZMAP-2005-0002, East Gate Two, Proffer VII.A., Landscaping, Buffering and Design Guidelines, to eliminate a 35-foot setback, Type 3 Rear Yard Buffer, and 8-foot-high brick pillar fence on two offsite parcels identified as:

097-26-2652-000 25411 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly, VA 107//16/////A/ PIN PROPERTY ADDRESS TAX

097-26-2158-000 43655 Tall Cedars Parkway, Chantilly, VA 107//14/////1/

097-15-8631-000 43659 Tall Cedars Parkway, Chantilly, VA 107/H/1CM///1/

The Subject Property is zoned Planned Development - Commercial Center (Small Regional Center) (PDCC(SC)) under the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance. The application is being processed under the Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance pursuant to the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance Grandfathering Resolution, dated December 13, 2023.

LEGI-2023-0066, LAKEVIEW CENTER PLAZA: SPEX-2023-0009 (Special Exception)

Eyob Mamo, Consolidated Petroleum, LLC, has submitted an application for a special exception on a 1.99-acre property located north of Leesburg Pike (Route 7) on the southeast corner of Lakeview Center Plaza and Riverside Parkway (Route 607) in the Algonkian Election District (the Subject Property). The Subject Property is more particularly described as: 20070 Lakeview Center Plaza, Ashburn, Virginia, PIN 057-40-6876-000, Tax Map # /63/E19/////2/. The Subject Property is zoned Planned Development – Research and Development Park (PD-RDP) under the 1972 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance (1972 Zoning Ordinance). The applicant seeks a special exception, per the 1972 Zoning Ordinance, to allow an automobile service station in the PD-RDP Zoning District.

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

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

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

BY ORDER OF: MICHELLE FRANK, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION

5/16 & 5/23/24

Legal Notices

TOWN OF LEESBURG

NOTICE OF TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER MINOR SPECIAL EXCEPTION APPLICATION

TLSPEX2024-0004

MID-ATLANTIC VETERINARY DERMATOLOGY

Pursuant to Sections 15.2-1427, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2205 and 15.2-2285 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, the LEESBURG TOWN COUNCIL will hold a public hearing on TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider Minor Special Exception application TLSPEX2024-0004, Mid-Atlantic Veterinary Dermatology.

The subject of the application is an existing commercial space addressed as 1507 Dodona Terrace, Suite 200, Leesburg, VA 20175. The property is zoned Mixed Use Business District (B-4) and is further described as Loudoun County Parcel Identification Number (PIN) 149-28-0225.

Minor Special Exception Application TLSPEX2024-0004 is a request by Mid-Atlantic Veterinary Dermatology to allow a 1,300 square foot specialty veterinary hospital pursuant to Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance (TLZO) Section 6.6.2, Use Regulations

The Subject Property is located in what the Town Plan describes as an “Area to Transform or Evolve” on the Area Based Land Use Initiatives Map (Town Plan pg. 72). The property is further designated within the Town Plan as a “Mixed Use Center” on the Character Areas for Preservation and Change Map (Town Plan pg. 76). The property is located in an area that is part of the Eastern Gateway District Small Area Plan (EGDSAP). It is also within the Gateway District (Overlay) but administered as proffered H-2 Corridor District (H-2 Overlay District).

Additional information and copies of this application are available at the Department of Community Development located on the second floor of 222 Catoctin Circle, Suite 200, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or by contacting Scott E. Parker, Senior Planning Project Manager at 703-771-2771 or sparker@leesburgva.gov

At these hearings, all persons desiring to express their views concerning these matters will be heard. Persons requiring special accommodations at the meeting should contact the Clerk of Council at (703) 771-2733 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711. 5/16 & 5/23

Town of Middleburg, Virginia

INVITATION TO BID ON A NONEXCLUSIVE LEASE/FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT, INSTALL, MAINTAIN, EXTEND AND OPERATE TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT ON PROPERTY OWNED BY THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBURG

Notice is hereby given that the Council of the Town of Middleburg, Virginia, a Municipal Corporation of the Commonwealth of Virginia, pursuant to § 15.2-2102 of the Code of Virginia, as amended, and after advertisement required by § 15.2-2101 of the Code of Virginia, as amended, and in the mode prescribed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, intends to receive bids and adopt an Ordinance for the lease/franchise of Town-owned property located at 25 Stonewall Court for cellular communications equipment and associated facilities for a term of up to 25 years. Bids shall be in writing and delivered to Council Chambers, Town Hall, 10 West Marshall Street, Virginia on Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., local time, in open session of Council, to the Clerk of Council. All bids shall be opened in public session and marked for identification by the mayor or other presiding officer.

If an acceptable bid is received, the Town Council may adopt an Ordinance to grant nonexclusive use of the Town’s property to the successful bidder. Such Ordinance shall include required terms, such as, monthly lease amount, length of lease, and tenant’s obligations. A copy of the full Ordinance is available at the Town Hall, 10 West Marshall Street, Middleburg, Virginia, from 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

The Town reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

Trowbridge Littleton, Mayor Town of Middleburg 5/16 & 5/23/24

Loudoun County Public Schools

Park View High School Community Meeting June 6, 2024

Loudoun County Public Schools will be hosting a meeting with the Park View High School community on the design of their new school on Thursday, June 6, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria.

This meeting will continue the conversation with students, staff, parents, and the community to receive input on the replacement school. The June 6 meeting will include information on the progress of the building and site design.

Additional information is posted at www.lcps.org/Page/252014.

Park View High School is located at 400 West Laurel Avenue, in Sterling.

Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any disability in order to participate meaningfully in the community meeting should contact the Support Services office at 571-252-1385 at least three (3) days prior to the meeting.

Kevin L. Lewis, Chief Operations Officer Loudoun County Public Schools Department of Support Services 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, Virginia 20148 Telephone: 571-252-1385

Email: ParkViewReplacement@LCPS.org 5/23 & 5/30/24

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

CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING INSPECTION SERVICES FOR ROUTE 7 / 690 INTERCHANGE, RFP No. 648811 until prior to 4:00 p.m., June 17, 2024.

RIVERSIDE PARKWAY ROUTE 7 SIGNAGE, IFB No. 609791 until prior to 4:00 p.m., June 18, 2024.

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

WHEN CALLING, PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ANY TYPE OF DISABILITY IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCUREMENT 5/23/24

TOWN OF LEESBURG DEPARTMENT OF UTILITIES NOTICE OF WATER MAIN FLUSHING

The Town of Leesburg will conduct controlled flushing of water mains throughout the Town beginning April 15 through May 31st , 2024. 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 water use.

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 or a milky look. If this occurs, open your cold water tap until a clear steady flow of water is observed.

Some residents and businesses may experience lower than normal 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.

4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, 5/30

Legal Notices

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

INTENTION TO APPROVE VOLUNTARY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT REGARDING ANNEXATION ISSUES AND RELATED MATTERS

Pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 15.2-1427 and 15.2-3400, notice is hereby given that the Town Council of the Town of Leesburg, Virginia, intends to approve the proposed Voluntary Settlement Agreement between the Town of Leesburg, Virginia and the County of Loudoun, Virginia, with a technical amendment to Section 7 discussed below, and will hold a public hearing on:

Tuesday, May 28, 2024, 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 a proposed ordinance to approve this agreement.

Descriptive Summary of the Voluntary Settlement Agreement

The Voluntary Settlement Agreement provides for the annexation of approximately 402.8315 acres of unincorporated territory into the Town commonly referred to as Compass Creek, including: Parcel Identification Nos. (“PIN”) 234-29-4515 (Realty Income Properties 18 LLC); 234-29-0522 (CC Outparcel LC); 234-37-8457 (Toll Road Investors Partnership II LP); 235-29-7431 (Microsoft Corporation); 234-38-2603 (SI NVA06A LLC); 234-19-2469 (Leesburg Commercial LC); 23439-2601 (Walmart Real Estate Business Trust); and the dedicated right of way for Compass Creek Parkway. The Agreement provides for the Town to obtain consent from the property owners who will be annexed into the Town.

The Voluntary Settlement Agreement addresses certain other matters related to the annexation of Compass Creek. With respect to utilities, the Agreement provides that the Town will provide water and sewer service to Compass Creek. The Agreement provides that Microsoft will retain the option to use Loudoun Water for future phases of development. The Agreement establishes the Economic Development Incentive Program (“EDIP”), under which the Town will not charge the out-of-town water and sewer rate surcharge for County residents who receive service from the Town, or each year that the County makes an annual EDIP payment to the Town. The Agreement will also limit the Town’s ability to seek city status for a period of 25 years after the lifting of the moratorium in Virginia Code § 15.2-3201. The Agreement will also limit the filing of any future annexation by the Town for a period of 25 years.

The Virginia Commission on Local Government issued its report, dated April 30, 2024 and titled “Report on the Town of Leesburg-Loudoun County Voluntary Settlement Agreement” (the “CLG Report”). The CLG Report recommended approval of the Agreement with a technical amendment to Section 7 clarifying that the limitation on the Town’s ability to seek city status will begin to run upon the lifting of the moratorium, regardless of the manner in which it is lifted.

A copy of the full text of the Voluntary Settlement Agreement is on file with the Clerk for the Circuit Court for Loudoun County, located at 18 East Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. Monday through Friday. Copies of the proposed ordinance, the Voluntary Settlement Agreement, and the CLG Report are also available for inspection at the office of 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.

5/16/24 & 5/23/24

Misc.

VEHICLE

AUCTION

MD Repo Vehicles For Public Sale at ADESA Washington, DC. All Makes and Models Running Weekly Details can be found at www.adesawashingtondc.com

Terms: State and local orders will be strictly enforced at the sale, including social distancing and limits on the number of people permitted to gather in certain areas. All attendees must comply with such procedures or will be required to leave the premises. We strongly recommend that all attendees wear face coverings for the protection of themselves and our staff. Bidder agrees to register and pay a refundable $500 cash deposit plus a non-refundable $20 entry fee before the Sale starts. The balance of the purchase is due in full by 5:00pm on sale day. vehicles are AS-IS and are subject to a buy fee based on the sale price of the vehicle. Only cash or certified funds will be accepted. No vehicle will be released until Payment is made in full. Children under the age of 18 are not permitted.

VEHICLE AUCTION

ADESA WASHINGTON DC 705-996-1100

44475 OLD OX ROAD, DULLES, VA 20166

20+Chase repossessions will be offered to the public sale (monthly) on Wednesdays (6/19/24, 7/17/24, 8/14/24, 9/11/24, 10/9/24, 11/6/24, 12/4/24). Auction doors open at 8:00 a.m. Sale starts at 9:50 a.m. ET. Registered persons may preview/ inspect vehicles on the day of the sale before bidding. Bids accepted only when a vehicle is presented for sale. The auctioneer will conclude the sale when bidding stops. All results will be nal by 5:00 p.m. Terms: Cash or Certi ed Check.

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Case No.: JJ047165-01-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Ivory Green Loudoun County Department of Family Services

v. Kevin Green, Putative Father and Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to hold and adjudicatory hearing pursuant to Virginia Code § 161.-252 for Ivory Green; and hold a dispositional hearing for review of initial Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code § § 16.1-278.2 and 16.1-281 for Ivory Green.

It is ORDERED that the defendant(s) Kevin Green, Putative Father and Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before May 2, 2024 at 10:00am (adjudicatory); and May 29, 2024 at 3:00pm (Dispositional) 4/25, 5/2, 5/9 & 5/16/24 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16 & 5/23/24

Construction

Loco Service Providers

Greenway tolls

continued from page 1

“TRIP II failed to prove by a preponderance of evidence that its proposed tolls are reasonable to the user in relation to the benefit obtained,” according to the report.

Thomas also recommended that the commission not exercise its authority to enact lower rate increases.

The SCC will continue to accept additional comments from participants until June 5, when all of the case files, including testimony, filings, public comments and Thomas’ report will be sent to the three-member commission for final action.

TRIP II Public and Customer Relations Manager Terry Hoffman said the recommendation from Thomas is just that and the company will await the final decision by the commission, expected by the end of this year.

Loudoun County government leaders filed a notice of participation in the case citing concerns that higher rates would keep residents from using the road, which would cause more congestion on the surrounding roads, ultimately requiring the county to build additional infrastructure.

County Attorney Leo Rogers, who testified on behalf of the county during the hearing, said he agrees with Thomas’ findings.

Water compliance

continued from page 3

Last week, the Town Council authorized Town Manager Rick Bremseth to move forward with an agreement with the Virginia Department of Health for the town to take part in a pilot study treating chemicals the water supply.

“The Virginia Department of Health awarded the Town of Purcellville $226,000

“Judge Thomas gave the parties every opportunity to prove their case,” he stated. “While it may be obvious to us in Loudoun County that the toll rates on the Greenway materially discourage use and are not reasonable in relation to the benefit, the County had to factually prove its case. Judge Thomas’ 159-page report comprehensively details the facts and law of the case. His determination that no toll rate increase is warranted is well-reasoned.  The County looks forward to the Commissioners’ consideration of this case.  If TRIP II decides to appeal the SCC decision, the County is prepared to defend it.”

“This thoughtful and detailed 159-page report acknowledges the voice of Loudoun County residents who have vehemently opposed higher tolls on the Greenway,” County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) stated in a May 20 announcement. “Members of the Board of Supervisors, senior leaders in Loudoun County, and the people of Loudoun turned out to ensure the hearing examiner heard directly from the people who would be impacted by the proposed toll increases. The decision now lies in the hands of the commission.”

Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) who chairs the board’s finance committee, said toll rates have been a priority of his for years.

“The hearing examiner’s report brings us one step closer to rejecting the Green-

in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to conduct a PFAS treatment pilot study at the Nature Park groundwater treatment plant,” Director of Public Works Jason Didawick said.

Didawick said the town will be using two different granular samples at the groundwater treatment plant to see which method treats the water the best way and is the most cost-effective.

“You want to stay on top of this to possibly apply for future grants and stuff

“This thoughtful and detailed 159-page report acknowledges the voice of Loudoun County residents who have vehemently opposed higher tolls on the Greenway.”

— Phyllis Randall County Chair (D-At Large)

way’s ridiculous rate increases,” he stated.

“The board’s engagement and investment in a legislative and legal strategy to fight Greenway tolls has been working. We’ve successfully changed the law to ensure an objective and legitimate review of the Greenway’s rate increase requests, beaten back attempts to bail out the Greenway in the legislature, and fought proposed increases in front of the SCC using data and sound arguments. I look forward to the fi-

down the road,” he told the council.

The Town of Leesburg in April reported that its water sources comply with the new standards. The town has been testing for the chemicals for the past three years.

Results from Lovettsville’s test on one well did not yield any signs of PFAS and the towns staff will continue to test the remaining wells this summer.

The Town of Middleburg has not yet conducted PFAS testing.

The Town of Hamilton has not re-

nal decision in this case and the continued work to bring sanity to the Greenway’s toll structure.”

Sen. Suhas Subramanyam (D-31), whose district includes the road, successfully sponsored legislation in 2021 as part of a push by Loudoun leaders to enact new oversight and transparency on the state’s only privately owned toll road, tighten the way the SCC evaluates the Greenway’s requests for toll increases, put rules around refinancing its debt, and limits the Greenway to apply for toll increases one year at a time.

He said Thomas’ recommendation is proof that legislation is working.

“It’s going to be difficult for the Greenway toll operators to price gouge customers going forward. That’s what the legislation is meant to do and this proceeding showed that they’re going to have to revamp their business model,” he said.

The report also denies recommending TRIP II’s request for streamlined rate review process. However, it does recommend that the commission consider forming a work group of the parties involved to look at that topic.

Subramanyam said he supports the idea of a working group.

“I love that they added that because We don’t need to be paying a lot of money and commission staff time for these exorbitant toll increase requests when we know they’re going to get denied,” he said. n

sponded to inquiries about the status of its well testing.

Testing for the Town of Hillsboro is being conducted by its third-party water operator, which has not yet reported any results yet.

More information about PFAS and the new regulations can be found on the websites of the Virginia Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. n

Delayed opening

continued from page 3

with eight-period days next year.

“This will affect the Trailside pilot program because it’s the same classes every day and if students are missing the first two hours, they will miss those classes unless they mix it up,” she said. “But this affects the whole county, and it would force people to make adjustments for multiple planned two-hour delay days.”

She said she understood that teachers need the training, but said a two-hour delay twice a month wasn’t the answer.

LaBell said not only were constituents unhappy with the plan, but board members were, too.

“We are meeting with the VDOE regarding the roll-out [of new training requirements] and how to handle it,” she said in an email. “I have some ideas on how to get the training out in several full day sessions with minimum disruptions to schedules, but there are a lot of moving parts at this point. Rest assured that the whole board is working together to resolve this problem.”

LaBell did not elaborate on what those ideas were.

Loudoun Now reached out to all nine School Board members for comment.

Spence told Loudoun Now in an interview last week that the unprecedented amount of required training combined with a shortened timeline to prepare for it was “a lot on our plate.”

Other possible solutions administrators considered included early release for all students, adjusting the arrival times, adding contractual days for teachers, and using unassigned days in teacher contracts.

Spence told parents in the email that he would keep parents updated as his team continued to look into alternatives.

The proposal was presented to the School Board on May 14 as a way to help teachers meet state requirements for additional training brought on by the Virginia Literacy Act, new core reading materials adopted by the division earlier this year and new state standards in math and reading.

The adoption of new core reading materials was a requirement under the VLA.

Teachers are looking at over 36 hours of additional training on top of regular yearly training requirements from the state and the division.

The board is expected to further discuss the issue and possible solutions May 28. n

BY JESSICA BERG

Viewpoint

An Unnecessary Problem

start days that Loudoun County has proposed.

In most of the news I have read this morning regarding the 16 delayed start days, parents are voicing their concern. As a teacher who is also a parent to two elementary aged children, I would like to add my voice to the growing concern.

First, I want to address the impetus for why 16 delayed start days were proposed in the first place.

The Virginia Department of Education approved new standards for English (I am going to refer to English because it is what I teach) on March 28, 2024, and “while the assessment timeline is pending, teachers must instruct students based on these standards in SY24-25.”

Standards were approved less than two months ago, and we are supposed to alter lessons based on these standards by the start of next school year, which is a little more than two months from when we end our current school year.

Usually, any new policies, systematic changes, or any other implementations for a school year are covered in the pre-service days teachers attend prior to the start of every school year. So wouldn’t that be the time where we should go over these new standards instead of throughout the year? Yes, it would.

Except “currently, resources aligned to the new Mathematics and English standards (grades 6-12) are not available, meaning that the implementation of new standards from the state is occurring before school divisions receive the resources aligned to them.” (emphasis mine).

To sum it up, new standards were created by the state. The state is not prepared with the resources for districts and classroom teachers to be able to implement these standards on the timeline created by the state. And now the burden falls to these classroom teachers, along with working parents and students, to suffer the consequences of horrible solutions like the 16 delayed

This is a ridiculous problem that is the perfect microcosm of the state of public education. Someone in an office, trying to justify their job and salary, who is so far removed from the classroom, or who is bending to the whims of politicians who are using classrooms as the battlegrounds for culture wars, makes decisions and policies and students and teachers suffer the consequences.

Nobody—not parents, not teachers, not students—thinks the 16 delayed start days are a good idea. In fact, it is one of the worst ideas in a long line of bad ideas. It benefits no one and negatively impacts every vested party involved.

Many of the problems parents will face have been addressed, and I echo those concerns completely. I have no idea what I am supposed to do with my two elementary age daughters if this schedule goes into effect. Do I need to find daycare? Am I going to have to pay for this care? That is an absurd ask for parents on so many levels.

As a teacher (specifically high school) I want to address the concerns I have on behalf of my colleagues and my students regarding the 16 delayed start days. First of all, what sense does it make to “instruct students based on these standards in SY24-25” when we won’t have learned about implementing the standard until the end of the 24-25 school year?

This proposed plan also creates unnecessary burdens for classroom teachers, especially at the middle school and high school level who operate on a block schedule in terms of throwing off routine and equitable class time for blocks that meet on different days. Most classroom teachers who teach on a block schedule will tell you that the two-hour delay schedule is the worst because you still have to have a two-hour block for lunch while every other block is cut down to roughly 50 minutes. I am not going to get into the weeds of what lesson planning on

an A/B day block schedule looks like, but I guarantee every teacher knows the mental gymnastics it takes to keep blocks from each day on a similar pace when there are schedule shifts, let alone 16 of them.

And to be honest, as a 13-year veteran teacher, the changes to these standards are not going to impact what I do in my classroom at all. I do not need these PD sessions and 16 delayed start days. No teacher does. Because the things that we actually need in our classrooms to be able to better serve our students and do our jobs successfully are not going to come out of these PD sessions or state mandated changes in standards. It is this disconnect between the state and district administration that is burdening teachers to the point of quitting.

Many news stories cover the teacher shortage, but they get it wrong. There isn’t a teacher shortage. There are many qualified and passionate teachers who love being in the classroom with students, but they have quit because of circumstances beyond their control, decisions made without their input, and the expectation that we will do just one more thing, make one more change, work one more hour, take on one more responsibility, acquiesce to one more policy, and figure out one more way to adjust to the demands of people who are not on the ground and in the classroom. And then eventually one more thing becomes the one thing too many, and teachers quit.

And at the end of the day, the results of all of these schedule changes, and policy changes, and standard changes, you know who is affected the most: our students. Our kids. The future of our country. They need stability, routine, safety, equitable instructional time, and qualified teachers who are not burnt out because they are overworked trying to adjust to the unpreparedness of the state.

The solution is easy: Move the implementation of the standards to the SY25-SY26. Yep. That’s it. Unnecessary problem solved. n

Published by Loudoun Community Media

15 N. King St., Suite 101 Leesburg, VA, 20176 703-770-9723

KURT ASCHERMANN Executive Director kaschermann@loudounnow.org

NORMAN K. STYER Publisher and Editor nstyer@loudounnow.org

EDITORIAL

ALEXIS GUSTIN Reporter agustin@loudounnow.org

HANNA PAMPALONI Reporter hpampaloni@loudounnow.org

ADVERTISING

SUSAN STYER Advertising Manager sstyer@loudounnow.org

TONYA HARDING Account Executive tharding@loudounnow.org

VICKY MASHAW Account Executive vmashaw@loudounnow.org

Loudoun Now is mailed weekly to homes in Leesburg, western Loudoun and Ashburn, and distributed for pickup throughout the county. Online, Loudoun Now provides daily community news coverage to an audience of more than 100,000 unique monthly visitors.

Opinion

Underused Infrastructure

The State Corporation Commission hearing officer’s extensive review of the latest request for Dulles Greenway toll increases provides an indication that the balance of power may at last be shifting in favor of consumers.

The recommendation of denial comes after years of battles in the General Assembly to end the practice of rate hike entitlements once afforded to the company.

While it remains uncertain what final action the SCC judges will take, it became clear during the stafflevel hearings that higher tolls are unlikely to lift the operation’s fiscal fortunes in the face of stagnant or falling ridership on the 14-mile highway. In the postCOVID era of declining commuter traffic, tolls are

Financial Stewardship

Editor:

In a recent op-ed, former Mayor Fraser critiqued Purcellville’s current financial management, suggesting it pales in comparison to his tenure from 2014 to 2022. However, an examination of the facts presents a different narrative, one of financial decisions made during Fraser’s administration that have long-term impacts on the town’s fiscal health.

Fraser’s piece celebrated a reduction of $10.8 million in the town’s debt across all funds, akin to making scheduled mortgage payments. Yet, this figure could have been $17.6 million if not for two debt restructurings in 2017 and 2021. These restructurings deferred $6.8 million in principal repayments to future dates, effectively burdening current and future residents with increased rate obligations.

Debt restructuring is not without cost. These maneuvers in 2017 and 2021 led to deferring $7.2 million in utility principal repayment and incurred an additional $1.4 million and $3.9 million in water and wastewater services respectively. Consequently, from 2025, annual debt

convenience fees in which most motorists no longer find value—even at the current rates.

Also uncertain is the end game. How does the community make better use of this underutilized infrastructure?

What rate structure would consumers find appealing? Would the introduction of distance-based tolling significantly build ridership? Could travel on the highway be more economical under public ownership?

Those are concerns that should be shared by the Greenway owners and government leaders. Perhaps the outcome of this rate debate finally will spur more productive conversations. n

LETTERS to the Editor

payments for wastewater will jump from $900,000 to $2.5 million, and water service debt will increase by $235,000. The total additional cost due to restructuring tallies up to $12.5 million, extending debt repayment by a decade.

Moreover, Fraser’s administration linked higher revenues from meals taxes and property valuations to its governance, whereas these are typically tied to broader economic and inflationary trends rather than specific municipal policies. Fraser also took credit for the nutrient credit bank—an initiative that while innovative on paper, resulted in financial losses and restricted the use of valuable town land under conservation, limiting its economic utility.

Further compounding these issues, Fraser points to a supposedly high revenue from water and wastewater bills compared to debt service to argue against current operational spending levels.

However, this overlooks the depletion of reserve funds by past councils to artificially lower utility rates, a practice that severely reduced utility cash reserves and jeopardized the town’s bond rating.

These financial strategies, including

the misuse of reserve funds, have placed Purcellville on a federal bond agency’s watch list, potentially affecting its ability to secure future financing—akin to the repercussions of a poor personal credit score.

As evidenced by the town’s 2025 Fiscal Plan, formulated by an award-winning finance team and accessible on the town’s website, the current fiscal strategy adheres more closely to principles of sustainability and prudent financial planning than the previous administration’s approach. Residents are encouraged to review these documents to fully understand the financial stewardship of their community.

— Mayor Stanley Milan, Vice Mayor Erin Rayner, and Councilmembers Mary Jane Williams, Caleb Stought, and Kevin Wright

Pay Attention

Editor:

Every new home built in Loudoun County will cost county taxpayers

LETTERS continues on page 39

READERS’ poll

Are more school safety measures needed?

• 62.3% SROs should be at every school

• 14.7% Better threat monitoring and assessment is needed

• 10.0% Schools are safe and well protected

• 6.5% Don’t increase law enforcement access

• 4.3% More security is needed at school events

• 2.2% More staff training is needed

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:

The opening of a dedicated pickleball center in Leesburg is the latest sign of the sport’s rapid growth. Are you in?

LETTERS to the Editor

continued from page 38

$110,000 in infrastructure costs. This is not make believe, but real money. Developers, for the most part, pay nothing, but certainly reap the rewards. Supervisor Kershner is concerned that developers would have to pass these costs to home buyers. I guess he would rather have existing county taxpayers pay for these infrastructure costs.

The School Board had a 9.4% spending increase in its 2025 budget, while student growth is expected to be less than 1%. The Board of Supervisors rubber-stamped this budget while county taxpayers foot the bill once again for unnecessary infrastructure. Fire and Rescue builds new oversized stations, when they are not needed. They state it is a matter of public safety and, surprise, county supervisors jump to attention and throw money at them.

Loudoun residents will face thousands of new homes disrupting their lifestyle with new construction rampant. New data centers have been approved and will soon break ground. Roads will be torn up. Construction workers from outside of Loudoun County will abound. What a mess for county residents to deal with. Supervisors criticize voters and accuse them of being selfish. Seriously?

It is clear to me the actions of the current Board of Supervisors intend to change the look and feel of Loudoun

County in the next few years. We will pay more in taxes, face increased traffic, and experience a severe loss of quality of life. Look closely at Fairfax County. That is what Loudoun County will look like in 10 years (only worse). Time to move?

It is time for the Board of Supervisors to pay attention to county taxpayers.

—

Lloyd McCliggott, Philomont

Age Appropriate

Editor:

In the May 2 issue of Loudoun Now you printed a letter that you had received from a second-grade child.

I do agree with this very young person that war is very frightening for children. However, apparently this child is not being told that some very bad people, who have been designated as a terrorist organization, started the war. Thankfully, this child has not been told of the unimaginable horrors that occurred in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Surely the parents of this young child know that this terrorist organization, called Hamas, violently murdered 1,200 people, including women, babies, young children, teenagers, and grandparents, before burning their homes to the ground. Thankfully, this child has not been told that Hamas took more than 250 Israelis and foreigners, including American citizens, women, babies, young children, adults, and grandparents, as hostages. No parents would want to scare their children with such horrific details.

Personally, I do not think it is appropriate or healthy to burden young children with any details of the Oct. 7, 2023,

CHIPshots

— By Chip Beck

atrocities committed by Hamas. When children ask questions, we can provide them with the appropriate information for their age level. Children should be reassured that they are safe and loved. They should be told that the United States of America will continue to do all it can to help Israel’s children and the children in Gaza who are being displaced by Hamas.

The USA has been extremely generous to the people of Gaza for decades. Perhaps the parents of this child should do some research and learn that the U.S. government has given billions and billions of dollars to the citizens of Gaza for decades. The parents can visit the United States Agency for International Development website to learn more about the recent announcement by Administrator Samantha Power regarding additional assistance that is on its way to help the citizens of Gaza. An additional $9 billion dollars for Gaza was included in the foreign aid package that was recently signed by President Biden. That money is over and above the billions and billions of dollars that the generous citizens of this great country have given to the citizens of Gaza over the decades.

When their child asks about what he or she is seeing in the news, perhaps the parents of this second-grader should provide the child with truthful age-appropriate information about the war, instead of indoctrinating the child with false information. Better yet, they should turn off the television news when their young children are in the room. Please—let your children be the happy, loving, safe, and

secure elementary-school-age children that they deserve to be.

— Cynthia Kleiman, Ashburn

Keep It Simple

Editor:

I often find myself often shaking my head whenever I read of well-intentioned, but ultimately wasteful, articles about “renaming” places because they were named after people or places that were “associated with slavery” (“School Board Resumes Renaming Talks” May 16). Our School Board has many other issues to address, so I recommend a simple and effective way to save time and expenses:

First, stipulate that any member of Loudoun’s Southern Democrat Party from 1860 to the 1970s is automatically disqualified, along with any associated “place.” After all, it was the Southern Democrat Party that bought and sold slaves, fought the war (costing the lives of over 300,000 soldiers who died to free the slaves) and imposed 100 years of Jim Crow afterwards. If you were a member of the Southern Democrat Party during those years, you were probably “associated with slavery.”

Second, choose the name of a wellknown Loudoun County abolitionist, Quaker, German or even a Republican (in the spirit of “diversity”), all of whom were courageous enough to argue forcefully against slavery.

Now, the School Board can focus on more productive issues.

— Evan Parrott, Ashburn