Loudoun Now for Aug 27, 2020

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VOL. 5, NO. 40

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AUGUST 27, 2020

Registrar Gets Ready for Voting

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

More than 400 fans scattered around the 5,000-seat Segra Field on Aug. 21 to watch Loudoun United fall to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. It was the first home match of the season and the first since October 2019.

United Fans Return to Segra Field For the first time in 10 months, players—and fans—returned to Segra Field near Leesburg last week for Loudoun United FC’s home opener.

The Aug. 19 match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC was played in front of an announced crowd of 452.

The team is planning to allow up to 1,000 fans in the stadium for matches. That is 20

percent of stadium capacity. Under the announced rules, fans are required to wear face coverings and maintain safe physical distances. Cashless transactions are encouraged.

The home-field advantage last week failed to pay dividends against the Riverhounds, which walked away with a 2-0 victory.

And on Sunday, United squandered a rare 2-0 lead at the Hartford Athletic’s Dillion Sta-

dium to settle for a 2-2 draw.

Loudoun, 1-4-2, returns home for its second match at Segra Field on Saturday night, taking on the New York Red Bulls II riding a four-game losing streak.

United is in fourth place in the USL Championship’s Group F, one point behind third place New York and 11 behind leader Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. n

Loudoun County Registrar Judy Brown will brief the Board of Supervisors on voting this November amid public health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic and new ways to cast ballots.

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) said she has been inundated with questions about voting, and asked Brown to give the board a full report. They will get that report at their first meeting back from their August recess, Sept. 1.

“It is my goal that every Loudoun voter is assured that their vote will be counted,” Randall said.

Counting every vote, after all, is Brown’s job.

So far, unless the General Assembly approves new ways to receive ballots, such as ballot drop-boxes, all the voting methods available to Loudouners have been done before. The main difference this year: because of the pandemic, all voters are eligible to vote absentee.

And despite theories floated by some politicians, there is little evidence that the U.S. has a problem with voter fraud. In fact, this VOTING continues on page 15

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Return to Classrooms Remains Uncertain NORMAN K. STYER nstyer@loudounnow.com

With two weeks left to prepare for the opening of a historically challenging school year, the Loudoun School Board and administrators are continuing to wrestle with ways to get more students into their classrooms, even if only for one or two days each week.

Loudoun schools are scheduled to open Sept. 8, with students and teachers logging in for a program of virtual learning. The 100 percent online education program was adopted after the School Board abandoned earlier plans to offer a hybrid option that would allow in-person instruction two days a week.

Earlier this month, administrators approved the first exception to that, which will allow approximately 900 students at the Monroe Advance Technology Academy to participate in a hybrid model. The move was designed to address concerns that hands-on instruction was critical for

many of the MATA courses, ranging from auto service technology and culinary arts to welding and veterinary science.

During last week’s School Board meeting, members pushed for more students to have the chance to get classroom time and the latest plan includes providing nearly 2,800 students with some sort of in-person learning before the end of October.

Targeted students included those who qualify for preschool programs, special education students in the Aligned Standards of Learning and in self-contained programs, and entry-level English language learners.

Just when the other 81,000 students— or at least the half of them who elected to participate in hybrid learning during a survey in the spring—will have the opportunity to get back to the classroom isn’t known.

And their return won’t be determined by any date on a calendar.

That’s something Superintendent Eric Williams stressed as he laid out the re-

opening plan in more detail to community leaders, speaking to the Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 19 and the Leesburg Daybreak Rotary Club on Tuesday morning.

“We know that people want clarity,” Williams said told the Rotary Club. “We know that it is frustrating.”

Williams said the strategy is to start small and scale up when conditions—everything from the level of the virus’ community spread, to the availability of PPE and cleaning supplies, to having enough teachers available—are right.

“All along in terms of scaling up, we’re going to be looking at a variety of data,” Williams told the Chamber members last week. “First and foremost is: What is happening in terms of community transmission? As schools across the nation have started to return, some divisions with more assertive approaches with in-person learning have already started to scale back and you see that happening at the collegiate level. So, we’re starting small.

We’re going to monitor the public health

data and consult with local public health officials and, of course, operating within the phased guidance for Virginia schools which is issued by the governor.”

After addressing the groups of special needs students already identified, it is likely administrators next will look to get students in kindergarten, first and second grades into the classroom on a two-daysa-week hybrid schedule, as well as the students at the Academies of Engineering and Technology and the Academy of Science.

Other likely groupings in the phased reopening plan are more proficient English language learners and then students in middle and high schools.

School Board members pushed to get students who were least likely to succeed with at-home, online learning into the classroom first.

But even a slow ramp up has big challenges.

BACK TO SCHOOL continues on page 31

Wexton Tours Loudoun Businesses Hit by COVID-19

BY RENSS GREENE

rgreene@loudounnow.com

U.S. Rep. Jennifer T. Wexton (D-VA10) toured Loudoun businesses hit by COVID-19 last Friday, hearing from business owners about what they need to get through the pandemic.

Wexton stopped by Hope Flower Farm in Waterford, Harpers Ferry Brewing north of Hillsboro, and Wild Wood restaurant in the Village at Leesburg. She also made a stop at the Keys Gap Trailhead on the Appalachian Trail to talk about the importance of the Great American Outdoors Act, which would fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund with $900 million a year, create the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, and begin to address the backlog of maintenance costs in the National Park Service and other federal agencies.

Ronda Powell, co-owner of Harpers Ferry Brewing and Old 690 Brewing Company, said she needs more predictability from the government.

“We have to figure out where we’re going from here, and I think my biggest concern is to be prepared if we do go backwards,” Powell said. “But going backwards so abruptly and quickly like has tended to happen—I can’t prepare for that.”

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

U. S. Rep. Jennifer T. Wexton (D-VA-10) tours Harpers Ferry Brewing Company with co-owner Ronda Powell during an Aug. 21 visit.

The Payroll Protection Act allowed her to keep all her full-time employees, as well as adapt by bringing in a mobile canning operation. But the brewery has missed out on lots of revenue—she estimates as much as a half a million dollars.

“I make more money pouring a pint of beer than I do selling a four pack of beer,” Powell said. “So, when you’re not selling pints, you’re selling four packs, you’ve al-

ready cut what you could potentially make off that batch of beer by a lot.”

She said she was particularly concerned about flu season, in part because she lost her own mother to the flu in March. That has made her worry about what happens going forward. And she said she’s not sure how Congress can help, but that she hopes there will be a more individualized look at restaurants, breweries and other businesses.

“If you’re not following the strictest guidelines about what you can do best to keep your customers and your staff safe, look to shut down that business that’s not compliant, not the industry as a whole,” Powell said. “We’re grouped in as a restaurant, so when the restaurants go backwards, we go backwards.”

“They’re so adaptive,” Wexton said of small business owners after the tour. “And they’re inventive, and coming up with new ways to do the things they need to do.”

She said the tour made it clear, while Congress’ previous relief bills have helped, they’re not going to be enough.

“When we passed the CARES Act, there was great optimism that we would be through this crisis in a matter of weeks, and now it looks like that’s obviously not the case,” Wexton said. “So we definitely need to explore way to provide support for the community to get through a tough time.”

Although the House of Representatives where Wexton serves passed legislation for another round of relief on May 15, negotiations with Senate Republicans—who introduced a scaled-back relief bill on July 27—remain stalled. Congress is in its summer recess, although House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) called lawmakers back to Washington early to vote on a bill to extend funding to the United States Postal Service. n

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AUGUST 27, 2020

Loudoun

General Assembly Relaxes HOA Meeting Rules County Opens Online Rent Assistance Applications

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

A change to state law governing homeowners’ association board meetings allowing them to take COVID-19 pandemic precautions may have also made it easier for HOA residents to get involved.

The rules around public meetings this year have seen serious overhauls in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, ushering in widespread electronic meetings and remote participation where before open meetings laws required members of those bodies to be physically present. The county Board of Supervisors, town councils and other governmental bodies have both been meeting largely by electronic means since the pandemic was declared in March.

HOA boards of directors are also governed by state open meetings law, but were initially left out of emergency meetings rules that allowed other bodies to meet electronically. HOA boards were already allowed to meet electronically or by conference call, but were required to have at least two members physically present.

An amendment to state law passed with this year’s state budget bill allows them to meet completely electronically, so long as they enable HOA members to watch and participate too, during a state of emergency such as the pandemic which makes it unsafe to gather.

“It’s important and it’s helpful, and I will tell you, interestingly, attendance in our meetings has gone up substantially

Renss Greene/Loudoun Now

Cascades Community Association Board of Directors President Matt Durham said allowing community members to participate in board meetings electronically has increased attendance.

during the pandemic since they’ve been offered electronically,” said Cascades Community Association Board of Directors President Matt Durham.

Long before the pandemic, he said, the board had considered expanding electronic participation in meetings, but directors weren’t sure how to manage mixed in-person and electronic public comment, among other technical concerns. But seeing the increase in participation, he said, “I think it’s really important to find ways to maintain this when we get back to normal, or as we slowly get back to normal.”

If that happens, it could mean more people getting involved with a body making decisions that can have a dramatic ef-

fect on their lives, and that decides how the spend the money they pay in HOA fees.

The county Board of Supervisors may also consider keeping electronic public participation in its meetings.

Although the Board of Supervisors would skirt what open meetings law allows them to do during the pandemic, the emergency also expanded public participation, allowing the public to call into board meetings to comment rather than requiring they show up in person. Vice Chairman Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) suggested in July that supervisors continue to offer that option when they return to normal meetings in September. n

The Loudoun County government has launched an online application process for its rent assistance program for households economically impacted by COVID-19.

The program is open to households earning up to 80 percent of the area median income based on household size—for a family of four, $79,600 a year. Residents must have been current in their rent payments as of March 31.

The program provides rent assistance for up to six months, depending on the availability of funding. The county will make direct payments to landlords or property management companies on behalf of residents who qualify. It will continue as long as the local emergency declaration is in effect and funding is available.

In the new system, Loudouners may apply using a computer, tablet, or cell phone, including uploading the necessary documentation, which includes a current lease and paperwork that shows a job loss, reduced income or hardship attributable to COVID-19.

To see an application checklist and apply online, loudoun.gov/limitedrentassistance.

Paper copies of the application form and checklist are still available by contacting the county’s Information and Referral program at 703-777-0420. n

Quick-Take Condemnation Authorized for Northstar Extension

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

County supervisors have voted to take land and pay later to clear the way for the next extension of Northstar Boulevard.

The $46 million project will connect Northstar Boulevard from Rt. 50 to Tall Cedars Parkway, four lanes wide. It is funded through local funds, state tax revenue sharing, and Northern Virginia Transportation Authority money. County transportation staff members have been

in negotiations to buy land for the project since late 2018.

However, according to a county report, negotiations have stalled to buy parts of two parcels near Rt. 50. According to that report, the property’s owners, Cedar Run Landscaping, and their attorneys argue the county should buy the entire parcel because they will be unable to get a commercial entrance in the future onto Rt. 50.

The current entrance—a residential dirt road, not a commercial entrance—will be eliminated to make room for a turn lane as part of the Northstar project, and

VDOT spacing requirements would prohibit one at the property after the project.

One parcel is a vacant lot which would already need an exception to VDOT rules for a commercial entrance; the county report suggest a commercial entrance may be more feasible along Northstar when it is complete, where the property will have more frontage and the type of road will allow more connections.

At the other parcel, the property owners have met several times with the county about possibly developing a school for autistic people. The county government

and property owners did not come to an agreement on a reasonable price and possible land swap.

Under quick take procedures, the county must hold a public hearing, which supervisors did on July 15. Nobody spoke at the public hearing. The county may now file with the Circuit Court, deposit the appraised value of the property with the court, and immediately proceed with work. In total the county has offered $643,265 on the two properties. n

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A group of protesters conduct a mock “casket dance” on Friday, Aug. 21 outside the Loudoun County government center in Leesburg.

With 115 Dead, Randall Decries Protesters’ Mock ‘Casket Dance’

BY RENSS GREENE rgreene@loudounnow.com

County Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) on Friday decried a small group of protesters’ mock “casket dance” with the words “RIP COVID” written on a mock coffin as “insensitive” and “ignorant.”

The protest, outside the County Government Center in Leesburg, was modelled after a viral video of a group of Ghanaian pallbearers dancing while carrying a coffin, and the internet meme that followed it. The protesters, clustered at the intersection of Loudoun and Harrison Streets, were not practicing public health precautions such as wearing masks or practicing social distancing.

As of Friday, the state health department reports the virus has killed 115 Loudouners. A total of 5,647 have tested positive for the virus, and 364 have been hospitalized.

However, Loudoun has seen positive

trends in its testing. After a high of 27.5 percent in the rolling seven-day average rate of tests for COVID-19 coming back positive, reached in April, the county’s positivity rate now hovers around 5 percent and has since late July. The county also continues its longest stretch without any deaths from the virus since the pandemic began, with no new fatalities reported since Aug. 6.

“Fortunately, because Loudouners have been wearing masks and following other COVID safety protocols, our numbers in every category have decreased,” Randall wrote. “We know this virus is serious thus we continue to practice all the measures to keep our families and community as safe as possible.”

She continued: “I find the ‘COVID funeral’ (complete with a casket dance) put on by members of the Loudoun Republican Party to be not only insensitive, I find it to be ignorant and an affront to every person who has lost their life to COVID-19. They should be ashamed.” n

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AUGUST 27, 2020

Leesburg

Kuhn to be Second FBO at Leesburg

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Madigan Construction crews prepare the foundation for the new sidewalk on West Market Street.

West Market Closure Extended to Accelerate Completion

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com

The West Market Street detour will continue a bit longer than expected as part of a new plan to get the $1.7 million sidewalk project completed weeks ahead of schedule.

The section of West Market Street between Ayr Street and Morven Park Road has been completely closed to traffic since May. The road was expected to reopen to alternating one-way traffic this month, but the full closure is being extended until the end of September.

Anne Geiger, project manager with the Department of Public Works & Capital Projects, said Madigan Construction is ahead of schedule with the project, but can finish the work even more quickly if given the extra room to work.

“He told us that if he can have an additional month of a [full] road closure he can finish the project, with the exception of the stone facings on the retaining wall,” she said.

Originally, the plan was to have one-lane closures of the road continue into the fall,

while the brick sidewalk and retaining walls are constructed. But the additional full closure will allow that to be completed by Sept.

30, “and we’ll try to beat that,” Geiger said.

The 1,100-foot sidewalk project between Ayr Street and Morven Park Road is intended to resolve dozens of current deficiencies in the section, including 31 barriers to accessibility based on ADA standards. These include trip hazards, missing sidewalk and stairs, according to a staff report. The project will remove stairs at the intersection of West Market and Ayr streets, and also complete a missing link of accessible sidewalk that will connect the sidewalk network west of Morven Park Road with the downtown. The concrete and brick sidewalk on the north side of West Market Street will be replaced with a new, ADA-compliant, brick sidewalk. The project began in April with the replacement of the water main within the right-of-way.

Once the road reopens next month, the sidewalk will also be open to pedestrians.

Geiger said the stonemasons used by the contractor were already scheduled through November, so starting sometime that month they will come to work on the fascia of the

wall. That work is expected to take a couple of weeks and will require the sidewalk to be closed to foot traffic, but West Market Street will be able to remain open to traffic.

Geiger said nearby residents, polled via email, were all in favor of extending the road closure by a month to have it open sooner.

The extended road closure also is expected to reduce the project costs, Geiger said, as flaggers will not need to be hired for partial lane closures.

In some ways, the COVID-19 pandemic and its reduction in traffic has made the project less of a burden on motorists and residents.

“We’ve experienced a reduction in traffic associated with the whole pandemic, and we’re still experiencing that,” said Bud Siegel, deputy director of the Public Works & Capital Projects Department. “The intent was to have [the road] open for school; that has changed as well. You hate to say that you’re taking advantage of a pandemic, but given the reduction in traffic flow it made this decision much easier to get the project done earlier and minimize the disruption to the citizens.” n

Although his purchase of the former Westpark Golf Club property remains in limbo, Chuck Kuhn looks to be a fixture in Leesburg for quite some time.

Kuhn was the successful bidder for a fuel tank lease site at Leesburg Executive Airport, and has announced his intention to secure a fixed base operator’s license, which would make his SK Aviation the second FBO there, joining ProJet Aviation.

FBOs are organizations granted permission to operate at the airport and provide aeronautical services such as selling fuel, leasing hangars and tie-downs, and providing aircraft rentals, aircraft maintenance, flight instruction, and similar services.

ProJet, which has operated as the only FBO at the airport for the better part of the past decade, was actually the higher bidder for the lease, offering $5,000 a year for 2,500 square feet of land, compared to SK Aviaton’s offer of $1,500 per year for the same land. However, SK Aviation’s proposal, in addition to securing the FBO license, promised the lease of 10 tie-down spaces at an annual rate of $14,400. Additionally, SK is required by the Town Code to pay FBO license fees in the amount of 1 percent on aircraft maintenance and line services. The minimum bid price of 60 cents per square foot is an equivalent rate to an existing fuel tank land lease, according to a staff report. SK will also design, construct, operate and maintain the aviation fuel tank facility at its own expense.

Both the town staff and FBO continues on page 7

AUGUST 27, 2020

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PAGE 7

Ida Lee Pool Scaling Back Hours In the waning days of its summer season, the A.V. Symington Aquatic Center will have new operating hours.

The outdoor pool complex at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It will be open to the public Thursday through Monday through the end of the season on Sept. 7.

To stay in compliance with the third phase of Gov. Ralph Northam’s Forward Virginia plan, all interactive features will continue to remain closed. Deck chairs will also be unavailable. Residents are encouraged to bring a blanket or their own chairs.

The pool will be open beginning at 11 a.m., for town residents. It will open at

FBO continued from page 6 the Airport Commission endorsed SK’s proposal, citing the competition it would create among FBOs at the airport, which would support the town’s compliance with FAA grant assurance requirements.

It’s all part of the airport’s impressive growth, which has seen its traffic and demand for services increase by leaps and

Distinctly Virginia Douglas Graham/Loudoun Now

Kids hit the pool at the Ida Lee water park in Leesburg.

1 p.m. for non-residents and remain open until 7 p.m. each night.

For more information, including rates, go to AVSAC.org or call the front desk at Ida Lee Recreation Center at 703-7771368. n

bounds over the years, Airport Commission Chairman Dennis Boykin said. He pointed out that the airport now has four flight schools after having only one for many years, so adding additional FBOs is just another part of that growth. ProJet was the second FBO at the airport before acquiring Landmark Aviation, the previous FBO, in the early 2010s.

“The bigger you get, the more FBOs you get. It’s part of the maturation process,” Boykin said. n

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Courtesy of St. Paul VI Catholic High School

Paul VI Opens Loudoun Campus on Monday

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ

krodriguez@loudounnow.com

In the midst of the first global pandemic in more than 100 years, Loudoun County’s newest high school closed its longtime Fairfax campus, finished construction of a new one in South Riding, and developed plans to accommodate its student population both on and off campus this fall.

To say it’s been a wild few months for St. Paul VI Catholic High School would be a gross understatement.

“None of us could have ever imagined that the end of the school year would be at home, much less the end of Paul VI’s time in Fairfax,” said Head of School Ginny Colwell. “Moving an entire school to a new location during a global pandemic was a huge undertaking, but with planning, teamwork, faith, and of course social distancing, we are in our new home. Our beautiful new campus will ensure that PVI continues to offer an extraordinary college preparatory Catholic education for generations to come.”

The move required 2,000 boxes and 500 crates to pack up the contents of its former building on Fairfax Boulevard, where the school had resided since its opening in 1983. The new South Riding campus is a serious upgrade in many ways, from 16 acres in Fairfax to 68 in Loudoun; more than 60 classrooms and eight labs; performing arts space with a 700-seat theater; and a chapel at the heart of the campus.

Buried beneath the soil of the new campus is a physical representation of the prayers that brought it to fruition—more than 1,000 rosaries that were prayed over by faculty, staff, alumni and students are

Courtesy of St. Paul VI Catholic High School

buried in the foundation of the school.

Enrollment for the fall hovers around 1,000, said Eileen Curren, director of communications for the school. The school’s teacher-to-student ratio is 14-to-1, with an average class size of 24 and a one-to-one student laptop program. The school has 67 dual enrollment, advanced placement and honors classes, and 78 extracurricular activities. Paul VI has previously been recognized as one of the Top 50 Catholic High Schools in the U.S. Paul VI is opening for the 2020-2021 school year Monday, Aug. 31. The reopening plan offers instruction five days a week, with a hybrid model that combines in-person and e-Learning components.

The school has implemented a number of changes to allow for safe social distancing, including a cap of 50 percent of the students in the building at one time and 50 percent joining in class from home via livestream, switching on an alternating block schedule. Families were also able to choose a 100 percent virtual option.

The school’s new address is 42341 Braddock Road in Chantilly. More information on the school can be found at paulvi.net. n

ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 27, 2020

PAGE 9

Community Foundation Funds Award $21K in Scholarships The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties has awarded $21,200 in scholarships from its five funds to seven local students pursuing high education and vocational training.

Each year, the Community Foundation offers scholarship opportunities from its various scholarship funds that have been established by local donors. Each scholarship fund supports a unique area of focus related to education or vocational training, as designated by the donor.

“Our donors make these scholarship opportunities possible for students pursuing higher education and new career opportunities,” said Amy Owen, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. “In many cases, our scholarship funds are a way for a donor or their loved ones to leave a legacy behind that will have a tremendous impact on the future of the recipients for years to come.”

MICHAELA GREENLEE, graduate of Po-

tomac Falls High School, will attend New York University in New York, NY, to pursue a future degree in pediatric medicine. Greenlee was awarded $2,500 from the Gavin Rupp “I Promise 15” Scholarship Fund, which was established in honor of Gavin Rupp to support students pursuing a career in the health sciences field with an interest in pediatric oncology.

sician’s degree in osteopathic medicine at William Carey University in Hattiesburg, MS. Ogundeyi was awarded $1,000 from the Mary B. Tett Health Professionals Scholarship Fund, which was established in honor of Mary B. Tett to support education and training of staff and volunteers of nonprofit organizations providing health care services in Loudoun County.

ALEX YOUNG, graduate of Loudoun

MEREDITH SCARBORO, graduate of Rock

County High School, will attend Tulsa Welding School in Jacksonville, FL, to become a professional welder. Young was awarded $1,200 from the Blair and Mike Pirrello Vocational Scholarship Fund, which was established to support individuals pursuing trade careers through vocational training.

OMOTARA OGUNDEYI, a volunteer with the Loudoun Free Clinic, holds an undergraduate degree in microbiology from Virginia Tech and master’s degree in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University, and will now pursue a phy-

the Loudoun County High School Scholarship Fund, which was established in honor of Henry Stowers to support graduates of Loudoun County High School pursuing higher education.

KAYLA BALLVE, graduate of Loudoun

County High School, will attend Virginia Tech to major in communication studies and sociology. Ballve was awarded $5,000 for her sophomore year from the Loudoun County High School Scholarship Fund.

Ridge High School, will attend James Madison University to pursue a degree in music education. Scarboro was awarded $1,500 from the Debbie Settle Scholarship Foundation, which was established in honor of Debbie Settle to support graduates of Loudoun County Public Schools pursuing a career in music education.

DANNING BISAGA, graduate of Loudoun County High School, will attend University of Virginia, majoring in psychology and cognitive science. Bisaga was awarded $5,000 for her sophomore year from the Loudoun County High School Scholarship Fund.

ZOHAYR NAVEED, graduate of Loudoun County High School, will attend University of Virginia to study biochemistry and linguistics. Naveed was awarded $5,000 for his freshman year from

The Community Foundation publishes its available scholarship opportunities and application each year in early spring. Learn more at communityfoundationlf.org/students. n

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Public Safety

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

A two-car crash on Belmont Ridge Road on Monday killed a 47-year-old Ashburn woman.

Ashburn Car Wreck Leaves 1 Dead, 2 Injured

BY PATRICK SZABO

pszabo@loudounnow.com

A two-car crash on Belmont Ridge Road in Ashburn late Monday morning killed one person and injured two others.

According to a statement from the Virginia State Police, troopers responded to a crash at the intersection of Belmont Ridge Road and Hay Road in Ashburn at 11:48 a.m. Aug. 24. The driver of a Tesla Model X, Padmanabha Rajagopalan, 46, of Ashburn, was traveling northbound on Belmont Ridge Road when he collided with a Mazda 3 traveling eastbound on Hay Road.

The driver of the Mazda, Gail Appling, 47, of Ashburn, was transported to Lansdowne Hospital where she died. She was not wearing a seatbelt, police said.

Appling’s passenger, Kendell Appling, 47, also of Ashburn, was transported to Reston Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt, as was Rajagopalan, who was uninjured in the crash.

A juvenile passenger was also transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries described as non-life-threatening.

The intersection is controlled by a traffic signal. The State Police report did not state which vehicle had the right of way when the crash occurred.

The Virginia State Police Fairfax Division Crash Reconstruction Team is assisting with the ongoing crash investigation.

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is encouraged to call state police at 703-7712533 or email them at area10@vsp.virginia. gov. n

Ashburn Man Fraudulently Obtains $1.4M in PPP Loans, Pleads Guilty LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

An Ashburn man on Tuesday pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program—a federal program aimed to help businesses pay employees and meet basic expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to court documents, Tarik Jaafar, 42, conspired with his wife, Monika Magdalena Jaworska, to create four shell companies that conducted no legitimate business. From April 13 to May 6, the couple applied for 18 separate Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling $6.6 million, claiming that they needed the loans to pay employees’ salaries. The couple fraudulently induced banks to distribute around $1.4

million in loans, which, according to case documents, they intended to use for their personal benefit.

Jaafar and Jaworska were arrested June 29 at JFK Airport in New York as they attempted to flee the country to Poland. Most of the funds were recovered by the banks and by law enforcement.

Jaafar pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced Nov. 13.

Hannibal “Mike” Ware, the Inspector General of the Small Business Administration, said his office would “remain relentless in the pursuit of bad actors who seek to exploit SBA’s vital economic programs.” n

ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 27, 2020

PAGE 11

Faulty Lithium Ion Battery Blamed for Stone Ridge House Fire The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office has determined that the Friday night house fire that displaced a family of four was caused by a faulty lithium ion battery.

County dispatchers received multiple 911 calls shortly after 7 p.m. Aug. 21, reporting heavy smoke and flames coming from the garage of a home on Trilobite Court in the Stone Ridge neighborhood near Aldie.

Fire and rescue crews from Kirkpatrick Farms, Dulles South, Aldie, Brambleton, Moorefield, Sterling and Fairfax County were dispatched and arrived on the scene to find heavy fire on both floors of the single-family home. All residents were located safely outside.

Firefighters worked from the outside to get the fire under control and to protect

Loudoun County Fire-Rescue Photo

Investigators said a battery being charged in the garage caused the Aug. 21 fire at a Trilobite Court home.

neighboring homes. Once firefighters were able to enter the home, they extinguished the remaining fire and salvaged items for the residents.

A family of four, two adults and two children, were displaced as a result of the fire.

The American Red Cross was contacted to offer support and assistance. One adult resident who suffered minor burns to the arms

initially declined EMS transport, but subsequently sought care at a hospital. There were no injuries to fire and rescue personnel.

The Fire Marshal’s Office investigation determined the cause of the fire to be a faulty lithium ion battery in a remote-control car that was charging in the garage. Damage to the home was estimated at $958,000.

The Fire Marshal’s Office offered some tips for care of the batteries, which are used in smart phones, laptops, scooters, toys, and cars. In rare cases, they can cause a fire or explosion. Stop using the battery immediately if you notice an odd odor, change in color, excessive heat, a change in shape, leaks, or odd noises. If it is safe to do so, move the device away from anything that can catch fire and call 911. n

Charges Dropped for Woman Charged in Connection with Sterling Homicide

BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com

The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office on Monday agreed to not prosecute a felony charge against the woman who was arrested last month as part of a Sterling murder investigation.

Gavin C. Collins, 21, and Joshua M. Hunter, 22, are charged with first-degree murder in the July 8 shooting death of

24-year-old Jose I. Escobar Menendez, of Winchester. Handy N. Colindrez, 24, of no fixed address, was charged with grand larceny in the case after Menendez’s car was later found in Prince William County.

Both men have preliminary hearings scheduled for Nov. 16.

According to a Loudoun County Sheriff ’s Office report, Menendez agreed to meet Collins in the area of Emerald Point Terrace in the early morning of July 8. Both Collins

and Hunter showed up and attempted to rob Mendez, at which point a dispute occurred and the two men allegedly shot and killed Menendez. Collins and Hunter left the area in Menendez’s car.

Menendez’s body was discovered along Emerald Point Terrace near the intersection with Winding Road at 3:30 a.m. July 8.

Collins and Hunter are being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. n

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PEC Gilbert’s Corner Work Wins State Environmental Excellence Award The Piedmont Environmental Council’s conservation, stewardship, restoration and public engagement work at Gilberts Corner in Aldie has won the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Gold Medal Award.

Council President Chris Miller accepted the award on behalf of the organization during an online ceremony Friday, Aug. 21.

At one time, the 340 acres now owned by the council and NOVA Parks at the intersection of Rt. 15 and Rt. 50 were marketed as ripe for development. Now a conservation area, Miller said the land provides “an incredible opportunity for community service to Loudoun’s food insecure and public access to open space to explore and interpret the cultural and natural history of the region.”

Gilberts Corner is home to The Piedmont Environmental Council’s Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows, where in 2019 the council invested in infrastructure and full-time staff. This year, along with volunteer help, it has grown and harvested more than 19,000 pounds of fresh food to serve Loudoun’s food-insecure population through donations to Loudoun Hunger Relief.

Next to the community farm lies a pasture restoration and water quality demonstration area, where the council leases land to local farmers to graze cattle. There, it implements practices like stream exclusion fencing, riparian buffers, and alternative watering sources for livestock. All of that, according to the council, has significantly improved water quality in Howsers Branch and its stream tributaries.

Last year, the council and NOVA Parks opened a public trail on the Old Carolina Roadbed, connecting the Mt. Zion Historic Park to the council’s seven-acre Roundabout Meadows Wildlife Management Area and Howsers Branch, by way of numerous historic and cultural sites.

Pete Walton

Farm Manager Dana Melby at the Piedmont Environmental Council’s Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows.

Across Route 50, NOVA Parks manages Gilberts Corner Regional Park on land secured with the council’s assistance.

And at Gilberts Corner Farmers Market, the council provides a centrally located hub where local producers can sell their harvest directly to customers.

The Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards are given in the categories of sustainability program, environmental project, land conservation and implementation of the Virginia Outdoors Plan.

Across the state there were five other gold medal winners, two silver and four bronze awards.

“The Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards highlight that everyone has a role in protecting our environment and preserving our natural resources,” said Governor Ralph Northam. “While our administration has made significant progress in restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay, protecting fish and wildlife, and addressing climate change and environmental justice, we know that the challenges we face today cannot be solved by the government alone. It is people, organizations, towns and businesses like those we are recognizing today that help us accomplish our shared goals.” n

ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 27, 2020

PAGE 13

Area Hospitals Join Forces for Mask Campaign In a public service campaign that area hospitals are calling the first of its kind, four of the region’s healthcare organizations have joined forces in the fight against COVID-19 to support a simple message for people in the region: Wear a mask.

The public service campaign launched Wednesday, Aug. 12 with print, digital, and social media messages in English and Spanish encouraging the public to wear masks.

COVID-19 remains a huge risk, according to the chief medical officers at HCA Northern Virginia including Dominion, Reston, and Stone Springs Hospitals; Inova Health System; Novant Health UVA Health System; and Virginia Hospital Center. They all agree surges of cases occur when masks are not worn in outdoor and indoor public spaces where people gather, as evidenced in other parts of the country.

“We are in this battle against COVID-19 together,” stated Dr. Thomas Taghon, the chief medical officer at Reston Hospital Center. “It doesn’t matter your political affiliation, what you do for a living, who you work for, where you live, or how much money you have, COVID-19 is an equal

Save

Up To

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

The entrance to Inova Loudoun Hospital.

opportunist when it comes to infecting people.”

Recent studies in Health Affairs, The Lancet and other medical journals compared the growth rate of COVID-19 before and after mask adoption. They show wearing masks led to a significant slow-

down in daily COVID-19 growth rates over time. Internationally, countries that embraced wearing masks or mandated them have had significantly lower infection and death rates due to COVID-19.

“In Northern Virginia, we are succeeding, which is one of the reasons we have

been able to progress to Phase 3,” stated Dr. Stephen J. Motew, chief of clinical enterprise at Inova Health System. “Infection and death rates in the region have remained stable and relatively low, but we are not out of the woods.”

Prevention remains critical for the frontline medical teams fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. While they fight the virus inside hospital walls, they rely on the public to do their part by wearing masks, using good hand hygiene and social distancing.

“Science has proven that masks are effective in slowing the transmission of the virus,” stated Dr. Zan Zaidi, clinical physician executive at Novant Health UVA Health System. “We see this in communities where mask adoption has been embraced—statistics show a reduction in death and infection.”

“We cannot let our guard down,” stated Dr. Jeffrey DiLisi, senior vice president and chief medical officer of Virginia Hospital Center. “We must keep at it, to protect one another and ourselves from a virus for which there is not yet a vaccine or a cure.” n

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BUSINESS announcements

Business

Flickinger Tapped to Lead BCT in Leesburg

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

In a back-to-the-future COVID-19 moment, a temporary drive-in movie theater operation is launching this week at One Loudoun. The premiere of Marvel’s “The New Mutants” kicks off the film lineup that is expected to continue through November.

One Loudoun to Launch Drive-In Movies

BY KARA C. RODRIGUEZ krodriguez@loudounnow.com

One Loudoun has teamed up with its anchor tenant Alamo Drafthouse to bring back the nostalgia and convenience of the drive-in movie theater experience to the Ashburn development.

The collaboration gave birth to the Alamo Drive-In at One Loudoun, and the big screen will debut for its first audience Thursday, Aug. 27, and run through the month of November.

Drive-in movie theaters have been given new life in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, offering an outdoor, open air experience and safe social distancing within one’s own car, at a time

when many modern-day movie theaters have been shuttered for months. It is estimated there are only a little more than 300 drive-in movie theaters remaining in the U.S., compared to almost 6,000 indoor movie theaters nationwide.

Approximately 175 cars can be accommodated for each movie viewing at the Alamo Drive-In, at a cost of $30 per car, which includes admission for up to two patrons. Additional fees will be assessed for additional passengers. Each car will also have the opportunity to order from Alamo’s menu, with the food delivered directly to the car. Outside food is not permitted, with the exception of ready-to-eat items from nearby One Loudoun merchants. Alcohol is not permitted on the premises.

The drive-in debuts with the premiere

of Marvel’s “The New Mutants.”

Each movie will begin at dusk, around 8:45 or 9 p.m., and entry is not permitted once the feature begins. The drive-in lot will open 90 minutes prior to the movie’s showing. One movie will be screened per evening initially, with the possibility of double features as it begins getting darker as the year progresses.

Future titles to be screened at the drive-in include other new releases like “Tenet” and “Bill & Ted Face the Music,” and old favorites including “Jurassic Park,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Back to the Future.” It is anticipated that the drive-in will rotate between classic family films and new releases.

To purchase tickets or for more information, go to drafthouse.com/northern-virginia/movies/drive-in-movies. n

BCT has appointed Patrick Flickinger to serve as the branch manager of the Leesburg office, located at 446 Madison Trade Plaza in the Crescent Place neighborhood.

Flickinger Flickinger brings more than 23 years of banking experience to the post. Most recently he served as assistant vice president and branch manager with BB&T. Prior to that, he served as assistant vice president, senior branch manager with M&T Bank and served as CFO for Noel’s Fire Protection in Williamsport, MD. He also is active with community service, including previously serving on the boards of the Washington County’s Mental Health Authority, United Way and Community Free Clinic, as well as a certified medical technician for ARC of Washington County.

“Patrick is a great addition to the BCT family,” President and CEO Alice P. Frazier stated. “His experience and commitment to community fit perfectly with our core values and strategic focus in Leesburg and Loudoun County. He will be our ambassador of ‘neighbor helping neighbor’ throughout the market.”

Small Business Award Apps Accepted Through Friday The Loudoun Chamber is accepting nominations for its Small Business Awards through 4 p.m. this Friday, Aug. 29.

In existence for 26 years, the Loudoun Small Business Awards celebrate the best small businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations in the community. Winners will be announced during the awards ceremony on Nov. 13 at the National Conference Center.

With questions about the application, contact Chamber Event Manager Ashley White Krimmel at awkrimmel@loudounchamber.org.

Learn more at loudounchamber.org/events/ sba.

AUGUST 27, 2020

Voting continued from page 1 year voters may face the opposite problem to fraudulent ballots—making sure they complete all the steps to ensure their genuine ballots are accepted.

The Office of Elections has already had experience operating during the pandemic, fielding both Democratic and Republican primaries and several town elections earlier this year. But the November election will present a bigger challenge, with many more people expected to vote, and many more expected to cast absentee ballots early either in-person or by mail.

“I don’t think that as many people have voted by absentee ballot, and so for a lot of people, it’s their first time doing it, and I think that that’s where people kind of start having issues,” Brown said.

So far, she said, her office has already seen more than 30,000 applications for absentee ballots to be mailed to voters. The office will start mailing those out on Sept. 18.

However, more than 1,000 applications came in without the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security Number being listed. Those voters will be getting a letter in the mail informing them of the error and prompting them to complete the application.

“That concerns me, because they’ve done it the first time, but of course we have to have a complete application just to make sure on our part that we know it is the individual that is requesting that ballot, and everything is good to go,” Brown said.

It’s only one mistake people make when filling out their paperwork. Another common mistake, she said: students away at college, or people who are relocating, putting down a different return address than the address where they are registered to vote.

Brown said election officials have tried to clarify with this year’s absentee ballot that those have to match.

This year, among the other election rules the General Assembly is considering such as allowing ballot drop-boxes, the legislature is working on a requirement that registrars notify voters when there is an error on their ballots so that they can try to fix them.

Election officers are encouraging voters to decide early on if they are going to vote absentee and then to get their application in early too, so they have time to correct any errors and make sure their vote is counted. And while it’s possible to switch things up—for example, to request a mailed ballot, but bring it to a polling place on Election Day and exchange it for an in-person ballot—Brown said it’s better to have a plan and stick to it.

“There are people doing this for the very first time, and the most important thing is for there to be checks and balances in place to help make sure that people’s ballots can

ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM be counted,” Brown said. “… It’s not fun to have to tell someone that their ballot has been rejected for something silly.”

This year, election officials will be accepting mailed ballots until the Friday after Election Day, as long as they were postmarked on or before Nov. 3. Depending on how many people mail their ballots and how late they wait to do it, that could mean a delay in getting some results. However, Brown said her office expects to report results of early voting and mail-in ballots up to that point along with in-person voting results on Election Day. This year, they will also be reporting some additional information such as what percentage of absentee ballots have been returned, which could give election watchers a sense of how many ballots may yet to be counted after Tuesday night.

She said she hopes to have final results by Friday evening after the election or Monday.

Supervisor meet at 5 p.m. Sept. 1. Their meetings are broadcast live on Comcast Government Channel 23, Open Band Channel 40, and Verizon FiOS Channel 40, as well as online at loudoun.gov/meetings.

Region Pushes for Post Office Funding Mail-in ballots became an area of concern—and the Postal Service was surrounded by controversy—after newly appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a major Republican donor and fundraiser with a multimillion dollar ownership stake in a UPS subcontractor, moved quickly to reduce costs, including eliminating overtime and removing some mail-sorting machines around the country. Those moves attracted public outcry and lawsuits from Democratic state Attorneys General across the country, including Mark Herring in Virginia. DeJoy has since said he is putting those changes on hold.

Simultaneously, President Donald J. Trump has said he is holding up additional funding for the post office to make it more difficult for states to pursue vote-by-mail programs in November.

That prompted a letter from local leaders in the region to Congress. Randall and Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk were among 12 mayors and chairpersons cross Northern Virginia who signed a letter to the Northern Virginia region’s members of Congress asking them to fund and support the United States Postal Service.

That letter also lists some of the functions for which local governments rely on the post office, ranging from delivering tax bills, to civil process in the courts, to sending out business licenses. The letter calls the post office “an important partner in making our local governments work.”

“The USPS is a vital federal service,” it VOTING continues on page 30

PAGE 15

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PAGE 16

AUGUST 27, 2020

HELP WANTED AT FAMILY PRACTICE

Town of Leesburg Employment Opportunities Please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs for more information and to apply online.

Resumes may be submitted as supplemental only. EOE/ADA. Regular Full-Time Positions Position

Department

Salary Range

Closing Date

Controller Utility Plant Operator: Trainee, I, II or Senior

Finance

$79,227-$135,636 DOQ

Open until filled

Utilities – Water Pollution Control or Water Supply

$41,353-$89,790 DOQ

Open until filled

$41,353-$76,882 DOQ

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Department

Distance Learning Support Staff

Parks & Recreation

Hourly Rate

Closing Date

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September 30, 2020

To review Ida Lee (Parks & Recreation) flexible part-time positions, please visit www.leesburgva.gov/jobs.

Most positions will be filled at or near the minimum of the range. Dependent on qualifications.

All Town vacancies may be viewed on Comcast Cable Channel 67 and Verizon FiOS Channel 35.

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AUGUST 27, 2020

Our Towns

TOWN notes

Lovettsville Council Sets New Priorities During Annual Retreat

BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com

The Lovettsville Town Council met for its annual retreat Saturday to identify priorities for this fiscal year and beyond, and to review projects planned through the end of Fiscal Year 2025.

During the eight-hour session, council members determined that communication with the town’s 2,100 residents was a key priority, especially as the nation slowly comes out of the COVID-19 pandemic and the town staff move into a new office building.

They also identified potential ways to improve efficiency in running town events and the utility systems, and highlighted several vital projects across town.

Town Manager Rob Ritter will use information from Saturday’s retreat to draft work plans the council will review and adopt at future meetings.

It was the Town Council’s first in-person meeting since the pandemic forced its members to meet virtually from their home computers in March, and was the first retreat for council members David Earl and Joy Pritz, who were elected in May. Overall, council members felt the town is already communicating with residents well—not only through public meetings, but also via Facebook and Mayor Nate Fontaine’s Friday email newsletters. Council

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

Lovettsville Mayor Nate Fontaine speaks during the Town Council’s annual retreat Aug. 22, with Councilman David Steadman and Town Manager Rob Ritter listening in.

members resolved to continue that effort by finding ways to keep connected with all residents, but more specifically those who may feel unsafe to attend meetings in-person.

Fontaine said the town might look to tie in town alerts with the county government’s email alert system.

The council also supported an initiative to digitize town records; decided to look into ways to make the utility systems more

efficient than they are now, perhaps by selling them off or bringing in an outside company to manage them; and took a closer look at the town’s events schedule.

With an active Events Committee and five subcommittees all centered on running the town’s annual events, the council discussed an option to partner with various community organizations—such as the LiNEW PRIORITIES continues on page 20

32 Step Up to Help with Purcellville Police Advisory Group

BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com

The Purcellville Town Council is finding strong interest in its effort to form a citizen committee to advise the Town Council on police operations. More than 30 people have submitted letters of interest to help get the nine-member panel up and running.

In June, former councilman Nedim Ogelman and 21-year town resident Molly Magoffin proposed the town create a Community Policing Advisory Committee that would work to “enhance communication between the [Town Council], the Police Department and Purcellville’s residents, businesses and visitors, on all issues related to how Purcellville enforces its laws,” according to the July 29 proposed mission document.

The committee is also proposed to help the

Police Department budget its funds—a portion of which could be allocated to the advisory group to pay for members to attend community policing courses.

The committee is proposed to include nine community members all appointed by the Town Council, which “should make selections based on principles of inclusivity and diversity,” according to the proposed mission document from July 14.

On July 28, the Town Council voted to initiate an ordinance to create the committee. On Aug. 11, the town released a statement calling for emails from residents interested in assisting with the creation of the committee. Town Clerk Diana Hays received interest from 32 residents.

Some individuals emailed with interest in serving on the committee, while most emailed with interest in just helping with its

formation.

Mayor Kwasi Fraser said that it was “highly unorthodox” for the town staff to call on residents to help draft an ordinance creating a committee in the first place, and that the Town Council did not direct staff to solicit that resident input. He said residents typically provide their input during a public hearing, which is scheduled for Sept. 8.

“I have never experienced town staff soliciting citizen input during the ordinance drafting stage of our legislative process without explicit guidance from the Town Council,” he said.

Other concerns center on the question of why the town is looking to form a committee to advise the council on policing matters.

Councilman Ted Greenly said that, although he feels the town is trying to solve a probADVISORY GROUP continues on page 20

LOVETTSVILLE Work on Community Park Project Continues The Lovettsville Community Park project is underway, with Dustin Construction crews working on the south side of the Lovettsville Elementary School to install utilities.

That work should be completed this summer, according to the county’s website.

The 90-acre park is located south of Broad Way across from the community center and will include seven athletic fields, restrooms, concessions, an equestrian area, an amphitheater, an off-leash area and a walking trail, in addition to a new asphalt play area at the town elementary school.

Construction on the remainder of the property will begin this fall. The entire project should wrap up in fall 2021.

View updates at loudoun. gov/5352/Lovettsville-Community-Park.

Town Seeks Applicants for Vacant Council Spot The Town of Lovettsville is seeking residents interested in filling a Town Council vacancy created by Matthew Schilling’s resignation earlier this month.

Those interested in filling the seat should email clerk@lovettsvilleva. gov by Sept. 2. The Town Council will then conduct interviews and make an appointment around Sept. 10. The selected individual will serve on the council through June 30, 2022.

Legion Post 1836 Seeks Boys/Girls State Delegates Lovettsville American Legion Post 1836 is looking for its next Virginia Boys State/Girls State Delegates for 2021.

Founded in 1935, the Boys State program sees its young participants learn the rights, privileges and responsibilities of franchised citizens and the structure of city, county and state governments. Participants are TOWN NOTES continues on page 20

AUGUST 27, 2020

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PAGE 19

Purcellville Council Hears More on Potential Utility System Sale

BY PATRICK SZABO pszabo@loudounnow.com

Representatives of Aqua Virginia were at the Aug. 11 Purcellville Town Council meeting to make a formal pitch for the company’s proposal to purchase the town’s water and sewer systems, even though the council last month voted to deny the company’s unsolicited bid to do so.

Aqua Virginia President John Aulbach, Director of Corporate Development Clifton Parker and Essential Utilities Vice President of Corporate Development John Andrews told council members the privatization of the town’s utility systems could benefit the town in six ways—by bringing trusted utility service, hiring all of the town’s utility employees, eliminating risks the town might incur, reducing town debt, allowing for the town to focus on other initiatives, and protecting customers by having rates regulated by the State Corporation Commission.

Aqua Virginia serves 80,000 people through 26,000 water connections and 7,000 wastewater connections in 37 Virginia counties. It is a subsidiary of Aqua America—a publicly traded water and wastewater utility that serves more than 3 million people nationwide. Since its merger with Peoples Gas in March, Aqua

America has been known as Essential Utilities. It serves seven states with water, two with gas and one with both.

The Town Council on July 14 voted to direct the staff to reject Aqua Virginia’s unsolicited proposal to purchase the town’s water and sewer systems and to continue to “conduct further due diligence on the merits of the concept,” according to the motion.

On Aug. 11, Aqua representatives were in town presenting the council with details anyway.

Parker said the pockets of water and sewer customers wouldn’t be heavily affected because Aqua’s proposed rates would need to be approved by the Virginia State Corporation Commission first. Parker said it was evident that Aqua would not be “jacking rates up” because the company continues to grow.

He referenced the 4.1-percent average annual growth rate of utility rates across most Virginia localities compared with Aqua’s 0.6-percent average annual growth rate.

“The rates are not going to increase as high as you’re currently looking at doing with them” Aulbach said.

According to recommendations by town consultant Stantec last November, the town should increase rates by 8.6 per-

cent in Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022, 8.61 percent in FY23, 8.62 percent in FY24; and 8.63 percent in FY25.

The town is looking at ways to bolster its utility systems, since its water fund shrunk by 39 percent and its sewer fund shrunk by 16 percent in Fiscal Year 2020.

On June 9, the Town Council adopted a Fiscal Year 2021 budget accounting solely for the first quarter that excluded utility rate hikes.

Aqua is expected to continue working through additional details with the town staff and council. n

Mabel Louise Jones

Age 83, of Centreville, VA, formerly of Falls Church, VA Departed this life on Sunday Aug. 16, 2020 at her residence.

Mabel was born on June 4, 1937 in Caroline County, Virginia to the late Willis Boone, Sr. and Lillian Wright-Boone. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her beloved husband of 51 years of marriage, Levy Jones, Jr. Mabel was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She loved music and was very active at her church. She leaves a legacy of love and lasting memories to her daughter, Gloria Jones of Herndon, VA, son, Andre Jones of Atlanta, GA; one brother, Willis Boone, Jr. of Bowling Green, VA; two sisters, Marie J. Peoples and Roberta Boone-Sanders of Washington, DC; five grandchildren, Tomicka, Crystal, Joras, Joshua, and Alexander; one

great-granddaughter, Amelia, several nieces, nephews, four brothers-in-law, three sisters-in-law, three furry great-grandchildren, Sammie, Rex, and Zoey; a host of other relatives, numerous friends and her beloved First Baptist Church of Merrifield family.

Viewing and visitation was held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Friday Aug. 21, 2020 at the First Baptist Church of Merrifield, 8122 Ransell Road in Falls Church, VA 22042. Graveside funeral services were held on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the Pleasant Valley Memorial Park Cemetery, 8240 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003.

Arrangements by: Lyles Funeral Service, Serving Northern Virginia, Eric S. Lyles, Director, Lic VA, DC, MD. 1-800-388-1913

Joanne Maria Kuster Koopalethes

With humble acceptance of God’s will, we announce the home going of Joanne Maria Koopalethes (JoJo), treasured wife, mother, grandmother, and dear friend to many. Joanne transitioned to eternal life on Thursday, August 20, at age 70 in Leesburg, VA with her husband and children by her bedside. Joanne, also known as “JoJo” to her cherished grandchildren, was the beloved wife of Nicholas Koopalethes for more than 48 years. Joanne was born in Damascus, Syria in 1950 as an American citizen to the late William F. Kuster (Bill), and the late Lydia Kuster (nee Pirazzini), while Bill was on assignment to create a Pan American Airways presence in the Middle East.

Joanne had two siblings, her older brother, the late Lawrence (Larry), and younger sister Lorraine (Laurie). The Kuster family also lived in Beirut, Lebanon, and later in Hamburg, Germany where Joanne attended an English (UK) school that she loved and where she learned to speak German. At the age of 7, the family moved to Wantagh, New York where Joanne attended the local high school, graduating with honors, and then

May 7, 1950 - August 20, 2020 on to Concordia College in Bronxville, NY, was brought to her attention, and to support where she studied liberal arts and music. orphans, church plantings, and Christian In 1967, she met her brother’s best friend media outlets around the world. Joanne from college, “Nick the Greek” from Hell’s is survived by her beloved husband, Nick, Kitchen, NYC. He immediately fell in love, their two daughters, Kathryn Lydia Costa, and after nearly 5 years of relationship Bethany Maria Bomberger, one son, Reverbuilding, they were married on February end Nicholas Alexander, and their spouses, 5, 1972. Most noteworthy of Joanne’s life 12 grandchildren, and sister, Lorraine (nee was her quest for life’s meaning after her Kuster) Labovitz. Joanne’s love for all her first child, Kathryn, was born. Her search grandchildren was always the focus for for truth was fulfilled when she made her her prayers, naming each one in her daily personal commitment to her Lord and devotions, praying for each, and investing Savior, Jesus Christ, in 1975. Her life was time and whatever other resources she miraculously transformed, and in the years believed was required to help them fulfill following, she led many others to Christ, God’s plan for their lives. This investment beginning with her husband, and later all of in God’s Kingdom, we believe, will be her her children, and many in the Koopalethes greatest legacy. Reverend George Costa, extended family. Joanne’s Christ-Centered Kathryn’s husband, remembers Joanne as a ministry included music- as a gifted pianist special spiritual mother the Lord provided and worship leader, Bible teacher- especially when, as an empty teenager, she relentlessly to women’s groups, piano teacher, poetry introduced him to Jesus Christ with the and song writer, and most recently, pencil eventual result of George being delivered and watercolor art. She was always excited from a troubled life of addiction and given to travel and loved her yearly trip to Hawaii a divine purpose to serve God. She shall be with her husband. JoJo was deeply passionsorely missed until that day when she greets ate and could find God’s creative handiwork each of us who are in Christ, and takes us in everything. She had a beautiful smile, a by the hand, and says, “Wait until you see contagious laugh and an embrace that carthis.” “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor ried God’s peace. Her love for Jesus inspired have entered the heart of man The things her to pray diligently for every need that which God has prepared for those who love

Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 Due to COVID Restrictions, guests are asked to RSVP for the Funeral and Burial at www.CelebrateJoJosLife.com You may also send condolences here. FUNERAL SERVICE: Friday, August 28, 2020 Colonial Funeral Home, 201 Edwards Ferry Road NE, Leesburg, VA 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM Greeting the Family 11:30 AM Short Service Honoring JoJo’s Christ Filled Life Her beautiful artwork will be on display in addition to photographs reflecting her joy of life, family and friends.

GRAVESIDE & BURIAL: Saturday, August 29, 2020 Historic Evergreen Cemetery, 799 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325 11:00 AM Donations in Joanne’s name should be directed to the Cancer Treatment Center of America through the Gateway for Cancer Research at https://bit.ly/2Eygw8A Due to the COVID restrictions for travel and gatherings, funeral attendance is limited to 50 people. Because of this, a special CELEBRATION OF LIFE GATHERING in Joanne’s honor is being planned for a future date, after COVID restrictions are lifted, so that we may gather, express our love, celebrate her life, celebrate Jesus Christ, her savior who now she is with

ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM

PAGE 20

Advisory group continued from page 18 lem that doesn’t exist within the ranks of the police force, forming the committee is “not actually a bad idea.”

Greenly said he is hesitant to endorse portions of the proposed mission statement since “it reads to me as a strong handed attempt oversee the PD.” “I know of at least two interested individuals who are clearly in the defund camp or line of thinking. I also know of individuals who very happy with our PD and are interested,” he said. “We just need to find folks who are willing to listen to both sides and present ideas.”

Police Chief Cynthia McAlister said she or Deputy Police Chief Dave Dailey should be included in the group as a non-voting member. “Otherwise, how do they ever learn how the department functions?” she asked.

Fraser said that when the committee is formed and is ready for appointments, the Town Council will “follow our already fair and inclusive application and interview process along with any agreed to changes resulting from the [Sept. 8] public hearing.”

Among those submitting letters of interest in the committee are a former council member and the daughter of one sitting council member.

The interested residents are: Christopher Baltimore; Sheila Carpenter; Beverly Chiasson; Brian Damewood; Chris Hansford; Lana Hunanian; Michael Jarvis; Rick Krens; Megan Lockwood; Jordan Lunara; William McCann; former councilman Doug McCollum; David Meistrich; Christie Morgan;

TOWN Notes continued from page 18

elected to various offices and participate in legislative sessions, court proceedings, law-enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, choruses and recreational programs. It is among the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for U.S. high school students, according to the American Legion website.

The American Legion Auxiliary also sponsors a similar program for young women called Girls State.

The Lovettsville post also is looking to hear the stories of those who attended Boys or Girls State. To share a story or apply to become a 2021 delegate, go to facebook.com/LovettsvilleLegion1836.

Nedim Ogelman’s son, Anders Ogelman; Afia Paracha; former 2020 Town Council candidate Erin Rayner; Kevin Rettle; Councilman Stanley Milan’s daughter, Tanishia Milan Ritter; Arthur Runno; Sammi Saba; Michelle Schroeder; Rebecca Scott; Stuart Smith; Caleb Stought; Tina Thomas; James Tipton; Andrea Walter; and Scott Warner.

Additionally, Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church Pastor Dave Milam, who did not reach out directly to Hays, will be notified with future information per a request by Nedim Ogelman.

Another resident, Ami Neiberger-Miller, emailed Hays with interest in receiving future information on the formation of the committee, but her name and email address was redacted from a FOIA request since she wrote on her email that “my personal and private information should not be released in response to a FOIA request by another person.”

Upon further review of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act—after a second FOIA request from Loudoun Now—the town staff determined that withholding Neiberger-Miller’s name was in violation of that law. Under the law, the town is allowed to withhold personal contact information— email addresses, phone numbers and physical addresses—but not the names of senders.

Although the selection process has not yet begun, some are already stirring controversy. Ten responses including the same wording has given rise to warnings of an attempt to stack the membership, as laid out in social media postings. In those responses, the first sentence expresses generally that each respondent supports the formation of the committee. All then followed with the sentence: “Please include me on all informa-

ROUND HILL Construction Begins on Trail, Main Street Projects Construction on the $7.04 million Main Street Enhancement and Franklin Park Trail projects began last week and will see the relocation of a water line off East Loudoun Street next month.

The project will construct a shared-use path that will link the town with Franklin Park via concrete sidewalks along both sides of East Loudoun Street and Main Street, up to the location of the former W&OD railroad station. Curbs, curb ramps, retaining walls and a new storm drainage system will also be installed. Both projects should wrap up by spring 2022.

AUGUST 27, 2020

tion about the committee.”

Those respondents are Arnett, Jarvis, Ogelman, Paracha, Milan Ritter, Saba, Schroeder, Scott, Smith and Thomas.

However, several of those respondents said they were just trying to keep it simple.

Paracha, a student, said the identical phrasing was crafted by another student for efficiency and solidarity.

“For us it was easier to use that same format, as we had done it before [when] emailing other officials such as senators about other issues,” he said. “It was in no way meant to stack the committee.”

Scott said she wasn’t sure who created the message but that she saw it on a Town Council members’ kid’s Instagram story.

Saba said her friend sent her the prewritten email. “It’s just easier for many students to use an already written email rather than type their own,” Saba said.

“It would be easier for more students to show interest if there was a set phrase to email,” Jarvis said.

Schroeder said she “found a prewritten email to use as text because I needed help composing something to express what I needed to say.”

Greenly said he has heard concern about stacking the committee and, to counter that notion, invites all residents to apply to help with its creation and/or attend public meetings.

Councilman Tip Stinnette said the council should make selections based on principles of inclusivity and diversity and would also consider appointing a police officer as a non-voting member.

McAlister said she’s hopeful the Town Council will keep inclusivity in mind when appointing members to the committee. n

New priorities

For more information and to sign up for updates on the project, go to loudoun. gov/roundhilltrail.

The event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required, since the community center is limited to hosting 95 people.

For more information, call 540-6876373 or go to middleburgcommunitycenter.com.

MIDDLEBURG Community Center to Host Dinner, Movie this Friday

continued from page 18 ons Club or American Legion Post 1836—to have them run the events while the town continues to sponsor them.

The council also talked about how the $65,000 Transportation Master Plan, which is being headed by the traffic engineering firm EPR and should be completed by February, will help town leaders plan to improve Lovettsville’s traffic and pedestrian system.

Some of the roads in town are old and narrow, including sections of South Loudoun Street, where the town plans to make improvements in the coming years.

The Town Council on Saturday identified that project as being one of the more pressing capital improvement projects in town.

The town staff has estimated that improvements to the street will cost $7 million, but is actively looking for ways to cut the cost. There is currently $180,000 allocated for scope and design of the project in the Fiscal Year 2021-2025 Capital Improvement Plan. Fontaine said construction on the project won’t start until at least Fiscal Year 2026.

Before that happens, the town is scheduled to finish phase two of the East Broad Way Streetscape project, which includes $3.4 million worth of improvements between Light Street and Park Place, by Fiscal Year 2024. Phase three will begin in Fiscal Year 2025 and will see improvements made to the street the rest of the way to the town square.

Fontaine said the retreat was successful in helping council members find ways to increase efficiency and better communicate information with residents moving forward. n

Bidding Closes Friday in The Middleburg Community Center Community Art Auction

will Host a “Dinner & Dive In Movie” starting at 6:30 p.m. this Friday, Aug. 28.

In closing out its Doc Saffer Summer Series, the center will serve a Chick-fil-a dinner at 6:30 p.m., to be followed by a free swim until 8 p.m. It will then show the Disney-Pixar movie “Onward” starting at 8 p.m. Families are welcome to sit poolside to watch the movie or float in the pool.

Bidding in the Middleburg Community Center Art Auction Fundraiser closes at 8 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 29.

The auction’s main item is a set of 38 Adirondack chairs. There is also a variety of local services and other items from more than 35 area artists. All items are listed on the community center’s website.

To view items and bid, go to middleburgcommunitycenter.com/auction.

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AUGUST 27, 2020

THINGS to do LOCO LIVE Live Music: Jason Masi Friday, Aug. 28, 5-9 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro Details: breauxvineyards.com Breaux’s fourth Friday live show features acoustic soul and R&B from a local favorite.

Live Music: Mark Cullinane Friday, Aug. 28, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing Enjoy gorgeous views and acoustic guitar and classic rock from Mark Cullinane.

Live Music: Shane Gamble Friday, Aug. 28, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Dirt Farm Brewing, 18701 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont Details: dirtfarmbrewing.com The Maryland-based singer/songwriter has toured with top names and brings his own flavor of country to Loudoun’s music scene.

Live Music: Unsullied Friday, Aug. 28, 8 p.m.

Crooked Run Brewing, 22455 Davis Drive #120, Sterling Details: crookedrunbrewing.com The winners of Crooked Run’s pre-COVID Battle of the Bands, Unsullied returns with highenergy rock ‘n’ roll.

Live Music: Matt Mills Saturday, Aug. 29, 1-5 p.m.

Breaux Vineyards, 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane, Hillsboro Details: breauxvineyards.com Mills combines contemporary acoustic music with the influence of Flamenco guitar.

Live Music: Acoustic Soul Saturday, Aug. 29, 1:30-4:30 p.m.

The Barns At Hamilton Station, 16804 Hamilton Station Road, Hamilton Details: thebarnsathamiltonstation.com Guitar and vocal duo Steven Shaffer and Bruce Turner cover legendary classic rock, blues, soul, country and Americana artists.

Live Music: Joe Downer Saturday, Aug. 29, 1:30-4:30 p.m.

50 West Vineyards, 39060 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg Details: facebook.com/50westvineyards Downer brings a skilled energy to the alternative and neo-folk music scene, taking inspiration from Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Tom Petty, Muddy Waters and other greats.

Live Music: Borrowed Time Saturday, Aug. 29, 2-5 p.m.

Maggie Malick Wine Caves, 12138 Harpers Ferry Road, Neersville Details: maggiemalickwinecaves.com

THINGS TO DO continues on page 22

PAGE 21

Loco Living

A Long-Distance Quilting Bee COVID Honor Quilt Project Offers Healing and Connection

BY JAN MERCKER jmercker@loudounnow.com

It started as a way to connect with an aging parent and has turned into a community-building project with national ambitions.

Diane Canney, a Loudoun artist and winery owner, developed plans for the COVID-19 U.S. Honor Quilt as a way to connect with her 95-year-old mother who lives in a retirement community in Florida. In the process, she realized the project’s enormous potential for building unity and offering an outlet for collective grief during the COVID pandemic.

“It is a long-distance quilting bee in a sense,” Canney said.

Canney, who owns Sunset Hills Vineyard and 50 West Vineyards with her husband Mike, is inviting artists and non-artists in Loudoun and around the country to submit quilt squares to pay tribute to those lost to COVID and to honor first responders and medical professionals. The first phase of the project will be unveiled in mid-September at 50 West Vineyards near Middleburg in conjunction with the upcoming Loudoun Arts Film Festival.

The project got rolling during a phone call for her mom’s 95th birthday earlier this month. Canney was feeling the loss of not being able to celebrate with her in person because of COVID-related visitation restrictions and was looking for ways to celebrate her in a meaningful way.

“My mother has always been extraordinarily community-minded and empathetic,” Canney said. “She said, ‘Diane you have so much energy. I wish you could do something about this pandemic.’”

Canney got the idea for a series of quilts, with individual squares contributed from around the country.

“I said let’s come up with something affordable, transportable and historical,” Canney said. “We can make them in a COVID-safe environment, we can transport them, and we can create moveable, viewable art.”

Canney has issued a call for artists and non-artists alike to send in 10-inch by 10inch squares with a focus on memorializing lost loved ones and honoring frontline heroes. Her idea is that friends and family can virtually work together on quilts. Canney’s mother is working on a Florida-themed

Norman K. Styer/Loudoun Now

Diane Canney paints another square for the COVID-19 U.S. Honor Quilt, a project that she hopes can grow into a national effort to honor the victims of the pandemic.

square with a palm tree as an expression of gratitude for staff in her retirement community.

Canney is a longtime artist and is hoping for contributions from Loudoun’s dynamic arts community. But she underscores that the project is open to all.

“This is for anyone from 5 to 105,” she said. “It does not require any artistic or sewing skills,” she said.

Canney has put together a team of skilled quilters to complete the quilts with contributed squares. The idea is to make individual submissions as simple as possible. She wants to get children of all ages involved and will provide materials and supplies for families in need.

The project is inspired by America’s long history of memorial quilts and also in part by the AIDS Memorial Quilt, launched in 1985 and displayed on the National Mall in 1996 to memorialize individuals who died in the AIDS pandemic. But Canney says her project is not intended as a political gesture and her hope is that it will offer a sense of unity during challenging times.

“This is intentionally apolitical, only about bringing unity and remembrance and healing to the community because

COVID affects all of us,” she said. “It has to be sophisticated, kind and thoughtful.”

Canney says she was inspired by the longstanding American tradition of mourning quilts, using pieces of clothing and other meaningful items. Creating a quilt can be a source of healing for families after the loss of loved ones, she says, especially during the COVID pandemic when families can’t come together to mourn in community.

“How do we provide comfort in a simple, affordable way?” Canney said. “They have this way of grieving with an art form.”

Canney also plans to create a voluntary online database to memorialize individuals who died from COVID, including digital images of the quilt squares and details about people’s lives.

“To remember that this person had value. That they are not a number. That they’re a name and a story,” she said.

Canney will also donate extra material from the quilting project to Loudoun County PPE Makers for ongoing mask projects. That organization has donated nearly 10,000 pieces of protective equipCOVID QUILT continues on page 22

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PAGE 22

COVID quilt continued from page 21 ment since the pandemic began.

The COVID-19 U.S. Honor Quilt project is co-sponsored by the Loudoun Arts Council and the Leesburg-based Artistic Fuel Foundation. The deadline for submissions for Phase 1 of the project is Monday, Sept. 14. The squares will be unveiled during the second weekend of Loudoun Arts Film Festival, which runs Sept. 10-13 and Sept. 17-19 with drive-in screenings

THINGS to do continued from page 21

Mark Wood and Sara Carlin serve up a high-energy mix of classic rock, country, pop, oldies and folk.

Live Music: Clark Peklo Saturday, Aug. 29, 2-5 p.m.

Lost Rhino Brewing Company 21730 Red Rum Drive, Ashburn Details: lostrhino.com Peklo brings unexpected covers and unique twists with a strict No Eagles policy back to Lost Rhino.

Live Music: Jessica Paulin Saturday, Aug. 29, 2:30-5:30 p.m.

Forever Farm & Vineyard, 15779 Woodgrove Road, Purcellville Details: foreverfarmandvineyard.com Enjoy covers from the ‘60s through today as Paulin covers favorites from Joplin to Gaga.

Live Music: Rock Creek Revival Saturday, Aug. 29, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

Harpers Ferry Brewing, 37412 Adventure Center Lane, Loudoun Heights Details: facebook.com/harpersferrybrewing This Maryland-based all-acoustic bluegrass band draws on musical influences from across the bluegrass spectrum with hard-driving standards and fun originals.

Live Music: Airmont Road Saturday, Aug. 29, 5 p.m.

Vanish Farmwoods Brewery, 42245 Black Hops Lane, Lucketts Details: vanishbeer.com Dive into four decades of great rock ‘n’ roll tunes from this Round Hill-based band.

at 50 West. Canney will continue to accept squares for the project’s second phase through the end of the year and possibly beyond.

Canney hopes Loudouners will get the ball rolling so organizers can take the project to a national audience. She has also contacted the Smithsonian Institution for potential support.

For Canney, whose wineries in western Loudoun are located in a cradle of Civil War history, quilts are a way to honor and mourn with a strong sense of tradition and ties to both Loudoun’s and American-

history.

“Here we have mourning and valor,” she said. “It goes way back into the fabric of American history.” n

Details: villageatleesburg.com Big band style music with a contemporary flare from Rick Reaves.

Live Music: Darien Saiidifar

Live Music: The Pool Boys Saturday, Aug. 29, 6-10 p.m.

MacDowell Brew Kitchen, 202 South St. SE, Leesburg Details: macsbeach.com Kick back with alt rock from the ‘90s and early 2000s.

Live Music: James Stevens Saturday, Aug. 29, 6-10 p.m.

Bungalow Alehouse Ashburn, 44042 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn Details: ashburnalehouse.com The former frontman of the hard rock band Rome In A Day, Stevens plays originals and covers from Michael Jackson to Maroon Five.

Live Music: The Larry Keel Experience Saturday, Aug. 29, 7-10 p.m.

B Chord Brewing, 34266 Williams Gap Road, Round Hill Details: bchordbrewing.com Described by critics as the most powerful and innovative flatpicking guitarist performing today, Larry Keel has absorbed lessons from his bluegrass upbringing steeped in the mountain music culture of Southwest Virginia. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of show.

VALFresco: Rick Reaves Jazz Saturday, Aug. 29, 6-9 p.m.

Village at Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg

Saturday, Aug. 29, 7-9:30 p.m.

Crooked Run Brewing, 22455 Davis Drive #120, Sterling Details: crookedrunbrewing.com Northern Virginia’s Darien Saiidifar plays covers and originals in the beer garden.

Live Music: Brian Harris Saturday, Aug. 29, 7-10 p.m.

Social House South Riding, 25370 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly Details: socialhousesouthriding.com Fun covers and originals from Brian Harris.

Live Music: Peter Warren Saturday, Aug. 29, 7:30-10:30 p.m.

Monk’s BBQ, 251 N. 21st St., Purcellville Details: monksq.com Monk’s hosts an outdoor acoustic show from Peter Warren, featuring the sounds of James Taylor, Neil Young, Simon and Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, John Prine and other favorites.

Live Music: Lenny Burridge Sunday, Aug. 30, 1-5 p.m.

Bear Chase Brewing Company, 18294 Blue Ridge Mountain Road, Bluemont Details: bearchasebrew.com Celebrate Sunday with acoustic blues and Americana, classic rock and new rock from Lenny Burridge.

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

Case No.:

JJ043128-04-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

,

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Tyson Curtis Holt Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Shane Curtis Holt, putative father and, Laurel Elizabeth Veto, mother The object of this suit is to hold a 2nd permanency planning hearing and review of foster care plan with goal of adoption, pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Tyson Curtis Holt and Petition for Termination of Parental Rights of Laurel Elizabeth Veto, natural mother, and Shane Curtis Holt, putative father pursuant to Virginia Code §16.1-283 for Tyson Curtis Holt. Laurel Elizabeth Veto and Shane Curtis Holt, are hereby notified that failure to appear on the hereinafter noticed date and time may result in the entry of an Order approving a permanency goal of adoption as well as the termination of their residual parental rights with respect to Tyson Curtis Holt. Laurel Elizabeth Veto and Shane Curtis Holt are hereby further notified that if their residual parental rights are terminated, they will no longer have any legal rights with respect to said minor child, including, but not limited to, the right to visit Tyson Curtis Holt; any authority with respect to the care and supervision of Tyson Curtis Holt; or the right to make health related decisions or determine the religious affiliation of Tyson Curtis Holt. Further, Laurel Elizabeth Veto and Shane Curtis Holt will have no legal and /or financial obligations with respect to Tyson Curtis Holt, and the Department of Family Services of Loudoun County, Virginia may be granted the authority to place Tyson Curtis Holt for adoption and consent to the adoption of Tyson Curtis Holt.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Laurel Elizabeth Veto natural mother, and Shane Curtis Holt, putative father appear at the above-named Court to protect their interests on or before September 15, 2020 at 2:00 pm.

8/6, 8/13, 8/20, & 8/27/20

Legal Notices PUBLIC NOTICE Vacancy The Town of Leesburg Tree Commission

Live Music: Chris Hanks Saturday, Aug. 29, 6-9 p.m.

Social House Kitchen and Tap, 42841 Creek View Plaza, Ashburn Details: socialhouseashburn.com Hanks performs his signature style of country on guitar and vocals.

For more information, including templates and directions for creating and submitting quilt squares, go to covid19ushonorquilt. org. Squares must be received by mail or dropped off in Leesburg by 5 p.m. on Sept.

14 for inclusion in the Phase 1 display at 50 West. Squares will be accepted for Phase 2 of the project through the end of the year.

AUGUST 27, 2020

The Town of Leesburg is soliciting resumes and letters of interest to appoint a Tree Commissioner. The term of this appointment will run from the date of appointment until December 31, 2020.

The Tree Commission meets the third Tuesday of the month. All meetings are held in the Town Hall Lower Level Conference Room located at 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20176. Additional information is available by contacting Eileen Boeing, Clerk of Council, during normal business hours (Mon – Fri 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at 703-771-2733 or eboeing@leesburgva.gov, or on the Town of Leesburg website at https://www.leesburgva.gov/ government/boards-commissions/tree-commission.

ABC LICENSE Old Rook Imports LLC, trading as Old Rook Imports, 604 S. King Street, Ste 210, Leesburg, Loudoun County 20175 The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Wine Importer and Wine Wholesaler license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

James P. Magner

All materials should either be delivered to the Town’s official address at Town of Leesburg, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 or emailed to the Clerk of Council at eboeing@leesburgva.gov.

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

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

8/27 & 9/3/2020

8/20 & 8/27/20

Please submit your letter of interest and resume addressed to the Clerk of Council for Town Council consideration.

ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 27, 2020

PAGE 23

Legal Notices PUBLIC HEARING The LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS will hold a public hearing in the Board of Supervisors’ Meeting Room, County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, at 6:00 p.m. on WEDNESDAY, September 9, 2020 in order to consider:

PROPOSED CONVEYANCE OF COUNTY PROPERTY Grant of Easement to Town of Leesburg 41975 Loudoun Center Place Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-1800 et seq., the Board of Supervisors shall consider granting a 15foot wide waterline easement to The Town of Leesburg through and across a portion of County property known as the Government Support Center Campus and Phillip A. Bolen Memorial Park for the purpose of installing, constructing, operating, maintaining, adding to or altering and replacing waterlines and other appurtenant facilities that will service the planned mixed-use development known as Tuscarora Crossing.

The Board of Supervisors shall also consider granting a 26-foot wide sanitary sewer easement to The Town of Leesburg through and across a portion of County property known as the Government Support Center Campus and Phillip A. Bolen Memorial Park for the purpose of installing, constructing, operating, maintaining, adding to or altering and replacing sewer mains and other appurtenant facilities that will service the planned mixed-use development known as Tuscarora Crossing. The subject property is located on the east side of Sycolin Road (Route 625) and north of Cochran Mill Road (Route 653) near the intersection of Kincaid Boulevard and Cross Trail Boulevard at 41975 Loudoun Center Place, Leesburg, Virginia, in the Catoctin Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 191-16-9866.

Copies of the plat(s) showing the location(s) of the above-listed conveyance(s) and associated documents are available for review and may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday or call (703) 777-0200. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for “Board of Supervisors Business Meetings, Public Hearings and Special Meetings”).

PROPOSED CONVEYANCE OF COUNTY PROPERTY Grant of Easement to Metroduct Systems VA LLC Davis Drive Extension Pursuant to Virginia Code §15.2-1800 et seq., the Board of Supervisors shall consider granting a 20foot wide 974-foot long temporary fiber utility easement to MetroDuct Systems VA LLC for the purpose of constructing, installing, operating, maintaining, repairing and replacing underground fiber cables and related facilities for the transmission and distribution of telecommunications through certain Countyowned property. The subject property comprises sections of dedicated rights-of-way of Davis Drive that have not been accepted into the Secondary State Highway System by the Virginia Department of Transportation yet. The subject property is located on the south side of South Sterling Boulevard (Route 846), north of Old Ox Road (Route 606), and east of Shaw Road (Route 636), abutting 22900 Platform Plaza in the Broad Run Election District.

Copies of the plat(s) showing the location(s) of the above-listed conveyance(s) and associated documents are available for review and may be examined at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday or call (703) 777-0200. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for “Board of Supervisors Business Meetings, Public Hearings and Special Meetings”).

ZRTD-2020-0002 MANEKIN PLAZA

(Zoning Conversion in the Route 28 Taxing District) SIP/CREF Manekin Plaza LLC of Rockville, Maryland, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 12.04 acres from the PD-IP (Planned Development – Industrial Park) zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to permit the development of all principal and accessory uses permitted in the PD-IP zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance at a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.6 (up to 1.0 by Special Exception). The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District. The subject property is approximately 12.04 acres in size and located north of Nokes Boulevard (Route 1793), west of Cascades Parkway (Route 1793), and on the east side of Ridgetop Circle (Route 1790) in the Broad Run Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as follows: PIN

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

ZCPA-2020-0001 UNIVERSITY CENTER LOT L2A (Zoning Concept Plan Amendment)

Research Place 45145, LLC, of Winchester, Virginia, has submitted an application to amend the Concept Development Plan (“CDP”) approved with ZMAP-1992-0004, ZCPA-1992-0009, University Center, by revising a note which restricts Parcel L to Research and Development uses, releasing the subject parcel, Parcel L2A, from this restriction in order to allow land uses consistent with the PD-RDP (Planned Development – Research and Development Park) zone, with no resulting change in density. The subject property is located in the PD-RDP zoning district under the 1972 Zoning Ordinance. The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District and partially within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contours. The subject property is approximately 3.28 acres in size and is located on the north side of Harry Bird Highway (Route 7), east of George Washington Boulevard (Route 1050), and south of Research Place (Route 1051), at 45145 Research Place, Ashburn, Virginia in the Algonkian Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 039-18-2610.

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

ZCPA-2019-0013 & ZMOD-2019-0047 ELYSIAN HEIGHTS RURAL VILLAGE

(Zoning Concept Plan Amendment & Zoning Ordinance Modification) Washington-Virginia Traditional Land Development Sites Inc., of Leesburg, Virginia, has submitted an application to amend the existing proffers and concept development plan (“CDP”) approved with ZMAP1995-0004 and ZCPA-2003-0002, Elysian Heights in order to eliminate a portion of the required Village Conservancy Subdistrict Buffer located along Saint Clair Lane between Sylvan Bluff Drive and Elysian Drive and extend the southern boundary of the Village Center to Saint Clair Lane and remove the conservancy lot designation for the subject property with no resulting change in density. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance. The Applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modification(s):

DE

FE

ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION

§4-1206(A), PD-RV Planned Development-Rural Village, Size and Location of Subdistricts, Village Conservancy Subdistrict. §4-1206(A)(4), PD-RV Planned DevelopmentRural Village, Size and Location of Subdistricts, Village Conservancy Subdistrict. §4-1216(B)(1), PD-RV Planned DevelopmentRural Village, Land Use Arrangement, Spatial Relationship of Village Subdistricts and Areas.

PROPOSED MODIFICATION

RR

Eliminate the requirement that the Village Center Subdistrict be ringed by the Village Conservancy Subdistrict

ED

Reduce the required buffer of land from 800 feet in width to 300 feet in width and also to allow a portion of the buffer along Saint Clair Lane to be located between Sylvian Bluff Drive and Elysian Drive Eliminate the requirement that the Village Conservancy Subdistrict surround the Village Center Subdistrict

The subject property is approximately 12.84 acres in size and is located on the north side of Saint Clair Lane (Route 658), east of James Monroe Highway (Route 15) in the Catoctin Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 102-36-5157. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Rural Policy Area (Rural North Place Type)) which designates this area for Rural Economy uses and limited Residential development.

PROPERTY ADDRESS

030-30-9421

46000 Manekin Plaza, Sterling, Virginia

020-35-2829

46010 Manekin Plaza, Sterling, Virginia

020-35-4412

46020 Manekin Plaza, Sterling, Virginia

020-25-3188

46030 Manekin Plaza, Sterling, Virginia

030-20-9386

46050 Manekin Plaza, Sterling, Virginia

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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PAGE 24

AUGUST 27, 2020

Legal Notices ZMAP-2019-0001, ZMOD-2019-0001 & ZMOD-2019-0054 BELFORT PARK DRIVE TOWNHOMES (Zoning Map Amendment & Zoning Modification)

Davis Drive LLC., of Manassas Park, Virginia, has submitted an application to rezone approximately 1.97 acres from the R4 (Single Family Residential) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the R16 (Townhouse/Multifamily Residential) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop 20 townhomes at a density of 10.15 dwelling units per acre. The subject property is located within the Route 28 Taxing District and within the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60, aircraft noise contour. The Applicant also requests the following Zoning Ordinance modifications: ZONING ORDINANCE SECTION

PROPOSED MODIFICATION

§3-602, R-16 Townhouse/Multifamily Residential, Size and Location.

Reduce the minimum lot size from two acres to 1.97 acres.

§3-606(C)(3)(c), R-16 Townhouse/ Multifamily Residential, Lot Requirements, Yards, Traditional Design Option for Single Family Attached, Rear.

Reduce the rear yard setback minimum from 25 feet to 20 feet.

The subject property is approximately 1.97 acres in size and is located on the north side of Belfort Park Drive (Route 891), the east side of Glenn Drive (Route 864) and the east side of Davis Drive (Route 868) in the Sterling Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 032-25-5420.

The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Compact Neighborhood Place Type)), which designate this area for a mix of housing types including Small-lot Patio Homes, Townhomes, Duplexes, and Multi-family Residences at a recommended density of 8 – 24 dwelling units per acre.

SPEX-2019-0041 & SPEX-2019-0042 TANJA & WALID AHMADI (Special Exceptions)

Tanja and Walid Ahmadi of Aldie, Virginia, have submitted applications for the following: 1) A Special Exception to permit an automotive service station in the RC (Rural Commercial) zoning district; and 2) A Special Exception to permit motor vehicle sales and service in the RC (Rural Commercial) zoning district.

These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and the proposed uses are listed as Special Exception uses under Section 2-904. The subject property is located within the VCOD (Village Conservation Overlay District-Village of Loudoun Heights). The subject property is approximately 2.43 acres in size and is located on the west side of Harpers Ferry Road (Route 671), south of Turneysville Road (Route 833), at 11173 Harpers Ferry Road, Purcellville, Virginia, in the Catoctin Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 472-15-6385. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Rural Policy Area (Rural Historic Village and Rural North Place Types)), which designate this area for small Residential or Commercial core that provide for the daily needs of village residents, surrounding rural residents, and visitors; and pastoral and forested landscapes that serve mostly Agricultural and Agricultural Supportive uses with limited Residential.

ZMAP-2019-0017 & SPEX-2020-0022 H & M PROPERTY (Zoning Map Amendment and Special Exception)

Amazon Data Services, Inc. of Seattle, Washington has submitted applications for the following: 1) to rezone approximately 100.18 acres from the MR-HI (Mineral Resource – Heavy Industry) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance to the PD-GI (Planned Development – General Industry) zoning district under the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance in order to develop 1,745,570 square feet of data center uses; and 2) A Special Exception to permit an increase to the maximum floor to area ratio (FAR) from 0.40 to 0.60. These applications are subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and the proposed use is listed as a Special Exception use under Section 4606. The subject property is located within the (AI) (Airport Impact) Overlay District, within the Ldn 65 or higher aircraft noise contour and the QN (Quarry

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

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

CL 20-4819 ,

Loudoun County Circuit Court 18 East Market St., Leesburg VA 20176 Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Lisa Monita Garrett v.

Kenneth A. Lewis The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce and serve the Complaint for Divorce.

It is ORDERED that Kenneth A. Lewis appear at the above-named Court and protect his interests on or before September 18, 2020 at 2:00 pm.

8/27, 9/3, 9/10 & 9/17/2020

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE §§ 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104 Case No.: CL 20-3937 , Loudoun County Circuit Court 18 East Market St., Leesburg VA 20176 Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Lyric Neal v.

Name Change The object of this suit is name change of a minor.

It is ORDERED that Spencer G. Neal appear at the above-named Court and protect his interests on or before September 18, 2020 at 10:00 am.

8/6, 8/13, 8/20, & 8/27/20

Notification) Overlay District, Chantilly Crush Stone Note Area, and the (FOD) Floodplain Overlay District. The subject property is approximately 100.18 acres in size and is located on the south side of South Perimeter Road, on the east side of Willard Road (Route 639), north of John Mosby Highway (Route 50) at 25020 Willard Road, Chantilly, Virginia, in the Dulles Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 096-18-3161. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area (Suburban Industrial/Mineral Extraction Place Type)), which designate this area for large manufacturing, contractor with outdoor storage, and other productive uses up to a 0.6 Floor Area Ratio (FAR).

SPEX-2019-0047 CONKLIN COMMUNITY PARK (Special Exception)

The Board of Supervisors, acting through Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Services has submitted an application for a Special Exception to permit incidental structures in excess of 840 square feet within the FOD (Floodplain Overlay District). This application is subject to the Revised 1993 Zoning Ordinance, and the proposed use is listed as a Special Exception (SPEX) use under Section 4-1506. The subject property is located within the PD-H4 (Planned Development Housing – 4) zoning district, the AI (Airport Impact) Overlay District, outside of but within one (1) mile of the Ldn 60 aircraft noise contours, and partially located within the FOD. The subject property is approximately 20.76 acres in size and is located on the west side of Loudoun County Parkway (Route 606) and north and east sides of Donegal Drive (Route 1248) at 25710 Donegal Drive, South Riding, Virginia in the Dulles Election District. The subject property is more particularly described as PIN: 166-49-3841. The area is governed by the policies of the Loudoun County 2019 General Plan (Suburban Policy Area), which designates this area for parks and recreation uses.

Unless otherwise noted in the above notices, copies of the above-referenced amendments, applications, ordinances, and/or plans and related documents may be examined by request at the Loudoun County Government Center, Information Desk, 1st Floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., Leesburg, Virginia, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call 703-7770246 (option 5) to request hard copies or electronic copies, or electronically at www.loudoun.gov/lola. This link also provides an additional opportunity for public input on active applications. Documents also may be viewed and downloaded electronically 72 hours in advance of the public hearing at: www.loudoun.gov/bosdocuments (for Public Hearing documents, follow the link for “Board of Supervisors Business Meetings, Public Hearings and Special Meetings”). In addition, for detailed instructions on how to access documents using LOLA, to request that documents be emailed to you, to receive physical copies of documents, or to arrange a time to view the file at the Loudoun County Government Center, please email DPZ@loudoun.gov or call 703-777-0246 (option 5).

All members of the public will be heard as to their views pertinent to these matters. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, members of the public are encouraged to view and/or participate in the public hearing electronically. Board of Supervisors public hearings are available for viewing on television on Comcast Government Channel 23, Open Band Channel 40 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40, and are livestreamed at loudoun.gov/webcast. Citizens are encouraged to call in advance to sign up to speak at the public hearing.

Instructions for remote participation will be forwarded to all individuals who sign-up in advance. For this public hearing, advanced sign-up will be taken after 8:30 a.m. on August 28, 2020, and no later than 12:00 p.m. on September 9, 2020. If you wish to sign-up in advance, call the Office of the County Administrator at (703) 777-0200. Citizens will also have the option to sign-up during the public hearing. Citizens may also submit written comments by email sent to bos@loudoun.gov. Any written comments received prior to the public hearing will be distributed to Board members and made part of the minutes for the public hearing.

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

BY ORDER OF:

PHYLLIS RANDALL, CHAIR LOUDOUN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

8/20 & 8/27/20

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

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

CL19004041-00 , Loudoun County Circuit Court 18 East Market St, Leesburg, VA 20176 Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Shaia Noriega v.

Louis Gerardo Noriega

The object of this suit is to be granted divorce.

It is ORDERED that Louis Gerardo Noriega appear at the above-named court and protect his interests on or before November 6, 2020 at 2:00 PM. 8/20, 8/27, 9/03 & 9/10/20

ABC LICENSE GMT LLC, trading as Baku Market, 46321 McClellan Way, Sterling, Virginia 20165 The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA AlCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Wine and Beer On and Off Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

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

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

8/20 & 8/27/20

ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM

AUGUST 27, 2020

Legal Notices

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER REZONING APPLICATION TLZM-2020-0003, LEESBURG PREMIUM OUTLETS

TOWN OF LEESBURG NOTICE PUBLIC HEARING

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 Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday, September 3, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176, to consider rezoning application TLZM-2020-0003, Leesburg Premium Outlets.

APPEAL FROM DECISION OF BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW Pursuant to Section 15.2-2306 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended and Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance Section 3.1.9.D.1, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held by the Leesburg Town Council on September 8, 2020, at 7:00pm in the Town Council Chamber, second floor in the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 to hear the following appeal from a decision by the Leesburg Board of Architectural Review: Case No. TLHP-2020-0036, 401 S, King Street: Paul & Kim Baggett (owners of 401 S King Street), have submitted an appeal from the July 6, 2020 decision of the Leesburg Board of Architectural Review (BAR) denying the request to replace the historic wood siding of the subject structure with new Hardieplank siding. The BAR denied this application as authorized in §3.10 of the Town of Leesburg Zoning Ordinance with the finding that the proposal is not consistent with the Old & Historic District Guidelines for replacement materials for the following reasons: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

PAGE 25

The structure at 401 S King is a historic structure having been built in the late 19th Century. The subject structure is a contributing structure to the Leesburg Old and Historic District.

The architectural survey of the property, last conducted in 1999, notes that it had wood German siding at the time of documentation.

The Guidelines specifically call for the retention of historic wood details including siding and repair of damaged or missing elements rather than replacement as a whole. When repair is no longer possible, the Guidelines call for existing historic material to be replaced in kind with new material which matches the existing in material, texture, dimension and design.

The Guidelines specifically note that peeling paint is a repairable condition. The Guidelines specifically note that fiber cement siding should not be used as a replacement for wood siding if it is architecturally incompatible with the structure.

As the subject structure is a historic building with existing, historic lapped wood siding which appears to be repairable in most areas, the Board found that the proposal to replace wood siding with HardiePlank was not consistent with the Guidelines.

In this case, the appropriate course of action is to repair the existing wood siding and replacing those areas which are beyond repair with new wood siding to match the existing.

The applicant, Simon Properties (Owners), are requesting a Concept Plan and Proffer Amendment (rezoning) to amend the previously approved proffers and concept plan for TLZM-2013-0004 and ZM150 to allow for approval of: 1.

2.

The 54-acre Leesburg Premium Outlet Mall is located at 241 Ft. Evans Road, which is at the intersection of the Route 15 Bypass and Ft. Evans Road. The subject property is zoned B-3, Community Retail/Commercial District and is further identified by the following Loudoun County Property Identification Number (PIN): 189-49-6489.

The subject property is located in the Northeast Planning area of the Town, and the Town Plan further designates the subject property as “Regional Retail” on the Planned Land Use Policy Map with a recommended density of between 0.35 and 1.0 FAR (Floor Area Ratio). With this addition to the outlet mall, the commercial FAR in the B-3 District would be approximately 0.22.

Additional information and copies of this rezoning application are available at the Department of Planning and Zoning located on the second floor of the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, 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 the Commission at (703) 771-2434 three days in advance of the meeting. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

8/20 & 8/27/20

The property subject to this appeal is the historic structure located at 401 S. King Street and further identified as Parcel Identification Number (PIN#) 231-27-4761-000 in the Leesburg Old and Historic District.

Full and complete copies of the above-referenced appeals and related documents may be examined in the Leesburg Department of Planning & Zoning, on the second floor of the Leesburg Town Hall, 25 West Market Street, during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm), or by calling 703-771-2773 and asking for Lauren Murphy, Preservation Planner, Department of Planning & Zoning.

At this hearing, all persons desiring to express their views regarding this matter will be heard.

Persons requiring special accommodations should contact the Clerk of Council at 703-7712733, three days in advance of the meeting date. For TTY/TDD service, use the Virginia Relay Center by dialing 711.

8/27 & 9/3/2020

LOUDOUN COUNTY WILL BE ACCEPTING SEALED COMPETITIVE BIDS FOR: COVID-19 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) & RELATED SUPPLIES, IFB No. 299782 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, September 10, 2020.

The addition of internal retail “kiosks” for an increase of 6,000 square feet to the existing approved 500,671square feet of retail on the site, and; The addition of retail uses for the site that are permitted by the B-3 Zoning District but are currently not allowed by the existing proffers for the site.

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

PUBLIC HEARING MIDDLEBURG TOWN COUNCIL The Middleburg Town Council will hold a virtual Public Hearing online, broadcasting from the Council Chambers, on Thursday, September 10, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers located at 10 W. Marshall Street, to consider AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ARTICLE I OF TOWN CODE CHAPTER 97 PERTAINING TO THE BUSINESS LICENSE TAX. If approved, the ordinance would (1) bring the regulations up to date with changes in the State Code; (2) set the busines license fee for new businesses at the minimum charge (currently $30) for their first business license; and (3) establish a new fee for contractors receiving identifiable federal appropriations for research and development services as defined in Section 31.-205-18(a) of the Federal Acquisition Regulations in the areas of (i) computer and electronic services; (ii) computer software; (iii) applied sciences; (iv) economic and social sciences; and (v) electronic and physical sciences at three (3) cents per $100 of federal funds received in payment for such contracts. To register to speak during this hearing, please contact Rhonda North, Town Clerk, at (540) 687-5152 or via email at rnorth@middleburgva.gov no later than 4:30 p.m. on September 10th.

A copy of the ordinance is available for public inspection in the Middleburg Town Office, located at 10 W. Marshall Street, during normal business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted or may be viewed on the Town’s website at www.middleburgva.gov. All interested citizens are invited to participate in this public hearing to express their views.

REHABILITATION OF STORM WATER MANAGEMENT DETENTION FACILITY STRUCTURE SP2, IFB NO. 234785 until prior to 4:00 p.m., local “Atomic Time”, September 21, 2020.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held virtually using GoTo Meeting software on September 4, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. for clarification of any questions on specifications and site conditions. Until further notice bidders will not be able to participate in the Pre-Construction Conference in person. You must preregister to participate in the Pre-Bid Conference by sending an email toå PROCUREMENT@loudoun. gov. The subject line of the email should state “Register for Pre-Bid Conference for Construction of the Sterling Park Safety Center”, and the email should include the name of your firm and provide contact information to include phone number and address. Providing the email requesting participation in the Pre-Bid Conference was received prior to 1:00 p.m. the business day prior to the date of the Pre-Bid Conference, the County will respond with the information to participate in the Pre-Bid Conference.

Emails received after 1:00 p.m. will not be responded to.

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. 8/27/2020

8/20 & 8/27/20

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#

1994

ACURA

INTEGRA

JH4DC4458RS046360

AL’S TOWING

703-435-8888 08/20 & 08/27/20

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PAGE 26

AUGUST 27, 2020

Legal Notices

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

Case No.:

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

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

Description

Case Number

Recovery Date

Recovery Location

Phone Number

Black Magna Hawk 2000, Model #8547-66 bicycle

SO200011201

7/11/2020

Ashburn Village/Farmwell Rd., Ashburn

703-777-0610 08/20 & 08/27/20

A message to elderly and disabled Loudoun County residents from

Robert S. Wertz, Jr. Commissioner of the Revenue Residents 65 and older or totally and permanently disabled who wish to apply for 2020 Personal Property (vehicle) Tax Relief for the first time must submit an application to my office by the September 1, 2020 filing deadline.

Please visit our website or contact my office for information or filing assistance.

Leesburg Office 1 Harrison Street SE First Floor Sterling Office 21641 Ridgetop Circle Suite 100 Internet: www.loudoun.gov/taxrelief Hours: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, M - F Phone: 703-737-8557 Email: trcor@loudoun.gov Mailing Address: PO Box 8000, MSC 32 Leesburg, VA 20177-9804 8/6, 8/13, 8/20 & 8/27/20

PUBLIC NOTICE AT&T proposes to replace an existing 37.9’ metal light pole with a new 39’ metal light pole and install a top-mounted antenna at 42.3’ near 635 Potomac Station, Leesburg, VA (20201414). Interested parties may contact Scott Horn (856-809-1202) (1012 Industrial Dr., West Berlin, NJ 08091) with comments regarding potential effects on historic properties.

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

JJ040484-06-00,

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Christian Carter Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

David Craig Johnson, putative 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 Christian Carter It is ORDERED that the defendant, David Craig Johnson, putative father appear at the above-named Court and protect his interests on or before September 8, 2020 at 3:00 pm 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, & 8/27/20

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JJ044071-08-00 , Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

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hall Trucking Br am

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Abigail Rivera Hernandez

540-822-9011

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Nelson Bismarck Rivera Espinoza, putative father and Rosibel Hernandez Zepeda, mother

Let us heLp you carry your Load!

The object of this suit is to hold a 3rd permanency planning hearing and review of Foster Care Plan pursuant to Virginia Code §§ 16.1-282.1 and 16.1-281 for Abigail Rivera Hernandez.

It is ORDERED that the defendants, Nelson Bismarck Rivera Espinoza, putative father and Rosibel Hernandez Zepeda, mother appear at the above-named Court and protect their interests on or before September 9, 2020 at 3:00 p.m.

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

JJ044339-00-00

Loudoun Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

,

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Isaiah Matos Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Earl Marshal, putative 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 16.1-281 for Isaiah Matos.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, Earl Marshal, putative father appear at the above-named Court and protect his interests on or before September 8, 2020 at 11:00 am.

8/6, 8/13, 8/20, & 8/27/20

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Mateo Alexander Parado Loudoun County Department of Family Services /v.

Melvin Parado, putative father, and Chelsea M. Deleon, 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 Mateo Alexander Parado.

It is ORDERED that the defendants, Melvin Parado, putative father and Chelsea M. Deleon, mother, appear at the above-named Court and protect their interests on or before September 28, 2020 at 11:00 am.

8/27 & 9/03, 9/10 & 9/17/20

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AUGUST 27, 2020

Opinion Beyond Being Essential Last week the Department of Homeland Security added teachers to the list of critical infrastructure workers who should be exempt from the 14-day quarantine protocol recommended for others if they have been exposed to COVID-19, but remain asymptomatic.

That could be viewed as a helpful action to school administrators worried about staffing shortages as they move to return to in-person learning. It is true that concerns about the disruptions caused by frequent—perhaps repeated—quarantine-related absences are among the obstacles Loudoun’s leaders have cited as they moved away from their plan to open with a hybrid learning option next month.

However, that isn’t the worry keeping many of the county’s teachers from heading back to the classroom. They need to feel safe. And they don’t.

Will they have enough effective personal protective equipment? Will the schools be sanitized properly? Can their students adequately protect those around them by adhering to mask-wearing and distancing procedures? Are those procedures even enough to prevent the spread of an often troublesome, sometimes debilitating and potentially fatal virus in a school environment known for its petri dish-like ability to cultivate such micro-organisms?

Loudoun is on course to get teachers and students back in the classroom when it is safe to do so. Based on the experiences of other districts and college campuses across the country and around the globe, we don’t yet know what that entails.

And a thin royal fiat from Washington does very little to answer any of those critical questions.

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

Published by Amendment One Loudoun, LLC

EDITORIAL Renss Greene, Deputy Editor rgreene@loudounnow.com

15 N. King St., Suite 101 Leesburg, VA, 20176

Jan Mercker, Reporter jmercker@loudounnow.com

PO Box 207 Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723

Kara C. Rodriguez, Reporter krodriguez@loudounnow.com Patrick Szabo, Reporter pszabo@loudounnow.com

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

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

LETTERS to the Editor Essential Resource Editor: I am an organic vegetable and livestock producer based in Loudoun County. I wanted to take a moment to write in support of the preservation of prime agricultural soils in our county, which is something that is currently being considered by the Loudoun Board of Supervisors.

Quality soil is at the heart of agriculture, which is the foundation of our society (everybody eats, after all). Unfortunately, soil is an often overlooked and underappreciated feature of a landscape.

It is easy to assume that dirt is dirt, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

There are immense differences between soils that are productive, supporting production of food, fuel, and fiber, and those that are marginal or unusable for production.

Prime agricultural soils are an invaluable resource that must be protected from development or misuse. This will have numerous positive impacts, from maintaining and boosting agricultural productivity in the county to protecting valuable environmental features and ecosystems to enhancing the rural economy through agricultural activity. These efforts were outlined in the 2019 Comprehensive

Plan, and the initiative being considered by the Board of Supervisors provides actionable steps to protect and maintain prime agricultural soils, something that will benefit all Loudoun residents.

While soil may not be the most glamorous of topics, it is truly an essential resource that takes millennia to develop and moments to destroy. We must put protections in place to ensure the productive capacity of our county is maintained over the long term.

- Collin Thompson, Aldie

Protect the Soils Editor: Few things are as important to the long-term success of an agricultural operation as the potential productivity and the quality of the soils that make up the land being farmed. I know from my own operation that trying to farm soils that are too wet or too steep will grow a lot of frustration, but not much in the way of wheat or hay.

It is because of this paramount importance that I and the rest of the producers on the Loudoun Farm Bureau Board of Directors are strongly in favor of the Board of Supervisors moving LETTERS continues on page 29

AUGUST 27, 2020

ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM

Readers’ Poll

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Are you worried about voting in November’s presidential election?

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION: The kids are going back to class virtually, are you back in the office/to work?

LETTERS to the Editor continued from page 28

forward on Sept. 1 and sending the prime agricultural soils work plan item to staff.

A resolution supporting the protection of USDA Class I prime agricultural soils was adopted unanimously at our annual membership meeting by our producer members last year, and our board is ready to see the goals of that resolution put into action.

While we certainly recognize that there will be some landowners who want the development process to be as unencumbered and cheap as possible, especially those who are involved in the realty business, we represent the views of the majority of our 370+ producer members and 12 elected producer board members who wish to continue long term in agriculture, and pass down agricultural operations to the next generation of Loudoun farmers. To do that, we need substantial amounts of our best farmland soils to be maintained for just that, farming. Our neighboring jurisdictions with solid agricultural industries, Clarke and Fauquier, have already chosen to protect prime farmland soils when properties are subdivided, and its time Loudoun update its zoning ordinance to match the adopted goals of our new comprehensive plan.

Even in the past week, there has been another AR-1 cluster development proposed near Hamilton which places large areas of floodplain and hydric soils on the

PAGE 29

Share your views at loudounnow.com/polls

“Rural Economy Lots,” while placing the clustered residential lots on the best agricultural soils. This sets up anyone looking to farm those Rural Economy Lots to fail, and not to contribute to our future agricultural economy here in Loudoun.

This is an urgent problem, and we stand fully behind the unanimous vote of the Board of Supervisors earlier this year to support Supervisor Buffington and Chair Randall’s Board Members Initiative, which addressed the call of today’s Loudoun farmers to protect this critical economic and natural resource for future generations of Loudoun farmers. We only get one chance to protect our best land to keep growing and raising high quality local products for our neighbors here in Loudoun, and beyond, and we ask our elected leaders to help us do just that, protect our best farmland soils for farming.

- Chris Van Vlack, Lovettsville

Police Reform Editor: As Virginia’s General Assembly prepares to discuss police reform, I pray impulse and situational ethics surrender to principled rationale. Without proper foresight, it is possible to do well-intentioned harm.

The most obvious reform I hope to see is a mandate for all uniformed officers to have body cameras, in addition to dashboard cameras for all law enforcement vehicles. I believe this will serve a

variety of parties. First, it will help serve the citizens, as the knowledge that their engagement with law enforcement is being recorded should help provide peace of mind. Second, it will help protect our law enforcement officers from fraudulent claims of civil disobedience and conduct unbecoming of an officer. Finally, these recorded interactions can, and should, be used for training purposes. Having academy students watch real interactions will help them see how to appropriately respond to challenging situations.

I also believe there is wisdom in removing qualified immunity for law enforcement officials. This is not because most officers abuse their authority, but because the principle of checks and balances in government have served us well. Officers who cannot be easily held accountable could abuse authority and create a sense of micro-tyranny for communities. Furthermore, before an experienced law enforcement officer is hired into another department or jurisdiction, I believe state law should require the professional file of that individual be sent from their old office to their new one, prior to hire. Officers who are commonly and formally rebuked should not be hired by another department.

Finally, I believe it would benefit officers to receive training on how traumatic experiences can affect an individual’s brain. When officers enter potentially dangerous situations, they often interact with traumatized individuals (i.e. early and/or frequent exposure to violence,

drug use, etc.). The late Karyn Purvis has conducted remarkable research on the effects of trauma on the brain, how it governs an individual’s actions, and most importantly, how to appropriately address it. Admittedly, her research is geared for foster and adopted parents, which is not the responsibility of the police; however, the principle of knowing how a traumatized individual may behave, and how to counteract the potential for escalation, is noteworthy.

However, Richmond should not denigrate an officer’s ability for self-preservation. We trust law enforcement officers to be wise stewards of lethal weapons, so how would legislation be consistent if it took away options and tactics that may lead to the prevention of lethal force?

Rather, Richmond should seek to give officers as many non-lethal options as possible to avoid chaos and protect innocent life. Furthermore, officers should retain the ability to serve no-knock warrants. For instance, knocking on the door of an alleged weapons trafficker places a tactical disadvantage on law enforcement, benefits the alleged criminal, and unnecessarily increases risk.

In this debate, police officers are not adversaries, nor are concerned citizens antagonists. May the passions of the day give way to temperance, and perhaps subsequent legislation will further protect the citizenry without sacrificing protections for law enforcement.

- Thomas Black, Leesburg

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Your Mental Health: Recovering from the Shock of COVID-19

BY SUZANNE NIXON

Imagine you are standing at the ocean’s shore when a tsunami unexpectedly hits: A wall of churning, swirling water rapidly heading straight in your direction, and no shelter in sight.

In less than a second, your neurobiology registers the external event, sounds the alarm to your nervous system, and your stress response is ignited: Your pulse increases, heart pounds, breath accelerates, body tenses and anxiety mounts. Your body is now primed and ready for life-saving action.

In this hyperalert, hypervigilant state your eyes scan the surrounding landscape for a safe haven. Bingo!

You catch sight of a sturdy building in the distance and run towards it. When you finally reach safety, you collapse to the ground, exhausted. Over the next several minutes your body begins to calm, your mind stops racing and you are able to rest.

As with any strong stress response, this period of calm is followed by a flood of emotions. The anxiety of the initial threat returns and coping mechanisms to tame that anxiety are needed.

Metaphorically speaking, COVID-19 has impacted many of us like a sudden, swirling tsunami that we didn’t see coming.

(We even use similar language: “first wave,” “second wave,” “flatten the curve.”)

It “stopped us in our tracks” and we were knocked off balance. Most of us swirled with more disbelief and confusion than certainty, more intense emotions and feelings than we’re able to express, and more questions than answers. The unexpected, rapid impacts of COVID-19 have been nothing less than shocking.

In fact, research into the spread of COVID-19 now shows that mental health is the epidemic on the front lines, with more and more people experiencing depression, anxiety, PTSD, and trauma—all while facing a shortage of healthcare services and facilities, as well as outlets for in-person connection.

Encountering a real or perceived threat to our safety and well-being ignites our biological stress response. The sympathetic nervous system kicks into high gear, notifying every system in the body that a threat is present: “Danger, Danger!” Our minds race, our bodies tense, and all major vital signs increase at a rapid race. We respond to this automatic signal in one of four ways: through Fight, Flee, Freeze, or Faint.

Shock is a freeze response. The body clamps up as the mind races to find an escape, a solution. Just as so many of us were beginning to process the initial shock of COVID-19, adjust to “new normal” and

re-engage in life, the “next wave” came hurling towards us—only this time with a recommendation from state and local governments that, for many of us, soon became a mandate: quarantine, socially distance, and wear face masks.

Businesses, personal services, schools, and childcare facilities closed, while sports, weddings, and other events were canceled.

Many working adults transitioned to working from home, were suddenly told their wages were cut, or—even worse—lost their jobs entirely. Working parents, in addition to already-full workloads, became full-time caregivers and school teachers. Day-to-day living radically changed and business operations had to be reinvented quickly and without a blueprint. We were thrown into shock again.

That “second wave” shock is where most of us continue to live our lives today.

A public survey conducted by the UK Academy of Medical Sciences revealed that mental health in the UK was already being affected by the country’s lockdown and self-isolation policy. As recent as March, UK polls already indicated increased levels of anxiety and fear of mental suffering as indirect results of COVID-19, risking an increase in adverse behaviors like substance abuse and addiction, gambling or excessive spending, cyberbullying—not to mention social consequences, like homelessness, domestic abuse and violence, and the general breakdown of relationships.

In the United States, CDC research published in August reports that the physical distancing and stay-at-home orders resulting from COVID-19 have been associated with increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges, as compared to the same period of time (AprilJune) of last year. Research also concludes that younger adults, racial and ethnic minorities, essential workers, and unpaid adult caregivers report having experienced disproportionately worse mental health outcomes, increased substance use, and elevated suicidal ideation.

Everyone’s mental health will be affected differently by COVID-19, as well as one’s ability to recover from the prolonged stress and regain a sense of stability and calm.

Some people may experience a low level of anxiety, upset, sadness, and agitation, and others a moderate-to-high level which may lead to a clinical condition of depression, anxiety or trauma.

Many factors contribute to an individual’s mental health during a global calamity like COVID-19, including, current and past psychological health, adverse childhood experiences and current traumas, genetic pre-disposition to mental illness, current life space factors: home environment, em-

ployment status, economics, quality of relationships, and support system, coping skills to manage stress, personal self-care practices, including routine medical/healthcare appointments, and access to healthcare.

If you think yourself or a family member might be experiencing any of these mental health impacts of COVID-19, or others, and are concerned about your or their well-being, consult your primary care physician or schedule an appointment with a mental health provider.

Additionally, there are things you can do right now, at home, to reduce and alleviate any mental health impacts of COVID-19 you may be experiencing. We all have the inner capability to fortify our mental health, move beyond the experience of shock, and adapt to a “new normal” way of living. It all starts with the conscious intent to be honest and authentic with yourself.

Ask yourself questions like: How am I feeling? and: Am I coping well with the current COVID-19 pandemic?

If you consider your symptoms mild to low-moderate, begin fortifying your mental and emotional well-being by implementing self-care practices like: Nourish your body with essential nutrients to improve and maintain optimal health, Exercise at least 30 minutes each day. Start with walking and stretching if you do not exercise regularly, sleep 7-8 hours a day (adults) and 8-10 hours a day (children and teens.), develop a positive mindset, engage in a contemplative practice like yoga, meditation, or tai chi, manage stress with stress reduction techniques, engage in a deep breathing practice to relax, induce calm, feed your cells and fortify your lungs, connect with family and friends with social distancing practices in place, or through video platforms, and play—allow yourself to let go, chill out, have fun, laugh, and connect with yourself and others.

But remember, if your self-assessment causes you concern or worry, take action and seek professional help.

Perhaps most important of all, orient your mind and heart towards hope. Everything on earth is impermanent. In time, this too shall pass, and when it does, be ready to meet what comes next with a more resilient you. n Suzanne Nixon has expert training in counseling, psychotherapy, education, energy medicine, lifestyle wellness and integrative health coaching spanning 35 years. Her integrative behavioral health practice is located in Lansdowne.

AUGUST 27, 2020

Voting continued from page 15 reads. “We express our full support for the USPS and respectfully request that they be provided the necessary funding and equipment to ensure the excellent service necessary to provide to the residents, local governments and businesses in our communities as in the past.”

The letter comes from the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, and is addressed to Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) along with Reps. Jennifer T. Wexton (D-VA-10), Donald Beyer (D-VA-8), Gerald Connolly (D-VA-11), and Rob Wittman (R-VA-1). It is signed by the other members of the regional council including the mayors and chairpersons of Fairfax County and City, Prince William County, Arlington County, Alexandria, Manassas Park, Herndon, Vienna, Dumfries and Falls Church.

Absentee Applications Open Loudoun County election officials have encouraged voters to apply online through the Virginia Department of Elections for their ballots at vote.elections.virginia.gov.

The deadline to request a ballot be mailed is Oct. 23 at 5 p.m. Ballots will not be mailed until Sept. 18, but voters may apply for one now. Ballots come with instructions on how to complete them. A completed mailed ballot must be postmarked no later than Nov. 3 to be counted. Voters can check the status of their ballot—including whether it was rejected—at vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation.

So far there are three ways to vote in Loudoun: at home by mail, voting early in person, or voting on Election Day at a polling place.

Voting early in person is available at the Office of Elections in Leesburg beginning Sept. 18, with extended hours and additional early voting sites opening Saturday, Oct. 17. Social distancing measures will be in place at all locations, face coverings are required when entering county facilities, and curbside voting is available for individuals who have mobility issues. The last day to vote early in person is Saturday, Oct. 31.

And voting in person on election day continues as normal, including curbside voting, with social distancing measures in place and face coverings required inside buildings. Election officials are also cooperating with the Loudoun County Medical Reserve Corps to ensure voting in person is as safe as possible in the pandemic.

The deadline to register to vote or update your information is Tuesday, Oct. 13. Go to loudoun.gov/novemberelection for more information about voting in the November general election in Loudoun. n

AUGUST 27, 2020

Back to school continued from page 3 Among the largest is lining up enough teachers in each specialty to return to the classroom.

In a survey earlier this summer, nearly 3,700 teachers said they preferred to participate only in online learning this fall.

However as of last week, fewer than 300 instructors had filed the paperwork to qualify for formal exemptions based on factors such as personal or family health conditions.

During last week’s meeting, School Board members, Williams and his staff discussed how to best balance those teacher preferences with the classroom needs. If a large number of teachers opt to take unpaid leave rather than return to the classroom, administrators will attempt to hire certified instructors on short-term contracts. Several School Board members acknowledged that in an already tight education hiring market, gearing up a full hybrid learning program would be unlikely if all those teachers opt out of a return to school, but there was clear reluctance to “strong arm” them with threats, such as termination.

Board members also hit roadblocks when trying to set deadlines for the additional hybrid learning programs to ramp up. Ian Serotkin (Blue Ridge) proposed a phase-in schedule with MATA student starting hybrid learning Sept. 8, preschool students getting some in-person instruction starting Sept. 14; ESL students returning for one or two days a week by Sept. 21, and special education programs bringing students into class by Oct. 13.

In the end, only the MATA and special education programs had their start dates locked in.

Administrators will return next month with proposals to begin offering hybrid preschool and ELL classes and schedules that would allow ample time to identify staffing, complete training, build bus routes and other tasks. Williams’ presentations this week showed a “by October 27” deadline.

Another push is underway to ensure students will have the internet connections they need to participate in online classes. Over the past several days, school leaders have worked to distribute new Chromebooks to students in grades K-2, completing the rollout of a program to give every student a laptop device. The school district also has acquired another 600 hotspot devices that will be issued to students without adequate connections.

Those efforts build on work done when

ALWAYS ONLINE AT LOUDOUNNOW.COM schools were suddenly shuttered in March, when the school division purchased the last 11,000 Chromebooks then available in the U.S. market and 1,000 hotspots. Still, it is expected that some students will have to set up in library or school parking lots to get an internet connection strong enough to participate in their online classes.

As parents and caregivers prepare for at least five more months of some form of at-home learning, Williams has two important messages.

First, the educational experience in the fall will be much more robust and structured than the online learning plan quickly put together last spring. “Teachers did an amazing job in the spring and we’re going to do a lot better this year,” he said.

Second, there is a focus on making progress, not expecting perfection. “Parents were holding themselves up to this sense of perfection—and I get that, these kids get one shot at an education—but parents need to recognize that they need to just do the best that they can,” Williams said. “And the same thing with teachers.

Teachers sometimes beat themselves up.

We need to continue to that mantra of progress not holding people to perfection.”

During the Chamber session, school principals expressed optimism and excitement for getting back to teaching students, even if only online. They said a lot of time has been spent talking with students, parents and teachers to understand what worked and what didn’t during the spring sessions. Those “empathy interviews” formed the foundation for the new lesson plans.

“The work we are doing in the fall is actually from the voices of our community, which we’re really, really excited about,” Brambleton Middle School Principal Renée Dawson said.

“What it allowed our folks to do here at the school is really look at this through the lens of the students that we’re serving and their families. And it allowed us to, I hope, enhance our offerings and grow our craft,” Cedar Run Elementary School Principal Robert Marple said.

“We want our students back in the building. I miss that interaction. That is what excites me so much,” he said. “But during this time when we are engaged in distance learning, I think we’re adding tools to our toolbelts to be more successful and meet our students’ needs. We’re going to give it our best. We’re looking forward to doing what we can to provide our students with a joyful learning opportunity each and every day.” n

PAGE 31

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AUGUST 27, 2020

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